Is there a 'happiness' which leaves victims in its wake?

Question

Is there a 'happiness' which leaves victims in its wake? The U.S. constitution supposedly gives citizens the right to pursue 'happiness'. But at what cost? This 'happiness' can be - and in practice most often is - a self-centred, self-indulgent thing, devoid of conscience and uncaring of the consequences for others.

But there is also a happiness that comes out of sharing with others, a happiness which does not leave victims in its train.

Would you agree?

Answer 1

"...This 'happiness' can be - and in practice most often is - a self-centered, self-indulgent thing..."

This is the essence of your argument in my opinion. I think that many people have equated 'self-indulgence' with happiness. Wish fulfillment, when taken materialistically, breeds this type of mentality.

The happiness that comes from helping others is a step in the right direction. The selfless act is one of the more worthy pursuits in life. And it is a philosophy that helps build character. But is this not, at least partly, also self indulgence? We make the argument that it is about helping others, but I believe that it is, at least partly, about salving our own conscience. Being able to say, "I helped this person, or that community" goes a long way in validating ones own self-image.

If a person is going to be selfish, then I think that fortifying the inside of a person is a far more useful endeavor. By building up the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of a person through study, and introspection will produce a more stable, coherent, and useful individual to society. Being a peson of character, an asset to society is the greatest happiness and the best gift to society.

Answer 2

Of course. It is not happiness in and of itself that "leaves victims in its wake." It is the pursuit thereof.

Gee makes a very good point. I had this very conversation with someone the other day. He told me that he doesn't think he is a very selfish person. His support for that was that he does work in the community. I told him that I believe that is, in fact, a selfish endeavor. When he disagreed, I asked him why he does community work. He replied that it made him happy to do so. So, the motivation to do volunteer work was how it made him feel - not what it did for the community. I explained that to him. To this he said something along the lines of "aha!."

We have attached negative connotation to the word "selfish" just as we have attached negative connotation to the word "ego." These things in and of themselves are not bad. Intention plays a huge role. But as illustrated above, self-indulgent pursuit of happiness isn't necessarily "uncaring" or "devoid of conscience."

:)

Answer 3

I would agree that most of the world enjoys happiness from things that do create consequences. But to equalize, there are those who's happiness comes from helping others out. As a christian I find the greatest happiness comes from serving others. Contributing my time and money to charities that help the community.

Answer 4

Aristotle propounded his theory of the golden mean- the balance between two extremes. He says:
"happiness is the activity of the soul in accord with...virtues. the mean between cowardice and rashness is courage; the mean between sorrow and joy is contentment; the mean between poverty and luxury is comfort".
According to Epicurius, there are two kinds of pleasure- dynamic pleasure and passive pleasure. dynamic pleasure brings pain with it, for example- sex, marriage, fame etc.
Passive pleasure is pure happiness for it brings no pain with it- for example, friendship
Dynamic pleasure (happiness) is the happiness that can leave victims in its wake.
I agree with you that there is happiness in sharing. Make instant noodles and eat them on your own- u get stuffed up easily- but have a picnic with friends and you'll be amazed at how much u can eat without gaining extra pounds.
Jeremy Bentham, the father of utilitarianism, said that what is good is what gives the greatest good to the greatest number of people. There IS happiness in sharing

Answer 5

i agree, happiness is an inner emotional state, often associated with getting what you want, and not having a lack of what you want, the process you go threw to get that may or may not leave victims, even sharing happiness is getting what we want-being able to help others , not feeling a lack of caring for humanity