PART 1 Q & As

1. Why "happiness is a problem"?

Because the pursuit of happiness is based on the premise that happiness is algorithmic and that it can be worked for and earned and achieved. But truth is, happiness is not a solvable equation and there exists no problem-free life full of everlasting happiness.

2. Why the author invented "Disappointment Panda"? What is it for?

The author used "Disappointment Panda" to transform his abstract view of life into a visualizable image, which makes the article more vivid and impressive. This image serves to reflect the author's point of view that pain and misery are a constant of human life and there are no such thing as everlasting happiness and eternal compassion.

3. What is the role that emotions play in our life? Why they are overrated?

Emotions are merely signposts, suggestions that our neurobiology gives us, not commandments. People who overrated their emotions are those who over-trust their emotions and constantly goes after what emotions tell them. Since emotions never last, they will never feel adequate despite all of their sweat and strain.

4. Why you don't have chiseled abs? 

Because I only enjoy the image of having an amazing physique but never the struggles of sweating it out in the gym. Therefore, I can always find excuses for skipping physical exercises.

PART 2 Background Information

享乐适应症 Hedonic treadmill ([hi:'dɒnɪk]): The hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation, is the observed tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes. A person riding the hedonic treadmill may experience a temporary surge or decrease in his or her personal happiness level, but will eventually return to a predetermined and neutral level after adjusting to the circumstances. A lottery winner, for example, may feel more satisfied after paying off debts and purchasing luxury items, but eventually his or her desires and expectations will become relatively average.

hedonic treadmill，

PART 3 Expressions

1. As anyone who has had to sit through the first Star Wars prequel can tell you, we humans are capable of experiencing acute psychological pain as well.

prequel： （据已问世文艺作品的情节凭想象上溯创作的）先行篇；前传

sequel: 续集；续篇

Rowling said it is neither a prequel nor a sequel, but an extension of the wizarding world.

2. You may salivate at the thought of a problem-free life full of everlasting happiness and eternal compassion, but back here on earth the problems never cease.

salivate: [ˈsælɪveɪt] (v.) 流口水

salivate at/ over sth: to look at or show interest in sth or sb in a way that shows you like or want them very much, used to show disapproval 对...垂涎三尺

The media are salivating over the story.

saliva [səˈlaɪvə] (n.) 口水

salivation: （n.）流口水

3. Problems are a constant in life.

constant: (n.) 常数；恒量，例如数学中 e和π，物理中的重力加速 g, 引申为 sth that stays the same even though other things change

Change is the only constant in life.

4. Much of the self-help world is predicated on peddling highs to people rather than solving legitimate problems.

peddle: (v.) 1. to sell goods to people, especially goods that people disapprove of because they are illegal, harmful or of not very high quality

They were accused of peddling drugs.

2. to try to persuade people to accept an opinion or idea which is wrong or false 

politicians peddling instant solutions to long-standing problems

peddler: (n.) someone who sells illegal drugs SYN pusher, dealer

复习：Elon Musk传里反复出现的pitch

pitch相比peddle来说更重中性一点，没有非法兜售的含义。pitch既可以做v. 也可以做n.

eg. The salesman struggled with his pitch and clearly had little grasp of what the Internet actually was.

Musk, while raw in his presentation skills, pitched the company well enough.

He sprinted up to his boss’s office and pitched the opportunity of a lifetime.

5. Look, I don’t mean to make light of your midlife crisis or the fact that your drunk dad stole your bike when you were eight years old and you still haven’t gotten over it.

make light of sth: (这里的light 是adj.) to joke about sth or treat it as not being very serious, especially when it is important 轻描淡写

She tried to make light of the situation, but I could tell that she was worried.

相似表达： downplay/ understate: to make sth seem less important than it really is 

White House officials attempted to downplay the president's role in the affair.

The press have tended to understate the extent of the problem.

补充：make light work of sth： to do sth or deal with something quickly and easily

A freezer and microwave oven can make light work of cooking.

6. But not many people want to suffer through sixty-hour workweeks, long commutes, obnoxious paperwork, and arbitrary corporate hierarchies to escape the confines of an infinite cubicle hell.

obnoxious: [əbˈnɒkʃəs] very offensive, unpleasant or rude 令人讨厌的；应受谴责的

an obnoxious idea; obnoxious odors

I can't believe that the obnoxious youth that I knew actually transmuted into a nice man.

PART 4 Thoughts

I was in love with the result -- the image of me on stage, people cheering, me rocking out, pouring my heart into what I was playing -- but I wasn't in love with the process. And because of that, I failed at it.

One of my friends who is starting his own business said that his ultimate aim was to be another Elon Musk. I do believe his worship of Elon Musk. But I also believed that what he really admired is the success of Elon Musk, not the ordeal he had gone through. Elon Musk ran the gamut from tortuous experiences to the sublime. It's thrilling to imagine the zenith he reached. But the imagination of the nadir would scare off many a person. However, what makes Elon Musk Elon Musk is his ability to weather all those failures and fiascos. He was willing to wager all his money on two enterprises with dim prospects because he really loved what he did.

I recalled that when I applied for the major in universities, my first choice was economy and finance. I was deeply depressed after being denied by my "favorite" department. Upon reflection, I realized how ridiculous it was for me who have neither aptitude nor interest in math to apply for such a major. I used to think that a banker or an accountant would be a dream job. But truth is, what I really wanted was the trappings of a good job -- the fame, the salaries, a luxurious life, freebie holidays, you name it.

I am now really grateful to the unknown person who declined my application for the major of economy and finance. Otherwise, I would stuck in the quagmire of endlessly pursuing a superfluous aim and exhausting myself during the process. I firmly believe that those who are big deals in their own realms are not those who have a run of good luck, but those who really love what they do and can relish the process of struggling.