Happiness And Pleasure Aren’t Mutually Inclusive

There are two main critiques that people have for the field of happiness studies. The first one is that it's superficial. The reason is that they equate happiness with pleasure. So when people say, "Oh, I went to the beach. I was so happy," or, "This ice cream just makes me happy," well, that's not happiness. That is pleasure. Happiness is much more than pleasure. It also includes our ability to deal with painful experiences, finding a sense of meaning and purpose, cultivating healthy relationships, and intellectual development.