Finding Happiness

According to Shafer-Landau if something always makes us better off then it is reasonable to try and acquire it; from a hedonistic perspective, the one thing that will always make us better off is happiness. As autonomous human beings we have the right to make choices, ultimately striving to make choices that will make us happy or, for most, give our life a sense of purpose. As humans we deserve the unalienable rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” No one should be denied the right to be happy. But what makes one person “happier” than another?

The concept of happiness is ambiguous to each individual, what makes one person happy might not necessarily be the same thing that makes another person happy. Theres's no right or wrong way to be happy, happiness is simply whatever brings you pleasure. This leads to the question is there a right or a wrong way to be happy? There's not, and as Bentham argues all pleasures are equal in that they bring happiness. Happiness is just happiness and while we can achieve happiness in a morally right or morally wrong way that doesn’t not change the intrinsic value of happiness and the benefits it brings us. Happiness is the same in all forms. Technically speaking, there is not one thing that can make me happier than something else, the intensity and the duration of my happiness can increase or decrease but that doesn't change the benefits of the happiness. Certain things like money and possessions can make us happy, but research shows that experiences make us happier than possessions and that an increase in income does improve quality of life (to a certain point) but not necessarily well being or happiness. Possessions bring a temporary sense of happiness, short lived, while experiences and memories are long lasting sources of happiness. Therefore, what effects and influences happiness are factors such as duration, intensity, fecundity, and purity of our actions.

Through an analysis of life expectancy, economics, social support, freedom to make choices, and lack of corruption the United Nations was able to rank countries according to their overall levels of happiness. Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland ranked as the happiest and received the highest scores in life expectancy, economics, social support, and freedom and the lowest scores in corruption. Psychological and medical studies show that “happy” people live longer. According to CNN 25% of life expectancy and one's ability to be happy is determined by genetics; and the remaining 75% is determined by how and where you live—factors that are associated with possible happiness. These percentages might serve as an explanation as to why life expectancy and overall happiness are directly correlated to the “happiest countries.” These results indicate that living in a country with such benefits increases life expectancy. And as stated above life expectancy is more likely to increase in accordance with an individuals level of happiness and well being. Over all well-being increases happiness. These results indicate that factors such as money and possessions do not influence levels of happiness and that happiness is derived from not only your environment, but also your genetic predisposition to be happy.

Shafer-Landau, Russ.The Fundamentals of Ethics. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2010. Print.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/19/living/feat-project-happy-10-ways/index.html

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/20/health/happiness-wellbeing-health/index.html