ABSTRACT
This chapter explores aspects of the encounter between positive psychology and critical social theory in the form of a collegial dialogue. Many sociologists would accuse positive psychology of fostering individualism, ignoring social contexts such as poverty, marginalization, and violence that can seriously interfere with happiness. Nevertheless, positive psychology must be credited for serving as a corrective to rampant pathologizing in mainstream clinical psychology. Positive psychologies proponents acknowledge that achieving well being is not a matter of avoiding the negative emotions and related states, because the ability to enjoy is connected to the ability to feel our way through the dark emotions and even to suffer. Critical theorists shy away from the "affirmative" or the positive because these attitudes tend to play a role in masking oppression or in denying suffering. The chapter presents the dialogue online conversation in several sessions.
