Philosophy Now Forum

A:I think the idea of a 'true happiness' is a fiction and if what you say is true about the human psyche then its also an unobtainable one?

AS: Good point. I think you are right here. But I also think you are not quite understanding what I am saying. I think my words are sounding all 'pollyanna' to you. What I am suggesting is that even though we may not be happy...or at least may not have the conditions we believe will make us happy....we can still brainwash ourselves to believe we are. But here's the thing...I am not discounting the idea that we are not alone on this earth...and such that we need to interact with others. So in my mind, brainwashing ourselves could be optimized by also brainwashing others...society as a whole. No please...before you start to think I am batshit crazy...lol...just hear me out...

When I speak of happiness I am thinking of something fleeting...humanity relatively short life span. Many things can happen to one during that time. The 'happiness' you speak of...asking yourself what will make you happy....is a conditional happiness. I am talking about an unconditional 'happiness'. When I say this...I am thinking along the lines of practicality....not "true" happiness. After all...how can we know if the answers we provide when questioned...would even be the "condition" we need in order to be happy? We could never know unless the question got answered. It is my belief that we would come up short because we would still be stuck in the word "I" instead of the word "we."

"I" is alone. "I" is responsible for it's own happiness. "I" is also impossible. Because we live in a world full of "them." It is my belief that a life spent thinking about "I" will not be able to escape this reality and thus will always be unhappy...even if "I" gets everything "I" thinks will make it happy.

On the other hand:

"We" is not alone. "We" is responsible for others happiness. "We" is reality because when living in society, "We" is never alone." When thinking in terms of "we", there is a certain connection that makes it impossible to have happiness as a lone agent. If another "Part" of you is hurting then there is something to "do". There is an action to be done that may bring satisfaction or instant gratification. It's socialism on steroids.

Think about it...if it became popular to care about another individual as you do yourself...would anyone ever go hungry? Would anyone ever be without? In a whole world of people thinking in terms of "We" wouldn't everyone's life be a little happier?

Okay...so it sounds a little 'pollyanna'. But really, I think it could catch on...at least in the same manner the "dark ages" caught on...only in reverse....lol

This is easy, Anything that spans the following range makes you happy, anything that makes you smile up through and including rolling on the floor hysterically belly laughing until it hurts. Specifically I find that closely viewing nature, in all it's miraculousness, brings a smile to my face, and I sense a peaceful happiness that I'm fortunate enough that I'm alive to sense these beautiful things.

I belive that a person has always smiling.Most fundamentally, recognise that happiness is a state of mind and not something which can be defined objectively. You can change your state of mind in many ways including these suggestions. Smiles make you miles better - and you smiling will make others smile. As Rabbi Nachman of Breslov put it: “Always wear a smile. The gift of life will then be yours to give.”So happiness - isn't that the thing that all of us strive to find and keep? Nobody is happy all of the time, but some people are definitely more fulfilled than others. Studies on what makes people happy reveal that it doesn't have much to do with material goods or high achievement; it seems to whittle down to your outlook on life, and the quality of your relationships with the people around you. First of all, be realistic. Nobody is happy all of the time and it is perfectly normal to have variations in moods and feelings from day to day, month to month, and even year to year. According to a study based on data from the British Household Panel Survey, overall levels of happiness decline from one's teens until one's 40s and then pick up until they peak in one's early 70s [for more data click here]. So the chances are that your happiest days are yet to come. Doesn't that make you happier? At any time and at any age, though, it is possible to feel happier than you have been and here are some ideas for you to consider.