Saturday, May 1. 2010
Happy in the Meantime
For a quick review, look here: Shifting Gears #3: Smile Like You Mean It
+ “Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness.” -- Immanuel Kant
Is Kant on the right path? Is everyone worthy of happiness (which would mean Kant was wrong), or should we be doing something in order to deserve our good fortune (karma, caution, compassion, etc.)?
+ “We are always getting ready to live but never living.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Has Emerson observed the human condition correctly? Were we always the way Emerson suggests we are, or does this shift with age?
+ Do you prefer Kant’s system, or Aristotle’s? Which school best reflects your beliefs – teleology, deontology, or something you created yourself? Which beliefs have you established?
+ Is there more to happiness than the simple fulfillment of moral imperatives – which seem to be the basis of both systems?
+ We contrasted what made you happy when you were five versus what makes you happy now. Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Which happiness was "better"?
+ Are you more concerned with the well-being of others now that you’re older? When did you think more about your own happiness – then, or now? How has your attitude towards happiness changed, and why?
+ Is a life spent waiting for intermittent pleasant surprises worth living?
+ If happiness is such an important human concern – and if great minds seem to have devised ways to find it – why do we still sabotage ourselves?
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This post is due at 11:59pm on Tuesday, May 4th.
Please try to post insightful, specific, and polished pieces. Your post should be at least two seven-sentence paragraphs long, and punctuation, grammar, and mechanics all count towards your grade. Compose your replies carefully, and always remember to state the why for every what!
For this post, written feedback for two of your peers is required!
Good luck!
+ “Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness.” -- Immanuel Kant
Is Kant on the right path? Is everyone worthy of happiness (which would mean Kant was wrong), or should we be doing something in order to deserve our good fortune (karma, caution, compassion, etc.)?
+ “We are always getting ready to live but never living.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Has Emerson observed the human condition correctly? Were we always the way Emerson suggests we are, or does this shift with age?
+ Do you prefer Kant’s system, or Aristotle’s? Which school best reflects your beliefs – teleology, deontology, or something you created yourself? Which beliefs have you established?
+ Is there more to happiness than the simple fulfillment of moral imperatives – which seem to be the basis of both systems?
+ We contrasted what made you happy when you were five versus what makes you happy now. Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Which happiness was "better"?
+ Are you more concerned with the well-being of others now that you’re older? When did you think more about your own happiness – then, or now? How has your attitude towards happiness changed, and why?
+ Is a life spent waiting for intermittent pleasant surprises worth living?
+ If happiness is such an important human concern – and if great minds seem to have devised ways to find it – why do we still sabotage ourselves?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This post is due at 11:59pm on Tuesday, May 4th.
Please try to post insightful, specific, and polished pieces. Your post should be at least two seven-sentence paragraphs long, and punctuation, grammar, and mechanics all count towards your grade. Compose your replies carefully, and always remember to state the why for every what!
For this post, written feedback for two of your peers is required!
Good luck!
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I am more concerned with the well-being of others that I am older. Now, my happiness is not only for my own now. In other words, my happiness is made out with other’s happiness too. For example, if I am happy but I make other people sad at the same time, then the happiness would not be the type that I want to have. To me, the true happiness only exists when I am not the only one that is happy but also the people who are around me are happy too. I think that I change my attitude towards happiness in sixth grade when I went out really late to have fun without telling my mom. At that time, I was happy because I thought that I was finally grown up and had freedom to do whatever I wanted. After seeing my mom was really upset that I did not tell her, I was not happy as I thought I should be because I made someone who really cared about me really worried and upset. After that, I finally realize that I cannot be selfish anymore and have to think about others when I am happy. I understand that I would not be that happy when I know that someone is sad because of my happiness. When I was little, I never really cared how other people felt even my happiness caused other people to be sad. I am now mature enough to realize that true happiness only exists when I and other people around me are happy at the same time.
It is hard to compare the happiness because the things that I value now and before are different. When I was little, I was already happy when I was given a little thing, candy. It may seem easy to get a candy now but it is not easy to get one when I am young. I might have to beg my parents with tears in order to have a candy but now, I can easily get one. Thus, there are many things that we can do now are something that are very hard to do when we are young. If I could choose to have ten dollars or a candy, I would be happy to have that candy because I probably did not know what to do with those ten dollars. Today, I would be happier if I can take the ten dollars than I can take the candy. However, I do not think that we can compare which happiness is better because what we value and cherish are different. I am sure that both happiness are still good and great whether it is ten years ago or today.
It is hard to compare the happiness because the things that I value now and before are different. When I was little, I was already happy when I was given a little thing, candy. It may seem easy to get a candy now but it is not easy to get one when I am young. I might have to beg my parents with tears in order to have a candy but now, I can easily get one. Thus, there are many things that we can do now are something that are very hard to do when we are young. If I could choose to have ten dollars or a candy, I would be happy to have that candy because I probably did not know what to do with those ten dollars. Today, I would be happier if I can take the ten dollars than I can take the candy. However, I do not think that we can compare which happiness is better because what we value and cherish are different. I am sure that both happiness are still good and great whether it is ten years ago or today.
The same thing had happened to me freshmen year. I liked the way you reflected your experiences and it was easy to understand. Good job!
I agree that we have to look out for younger people and help them out once in a while.
I like how you ended with the idea that that happiness is simply "good", whether it was ten years ago or today. Even if it caused by different things, I agree that happiness feels just as great now as it did ten years ago.
Strange. The structure of our lives seem to be complete opposites. I started out caring too much for others to care for myself, and end up caring for people in my life, and myself. Something I learned from my childhood is sometimes I cannot always depend on happiness of others to be happy.
I just realized that. I think for the most part happiness is so different, because now what is important is much more different than what it used to be.
I agree and like the point made of how our age has matured our sense of caring for others because it is true in my own experience that if my friends or family is miserable and i am in the same environment as them i tend to become miserable just based off the mood around. Our happiness is relied upon other people in our life even more so than it was when we were younger
The way I see how happiness goes is that everyone has their own way of making themselves worthy of happiness. That would be their business if they cannot follow the morals, then their happiness would surely not be "worthy of happiness". If people want to live with happiness, it would not be like taking so much freedom and do everything through the enjoyment. Whatever they want to be happy about, precaution must be taken to ensure they do go too far. Parts of a human's morals creates happiness based on its mind and soul. Happiness is like a precious state-of-emotion of what anyone wants to feel, and so some people tend to take the joyful emotion in an uncontrollable way. I sometimes have the same problem of dealing with happiness, because I used to joke around and be full of smiles around the time when I am little. However, when I soon realize I arriving at the point where the future is going to be hard on me, I stop acting from what I used to be to the current state. It just feels like I could not be more satisified of the way I handle with happiness, let alone endure it. As for the others who seemed to be getting well with happiness, I am not at all concerned of them.
The past is left behind; it is out of my sight, along the state that I used to be happy very often. There is really no contrast or comparison between of whom I used to be to who I currently am. I have always live this way, observing as much happiness as far as I could see. People would still sabotage themselves if they tend to think of a way of that will make them happy. It would seem that they would alter happiness to craziness. As usual, I tend to think how people would do with happiness as much as they are not really making it look like a messup. It would be better to spend a pleasant life, for some people who want to live in. I am "happy" of the way I am living, and that the happiness I go along with my business is merely from my memories.
The past is left behind; it is out of my sight, along the state that I used to be happy very often. There is really no contrast or comparison between of whom I used to be to who I currently am. I have always live this way, observing as much happiness as far as I could see. People would still sabotage themselves if they tend to think of a way of that will make them happy. It would seem that they would alter happiness to craziness. As usual, I tend to think how people would do with happiness as much as they are not really making it look like a messup. It would be better to spend a pleasant life, for some people who want to live in. I am "happy" of the way I am living, and that the happiness I go along with my business is merely from my memories.
I like the way you kept your reply simple, i was a little confused by your second sentence it seems to contradict your first one a little bit, but over all i like this post.
Always preparing to prepare some more. This is an excellent description of how we live our lives. We go to school so we can go to college, so we can get a steady job, so that we can earn enough money to save for retirement. Only at the very end of our lives do we actually live, and by that time we are too old to be able to truly live. Why do we spend the first 70 years of our lives just getting ready for our “golden years”? Actually we don’t we spend the first 10 or so years of our lives trying to live, but at that time we are too young to do much of anything. We live before and after we hit our primes but we just prepare when we are most able to live. Emerson was right when he said “We are always getting ready to live but never living.”
When we are young we do live, but differently than we would now. In our youth we live for ourselves and ourselves alone, we are too young to be able to comprehend consequences, and not responsible enough to be trusted with our own futures. Children live because they don’t know that they need to prepare for the future, but once we discover that we need to prepare we overdo it and stop living for the moment. After we are old and have spent our lives in preparation, our years have granted us wisdom and we realize that life is for living not preparing. Children live, the elderly live as much as they can, but everyone else is just preparing for the rest of their lives.
When we are young we do live, but differently than we would now. In our youth we live for ourselves and ourselves alone, we are too young to be able to comprehend consequences, and not responsible enough to be trusted with our own futures. Children live because they don’t know that they need to prepare for the future, but once we discover that we need to prepare we overdo it and stop living for the moment. After we are old and have spent our lives in preparation, our years have granted us wisdom and we realize that life is for living not preparing. Children live, the elderly live as much as they can, but everyone else is just preparing for the rest of their lives.
Yeah, I'm going to have agree with you and Emerson on this one. It is true that we always seem to living and preparing for tomorrow. It makes the present somewhat harder for me to enjoy because I'm always worrying about, and preparing for the future.
I think it is true that we do live only to worry bout the future. It is hard for us to enjoy a day without worrying about what is going to happen the next day. However, I believe this is simply human nature and that we just naturally tend to plan so that we do not have to suffer later.
Agreeing with you, until the age when we retire we will always be setting our selves up to be ready for the next thing ahead of us. when we retire we just sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
You make a good point and I like the argument. Yet if we love our careers wouldn't we be living instead of just preparing for retirement? Thats the way I see it at least.
I agree, but i also believe "preparing to live" provides us with the maturity and wisdom we need in our elderly years. Without it, our lives would feel unfullfilled.
I agree with you and everyone else too. We never really actually live but prepare everyday. As a little kid, we really never think about the future so sometimes I want to go back to childhood again.
So little time to get ready to live and so little time to live our lives.
OMG! I totally agree!! You just took all of my thoughts and put them together to make a comprehensible paragraph haha. I think it’s so sad that this is our lives. Every time I think about this, I get so frustrated because it seems that society forces us to be like that. Society has created a guide line that says that all people ages 12 through 20/30 are suppose to stay in school, learn, and get a degree because that is what a “good” citizen does. He or she learns, learns, and learns, and then works, works, get a family, and continues working but of course with some taxpaying and some contributions to the world. It seems if people don’t stay in school, they are looked down upon (maybe just a little but still looked down upon). And if people want to live, others look at them like “Oh they don’t care about their life they just want to keep fooling around all their lives, and when they realize it it’ll be too late for them. What ignorant people they are.” …But then I would ask is it really ignorant trying to actually live?..
I agree with you and Emerson. Going to make a note to show this to my Dad tomorrow. It will be a real eye opener for him!
I agree completely. Life right now seems like it is only prep work for more advanced prep work, and once we get past that we can take some more for a degree in prep work.
Sounds like you gotta start really living right now man.
You and Emerson basically have the right idea, I totally agree with you that we work, work, work, then retire and look back. Always preparing is a great way to describe how we all live our lives.
Interesting interpretation of Emerson's quote which I haven't though about before. Overall, after looking at your post I begin to agree with it more and more; that living is very hard to achieve when we actually can achieve it.
Reminds me of my parents complaining about working all the time.
Reminds me of my parents complaining about working all the time.
I agree with your comment on Emerson's quote. I believe that the whole process of preparing is fun. We get to meet more people, encounter valuable experiences, and just have fun while we are getting ready for the next step.
When I was little, it was much easier to be happy. I spent hours playing My Little Pony, Pokemon, and Lincoln Logs. I watched Zoom, Blues Clues, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, Reading Rainbow, and secretly loved Barney. I honestly knew my make-believe characters better than I knew my real five-year-old self, and whenever I wanted to, I could instantaneously slip into the worlds of my alter ego, Betty; my pink pony, Sassy; or my Lincoln Logs family of piglets, cows, and horses. My favorite days of the week would be when my mom brought me out for buffets or ice cream. These were short-term material pleasures, though; inevitably, I grew bored with my toys, or my parents snatched by happiness away by making me go to bed.
As I look at the list of present-day things that make me happy that we formed in class a couple of weeks ago, I can’t really find any material items. A few are simple short-term pleasures, like swinging and sleeping, but most of the items on my list are not there because they give me instant entertainment or pleasure. There is more beneath the surface about them that makes me happy. I’ve invested deeper thoughts into them, and they connect to my life’s memories in some way that causes joy. For example, I like beautiful sunrises because they remind me of nature’s beauty and the promise a new day can offer. Playing with little kids make me happy because of their refreshing innocence. Running and dancing bring me joy because they make me shift my focus to the present moment of physical activity, and solving challenging problems make me happy because I like that feeling of overcoming obstacles.
While the things on my childhood list made it there because they were all simple pleasures, the things on my present-day list make me happy for vastly different reasons. The things on my “now list” intertwine with what I’ve experienced for the past seventeen years of my life, so now happiness is more subtle in that it’s mixed in with different memories, reasons, and emotions. This subtlety makes happiness more difficult to notice, but it is there, and it beats the happiness of my childhood. Instead of turning to material items to stimulate me, I know how to store my happiness within me now. I feel as though I always carry a store of happiness around with me just as I carry around my treasured memories and my values; sometimes I have to dig deep to reach that store, but the experiences I have had make the things on my happy list connect more to me rather than just being external objects.
As I look at the list of present-day things that make me happy that we formed in class a couple of weeks ago, I can’t really find any material items. A few are simple short-term pleasures, like swinging and sleeping, but most of the items on my list are not there because they give me instant entertainment or pleasure. There is more beneath the surface about them that makes me happy. I’ve invested deeper thoughts into them, and they connect to my life’s memories in some way that causes joy. For example, I like beautiful sunrises because they remind me of nature’s beauty and the promise a new day can offer. Playing with little kids make me happy because of their refreshing innocence. Running and dancing bring me joy because they make me shift my focus to the present moment of physical activity, and solving challenging problems make me happy because I like that feeling of overcoming obstacles.
While the things on my childhood list made it there because they were all simple pleasures, the things on my present-day list make me happy for vastly different reasons. The things on my “now list” intertwine with what I’ve experienced for the past seventeen years of my life, so now happiness is more subtle in that it’s mixed in with different memories, reasons, and emotions. This subtlety makes happiness more difficult to notice, but it is there, and it beats the happiness of my childhood. Instead of turning to material items to stimulate me, I know how to store my happiness within me now. I feel as though I always carry a store of happiness around with me just as I carry around my treasured memories and my values; sometimes I have to dig deep to reach that store, but the experiences I have had make the things on my happy list connect more to me rather than just being external objects.
Haha, I remember playing Pokemon. Back then I was unstoppable at the game. I never had enough money to fork out to get a Charizard, but I did have a holographic Blastoise.
Pokemon was the bomb back in the day. I still play to this day
The things that brings your happy now compared to your childhood happiness is pretty funny due to how a game was beaten by a sunset. It's like the game causes more time and stress nowadays, but before when we were little, we had all of the time in the world! (except bedtime!) I can relate to how a sunset can just make you feel so special as if you're the only person in the world staring at that sun setting down, removing stress and worries in the world at that moment.. sigh.. i could really use a sunset right now.. 
Ah, the days of Pokemon...I remember those wonderful times. I must have wasted hours of my life playing that game, and yet it was so much fun simultaneously.
I agree on your comparison between happiness in childhood and now. What makes me happy now is less materialistic compared to when I was a child. Therefore, I believe the happiness I feel now is more significant. However i do not think either one is "better" than the other.
Haha. Ah yes, Pokemon... before all the hard stuff in life. 
Ahaha, Pokemon and Blues Clues. How nostalgic.
And there's not much about this post that I can disagree with. It seems that as we age we strive to find happiness in the things that actually do matter, not in materialistic things. It also appears that as we age we tend to hold on to more things mainly because we know that it will not be there forever.
And there's not much about this post that I can disagree with. It seems that as we age we strive to find happiness in the things that actually do matter, not in materialistic things. It also appears that as we age we tend to hold on to more things mainly because we know that it will not be there forever.
The school of thought that best reflects my beliefs is Aristotle's system. Teleology is uniform with my morals in that my happiness is dictated by me. Unlike deontology, I have a choice in the matter of shaping my morals and controlling my happiness. I can be spontaneous in my actions and set my own expectations of myself. I can experience that sadistic/malicious enjoyment from burning snails up with my container of Morton salt, because my happiness is not based off a standard of success someone else has manufactured. I can be happy for the sake of just doing any mundane or cruel task.
But what made me happy back then, as opposed to now is strikingly different. When I was five years old, I found pleasure in playing basketball on my fisher price court. I would reenact plays I saw Michael Jordan perform on the television and would reproduce thunderous dunks Shaquille O'Neil executed. I felt as if I were some beastly and unstoppable machine that was capable of wreaking havoc on the basketball court. My imagination ran wild, and I was happy.
Now, it seems as if happiness is harder to come by. Putting together a 25 kill streak in Modern Warfare 2 or getting good grades makes me happy now. The task of achieving happiness is still exciting and enjoyable, but the undertaking has become much more complicated. Gone are the days when recess was the highlight of my day. Life has become more complex because I now have standards upon which I can compare my happiness. I'm not saying my happiness now is any less important than back then, I'm just saying, it's just not the same.
When I begin to reminisce about the past too much I think about something a very wise film director once said. Robert M. Young said, " People are always asking about the good old days. I say, why don't you say the good now days?" Just my two cents, or his, never mind.
But what made me happy back then, as opposed to now is strikingly different. When I was five years old, I found pleasure in playing basketball on my fisher price court. I would reenact plays I saw Michael Jordan perform on the television and would reproduce thunderous dunks Shaquille O'Neil executed. I felt as if I were some beastly and unstoppable machine that was capable of wreaking havoc on the basketball court. My imagination ran wild, and I was happy.
Now, it seems as if happiness is harder to come by. Putting together a 25 kill streak in Modern Warfare 2 or getting good grades makes me happy now. The task of achieving happiness is still exciting and enjoyable, but the undertaking has become much more complicated. Gone are the days when recess was the highlight of my day. Life has become more complex because I now have standards upon which I can compare my happiness. I'm not saying my happiness now is any less important than back then, I'm just saying, it's just not the same.
When I begin to reminisce about the past too much I think about something a very wise film director once said. Robert M. Young said, " People are always asking about the good old days. I say, why don't you say the good now days?" Just my two cents, or his, never mind.
Aside from understanding your point of view of what you hypothesize about where happiness comes from, I agree with you on the fact that happiness is relevant for some people. 
I agree. I have the power to shape my morals and my happiness. The same goes for everybody else as well.
I agree Sam, I have the decision or choice to be happy. And also I agree that happiness isn't the same as it use to be because of all the stress we face in our daily lives.
Happiness is just as important when I was little and now. I agree with all that you have said. The process to making myself happy has gone to a higher level and it takes longer and more energy to obtain that feeling of happiness.
According to Immanuel Kant, as humans, we must make ourselves worthy of happiness by doing something to attain that happiness. While I agree with his point that we need to act in order to achieve our happiness, I disagree with his opinion of our worthiness. All humans are worthy, as well as capable, of happiness. Nobody has the right to tell his or her neighbors that they are not good enough to be happy. We are so similar with each other, with the difference of a 99.99% in our genome, so no one has any “natural” dominance over another human being.
The only thing that matters, then, is how we go about to reach our happiness, how we define our own happiness, and to what degree this happiness is for each person. For example, if I define my happiness as to reach my dream career, my path toward happiness is to work hard to attain that dream. However, if my friend’s definition of happiness is to find true love, then she will search for the perfect soul mate who will treat her like a queen and spoil her with his affection and love. The things that make us happy are different, but in the end, we are happy. There is nothing that determined whether or not we are worthy of our own happiness. At some other times, my friend and I may switch our definition of happiness, so we go down to the different roads to achieve it, but there is still no rule that says we cannot reach our new desires.
The chart we made in class about what makes us happy when we were tiny little kids and now as big bad seniors show how our interests have changed with time and more exposure of this world. Some of the things are still the same, while others are different. For instance, food still makes me happy, but Barbie dolls do not necessary bring a smile to my face like they used to when I was five. Yet just because there is difference in the list, does not mean that happiness is fundamentally different, or that I was happier when I was young. Our own happiness changes as our interests change, and although I may find true love lame when I was young, it brings a smile to my just as Disney cartoons did. However, it is indeed easier to be happy when I was young, because I did not think as much as I do now. But this, once again, does not set a meter bar that measures my own happiness, hence cannot be a factor that determines which happiness is “better,” if I did think that these two different perspectives of happiness can be compared with the words “good” and “bad.”
The only thing that matters, then, is how we go about to reach our happiness, how we define our own happiness, and to what degree this happiness is for each person. For example, if I define my happiness as to reach my dream career, my path toward happiness is to work hard to attain that dream. However, if my friend’s definition of happiness is to find true love, then she will search for the perfect soul mate who will treat her like a queen and spoil her with his affection and love. The things that make us happy are different, but in the end, we are happy. There is nothing that determined whether or not we are worthy of our own happiness. At some other times, my friend and I may switch our definition of happiness, so we go down to the different roads to achieve it, but there is still no rule that says we cannot reach our new desires.
