Everyone has the question wondering what happiness really is.
Well happiness is actually a mental or emotional state of well-being which can
be defined by, among others, positive or pleasant emotions ranging from
contentment to intense joy (google.com). Anyone can say they are happy but deep
inside them they are hurt or depressed about something. Life can be simple and
easy to where you think you have happiness but then everything starts falling
apart and you become depressed. As Adam Phillips
stated, “Anyone who could maintain a state of happiness, given the state of the
world, is living in a delusion.” I honestly agree with this statement. People who
can maintain happiness have to be forcing their self to be happy constantly.
I agree with this statement because of how this world is
today. You see the most famous, wealthy people kill their selves because of how
unhappy they are. The one person who comes to mine with this is Robin Williams.
He would found in his home dead because he hung himself. He had to have
something going through his mind to kill himself. He had a wife and kids. He
had everything but still ended his life. Another person was Chester Charles
Bennington the lead singer of Linkin Park. He was also found in his home dead because he
hung himself. He was struggling with depression and addiction but if you looked
at him you would think he was happy and nothing was wrong (Kory Grow). He had
everything, he had a band, money, and a wife. So you see just because people
may seem happy don’t mean they actually are. Anything can be in the mind to
cause someone to be unhappy and have suicide thoughts.
In Chapter 14, it states that some books out there that
discuss how money can buy happiness according to Elizabeth Dunn and Michael
Norton. I do believe in some people money can buy happiness but that’s only
because they are either use to not having money or they buying it on drugs.
Like for example, a homeless man would be happy to have some money to go eat on
or buy some cloths and druggies would be happy to get money to buy their drugs.
This wouldn’t keep them happy for long though. When people have money though it
don’t even bother them. They could careless to have money it wouldn’t make them
happy. This is why money doesn’t always buy happiness or keep you happy.
This is a great blog. I do agree that happiness is a metal state of well being. I'm sure that famous people feel pressured into having to make everyone think that they are happy even if they are struggling with depression and that's why they have hung themselves. They don't really have any privacy in life based on the roles they have taken to become famous. Different things make people happy and that's one of the many things that make us different. Money like the example you used for a poor person money is life changing or like gold. However, to a person born into wealth money is just another thing it wouldn't have the same affect for a person born into wealth as for a poor person.
ReplyDeleteOverall I like the blog and the information used to support your argument. I, however, don't feel happiness is forced. Just because people are happy does not mean things don't bother them or that they are happy on a daily basis or every second of every minute. People handle things and life different. Things that may bother one individual may not bother another. Working in healthcare from pediatrics to geriatrics there are many people who battle depression. There are many reasons for depression. Some people are ashamed to seek help. Personally I don't feel money can buy happiness and that happiness is a mental state. I do feel we can't get so wrapped up into life and the things going on around us. Because if we focus on every negative event around the world, everyone would be depressed, anxious, and wondering when something is going to happen to them. You made great points.
ReplyDeleteI really like your blog. I like how you said that money can't always buy happiness, and the example with drugs is so true. Druggies may get happy right when they get the drugs, but after they use them they wont be happy. Money may get us things that make us happy, but eventually we will get bored with what we got and just want something else. I also feel that we can't let what goes on in the world distract us from our happiness. Happiness should be determined by you and what makes you happy.
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