PHIL 3160 – Philosophy of Happiness

What is it, how can we best pursue it, why should we? Supporting the study of these and related questions at Middle Tennessee State University and beyond. "Examining the concept of human happiness and its application in everyday living as discussed since antiquity by philosophers, psychologists, writers, spiritual leaders, and contributors to pop culture."

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Contentment - A Layman's Guide

    In my presentation, I will be discussing contentment and how it relates to happiness. I will approach this topic through the lens of my late grandfather, whose philosophy has shaped how I approach my own. Having been born right before the Great Depression, his viewpoints were molded greatly in response to his environmental difficulties. This would lead him to rely heavily on the idea of contentment over happiness, often relying on a life assessment founded on a lasting sense of satisfaction as opposed to short bursts of enthusiastic emotional states. 

    Additionally, the presentation will draw from one of my favorite songs: Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man.” I use many of its lyrics as a structural and topical guide. Topics will include brief discussions of moderation, relationships, religion, and self-help from the view of a layman. I will also attempt to synthesize a few of my grandfather’s positions with our assigned authors as well as my own opinion and invite the audience to bring some constructive criticism to the table. I am excited to see what you all have to offer.



Discussion questions:


What does contentment mean to you? How does it relate to happiness? Are they the same thing? Is one over all better than the other?


How do the views of our assigned authors align with your conception of contentment? Are there any additional authors that contribute to your idea? Was there someone in your life that greatly impacted your take on happiness/contentment?


6 comments:

  1. My parents were born just before the depression, on remote rural farms. I don't think they perceived the times as radically altered, life had always been challenging. But they too seem to have focused more on something like contentment, a philosophy of "good enough"...

    So glad you've chosen that Skynyrd song, and not the despicable Sweet Home Alabama!

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  2. While I would say that Sweet Home Alabama is a classic, I must say that my patience has been ran thin with it. The nail was really driven into the coffin when i was forced to create a parody of it for a High School Washington Trip. I’ve tried my best to block it from memory.

    “Sweet Washington DC”

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  3. Philippians 4:11b-12 (NRSV)
    11 …I have learned to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.

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  4. I would take Nietzsche's stance on contentment as: something opposed to happiness since it stands in the way of achieving what we really want, because we are happy with whatever we get. Contentment means to me: stagnation, no longer growing or developing. To provide an analogy it is pressures which turn material into gems like diamonds. This is not to say we should be dying under the load of stress but to the contrary we should take on pressure in fact empowered by the challenge to achieve our aims whatever they are, despite the cost. For some the striving itself is the highest state achievable.

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  5. Contentment to me is a fascinating topic because I don't believe it is something I consider frequently, if at all, regarding my state of being.

    If I am in a state of neutrality, I usually consider that a shade of happiness, considering that one of the alternatives is some level of negative state , from light discomfort to extreme suffering.

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  6. I love this topic! By being content, we are allowed happy in our present situation.

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You don’t need a pill: Neo

It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness True happiness is... to enjoy the present, without anxious dependen...