OK, put on your Socrates and Aristotle hats folks, it is Philosophy Day!
The United States of America’s Declaration of Independence says we have the God given unalienable right to “pursue happiness.”
What exactly is it? This “happiness”?
- A really nice emotional feeling?
- A state of being happy, full of joy, which is no answer at all?
- A lack of suffering and problems?
- A chemical reaction in your brain?
- A myth?
- Prosperity and fame?
- Personal self achievement?
The dictionary defines it lamely as such:
hap·pi·ness
[hap-ee-nis]
noun
C’mon, that has got to be the lamest definition ever.
It seems that happiness is very subjective. I am happy right this minute, sitting in Barnes and Noble typing into this laptop, listening to good music and the soft mumblings of the other idiots here. (Mostly retired and a billion and twelve years old.)
But am I happy with my life? Some parts yes, some parts no, and won’t that always be the answer? Is happiness what I think or what I feel?
If I change my thinking will I be happy? If I change how I feel will that work?
More importantly, has anyone ever truly achieved 100% happiness?
And were they happy with that?
Is life a glass of water half full, or a glass of water half empty?
Can we achieve happiness or as our country’s founders thought, only pursue it?
Will this blog post ever come to an end? And if it did, will that make you happy? Can anything make us happy or sad?
Which brings up the next question, what is “Sad”? A lack of happiness or something else?
I have to go buy the CD for the music playing in Barnes and Noble, as it is the sort that will make my wife happy. Sometimes we need others pursuing happiness together.
Peace out.
I read your piece to the end. It finally stopped. Made me happy! Unfortunately or fortunately, happiness is very real, but it never lasts. For example people who win gold medals in the Olympics are very happy for awhile. Then, when the moment passes, they usually usually say to themselves, “Now what?”. Hence the old saying, “Don’t sit on your laurels.”.
Good point Steve!