1 00:00:15,436 --> 00:00:26,876 Speaker 1: Pushkin, Wait you want version? Was it a New Year's party? 2 00:00:27,636 --> 00:00:31,796 Speaker 1: I'm asking my friend Mit classical literature professor Stephanie Frampton 3 00:00:32,156 --> 00:00:35,516 Speaker 1: to recall some ancient history. I've requested that she tell 4 00:00:35,596 --> 00:00:38,076 Speaker 1: her version of the story of how we first met 5 00:00:38,276 --> 00:00:42,516 Speaker 1: many many years ago. My memory is it was at 6 00:00:42,836 --> 00:00:47,556 Speaker 1: our friend's house off the shelf, you, Paul bend and 7 00:00:47,716 --> 00:00:50,516 Speaker 1: you're like, when I was in high school, I was 8 00:00:50,596 --> 00:00:55,956 Speaker 1: really good at Latin. So embarrassing, Okay, So it turns 9 00:00:55,996 --> 00:00:59,076 Speaker 1: out I was a huge nerd in high school, and 10 00:00:59,236 --> 00:01:01,876 Speaker 1: I was kind of obsessed with all things Latin. I 11 00:01:01,956 --> 00:01:04,996 Speaker 1: studied that ancient language for three whole years, and as 12 00:01:04,996 --> 00:01:08,116 Speaker 1: a senior, I spent an entire semester translating an important 13 00:01:08,196 --> 00:01:11,836 Speaker 1: Latin text, the Inid, by the famous Roman poet Virgil. 14 00:01:12,356 --> 00:01:15,556 Speaker 1: But I didn't just translate the Indid. I got kind 15 00:01:15,556 --> 00:01:18,476 Speaker 1: of obsessed with it, and being the type a seventeen 16 00:01:18,556 --> 00:01:20,916 Speaker 1: year old Latin scholar that I was, I, for some 17 00:01:20,996 --> 00:01:23,916 Speaker 1: strange reason, decided that there was one and only one 18 00:01:23,996 --> 00:01:26,876 Speaker 1: proper way to translate the first sentence of the Inid, 19 00:01:27,396 --> 00:01:31,596 Speaker 1: which in Latin is arma virum quai kano. Back then, 20 00:01:31,676 --> 00:01:35,236 Speaker 1: when some scholar or author translated Arma virum quai kano 21 00:01:35,396 --> 00:01:37,676 Speaker 1: in a way I didn't like. I kind of thought 22 00:01:37,676 --> 00:01:43,876 Speaker 1: a little less of them. I know your huss varies ends. 23 00:01:44,356 --> 00:01:46,516 Speaker 1: So when I first met Stephanie at that party many 24 00:01:46,636 --> 00:01:48,916 Speaker 1: years ago and heard that she was an expert on 25 00:01:48,916 --> 00:01:52,876 Speaker 1: the literature of ancient Rome, I couldn't help. But quiz her. Okay, 26 00:01:52,916 --> 00:01:57,036 Speaker 1: new friend, So how would you translate Arma virum quai 27 00:01:57,156 --> 00:02:00,436 Speaker 1: kano I sing of arms and of a man. I'm 28 00:02:00,436 --> 00:02:06,636 Speaker 1: into that. Technically the correct answer is I sing of 29 00:02:06,756 --> 00:02:09,276 Speaker 1: arms and a man, not I sing of arms and 30 00:02:09,356 --> 00:02:12,956 Speaker 1: of a man. But it's fine whatever. Stephanie still passed. 31 00:02:13,316 --> 00:02:16,116 Speaker 1: But what a great opening, right, I sing of arms 32 00:02:16,156 --> 00:02:19,076 Speaker 1: and a man. The Ania is about an armed struggle, 33 00:02:19,196 --> 00:02:22,516 Speaker 1: but it's more importantly about a man. A Eneas an 34 00:02:22,556 --> 00:02:26,076 Speaker 1: ancient hero who weathers great dangers and sorrows, a guy 35 00:02:26,116 --> 00:02:29,396 Speaker 1: who endures the worst possible tragedies a person can possibly 36 00:02:29,436 --> 00:02:32,516 Speaker 1: go through and somehow finds a way to grow from them. 37 00:02:33,116 --> 00:02:35,436 Speaker 1: And that's why I wanted to share virgil story with 38 00:02:35,516 --> 00:02:38,876 Speaker 1: you today, because Aeneas can offer us some important evidence 39 00:02:38,916 --> 00:02:41,676 Speaker 1: based tips for meeting the challenges that life throws our 40 00:02:41,716 --> 00:02:45,956 Speaker 1: way and resiliently rising above them, and that makes Eneas 41 00:02:46,076 --> 00:02:49,596 Speaker 1: a fitting fictional subject or yet another episode of happiness 42 00:02:49,636 --> 00:02:57,556 Speaker 1: Lessons of the Ancients with me, Doctor Laurie Santos. Virgil 43 00:02:57,756 --> 00:03:02,236 Speaker 1: is everyone's favorite Roman poet, and he becomes sort of 44 00:03:02,276 --> 00:03:06,956 Speaker 1: the first superstar poet in the Roman world. We last 45 00:03:06,996 --> 00:03:09,836 Speaker 1: heard from my friend classics experts Stephanie Rampton when we 46 00:03:09,836 --> 00:03:12,236 Speaker 1: talked about the happiness lessons we can derive from the 47 00:03:12,276 --> 00:03:14,796 Speaker 1: great Greek poet Homer. I like to think of the 48 00:03:14,836 --> 00:03:17,996 Speaker 1: Inid as the best fan fiction there is of Homer. 49 00:03:18,436 --> 00:03:21,756 Speaker 1: Homer was a towering figure in ancient literature, and Virgil, 50 00:03:21,836 --> 00:03:24,716 Speaker 1: who lived hundreds of years after Homer, found lots of 51 00:03:24,716 --> 00:03:28,236 Speaker 1: inspiration at his work. In fact, Virgil liked Homer's epics 52 00:03:28,356 --> 00:03:30,516 Speaker 1: so much that he gave them a reboot with a 53 00:03:30,596 --> 00:03:34,476 Speaker 1: Roman twist. Virgil rewrites those for his hero a Eneas. 54 00:03:34,916 --> 00:03:38,076 Speaker 1: Aeneas was a kind of minor character in Homer's original epics, 55 00:03:38,396 --> 00:03:40,396 Speaker 1: but Virgil put him at the center of the action. 56 00:03:40,916 --> 00:03:44,116 Speaker 1: And that's because, at least according to some legends, Annius 57 00:03:44,276 --> 00:03:46,796 Speaker 1: wasn't just some nobody. He was the guy who would 58 00:03:46,796 --> 00:03:50,436 Speaker 1: eventually found Rome. Well, that's what the Romans say, the 59 00:03:50,476 --> 00:03:53,956 Speaker 1: Greeks didn't care that much about that side of things. 60 00:03:54,716 --> 00:03:57,796 Speaker 1: And so here's the simplified version of Virgil's Enid. It 61 00:03:57,876 --> 00:04:00,316 Speaker 1: starts at the tail end of a royal love triangle, 62 00:04:00,796 --> 00:04:03,196 Speaker 1: one that's so bad it results in an epic war 63 00:04:03,396 --> 00:04:07,716 Speaker 1: that destroys an entire ancient city, famous Troy. It's the 64 00:04:07,836 --> 00:04:11,556 Speaker 1: site of a great battle between two great ancient peoples, 65 00:04:11,636 --> 00:04:15,036 Speaker 1: the Trojans and the Greeks, who have come on mass 66 00:04:15,116 --> 00:04:19,076 Speaker 1: to get back Helen because she's the wife of Menelaias. 67 00:04:19,396 --> 00:04:22,716 Speaker 1: This is the very famous Helen of Troy, indeed, or 68 00:04:22,796 --> 00:04:26,356 Speaker 1: alternately Helen of Sparta because she's the wife of Menelaus. 69 00:04:26,756 --> 00:04:30,956 Speaker 1: The Trojan prince Paris comes along and she decides to 70 00:04:31,356 --> 00:04:35,236 Speaker 1: leave her Greek husband Menelaias and go back to Troy 71 00:04:35,276 --> 00:04:38,996 Speaker 1: with Paris, which probably didn't make the Spartans all too happy, 72 00:04:39,116 --> 00:04:42,676 Speaker 1: not at all. And the Spartans kind of rally together 73 00:04:42,796 --> 00:04:46,596 Speaker 1: all of the ancient Greek peoples and they sail across 74 00:04:46,676 --> 00:04:49,356 Speaker 1: the sea to Troy and set siege to the city 75 00:04:49,436 --> 00:04:52,076 Speaker 1: to try to get Helen back. No spoilers, but how 76 00:04:52,076 --> 00:04:54,316 Speaker 1: does it go for the Trojans? Doesn't go well for 77 00:04:54,396 --> 00:04:57,556 Speaker 1: the Trojans. You might remember how the Greeks sneak their 78 00:04:57,556 --> 00:05:00,036 Speaker 1: way into Troy. They pretend to call off the siege 79 00:05:00,356 --> 00:05:02,916 Speaker 1: and leave the Trojans with what seems like an odd, yeah, 80 00:05:02,916 --> 00:05:06,516 Speaker 1: ever so kind parting gift, a huge wooden horse. The 81 00:05:06,556 --> 00:05:09,876 Speaker 1: Trojans wheel their strange present inside the city these high walls, 82 00:05:10,196 --> 00:05:13,556 Speaker 1: never guessing that there were legions of Greek warriors hiding inside, 83 00:05:13,796 --> 00:05:18,036 Speaker 1: just waiting to spring out for a surprise attack. Who 84 00:05:18,076 --> 00:05:23,196 Speaker 1: could unfold in speech that night's havoc? Who it's carnage? 