Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, was a guest of the “Teacher Academies” program organized by the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education. In his speech, Tarhan stated that happiness is a science and needs to be learned; “We must definitely open a file in our minds about being happy and research the methods related to it in that file. Some things are taught incorrectly to people. When happy, people are told to live *the* moment. However, it’s not about living *the* moment, but living *in* the moment.” He said.
“We cannot be universal without being local”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, making evaluations on the topic of “New Truths in Education”, emphasized the necessity of embracing innovation in the education system, stating; “We need to constantly renew ourselves. As an education system, we need to be open to criticism. We need mental flexibility. An education system burdened by prejudice and dogmas prevents us from catching up with the innovations of the era. Namık Kemal’s words, ‘From the clash of ideas, sparks of truth emerge,’ are very meaningful at this point. Let’s not be afraid of clashing ideas, of debating. We cannot be universal without being local. We must modernize by preserving our own culture, art, music, culinary culture, and belief system. Society is governed by love and trust, not fear. When we forget our own ethical values and culture, we become culturally exploited.” He said.
“Live *in* the moment, not *the* moment”
Tarhan, emphasizing that sustainable happiness is total happiness, said; “Happiness is a science and needs to be learned. Happiness is not something life teaches by itself, which is why we need to invest in happiness. We must definitely open a file in our minds about being happy and research the methods related to it in that file. Some things are taught incorrectly to people. When happy, people are told to live *the* moment. However, it’s not about living *the* moment, but living *in* the moment. To live *the* moment means to go wild, chase pleasure, do whatever you want, and be happy. This situation is not happiness; it is hedonism, or pleasure-seeking. It is momentary and not continuous. Sustainable happiness is total happiness. Just as there is total quality in quality management, the same applies to happiness. One should live a life where they can achieve happiness until the end of their life. They should be happy when they are sick, when they have an accident, and when everything is going well. They should not be overly joyful about what they gain, nor overly sorrowful about what they lose. As humanity, we need to create such a life philosophy. Doing this is wisdom.” He used these expressions.
Not only tongues, but brains also speak!
Tarhan, emphasizing that non-verbal communication is more effective than verbal communication, stated; “No other living creature besides humans has emotional mirror neurons. The emotional mirror neurons in our brain activate the emotional mirror neurons in the other person’s brain. There is a neuroscience of sincerity, intention, and authenticity. In the neuroscience of sincerity, a sentence spoken with conviction activates the mirror neurons in the other person’s brain and increases its power of persuasion. If you advocate without conviction, it does not create a reflection in the other person’s brain, and thus you cannot persuade them. Not only tongues, but brains also speak. When we take a child who doesn't know the language to kindergarten, they communicate very well with those there. Because they communicate not through spoken language but through behavioral language. Twenty percent of communication is verbal, and eighty percent is non-verbal communication. These include gestures and facial expressions, emotional transmission, and micro-expressions on the face. People can easily understand each other through these transmissions.” He said.