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Isis Jackson

Professor Corri Ditch

English 115

22 September 2020

Project Space Essay

Arguments that are clear and persuasive use rhetorical strategies in order to reel in

readers. The article, “How Happy Are You and Why?” by Sonja Lyubomirsky presents the most

effective argument when compared to the other articles. Lyubomirsky’s use of ethos, pathos,

and logos make her argument persuasive by providing relevant information, relatable stories,

and trustworthy credentials in her article. The statistics and research used give a logical

understanding of happiness. Lyubomirsky's background as a psychologist and professor make

her research reliable. Personal stories allow readers to make an emotional connection to the

article.

The use of stories with varying levels of struggle help make Lyubomirsky’s article

emotionally compelling. She argues that external factors are not what makes a person happy.

Graham Hill makes a similar argument in “Living With Less. A Lot Less.” The difference between

these articles is how relatable they are to readers. Hill draws from his personal experience of

being young and wealthy. Not many average people can relate to his struggles. On the other

hand, Lyubomirsky uses her interview with 3 adults of different ages and different life

experiences to showcase how your surroundings might not be the main factor in your

happiness. In her interview of Angela, a single mother that experienced a traumatic childhood,
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Lyubomirsky tells readers that Angela is happy despite her struggles. She states, “ Still with all

that has come to pass, Angela considers herself a very happy person.”(pg 4154) Many more

people can relate to Angela's struggles. Another interview by Lyubomirsky showcases how even

a happy childhood might not make someone a happy person. Shannon is a young adult who has

a support system around her and experienced a happy childhood. Despite these factors, she

considered herself unhappy. The article says, “Overall, Shannon feels very alone and believes

her life to be unsteady and her relationships unreliable.”( pg 4192) This story represents those

who have not experienced trauma, but still struggle with happiness.These interviews are how

Lyubomirsky utilizes pathos. Between these two interviews most can align themselves with

either experience. Emotional appeal is important for introducing an argument.

When presenting an argument, one should also have facts to support it. Not only should

they include facts such as studies, graphs, and statistics, but they should explain what it means

and how it supports their argument. All three articles add some sort of evidence in an attempt

to back their argument; however, Lyubomirsky is the only author that does it in a clear and

cohesive way. In Hill's article he uses the growth of American homes, global warming and waste

production statistics to make a claim that people have become more unhappy because they are

consuming more things. Hill does not provide any evidence of humans becoming unhappier as

time has progressed. In Lyubomirsky’s article she provides studies of twins and genetic studies

to support her claim that there is a happiness set point. Her analysis explains the results of the

studies. She states, “Indeed, the present-day consensus among researchers, based on a growing

number of twin studies, is that the heritability of happiness is approximately 50 percent…” (pg.
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4320) Howard Cutler also provides twin studies as evidence that happiness may be genetic but

he does not explain the evidence or tie it back to his argument. This suggests that Cutler does

not understand his evidence. Readers are left to make connections between the evidence

presented and the argument on their own. Lyubomrisky effectively uses logos to strengthen her

argument by adding evidence that correlates and supports her argument.

Credibility is essential when making an argument. In order to be trustworthy you must

prove that you understand the topic you are speaking on. Credibility can come in many

different forms, but certifications and degrees in the related topic are important. They show

that you've studied the topic and have done research to formulate your opinions. When it

comes to speaking on happiness I would say that every human is qualified since we can all

experience that emotion. However, these articles are not speaking on happiness generally, they

are forming arguments on what truly makes a person happy. Psychologists and others with

degrees in Psychology would be a trusted source for understanding human emotions. Cutler is a

psychiatrist and Lyubomirsky has a Ph.D. in social psychology. On top of her degree,

Lyubomirsky is also a professor and does research at the University of California, Riverside. Her

research has led her to write many books on the topic of happiness. This demonstrates the

amount of time she has spent trying to understand what makes humans happy. On the other

hand, Hill does not have any degrees in psychology and there is no indication that he has spent

any time doing professional research on the topic of happiness. Credibility is a main factor in

ethos and Lybomrisky uses her Phd. and books showcases her research to prove her credibility

to readers.
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Lyubomirsky uses pathos, logos and ethos to create an argument that is persuasive and

more effective than Cutler and Hill's articles. She presents and explains accurate information,

uses a wide range of interviews for readers to relate to, and is a psychology professor. The

interviews in Lyubomirsky's article show how she uses pathos to allow readers of different

backgrounds to make a connection to her argument. The evidence she used and her analysis of

her evidence appeal to a reader's logical sense and is the best use of logos between the three

articles. Furthermore, her credibility as a researcher and psychology professor make her article

seem reliable and trustworthy to readers. Both Cutler and Hill are lacking in some or all of these

areas. When it comes to credibility Cutler is a psychiatrist but that alone cannot compare to the

amount of research Lybomrisky has done on the topic of happiness. Hill is a journalist with no

ties to psychology. Hill and Cutler do not explain how their research supports their argument.

Hill does not provide any emotional appeal to his argument. Hill and Cutler also do not provide

as much diversity when providing real life experiences for readers to relate to. Lyubomirsky's

article appeals to logic, emotion, and is trustworthy. Combined, these aspects make her article

clear, convincing, and easy to understand for readers.

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Works Cited

Cutler, Howard and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Source of Happiness

Hill, Graham. Living with less. A lot less.

Lyubomirsky, Sonja. How Happy Are You and Why?