On page 572, Ahmed mentions Betty Friedan and the happy housewife. In case you are interested, I have added Friedan's chapter on it (in the Feminine Mystique) to WebCT for this week. Also, I can't help but hear this song in my head when I think about happiness and worry (I couldn't post the video because the embed function was disabled). Bobby McFerrin tells us, "Don't worry, be happy!". Check out this lyric:
In every life you have some troubleWait..isn't doubling our trouble a good thing?
When you worry you make it double
i dont think doubling our trouble is a good thing in this context sara, but maybe thats just my reading of the song.
also, interesting to note, bobby mcferrin refuses to play this song ever again. like he hasnt for some 11 years or something. he does classic orchestra music stuff now. apparently this song hasn't make him happy in a long long time...
I agree with you that the idea of doubling our trouble--as in doubling the burdens we have to bear (like not having enough rent or a place to sleep)--is not something that we should do or encourage others to do. However, I am struck by this song and how it implores us to not think about our situations and why we are troubled. Then, I came across these lyrics (while not sung on the video, they are sung on this version of the song):
There is this little song I wrote/I hope you learn it note for note/Like good little children/Don't worry, be happy/Listen to what I say
Or, what about these lyrics (sung to the feminist killjoy perhaps?):
But don't worry be happy/Cause when you worry/Your face will frown/And that will bring everybody down/So don't worry, be happy (now).....