Does thanksgiving make us complacent or lazy? Myths about gratitude

We’re not discussing the laziness everyone encounters after a large Thanksgiving meal. The questions we’re asking are: Does gratitude make us complacent or lazy? Can thankfulness be false humility or inappropriate? Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., University of California, Davis, is considered to be the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude. He addressed several myths and misconceptions that are common. Very few people would argue that gratitude is not a good trait to possess and practice. However, some subtle reservations creep into our thinking.

Is it true that a person who is grateful may not be as motivated to change negative things in the world or improve his life? Would a thankful person tend to accept injustices, rather than attempt to make positive changes? In fact, the opposite is true. Grateful people are actually more successful at reaching their goals and have a greater sense of purpose. In a study conducted by Dr. Emmons and his colleagues, participants who were randomly assigned to keep a gratitude journal exerted more effort toward reaching their goals than those who did not. In another study involving young teens published in Motivation and Emotion, those who were more grateful performed more pro-social activities and had a desire to give back to others.

A second myth addressed by Emmons is one many of us may have thought: gratitude ignores the negativity and pain in life. It seems Pollyannaish, seeing the world with rose-colored glasses of thankfulness, while people all over are suffering. This myth demonstrates a misunderstanding of gratitude. To be thankful, one must recognize a dependence on others, leading to some sense of indebtedness to others or feelings of responsibility to take care of that for which one has received. So, gratitude is not as much ignoring the negative, it is magnifying the positive.

A third myth relates to a phenomenon most of us have seen – the person who appears to be overly-humble, refusing to take credit for his or her own good work. It seems to be false humility. While this may be true of a few people, a study by Dr. Emmons demonstrated that, when people were given a difficult task and given a hint to assist, they acknowledged the benefit of the hint, while also taking credit for their own work. So, it is possible to do both.

Another myth is that it is not appropriate – or is even impossible – to be thankful in the midst of adversity or suffering. A study conducted by Emmons involving subjects with severe neuromuscular disorders were asked to keep a gratitude journal over a two-week period. Not only did these people who were experiencing significant pain find things for which to be thankful, they reported more positive emotions than those in a control group. Furthermore, they felt more optimistic, socially connected, and slept better.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” (Psalm 118:1)

Reference:
Robert Emmons, “Five Myths about Gratitude”, Greater Good, 21 Nov 2013,

I'm thankful for gut flora

On Thanksgiving, we take time away from complaining about our jobs, the government and the price of higher education to be grateful for the good things we have: our jobs, Facebook, Twitter, reality TV shows (sure), family, health, and the greatest gift which opens up a relationship with the creator of the universe. There are some other things this Creator has given that don’t normally make the list of those for which we are thankful.

Intestinal bacteria
The trillions of bacteria that live in the average human intestinal tract outnumber the cells in the body. However, most are beneficial and deter harmful bacteria from growing and damaging the host. These “good” bacteria boost our immune system, improve nutrient absorption [1], assist in the digestion of food, break down toxins, as well as manufacture vitamins and amino acids [2]. This is why a course of probiotics is recommended before travel to third world nations and one reason yogurt sells at the Piggly Wiggly. It may not make for a very good discussion topic around the Thanksgiving table, but gut flora are good for us.

Earthquakes
While tragic when these affect populated areas and people are harmed, earthquakes – a result of plate tectonics – have served to provide a livable planet for advanced life. Plate tectonics maintain proper amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to balance the sun’s luminosity. In the carbonate-silicate cycle, CO2 is removed from the atmosphere through weathering, then returned into the earth’s crust through plate tectonics. Another similar mechanism controls the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere through a type of “oxygen elevator”. Oxygen becomes bound in various oxides, drawn into the earth’s interior at subduction zones along tectonic plates, then incorporated through a complex process into a mineral called majorite (yes, it was named for researcher Alan Major). When majorite reaches the earth's surface, it releases the oxygen, some into the atmosphere and some to bind with hydrogen to form water [3]. Without tectonic activity – and earthquakes – that perform these and many other functions, this planet would not be habitable. We can thank God for earthquakes.

Bad is good
Other examples of things we normally don’t think are worthy of thanks include volcanoes which deposit nutrient rich soil that is easily broken down by weathering, allowing for productive agriculture. And viruses, which are often very deleterious to humans, are beneficial in regulating animal and plant populations. Also, researchers have been able to use harmful viruses for good, like sheep in wolves’ clothing. For example, the deadly HIV-1 virus was “disabled” and used to deliver a healthy gene to stem cells of a patient with a rare brain disorder [4]. This Thanksgiving we can see the Creator’s providence even in some unusual places.

"Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits." (Psalm 103:2)

[1] USDA/Agricultural Research Service. "Beneficial Bacteria Boost Intestinal Health."ScienceDaily 3 January 2007. 24 November 2010
[2] European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). "Bacterial balance keeps us healthy: Microbial genes in gut outnumber genes in human body." ScienceDaily 4 March 2010. 24 November 2010 .
[3] David Rogstad, “Another benefit for life in earthquakes”, Reasons to Believe, 7 Dec 2007.
[4] Fazale Rana, “Viruses and God’s providence revisited”, Reasons to Believer, 26 Nov 2009.