In today's L..A. Times, there's an oped by Johann Hari, titled, "All the Stuff in the World." Hari provides support for how socio-cultural factors impact depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders. He touches upon the psychological concepts of internal vs. external motivation and their correlates to well-being. When we're internally motivated, we engage in an activity, or acquire an object, for the pure delight of it. For example, when I am alone in my living room and blast Dean Martin singing Sway and dance, "hearing the violins before they begin" or Pink Martini "Amado Mio," or listen to other artists, or compositions whose lyrical power bring forth the aliveness of my physicality, spirituality and life, I am increasing my happiness and well-being. I do it solely for me, and take great joy in it; the dork surfaces with no judgment :)! Conversely,when we're externally motivated to engage in something or acquire on object, we do so because we think we'll gain something from it. Hari defines it as follows: "Striving to get more money or status, or expensive goods for their own sake...". For example, if an artist lost the joy of his or her craft and was creating only to earn money or impress someone, he/she is externally motivated. Internally motivated activities and acquisitions increase happiness, and external motivations provide no increases in happiness.
His thesis, demonstrable by Tim Kasser of University of Illinois, among other social scientists, has important implications and practical direction, which Hari himself notes. Let's begin with family life: time in with you, parent, is more valuable than the new object of your child's affection. I can hear some of the parents objecting already, but there are ways to naturally cultivate this in kids-far less drastic than Kasser's approach "moving to a farm with a lot of goats, where they don't watch TV and don't get exposed to these toxic messages". I do believe that if you have a TV in the house, limited time with it and other electronic devices will help parents and kids stave off dominant messages that can lead to extrinsic motivations; and, more time in can connect parents to children with presence and meaning, which will shape what and whom children value. Children who learn to value individuals, ideas and passions, grow to be adults who will find a certain boredom in those impressed by their things, their physical appearance, where they attended college, and/or other "signifiers," which may be externally driven. Needless to say, these things can be interesting if there is a passion,a joy, a challenge, something more meaningful resulting from them. In couple relationships, partners can find activities/things that enrich them AND make decisions impacting finances and time spent on projects/work based on internal motivations, passions, shared values. Singles may do so as well.
To our internal motivations...the sheer, beautiful joie de vivre within each of us, finding full expression!
His thesis, demonstrable by Tim Kasser of University of Illinois, among other social scientists, has important implications and practical direction, which Hari himself notes. Let's begin with family life: time in with you, parent, is more valuable than the new object of your child's affection. I can hear some of the parents objecting already, but there are ways to naturally cultivate this in kids-far less drastic than Kasser's approach "moving to a farm with a lot of goats, where they don't watch TV and don't get exposed to these toxic messages". I do believe that if you have a TV in the house, limited time with it and other electronic devices will help parents and kids stave off dominant messages that can lead to extrinsic motivations; and, more time in can connect parents to children with presence and meaning, which will shape what and whom children value. Children who learn to value individuals, ideas and passions, grow to be adults who will find a certain boredom in those impressed by their things, their physical appearance, where they attended college, and/or other "signifiers," which may be externally driven. Needless to say, these things can be interesting if there is a passion,a joy, a challenge, something more meaningful resulting from them. In couple relationships, partners can find activities/things that enrich them AND make decisions impacting finances and time spent on projects/work based on internal motivations, passions, shared values. Singles may do so as well.
To our internal motivations...the sheer, beautiful joie de vivre within each of us, finding full expression!
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