There has become a very outspoken backlash by authors recently against the popular notion of "medicating for happiness". Eric G. Wilson's book, entitled Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy, has been leading the pack of books criticizing our culture's collective desire for happiness.
The History of Happiness
Throughout history people have always longed for happiness, however the degree to which they expect their lives to be blissful has only recently become so monumental. Wilson points out in his book that almost 85% of Americans would consider themselves "very happy" or "happy". He goes on to infer that this statistic has a lot to do with the ease of availability and prescription of antidepressants. People feel that the slightest tinge of sadness is reason to pop a pill and wish for immediate relief. He says that as a society, we are not comfortable with our own sadness.
Through the use of historic examples as case studies, Wilson attempts to use such prominent figures as Keats, Beethoven, Herman Melville and William Blake to demonstrate his point. He claims that if these geniuses of history had not fully embraced their unhappy periods, they would not have produced the works of art that they are so recognized and praised for today.
Happiness at the Expense of Sadness
Wilson believes that society has become willing to sacrifice any and all occasions for sadness, for the idea of perpetual happiness. This, according to Wilson, is "the most apocalyptic of concerns" because it stands to "eradicate a major cultural force” from our modern society.
But do we really long for happiness at the expense of sadness, or is it that we just have swung the hypothetical pendulum of bliss so far that we really have no other choice but to swing it in the entirely opposite direction? Are we truly trying to compensate for the last few decades' worth of Prozac pushing doctors in order to get back to a place of feeling something, anything, again for the sake of living a complete and fulfilling life? Wilson would say yes.
The Importance of Melancholy
According to Wilson, people who are comfortable with their own feelings of melancholy are more inclined to express themselves creatively. This is because those who suffer are able to impart a degree of meaning to their experiences, and thus are able to more thoroughly appreciate both the happy and sad spectrum of their lives. While the concept that those who suffer from clinical depression are more likely to also be more artistically inclined is not new, Wilson approaches it from a slightly different angle.
His strongest claim against the pursuit of happiness lies in his affirmation that being happy all the time cheats us of feeling a wide spectrum of emotions (which consequently lead to a spark in creativity) and thus fully appreciating all the variations life has to offer.
Whether you agree with Wilson's black-or-white stand in support of melancholy, one thing is certain: he presents a good argument. Anyone who has an interest in the correlation between depression and creativity should give this little book a read.
Book Stats:
Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy by Eric G. Wilson
Hardcover, 176 pages
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Publishers, 2008
ISBN# 0374240663
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