85 00:05:23,196 --> 00:05:27,756 Speaker 1: Who could match our toils with tears? The ancient city 86 00:05:27,956 --> 00:05:32,996 Speaker 1: falls for many years, a queen in heaps. Lifeless corpses 87 00:05:33,036 --> 00:05:36,836 Speaker 1: lie scattered amidst the streets, amid the homes, and hollowed 88 00:05:36,876 --> 00:05:43,156 Speaker 1: portals of the gods. Everywhere is cruel, grief everywhere, panic 89 00:05:43,756 --> 00:05:47,916 Speaker 1: and full many a shape of death. The attack was 90 00:05:47,956 --> 00:05:50,836 Speaker 1: so vicious that Virgil's hero Eneus is one of the 91 00:05:50,876 --> 00:05:54,756 Speaker 1: only Trojans to escape the city was completely raised by 92 00:05:54,796 --> 00:05:58,956 Speaker 1: the Greeks. All of his fellow Trojan princes were dead 93 00:05:59,116 --> 00:06:05,276 Speaker 1: or captured. He leaves his hometown in complete ruin and 94 00:06:05,436 --> 00:06:09,316 Speaker 1: sort of burning around him. He loses his wife in 95 00:06:09,396 --> 00:06:13,276 Speaker 1: the escape, he manages to get away with only a 96 00:06:13,276 --> 00:06:17,676 Speaker 1: few of his men, his father, his son. They hop 97 00:06:17,716 --> 00:06:22,916 Speaker 1: on a boat and are blown around the Mediterranean. They're 98 00:06:22,956 --> 00:06:28,796 Speaker 1: nearly shipwrecked many times. They are attacked by monsters and 99 00:06:29,236 --> 00:06:31,756 Speaker 1: have an encounter with the Cyclops, who tries to eat them, 100 00:06:31,916 --> 00:06:34,996 Speaker 1: amongst other things. So it was pretty bad. Yeah, it sucked. 101 00:06:35,956 --> 00:06:39,916 Speaker 1: Encountering the Cyclops is majorly bad news. Here's the gory 102 00:06:39,916 --> 00:06:42,436 Speaker 1: picture that Virgil paints of one of those giant one 103 00:06:42,436 --> 00:06:49,076 Speaker 1: eyed cannibals. He feeds on the flesh of wretched men, 104 00:06:49,436 --> 00:06:54,316 Speaker 1: and they're dark blood. I myself saw when he seized 105 00:06:54,476 --> 00:06:59,596 Speaker 1: in his huge and two of our company and smashed 106 00:06:59,636 --> 00:07:04,796 Speaker 1: them on the rock, and the spattered courts swam with gore. 107 00:07:04,996 --> 00:07:08,956 Speaker 1: I watched while he devoured their limbs, all dripping with 108 00:07:09,356 --> 00:07:17,596 Speaker 1: black blood cloths, and the warm joints quivered beneath his teeth. 109 00:07:19,876 --> 00:07:22,876 Speaker 1: Remember when Stephanie described The Indian as the best Homer 110 00:07:22,916 --> 00:07:27,076 Speaker 1: fan fiction ever, that's in part because Virgil continually succeeded 111 00:07:27,116 --> 00:07:29,876 Speaker 1: in outdoing his predecessor in terms of the hardships he 112 00:07:29,956 --> 00:07:33,996 Speaker 1: sprang on his poor hero. Consider, for example, how Virgil's 113 00:07:33,996 --> 00:07:37,076 Speaker 1: Aeneid goes next level on what happens to Homer's epic 114 00:07:37,156 --> 00:07:42,276 Speaker 1: hero Odysseus. The cyclops we know from the Odyssey is 115 00:07:42,316 --> 00:07:45,876 Speaker 1: a very dangerous creature who likes to eat men. In 116 00:07:46,276 --> 00:07:50,156 Speaker 1: the Odyssey, Odysseus and his men are attacked by one 117 00:07:50,436 --> 00:07:55,036 Speaker 1: and they barely survive. And Virgil does homer one up 118 00:07:55,196 --> 00:07:59,436 Speaker 1: and has Aneas's men attacked by a whole mob of cyclopses, 119 00:07:59,636 --> 00:08:03,436 Speaker 1: and they barely get back onto their ships and sail away. 120 00:08:03,556 --> 00:08:06,116 Speaker 1: So why did Virgil choose to give poor Aeneas so 121 00:08:06,156 --> 00:08:09,676 Speaker 1: many extreme trials and tribulations. The reason had to do 122 00:08:09,716 --> 00:08:13,196 Speaker 1: with who Virgil was writing for, his fellow Romans. The 123 00:08:13,236 --> 00:08:15,796 Speaker 1: men of Virgil's time hadn't exactly been chased by man 124 00:08:15,876 --> 00:08:19,036 Speaker 1: eating giants, but they had been through decades and decades 125 00:08:19,036 --> 00:08:23,396 Speaker 1: of bloodshed. It is the end of a century of 126 00:08:23,796 --> 00:08:29,196 Speaker 1: constant warfare and in fighting. It's the period of Caesar 127 00:08:29,596 --> 00:08:35,236 Speaker 1: and the civil wars following Caesar's rise to power. Like Eneas, 128 00:08:35,236 --> 00:08:37,676 Speaker 1: many Romans had lost their homes and their loved ones. 129 00:08:37,876 --> 00:08:40,756 Speaker 1: They'd felt a sense of collective loss for generations, a 130 00:08:40,876 --> 00:08:44,996 Speaker 1: feeling that Eneas's creator, Virgil, had also known firsthand. Part 131 00:08:45,036 --> 00:08:47,476 Speaker 1: of the background of his story is in this period 132 00:08:47,476 --> 00:08:52,916 Speaker 1: of strife and civil war, his homeland, his property gets 133 00:08:52,956 --> 00:08:59,756 Speaker 1: confiscated as part of payments to soldiers for civil war, etc. Etc. 134 00:09:00,196 --> 00:09:02,196 Speaker 1: So he kind of has this chip on his shoulder 135 00:09:02,236 --> 00:09:05,996 Speaker 1: a little bit about what's come before and feeling like 136 00:09:06,196 --> 00:09:08,636 Speaker 1: it was all a little bit unfair. Virgil and his 137 00:09:08,636 --> 00:09:12,396 Speaker 1: fellow aramatized Roman citizens closely identified with the tragedies that 138 00:09:12,436 --> 00:09:15,876 Speaker 1: befell Enius, but they also really admired how Eneas made 139 00:09:15,916 --> 00:09:18,636 Speaker 1: it through all those tragedies because in the end, Annius 140 00:09:18,676 --> 00:09:21,876 Speaker 1: didn't lose his home and endure countless monster attacks for nothing. 141 00:09:22,396 --> 00:09:25,356 Speaker 1: Aeneas's tale is a redemption story, one that came with 142 00:09:25,396 --> 00:09:28,276 Speaker 1: a huge sense of purpose and meaning. In spite of 143 00:09:28,316 --> 00:09:31,076 Speaker 1: all his losses, Eneas was faded to become the man 144 00:09:31,116 --> 00:09:34,596 Speaker 1: who had found Rome. Yeah, his journey did suck, but 145 00:09:34,756 --> 00:09:37,396 Speaker 1: Eneas was set to achieve so much after all his 146 00:09:37,476 --> 00:09:41,196 Speaker 1: trials and tribulations. With that tale of redemption, Virgil was 147 00:09:41,196 --> 00:09:43,476 Speaker 1: able to hold up a mirror to his fellow Romans. 148 00:09:44,076 --> 00:09:47,076 Speaker 1: He was reminding them, Yeah, you've had some tough times, 149 00:09:47,236 --> 00:09:50,476 Speaker 1: but you survived, and now it's time to flourish once again. 