The chart we made in class about what makes us happy when we were tiny little kids and now as big bad seniors show how our interests have changed with time and more exposure of this world. Some of the things are still the same, while others are different. For instance, food still makes me happy, but Barbie dolls do not necessary bring a smile to my face like they used to when I was five. Yet just because there is difference in the list, does not mean that happiness is fundamentally different, or that I was happier when I was young. Our own happiness changes as our interests change, and although I may find true love lame when I was young, it brings a smile to my just as Disney cartoons did. However, it is indeed easier to be happy when I was young, because I did not think as much as I do now. But this, once again, does not set a meter bar that measures my own happiness, hence cannot be a factor that determines which happiness is “better,” if I did think that these two different perspectives of happiness can be compared with the words “good” and “bad.”
I agree everyone is worthy of creating happiness of themselves and that there is no way that they would say "I don't know".
I totally agree with you. I also believe that everyone has different definition and degree of happiness.
In my own blog post i also agreed on many points that you stated. The process in which we attain our happiness is what makes it so meaningful.
+ “Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness.” -- Immanuel Kant
Is Kant on the right path? Is everyone worthy of happiness (which would mean Kant was wrong), or should we be doing something in order to deserve our good fortune (karma, caution, compassion, etc.)?
Due to our nature as creatures who know how to define what’s right and what’s wrong, I think we should do something to earn those good aftermath of our actions. Yes, we are worthy of happiness, but happiness doesn’t exist just like that since the beginning. Something has to ignite it, and what we do determine our eligibility of receiving those moral-born fortunes. Everything requires sacrifices. Karma, caution, compassion, and other kinds of this aspect exist because moral was created as a result of our ability to differentiate things. People who take out the life of other people’s loved ones away are definitely not worth it because of what he did; he must receives the consequences of his actions. On the other hand, a fireman who risks his life to save a person who is trapped in a soon-to-be-collapsed building will eventually get the praises that he deserves.
Intelligence should be blamed for the extra efforts that we have to do to receive that God-granted happiness. It is because of it that we know how to differentiate right and wrong; it is because of it that we feel ashamed when we do something immoral. Something that is abominable for everyone to commit will be nothing to be afraid of in our mind if we do not think of it as despicable object. In other words, even though intelligence helps you to gain knowledge and wisdom from our society, it can be a tool that brings you to your downfall whenever you do something that wrong according to your society’s moral. It is a dilemma indeed – if we kill this very sense of ours that is very essential to our survival, we will not be able to experience what longevity truly feels like. However, if we cherish and nourish it, we will not be able to do whatever we want in this current however-you-want world. In conclusion, everyone should do something that legalize them to be granted happiness as their reward.
Is Kant on the right path? Is everyone worthy of happiness (which would mean Kant was wrong), or should we be doing something in order to deserve our good fortune (karma, caution, compassion, etc.)?
Due to our nature as creatures who know how to define what’s right and what’s wrong, I think we should do something to earn those good aftermath of our actions. Yes, we are worthy of happiness, but happiness doesn’t exist just like that since the beginning. Something has to ignite it, and what we do determine our eligibility of receiving those moral-born fortunes. Everything requires sacrifices. Karma, caution, compassion, and other kinds of this aspect exist because moral was created as a result of our ability to differentiate things. People who take out the life of other people’s loved ones away are definitely not worth it because of what he did; he must receives the consequences of his actions. On the other hand, a fireman who risks his life to save a person who is trapped in a soon-to-be-collapsed building will eventually get the praises that he deserves.
Intelligence should be blamed for the extra efforts that we have to do to receive that God-granted happiness. It is because of it that we know how to differentiate right and wrong; it is because of it that we feel ashamed when we do something immoral. Something that is abominable for everyone to commit will be nothing to be afraid of in our mind if we do not think of it as despicable object. In other words, even though intelligence helps you to gain knowledge and wisdom from our society, it can be a tool that brings you to your downfall whenever you do something that wrong according to your society’s moral. It is a dilemma indeed – if we kill this very sense of ours that is very essential to our survival, we will not be able to experience what longevity truly feels like. However, if we cherish and nourish it, we will not be able to do whatever we want in this current however-you-want world. In conclusion, everyone should do something that legalize them to be granted happiness as their reward.
i agree with you that Kant's system leaves a lot of gray areas for us to interpret.
Hey! When I read about how happiness requires sacrifice.. I quickly thought of an analogy. To make a fire or drive a car, you'll need something to ignite it right? So the gasoline, fuel, or wood is like what sacrifice.. although it's not a very good comparison.. but that's what I thought of first..
I definitely agree with Ralph Waldo Emerson and his statement of ‘We are always getting ready to live but never living’. We as people and especially as students are constantly thinking about the future and how we can have the best future possible. Growing up as students, we do everything to reach the next step in education not really thinking about the present and getting the most enjoyment out of it. In Middle School, we strived to do well and get good grades to get into good high school (if applying to private high schools). In High School, we have been killing ourselves taking rigorous course filled with tons of APs, participating in numerous extracurricular activities, volunteering, enrolling in SAT classes, etc. to get into a prestigious college. Once in college, the same will happen to get into a good graduate school or medical school, and then the same when in the work force trying to compete for a job. We work so hard to get to that next stage in life so that we will be able to enjoy it, but once we get to that stage, there is always something more important to worry about and work at than being able to sit back and enjoy it. Luckily for me, when I look back at my four years of high school, I can say that all of the activities and volunteering were out of pure interest and enjoyment and not solely for the purpose of a college resume. However, high school was most definitely hard, and it was very difficult to enjoy every aspect of it when constantly trying to construct ‘the perfect future’.
As a child, I cared less about people’s feelings and only about getting what I wanted. I never thought about how taking off in a store to go find candy would affect my family. Everything was ‘gimme, gimme, gimme’ and my mindset was all about me, while I was being taught to share with my sisters and think about others. Back then, my selfishness was to reach happiness of getting what I wanted. My happiness was found in a toy or candy, whereas my happiness now is completely different. Now, my happiness is found by making others happy and reaching goals that I have set for myself. Before doing things, I take other people’s thought into consideration and even ask for opinions going through on some decisions, whereas a child, I was just in it for me.
As a child, I cared less about people’s feelings and only about getting what I wanted. I never thought about how taking off in a store to go find candy would affect my family. Everything was ‘gimme, gimme, gimme’ and my mindset was all about me, while I was being taught to share with my sisters and think about others. Back then, my selfishness was to reach happiness of getting what I wanted. My happiness was found in a toy or candy, whereas my happiness now is completely different. Now, my happiness is found by making others happy and reaching goals that I have set for myself. Before doing things, I take other people’s thought into consideration and even ask for opinions going through on some decisions, whereas a child, I was just in it for me.
Ralph Waldo Emerson does brings up a good quote meaning that we are ready to live out our lives for whatever we like, but we are not really living (i.e., humans can still die). It is always nice to share how you change from what you used to be to whom you are not right now.
I agree with your first point here. We are always preparing for the future, but we never take the time to enjoy what we are doing or could do in the present.
I was the same way when I was a kid! Well atleast until my little sister was born then it was all about her.
I agree with how you described about yourself as a kid. I think every kid is like that. And when we were younger, we just didn't know any better.
Everybody is supposedly be worthy of happiness, but society has placed down upon each and every one of us to which happiness comes with a price. Money, riches, friends, society, and family are what started to wrap around us as we grew older. Remember the times when we were just a child, and happiness just comes around the corner? No one deserves to be unhappy, why would anyone? For someone to say what is worthy for something is a crime due to how inferior they are. Look at a criminal for example: Many would say that since he or she did the crime, they must pay for it; therefore they do not deserve to be happy. Everybody has a reason to their actions, and it is something that was formed involuntarily by each and every one of us. Maybe the person had a rough childhood, growing up without parents and role models. He or she did not even have a chance to learn like most people in our society, so should he or she still be deemed worthy of happiness? Yes, but due to our society, the individual must be disciplined to prevent such further actions.
That being said, everybody should be given the chance towards a life of happiness even if they are doing nothing. The level of happiness however, changes due to the course of how hard someone works and strives for happiness and good fortune. Leading back to the criminal, I am sure that he or she has been guided at least once in his or her whole life. It depends if they would want to change or not.
We have been given a life and we should be grateful for it. Out of the million sperms, you were the one! So it is not what matters for what is worth living, but how if we tend to think life as an off and on button, we are not worthy of the life we were given. The intermittent pleasant surprises are the gifts to guide us through life.
That being said, everybody should be given the chance towards a life of happiness even if they are doing nothing. The level of happiness however, changes due to the course of how hard someone works and strives for happiness and good fortune. Leading back to the criminal, I am sure that he or she has been guided at least once in his or her whole life. It depends if they would want to change or not.
We have been given a life and we should be grateful for it. Out of the million sperms, you were the one! So it is not what matters for what is worth living, but how if we tend to think life as an off and on button, we are not worthy of the life we were given. The intermittent pleasant surprises are the gifts to guide us through life.
I agree with you about how you say that everyone's happiness level is relative, depended on how strenuous the works that they have done in order to achieve that happiness.
"Out of the million sperms, you were the one!" HAHA. that means that we've already won the race in life
I agree. Everybody does deserve a shot at happiness, yet with certain restraints; It's okay as long as your not conflicting with someone else's opportunity. Killing and stealing are good examples for even though they provide you temporary happiness, you're ultimately taking away someones life and rewards; they're not yours for the taking.
“No one deserves to be unhappy” of course! But what about those two Columbine boys? They killed and injured so many students and teachers. Sure they probably had a rough childhood and possibly even a rough life but does that give them the right to murder so many innocent people? Do they really deserve happiness after that day (assuming if they hadn’t committed suicide)?
I'm the ONE! I like the idea that everyone is worthy of happiness. Sadly, the world doesn't work that way.
I find that Emerson’s quote is very true. As a student all I do is getting ready to live. I am always looking ahead to the future, but never actually slowing down and start thinking about today. It’s always about what college do I want to go or am going to, what kind job do I want, how much I want to make, and what I am going to make of myself. This becomes more and more apparent as we grow up. As a little 6 year old I never thought about the future, it was always about now; what I got to do today not what I could do tomorrow. It could be because at that age, I didn’t have a single worry in the world. My only job was to be home by 7 and to be in bed by 9. I don’t know what it is about growing up and maturing that makes us start thinking all about the future and forget about the present. Like my sisters tell me all the time “ treasure you time in high school and in college because after that all you won’t have as much free time as you’re used to. There are no holidays like winter break and spring break when you are out in the working world. So do everything you can so that when you graduate from college and are working you don’t regret not doing something.”
When I was five years old it was extremely easy to make me happy. Literally anything could make me laugh and happy. I could walk outside my house and look at the sun and I would feel happy. The warmth of the sun wrapped around me like a warm blanket made me feel very content. I think that it was easier to be happy when we were younger because we had no worries in the world. We has no idea what went on around the world, we were locked in our own little bubble that encloses the neighborhood. Nothing we did had a real pronounced effect on our future. As we grew up, we matured and we gained more knowledge and experience, letting us to see things in different light. When we were 5 we only saw things in an innocent way. We could only see the good in life and we judged others for being bad, but as we grow up we begin to do those same bad things that we judged others for. I think that the happiness then is better because the happiness we got back then was such an innocent happiness. Maybe that’s why shows like SpongeBob that amused me back then still amuse me to this day.
When I was five years old it was extremely easy to make me happy. Literally anything could make me laugh and happy. I could walk outside my house and look at the sun and I would feel happy. The warmth of the sun wrapped around me like a warm blanket made me feel very content. I think that it was easier to be happy when we were younger because we had no worries in the world. We has no idea what went on around the world, we were locked in our own little bubble that encloses the neighborhood. Nothing we did had a real pronounced effect on our future. As we grew up, we matured and we gained more knowledge and experience, letting us to see things in different light. When we were 5 we only saw things in an innocent way. We could only see the good in life and we judged others for being bad, but as we grow up we begin to do those same bad things that we judged others for. I think that the happiness then is better because the happiness we got back then was such an innocent happiness. Maybe that’s why shows like SpongeBob that amused me back then still amuse me to this day.
I find it quite interesting (and a bit sad) that people are living at such a fast pace that they miss out on so many things. We always think about our happiness in the future that we sacrifice our happiness in the present. I believe that if we slow down our pace and take time to enjoy the moment, we can still find happiness in the present while achieving happiness in the future. Great work!
Many people told me the same thing. They said that high school and college are much better than the working world. I didn't believe them at first since I was overwhelmed by school work and stress, but now I can see why. I am trying to enjoy my high school time now, but I feel like I wasted most of it.
I don’t think that one happiness is better than the other when comparing between five years old to now. In both cases, you are still happy regardless of how you achieved it. However, it is true in most cases that happiness was easier to achieve when you were younger. You were ignorant and did not know a lot about yourself or the people around you. Simple things like cartoon on a Sunday morning or your mom offers to buy you ice cream with sprinkles were able to keep us content. However, we seek so much more now. The things we want to buy usually cost more and what we want to do usually takes more effort as well. Sometimes, happiness takes sacrifices where as when you were a child, it does not (or you did not realize it does). Therefore, many people would believe that the childhood happiness is “better”. Yet both happiness satisfy you, so how can one be better than the other simply because it was “easier” to achieve? The happiness in childhood did not make you any happier than the happiness you experience now. Happiness is merely a state where one is satisfied, thus it really depends on how one view happiness in order to decide which one is ultimately “better”.
I am more concerned with the well being of others now that I am more mature. I have the ability to think how other would feel before doing anything. When I was younger, I was very ignorant on the world around me. I only cared about myself and my main concern was to be happy and have things go the way I want. Now that I am older however, I realized that sometimes my action for happiness can cost other pain. When pursuing happiness, it is important to realize what has to be sacrificed in order to reach that state. Although it was a lot easier to just be happy and not care about anyone else, it is a part of maturity and that it is important to consider others as well.
I am more concerned with the well being of others now that I am more mature. I have the ability to think how other would feel before doing anything. When I was younger, I was very ignorant on the world around me. I only cared about myself and my main concern was to be happy and have things go the way I want. Now that I am older however, I realized that sometimes my action for happiness can cost other pain. When pursuing happiness, it is important to realize what has to be sacrificed in order to reach that state. Although it was a lot easier to just be happy and not care about anyone else, it is a part of maturity and that it is important to consider others as well.
I like how you directed your attention to the concern with the well being of others rather than comparing the happiness of a five year old and a 18 year old. It is true that as we grow up, we see different perspectives and our maturity kicks in. Now, we can open our eyes wider and captivate what the world really lies out in front of us.
I like how you made the argument of is happy better because it was easier at a younger age. It gets to the core of whether if things before still make you happy now. Also maturity does come in to play but is maturity the act of caring for others?
Watching cartoons and Jap dramas used to take 1/3 of my day time. But they still make me happy. Both my mom and I think I've grown mature too little.
We are all worthy of happiness, as it always was and will be. The problem is not all of us ARE happy. Happy cannot be earned through karma and other concepts like that because it is relative. If I was a bad guy who enjoyed doing bad things, then would not happiness for me come from the emotion spurred from inflicting pain? We conceive our happiness as we conceive our karma and caution. We are all worthy of happiness because we created ourselves worthy for it. If we were thought not to be worthy of happiness then happiness would not exist. We created happiness as a standard to achieve because we are worthy, but ignorant to it and because of that we find ways to attain the happy. We should always be happy, but some of us just do not feel the need to be when it is not required, however worthy we may be. It's there for you, but it is not always needed.
I believe in teleology, because how could morals ever come from good? We create our morals based off of what we think as "good" and bad. It would not make sense the other way around because how could morals, what you need to separate the good from the bad, create good if you would have no idea of what good was in the first place without establishing morals. Its an infinite cycle of nothingness. I rest my case.
Life lived with wait for intermittent surprises is definitely worth living because the journey to me seems to be a lot more fun than the destination. Life is a journey to death and I am pretty sure death does not sound too fun. Its the journey that counts and I am willing to learn, yearn, and earn before I reach the end.
It definitely was easier for me to be happier when I was 5 because all these new things about life amazed me, but I would prefer now because the harder I work for the same happiness, the better I feel. To sum it up, I would prefer accomplishment of searching for happiness than have spontaneous joy whenever a leaf blows against the wind and lands on my window. Not too fun to watch now that I think back on it.
We do not think more about ourselves as we do others. We are human beings, so the tides of our decisions and ideals can always change. We just think about the person that matters most at the moment. That's how we adapt and learn so that one day we may actually be able to choose helping the right person every time and be happy about it in the end. Happiness, is after all, waiting for the worthy to find it.
We sabotage happiness because we need a little yin to the yang sometimes. If we are not sad every once in a while what can we compare happiness to? If there is not sad, would there even be happiness? Besides free will lets us choose the right expressions for the right moment. Its only human because we are moral creatures. Even if someone is happy their whole lives, but the sad thing is that we CAN be depressed as well. If I was happy that my friend's car got totaled, that would make him sad. I do not think happy is always the way to go. Its a great fill up for 80% of your total used emotion, but 100% may be a little irritating sometimes.
I believe in teleology, because how could morals ever come from good? We create our morals based off of what we think as "good" and bad. It would not make sense the other way around because how could morals, what you need to separate the good from the bad, create good if you would have no idea of what good was in the first place without establishing morals. Its an infinite cycle of nothingness. I rest my case.
Life lived with wait for intermittent surprises is definitely worth living because the journey to me seems to be a lot more fun than the destination. Life is a journey to death and I am pretty sure death does not sound too fun. Its the journey that counts and I am willing to learn, yearn, and earn before I reach the end.
It definitely was easier for me to be happier when I was 5 because all these new things about life amazed me, but I would prefer now because the harder I work for the same happiness, the better I feel. To sum it up, I would prefer accomplishment of searching for happiness than have spontaneous joy whenever a leaf blows against the wind and lands on my window. Not too fun to watch now that I think back on it.
We do not think more about ourselves as we do others. We are human beings, so the tides of our decisions and ideals can always change. We just think about the person that matters most at the moment. That's how we adapt and learn so that one day we may actually be able to choose helping the right person every time and be happy about it in the end. Happiness, is after all, waiting for the worthy to find it.
We sabotage happiness because we need a little yin to the yang sometimes. If we are not sad every once in a while what can we compare happiness to? If there is not sad, would there even be happiness? Besides free will lets us choose the right expressions for the right moment. Its only human because we are moral creatures. Even if someone is happy their whole lives, but the sad thing is that we CAN be depressed as well. If I was happy that my friend's car got totaled, that would make him sad. I do not think happy is always the way to go. Its a great fill up for 80% of your total used emotion, but 100% may be a little irritating sometimes.
I definitely agree with your idea that the harder you work to achieve your happiness, the greater it feels. Nobody enjoys being on top of the world if they did nothing to get there. Nobody would be happy to reach the peak of Mount Everest if they reached it by plane.
Also I agree that we sabotage our happiness so that we never take happiness for granted. We need that comparison to differentiate the good from the bad. It's kind of like lighting a fire under ourselves to try harder.
Also I agree that we sabotage our happiness so that we never take happiness for granted. We need that comparison to differentiate the good from the bad. It's kind of like lighting a fire under ourselves to try harder.
I'm not sure if you are saying wether we sabatoge our happiness or just other people's ahppiness overall. But I do agree with the fact that we do need to be sad at moments just for us to have something to compare hapiness to. Thus aslo making happiness greater I believe.
I don't know if happiness is something that is so much deserved as it is pursued. The word 'deserved' implies that a person is rewarded with happiness for accomplishing a task of some sort. I prefer the idea of getting happiness on your own rather than waiting for another person to hand it over to you. So in that sense, anyone can be worthy of happiness - as long as they put in the effort to make themselves happy.
Happiness isn't something that can predicted. Everyday that I wake up, I don't know whether I will end the day happy or not. Sometimes, I plan ahead for a day to enjoy myself, but when I reflect at the end of the day, it wasn't as fun as I originally thought it would be. Then there are other times when happiness simply slips into your day of its own accord. It just happens spontaneously without any prior planning, and I usually find those days as some of my most enjoyable ones.
After reviewing the powerpoint slides, I find myself leaning away from deontology, mainly because I don't agree with Kant's "expectation imperative" belief. When I'm happy, it usually means either a) something good happened to me, or b) I'm having enjoying whatever it is that I'm doing. Sometimes it could be both. Everyone has their own way of making themselves happy, and no two people are likely to enjoy the same exact things.
When I reflect back to my childhood days, I always get a sense of nostalgia. Many of the things back then still make me happy today: Taiwan for one thing, books for another. At the same time, the range of things that makes me happy has also expanded to include my friends, and surprisingly, school (on some days at least). Furthermore, it is easier for me to get sad now and harder to cheer myself up when I'm down.
Happiness isn't something that can predicted. Everyday that I wake up, I don't know whether I will end the day happy or not. Sometimes, I plan ahead for a day to enjoy myself, but when I reflect at the end of the day, it wasn't as fun as I originally thought it would be. Then there are other times when happiness simply slips into your day of its own accord. It just happens spontaneously without any prior planning, and I usually find those days as some of my most enjoyable ones.
After reviewing the powerpoint slides, I find myself leaning away from deontology, mainly because I don't agree with Kant's "expectation imperative" belief. When I'm happy, it usually means either a) something good happened to me, or b) I'm having enjoying whatever it is that I'm doing. Sometimes it could be both. Everyone has their own way of making themselves happy, and no two people are likely to enjoy the same exact things.
When I reflect back to my childhood days, I always get a sense of nostalgia. Many of the things back then still make me happy today: Taiwan for one thing, books for another. At the same time, the range of things that makes me happy has also expanded to include my friends, and surprisingly, school (on some days at least). Furthermore, it is easier for me to get sad now and harder to cheer myself up when I'm down.
I love how you say that happiness is spontaneous and cannot be planned. Because we sometimes up the expectations of the day we end it disappointed, but the little things have a way of catching us off guard. It is the little things that count!
