The Life Principles
The following article summarizes the four levels of happiness in the book, Healing the Culture: A Commonsense Philosophy of Happiness, Freedom, and the Life Issues (by Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D.). This book provides the curriculum upon which our mission and activities are based.
The Four Levels of Happiness
by Marie Harkins and Camille Pauley
Every person in the world wants to be happy, and the search for happiness unites us as human beings. But we live in a world that seems custom-made for unhappiness a world riddled with disease, injustice, loss, poverty, war, death, pain, and misfortunes of every kind. Can human beings find happiness in a world like this? Many psychologists, psychiatrists, philosophers, sociologists, and other deep thinkers believe that the root of most unhappiness comes from a narrow understanding of human meaning and purpose. This article will address four different ways to interpret human meaning, called "the four levels of happiness," and it will lead to nine other articles which discuss how these interpretations of human happiness affect our understanding of success, quality of life, love, suffering, freedom, ethics, personhood, rights, and the common good.
Happiness Level 1 is physical pleasure and possession. It is the most basic level of happiness, and comes from physically stimulating the five senses in a positive way. It is experienced as "feeling good" or "having things." For example, biting into a thick steak cooked to perfection, or cruising around in a brand-new Ford Mustang may make you happy. Happiness 1 is good. The desire for physical satisfaction gives us increased incentive to keep our bodies healthy and to continue to populate the world./p>
But there is a serious problem if human beings begin to seek physical pleasure and possessions as if they were the only, or the most important good. The happiness that comes from Level 1 is immediate, and then gone. It is very shallow (that is, it does not use any of our deeper powers to create, to care for others, or to unite persons). And it does not allow us to connect to anyone beyond ourselves in any meaningful way. If we live only for this type of happiness, we will find ourselves constantly driven to hoard material goods and to indulge in physical pleasures, and we will be exceedingly unhappy in the long run. We will become bored, restless, lonely, and afraid of material loss; we will experience a lack of self-worth and direction; and we will feel like we are living beneath ourselves. This unhappiness (called "Crisis 1") occurs because the human person is made for something deeper. The key to a healthy pursuit of Level 1 is to keep it directed toward the higher levels. In other words, use Level 1 as a tool to get to Level 2.
Happiness Level 2 is ego-gratification. It can take shape as fulfilling the desire for being better than others, being successful, or being admired, popular, powerful, or in control. These are not bad desires, and pursuing them can be good. For example, if you are a teacher of young children, having authority and maintaining control is important for organized learning. If you are a successful business owner, having a healthy sense of being "better than" the competition can lead to employee morale, more effective systems, and better products which will help people in the end. Level 2 is higher than Level 1 because it is longer-lasting and requires more skill.
But problems arise again when we seek Level 2 as our "end" that is, as the most important thing in life. Can you imagine what would happen if a large business owner began to believe that "being better than the competition" was what made his life worth living? How quickly would he begin to sacrifice the good of the greater community in order to gain a larger share of the market? There are many real-world examples of this, and of the devastation it causes to innocent lives. Aside from the cultural consequences, overemphasizing Level 2 also leads to personal consequences (called "Crisis 2"). If a person's whole view of happiness comes from gaining a comparative advantage, the result is not happiness, but suspicion of others, fear of losing, resentment toward those who are better, contempt for those who do not achieve as much, withholding information, anger, emptiness, depression, anxiety, aggression, passive aggression, jealousy, an exhausting drive to achieve more and to look better at the expense of personal relationships and growth, and a crippling dread of being viewed as "inferior." In short, seeking Level 2 as an end in itself will lead to serious dysfunction and profound unhappiness. To extract ourselves from the downward spiral of the comparison game, all we need to do is direct our Level 2 desires toward the higher levels. For example, use Level 2 as a means to a Level 3 end.
