Is happiness

Discussion in 'General Philosophy' started by Redefine91, Nov 24, 2006.

  1. Redefine91 I piss excellence Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    848
    ...Possible?

    I forget where but I was reading the other day an argument saying that Happiness is impossible.


    " Happiness is impossible. When one reaches what he believes to be happiness it slowly turns into monotony and he gets bored,uninterested, and unhappy once more."

    Could it be that there really is no premanent happiness? Is it all just temporary until we adapt to it or is the happiness in the search?
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2006
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    23,053
    I believe the term that you're seeking is NOT "happiness", but contentment. and there's a big, big difference.

    For one to be "happy" all the time is outrageously ignorant ....if for no other reason that one might get a headache or a sinus infection. Can anyone be "happy" with a major headache? Hell, no!

    But contentment is an overall term, an average, of ones life ....through the headaches and all.

    I didn't know what contentment was until I retired. I always thought I was moderately happy and content. Wow ...retirement proved me wrong! I'm now as content with my life as I could ever hope to be.

    Baron Max
     
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. Prince_James Plutarch (Mickey's Dog) Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    9,214
    Rarely do I ever find myself lacking happiness. However, I also find joy in the process of striving and over coming. Some people find joy only in the attainment. If one can, in essence, enjoy the journey itself, there is no end to happiness.
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. c7ityi_ Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,924
    Happiness is the search, the travelling. The more we evolve, the happier we become. To be happy it's a good thing to concentrate on a goal, and when we reach it, find a new goal. And never concentrate on sad things.

    <FONT COLOR="Mediumslateblue">"A yogi had heard about Buddha and wondered if he knew the path to salvation better than he himself knew from what others had taught. Once Buddha was in his neighbourhood he went to him and asked him some questions; Is the world eternal or finite? Is the soul real or not? is nirvana eternal or temporary? etc. If the Buddha could answer these questions he would join him and become his disciple. The Buddha however shaked his head over him and would not answer his questions. "You come to me and will only join me if I answer all these questions"

    You are like man that got hit by an arrow and as his friends rush to pull it out, he stops them " don't pull it out before I know for sure what this arrow is made of, what feather was used, what kinda wood the bow was made of, and the string, the colour of the hair and skin on the man who shot it, where he came from etc. The Buddha then remarked to the yogi, this man would have died before he got all the answers."</FONT>​

    ---

    maybe genep is right...
    maybe ignorance is bliss...

    if i throw away everything...
    maybe i become present nothing...
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2006
  8. Redefine91 I piss excellence Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    848
    So there is no happiness at all once the goal is reached?

    I climbed the mountain.... Whats next?


    Couldn't dwelling on sad things (itleast for a short time) make us appreciate the good things even more? And couldn't that appreciation translate into happiness?
     
  9. c7ityi_ Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,924
    Depends on what the goal is.

    Happiness is created by thoughts. If you think happy things you become happy, and if you dream long enough, the dreams become reality.
     
  10. Redefine91 I piss excellence Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    848
    How can it depend on what the goal is?

    Isn't a goal something you desire, and isn't attaining something you desire happiness?


    And how does prolonged dreaming translate into the formation of reality.

    If I dream day and night about starring on broadway for 40 years it doesn't mean it is actually going to happen.
     
  11. c7ityi_ Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,924
    Yes, but how long the happiness lasts after the goal has been reached depends on what the goal is.

    For example, if your goal was to climb a mountain, the happiness probably wouldn't last long. But if your goal was to become a millionaire, the happiness would last until you get bored of everything you can get with money.

    If you're aware that you're dreaming, you can control and manifest anything anything you desire.

    If you believe it will happen, it will happen, and you certainly don't have to wait for 40 years.

    Your universe/dream consists of thoughts. So if you change your thoughts, you change your life.

    Everything in our life is the manifestation of our thoughts. Thoughts become feelings, feelings become belief, beliefs become reality.
     
  12. Redefine91 I piss excellence Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    848
    Not totally true.

    For example I have had thoughts of killing my boss, blowing up my neighbors house, kicking loud yippy dogs ect ect. None of those have yet to happen.

    And If I believed something should happen, it doesn't actually happen. I believe We should elect an independent as president. Hasn't happened.
     
  13. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    23,053
    Well, yeah, but all dreamers like him need to say is "Well, ye're just not dreamin'/thinkin' hard enough!" ......and you can't possibly respond to that, can't ya'?

    We also see the same/similar comments from liberals of the world ....."To end the conflicts in (pick a world area), we need diplomacy and dialogue." There ain't no response that would satisfy them, because theirs is a dream world, with only dream-like endings .....reality and past experience plays no part in their dreams.

