Laurie Santos, pictured above, does not call herself a "Happiness Guru." However, Santos does teach a class on happiness at Yale University, and her course is the most popular class in Yale's history - at least if a story in The New York Times Magazine can be believed. Luckily, you don't have to go to Yale to benefit from Santos' wisdom. She has a free online course called, "The Science of Well-Being." She also produces a podcast that she calls, "The Happiness Lab."
So far, I am only familiar with what The Times has revealed about Santos, and here is one of her observations that I think is particularly worth passing along: Human connection is what makes us happy. Not "online" connection. Not politics by Zoom. Real, human-to-human interaction is the surest direct route to happiness. Please read the entire article, if you're not willing to take my word for it. Actually, I recommend that you read it even if you already agree!
Our politics, today, is a very angry politics. For instance, I am presenting, below, a couple of examples of the kind of comments I quite often receive in response to one, or another, of my Facebook postings. When I indicated that "I'd rather be excluded for those I include, rather than be included for those I exclude," here was a prompt response:
You are included into a sick fuck crowd that was created during the sixties. You represent a hate group that is far more evil than the Nazis or the KKK. You will never understand this until you die and meet with Satan.
One of my blog postings that might well suggest to a reader that I think that electing our current president was a "mistake," which I do, brought me this reaction:
It is truly unbelievable the stupidity of the Dem/RINO establishment. Genetically you have absolutely no connection with the great men and women that created the greatest nation on Earth. Your genes are those from lazy fat slobs, like Karl Marx, who’s [sic] hearts are filled with hatred and covet those who have intelligent and willing to work hard under the guidance of their savior and mighty God.
If The Declaration of Independence is to be believed, all persons (and not just citizens of the United States of America) have an unalienable right to "pursue Happiness."
That means, among other things, that we have to stand back and let other people believe what they choose to believe (even if we are almost positive that those other people are wrong to believe what they do).
Talking to others - and particularly to those with whom we disagree - is the way to a "happy," or at least a "happier" politics. Take it from Laurie Santos (the "Happiness Guru").
Maybe I'll take that online course!! Sounds like a good idea! And for anyone who makes comments like those I copied out above, I recommend that course for them, as well!!
Image Credit:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/magazine/laurie-santos-interview.html
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