Happiness Level 3 is commitment and contribution to others. It is the kind of happiness that comes from trying to make the world a better place, or to make a positive difference in the world through self-sacrifice (great or small). This might come from belonging to an organization that is trying to help disadvantaged people, donating to a charity that cares for vulnerable populations, taking care of our families or friends, or even doing or saying something kind to a passing stranger. Level 3 happiness results from our attempts to bring truth, love, justice, peace, and unity into the world. It is higher than Level 2 because it can last for a very long time, requires deeper commitment, and leaves a greater effect on the world.
But, as good as Level 3 is, we run into a problem here as well (called "Crisis 3"). It doesn't take long for human beings to discover that what we really want is perfect, absolute, unconditional, infinite, and eternal truth, love, justice, peace, and unity. But if we are stuck in Level 3, expecting that our final happiness will come from our own contributions in the world, we will begin to believe that we, as human beings, must be able to fill this very real desire for perfection and ultimacy. Of course, this will inevitably lead to disappointment, crushed ideals, dashed expectations, and maybe even despair, because none of us is perfect, and we simply can't find ultimate fulfillment in other human beings, no matter how hard we look for it. Nor can we give ultimate fulfillment to others. In order to satisfy our need for unconditional happiness, it is necessary to respect the difference between what is perfect, absolute, unconditional, infinite, and eternal, and what is not. We can prevent our Level 3 desires from descending into an "I have to save the world all by myself" mentality, by allowing our Level 4 desire to direct Level 3.
Happiness Level 4 is giving our lives over to unconditional, infinite, perfect, and unrestricted Love, Truth, Justice, Peace, and Unity. For people who have faith, this might be translated as "surrender to the unconditional love of God." It is the happiness that comes from letting go and letting God direct our desires toward eternal happiness. It is higher than the other levels because it requires complete trust and self-surrender. It requires that we believe that God always wants what is best for us, and it is eternal in its ability to fulfill us. Our desire for Level 4 is sometimes seen as a proof for God's existence; that is: our desire for unrestricted Love, Truth, Justice, Peace, and Unity leads to a reasonable and responsible belief that such a Being must exist in order to be pulling that desire out of us. People without faith may get some relief from the crisis of Level 3 by avoiding the error of trying to extract perfection from others or from ourselves. But there will still be the desire for perfection to contend with. Many would say that the only logical satisfaction of the Level 4 desire is the leap to faith.
The point of this article is not to encourage people to abandon the lower levels of happiness in favor of the higher ones. Access to each of the levels is necessary and good for becoming healthy, whole, and free human beings. Instead, the point is to identify how we can frequently frustrate our own pursuit of happiness by making the mistake of placing the lower levels above the higher ones, or by pursuing the lower levels without allowing them to be guided by the higher ones. But when we keep our eyes focused on the higher levels, we begin to live happier, healthier, freer lives. We begin to live lives that are truly worthy of us.
Parables to Learn By
The following contrasting stories are meant to give you an idea of the difference between living for Levels 1 and 2 versus living for Levels 3 and 4. These stories are exaggerated in order to make a point.
Example of placing Level 1 above Level 2: Joe eats so much that he is unable to get up from the table to finish his homework, so he reaches for the nearby remote and watches TV until midnight. At one in the morning, his friends come over and they party hard until they pass out. Joe wakes up late and drinks four cans of beer for breakfast. Instead of going to his final exams, he lays out on the beach and listens to his favorite CDs on his walkman. He gets kicked out of college and ends up in jail after stealing money to feed a drug habit.
Example of healthy Level 1 guided by Level 2: Joe eats a healthy, well-balanced meal so that he will have enough energy to study hard. When he is done, he relaxes with a hot bath and his favorite CD, and then gets a good night's sleep. The next day he eats a light breakfast and passes his final exams. He goes to the beach and has an ice cream / volleyball party to celebrate with his friends. He ends up with a degree in mechanical engineering and gets a good job at Boeing.
Example of placing Level 2 above Level 3: Bernadette is the CEO of a nonprofit organization that feeds the homeless. Because she wants to win an award for "outstanding charity leader of the year," Bernadette works her employees overtime without pay, spreads false rumors about the other local homeless shelters, and takes credit for the work of her volunteers. As a result, Bernadette gets recognized in the paper, but the other homeless shelters feel betrayed, her own team feels demoralized, many quit, others work half-heartedly, and the homeless get served mediocre meals by rude and disgruntled volunteers.
