wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

I believe in the 'Power Of Positive Thinking'. If you continually think negatively then things will not improve. Change and in a positive way will always improve any situation.

Please read the Dalai Lama...

I am familiar with Martin Seligman's positive psychology, but this interview did not add anything new to the achievement of happiness. "Stop and smell the roses" seems to be the message, and that adage has been around a while.

They guy said he met "The One" for him (his love) when he was 7 years old. Very pie in the sky imo and he's no idea on the quest for a partner, how much that frustration (being single) can consume a person and block being happy for some people.

He also did not touch on the depths of his own unhappiness - was he pushed to being suicidal and did he successfully spin out from that?

The interview was way too light, general and did not at all address real life for a broad section of people (those seeking happiness after surviving from abuse, self-abuse, traumatic experience, deep betrayal) etc. on and on - with only a slight and brief mention that there is a place for medication, meanwhile in the real world 33% of the people I know are on some antidepressent of some flavor, half- drink too much alochol, and a solid 50% are in therapy sans meds.

Disappointed in the interview.

Happiness is like jello--there's always room for it, even in a world full of horrible events. I DO know that you won't find sustained happiness by shopping, though our consumer economy wants us to think so.

I am appalled that this new age schlock is presented as an academic discipline. The guest has evoked "research" as a justification for his very obvious advice, but he hasn't actually described any studies or conveyed any intellectual content. I can't believe this material s a credit-bearing course at Harvard. When I was at Columbia, there was a bartending course just for fun but no one pretended it was academic...

How can one be aware of the terrible things that people do to each other in this world, and still be truly happy?

My elementary school had a class called "Flow" that was based on Czikcenmihaly's theory. As a child it was a great practice in concentration!

The weather has a great effect on my mood--when it's excessively humid, I'm cranky. But on a beautiful day like today I'm very happy.

Harvardites pay to hear this.

some study i've heard about says americans are happier than europeans. why would that be.

i think it's because europeans think more than americans.

I think happiness is a decision. I choose to be happy.