Recently I was exploring the TED website (TED.com) looking for information on the brain.

(I’ve written before about TED.)

One item I found was a presentation by Dan Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness.

(Depending on your browser security settings, may need to click twice to start the video. If you are receiving this via email, or want to open the TED site with the video, just click here: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy.html)

Dan explains in his presentation a bit about how our brain simulates situations without having to actually experience them (e.g., would you want liver and onions ice cream?), how we artificially create happiness, how we change our mind about what will make us happy and how we can be very wrong about what will make us happy.

I think it is worth the time (21:28) to view it.