Happy (2011) - full transcript

HAPPY takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy. Combining real life stories of people from around the world and powerful interviews with the leading scientists in happiness research, HAPPY explores the secrets behind our most valued emotion.

THE FIRST QUESTION IS

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

I DON'T KNOW.

TO BE HAPPY?

TO BE HAPPY.

I WANT THE AMERICAN DREAM.

I WANT TO BE HAPPY.

WOULD IT SURPRISE YOU TO KNOW

THAT IN A RECENT SURVEY,

THIS RICKSHAW DRIVER,

MANOJ SINGH,

WAS FOUND TO BE AS HAPPY

AS THE AVERAGE AMERICAN?

FOR HUNDREDS,

MAYBE EVEN THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

PEOPLE HAVE STUDIED DEPRESSION

AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ILLNESS.

THE GOAL OF PSYCHOLOGISTS

WAS PRIMARILY TO RID A PATIENT

OF THEIR PROBLEMS.

RECENTLY, HOWEVER,

MODERN SCIENCE HAS BEGUN TO LOOK

AT HOW HAPPINESS WORKS.

WHAT ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS

OF A LIFE

THAT'S NOT JUST FREE OF ILLNESS,

BUT ONE THAT FLOURISHES WITH

A DEEP AND GENUINE HAPPINESS?

WHEN I GOT

INTO HAPPINESS RESEARCH,

IT WAS 1981.

IT WAS NOT A POPULAR FIELD

IN PSYCHOLOGY.

PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS FLAKY,

THAT IT WAS LOOSE.

A PROFESSOR SAID TO ME, "YOU CAN

NEVER MEASURE HAPPINESS."

NOW, WHY THEY THOUGHT

YOU COULD MEASURE DEPRESSION,

WHICH THEY WERE ALL DOING,

BUT YOU COULDN'T MEASURE

HAPPINESS, I'M NOT SURE.

AND THEN, IN THE '90s,

PEOPLE STARTED

GETTING INTERESTED IN IT.

AND NOW IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED.

MAGAZINE ARTICLES AND BOOKS

ARE BEING WRITTEN ABOUT IT.

THERE'S EVEN

A NEW FIELD OF SCIENCE

CALLED "POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY,"

WHICH STUDIES HAPPINESS.

IT BECAME THE MOST POPULAR CLASS

AT HARVARD,

WITH 1,000 KIDS SHOWING UP

EVERY WEEK

FOR A HAPPINESS CLASS.

THE FIRST THING IS TO REALIZE

THAT HAPPINESS CAN ACTUALLY

HELP YOU GET YOUR OTHER GOALS,

HAVE BETTER RELATIONSHIPS,

MAKE MORE MONEY,

DO BETTER AT THE JOB.

PEOPLE ON THE JOB ARE GONNA

LIKE YOU BETTER IF YOU'RE HAPPY.

WHAT WE'VE DONE --

AND I'VE DONE THIS FOR THE LAST

25 YEARS COLLECTING DATA.

SO, WE FOLLOW PEOPLE AND LOOK

AT THEIR MOODS OVER TIME.

WE'VE ALSO LOOKED

AT RANDOM SAMPLES OF PEOPLE

FROM AROUND THE WORLD,

WHO'S HAPPY, WHO'S NOT HAPPY.

THEN WE CRUNCH ALL THESE NUMBERS

AND WE SAY,

"GEE, WHAT REALLY MATTERS?"

BY STUDYING IDENTICAL TWINS,

PEOPLE WITH ALMOST EXACTLY

THE SAME GENETIC MAKEUP,

RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED

THAT APPROXIMATELY 50%

OF THE DIFFERENCES

IN OUR HAPPINESS LEVELS

IS DETERMINED BY OUR GENES.

THEY CALL THAT

OUR "GENETIC SET POINT,"

OR OUR "GENETIC SET RANGE."

MOST OF US ARE BORN WITH

A CERTAIN RANGE OF HAPPINESS

THAT WE FALL IN

MOST OF THE TIME.

AND EVEN WHEN REALLY GOOD OR

REALLY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO US,

WE KIND OF TEND TO RETURN

TO OUR SET POINT.

AND WHILE 50% IS GENETIC,

AMAZINGLY, OUR CIRCUMSTANCES,

LIKE WHAT JOB WE HAVE

OR HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE,

OUR SOCIAL STATUS, OUR HEALTH,

THOSE THINGS THAT MANY OF US

ARE TOLD TO FOCUS ON,

THEY ONLY ACCOUNT FOR 10% OF THE

DIFFERENCES IN OUR HAPPINESS.

MOST PEOPLE ARE KIND OF STUNNED

AT HOW SMALL THAT IS,

BUT THAT STILL LEAVES

40% UNACCOUNTED FOR.

AND SO OUR THEORY SUGGESTS

THAT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL

YOU CAN DO TO BECOME HAPPIER,

AND THAT 40% IS LEFT FOR

KIND OF INTENTIONAL BEHAVIOR,

YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO

ON A REGULAR BASIS

TO BECOME HAPPIER.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IF A PERSON

WANTS TO BECOME HAPPIER

TO TRY NOT TO ADAPT

TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO, THEY WOULD CONSCIOUSLY VARY

WHAT THEY DO.

IT COULD BE LIKE

WHEN YOU DO YOUR DAILY RUN

THAT YOU TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE.

I MEAN, THAT'S NOT REALLY,

YOU KNOW, MIND-BOGGLING.

FOR SOME PEOPLE,

IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF CHANGE.

FOR SOME PEOPLE,

IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE.

BUT THAT CHANGE IS IMPORTANT.

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE.

THIS IS A PARADISE TO ME.

THAT'S WHY I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

AND YOU DON'T KNOW

WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE.

PEOPLE EITHER CALL ME FOR

A TOUR, "WHAT WE GONNA SEE?"

"I DON'T KNOW

WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE,

BUT WE'RE GONNA SEE SOMETHING."

LOOK RIGHT THERE.

THAT'S A CRAWFISH EATER.

LOOK AT THAT ALLIGATOR

ON THAT BIG LOG.

SEE IT?

I FEEL LIKE A KID, MAN.

AND RIGHT WHERE WE AT THERE,

STRAIGHT AHEAD,

MY HOUSE IS RIGHT THERE

ACROSS THE LEVEE.

IN THE AFTERNOON SOMETIMES,

I'M KIND OF, LIKE,

DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

I JUMP IN MY 4-WHEELER,

AND I COME PARK RIGHT THERE.

MY HOUSE IS RIGHT THERE.

AND I WATCH THESE BIRDS PASS

AND JUST LISTEN

TO THE STILLNESS.

THIS, YOU KNOW, WILDLIFE

AND BEING OUT HERE,

YOU DON'T KNOW

WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE.

BUT NATURE,

ESPECIALLY LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW,

IT'S GOOD MEDICINE.

THIS IS MY HAPPINESS.

ANY DISCUSSION OF HAPPINESS

CENTERS A LOT ON DOPAMINE.

DOPAMINE IS A CHEMICAL IN THE

BRAIN CALLED A NEUROTRANSMITTER

THAT'S NECESSARY FOR FEELINGS

OF PLEASURE AND HAPPINESS.

SO, ELECTRICAL IMPULSES COME

DOWN A NERVE,

THEY HIT THE CONNECTION,

AND THE CONNECTION

RELEASES CHEMICALS.

THE CHEMICALS DIFFUSE

TO THE NEXT NERVE CELL.

THEY BIND TO RECEPTORS

IN THE NEXT NERVE CELL,

AND THEY CAUSE

AN ELECTRICAL CHANGE.

THAT CHEMICAL RELEASE

THAT IS RELEASED

IS CALLED A NEUROTRANSMIT.

PRETTY MUCH, AS YOU AGE FROM

ABOUT TEENAGE YEARS ONWARD,

YOU'RE SLOWLY LOSING

DOPAMINE SYNAPSES

AND PROBABLY DOPAMINE NEURONS,

AS WELL.

AS FAR AS WE KNOW, NO ONE'S

OBSERVED THOSE REGENERATING.

IF IT'S TOO SEVERE, THEN YOU

END UP WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

THE BODY ADAPTS

TO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO.

SO, THE "USE IT OR LOSE IT"

PROBABLY APPLIES TO SOME DEGREE

IN THE BRAIN, AS WELL.

