What is Happiness?
The question that has stood and will stand until the end of time, "What is happiness?". This is because the definition of happiness is fit to the person asking the question. Some people find happiness in wealth and fame. Some find happiness in living life alongside people they love. Personally, I find happiness in whatever brings me fulfillment. This can be crossing off a to-do list or spending the evening with my friends. How do we determine what happiness is if it is different for every person? To me, this ties back to Taoism. Tao, or the way, is different for every person. It cannot be defined because its definition relies on the user. Is happiness the same? Could the question we have been asking for years be unanswerable? We go throughout life in pursuit of something that we do not fully understand. So I ask the question, "Is the pursuit of happiness an excuse for not knowing what we are trying to obtain in life?" If this is true, then do we have a purpose or are we merely existing and grasping at straws for why we are here?
I completely agree with the fact that "happiness" does not have a solid definition. There are a variety of things that could make one person happen, while another may not think the same way. My happiness comes from good deeds. From the simple things like holding open a door for someone, to larger actions like volunteering my time at the local animal shelter, good deeds are something that I feel are necessary for my happiness and overall well-being. Tying this back to Taoism was a great way to compare happiness and "the way". Everyone is different when it comes to what makes them happy. Also, different people have different paths that they wish to take in life. Not all paths are the same, just like all happiness is not the same. Define what makes you happy and stick to that. Steer away from false happiness that is created through materialistic items, bad relationships, and/or the lack of control you have.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your analysis that happiness is like Tao and each person finds their own way to achieve, however, I don't believe that anyone can achieve happiness through wealth or fame. If fulfillment is found through wealth or fame, then it may produce some happiness. Wealth and fame are aspirations that can never be completely reached as you can always be more wealthy and you can always be more famous. If pursuing a goal allows you to feel happy when it is accomplished, then that pursuit is not an excuse to not knowing what we are trying to obtain in life.
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