Laughing Buddhas and Chuckling Creators: Happiness in American Policy and Politics
Posted: August 3, 2013 Filed under: Happiness | Tags: Happiness 55 CommentsGood Evening everyone…
JJ aka Minkoff Minx here with a quick note of introduction. Yes, we have a new front-pager here on the blog. Someone who has been a welcomed and rather vocal addition to the comment section of late. After finding her remarks so interesting and thoughtful…well argued and considerate…we decided to ask if she would like to become a Sky Dancer…and it is with fantastic joy that I can come here now and tell you that her answer was a resounding “Yes!”
So, without further ado, please welcome peej…
Thanx to Minx for the warm welcome, and to all the Sky Dancers for inviting me into Sky Dancing! A very special thanks for your patience with me as I unfurl my dancing-wings!
And salutations to all! I’m Peej, and I’m what you might call a chronic dabbler. I dabble in art, science, geology, writing, history, archeology, literature, rhetoric, philosophy, folklore, cookery, gardening, and vermicomposting. That’s not an exhaustive list, but it’s a good overview of my dabbling! I have a weakness for books, flyting (a contest of insults in verse), scathing satire, and for anything that pertains to bees and frogs. I’m neither mechanically nor technologically inclined, and I hope to someday perfect a flaky pie crust. I try to keep my mind open, so I appreciate a good nudge in the ribs if anyone notices it shifting toward closed!
This first post I’m hoping will be a jumping point for a number of others with the same theme: happiness. Contextually, happiness in a socio-political context, a lens from which perhaps we may all scrutinize intently or lightly ponder the issues of our day. I’m not an expert on happiness, but I have a penchant for noodling on happiness in a political context. I keep on my desk a torn scrap of barcode I retained from a package of postage stamps to remind me of this ongoing project always going on in the back of my mind: to understand “the pursuit of happiness” as it relates to the confluence of individual, society, government, and politics. This little postage scrap is an impressionistic American flag with four words superimposed on each of the stripes: Justice, Equality, Freedom, and Liberty. But not happiness. I suppose I was so bothered by its omission and its omission just niggled and niggled on my back burners until I had to act on it: I began my pursuit of the pursuit of happiness. My thought is that this could be a mutual pursuit. Rather than keeping my mullings all mulled in my mind, I can share my pursuit of the pursuit; and all of you can share yours with me. Perhaps we can come to some meaning for ourselves individually and together as a society with a government whose stated purpose includes “the pursuit of happiness.”
My inspirational postage scrap. As you can see, there’s plenty of room for “happiness” on the top line. 🙂
Tally Ho! Let the pursuit begin! Our goal; together to find happiness!
First up on our quest, an article published recently in the Atlantic titled: Meaning Is Healthier Than Happiness – Emily Esfahani Smith – The Atlantic
What came to mind immediately while reading it was Barbara Ehrenreich’s Bright Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America. Here are some clips of Ehrenreich discussing it: Barbara Ehrenreich – Bright-sided: How Positive Thinking is Undermining America
I also thought of Chris Mooney’s Diagnosing the Republican Brain: Diagnosing the Republican Brain | Mother Jones
With these as jumping points Let us talk happiness!
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Welcome, peej! I love the postal scrap reminder. What a wonderful dialogue to open up on the frontpage and spread your Sky Dancer wings.
Your post reminds me of Hillary’s ‘politics of meaning’ speech after her father died, in ’93 I think.
In fact, as this kind of dovetails with the ‘mental health and societal rebellion’ topic I blogged about in the Saturday reads and touched on in the comments–having purpose/meaning is a behavioral activation of sorts. It keeps one going even when there is not much to be happy about. I suppose that’s why Hillary–with her sense of purpose, tirelessness, and resilience–has been such a role model and captivating figure for me.
Anyhow, thank you for starting this discussion!
Thank you Mona! I’ve not read the a.m. post yet – I’m behind a few days. But am catching up. I absolutely must read that Hillary speech because I’m unfamiliar with it.