AND SO THE IDEA WOULD BE

TO SEEK OUT EXPERIENCES

THAT RELEASE DOPAMINE

OR YOU NEED DOPAMINE TO DO.

THE THINGS THAT ARE BEST

AT DOING THAT, INTERESTINGLY,

INVOLVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

SO, AEROBIC EXERCISE IS PROBABLY

ONE OF THE BEST RELEASERS

OF DOPAMINE,

ESPECIALLY IF YOU DO IT

IN NOVEL WAYS.

WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

LIKE, BANANA SPLITS.

I LIKE BANANA PEELS.

I LIKE BIG BANANAS.

THE BRAIN IS BASICALLY --

ON THIS LEVEL,

IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO A MUSCLE.

THE PARTS OF THE BRAIN

THAT ARE...

I'M SORRY.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA SAY

THE BRAIN IS A SPONGE.

BUT I'LL GO WITH MUSCLE.

IT TURNS OUT

THAT THERE'S ANOTHER COMPONENT

OF SURFING AND EXERCISE

THAT CAN INCREASE

YOUR HAPPINESS.

IT'S WHAT AN ATHLETE WOULD CALL

"BEING IN THE ZONE."

I STARTED STUDYING PEOPLE

WHO WERE DOING SOMETHING

VERY DIFFICULT AND DEMANDING

FOR NO GOOD REASON --

NO MONEY, NO STATUS, NOTHING,

BUT JUST BECAUSE

THEY LIKE TO DO IT.

MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT

MOTIVATED THESE ACTIVITIES

WAS NOT ANYTHING

THAT CAME FROM OUTSIDE

BUT IT CAME FROM

THE ACTIVITY ITSELF.

AND I GAVE THE NAME "FLOW"

TO THIS KIND OF SYNERGY

OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS

OF CONSCIOUSNESS,

WHERE YOU WISH

YOU COULD GO FOREVER

BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE

COMPLETELY FULFILLING SOMETHING

THAT YOU CAN DO WELL AND

THAT YOU CAN SEE IT HAPPENING

AND YOU FEEL

THAT NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.

TO HAVE VERY CLEAR GOALS

THAT YOU KNOW MOMENT BY MOMENT

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

LIKE IF YOU'RE SINGING OR

PLAYING A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT,

YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHAT NOTES

OR CHORDS YOU WANT TO PLAY NEXT

AND YOU CAN HEAR WHETHER

YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT OR NOT.

PEOPLE IN THAT SITUATION FEEL

IN CONTROL,

THEY FORGET THEIR PROBLEMS.

INTERESTINGLY,

THEY FORGET THEMSELVES,

SO THAT THE KIND OF EGO

THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS AWARE

OF IN EVERYDAY LIFE

DISAPPEARS.

IT BUILDS OVER TIME A FEELING

THAT LIFE IS WORTH LIVING.

FLOW CAN HAPPEN ALMOST ANYWHERE.

IT CAN HAPPEN

DURING PERSONAL TIME,

OR IT CAN HAPPEN

WITH YOUR FAMILY.

IT CAN EVEN HAPPEN AT YOUR JOB.

IT'S ALL IN THE RHYTHM.

IT'S ALL IN KEEPING

THE RHYTHM GOING.

DOING IT 14 YEARS.

I LOVE IT.

DON'T WANT TO GO NOWHERE ELSE.

WHY DO YOU LOVE IT?

I LIKE COOKING, ALWAYS DID.

I GOT A ORDER OF HASH BROWNS

ON THE WAY.

PATTY MELT?

MASTER GRILL OPERATOR.

THE RESEARCH IS CLEAR.

PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE FLOW

ON A REGULAR BASIS

ARE HAPPIER

THAN THOSE WHO DON'T.

MUCH OF WHAT WE BELIEVE

ABOUT THE CAUSES

AND SOURCES OF HAPPINESS

SIMPLY ISN'T TRUE.

PEOPLE OVERESTIMATE HOW MUCH

IMPACT BOTH GOOD AND BAD EVENTS

WILL HAVE ON THEM IN THE FUTURE.

PEOPLE BELIEVE

THAT IF GOOD THINGS HAPPEN,

THEY'RE GONNA BE ECSTATIC

AND THAT JOY WILL LAST

A VERY LONG TIME.

IN FACT, THEY ARE ECSTATIC,

AND THE JOY QUICKLY DISSIPATES.

PEOPLE BELIEVE

THAT IF BAD THINGS HAPPEN,

LOSING A LOVER,

LOSING A FOOTBALL GAME,

LOSING A JOB,

THEY WILL BE DEVASTATED AND

DEVASTATED FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

IN FACT, THEY ARE DEVASTATED

FOR A VERY SHORT TIME.

IN GENERAL, PEOPLE DO REALLY

GOOD WHEN THINGS GO REALLY BAD.

SOUNDS LIKE A COUNTRY SONG,

BUT IT ACTUALLY TURNS OUT

TO BE TRUE.

THIS IS "TOWN & COUNTRY"

IN 1969,

AND I WAS FEATURED

AS ONE OF THE TOP-50 DEBUTANTES

IN THE COUNTRY

AT THE INTERNATIONAL BALL,

ALONG WITH TRICIA NIXON

AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

SHE WAS ONE OF

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMEN

I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE,

AND I STILL HAVE PICTURES OF

HER, YOU KNOW, WHEN SHE WAS 20.

ALL MY MEMORIES OF MY MOTHER

ARE JUST FOND,

AND, I MEAN, SHE WAS A GENUINELY

GOOD MOTHER ALL MY LIFE.

I WAS VERY, VERY BUSY

RAISING THREE CHILDREN

AND LOVING THAT

AND RAISING HORSES ON MY RANCH

AND DOING VOLUNTEER WORK.

I HAD A VERY FULL LIFE,

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY.

MY KIDS WERE IN SOCCER

AND BASEBALL

AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHEN I WAS RUN OVER BY A TRUCK

IN 1992,

I WAS IN SHOCK.

MY WHOLE LIFE CHANGED

INSTANTANEOUSLY.

IT WAS THE 4th OF JULY

ON MY FAMILY RANCH IN TEXAS,

WHERE I'M FROM.

WE WERE COMING IN OUR TRUCK

FROM THE BARN RIGHT HERE.

AND AS WE WERE APPROACHING,

I SAW MY SISTER-IN-LAW DRIVING

DOWN THE ROAD IN HER TRUCK.

AND I THOUGHT,

"WELL, IF SHE STOPS,

I'LL GET OUT, AND WE'LL TALK."

AND, SO, SHE DID.

AND I GOT OUT,

AND I GUESS IT WAS RIGHT HERE,

ACTUALLY, WHERE THE TRUCK WAS.

AND WE WERE HAVING

A DISAGREEMENT.

WOW.

SHE DROVE OFF IN A HURRY,

AND WHEN SHE DID,

MY HAND WAS ON THE DOOR HANDLE.

I WAS RUNNING ALONGSIDE

TRYING TO GET MY HAND OUT

AND SCREAMING AND FELL.

AND WHEN I FELL, I WAS DRAGGED

UNTIL MY HAND DISENGAGED

AND I FELL UNDER THE TRUCK.

I WAS CRAWLING AND CLAWING

THE GRAVEL TO TRY AND GET AWAY,

AND I COULDN'T.

AND IT WENT UP MY SPINE

AND OVER MY HEAD

AND CRUSHED MY FACE

IN THE ROCKS.

MY DAD HAD ALREADY JUMPED OUT

OF THE TRUCK AND WAS SCREAMING.

AND I GOT THERE, AND, OF COURSE,

WE BOTH THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD.

WHEN I WAS IN I.C.U., THEY COULD

ONLY RECOGNIZE ME BY MY HANDS.

JUST, OH,

MY POOR BEAUTIFUL MOTHER.

AND I HAD FRIENDS WHO DIDN'T

KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME.

IF I SAW THEM ON THE STREET

AND WENT UP TO THEM,

THEY JUST...FELL APART

AND STARTED CRYING

AND WERE HORRIFIED.

MY HUSBAND DIVORCED ME

AND LEFT ME.

UM, HE BECAME

A REALLY BAD ALCOHOLIC.

IT WAS VERY TRAUMATIC FOR HIM,

TOO,

BUT FOR 9½ YEARS,

I WAS TOTALLY DISABLED.

