What makes us happy?

[pljames]

When another person tells a joke we laugh. Yet we have the power to give our thoughts power. To create. Yet we allow outside stimuli (plus our beliefs) to create and rule over us as emotion. Whats the difference between a gut reaction and a observable emotion? Most of us just go along with (just to get through the day)! Yet I am now leaning toward (I) exist and have the power to decide what (I) want personally without allowing outside stimuli influencing me.

But why am I feeling guilty about "think of others first instead of me first"? The word narcisstic comes to mind. When I think of (loving me) I feel I have created a sin. Am I looking at this thought as a moral sin?  pljames

[sakoz]

"What makes us happy?"  Your underlying, unstated premise implies external 'stimuli" makes us happy. Distinguish between internal and externall stimuli, would be helpful.

[pljames]

Something of external stimuli, stimulates something internal. It could be one relates to another, smile a word a action, external what one believes is funny to them. pljames

[SWM]

what makes us happy.
the experience of happy is caused by dopamine and seratonin. wihle small amounts of cortisol is helpful, and a bit of potassium is very pleasant.

seratonin is derived from tryptophan which is present in milk and turkey, (the animal not the country) bananas are a good source of potassium. physical activity increases dopamine and cortisol is produced through arousal (i dont mean an erection, although that would do the tirck too).

[voodoo scientist]

What makes humans happy? Current research points to:

- Basic need fulfillment: sustenance, sex, security.
- Good social relations: one study found this to be the main variable supporting the apparent greater happiness of religious people over atheists.
- Personal achievement: having and achieving goals provides what could be called "meaning."

Of course, that more or less just confirms the basics and is akin to stating that the key to success in business is to work hard.

what makes us happy.
the experience of happy is caused by dopamine and seratonin. wihle small amounts of cortisol is helpful, and a bit of potassium is very pleasant.

seratonin is derived from tryptophan which is present in milk and turkey, (the animal not the country) bananas are a good source of potassium. physical activity increases dopamine and cortisol is produced through arousal (i dont mean an erection, although that would do the tirck too).

Neuroscience doesn't work that way. It's not meaningful to attempt to reduce an experience down to a rough outline of neurotransmitters because it leaves out enough information that is has essentially no predictive power, even compared to psychology, which also has low predictive power. Describing happiness in terms of neuroscience would be like building a bridge using quantum physics instead of engineering principles.

[SWM]

Maybe i should of made it more obvious that my tongue was in my cheek when writing my previous post.

just to clarify for all readers who i may have mislead: turkey, milk and bananas are not the real source of happiness. And an erection without its opposite genders members or a firm handshake will more likely lead to feeling frustrated than happy.

i will say that laughing does make us happy. that is not a joke.