150 00:09:50,796 --> 00:09:53,556 Speaker 1: It was a message that especially resonated around the time 151 00:09:53,596 --> 00:09:57,036 Speaker 1: The Indian was written, as Rome's new emperor, Augustus, was 152 00:09:57,076 --> 00:10:02,836 Speaker 1: taking the throne. Augustus is Caesar's great nephew and heir 153 00:10:03,316 --> 00:10:07,716 Speaker 1: and finally sort of gets to be the main guy 154 00:10:07,836 --> 00:10:12,996 Speaker 1: in charge of Rome and starts a period of kind 155 00:10:13,036 --> 00:10:17,396 Speaker 1: of relative stability, and Virgil's poem as in some way 156 00:10:17,436 --> 00:10:21,036 Speaker 1: a celebration of that. But the ancient Romans aren't the 157 00:10:21,116 --> 00:10:23,836 Speaker 1: only ones who can learn from Virgil's epic celebration of 158 00:10:23,916 --> 00:10:26,596 Speaker 1: growth through suffering. When we get back from the break, 159 00:10:26,876 --> 00:10:29,636 Speaker 1: we'll hear about what modern readers can learn from Aeneas's 160 00:10:29,676 --> 00:10:32,916 Speaker 1: ancient redemption story. We'll learn that Aeneas uses a special 161 00:10:32,956 --> 00:10:36,356 Speaker 1: psychological technique that helps him and his men overcome their pain, 162 00:10:36,916 --> 00:10:39,516 Speaker 1: a strategy that science shows we should probably all be 163 00:10:39,636 --> 00:10:42,036 Speaker 1: using when we find ourselves going through a tough time 164 00:10:42,156 --> 00:10:44,676 Speaker 1: and want to feel better. We'll hear more about this 165 00:10:44,756 --> 00:10:48,316 Speaker 1: effective ancient resilience technique when the Happiness lad returns in 166 00:10:48,396 --> 00:11:00,396 Speaker 1: a moment. It's the most successful poem in the history 167 00:11:00,476 --> 00:11:08,596 Speaker 1: of European languages. Arguably sounds free impressive. Yeah like me. 168 00:11:08,796 --> 00:11:12,276 Speaker 1: A Professor Stephanie Frampton is a big advocate of Virgil's 169 00:11:12,276 --> 00:11:14,676 Speaker 1: epic the Eneid and the role that can play in 170 00:11:14,756 --> 00:11:19,436 Speaker 1: helping us to understand the psychology of resilience. It's known 171 00:11:19,516 --> 00:11:23,916 Speaker 1: as the best poem in the best language. Obviously, Homer, 172 00:11:24,596 --> 00:11:29,436 Speaker 1: the Iliad, the Odyssey have a huge impact and are read, 173 00:11:29,636 --> 00:11:33,116 Speaker 1: but Greek isn't as prominent a language in the sort 174 00:11:33,156 --> 00:11:36,276 Speaker 1: of subsequent history of Europe for all sorts of reasons, 175 00:11:36,316 --> 00:11:39,236 Speaker 1: mostly because of the Catholic Church. Latin is a language 176 00:11:39,276 --> 00:11:44,676 Speaker 1: that's spoken in Europe actively from the first millennium BC 177 00:11:45,436 --> 00:11:54,676 Speaker 1: through the eighteenth century through nineteen nineties New Bedford High School. Yeah, 178 00:11:54,716 --> 00:11:56,876 Speaker 1: when I first read the Indiad as a teenager, I 179 00:11:56,916 --> 00:11:59,236 Speaker 1: was struck by how well the poem's hero Eneas was 180 00:11:59,276 --> 00:12:02,756 Speaker 1: able to rise above the terrible tragedies he endured, which 181 00:12:02,796 --> 00:12:05,436 Speaker 1: was no small fee, since the poet Virgil didn't shy 182 00:12:05,476 --> 00:12:09,156 Speaker 1: away from sending terrible stuff. Enius's way. To quote my 183 00:12:09,196 --> 00:12:13,036 Speaker 1: own high school translation of Virgil, Aeneas was much buffeted 184 00:12:13,076 --> 00:12:15,396 Speaker 1: by the winds of fate. I mean, the dude lost 185 00:12:15,436 --> 00:12:18,396 Speaker 1: his wife and his homeland, He was trapped in numerous 186 00:12:18,436 --> 00:12:21,276 Speaker 1: deadly squalls at sea. He even had to face a 187 00:12:21,356 --> 00:12:24,556 Speaker 1: rabid cyclops mob. But what I was most impressed by 188 00:12:24,716 --> 00:12:26,996 Speaker 1: is the fact that Eneas didn't shy away from all 189 00:12:26,996 --> 00:12:30,276 Speaker 1: the bad stuff or try to suppress what he went through. No, 190 00:12:30,476 --> 00:12:33,676 Speaker 1: he kind of relished focusing on it. Take for example, 191 00:12:33,796 --> 00:12:36,356 Speaker 1: what happened soon after Eneas and his men crash onto 192 00:12:36,396 --> 00:12:40,396 Speaker 1: the coast of Carthage after enduring a terrible storm. They've 193 00:12:40,596 --> 00:12:43,276 Speaker 1: been shipwrecked, They've found themselves on the shores of this 194 00:12:43,356 --> 00:12:47,436 Speaker 1: strange land. Eneas and his men were soon welcomed by 195 00:12:47,436 --> 00:12:50,956 Speaker 1: this strange land's residence as well as their queen, Dido. 196 00:12:51,676 --> 00:12:54,556 Speaker 1: Dido wanted to be hospitable, so she invited the Trojans 197 00:12:54,596 --> 00:12:57,596 Speaker 1: to a big feast, the first great meal Aeneas's men 198 00:12:57,636 --> 00:13:00,716 Speaker 1: had had in months. That's the first time that they 199 00:13:00,836 --> 00:13:04,916 Speaker 1: have found a place where they feel like maybe they 200 00:13:04,916 --> 00:13:08,396 Speaker 1: can be a little safe for a moment and reflect. 201 00:13:08,756 --> 00:13:11,636 Speaker 1: At the celebration, the queen asks Nias to tell the 202 00:13:11,676 --> 00:13:14,196 Speaker 1: story of how he and his men wound up shipwrecked 203 00:13:14,196 --> 00:13:16,996 Speaker 1: on the beach outside their city. And at this point 204 00:13:17,196 --> 00:13:20,356 Speaker 1: Eneas could have tried to do the polite thing, you know, 205 00:13:20,556 --> 00:13:23,876 Speaker 1: share a few vague particulars about what happened, but not 206 00:13:23,956 --> 00:13:26,796 Speaker 1: get into too many of the unpleasant details, as that 207 00:13:27,036 --> 00:13:31,076 Speaker 1: probably would have ruined the celebratory mood. But that's not 208 00:13:31,116 --> 00:13:35,756 Speaker 1: what Eneas did. Too deep for words, Oh Queen, is 209 00:13:35,756 --> 00:13:39,716 Speaker 1: the grief you bid me renew? How the Greeks overthrew 210 00:13:39,876 --> 00:13:44,316 Speaker 1: Troy's wealth and woe for relm the sights most piteous 211 00:13:44,356 --> 00:13:47,996 Speaker 1: that I saw myself, and wherein I played no small role. 212 00:13:48,756 --> 00:13:52,476 Speaker 1: Annias really went there. He spent an entire chapter of 213 00:13:52,476 --> 00:13:55,956 Speaker 1: the poem walking through the terrible, sordid, gory details of 214 00:13:56,116 --> 00:13:59,076 Speaker 1: literally every single bad thing he and his men went through, 215 00:13:59,836 --> 00:14:03,356 Speaker 1: and he has recalls the moments when he's leaving Troy, 216 00:14:03,716 --> 00:14:07,516 Speaker 1: with the city burning around him, he puts his father 217 00:14:07,676 --> 00:14:09,996 Speaker 1: on his back to carry him out of the city. 218 00:14:10,076 --> 00:14:14,156 Speaker 1: He grabs his son's hand and has him follow it 219 00:14:14,196 --> 00:14:18,276 Speaker 1: along at his side. Enias describes turning back and sort 220 00:14:18,276 --> 00:14:22,516 Speaker 1: of seeing his wife has gone missing. He's lost her 221 00:14:22,676 --> 00:14:25,396 Speaker 1: in the melee, and he goes to the ships and 222 00:14:25,516 --> 00:14:28,836 Speaker 1: tries to sort of rally some of his men together 223 00:14:29,036 --> 00:14:33,596 Speaker 1: and flee on the water. Such words he spoke while 224 00:14:33,716 --> 00:14:38,476 Speaker 1: sick with deep distress. He feigns hope on his face 225 00:14:39,476 --> 00:14:44,956 Speaker 1: and deep in his heart stifles his anguish. Enias didn't 226 00:14:44,956 --> 00:14:48,196 Speaker 1: downplay any of the trauma he experienced. He described it 227 00:14:48,236 --> 00:14:50,476 Speaker 1: in as much detail and with as much candor as 228 00:14:50,476 --> 00:14:53,476 Speaker 1: he could, which didn't make for a very pleasant dinner 229 00:14:53,516 --> 00:14:56,876 Speaker 1: party conversation. Many of us would choose not to be 230 00:14:56,916 --> 00:14:59,356 Speaker 1: as open as a Enias was in discussing the negative 231 00:14:59,396 --> 00:15:02,676 Speaker 1: experience as we've endured, we'd probably assume that none of 232 00:15:02,676 --> 00:15:05,476 Speaker 1: our friends wanted to hear about all our drama. We 233 00:15:05,556 --> 00:15:08,076 Speaker 1: might figure that talking about our tragedies would likely make 234 00:15:08,156 --> 00:15:10,836 Speaker 1: us feel worse. But the science shows that this is 235 00:15:10,876 --> 00:15:13,436 Speaker 1: a spot where our minds are lying to us, because 236 00:15:13,476 --> 00:15:17,236 Speaker 1: tons of evidence suggests that disclosing our personal tragedies openly 237 00:15:17,676 --> 00:15:22,036 Speaker 1: might be an important first step towards actually healing them. 238 00:15:22,116 --> 00:15:25,636 Speaker 1: Years ago, I came across an interesting finding that people 239 00:15:25,676 --> 00:15:27,876 Speaker 1: who had had a major traumatic experience when they were 240 00:15:27,916 --> 00:15:31,436 Speaker 1: young were much more likely to have long term health problems. 