July 21: The Specific Kind of Joy We’ve Been Missing
You can feel depressed and anxious alone, but it’s rare to laugh alone or love alone. Joy shared is joy sustained.
Source: Adam Grant, New York Times
Published: July 2021
The Specific Kind of Joy We’ve Been Missing
Research has found that people laugh five times more when they’re with others than when they’re alone. That’s not to say you can’t find delight in watching a show on Netflix. The problem is that bingeing is an individual pastime. Peak happiness lies mostly in collective activity.
We find our greatest bliss in moments of collective effervescence, or the sense of energy and harmony people feel when they come together in a group around a shared purpose.
Collective effervescence is the synchrony you feel when you’re in rhythm with others, like:
strangers on a dance floor
colleagues in a brainstorming session
cousins at a religious service
teammates on a soccer field
You can feel depressed and anxious alone, but it’s rare to laugh alone or love alone. Joy shared is joy sustained.
Love this fact, Danny! Shows how important others are!
I wonder if this occurs at the same level while connecting with others virtually. Video conferencing has become commonplace and works effectively, but is it at the same level as in-person? It makes me wonder about the tech companies have rolled out for watching a movie/tv show/performance with others virtually.