Happiness

The other day I read a brilliant article in The Times and cited on slashdot about happiness and its pschycological links. Unfortunately can't find it right now.

The most important point it made however, is that often are wants and likes are different. We crave for certain things and try our best to get them expending time and effort but in the end we do not end up liking them even if we manage to achieve them on most occasions. Such a simple thought and so true - yet something we don't always realise. It would be a good idea hence to remember the moments that made us truly happy and then try to recreate the situations that caused them.

The article also talks about, among other things, how the human race might have evolved in a manner such that when there is a danger or a crisis we make efforts to fight it but when all is going well we move into cruise control and take it for granted - make no effort to enjoy it or improve it. This is attributed mainly to the fact that our prehistoric ancestors had to fight against natural calamities during the Ice Age and then with wild beasts just to survive and now while that is no longer relevant our brain which has adapted to that resists change.


Update:
Meanwhile completely tangentially The Times (not the London times our very own Tabloid) says that Pune is the happiest city in India !! Isn't this too good or what !! Link via Amit Varma.