I would tend to agree with both of you, but I hate to think that happiness is just the greatest difference in expectations and reality. If I start every day in the most cynical and pessimistic mood, am I guaranteed happiness at the end of the day?
From our first days at kindergarten, our parents’ goal which soon became ours was for us to do well in school. The whole purpose of this was so that our future would be bright and successful, having the financial security to live well. I interpreted Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote in this same way- all of our lives were either in school or working, aiming for one common goal, money. It is arguable that one doesn’t have to have wealth in order to be happy, but you cannot argue that it does not have an influence on it. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to provide food on the table, wear clothes on our back, and have any sort of transportation; money is just too big of a part within our lives to live without. It’s part of human nature for us to always want more and to improve therefore, all of our lives we strive to do more in preparation for our happiness later, yet because we are so focused on gaining, we never really have the opportunity to completely take advantage of what we already have- to have the cake and eat it, to reap the harvest we’ve invested in. That’s why you see so many elderly in retirement struggling with spending their days doing nothing; its hard for them to accept that this was it-years upon years of hard work summed up to this moment.
As a child, I defined happiness in a more shallow sense. Once I hit puberty, I remember contemplating why was it that as I got older more of that happiness was slipping away? Was it because it was harder to find or was it that those things no longer made me happy? My answer lied in the responsibilities maturing had handed me; it was easier for me to reach the ecstatic joy before for as you get older, your emotions get tied up in so many other things. When we were questioned in class on which happiness we preferred, I answered the bliss I felt as a child because it was so simple. If I could live the rest of my life with that joy, regardless of it being ignorant, I would for that kind of purity is just too hard to find. On the regards of which being “better”, I’d choose the happiness I feel today for it does have more meaning. Ignorance may provide wholeheartedly pleasure, but it would be living a life of naivety; because finding happiness is harder when were older, it makes the experiences so much more meaningful to discover.
As a child, I defined happiness in a more shallow sense. Once I hit puberty, I remember contemplating why was it that as I got older more of that happiness was slipping away? Was it because it was harder to find or was it that those things no longer made me happy? My answer lied in the responsibilities maturing had handed me; it was easier for me to reach the ecstatic joy before for as you get older, your emotions get tied up in so many other things. When we were questioned in class on which happiness we preferred, I answered the bliss I felt as a child because it was so simple. If I could live the rest of my life with that joy, regardless of it being ignorant, I would for that kind of purity is just too hard to find. On the regards of which being “better”, I’d choose the happiness I feel today for it does have more meaning. Ignorance may provide wholeheartedly pleasure, but it would be living a life of naivety; because finding happiness is harder when were older, it makes the experiences so much more meaningful to discover.
I am surprised that you would choose the happiness that you feel today but yes, you are right about finding the happiness makes the experience so much more meaningful to discover.
I agree with you about choosing the happiness we now experience. When we were young, we were very naiive and did not actually see the world. We always lived in our comfort zone. But as we grow up, we have different perspectives. The things that made us happy when we were young no longer gives us the same effect. Even so, our current happiness has more meaning and worth more. Just like what Kant said about "how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness".
I said the same thing too- that as a child I felt happier. I definitely agree with you when you say that because happiness is harder to find, it is more meaningful. Additionally, I think it is even more rewarding once reached.
Personally I disagree with both, Kant and Emerson. When it comes to morals, I don’t see them as things that need to be fulfilled but more as rules or guidelines one sets for oneself. Whether they are establish by society, ones own free will or a combination of the two, they are still the same rules that one chooses to follow or break. For example if someone believes they should stay abstinent and not have sex until marriage that is a rule they choose to live by. Does that make one worthy of happiness when they finally reach the intimate part of their relationship? Perhaps they do earn that happiness but is that to say that someone who had sex before marriage then tied the knot with someone else later on down the road, is not worthy of the same happiness? I would say that we are all living and all worthy of happiness; our morals allow us to decide just how we choose to live. By following the rules we set for ourselves we achieve happiness based on what we believe is the right thing for us to do.
I think that my first paragraph can be used to help explain why it was much easier to be happy when I was younger. Think back to how innocent we all once were, running around without a care in the world. We never needed to worry about our future or set lifelong goals. The object of every day was to have fun, and really any morals we had were either not taken seriously our out of our comprehension. I remember my parents telling me as a little kid to never do drugs and just thought, “Ok.” I had no understanding of what drugs were or what they could do to you and frankly did not care. It was easier to be happy because we did not have goals to meet or serious moral guidelines to follow. Yet without noticing it, happiness when we were young was and shallow happiness whereas today we work for happiness and that not only makes it harder to attain but makes achieving it much more fulfilling
I think that my first paragraph can be used to help explain why it was much easier to be happy when I was younger. Think back to how innocent we all once were, running around without a care in the world. We never needed to worry about our future or set lifelong goals. The object of every day was to have fun, and really any morals we had were either not taken seriously our out of our comprehension. I remember my parents telling me as a little kid to never do drugs and just thought, “Ok.” I had no understanding of what drugs were or what they could do to you and frankly did not care. It was easier to be happy because we did not have goals to meet or serious moral guidelines to follow. Yet without noticing it, happiness when we were young was and shallow happiness whereas today we work for happiness and that not only makes it harder to attain but makes achieving it much more fulfilling
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Sorry, my keyboard was acting up and I could not get it to stop typing q. I like your point Christos, but I don't think the idea is who is "worthy" of happiness. I believe that people can live by different morals. For some, waiting till marriage is what will make them happy. For others, they don't need to wait to enjoy it. Happiness differs for everybody.
You are only as happy as the moment allows. The moment of childhood allowed for unlimited happiness because happiness was never restricted for you. Once you ease into reality happiness stops watching over you as much. I like your style of thinking. Fulfillment with happiness is a little better than the happy that exists because all it wants to do is exist.
At the start of our life we are just little kids playing in the sandbox. Once we enter our school system are taught to always be striving for excellence. Every thing we learn in first grade makes us better prepared for second. Everything in second grade makes us better prepared for third, and so on. Until we enter high school. Then all the classes we take help us be better prepared for college. College prepares us for our job and we work until we fully believe that we are prepared to retire. All through out our life we are just constinletly working ourselves to death to make the end of our life as much relax full as we can. Sometimes that age is to 65 or even later. We are never really living until the later parts of our life. We only truly reach that living stage if we can have nothing else we wish to do before we “kick the bucket”. Our preparing stage of our life in comparison to our living part of our life, there is a drastic difference. Our living part is drastically shorter then our preparing part. and we can't enjoy our selves until we feel like we are done. so until we are old and ready to just do things for fun and not because we need to do we can never truly live.
The way you put it makes it seem so depressing. But even though we are always preparing for the next thing until we are finally ready to live, as you say, I think its still possible to do things that make you happy at the same time. That's what weekends are for, right?
I agree with Kevin, this is pretty saddening.
"We are never really living until the later parts of our life. We only truly reach that living stage if we can have nothing else we wish to do before we “kick the bucket”. "
But I suppose it is also uplifting in that we never fully complete our goals. It goes both ways
"We are never really living until the later parts of our life. We only truly reach that living stage if we can have nothing else we wish to do before we “kick the bucket”. "
But I suppose it is also uplifting in that we never fully complete our goals. It goes both ways
I don't think it's possible to fully complete one's goals.
Isn't it best to keep adding goals so you have something to work for?
Isn't it best to keep adding goals so you have something to work for?
You may have answered it in a depressing way, but sadly it is the truth. Many people don't truly start living until they know their life is coming to an end, and it is very depressing that some people live life that way.
I kind of agree with you on the fact we always work hard, but I took it in a different approach. Although we have work hard to prepare for the next thing, we do have the time to actually feel accomplished. I think we do live the live; just because we constantly preparing does not mean we will never live.
That is pretty bleak. I guess we've just got to learn how to live for the moment and the future huh?
I agree with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote “We are always getting ready to live but never living” because all we do while growing up since we were in diapers is learning from someone older than us. Either if it’s a friend a teacher or even your parents they teach us something everyday, even though it’s ridiculously stupid or about them, we are learning about the environment around us. Take school for example we go there even though we despise going to school and we learn about stocks, history and many other things. School is another way of preparing us to get a job in life so we can live a happy life with a wife and kids. And when we have kids we are trying to prepare there lives so they would be successful in life. The cycle of preparation for life will start over once you have kids. We are never going to stop getting ready to live because we are either trying to better our own lives and/or the lives of ours loved ones.
Once I turned eighteen I feel that I have much more responsibility on my hand to my younger cousins and friends. I feel that I have to be protective and be like a guardian and protect them from any harm that comes toward them. Even though I still have fun there’s always a thought of “what if they get hurt” and if they do I feel that I have to take responsibility. I think I thought about my happiness more then, and then I do now. Because all of my extra money doesn’t go towards games or random wants that I don’t need it goes to my family when they need it. Or it would go to my friends every time they need some money to borrow for lunch. Even though I miss buying all those fancy wants I feel better helping out my friends and family with money issues.
Once I turned eighteen I feel that I have much more responsibility on my hand to my younger cousins and friends. I feel that I have to be protective and be like a guardian and protect them from any harm that comes toward them. Even though I still have fun there’s always a thought of “what if they get hurt” and if they do I feel that I have to take responsibility. I think I thought about my happiness more then, and then I do now. Because all of my extra money doesn’t go towards games or random wants that I don’t need it goes to my family when they need it. Or it would go to my friends every time they need some money to borrow for lunch. Even though I miss buying all those fancy wants I feel better helping out my friends and family with money issues.
+ Is a life spent waiting for intermittent pleasant surprises worth living?
I don’t think that a life waiting for anything is worth living. You are given a life so you should do something more than just spend it waiting. Surprises are great, but waiting for surprises is just being ignorant because you could do so much more than that. If you want a surprise you need to take some part in beginning it. For example, if you wanted a surprise birthday party waiting for your friends to come up with that idea isn’t very likely to happen. You should mention it to your friends so that they have the idea of doing it or else they will never think of surprising you because they wouldn’t know if you would like it or not.
Every person is given a life, an existence, so why would anyone waste it on waiting? I believe that people should live for themselves. When I hear someone saying that they want to follow their parents’ decisions or live the path of someone else, I literally just go blank. First thing I think of is “Who are you living for?” This is your life, and you should definite not hold back on living your life.
+ We contrasted what made you happy when you were five versus what makes you happy now. Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Which happiness was "better"?
It was definitely easier to make me happier when I was younger because I was ignorant of the world, of the hurt people would do to each other just to get ahead, and of how immature and selfish people (including adults over 40 years old) can be. Without any of the experience I have now, of course it would be easier to make me happy because there is so much out there to be sad about. But when I was young all I would have to do is see the beach and instantly I’m running towards the water without any care in the world.
Now that I’m older, it is definitely more difficult to make me truly happy. It is also possibly because of the stress, pressure, constant worrying, and the limited hours of daylight that makes it harder for me, or anyone of my age, to be truly happy. But even though it takes so much more to make me happy, I would still say that this happiness is “better”. The fact that I know how painful reality is and how cruel people can be, if I am ever happy it will mean so much more to me because what made me happy had defied everything that could have made me sad. Happiness that I discover at my age today holds a lot more meaning. Adults who are happy show that they have found something that went above all the pain they have felt and all the abuse and embarrassment they have gone through. This happiness holds so much value because it was able to defy all the “bads” they have experienced.
I don’t think that a life waiting for anything is worth living. You are given a life so you should do something more than just spend it waiting. Surprises are great, but waiting for surprises is just being ignorant because you could do so much more than that. If you want a surprise you need to take some part in beginning it. For example, if you wanted a surprise birthday party waiting for your friends to come up with that idea isn’t very likely to happen. You should mention it to your friends so that they have the idea of doing it or else they will never think of surprising you because they wouldn’t know if you would like it or not.
Every person is given a life, an existence, so why would anyone waste it on waiting? I believe that people should live for themselves. When I hear someone saying that they want to follow their parents’ decisions or live the path of someone else, I literally just go blank. First thing I think of is “Who are you living for?” This is your life, and you should definite not hold back on living your life.
+ We contrasted what made you happy when you were five versus what makes you happy now. Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Which happiness was "better"?
It was definitely easier to make me happier when I was younger because I was ignorant of the world, of the hurt people would do to each other just to get ahead, and of how immature and selfish people (including adults over 40 years old) can be. Without any of the experience I have now, of course it would be easier to make me happy because there is so much out there to be sad about. But when I was young all I would have to do is see the beach and instantly I’m running towards the water without any care in the world.
Now that I’m older, it is definitely more difficult to make me truly happy. It is also possibly because of the stress, pressure, constant worrying, and the limited hours of daylight that makes it harder for me, or anyone of my age, to be truly happy. But even though it takes so much more to make me happy, I would still say that this happiness is “better”. The fact that I know how painful reality is and how cruel people can be, if I am ever happy it will mean so much more to me because what made me happy had defied everything that could have made me sad. Happiness that I discover at my age today holds a lot more meaning. Adults who are happy show that they have found something that went above all the pain they have felt and all the abuse and embarrassment they have gone through. This happiness holds so much value because it was able to defy all the “bads” they have experienced.
I agree with you for both. Life should not be wasted waiting. As a person, we should always be trying to accomplish something. I think if we follow that surprises will come along. Regarding happiness, happiness being a five year old, meant a lot of ignorance, and that the world revolved around me.
The age of five was a simpler time. At age five, happiness didn't need a definition; happiness didn't need a reason. I didn't need to analyze the nature of happiness and decide whether I was worthy of it or not. In fact, I didn't even get to choose what made me happy; happiness just happened, and I had no control over it. It was easier that way.
Now, at age eighteen, I am forced to think critically about happiness. What makes me happy? Do I deserve happiness? And of course, will I be happy in the future? Now that I'm no longer five, it doesn't seem like happiness just "happens" to me anymore, I have to work for it (isn't that so very backwards?). It is clear that even the very definition of happiness has changed for me. My happiness today is different from my happiness thirteen years ago, and will probably be different from my happiness twenty years from now.
In a way, however, happiness does just "happen", because we don't make conscious decisions as to what makes us happy.
In that sense, I am worthy of happiness for no other reason than the fact that my version of happiness is attainable. I can become happy just by hanging out with my friends or playing Xbox. We live for the little things that make us happy from day to day, and the ability to be satisfied with what we have is the key to happiness. For some, a life "intermittent pleasant surprises" would be fully satisfying, knowing that there will always be something good to look forward to, and those people will be worthy of happiness. On the other hand, those who are more difficult to satisfy and would not be happy with only "intermittent surprises", they will have to work harder to reach their goals and become worthy of happiness. While it seems simple, I believe everyone is worthy of happiness if they can be fully satisfied with what they can attain.
Now, at age eighteen, I am forced to think critically about happiness. What makes me happy? Do I deserve happiness? And of course, will I be happy in the future? Now that I'm no longer five, it doesn't seem like happiness just "happens" to me anymore, I have to work for it (isn't that so very backwards?). It is clear that even the very definition of happiness has changed for me. My happiness today is different from my happiness thirteen years ago, and will probably be different from my happiness twenty years from now.
In a way, however, happiness does just "happen", because we don't make conscious decisions as to what makes us happy.
In that sense, I am worthy of happiness for no other reason than the fact that my version of happiness is attainable. I can become happy just by hanging out with my friends or playing Xbox. We live for the little things that make us happy from day to day, and the ability to be satisfied with what we have is the key to happiness. For some, a life "intermittent pleasant surprises" would be fully satisfying, knowing that there will always be something good to look forward to, and those people will be worthy of happiness. On the other hand, those who are more difficult to satisfy and would not be happy with only "intermittent surprises", they will have to work harder to reach their goals and become worthy of happiness. While it seems simple, I believe everyone is worthy of happiness if they can be fully satisfied with what they can attain.
Yes, it was that simple: You get what you want, you feel happy. It is definitely easier to satisfy myself when I was young.
Honestly, when I'm 30 I'm going to look fondly back on the times we've had screaming at each other over FIFA.
Easily attainable, but extremely memorable.
Easily attainable, but extremely memorable.
“Do you remember in kindergarten, how you'd meet a kid, and know nothing about them, then 10 seconds later you'd be playing like you were best friends, because you didn't have to be anything but yourself?” Gabriella Montez
Nothing like a high school musical quote to start a blog about the meaning of true happiness. This quote really puts the playing field into perspective when we were little nothing mattered, social standards were unimportant, who cared if you had the new I-touch or a nice car, and the world was unimportant. There just is a magical shift from when we are children to the time we enter adulthood that converts us and warps us to become people of social class or rank. The best example I can think of is this girl I knew back in first grade up until I left private school. When we were little she was my best friend we’d compare freckles and tell each other our dreams, but when we got older suddenly we could not talk to each other because she was a popular girl and I was the kid that just seemed to trip over his own feet. You begin to loose that little thing that made life seem so simple, but what was it?
I think that at that point where we stop being kids is like the day you realize you will not be superman or that someday you may actually die. Our childhood ends the first time we feel true sorrow. Not the “I fell down and hurt myself” sorrow but the “ I just tore a hole in heart” kind. Everyone experiences this at some point in his or her life. This is the day that we are able to find the ultimate low and ultimate high. In some ways your childhood is the happiest time of your life, but I believe it is due to the fact that we have nothing to compare it with. Think of how happy you were when your dad took you out to get a new toy when you were five, but now if your dad wants to hang out your first question is “what did I do wrong?” It’s the defense mechanism we set up after we get hurt. This defense is what we use to try and find happiness. The trouble is that we are more hesitant to put our hearts out to be stepped on again. Its my belief that true happiness is no longer attainable because with sorrow you are never fully happy.
Nothing like a high school musical quote to start a blog about the meaning of true happiness. This quote really puts the playing field into perspective when we were little nothing mattered, social standards were unimportant, who cared if you had the new I-touch or a nice car, and the world was unimportant. There just is a magical shift from when we are children to the time we enter adulthood that converts us and warps us to become people of social class or rank. The best example I can think of is this girl I knew back in first grade up until I left private school. When we were little she was my best friend we’d compare freckles and tell each other our dreams, but when we got older suddenly we could not talk to each other because she was a popular girl and I was the kid that just seemed to trip over his own feet. You begin to loose that little thing that made life seem so simple, but what was it?
I think that at that point where we stop being kids is like the day you realize you will not be superman or that someday you may actually die. Our childhood ends the first time we feel true sorrow. Not the “I fell down and hurt myself” sorrow but the “ I just tore a hole in heart” kind. Everyone experiences this at some point in his or her life. This is the day that we are able to find the ultimate low and ultimate high. In some ways your childhood is the happiest time of your life, but I believe it is due to the fact that we have nothing to compare it with. Think of how happy you were when your dad took you out to get a new toy when you were five, but now if your dad wants to hang out your first question is “what did I do wrong?” It’s the defense mechanism we set up after we get hurt. This defense is what we use to try and find happiness. The trouble is that we are more hesitant to put our hearts out to be stepped on again. Its my belief that true happiness is no longer attainable because with sorrow you are never fully happy.
When I was five, the world revolved around everyone but me. I gravitated to different people and tried (often unsuccessfully) to please them, for their happiness mirrors my happiness. When an angry teacher scolded a hyperactive pupil, I cringed and squirmed in my seat as if I was the one to blame for the trouble. When my parents’ occasional arguments escalated to vicious levels, I needlessly entangled myself in the fray in a desperate attempt to calm them. At least adults understood my sensitivity to their emotions. Even after a bad day at work, my parents never failed to greet me with a heartwarming smile and a tight embrace when I returned home from school. Whenever possible, my kind teachers would compliment for small things I did for them: putting up the chairs after school, cleaning up my classmates’ messy desktops when they all rush out to recess, or just helping to pass out the papers. With adults, I could be happy with relative comfort and stability.
With my insensitive peers, however, my happiness was on shaky grounds. Because the mood of the average elementary school child fluctuates from hour to hour, my bouts of elation were just as overwhelming as my moments of intense depression. A female classmate was pleased with me for drawing a picture for her. I gladly did this for the a good portion of a month because it meant I would see a smile on her face the next day. At the same time, that very same girl also had the power to ruin my entire day by saying that picture I drew on a particular day was hideous. The things that made me happy back then often came with an equal backlash of negative energy. In hindsight, I feel like I was too concerned with the happiness of others to experience true happiness for myself. Especially among my crueler peers, that strange giddy sensation I felt for pleasing them was not jubilation; it was a silent sigh of relief for averting potential verbal abuse.
Today, I dedicate my pursuit of happiness to more practical activities. I’ll personify this happiness to something very relevant to us fellow Feraco students: blog posts. If you don't know by now, I am obsessed with refining my blog posts. Perhaps it has to do with me being an art student. Or perhaps it is just a strange quirk of mine. I cannot bear to create anything less than an masterpiece. The weekly blog post is not designed to be written at the same caliber as the senior project essay, yet I treat it like one. If I wanted to, I could easily bang out a 2 paragraph entry in an hour or two and be done with it. It would spare me hours or even days worth of time that could otherwise be spent doing other schoolwork. But I just don't work that way. I may be slightly relieved that one assignment among the list of many others is complete. I may have a few more hours of sleep at. But I will know for a fact that the usual jubilation of submitting yet another well polished masterpiece will be replaced with the guilt of showing to the world a less than mediocre part of me.
But my “world” is no longer made up of everyone that knows me; it consists of the people that I genuinely care about: my teachers, my considerably kinder classmates, my friends, my family and more recently, myself. During my long search for true happiness, I learned that I ultimately determine my own happiness. Even though I can create artwork (or in this case, writing) that stuns my world with minimal effort, I still try put my full effort into it to satisfy my own standards. The greatest happiness, in my opinion, needs to be earned from not the people around me, but myself.
