The value of eudaimonic happiness as well as hedonic happiness

[Truthseeker]

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• There are two types of happiness, hedonic and eudaimonic.
• While both support life satisfaction, research shows they serve unique purposes and are expressed in different brain regions.
• Eudaimonic happiness also appears to be more sustainable and seems to cultivate certain health benefits.

There are two popular conceptions of happiness in psychology, hedonic and eudaimonic. You experience hedonic happiness through pleasure and enjoyment, like when scarfing down your favorite dessert, watching your beloved sports team win a big game, or hitting a jackpot in the casino. On the other hand, eudaimonic happiness is derived from activities that provide meaning or purpose, like volunteering for a cause you care about, raising children, or striving to make your business a success.

Is eudaimonic happiness the best kind of happiness?

I do think eudaimonic happiness is definitely the best happiness, though some hedonic happiness has its place. This has also the benefit of leading to a better spiritual life in the next life as well as this one.

 

[JustGeorge]

I think they are best in balance.

Things that lead to eudaimonic happiness are more likely to result in stress as well. Sure, a purposeful life brings long term happiness, but often has short term bumps. Few can weather those without some kind of hedonistic happiness.

So, I think both are important.

 

[Truthseeker]

I think they are best in balance.

Things that lead to eudaimonic happiness are more likely to result in stress as well. Sure, a purposeful life brings long term happiness, but often has short term bumps. Few can weather those without some kind of hedonistic happiness.

So, I think both are important.

I experienced the hedonistic happiness of my favorite sport team winning a big game last night when the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers. I couldn't sleep last night afterwards, in fact. I certainly do not want to dwell on terrible wars in the world going on right now. They can depress me, and it helps to get away from from being unhappy about that to experience some hedonistic pleasures. I can't do anything about these terrible things it appears, though I can with the people around me treat them with kindness and consideration and create unity on a small scale, and let the terrible disunity worldwide go. We can all on a small scale do good things and create the eudaimonic happiness that is long-lasting.

 

[PearlSeeker]

" If you can find any thing in human life better than justice, truth, temperance, fortitude; or, to sum up all, than to have your mind perfectly satisfied with what actions you are engaged in by right reason, and what providence orders independently of your choice: if you find any thing better, I say, turn to it with all your soul, and enjoy the noble discovery. But if nothing appears more excellent than the divinity seated within you, when it hath subjected to its self all its passions, examined all appearances which may excite them, and, as Socrates expresses it, has torn itself off from the attachments to sense; has subjected it self to the Gods, and has an affectionate care of mankind: If you find all things mean and despicable in comparison with this, give place to nothing else: for, if you once give way, and lean towards any thing else, you will not be able, without distraction of mind, to preserve the preference of esteem and honour to your own proper and true good. For it is against the law of justice, that any thing of a different kind withstand the proper good of the rational and social nature; such as the views of popular applause, power, riches, or sensual enjoyments. All these things, if we allow them even for a little to appear suitable to our nature, immediately become our masters and hurry us away. But do you I say, with liberty, and simplicity of heart, chuse what is most excellent, and hold to it resolutely. What is most excellent is most advantageous. If so to the rational nature, retain it; but if only to the animal, renounce it. And preserve the judging power unbyassed by external appearances, that it may make a just and impartial inquiry." (Marcus Aurelius)

 

[Quintessence]

These concepts pre-date modern psychology and go back to the philosophers of antiquity. Different schools of thought emphasized one more than the other as the correct path of how to live one's life. As with all things in philosophy, much is a matter of perspective and well-reasoned lifeways can be arrived at in diverse ways. These ideas are also present in many world religions. But to present the original ideas from philosophy for comparisons sake:

The role of the Stoic teacher was to encourage his students to live the philosophic life, whose end was eudaimonia (‘happiness’ or ‘flourishing’), to be secured by living the life of reason, which – for Stoics – meant living virtuously and living ‘according to nature’. The eudaimonia (‘happiness’) of those who attain this ideal consists of ataraxia (imperturbability), apatheia (freedom from passion), eupatheiai (‘good feelings’), and an awareness of, and capacity to attain, what counts as living as a rational being should.​

From - Epictetus | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy​

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Epicurus’ ethics starts from the Aristotelian commonplace that the highest good is what is valued for its own sake. However, he disagrees with Aristotle by identifying happiness with pleasure. Epicurus gives two reasons for this. The main reason is that pleasure is the only thing that people do, as a matter of fact, value for its own sake; that is, Epicurus’ ethical hedonism is based upon his psychological hedonism. The second proof, which fits in well with Epicurus’ empiricism, supposedly lies in one’s introspective experience. One immediately perceives that pleasure is good and that pain is bad, in the same way that one immediately perceives that fire is hot; no further argument is needed to show the goodness of pleasure or the badness of pain.​

From - Epicurus | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy​