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Jocelyn Lagos

Professor Beadle

Writing 115

December 2, 2018

Happiness, Is It Internal or External?

Happiness, is something we all strive for but something very few of us can achieve.​ It’s

true​ we all wonder the same thing, what’s the secret ​to happiness​? How can we achieve pure and

authentic happiness? Lucky for us the authors David Brooks, Graham Hill, and Sonja

Lyubomirsky all share their perspective on this topic, each establishing a different claim

regarding happiness and the steps on achieving it. Brooks and Lyubomirsky take on a different

approach from Hill, arguing that happiness is internal, ​where happiness is ​achieved through

change​s made ​from within. Hill projects his view on happiness as external, where happiness is

interconnected with physical ​and tangible​ objects. Each author provides their audience with

suggestions in which they can transform this ​internal or external​ space to positively influence

their happiness.

To start us off, David Brooks, a successful journalist whose publications have been read

on a worldwide scale argues in his article “What Suffering Does,” that suffering and adversity

allow for change and a deeper understanding of ourselves​. Brooks claims that happiness is an

internal state, where the changes we make brought by adversity help us achieve ​our happiest

state. Brooks establishes his claim through the use of various historical examples, “ Abraham

Lincoln suffered through the pain of conducting a civil war,and he came out of that with the

Second Inaugural.”(Brooks 286). ​Brooks uses​ Abraham Lincoln​ as an example​ to support his
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claim​, providing relevant​ historical background ​which is also​ a great example ​of ​a time of

difficulty ​that​ led to a greater outcome of change. Brooks futhers his claim with more relevant

historical evidence, “Think of the way Franklin Roosevelt came back deeper and more

empathetic after being struck with polio.”(Brooks 284). Roosevelt’s conditions allowed him to

reflect upon his life ​which led him​ to realize what changes needed to be made, ​and​ ultimately

bettering himself. With all the adversity faced throughout history, Brooks allows light to shadow

upon the good that always came from a deeper and perhaps darker situation. He incorporates

important, well known historical figures which help ​further​ connect with his argument and

audience​.​ ​With this Brooks suggests​ that we as people must endure pain and difficulty in order to

achieve true happiness and ultimate satisfaction. Brooks writes in a formal yet candid tone for

everyone but ultimately his ideas are directed towards an audience facing similar obstacles.

Brooks places the audience on the same level as these public heroes, allowing them to reflect

their lives.​ Brooks gains credibility​ on this topic​ through his life achievements, and knowledge

on historical figures.

Moreover, Graham Hill, an entrepreneur with several prosperous enterprises shares his

experience with us regarding his own personal journey on achieving happiness. ​Hill defines

happiness as an external space, where happiness is projected off material objects. ​In his article, “

Living With Less. A Lot less,” Hill claims that true happiness doesn’t derive from endless

material objects, happiness is found within the simpler things in life. Hill supports his claim by

providing examples of his own experiences,“For me, it took 15 years, a great love and a lot of

travel to get rid of all the inessential things I had collected and live a bigger, better, richer life

with less.”(Hill 308). Hill’s experiences allow the audience to feel connected by sharing common
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ground, he shares that his compulsive buying led him to his unhappiest state. The author also

shares a piece of data that allows a counterbalance between personal experiences and facts,“The

average size of a new American home in 1950 was 983 square feet; by 2011 the average new

home was 2,480 square feet.”(Hill 310). This statement ensures the reality over the obsession for

material items ​and the connection with happiness​, stating that bigger homes allow for more space

which brings temporary happiness. Overall Hill’s article suggests we spend less time trying to

fulfill a void with limitless material objects, he states “Intuitively, we know that the best stuff in

life isn’t stuff at all, and that relationships, experiences and meaningful work are the staples of a

happy life.”(Hill 311). According to Hill happiness lies along the bonds and emotions created

with people suggesting we remove our temporary external happiness and create internal

happiness with people. Hill writes in a reflective tone engaging with those who aspire to obtain

tangible objects as a source of happiness. His use of pathos and occasional logos redirect his

argument and sense of accuracy. ​Hill’s success provides credibility and allows him to attest that

money does not provide authentic happiness.

Furthermore, Sonja Lyubomirsky, a social psychologist and ​University Professor​,

establishes a more logical and analytical claim in her article “How Happy Are You and Why?”

She claims​ happiness is a state of mind, ​or internal that ​we ​create​ through three vital key factors

which include; ​genetics, intentional activity, and circumstances. Lyubomirsky establishes a set

point, which is evident in the pie chart provided ​in her article​ (Lyubomirsky 184) she ​states​,

“Indeed, the present-day consensus among researchers, based on a growing number of twin

studies, is that heritability of happiness is approximately 50 percent…”(Lyubomirsky 188).

Lyubomirsky provides her audience with reliable data asserting her credibility and claim, only
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fifty percent of your happiness is hereditary, so that means that the other fifty percent is what you

make of it. ​Lyubomirsky emphasizes that we have utter control over our state of happiness,

therefore it is our duty to make the changes to get there. To add some more emphasis on her

claim, Lyubomirsky ​provides case studies on twins to strengthen her statement and reiterates that

we aren’t just born happy or unhappy. Adding on to her argument Lyubomirsky proceeds with

the next factor, she ​states​ that only 40 percent of our happiness is determined by the actions we

choose to make (Lyubomirsky 185). We hold the power over our actions to choose if we want to

better ourselves and ​overall​ live a happier life. At this point Lyubomirsky has established

happiness as internal, suggesting that with discipline and determination we determine our own

happiness. To finally connect her thoughts, Lyubomirsky states “… changes in our

circumstances, no matter how positive and stunning, actually have little bearing on our well

being.”(Lyubomirsky 186). Being a psychologist, Lyubomirsky, gathers her examples from

analysis and data allowing a more logical viewpoint on happiness, her use of pathos helps

encourage that changing our state of mind will help change our level of happiness. According to

Lyubomirsky, our circumstances have little to no effect on our state of happiness, ​therefore we

can’t put the blame on our current and or past situations for our level of happiness.​ Lyubomirsky

writes in an assertive ​yet​ pragmatic tone for her intended audience, ​specifically​ those dwelling

on the idea that they will never be happy because of their physical past or present circumstances.

To conclude, each author establishes their own separate claim regarding happiness ​and

ways to achieve it​. They all take on different approaches when engaging their audience. ​Graham

Hill argues that money and limitless amounts of material objects do not bring fulfillment or

happiness. Where as,​ David Brooks suggests that people unravel unexplainable and never before
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seen versions of themselves ​from suffering ​thus, revealing their happiest state. Lastly, Sonja

Lyubomirsky claims that our state of mind, self control, and discipline ​are steps that​ lead to

substantial happiness. Brooks and Lyubomirsky establish happiness as an internal space, where

changes can be made mentally in order to alter our overall happiness.​ As opposed​, Hill refers to

happiness ​as an external space​, where circumstantial and physical changes need to be made in

our life to obtain happiness. Each author manages to support their argument through their ethical,

logical and emotional approach, while providing various ways in which we can transform our

state of​ happiness.

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Works Cited

Brooks, David, “What Suffering Does.” Pursuing Happiness, edited by Matthew Parfitt and

Dawn Skorczewski, Bedford St Martin’s, 2016, pp. 284-287.

Hill, Graham. “Living With A Lot Less.” Pursuing Happiness, edited by Matthew Parfitt and

Dawn Skorczewski, Bedford St Martin’s 2016, pp.308-313

Lyubomirsky,Sonja.“How Happy Are You and Why?”Pursuing Happiness, edited by Matthew

Parfitt and Dawn Skorczewski, Bedford St Martin’s 2016, pp. 179-197.