Philosophy Now Forum

Why is it that while we have everything we are still unhappy? If we look into our own lives and the lives of others, we observe this behavior. Instead of counting our blessings, instead of being grateful, instead of being happy, we choose to be miserable. It’s such a dichotomy. Why would somebody choose to be miserable? Rather, it’s such a paradox. Why would somebody choose to be miserable? Well, one chooses to be miserable because one doesn’t understand the reality of life. One still acknowledges their ego. One lives as the body. If one knows that one is not the body –one is the divine spirit, then one would not attach himself to cravings and desires. Instead of appreciating the gifts that the Creator gives us, we greedily seek more and more and still more. Our need turns into our greed and our aspirations turn into disappointments. We are not able to be happy with what we have. We seek what we don’t have and become unhappy, discontent. Instead of enjoying the present moment, we keep looking at yesterday and tomorrow. Instead of looking at our own selves and being happy, we look at others and become unhappy. Even though we have everything, it is sad that we remain unhappy. The only way to change this is to realize the truth -that this life is very short and the purpose of this life is to be happy and ultimately, to realize God- the ultimate happiness. Instead of being happy and realizing God, instead of living a life of contentment and fulfillment, if we live a life of ingratitude and greediness, our life will continue to remain miserable and we will never be able to be happy.

AiR

A lot of assumptions here, but yeah, while you're existing, find the joy in it.

You might cheer up a bit if you stop believing in fairy tales.

I don´t have everything.

What makes us unhappy is the outrage and the injustice we have to suffer.

We can be creative and try to turn an outrage into a little flower.
When we succeed we are happy for just one moment. And we can remember it later if we need to support ourselves.

Then we wait for another outrage to challenge us.

AIR wrote:
Why is it that while we have everything we are still unhappy

If we did indeed have everything then we would not be unhappy so your
very first sentence is predicated upon an entirely false assumption. And
furthermore what do you specifically mean by everything in this context
Now do you mean material possessions or may be something else instead

AiR wrote:Why would somebody choose to be miserable?

Maybe in some sense it entertains them. I've noticed a lot of people seem to feel more alive if there is chaos in their lives. And if things smooth out and get quiet, they stir it all up again. It invigorates them. Then there are those who seek to be contented with what they have. You can keep taking things away from them, and they remain content. There are just so many ways a human being can do it... and I'm not sure that one way is any more "real" than another... rather, it's like a giant game board extending forever, and we get to PLAY however we want. As my good friend often says when I ask him why humankind does such ridiculous things: "What ELSE are we going to do with eternity?" We're just playing it ALL out.

AiR wrote:The only way to change this is to realize the truth -that this life is very short and the purpose of this life is to be happy and ultimately, to realize God- the ultimate happiness.

Maybe that's how you're playing it out, but it's not the ultimately right way for everyone, and it's certainly no guarantee of happiness! Theists can be, and are, and have been some of the most unhappy, hateful, and destructive beings on the planet. Their beliefs don't save or transform them -- it's more like self-hypnosis of a comforting and reassuring and inspiring nature. They still thrash around and act out as limited and foolish human beings. (That can be even more dangerous and destructive -- as such limited and foolish people imagine themselves to be acting under authority of a god.) From my perspective, no particular beliefs or methods are required to make the best of ourselves! It's more a matter of striving to master oneself and be illuminated by ALL, independent of any structures based on separation and limitation. Any "ultimate beliefs", including theism, can actually stunt a person's growth and awareness if it gives them a false and elevated sense of "reaching a certain destination"! Because they "dig in" there... and drink their same intoxicating brew over and over. Ongoing and ever-unfolding awareness can then seem like a threat to them.

AiR wrote:Instead of being happy and realizing God, instead of living a life of contentment and fulfillment, if we live a life of ingratitude and greediness, our life will continue to remain miserable and we will never be able to be happy.

