Happiness is Not a Bad Word

In the aftermath of Microsoft blogger Robert Scoble announcing he will moderate comments to eliminate heavily negative influences,

one blogger equated "happy people" with being "vacuous". The idea seems to be that "happy people" implies those who are oblivious to the realities of life, in a fantasy of their own creation, and without the ability to think critically. The science, however, suggests just the opposite.

There's more.

Remember the flight attendant's advice... you must put on your own oxygen mask first.

And regulars at Chez D. surely know that happy does not = Niiiiiice. In fact, sometimes the opposite is free to happen when deciding, as Scoble has "No more unhappy people in my life." Sometimes that makes the unhappy people v-e-r-y unhappy. But not distributing that unhappiness in you-know-whose life.

In the words of the immortal Flannery O'Connor...

Courtesy Instapundit

Update:
Paul lays it on the line, about taking measures that will increase happiness:

If you choose not to, it's time to admit to yourself that you prefer being miserable to being happy, and that is the root cause of your sadness.

Courtesy Craig Newmark