I WILL NO LONGER UPDATE THIS BLOG, PLEASE GO TO: http://manicdvln.wordpress.com/ FOR FUTURE UPDATES, AS I HAVE MIGRATED TO WORDPRESS.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Moving to wordpress!
I WILL NO LONGER UPDATE THIS BLOG, PLEASE GO TO: http://manicdvln.wordpress.com/ FOR FUTURE UPDATES, AS I HAVE MIGRATED TO WORDPRESS.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
What is Happiness?
When I was on vacation last week, I heard on the radio of a CBC host asking the same question to its listeners. I listened to variety of definitions and expressions of the word, but none of them were satisfying to the extent of complete apprehension of its meaning.
Maybe the word itself can only be defined as a half truth, its meaning subject to personal interpretation. What is obvious is that we probably use this word numerous times to measure our fulfillment in our daily activities. But what troubles me is that many of us overuse and abuse the word for every positive thing that happens in our lives. For instance, some of the radio listeners defined happiness when they encountered a certain pleasure. That is eating a certain food they like, or acquiring material goods like a particular car and such. For me that can’t explain what happiness is. If I would go by their train of thought, it would mean happiness can be bought. Moreover, it would mean every financially secure person in this world is happy. I don’t think anyone would agree with that notion. Neither will anyone believe that consuming a certain food will automatically make a desperate bitter or a deranged angry psycho killer to instantly and continuously become happy.
Sure, these vices may give us a temporary sensation of feeling good about something, but feeling good does not necessarily equate to happiness. Instant pleasures do not sustain long-term happiness. For instance, if I love cheesecake, and eat only cheesecake rest of my life. I might feel good of eating a cheesecake for the first 15 minutes, but that fades away quickly as my stomach starts to become full and my taste buds dissipate and can no longer enjoy it as I did with the first bite. Not to mention, I would end up in an early grave eating food that is rich in sugar and fat. Hence, the consumption of short-term pleasures can’t be defined as happiness. If that was the case, I am pretty confident every company in the world would love to sell happiness as a commodity as it is every persons dream isn’t it? To be happy.
Other listeners responded by saying that in order to attain long-term happiness, one must require spiritual guidance, more specifically to believe in God, to become a reborn Christian. This is also problematic as once again, happiness is defined as a commodity; one must have to do something in order to acquire it. Furthermore, as I have observed, being religious definitely does not make one happy. There are many faithful people out there who are unhappy, in fact, angry and intolerant. Some will testify by saying that believing in God is not enough; one must attempt to live by the teachings of their messiah in order to attain happiness. All Judaic religions pretty much tell us to follow a strict moral code so that in the afterlife, one can acquire happiness. This pretty much signifies that happiness is unattainable in life. Something that is unacceptable and alien to me.
I for one believe that anyone, no matter their wealth, social status or religion can attain happiness. I do not believe happiness is a commodity but a state of mind when one reaches a split second of self realization that he is satisfied without regret by the scrutiny of a momentary experience in life. Meaning, when you experience certain event in your life, step back, rewind and realize that the moment you just experienced was so perfect to you. How one reaches this type of awareness is very personal to each individual and does not last very long. But when one is happy they remember that moment forever in their life time. I probably can remember very few times that I have been happy in my life and I treasure them to be more precious than any material on this earth.
The reason why I believe happiness is short-lived is because we as human beings require dynamic life style that requires both negative and positive experiences that enable us to appreciate the better things in life. This is why I think no one can remain happy in sort of permanent and static state. As the grandma in the movie “Parenthood” describes, life is not a merry-go-round, it’s a roller coaster. The moments when we reach the highest peaks in life, are moments that truly make us happy.
Maybe the word itself can only be defined as a half truth, its meaning subject to personal interpretation. What is obvious is that we probably use this word numerous times to measure our fulfillment in our daily activities. But what troubles me is that many of us overuse and abuse the word for every positive thing that happens in our lives. For instance, some of the radio listeners defined happiness when they encountered a certain pleasure. That is eating a certain food they like, or acquiring material goods like a particular car and such. For me that can’t explain what happiness is. If I would go by their train of thought, it would mean happiness can be bought. Moreover, it would mean every financially secure person in this world is happy. I don’t think anyone would agree with that notion. Neither will anyone believe that consuming a certain food will automatically make a desperate bitter or a deranged angry psycho killer to instantly and continuously become happy.
Sure, these vices may give us a temporary sensation of feeling good about something, but feeling good does not necessarily equate to happiness. Instant pleasures do not sustain long-term happiness. For instance, if I love cheesecake, and eat only cheesecake rest of my life. I might feel good of eating a cheesecake for the first 15 minutes, but that fades away quickly as my stomach starts to become full and my taste buds dissipate and can no longer enjoy it as I did with the first bite. Not to mention, I would end up in an early grave eating food that is rich in sugar and fat. Hence, the consumption of short-term pleasures can’t be defined as happiness. If that was the case, I am pretty confident every company in the world would love to sell happiness as a commodity as it is every persons dream isn’t it? To be happy.
Other listeners responded by saying that in order to attain long-term happiness, one must require spiritual guidance, more specifically to believe in God, to become a reborn Christian. This is also problematic as once again, happiness is defined as a commodity; one must have to do something in order to acquire it. Furthermore, as I have observed, being religious definitely does not make one happy. There are many faithful people out there who are unhappy, in fact, angry and intolerant. Some will testify by saying that believing in God is not enough; one must attempt to live by the teachings of their messiah in order to attain happiness. All Judaic religions pretty much tell us to follow a strict moral code so that in the afterlife, one can acquire happiness. This pretty much signifies that happiness is unattainable in life. Something that is unacceptable and alien to me.
I for one believe that anyone, no matter their wealth, social status or religion can attain happiness. I do not believe happiness is a commodity but a state of mind when one reaches a split second of self realization that he is satisfied without regret by the scrutiny of a momentary experience in life. Meaning, when you experience certain event in your life, step back, rewind and realize that the moment you just experienced was so perfect to you. How one reaches this type of awareness is very personal to each individual and does not last very long. But when one is happy they remember that moment forever in their life time. I probably can remember very few times that I have been happy in my life and I treasure them to be more precious than any material on this earth.
The reason why I believe happiness is short-lived is because we as human beings require dynamic life style that requires both negative and positive experiences that enable us to appreciate the better things in life. This is why I think no one can remain happy in sort of permanent and static state. As the grandma in the movie “Parenthood” describes, life is not a merry-go-round, it’s a roller coaster. The moments when we reach the highest peaks in life, are moments that truly make us happy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)