research - activism makes you happy

[Communist]

.
Activism makes you happy - New research shows there is a
link between being politically active and wellbeing

Brain food: does activism make you happy?
Who'd have thought it? New research shows there is a link
between being politically active and well being (http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/mar/02/brain-food-activism-makes-you-happy)

by Aditya Chakrabortty
The Guardian
March 2, 2010

Marching in the drizzle against wars in far-off countries,
writing letters protesting the government's latest
reactionary policy, sitting through interminable meetings
that keep sprouting Any Other Business. It may be noble, but
political activism is hardly a barrel of laughs. And yet it
makes you happier.

So find two university psychologists in new research that
looks for the first time at the link between political
activity and wellbeing. Malte Klar and Tim Kasser started by
interviewing two sets of around 350 college students, both
about their degree of political engagement and their levels
of happiness and optimism. Both times, they found that those
most inclined to go on a demo were also the cheeriest.

So there's a link - but can politics actually make a person
happier? In the third study, the academics took a bunch of
students and divided them up into groups. The first were
encouraged to write to the management of the college
cafeteria asking for tastier food. The next lot wrote asking
the cafe to source local or Fairtrade products. They were
then tested on their wellbeing, and the group who had
involved themselves in the political debate were far and
away the strongest on the "vitality" scale: they felt more
alive and enriched than those who merely complained about
the menu.

There are many fascinating aspects to this . First, the
activist-students didn't necessarily care about food ethics,
but just taking action made them feel better. Second,
sending a memo is hardly the most engaging political action
- and yet it had a big impact on those taking it. Third, the
study flies in the face of the popular wisdom that happiness
resides in creature comforts and relative affluence. Perhaps
activism gives people a sense of purpose, or of agency or
just a chance to hang out with other people. Most likely it
does all of the above.

"I will fight for what I believe in until I drop dead,"
Barbara Castle told this paper in 1998. "And that's what
keeps you alive." Maybe the Red Queen was on to something.

[Aditya Chakrabortty is economics lead writer for the
Guardian.]

[Klaatu]

Activism gives one the sense that he is helping others, and helping to make the world a better place.
I am sure 99% of the folks here on this site feel good about themselves, fighting for a good cause -
that is, the eventual overthrow of capitalism, for example. :cool:

[Sam Da Communist]

yes, altruistic (selflessness) acts such as giving things, is known to eject dopamine (which acts like a doggie treat to make us pleased). The same dopamine doggie treats are released when laughing, fucking, excercising playing pc games etc. But this is not for all people i think, some people have different chemical make ups, and personalities.

Also community work is pleasurable as well i heard ages ago, scientists keep talking about how helping other makes us more pleased than earning money pointlessly. I think altruism has something to do with here again.

Personally i love political and long ethical dilemma talks! at college i often talk about politics and ethics and people know me for that! and the only time i seen to talk to someone is when i talk about politics community etc. My best mate is a Nepalese guy that is a sympathiser of the Prachandapath Maost communist party of nepal, the random non community minded dickhead class mates i usually attack for being ignorant, and that PLEASES Me i think.

[jake williams]

I'm skeptical. Maybe this is true of liberal college kids, but real struggle can leave you feeling pretty fucking awful a lot of the time. There are certainly positive psychological effects of working with a group of people, contributing to the community, etc. but there are also some real emotional downsides to being really "in it".

[tophat]

There is strong statistical evidence that taking collective direct action is empowering and makes you feel good. However, that isn't limited to only anti-capitalists! Probably fascist organisers and activists also feel empowered, and I'm sure racist street organisatinos like the EDL are mainly in it for the good feelings it can being.
In such an atomised society, it is hardly surprising that taking collective action makes us feel good.

[OldMoney]

They say ignorance is bliss right, I dont belive it. Just from what Ive experienced in my travelles through canada and the states, there is a vast majority of people who are not happy and they dont know why? Opening thier eyes to a portion of the truth they are actualy living seems to spark something deep inside. Living off the exploitation of others I dont think you can trully be happy. So perhaps people who are more politicaly active experience more happiness because they are not so ignorant to the truth. While this opens a whole new can of worms, once you take the pill theres no going back. Having your eyes open to the reality of how sick the current system is, is really a bummer at first. Then when they realize that they can be doing something about it, it gives them hope which eventualy can turn into happiness.

[which doctor]

I think I was better off when I had my head stuck in my own little intellectual rabbit hole.

When I'm busy organizing, I have to work to maintain caffeine and nicotine addictions, get little sleep, have more anxiety, and have to deal with all the problems that come with trying to do actual political work in an environment that's largely apolitical. But actually interacting with people is good and has helped clarify my own political ideas.

[redwog]

Alienation from your species being makes you unhappy!

Activism or any struggle against alienation (in all forms) makes you happier.

[Communist]

Being an activist can be a little depressing sometimes. You notice and focus on a lot of the terrible things out there that most people just ignore. There is an element of that but it is far outweighed by the good things, certainly.

[Klaatu]

I think I was better off when I had my head stuck in my own little intellectual rabbit hole.

When I'm busy organizing, I have to work to maintain caffeine and nicotine addictions, get little sleep, have more anxiety, and have to deal with all the problems that come with trying to do actual political work in an environment that's largely apolitical. But actually interacting with people is good and has helped clarify my own political ideas.

Don't overdo it, man. Keep yourself healthy, so you can continue to fight
for the cause. (I should practice what I preach - alcohol will probably kill
me before I realize my dream of a Socialist America) :(

[Sam Da Communist]

The human nature of a sense of community and helping others is an important thing embedded in our genes perhaps, such as how rats, dogs, dolphins get along. Another set of animals eg, selfish predator animals that lack a sense of community (capitalists) are the inferior animals that tend to be selfdestructive when others with a sense of community gang up against them.