Fritts 1

Nicholas Fritts
Professor Jizi
UWRT1102-029
17 February 2016

Double Entry Journal- Getting Off the Hedonic Treadmill

Citation: Parfitt, Matthew. Pursuing Happiness: A Bedford Spotlight Reader. Place of Publication

Not Identified: Bedford Bks St Martin'S, 2016. 324-336. Print.

Source: Quote (Page# or Paragraph #)

Responses

major events may not provide lasting

increases in well-being, certain seemingly
minor events-such as attending religious
services or exercising-may do so by
providing small but frequent boosts
-pg.324

I found this to be fascinating, and I believe

that it is true. There are no shortcuts to
happiness. You have to gain it one step at a
time.

People in positive moods have also been

shown to be more creative problem solvers,
more likely to attain a mutually favorable
outcome while bargaining, and more willing
to seek variety among positive choices.
-pg.325

I didnt know that people in positive moods

were shown to be more creative when solving
problems. I thought that was really
interesting.

peoples overall level of happiness

seems stubbornly impervious to change.
-pg.325

I think this is so not because people cannot

affect their happiness but because humans
are creatures of habit. We do the same things
and in turn have constant happiness. I think if
these people were surveyed and asked how
often they branch out and try something new
the results would back up my hypothesis.

smaller minor behaviors provide small

boosts to well-being that can lead to real
changes in overall well-being, especially if
they are repeated with sufficient frequency
over time-pg.326

I think this makes a lot of sense.

Fritts 2

Brickman and Campbell (1971) coined the

term hedonic treadmill to describe the now
widely accepted notion that though people
continue to accrue experiences and objects
that make them happy-or unhappy-their
overall level of well-being tends to remain
fairly static.-pg.326

I think this is accurate because I think

happiness is all a matter of thought. Events
and things have very little effect. It is all how
you perceive the events and things.

there seems to be little people can do to

improve their well-being.-pg.327

I think this is wrong. I think it may be hard to

improve happiness, but the problem is all in
your head. I think these researchers are
looking too hard for the keys to happiness. I
dont think happiness can be put into a theory
or formula. They may each have some
degree of application, but none of them hit the
nail on the head.

Nonetheless, it seems as though people

generally should not even bother to pursue
goals that make them happy (and not try as
hard to avoid many of the activities that they
expect to cause them unhappiness), as
achieving them will not have any lasting
impact.-pg.327-328

I agree fully with the part in parenthesis. I

think it is good to try new things. You may
enjoy them. I disagree fully with the rest. It is
one of the most pessimistic and just plain sad
things that I have ever read. I think its bull.
Sounds to me like the logic of someone who
has never attempted to chase their dreams,
too cowardly and afraid to take a chance.

It also appears as though any economic

policy aimed at improving peoples welfare
is just a waste of time and money-pg.328

I think this is true. We have already seen that

money has no effect on happiness. I think
instead that time and money should be spent
on education, teaching people money
management, how to balance a budget, and
how to live within their means.

In contrast to the notion of an inescapable

hedonic treadmill, it is not pointless for
people to seek to improve their well-being.
However, improvement may not come from
major events such as winning the lottery.pg.336

I like the ending. I think everyone should try to

seek to improve themselves and their lives.