Example of healthy Level 2 guided by Level 3: Bernadette believes that homeless people deserve to be treated with utmost respect and dignity, but knows that they are being given mediocre meals by half-hearted workers who are underpaid. To solve the problem, she joins forces with two other local homeless shelters to win a large government grant which will allow them all to get raises, purchase better, more interesting food, and attend a retreat to learn how to connect with one another as team members and to engage in positive, compassionate, and loving relationships with the people they serve. As a result of this effort, Bernadette is recognized as "outstanding charity leader of the year" by the local newspaper. But in her interview she lavishes praise on the entire team and shares the award money with the other two charities, strengthening the relationship of common cause, creating an environment of open communication and trust, and inspiring her own team members to go the extra mile with zeal and enthusiasm for years to come.
Example of placing Level 3 above Level 4: Harold and Sylvia fall in love and get married. At the wedding reception, Harold proclaims that Sylvia is his whole world, and that her very existence is his sole purpose for breathing. Sylvia thinks this is very romantic and replies that Harold fills up her every need and desire, and that she would die without him. At family get-togethers, Harold and Sylvia exchange private glances and frequently sneak away. When their child is born, they spend all their extra money buying toys and nice things for little Harry. But five years later, their son dies in a tragic car accident. Harold refuses to go out anymore and becomes angry and bitter. Sylvia turns the whole house into a memorial shrine. They never talk to anybody and they stop going to church. Several years later, Sylvia begins to feel that Harold is suffocating her. He is beginning to make more and more demands on her. She does not feel like her own person, and doesn't like the responsibility of always trying to be there for him and constantly affirm that he is important in her life. For his part, Harold feels kind of empty, like something is missing. Although Sylvia is always around, he feels alone and "out of kilter" with the universe. He often wonders what life would be like if he hadn't married her. His expectation that Sylvia could bring him perfect happiness turns to cynical thoughts that maybe he married the wrong woman. Eventually, they decide that they must not be in love anymore, and get a divorce.
Example of healthy Level 3 guided by Level 4: Harold and Sylvia fall in love and get married. At the wedding reception, they commit each other to God and acknowledge publicly that their most important role in marriage is to help each other get closer to God. At family get-togethers, Harold and Sylvia spend time talking to each family member, and they make everyone feel like a part of their love. When their child is born, they spend their extra money to send little Harry to a religious school. But five years later, their son dies in a tragic car accident. Harold feels betrayed and angry, but his friends convince him to keep going to church. Sylvia refuses to leave the house, but invites her pastor in to help them sort through their grief. They spend several years working to understand what happened. Sometimes Sylvia feels like Harold is suffocating her and that he makes too many demands on her, so she prays for him. Sometimes Harold feels kind of empty, like something is missing, so he prays for Sylvia. Sometimes they feel betrayed by God, but they keep going to church and asking for wisdom. One day while at church, Harold realizes that God gave His only Son for them. He goes and talks to Sylvia. They decide together to give their only son back to God. So they hold a private dedication ceremony. Eventually, they grow closer together and begin to heal and to trust God more. When family and friends see this transformation, they begin coming to the couple for advice with their own spiritual doubts and problems. Harold and Sylvia come to realize that their son had a bigger purpose beyond their own happiness. They feel connected to something very big. To something eternal. Eventually they find peace and are able to let go of their pain and grief.
© Copyright 2005 Healing the Culture. All rights reserved. Marie Harkins is past Director of Administration for Healing the Culture and currently contributes to special projects. Camille Pauley is the co-founder and President of Healing the Culture.
The article above summarizes the four levels of happiness in the book, Healing the Culture: A Commonsense Philosophy of Happiness, Freedom, and the Life Issues (by Robert J. Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D.). This book provides the curriculum upon which our mission and activities are based.
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