The Saad Truth About Happiness

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The Michael Shermer Show # 365
Everyone wants to be happy. The question “How can I be happy?” drives countless decisions across the world, and billions of dollars are spent on marketing a wide variety of answers to it. Increasing evidence shows, however, that unhappiness is on the rise.
Already known to an audience of hundreds of thousands as “the therapist for everyone,” Dr. Saad contends that happiness is not merely a changeable mood, but a process toward which all people can strive by following basic steps known to humans for millennia; happiness can be measured and assessed, and strategies devised to achieve it.
Drawing on scientific studies, the wisdom of ancient philosophy and religion, and his extraordinary personal experience as a refugee from war-torn Lebanon, Gad offers a provocative, helpful, and entertaining treatise on how to strive for happiness, win it, and keep it.
Gad Saad, PhD, one of the best-known public intellectuals fighting the tyranny of political correctness, is a professor of marketing at the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, where he held the Research Chair in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and Darwinian Consumption from 2008 to 2018. A pioneer in the application of evolutionary psychology to consumer behavior, he is the author of The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption, The Consuming Instinct, and numerous scientific papers and the editor of the book Evolutionary Psychology in the Business Sciences. His previous bestselling popular trade book is The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense. His new book is The Saad Truth about Happiness: 8 Secrets for Leading the Good Life.
Shermer and Saad discuss: operational definitions of the “good life,” “happiness,” and “well being” • emotions • eudaimonia (the pursuit of meaning) versus hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure) • genetics and heritability • cultural components • the Big Five (OCEAN) • marriage (mate selection) • health • exercise and stress reduction • religion • anti-fragility • a playful outlook and curiosity • variety (the “spice of life”) • what the ancient Greeks got right about living the good life • how failure may actually be a key to more happiness • persistence, grit, and risk taking • regret and the dark side of consumption and addictions.
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[@skepticmagazine]

To try everything Brilliant has to offer-free-for a full 30 days, visit brilliant.org/Skeptic/ . The first 200 of you will get 20% off Brilliant’s annual premium subscription.

[@LouisGedo]

Looking forward to this discussion!

[@theinnerlight8016]

After a youth of hunting for happiness, I changed to pursuing contentment and peace. It is lasting and a lot better for me, than chasing the "high" of happiness. Buddhist teachings and later stoicism showed me the way and I'll be ever grateful for it. 😊

[@explained3799]

My teacher said, "Contentment is the highest level of spiritual attainment." I LIKE that. Good for you, InnerLight!

[@lizgichora6472]

Grateful for this conversation on CBT; Evolution of predisposition of happiness genes, and how we adapt to environment. Dopamine neurotransmitter on OCD: Gambling, Ponography, Excessive Shopping. Ruminating thought that leads to Depression, Anxiety, OCD, how we can overcome with CBT (cognitivd behavior therapy.) To avoid PTSD a repeat of a pattern. Thank you very much Michael Shermer and Professor Gad Saad.

[@bdesruis]

Dr Gad Saad, who live and teach in Québec Canada, said recently that Québec is a communist province and the language that we speak, I am a Quebecer, is an affront to human dignity. I do not think that saying such things will make your life a happier one in Québec.

[@rodolfo9916]

Despite his libertarian views on progressive taxation, research shows that even rich people are happier in countries with less wealth inequality than in contries with more wealth inequality.

[@robbiefrazer6939]

Yes. There's plenty of evidence of this. Although the correlation is clear, I imagine the causal relationships are complex. But is is a consistent tendency across many countries.

[@ID30394]

Increased inequality is unsustainable and contributes to Capital Capture.

[@Positivevibes-tq5mg]

I discovered Gad after watching his video on your channel, I have been following his channel closely.

[@dashrirprock]

I've heard Saad a few times on podcasts. He comes off to me as self-aggrandizing. He also didn't seem too happy talking about taxation. I'm not shocked to learn he supports a medieval head tax. He rants about how "no one" helped him write his books. Putting aside all of the opportunities afforded to him for being a Canadian citizen, public investment, etc. We do not have a free market in publishing. A book is copyrighted. That is to say, authors are granted (temporary) monopolies on their expression. The reason is utilitarian: to promote the progress of the useful arts and sciences.

