The Happy Show

The Happy Show was a reflection of the research Stefan Stagmeister did about happiness. Looking into who is happy, how to become happy, and who and when does someone achieve happiness.
The piece that really grabbed me was the clip of his documentary The Happy Film. I found it to be very personable and relatable. I found it very relatable not because I practiced everything he did in the film, but because I believe everyone is constantly trying to find happiness. In one part of the film he sets himself a goal to ask for a woman's number. He mentions that this task is very daunting and frightening to him also mentioning that he had butterflies in is stomach but that it was a good thing. I always admire people who put themselves out there and take a risk especially when they admit that they are frightened by the idea. Like Stagmeister, I tend to shy away from challenges and take the easy route for the sake of comfort and security. But, I have found that when I do take a risk or do something different however small it may be, I always come out of the experience stronger and more confident.

I was also attracted to the giant light up sign that read "Actually Doing Things I Set Out to Do Increases My Overall Level of Satisfaction." I took this and applied it to my own life and that realized that when I set goals for myself and I finish them, i feel better about myself. The harder the goal the more joy I feel when I accomplish them. There was also a video of a nude woman who had words written on different body parts which ends up saying "It's impossible to please everyone"which I thought was pretty powerful. I feel like once a person can accept that fact, life become much less stressful and they can enjoy life more. It was been hard for me to make peace with the fact that not everything I do or say is going to make everyone around me happy. I try not to compare myself to people because I have found that that is the worst way to move forward and improve yourself.

One part of the exhibit asked people to draw what they thought happiness looked like without using a smiley face. I moved past this piece because I honestly could not think of what to draw. Another installation were rows of gum ball dispensers that were numbered 1-10. People were asked to take a gum ball from the dispenser based on their level of overall happiness. The last four dispensers were completely empty. I think having an interactive piece in an exhibit like this is a great way for the people to really participate and understand what is trying to be said. It really got my thinking about my own happiness.

Even though I have read a small portion of Ellen Lupton's Graphic Design Thinking: Beyond Brainstroming I feel as though I have learned a lot. I have always had trouble developing ideas for design projects and the design process that she lays out seems to be a great way to start.