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    Lesson 5: What Is The Good Life? Sources of Meaning and Happiness

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    joana may santos
    1) The document discusses different perspectives on what constitutes "the good life" and sources of meaning and happiness. It warns that pursuing happiness alone, without virtue or meaning, can lead to negative consequences. 2) A virtuous life focused on inner goodness, as described by Aristotle and Confucius, is presented as a better path to flourishing than solely seeking pleasure or success. 3) The document advocates for a balanced, holistic approach to well-being that incorporates relationships, achievement, spirituality, acceptance, and other sources of meaning.

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    Lesson 5: What Is The Good Life? Sources of Meaning and Happiness

    Uploaded by

    joana may santos
    235 views26 pages
    1) The document discusses different perspectives on what constitutes "the good life" and sources of meaning and happiness. It warns that pursuing happiness alone, without virtue or meaning, can lead to negative consequences. 2) A virtuous life focused on inner goodness, as described by Aristotle and Confucius, is presented as a better path to flourishing than solely seeking pleasure or success. 3) The document advocates for a balanced, holistic approach to well-being that incorporates relationships, achievement, spirituality, acceptance, and other sources of meaning.

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    the good life

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    The Good Life

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    1) The document discusses different perspectives on what constitutes "the good life" and sources of meaning and happiness. It warns that pursuing happiness alone, without virtue or meaning, can lead to negative consequences. 2) A virtuous life focused on inner goodness, as described by Aristotle and Confucius, is presented as a better path to flourishing than solely seeking pleasure or success. 3) The document advocates for a balanced, holistic approach to well-being that incorporates relationships, achievement, spirituality, acceptance, and other sources of meaning.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    235 views26 pages

    Lesson 5: What Is The Good Life? Sources of Meaning and Happiness

    Uploaded by

    joana may santos
    1) The document discusses different perspectives on what constitutes "the good life" and sources of meaning and happiness. It warns that pursuing happiness alone, without virtue or meaning, can lead to negative consequences. 2) A virtuous life focused on inner goodness, as described by Aristotle and Confucius, is presented as a better path to flourishing than solely seeking pleasure or success. 3) The document advocates for a balanced, holistic approach to well-being that incorporates relationships, achievement, spirituality, acceptance, and other sources of meaning.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 26

    Lesson 5

    What is the Good Life?


    Sources of Meaning and Happiness
    OBJECTIVES
     To explain
    a) The risk factors of the happiness pursuit
    without meaning and virtue.
    b) The advantages of a meaning perspective of
    the good life (Wong, 2011).
    c) The need for a balanced meaningful live
    based on Wong’s implicit theories research
    (1998a).
    A PUZZLING PROBLEM
     People want to be healthy but many
    consume junk food.
     People want to be happy but many do
    things that make themselves miserable.
     Most things that taste good are probably
    bad for you.
     Most things that give you a thrill are
    probably bad for you too.
    WHAT IS THE GOOD LIFE?
     People have different
    ideas of what constitutes
    the good life.
     Wrong pursuits may lead
    to tragic consequences.
     Correct pursuits may
    lead to flourishing.
     Therefore, be careful
    what you dream for.
    THE HAPPINESS PURSUIT

     Everybody wants more happiness and


    success.
     It’s good to know how to optimize
    happiness and success.
     There are many happiness coaches and
    self-help books on the market.
    RISK FACTORS
    There are risk factors when:
     The happiness pursuit becomes one’s
    ultimate purpose in life.
     The happiness pursuit is not guided by a
    philosophy of life informed by general
    principles of meaning, spirituality and
    virtue (e.g., the Golden Rule).
    THE GOLDEN RULE
     Confucius: What you do not want done to
    yourself, do not do unto others.
     Aristotle: We should behave to others as
    we wish others to behave to us.
     Buddhism: Hurt not others with that
    which pains thyself.
     Christianity: Do unto others as you would
    have them do unto you.
    THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE

    The pursuit of the good life has ended in


    misery and self-destruction for many
    people.
    WHAT IS THE COMMON
    CAUSE?

