ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how, when, where, and why people pursue those things in life that they desire, the things they do to create a worthwhile existence that is, in combination, substantially rewarding, satisfying, and fulfilling. The chapter focuses on the positive sociology, which joins with the new field of positive psychology to follow its interest in uncovering people’s strengths and promoting their positive functioning. A positive sociology, if it is to plow any significant, new intellectual ground, must start, in good measure, from premises different from those of mainstream, problem-centered sociology. That is, a large segment of sociology has focused and continues to focus on explaining and handling the various problematic aspects of life that many people dislike that make their lives disagreeable. In positive sociology an activity is a type of pursuit, wherein participants in it mentally or physically think or do something, motivated by the hope of achieving a desired end.