I'VE HAD 30 SURGERIES

ON MY FACE.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A DREAM

OR IF IT WAS A VISION

OR WHATEVER,

'CAUSE I WAS KIND OF GROGGY

AFTER THE SURGERY

AND I HAD THESE IMAGES OF...

NOT AN IMAGE THAT I HAD

REMEMBERED EVER SEEING

ON MY DAD'S FACE,

BUT JUST THIS LECHEROUS LOOK.

THE MEMORIES THAT WERE COMING

BACK WERE OF ABUSE BY HIM --

NOT JUST FONDLING ME,

BUT ALSO RAPING

AND THREATENING TO KILL ME

WITH HIS HANDS AROUND MY NECK

WHEN I FOUGHT.

I GUESS THE SHOCK OF THE TRAUMA

CRACKED

THIS VERY GOOD DENIAL SYSTEM

I HAD BUILT UP IN MY LIFE.

I JUST REALLY WAS ANGRY

I WAS ALIVE.

I THOUGHT ABOUT KILLING MYSELF.

I WOULD BUY MYSELF TIME,

SAY, "WELL, OKAY.

"THAT'S ALWAYS AN OPTION,

BUT I'LL WAIT SIX MONTHS,

BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO BE HERE

FOR MY KIDS TODAY."

I'D ALWAYS BEEN A SUPER DOER,

AN OVERACHIEVER,

A NEED-TO-KNOW PERSON.

AND TO BE ABLE TO SAY,

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND,

AND I DON'T NEED TO UNDERSTAND,

AND THAT'S OKAY,"

IT WAS KIND OF A CATALYST

OF A HEALING PROCESS

IN MY ENTIRE FAMILY.

BUT IT WAS VERY SCARY.

IN MY LIFE, INTEGRATING,

ACCEPTING ALL OF MY LIFE

IS PART OF HEALING.

HELLO.

I HAVE HORSES.

I FOUND THEM VERY HEALING TO ME.

I HAD SEEN HIM AT ONE OF

MY STEP-DAUGHTER'S WEDDING.

WE KNEW EACH OTHER YEARS AGO,

AND HE ASKED ME THINGS LIKE,

DID MY NOSE WORK?

AND I LIKED AND APPRECIATED

THAT, YOU KNOW?

AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE HAVING

BEEN BEAUTIFUL AND THEN NOT?

HE WASN'T AFRAID TO TALK TO ME,

TO TALK ABOUT THINGS.

AND WE GOT MARRIED

A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO.

HIS NAME IS HAPPY, AND WE HAVE

A WONDERFUL LIFE TOGETHER.

HE CALLS ME BEAUTIFUL,

AND I LOVE IT.

YEAH, IT IS A STRANGE TRUTH,

BUT THE TRUTH IS

I AM A HAPPIER PERSON.

I AM MORE GROUNDED,

MORE CENTERED,

MORE CONNECTED AND INTEGRATED

WITH WHO I AM

AND GRATEFUL FOR WHO I AM TODAY.

I'M WORKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE

NOW AS A PRACTITIONER.

I THINK THAT YOU CAN MAKE

A CHOICE

AND THAT YOU DO MAKE A CHOICE

WHEN THINGS HAPPEN IN LIFE.

OH, THIS IS FUN.

I HAVEN'T JUST STOOD OUT

IN THE RAIN IN QUITE A WHILE.

HMM.

THERE'S A GENERAL LAY SENSE

THAT ALL ADVERSITY IS BAD.

AND THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

DOESN'T REALLY SUPPORT THAT.

ONE OF THE KEY INGREDIENTS

TO HAPPINESS

IS BEING ABLE TO RECOVER

FROM ADVERSITY MORE QUICKLY.

SO, IT'S NOT THAT PEOPLE

WHO ARE HAPPY

DON'T RESPOND TO ADVERSITY.

THEY DO.

THEY SHOW AN APPROPRIATE

RESPONSE TO ADVERSITY.

BUT THEY COME BACK DOWN

TO BASELINE QUICKLY.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING

AS PLEASURE WITHOUT PAIN,

OF WHATEVER SORT,

EMOTIONAL OR OTHERWISE,

PHYSICAL OR OTHERWISE.

YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM

IS A DIFFERENTIAL ENGINE.

IT LOOKS AT DIFFERENCES.

IT LOOKS AT CONTRASTS.

THAT'S ALL IT CARES ABOUT.

IT INTEGRATES INFORMATION

BY INTEGRATING A BUNCH OF

LITTLE DIFFERENCES IN THINGS.

WHAT DO YOU WANT OUT OF LIFE?

UH, TO BE SUCCESSFUL,

TO BE HAPPY,

AND, UH, TO LIVE

A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE.

WHAT'S GONNA MAKE YOU

SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY?

WHAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE

YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY?

UH...

RIGHT NOW, MONEY.

YEAH, LOTS OF MONEY.

WE'RE TOLD IN OUR SOCIETY

THAT THE WAY TO BE

A COMPETENT PERSON,

THE WAY TO BE A GOOD PERSON

IS TO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.

IN THE LAST 50 YEARS, ECONOMIC

GROWTH HAS GONE UP A LOT.

IN AMERICA, FOR EXAMPLE,

WE'RE ABOUT TWICE AS WEALTHY

AS WE WERE 50 YEARS AGO.

THE NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE

SURVEYS OF PEOPLE'S HAPPINESS

SHOW THAT HAPPINESS

HAS REMAINED STAGNANT.

PEOPLE AREN'T ANY HAPPIER

THAN THEY WERE 50 YEARS AGO,

EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE LIVING

IN A LOT BIGGER HOUSES,

THEY HAVE MORE CARS.

ANYBODY WHO SAYS,

SHOULD GO TALK TO SOMEBODY

LIVING UNDER A BRIDGE.

BUT ANYBODY WHO SAYS,

"MONEY BUYS HAPPINESS,"

SHOULD GO TALK TO BILL GATES,

OKAY?

NEITHER OF THOSE THINGS

IS ACTUALLY TRUE.

WHEN MONEY BUYS YOU OUT

OF THE BURDENS OF HOMELESSNESS,

OF NOT KNOWING WHERE

YOUR NEXT MEAL WILL COME FROM,

IT CHANGES YOUR HAPPINESS

DRAMATICALLY.

BUT ONCE YOU HAVE

BASIC NEEDS MET,

MORE MONEY DOESN'T SEEM TO BUY

MORE HAPPINESS.

THE DIFFERENCE IN HAPPINESS

BETWEEN THE PERSON WHO EARNS

$5,000 AND $50,000 IS DRAMATIC.

THE DIFFERENCE IN HAPPINESS

BETWEEN THE PERSON WHO EARNS

$50,000 AND $50 MILLION

IS NOT DRAMATIC.

THE IDEA GOES BACK TO THIS

NOTION OF THE HEDONIC TREADMILL,

WHICH SAYS THAT WHATEVER LEVEL

OF WEALTH OR MATERIAL GOODS

YOU HAVE,

YOU ADAPT TO IT

AND YOU'LL ALWAYS WANT MORE.

THAT'S WHAT

THE HEDONIC TREADMILL IS.

THE HEDONIC ADAPTATION IS ONE OF

THE MAIN ENEMIES OF HAPPINESS.

REMEMBER ROY BLANCHARD?

HE TOLD US EARLIER

ABOUT THE NOVELTY AND THE BEAUTY

HE EXPERIENCES IN NATURE.

WELL, ROY'S ALSO PART OF

A FAMILY

THAT JUST MIGHT BE ONE OF

THE HAPPIEST FAMILIES AROUND.

THE BLANCHARDS ARE AN EXTENDED

FAMILY OF CHILDREN,

SIBLINGS, AND IN-LAWS.

MOST LIVE WITHIN A FEW MILES

OF EACH OTHER.

THEY LIVE MODESTLY AND WITH

VERY LITTLE MATERIAL WEALTH,

BUT THEY SEEM TO HAVE PLENTY

OF HAPPINESS TO GO AROUND.

IN ENGLISH,

SOMEBODY TELL YOU SOMETHING

AND YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT,

YOU SAY, "CAN YOU PLEASE

REPEAT THAT AGAIN?

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT."

IN FRENCH, YOU SAY, "EH?"

WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE

TOILET PAPER.

WE HAD TO USE THE SEARS CATALOG.

ISN'T THAT AMERICAN, THOUGH,

USING THE SEARS CATALOG?

THAT'S AMERICAN.

