English 152 - Jumping off the Hedonic Treadmill

Laura Zamora

Janet Smith

English 152

December 01, 2015

Jumping Off The Hedonic Treadmill

We could jump off the hedonic treadmill by making priorities that will contribute to our long-term happiness in a way that minimizes hedonic adaptation. We could examine how high income improves our estimation of life but not our emotional well-being.

The first think we have to know is the concept of a hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaption. “It is the observed tendency of human to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life change” (www.wikipedia.com).

The hedonic adaptation is one of the main enemies of happiness; the hedonic treadmill is a major problem if we would like experience a feeling of achievement for an extend period of time. We can word hard, and push our ways to the top of our field, but we are not achieve happiness with this successful, even after we have accomplished everything we want to do. Let’s assume that I believe buying a fancy new car (will make me happy) in the short term I’ll probably experience great pleasure when I drive. Over time, my joy will fade, and this phenomenon psychologist is hedonic adaptation; The pleasure is not happiness. The most people tend to focus on the negative side in almost everything, just as I was doing.

We need to have a clear our goals; however, we have to understand there are two main kinds of goals. According with  Tim kasser  professor of psychology P. H. D. “We make a distinction between two main of goals which people might pursue in life intrinsic goals and extrinsic goals” (www.timeofcompassion.com)”.  In the intrinsic goals are based on money, image and status; those goals are focused on a gaining staff, we are research looking good, having the right appearance for status or popularity; nevertheless, extrinsic goals are inherently satisfying of themselves, here we have goals for personal growth, trying to be who we really are, chose connected relationships with friends, my loved ones, the community feeling which having a sense of wanting to help the world to be a better place.

Seven days ago I saw a documentary about how to be happy? in there they make a interview a different people in the world. One person of Brazil says: “surf and coexist with nature that thing towards happy” Another person from Louisiana in United State of America says: “I enjoy the view, stroll in boat, fishing and share everything I fish with my family and my friends, I do not need money, I have all I need”. The last one I remember and struck me he was from Japan, This person argues: “I do not have time for fun, certainly, today is my birthday and I do not have time for celebrate my business are more important” the Japanese living in a hurry; the most of them think if they stop lose time and then income. We can see who gives more preference to his happiness than his income.