The Pursuit of Happiness

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This compelling cultural history explores the evolution of happiness over two millennia. While modern society views happiness as a fundamental right, Darrin McMahon argues that this belief is a relatively recent phenomenon, emerging from a significant shift in human expectations since the eighteenth century. He examines this transformation by weaving together two thousand years of political, cultural, and philosophical thought. In ancient Greek tragedy, happiness was seen as a divine gift, while the Romans linked it to eroticism. Although happiness played a crucial role in Christianity, it was during the Enlightenment that the concept evolved into its contemporary form, with the revolutionary idea that individuals could—and should—pursue happiness in this life as well as in the next. This shift ultimately influenced foundational documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Rights of Man. McMahon traces the ongoing quest for happiness to the present, revealing how it fosters new pleasures but also introduces new pains. He suggests that perfect happiness, akin to the Holy Grail, may reside only in our imaginations, and like Cervantes' Quixote, the journey toward happiness may hold more value than the destination itself. Drawing from diverse sources, this work offers a rich history of humanity's most sought-after yet elusive aspiration.