AND HOW OFTEN

DO YOU COME TOGETHER?

OH, AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.

WE WERE ALL PLAYMATES.

OUR PARENTS, THEY WERE

THE PLAYING-EST PEOPLE.

THEY'D PLAY MARBLES WITH US.

WE SWAM EVERY DAY.

EVERY AFTERNOON,

THE WHOLE FAMILY'D BE

IN THE LAKE SWIMMING.

ALL THIS FOOD RIGHT HERE

DIDN'T COST US A PENNY.

YOU CAN FEED 25 PEOPLE

FOR NOTHING.

IF YOU GOT TO BUY ALL THAT,

YOU ALMOST GOT TO BE RICH.

BUT, YOU KNOW,

THAT'S THE WAY WE LIVE.

WE CALL IT "LIVE OFF THE LAND."

HEY, THAT ONE IS GOOD.

LET'S SEE.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,

9, 10, 11, 12,

13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

ENOUGH FOR ONE PERSON.

MY DADDY, HE WAS A CARPENTER.

SOMEBODY NEEDS SOMETHING DONE,

WE JUST GET TOGETHER

AND WE DO IT.

AND DADDY BUILT A LOT

OF OUR HOUSES.

WE DIDN'T HAVE NO PLUMBERS,

ELECTRICIANS.

THE FAMILY WAS ABLE TO PUT US

A HOUSE TOGETHER.

WE STUDIED SOME OF

THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE,

AND WE FOUND, WITHOUT EXCEPTION,

THAT ALL OF THEM HAD CLOSE,

SUPPORTIVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

THAT DIDN'T MEAN

THAT THEY LOVED EVERYBODY

OR THEY GOT ALONG

WITH EVERYBODY,

BUT WHAT IT MEANT WAS

EVERY ONE OF THEM

HAD CLOSE FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

WE MAKE A DISTINCTION

BETWEEN TWO MAIN KINDS OF GOALS

OR VALUES WHICH PEOPLE

MIGHT PURSUE IN LIFE --

INTRINSIC GOALS

AND EXTRINSIC GOALS.

SO, EXTRINSIC GOALS

ARE EXTRINSIC IN THE SENSE

THAT THEY'RE FOCUSED

ON SOMETHING EXTERNAL TO YOU.

THEY'RE FOCUSED ON REWARDS.

THEY'RE FOCUSED ON PRAISE.

THEY'RE FOCUSED

ON GETTING STUFF.

AND THE THREE MAIN EXAMPLES

OF EXTRINSIC GOALS

WE'VE LOOKED AT IN OUR RESEARCH

ARE FOR MONEY,

FINANCIAL SUCCESS;

FOR IMAGE, LOOKING GOOD,

HAVING THE RIGHT APPEARANCE;

AND FOR STATUS OR POPULARITY.

NOW, WE CONTRAST THOSE

WITH INTRINSIC GOALS.

INTRINSIC GOALS ARE INHERENTLY

SATISFYING IN AND OF THEMSELVES

BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DO WITH

INTRINSIC PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS

THAT ALL PEOPLE HAVE.

AND THE THREE INTRINSIC GOALS

WHICH WE HAVE STUDIED ARE GOALS

FOR PERSONAL GROWTH,

TRYING TO BE WHO I REALLY AM;

HAVING CLOSE,

CONNECTED RELATIONSHIPS

WITH, LIKE, FRIENDS

AND MY LOVED ONES;

AND THEN COMMUNITY FEELING,

WHICH IS HAVING A SENSE

OF WANTING TO HELP THE WORLD

TO BE A BETTER PLACE.

WE FOUND THAT INTRINSIC GOALS

ARE ON THE EXACT OPPOSITE SIDE

OF VALUE SYSTEMS

COMPARED TO EXTRINSIC GOALS,

OKAY.

THEY'RE IN OPPOSITION

WITH EACH OTHER.

THE OTHER THING WE KNOW FROM A

DECADE OF RESEARCH AT THIS POINT

IS THAT PEOPLE

WHO WERE MORE ORIENTED

TOWARDS MONEY AND STATUS

AND IMAGE

WERE REPORTING LESS SATISFACTION

WITH THEIR LIVES,

THEY WERE MORE DEPRESSED,

MORE ANXIOUS.

WE FOUND

THAT THEY FELT LESS VITAL,

LESS, SORT OF, ENERGIZED

IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, INTRINSICALLY

ORIENTED PEOPLE WERE MORE HAPPY.

THEY WERE REPORTING MORE

VITALITY, LESS DEPRESSION,

LESS ANXIETY.

IF OUR VALUES ARE

A KEY COMPONENT OF HAPPINESS,

THAT MAY EXPLAIN

ONE OF THE ANOMALIES

IN INTERNATIONAL

HAPPINESS RESEARCH.

ACCORDING TO

AN INCREASING AMOUNT OF DATA,

JAPAN IS THE LEAST HAPPY OF THE

WEALTHY INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS.

AFTER WORLD WAR II, JAPAN'S

ENTIRE WORKFORCE WAS MOBILIZED

TO REBUILD THE COUNTRY

FROM THE GROUND UP.

FOR DECADES,

THEY EMPHASIZED ECONOMIC GROWTH

AND MATERIAL PROSPERITY

ABOVE ALL ELSE,

AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS WERE

THE ENVY OF THE WESTERN WORLD.

BUT THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE COME

AT AN AWFUL PRICE.

A TELLING

AND DANGEROUS PHENOMENON

IS OCCURRING IN JAPAN.

PEOPLE ARE WORKING

SUCH LONG HOURS

AND ENDURING SO MUCH STRESS

THAT THEY ARE LITERALLY

WORKING THEMSELVES TO DEATH.

IT'S BECOME SO COMMON,

SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED,

THAT THEY EVEN HAVE A WORD

FOR IT -- KAROSHI.

THIS TOXIC LIFESTYLE IS LEADING

TO RECORD-LOW LEVELS

OF HAPPINESS AMONG THE JAPANESE.

ONE SMALL ASIAN COUNTRY

IS TAKING A DIFFERENT PATH.

BHUTAN IS A COUNTRY

WITH A FLEDGING ECONOMY,

AND ONE MIGHT EXPECT IT

TO FOLLOW ECONOMIC POLICIES

THAT PRIORITIZE GROWTH,

AS DO MOST DEVELOPING NATIONS.

WHAT WE SAW WAS THAT IN THE

PURSUIT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,

PEOPLE AND SOCIETIES HAD LOST

THE CULTURES, THEIR ENVIRONMENT,

YOU KNOW, THE SOCIAL SYSTEMS,

AND HUMANITY

WAS HAVING PROBLEMS.

THAT'S WHY BHUTAN SAID, "OKAY,

THIS IS NOT ENOUGH, YOU KNOW?

GDP IS NOT ENOUGH.

HUMANITY NEEDS A HIGHER GOAL

FOR DEVELOPMENT,

AND THAT IS

GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS."

WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN BHUTAN

IS INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MAXIMIZE

GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT,

THEY'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE

GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS.

THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT IS IT THAT'S GONNA MAKE

OUR PEOPLE HAPPY --

NOT RICH, BUT HAPPY.

WE BELIEVE THAT THIS

CONTENTMENT, THIS HAPPINESS,

LIES WITHIN THE SELF,

AND THERE'S NO EXTERNAL SOURCE.

THE FASTER CAR, BIGGER HOUSE,

YOU KNOW,

MORE FASHIONABLE CLOTHES

IS NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU

THAT CONTENTMENT.

IT MIGHT GIVE YOU FLEETING

PLEASURE, BUT NOT CONTENTMENT.

GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS IS THE

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT

TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE

CITIZENS CAN PURSUE HAPPINESS.

SO LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE,

BHUTAN HAS GOT LOTS OF POTENTIAL

TO DAM UP ITS VALLEYS,

SELL HYDROELECTRICITY TO INDIA.

BUT WHEN THEY FLOOD

THEIR VALLEYS,

THEY HAVE TO MOVE PEOPLE.

WHEN THEY FLOOD THEIR VALLEYS,

THEY LOSE THEIR FOREST COVER,

THEY LOSE SOME OF THEIR SITES OF

SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THEM.

SO, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS THEY

WANT TO BALANCE THESE THINGS.

THEY WANT TO THINK,

JUST, NOT, "OH, OKAY.

