X-Message-Number: 15842
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 07:45:13 -0500
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: more on happiness

Hi everyone!

The notion of happiness without any specific thing about which to be
happy is very common. People often say that everyone seeks happiness,
for instance, while freely admitting that what THEY seek isn't the same
as what someone ELSE may seek.

It's notions of that kind that make me think that the idea of happiness
as a goal is quite contrary to what really happens or ever could 
happen. The recent message by Mark Plus basically provides more info
in support of this notion. We are happy when we make progress toward
our goal (often independent of how important that goal may be to ourselves
or to others)... or in other words, the feeling of happiness comes as
a consequence of seeking a goal, it has no independent existence
(yes, it can be produced by drugs, but who really wants happiness of
that kind). 

If sometimes you happen not to have any particular goal, then you won't
feel happy, either. Among other issues, that makes the provision of
happiness by one person to another something in which both parties must
participate: it can never be done by one person alone. Nor could one
person or institution give a right to happiness; at most it would be
a right to seek happiness (or in other words, seek your own goals). 
This latter point brings in different political systems, too: though the
correspondence isn't perfect, a polity which allows its citizens to
seek their own goals (seek happiness) would also be one which allows
its citizens more freedom rather than less.

The possibility of a society which merely gave its citizens a 
"happiness drug" of course remains.

A consequence of this viewpoint would be that no amount of technology
will bring us happiness, nor can we expect an understanding of 
happiness to make everyone happy. What makes you happy will always
be the pursuit of YOUR goals, and those goals depend on many things
outside yourself. No pure psychology will tell us how to become happy.

Just some thoughts brought on by Mark Plus's recent discussion.

		Best and long long life to all,

			Thomas Donaldson

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