Summary 1
It seems counterintuitive that the pursuit of happiness is actually the thief of joy, but this may very well be so. Happiness, instead, is more likely to stem from what has already been ensued. Stated perfectly by psychologist Viktor Frankl, “It is the very pursuit of happiness, that thwarts happiness.”. Having things of value such as a family, a career, or any other type of purpose in life that makes you, uniquely you is where happiness comes from. The belief that one must continuously search for happiness, is only leading them to search farther from what is already within them.
Without burdens, without the feeling of having a purpose in life, this is where depression stems from. Frankl explains this concept perfectly in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning”, which was written about his time spent in a concentration camp, when he was faced with two suicidal inmates. Frankl wrote, “It was a question of getting them to realize life was still expecting something from them; something in the future was expected of them”. What these two men needed to grasp was that even though they were being locked and held away from their loved ones, that they still had a purpose in life, family waiting for them and unfinished work. That is something that could have never been taken from them. Holding on to your individual, unique purpose of existence is what endures all.
Life satisfaction has proven to directly affect one’s mental health and overall well-being.Today, most Americans (about 60% according to the latest Gallup study) would consider themselves to be happy with minimal stress. However, as stated by the Center of Disease Control, 4 out of 10 americans feel as though they do not know their purpose in life and therefore feel less satisfied than others who do. Tapping in to your unique purpose of being is where happiness lies, searching for anything other leads to suffering.
Summary 2
It seems counterintuitive for heroin addicts to receive free doses of the same drug that is ruining their lives for medicinal purposes, but they are. A new medical program in Vancouver allows doctors to prescribe 26 new patients small doses of heroin up to three times a day. The goal of this program is not recovery for heroin addicts, but to essentially keep them comfortable in their terminal habit.
This alternate way to handle the heroin epidemic is for those who are unable to make any efforts in getting clean, so they are then given the drug to keep them stabilized. Allowing doctors to do this surely will keep patients from shoplifting and committing other types of theft to afford their habit, but more importantly will keep them from overdosing. Surprisingly, the addicts and community alike seem agreeable on the approach. Even more startling yet, the program is considered a useful form of blackmail. Would you rather have a drug addict break into your car or receive their heroin and leave you alone? The answer is obvious for most.
There is of course an opposing view in Vancouver and it lies mostly in its rehab centers. Killing, even with kindness, does not sit well with most. Moral or not, there are enough people to believe in this program having too many beneficial outcomes for the community than to essestially help the addicts recover.
Summary 3
It seems counterintuitive that taking daily multivitamins will actually do nothing to improve your health, all the while possibly being a factor in the decline of your health, but this is what new data is proving. With nearly a third of Americans taking multivitamins regularly (National Institutes of Health), this would mean people have been wasting their money and time spent searching for other, sufficient alternatives. Unfortunately for them, this very well may be the case; Nutritionist Marion Nestle put it bluntly, “There is virtually no evidence that they make healthy people healthier.”
Worse yet, several studies have linked multivitamins to frightening consequences such as lesions that cause colorectal cancers, increased risk of heart disease for seniors, and birth defects. The facts are there, but the vitamin industry still strongly believes in their products and are greatly opposed to the idea of them being manufactured with warning labels. Proving to be irrelevant to the increasement of health and well-being of its consumers, it is safe to say this major industry may be an entire fluke.
Counterintuitive 