[@stevenmyers6291]

Some of his discussion on happiness makes sense, such as losing weight, or the limits of money affecting happiness. His idea that taxes are bad is just silly. Government is necessary, though it should be limited. And I do not believe young men are afraid to compliment women or ask them out. Some of these old people just don't want anything to change! But I do think this was a worthwhile listen, unlike some other recent podcasts.

[@okrajoe]

I assume the sad (one "a") truth is that most people's happiness level is largely genetic. Barring tragedies and hardships, we're pretty much the same genetic happiness level no matter what happens. No matter where you go, there you are.

[@thomasbarchen]

I think you're right.

[@benmacloughlin2612]

@@thomasbarchen I totally agree. Nothing too bad has ever really happened to me. I’m from a privileged background & have had every opportunity afforded to me that simply hasn’t been to most. My family & friends have always loved me & I’ve always felt loved but I’m just an anxious, not very happy person most of the time. I’ve fought depression & suicidal ideation since I’ve been 18. I’m 51 now & don’t expect my happiness levels or lack thereof will ever change.

[@benmacloughlin2612]

I’m quite a miserable person. I find life stressful & unhappy quite a lot of the time.

[@thomasbarchen]

@@benmacloughlin2612 Are your parents the same way?

[@benmacloughlin2612]

@@thomasbarchen well Thomas I don’t know for certain. My Dad seems depressed but he is old school Irish & would never own up to being depressed. He has been bullied mercilessly by my mother for decades who is a malignant narcissist, she attended a British boarding school in the 1950s where she was taught not to have emotions & that she was unquestionably above anyone else as all upper class people are. It’s quite awful & continues to this day much to my ever growing fury.

[@gabiausten8774]

I never was this early!

[@w1cked001]

count me in too

[@cloudrouju526]

So wait, the ingredients for happiness is a job you love, a loving family which includes a super supportive wife and a daughter that’s super proud of you, be financially secured, a great sense of self control and in good health. Wow! Who would have thung!

[@rosaliajuarezestrada5547]

Have you both read Why bad things happen to good people?

[@leoparatodo2802]

Gaad is a very energetic guy, Waldinger wasn't like that, he was polite but different kind of people specially if you are a zen master, you become very quiet because you are seeking for beign aware all the time.

[@UtarEmpire]

Came across Benford's Law a few years ago when people were talking about the results of a certain recent US election, ha.

[@Samael-Metzger]

Is this guy Willy Wonka? No wonder he is so happy.

[@ndndndnnduwjqams]

1:55:45 the 8 Secrets

[@denvertom7627]

If existence is suffering, why isn’t happiness a bug and not a feature?

[@explained3799]

We are not here to wallow in misery; we are here to release all suffering. How? By letting the Breath of Life fill us up and soothe all the old fear we've carried for eons. Breathe into your suffering and it won't endure. :)

[@XD226]

30:00

[@InspiredByInsomnia]

Gaads nose size and rigidity is just impeccable

[@jcorcoran6686]

Michael - thanks. Gad - for such an expert, you complained ad nauseum, bad mouthed a guest, and proposed bad tax policy...and I wasn't even listening closely

[@mikhailfranco]

Of course, _Sa'ad_ means _happy_ in Arabic.

[@tubo1812]

1:19:30 once he benefited from Canada's social welfare as an immigrant and is now making money he doesn't want to pay takes that support that system. Same tax for everyone makes the poor poorer like Shermer clearly responds. Qué ratón resultó. 😂

[@mrpopo8298]

He's aping Peterson, loooooooooooooool 🤣🤣🤣 This is hilarious!

[@nybergjm]

Still wondering when Professor Michael is going to invest in an actual microphone for this podcast, lol.

[@thomasgilson6206]

Maybe we can crowdsource it for him.

[@fullmatthew]

He sounds fine. Chill out.

[@nybergjm]

@@fullmatthew I'm more nit-picky than you are, I suppose.

[@ID30394]

His voice is quite clear with clarity.

