Can you become happier through analysis of what makes you happy? Can you gain greater understanding of other people’s happiness through similar analysis? I think the answer to both questions is “yes.”
I recently purchased the second season of George Lucas’ The Clone Wars. Overall, I’m completely thrilled – so much so that I am starting to think the series is better than the original trilogies. As I progressed through each episode, I found my level of happiness directly linked to a few select scenes. While I was happy watching every episode, I couldn’t stop but wonder why certain scenes were more “joy-provoking” than others.
Let me share a few examples to further explore this concept.
In the episode entitled “Cargo of Doom”, there is one scene where a bounty hunter named Cad Bane has jumped into a parked spaceship to flee from Anakin Skywalker. Once Bane jumps into the spaceship, there is some brief animation as he turns on the ship’s power. This is visible through the illumination of lights within the ship’s cockpit. What really excited me was the sequence of lights that illuminated within the 1-2 second interval. Instead of just showing a single illumination (i.e. the ship is now “on”), the animators took the time to show a purposeful sequence of illumination (spatial relationship and number) giving the sense of multiple subsystems and overall complexity.
Once the ship has taken off, and Anakin is forced to jump off the wing to avoid injury, the camera follows the ship briefly as the wings are lowered and the ship accelerates. While difficult to convey here, the chosen camera angle illustrates the significance of the situation, the complexity and acceleration of the ship, and the sheer size difference between the ship, the hangar and humans on the ground.
So, what are the themes that comprise this scene? (i.e. why do I like this scene in particular?)
Themes: technology, complexity, purpose, attention to detail, “part of something larger”, perspective, power, energy, spatial relationship, design
In another episode (“Landing at Point Rain”), there is another scene that I simply love. The Republic is taking heavy losses against the Separatists. After much delay, Y-wing fighters are deployed to the planet to provide critical assistance. The scene begins with a surprised Obi-Wan Kenobi followed quickly by a ground-level camera angle that shows the rapidly approaching Y-wing (a “fly-by”). While the scene lasts all of two seconds (~60 frames of animation), the sheer power and acceleration of the spaceship combined with an equally powerful sound effect makes for a very immersive scene.
Themes: “feeling of being there”, magnitude, realism, sound, surprise, immersion, perspective, uniqueness, influence, control, sense of scale, speed
While I could describe other scenes that produced similar euphoria, I’d recommend renting or purchasing the series to witness this creative masterpiece for yourself. What’s important here, however, is the opinion that one’s ability to describe the themes associated with feelings of joy and happiness can ultimately open up new opportunities for oneself and one’s connection with others.
To expand upon this latter point, when interacting with others – either as friends or as colleagues – you can learn about people by truly understanding the facets of the things that provide them with joy. For example, the statement “I enjoy watching The Clone Wars” is one level of understanding, but as you’ve just seen, it’s simply scratching the surface. Uncover the themes behind one’s enjoyment and you can learn a great deal.
Think about movies you’ve watched, books you’ve read, or places you’ve visited. If you find yourself in a state of euphoria, ask yourself why. What are the descriptors behind the event? What do those descriptors say about you, and can you increase those feelings through additional exploration?