I’m so glad you like the graphic – as odd is it is. 🙂 My little postage scrap might be the manifestation of an odd and quriky habit of mine. I keep little reminders right where I can’t miss them. I may eventually toss this out, but, I’m hesitant because it represents happiness….:) I don’t find it aesthetically pleasing in the least, but somehow I’m drawn to it for what is missing from it. It gives me a mission!
I have those Forever stamps and always get a little exasperated at having to choose just one (of each of those principles) for any given envelope ! I guess the culmination of being able to achieve freedom, equality, liberty, and justice for ourselves and one another might be a way to approach a pursuit of happiness.
That would go a long way toward happiness for me!
I haven’t read it yet either peej, but I have to say the flyting thing you mention up top…the insults in verse form…that sounds so damn interesting. You gotta get me more info on it.
Oh yes, I want to hear more about this ‘flyting’ too. When I read that, I thought gee, none of my interests have ever sounded quite so interesting! 😉
Mona and JJ – flyting is (or I should say was) a rhetorical contest of wits. I know no genuine flyters today, and hence no one to spar with which makes me sad.
King James VI of Scotland was one of the more literary kings until he became King James I of England. In Scotland, however, he sponsored flyting contests between the finest wits of the day. One would compose an insult and the other would respond and the one who wins is the one who crafts the finest insult structurally – rhetorically – in the most clever way. So, it wasn’t necessary the insult – the content itself that would win the contest. it was a combination of content and structure – erudition and eloquence. And unsurprisingly, who was actually a winner was often highly contested. It was a battle of wits, an older tradition than James, though. I guess it kind of functioned like counting coup – it was symbolic warfare in a way. I’ll put something together for you to try to explain it better. At times it could get wicked and vicious. It is similar to literary feuding, but more formalized. Though literary feuding could get terribly ghastly too – really nasty. I’ll try to find some for you – I’ve got a really famous one in Old Scots – I’ll post some.
Um, it would appear that the flyting material I had hoped to refer to exists somewhere within a formidably thick stack of broadsides, pamphlets and assorted other oddities. I’m going to have to go online to get something. I’ll be back. 🙂
Not happy with web searching for flyting. I’ve no choice but confront the formidable stack. That won’t happen until tomorrow. Until then, the Wikipedia entry is okay. It gives a good overview.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyting
Two famous flyting contests are Alexander Montgomerie vs. Patrick Hume of Polworth and Dunbar vs. Kennedy Here’s a link to Dunbar’s works, not sure if the entire contest is here or just Dunbar. It’s in Old Scots.
http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/teams/duntxt4.htm#P83
I don’t think I explained it very well earlier. Usually, but especially with court flyting the contests were quite long. Not a single back and forth bandy. Mockery, it seems, was a winning feature – using your opponent’s construction against him or using his construction better. Typically flyters were hims, I’m afraid. At least at court. As I said, I’ll tackle the stack of oddities tomorrow. Might be some other fun stuff therein to randomly post…
It almost sound like the banter back and forth between two rappers when they are insulting each other…in their rap type of lingo and style.
Ooh, The Owl and the Nightingale contains elements of flyting according to wiki. (I’m an owl/bird freak)
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~wpwt/trans/owl/owltrans
JJ,
I am not familiar enough with rapping contests to establish a cogent parallel. But I think that it might be so. I found this on a quick search:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3998862/Rap-music-originated-in-medieval-Scottish-pubs-claims-American-professor.html
Just one nit-picky clarification- not on the scholar, but the journalist or copy-editor who let James IV pass for James VI. I’m not sure I’d go with “Medieval” either without a more direct parallel. The flyters he describes are more appropriately Renaissance. Both Renaissance and Enlightenment occurred slightly earlier in Scotland than in England. Anyway, that’s splitting hairs.
I would have to read Professor Szasz’s work on the subject before I make a judgment, but it is a plausible conclusion, I suppose. Though, admittedly, my first thought may be a knee-jerk, post-colonial reaction: this could be an example of depriving African American tradition its own history. That white slaveowners might be the true ancestors of African America heritage. I might be stretching it, but at a glance that’s my initial reaction. This author might have a really convincing thesis which doesn’t reinforce institutionalized racism. I haven’t read his work on the subject, but it might be interesting to find.
Hey Peej!
