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The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom | 
 enlarge | Author: Jonathan Haidt
Publisher: Basic Books
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $6.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  68 reviews
Sales Rank: 2833
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5.4 x 1.2
ISBN: 0465028020
Dewey Decimal Number: 170
EAN: 9780465028023
ASIN: 0465028020
Publication Date: December 1, 2006
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Condition: SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! NEW Book! May have remainder mark. Most orders ship within 1 BUSINESS DAY with ORDER CONFIRMATION.
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Product Description
In his widely praised book, award-winning psychologist Jonathan Haidt examines the world’s philosophical wisdom through the lens of psychological science, showing how a deeper understanding of enduring maxims-like Do unto others as you would have others do unto you, or What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger-can enrich and even transform our lives.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 63 more reviews...
 You can really discuss this book with your coffee partner October 1, 2008
Haidt says there are three ways to change your state of happiness: drugs, meditation and psychotherapy. This book is a effectively a good dose of psychotherapy and has some really excellent stand alone chapters particularly on love and romance and highlights in the study of what makes people happy, particularly based on scientific research from the 20th century. This book is an exploration of happiness that is anchored in ancient wisdoms we may be familiar with - Roman stoics, a bit of Greek philosophy, Buddhist and Hindu ideas, Lao Tzu and teachings from the Bible.
Not all may agree with Haidt, especially on the utility of antidepressants. I also go along with the criticism that he may have generalised too much. As G. Johnson points out above, Buddhism is more complex than Haidt's analysis. The notion that Buddhism teaches inaction, passivity and simple detachment does not take into account that Buddhism does describe at least 11 kinds of happiness from sensual pleasures to extraordinary happiness in the third Jhana (at least in theory). Buddhism could be dichotomised into lay practice vs monastic practice and a Mahayana vs a Theravada approach. The Mahayana and Lay Buddhist practices emphasize a proactive endeavor to assist those who may need it. But, as the Theravadin's point out, it's probably better to deal with your own problems first. Haidt's Dhammapada quotations from Mascaro as translator should be regarded as a pretty poor rendition of an ancient text.
There is also this peculiarly American division between liberals and conservatives, one that is unique to the US and can only be seen in an American context by those of us English speakers not from the USA.
Haidt sometimes uses ancient Wisdom in caricature so that he can state a different more advanced philosophy for the technologically sophisticated times we enjoy. At this level, I think he has it pitched about right to suit cultured, middle class and educated societies trying to encapsulate for themselves, the nature of happiness and how to get it in a generally secular context.
I especially enjoyed his graphs in the relationship chapter showing a distinction between visceral short term affection vs long term companionship based affection. He has also introduced with great simplicity some profound ideas of modern psychological studies from Freud to ? ... We certainly have little time to study the copious alternative treatises and this is definitely a good place to hunk down and research. So real happiness consists of Flow States of mind where you get absorbed in an activity rather than the short term thrill of winning something ... meditation is simply extending the flow state of mind to a deeper level.
I would recommend this modern appraisal of the nature of happiness as explored by the new science of psychology and certain ancient thinkers. Haidt's is an impressive short compendium rich in references. I think it is refreshing that he is so open to teachings alien to himself including Buddhism and this is a book that could get many of us started on our own explorations.
I find it disagreeable that our baseline happiness may be set by our genes and would endeavor to strive to increase it - this to me is an aspect of being human even though it may be very difficult to overcome the genetic conditioning. Even genes like some God cannot be all powerful and deserve to be brought down to size.
A Great Foundation for Understanding Happiness July 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Jonathan Haidt has done a great job of nailing the topic. This is the best work I have found for understanding the elusive state labeled happiness. His discussion of negativity bias is particularly well done. Copies given to friends result in responses ranging from 'very helpful' to 'best book I've read'. Coverage of taboos may be a turn-off to some, but to date no complaints. Haidt is generous in sharing his sources. He also shows the appreciation and pride of a great teacher in his descriptions of research by his students. I highly recommend both the book and the CD.
R. Scott Clark, Ed.D.
 Musings of a college boy July 6, 2008
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
I purchased this book on the recommendation of David Brooks, the New York Times columnist. It was on the list of books he recommended in his column about how "we" need to change how we think (and act) in this world. (Which I agree with wholeheartedly.)
In any case I purchased this and another of his recommendations, Michael Gazziniga's The Ethical Brain. After perusing the Gazziniga book I decided to start with the Haidt. I regretted his choice of the title, after all, what can be more fleeting than "happiness"?
I persevered through to the end. It had a few bright moments, no, instants; but it was basically the musings of a college boy. It seem so full of ordinary, everyday information and nothing worth note. It's a mystery to me why anyone would recommend it.
I am giving it three stars after reading the review from 'a reader in front of the front range'. I figured if he gave it three stars, I should be as generous - otherwise, I was tempted to assign only two.
 A very good hypothesis June 27, 2008
Jonathan Haidt is one of several front-line researchers in the field of Positive Psychology. This book, The Happiness Hypothesis, is a beautifully written, erudite series of lessons about how current research verifies or challenges a host of ancient teachings about happiness ranging from ancient Egypt,Greece, and China and crossing over to Hebrew and New Testament Bible teachings and 20th century psychology. Suitable for lay readers as well as psychology majors both undergraduate and graduate. The goals of this book are very ambitious but skillfully achieved at almost every turn. While the final chapter was somewhat anticlimactic, in my view, the time spent studying the book overall was well worth it. Highly recommended.
So that explains it! May 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book was referred to in a newspaper article on current brain research, which is of interest to me, so I bought it in spite of the somewhat gimmicky title. I'm so glad I did. It explains in layman's terms why the people with whom we disagree can't help being so darn stubborn! It also exposed my lovingly-cherished illusions about my own open-mindedness. If we all understood what the author explains so clearly, perhaps we could overcome some of our divisions and biases. And that just might save civilization.
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