DAM THIS VALLEY, SELL THIS

AMOUNT OF HYDRO TO INDIA

FOR THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY,

GDP GOES UP."

THEY WANT TO LOOK AT IT

IN A MORE TEXTURED APPROACH.

GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS

IS IMPORTANT

THAT IT MAKES US THINK

ABOUT WHAT WE DO FOR OURSELVES

AS INDIVIDUALS,

OF SOCIETY, OF THE WORD,

THINK RATIONALLY,

THINK HOLISTICALLY,

THINK SPIRITUALLY.

IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENT,

OUR LAW SAYS 60% OF BHUTAN

MUST ALWAYS BE FOREST.

IN TERMS OF CULTURE,

WE HAVE MONASTERIES,

WE HAVE SCHOOLS TO BE PROTECTED

BY THE STATE,

WE HAVE RULES OF DRESS,

LANGUAGE, ARCHITECTURE.

SO THIS IS HOW THE GOVERNMENT

IS CREATING THIS ENVIRONMENT.

IF WE THINK ABOUT SOCIETIES,

THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF SOCIETY

SHOULD BE TO PRODUCE LONG AND

HAPPY LIVES FOR ITS CITIZENS.

THE PEOPLE OF BHUTAN HAVE

ONLY RECENTLY BEGUN PURSUING

GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS.

AND TO KNOW

HOW SUCCESSFUL THEY'LL BE,

WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

ANOTHER COUNTRY IN A DIFFERENT

PART OF THE WORLD

CONSISTENTLY RANKS AS

THE HAPPIEST COUNTRY ON EARTH.

DENMARK IS KNOWN

FOR ITS SOCIAL EQUALITY

AND HIGH STANDARD OF LIVING.

ALL DANES ARE PROVIDED

FREE EDUCATION THROUGH COLLEGE

AND FREE HEALTHCARE FOR LIFE.

BUT DENMARK'S MOST UNIQUE

AND REVEALING QUALITY

IS THAT IT HAS MORE OF

ITS POPULATION LIVING

IN WHAT ARE CALLED

CO-HOUSING COMMUNITIES

THAN IN ANY OTHER

MODERN INDUSTRIALIZED NATION.

IN DANISH

CO-HOUSING COMMUNITIES,

MULTIPLE FAMILIES LIVE

ON A PLOT OF LAND

OR EVEN IN A SINGLE BUILDING,

WHERE CERTAIN CHORES AND

BENEFITS ARE SHARED BY EVERYONE.

WHEN I MOVED IN HERE,

I WAS NEWLY DIVORCED

WITH TWO LITTLE CHILDREN.

I DIDN'T HAVE A WORK,

SO I WAS KIND OF ISOLATED.

IF I HAD TO MOVE IN A FLAT

ALONE, I WOULD GO DOWN.

I WOULD BE DEPRESSED.

I WOULD ISOLATE.

SO I THOUGHT I HAD TO FIND

THIS PLACE.

AND I FOUND IT.

IT WAS A MIRACLE I FOUND IT.

WE LIVE 20 FAMILIES TOGETHER.

AND THE HOUSES

ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.

THIS IS OUR HOUSE.

WE LIVE FOUR PEOPLE HERE.

AND OUTSIDE HERE,

I HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA ROOM.

IT'S LIKE A PLACE

TO GROW FLOWERS,

BUT WE USE IT AS A LIVING ROOM.

THIS IS PAINTINGS

MY CHILDREN MADE FOR ME.

THERE'S AN EMPTY SPACE UP THERE.

MY CHILDREN OFTEN ASK ME,

AND I SAY, "IT'S BECAUSE

I WANT TO SHOW YOU

THAT WE CAN PUT UP

MORE PAINTINGS.

IT'S NOT FINISHED.

IT'S A WORKING PIECE."

AND HERE IS JULIANA LIVING.

AND SHE HAS A LITTLE ANIMAL,

WHICH IS ALSO A KIND OF SYMBOL

OF OUR FLAT, OUR HOUSE,

BECAUSE IT'S A VERY TINY ANIMAL,

AND IT HAS A VERY TINY CAGE

TO LIVE IN,

BUT I USED TO TELL THEM

THAT THIS ANIMAL HAS MORE SPACE

THAN WE HAVE.

50 YEARS AGO, PEOPLE IN DENMARK

ALSO LIVED IN COPENHAGEN,

LIVED IN SMALL FLATS

AND THEY HAD A LOT OF CHILDREN.

AND THEY HAD A NICE CHILDHOOD

ANYWAY, SO...

IT'S LIKE A BIG FAMILY.

YEAH.

IT IS LIKE A BIG FAMILY.

I HAVE FRIENDS IN THE SCHOOL,

AND I HAVE FRIENDS HOME.

IT'S VERY NICE

BECAUSE I HAVE MANY FRIENDS.

WE EAT TOGETHER,

AND IT'S VERY, VERY NICE.

I HAVE THREE CHILDREN,

AND THEY EAT A LOT.

IT HELPS ME A LOT

BECAUSE WE EAT TOGETHER

NEARLY EVERY EVENING.

WE COOK ONE OR TWO TIMES

A MONTH, EACH.

IT TAKES FOUR, MAYBE FIVE HOURS.

AND TO COOK ONLY TWICE A MONTH

INSTEAD OF EVERY DAY,

IT SAVES A LOT OF ENERGY

THINKING,

"WHAT IS THE MEAL TODAY?"

TO BUY ALL THE STUFF AND TO

MAKE IT AND TO DO DISH WASH,

EVERY DAY IT SAVES,

I DON'T KNOW, TWO HOURS

AND A LOT OF ENERGY.

IN THIS PLACE, WHEN WE GET 14,

WE HAVE TO MAKE FOOD.

SO, IT'S TWO GIRLS AT 14

COOKING FOR 40, 50 PEOPLE.

IT'S REALLY COOL.

AND THEY COME TO ASK FOR HELP,

BUT THEY ARE VERY GOOD.

THEY DO IT.

EVERYBODY IS TALKING

ABOUT STRESS,

AND THE FAMILIES

WITH SMALL CHILDREN HAVE STRESS

BECAUSE THEY COME HOME

FROM WORK,

THEY HAVE TO BUY,

THEY HAVE TO COOK.

AND WHEN I COME HOME

AND I'VE HAD MY SHOWER,

THEN I HAVE TWO OR THREE HOURS

WITH MY CHILDREN.

I LIKE THAT THESE ELDER PEOPLE

ARE LIVING HERE,

BECAUSE THEY ARE KIND OF

GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDFATHER

FOR MY CHILDREN.

I FEEL THEY LOVE MY CHILDREN

AS MUCH AS I DO

AND THEY ARE HAPPY

WHEN THEY VISIT THEM

AND THEY COME HERE AND THEY GET

HUGS FROM MY CHILDREN.

I FEEL IT'S A GIFT FROM ME

TO MY CHILDREN TO LIVE HERE.

SO, IT WAS A MIRACLE

I FOUND THIS PLACE.

IT SAVED ME, KIND OF,

TO FIND IT,

BECAUSE I NEEDED TO BE

SURROUNDED BY OTHER GROWN-UPS,

NOT ONLY MY OWN

VERY SMALL CHILDREN.

I HAVE LIVED HERE

FOR 12 YEARS NOW.

I'D GLADLY TAKE 12 YEARS MORE.

I THINK WHEN WE WORK

IN A COMMUNITY,

WE REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW,

"MY LIFE IS PRETTY GOOD

AS IT IS,

AND I HAVE SOMETHING TO GIVE

TO SOMEBODY WHO MAYBE DOESN'T

HAVE SOMETHING THAT I HAVE."

AND I THINK THAT MAKES PEOPLE

SWITCH FROM FOCUSING ON,

"WHAT DON'T I HAVE?"

TO "WHAT DO I HAVE

THAT I CAN SHARE?"

AND THAT'S A VERY POWERFUL THING

THAT WE KNOW FROM THE RESEARCH

MAKES PEOPLE HAPPIER.

WE ALL NEED SOMETHING BIGGER

THAN OURSELVES TO CARE ABOUT.

AND FOR SOME PEOPLE, STRUCTURED

RELIGION GIVES THAT TO THEM.

FOR OTHER PEOPLE,

THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT

KIND OF STRUCTURED RELIGION,

BUT THEY HAVE COMPASSION,

CARING, GRATITUDE,

AND THESE SPIRITUAL FEELINGS

THAT CONNECT THEM

TO THE UNIVERSE

AND CONNECT THEM

TO OTHER PEOPLE.

