Posted by:
elderolddog
(
)
Date: May 18, 2022 10:08PM
The Spring, 2022 edition of the BYU Alumni magazine, Y Magazine, landed in my mailbox today. I enjoy getting it for the sole purpose of seeing who might have ‘graduated’ from Earth, and to make sure I’m not listed among them. You have to be vigilant! The title of the only section I read completely is "Deaths".
In all the years I’ve been getting the magazine, I have never read a single complete article; I just look at the photographs/drawings, think smutty thoughts, giggle, and then turn the page.
And up until page 17, it was business as usual.
But page 18 slowed me down a bit, and provoke me writing about it.
Page 18 features Dan J. Daley, Ph.D., class of 1998, and his article, “Pillars of a Happy Life”. His doctorate is in psychology. He is described as a ‘Positive Psychologist’, as if that were his title. “Hi, I’m Dr. Daley, positive psychologist."
The article apparently (I didn’t actually read it…) expands on the Four Pillars of Support for a Happy Life:
1) Loving and Engaged Relationships
2) A Sense of Purpose
3) An Attitude of Optimism
4) A Connection to Spirituality
Apparently, if you’re missing anyone of these, you’re not happy. At that point I was not happy . . .
I believe it’s obvious that were I to enter into a discussion with this psychologist, especially given that he is a Positive Psychologist, and that my point would be that #4 is poppycock, my lack of any credentials in the field would allow him to do one of my favorite things in the whole world, pooh-pooh my arguments that #4 is bogus.
“I pooh-pooh your silly attempt to overturn my positive psychology truths!” he would exclaim! Maybe with a bit of French accent? (I wonder how Tom says it, in his British/Paris-Arrondisement-19 accent?)
I would replace the Positive Psychologist's #4 with “A steady source of revenue” because “Loving and engaged Relationships” don’t just happen, and Optimism is a lot easier with food in your belly and a roof over your head. (As for sense of purpose, serial killers and other crazies have it in spades.)
Maybe I’m incorrect, but I am convinced I am living a happy life, and I am definitely NOT connected to Spirituality in any way, shape or form, except for runner’s high, and that’s just endorphins, close cousins of the south Atlantic dolphins, but cuter …
What’s your take on the notion that happiness is NOT possible without a “Connection to Spirituality”? And one supposes that a mormon/BYU-approved connection to mormon-ish spirituality is meant.
Edited to add: No one interesting died, but class of '70 (my class) had 13 deaths, topped only by class of 1973, with 14.
What class were you, D&D? If you're class of '73, check your pulse!
Edit #2: sorry about there being no guitars . . . I was feeling whimsical when I got around to the title.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2022 10:24PM by elderolddog.