With my insensitive peers, however, my happiness was on shaky grounds. Because the mood of the average elementary school child fluctuates from hour to hour, my bouts of elation were just as overwhelming as my moments of intense depression. A female classmate was pleased with me for drawing a picture for her. I gladly did this for the a good portion of a month because it meant I would see a smile on her face the next day. At the same time, that very same girl also had the power to ruin my entire day by saying that picture I drew on a particular day was hideous. The things that made me happy back then often came with an equal backlash of negative energy. In hindsight, I feel like I was too concerned with the happiness of others to experience true happiness for myself. Especially among my crueler peers, that strange giddy sensation I felt for pleasing them was not jubilation; it was a silent sigh of relief for averting potential verbal abuse.
Today, I dedicate my pursuit of happiness to more practical activities. I’ll personify this happiness to something very relevant to us fellow Feraco students: blog posts. If you don't know by now, I am obsessed with refining my blog posts. Perhaps it has to do with me being an art student. Or perhaps it is just a strange quirk of mine. I cannot bear to create anything less than an masterpiece. The weekly blog post is not designed to be written at the same caliber as the senior project essay, yet I treat it like one. If I wanted to, I could easily bang out a 2 paragraph entry in an hour or two and be done with it. It would spare me hours or even days worth of time that could otherwise be spent doing other schoolwork. But I just don't work that way. I may be slightly relieved that one assignment among the list of many others is complete. I may have a few more hours of sleep at. But I will know for a fact that the usual jubilation of submitting yet another well polished masterpiece will be replaced with the guilt of showing to the world a less than mediocre part of me.
But my “world” is no longer made up of everyone that knows me; it consists of the people that I genuinely care about: my teachers, my considerably kinder classmates, my friends, my family and more recently, myself. During my long search for true happiness, I learned that I ultimately determine my own happiness. Even though I can create artwork (or in this case, writing) that stuns my world with minimal effort, I still try put my full effort into it to satisfy my own standards. The greatest happiness, in my opinion, needs to be earned from not the people around me, but myself.
When I first read Emmanuel Kant’s saying, I did not view that the quote is implying that everyone is worthy of happiness. Instead, I interpreted that people have to work for their happiness. Some things make us happy naturally, such as nature. But we all need to work for our worthiness to become joyful. I have experienced many events in the past that has altered my thoughts about happiness and the world. How do people continue to enjoy the relationship they have with others? It is through the effort they put into it. For example, when Person A puts in her full effort into her friendship or dating relationship and Person B does the opposite, the relationship becomes sour and eventually dies.
People will not stay by your side if you do not make yourself worth their energy. There is a saying that power comes to those who put less attention and feelings into the relationship. Even though I agree with this statement, if these kinds of people continue to do this way, their partners will realize that their “special someone” is not worth their time and effort. The other side may be happy, but the one who is worthy of happiness is not; this is not right.
After feeling more pain than I had had in my childhood and realizing the cruel world, I believe that when we were young, we could easily be happy. But I would not trade my current happiness with my young happiness. I am willing to sacrifice my happiness to see the world. When I was young, everything was laid in front of me. Everything was what I wanted or thought, but I shall no longer stay in this state. I do not want to be deceived anymore. We have the choice to live in our dream world, but reality stays realistic. And this would never change.
People will not stay by your side if you do not make yourself worth their energy. There is a saying that power comes to those who put less attention and feelings into the relationship. Even though I agree with this statement, if these kinds of people continue to do this way, their partners will realize that their “special someone” is not worth their time and effort. The other side may be happy, but the one who is worthy of happiness is not; this is not right.
After feeling more pain than I had had in my childhood and realizing the cruel world, I believe that when we were young, we could easily be happy. But I would not trade my current happiness with my young happiness. I am willing to sacrifice my happiness to see the world. When I was young, everything was laid in front of me. Everything was what I wanted or thought, but I shall no longer stay in this state. I do not want to be deceived anymore. We have the choice to live in our dream world, but reality stays realistic. And this would never change.
I also believe that people have to work for their happiness. People who don't put effort into their relationships aren't working for their happiness, so their relationship doesn't really deserve to thrive. It's interesting how you see happiness as something you would sacrifice to "see the world". I take this as you want to experience the real world with its difficulties and challenges. It's good that you feel this way because it's really easy for people to cling to their happiness even if it's false happiness and they know they're deceiving themselves.
Jennifer, I agree with you too. To determine people are worth of happiness or not is by how hard you are working for it. Not only feeling happy with the result, but also enjoy the period when you fight for something very hard.
I would definitely say that it was a lot easier to be happier when I was five than now. At age five, I was just happy to be alive and enjoyed practically every little think I did. When I was five, I considered homework entertaining. To be honest, I think the reason that I find it harder to be happy now is because of my greater intelligence. I have a very analytical mind. I constantly am thinking about what the true meaning of life is. The fact that I do not know what the purpose of this life I am living is something that can make me unhappy at times. While I still have fun now and am a happy guy, I was still much happier when I was five.
Is a life spent waiting for intermittent pleasant surprises worth living? I would have to say that it is not. However, there is much more to life than waiting for intermittent surprises. Life is about going out and enjoying yourself with those that you love and care about. Life is about succeeding in whatever you can and living up to your potential. Life is about making the most out of every situation.
I know that my second paragraph may seem contradictory to my first. However, what I am really trying to point out is that while I have established why life is worth living, I have not discovered whether or not there is something greater than what I already believe that I simply cannot yet comprehend.
Is a life spent waiting for intermittent pleasant surprises worth living? I would have to say that it is not. However, there is much more to life than waiting for intermittent surprises. Life is about going out and enjoying yourself with those that you love and care about. Life is about succeeding in whatever you can and living up to your potential. Life is about making the most out of every situation.
I know that my second paragraph may seem contradictory to my first. However, what I am really trying to point out is that while I have established why life is worth living, I have not discovered whether or not there is something greater than what I already believe that I simply cannot yet comprehend.
I used to be like you too! It's weird how when I was little and in middle school, I couldn't wait to get to high school and do homework and learn, but once school started getting difficult like in junior year, I started to dread homework.
I too have greater intelligence now, but that has actually made me more happy now than I was when I was five. When I was small, little things could make me angry or pout and complain easily, but now I am smart enough to know that sometimes it's not worth it to feel sad over certain things.
I too have greater intelligence now, but that has actually made me more happy now than I was when I was five. When I was small, little things could make me angry or pout and complain easily, but now I am smart enough to know that sometimes it's not worth it to feel sad over certain things.
Valid point on the intelligence part. People develop and gain more intelligence and find that what use to make them happy no longer does. Like how teenagers grow out of video games, or at least i think they do.
I agree that life is about reaching your full potential and spending it with those you care about and love. Without the support of our loved ones, it would be hard to achieve our full potential.
I agree! In the end, family is unnecessary... but it makes living worth it so much more! (Unless you have a cruddy family... but can't help you there)
I totally agree with you that we will be a lot easier to be happy than now. I think that people not just think too hard about being happy, they also "scared" about happy, because they have seen more as they grow older.
When you are a child, the common question was “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Once in middle school, a child (at least a child in a my society or one similar to mine) needed to get straight As to prepare himself for high school; which lead to equal standards once in high school in order to gain entry to a “good” college. Once in a “good” college, that child is a man/woman that has then has to study hard to get a good job. Therefore, starting childhood, in essence, the kid is preparing to live, and has a decreasing chance to live. As adults, we have so many responsibilities to uphold that to live life, are placed lower and lower on the priority list. From car payments, to mortgages, and even your child’s college fund (for him to repeat the same cycle you did), where is the time to stop, smell the roses, and live?
Instead of wondering if morality what makes us worthy of happiness, why do we have to be worthy, in order to be happy? Furthermore, what is it that makes us worthy? Happiness is just one of the myriad of emotions that we feel as humans. If we need not be worthy to feel anger, jealousy, tired, excited, why is it that we have to be worthy to feel happiness? Morality is more of one’s individual code of ethics that affects his emotions, not was makes him worthy of feeling emotions. If anything, acting upon one’s own morals is what sets his emotions. Instead of having morality be the reason why we make ourselves worthy of happiness, there should not even be a reason why we must be worthy of happiness, nor how we would obtain it.
Instead of wondering if morality what makes us worthy of happiness, why do we have to be worthy, in order to be happy? Furthermore, what is it that makes us worthy? Happiness is just one of the myriad of emotions that we feel as humans. If we need not be worthy to feel anger, jealousy, tired, excited, why is it that we have to be worthy to feel happiness? Morality is more of one’s individual code of ethics that affects his emotions, not was makes him worthy of feeling emotions. If anything, acting upon one’s own morals is what sets his emotions. Instead of having morality be the reason why we make ourselves worthy of happiness, there should not even be a reason why we must be worthy of happiness, nor how we would obtain it.
I Think the questions is then, How do you make yourself worthy of happiness.
I completely agree with your arguement. "where is the time to stop, smell the roses, and live?" Our world today is too fast paced.
I also believe that people have to work for their happiness. People who don't put effort into their relationships aren't working for their happiness, so their relationship doesn't really deserve to thrive. It's interesting how you see happiness as something you would sacrifice to "see the world". I take this as you want to experience the real world with its difficulties and challenges. It's good that you feel this way because it's really easy for people to cling to their happiness even if it's false happiness and they know they're deceiving themselves.
This was supposed to be a reply to #22, Jennifer's post.
Emerson is correct to say that, “We are always getting ready to live but never living” because life seems to be rushed nowadays. At a younger age kids live life without any worries or major problems that cause stress. They live a life trying to have fun, trying to explore, and trying to live in the moment. With no plans for the future, a kid cannot “get ready to live”. Adults are always planning to live life because they have a goal or agenda that has to be complete. They plan that they are going to work, they plan that they will watch the Laker game and they plan what they will do the next day. It is a series of task that must be accomplished everyday and there are no spontaneous acts like in a child’s world. I think with age humans look toward the future, for survival, unlike children who have parents that watch over. It is instinctive that at a certain age humans switch to think about the future and not the present.
At an older age, people tend to care more about others because they want to feel accepted into society. Children do not think about what friends think because a new one is one wave away. For adults to make friends it requires more work and skill to be liked. Kids definitely care more about their own happiness because I find that kids are more selfish and tend to please themselves first. Also, it is very clear that parents make their kids happy first by the fact they buy them lots of toys and take them to Disneyland, which is probably hell for the parents. Kids want their needs to be filled and parents fill the kid’s needs before their own. As people grow older, I think the people think about the community and the need for the community to survive and grow.
At an older age, people tend to care more about others because they want to feel accepted into society. Children do not think about what friends think because a new one is one wave away. For adults to make friends it requires more work and skill to be liked. Kids definitely care more about their own happiness because I find that kids are more selfish and tend to please themselves first. Also, it is very clear that parents make their kids happy first by the fact they buy them lots of toys and take them to Disneyland, which is probably hell for the parents. Kids want their needs to be filled and parents fill the kid’s needs before their own. As people grow older, I think the people think about the community and the need for the community to survive and grow.
I believe that Ralph Waldo Emerson was correct about humans always preparing to live life, yet falling short of living the life they prepared for. It’s like studying for a math test or an S.A.T tests and the results are beyond belief. Yet the emotions for achieving the high score do not convey our happiness after the hard work and struggles we faced. Instead of living in the moment and not living during these priceless moments that we can never get back, we continue to pursue something else, constantly grasping another goal we want to reach. An example of this would be like looking at the flower and not smelling the distinct aroma, then looking for another rose that will stimulate our eyes. As humans we tend to reach our goals and not live in the moments we actually achieve that goals. We are in constant search of live instead of living life.
When I was younger it was easier to be happy, there were no cares, it didn’t matter what other people’s judgments or thoughts were. Happiness was always special because it meant something new had been placed in my life. It was so unique that a present during Christmas could create a smile so big that words could not describe the happiness felt in my heart. The “little things” made me happy because everything that made me happy was a new experience in my life. Yet as I got older the routine of life made the happiness I felt decline. As I became older the stress of life and the judgments from others affected the way I showed happiness. I think the past happiness was better because it was like a breath of fresh air, always new and refreshing.
When I was younger it was easier to be happy, there were no cares, it didn’t matter what other people’s judgments or thoughts were. Happiness was always special because it meant something new had been placed in my life. It was so unique that a present during Christmas could create a smile so big that words could not describe the happiness felt in my heart. The “little things” made me happy because everything that made me happy was a new experience in my life. Yet as I got older the routine of life made the happiness I felt decline. As I became older the stress of life and the judgments from others affected the way I showed happiness. I think the past happiness was better because it was like a breath of fresh air, always new and refreshing.
As children, most would be content to live in the now, excited at every random good luck that comes their way. However, it is part of growing up that teaches us to move on from that stage. As we get older, we naturally lose the ability to appreciate the simple things in life because we learn that success comes from hard work. We swap the excitement of receiving a new stuffed animal with that of getting accepted into college. Age does affect how we live life.
That being said, it is not necessarily a bad thing to be getting ready to live rather than living. Life should not be wasted waiting. I do not live my life passively, waiting for happy accidents or pleasant surprises. Instead, I chase after opportunities before they have the chance to pass me by. I am not forgetting to live in the now; rather I am opening my eyes beyond what was placed in front of me.
That being said, it is not necessarily a bad thing to be getting ready to live rather than living. Life should not be wasted waiting. I do not live my life passively, waiting for happy accidents or pleasant surprises. Instead, I chase after opportunities before they have the chance to pass me by. I am not forgetting to live in the now; rather I am opening my eyes beyond what was placed in front of me.
I like the old days of being a child though. One of the worst things about growing up and going to college is losing the easy happiness of a grade schooler,
It might be weird to say this but, I don't think I miss that happiness because I still feel it every now and again. Actually, really succeeding in something. Putting everything into something and then winning it all. That feeling is something entirely different, and I like it more than something that comes so easy.
I think, as a child, we are just so protected from hardships.
In the end, to truly move forward... we have to face hardships!
In the end, to truly move forward... we have to face hardships!
I totally agree with you. Even though I am getting ready for the future by preparing for college, I am still enjoying my present life. I don't think one should live one's life preparing for the future. People who do that will only waste their lives away.
Man I love that last line. I could not agree more with it. I'm a total sucker when it comes to looking for positives and that line really hit home.
I'm glad you brought it up.
I'm glad you brought it up.
I also have same idea that as people get older, they become unable to appreciate the smaller stuff.
It was much easier to be happy when I was young, but it was also easy to be sad or mad. When we were young, our moods swing instantly; we can be down one moment then glad the next moment. We were affected by our surroundings easily. Sometimes we would not even know why we felt a certain way. We knew too little to see importance in things; we weren't mature enough to understand the meanings behind events or motives. We were influenced by meaningless things like receiving candies, earning stickers, or taking a shower without any help.
Now, it is harder to be become happy since we search for reasons behind our happiness. Even though occasionally, we might have the same sensations, when we feel good for no specific reasons, comparing to the past, we hardly have those kinds of happy moment. We need something deeper and more meaningful to sustain our happiness as grownups. It takes much more to earn our happiness now than when we were young.
Although it was simpler to acquire happiness 13 years ago, I prefer the happiness I have now. I want my happiness to mean something. I don't want to gain my happiness randomly. Happiness from I was young are just like cheap shoes; I can get them whenever I want. However, happiness from now are equivalent to name-brand shoes, which I can only occasionally buy. I can own many cheap shoes easily, but they also break easily. I will not value them that much since I can replace them whenever I want. On the other hand, I have to save up for a while just to own a pair of name brand shoes; as a result, I will maintain them and treat them nicely since they are much more valuable.
Happiness now is much more better than happiness from my childhood. Happiness from then were superficial. They only last for a moment. However, happiness from now can last for a long time. Even though the feeling eventually vanishes, sometimes when I think about them later I can still recap the happiness.
Now, it is harder to be become happy since we search for reasons behind our happiness. Even though occasionally, we might have the same sensations, when we feel good for no specific reasons, comparing to the past, we hardly have those kinds of happy moment. We need something deeper and more meaningful to sustain our happiness as grownups. It takes much more to earn our happiness now than when we were young.
Although it was simpler to acquire happiness 13 years ago, I prefer the happiness I have now. I want my happiness to mean something. I don't want to gain my happiness randomly. Happiness from I was young are just like cheap shoes; I can get them whenever I want. However, happiness from now are equivalent to name-brand shoes, which I can only occasionally buy. I can own many cheap shoes easily, but they also break easily. I will not value them that much since I can replace them whenever I want. On the other hand, I have to save up for a while just to own a pair of name brand shoes; as a result, I will maintain them and treat them nicely since they are much more valuable.
Happiness now is much more better than happiness from my childhood. Happiness from then were superficial. They only last for a moment. However, happiness from now can last for a long time. Even though the feeling eventually vanishes, sometimes when I think about them later I can still recap the happiness.
I like how you said that it is harder to find happiness as we grow older because we search for reasons behind our happiness. I never really thought about it until now, but I think that is pretty true. I still get happy over small things like getting candies, ice cream, and collecting things, but I am only happy for a short amount of time. For me to be genuinely happy now, is much harder than before. Nicely done!
now i actually get mad and sad much easier than when i was little. My mood swings randomly...I really miss my childhood years
When Mr. Feraco gave a lecture to define happiness to us, I have been thinking about this for a long time. What is happiness anyway? It’s hard to define. I believe that happiness is everything. When I was five, I was a big fan of comic books. I bought hundreds of comic books in my room. I spent all the money I got from my parents to go to the book shop near my school and bought books I liked. Every character of the books is stocked into my mind. Every night I dreamed about being a superman to save the world. In my head, I became a spiderman and fight against the bad guys. As I was dreaming, every moment was my happiness. When I grew up, my point of view towards happiness changed. Now, hanging out with my friends becomes the happiest thing in the world. Thinking about the way I defined happiness when I was five, it sounds very stupid. That's true, but it is what it is. If you ask me to compare which one makes me happier, it is very hard to tell. I think they can bring me different kind of happiness. When I was young, I lived under my world. I dream, image, and think about my life. I can be whatever I want in my mind. When I grew up, social becomes more important. At that time, happiness is pure. Now, my happiness also comes from others’ happiness.
As what I said above, my attitude towards happiness changed over time. When I was young, I only cared myself. I create my own happiness. Sometime I got away others’ things in order to make myself happy. As time passing, I learned more about what true happiness is. I learned about how to care for others, and also how to seek happiness when from others. I would like to use my efforts to make my friends happy. When they are happy, I feel like whatever I have done worse it. I changed my attitude because I have met so many people and experience so many things when I grew up, unlike the little kid thirteen years ago. All these experiences teach me to become a person who care for others.
As what I said above, my attitude towards happiness changed over time. When I was young, I only cared myself. I create my own happiness. Sometime I got away others’ things in order to make myself happy. As time passing, I learned more about what true happiness is. I learned about how to care for others, and also how to seek happiness when from others. I would like to use my efforts to make my friends happy. When they are happy, I feel like whatever I have done worse it. I changed my attitude because I have met so many people and experience so many things when I grew up, unlike the little kid thirteen years ago. All these experiences teach me to become a person who care for others.
I remember those comic heroes role play/daydreams so distracting in the hours before sleep!
When I was little I was always asking for things that would make me happy and never thought about the people around me and what made them happy. Now a young adult I have learned that everything is not about me and that the people around you are the ones you have to care about the most. Of course I thought about my own happiness when I was younger, but at times I would help someone else when they needed to be cheered up or even just a laugh or two. These days I care more so about my family's happiness than my own, during high school I had to always think about what would make my parents happy and not me. I stayed in pep squad for my sophmore year because of my mom, sure I had some good times in pep, but by the end of the year I hated it and when at home I had to pretend to liked it to my mom. Now that it is senior year I have made choices for my own happiness and for others. Learning how to make everyone happy can be a handful but in the end you are living a happy life with the people you love.
I am a person who lives in the moment, and I do not want to spend my life waiting for surprises to come and go randomly. Life wasn’t meant to be wasted on waiting for “intermittent pleasant surprises," it is meant for you to discover new things every moment. I try to discover something new everyday because I don’t want to waste my life waiting for something new to be discovered and me not enjoy it as much then than now. You have to be able to make those surprises ones to remember and build on them to make the next one even better. I try to take as many surprises that are negatives and turn them into positives, sometimes it works and other times it doesn't, and that’s life. Life is one big mystery that is waiting to be discovered and it is our job to discover it. I am still wondering what the mystery of life is because I have only been on this earth for 18 years, but during those 18 years I have found myself doing things I would have never thought of myself doing four years ago. High school was filled with intermittent pleasant surprises and some of those have been great lessons that I will use for the real world.
I am a person who lives in the moment, and I do not want to spend my life waiting for surprises to come and go randomly. Life wasn’t meant to be wasted on waiting for “intermittent pleasant surprises," it is meant for you to discover new things every moment. I try to discover something new everyday because I don’t want to waste my life waiting for something new to be discovered and me not enjoy it as much then than now. You have to be able to make those surprises ones to remember and build on them to make the next one even better. I try to take as many surprises that are negatives and turn them into positives, sometimes it works and other times it doesn't, and that’s life. Life is one big mystery that is waiting to be discovered and it is our job to discover it. I am still wondering what the mystery of life is because I have only been on this earth for 18 years, but during those 18 years I have found myself doing things I would have never thought of myself doing four years ago. High school was filled with intermittent pleasant surprises and some of those have been great lessons that I will use for the real world.
I also think about my families happiness more than my own. It is a deep feeling of happiness to please the ones I love and make their lives a bit easier. No matter how big or small it still matters.
Agreed! I was a selfish kid too and look at me now.
