Should we study elementary psychology to lead a happy life?

Psychology is the study of the 'psyche', i.e., the mental aspects of the living things. This science has gained impetus in last decade to such an extent that the question arises why we must always be harping on Psychology? Why not leave it those who like that kind of thing, and let us get on with our jobs and engagements?

The life we are leading today needs a serious reflection. The way we behave depends on our mental processes. We are not automatons with someone else pulling strings. Our human nature, with its wishes, desires, passions, impulses within us, pulls these strings and determines how we act and react towards a person or a situation. 

The motives which actuate us, the strings which pull us and make us work, are no longer the simple ones of hunger, self-preservation, and lust. They branch out into innumerable ramifications and though they can be traced back to primitive impulses such as greed, love of power, possessiveness, jealousy and sentiment, love and hate, anger and aggression, etc. these origins are masked and we do not recognize them in our overt behavior.

If we encourage the man in the street to study psychology, it is not for the purpose that he may make a living out of it, but in order that he may know how to live. To live as members of society means that we have to curb our natural selfishness; our freedom to do as we like is restricted by the rights and privileges of others. It is important that we learn to understand ourselves, in order that we may be tolerant of others.

The first step in psychology is to realize by the observation that there is an unconscious part of the mind which is continuously disturbing our thinking and providing hidden motives for our actions. We can realize this as soon as we pay attention to the slips of the tongue and pen which we make and to our moods when we ëaccidentallyí break things, and forget our appointments. 

We will find that for that moment , the childish part of our psyche was manifesting itself showing our real feelings instead of a social veneer, in a vicariously venting resentment, in putting off some unpleasantness regardless of actual consequences.

The study of psychology teaches us to distrust our conditioning which likewise is an attribute of childhood. It colors our responses to advertisements and propaganda when we should do better by using independent judgment. It teaches us to watch our needs so that we do not, through projection, accuse others of the faults which we are ignoring in ourselves. 

It can teach us how to use the power of the unconscious through the use of auto-suggestion which counteracts the harm done by the suggestions acquired from others. Through understanding ourselves, we learn to understand others, which is a requisite of todayís overpopulated society. 

We get to be tolerant and patient instead of being harsh in our judgment. Once we learn to accept ourselves instead of ceaselessly comparing ourselves with others who seem to have all the attributes which lack, there is the possibility of growth and improvement.