Taming the elephant

I am busy reading 'The Happiness Hypothesis' by Jonathan Haidt, which has long been on my list of to reads.

Haidt is a cognitive psychologist who studies happiness and positive psychology. Most people think of psychology as being for people who have mental problems, depression or exhibit anti-social behaviour.

I like the idea of a field focused on making 'healthy people' happier. I am only 90 pages into the book so far, but I am really enjoying it.

It is odd reading psychology books where they say stuff that makes you think, hmmm... I think that but have never said it to anyone because I thought it was too weird.

One idea I like is 'The Imp of the Perverse'. Those thoughts that pop into your mind like when you are standing on the edge of a cliff and the thought 'jump' pops in there, or when you are in a very conservative setting and you start thinking about what the most socially inappropriate thing would be to do. You don't actually want to do these things, but the fact that the thought is even in your head makes you think, why on earth are you thinking that, stop thinking that, and then all you do is think that even more.

The other idea is his main metaphor, which (so far) perfectly captures the way I feel about things. That people are like wild elephants that have been tamed and are being 'driven' by a rider. The elephant is our emotional black and white responses and gut reactions. The rider is our rational intellectual thought. Rationality attempts to steer the elephant and often does a good job, but ONLY when the elephant wants to do what the rider says and has been trained appropriately. Otherwise, the elephant is the boss, and the rider would be foolish to think otherwise.

Haidt expresses it more eloquently... but I look forward to reading further because it seems my inner elephant isn't all that unique.