For me it's actually easier to be happier when I'm older, because I know how to appreciate it. When I was younger I would get more upset when something was not allowed or when I didn't get tasty food. Also I think I've started to get more self centered and narcissistic. That's not good though. It's not that I'm selfish, it's just that I think I'm awesome that's all. Now I feel really happy when eating something I like (Though I have gotten more picky then I was as a kid). Doing something fun or daydreaming something awesome. I feel though that when I was smaller, I felt more intense happiness, since there was nothing to worry about.I can remember being so utterly blissful, not worrying about anything at all and having the time of my life. It seems like now that I'm older that doesn't happen as often. It seems like a shame, But I know in the future, there will be things like that coming. I'm glad that I know where to find happiness and that I know how to appreciate it, otherwise there would be no use in happiness if you didn't know what the alternate was...
I agree with you that as we get older we learn to appreciate more of the happiness in our lives
As a child, we see everything as either good or bad. I remember back when I felt "utterly blissful", not worrying about anything. I miss the good ole' days. 
I like how you brought up the point of the importance in knowing where to find and how to appreciate happiness.
I like how you brought up the point of the importance in knowing where to find and how to appreciate happiness.
I think the best lesson that one can learn is how to make your loved ones and yourself happy. I think it's the key to growing up and I'm really glad you made that point.
When I was young, I am often satisfied by materialistic events rather than spiritual ones. I remember staring at the newest pokemon game at the local mall. I closed my eyes and imagined myself playing the game and exploring the fabulous world of pokemon. I feel a sense of happiness in my mind. After the initial satisfaction, happiness eventually turned to greed. The feeling of not having the game seemed unbearable, and I nagged my mom about buying the game for me. Eventually, I got what I want, but the happiness somehow faded away after playing with the game a couple of days. When I was young, the happiness was often short term. Nowadays, I am happy about more spiritual things. I enjoy chatting with people and talking with friends online more than getting new toys. My happiness right now is definitely better than the one that I had during childhood.
I think I’d answered this question during last semester: Are you more concerned with the well-being of others now that you’re older? My answer is still the same: I am not old enough to be more concerned with the well-being of others. Now calm down. I know, dear reader, that your first reaction must be: how can I be so selfish? But the truth is that everyone, innately, places oneself above others. We do things for our own satisfaction, and we will not do a good job if we dislike what we do. Volunteers volunteer and help others because helping others gives them satisfaction which, strictly defined, is selfish. I’m just being honest with myself: I am a selfish person , and I always will be. Period.
I think I’d answered this question during last semester: Are you more concerned with the well-being of others now that you’re older? My answer is still the same: I am not old enough to be more concerned with the well-being of others. Now calm down. I know, dear reader, that your first reaction must be: how can I be so selfish? But the truth is that everyone, innately, places oneself above others. We do things for our own satisfaction, and we will not do a good job if we dislike what we do. Volunteers volunteer and help others because helping others gives them satisfaction which, strictly defined, is selfish. I’m just being honest with myself: I am a selfish person , and I always will be. Period.
I agree with you Michael that when we were young we satisfied our materialistic needs because we weren't complex enough yet to have spiritual needs. Or to really care for that matter.
While you might still think of yourself as a selfish person, do you truly believe that you are as selfish as you once were as a child? I think that's really apart of growing up; as we make friends and become more connected with others, it's only natural that we begin to think of the people around us more than we once did (regardless if we still put our own well being over anything else). Maybe being selfish might just be your natural tendency but I can't believe that you are the same person now as you were 12 years ago.
I have been selfish since I was born. People say that when you grow older, you will become less selfish; but that doesn't seem to be my case. I am selfish, and I don't feel bad about it at all because after all, this is who I am.
Michael, I did the same thing as you when i was small. We were pickier because we didn't know there is trade-off between everything. To be honest, I was a selfish person too, in order to make myself happy, i never thought of others' feelings. But we will change from time to time. As soon as we could look things in different ways or think from others' views, we won't be selfish anymore.
Well according to you I'm extremely selfish. Period.
PS: thanks for letting me know.
PS: thanks for letting me know.
I do not agree with Kant. Who is to say if we are worthy of happiness or not? Who is to say if your morals are the "right" morals to make you worthy of happiness? Someone's morals might not be the same as another person so who is right and who is wrong. Morals are based off opinion - but a moral-less person is still worthy of happiness. Everyone has the right to happiness. You may be able to do good deeds in order to deserve good fortune, but nobody can do good deeds to receive good fortune. Luck is completely unpredictable in this world, although you may do things to increase your odds.
It was easier to become happier when I was younger because it took less to make me happy. I was less complex and developed than I am now and so it took less intricate events to make me happy. Personally I think the happiness I have now is better because it's is valued and worth more to me. Since it is harder to make me happy now that I am older it is valued more because it is more difficult to attain. The happiness we feel now we remember more and enjoy to a fuller extent. When we were younger and we were so happy to get that piece of chocolate, ten minutes after that chocolate was eaten we stopped remembering it.
It was easier to become happier when I was younger because it took less to make me happy. I was less complex and developed than I am now and so it took less intricate events to make me happy. Personally I think the happiness I have now is better because it's is valued and worth more to me. Since it is harder to make me happy now that I am older it is valued more because it is more difficult to attain. The happiness we feel now we remember more and enjoy to a fuller extent. When we were younger and we were so happy to get that piece of chocolate, ten minutes after that chocolate was eaten we stopped remembering it.
Everyone is worthy of happiness: we have the power to be happy, and it cannot be taken away. According to FDR, we have the right to pursuit happiness.
When I read your first paragraph and you said "increase your odds" I personally thought of a way of cheating, not sure what that says about me, but thats where my mind jumped to.
I also agree that it's much easier to be happier when you're young because it takes so little effort. Don't you wish we could just go back ?!!
I also agree that it's much easier to be happier when you're young because it takes so little effort. Don't you wish we could just go back ?!!
As a kid I am not quite sure what made me "happy", but I know being happy back then was simple. Getting what I wanted like a toy or ice cream made my day. Back then life was much simpler. I did not have to worry about many things, because I had no real responsibilities. Also any mistakes I made were fixable, if I forgot anything, I had time to make it up. Now though, I am almost a adult. For the most part life is almost the exact opposite. I have many responsibilities, I am expected to be independent. The things I do or choose to do are irreversible, and change my future. Regarding happiness, I find it difficult to be truly happy. There are moments, but it is not as joyous or wonderful as it used to be, because there is always something else bugging me.
Being older, I also take in the feelings of others. I find that when people around me are not feeling well it is impossible to feel well myself. Also what makes me happy now is not as simple. My goals are much larger, and they include my surroundings. As a child friends were basically all other kids, but now there is a difference between friends. For the most part, there are just some people that make you feel better. True happiness now is a somewhat distant concept, because as I grow up I have many more worries, that come in the way of my happiness. In a way happiness has became something simpler, and much greater. It is a simple as going out to have fun, but also achieving my goals. It is about keeping those close to me close, and making sure that everyone important to me is happy and safe.
Being older, I also take in the feelings of others. I find that when people around me are not feeling well it is impossible to feel well myself. Also what makes me happy now is not as simple. My goals are much larger, and they include my surroundings. As a child friends were basically all other kids, but now there is a difference between friends. For the most part, there are just some people that make you feel better. True happiness now is a somewhat distant concept, because as I grow up I have many more worries, that come in the way of my happiness. In a way happiness has became something simpler, and much greater. It is a simple as going out to have fun, but also achieving my goals. It is about keeping those close to me close, and making sure that everyone important to me is happy and safe.
I agree with your statement that life was easier for us back then. This is because, like I posted in Kenneth's reply, our definition of stress is different from how it was than. All we had to worry about back then was what to eat and what to play. This is way different than the college-and-life related stress of today.
Wow, its interesting how your post was almost exactly like my post. But I think that your goal should make you happy. Although it is hard to reach our goals, I think that achieving them will make us happy as well.
Jacky! You used the same example as me. When I was a kid, ice cream made me happy too. We were so easy to please when we were a kid. Now we have a lot more responsibilities and worries. College and calculus. Good luck! -_-
We are definitely harder to please now. Ice cream or sweets pleased me when i was a child but now if the Lakers win again this year, it would please me. I'm not saying that college and grades are not important though. Excelling in school is just as important. Hopefully they won't rescind my application.
We are definitely harder to please now. Ice cream or sweets pleased me when i was a child but now if the Lakers win again this year, it would please me. I'm not saying that college and grades are not important though. Excelling in school is just as important. Hopefully they won't rescind my application.
It is much easier for a child to be happy than a teenager or an adult to be happy, simply because children are not subjected to the idea of responsibility. Children do not have a sense of what the world and how difficult it can be to attain happiness. Majority of people consider our childhood to be the best years of our lives simply because we don’t have to deal with the stress and responsibilities that we encounter when we get older. I remember that I used to run around my house, playing with my toys, and enjoying everything that I had. Although those memories were extremely fun, I do not believe that this happiness is the best happiness. Children are ignorant and the older we get, the more knowledgeable we become and therefore, we are able to appreciate life so much more. We can learn what makes us happy and try to pursue that. It is better to earn our happiness by working for it with sweat and tears rather than having our parents giving our happiness to us.
Now that I am older, I am actually more concerned with the well-being of others than when I was a child. When I was a child, I was conceited and I was only concerned about my happiness. I wanted to be happy and if I wasn’t, I would make a fuss. I wanted toys, videogames, clothes, everything. But now, I want to see my peers happy because we have one life, so why not make an enjoyable one? I am not sure why I grew out of my conceitedness. Perhaps it is because I simply grew up, or maybe it is because I realize how difficult life can be at times and I enjoy seeing the people around me happy.
I believe that all people are born worthy to be happy, but it is our actions that ultimately decides if we are worthy of being happy or not. In the United States, we, as a people, are granted with the right of pursuing the right of happiness and as individuals; we all possess different and unique talents that can help us be happy.
Now that I am older, I am actually more concerned with the well-being of others than when I was a child. When I was a child, I was conceited and I was only concerned about my happiness. I wanted to be happy and if I wasn’t, I would make a fuss. I wanted toys, videogames, clothes, everything. But now, I want to see my peers happy because we have one life, so why not make an enjoyable one? I am not sure why I grew out of my conceitedness. Perhaps it is because I simply grew up, or maybe it is because I realize how difficult life can be at times and I enjoy seeing the people around me happy.
I believe that all people are born worthy to be happy, but it is our actions that ultimately decides if we are worthy of being happy or not. In the United States, we, as a people, are granted with the right of pursuing the right of happiness and as individuals; we all possess different and unique talents that can help us be happy.
I agree with your statement that it's easier as a child than an adult. The only thing relatively stressful for us back then was wondering what we were going to play the next day. Nowadays, we have college and life to worry about.
I believe that Emerson is correct in his observation. Humans, no matter what age or century, are always the same in this aspect. This stems from the fact that we are always planning ahead about what we are going to do tomorrow. And when tomorrow comes around, we plan what we are going to do the next day and so on so forth. We get so caught up in planning what we are going to do next that we neglect the present. Whether this is because we are excited for a future event or if we are anxious about the future, we never pay enough attention to what is happening at the moment. Think about it. How long has it been since you last lived in the moment?
Now, you may be thinking of something to contradict what I just stated. Try as you may, I still believe that, no matter what you may say, no one has ever truly lived in the moment. The moment comes and it passes as soon as it comes. Here’s my example: I have never lived in the moment. This is because no matter what happens, the future will always take preference over the present. Sure, I have some memories that are important to me. Who doesn’t? But the details are vague; I only truly remember the emotions I felt then. For instance, I remember how hard studying for the SAT’s were, but only that it was hard. I somewhat remember studying but it’s kind of like fast-forwarding a video. I see the beginning, then rapidly go through everything in the middle, and see the end.
Now, you may be thinking of something to contradict what I just stated. Try as you may, I still believe that, no matter what you may say, no one has ever truly lived in the moment. The moment comes and it passes as soon as it comes. Here’s my example: I have never lived in the moment. This is because no matter what happens, the future will always take preference over the present. Sure, I have some memories that are important to me. Who doesn’t? But the details are vague; I only truly remember the emotions I felt then. For instance, I remember how hard studying for the SAT’s were, but only that it was hard. I somewhat remember studying but it’s kind of like fast-forwarding a video. I see the beginning, then rapidly go through everything in the middle, and see the end.
Really like that analogy, how we are always planning out tomorrow instead of just living in the present. Didn't really look at it that way and it's a pretty chilling reality.
Blog in response to the Emerson quote:
After being exposed to the example that you gave to us in class that suggested that we are always either look forward to the future or look backing to our past when regarding life, I realized that, to a certain extent, the thinking behind Emerson’s words are actually quite true. Emerson’s words claim that we are truly never really satisfied with the present; we are either envious of the future or nostalgic of the past. The example given to us in class painted an effective visual image of this concept: in high school, we look to college, in college we look to graduate and begin working but in the working world we look back to our lives in college or high school. From Emerson’s perspective, it seems that humanity is a rather troubled bunch, always in a favorable stage of life but never at the preferred time. This concept played itself out a lot in my head since, being the unreasonable optimistic I am, I naturally wanted to find proof to reject it. Frankly, I couldn’t completely reject it; I realize that Emerson’s words do hold truth. But his words are his own opinion and I realized that my own perspective on the matter has the same rights to legitimacy as his.
Simply put, I accept the basic philosophy established by Emerson’s words but I believe there to be another coexisting truth. While I do believe the idea that we are never completely satisfied to be true, I don’t think that retains as much legitimacy as we age and grow older (and by older I mean as we begin to enter our 50’s or 60’s). I believe that to be so because I think that during our youth and middle years, we don’t fully appreciate life for what it really is; we either want to mature and grow older or want to be taken back to our younger days. Ironically enough, people don’t begin to really appreciate life for what it is until they begin to reach their later years (as opposed to what would seem logical, to appreciate life during one’s youth). I think that once we reach our later years, the reality of death finally begins to hit us (the skittles of life example comes to mind) as opposed to our younger years, when we think of death with less regard. Once death begins to become a reality, I think we begin to refocus our attention from envying what we don’t have to simply appreciating what we have left.
After being exposed to the example that you gave to us in class that suggested that we are always either look forward to the future or look backing to our past when regarding life, I realized that, to a certain extent, the thinking behind Emerson’s words are actually quite true. Emerson’s words claim that we are truly never really satisfied with the present; we are either envious of the future or nostalgic of the past. The example given to us in class painted an effective visual image of this concept: in high school, we look to college, in college we look to graduate and begin working but in the working world we look back to our lives in college or high school. From Emerson’s perspective, it seems that humanity is a rather troubled bunch, always in a favorable stage of life but never at the preferred time. This concept played itself out a lot in my head since, being the unreasonable optimistic I am, I naturally wanted to find proof to reject it. Frankly, I couldn’t completely reject it; I realize that Emerson’s words do hold truth. But his words are his own opinion and I realized that my own perspective on the matter has the same rights to legitimacy as his.
Simply put, I accept the basic philosophy established by Emerson’s words but I believe there to be another coexisting truth. While I do believe the idea that we are never completely satisfied to be true, I don’t think that retains as much legitimacy as we age and grow older (and by older I mean as we begin to enter our 50’s or 60’s). I believe that to be so because I think that during our youth and middle years, we don’t fully appreciate life for what it really is; we either want to mature and grow older or want to be taken back to our younger days. Ironically enough, people don’t begin to really appreciate life for what it is until they begin to reach their later years (as opposed to what would seem logical, to appreciate life during one’s youth). I think that once we reach our later years, the reality of death finally begins to hit us (the skittles of life example comes to mind) as opposed to our younger years, when we think of death with less regard. Once death begins to become a reality, I think we begin to refocus our attention from envying what we don’t have to simply appreciating what we have left.
I completely agree with you. We never fully appreciate what we have going for us until it has passed us by. The only problem is that I am aware of this but I do not know how I'm supposed to learn to appreciate my life in the present and just live. It may sound ridiculous of me to try and learn how to appreciate my life, but I feel it's just as ridiculous to know that we don't appreciate life yet we choose not to do anything about it. Somewhere humanity went wrong and we changed for the worse. At some point in history the human race made too much spare time on its hands, causing it to contemplate its own existence and act either too cautiously or too nostalgically rather than living in the moment.
It is easier to be happy as a young child because children have very few responsibilities and are expected to have fun. Parents make sure that kids are able to enjoy themselves. When we get older, we get more responsibilities such as chores and homework. In order to grow up, we sacrifice some of the things that make us happy when we were children. As we get older, we are expected to be less playful and have to be more mature. Although it was easier to be happy when I was younger, the happiness that I have now is better because I understand the world better now. As a kid, the world seemed like a safe, magical place where simple things made me happy. In that world, I had little responsibilities and could do whatever I wanted most of the time. Now, I understand that the world is not perfect and that bad things can happen. It is harder to find things that make me happy but when I do, it is more meaningful.
Also, now that I am older, I am more concerned with other people’s well-being and happiness. When we did the Define Me posters earlier in the semester, my mom expressed that one of my weakest traits was that I try to please people too much. I did not realize this until she told me but I do agree with her. I try to put other people’s happiness above my own whenever I can. But I don’t know how to balance my happiness with making other people happy. Whenever I do something where I can benefit, I feel very guilty and selfish about it. Hence, I tend to do what other people want most of the time in order to.
I think that most of the things that made me happy as a child still make me happy today. The only difference is that I value happiness a lot more than I did when I was younger because I understand that it is harder to be happy now. That is why I try to make other people happy as well. Tonight, just as it did when I was little, the Lakers win made me very happy. =]
Also, now that I am older, I am more concerned with other people’s well-being and happiness. When we did the Define Me posters earlier in the semester, my mom expressed that one of my weakest traits was that I try to please people too much. I did not realize this until she told me but I do agree with her. I try to put other people’s happiness above my own whenever I can. But I don’t know how to balance my happiness with making other people happy. Whenever I do something where I can benefit, I feel very guilty and selfish about it. Hence, I tend to do what other people want most of the time in order to.
I think that most of the things that made me happy as a child still make me happy today. The only difference is that I value happiness a lot more than I did when I was younger because I understand that it is harder to be happy now. That is why I try to make other people happy as well. Tonight, just as it did when I was little, the Lakers win made me very happy. =]
I totally agree with you Cherry. We also wrote about the same questions. I believe that we were happier as kids. We did not have much to worry about and our parents took care of us and tried to make us happy.
From what i know, you are a very nice and helpful person. You are a fun person to talk to about the Lakers. You bring happiness to others like Emma. Don't feel guilty. Please yourself. Be happy.
I am happy that the Lakers won tonight too! Go Lakers! :]
From what i know, you are a very nice and helpful person. You are a fun person to talk to about the Lakers. You bring happiness to others like Emma. Don't feel guilty. Please yourself. Be happy.
I am happy that the Lakers won tonight too! Go Lakers! :]
What makes me happy now versus when I was five is definitely different. It is much easier to make be happy when I was younger because as I grow up, I start to have different expectations. We value different things at different ages. When I was five, my parents can buy me a pretty Barbie doll and I would be very happy. Now, if my parents bought me a Barbie doll, I would think it is useless. If I get into my dream college now, it would make me happy. Everyone has different expectations as they get older. The happiness when I was five is definitely better than the happiness I have now. Kids are easy to please and cheer up. Someone can give a kid ice cream when he or she is sad and the kid will be happy again. If I am unhappy now, it would take a lot more to cheer me up. The happiness when I was younger is definitely better than the happiness now.
I am more concerned with well-being of others now that I am older because when I was young, I was immature and selfish. I only cared for myself and my happiness. I think more about my happiness then than now because right now, whether I am happy or not, I still have to live with it. Bach then, I was naïve and spoiled. My parents would get my anything to cheer me up when I was younger. Now that I am older, my parents expect me to be more mature and accept reality. I can not be happy for all 365 days. I just live with it. It’s reality.
I am more concerned with well-being of others now that I am older because when I was young, I was immature and selfish. I only cared for myself and my happiness. I think more about my happiness then than now because right now, whether I am happy or not, I still have to live with it. Bach then, I was naïve and spoiled. My parents would get my anything to cheer me up when I was younger. Now that I am older, my parents expect me to be more mature and accept reality. I can not be happy for all 365 days. I just live with it. It’s reality.
It's interesting to read another perspective because I think that our happiness now is better than our happiness from when we were younger. I defined it more as if I want the happiness of me as a five year old now as an adult rather than comparing the happiness from before to the happiness I have right now.
Oops, this was meant to be a reply to Connie's post (#41).
When I was younger there were less to worry about. And to me being worry-free is the best. Everything to me was good, because I did not had much knowledge of everything. Living as a child is so much easier and carefree. I believe when we are younger we live more purely. We never think of consequences as much and did not need to stress about our responsibilities. We do not have to care about what others think of us, and we acted like ourselves every single moment. I think it is definitely easier to be happier as a kid than it is now. But I think the happiness I feel now is "better" because it is harder to get. It is like I am happy almost all the time as a child so there was no...surprise. But now when something makes me happy, it is more unexpected and with that is what makes it "better".
I think I am indeed more concerned with the well-being of other people now that I am older. When I was younger I tend to think more about myself, and how to make myself happy. But now I will consider about the people around me before I act. Growing up makes everyone more conscious about their surroundings. When I was younger, I would sense that things are "wrong", but as soon as it bothers me, I will find something that will make happy again. I think more about my own happiness before since being a child being happy and content is the ultimate goal. My attitude towards happiness has changed only in the way that I cherish it so much more now. Since before, like I said earlier, happiness is easier to obtain.
