What is the key to happiness in life?  Questions don’t get any bigger.  At a digital marketing agency, one of the larger tasks to ensure that clients’ companies are widely seen is the deciphering of complex algorithms to best position those companies in search result rankings, but what if one could use the skills of algorithm-deciphering for bigger, philosophical questions?  Is it possible that one could actually crack happiness’s algorithm?

For those who are unfamiliar with the definition of an algorithm, it is a series of “if/then” scenarios which, when defined, produce an unambiguous answer.  Let us pose a simple question and answer it by the creation of a small algorithm: “Who won the pie-eating contest?”

                Let (x) = the number of pies Bob ate.

                Let (y) = the number of pies Betty ate.

• Bob ate (x) pies in one hour.
• Betty ate (y) pies in one hour.
• If x > y then Bob is the winner.
• If x < y then Betty is the winner.

 

So who won?  As it turns out, nobody.  The contest was sad and uncomfortable to watch.  You see, due to this algorithm’s simplistic nature, there is no accounting for the humiliation Bob and Betty suffered -or- their certain gastrointestinal distress.  Therefore, all we can be certain of is that there are no winners in a pie-eating contest.  But we do have an unambiguous answer, so let’s move on to the big question: the key to happiness.

Despite Douglas Adams’ claim in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy that the number 42 is the “Answer to the Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything,” we at Fringe are a tad more doubtful.  Sure, 42 is the correct answer to many questions (such as 21×2), but we need to dig a little bit deeper.

Curly Has It Figured Out

In the 27-second clip below, Jack Palance’s character in City Slickers imparts to Billy Crystal the key to happiness by way of his “secret of life”:

That sounds good! “One thing!” Just hyper-focus on that one thing and everything else falls into place.  Unfortunately, the “one thing” theory is really just a recipe for something we also call “obsession.”

                Let secret of life = 1 thing.

• -Indulge in one thing forever.
• -Go crazy.

There are many people who have focused on only one thing, and the results are mixed, to put it generously.  In fact, many believe that the exact opposite is true, that having a wide range of interests and pursuits is one key to happiness – diversifying one’s “life portfolio,” if you will.

SEO

Here at Fringe Digital Marketing Agency, there are constant changes that must be made to decipher algorithms as search engines change them frequently.  While challenging, the changes these search engines have made are actually great for our clients. Some people used to manipulate the system by keyword repetition in order to place high in search rankings, even if their sites were unrelated to the search words.  One would wonder, “When I search for ‘Air conditioning service,’ why is my top result is a site that sells Martian real estate?”  (Tip: they just found water on Mars so grab something on the beach before the tourists come).  Today, however, search engines are better able to distinguish between the spammers and the genuine article, and it is our job to make sure that our clients are at the top when their number is called.  But when happiness in life is what one is searching for, the algorithm changes dramatically.

Money, Money, Money

Pursuing the almighty dollar is a task that few can avoid – there are children to raise, rent to pay, and someone needs to buy Bob and Betty’s diabetes medication after that disastrous pie-eating contest.  But can money buy happiness?  The unambiguous answer is: Kind of.

The pursuit of wealth seems never-ending, even when one becomes “rich.”  This is because the algorithm is clear:

Let (x) = an increase in wealth

                                Let (y) = total wealth

                                Let (z) = total happiness

• Add (x) to (y).
• If (y) is > (z) then increase (z) to = (y)

 

There you have it! More money will always equal more happiness, right?  Wrong.  As it happens, studies conclude that there is an actual, specific, annual dollar amount that puts a cap on happiness in the U.S.: $75,000.  In a large, 450,000 person poll, Gallup quantified both day-to-day happiness and life-assessment happiness and concluded that there is virtually no increase in happiness after reaching that $75,000 mark.  More money does equal more happiness for those who are struggling financially, but once you earn enough money to be free of debt and have the ability to indulge in some of life’s material pleasures, you have climbed Mount Happiness as far as money will take you.

Rats!

