[Thaeris]

That's just philosophical. We can test what makes people happy empirically.

I think you both need to yank your heads out of your textbooks and go do something fun.

* Thaeris agrees with Mongoose.

 

[iamzack]

Learning what makes people tick isn't fun? O.o

[Thaeris]

It is fun!

However, these arguments really tend to spiral downward pretty quick.

Mongoose also has a point in abstract about happiness as well - keeping things light does one well in many instances.

[Machaka]

Happiness is staying in Flow to such a degree that you can feel proud of yourself afterward:



Struggle is the only critical precursor of happiness, and powerful happiness lives on in the heart forever.

Loved ones and aesthetics and soulful expression do not bring happiness- they bring joy- which is rarer and more powerful but always temporary.

[Scotty]

I really like that chart.

[General Battuta]

That's just philosophical. We can test what makes people happy empirically.

I think you both need to yank your heads out of your textbooks and go do something fun.

* Thaeris agrees with Mongoose.

 

NO

SRS

Loved ones and aesthetic beauty and soulful expression do not bring happiness- they bring joy- which is rarer and more powerful but always temporary.

Flow actually generally produces a temporary state of fulfillment, but human relationships and a sense of 'meaning' (which can be produced by a job that involves a lot of flow) can lead to long-term happiness.

In short, good theory, but not quite in line with the evidence we have right now.

[Machaka]

Flow actually generally produces a temporary state of fulfillment, but human relationships and a sense of 'meaning' (which can be produced by a job that involves a lot of flow) can lead to long-term happiness.

In short, good theory, but not quite in line with the evidence we have right now.

You're probably right.  When I was a kid, I thought that ants must be the happiest creatures on earth, but I could never reconcile that idea with the liberal Western culture I was living in.  I dropped it in favor of this self-absorbed Faustian mode, so now I'm free to pursue whatever I like whenever I like, but in the end it can feel pretty hollow.

The other extreme must not be much better.  Is there another way to reconcile these?  Or is it just an impossible balance- the whole 'eternal pursuit'?

[S-99]

Acceptance.

We accept the village serial killer today. He has his own ways and that they make him (crazily) happy. We all need to do our part and accept the serial killer for who he is and no longer harbor prejudice.

[Turambar]

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women

[Scotty]

That is good!  That is good.

[General Battuta]

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women

this

[Mongoose]

Learning what makes people tick isn't fun? O.o

I prefer to take them at face value and ignore the squishy parts.

But seriously, at least from my viewpoint, trying to quantify "happiness" is like looking for the forest through the trees.  Most of us know that we're happy when we're happy, so just stick to what produces that feeling in you, and you're pretty much set.

[General Battuta]

Actually, our research seems to suggest that people have very little idea what makes them happy and are pretty bad at sticking with it.

Silly people.

[S-99]

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women

this

yes

[Mongoose]

Actually, our research seems to suggest that people have very little idea what makes them happy and are pretty bad at sticking with it.

Silly people.

Funny, because when I'm sitting on my ass playing a good video game or watching a good anime series, I'm fairly certain that I'm happy, and I generally happily continue engaging in said activity.

Though I guess it could all be self-delusion.

[General Battuta]

Instantaneous happiness =! sustained happiness.

[Mongoose]

But which is the OP talking about in the first place?  And can't the first easily lead to the second?  I know that, for instance, my becoming an anime fan has led me to become good friends with a group of people I would have never met otherwise, which fits at least my own criteria for "sustained happiness."

Look, I know looking at a topic like this in that sort of analytical light works for you, and that's fine...but frankly, it does not and never will work for me, and I suspect for many people in general.  I'm honestly not trying to be rude by being dismissive.

[NGTM-1R]

We accept the village serial killer today. He has his own ways and that they make him (crazily) happy. We all need to do our part and accept the serial killer for who he is and no longer harbor prejudice.

Your flippant stupidity does you no credit sir.

[General Battuta]

But which is the OP talking about in the first place?  And can't the first easily lead to the second?  I know that, for instance, my becoming an anime fan has led me to become good friends with a group of people I would have never met otherwise, which fits at least my own criteria for "sustained happiness."

Look, I know looking at a topic like this in that sort of analytical light works for you, and that's fine...but frankly, it does not and never will work for me, and I suspect for many people in general.  I'm honestly not trying to be rude by being dismissive.

You're arguing a different point than I am. I'm making claims about a population, which do not contradict your claims about an individual (you.)

So there's no conflict here.

[Mongoose]

All right, fair enough.  I don't really want to get involved in yet another lengthy GenDisc discussion myself.