I think I am indeed more concerned with the well-being of other people now that I am older. When I was younger I tend to think more about myself, and how to make myself happy. But now I will consider about the people around me before I act. Growing up makes everyone more conscious about their surroundings. When I was younger, I would sense that things are "wrong", but as soon as it bothers me, I will find something that will make happy again. I think more about my own happiness before since being a child being happy and content is the ultimate goal. My attitude towards happiness has changed only in the way that I cherish it so much more now. Since before, like I said earlier, happiness is easier to obtain.
i have the exact same idea about the happiness being more treasured today
because it is harder to get! nice =]
because it is harder to get! nice =]
Little by little, a thread is stitching its way through our bodies. The needle works tirelessly stabbing every part of the soul from head to toe. We are all being sewn into the quilt of responsibility and consequence. It has poked its way into our eyes, over our mouths, and around our bodies. If we do not move with accuracy the thread tugs at the cloth and sends everyone connected to it into a wave of panic.
On the playground a child has no worries. I had no worries. The world was my own and I could do whatever I felt like doing that day. Free of doubts and free of fear, as children we never really think about the consequences of our actions.
Now that I am older I have realized that not everything can go the way I plan. Now that I am older I know that I have to give up certain freedoms to reach a more satisfying end. Now that I am older I concern more about others than of my happiness. When it comes to happiness people are never really free from their worries. If I take off on an adventure to satisfy my need for excitement, who am I leaving behind worried?
Free from the seamstress’s evil little dagger, the children run wild with joy unsuspecting of the little patches of cloth being made that are reserved for them. For now they shall play.
On the playground a child has no worries. I had no worries. The world was my own and I could do whatever I felt like doing that day. Free of doubts and free of fear, as children we never really think about the consequences of our actions.
Now that I am older I have realized that not everything can go the way I plan. Now that I am older I know that I have to give up certain freedoms to reach a more satisfying end. Now that I am older I concern more about others than of my happiness. When it comes to happiness people are never really free from their worries. If I take off on an adventure to satisfy my need for excitement, who am I leaving behind worried?
Free from the seamstress’s evil little dagger, the children run wild with joy unsuspecting of the little patches of cloth being made that are reserved for them. For now they shall play.
Once again Stcaey your usage of metaphors and narrarative skills never cease to impress. When I read the fact that we are all being sewn into the quilt of responsibility and consequence, immediately chills were sent to my bones. I really hope you keep blogging even after school is over!
Nice metaphors and word choice!
gives you a goood visual!
and i think i agree with what your saying about kids having no worries compared to today's struggles
gives you a goood visual!
and i think i agree with what your saying about kids having no worries compared to today's struggles
Emerson’s quote was definitely an attention grabber that explained the essence of life. Truly in his couple words, it summarized the way life is lived by a lot of people. Unfortunately that’s the life many people choose to live by and inevitably I fall in the same trap. I constantly look forward to the future, doing whatever I can just to make my future seem “stable”. However, I lack the understanding and appreciation of what I have going for me now. I strive to study harder and learn more just to follow the norm, but I fail to recognize my own happiness. Basically, I never have time to relax and appreciate my surroundings and my achievements, rather I find myself always stressing over the negative aspects.
Experiencing the feeling of “happiness” becomes harder as we grow older. We have higher expectations and frankly, I think all of us are just too complicated to be satisfied with anything. Our peers and parents constantly pressure us to become better, which makes us forget what we truly want to do on the inside. I’m always under the impression that I have to satisfy other people’s needs, even though I know on the inside it’s my life I’m living not theirs. Because of all this, happiness doesn’t seem to exist anymore, since emotions and feelings are just so complicated. It’s the atmosphere we live in that makes us appreciate less of what we have. As a child however, our minds were less developed and simple things made us happy. Emotions were simple because we were either, happy, sad, mad, etc, but now, we create emotions that are not even describable. Happiness is what we all strive to feel, but for some people it just doesn’t seem to be as easy as they had hoped.
Experiencing the feeling of “happiness” becomes harder as we grow older. We have higher expectations and frankly, I think all of us are just too complicated to be satisfied with anything. Our peers and parents constantly pressure us to become better, which makes us forget what we truly want to do on the inside. I’m always under the impression that I have to satisfy other people’s needs, even though I know on the inside it’s my life I’m living not theirs. Because of all this, happiness doesn’t seem to exist anymore, since emotions and feelings are just so complicated. It’s the atmosphere we live in that makes us appreciate less of what we have. As a child however, our minds were less developed and simple things made us happy. Emotions were simple because we were either, happy, sad, mad, etc, but now, we create emotions that are not even describable. Happiness is what we all strive to feel, but for some people it just doesn’t seem to be as easy as they had hoped.
The fifth year of life…vision improved, vocabulary increased, body functions intact, anything and everything amazed the five year old version of Calvin. Nothing was sad, everything felt great, no fear of pain and suffering. It was better then, I did not have to worry about anything or anyone, I conquered the world. I cried for food, cried for a change of diaper, had a systematic way to get what I wanted. There was no need to care for others’ feelings, no need to consider for others, it was my world, my rules. But of course, all that fade away when I slowly grow into a teenager. After the knowledge department got to a point, the feelings department started to develop. Fear, Love, Sadness, Hurt, when all of those came into play, life was not as fun anymore. Happiness was and is different. Now, I go through my day thinking about every little thing that would affect the image of myself in front of others, also thinking about every little thing that would affect others’ feelings. Happiness only occurs when I am by myself, having the ability to relax is the only thing that makes me happy now. It is sad, but it is the truth.
There is no exact happiness in the world, there are times that we enjoy, but there is not really any real happiness. Being able to lay on the side of the beach after retirement is not happiness, it is just relaxation while one waits to die. Having a baby is not happiness, it might be at the moment of birth, but what about every single responsibility assigned with it. I guess it could be said to be a short term feeling, but every thing comes with the consequences of the opposite feeling/ action. We still sabotage ourselves to feel hardship is because there is no joy unless there is pain. When all the world’s problems are solved, people are just living to die, there is no process, there is no progress. In humans, there will never be any kind of happiness without conquering something, plainness means plainness, there is no enjoyment in it. Being able to conquer, even with failure, is happiness.
There is no exact happiness in the world, there are times that we enjoy, but there is not really any real happiness. Being able to lay on the side of the beach after retirement is not happiness, it is just relaxation while one waits to die. Having a baby is not happiness, it might be at the moment of birth, but what about every single responsibility assigned with it. I guess it could be said to be a short term feeling, but every thing comes with the consequences of the opposite feeling/ action. We still sabotage ourselves to feel hardship is because there is no joy unless there is pain. When all the world’s problems are solved, people are just living to die, there is no process, there is no progress. In humans, there will never be any kind of happiness without conquering something, plainness means plainness, there is no enjoyment in it. Being able to conquer, even with failure, is happiness.
I see this particular quote of Emerson appear on numerous occasions in the class: "We are always getting ready to live but never living."; this blog again. I find it interesting to watch how other people respond in class, to see what works and what doesn't. And this quote seems to grab people's attention quite well. It must thank to the fact that the words hold some truth in it. We are so occupied by the fast paced stream of information in modern times that we miss what we are really investing on when we keep on investing. When life meets its obstacles, we place our material and spiritual bets on a better future without knowing whether we will live up to it. Faith, one might as well call it, seems to have its fundamental shortcomings.
But is it what the quote really means? It's just as intriguing as inspiring to the audience. The quote, if taken literally, makes not much sense. But in that sense the quote also looks appealing. When we search for happiness, we are not truly satisfied by where we are at. And these words are exactly what a quest seeker would like to hear because it falls coherently into the mindset of a confused man, and resonates with the same frequency of our silenced scream. When we hear the voice that speaks our own but hints at so much more, I'd argue we are happy. We can be happy in ways we don't imagine.
But is it what the quote really means? It's just as intriguing as inspiring to the audience. The quote, if taken literally, makes not much sense. But in that sense the quote also looks appealing. When we search for happiness, we are not truly satisfied by where we are at. And these words are exactly what a quest seeker would like to hear because it falls coherently into the mindset of a confused man, and resonates with the same frequency of our silenced scream. When we hear the voice that speaks our own but hints at so much more, I'd argue we are happy. We can be happy in ways we don't imagine.
You summarized pretty much exactly what I think about Emerson's quote. When I first heard it, I didn't understand it at all. But it pops up a lot-- in books, movies, and now this blog, so I was forced to really take another stab at trying to understand it. But once I discovered Emerson was trying to say that people spend so much time planning their lives that they do not have the time to enjoy it, it struck a cord in me. Now I try to keep that in mind whenever I get too caught up in stressful situations, or spend too much time agonizing over something I can't change.
Morality is thought to be a code of ethics established and accepted by the greater population; however what exactly is written into this code we are supposed to govern our lives by? Further more, who wrote the moral code? The fact is, one such code does not exist, nor does a creator. Many would argue that, the Ten Commandments serve as societies’ moral guideline and the author is obviously god, however there is a substantial portion of the population that is atheist and would still claim to be moral. Are they wrong? No, they are not. The truth is, today there is not set moral baseline that people follow. Morality is an illusion. That is not to say that good will does not exist, but it exists pertaining to each individual. Meaning that we decide what is right according to our immediate situation. For example, one may decide that murder is wrong, but be in favor of the death penalty. This is hypocrisy at its finest. People do not classify the death penalty as murder; however murder by state is still murder.
Hypothetically if society were to democratically elect a moral code to serve as a virtuous baseline, I still do not believe that it would hold any validity. The majority has proven to be wrong countless times through out history, why should this time be any different. Further more why is what society decides important in relation to me? If I truly feel that something is right when the society says it is not, who is to tell me that I am wrong, more over why would I care. Whether it be one person or the entire world, why is what they think more important than what I think? We were all born, we all eat, we all sleep, and we will all die, and we all have thoughts. Nobody’s thoughts are more important than anyone else’s; therefore a collective moral code simply can not exist.
Hypothetically if society were to democratically elect a moral code to serve as a virtuous baseline, I still do not believe that it would hold any validity. The majority has proven to be wrong countless times through out history, why should this time be any different. Further more why is what society decides important in relation to me? If I truly feel that something is right when the society says it is not, who is to tell me that I am wrong, more over why would I care. Whether it be one person or the entire world, why is what they think more important than what I think? We were all born, we all eat, we all sleep, and we will all die, and we all have thoughts. Nobody’s thoughts are more important than anyone else’s; therefore a collective moral code simply can not exist.
I am more concerned about the well-being of other now that I am older. This is mostly due to the fact that I now have more than five years of experience in baby-sitting my cousin and sister during spring, summer and winter breaks. By baby-sitting kids daily during school breaks, I experienced a part of what parenting is like. The worst thing I probably hate about parenting is the fact that children are so selfish and inconsiderate! They never recognize or appreciate the actions we commit for them. With this thought however, I realize that I probably did the same thing as a child. But now with this experience I have obtained and as more years continue to pass by my life, I realize that the well being of other people is just as important as mine. At this date, I try to be as considerate as I can be to understand and help the people achieve their desires. Of course when a person is considerate, the person must also make sure that he does not sacrifice or give up to much in order to help another person.
I believe that I am more concerned about my happiness now than ever before. This is due to the fact that I have more freedom with my actions as opposed to my freedom as a child. As I child, I would simply do whatever my parents told me to do. I never thought about my own free will or my own happiness as a child and just followed whatever my parents told me to do. Now as a high school senior, I have been given more freedom and free will to do whatever I want. With this freedom, not only can I finally concern myself with what makes me happy, but also do whatever makes me happy. Unfortunately however, I did exactly what made me happy and shunned out everything else. With a g.p.a barely over 3.0 a D in three in my classes this current semester and finally the possibility of having my college acceptances rescinded, the price has been paid.
I believe that I am more concerned about my happiness now than ever before. This is due to the fact that I have more freedom with my actions as opposed to my freedom as a child. As I child, I would simply do whatever my parents told me to do. I never thought about my own free will or my own happiness as a child and just followed whatever my parents told me to do. Now as a high school senior, I have been given more freedom and free will to do whatever I want. With this freedom, not only can I finally concern myself with what makes me happy, but also do whatever makes me happy. Unfortunately however, I did exactly what made me happy and shunned out everything else. With a g.p.a barely over 3.0 a D in three in my classes this current semester and finally the possibility of having my college acceptances rescinded, the price has been paid.
I find myself agreeing with Immanuel Kant's philosophy of earning our worthiness through morality. Though I do get tired of seeking happiness rather than simply feeling it, knowing that I feel happy because I did something morally correct makes me feel good about myself. I am not an advocate for bad people feeling happy. Somebody who steals, lies, cheats, or kills should not have the right to feel happy if they committed such acts knowingly. People should feel happy because they earn it so that they never take the feeling for granted. Once people can feel happiness without earning it, there is no point in doing good at all. A lot of the time, self-fulfillment is the motive of any good deed aimed toward another person. The satisfaction we get from doing good and making others happy ultimately makes us happy.
Doing good for others is something that I have become more and more involved with through the years. I've always enjoyed making people smile whether it be because I give them gifts or because I make them laugh, but now I find it has much more value to make somebody happy. In this fast-paced and relentless world we live in today, being able to give somebody a pure and uninterrupted moment (even for half a second) of happiness and gratitude. When I experience such moments I can take a quick break from all of my problems and simply appreciate what they have done for me. Without these little breaks in our constant struggle of problem solving, man-kind would go insane. Every waking moment of consciousness would be spent wallowing in the sea of conflicts that we have in this world. Especially since we have more responsibility at this age, we must make a greater effort to progress as a whole by raising people's weary spirits.
Doing good for others is something that I have become more and more involved with through the years. I've always enjoyed making people smile whether it be because I give them gifts or because I make them laugh, but now I find it has much more value to make somebody happy. In this fast-paced and relentless world we live in today, being able to give somebody a pure and uninterrupted moment (even for half a second) of happiness and gratitude. When I experience such moments I can take a quick break from all of my problems and simply appreciate what they have done for me. Without these little breaks in our constant struggle of problem solving, man-kind would go insane. Every waking moment of consciousness would be spent wallowing in the sea of conflicts that we have in this world. Especially since we have more responsibility at this age, we must make a greater effort to progress as a whole by raising people's weary spirits.
When reading your post I am reminded of a commercial in which one person does something nice for another, and that person goes and does something nice for yet another, and so on. I think if we could teach children your philosophy we'd definitely be on our way to a better world.
Emerson’s quote says it best, “We are always ready to live but never living.” We will always be preparing and never completely prepared. I always see this happening to myself, in a fun or stressful situation. During test situations I don’t spend much time studying or preparing, but I always feel prepared. Then as soon as I finish the test I realize that I needed to prepare just a bit more, but due to my careless personality, I just let it go and say I’ll try harder next time. Another example is when I made plans for a fun trip to somewhere fun, but after all that planning the trip never happened. I believe it does shift with age though, because when I grow older I’m sure I’ll be fine with the little accomplishments I have done.
I feel that it was easier to be happier when I was younger because it was just so darn pure. The purity of that happiness was so awesome that anything made me happy, like dancing in the rain, Pokemon, Scooby Doo, and running. When I was younger nothing could bother me, there was no stress (except for bath time). Now that I’m older I find myself constantly searching for something that will make me happy. Trust me it’s hard to find happiness while being pessimistic. Although I hate being pessimistic it really gives you two outcomes, either you’re right or you received an unexpected pleasant surprise. So if I had to choose between my pure, young self and my now, pessimistic, self, I would pick the good ole’ days when I was young.
I feel that it was easier to be happier when I was younger because it was just so darn pure. The purity of that happiness was so awesome that anything made me happy, like dancing in the rain, Pokemon, Scooby Doo, and running. When I was younger nothing could bother me, there was no stress (except for bath time). Now that I’m older I find myself constantly searching for something that will make me happy. Trust me it’s hard to find happiness while being pessimistic. Although I hate being pessimistic it really gives you two outcomes, either you’re right or you received an unexpected pleasant surprise. So if I had to choose between my pure, young self and my now, pessimistic, self, I would pick the good ole’ days when I was young.
+Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Which happiness was "better"?
For me, it was easier to be happier when I was younger because it took less to make me happy. When you're young, you could be throwing a tantrum one minute, but be completely happy and at peace the next because someone gave you something as simple as a candy bar, or a new toy. As you get older and mature, however, happiness is still happiness, but you value it more. Happiness is not as easily acquired with the mere promise of something materialistic, when you get older because you have a broader sense of the word and the world. Declaring one period of happiness as "better" is somewhat difficult, because as I stated before, happiness is happiness, right? As long as it's not a false sense of the feeling (i.e. like with somma in Brave New World), then I don't think "young happiness" and "older happiness" differ all that much in the end, except for the fact that your perception and cause of the feeling changes. Or maybe, one could argue that since I stated that "older happiness" is harder to achieve, when you do experience it, you value it more, thus, it is better? I'm not exactly sure yet.
+ If happiness is such an important human concern – and if great minds seem to have devised ways to find it – why do we still sabotage ourselves?
I think all humans, regardless of who they are, how much money they have, or how successful they may be, feel unworthy or unsatisfied with themselves at least once (or more, most likely) in their lives. These feelings of doubt and self inflicted criticism cause us to sabotage ourselves, and even sometimes our potential. For example, let's say there is a boy who loves to sing, and he is truly talented at it. His school is holding auditions for a musical and he wants to try out, but refrains from doing so because he is afraid he will be made fun of by other kids for wanting to be in a musical. The boy knew he would easily make the cut, but his preoccupation with how others would label and perceive him led him not to try out, and thus, he sabotaged himself by not having enough confidence to do what he wanted. He sabotaged his chance of happiness doing what he loves and sharing it with others.
For me, it was easier to be happier when I was younger because it took less to make me happy. When you're young, you could be throwing a tantrum one minute, but be completely happy and at peace the next because someone gave you something as simple as a candy bar, or a new toy. As you get older and mature, however, happiness is still happiness, but you value it more. Happiness is not as easily acquired with the mere promise of something materialistic, when you get older because you have a broader sense of the word and the world. Declaring one period of happiness as "better" is somewhat difficult, because as I stated before, happiness is happiness, right? As long as it's not a false sense of the feeling (i.e. like with somma in Brave New World), then I don't think "young happiness" and "older happiness" differ all that much in the end, except for the fact that your perception and cause of the feeling changes. Or maybe, one could argue that since I stated that "older happiness" is harder to achieve, when you do experience it, you value it more, thus, it is better? I'm not exactly sure yet.
+ If happiness is such an important human concern – and if great minds seem to have devised ways to find it – why do we still sabotage ourselves?
I think all humans, regardless of who they are, how much money they have, or how successful they may be, feel unworthy or unsatisfied with themselves at least once (or more, most likely) in their lives. These feelings of doubt and self inflicted criticism cause us to sabotage ourselves, and even sometimes our potential. For example, let's say there is a boy who loves to sing, and he is truly talented at it. His school is holding auditions for a musical and he wants to try out, but refrains from doing so because he is afraid he will be made fun of by other kids for wanting to be in a musical. The boy knew he would easily make the cut, but his preoccupation with how others would label and perceive him led him not to try out, and thus, he sabotaged himself by not having enough confidence to do what he wanted. He sabotaged his chance of happiness doing what he loves and sharing it with others.
Thinking back to my days as a five year old, life was much more simple and happiness was by far much more attainable back then as opposed to achieving the same result today. In those early years, the simple act of merely eating strawberries could set the world right and just. As I contemplated the reasons why our feelings of contempt and joy become harder to attain as we age, I eventually came to the natural conclusion that it stems from the expectations we hold in life. Part of the phenomenon that is "growing up," our minds are exposed to more of the world both good and bad. This collection of knowledge and experiences help mold and form both our personalities and opinions of our world and how we choose to interact with them. And as the mind becomes ever so complicated over time, the simple nature of a five-year-old's eyes that only see black and white become gray and foggy as ever. Although this might seem depressing in some ways, it also is an opportunity for our minds to expand and understand concepts to feel the depth of emotions rarely expressed in any other living organism on this planet. But of course happiness and what it takes for one to be "happy" differs from person to person. Where some choose to be easily content, I often find myself harder to be satisfied.
We are conditioned from an early age to study hard in school so we can get into prestigious institutions of academia and we continue to compete, to strive to the top of our classes in hopes of leaving with a degree that allows us to attain jobs of high status and pay. Then as adulthood kicks in, we hack away at our jobs working mindless hours to provide for our new families and their futures only to then retire and ultimately die. Our whole lives are spent preparing, planning for the next move, but we never really LIVE. But from other perspectives, one could say that only a fool could choose to live in the moment; for to think only of the present and never take the future into consideration is incredibly unwise in the grand scheme of everything. Why is it that we are structured and destined to repeat this cycle of life that we call living and work so hard to achieve so much only to disappear from existence? If one would want to take a scientific approach to answering this question that I am sure has plagued many philosophers of the past, the response would be that it is merely the mechanism of a species' survival and natural fear of extinction that allows this mindless repetitive behavior to continue over and over again. Yet is this really the reason why we operate this way? Could it in fact be a conditioning of our society as we have continued to evolve and become ever more complex? Think of America in its early years, there were no social security numbers, no credit scores, no parking tickets.. life was unbelievably simple compared to the mess it is today. But somehow, everything just works. It is the contribution of every member in the system to follow its rules that maintain order. However, near the end of ones life, responsibilities become scarce and days begin to dim; it is because death is near that one is able to not think of the importance of the system and live more in the moment than ever before. This is when humanity returns.