[@MsDamosmum]

Who wants to be part of my experiment? To qualify you need to have a certain amount of disposable income and have uttered the phrase ‘money can’t buy happiness’ on at least 3 occasions. I am an unhappy person and always seem to have been that way. So the experiment is that you live on what I earn (by working full time) and give the rest of your income to me to ‘prove’ that it does indeed not make me any happier. Let me know if you’re interested!

[@sigiligus]

It's unbelievably sad that you think this is a clever comment.

[@MsDamosmum]

@@sigiligus You have jumped to the conclusion that I think it a clever comment and ….. I don’t care what you think of my comment

[@granadosable]

So Gad actually thinks beautiful women are just lining up waiting to sleep with him...Grandpa needs to write a book about delusional thinking before anything else.

[@dashrirprock]

Yeah, that amused me. If you're famous, which is he to an extent, then there's a measure of truth. Regardless, as he notes, deluded people can be happier.

[@jps0117]

I watched the referenced video. It seems Saad needs to do better prep work with his guests.

[@robbiefrazer6939]

Me too. I was so surprised. His guest wasn't rude, just had a different way of being. Gad is bouncy and filled the spaces for Bob's quietness. I'd prefer to have a beer with Gad but Bob seemed ill at ease. Very different personalities but rudeness? I think that's unfair.

[@fullmatthew]

Love your show, Dr. Shermer. As for Dr. Saad, I think he has gone off the deep end in recent years, and basically has become a through and through conservative mouthpiece whenever talking about politics.

[@EnlightenedDirt]

ayyyyy second comment

[@RebekahOMalley777]

Not too sure or familiar about all discussed here and how one can have any happiness without some groundwork..... BUT! In my 68 years on this spinning orb when my finances, my job and self worth, my needs were secure and I felt I was SECURE in caring for those I love, my family and myself I WAS..... ELATED. But in todays world with all the insecurities of getting older, and in life and in America so many and myself face? ALL IS on the edge of despair NO matter how we balance and attempt to SECURE our needs, and our lives. AND NOTHING but smoother sailing and SECURITY BRINGS happiness.

[@aminam9201]

This one is a dervish who is wearing extra large cloak!

[@antitheistvegan]

I used to like Gad’s perspectives on things.. not so much these days. He’s gone a bit Jordan Peterson.

[@403holbrook8]

Gone JP……that’s a compliment right? Should be …..

[@VColossalV]

​@@403holbrook8it's really not

[@403holbrook8]

JP is a Canadian hero like Terry Fox

[@fullmatthew]

​@403holbrook8 you must have a real loose definition of hero lol. Guy who goes on podcasts and cries a lot, and bullies overweight women.

[@quidnick]

​@@fullmatthewNice strawman

[@lhommewiggly3864]

Love your work Michael, but really disappointed you had this guy on. He's a self-professed defender of truth who then defends people like Tucker Carlson who make a mockery of truth.

[@chb762]

No one cares thet you're "dissapointed" No one is forcing you to watch this...

[@thomasgilson6206]

I think he''ld say he's a defender of free speech.

[@lhommewiggly3864]

@@chb762 And I didn't watch it.

[@lhommewiggly3864]

@@thomasgilson6206 This is a direct quote from Saad's video following Carlson's exit from Fox News: "There's nothing more existentially positive than to defend the truth." And in that video he's not simply defending Carlson's right to spout his lies, but actually admires him.

[@thewheelweave]

oh hell no, come on there should be some kind of barrier to entry to get on the show, and it should keep this guy out

[@fktygglbtchbtch1384]

I'm open but Sad has gone sideways in his views for me and I've stopped listening to his podcasts. This Happiness book a way off of what he's been talking about in years. Not sure why this book was made.

[@bobcharles7933]

@@fktygglbtchbtch1384 : People should only talk about the specific field they are certified experts in, eh? Uh-huh. Wouldn't want a smart person to to notice there is a whole world out there where the evolutionary lens can be applied (which is what he has always talked about... he is just applying it to happiness now).

[@chb762]

Like some kind of ideological purity filter?? How open-minded of you...

[@thewheelweave]

@@chb762 mate 5 minutes of googling about this guy should get you to his obsession with shittalking people on twitter and calling anyone who disagrees with him a "castrati". Doesn't pass the smelltest for me, too insecure while trying to come off as everything but. But if you're into it then you do you.