241 00:15:31,716 --> 00:15:35,396 Speaker 1: This is Jamie Pennybaker, a professor of psychology at UT Austin. 242 00:15:36,236 --> 00:15:38,196 Speaker 1: Jamie has been a guest on the Happiness Lab before 243 00:15:38,396 --> 00:15:40,716 Speaker 1: to share his work on the importance of talking candidly 244 00:15:40,876 --> 00:15:44,236 Speaker 1: about our bad times. I later discovered it was because 245 00:15:44,436 --> 00:15:47,516 Speaker 1: people kept it secret. That they still were thinking about it, 246 00:15:47,556 --> 00:15:50,556 Speaker 1: but they were keeping it secret because it was humiliating 247 00:15:50,596 --> 00:15:53,836 Speaker 1: to acknowledge it. And we found that when people were 248 00:15:53,836 --> 00:15:57,276 Speaker 1: asked to write about a deeply troubling traumatic experience or 249 00:15:57,356 --> 00:16:00,116 Speaker 1: upsetting experience that they hadn't talked to other people about, 250 00:16:00,636 --> 00:16:03,836 Speaker 1: that it was associated with better physical health. That people 251 00:16:03,836 --> 00:16:06,436 Speaker 1: went to the doctor last, their immune system got better. 252 00:16:06,876 --> 00:16:10,396 Speaker 1: So that was how I've become so intrigued with this 253 00:16:10,516 --> 00:16:13,836 Speaker 1: notion that if you have something that's bad and you 254 00:16:13,876 --> 00:16:16,636 Speaker 1: don't want to talk about it, you probably should think 255 00:16:16,676 --> 00:16:19,196 Speaker 1: about talking about it, or at least writing about it. 256 00:16:19,596 --> 00:16:23,356 Speaker 1: He's spoken to Holocaust survivors about sharing their harrowing life stories, 257 00:16:23,716 --> 00:16:26,876 Speaker 1: and he's also had college students write down their upsetting memories. 258 00:16:27,356 --> 00:16:29,956 Speaker 1: His research shows that talking in detail with someone you 259 00:16:29,996 --> 00:16:33,196 Speaker 1: trust about unpleasant events, or even just jotting them down 260 00:16:33,196 --> 00:16:36,796 Speaker 1: on paper, can have a surprisingly positive impact. There are 261 00:16:36,876 --> 00:16:39,276 Speaker 1: easily one or two thousand studies that have been done 262 00:16:39,276 --> 00:16:43,596 Speaker 1: since then. Across these studies, it's been associated with reductions 263 00:16:43,596 --> 00:16:46,556 Speaker 1: and symptoms of depression and post traumatic stress disorder. It's 264 00:16:46,556 --> 00:16:50,436 Speaker 1: been associated with people performing better on creative tasks, doing 265 00:16:50,476 --> 00:16:55,196 Speaker 1: better on standardized tests like SATs or MCATs people they 266 00:16:55,196 --> 00:17:00,156 Speaker 1: report being happier, they're mentally healthier, and the biological markers 267 00:17:00,236 --> 00:17:03,596 Speaker 1: have been quite impressive in terms of changes in terms 268 00:17:03,596 --> 00:17:07,596 Speaker 1: of improvements and symptoms of arthritis and immune disorders and 269 00:17:07,756 --> 00:17:11,396 Speaker 1: cardiovascular changes and so forth. There's a decent chance it'll 270 00:17:11,396 --> 00:17:14,156 Speaker 1: be associated with your sleeping better, that you'll be able 271 00:17:14,196 --> 00:17:16,876 Speaker 1: to get along with other people better. You're able to 272 00:17:16,916 --> 00:17:20,676 Speaker 1: get through upsetting experiences the way that we often don't 273 00:17:20,756 --> 00:17:24,356 Speaker 1: if we are sitting quietly and mulling over these issues 274 00:17:24,356 --> 00:17:27,436 Speaker 1: in our minds. Jamie has found that trying to suppress 275 00:17:27,476 --> 00:17:30,356 Speaker 1: our bad memories puts a huge cognitive strain on our brains. 276 00:17:30,836 --> 00:17:33,716 Speaker 1: Our minds simply don't react well when we tell them, hey, 277 00:17:33,836 --> 00:17:36,076 Speaker 1: this thought is kind of sad. Well, let's not think 278 00:17:36,116 --> 00:17:38,956 Speaker 1: about it anymore. And that means that opening up about 279 00:17:38,956 --> 00:17:41,476 Speaker 1: our trauma, whether to a caring friend or just in 280 00:17:41,516 --> 00:17:45,316 Speaker 1: a private journal, can be a huge psychological relief, one 281 00:17:45,356 --> 00:17:47,756 Speaker 1: that comes with all the health and happiness benefits that 282 00:17:47,876 --> 00:17:50,996 Speaker 1: Jamie just mentioned. But Jamie has found that there's also 283 00:17:51,036 --> 00:17:54,836 Speaker 1: a second reason that openly sharing upsetting stories is beneficial 284 00:17:54,876 --> 00:17:58,796 Speaker 1: for us. By putting an upsetting experience into words, It 285 00:17:58,876 --> 00:18:03,556 Speaker 1: forces structure, it forces an organization. There's a beginning, middle, 286 00:18:03,596 --> 00:18:06,436 Speaker 1: and end. It's not blowing off steam. It's not some 287 00:18:06,556 --> 00:18:10,676 Speaker 1: kind of venting or catharsis. Instead, you are coming to 288 00:18:10,756 --> 00:18:15,116 Speaker 1: understand the event and also yourself better. When Aeneas flooded 289 00:18:15,116 --> 00:18:17,876 Speaker 1: his fellow dinner guests with the sad details about losing 290 00:18:17,916 --> 00:18:21,156 Speaker 1: his beloved city and fleeing from a horde of hungry cyclopses, 291 00:18:21,596 --> 00:18:24,436 Speaker 1: he wasn't just complaining. He was giving his mind an 292 00:18:24,476 --> 00:18:27,196 Speaker 1: effective way to make sense of the dangers his men faced. 293 00:18:27,756 --> 00:18:30,836 Speaker 1: Talking about those tragic events allowed Eneas to more carefully 294 00:18:30,876 --> 00:18:33,116 Speaker 1: examined the bravery and skill that he and his men 295 00:18:33,196 --> 00:18:35,916 Speaker 1: showed during those tough times. It gave him a chance 296 00:18:35,956 --> 00:18:38,716 Speaker 1: to reflect on what he learned from all that adversity. 297 00:18:39,036 --> 00:18:41,916 Speaker 1: And this is something that I find interesting about adversity. 298 00:18:42,156 --> 00:18:46,436 Speaker 1: Having the thing that's negative certainly sucks, but by the 299 00:18:46,516 --> 00:18:49,996 Speaker 1: same token, it has the potential to be healing in 300 00:18:50,076 --> 00:18:53,636 Speaker 1: to make us rethink ourselves and rethink our lives. Classic 301 00:18:53,676 --> 00:18:56,236 Speaker 1: scholar Stephanie Frampton thinks that this is an insight that 302 00:18:56,356 --> 00:18:58,876 Speaker 1: Virgil nicely put into effect in one of my favorite 303 00:18:58,876 --> 00:19:02,196 Speaker 1: passages of the Indian the spot where Aeneas speaks to 304 00:19:02,196 --> 00:19:05,396 Speaker 1: his men directly about what overcoming so much adversity can 305 00:19:05,436 --> 00:19:11,316 Speaker 1: mean for their success in the future. Oh, comrades, for this, 306 00:19:11,556 --> 00:19:15,996 Speaker 1: we have not been ignorant of misfortune. You who have 307 00:19:16,116 --> 00:19:22,956 Speaker 1: suffered worse. This also, God will end. You drew near 308 00:19:23,116 --> 00:19:27,956 Speaker 1: to Skyla's fury and her deep echoing crags. You have 309 00:19:28,156 --> 00:19:34,196 Speaker 1: known too the rocks of the cyclops. Recall your courage 310 00:19:34,636 --> 00:19:41,436 Speaker 1: and banish sad fear. Perhaps even this distress it will 311 00:19:41,516 --> 00:19:45,996 Speaker 1: someday be a joy to recall, he says, Recall your 312 00:19:46,036 --> 00:19:50,716 Speaker 1: courage and banish fear. That expression, recall your courage, I 313 00:19:50,716 --> 00:19:54,076 Speaker 1: think in this context is really interesting. The words in 314 00:19:54,156 --> 00:20:00,516 Speaker 1: Latin are ray wocte animos, so call back literally call 315 00:20:00,596 --> 00:20:04,956 Speaker 1: it again to yourself, your animos, your spirit. It means 316 00:20:05,276 --> 00:20:08,756 Speaker 1: both recall as in call it back to mind, but 317 00:20:08,796 --> 00:20:13,396 Speaker 1: it means also have that spirit again, like use it again. 