The Happiness Encyclopedia
An ever-growing resource for life's most important subject...
“On my appointment to the Dept. of Sociology established at the University of Bielefeld in 1969, I was asked what research projects I had running. My project was, and ever since has been, the theory of society; term: thirty years; costs: none.” — Niklas Luhmann
As I set out to create this resource, my project has been, and will continue to be, the theory of happiness; term: lifetime; costs: (almost) none.
Here’s the key question behind this work: why?
What a sophisticated question… Why do we do what we do? Why do we want what we want? Why are we here?
Well, maybe that why question is pretty important after all.
I suggest that the “answer” is always happiness.
In some way, shape, or form, we want things because we think they will make us feel good, avoid feeling pain, or survive (you can’t be happy if you’re dead). We do things to pursue these wants or to avoid the things we don’t want. We are here to survive which consists of avoiding danger and suffering (for the most part) and moving towards positive outcomes.
In other words, it’s all about happiness. No, this doesn’t necessarily mean highs and goofy smiles all the time. There is a place for sacrifice, meaning, and discipline in all this (more on that later).
But the point of this initial commentary is to say, of all the things to study, this seems to be life’s most important subject. For if you have mastery of anything else — business, biology, physics, music, etc. — but not happiness, then you will always need something more. But if you have mastery of happiness, then you will need nothing.
This resource is inspired by the Personal MBA and the Andy M. notes system. My goal is to create an encyclopedic scaffolding to capture the “how of happiness”.
I hope this work serves you well…
Jackson K.
Overview
Biology (Physical Health)
Psychology (Mental Health)
Relationships (Social Health)
Work & Money
Miscellaneous
TBD…