    Baron Max
     
  14. SycknesS Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    69
    That things usually get old, therefore having any one thing that will make you happy for your life is hard to get. There are some things though that you should be content with, like family, friends, hobbies, etc...

    Regarding c7's post... I know if I climbed Everest I'd be happy about that acheivement for the rest of my life. Some things are more fun to pursue than to have though, I agree.
     
  15. Oniw17 ascetic, sage, diogenes, bum? Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,423
    Happiness is relative, so of course when you get used to it you aren't happy anymore. That's why you need the things that you don't like. I don't think it's so much that happiness is in the search. It's more of just a stimulation, not quite happiness, the thrill of the chase and what not.
     
  16. c7ityi_ Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,924
    How long did you think about those thoughts? It takes time for thoughts to manifest (unless you're very skilled), and that's really a good thing. You wouldn't want every thought to manifest instantly and create a world of nightmares and craziness, like in this movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120184/

    (every observation creates thoughts)

    Thoughts has to go through the materialization process: thoughts> feelings> belief> reality.

    In sleep-dreams thoughts can manifest instantly, but that's because dreams are more spiritual (closer to the source) than this world.

    Of course not because you don't believe it will actually happen.

    I'm sure you want something more in your life than just climb a mountain.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2006
  17. StaringIntoTheAbyss Registered Member

    Messages:
    18
    I truly find happiness in the journey of life. There is so much out there to learn, so many new ideas to think, so many books to read, movies to see, places to visit, things to eat, the list goes on. For me, I can always set a new goal and the pursuit of that goal is my happiness. Once I reach that goal, I am still happy, but my focus lies on what is next, I accept my recent accomplishment as another thing I have done in life and stow it away in my memories.
     
  18. TimeTraveler Immortalist Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,023
    It's possible, it depends on your definition of happiness.
     
  19. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    23,053
    I've always thought of "happy" or "happiness" as a short-term condition. Whereas, "contentment" I think is a long-term condition.

    But like many terms in language, there are almost as many "definitions" as there are people using them! And even when someone tries to give a definition of a word or term, there are always people who disagree or are ready to argue about it.

    See why there's always wars, conflicts and disagreements all over the world, all day, every day, all year, every year? And then, of course, we have those silly, foolish people who say things like, "We should just all get along and love each other." ...LOL!

    Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!



    Baron Max
     
  20. Roman Banned Banned

    Messages:
    11,560
    It's a warm gun.
     
  21. VitalOne Banned Banned

    Messages:
    2,716
    There is eternal happiness, when you become enlightened you gain eternal bliss, as you are freed from all insecurities (or impressions), what can exists besides happiness?
     
  22. c7ityi_ Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,924
    no. sin always comes back.
    because nothing (universe) lasts forever.

    even nirvana is temporary.
    enlightenment might last for a thousand years.
    but after that might come a thousand years of darkness.

    the only thing that is eternal is that nothing is eternal (and nothing cannot exist)
    everything changes.
    that never changes.

    eternal happiness can't exist because happiness does not exist now (everywhere)
    if it does not exist now, and in the past, it's not eternal, and when it comes, it can't last, because it didn't last in the past.

    ---

    the only way to prevent sin from coming back would be to kill the creator.
    but the creator is nothing, and nothing cannot be destroyed because it doesn't exist (and at the same time it exists, but it's nothing!)

    so we can just travel...
    to infinity... and beyond...

    ---

    Auron: "Sin always comes back. It comes back after the Calm every time! The cycle will continue and your deaths will mean nothing!"

    Braska: "But there’s always a chance it won’t come back this time. It’s worth trying."

    Jecht: "I understand what you’re saying, Auron. I’ll find a way to break the cycle."
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2006
  23. VitalOne Banned Banned

    Messages:
    2,716
    No, thats not right. Almost everything changes, everything except for the unmade, the unborn, the absolute. The absolute is causeless, existing before cause and effect, changless, eternal, etc....Because there is an unmade, an uncreate, there is eternal bliss.

    When asked how could there be eternal bliss if all things are transient The Buddha said:
    "There is, O Bhikkhus, an unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, unformed. Were there not, O Bhikkhus, this unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, unformed, there would be no escape from the world of the born, originated, created, formed.

    Since, O Bhikkhus, there is an unborn, unoriginated. uncreated, unformed, therefore is there an escape from the born, originated, created, formed".

    For someone who is supremely enlightened, there is no suffering to any extent, this is eternal. For others who do many good deeds they may enjoy thousands or even millions of years of happiness but then fall down again, due to material nature.

    Your arguments don't seem to make any sense. You say eternal happiness can't exist because there is no happiness now. But in reality, all that exists is happiness, ever-existing, unchanging bliss, it is the basis of reality, causeless, existing before there was any cause or effect.
     

Share This Page