Welcome to the front page! What a fascinating topic. I need to think more about it, but for me as a long-time recovering alcoholic (31 years) happiness comes from staying in the present moment as much as possible, accepting reality as it is, and being open to new ideas and experiences.
Another big one for me–helping other people. I guess in a way I’m not talking about happiness as much as finding peace and meaning life. I think you can’t seek happiness directly. It’s a side effect, if that makes sense.
I guess I’ll agree with the Atlantic article. I’ll give it a read ASAP.
Hey to you, BB! Thank you! I totally understand and agree with you regarding staying in the present, accepting reality, and being open to new ideas and experiences. The last one I’ve never had much problem with. The second one I’ve always had a problem with. I’m continually floored that the world is not the place I expected it to be! And staying in the present moment is also a tough one for me – I’m more often in the future and in the past than truly in the present.
Helping other people is a big one for me too. It’s one of the reasons that I have struggled with the “accepting reality” part – because it seems to me that our society has become quite ugly in its selfishness. It’s self-destructive. I’ve been thinking on this particular aspect quite a bit, though. And I do think cultural altruism dovetails with happiness – for both individuals and society. I think we did once have a nation that valued altruism in its national identity and among its individuals, but that notion has been continually challenged. I’d like to work back and cement it as a value again.
You think that one can’t seek happiness directly? It’s a side effect. I’ve never considered the question in quite that way before. i can’t speak to it unless I ponder it a bit. Initially, my sense is that you are right, and there’s something kind of Zen to that notion. There’s a visceral wisdom in that! Oh, you’ve given me something to ponder! Thanx, BB!
Great first post peej!! It’s getting harder to finding happiness in Modern America these days … so much pressure and not a lot reward.
I think happiness is a choice and as always I rely on the teachings of hhdl:
http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/967-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-speaks-on-community-and-well-being-and-the-quest-for-happiness-in-adelaide
Hi Dakinikat!
Yes!! I would love to see the transcripts from that meeting! I would also love to see a forum like that here to take place regularly, annually at the very least. Happiness and compassion and government policies promoting the happiness in individuals is exactly what we need to see take place. His Holiness is absolutely right. The true source of happiness is within us and is integral to community well being. And trust – so spot on – trust is what leads to friendship and cooperation. I’m wondering if that was discussed in JJ’s article about Southerners and trust? I have to check back at the post.
When his holiness remarked “that every one of the 7 billion human beings alive today has to take the future of humanity into account” he couldn’t be more right. Unfortunately, when people exist at subsistence level or below, that recognition ranges from extraordinarily difficult to darn right impossible. He’s right. Compassion is critical. Critical, but so hard when one is struggling and competing with everyone else. The latter is just base and no way to run a society, an economy, and in no way should those who govern promote policies that encourage it.
I love this his support for secular ethics. That’s another topic I’ve pondered for a while now in conjunction with happiness because everything this nation was founded was a secular morality – a secular ethics and the founders spoke in terms of morality – but not religious morality. I think on this often. Loved the article! Thanks!
Happiness is a choice? Another one I have to think on. An immediate sense doesn’t hit me. Could you elaborate a little on what you mean by it?
I agree happiness is a choice! I can’t speak for Kat, but for me that means I can choose to stay unhappy and focus on things I can’t change, or I can try to focus on things I can change and allow contentment to build, ebb, and flow from that conscious effort and plan of action. That’s how I look at the concept of hope–not a feeling per se, but a call to action, inspired by vision. (Basically the Serenity prayer in its secular essence. I can choose to look at, “Yes I can do x” instead of “no I can’t do y.”)
Personally, the way I break it down is this. Hope, kindness, healing, and resilience. Those are my magic four. I use them as a repeated phrase for a relaxation response technique. It grounds me in the things I hold most dear. For me also, with hope, it is important to remember Rumi’s line, “God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches you by means of opposites, so that you will have two wings to fly – not one.” Of course God more translates to me as ‘universe,’ but the point here being, I need both sides of the coin–faith and doubt–to find real hope, things that actually sustain me.
Mona,
Oh – I love the Rumi, and happiness is then action. How is it that that action translates into where the Dalai Llama was going – to compassion and community? Perhaps by your concept of hope – by an inspired vision.