There was a recent study done on the happiness of rats and you might find the results surprising.  It was conducted as a response to a former study in which rats brains were wired so that they could press a button to release dopamine into their bodies.  The older study found that the rats would keep pressing the dopamine button until they died, every single one. This does not seem entirely unexpected, but the recent study’s results might be: scientists recreated the identical experiment with button-triggering dopamine, but also added a few factors, including other rats (socializing), food, and toys.  While the rats still used the dopamine-releasing trigger, they also spent time socializing with other rats, eating, and playing.  In the latter experiment, zero rats died from an overdose of dopamine.  Despite the fact that the rats had access to unlimited “pleasure,” with other options available to them, they seemed to find some sort of balance in their lives.  With this breakthrough, we are one step closer to making the lives of all rats more rewarding!

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Philosophically, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness all sound good, and in reality, “life” and “liberty” are good.  However, “the pursuit of happiness” is where everything goes haywire.  In examining the fine print, the Declaration of Independence guarantees people the “pursuit” of happiness without actually guaranteeing happiness.  Clever.  Unfortunately, one could claim that the “pursuit of happiness” is often a troubling endeavor in itself.

In fact, a Tibetan monk would tell you that the source of nearly all pain in life is “want”: the desire for something bigger, something better, something with fuel injection or covered in chocolate.  The monk would say that if you are always wanting something more, then you are in a constant state of pain, never appreciating that which you already have (Second Noble Truth).  The craving to go back in time and change the past or control the future is where we as humans go wrong.  But hey, if that Monkian wisdom doesn’t do it for you, then totally get that chocolate-covered, fuel-injected thingy!

Back to Work

At a digital marketing agency, one might think that the philosophy behind our work is quite different from the philosophy of wise people on mountaintops, but there are distinct parallels.  Sure, at Fringe we “want” our clients to be successful and rank the highest in key search results, but that pursuit is grounded in a few of the most basic of human needs: to be seen, heard, and understood.  This is exactly what our clients are looking for and it is what we deliver.  If someone is searching Google for a reputable HVAC company in Vancouver, Washington or a reliable contractor for exterior home repair in Portland, Oregon, our clients want to be seen.  With search results rankings on the front page, a click to their site will allow them to be heard.  Then, when a consumer realizes what the company is about and what they can offer, the client will be understood.  Whether or not a particular consumer decides to utilize the products or services, our digital marketing clients have had a fair shot at competing for their business and will eventually succeed due to their superiority in the field and the visibility we provide them.

The Secret of My Success (and other nods to the 80s)

The second 80’s film reference notwithstanding, analyzing success as a concept is a beast (much like Michael J. Fox in Teen Wolf).  The feeling of success certainly does bring happiness, whether that accomplishment is short- or long-term, but how could we possibly quantify it?  In order to calculate this in an algorithm, millions of comparisons would need to be made and agreed upon.

Let a win over your brother at Hungry, Hungry Hippos = 2 happiness points.

If winning the Nobel Peace Prize is > than a Hungry, Hungry Hippo win, then add 2 happiness points to Nobel Prize win.

If “finding Waldo” is > than Hungry Hippos win but < Nobel Prize, then…

As you can see, the hierarchy for the success scale is going to take a while, especially when there are many who believe that beating the final level on Super Mario Bros. 3 is still their greatest success in life.

Success does equal happiness, but you may consider this: happiness also equals success.  There is victory in happiness, an achievement that many struggle to find.  As one saying goes, “The best revenge is to live well.” Putting aside the nonsense we face every day as human beings, to return to happiness consistently is a victorious accomplishment, whether or not Waldo and the Nobel Peace Prize still elude you.

Schadenfreude

Nope, there is no English equivalent to this word, but given the American right to root against those who you don’t care for, there should be.  This is exactly what the German word, “Schadenfreude” means: to take pleasure in the failure of others.  There are many people who can’t stand baseball but watch every New York Yankee’s game just in the hope that they lose.

But this source of happiness is a little… dark, no?  Relying on others to fail for an increase in happiness seems like a negative endeavor and there is a larger reason why it is an unreliable pursuit: it puts your happiness in the hands of others.  To bet against someone else’s success gives them all of the power to give you happiness or take it away.  Sure, to see a villain in a movie get his comeuppance is satisfying, but we should probably limit our investments in schadenfreude as a general rule.

L.O.V.E.

