Happiness is a state of mind that’s as sought after as it is elusive. It’s something we find so fundamental that the “pursuit of happiness” is even written into the U.S. constitution. But what really is happiness, and where do we find it? On this episode of The Goldwaters, the family takes a deep dive into the idea, its philosophical origins, the science of it, and how the family tries to find a slice of happiness—from puzzles to prayers—in their day-to-day lives.
Further reading:
- Anne-France Goldwater: Reading: We the Living, by Ayn Rand. The author’s first novel is a taut drama that explores life under communism.
- Daniel Goldwater: The Happy Lawyer, by Nancy Levit and Douglas O. Linder. An exploration of positive psychology and happy living for the lawyer in your life. “There are all sorts of really profound insights in it that really changed my relationship to the profession, and helped me come to terms with some of the saddr, more intense parts of it all,” Daniel said.
- Samantha Goldwater-Adler: The Happiness Trap, by Russ Harris. The book looks at how striving to achieve happiness can actually make us miserable. “What I like about it is the focus much more on meaning and pursuing your values, rather than just being on this hedonic treadmill, continually trying to achieve the next level of happiness. It’s really focusing on what’s important to you, and what matters, and how to get there,” Samantha said.
Photo by Eric E Castro, via Flickr