Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy
by Eric G. Wilson
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Book Summary Information
Author: Eric G. WilsonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-01-20
ISBN: 0374531668
Number of pages: 176
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Book Reviews of Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy
Book Review: Wisdom in the dark places
Summary: 5 Stars
"The pursuit of happiness" ... we grow up with that phrase, but seldom stop to examine or question it. What exactly do we mean by happiness? Do we ever really find it? And in pursuing it so desperately, do we completely miss a deeper experience of life & self-knowledge?
Those are some of the questions Eric Wilson asks in this slim, poetic book. As he points out, for so many today, happiness is generally to be found in money, in things, in status -- in short, the most superficial aspects of life. It's the creed of a consumerist culture: more, more, more, and happiness is yours! Yet More never does seem to become Enough, does it?
But Wilson isn't simply offering another critique of consumerism, however necessary. He delves into the sources of great art & great thought, of life rooted in reflection & meaning, rather than in possession of material things. To be sure, everyone needs food, shelter, clothing! But he accurately pinpoints the ways in which the frantic pursuit of happiness as an end in itself distracts us from our own painful, troubling, soul-wracking depths.
Using examples from literature & art, Wilson demonstrates how much melancholy (as distinguished from clinical depression) has served as a dark but powerful wellspring for creativity, and a richer understanding of life. These days, melancholy is viewed as an illness, something to be treated or numbed with medication & optimism, rather than as a natural human state. How often are we told to "find closure" by a specified deadline, or to "move forward" instead of reflecting on our questions & sorrows?
This is a truth long known to creative souls & many psychologists: Life is made richer, deeper, and more endurable by Meaning, rather than by chasing the illusory & ephemeral promises of Happiness. If anything, the effort to be happy & cheerful all the time leads to an emotional flatness, to homogenized existence, to an inability to experience genuine joy or rapture. Only by experiencing darkness do we truly learn to appreciate light. In other words, we must embrace both poles of life -- joy & grief, suffering & exultation, death & birth -- if we're to reach any kind of balance & wholeness.
For many people, of course, the shallow life is highly desirable, as it's all they've been taught & all they've ever known. They value ceaseless happiness above all else ... but just how happy are they, really? How many have that faintly haunted look of those who've never truly found what they seek? They exist, to be sure, but they're not living any sort of meaningful life.
If you aspire to more than that, then this book is a perfect starting point. Highly recommended!
Summary of Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy
We are addicted to happiness. More than any other generation, Americans today believe in the power of positive thinking. But who says we?re supposed to be happy? In Against Happiness, the scholar Eric G. Wilson argues that melancholia is necessary to any thriving culture, that it is the muse of great literature, painting, music, and innovation?and that it is the force underlying original insights.
So enough Prozac-ing of our brains. Let?s embrace our depressive side as the wellspring of creativity. It?s time to throw off the shackles of positivity and relish the blues thatmake us human.
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