Posted for Jennifer... [Jennifer, Ashley, and Shira, please post directly to this site... read and comment on one another's posts]
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Happiness in a sense
Considering the question first posed in the text, "what is happiness?", and dissecting the elucidation of the word into two subject matters: Happiness as it pertains to a state of mind, and happiness in relation to a life that goes well for the person leading it; I can begin to understand how answering the expansive question " what is happiness?," to be challenging. Considering happiness in a psychological sense, we need to take into account the various mental states that happiness can affect. For one cannot experience the state of happiness without witnessing or at least simply acknowledging the possibility it’s opposite(s). Several opposing emotions to happiness are sorrow, depression, melancholy, grief, disdain, and discontempt. If we contemplate happiness in a mental state of mind sense, we must also infer psychologically that the opposing emotions are also a state of mind. Each one, or the lack of each one, lends itself to include pleasure, satisfaction, or an overall positive emotional condition, as mentioned in the reading.
The second case of identifying happiness being “a life well spent,” leaves me wanting to explore the concept or idea of “a life well spent” in further depth. As Ashley had mentioned, it is highly probable that two individuals' perception of that life well spent will vary to some degree. I believe that variance depends a great deal on the value placed on the idea or concept of happiness and what consists of a happy state of mind, as well as a happy life.
In my field of work, I have encountered a variety of individuals whose lives by societal norms would be considered lacking in some capacity. Their hardships and current social standings would be less than ideal for the “average”, let's say American. However, their disposition on their life, being fully aware of their struggles and limitations, and lack of opportunities thus far towards this “life well spent” conceptualization, possesses a uniquely positive mindset. I would dare say they would express their state of mind to be happy, enough. Which encourages me to consider that happiness is a posture between the two subject matters presented in the text. It’s actual truth lies within a domain of reality that we as a society cannot construct simply based on a set of ideas. I believe that limits happiness to its barest minimum. I suppose my current stance would fall into the hybrid theory of happiness and that the true depth of happiness cannot be measured.
However, as a people, we have certainly tried to define and measure this idea. Material prosperity, as mentioned, appears to be one of the highest currencies for happiness. I believe another is the characteristic that a steady positive disposition equates to being happy; when in reality both of these things, material and a positive disposition, can be fabricated to any degree. That’s not saying that monitarty gain doesn’t have it’s advantages, and a positive disposition doesn’t have a place, I believe they both serve a purpose; however, I am not certain that purpose lends itself to the measure of what happiness is.
Returning to the value of happiness. Is it necessary for the overall well-being of life? I personally, don’t believe so. The idea of well-being itself, to me, encompasses mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. A healthy balance of optimism as well as affliction. Typically the idea of discomfort and happiness don’t coincide with one another. I feel that each is imperative, if nothing else, unavoidable, in acquiring a well being self.
Here is where many stumble in pursuit of happiness. Our normative views exclude the notion of suffering, true suffering, in regards to a happy life. Struggle, yes. Struggle is almost this idea that is essential to the “American standard” of happiness; however, to suffer…suffering would imply happiness is lost or has been lost to some degree. Placing the value of one’s happiness at a level I am uncomfortable with. Happiness is not a state of one’s character, yet at times it seems that we value it as such. I believe to do so is a discredit to the individual and the “life they spent”, well or unwell, an impossible scale that is not equitable from one to judge.
So for now, I suppose we will continue to philosophize on the idea of happiness. Is it like beauty? It’s simply in the eye of the beholder.
Hi Jennifer, first I would like to say that your thoughts were very well written. I concur with parts of them; however there are a couple of parts that I would be in disagreement with. I don't know if you're like me, but I am very open to constructive criticism; and I see life in a very open-minded way (valuing and respecting the thoughts of others,) although they may be different than my own (and having always taught my son to do the same.)
ReplyDeleteI very much so did want to comment on this posts though, as I had some life experiences last year, which I believe relate to the discussion of happiness, and it's importance in our well being, and also in being able to count one's life as “satisfactory.”
Last year I experienced an elated sense of happiness- something I had never experienced in my life. This arose after getting to know more about myself, and about my family history; and after being diagnosed as having Asperger's.
This understanding and diagnosis, also helped me to better understand the relationships in my life- between me and my boyfriend; and also between me and my son; and even help me to understand why my son’s father and I could have never worked out. Through this overwhelming sense of happiness and feeling of love, I felt the desire to disperse that love throughout the world- in the form of writing children's books and donating my time to the boys and girls club. And, even considered the possibility of writing songs (as I recalled this flow inside of me, that I had lost a long time ago, during the first custody battle that I had over my son.) That ability to flow, I had thought would never come back, but just like that, it did.
However, immediately after feeling that overwhelming sense of joy, “it was taken from me,” in a sense. Things did not go as planned; as I had some interference in my relationship, with my boyfriend, which had caused it to end.
