Question

“Happiness is only real when shared” (Into The Wild, 2007). Do you agree that we can only be happy when we are with others, or share our joy with others? Why or why not? Discuss this topic in relation to what researchers are learning about our motive to belong.

Answer 1

“Happiness is only real when shared” (Into the Wild, 2007) the original sentence from the book: "And so it turned out only a life similar to the life of those around us, merging with it without a ripple, is genuine life, and that an unshared happiness is not happiness." Thus when in the wild the protagonist killed the mother of the deer and he realized that the lonely deer needed the bond between it and its mother for it to survive. We can only be happy when we are with others or share our joy with others as we need a social convoy to enjoy the bounties of God. According to the researchers, our motive to belong is based on the socialization to form social convoy on whom we can rely in our tough times. According to researchers, we all have an inherent need to belong i.e. be a part of a group,(Over, 2016). Only when we are with our friends in our good times we will develop a relationship on which we can bank in our troubled times and get the necessary emotional, financial and physical support.