2007-03-17 13:14:41 · 16 answers · asked by Ejsenstejn 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Lots of great and thoughtful answers. I can't decide. You decide. --> Vote.
2007-03-19 18:23:57 · update #1
Why can't we do both? Why can't doing our 'duty' make us happy? I don't see the conflict between these two ideas.
2007-03-17 13:18:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Neither and both. To exist, experience is what we are put on earth for to the best of my knowing at this time. How can it be otherwise? All point in being, all existence would then only have the goal to be, to be for the contribution to the experience of everything as a whole. To represent as many simulations of existence as can be.
So you really cannot fail no matter what you do or what happens.
As to the best of my knowing, there are two factors contributing to your life, what you do and what the rest of the universe does with it and what it does onto you, each one inversely proportional to the other. So your life can be misreable and you can still be happy, or your life could be great, but you decide to not be happy.
(What you do) times (Situation and what existence does with what you do) = your reality
So live your life the best way you see fit at the moment, but to limit the ability of the experiences of others by not being moral while doing so limits the possibilities of experiences of the universe, so live morally as well.
Also, duty needs to be defined in the question, and "happy" can be inturpreted different ways to- but this was the best way i could answer the question. In addition, your question started out with "Are we on earth to be blank or blank", and didn't leave it open, as if it were truth that is is one or the other.
But it is a simple question at the basis of asking, should i try to be happy and live for the moment all the time- or should i be duty bound to all the loyalties one presumes he has and have a mor sufferable time in doing so?, one should never suffer, but it happens, we do have responsibilities if we presume we have free will. This question then leads closer into queastions about free will, but there my answer and solution to that is too long for this page right now so i'll leave it up to you to look at others questions or make up another question if you think you need an answer to predestenation as well.
Whenever you ask a question about anything, think vertically, does the solution or answer matter, or can you find a solution that covers more than just that of which you ponder?
I do not claim to know anything as truth- just to live out life by what presents itself to be true, at the moment of my thought
2007-03-17 22:11:52 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd have to say that it's a combination of both. And anyways, what's to say that our 'duty' can't make us happy? Is there a set 'duty' for us to complete? Why can't we choose our own? Personally, I think that our duty is to be happy. The world would be a better place if everyone was happy - no need for drugs, or wars, etc.
2007-03-17 13:23:10 · answer #3 · answered by literalcookie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to most religious scripts to do your duty and to do what you know burns in your heart ( that secret desire to be a writer or an astronomer or architecht etc...) you are fullfilling the life you had picked out with your higher power before you came to earth to live the mortal life. If you can figure it all out, how to do what makes you happy and live with the love that fires your soul and do your duty to you people and your country then there shouldnt be an issue! One leads to the other, Course I should put in here that most religions want you to understand that a peaceful existance is also helpful.
2007-03-17 13:45:28 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a judgement call. The earth doesn't care if we're happy and who's to say what our duty is?
2007-03-17 13:37:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our duty is to be happy!0!
Happiness is what you get from giving to others. Happiness is not really something you get, happiness can only be given and that's why nobody finds it!0!
The only way to find it is making others happy!
2007-03-18 02:57:54 · answer #6 · answered by Alex 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Happy.
2007-03-17 23:45:44 · answer #7 · answered by ROBERT P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If we should full of happiness that would mean we've done our duty.
So the search of happiness is our duty in this world.
2007-03-17 15:24:18 · answer #8 · answered by ombra mattutina 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our right is our duty and our duty is our right. The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative.
2007-03-17 13:44:44 · answer #9 · answered by Psyengine 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that they are mutually exclusive.
In other words, doing your duty can make you happy.
2007-03-17 13:37:19 · answer #10 · answered by ambr123 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