ハーバードの「ハピネス」の授業
日経ビジネスアソシエの今週号（2008.7.15号）に、「世界一やさしい問題解決の授業」の著者の渡辺健介さんのロングインタビューが載っていた。
いろいろとご自身のお仕事のビジョンについて熱く語っているが、最後の方にこんなやりとりが。
渡辺：ところで、逆に質問があります。現在、ハーバード大学で最も人気のある授業って何だと思いますか。経済学よりも人気があるんです。
インタビュアー：分かりません。
渡辺：「ハピネス」という授業です(笑)。幸せとは何かを考える授業が一番人気があるんです。1400人以上の学生が受けるんです。それはある意味、現在の象徴だと思うんです。誰もが悩んでいるわけです。
Happinessについて考えるハーバード大学の授業。いったいどんなことをやるんだろう。興味津々。
で、「harvard」「happiness」でググってみると、出てきたのはこんな記事。
Harvard's crowded course to happiness 'Positive psychology' draws students in droves（Boston.com）
Finding Happiness in a Harvard Classroom（NPR:National Public Radio）
Harvard happiness course available online（parent center）
Though everyone wants to be happier, how many of us can actually define what that means? In his class, “Positive Psychology,” one of the most popular courses at Harvard University, Ben-Shahar teaches that happiness isn’t as elusive a concept as people think, and can actually be learned; he commits the fundamentals of his course to paper in this primer on getting happy, which he defines as a combination of pleasure (short-term happiness) and meaning (long-term). Divided into three parts, “What is Happiness?”, “Happiness Applied” and “Meditations on Happiness,” Ben-Shahar provides insight and exercises, prodding reflection in readers (”Do you accept negative emotions as natural?” “Do you see your work as a job, a career, or a calling?”) while explicating the relationships among happiness, motivation and goals. Though it sounds simple, Ben-Shahar insists on keen self-awareness and purposeful action to overcome entrenched patterns of despondency and/or disbelief. For answer-seekers, this is definitely a good start.
つまり、「ハピネス」の授業の内容は“Positive Psychology”だったようで、これはうちの大学院のＫ玉先生の専門分野のひとつだったりするじゃないの、とちょっとびっくり。（先生「ウェル・ビーイング心理学」という授業もやってらっしゃるんで。私は取らなかったけど。）
もうちょっと哲学的や思想的なものを想像していたので、肩すかしを食った気分でもあり、まあアメリカだしなあ、とも思ったり。
日本の大学で「幸福感」の授業をすると、一体どんな内容になるのだろう。
ご参考に、「Finding Happiness in a Harvard Classroom」の記事にあった「Six Tips for Happiness」をメモ。
Six Tips for Happiness
Advice from Tal Ben-Shahar.
1. Give yourself permission to be human. When we accept emotions -- such as fear, sadness, or anxiety -- as natural, we are more likely to overcome them. Rejecting our emotions, positive or negative, leads to frustration and unhappiness.
2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.
3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account. Barring extreme circumstances, our level of well being is determined by what we choose to focus on (the full or the empty part of the glass) and by our interpretation of external events. For example, do we view failure as catastrophic, or do we see it as a learning opportunity?
4. Simplify! We are, generally, too busy, trying to squeeze in more and more activities into less and less time. Quantity influences quality, and we compromise on our happiness by trying to do too much.
5. Remember the mind-body connection. What we do -- or don't do -- with our bodies influences our mind. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits lead to both physical and mental health.
6. Express gratitude, whenever possible. We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile.
１番で“ Give yourself permission to be human. ”と言われると、人間性を抑圧した状態をこの先生は数多く見てるのかなあ、なんてつい邪推。
６番の中にある“We too often take our lives for granted. ”なんかは耳が痛い指摘。