318 00:20:14,036 --> 00:20:17,556 Speaker 1: So it points in both directions. Right, it's memory that's 319 00:20:17,596 --> 00:20:22,476 Speaker 1: working to contextualize their present situation. It's memory that's working 320 00:20:22,516 --> 00:20:25,636 Speaker 1: to give them courage now, and it's courage now that 321 00:20:25,676 --> 00:20:29,116 Speaker 1: will give them strength for the future. It's like you're 322 00:20:29,436 --> 00:20:32,116 Speaker 1: using the past in a particular story about the past 323 00:20:32,156 --> 00:20:34,516 Speaker 1: to remind yourself, Hey, I got through this before, I 324 00:20:34,556 --> 00:20:37,076 Speaker 1: was resilient before, I can do it again. So you're 325 00:20:37,116 --> 00:20:40,676 Speaker 1: like literally using stories about the past to recall something 326 00:20:40,716 --> 00:20:43,396 Speaker 1: really important that you need right now or in the future. 327 00:20:43,836 --> 00:20:46,556 Speaker 1: And we can also think that Virgil is doing this 328 00:20:46,956 --> 00:20:51,316 Speaker 1: too for himself. Right He's saying, Romans, remember what you've 329 00:20:51,356 --> 00:20:54,276 Speaker 1: been through. It is the strength that you need now 330 00:20:54,436 --> 00:20:56,836 Speaker 1: to go forward. It's part of why the book was 331 00:20:56,876 --> 00:21:00,716 Speaker 1: so embraced when it originally appeared. It had this ripple 332 00:21:00,796 --> 00:21:07,076 Speaker 1: effect of saying, if a Eneas's sacrifices were worth it 333 00:21:07,156 --> 00:21:10,396 Speaker 1: for him to get here for us, than our sacrifices 334 00:21:10,436 --> 00:21:12,756 Speaker 1: are also may be worth it for us to get 335 00:21:12,756 --> 00:21:15,556 Speaker 1: to a better place. But Aeneas didn't just tell his 336 00:21:15,636 --> 00:21:18,796 Speaker 1: comrades to recall their courage in that famous passage. He 337 00:21:18,916 --> 00:21:21,556 Speaker 1: also gave them an optimistic framework for how to think 338 00:21:21,596 --> 00:21:23,956 Speaker 1: about and reflect on those sad times in the future. 339 00:21:24,796 --> 00:21:27,956 Speaker 1: He says, perhaps it will someday even be a pleasure 340 00:21:28,036 --> 00:21:31,916 Speaker 1: to remember these things when we get back from the break. 341 00:21:32,076 --> 00:21:35,596 Speaker 1: We'll look at this aspect of virgil psychological insight that 342 00:21:35,676 --> 00:21:38,356 Speaker 1: with an optimistic perspective, we can begin to see our 343 00:21:38,396 --> 00:21:42,236 Speaker 1: past sorrows not as tragedies but as blessings, ones that 344 00:21:42,276 --> 00:21:45,436 Speaker 1: allow us to grow as people. We'll see that Eneas 345 00:21:45,556 --> 00:21:48,476 Speaker 1: is an ancient example of what modern psychologists refer to 346 00:21:48,636 --> 00:21:52,076 Speaker 1: as post traumatic growth. We'll learn what post traumatic growth 347 00:21:52,196 --> 00:21:54,916 Speaker 1: is and why this concept can be so essential for 348 00:21:55,036 --> 00:21:58,676 Speaker 1: feeling resilient during bad times. The Happiness Lab will be 349 00:21:58,756 --> 00:22:11,756 Speaker 1: right back. Through varied fortunes, through countless meds, we journey 350 00:22:11,916 --> 00:22:18,116 Speaker 1: towards Ladium, where Fate promises a home of peace. As 351 00:22:18,156 --> 00:22:21,236 Speaker 1: Aeneas helps his men process they're still fresh memories of 352 00:22:21,236 --> 00:22:24,996 Speaker 1: the sacking of Troy and their horrific escape across the sea, 353 00:22:25,116 --> 00:22:27,956 Speaker 1: he stays focused not just on all the trauma they endured, 354 00:22:28,316 --> 00:22:31,916 Speaker 1: but also on their brighter, better future. Aeneas reminds his 355 00:22:31,956 --> 00:22:34,316 Speaker 1: men that in spite of all they've been through, they're 356 00:22:34,356 --> 00:22:37,476 Speaker 1: still headed for Latium, where Rome stands today, in the 357 00:22:37,476 --> 00:22:40,516 Speaker 1: hopes of fulfilling their destiny of founding a great new city. 358 00:22:41,596 --> 00:22:44,916 Speaker 1: In this way, Eneas focuses not just on the past, which, 359 00:22:44,916 --> 00:22:47,116 Speaker 1: as we learned before, can help him process the grief 360 00:22:47,196 --> 00:22:50,276 Speaker 1: he's been through, but also on the future and all 361 00:22:50,276 --> 00:22:53,636 Speaker 1: the prosperity it might bring. Aeneas's tendency to keep an 362 00:22:53,636 --> 00:22:56,836 Speaker 1: optimistic eye on what's to come was best illustrated in 363 00:22:56,876 --> 00:22:59,476 Speaker 1: a pivotal passage in the Inid in which he takes 364 00:22:59,476 --> 00:23:01,836 Speaker 1: a journey to the land of the Dead and gets 365 00:23:01,836 --> 00:23:04,596 Speaker 1: to see visions of just how amazing the empire he's 366 00:23:04,596 --> 00:23:07,756 Speaker 1: about to found will turn out. For this, the kind 367 00:23:07,796 --> 00:23:10,876 Speaker 1: of foundational moment is in book six, when he goes 368 00:23:10,916 --> 00:23:14,236 Speaker 1: and visits the underworld, and not only does he see 369 00:23:14,516 --> 00:23:18,076 Speaker 1: his father, who's died at that point, but he also 370 00:23:18,196 --> 00:23:25,516 Speaker 1: sees all of Romans to come, including Augustus and his family. 371 00:23:28,476 --> 00:23:33,876 Speaker 1: Turn hither, now, your two eyed gaze, and behold this nation, 372 00:23:35,036 --> 00:23:40,596 Speaker 1: the Romans that are yours. Here is Caesar, and all 373 00:23:40,676 --> 00:23:45,156 Speaker 1: the seed of Lullus, destined to pass under Heaven's spacious sphere. 374 00:23:46,596 --> 00:23:49,156 Speaker 1: And this, in truth is he whom you so often 375 00:23:49,556 --> 00:23:56,516 Speaker 1: here promised you, Augustus Caesar, son of a God, who 376 00:23:56,516 --> 00:24:01,396 Speaker 1: will again establish a golden age in Ladium amid fields. 377 00:24:01,516 --> 00:24:07,596 Speaker 1: Once ruled by Saturn. He will advance his empire beyond 378 00:24:07,636 --> 00:24:12,156 Speaker 1: the Garriments and India to a land which lies beyond 379 00:24:12,276 --> 00:24:15,636 Speaker 1: our stars. If he kind of gets this preview of 380 00:24:15,676 --> 00:24:18,716 Speaker 1: like all the awesome stuff to come exactly. And it's like, 381 00:24:18,836 --> 00:24:22,636 Speaker 1: because of this, because of what you're going through, we 382 00:24:23,236 --> 00:24:27,676 Speaker 1: get to have the realm of today. So the Aeniad 383 00:24:27,756 --> 00:24:30,276 Speaker 1: is kind of this incredible story, right. It's aneas this 384 00:24:30,396 --> 00:24:32,756 Speaker 1: dude who's like fleeing from his homeland with his old 385 00:24:32,796 --> 00:24:34,516 Speaker 1: dad on his back and like trying to grab his 386 00:24:34,636 --> 00:24:38,596 Speaker 1: kid before everything burns to rubble. But ultimately it's the 387 00:24:38,636 --> 00:24:42,196 Speaker 1: story of the founding of the most important empire ever. 388 00:24:42,756 --> 00:24:45,556 Speaker 1: And so it's kind of this like trauma turn to 389 00:24:45,676 --> 00:24:47,676 Speaker 1: growth sort of story. And I think that's one of 390 00:24:47,676 --> 00:24:49,876 Speaker 1: the reasons I really enjoy it still to this day 391 00:24:49,956 --> 00:24:53,596 Speaker 1: is it's kind of like the Roman poetry version of 392 00:24:53,596 --> 00:24:56,516 Speaker 1: what psychologists talk about when they talk about post traumatic growth. 