Marginal Revolution: Stumbling on Happiness

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Stumbling on Happiness

Finally, in Part VI, "Corrigibility," I will tell you why illusions of foresight are not easily remedied by personal experience or by the wisdom we inherit from our grandmothers. I will conclude by telling you about a simple remedy for these illusions that you will almost certainly not accept.

That is from Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness, so far the best book this year.

He takes Proust and turns it into social science. Your brain distorts both your anticipations and your memories; we do not know how happy we were or how happy we will be. Here is a short article on Gilbert. Here is a long article on Gilbert. Here is a short piece on why dreading pain can be as bad as pain itself. Or is it...? Was it...?

Posted by Tyler Cowen on May 5, 2006 at 06:52 AM in Books | Permalink

Comments

The summaries of his research read like advertisements for Buddhism or Eckhart Tolle. The mentally-projected image of self as a self-deluded control freak who is our own worst enemy. I like it!

Posted by: Matthew Cromer at May 5, 2006 9:52:25 AM

The long article is worth reading. I learned something new and important
today. Thanks for blogging.

Posted by: Pat L at May 5, 2006 10:17:14 AM

This seems interesting. Thanks for pointing it out.

Posted by: hhh at May 5, 2006 11:15:54 AM

Glad to hear that you've read every book released so far this year. When do you find time to do your work?

Posted by: johnshade at May 5, 2006 11:39:49 AM

I don't like your tone JohnShade.

Posted by: Student at May 5, 2006 12:19:05 PM

argh, this is going to prevent me from working also.

Posted by: jor at May 5, 2006 3:28:58 PM

I was reminded of Buddhism too, but also of Stoicism. Valuable insights in any case, though integrating them into the standard framework of economics looks like a lot of work...

Posted by: bbartlog at May 5, 2006 3:31:25 PM

I'm thinking of the kid who is told by his mother, 'Just wait until your father gets home.'

Posted by: Patrick R. Sullivan at May 5, 2006 4:42:48 PM

See also one of my favorite essays The Pursuit of Emptiness by John Perry Barlow

Posted by: ZenMasterThis at May 5, 2006 5:28:29 PM

That article was okay, but not as good as I thought it was going to be.

Posted by: eddie at May 5, 2006 11:57:35 PM

That last comment sounded wittier in my head.

Great. Now everything seems hollow and empty. Although I guess that's not so bad, is it? Damn, now I can't even find perverse satisfaction in being miserable and bitter.

Thanks a bunch, Cowen. I can't even tell if I'm being sarcastic any more.

Posted by: eddie at May 6, 2006 12:06:24 AM

Just read about this book on the Freakonomics blog and NY Times as well. So my interest has been piqued enough to order it online just now, international shipping charges be damned (I live in the Philippines).

Posted by: wysgal at May 6, 2006 6:32:55 AM

Im am flabbergasted and dumfounded with a tinge of hemorroides.Amen.

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