Self-Regulation for Sustaining Happiness and Well-being: An Indian Perspective

Abstract

An important paradox of the well-being literature is the apparent disconnect between the external materialistic strivings such as money and the experience of well-being, referred to as the American Paradox. Additionally, it has been studied that the pursuit of happiness itself may result in paradoxical effects; the more people pursue it, the less likely are they able to obtain it. Happiness and well-being thus understood from the Western perspective as the presence of pleasure and absence of pain lack sustainability theoretically as well as practically. It is deficit driven, externally directed, object dependent and culturally biased. The focus of the paper is to understand the notion of happiness from an indigenous perspective. Against the hedonistic concept of well-being advocated by Western researches, the Indian perspective holds important consequences for the individual as well as the social well-being. The paper argues that the indigenous perspective on happiness and well-being is sustainable across time and situations for the classes as well as the masses.