阅读理解

IliveinthelandofDisneyHollywoodandyear-roundsun.YoumaythinkPeoplensuchan

attractivefun-filledplacearehappierthanothers.Ifsoyouhavesomemistakenideasaboutthe

natureofhappiness.

Manyintelligentpeoplestillthinkfunequalshappiness.Thetruthisthatfunandhappinesshave

littleornothingincommon.Funiswhatweexperienceduringanact.Happinessiswhatweexperience

afteranact.Itisadeeplong-lastingemotion.

Goingtoanamusementparkoraballgamewatchingamovieortelevisionarefunactivitiesthat

helpusrelaxtemporallyforgetourproblemsandmaybeevenlaugh.Buttheydonotbringhappiness

becausetheirpositiveeffectsendwhenthefunends.

IhaveoftenthoughtthatifHollywoodstarshavearoletoplayitistoteachusthathappinesshas

nothingtodowithfun.Theyhaveconstantaccesstoexcitingpartiesfancycarsexpensivehomes

everythingthatspells"happiness"Butinmemoir(回忆录)aftermemoirtheyexposeAcunhappiness

hiddenbeneathalltheirfun:depressionalcoholismdrugaddictionbrokenmarriagesandloneliness.

Askabachelorwhyheresistsmarriageeventhoughhefindsdatingtobelessandlesssatisfying.

Ifheishonesthewilltellyouthatheisafraidofmakingacommitment.Forcommitmentisinfactquite

painful.Thesinglelifeisfilledwithfunadventureandexcitement.Marriagehassuchmomentsbutthey

arenotitsmostdistinguishingfeatures.

Similarlycouplesthatchoosenottohavechildrenaredecidinginfavorofpainlessfunoverpainful

happiness.Theycandineoutwhenevertheywantandsleepaslateastheywant.Coupleswithbabies

areluckytogetawholenight'ssleep.Idon'tknowanyparentwhowouldchoosethewordfunto

describeraisingchildren.

Understandingandacceptingthattruehappinesshasnothingtodowithfunisoneofthemost

liberatingrealizationswecanevercometo.Itliberatestime:nowwecandevotemorehourstoactivities

thatcantrulyincreaseourhappiness.Itliberatesmoney:buyingthatnewcarorthosefancyclothesthat

willdonothing