So, here you seem to be saying that "not realizing God" means that a person is living a life of ingratitude and greediness, and will remain miserable. How do you think that statement sounds to intelligent and aware people who do not believe in a god, and yet have extraordinarily grateful, giving, loving, and happy lives? I mean, it just shows that YOU are unaware of what else can be. Belief in a god does not save a theist from themselves, nor make them aware -- yet, many apparently NEED to believe that anything outside of their belief is bad. It's not hard to see what that's all about. I can assure you that there are people living very beautiful and fulfilling and connected lives that have nothing to do with a belief in a god. It's unfortunate that many theists cannot fathom this... and that their belief REQUIRES all else to be bad and inferior. That's really quite messed up and foolish. Respectfully, I suggest theists focus on healing and enlightening themselves and other theists first. Until they can demonstrate mastery of themselves, they've got plenty to keep themselves busy in their own backyards. And I suspect that once they get all of their own stuff sorted, they'll have quite a different and more accepting and respectful view of all else that exists.

AiR wrote:Why is it that while we have everything we are still unhappy?

Who are these fortunate "we"?
Take a peek outside your lovely bubble. After an 8-year uphill struggle, some 20% of Americans still don't have adequate health insurance - and we haven't even mentioned their teeth, eyes and medications. Many are badly housed or not at all. Many are poorly clothed and shod. Many are hungry, addicted, injured, mentally ill and untreated, weak and mistreated, wrongly convicted, unjustly persecuted. And that's just the richest country in the world. What's it like for the 'less fortunate'?

If we look into our own lives and the lives of others, we observe this behavior.

I don't. The people I know generally have a pretty good idea of what's good and bad in their lives; what they can fix and what must be borne.

Instead of counting our blessings... instead of being grateful....

I give value in return, or thanks; I keep track of what I owe to anyone who gives me something or does me a favour. I know the difference between luck and effort, achievement and help. What other gratitude is due - and to whom?

... instead of being happy, we choose to be miserable.

Do you choose? If so, figure out why.
But what makes you think anyone else chooses? How do you know whether they have a reason to be miserable or not? If they have a reason - if their grandfather is terminally ill, or someone is bullying them at school.... or any number of other things that might make people unhappy, why not try to find out how you can help them, instead of browbeating them for not looking happy enough?

The rest is air.

AiR wrote:Why is it that while we have everything we are still unhappy? If we look into our own lives and the lives of others, we observe this behavior. Instead of counting our blessings, instead of being grateful, instead of being happy, we choose to be miserable. It’s such a dichotomy. Why would somebody choose to be miserable? Rather, it’s such a paradox. Why would somebody choose to be miserable? Well, one chooses to be miserable because one doesn’t understand the reality of life. One still acknowledges their ego. One lives as the body. If one knows that one is not the body –one is the divine spirit, then one would not attach himself to cravings and desires. Instead of appreciating the gifts that the Creator gives us, we greedily seek more and more and still more. Our need turns into our greed and our aspirations turn into disappointments. We are not able to be happy with what we have. We seek what we don’t have and become unhappy, discontent. Instead of enjoying the present moment, we keep looking at yesterday and tomorrow. Instead of looking at our own selves and being happy, we look at others and become unhappy. Even though we have everything, it is sad that we remain unhappy. The only way to change this is to realize the truth -that this life is very short and the purpose of this life is to be happy and ultimately, to realize God- the ultimate happiness. Instead of being happy and realizing God, instead of living a life of contentment and fulfillment, if we live a life of ingratitude and greediness, our life will continue to remain miserable and we will never be able to be happy.

AiR

We form misbeliefs like if we make others unhappy we will become happy. We have no one to tell us who can teach us that and how to become our own and greatest source of happiness. We have almost nothing but false evidence to the contrary. Almost everyone we know and respect as understanding how to live actually does not know how to live, only how to produce more and more convincing false evidence—they know how to appear happy, but not how to be happy, and they have convinced themselves that if they convince others that they are happy, they will become happy, or worst of all, they might have convinced themselves that happiness IS being able to convince others of your false happiness. All I can tell you is trust in the wisdom of the Buddha: "peace and happiness comes from within, do not seek them without." Good luck.

