- [Narrator] Sure, in the future, I'll have robots.
But will I be happy?
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- What is happiness?
You know, in English the word happy
originally meant lucky, or favored by chance.
So, you might be happy if you're a farmer
and you get a large crop yield.
Or maybe two people having a chance encounter
is a happy accident.
In fact, in most European languages,
the word happy traces its origins back to lucky.
Except for the Welsh.
Their word for happy traces back to wisdom.
Well, the concept of happiness has evolved over time.
As nations develop, populations get better access
to the things they need to survive.
They're less affected by year over year fluctuations.
They have less threats to their existence,
and so they can turn their attention
to the pursuit of happiness.
Which we in the western world think of
as a state of contentedness and joy.
So what's going on biologically when we're happy?
Well, it's pretty complicated.
It involves a host of neurotransmitters and hormones.
Stuff like endorphins, which help suppress pain
and they boost our immune system, among other things.
Then there's dopamine, which is heavily involved
in our brain's pleasure center,
and gives us a sense of reward when we achieve a task.
Then there's serotonin and melatonin,
which help regulate our sleep cycles.
There's a lot going on with this neurotransmitter cocktail,
and we don't fully understand all the mechanisms behind it.
But, we are studying it, and maybe in the future
we'll learn how to synthesize and induce happiness.
I'm not talking about blocking pain.
I'm talking about feeling genuinely happy.
And I could see this as a huge boon
to the medical profession.
Imagine treating a patient who's under tremendous stress,
and relieving some of that through happiness.
But I don't think it's a day-to-day solution.
I mean, which would you prefer?
Having to toil in a hard and troublesome life,
but being forced to be happy through chemistry,
or, addressing those underlying issues
and pursuing a truly happy existence?
Now that second option is what has brought about
something called positive psychology.
The idea of scientifically studying what makes us happy.
I'm not talking about the chemical reactions
that go on in our brains.
I'm talking about the actual things that trigger
those chemical reactions.
The stuff that makes us happy.
Once we identify that, we can learn how to pursue it.
Some researchers in positive psychology have identified
three main pathways to happiness.
And guess what, it has nothing to do with fame, or wealth,
or how many gadgets you own.
There's the pleasant life.
This is the life where you get happiness
through experience and forming new relationships.
So it might be through travel, or finding a new friend.
Then, there's the good life.
The happiness you get from an engaging activity
that's really rewarding to you personally.
And finally, there's the meaningful life.
Where you get satisfaction and happiness
by participating in and contributing to something
that is larger than yourself.
Like a community, or a cause.
Now I believe that technology gives us the tools
that allow us to pursue happiness.
As it gets easier for us to get access
to the basic things we need to survive,
we can turn more of our attention toward the things
that give us satisfaction.
Whether that's contributing to a community,
or going on an adventure, or landing the perfect gig
where you get to learn awesome stuff every single day,
and then communicate it to people.
Well I have a question for all of you out there.
What is it that makes you happy?
I want to hear about your secret to happiness
in the comments below.
If you enjoyed this video, make sure you hit "like"
and subscribe to our channel.
That'd make me really happy.
And then, check out these videos over here.
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