From Self-Entrepreneurship to Happiness Creation: A Critical Analysis of Positive Thinking in Neoliberal Biopolitics and Its Ethical Underpinnings

Document Type : پژوهشی

Authors

• Azam Moradi ¹
• Tahereh Javidi Kalatehjafarabadi ²
• Bakhtiar Shabani Varaki ³
• Abulfazl Ghaffari ⁴

¹ PhD, Philosophy of Education, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

² Associate Professor, Department of Foundations of Education, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

³ Professor of the Department of Foundations of Education, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

⁴ Associate Professor, Department Foundations of Education, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

10.22067/fedu.2025.86666.1326

Abstract

this research to reveal the invisible aspect of positive thinking discourse, has investigated the construction process of the subject of positive thinking through an analytical-interrogative-critical method. The results of the research show that at first man was defined as homo economicus and the society was divided into two categories of workers and capitalists. To prevent the reduction of worker productivity with minimum wage and maximum work, the Self- Entrepreneur subject was constructed. This subject is a worker and a capitalist at the same time; Since the possibility of entrepreneurship is not available for all people, the discourse of positive thinking began to construct a happiness maker subject; A subject with a consumer economic enterprise to produce her satisfaction and of course this discourse to prevent depression caused by not having enough money to spend in a consumer economic enterprise. First, introduced happiness as an emotional currency and a factor in creating wealth and success, and after that, to make the Self- Entrepreneur subject visible in neoliberal bio-politics, he introduced well-being with specific factors as the criteria of a successful and wealth-creating person. Finally, the subject seeks to produce her satisfaction and defines well-being as satisfaction with life, having achievements, Engagement, etc. It is in contrast with a person who, from the point of view of altruism, considers himself committed and responsible for the satisfaction of another, and considers well-being to be the totality of empathy and sympathy towards another to reduce his pain and suffering.

Keywords

• well-being
• happiness
• Self- Entrepreneur
• happiness maker subject
• positive thinking of neoliberal
• ethics ​

Main Subjects

• Foundations of Education

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