Impact Statement of Movie: Happy
We have learned that three factors that determine happiness is a genetic set point (50%), intentional activity (40%), and life circumstances (10%).
If our genetic set point is determined to make up 50% of our capacity for happiness, what are the inherited traits that are responsible for that? Is it being blessed with perfect balance brain chemistry? A physical body that effortlessly responds to every demand and challenge required of it? Is it having both of these and also living in a time and place that reveres and rewards both of these?
Watching the movie, I enjoyed being able to learn about individuals from other cultures and different life circumstances as to what they consider happiness. I enjoyed the reaffirmation that happiness is subjective to the person experiencing the life terms dealt to them.

However, I believe is that one can find people with every degree of happiness and unhappiness, everywhere and anywhere. One could find a similar representation of each and every person featured in the movie- all in the one major city in our country. Of course this is partly due to the divergent sets of ethnic groups in American society but even so, the more diverse the growing subcultures are, the more opportunity

A major point though, is that I believe how a culture (that includes the family of origin) responds to the individual member accounts for much more than 10%. A culture that is extremely “tribal” dominates and shapes an individual member’s locus of control can have a greater impact on that members 10% and 40% factors that determine their happiness.

It was interesting to note that it was shown that the extremes of happiness and sadness are both considered short lived and will return to that set point discussed (of course, baring any disorders that would or could otherwise take over)

There is much so much more I can say. I really loved the movie and I will close with saying that I am happy that there is more attention and energy to understanding and exploring this subject.

References
Exploring the Causes of Subjective Well-Being: A Content Analysis of Peoples’ Recipes for Long-Term Happiness. Journal Journal of Happiness Studies, 2012. http://goo.gl/kN5OQ

http://www.aei.org/article/society-and-culture/race-and-gender/the-happiness-of-the-people-speech/