In his new book, 'The Opposite of Happiness: How Bad Feelings Make and Break Us,' behavioral economist George Loewenstein investigates the complex role that negative emotions play in human life. Loewenstein, a co-founder of the field of behavioral economics, has spent his career challenging the traditional economic assumption that humans act as perfectly rational actors. Instead, his research focuses on how psychological factors and emotional states shape the judgments and behaviors of individuals.

The book provides an analysis of how suffering and 'bad feelings' are not merely obstacles to happiness, but are integral components that structure human experience. By bridging the gap between economic theory and psychological research, Loewenstein argues that understanding these negative states is essential to understanding human decision-making. While traditional economics often treats emotions as noise that interferes with rational choice, Loewenstein’s work suggests that these feelings are fundamental to how people navigate their lives and interact with the world. The text serves as a broad examination of how these internal states can both build and diminish human well-being, offering a perspective that departs from standard rational-actor models.