Human Nature and Happiness
Dr. Ari Santas
Psychology, Philosophy, and Basic Goods
Few people disagree with the idea that happiness requires certain basic goods. We need food, shelter, and a certain level of security
to lead a good life. After that we need loving relationships, self-esteem, and self-actualization. Maslow (1908-1970) famously
characterized this pyramid of needs as a hierarchy of needs. In modern societies this means having a certain level of monetary
income to enable us to acquire these goods, but after a certain level of income, the excesses of the most basic goods do not
contribute to the higher ones. In fact, they often detract from them. Contemporary social scientists doing “Happiness Theory”
(“Positive Psychology”) are often critical, accordingly, with modern consumer capitalism, which requires the pursuit of these
excesses to drive the economy. Affluence, ironically, pursued as an end in itself, seems to thwart the very well-being which
motivates its pursuit. What these modern theorists have discovered is what ancient societies knew long ago. This knowledge can be
found in ancient ethical writings, whose concepts are echoed throughout the history of philosophy.
The Good Life: Pleasure, Honor, and Reputation?
Aristotle (384-322 BC) characterized the good life (eudaimonia) as one that embodies virtue (arête). He argued that the all-toocommon pursuit of a life of pleasure as an end in itself, or of honor or reputation would never bring human flourishing, as these
ends are neither final nor self-sufficient. A good life, that is, needs to be engaged in activities that are not only pursued only for
themselves, but that they also cannot be made better by the addition of more goods. The modern emphasis on consumerism and
celebrity (which resembles that of 5th Century BC Athenian society) would be condemned by Aristotle not only as shallow, but as
leading to downward spiral of unhappiness. Epicurus (341-270), although known commonly as the founder of hedonism, agreed
with Aristotle on these basic points, and warned against the vices of excess. These ancient authors agreed that what we need
beyond the basic goods, is friendship, self-sufficiency, and an analyzed life.
Happiness and Friendship
Both Aristotle and Epicurus held that good friendships were an important key to happiness; but one must know which types of
friendship to pursue. Meaningful friendships come from mutual respect and this is something that must be earned through work and
effort. As Aristotle put it, friendships based solely on pleasure or usefulness, can never be perfect friendship, as in each of these
cases, what we value is the feeling or benefit, not the person—and when the person ceases to please or provide service, we look
elsewhere for satisfaction. People who never develop virtuous friendships (ones based on respect) will always be unsatisfied in their
relationships and will always bounce around from one person to the next. Like modern happiness theorists, these ancient authors
saw humans as inherently social, in need of meaningful contact with others to feel at ease in their lives.
Bad Reasoning and Self-Deception
One might argue that decisions leading to unhappiness, be those of pursuing excess, or the wrong kinds of friendships, are a matter
of bad (fallacious) reasoning. This is precisely the position of Logic Based Therapy, a school of psychotherapy developed by
contemporary philosopher Elliot D. Cohen, who contends that many of the antidotes to these fallacies can be found in traditional
ethical writings in philosophy. What is interesting about these “happiness fallacies” is that all of us are susceptible to them, even if
we are otherwise intelligent and sophisticated reasoners. Often the fallacies are a function of self-deception, or a simple lack of selfknowledge; and the antidotes often take us back to the ancient dictum “Know Thyself,” as prescribed by the Oracle at Delphi.
Human Nature, Happiness, and Film
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Happy and I Am are recent documentaries highlighting studies on human nature that compare peoples from around the
world seeking happiness, with varying levels of success
BBC: Epicurus and Affluenza are documentaries highlighting modern consumerism and the resulting unhappy cycle of workand-spend
The Devil Wears Prada and Wall Street are feature films highlighting the world of work, greed, and power, and what such a
life does to meaningful relationships
Network is a feature film highlighting the role of popular media in desensitization and dehumanization
Burn After Reading is a feature film highlighting how bad reasoning can lead to a spiral of disastrous consequences
Eternal Sunshine and Memento is a feature film highlighting the role of experience is correcting poor judgment, and what
happens when this natural ability is compromised