Well … it is our mind that decides how to respond to things. Even when things happen that up end us, we can try to center ourselves and control our response. Freeing ourselves of the bonds of negative responses and emotions can redress the neurotic roots of unhappiness like self-gripping doubt or hatred.
dakinikat,
Yes, I follow. So, then happiness is only ever consciously what we make it – or what we create. It isn’t an essence of itself, an abstract; it is entirely dependent upon its creator(s)? Therefore, it isn’t an essence so much as a will, which in a sense renders it tangible – achievable. Will is “active” resulting in “action.” Back to the Dalai Llama, then, how is it that we teach our “societal mind,” as it were, to respond to things?
Yes … our emotional reactions/thoughts … speech … action …are the things we control.
So … we can emanate our responses with enough practice and mindfulness and contemplation of things … so our state of mind can create happy even if our samsaric or conditions of this life are miserable …
Welcome, peej! I linked to The Atlantic article earlier today in Wonk’s thread so it’s deja vu all over again!
To me, “happiness” is ephemeral. We may believe we have found it in some person, place, or thing, yet it is transitory. It is like a surprise. When Isaac Bashevis Singer won the Nobel Prize for Literature, he was asked over and over again by reporters if he was suprised he had won. Finally, he said, “How long can a person remain surprised?” I would say, “How long can a person remain happy?” It is a feeling that comes and goes.
To me, it’s more important to find meaning, peace of mind, and purpose in life, even in the midst of suffering. Over the years, thinkers such as Eliezer Berkovits. Martin Buber, Emil Fackenheim, Viktor Frankl, and Carl Jung have helped me in my quest. It’s a quest I expect to continue on for the rest of my life.
Beautiful, Beata! I agree 🙂
Exactly. You expressed my feelings about happiness better than I did.
Hello Beata! Thank you for the welcome!
It’s been a while since I read Man’s Search For Meaning and Carl Jung. The others you mention I have not read. I would be eager to know your thoughts on all of them. I certainly recognize finding meaning through suffering from Frankl especially. I would be interested to know how the other thinkers approached it.
A fine quest you have! Would you be willing to share what you found valuable — or illuminating may be a better term — in your quest? What has gotten you closer to meaning, peace of mind and purpose in life?
Happiness is ephemeral. Yes, it is fleeting and intermittent. But does that mean happiness isn’t eternal? If Singer was no longer surprised, was he no longer happy? Was his happiness contingent upon surprise? I’m just thinking out loud, here. I don’t have answers. Those are first thoughts that come to mind. Much to reflect upon. Thank you!
I wrote a philosophy paper on that, well in part anyway 😉
What is the answer??
Lol.. it’s about 11 pages long 😉
Well, Wonk, can you sum it up in 5 words or less?
I was going to put it in my next post! But, I think if I had to sum up the answer to the paradox of happiness and whether it lasts in five words or less I’d say: My cats Lily and Rue
Peej, this subject is just too complex for me to write any more about it. It would require me to go into some very esoteric areas not well suited for blogging. My background is in Jewish history, particularly the Holocaust period. Suffice it to say, I learned a great deal about both suffering and survival from my studies. It also gave me insight into what is truly important in life.
Rabbis Berkovits and Fackenheim were best known for their contributions to post-Holocaust theology. Buber ( also a rabbi ) was an existentialist who wrote on a variety of subjects.
The Singer reference was an analogy. My point was that both surprise and happiness are transient.
I understand. It is a complex subject. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I do recognize your point on transience. I’ve come across references to Buber, but I haven’t read any of his works. I have three more names to put on my to-read list, so I thank you!
I need to correct myself: Although Martin Buber was a religious scholar, he was not an ordained rabbi. “Rabbi”, however, means “teacher”, which he certainly was. I studied Talmud with one of his former pupils.
Congrats on becoming a front-pager and what a great way to start, very thought-provoking. I think Smith makes excellent points in drawing a distinction between happiness-as-relative-hedonism and a sense of contentment that’s more reality-based and meaningful, even if that idea goes against all of our social programming. I love the idea of an altruism-based sense of contentment as opposed to the more hierarchical achievement based sense of self-worth we hear about as nauseum.