Jack, a former neighbour of mine, now deceased, was without question one of the happiest blokes I ever met in my life, despite having to endure great tragedy and hardship in his early life. He was forgiving, kind and generous to a fault and he hated god with a passion for stifling such natural humanist instincts in our fellow human beings. One of his favourite sayings was one I subsequently adopted into my own personal lexicon and have used countless times since, both as a word of comfort to others and as a life lesson to myself. This was Jack's mantra:

"There's always some poor bastard worse off than you are, son".

AiR wrote:Why is it that while we have everything we are still unhappy? If we look into our own lives and the lives of others, we observe this behavior. Instead of counting our blessings, instead of being grateful, instead of being happy, we choose to be miserable. It’s such a dichotomy. Why would somebody choose to be miserable? Rather, it’s such a paradox. Why would somebody choose to be miserable? Well, one chooses to be miserable because one doesn’t understand the reality of life. One still acknowledges their ego. One lives as the body. If one knows that one is not the body –one is the divine spirit, then one would not attach himself to cravings and desires. Instead of appreciating the gifts that the Creator gives us, we greedily seek more and more and still more. Our need turns into our greed and our aspirations turn into disappointments. We are not able to be happy with what we have. We seek what we don’t have and become unhappy, discontent. Instead of enjoying the present moment, we keep looking at yesterday and tomorrow. Instead of looking at our own selves and being happy, we look at others and become unhappy. Even though we have everything, it is sad that we remain unhappy. The only way to change this is to realize the truth -that this life is very short and the purpose of this life is to be happy and ultimately, to realize God- the ultimate happiness. Instead of being happy and realizing God, instead of living a life of contentment and fulfillment, if we live a life of ingratitude and greediness, our life will continue to remain miserable and we will never be able to be happy.

AiR

What makes you think you have the right to speak for others?
Who are "WE"? Is that the Royal 'we"?
I think you are really just talking about yourself. You have everything you need to live, and yet you childishly and arrogantly crave "GOD".
The fact is that god is just a hole in your life. God is the emptiness you feel, because you are selfish and self important. We are arrogant enough to think that god is your provider, yet you cannot be satisfied because god has never shown himself to you.
Rather than thank thousands of years of human effort and suffering that has brought you the computer you type on, the clean water you are drinking, and the hygienic food you consume, you deny that great human effort and pretend to thank an invisible force.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

I confess I didn't read the entire thing. I missed the part about God. Seek it if you feel the need. Let nobody tell you definitively what God is. That will kill God. That is why Paul said, "The letter kills." Part of seeking God is finding out what form God comes to you in. For some it is Catholicism, for some it is College, for some it is Charity, for some it is Cold Beverages. Seek, and ye shall find! And when you do, maybe you'll have something wonderful to share with us.

Jaded Sage wrote:I confess I didn't read the entire thing. I missed the part about God. Seek it if you feel the need. Let nobody tell you definitively what God is. That will kill God. That is why Paul said, "The letter kills." Part of seeking God is finding out what form God comes to you in. For some it is Catholicism, for some it is College, for some it is Charity, for some it is Cold Beverages. Seek, and ye shall find! And when you do, maybe you'll have something wonderful to share with us.

The truth often kills falsehood. That's why they call it the truth. So - keep "god" vague and diffuse, because clarity parts the mist of stupidity..

Too much freedom dissolves old bonds, we get more lone, we chase wrong values, we don't have the strong social bonds that keeps us social active. We have lost ourselves in chasing capitalistic values.

"Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 per cent of everything you think and of everything you do is for yourself -- and there isn't one." -- Wei Wu Wei

Where are all these unhappy people? As far as I'm concerned this entire topic is proceeding from a false premise. Admittedly I live a comfortable middle class life in a prosperous, safe and lucky country but so do billions of other people. Are these people unhappy? If they are they should open their hearts and minds and buy themselves some fucking PERSPECTIVE. Humanity has never had it so good.