MYTH 23
We must all strive to be happy
Ask any parent what they want most for their child and the answer you will hear in the overwhelming majority of cases is a simple one: ‘I just want them to be happy.’ There is a general consensus out there that happiness is the supreme good, and that the pursuit of happiness is a legitimate objective, if not the most important objective, of every human being during their lifetime. Not every culture has shared this conviction, but it’s certainly not a view you are likely to find being challenged by the self-help industry, which has played a significant role in perpetuating it. Greater happiness is the golden carrot perennially dangled in front of us by popular psychology, and so seductive is it that ...
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