DeepSummary
The podcast explores the puzzling phenomenon of feeling empty or adrift, even when one's life seems perfect and fulfilling. Sociologist Corey Keyes explains the concept of 'languishing' - a state of emptiness and lack of purpose, despite having external circumstances that should lead to happiness. He shares personal stories and research to illustrate how social isolation, lack of growth, and prioritizing happiness over meaning can contribute to languishing.
Keyes distinguishes languishing from depression, describing it as the absence of both positive and negative emotions. He discusses the importance of social connections, play, and personal growth in fostering a sense of flourishing and meaning. The episode also explores how societal expectations around happiness can sometimes hinder true fulfillment.
Ultimately, Keyes suggests that cultivating warm relationships, finding purpose, and embracing challenges that facilitate growth can help individuals overcome languishing and feel more alive. He emphasizes the idea that sadness and negative emotions are not necessarily incompatible with flourishing, as they can signify the presence of meaningful connections and experiences.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Languishing is a state of feeling empty, adrift, and lacking purpose, despite having circumstances that should lead to happiness.
- Social isolation, lack of personal growth, and prioritizing happiness over meaning can contribute to languishing.
- Cultivating warm relationships, finding purpose, and embracing challenges that facilitate growth can help overcome languishing.
- Languishing is distinct from depression and involves the absence of both positive and negative emotions.
- Negative emotions like sadness are not necessarily incompatible with flourishing, as they can signify meaningful connections.
- Play and personal growth are essential components of flourishing and feeling alive.
- Societal expectations around constant happiness can sometimes hinder true fulfillment.
- Prolonged languishing can increase the risk of self-harm and other negative consequences.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Emotions were meant to be very time limited. They weren't meant to endure. Emotions are, as I describe in the book, they're like that windsock out there on the landing strip that planes come to land. They are moving gently and with every change in the wind, telling us at any moment what is going on and what we might do to adjust or manage in that moment. And then they go alloy. They go away, allowing the next emotion, the next so called breeze, to come and blow the windsock.“ by Corey Keyes
- “For Aristotle, putting happiness first would discourage us from working. To become excellent at this business of being a human being, prioritize excellence that is functioning well, and you will have something meaningful to be happy about that's far more sustainable.“ by Corey Keyes
- “I think the best way to make sense of it is to begin, if we can, with how I diagnose flourishing or what I call mental health. To be mentally healthy, you have to have at least one of the three signs of what I call emotional well being that is either happy, satisfied, or interested in life.“ by Corey Keyes
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Episode Information
Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
6/10/24