We are conditioned from an early age to study hard in school so we can get into prestigious institutions of academia and we continue to compete, to strive to the top of our classes in hopes of leaving with a degree that allows us to attain jobs of high status and pay. Then as adulthood kicks in, we hack away at our jobs working mindless hours to provide for our new families and their futures only to then retire and ultimately die. Our whole lives are spent preparing, planning for the next move, but we never really LIVE. But from other perspectives, one could say that only a fool could choose to live in the moment; for to think only of the present and never take the future into consideration is incredibly unwise in the grand scheme of everything. Why is it that we are structured and destined to repeat this cycle of life that we call living and work so hard to achieve so much only to disappear from existence? If one would want to take a scientific approach to answering this question that I am sure has plagued many philosophers of the past, the response would be that it is merely the mechanism of a species' survival and natural fear of extinction that allows this mindless repetitive behavior to continue over and over again. Yet is this really the reason why we operate this way? Could it in fact be a conditioning of our society as we have continued to evolve and become ever more complex? Think of America in its early years, there were no social security numbers, no credit scores, no parking tickets.. life was unbelievably simple compared to the mess it is today. But somehow, everything just works. It is the contribution of every member in the system to follow its rules that maintain order. However, near the end of ones life, responsibilities become scarce and days begin to dim; it is because death is near that one is able to not think of the importance of the system and live more in the moment than ever before. This is when humanity returns.
When you sit and wait for happiness to come to you, you are basically allowing life to pass you by. Simply wanting and hoping for something to happen to you will not do anything for you. If you truly want something strongly enough, you need to open your eyes and go out and fight for it. Happiness is something definitely worth fighting for. When you are given the opportunity, take it. Do not be ignorant. Everyone is given the chance to be happy, they just need to be able to find it themselves. In the end, a life that is spent waiting for happiness to find you is not worth it. You must find it yourself.
As a person grows up, they will inevitably mature. They begin to show concern towards others instead of themselves. They begin to realize that not everything is about what they want. I am definitely more concerned with the well-being of others now. By being selfish, people will neglect to help you in times of need. People are naturally not altruistic. If you do not care for them, obviously, they will choose not to care for you. I thought more about my own happiness when I was a younger child because as a child, I was oblivious to the world and was still more concerned with learning the struggles of life and trying to have fun as best as I can. It changed based on the experiences and what I have learned through the years. It is a change for the better.
As a person grows up, they will inevitably mature. They begin to show concern towards others instead of themselves. They begin to realize that not everything is about what they want. I am definitely more concerned with the well-being of others now. By being selfish, people will neglect to help you in times of need. People are naturally not altruistic. If you do not care for them, obviously, they will choose not to care for you. I thought more about my own happiness when I was a younger child because as a child, I was oblivious to the world and was still more concerned with learning the struggles of life and trying to have fun as best as I can. It changed based on the experiences and what I have learned through the years. It is a change for the better.
Lisaaaaa!
although your post sounds a little harsh, it is direct and truthful. i used to be the one sitting here waiting for happiness to come. that feeling was aweful; sitting there, watching other people to be happy, and mourning at my own sorrow. im so glad that im not that person anymore.
although your post sounds a little harsh, it is direct and truthful. i used to be the one sitting here waiting for happiness to come. that feeling was aweful; sitting there, watching other people to be happy, and mourning at my own sorrow. im so glad that im not that person anymore.
Happiness will always be available. It is said that happiness will always be in reach for people who strive for it, but it is not the only method. It can also be easily gained if one allows it. Sitting down to think about it, one can realize that the simplest thing can be the key to a smile. When someone shows another love or compassion, even an easy hello or wave can bring about good feelings. Even ordinary acts or words can affect one if they see it as something great. They allow the thought to be positive and therefore bring about their own bright energy.
Take upon these thoughts, a lot of what made me happy when I was five still remain now. I still love cartoons and the sound of my friends laughing. It sounds simple but it's the combinations of these things that make me see the day as bright. I still believe that I need to try to gain a certain happiness, but I'm glad that can still be seen effortlessly if one's heart is warm. Happiness will be there. It's up to the individual to see it. Keep arms, heart, and eye open and it can be found.
Take upon these thoughts, a lot of what made me happy when I was five still remain now. I still love cartoons and the sound of my friends laughing. It sounds simple but it's the combinations of these things that make me see the day as bright. I still believe that I need to try to gain a certain happiness, but I'm glad that can still be seen effortlessly if one's heart is warm. Happiness will be there. It's up to the individual to see it. Keep arms, heart, and eye open and it can be found.
Happiness will always be available. It is said that happiness will always be in reach for people who strive for it, but it is not the only method. It can also be easily gained if one allows it.
I agree. There are many people in the world who are poor and do not have many of the things we take for granted, yet they are living happy, full lives. They are grateful for what they have, and do not let their economic status define their happiness.
I agree. There are many people in the world who are poor and do not have many of the things we take for granted, yet they are living happy, full lives. They are grateful for what they have, and do not let their economic status define their happiness.
I think what Emerson said about life is not true. People may get ready to live, but in most cases they will have the chance to live. As far as I know, every time I have test I will study for it. Sometimes I study hard, sometimes I slack off, but there is one thing that is fixed: I will take the test no matter how hard I study. The result might be different, but there is a time where I get the result back and live the moment when I feel proud of myself or sad about myself after the preparation and test taking. It is true to say that “we are always getting ready to live”, but the whole point of doing that is getting a result. We were studying at school because we can get a good job; we get a job because we can get money; we need money because we want to get things with money; once we get things we need we can prepare for our family… It seems like an endless list of cycle that everyone follows to get ready to live, but we can always live our life through it in different ways. We can always study hard to get the good grade and a good job, or do not study at all to get a bad grade and bad job. People can choose the way of preparation and the way they live.
Happiness is definitely just the simple fulfillment. I think that people think way too hard to get themselves happy. For me, happiness can be simple as a bucket of hot wings; it can also be difficult like having world peace. Honestly, I would have more happiness to take the hot wings then world peace; because that is something I like the most. Some may argue that I might be too selfish and too shallow just like Cypher in “The Matrix” who betrays the group on the ship because of his interest in material good. I think that there is a distinction between morally good and happiness. Due to morality, in the situation between hot wings and world peace I will definitely take the world peace, because that is the “right” thing to do. In other word, people’s ultimate goals are achieving happiness, but the most important thing for us is to follow our morals. Additionally, happiness can also harm people. In The brave new world, everyone in the society is “happy”. All they do to create happiness is too destroy sadness, but they forgot a simple fact that when there is not sadness there is no happiness. It is like the only reason we know something is lighting is that the surrounding is dark. By simply erase the sadness, we may never reach happiness.
Happiness is definitely just the simple fulfillment. I think that people think way too hard to get themselves happy. For me, happiness can be simple as a bucket of hot wings; it can also be difficult like having world peace. Honestly, I would have more happiness to take the hot wings then world peace; because that is something I like the most. Some may argue that I might be too selfish and too shallow just like Cypher in “The Matrix” who betrays the group on the ship because of his interest in material good. I think that there is a distinction between morally good and happiness. Due to morality, in the situation between hot wings and world peace I will definitely take the world peace, because that is the “right” thing to do. In other word, people’s ultimate goals are achieving happiness, but the most important thing for us is to follow our morals. Additionally, happiness can also harm people. In The brave new world, everyone in the society is “happy”. All they do to create happiness is too destroy sadness, but they forgot a simple fact that when there is not sadness there is no happiness. It is like the only reason we know something is lighting is that the surrounding is dark. By simply erase the sadness, we may never reach happiness.
When I was young, life was much easier for me. Everyday, I was waiting for my parents to bring me to park; my only concern was about what games or TV shows I could play or watch. My childhood basically was happy and without any hard time. I was easy to satisfy; even candies could make me happy and satisfactory. I was so curious to everything, that’s why I loved traveling around with my family; my dream was to visit all the Disneyland in the world. My parents and sister were my only friends when I was small, I expected so much from them. For example, I was so naïve to think that my parents could help me out whenever I needed them; When I was hungry, my parents would always prepare food for me immediately; and when I wanted to play games, my sister would play with me anytime. I never thought that they had their works to do and to be busy with; I never cared about them and thought from their views. Furthermore, I was an emotional person; I could cry and laugh freely whenever I wanted to. Crying was still the best way for me to express my sadness and to vent my emotion. I thought after crying hard, it would make me very tired and easily forget what had happened to make me sad; and I would have a new start with smiles again next day.
Now, my life is full of pressure and worries. I have to worry about my study, future career, and relationships with friends and family. I have to work very hard everyday stressfully as I know I cannot afford any mistake that may ruin my future study and career. I have to take it very seriously on every assignment and test as it may affect my GPA if I cannot do it well. It is hard to make me happy now because so many issues and problems are awaiting me to solve. I need to handle problems from friendship, family and even a relationship which makes my life more complicated than I was small. I become even more emotional than before, but I do not show it out freely because I really don’t want people that I care to worry about me. I used to be a selfish baby that never thought of other people’s feelings; no matter what could make me happy, I would go for it. Due to becoming more educated and knowledgeable, I grow up and change from time to time, I care about others more than myself now. My principle is that there is meaningless to be happy alone, sharing it with others would make me even happier.
Now, my life is full of pressure and worries. I have to worry about my study, future career, and relationships with friends and family. I have to work very hard everyday stressfully as I know I cannot afford any mistake that may ruin my future study and career. I have to take it very seriously on every assignment and test as it may affect my GPA if I cannot do it well. It is hard to make me happy now because so many issues and problems are awaiting me to solve. I need to handle problems from friendship, family and even a relationship which makes my life more complicated than I was small. I become even more emotional than before, but I do not show it out freely because I really don’t want people that I care to worry about me. I used to be a selfish baby that never thought of other people’s feelings; no matter what could make me happy, I would go for it. Due to becoming more educated and knowledgeable, I grow up and change from time to time, I care about others more than myself now. My principle is that there is meaningless to be happy alone, sharing it with others would make me even happier.
Happiness only exists because we, as humans, know what sadness is like. Different people have different ways to make themselves happy. Dancing, singing, or even getting to eat once a day brings joy into peoples' lives. In my opinion, there is no true definition of what happiness actually is. You define your own happiness as you grow and mature. Without hardships, growing is impossible. In a perfect world, a balance of happiness and sadness is probably ideal. Happiness offsetting sadness or vice versa is probably not going to help someone grow. There will always be mountains, but you can always climb them.
On the baseline, there is the statement: Family is ultimately unnecessary. I feel that family is ultimately unnecessary; however, a quote from C.S. Lewis really brings out a great other side to that statement.
"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival. "
-C.S. Lewis
With that quote, I think being around those who you care about and those who care about you make life worthwhile. Even if you get into fights with your parents or friends, you can fortify and have the relationship grow if you learn from the hardship and come to a good resolution.
In response to another person's post, I wrote that it is impossible to finish all of your goals. Another quote from C.S. Lewis explains how I feel about that matter.
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." -C.S. Lewis
It is impossible to complete all your goals, because you can always add more. Life is worthless if you do not have something to live for. Continue adding and completing goals through overcoming hardships to grow and achieve happiness!
On the baseline, there is the statement: Family is ultimately unnecessary. I feel that family is ultimately unnecessary; however, a quote from C.S. Lewis really brings out a great other side to that statement.
"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival. "
-C.S. Lewis
With that quote, I think being around those who you care about and those who care about you make life worthwhile. Even if you get into fights with your parents or friends, you can fortify and have the relationship grow if you learn from the hardship and come to a good resolution.
In response to another person's post, I wrote that it is impossible to finish all of your goals. Another quote from C.S. Lewis explains how I feel about that matter.
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." -C.S. Lewis
It is impossible to complete all your goals, because you can always add more. Life is worthless if you do not have something to live for. Continue adding and completing goals through overcoming hardships to grow and achieve happiness!
Spending hours preparing drinks and goods, we try to relax for a short period of time among the cool, breezy winds of the beach. Or forcing ourselves to work excessive hours at a job to purchase the dream car we’ve always wanted. I think that Emerson’s quote about people preparing to pursue goals and dreams, but not actually living is consistent with today because we often focus too much on the preparation and journey, rather than the actual prize. When preparing to go out to frolic along the lively California beaches, people can spend hours after hours buying supplies to secure a memorable beach trip, yet never actually the grasp the fulfilling atmosphere the whole time. A few moments setting up tents, fires to cook, are all things we spend time to prepare to enjoy the time we have. But just as you are about to relax, the volleyball deflates and needs to be pumped, and before you know it, the sun sets and you have to pack up and leave. Sure, you can spend a few hours actually relaxing, until other distractions from daily routines creep up, reminding us that we have other duties to fulfill. I think that a lot of times, we spend endless amounts of time preparing to live and have fun, and really only get to enjoy small parts of it.
When I was younger, it was a lot easier for me to be amused and interested, thus easier to make me happy. Watching simple cartoons such as Tom and Jerry or eating sweets before dinner time would easily make me happy. Now, as we have matured and become a little more knowledgeable about our surroundings, we tend to set higher standards for things to make us genuinely happy. We are not satisfied with the simple perks we once had when we were kids because we tend to look down upon them as amusements that are easily accessible. I personally value the happiness that comes from trials and struggles because it can make it more meaningful. The happiness that is better is the things we experience nowadays because we are more exposed to realities of today and are more selective of what makes us happy. We do not let any little perk of a day make us genuinely happy, so when we finally do meet a goal or dream that we have set, it makes achieving it that much greater.
When I was younger, it was a lot easier for me to be amused and interested, thus easier to make me happy. Watching simple cartoons such as Tom and Jerry or eating sweets before dinner time would easily make me happy. Now, as we have matured and become a little more knowledgeable about our surroundings, we tend to set higher standards for things to make us genuinely happy. We are not satisfied with the simple perks we once had when we were kids because we tend to look down upon them as amusements that are easily accessible. I personally value the happiness that comes from trials and struggles because it can make it more meaningful. The happiness that is better is the things we experience nowadays because we are more exposed to realities of today and are more selective of what makes us happy. We do not let any little perk of a day make us genuinely happy, so when we finally do meet a goal or dream that we have set, it makes achieving it that much greater.
I think it was easier for me to be happier when I was young. Life back then was very easy. There weren’t a lot of things that I had to be responsible for and no one really expected me to do something that required a lot of knowledge. For example, almost every joke was a joke I could laugh to but now, there are some jokes that might lead people to misconceptions. The consequences of what made me happy didn’t matter but now it could really hurt someone. If I were to compare happiness I would say that I was happier back then. Although I don’t really remember all the details, it seems like things back then were more easy going.
I think a life spent waiting for an intermittent pleasant surprise is one worth living because it is what seems to be the goal of a lot of people. It is worth living as long as there are pleasant surprises more than unpleasant ones. This relates to Emerson’s quote about getting ready to live but never living it. I think one works to get ready to live and they live life when they get their pleasant surprises. It really depends on ones view when they talk about living. It literally means that we are present in this society and our hearts are pumping but for some people living is a way of doing things to get the most out of their lives. There is no way for one to live their life the way they imagined it to be because there will always be obstacles messing up the order things are supposed to go.
I think a life spent waiting for an intermittent pleasant surprise is one worth living because it is what seems to be the goal of a lot of people. It is worth living as long as there are pleasant surprises more than unpleasant ones. This relates to Emerson’s quote about getting ready to live but never living it. I think one works to get ready to live and they live life when they get their pleasant surprises. It really depends on ones view when they talk about living. It literally means that we are present in this society and our hearts are pumping but for some people living is a way of doing things to get the most out of their lives. There is no way for one to live their life the way they imagined it to be because there will always be obstacles messing up the order things are supposed to go.
In class when we reflected on what made us happy when we were little and what makes us happy now, I felt like everything in my life was so perfect when I was little and that everything is horrible in comparison. Afterwards however, I really looked back in detail and I came to the conclusion that I really wasn’t all that happy. What I was doing was selective memory; I only remembered the good, the great and the fantastic but neglected to remember the bad and the ugly. I remember pokemon vividly, I remember recess, and I remember N-64. What I don’t actively remember is just how depressed I was all the time. I don’t remember any of the elements of my parents’ divorce.
And after really reflecting, I have decided that my happiness now is a much more meaningful happiness. This is mostly due to the fact that the things that really make me happy are when I take on large undertakings and come out victorious. This isn’t a bash on my childhood, hell, many of my memories from back then are the some of the best I have. But the things that make me happy now are things that will affect me in much larger ways. Catching Lugia with that pokeball was great and I look back on that fondly, but it just doesn’t compare. Getting into college, asking the girl I like out and getting a yes, or getting the job I applied for make me much happier than catching the pokemon ever did. All the things that make me happy now are things that flex my independent muscles, strengthening and improving them, setting me up for when I really need them.
And after really reflecting, I have decided that my happiness now is a much more meaningful happiness. This is mostly due to the fact that the things that really make me happy are when I take on large undertakings and come out victorious. This isn’t a bash on my childhood, hell, many of my memories from back then are the some of the best I have. But the things that make me happy now are things that will affect me in much larger ways. Catching Lugia with that pokeball was great and I look back on that fondly, but it just doesn’t compare. Getting into college, asking the girl I like out and getting a yes, or getting the job I applied for make me much happier than catching the pokemon ever did. All the things that make me happy now are things that flex my independent muscles, strengthening and improving them, setting me up for when I really need them.
+ “We are always getting ready to live but never living.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ah, this brings back memories of our discussion in class. I believe that you can be getting ready to live as well as living simultaneously. For example, I am on my way to college. Even though I’m not in college yet, I can still have a good time with my friends and family. I can go to the beach, go to the movies, etc. I suppose one’s agreement with Emerson depends on your definition of “living”. Whatever the case, I feel like I am doing both (by my definition).
+ We contrasted what made you happy when you were five versus what makes you happy now. Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Which happiness was "better"?
This one poses two questions. In response to the first one, yes, it was easier to be happier when I was younger. Simply getting a new pack of Pokémon cards or playing in the mud made me happy. Nowadays, it takes a lot more to be happy, sequential events that lead to something positive. Going out and having a really good time with my friends, or even something as simple as saving a couple bucks using a coupon can make me happy. This brings in the second question. Which one is “better”? Well, I would have to say that my current happiness is better than my old happiness. Although I got the same sort of satisfied feeling inside, my current happiness is the result of something, not just a random happy feeling for no rational reason. Nowadays, happiness just feels more… say, intelligent, than happiness when I was a child.
Ah, this brings back memories of our discussion in class. I believe that you can be getting ready to live as well as living simultaneously. For example, I am on my way to college. Even though I’m not in college yet, I can still have a good time with my friends and family. I can go to the beach, go to the movies, etc. I suppose one’s agreement with Emerson depends on your definition of “living”. Whatever the case, I feel like I am doing both (by my definition).
+ We contrasted what made you happy when you were five versus what makes you happy now. Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Which happiness was "better"?
This one poses two questions. In response to the first one, yes, it was easier to be happier when I was younger. Simply getting a new pack of Pokémon cards or playing in the mud made me happy. Nowadays, it takes a lot more to be happy, sequential events that lead to something positive. Going out and having a really good time with my friends, or even something as simple as saving a couple bucks using a coupon can make me happy. This brings in the second question. Which one is “better”? Well, I would have to say that my current happiness is better than my old happiness. Although I got the same sort of satisfied feeling inside, my current happiness is the result of something, not just a random happy feeling for no rational reason. Nowadays, happiness just feels more… say, intelligent, than happiness when I was a child.
My father told me that he used to think that I was a gift from God because even if I did not say much, it seems as if I always understood him. I made him laugh and I made everyone else laugh because I found the world to be so wonderful, blissful, and hopeful. I always had a smiling face, except for when I get in trouble with my mother. But lately, my father told me that I changed and he would constantly get angry with me. He said that I was no longer the smiling angel that God had sent to him. Even though, I am sad to hear this, I know that it is true and I have changed. I am always stressed about school, college, and the future. All this stress makes me want to speed through life, so I can be in the future where I would be happy.
However, when I was little, I was happy because I was living the moment. It was the present that made me happy. For example, candies made me happy because I was excited to eat it. I can’t wait to taste the delicious flavor. I was happy because I get to eat the candy “right now”. I did not have to wait a few days preparing myself to eat the candy. I didn’t even think about saving the piece of candy so I can be happy later. I want it now, because I want to be happy now.
Today, candies still makes me happy, but for a completely different reason. Now, it depends on who gave it to me and why they did. It takes more to make me happy because my thoughts matured, and so I look for the meaning behind my happiness. If the candies were given to me by someone I have a crush on because he is interested in me, I would be happy not because I get to eat it, but because I know that the candies mean that I have a chance to be happy in the future.
I think that we need both the happiness from when we are little and the happiness now. I think the happiness we search for as we grow older is much more meaningful and lasts longer than the happiness from a piece of candy. But we also need the small bliss in life to give us hope that we can have a happier future.
However, when I was little, I was happy because I was living the moment. It was the present that made me happy. For example, candies made me happy because I was excited to eat it. I can’t wait to taste the delicious flavor. I was happy because I get to eat the candy “right now”. I did not have to wait a few days preparing myself to eat the candy. I didn’t even think about saving the piece of candy so I can be happy later. I want it now, because I want to be happy now.
Today, candies still makes me happy, but for a completely different reason. Now, it depends on who gave it to me and why they did. It takes more to make me happy because my thoughts matured, and so I look for the meaning behind my happiness. If the candies were given to me by someone I have a crush on because he is interested in me, I would be happy not because I get to eat it, but because I know that the candies mean that I have a chance to be happy in the future.
I think that we need both the happiness from when we are little and the happiness now. I think the happiness we search for as we grow older is much more meaningful and lasts longer than the happiness from a piece of candy. But we also need the small bliss in life to give us hope that we can have a happier future.
it's true that we are less happy because there are so many things that we have to worry about now than we used to.
and we are so blind from all the stress and unfortunes that we don't know how to relax ourselves sometimes.
and we are so blind from all the stress and unfortunes that we don't know how to relax ourselves sometimes.
When I was young, it was much simpler being happier but only because I was more naive. If I desired something and I received it - I was happy - but if I never did receive it or my parents refused to give me something - I was sad. As a child, being happy leaned more towards black or white and less gray; real issues behind the choices I made did not impact my decision as long as it benefited me. Overall, it might have been simpler then but I much prefer today's happiness over the happiness that I felt when I was five. Now, in order to make me something happy, there is no longer two contrasting colors, but an entire shade of gray. Being happy now meant something, the choices that I made did have an impact and it was no longer just about me. It is a much more valuable form of happiness, that whatever I did not only benefited me but other people as well.
