You have a hammer, therefore everything is a nail. Oh indeed, but I don't accept any other source than evolution for human behaviour. You can both accept evolution, and reject its explanation of altruism. If all you have is an evolutionary explanation, then that's all you're ever going to get. This does somewhat beg the question though. Over the long run, I found that to be quietly destructive - and I suspect that's the case for the population at large. The contemporary tendency, IMV, is to try to live life in the middle of the emotional bell curve, and to ignore or deny the value of any extreme, including the positive. And equally, when we're unhappy, we suffer not from 'despair', but 'depression'. I think the fact that the goal of most 'mental health' initiatives is 'well-being' speaks volumes: we're aiming, at best, for a life that is vaguely pleasant - life, as another 90s band sang, with the edges taken off - not one with a potential for joy. ) basically just 'sentimental androids' - the lesson being not to take our own emotions or perceptions too seriously, to distrust high aspirations, and never get carried away with anything. Broadly, I'd say the prevailing outlook is that we're all, as Radiohead sang (not sure why I'm quoting them so much lately, as I'm not a huge fan, but anyway. But I do think there are conditions and outlooks that foster it, and others that hinder, and I think the predominant outlook in the UK tends indeed to hinder. well, there are obviously many paths to joy. I think Roger Waters actually nicked 'quiet desperation' from Thoreau - but it's a great steal.Ībout joy being subjective. Loved the subtle pointer to Dark Side Of The Moon!
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