The Happiness Hypothesis
Ancient wisdom put to the test of modern psychology, with a rider perched on an elephant he does not control.
Jonathan Haidt takes ten ideas from ancient philosophy and religion and tests each against modern psychology, keeping what survives. His governing image is a rider on an elephant: conscious reasoning perched on an emotional system far larger and older than itself, mostly explaining decisions it did not make.
Recommended by 1 Person
Derek Sivers
Psychology professor's digestible but deep insight into how our minds work, around the topic of happiness. Great metaphor of a rider on the back of an elephant. Rider is reasoning, elephant is emotions. Rider has limited control of what the elephant does.
As an Amazon Associate, bookstoread.org earns from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Spotted an error on this page? Tell us and we will fix it.