Joy

Abstract Joy is a complicated form of imaginary reality, enabling us to transform conditions of stress, exertion, deprivation, and pain into something positive, but also including happiness inspired by the suffering of others. It is defined here as the elation of right relation, meaning a feeling of a just-right fit between our identity and the moment we are experiencing. Imaginary realities contribute to joy, as they are the basis of joyful rituals celebrating our shared beliefs, for example in relation to religious beliefs or in relation to social identities with clubs, sports teams, or nations. At the individual level, people typically experience joy when they discover and embrace an imaginary reality that they believe explains who they are and how they fit into the social and supernatural worlds. We can also experience joy inspired by the suffering of others (schadenfreude) and by extremes of self-denial and masochism, especially if they are rooted in an imaginary reality that condones this behavior and sees it as inspired by and rewarded by supernatural beings. Group joy is sometimes feared and suppressed by authorities because it can inspire disruptive and even violent behavior. The expression of joy in outgroups is often viewed with puzzlement and even disgust because it is based on a foreign imaginary reality. For some individuals who have experienced a difficult and painful early life, joy can be experienced by reinterpreting their pain as part of an imaginary reality in which their trials were necessary because “everything happens for a reason.”