Dante B.

I wrote this yesterday, so I'll open this up for debate.

We can discuss this on any level: Happiness as a concept, happiness in general, romance, life, personal goals, and so on.

As usual, come out with it and tear into me.

Not to see many things, not to hear many things, not to permit many things to come close - first imperative of prudence, first proof that one is no mere accident but a necessity.

Friedrich Nietzsche - Ecce Homo

Eggs

You suck!

Eggs

Er, wait, were we supposed to be discussing happiness? Ahem, got a little carried away with that "tearing you up bit". Will read the article in a bit when I wake up from my nap.

Dante B.

Is that a question, a wish, or an offer?

No.

Not for you.

If the price is right.

Thus concludes my thoughts on happiness.
------

Eggs, you always make for an interesting discussion, so this will be fun

Not to see many things, not to hear many things, not to permit many things to come close - first imperative of prudence, first proof that one is no mere accident but a necessity.

Friedrich Nietzsche - Ecce Homo

Eggs

Thank you thank you, looking forward to talking about it. Now happiness is something that is truly subjective

HoldDaMayo

happiness has to have a long term vs short term perspective... happiness like money can only be considered successful if your level of wealth/happiness is consistent

Are you kidding me????

RedDragon

Chuck Heston says that happiness is a warm gun. But I own alot of them and down really consider myself happy......so I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder.

"Duffman can't breath!"

"That brown patch could use alittle h2o OH Yeah!!!"

"Duffman says alot of thing Oh Yeah!!"

Dante B.

Yes, and in addition to a long and short term perspective, it has to be a rational assessment as to what will truly confer happiness upon you.

If you're looking for wealth, just so you can appear to be a step above the common levels of the social echelon, then you have to consider what that vision of happiness entails----speaking of the present, the future, and how you must act.

Am I ever surprised when someone, who by all means is "successful," but not happy? Rarely.

Not to see many things, not to hear many things, not to permit many things to come close - first imperative of prudence, first proof that one is no mere accident but a necessity.

Friedrich Nietzsche - Ecce Homo

Dante B.

Think of happiness in terms of self-valuation.

Let's take it from there, then.

What makes us value our existence, in terms of self-esteem?

Not to see many things, not to hear many things, not to permit many things to come close - first imperative of prudence, first proof that one is no mere accident but a necessity.

Friedrich Nietzsche - Ecce Homo

RedDragon

Hmm these questions tease the mind.

"Duffman can't breath!"

"That brown patch could use alittle h2o OH Yeah!!!"

"Duffman says alot of thing Oh Yeah!!"

Dante B.

Hint:

Is it what we have, or how we get it? Joy in the path or the destination?

Sure, winning the lottery would make me rich. However, if I lived a life of luxury, but didn't apply myself action and thought-wise to the world I live in, as a rational human being, what could I pride myself on?

My race? Is that something that I've earned, or been given? Sure, I can buy a house, with money. Isn't it the process of earning money, by noble or lesser means an aspect of my existence that lets me define myself through my actions?

The oft-posed question "can money make you happy?," is ridiculous, for it excludes one pertinent factor:

Even if you're rich, how do you define yourself?

Not to see many things, not to hear many things, not to permit many things to come close - first imperative of prudence, first proof that one is no mere accident but a necessity.

Friedrich Nietzsche - Ecce Homo

RedDragon

Question? Are you asking me personally or do I answer my oppion on the whole sceem of thing?

"Duffman can't breath!"

"That brown patch could use alittle h2o OH Yeah!!!"

"Duffman says alot of thing Oh Yeah!!"

ponyboy

I believe that this really does come down to how we value ourselves. People who display an image of happiness more often than not aren't simply because they use things that are tangible like money and positions to create an image - more often than not this image is false.

I believe that true happiness comes from within - but there are certain elements that come along with that. More specifically:

1) Feeling valued by others
2) Feeling fulfilled - which can come under the four main headings: physically, spritually, emotionally and intellectually.

Here comes another question: Do people who are truly happy live their lives based on what they enjoy and get fulfillment from, or based on what they feel they are contributing to the fulfillment of others? Or both?

Today I can do what others will not so that tomorrow I will do what others cannot.

The difference between winners and losers is that winners do things that losers don't want to do.

RedDragon

If you want to actually get down to what happiness is. It's nothing more than chemicals bubbleing in the brain. It's funny to think of it that way. As nothing more than a chemical reaction, so I say why look a gift horse in the mouth. If it makes you happy it makes you happy and if you enjoy being happy what is more important. I could be wrong, it has been known to happen from time to time.

"Duffman can't breath!"

"That brown patch could use alittle h2o OH Yeah!!!"

"Duffman says alot of thing Oh Yeah!!"

Dante B.

Sorry, I've been out of it.

Here's a debate about this on another board, just to give you some of my thoughts on the matter before I get back to this:

http://forum.avantlabs.com/?act=ST&f=6&t=7720&

It is ludicrous---not funny---to look at it that way. Reread my article, and look through the debate on the thread I linked to. Either you are or are not a conscious, rational creature---at least by nature, in terms of what our nature as human beings is.

Unless you wish to argue as if you're just a thoughtless animal who isn't in control of your state of awareness and reasoning, in which case you're just an animated piece of flesh dangling from the strings of genetic and environmental control. In that case, I may take you seriously----in terms of who you are, by choice, not who we are, as humans, by nature, by potential.

And what makes you "happy," doesn't necessarily work well toward your relatively long-term well-being. A paradox? Hardly.

Speaking along the lines of self-valuation, dig a little deeper. I covered this in my article, as well as in the other thread/debate---and, I shall expand.

Both.

Not to see many things, not to hear many things, not to permit many things to come close - first imperative of prudence, first proof that one is no mere accident but a necessity.

Friedrich Nietzsche - Ecce Homo

irontime

Happines is just a beer bottle away

If god were suddenly condemned to live the life which he has inflicted on man, he would kill himself.
- Alexander Dumas (1802 - 1870)

HoldDaMayo

I feel that my happiness has alot to do with my parents and the things I was raised to think/believe... even when I don't consciously agree, i find myself more happy when I'm doing things they would be proud of... this of course is not including drugs... which I'm almost always happy during, but almost always feeling guilty after (after i run out that is ... muahahaha)

Are you kidding me????

tjwes

Happiness is being content with your life. No more ,no less.If you are at peace and somewhat content with your state of existance nothing else matters in the big scheme of things.

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