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Peej on the front page provoking aWesome discussion and Seriously in the house making all too much fantastic sense! Yay!
Yay! Hi Seriously!
Seriously,
Thank you! I agree with the distinction as well. You’ve hit on a solid point and a crux – our social programming. I think we see in today’s political landscape the battle for that social programming with those who would have us return to the 19th century and earlier – to Medieval feudalism and those who will break through that entrenched regression. Happiness and altruism are at the heart of those debates due to the consequences of policy. There’s an old adage – “The fish rots from the head down.” Generally, it referred to the “sickness” or societal and individual “health” of a people can be sourced to its leadership. A sick head of state is a contagion that will sicken the state. I come back to that adage more often than not these days, and I don’t want it to be so. I’d prefer to leave that adage in historical memory rather than as objective reality in the present day – in the – need I say it – 21st Century? How many more centuries are required for these self-evident truths about happiness and well-being, meaning and harmony to sink in? I’m not trying to be negative there, only trying to stress the point. You are so right about hierarchical achievement and self-worth. That we hear about it incessantly is symptomatic of a larger propaganda effort, which is highly problematic. The beautiful thing is, though, we are free to create whatever kind of society we want. Maybe we need to confront the propaganda and talk about the society we want Ad Nauseum. Inject it into the political conversation. Maybe ad nauseum is actually a good thing! 🙂
Peej, welcome to the front page….
I am so happy that you are here. I had typed out a long comment, ending with a reference to how glad I am that you are now one of us…yeah, it was a Freaks throw back, and my internet crapped out on me! Lost the entire comment. So I will just post this quick remark.
Hurrah!
Welcome!
Thank you, JJ! I am happy to be here! Huzzah!
And wow – how happiness starts happening once you will it! While I was responding to a beautiful reception (thank you all) – this just came in my email box:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/he-knew-fdr-and-scott-walker-is-no-fdr-b9967739z1-218235331.html
FDR’s grandson just spoke out against Scott Walker comparing himself to FDR! Now, this makes me happy!!!!!
Wow, crazy synchronicity, while you were receiving and posting that I had been looking up this to post:
For me FDR’s Second Bill of Rights sums up a lot, in terms of “Happiness in American policy and politics.”
Crazy, glorious synchronicity! I agree with you entirely. FDR’s 2nd Bill of Rights really embodies “Happiness in American Policy and Politics!”
Welcome Peej……………..I need some steering conversation towards “happiness”, and political results thereof. You know that the lords have been unhappy with the largest segment of voters in this country, and that the all out war against us has created much pain. Count me in when it comes to furthering personal happiness for me, for us and for our world. I noticed today that the peach cobbler I made was full of power…….and I bet it will call my name in the middle of the night, oh how happy….smile.
Thank you for accepting and being a part of our Sky Dancing team, they are the best.
Happiness is a good peach cobbler. ‘Nuff said.
We have way to much on the tree, and the limbs are sagging. What I do is peel them, slice or quarter them, add to a zip lock baggie that is mixed with equal part water/orange juice, and freeze them for winter months. No more canning…………but I have to tell you that Ace Hardware has the blue canning jars, pint size, 6 or 8 in a box, (100th anniversary – Ball) on sale for the month………..I like them for all sorts of crafts and things. Of course blue is my favorite color.
Thank you, Fannie! You are correct. The lords – the overlords – have been deliberately and obstinately unhappy, and that unhappiness has maliciously manifested itself for too long. This I seek to change with my happiness posts. I plan to write more on consciously creating it in a political context. Hopefully, you’ll have some more steering conversation in the near future!
You make me happy, Fannie! Out of curiosity, did you make the pie crust for your peach cobbler from scratch?
Yes, this was easy way to go……….butter, batter, and then peaches. The batter rises on top of the peaches…………it’s more cake like (but no eggs), I do like a heavy biscuit batter to.
Vanilla ice cream is on sale, so it went on top for good measure.
picked the wrong evening to miss. welcome, this is a great post on a very important topic.
Thank you, RB. it’s not too late to jump in!