Bluebird: Women and the New Psychology of Happiness

From Strand Bookstore

Twentieth-century psychology may have focused on depression, but today's scientists are focusing on 'postive psychology,' the study of happiness. This fascination with optimism has been cropping up more and more in recntyears, and it got the attention of author Ariel Gore. As she delved into the research, she was disturbed to find that nearly all of the experts in the field were men who seemed to be advocating a stay-at-home lifestyle for women. But could a woman be smart, empowered, and happy? That's the question Gore seeks to answer in 'Bluebird.' With wit and honesty, Gore reveals the real secret of joy and analyzes whether it's at odds with the goals of the modern woman.

From the Publisher

Explores the psychology of happiness in women, focusing particularly on whether an intelligent, empowered career woman can be happy in today's modern world. By the author of Atlas of the Human Heart.

More about the book

Ariel Gore (THE HIP MAMA'S SURVIVAL GUIDE) presents an enlightening alternate history of the positive psychology movement, persuasively arguing that this popular trend has tended to privilege the male version of happiness. Gore first examines the seminal works of Martin Seligman, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and other pioneers of positive psychology to demonstrate how men often view happiness exclusively as a personal endeavor which can be most readily attained by lowering expectations and embracing traditional values. She then argues that women's emotional status is more affected by family and community, and that these additional social factors make it more challenging for a woman to maintain consistent levels of happiness. Gore recruited 100 other women to join her in keeping a journal wherein they documented and analyzed moments of happiness, and the vibrant and insightful entries serve as useful evidence in support her claim and provide guidance on how every woman can work towards maximizing her own happiness in a way that best suits her.