     They make personal happiness and


    success their ultimate end of life without a
    moral compass and without the desire to
    pursue inner goodness.
    DISILLUSION
    King Solomon realized the vanity of success
    long, long ago:
     The world will never be enough: “The eye
    is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear
    filled with hearing” (Eccl. 1:8).
     It takes more and more to reach the same
    level of happiness—addiction, money, etc.
    DISILLUSION

     Nothing in this world can fill the spiritual


    vacuum within us.
     Dreams are often broken when reality
    strikes.
    FATE AND CIRCUMSTANCE

     Bad things happen to good people


     Reversal of fortune
     For some people, most days are bad days
    (e.g. poverty)
     Lack of opportunities to pursue PERMA
    (Seligman, 2011)
    ADVANTAGES OF
    THE MEANING PURSUIT

     Avoids the pitfalls of self-centered pursuit


    of happiness and success.
     Sustains us between the highs of
    inspiration and the lows of despair.
     Happiness and flourishing will sneak in
    through the back door.
     Ability to transform adversities into
    opportunities for personal growth.
    THE GOOD LIFE IS A
    VIRTUOUS LIFE

     A meaningful, authentic good life is based


    on inner goodness.
     “The end of life is eudaimonia.”—Aristotle
     Eudaimonia means well-being, virtue and
    human flourishing.
     To live the good life is to become what we
    ought to be as human beings—moral
    agents who strive for moral excellence.
    ACCORDING TO ARISTOTLE
     His moral theory is
    teleological.
     Aristotle’s virtue ethics.
     The golden mean to avoid
    extremes.
     Practical wisdom: the proper
    end to our actions and the
    proper means to our end.
     Four cardinal virtues:
    prudence, justice, fortitude,
    and temperance.
    ACCORDING TO CONFUCIUS
     Lived in a tumultuous period
    of war and conflict.
     Equates the good life with
    social harmony.
     The need to fit in an ordered
    society.
     Five cardinal virtues:
    benevolence, righteousness,
    propriety, wisdom, and
    faithfulness or loyalty.
     Inner cultivation of virtues
    leads to world peace.
    A SHIFT IN THE NARRATIVE OF
    THE GOOD LIFE

     A shift from virtue and ethics to personal


    happiness and success.
     An increase in personal freedom and
    gross domestic product (GDP).
     Money does not always buy happiness.
    IS THERE THE GOOD LIFE
    WITHOUT INNER GOODNESS?
     A morally neutral stand on the good life
    will lead to risk factors.
     We feel good from doing good.
     We are moral beings living in a moral
    universe.
     We cannot flourish without a moral
    compass.
    THE HOLISTIC APPROACH
     The whole is more than the sum of its
    parts.
     Good people + Good community + World
    peace = Good life.
    THE GOOD LIFE IN TOUGH TIMES

     Finding meaning through a heroic attitude


    (Frankl, 1985).
     Accepting what cannot be changed.
     “Every cloud has a silver lining.”
     Transforming adversities through meaning
    and faith.
     Reducing stress, depression and anxiety.
     Integrating negatives with positives.
    THE GOOD LIFE IS A
    SPIRITUAL LIFE
     The adaptive advantages of religion and
    believing in God.
     A moral compass and answers to the big
    questions.
     Belief in an Ultimate Rescuer.
     Hope beyond the grave.
     Significance in mundane activities.
     A meaning-mindset is a faith-filled
    perspective.
    THE GOOD LIFE IS A
    BALANCED LIFE

     A single-minded pursuit is not


    always beneficial.
     Active engagement needs to
    be balanced by rest.
     Exclusive love needs to be
    balanced by greater love. vs.
     Achievement needs to be
    balanced by acceptance.
     Self-transcendence needs to
    be balanced by fair treatment.
    SOURCES OF MEANING FOR THE
    GOOD LIFE

     Wong’s implicit theory research.


     Achievement, religion/spirituality, positive
    affect, relationships, self-transcendence,
    intimacy, self-acceptance, fair treatment.
     Basic needs for mental health and
    flourishing.
    Profile of Personal Meaning

    7.6
    7.4
    Mean Rating

    7.2
    7.0
    6.8
    6.6
    6.4
    6.2
    6.0
    A BALANCED MODEL OF THE
    GOOD LIFE
    Religion/
    Spirituality

    Achievement Acceptance

    Intimacy Relationship Positive Emotion and Well-


    being

    Self-transcendence Fairness

    Situational and Cultural


    Context

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