Psychology

Essay Assignment
Joshua Wolf Shenks article, What Makes us Happy, is a deep and somewhat complicated look into one of the most important and comprehensive studies on the human condition in the history of psychology. Complete with analysis of the study, its participants, and most importantly the studys curator, Shenks article provides a depth of analysis that is both useful and intriguing on many different levels. The article would fit perfectly in the curriculum of a course on the pursuit of happiness for many reasons, including its take on the complicated human condition, its understanding of the things that contribute to human happiness, and its ability to tie together real life themes with themes of psychological study. For those reasons, Shenks article should not only be a part of the new courses curriculum, but it should also be an important part of what the course teaches.

One of the things that would make this article an effective teaching tool is the vast number of ways in which a course could go with it. While many articles might provide one days worth of analysis before moving on to the next piece, What Makes us Happy is an article with much more potential than that. The first way that it could be used in the course is as a piece of deeper analysis into the mind of the Grant Studys chief curator. Dr. Vaillant is a complicated and interesting character, as his own experiences have shaped not only his involvement in the study, but also his ability to analyze certain aspects of the study. In the article, Shenk writes of Vaillant, The seed of interest in longitudinal research had been planted it germinated decades later in Vaillants psychiatric residency and then in the ultimate vein of data he discovered at Harvard. It was 1967, and the Grant Study men were beginning to return for their 25th college reunions. Vaillant was 33. He would spend the rest of his careerand expects to spend the rest of his lifefollowing these men (Shenk, 2009). It is clear that Vaillants special passion for the material involved in the grant study has both helped him and shaped him, which could be an interesting thing to study in a course. Students could study how ones past experiences change his or her outlook on happiness as a whole. Using Vaillant as an example would be an excellent place to start.

Additionally, it is clear that this article takes a deeper look into what happiness actually means. While many articles provide something of a cursory glance at happiness and talk of it in unrealistic terms, Shenk, by function of his meetings with Vaillant, writes of happiness in very real terms. Shenk writes, Vaillant brings a healthy dose of subtlety to a field that sometimes seems to glide past it. The bookstore shelves are lined with titles that have an almost messianic tone, as in Happier Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment. But what does it mean, really, to be happier (Shenk, 2009). The article brings about many questions of just what happiness entails, which could foster excellent discussion in class. One of the problems with the study of happiness is that too many people mask their true feelings and happiness is sometimes veiled. By digging deeper into what it means to truly be happy, the goals of the class could be achieved. This article speaks of that in very certain terms.

One thing that the article very interestingly touches on is just how important our own perceptions and expectations are in terms of happiness. It references the country of Denmark, where people are characteristically blunt and realistic. That country, despite its harsh realism, is constantly listed as one of the happiest nations around. This could bring about an interesting debate on the role of expectations to human happiness. Is it best to lower ones expectations in order to get the most out of a happy life Does this strip away some of the other joys of life, including optimism These are all interesting questions that can and must be answered in a class that seeks to uncover the truth on happiness. For this reason, the article is a good item to get students started.

One of its strengths also acts as one of the possible objections to using this article in a course of that nature. It is relatively light and easy reading, and does not dive into the technical aspects of psychology. Though this is one of the things that might make it a good introductory article for a course on happiness, one might argue that this holds it back in terms of academic usefulness. The course would not need to rely solely on the article as a teaching point, though. Its best attribute is its light nature, as people who are just learning the subject would be able to get their feet wet and enjoy the article. Students are always looking for things that are not only of academic merit, but are interesting to read. The more interesting something is, the more likely students are to really get excited about digesting and understanding the material at hand.

Another possible objection to using this article in a course would be the inherent biased that seem to exist for the author. He is quite obviously a fan of Dr. Vaillants story and his work, which might have led him to prop up the studys curator a bit more than necessary. He makes many comments within the article about the overall depth and importance of Vaillants role in the psychological world. Some might feel as if this article has too many portions that are not useful for course study. Though that might be true, the article itself is long enough to provide plenty of worthy class material even when the other portions are removed. It could also be argued that the authors takes on Vaillants psychological study are important for the total understanding of what is going on with the Grant Study. Since Vaillant and the study are so intertwined, it is difficult to understand one without understanding the other.

Joshua Shenks article could play a key role in a course entitled The Pursuit of Happiness. Though there are a few objections that might be raised, it offers more than a few interesting academic talking points that could be the beginning of healthy dialogue within a class. The study of Dr. Vaillant could make for interesting course material, as it might lead to a deeper understand of some of his other work on the subject. The depth at which the article addresses important questions about happiness makes it inherently useful. Additionally, the article could be used as a springboard for new, interesting discussion on many other topics directly relating to the pursuit of happiness. It goes in so many directions that students would be able to take their own meaning and start their own interesting discussions. These things make it clear that Shenks article would serve a purpose in a class of that nature.