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Books like Zen and the Art of Happiness

Zen and the Art of Happiness

2006Chris Prentiss

1.9/5

I didn't care for this book much overall, although the good news is that it is very short so it wasn't a big time investment, and there were a few ideas I liked. A newer friend suggested it and, although we have a few things strongly in common, I learned that love of this book was not one of those things. :-) Another friend said that hearing about it reminded her of the book The Secret, and that was my thought as well (though I haven't read The Secret and am basing that only on discussions I've had about that book.)The main premise is that in order to be happy you just make yourself believe that EVERYTHING that happens to you is a great thing, and that whatever happens is the "best possible" thing that can happen to you in your life. This is based on a sub-premise that the universe is perfect, and watching out for you, and will never allow anything that is not in your best interest. He only spends one paragraph referencing the most horrible things that can happen (infant death, murders, rapes, etc.) and suggests that a person "not begin" with these things. The implication is that at some point one could GET to the point of being able to believe that the rape and murder of the child really WAS the best possible thing that could EVER happen to you! Because that is what the universe provided, and the universe is NEVER wrong! Now, it may very well be that if you are able to think like that, you may be happier. I would be happier also if I could convince myself that there is a monkey living in the trunk of my car who will hand me a thousand dollars every time I open the trunk. Sadly, though, I am unable to believe that. And it seems to me that the universe has provided countless examples of its lack of concern for human life. It may never do anything that hurts the universe. But it can be quite unkind to victims of floods, famine and violence. I think this philosophy is easier to believe if you live in a very rich country like the USA, you have your basic needs met, and you just feel slightly unfilled about not having achieved everything you quite desired in your life. But, I'm not sure this book would be very helpful to a victim of a hideous crime, a terrible accident, or ongoing poverty. Are these folks all pessimists (and am I?) for not buying this? He talks about the connection between stress and physical health, and made some excellent points there. And he told a great story about having his brand new car dented, and not becoming upset with the other driver. And I thought that was a great approach to handling the situation. A dent really can't cause you sadness, if you think about it the right way. But, he also insists that while on the ground follow a very dramatic head injury with a massive rock, his very first thought (while unable to breath or move) was that it was the best possible thing that could have happened to him. (Does anybody think that is even possible, given the human impulse to fight for life, which even suicidal people have when helpless?) He goes on to say that without that attitude, his recovery would not have been as swift and other issues may have resulted. But, I ask..why would these other "bad" things be bad, if it's really true that EVERYTHING that happens is always for our benefit? In fact, why behave in any way whatsoever that might be an attempted to improve your future? If everything that happens is always for you benefit, I see no reason to do much of anything to try to make life better. That's the part I found fairly dangerous, along with the notion that every unhappy person is basically to blame for their own misery, no matter the circumstance. I wonder, should it even be a goal to feel happy all the time no matter what happens? Is this even a healthy response? There is no doubt that sometimes we look back on experiences we had hated, and found that they resulted in positive things down the road. And there is little doubt that positive thinking can go a long way toward lifting one's spirits, and helping a person to focus on possibilities yet ahead in life. But this book takes it a few steps too far, in my view. On the other hand, if it works for you...I say, be happy and enjoy.
Picture of a book: Zen and the Art of Happiness

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