I have a greater sense of the value of the well-being and happiness of others as I have grew older. The experiences that I have made in my life and from what I have learned through learning and stories has also impacted and shaped the way that I perceive others. When I was 5, I had a very narrow outlook into life and what exactly my choice entailed. I had little wisdom and the value of my happiness had always held precedence over others. As I aged, however, I began absorbing stories and experiences that have been a result of my learning and actions. I used to once think that this world was close to perfect, that the horrors of this world were behind some curtain that I could not see. As I grew and I began to look back into the past I noticed the shocking realization that this world had so many more issues than I had expected it to have. In fact, as I aged, it seems to me that this world no longer had horrors but this world was filled with horrors. Today, different elements of my experiences and everything that I have accepted as fact is incorporated into my idea of happiness. Only if the good outweighs the bad is happiness ultimately worth it.
I have a greater sense of the value of the well-being and happiness of others as I have grew older. The experiences that I have made in my life and from what I have learned through learning and stories has also impacted and shaped the way that I perceive others. When I was 5, I had a very narrow outlook into life and what exactly my choice entailed. I had little wisdom and the value of my happiness had always held precedence over others. As I aged, however, I began absorbing stories and experiences that have been a result of my learning and actions. I used to once think that this world was close to perfect, that the horrors of this world were behind some curtain that I could not see. As I grew and I began to look back into the past I noticed the shocking realization that this world had so many more issues than I had expected it to have. In fact, as I aged, it seems to me that this world no longer had horrors but this world was filled with horrors. Today, different elements of my experiences and everything that I have accepted as fact is incorporated into my idea of happiness. Only if the good outweighs the bad is happiness ultimately worth it.
+ If happiness is such an important human concern – and if great minds seem to have devised (invent) ways to find it – why do we still sabotage ourselves?
Happiness is a goal to every human being; people make choices that can make themselves happy. Whether one realizes or not, individual’s mind constantly searches for happiness. Obviously, nobody desires to suffer in misery. However, there are people who sabotage themselves in numerous ways such as drinking alcohol, taking illegal drugs, having abusive relationships, and having negative thoughts. I believe that there are two groups of people who sabotage themselves: ones having difficulties maintaining the success and ones who have reached the peak of success. When the people reach the peak of success, they come to realize that no matter how much effort they put in, they will still be the same and mostly likely to decline. And another group of people who faces unstable happiness may become stressful about the unstable happiness. Because they do acknowledge that the happiness that they are enjoying cannot last forever they start to become depressed and become phobic. Therefore, these two groups of people sabotage themselves due to the stress of maintaining the happiness and reaching a decline in lives.
+ Are you more concerned with the well-being of others now that you’re older? When did you think more about your own happiness – then, or now? How has your attitude towards happiness changed, and why?
As a small child, I never really realized how my choice could affect the people around me. Now that I am older, I am more aware of others and their feelings. Unlike when I was small, I now care how other people feel and think and respect their ideas and actions. Before I make any decisions, I consider how my decision will affect others. Also, as I got older, I came to realized that I can never be fully happy unless my friends and family are also happy. Therefore, whenever I make appointment with others, I consider about their schedules more where as when I was a child, I did not much care about other people’s schedule and believed that they should fit their schedules to mine. My selfish attitude towards others changed completely because I realized that the real happiness can be achieved only if I create a harmony with people I live with.
Happiness is a goal to every human being; people make choices that can make themselves happy. Whether one realizes or not, individual’s mind constantly searches for happiness. Obviously, nobody desires to suffer in misery. However, there are people who sabotage themselves in numerous ways such as drinking alcohol, taking illegal drugs, having abusive relationships, and having negative thoughts. I believe that there are two groups of people who sabotage themselves: ones having difficulties maintaining the success and ones who have reached the peak of success. When the people reach the peak of success, they come to realize that no matter how much effort they put in, they will still be the same and mostly likely to decline. And another group of people who faces unstable happiness may become stressful about the unstable happiness. Because they do acknowledge that the happiness that they are enjoying cannot last forever they start to become depressed and become phobic. Therefore, these two groups of people sabotage themselves due to the stress of maintaining the happiness and reaching a decline in lives.
+ Are you more concerned with the well-being of others now that you’re older? When did you think more about your own happiness – then, or now? How has your attitude towards happiness changed, and why?
As a small child, I never really realized how my choice could affect the people around me. Now that I am older, I am more aware of others and their feelings. Unlike when I was small, I now care how other people feel and think and respect their ideas and actions. Before I make any decisions, I consider how my decision will affect others. Also, as I got older, I came to realized that I can never be fully happy unless my friends and family are also happy. Therefore, whenever I make appointment with others, I consider about their schedules more where as when I was a child, I did not much care about other people’s schedule and believed that they should fit their schedules to mine. My selfish attitude towards others changed completely because I realized that the real happiness can be achieved only if I create a harmony with people I live with.
We now hold different perspective toward happiness than we did when we were young. When we were young, we were more easily satisfied to become happy due to our narrow knowledge and responsibility about life. Some teddy bears and fairy tales would make us happy already. As we grow older and our view of life grows wider, we become more greedy and superficial. We now pursue money, relationships, and social status, in which we never had to worry about when we were little. We become fascinated with the power of money, relationships, and social status because of the luxury, satisfaction, and fame they bring. In addition to the stress of making into a good college, having a well-paid job, and maintaining happy relationships with family, lover, and friends, it takes a lot of effort and optimism for us to become happy. We had to worry about none of these when we were young because parents have already taken care of them all for us already. However, reality is forcing us to enter the world where happiness is contaminated with intrigue. In business, people endeavor to gain the upper hand, blindly scheming against each other. In relationships, true friendship or relationship is hard to compromise because everyone holds different perspective and pursues different things. There are just too many things to accomplish to become truly happy.
Although the harsh reality makes it incredibly hard to be happy, the happiness we receive now is “better”. When we were young, we did not cherish the happiness we had because they were so easy to get. Now that we realize how hard it is to pursue happiness, we enjoy the moment and cherish it. Personally, I used to think I deserved to be happy when I was young. I grew up in a fairly wealthy family, had many friends, and held relatively high positions in school; I could not be more satisfied with my life. However, I did not really cherish it; neither did I know how because I simply thought that was how my life was supposed to be. As I grew older, I gradually found it harder and harder to become happy anymore. Especially after moving to the U.S. with my parents when I was twelve, the stress of adapting new environment, learning new language, making new friends, and all that jazz started making me a sentimental person. For awhile, I had reached a plateau and wished to return back to my young glorious days. Fortunately, I met a girl, who became my best friend since I met her, from New Spirit in my sophomore year and she helped me out from my overwhelming sorrow. She reminded me the impossibility to return to the back and the importance to continue life with optimism. Through her optimistic perspective of life, I started to realize that happiness does not only happen in the pass; it waits ahead of me and it is my choice to catch it or not when it passes by. From then on, I promised myself to put on a smile everyday to welcome happiness. Now I can proudly say that, I am a happier person than I was before and I cherish every happy moment I have.
Although the harsh reality makes it incredibly hard to be happy, the happiness we receive now is “better”. When we were young, we did not cherish the happiness we had because they were so easy to get. Now that we realize how hard it is to pursue happiness, we enjoy the moment and cherish it. Personally, I used to think I deserved to be happy when I was young. I grew up in a fairly wealthy family, had many friends, and held relatively high positions in school; I could not be more satisfied with my life. However, I did not really cherish it; neither did I know how because I simply thought that was how my life was supposed to be. As I grew older, I gradually found it harder and harder to become happy anymore. Especially after moving to the U.S. with my parents when I was twelve, the stress of adapting new environment, learning new language, making new friends, and all that jazz started making me a sentimental person. For awhile, I had reached a plateau and wished to return back to my young glorious days. Fortunately, I met a girl, who became my best friend since I met her, from New Spirit in my sophomore year and she helped me out from my overwhelming sorrow. She reminded me the impossibility to return to the back and the importance to continue life with optimism. Through her optimistic perspective of life, I started to realize that happiness does not only happen in the pass; it waits ahead of me and it is my choice to catch it or not when it passes by. From then on, I promised myself to put on a smile everyday to welcome happiness. Now I can proudly say that, I am a happier person than I was before and I cherish every happy moment I have.
Now that I am older, I am definitely more concerned about the well-being of others. When I was a child, I was selfish, and I thought everything was about me. If I lived that same way now, I would probably be a social outcast and a failure. Life is not fair and no one can always have their way. A lot of my happiness relies on my family’s’ and friends’ happiness. When they are not happy, I am not happy. I don’t exactly know why I have changed like this, but it could be that I have grown older and feel more compassion for my loved ones. I also have grown an understanding of the fact that I would be alone in this world if I only cared for myself.
It is not difficult to amuse a five year old. When I was five, you could give me candy or a toy, and that would shut me up for a good hour. It was much easier to be happy when I was younger, because I was easily satisfied. Now, after living for almost 18 years, life becomes a bit more complicated. I have more responsibilities now, than when I was five. Now that I’ve grown older, I long for more than candies and toys to make me happy. Family and friends are a great source of happiness, but the ultimate source of my happiness depends on my success. My greatest goal is to be satisfied with the life I have created. I believe the happiness I currently pursue is “better”. It is much harder to achieve this, but once I achieve it, there is a self-satisfaction that is greater than any happiness.
It is not difficult to amuse a five year old. When I was five, you could give me candy or a toy, and that would shut me up for a good hour. It was much easier to be happy when I was younger, because I was easily satisfied. Now, after living for almost 18 years, life becomes a bit more complicated. I have more responsibilities now, than when I was five. Now that I’ve grown older, I long for more than candies and toys to make me happy. Family and friends are a great source of happiness, but the ultimate source of my happiness depends on my success. My greatest goal is to be satisfied with the life I have created. I believe the happiness I currently pursue is “better”. It is much harder to achieve this, but once I achieve it, there is a self-satisfaction that is greater than any happiness.
Yes, it is easier to be happier when I was younger, because when I was kid I didn’t think that much. Right now I grow up and thinking about my future and everything, you know. I think when I was kid was better than right now, because I can see how difference between before and after. But still not sure, when I was kid I want to be an old so that I can do whatever I want to do, but right now I can see it very different situation than what I thought. Right now I want to go back to my childhood.
Yes, it is, because sometime the life is a spent to waiting and get something. It’s like surprises, you know. Like sometime I think about my childhood then right now because I never realize that I gowned up that fast, you know. When I was kid I always thinking about get older fast. Right now I’m 18 years old and I have to thinking about my future and take care myself. So that right now I’m thinking what are surprises worth living and amazing?
Yes, it is, because sometime the life is a spent to waiting and get something. It’s like surprises, you know. Like sometime I think about my childhood then right now because I never realize that I gowned up that fast, you know. When I was kid I always thinking about get older fast. Right now I’m 18 years old and I have to thinking about my future and take care myself. So that right now I’m thinking what are surprises worth living and amazing?
sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!
“We are always getting ready to live but never living.” Ralph Waldo Emerson. This statement has accurately characterized many people; one of which is me. I seem to be spending the majority of my life preparing to live. For example, in elementary school, I am essentially preparing myself for middle school and in middle school, I am preparing for high school. In the four years of high school, the grades, the clubs, the volunteering activities, and the after schools are all preparation to get into a good college. In college, I know that I am preparing myself for a job after I graduate. It has dawned on me that it seems like an endless cycle of preparing and not living. So I ask myself why? My immediate response is it is just fun to prepare. During the whole process of preparing for the next step, I enjoy the process; the dangers, the ups and downs, the drama, and the exhilaration. I believe people only begin to live after their retirement, when they can officially relax. However, even with that, it seems like even after retirement, people are preparing to die by living a good life by doing all the things they have wanted to before.
What makes life worth living is the little intermittent pleasant surprises. Imagine how boring life will be knowing that every minute is a happy moment and that there are no down sides. For example, what makes roller coasters so fun and alluring to people are the little surprises such as the dips and twists. For life to have that same excitement, there has to be good and bad moments to make life worth living. Everyday, I live life eagerly waiting for the little pleasures that appear every now and then. What keeps me going is knowing that there are more pleasant surprises in store for me in the future. By spending my time waiting, I know these surprises will arrive and keep me going for the rest of my life.
“We are always getting ready to live but never living.” Ralph Waldo Emerson. This statement has accurately characterized many people; one of which is me. I seem to be spending the majority of my life preparing to live. For example, in elementary school, I am essentially preparing myself for middle school and in middle school, I am preparing for high school. In the four years of high school, the grades, the clubs, the volunteering activities, and the after schools are all preparation to get into a good college. In college, I know that I am preparing myself for a job after I graduate. It has dawned on me that it seems like an endless cycle of preparing and not living. So I ask myself why? My immediate response is it is just fun to prepare. During the whole process of preparing for the next step, I enjoy the process; the dangers, the ups and downs, the drama, and the exhilaration. I believe people only begin to live after their retirement, when they can officially relax. However, even with that, it seems like even after retirement, people are preparing to die by living a good life by doing all the things they have wanted to before.
What makes life worth living is the little intermittent pleasant surprises. Imagine how boring life will be knowing that every minute is a happy moment and that there are no down sides. For example, what makes roller coasters so fun and alluring to people are the little surprises such as the dips and twists. For life to have that same excitement, there has to be good and bad moments to make life worth living. Everyday, I live life eagerly waiting for the little pleasures that appear every now and then. What keeps me going is knowing that there are more pleasant surprises in store for me in the future. By spending my time waiting, I know these surprises will arrive and keep me going for the rest of my life.
Even though you just seem like you are preparing - which is probably true - what about all the other things you do? Hanging out with friends to swimming at the beach, all that is living life. We should all enjoy that.
We contrasted what made you happy when you were five versus what makes you happy now. Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Which happiness was "better"?
When we were younger the smallest of things would bring us happiness however it would be a momentary happiness. Things we find now as boring or ordinary we found mystical and astonishing as a child. As we have matured we’ve started to view the world in a bigger picture than the little world we were living in previously. As one matures, they start to appreciate the minuet details in the world and take it into consideration and are made happy by simply living life. In a sense it was easier to be happy when you were younger, but it never really lasted for a long period of time due to how unstable our emotions were. Think for a second of us as little kids, no older than 2 or 3. Do you not recall crying and throwing a tantrum if something wasn’t going your way and the moment that something was fixed or replaced you went back to being silent and satisfied? It is harder to satisfy our needs in which to be happy as older adults but in the long run it is more worth it.
It is a better sense of happy because you in a way have to go out and experience the world for yourself and make yourself happy. Where as when you were younger it was often your parents and surroundings that were relied on for this task. Our happiness when we were younger does not have any true meaning because we did not work to attain it. Now as young adults we have new found responsibilities and it seems only when our responsibilities to other people and most importantly ourselves is met is when we are happy. Everyone has their own definition of what makes them “happy” however we all can agree that when we are happy we are able to recall back to that experience and describe what it felt like. If you try and call upon an experience of you as a child and what had made you happy you more than likely will come up with something along the lines of getting a happy meal from McDonald's and putting a smile on. No happiness is permanent as there are always ups and downs in everyone’s life however our happiness now is more meaningful in which case I argue it is quote unquote “better”.
When we were younger the smallest of things would bring us happiness however it would be a momentary happiness. Things we find now as boring or ordinary we found mystical and astonishing as a child. As we have matured we’ve started to view the world in a bigger picture than the little world we were living in previously. As one matures, they start to appreciate the minuet details in the world and take it into consideration and are made happy by simply living life. In a sense it was easier to be happy when you were younger, but it never really lasted for a long period of time due to how unstable our emotions were. Think for a second of us as little kids, no older than 2 or 3. Do you not recall crying and throwing a tantrum if something wasn’t going your way and the moment that something was fixed or replaced you went back to being silent and satisfied? It is harder to satisfy our needs in which to be happy as older adults but in the long run it is more worth it.
It is a better sense of happy because you in a way have to go out and experience the world for yourself and make yourself happy. Where as when you were younger it was often your parents and surroundings that were relied on for this task. Our happiness when we were younger does not have any true meaning because we did not work to attain it. Now as young adults we have new found responsibilities and it seems only when our responsibilities to other people and most importantly ourselves is met is when we are happy. Everyone has their own definition of what makes them “happy” however we all can agree that when we are happy we are able to recall back to that experience and describe what it felt like. If you try and call upon an experience of you as a child and what had made you happy you more than likely will come up with something along the lines of getting a happy meal from McDonald's and putting a smile on. No happiness is permanent as there are always ups and downs in everyone’s life however our happiness now is more meaningful in which case I argue it is quote unquote “better”.
Emerson was right. Many people never get to do what they really want to do. I think this is evidenced by the fact that people often ask each other the question, "What would you do if you had a million dollars?" This is everyone's true self: the personality, lifestyle, and field of study they would go into given the chance. I define "getting ready to live" as working toward that "million dollar life," and "living" as being in that life. I understand the importance of enjoying a humble life, but I still think that very few of us reach our full potential. Life would not stagnate if we were given every material thing we wanted because we would learn to transcend our material goods. Neither the society in "1984" nor that in "Brave New World" would occur because people would not need to fight over things they already have. Everyone would learn to fulfill instead their mental capacities.
With this as a baseline, I don't think Emerson's philosophy is relative to age. Instead, it is relative to the number of "generally accepted high" goals we meet (by which I mean goals that are the highest goals anyone can attain). If someone stays poor their whole life, and their greatest goals remain unreachable because of it, they never live. If someone is rich, but never attempts to fulfill any real goals, they also never live. I'd say the perfect life to strive for is that of a constantly progressing wealthy person. However, many people can lead good lives that come close to this by meeting their own high goals. Overall, we must try to take advantage of all opportunities, and if we fail, taking advantage of some is still good.
With this as a baseline, I don't think Emerson's philosophy is relative to age. Instead, it is relative to the number of "generally accepted high" goals we meet (by which I mean goals that are the highest goals anyone can attain). If someone stays poor their whole life, and their greatest goals remain unreachable because of it, they never live. If someone is rich, but never attempts to fulfill any real goals, they also never live. I'd say the perfect life to strive for is that of a constantly progressing wealthy person. However, many people can lead good lives that come close to this by meeting their own high goals. Overall, we must try to take advantage of all opportunities, and if we fail, taking advantage of some is still good.
It was much easier to be happy when I was younger. Unlike other kids, I seldom cried but always laughed, and it was very hard to make me not happy. Although I still laugh a lot, it’s become more difficult for me to feel “thoroughly” happy anymore. We all grow up and encounter innumerable things, and things that can make us happy do change. I was more concerned about having great fun when I was little – as long as I could play video games, buy new clothes and toys, I could be fully satisfied. Now academic achievements make me happy, to see poor kids attend school in China makes me happy, to make everyone in my family stay healthy and happy will me feel gratified, and to lose thirty pounds will make me truly happy. After comparing the things used to make me happy with what makes me happy now, I found I feel happy when I achieve certain things and my own happiness grows out of other people’s happiness. I’d say I like the items on my present happiness list “better” because they are long-term happiness which takes me more effort to obtain. My childhood happiness was pure enjoyment that would only stay temporarily.
I am definitely more concerned with the well-being of others now. I was too young to consider other people and only focused on my own happiness. Now I feel happy when the people I care about are happy. My attitude towards happiness has not changed too much though. I still think happiness is one of the most important aspects of life because we should cherish our limited lifespan by being a happy, active person. And I always try to make myself happy because I simply hate feeling depressed and lost.
I am definitely more concerned with the well-being of others now. I was too young to consider other people and only focused on my own happiness. Now I feel happy when the people I care about are happy. My attitude towards happiness has not changed too much though. I still think happiness is one of the most important aspects of life because we should cherish our limited lifespan by being a happy, active person. And I always try to make myself happy because I simply hate feeling depressed and lost.
I agree with you completely on how my happiness grows off other people happiness. That one sentence stuck out to me completely as it exactly matched my thinking.
No Kant is not on the right path. Who is he to say everyone is not worthy of happiness but must prove themselves worthy? Someone may be happy with life by doing nothing at all, or someone may be unhappy with life even though they save lives. What is the point of being worthy if you cannot or just are not happy? I think everyone is worthy of happiness and should be. I think everyone can agree that life is just so much enjoyable and fulfilling when things are just going right. I know from experience that when things are going smooth for me, I just glow. When they are not going too well you can definitely tell even though I am not one of those people who like to broadcast how they feel, the power of being happy just shines through you even though you might not realize it - others definitely do.
I really believe there is more to happiness then just fulfilling our morals. If that was all there was too it then happiness would be based off selfishness - is it? I prefer to think happiness is based off positive activity, occurrences, or realizations. For example, if I help someone who drops their stuff on the floor I am not doing it to fulfill my own personal morals, although it is accomplishing that at the same time. I do it because he/she needs the help and I could do it for her, and also because of that good feeling he/she will feel when he/she sees some stranger spread some kindness. That flicker of extra brightness to her day is why I help her out. I love the thought of, "wow, I just made the persons day better. I really hope they have a good life."
I really believe there is more to happiness then just fulfilling our morals. If that was all there was too it then happiness would be based off selfishness - is it? I prefer to think happiness is based off positive activity, occurrences, or realizations. For example, if I help someone who drops their stuff on the floor I am not doing it to fulfill my own personal morals, although it is accomplishing that at the same time. I do it because he/she needs the help and I could do it for her, and also because of that good feeling he/she will feel when he/she sees some stranger spread some kindness. That flicker of extra brightness to her day is why I help her out. I love the thought of, "wow, I just made the persons day better. I really hope they have a good life."
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