Happiness for the Material Girl (and Boy)

BEYOND CIRCUMSTANCE

Aristotle, in Nicomachean Ethics, suggests that happiness is a result of engaging in activities that promote one’s highest potentials. Recent longitudinal studies in psychology have examined whether volitional activity can produce and enhance well being. Lyubomirsky et al. (2005) theorize the three primary factors that causally affect a person’s happiness level – their set point, life circumstance, and intentional activity. Genetics (the set point) account for 50% (Braungart et al. 1992, Lykkend and Tellegen 1996), circumstances are assessed at 10% (Argyle 1999, Deiner et al. 1999), and the remaining 40% is related to intentional activity. This supports the idea that volitional efforts offer a promising way to longitudinal increases in happiness.

DON'T WORRY, BE ACTIVE

The importance of this finding rests in its suggestion that volitional activity on the part of the consumer may be an important mechanism in the generation of happiness. It is possible that Aristotle was extolling such a view when he stated, “happiness is activity...” This could add a fourth “why” to Von Boven and Gilovich’s (2003, 2005) list of experiences that are more resistant to hedonic adaptation. This construct also allows hope for an escape from a product hedonic treadmill. Moving from the view that brands endow us with a sense of identity, happiness, and well being to one in which brands are “circumstances” with which we volitionally and intentionally interact allows the brand to become an experience. As a result, the brand can now enjoy the same protection from adaptation enjoyed by experiences.

Gilbert (2006) hypothesizes that happiness can be synthesized. He quotes Sir Thomas Brown (1642), ”I am the happiest man alive. I have that in me that can convert poverty to riches, adversity to prosperity. I am more invulnerable than Achilles; fortune hath not one place to hit me.” Gilbert holds the view that human beings have a systematic, mostly non-conscious cognitive process that helps us change our views of the world, so we can feel better about the world and the situations in which we find ourselves. This process allows us to synthesize happiness and differs from natural happiness. Natural happiness is what we get when we get what we wanted. Synthetic happiness is what we make when we don’t get what we wanted. Shakespeare makes hyperbolic reference to this idea – “Tis nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” According to Gilbert, synthetic happiness is the only happiness that is chronic. However, it is not contagious. We cannot receive it from anyone or anything or any experience – it comes from within as a product of our minds.

HAPPINESS IS IN THE MAKING

This research suggests that the synthetic happiness observed by Gilbert is the phenomenon theorized by Lyubomirsky et al. (2005) – in other words, that Gilbert was witnessing the 40% active, intentional generation of happiness overcoming the 10% contribution of circumstances. Furthermore, the term generative is proposed in place of “synthetic happiness” for describing this process. Although it seems likely that Gilbert’s choice of “synthetic” was rooted in the word “synthesis,” synthetic is also often understood to mean fake, feigned, not genuine. This latter message would be the antithesis of the message what Gilbert intends to send,( i.e., that synthetic happiness is more real and lasting than natural happiness). The word “generative” better connotes a phenomenon that humans are capable of actively and authentically producing or creating. “Generate” also implies the contribution of a second entity, for most often in nature “generation” involves a co-creator.

THE SO WHAT

What does all this mean to brands? When people intentially engages with a brand the activity generates happiness in them. Not just the fleeting kind that comes with a great purchase, but a deeper sense of well being and happiness that we all seek (Vargo and Lusch 2004). People will seek out and remain loyal to firms that bring a smile to their face.

What to find out more about the link between making and happiness? Watch Dr. Gray's TedX talk that dives deeper into the connection between making and happiness.