I'm trying to broaden the scope of positive psychology well beyond the smiley face. Happiness is just one-fifth of what human beings choose to do. Martin Seligman beingbroadenchoose Change image and share on social
I don't think anyone's found a way of eliminating thoughts of danger and loss. It's rather that, when they're unrealistic, you become an acrobat at marshaling evidence against them. Martin Seligman acrobatdangereliminate Change image and share on social
One of my worries about America is the epidemic of depression we've been in. One of the possibilities about that is that the 'I' gets bigger and bigger, and the 'we' gets smaller and smaller. Martin Seligman americabigdepression Change image and share on social
If we just wanted positive emotions, our species would have died out a long time ago. Martin Seligman agodieemotion Change image and share on social
Some find that very optimistic people have benign illusions about themselves. These people may think they have more control, or more skill, than they actually do. Others have found that optimistic people have a good handle on reality. The jury is still out. Martin Seligman benigncontrolfind share on social
The goal of a life free of dysphoria is a snare and a delusion. A better goal is of good commerce with the world. Authentic happiness, astonishingly, can occur even in the presence of authentic sadness. Martin Seligman astonishinglyauthenticcommerce share on social
The dirty little secret of both clinical psychology and biological psychiatry is that they have completely given up on the notion of cure. Martin Seligman biologicalclinicalcompletely Change image and share on social
I have never worked on interrogation; I have never seen an interrogation, and I have only a passing knowledge of the literature on interrogation. With that qualification, my opinion is that the point of interrogation is to get at the truth, not to get at what the interrogator wants to hear. Martin Seligman hearinterrogationinterrogator share on social
One of the things psychologists used to say was that if you are depressed, anxious or angry, you couldn't be happy. Those were at opposite ends of a continuum. I believe that you can be suffering or have a mental illness and be happy - just not in the same moment that you're sad. Martin Seligman angryanxiouscontinuum share on social
I strongly disapprove of torture and have never and would never provide assistance in its process. Martin Seligman assistancedisapproveprocess Change image and share on social