Having Asperger's, unlike other people, I do not have feelings of depression or feelings of loneliness. However, I still feel the dissatisfaction with the loss; and the disappointment of not being able to use these talents, in the same way that I thought I could (just as I learn in different ways than other people; I don’t get to choose what makes my talents radiate, or gives me the desire to want to utilize them.)
Although I also find myself falling into a “hybrid theory of happiness,” as you put it;” I can't say that I agree with the reasoning that you give in determining happiness in a psychological sense, when you factor in people such as me and my son, with learning disabilities; and as I said, more specifically, with us not feeling emotions such as loneliness or depression. This is in reference to where you said:
ReplyDelete“For one cannot experience the state of happiness without witnessing or at least simply acknowledging the possibility it’s opposite(s). Several opposing emotions to happiness are sorrow, depression, melancholy, grief, disdain, and discontempt. If we contemplate happiness in a mental state of mind sense, we must also infer psychologically that the opposing emotions are also a state of mind.”
Although, I do see your logic there; and I will say, that this is usually an example of what I have taught my son about life in general; that you can't appreciate the sunshine (for instance,) without the rain; and it would be difficult to appreciate good, without evil existing in the world, etc.
But what I'm saying about learning disabilities, or just about differences in people in general, is that they make happiness; if you think about it, an even more difficult subject (as normally you would be able to look at any other subject matter in life, and validate their existence through their opposite predispositions; I don’t feel like with happiness you can.
I have always been the type to teach and encourage children (as well as my own child,) to “reach for the stars,” if you will. That you should always try to achieve that ultimate level of happiness within your life. However I must say, that after actually feeling that level of happiness; knowing the loss of it, made me wonder if I should continue to teach my son to reach for that level of happiness; or whether a life lived contently, without actually having known a happiness on that degree, would be better lived. But I believe that the old saying, still holds true, in that “it is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.” That immense joy, even if temporary,” is worth the feeling of losing it.
I would also have to disagree with where you said that:
“Returning to the value of happiness. Is it necessary for the overall well-being of life? I personally, don’t believe so.”
I, do personally, feel that happiness is essential for an overall satisfactory life. I don’t see how one could say, “I wasn't happy, but I'm satisfied with my life.” I mean for me, there’s other factors of my overall happiness (than just my relationship with my boyfriend, of 7 years;) there’s also my relationship with my son (which, for me anyways, actually makes up the majority of my overall happiness.) And, there’s other factors that make up that happiness; such as feelings of achievement, that I receive through learning new things; or that I receive, through accomplishing goals throughout a day/ week/ month/ year, etc.
My happiness isn’t obsolete, because of my family’s interference with my relationship, is what I'm saying; it just isn’t at it’s full potential, if you will (as it’s missing an essential piece.) It's kind of like my chocolate chip cookies (which by the way, opening a bakery / catering service; and starting out as a Facebook business, was another goal of mine last year; which I have been incorporating into my continuous improvement course assignments.) My son has always said that I make the best chocolate chip cookies in the world; however, he is a very observant individual, my son; and is very “in tune,” with the philosophical aspects of life, much as I am. Anyways, when we had moved out of my boyfriend’s house; my son had apparently “observed,” that the quality of my cookies had changed; he had noted to me that, “although they're still the best chocolate chip cookies in the world;” he felt like the ingredient that they were lacking, was literally “a piece of the love that went into them” (he had attributed “the missing ounce of love,” to the absence of my boyfriend.) Of course you would have to understand that my son too, feels a very strong love for that individual; that, and he has a very good (and very witty) sense of humor. Lol!
ReplyDeleteBut I will definitely agree with you that it kind of is like beauty, happiness that is, it is in the eye of the beholder. As I had mentioned before, I feel that there are different levels of happiness; that it kind of has different branches, in a way. But, I do feel that it is very unique to the individual; and that's what makes it so hard to define, because we are all so very different and unique. Maybe to some people material possessions do make them happy, but you can't just attribute well and prosperity to happiness, as you said.
You've really said a lot here!
DeleteOne quick observation: sometimes a setback in life is interpreted as failure, which then is allowed to subvert one's pursuit of happiness. We'd do better to de-couple the concepts of success/failure and happiness. Sometimes, maybe often, our setbacks are something we could not have avoided. They're not, as the stoics said, "up to us." So we have to resolve not to let those setbacks make us permanently unhappy.
It's true that we all experience our lives from a unique personal perspective, and that we have many a various different sources of happiness. But we also have a shared humanity that makes it possible for us to follow the happy examples of others who've learned to accept and learn from "failure" and still seek happiness.
Thank you Dr Oliver. That's a very good point about the separation of happiness and success and failures. That will definitely give me something to ponder over throughout the rest of this course and our reading.
ReplyDelete