393 00:24:57,316 --> 00:25:00,476 Speaker 1: Post Traumatic growth is a phenomenon that psychologists have become 394 00:25:00,516 --> 00:25:03,756 Speaker 1: more and more interested in. Now you've probably already heard 395 00:25:03,756 --> 00:25:06,716 Speaker 1: about a related concept, what's known as post traumatic stress 396 00:25:06,876 --> 00:25:11,276 Speaker 1: or PTSD. PTSD is a mental disorder that arises after 397 00:25:11,316 --> 00:25:14,116 Speaker 1: people have gone through trauma or other terrible life events. 398 00:25:14,716 --> 00:25:17,836 Speaker 1: But scientists have begun to realize that trauma doesn't always 399 00:25:17,876 --> 00:25:21,916 Speaker 1: only result in long term emotional distress. Survivors sometimes show 400 00:25:21,956 --> 00:25:25,796 Speaker 1: the opposite pattern. After growing through painful life events, people 401 00:25:25,876 --> 00:25:30,276 Speaker 1: wind up experiencing a host of positive psychological changes. We 402 00:25:30,356 --> 00:25:32,236 Speaker 1: know that trauma can lead to long term stress and 403 00:25:32,236 --> 00:25:35,076 Speaker 1: negative symptoms, but there's also evidence that it can be 404 00:25:35,116 --> 00:25:39,076 Speaker 1: a fertile ground for discovering new relationships, for harness and courage, 405 00:25:39,276 --> 00:25:42,156 Speaker 1: and for finding a sense of meaning. This sweet of 406 00:25:42,196 --> 00:25:45,716 Speaker 1: positive outcomes after trauma is what researchers have begun calling 407 00:25:45,836 --> 00:25:49,596 Speaker 1: post traumatic growth. The academic concept of post traumatic growth 408 00:25:49,636 --> 00:25:52,556 Speaker 1: is relatively new, but it's pretty clear that ancient poets 409 00:25:52,596 --> 00:25:57,276 Speaker 1: like Virgil understood it. You find more resilience, you find 410 00:25:57,396 --> 00:26:00,196 Speaker 1: a bigger sense of meaning. You think that because you've 411 00:26:00,196 --> 00:26:01,756 Speaker 1: made it through this trauma of the world has something 412 00:26:01,796 --> 00:26:03,916 Speaker 1: important for you to do. I mean, is that kind 413 00:26:03,916 --> 00:26:06,076 Speaker 1: of the way the poem was thought about back in 414 00:26:06,116 --> 00:26:10,596 Speaker 1: the day. Absolutely, And it's really as to the trauma 415 00:26:10,716 --> 00:26:13,916 Speaker 1: that Rome has gone through for the last hundred years 416 00:26:14,036 --> 00:26:17,756 Speaker 1: in their civil wars. It's an idea that if Eneas 417 00:26:17,836 --> 00:26:20,556 Speaker 1: can get through this, that we all can get through 418 00:26:20,596 --> 00:26:24,276 Speaker 1: this together. We usually assume that upsetting life events have 419 00:26:24,436 --> 00:26:27,596 Speaker 1: to take a real toll on us, that traumatic circumstances 420 00:26:27,636 --> 00:26:30,516 Speaker 1: inevitably lead to negative effects that can last a lifetime. 421 00:26:31,236 --> 00:26:33,796 Speaker 1: But research has shown that there are ways of processing 422 00:26:33,796 --> 00:26:36,956 Speaker 1: our bad life events that at least over time, can 423 00:26:36,996 --> 00:26:39,756 Speaker 1: help us move towards a sense of growth instead. But 424 00:26:40,036 --> 00:26:42,236 Speaker 1: what are some of these more effective ways of dealing 425 00:26:42,276 --> 00:26:45,076 Speaker 1: with bad life events. I can tell you right now 426 00:26:45,156 --> 00:26:49,436 Speaker 1: that what happened to me is a blessing. This is JR. Martinez. 427 00:26:49,956 --> 00:26:52,516 Speaker 1: But it took a lot of work for me to 428 00:26:52,556 --> 00:26:55,196 Speaker 1: get to this point, almost sixteen years later, for me 429 00:26:55,236 --> 00:26:58,996 Speaker 1: to say this to you. Like the ancient fictional hero Eneas, Jr. 430 00:26:59,076 --> 00:27:01,676 Speaker 1: Was no stranger to the horrors of warfare and violence. 431 00:27:02,276 --> 00:27:04,916 Speaker 1: He served as a soldier in Iraq, and his life 432 00:27:04,996 --> 00:27:07,436 Speaker 1: changed in an instant when the vehicle he was driving 433 00:27:07,516 --> 00:27:11,476 Speaker 1: exploded when it was struck by roadside bomb. Jr. Was 434 00:27:11,476 --> 00:27:16,276 Speaker 1: eventually rescued, but he suffered horrific burns. These painful injuries 435 00:27:16,396 --> 00:27:19,396 Speaker 1: ended the then nineteen year old's military career and left 436 00:27:19,476 --> 00:27:22,636 Speaker 1: him scarred and disfigured for life. The identity that I 437 00:27:22,636 --> 00:27:25,316 Speaker 1: had known for nineteen years of my life, my physical appearance, 438 00:27:25,636 --> 00:27:28,476 Speaker 1: what I recognize for nineteen years of my life, every morning, 439 00:27:28,556 --> 00:27:30,356 Speaker 1: every evening, every day in between, when I looked in 440 00:27:30,356 --> 00:27:32,236 Speaker 1: the mirror, that identity is taken away from me, and 441 00:27:32,276 --> 00:27:34,476 Speaker 1: now I'm looking in the mirror and that person that 442 00:27:34,516 --> 00:27:37,076 Speaker 1: I see I do not recognize. I have no relationship 443 00:27:37,116 --> 00:27:39,636 Speaker 1: with that individual, and having to come to terms with 444 00:27:39,716 --> 00:27:42,356 Speaker 1: accepting the fact that the person that I used to 445 00:27:42,396 --> 00:27:46,916 Speaker 1: be has died. That person's gone will never come back. Jr. 446 00:27:46,956 --> 00:27:50,196 Speaker 1: Suffered terribly after his accident and initially showed many of 447 00:27:50,196 --> 00:27:53,996 Speaker 1: the negative effects that come after experiencing trauma. I was drinking, 448 00:27:54,196 --> 00:27:57,396 Speaker 1: I was angry, I was reckless. I mean, I was 449 00:27:57,476 --> 00:28:00,196 Speaker 1: not pleasant to be around. I really wasn't. But the 450 00:28:00,236 --> 00:28:02,916 Speaker 1: tragedy of that bomb blast was also a pivotal moment 451 00:28:02,916 --> 00:28:05,756 Speaker 1: of change in Jr's life. It caused him to realize 452 00:28:05,796 --> 00:28:08,436 Speaker 1: that life was short and that he needed to prioritize 453 00:28:08,476 --> 00:28:11,556 Speaker 1: making the most of it. So, in spite of his scars, 454 00:28:11,796 --> 00:28:14,236 Speaker 1: he decided to follow his dream of becoming an actor. 455 00:28:14,956 --> 00:28:17,156 Speaker 1: He auditioned for a part in a soap opera and 456 00:28:17,276 --> 00:28:21,236 Speaker 1: got it. He eventually became a TV celebrity, a magazine 457 00:28:21,276 --> 00:28:25,756 Speaker 1: cover star, a motivational speaker, and an advocate for disabled veterans. 