Class: Third A

Theme1
Identity: lifestyle and happiness

What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on

happiness. By Robert Waldinger

https://www.bigspeak.com/makes-good-life-robert-waldinger-three-
lessons/
Answer the questions in relation to the listening presented
above. Your answer should be developed as a PIE argument
(Present, Illustrate, Explain). Include in your answer your
personal point of view and cultural aspects analysis if it is a
case.
1. Who is Robert Waldinger?
Robert Waldinger is a psychiatrist who is the fourth
director of a 75-year-old study on adult development.

2. What keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life?

One of the lessons mentioned by Waldinger to answer this
question is that social connections are good for us since
according to studies, people who are more socially
connected with family, friends, the community, are
happier, are physically healthier and they live longer
than people who are less connected.

3. Do you agree with the speaker? Why or why not?

I agree with the speaker since, with an example, I can say
that when I am with my family or with my friends, I feel
happy, free and above all I create memories that will
remain alive in my memory for years.

4. Why was the longest study on happiness done?

Because studies like this are rare, and almost all
projects of this type fall apart within a decade because
too many people in a group drop out, or funding for
research runs out. But thanks to a combination of luck and
the persistence of several generations of researchers,
this study has survived.

5. What are three important lessons the speaker learned from

the study?
 Social connections are really good for us and that
loneliness kills.
 It's not just the number of friends you have, and
it's not whether you're in a committed relationship,
 but it's the quality of your close relationships that
matters.
 Good relationships don't just protect our bodies,
they protect our brains

6. Why good relationships are better than riches, fame, and

accolades for long-term happiness?
Popular culture leads us to believe that happiness can be
found in wealth, fame or hard work, however good
relationships are the most important because we are social
beings who need to interact with others and create
experiences to be happy.

7. How could those lessons be applied in your life?

These three lessons I can apply daily in my life, but

first I must reflect on whether I have good relationships
or not. It is important that I see that first so that I
can continue with my life and be happy avoiding health
problems and creating memories.