The Eternal Struggle For Happiness (Johan Norberg)

What is the substance of happiness and how can it be attained? These questions have been debated for as long as recorded history, and in this short book Johan Norberg tries to shed light on the topic from two vantage points, a history-of-ideas perspective, and a modern research view.

If we look back at how our philosophical precursors talked about happiness, there's not so much of an evolution in theory as there is a constant lateral shifting of opinion. The two sides of thought in this case are whether happiness is attainable (on earth) or not. Buddhists, Christians, and even many individuals widely regarded as geniuses have all condemned life on earth as perpetual suffering. Lord Byron, wrote in 1850 that he felt sorry for his time’s “young goths” who lived depressed lives on purpose, hoping it would lead to some of that genius.

Well, life is not so bad. According to modern research, genes make up for about 50% of our predisposition towards happiness. The remaining 50% are up to you, and it seems as though the bulk of it more often produced rather than consumed. For instance, a fantastic athlete doesn't consume happiness solely in the form of a gold medal being awarded. He produces it the entire time while training hard and especially in fierce competition with opponents.

So remember, you are the forger of your own happiness.