Who feels that desire breeds unhappiness?

Question

I think that most of what people desire seems to be artificial, a product of our past. To explain, in the times before civilization people had to struggle to survive, to eat required hard work which was motivated by you instinct to live. Now with the advent of agriculture you have people that don't have to work very hard to eat compared to the past, therefore they find that their need for struggle is not met. This led to the development of the countless ways humans distract themselves from feeling incomplete. But on some level, most people aren't satisfied with their distractions, they grow bored easily and must inject some kind of action into their lives to feel alive. On this level however, people aren't acting much different than their primitive selves. Perhaps we actually have the potential to realize the need for struggle within ourselves and let go of desire for things which will never fill the hole inside. People are designed to be a cup, never full, why try to fill it up?

I'm not specifically talking about lust, I also mean money, things, happiness, power, and all the other so-called "goals" of life. It seems for some people they never get full, they always need more, isn't this the nature of life, to get more. It seems an animalistic way of thought to me, never thinking always striving.

Answer 1

Goodness, I've never actually given this any thought but you certainly have and now my thoughts are provoked--which is a good thing. Truly, over the course of time, the generations have moved toward much easier ways of accomplishing that which satisfies our basic needs. So, because our basic needs are not so much a struggle to obtain(especially in the US), we being the humans we are, begin to strive for that which is difficult, challenging or impossible to attain. However, that which we desire is not life giving or life saving but rather worldly and superficial. And in that sense, we will never be satisfied since there's always someone who has more and more to be had. So...in answer to your question, now that I've processed it, "Yes, I do feel that, quite possibly, desire breeds unhappiness". Thanks for the provocation!

Answer 2

I think you are on to something, you clever chap.

Life was a struggle for most of the history of humanity, brutal, merciless.
It only started getting better until recently!!! And that's only confined to certain places, especially in the Western world.

Life is too easy now.

This is the root to the rampant depression,

It's boredom.

The masses can't handle the boredom. This is why we need drugs, illegal and prescription.

Answer 3

Oh yes,where Lust Leads Sorrow Follows.

Answer 4

Happiness comes from the inside. You have to make the conscience decisions to be or do the things in life that make it full. You can do this by first examining yourself, then look inside and see where you what to be. Then add or take away the things that are keeping you from that reality.

Answer 5

"Who feels that desire breeds unhappiness?"

of course it does... how can one be unhappy if he/she didnt have something better in mind?

desire IS the cause of all our problems.

we're sad because we WANT (desire) to be happy.
we're hungry because we WANT (desire) to be fed.
we're lonely because we WANT (desire) someone.

the list goes on.

if we would just stop wanting.. there would be nothing to gain or lose and we wouldnt feel the emotion (sad or happiness) of it.

Answer 6

I guess it does when the pregnancy unplanned. And no money for abortion. I totally against abortion unless ofcourse it a life death setuation.