NOW, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS

WE KNOW

IS THAT NOT ALL RELIGIOUS PEOPLE

ARE HAPPY

AND NOT ALL RELIGIONS ARE HAPPY.

IF YOU DO NOT OBEY

THE COMMANDMENTS

OF THE LORD, YOUR GOD,

THEN HE'LL CURSE YOU.

ACCORDING TO CHURCH LEADERS,

HINDU RADICALS

WERE OPPOSED TO THE EVENT

AND BEGAN ATTACKING

CHRISTIAN HOMES AND CHURCHES.

THERE ARE CERTAIN CONDITIONS,

ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW,

UNDER WHICH NON-JEWS

MAY LIVE HERE.

THIS DOESN'T APPLY TO THE ARABS.

THEY DON'T FIT THE CATEGORY.

THEY HAVE TO GET THE HELL OUT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY

FUNDAMENTALIST GROUPS

WHO BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY ELSE

IS GOING TO HELL

BUT THEIR GROUP,

THEY'RE NOT HAPPIER.

THEY'RE LESS HAPPY

THAN OTHER PEOPLE.

HAPPINESS

ISN'T JUST ABOUT FEELING

MORE BLISSFUL AND CONTENT.

HAPPY PEOPLE

TEND TO FUNCTION BETTER.

THEY'RE MORE PRODUCTIVE,

THEY'RE HEALTHIER,

AND THE RESEARCH SUGGESTS

THEY EVEN LIVE LONGER.

WELL, IF LONG LIFE

IS AN INDICATION OF HAPPINESS,

THEN THE PEOPLE IN OKINAWA,

JAPAN, MIGHT JUST BE ECSTATIC.

BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE

GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS,

THAT'S WHERE

A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER

OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST PEOPLE

LIVE.

SO, DESPITE THE STRESS

AND UNHAPPINESS

IN OTHER PARTS OF JAPAN,

THE ISLANDERS OF OKINAWA HAVE

A DIFFERENT STORY TO TELL,

ONE OF LONGEVITY AND HAPPINESS.

BESIDES EXPERIENCING FLOW

ON A REGULAR BASIS,

OKINAWANS GROW VEGETABLES

THAT SUBSIDIZE THEIR LIVELIHOODS

AND PROVIDE GIFTS

FOR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS,

BRINGING THE PEOPLE

EVEN CLOSER TOGETHER.

EVEN THE OKINAWAN TRADITIONS

KEEP PEOPLE CONNECTED

IN UNIQUE WAYS.

THE ISLAND HAS A TRADITIONAL

BAND OF ABOUT 50 PEOPLE,

AND THE RULE

IS THAT THE BAND MEMBERS

MUST BE BETWEEN THE AGES

OF 20 AND 30.

THE BAND IS SUPPORTED

BY COMMUNITY FUNDS

AND PLAYS IN A DIFFERENT VILLAGE

EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT.

SINCE THERE'S NOT MUCH OTHER

NIGHT LIFE ON THE ISLAND,

LOTS OF PEOPLE COME OUT TO SEE

THEM, BOTH YOUNG AND OLD.

IT'S A TRADITION THAT ENSURES

REGULAR CONTACT BETWEEN PEOPLE,

NOT ONLY

FROM DIFFERENT VILLAGES,

BUT FROM DIFFERENT GENERATIONS.

THE OKINAWAN ELDERS GATHER

EACH AFTERNOON TO HAVE TEA

AND TALK ABOUT THE DAY

AT A LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTER.

AND THOUGH NOW HOUSED

IN A MODERN BUILDING,

IT'S BEEN A STAPLE

IN OKINAWAN SOCIETY

AS LONG AS PEOPLE THERE

CAN REMEMBER.

SOCIAL BONDING,

SOCIAL INTERACTION,

COOPERATION IS PROGRAMMED

TO BE INTRINSICALLY REWARDING

TO HUMANS.

THAT'S HOW WE INHIBIT

OUR SELF-INTERESTS

IN ORDER TO DO SOMETHING

WITH SOMEONE.

OTHERWISE,

YOU WOULDN'T COOPERATE.

YOU'D BE TOTALLY

SELF-INTERESTED.

WE DO NOT BEHAVE THAT WAY.

WE'RE SOCIAL CREATURES.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH,

WHEN YOU PUT PEOPLE

INTO A SOCIAL EXCHANGE

WHERE THEY'RE GIVEN

THE OPPORTUNITY TO COOPERATE

OR TO COMPETE,

THEY WILL, IN GENERAL,

COOPERATE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

THAT COOPERATION ELICITS

DOPAMINE SIGNALS

THAT YOU CAN MEASURE

IN THE STRIATUM

JUST LIKE YOU WERE SQUIRTING

JUICE OR COCAINE INTO THEM.

IN OTHER WORDS,

THE ACT OF COOPERATING

WITH ANOTHER HUMAN CAN,

IN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES,

FEEL JUST AS GOOD

AS TAKING A DRUG

THAT AFFECTS

YOUR DOPAMINE SYSTEM.

♪ YOU CLAIM TO BE A PLAYER,

BUT I YOUR WIFE ♪

IN A CULTURE THAT OFTEN

ENCOURAGES COMPETITION

INSTEAD OF COOPERATION...

BITCH, I WILL PUNCH YOUR --

...MICHAEL PRITCHARD

HAS A UNIQUE WAY

OF TEACHING KIDS

ABOUT HAPPINESS.

MIDDLE SCHOOL.

ISN'T THAT A WONDERFUL TIME,

WHEN YOU'RE ALL GOING,

"UH, PFFT, UH,

CH-- UH, UH, PFFT, WHATEVER!

TALK TO THE BOOTY,

THE HAND'S OFF DUTY.

TALK TO THE PALM,

YOU'RE NOT THE BOMB.

LOSER, LONER, WANNABE, WHATEVER.

NO, DUH, SHUT UP.

I DON'T KNOW THINK SO.

UH, I READ IT ON MYSPACE.

SHUT UP."

I LOVE

8th-GRADE BOYS ON THE PHONE.

THEY GO, "UH. UH.

OH.

TIGHT, OH.

OH, SICK.

HA-HA.

HEY, HEY, HEY, WHO IS THIS?"

WELL, I'M UP HERE

SWEATING LIKE BRITNEY SPEARS

ON "JEOPARDY!"

HOW MANY OF YOU EVERY DAY

SEE A KID HERE

WHO GETS ISOLATED, TEASED,

PICKED ON, LAUGHED AT,

AND HAS BECOME THE TARGET

OF LOTS OF OTHER KIDS'

TEASING AND BULLYING?

RAISE YOUR HANDS, PLEASE.

RAISE YOUR HANDS HIGH, HIGH.

LOOK AROUND THE ROOM, PLEASE.

LOOK HOW DISCONNECTED WE GET

OVER STUFF.

I MEAN, HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS

PLAY THAT VIDEO GAME

"GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY."

YOU RUN OVER HOMELESS PEOPLE!

YOU BEAT A PROSTITUTE TO DEATH

WITH A TIRE IRON.

YOU RUN OVER COPS, PARAMEDICS,

FIREFIG-- AM I RIGHT?

YEAH.

YEAH.

WE LOVE YOU GUYS.

A GREAT TEACHER NAMED

HELEN KELLER WAS ASKED,

"OH, MISS KELLER, IT MUST BE

HARD FOR YOU TO BE BLIND."

AND SHE SAID, "IT WOULD BE

IF I HAD NO VISION,

BECAUSE WE REALLY SEE

WITH OUR HEARTS."

THINK ABOUT

WHAT YOUR HEARTS ARE SEEING

THAT SOMETIMES DISCONNECT YOU.

THINK.

AND IT CAN BE THE LITTLE WORDS,

JUST THE LITTLE WORDS.

I WAS A COACH

AT A SPECIAL OLYMPICS.

YOU EVER SEEN A KID RUN

AND LAUGH?

I WAS OUT THERE

AT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS.

I HAVE A LITTLE 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL

WHO I'M COACHING.

BOOM, THE GUN GOES OFF,

AND SHE TAKES OFF RUNNING.

WHAT A HEART.

WHAT A SPIRIT.

AND I HEAR KIDS SAY CRUEL THINGS

TO HER.