458 00:28:26,236 --> 00:28:28,796 Speaker 1: That's why he now describes getting blown up in Iraq 459 00:28:28,836 --> 00:28:31,876 Speaker 1: at nineteen years old as a blessing. I'm blessed to 460 00:28:31,916 --> 00:28:34,676 Speaker 1: have a second chance at life. I'm so passionate and 461 00:28:34,996 --> 00:28:38,076 Speaker 1: I have so much passion inside of me because I 462 00:28:38,116 --> 00:28:40,236 Speaker 1: don't want to take this second chance for granted. I 463 00:28:40,276 --> 00:28:43,916 Speaker 1: am trying to live at one hundred percent every single day. 464 00:28:44,676 --> 00:28:46,596 Speaker 1: You can hear more of JR. Story in a previous 465 00:28:46,596 --> 00:28:49,796 Speaker 1: episode of The Happiness Lab called The Unhappy Millionaire. But 466 00:28:49,836 --> 00:28:52,636 Speaker 1: I've included JR. Again in this episode because both he 467 00:28:52,756 --> 00:28:55,916 Speaker 1: and our ancient hero Aeneas are great examples of strategies 468 00:28:55,956 --> 00:28:58,876 Speaker 1: you can use to move towards post traumatic growth, and 469 00:28:58,956 --> 00:29:01,836 Speaker 1: one of those strategies involves trying to manage your emotional 470 00:29:01,876 --> 00:29:05,156 Speaker 1: distress as best you can. This was something that Anneus 471 00:29:05,196 --> 00:29:08,116 Speaker 1: did well, explicitly telling his men to make sure they 472 00:29:08,116 --> 00:29:13,676 Speaker 1: were regulating theirs. Oh comrades, for this, we have not 473 00:29:13,836 --> 00:29:20,316 Speaker 1: been ignorant of misfortune. You who have suffered worse, Recall 474 00:29:20,756 --> 00:29:26,036 Speaker 1: your courage and banish sad fear. Banish your fear, and 475 00:29:26,116 --> 00:29:28,836 Speaker 1: call back those good emotions, says in Us. But former 476 00:29:28,876 --> 00:29:31,516 Speaker 1: soldier JR. Martinez gives us a great method to do 477 00:29:31,596 --> 00:29:34,676 Speaker 1: just that. He found ways to experience gratitude for his 478 00:29:34,796 --> 00:29:38,996 Speaker 1: terrible ordeal. He spent his time intentionally noticing that things 479 00:29:39,076 --> 00:29:41,276 Speaker 1: could have been worse, considering the fact that I was 480 00:29:41,316 --> 00:29:43,596 Speaker 1: trapped inside of a burning truck for five minutes. I'm 481 00:29:43,636 --> 00:29:46,356 Speaker 1: fortunate to only have what I have. I have a 482 00:29:46,356 --> 00:29:48,076 Speaker 1: lot of friends, and I know a lot of people 483 00:29:48,116 --> 00:29:52,356 Speaker 1: that unfortunately have missing limbs, are more scarred, you know, 484 00:29:52,836 --> 00:29:55,836 Speaker 1: or disfigured. You know, you know, I to some degree, 485 00:29:55,836 --> 00:29:58,116 Speaker 1: I'm very lucky that my skin graphs and the burns 486 00:29:58,196 --> 00:30:01,356 Speaker 1: kind of blend in with my skin tone, so you know, 487 00:30:01,396 --> 00:30:05,516 Speaker 1: it's just in some ways it's not has noticeable oddly enough, 488 00:30:05,716 --> 00:30:09,116 Speaker 1: right like you know, so in that sense, incredibly fortunate. 489 00:30:09,716 --> 00:30:13,156 Speaker 1: But another psychologically effective strategy for getting through tough times 490 00:30:13,476 --> 00:30:16,076 Speaker 1: is finding ways to use your adversity to give back 491 00:30:16,516 --> 00:30:20,036 Speaker 1: by becoming more other oriented in the face of tragedy. 492 00:30:20,156 --> 00:30:22,596 Speaker 1: Annias did this by focusing on taking care of his 493 00:30:22,676 --> 00:30:25,516 Speaker 1: men and making sure they made good on the legacy 494 00:30:25,556 --> 00:30:29,636 Speaker 1: of their fallen Trojans and Jr. Did something similar. He 495 00:30:29,756 --> 00:30:31,836 Speaker 1: realized that he might be able to use his story 496 00:30:31,916 --> 00:30:34,196 Speaker 1: to help others, and I started to kind of piece 497 00:30:34,236 --> 00:30:36,796 Speaker 1: all this together and realize, wait a minute, there's all 498 00:30:36,796 --> 00:30:39,636 Speaker 1: of these lessons and things that I've dealt with that 499 00:30:39,716 --> 00:30:41,556 Speaker 1: everybody else is dealing with, So why maybe I can 500 00:30:41,596 --> 00:30:44,916 Speaker 1: do something with this? So JR. Became a motivational speaker, 501 00:30:45,276 --> 00:30:47,916 Speaker 1: sharing his painful story and the lessons he learned with 502 00:30:47,996 --> 00:30:51,196 Speaker 1: military veterans all over the world. He couldn't serve as 503 00:30:51,236 --> 00:30:53,956 Speaker 1: a soldier any longer, but he could still contribute something 504 00:30:53,996 --> 00:30:56,516 Speaker 1: meaningful to those around him. I can go out there 505 00:30:56,516 --> 00:30:59,116 Speaker 1: and serve in a different capacity because the new uniform 506 00:30:59,156 --> 00:31:01,316 Speaker 1: that I wear are the scars of my body, and 507 00:31:01,356 --> 00:31:03,196 Speaker 1: the new weapon that I have are the words that 508 00:31:03,236 --> 00:31:06,276 Speaker 1: come out of my mouth. And Gr's experience shows a 509 00:31:06,276 --> 00:31:10,956 Speaker 1: common benefit of post traumatic growth connect with others. After 510 00:31:10,996 --> 00:31:14,956 Speaker 1: initially feeling lonely and isolated following his burnt injuries, Jr. 511 00:31:15,076 --> 00:31:18,036 Speaker 1: Soon found that his ordeal increased his empathy for other people. 512 00:31:18,956 --> 00:31:21,116 Speaker 1: He also saw how much of a happiness boost he 513 00:31:21,156 --> 00:31:23,476 Speaker 1: could get from giving back to the people around him 514 00:31:24,276 --> 00:31:27,236 Speaker 1: and by sharing his story. JR. Used a final strategy 515 00:31:27,316 --> 00:31:29,956 Speaker 1: that can help us grow from suffering. He was able 516 00:31:29,956 --> 00:31:32,596 Speaker 1: to find meaning in what he went through. If you've 517 00:31:32,636 --> 00:31:34,876 Speaker 1: been through a tough hardship, you can ask yourself what 518 00:31:34,996 --> 00:31:37,436 Speaker 1: you learn and what new meeting those events have brought 519 00:31:37,476 --> 00:31:40,236 Speaker 1: to your life. It took JR. A while to do this, 520 00:31:40,756 --> 00:31:43,356 Speaker 1: but he eventually saw that his brush with death was 521 00:31:43,396 --> 00:31:45,756 Speaker 1: a way to achieve a fuller life that he couldn't 522 00:31:45,756 --> 00:31:48,996 Speaker 1: have ever imagined before he was burned. Over the course 523 00:31:48,996 --> 00:31:51,236 Speaker 1: of my life, there have been a lot of things 524 00:31:51,276 --> 00:31:53,756 Speaker 1: that I've experienced that didn't make sense in the moment. 525 00:31:54,316 --> 00:31:56,436 Speaker 1: But if you stick with it, if you're patient enough 526 00:31:56,476 --> 00:31:59,676 Speaker 1: over the course of time, the answer then presents itself 527 00:31:59,916 --> 00:32:02,356 Speaker 1: everything I thought I wanted in life. You know, I 528 00:32:02,396 --> 00:32:04,636 Speaker 1: wanted to be a fresh professional football player and have 529 00:32:04,756 --> 00:32:07,156 Speaker 1: fame and have all this money and be able to 530 00:32:07,196 --> 00:32:09,556 Speaker 1: do all these things. Like if I would have accomplish 531 00:32:09,596 --> 00:32:13,156 Speaker 1: those things, would I be as happy as I am now? 532 00:32:13,396 --> 00:32:15,676 Speaker 1: I've helped a lot of people, at least I believe 533 00:32:16,276 --> 00:32:17,756 Speaker 1: I would be able to make a difference, And I 534 00:32:17,796 --> 00:32:20,356 Speaker 1: think that to me is more important than anything else. 535 00:32:21,516 --> 00:32:24,516 Speaker 1: And this brings us back to Virgil's hero Eneus, who 536 00:32:24,676 --> 00:32:28,236 Speaker 1: spoiler alert, faces even more challenges and bereavements as he 537 00:32:28,276 --> 00:32:31,156 Speaker 1: continues his quest to found Rome, but he does so 538 00:32:31,276 --> 00:32:34,796 Speaker 1: with the knowledge that he's fulfilling a meaningful mission that 539 00:32:34,876 --> 00:32:42,156 Speaker 1: glorious Rome extend her empire to Earth's ends her ambitions 540 00:32:42,356 --> 00:32:46,556 Speaker 1: to the skies. What's more meaningful than, you know, picking 541 00:32:46,636 --> 00:32:49,596 Speaker 1: up your fallen empire to create this new world, to 542 00:32:49,676 --> 00:32:51,916 Speaker 1: create a new home for yourself and the people