The Dudeism Forum

Just found this article on Yahoo, who aren't usually trustworthy on such issues, but, y'know what, I'm gonna go with them on this one

Quote
Being happy all the time is not always a good thing, as too much happiness can lead to an early death, a study found.

A study found that children rated as "highly cheerful" by teachers died younger than their less cheerful classmates.

People who are extremely happy tend to indulge in more risky behaviour such as taking drugs, drinking too much, driving too fast or even using up their life savings without thinking through the consequences of their actions.

And that's not the only downside to being overly joyous.

Writing in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, a team of psychologists say that people who are relentless in the pursuit of happiness can end up being worse off than when they started.

And people who read magazine articles with tips on how to be happy felt worse after watching a happy film, compared with those who were not given any mood boosting advice.

This was probably because they had higher expectations of being happy, and when this did not happen, they felt cheated and disappointed, the researchers explained.

Negative emotions can also be a good thing, they said. Fear may prevent someone from taking unnecessary risks and guilt can help remind you to behave well toward others.

The researchers also revealed what really makes people happy.

"The strongest predictor of happiness is not money, or external recognition through success or fame," said study co-author, Professor June Gruber at Yale University. "It's having meaningful social relationships.

"That means the best way to increase your happiness is to stop worrying about being happy and instead divert your energy to nurturing the social bonds you have with other people.

If there's one thing you're going to focus on, focus on that. Let all the rest come as it will."

Eh, the point I forgot to add on this (should stop posting on my way to bed), was that this really does hum to the tune of Dudeism.  It's not about the active persuit of happiness, it's the incidental things that seep in as we go through life.  Dudliness is about accepting happiness for what it is, not trying to clamber for an ideal.  A few good friends, a cheap round of drinks once in a while and hot water enough for a bath once in a while... sometimes all we can ask from life

Yeah, good one. Expectations...they get you all the time. Fuck that shit, eh?

All together, now...

What would you do if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key.

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends. . . .

- Very dudely tune.

Quote from: Outer Element on May 20, 2011, 03:03:15 PM
All together, now...

What would you do if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key.

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends. . . .

- Very dudely tune.

Could you change the station man... I fuckin' hate the Beatles

Sometimes I just get sick of these stupid studies.

Such Bullshit.

I think your point is relevant though Rev.

I think if people need a study to tell them how to live, they are trying too hard.

i detest the beatles, too. think the dude does as well? hating the eagles and all.

Quote from: Rev. Ed C on May 20, 2011, 05:09:46 PM
Could you change the station man... I fuckin' hate the Beatles

Quote from: hannahdude on May 20, 2011, 08:14:18 PM
i detest the beatles, too.

That's it!  Outta this fucking cab! <grabs Rev Ed and Hannah dude by their shirts and throws them to the pavement. Screeches off.>

*Sits by the side of the road and looks for a bearded British cabbie wearing a Jethro Tull t-shirt*

Yeah, and whilst I sit on this roadside with Hannah... these studies are stupid, and Yahoo news is full of them.  I usually ignore them but this one caught my eye, and I took the point in it's more common-sense form than its scientific form.

Bad science, good Dudeism

I actually like to read stuff like this. Yeah, a lot of times my reaction will be "well, duh!" and I often take an article with a grain of salt because there's usually only one study being discussed, and the next one easily may refute it. But sometimes research affirms my perceptions or experience, or gives me something to think about.

Having moved to this area three years ago and not having had a whole lot of friends where I used to live, as well as still being in the process of building friendships here, I have felt enough of a void in that area for enough of a time to feel like, yeah, friends are fucking important. Hence, the soupy tune that started a Lebowski flashback.

1. The study may have a few flaws and the researcher seems a bit biased:
     "Negative emotions can also be a good thing, they said. Fear may prevent someone from taking unnecessary risks and guilt can help remind you to behave well toward others."

Ok, so guilt is a good thing? Fuck me! How about giving in to neither fervent joyfulness nor guilt/fear. That seems to be the Dudeist way. 

I agree, Rev, the study does at least point toward "taking er easy." My problem is..it's tough for me to form friendships..something about my introverted personality or maybe like Walter..I'm "just going to have the face the fact that I'm an asshole."

re: Beatles...I think I wax philosophical about the Beatles...that is..their body of work is so varied and has such longevity that I cant' say I love them nor hate them but they did some highly acclaimed music and they sometimes sucked.  And I admit I like SOME of the Eagles (like the Dude I detest Peaceful Easy Feeling). I do enjoy me some Seven Bridges Road (for the amazing harmony).  I have karaoked to Desperado..that high note is a BITCH.  And I enjoy Take It Easy and Already Gone.

In fact, Already Gone has one of my favorite all time favorite lyrical quote:
                               "So often times it happens, that we live our lives in chains...and we never even know we have the key."   Very Dudeist

I believe what they mean by that is that some "negative" emotions are natures way of saying "You didn't abide man, you were a total reactionary back there, and I'm going to give you this guilt so you know you did it"

So a negative and a positive.  You just can't dwell on the guilt.  Emotion comes.."Oh hi emotion, what brings you here? That asshole thing I did? Yup.  I shouldn't do that again" and then move on. So like you said, no need to give in completely, just acknowledge and move on.