The big one.  And you thought success was hard to quantify.  Definitions of love run the gamut from “that which makes the world go ‘round” to “a simple biological addiction.”  There is happiness to be found in love, for sure, and even more wonderful, it is something which we create ourselves out of thin air.  Two people locked in a dungeon can experience true happiness with nothing more than a mutual, emotional connection – no fuel injection or chocolate required.  This is quite amazing when you think about it, that life’s greatest source of joy is free and attainable by anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Love, of course, can come in many different forms – for millions, the love of family is their strongest connection, and for millions of others, the love of God is crucial in their lives.  Humans can find love in their country, their pets, and a love of their fellow man.  It is hard to judge the worth of someone’s love and so it is best not to.  If someone professes his undying love for a granola bar, then the only thing to say is “Mazel tov!” and move on (but you might want to pick up a few of those bars to see what the deal is…).

So after all this analysis, let’s see where we are:

Let (Love) = ???

                               

It seems that we will have to leave love alone for now and push on.

On the Fringe

The most common question for us at Fringe DMA is, “What does an SEO do?”  This can be answered with a short explanation, “We help companies rank high in search engine results to provide them increased visibility and success,” or an answer so long that the questioner will likely not still be standing there when we are finished explaining.

Yes, we use algorithms to best position our clients, but the misperception is that we have a “universal secret formula.”  In truth, we have as many secret formulas as we have clients.  Just like the sources of happiness in life, what works for one will be different from what works for another.  Every person has a different background, different experiences, philosophies, priorities, and goals – and so does every business.  Therefore, applying the same formula to everyone’s happiness or success would be a frustrating and pointless endeavor.  Each client has individual digital marketing needs, and figuring out how to make each company dominant in online searches is a puzzle maze which proves very rewarding when solved.

The Final Breakdown

                Let (love) = between 7 and infinity happiness points.

                                Let pie-eating contest (p) = 0 happiness points.

                                Let schadenfreude (s) = 3 (angry) happiness points.

                                Let chocolate and fuel injection (ChF) = Awesome.

                                Let “Want” (w) = negative 34 points.

• (love) + (p) + (ChF) + (s) + (w) + $75,000 = I have no idea with a remainder of Hungry, Hungry, Hippos.

 

Okay, it is probably of no surprise to you that there is no universal algorithm that can quantify happiness in one’s life — people are simply too different.

All is not lost, however, as there are key happiness principles we have discovered in researching the subject. While we all require a different and customized algorithm to determine the best recipe for our individual happiness, there are valuable lessons that may be universal:

• -The past is fun to visit, but we don’t want to live there. The energy we spend uselessly clinging to past failures, embarrassments, guilt, tragedies, and even successes would best be used to embrace the moment in which we currently live.  You are alive and happiness can only be found in that moment.

 

• -Want is not evil, it is often necessary to secure a prosperous future, but as a society, we are often caught up so much in desire that our happiness is postponed — it is always an arm’s length away, yet we continue with endless pursuits, regardless of how much we already have.

 

• -Never let others dictate your happiness. Schadenfreude can be an amusing endeavor, but we should not depend on others to determine our fate or source of joy.

 

• -Happiness in life is more than dopamine. We are social creatures and find reward in other things – in effect, pure pleasure is not enough.  Otherwise, the personal search for happiness would never explain why people sacrifice their well-being for others.

 

• -Pie-eating contests have no winners. With that said, a Pi-eating contest would be very entertaining for 1 out of every 3.14 mathematicians.

 

• -Some money is good. A large amount of money is the same.

 

• -Try some love. It is rewarding.  And sometimes heartbreaking.  Both cause huge emotional reactions that remind you that you are alive.

 

In the end, the aforementioned Tibetan monk would advise you to smile first and a reason for it will soon follow.  Not only can we create our own, personal algorithm for happiness in our lives, but we are the primary source of our own joy.  Certainly, there are obstacles, hardships, and pain in a person’s life, but it is up to us, individually, to default to happiness.  In short, joy is, quite often, a choice we can make.

At Fringe, we work for the successes of others as well as our own, and we look to the future while keeping a firm grip on the present.  Every day, our elite, digital marketing staff sorts through information expressed in “ones and zeros.” Happiness cannot be quantified numerically, however, but we know it is there and hope that you are experiencing it yourself in this moment.

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