BUT SHE'S A GOOD TEACHER.

SHE TAKES OFF RUNNING.

SHE GOES,

"YES! WHOO!"

THIS IS NOT

AN OLYMPIC-FORM RUNNER.

SHE'S HITTING EVERY LANE.

AND SHE GETS ALL THE WAY

DOWN TO THE FINISH LINE

40 YARDS IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY,

AND SHE STOPS.

AND I WAS HER COACH.

AND I SAID, "ANNIE, NO!

COME HERE!

YOU WIN THE GOLD MEDAL!"

"NO, COACH."

I SAID,

"NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!

THEY'RE CATCHING UP!

WALK TO ME!

SNAP IT!

COME HERE!"

"NO, MIKE, PLEASE."

AND SHE TURNED AROUND,

AND SHE PUT HER HAND OUT

FOR HER FRIEND,

WHO TURNED AND PUT HER HAND OUT

FOR HER FRIEND,

AND THEN ALL SIX KIDS HELD HANDS

AND CAME ACROSS THE FINISH LINE

TOGETHER.

AND SHE GOES, "WHOO!

TOGETHER, WE ALL WOULD WIN.

TOGETHER, WE ALL WOULD WIN."

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE KIDS

IN THIS ROOM

WHO HAVE BEEN TEASED AND PICKED

ON AND LEFT OUT AND ISOLATED.

CAN I GET VOLUNTEER

OF SOMEBODY WHO CAN SHARE

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE?

BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

COME ON DOWN.

I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU, SON.

STAND IN FRONT OF ME.

I'M PROUD OF YOU.

TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES.

WHAT DO THEY SAY?

I HAVE A DEPRESSION DISORDER

AND ADHD.

SO, IT JUST FEELS LIKE LIFE,

IT FEELS LIKE IT SHOULDN'T BE

THIS HARD.

IT'S JUST,

LIKE, EVERY DAY AFTER SCHOOL,

YOU START CRYING FOR NO REASON.

WHAT HAVE KIDS SAID TO YOU?

NERD, LOSER, GAY,

ALL THAT STUFF.

WHAT HAS IT DONE TO YOUR HEART,

SON?

IT JUST MAKES ME FEEL

REALLY BAD.

IS IT FAIR TO YOU?!

NO.

IS IT FAIR TO ANY KID

AT THIS SCHOOL?

NO.

STOP A MINUTE.

NOT ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD,

NOT ON THE BASKETBALL COURT,

NOT IN ALL THE BEST ACADEMIC

CLASSES OR LANGUAGES YOU HAVE

WILL YOU SEE, BENICIA MIDDLE,

SUCH COURAGE AS THIS.

THIS IS THE COURAGE

YOU SHOULD LEARN TO LOVE

AND RESPECT AND HONOR.

GIVE HIS HEART

A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

THAT'S COURAGE, GUYS.

WHO ELSE CAN SHARE?

EVERYBODY KNOWS I'M JOEY.

SO, I'M, LIKE, THE SHORTEST KID

INSIDE THIS ROOM.

NOBODY ELSE IS SHORTER THAN ME.

SO EVERYBODY MAKES FUN OF ME.

THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW, MAN!

IT'S NOT FAIR!

STOP A SECOND NOW, JOEY.

HOW SHOULD WE ALL TREAT

EACH OTHER?

COME WITH THE LOVE NOW, BUDDY.

COME WITH THE LOVE.

COME WITH THE LOVE.

HOW SHOULD WE ALL TREAT

EACH OTHER, JOEY?

WE SHOULD JUST FEEL

HOW THEY FEEL

AND TELL THEM,

"THAT AIN'T RIGHT.

YOU SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT."

GIVE THAT

A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

GOOD JOB, BROTHER.

GOOD JOB.

I LOVE YOU, SON.

GOOD JOB.

COMPASSION LEADS TO HAPPINESS.

BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE!

THIS IS THE BENICIA SCHOOL

YOU GO TO.

LET HIM KNOW!

LET HIM KNOW

THIS IS THE WAY YOU FEEL.

THIS IS COURAGE.

YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME.

JOY COMES FROM

THAT CONNECTION TO OTHERS.

THE BEST THING WE CAN DO

FOR A CHILD

IS TO HELP THEM LEARN LOVE.

WHAT LIES AT THE CORE

OF A HUMAN BEING

BEFORE MODERN CULTURE INFLUENCES

OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT HAPPINESS?

WHAT MADE US HAPPY

BEFORE WE HAD VIDEO GAMES

AND THE INTERNET AND TELEVISION?

WHAT MADE US HAPPY

BEFORE CARS AND ELECTRICITY?

IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRY

OF NAMIBIA,

THERE LIVES A GROUP OF PEOPLE

WHO ARE GENETICALLY MORE CLOSELY

RELATED TO OUR ANCIENT ANCESTORS

THAN ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE

ON THE PLANET TODAY.

THEY ARE THE SAN BUSHMEN

OF THE KALAHARI DESERT.

THOUGH SOME MODERN CULTURE

HAS COME TO THEM

IN THE FORM OF T-SHIRTS

AND BASEBALL HATS,

THE BROAD STROKES OF

THEIR CULTURE REMAIN INTACT.

THEY GET MUCH OF THEIR FOOD

FROM HUNTING GAME

AND GATHERING ROOTS AND BERRIES.

AND THERE REMAINS A FEELING

AMONG THE BUSHMEN

OF COMPLETE INTERDEPENDENCE

WITH EACH OTHER

AND WITH

THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

THE BUSHMEN FEEL RESPONSIBLE

FOR EACH OTHER'S HEALTH

AND WELL-BEING.

SO WHEN SOMEONE GETS SICK

IN THEIR VILLAGE,

RATHER THAN SENDING THAT PERSON

TO THE NEAREST DOCTOR,

THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY,

EVEN THE CHILDREN,

PARTICIPATE

IN THE HEALING PROCESS.

NO ONE IS LEFT OUT.

COMPASSION.

RICHARD DAVIDSON TOLD US

THAT PEOPLE WHO DO

A SPECIFIC FORM OF MEDITATION

ON COMPASSION

AND LOVING KINDNESS

CAN INCREASE THEIR HAPPINESS

LEVELS TO A GREATER EXTENT

AND FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME,

EVEN THAN PEOPLE TAKING POWERFUL

ANTI-DEPRESSANT MEDICATIONS.

THERE ARE SPECIFIC

MEDITATION PRACTICES

THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND

FOR MORE THAN 2,500 YEARS

WHICH ARE EXPLICITLY DESIGNED

TO CULTIVATE QUALITIES LIKE

COMPASSION AND LOVING KINDNESS.

THE PERSON WE'VE TESTED THE MOST

IN OUR LAB

IS A PERSON BY THE NAME

OF MATTHIEU RICARD.

HE HAS BEEN A TIBETAN BUDDHIST

MONK FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

HE ALSO HOLDS A PhD

IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.

AND, UM, WE HAVE LOOKED

INTENSIVELY AT MATTHIEU'S BRAIN,

BOTH AT REST AS WELL AS WHEN

HE IS INTENTIONALLY GENERATING

THESE STATES OF COMPASSION.

SO THERE'S NO OBVIOUS CHANGE

IN EXTERNAL BEHAVIOR, YOU KNOW.

HE'S JUST SITTING THERE.

AND THEN WE GIVE HIM

THE INSTRUCTION

TO BEGIN

THE COMPASSION MEDITATION,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,

IT'S LIKE PARTS OF THE BRAIN

ARE ON FIRE.

THESE ARE AREAS OF THE BRAIN

WHICH ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

FOR UNDERSTANDING HAPPINESS

AND WELL-BEING.

AND, SO, WE ARE, FOR EXAMPLE,

CURRENTLY DOING STUDIES

WHERE WE ARE HAVING PEOPLE

WHO'VE NEVER MEDITATED BEFORE

AND WE'RE HAVING THEM DO

VERY SIMPLE EXERCISES.

TWO WEEKS OF TRAINING IN

THIS SIMPLE COMPASSION PRACTICE

DOES CHANGE THE BRAIN

IN WAYS WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO,

ALTHOUGH NOT NEARLY

AS WELL-DEFINED,

AS WHAT WE SEE IN VERY LONG-TERM

MEDITATION PRACTITIONERS.

THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE

TO INDICATE

THAT WE ACTUALLY CHANGE THE

GROWTH STRUCTURE OF THE BRAIN,

LITERALLY THE SIZE

OF PARTICULAR CORTICAL AREAS

IN THE BRAIN

CHANGE IN THEIR THICKNESS.

WE, THROUGH INTENTION,

CAN CHANGE OUR BRAIN.

WE ASK PEOPLE TO COUNT THEIR

BLESSINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

SAY, EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT,

YOU SIT DOWN AND YOU WRITE DOWN

FIVE THINGS

FOR WHICH YOU'RE GRATEFUL

AND TRY TO CONTEMPLATE THAT.

AND WE FOUND THAT THE STUDENTS

WHO COUNTED THEIR BLESSINGS

ONCE A WEEK,

EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT,

BECAME HAPPIER.

A COUPLE STUDIES WE DID,

WE ASKED PEOPLE TO COMMIT ACTS

OF KINDNESS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING OUT

AND THEY'RE PUTTING CHANGE

IN PARKING METERS

AND THEY'RE HELPING THEIR FRIEND

WITH HOMEWORK

OR WAS VISITING SOMEONE

IN THE NURSING HOME

OR, YOU KNOW, REALLY DOING

REAL CONCRETE BEHAVIORS.

AND IT SEEMS TO ME,

FROM OUR EXPERIENCE,

THAT THE ACTS OF KINDNESS SO FAR

HAVE BEEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE.

MOTHER TERESA,

A SYMBOL OF COMPASSION,

OPENED HER FIRST HOME

FOR DYING AND DESTITUTE PEOPLE

HERE IN KOLKATA, INDIA.

ANDY WIMMER IS A VOLUNTEER

AT THE HOME.

I WAS A BANK AND COMPUTER

MANAGER FOR MANY YEARS

AND A QUITE AMBITIOUS FELLOW.

I WANTED TO BECOME THE YOUNGEST

BANK DIRECTOR THERE.

SPOILED WITH A GOOD INCOME.

I USED AND SPENT A LOT OF MONEY

AND HAD A GOOD LIFE, ACTUALLY,

ENJOYED THE LIFE.

I USED TO WASTE A LOT OF MONEY

ON FASHION, FOR EXAMPLE.

I WAS QUITE A FELLOW INTO

FASHION AND ALL THESE THINGS.

BUT IT IS NOT IMPORTANT ANYMORE.

I ALWAYS FELT THAT THERE IS MORE

IN THIS LIFE, YOU KNOW,

THAN JUST GOING TO THE BANK

AND HAVING A GOOD SALARY

AND HAVING A GOOD CAREER

AND MAYBE A WIFE AND CHILDREN,

AND THAT'S IT.

IT CAN'T BE A LIFE.

IT'S SUCH A PRECIOUS

AND BEAUTIFUL THING.

THERE SHOULD BE SOME MORE,

YOU KNOW?

I MET SOMEONE WHO WORKED

IN THE HOME FOR THE DYING,

AND THEN HE SAID,

"I'LL SHOW YOU THE PLACE,

AND IF YOU LIKE HELPING US,

THEN YOU'RE WELCOME."

BON APPéTIT.

I REMEMBER WHEN I CAME FIRST

INTO THE HOME FOR THE DYING,

THE FIRST THING I SAW

WAS A YOUNG DYING BOY,

MAYBE 15 YEARS OLD,

IN VERY BAD CONDITION,

AND I HAD TO FEED HIM.

AND I DON'T KNOW.

I FED HIM, AND HE ATE

WITH GREAT DIFFICULTIES,

BUT THEN HE OPENED HIS EYES

AND LOOKED AT ME.

AND I THOUGHT,

"SO, THAT'S IT NOW."

YOU KNOW?

SO, IT WAS LIKE A FLASH.

IT WAS LIKE

A SMALL ENLIGHTENMENT.

YOU LEARN A LOT

FROM THESE PATIENTS WE CARE FOR.

FOR EXAMPLE, ACCEPTANCE,

AND TOLERANCE, ALSO.

SO, WE PICK THE PEOPLE UP,

USUALLY FROM GARBAGE DUMPS

AND FROM RAILWAY STATION

PLATFORMS

AND ADMIT THEM IN THE HOME.

AND THEN,

WITH BASIC MEDICAL CARE,

WE TRY TO SAVE THEIR LIVES.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT

IS TO SHOW THEM

THAT THEY ARE LOVED BY GOD,

THAT THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN,

THAT THEIR LIFE IS PRECIOUS,

THAT SOMEONE CARES.

SO WE DO EVERYTHING BY HAND.

BUT THERE IS

A TREMENDOUS SWEETNESS

IN TAKING SOMEONE'S BURDEN UP

A LITTLE BIT.

JUST TO LIFT

HIS LITTLE, BENT BODY

AND TAKE THAT BURDEN AWAY

A LITTLE BIT

AND HELP HIM TO CARRY IT.

MY LIFE HAS A MEANING.

YOU HAVE SOMEONE,

A DYING MAN IN FRONT OF YOU,

A DYING YOUNG MAN, AND HE ASKS

FOR A GLASS OF WATER,

IT'S JUST VERY LITTLE,

BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO GIVE

HIM THIS GLASS OF WATER.

IT'S SUCH A SYMBOLIC ACT,

EVEN, YOU KNOW?

I GOT THIS LIFE.

I GOT MY PARENTS, MY FRIENDS.

I WAS NEVER REALLY SICK.

I HAD ALWAYS ENOUGH FOOD TO EAT.

I AM THE FIRST ONE

IN MY GENERATIONS

WHICH NEVER EXPERIENCED A WAR.

FOR ME, MY LIFE IS LIKE A LOAN

GIVEN FROM GOD.

AND I WILL GIVE THIS LOAN BACK,

BUT WITH INTEREST.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

YOU SERVE YOUR BROTHER

IN FRONT OF YOU WHO IS IN NEED,

AND IT GIVES YOURSELF

A FULFILLED, HAPPY LIFE.

PERFECT, NO?

GRATITUDE, COMPASSION,

CARING, LOVE --

THESE ARE TO ME WHAT I WOULD

CALL SPIRITUAL EMOTIONS,

AND THEY MAKE YOU THINK

OF THINGS BIGGER THAN YOURSELF.

IF YOU ONLY SEEK

YOUR OWN HAPPINESS,

IT CAN BE KIND OF

A SELFISH THING.

BUT ONCE YOU MOVE

TO THE SPIRITUAL EMOTIONS

AND WORRY ABOUT THE WELL-BEING

OF THE WORLD, YOUR LIFE GROWS.

YOU CARE ABOUT SOMETHING BIGGER

THAN YOURSELF.

YOU, IN A WAY, CAN TRANSCEND

YOUR OWN LIFE, YOUR OWN DEATH,

BY CARING ABOUT THESE THINGS

THAT ARE BIGGER THAN YOURSELF.

IF EACH OF US EVEN SPENT

A SMIDGEN OF TIME EACH DAY

ACTUALLY PRACTICING

TO CULTIVATE HAPPINESS

AND ALSO TO CULTIVATE

OTHER VIRTUOUS QUALITIES

LIKE COMPASSION AND ALTRUISM,

THE WORLD WOULD REALLY BE

A BETTER PLACE,

AND WE'D ALL BE TRANSFORMING OUR

BRAINS IN VERY POSITIVE WAYS.

AND IT'S NOT ABOUT, "OH,

I MUST CHANGE MY LIFE TOTALLY

AND CUT OFF FROM MY PAST

AND I'LL BE A BETTER PERSON."

IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT.

THE TRICK

IS TO BE AUTHENTICALLY YOU.

WE SHOULD REALLY BE THINKING

OF HAPPINESS AS A SKILL,

WHICH IS NO DIFFERENT

THAN LEARNING TO PLAY THE VIOLIN

OR LEARNING TO PLAY GOLF.

THE FORMULA FOR HAPPINESS

IS NOT THE SAME FOR EVERYONE,

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT

THE THINGS WE LOVE TO DO

ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS

OF A HAPPY LIFE.

PLAY.

HAVING NEW EXPERIENCES.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

DOING THINGS

THAT ARE MEANINGFUL.

APPRECIATING WHAT WE HAVE.

THESE ARE THE THINGS

THAT MAKE US HAPPY,

AND THEY'RE FREE.

AND WITH HAPPINESS,

THE MORE YOU HAVE,

THE MORE EVERYONE HAS.