Jiscilla read and liked Jafar's review of Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy:

"One of the things that any foreigner who’s lived in the U.S. long enough will eventually notice is how fixated Americans in general are with being, and being perceived as, happy. There’s quite a contrast with the rest of the world, as it’s poin...more One of the things that any foreigner who’s lived in the U.S. long enough will eventually notice is how fixated Americans in general are with being, and being perceived as, happy. There’s quite a contrast with the rest of the world, as it’s pointed out very well in this book. In the rest of the world, you’re not committing social suicide if you don’t project a happy image of yourself.

Needless to say, making Americans happy has turned into quite a business. Who knows how much is spent on drugs and therapy and self help books and New Age gurus. (One particularly narcissistic aspect of this happiness business is the artificial boosting of self-esteem. I’d be very interested to know how much Americans spend annually to read or be told that they’re special and unique and beautiful and great. But that’s another subject.) However, when you read that 85% of Americans describe themselves as being very happy or happy, you can’t help but suspect that at least some of these happy campers are lying to themselves (denial, repression) and/or others (conforming to social expectations).

One thing that I really liked about Wilson’s analysis is how he links the American fixation on happiness with “the American dream.” With the near-successful conversion of America into a giant dull suburb with its cookie-cutter housing developments and shopping malls filled with the same chain stores, the next logical thing would be to do the same with human traits. Define any personality quirk and any deviation from the standard happy model as a disease that should be medicated out of existence. Turn everyone into the same drab Pollyanna going around with a painted smile proclaiming: “I’m happy. I’m special.” It’s good for business. Ask Republicans. They consistently report to be happier than Democrats.

Wilson tries to make a case that this kind of hollow happiness only breeds blandness; it forgets an essential part of a full human life; it ignores the value of agony to feel real ecstasy. Melancholy (not to be confused with the lethargic state of clinical depression) can and does create an agitation in the heart and mind that propels one to question the status quo and produce new ways of seeing and being. There are the countless artists and poets and geniuses to prove this point. Wilson mentions some of them as anecdotes. In the end, I’m not sure how convincing this book is to every reader, but Wilson’s near-poetic prose should be a joy to read for everyone.
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Jiscilla read and liked Kirk's review of Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy:

"For such a short book it sure took me a long time to get around to this, but I wanted to knock it out in one sitting. Wilson's approach is essentially an effort to explain the benefits of Romantic melancholy to a "don't worry, be happy" wor...more For such a short book it sure took me a long time to get around to this, but I wanted to knock it out in one sitting. Wilson's approach is essentially an effort to explain the benefits of Romantic melancholy to a "don't worry, be happy" world. It's a daunting task given that Americans in particular prefer the cheery optimism of the manifest destiny soul to the sublime darkness of the introverted soul. While I generally liked the book, I found some of the points and examples came and went a little too quickly for my taste---references to Springsteen, John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, etc., fly left and right without much elaboration, as if no one would dare quibble with Wilson's interpretations of their work. Maybe that's the best compliment I can give Against Happiness: while I agreed with much of what's said here---especially the interpretations of Keats---the debater in me wanted a bit more on the other side. Yes, Melville was about as dark a dude as American letters ever produced, but he also understood that it's a thin line between melancholy and monomania (i.e. Captain Ahab). Then again, considering the up-with-people audience he's aiming to persuade, Wilson probably didn't feel his could introduce those ambiguities into his argument for fear of undermining its assertiveness. Still, a highly worthy read. (less) "

Jiscilla read and liked Bree's review of Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy:

"This is the review I posted on my Buzznet:

I have mixed feelings about it. First of all, as someone who has experienced depression, you kind of want to knock some sense into this guy. Perhaps with an anvil. Or a 2x4. The support for his ...more This is the review I posted on my Buzznet:

I have mixed feelings about it. First of all, as someone who has experienced depression, you kind of want to knock some sense into this guy. Perhaps with an anvil. Or a 2x4. The support for his argument comes largely from troubled artists who created great works during times of incredible pain. Well, you know, bravo and shit, but for every person that can create during a blue period, there's ten who can't function--who can't be there for their families, who can't do their job, who just can't get out of bed in the morning. On that end, I think he's blowing a lot of hot air.

HOWEVER. When he talks about balance--about the horror of being complacent and not feeling the kind of angst that inspires change--I get that. The whole principle of there being no mountains without the valleys and embracing the range of emotions as opposed to being a numb, neutral person. I'd say it's worth reading if you can tolerate chunks of flowery language AND you promise not to toss your meds and succumb to a life on your couch watching reality TV and justify it by calling it "performance art."(less) "