AUTHOR: Peter Anthony TITLE: Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman DATE: 10/22/2006 ----- BODY:

Marty Seligman has found that a satisfying life is about contribution and engagement. He found this after considering three different approaches to life. The first is the pleasant life where you enjoy as many as pleasures as possible – food, alcohol and sex in a Bacchus like debauched self interest orgy. This is great for immediate gratification but sets up real moral and sustainability issues The second is the engaged life where you are attempting to get into the flow of the activity you are involved in. However you could get into flow by playing cards and still be very unhappy and make no contribution to the world. Seligman recommends the meaningful life because we programmed for meaning. You should know your strengths and how to use them to serve others. He has developed his ideas into a body of knowledge called ‘positive psychology’ and you can find out more at http://www.authentichappiness.org/

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