Submitted by Sue-Marie on Fri, 02/01/2008 - 10:11am.
I also great enjoyed the Compton book and found the theme of the six variables that are core predictors of life satisfaction to be intriguing.A sense of perceived control is one of them, yet I think this is a different type of control than the type that is found in a common and I think dangerous paradigm of modern man: man over nature/mind over matter.With the latter, there is an implication that we will experience better living through dominating and conquering our surroundings and our natural mental functions.In this context, mind over matter seems to me to relate to the old adages “pull yourself up by your boot straps” and “keep a stiff upper lip.”
Positive psychology speaks to how much we can impact our own wellbeing through being deliberate about how we choose to think about the events of our lives, both past and present.Yet this doesn’t seem the same to me as “pull yourself up by your boot straps.”Nor does the idea of fostering a sense of perceived control seem to mean “man over nature.”Instead, I see positive psychology as a way to encourage humans to positively cope with both our internal and external experiences in a synergistic manner.I think these are subtle but very important differences.I think a lot of people become fairly miserable by trying to control everything.This is quite different from gaining a sense of perceived control.
In positive psychology, the question becomes “what can I do about my current situation.”In the “man over nature/mind over matter” paradigm, the question is, “how can I make the world be the way I want it to be.”
I also great enjoyed the Compton book and found the theme of the six variables that are core predictors of life satisfaction to be intriguing. A sense of perceived control is one of them, yet I think this is a different type of control than the type that is found in a common and I think dangerous paradigm of modern man: man over nature/mind over matter. With the latter, there is an implication that we will experience better living through dominating and conquering our surroundings and our natural mental functions. In this context, mind over matter seems to me to relate to the old adages “pull yourself up by your boot straps” and “keep a stiff upper lip.”
Positive psychology speaks to how much we can impact our own wellbeing through being deliberate about how we choose to think about the events of our lives, both past and present. Yet this doesn’t seem the same to me as “pull yourself up by your boot straps.” Nor does the idea of fostering a sense of perceived control seem to mean “man over nature.” Instead, I see positive psychology as a way to encourage humans to positively cope with both our internal and external experiences in a synergistic manner. I think these are subtle but very important differences. I think a lot of people become fairly miserable by trying to control everything. This is quite different from gaining a sense of perceived control.
In positive psychology, the question becomes “what can I do about my current situation.” In the “man over nature/mind over matter” paradigm, the question is, “how can I make the world be the way I want it to be.”