I have this evolution-based idea that if we could learn to always do what best promotes the survival of our genes, we would be happy all the time, as our inner reward system would constantly have good reason to keep us happy (as it wants us to stay on the right track). The response I get when I present this idea is nearly always something like "If we never suffer, we can never be happy either". But if that's true, then if you have been happy for so long that you can't be happy anymore (suppose it is such a long time since you suffered), it should be a good idea to torture yourself in order to become able to be happy again?! But nobody I know of would intentionally torture themselves for that purpose!! Not even when they, as they put it, "have been happy for too long to enjoy it". So people actually don't seem to believe in their own formula (that you have to suffer sometimes in order to be able to be happy). Do people simply don't see how hypocritical they are by living like that?
2007-01-03 10:56:26 · 4 answers · asked by Justin Case 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
I believe that when you intentionally cause yourself to suffer just for the sadistic fun and thrill to highlight an otherwise damned boring life, it is tragic.
Because, most likely, you wouldnt get that so-called happiness out of it, but, you would very likely be sucked into the vacuum of unhappiness and uncontentedness for as long as you are alive.
People with action-packed lives (eventful odyssey) do not have to mutilate themselves, but, people with uneventful lives can achieve happiness, by bringing happiness to people who are in suffering, rather than trying depeartely to make themselves suffer just 'coz they have got ample time to spare.
2007-01-03 21:15:23 · answer #1 · answered by Blessed Person :-) 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you talking about the idea, if you don't have the downs, you can't have the ups? You will not have to worry about the downs because life will give you downs. . .and it will give you ups. I would more worry about a safely lived life that goes right down the middle-no ups, no downs- no thrill of living. If you live your life fully, you will succumb to all of the above. It's not the ups and downs that are important but how you react to them and how they make you grow as a person. It is just such life that will make you exactly what you are--the sum of your experience. You sound as though you have a lot of life in from of you. Make good decisions, appreciate every minute and live a wonderful life.
2007-01-03 20:46:21 · answer #2 · answered by towanda 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most people do, though they torture in a different way and most of the time they don't even realize it.
2007-01-03 21:10:36 · answer #3 · answered by Engel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sum do. but most rather turn on themselves as the last option...
2007-01-03 20:15:25 · answer #4 · answered by water lily 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