Misery is inescapable, but understanding it can lead to a wiser life, says behavioral economist

Behavioral economist George Loewenstein contends that negative emotions like hunger, pain, anger, and loneliness are not malfunctions but fundamental aspects of the human condition, deeply ingrained by evolution to ensure survival and gene propagation. In his new book, "The Opposite of Happiness: How Bad Feelings Make and Break Us," Loewenstein argues that these feelings are more powerful, persistent, and pervasive than positive ones, shaping our conscious experience even when they feel mismatched to modern circumstances.

Loewenstein, a co-founder of behavioral economics, posits that a significant source of human misery stems from "meta-emotions," which are judgments about our own feelings. He suggests that the belief that we "should feel otherwise" about negative experiences intensifies suffering. Acknowledging that it is normal to feel bad, he suggests, can alleviate some of this burden.

"Misery is inescapable," Loewenstein writes. "It’s not some malfunction or a bug in the system. It is the system." This perspective echoes ancient wisdom, such as Buddhism's Four Noble Truths, and even Adam Smith's observation in "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" that the pursuit of happiness through achievement is a "deception" that drives human endeavor but offers no lasting contentment.

Loewenstein connects these ideas to contemporary issues, including the mental health crisis exacerbated by social media. He explains that social media platforms exploit evolutionary programming by amplifying social comparisons, leading to envy and diminished self-esteem. This "mismatch" between our evolved environment and modern circumstances, coupled with capitalist entities seeking to exploit our innate tendencies, contributes to declining mental well-being.

While acknowledging the universality of basic emotions across cultures, Loewenstein notes that the triggers for these emotions can vary. He observes a trend, particularly among younger generations, of discussing anxiety and depression frequently and often in conjunction, sometimes accompanied by therapy and medication. While he supports increased comfort in discussing mental health and seeking help, he expresses concern about potential pathologizing and a reliance on drugs that might reduce motivation to reorganize one's life for better well-being.

Loewenstein emphasizes that his book is intentionally anti-self-help, focusing instead on providing insight into the nature of negative emotions. He believes that understanding suffering is valuable in itself, drawing parallels to the insights gained from reading poignant novels. He likens writing his book to a surrogate for fiction writing, a way to explore complex human experiences.

"The Opposite of Happiness" argues against the utilitarian view that a life with more negative than positive feelings is not worth living. Instead, Loewenstein suggests that societal progress should aim to reduce misery. He points to Scandinavian countries with robust safety nets as examples of societies that have achieved lower levels of misery. He believes that in a wealthy nation like the United States, mitigating various forms of suffering should be a central focus of public policy.

Loewenstein also revisits Adam Smith's idea that civilization is driven by a perpetual striving for future satisfaction that is never fully realized. This inherent dissatisfaction, he argues, fuels progress in building cities, curing diseases, and advancing science and arts. However, he clarifies that the book's message is not that efforts to alleviate misery are futile, but rather that misery evolved to prompt action to lessen it. "Misery evolved for good reasons, and the whole point of misery is that we’re supposed to take actions to lessen our miseries," he stated.