Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy

Weareaddictedtohappiness.Morethananyothergeneration,Americanstodaybelieveinthepowerofpositivethinking.Butwhosayswe'resupposedtobehappy?In"AgainstHappiness,"thescholarEricG.Wilsonarguesthatmelancholiaisnecessarytoanythrivingculture,thatitisthemuseofgreatliterature,painting,music,andinnovation--andthatitistheforceunderlyingoriginalinsights.SoenoughProzac-ingofourbrains.Let'sembraceourdepressivesideasthewellspringofcreativity.It'stimetothrowofftheshacklesofpositivityandrelishthebluesthatmakeushuman.