Mission Joy: Finding Happiness in Troubled Times Parent Guide

In 2015, Archbishop Desmond Tutu traveled to Dharamsala, India to visit his old friend, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, at his private residence. Footage of this meeting was not released to the public until now. Over five days, Doug Abrams interviewed these two faith leaders on the topic of joy, especially in light of the suffering they have both endured. Mission Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times presents these interviews, along with conversations with scientific experts in the field of neuroscience, to try to unlock both the philosophy and science behind finding happiness.

I don’t think that the messages that Mission Joy conveys are new or groundbreaking. If you have ever read a book on the subject, gone to therapy, taken a psychology class, practiced mindfulness or meditation, or have any knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, you’ve probably already heard these ideas before. Turning our attention outward, performing acts of kindness for others, reframing our perspective, and learning to regulate our emotions are all straightforward concepts. Though I don’t feel like I learned anything new from this film in that regard, I did find framing this information around the experiences of the Archbishop and the Dalai Lama to be powerful. Both men bring decades of wisdom and leadership to the table, and although both have suffered greatly, they are so joyful and humorous together that you can’t help but laugh at their antics.

The main content concern for this documentary is violence. Archival footage is shown of the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the struggle against, and eventual fall of, the apartheid government in South Africa. These clips show gun violence, police brutality, rioting, and dead bodies. Although none of it is gratuitous and is all very deliberately chosen to highlight the stories of the two men, the level of violence is above what most parents would be comfortable showing their young children, though I doubt children would be interested in the subject matter in the first place anyway. That said, for teens and adults I think this documentary is a beautiful depiction of the lives of two instrumental leaders, and a reminder of the beauty in humanity, a reminder I think we all need right now.