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Daniel Gilbert Reporting Live From Tomorrow Analysis

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Happiness in Old Age
In Daniel Gilbert’s “Reporting Live from Tomorrow”, Gilbert makes use of statistics, studies, and experiments to convey a multitude of ideas, primarily the concept that while many people are opposed to, or are in disbelief of it, turning to surrogates as means of predicting our own future is quite effective. Gilbert’s concepts and theories are quite important to take into consideration not only as a general message of how human beings tend to let factors such as their imagination or their own self-image cloud their perspective on the future, but rather as an alternative viewpoint and how through surrogates, we are able to make more accurate predictions on our own future, such as what will be providing us happiness when …show more content…

One of the focuses in Gilbert's “Reporting Live from Tomorrow” is that there are a variety of shortcomings associated with imagination when it comes to hypothesizing what will occur at a later time. One of the listed disadvantages is that “When the imagination paints a picture of the future, many of the details are necessarily missing, and imagination solves this problem by filling in the gaps with details that it borrows from the present” (179). This is obviously quite relevant because between my teenage years and my sixties, there are more than likely a lot of factors such as interests, hobbies, and even capabilities that are destined to change. For example, it wouldn’t be a very substantial claim to say that in the future, I’d find happiness through things such as gaming. This is because this interest is very much associated with the present and my own youth, a time period where my hand-eye coordination and reflexes allow for such, which is an important point that could likely be glossed over by imagination. With one possibility out of the way it provides a clearer image on what to consider as a more likely hobby in my old age, two examples being painting or illustration. Painting and illustration are hobbies that I’ve enjoyed for a long while, and have devoted much time to alongside gaming. In addition to this, they are both more general, common hobbies that are less …show more content…

It’s a mindset like this that distances us from others because we believe that because our own thoughts are subjective and different to those around us, making us unique to others regardless of whether or not there’s a similar goal. By looking past this, it allows us to be less hesitant in looking at others when it comes to predicting our own future, especially in the case of those around us that may be pursuing similar goals, majors, or careers. In the case of predicting my own future in particular, I’d have to rely mainly of the adults around me in my life, as well as various older acquaintances that have shared stories of their similar interests and what those developed into. Ultimately, from this perspective I can assume in my later years I’d find much of my happiness through writing and reading, specifically in topics or areas that are more reflective of my later interests. What’s important to note here is that while numerous adults and figures in my life do enjoy and share these hobbies and find much of their happiness in them, it’s also worth acknowledging that many of their interests, jobs, and ultimately people who they surround themselves with is consistent, in my case that’s still very much subject to change. This is a very noteworthy point to raise, being that while there are some aspects that can be predicted such as what kind of hobbies I’d possibly find enjoyment in, the interests I’d inherit in my later

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