you 543 00:32:51,956 --> 00:32:55,116 Speaker 1: care about. Yeah, and what Virgil is trying to do 544 00:32:55,276 --> 00:32:59,836 Speaker 1: with the poem. Virgil gives us a hero that has 545 00:32:59,956 --> 00:33:04,596 Speaker 1: been through a lot of sadness but is endeavoring to 546 00:33:04,676 --> 00:33:09,756 Speaker 1: kind of move forward. It's certainly a story that I 547 00:33:09,796 --> 00:33:14,316 Speaker 1: think resonates with readers today. It certainly resonates with my students, 548 00:33:14,996 --> 00:33:18,356 Speaker 1: the sense that they have a goal that they're trying 549 00:33:18,356 --> 00:33:21,036 Speaker 1: to get to. Eneas is trying to get to Rome. 550 00:33:21,916 --> 00:33:25,876 Speaker 1: My students are trying to graduate from MiG Neither of 551 00:33:25,876 --> 00:33:29,956 Speaker 1: these things is easy, and they have to make sacrifices 552 00:33:29,996 --> 00:33:34,236 Speaker 1: along the way and make choices that sometimes looking back on, 553 00:33:34,996 --> 00:33:37,876 Speaker 1: you know they have that sort of reflective self. There 554 00:33:37,756 --> 00:33:42,556 Speaker 1: are maybe which things have gone differently, But the sense 555 00:33:42,716 --> 00:33:47,556 Speaker 1: of kind of moving forward and having a backward glance 556 00:33:47,836 --> 00:33:51,236 Speaker 1: as part of that is I think really important to 557 00:33:51,316 --> 00:33:56,636 Speaker 1: the way that Eneas, the Romans, we all can create meaning. 558 00:33:57,236 --> 00:34:00,116 Speaker 1: Returning to the story of Enius always reminds me that 559 00:34:00,236 --> 00:34:03,796 Speaker 1: even after experiencing the worst of times, there are strategies 560 00:34:03,836 --> 00:34:06,676 Speaker 1: we can use to control our situation. We can call 561 00:34:06,756 --> 00:34:09,876 Speaker 1: back our courage and use strategies to regulate the painful 562 00:34:09,876 --> 00:34:13,436 Speaker 1: emotions that come with negative events. We can find ways 563 00:34:13,476 --> 00:34:15,796 Speaker 1: to use what we've been through to help other people. 564 00:34:16,436 --> 00:34:18,796 Speaker 1: And we can harness the power of sharing stories and 565 00:34:18,876 --> 00:34:22,116 Speaker 1: disclosing our bad memories to process and learn from what 566 00:34:22,116 --> 00:34:25,436 Speaker 1: we've gone through. And remember, telling your story doesn't mean 567 00:34:25,436 --> 00:34:28,076 Speaker 1: you have to share your woes with some unsuspecting dinner 568 00:34:28,116 --> 00:34:30,836 Speaker 1: party like Eneas did. You can follow the lead of 569 00:34:30,916 --> 00:34:34,236 Speaker 1: psychologists Jamie Penny Baker's college students and get all the 570 00:34:34,276 --> 00:34:37,276 Speaker 1: benefits that come from journaling about your tough times privately. 571 00:34:37,516 --> 00:34:39,716 Speaker 1: But the key is that you use that process to 572 00:34:39,796 --> 00:34:43,516 Speaker 1: identify what Eneas and JR. Martinez both found after their 573 00:34:43,556 --> 00:34:46,996 Speaker 1: awful ordeals, that if you look carefully, you can find 574 00:34:47,036 --> 00:34:49,916 Speaker 1: meaning in your painful stories, and that sense of purpose 575 00:34:50,076 --> 00:34:53,036 Speaker 1: can lead to growth and making good on This idea 576 00:34:53,076 --> 00:34:54,996 Speaker 1: of meaning making is how I wanted to end this 577 00:34:55,036 --> 00:34:58,876 Speaker 1: episode today, because chatting with Stephanie about Virgil did take 578 00:34:58,916 --> 00:35:01,556 Speaker 1: me back to our awkward first meeting when I somewhat 579 00:35:01,556 --> 00:35:06,236 Speaker 1: aggressively quizzed her about her Enia translation that obviously wasn't 580 00:35:06,236 --> 00:35:09,596 Speaker 1: a hugely traumatic event, no cyclops mobbing as it were, 581 00:35:09,996 --> 00:35:12,556 Speaker 1: but it still presents the opportunity to use the power 582 00:35:12,596 --> 00:35:16,676 Speaker 1: of stories and meaning making to put things right. So 583 00:35:16,836 --> 00:35:19,236 Speaker 1: just realizing the power of going back to stories that 584 00:35:19,276 --> 00:35:23,556 Speaker 1: at the time were a little bit painful. You know 585 00:35:23,556 --> 00:35:25,476 Speaker 1: where I'm going with this. I'm sorry I was so 586 00:35:25,636 --> 00:35:31,476 Speaker 1: mean about you. Weren't I was a little bit mean, 587 00:35:31,556 --> 00:35:33,516 Speaker 1: But it can be a sort of redemptive story that 588 00:35:33,596 --> 00:35:37,476 Speaker 1: even though absolutely it's drawn us together all of these years. 589 00:35:37,556 --> 00:35:41,396 Speaker 1: It's something we've talked about and laughed about many, many times. 590 00:35:41,436 --> 00:35:44,036 Speaker 1: And I wish I could go back to fifteen years 591 00:35:44,036 --> 00:35:47,476 Speaker 1: ago Laurie and Stephanie and tell her, you guys are 592 00:35:47,476 --> 00:35:50,316 Speaker 1: fighting about the beginning of the INDID. It's a silly 593 00:35:50,316 --> 00:35:52,796 Speaker 1: dinner party. But fifteen years later, you're going to be 594 00:35:52,796 --> 00:35:54,276 Speaker 1: on a podcast. I would have to explained what a 595 00:35:54,276 --> 00:35:55,796 Speaker 1: podcast is at that point. But you're gonna be on 596 00:35:55,836 --> 00:35:57,876 Speaker 1: a podcast, and you're gonna be able to share the 597 00:35:57,916 --> 00:36:03,876 Speaker 1: INDID with the whole world. It's amazing. Huge thanks to 598 00:36:03,916 --> 00:36:06,676 Speaker 1: my friend Stephanie Frampton for sharing all her wisdom about 599 00:36:06,716 --> 00:36:09,996 Speaker 1: some of my favorite ancient mythological heroes. It's now a 600 00:36:09,996 --> 00:36:12,436 Speaker 1: time for the season of Happiness Lessons of the Ancients 601 00:36:12,556 --> 00:36:14,836 Speaker 1: to leave the shores of Greece and Rome and to 602 00:36:14,916 --> 00:36:18,236 Speaker 1: head east to South Asia, where we'll be examining the 603 00:36:18,236 --> 00:36:24,236 Speaker 1: happiness insights we can find in the yoga sutras. The 604 00:36:24,436 --> 00:36:26,636 Speaker 1: sutras are just the truth, so they're the truth of 605 00:36:26,676 --> 00:36:31,116 Speaker 1: the human experience and they can be applied in different 606 00:36:31,196 --> 00:36:34,156 Speaker 1: ways depending on what's going on in your life, and 607 00:36:34,196 --> 00:36:37,476 Speaker 1: the only things that will resonate from the sutras are 608 00:36:37,476 --> 00:36:39,676 Speaker 1: the things that you already know to be true with 609 00:36:39,756 --> 00:36:43,196 Speaker 1: it yourself. I hope to see you next week for 610 00:36:43,236 --> 00:36:46,076 Speaker 1: the latest edition of Happiness Lessons of the Ancients on 611 00:36:46,356 --> 00:36:54,996 Speaker 1: the Happiness Lab with me Doctor Laurie Santos. The Happiness 612 00:36:55,036 --> 00:36:57,556 Speaker 1: Lab is co written by Ryan Dilley and is produced 613 00:36:57,556 --> 00:37:01,556 Speaker 1: by Ryan Dilley, Courtney Guerino and Britney Brown. The show 614 00:37:01,636 --> 00:37:04,276 Speaker 1: was mastered by Evan Viola and our original music was 615 00:37:04,316 --> 00:37:07,716 Speaker 1: composed by Zachary Silver. You also heard the voice talents 616 00:37:07,716 --> 00:37:11,596 Speaker 1: of David Glover special thanks to Greta Kone, Eric Sandler, 617 00:37:11,676 --> 00:37:16,076 Speaker 1: Carly mcgliori, Nicole Morano, Morgan Ratner, Jacob Weisberg, My agent 618 00:37:16,156 --> 00:37:18,636 Speaker 1: Ben Davis, and the rest of the Pushkin team. The 619 00:37:18,676 --> 00:37:21,116 Speaker 1: Happiness Lab is brought to you by Pushkin Industries and 620 00:37:21,196 --> 00:37:22,756 Speaker 1: by me, doctor Laurie Santos.