All of us are esurient creatures, when it comes to being happy. Everyone wants to be happy. There are myriad paths to happiness as well – religious, spiritual and even rational. The Dalai Lama, once remarked, “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
Yet it seems, year after year, that a group of people sharing a small genetic pool end up tops of the “The World Happiness Index” [1]. The Danish, it seems, are genetically endowed when it comes to being happy [2]. A genetic mutation 5-HTTLPR seems to be behind it. This gene variant influences the metabolism of serotonin, the neurotransmitter which affects our moods.
Does it then mean that you cannot be happy if you have not inherited Danish genes? No, there’s more to this story. And that’s where science opens a new door towards happiness.
Whether we are Danish or not, we produce a neurotransmitter called Anandamide [3]. The name of this molecule itself exudes joy, deriving from the Sanskrit word ananda or bliss. But then why aren’t we all equally happy. That depends on the extent to which this “bliss molecule” is metabolized. People who produce less of the enzyme that aids in the metabolization are more prone to be calm and at peace [4].
Prof. Friedman, from the Weill Cornell Medical College, puts it elegantly when he says, “What we really need is a drug that can boost anandamide—our bliss molecule—for those who are genetically disadvantaged.”[5]
Now it seems such a future is not that far off when we can engineer happiness. There are two things that one needs. To understand the genetic factors behind the different neurotransmitters. And how to manipulate them with nano-scale precision. Once we have that information, it will be possible to ingest a pill that carries predesigned nanobots to specific regions of the brain and turn on or off genes at will. This will then lead to a change in the perception of the immediate environment which would have otherwise strained our ability to be happy. Such a future was envisioned a decade back by author James Hughes in his book “Citizen Cyborg”.
So yes, it seems highly likely that our next generation can buy over-the-counter pharmaceuticals that can generate the feeling of satisfaction, joy or bliss. But still to be truly happy and have a satisfying life, it would take more than a drug as after all, happiness “comes more from your own actions”.
– Soham Roy
References:
[2] http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/danish_dna_could/
[3] W.A. Devane et al., Science 1992, 258, 1946-1949.
[4] I. Dincheva et al., Nature Communications 2015, 6, 1-9.
[5] http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/08/opinion/sunday/the-feel-good-gene.html?_r=0