"Utter Bullshit"

The NYT Magazine has a very interesting article today about current research on depression.  But of course it has to include some linguistic observations:

We "grow sorrowful," but we rarely describe ourselves as "growing joyful."  Imprinted in our language is an instinct that suggests that happiness is a state, while grief is a process.

Sigh.  I called up Mr. Verb (despite the staggering cost of the long-distance call), and his response was, well, "utter bullshit!"