[Paleopsych] Re: paleopsych Digest, Vol 9, Issue 20

[G. Reinhart-Waller]

Optimism is always key to a happier disposition than is the proverbial glum of a sour puss.  Yet it needs to be balanced between too strong a dose that resembles Pollyanna Anna and not enough.  Like seasoning of food, too much salt renders the dish inedible.  Kids need involvement in something but I certainly wouldn't want to advocate suicide bombing as a way of supporting an ideology.   Religion IS behind most wars.....possibly the reason you make the statement you do is because 20th century wars were given tags that substituted for religious zeal...."nationalism" and "technological supremacy" are two such labels.

Gerry Reinhart-Waller

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Lynn D. Johnson, Ph.D. 
To: Alice Andrews ; The new improved paleopsych list 
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 7:50 AM
Subject: Re: [Paleopsych] Re: paleopsych Digest, Vol 9, Issue 20


Marty Seligman (learned helplessness theorist, Learned Optimism, Authentic Happiness, former APA president) - an atheist - mentions that as a key to true happiness. He reviews literature that religious people are generally happier and more fulfilled, more resilient. Czentmyhali (spelling!) at U Chicago finds that kids involved in something greater than themselves are much more likely to experience "flow" and periods of greater happiness. Religion is clearly an adaptive force. BTW, I don't want to hear arguments that religion is behind most wars. That is a pretty tired argument that was thoroughly debunked by the 20th Century. 
Lynn

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