Surprising Results?
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@Catseye3 said in Surprising Results?:
@Doctor-Phibes said in Surprising Results?:
Does anybody think that Beethoven was happy?
According to this survey, creativity was only weakly associated with life satisfaction (happiness), so maybe he wasn't, despite his magnificent work.
My point was that if he’d been happy he probably wouldn’t have created his magnificent work. Being happy is what I want for myself, not necessarily for humanity
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@Doctor-Phibes said in Surprising Results?:
My point was that if he’d been happy he probably wouldn’t have created his magnificent work.
Yes, isn't that interesting to think about? Maybe there's a form of unhappiness that leaves you with a hunger, which leads to a striving, which can take the form of creation. If you can't find what you need in your life, you are compelled to make it yourself. If you're content, how hungry can you be?
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It turns out the results I cited in Post #1 were derived from responses from people who took the survey offered on the website, which is devoted to positive psychology. It's free, and described this way: "The VIA Survey of Character Strengths is a free self-assessment that takes less than 15 minutes and provides a wealth of information to help you understand your best qualities. VIA Reports provide personalized, in-depth analysis of your free results, including actionable tips to apply your strengths to find greater well-being." Then there's a blue bar you click on, and away you go. https://www.viacharacter.org/
They flog their $49 book, but it's not hard to disregard. You also have to provide your email for their mailings.
I have no idea what credence to give it. The study paper comes across as credible and thorough, FWIW.
My results were kind of disquieting. My #1 strength, Judgment, was listed as one of the weak correlates with life satisfaction, and the rest were fair to middlin'. One of the big five, Zest, for me came in last.
Obviously a stupid test with stupid test makers and I hate all of them because they are completely stupid.
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@Catseye3 said in Surprising Results?:
@Doctor-Phibes said in Surprising Results?:
Does anybody think that Beethoven was happy?
According to this survey, creativity was only weakly associated with life satisfaction (happiness), so maybe he wasn't, despite his magnificent work.
I think for most people that's probably true. Because most people aren't creative. But it's a lot like being famous: people think they want it, only because they're on the other side of things and they have no idea what they're actually saying.