Is fulfilling one's desires a road to unhappiness?

Question

Don't we just want more after we're done?

Good point Nothingbutlife, but if you pursue pleasure without fulfilling it, isn't that even worse?

And by 'desires' I meant something closer to pleasures than needs.

A rejection of 'happiness' huh? Hmmm, I'll have to think about that...

Answer 1

If the term 'desires' only means 'pleasures' then it will lead to a series of pleasures. If the term 'desires' means 'needs' then it will lead to eating when hungry and sleeping when tired. If your question is regarding the 'pursuit' of 'fulfilling ones desires' then it is the road of misery and every creature living as a separate 'self' from nature on this road of misery. 'unhappiness' implies that a 'happiness' is a possible condition which I reject.

Answer 2

That is the point once you fill the first desires then they are gone and you must find new ones. It is a never ending circle and sometimes it has bad endings. I tend to think in terms of wants and needs. I really do not want more than I really need but it would be nice every once in awhile to go out and splurge on something I want instead of need. Does it make it a desire maybe but it you think of it in terms of wants and needs then you do not have to continually fight a losing battle. And in a way the rewards are better. Once you get your "desire" isn't there a sort of let down. Not when you think of it as wants and needs. At least not for me.

Answer 3

hmmm.. that's a good, thought provoking question. I would say that even if we fulfill our dreams and desires, we will, or should always have more to think about. No one knows everything, and therefore, should continue to learn new things. You never know what you might dream up after you've already reached your desires. And if learning begets happiness, then we will never truly be unhappy...

Answer 4

No. I am 55 and I have achieved about 75% of what I want in life. When I go to the store, for example, I keep buying less and less each year. When you have most everything, you really desire less. I guess the trick is KNOWING what you desire.

Answer 5

--THERE ARE INDEED legitimate desires that can be fulfilled on a regular basis.
--HAVING A SEXUAL appetite for ones spouse is legitimate with God!
--BUT just like in business dealings there are the following laws in life!---
-The Law of Increasing Returns &
-The Law of deminishing Returns

--Biblically "whatever one sows so shall he reap"
--UNCONTROLABLE desires can lead to uncontrolable woes!

Answer 6

No, not necessarily: It depends on what your desires are. Even if you do "want more," it might be more of a good thing.
For instance: You wrote one book, and now you want to write another. What's bad about that?

Answer 7

But of course. Anything good should leave one wanting more. Be always content but never satisfied. Look around the corner and the next and the next.

Answer 8

No, it just gets me to the next day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Erickson

The Erikson life-stage virtues, in the order of the stages in which they may be acquired, are:

hope
will
purpose
competence
fidelity
love (in intimate relationships, work and family)
caring
wisdom

Answer 9

Yeah, like astronauts that have been on a mission. After they come back they have a letdown period, where they realize that their life-long dream has been accomplished and now their life has no direction.

Answer 10

Only if they're superficial desires and you don't really want them.