Are you happy?

[Rhymes]

Guys, when a person is asked, "Are you happy?" the common tendency is to evaluate ones entire life, and then decide if one is 'happy'. What Im saying is thats the wrong way to approach the question. The question 'Are you happy' can only be answered meaningfully in the moment, because all of our emotions are momentary. There is no such thing as a permanent emotional state. Even people who suffer from chronic depression arent always crying. Emotions come and go primarily as responses to external stimuli. Introduce a certain stimuli, lets a say a pic of somebody being killed, and that will generate an emotional response. Show a pic of your loved one blowing you a kiss, and you'll feel another emotion. Remove the stimuli, and the brain stops producing the emotional response. In reality, most of the time, we're neutral, neither happy, sad, angry or anything else. To say 'Im always happy' betrays a very fundamental misunderstanding of what happiness is and how the brain functions.

Then we agree on one thing. The thing is that I don't see happiness as an emotion (with the reaction and brain chemicals and all) but more as a state of mind.

You can tell right away i someone is generally happy by the way he behaves. Happy people will usually have more positive attitude towards everyhting and will be generally be seen as enthusiastic. They will probably feel joy a lot more often.

While people that are generally unhappy will be exactly the opposit. Like lightly depressive people.

I know life isn't as simple, the point being to show you what I mean.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Then we agree on one thing.

Wht exactly do we agree on? Not sure which you mean.

The thing is that I don't see happiness as an emotion (with the reaction and brain chemicals and all) but more as a state of mind.

I understand that it isnt the popular view, but our mental states are entirely dependent on chemical interactions in the brain.

You can tell right away i someone is generally happy by the way he behaves. Happy people will usually have more positive attitude towards everyhting and will be generally be seen as enthusiastic. They will probably feel joy a lot more often.

I agree with that. However, having a positive mental attitude does not mean that a persons default state is happiness. Having a naturally positive attitude is one thing. Being happy most of the time is something else entirely. Someone who was happy all of the time would be suffering from a neurological/mental illness, in my view.

 

[aneeshm]

I think that for people to say that theyre happy most of time, it means that they dont know what happiness is. One of the things that makes happiness so great and special is that its such a stark contrast to the way we usually feel. If its your default state, the word is meaningless.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Rhymes]

Wht exactly do we agree on? Not sure which you mean.

I understand that it isnt the popular view, but our mental states are entirely dependent on chemical interactions in the brain.


I agree with that. However, having a positive mental attitude does not mean that a persons default state is happiness. Having a naturally positive attitude is one thing. Being happy most of the time is something else entirely. Someone who was happy all of the time would be suffering from a neurological/mental illness, in my view.

I dunno. If I take myself for exemple, I feel just about the same way more then 99% of the time, that is between good and awesome. The rare times I feel different is if something extraordinary happens, ie one of my stock doubles in a single day or a if a close person dies.

So I have trouble saying that i spend 99% of the time having no emotions because I feel my "default" way. Feeling great in a constant way is happiness in my book.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Couldn't agree more.

Thank you. I know youve actually thought about this stuff, so your agreement means something

I dunno. If I take myself for exemple, I feel just about the same way more then 99% of the time, that is between good and awesome.

Really...Im not doubting your sincerity, but the concept of feeling awesome all the time makes no sense to me whatsoever. I know that people are under societal pressure to report nothing but happiness. But 'awesomeness' seems to take it to a whole new level.

The rare times I feel different is if something extraordinary happens, ie one of my stock doubles in a single day or a if a close person dies.

I want to make sure Im clear on this: Your emotional state changes if you make some money, or somebody dies. Other than that, 99% of the time, you feel good, or awesome?

So I have trouble saying that i spend 99% of the time having no emotions because I feel my "default" way. Feeling great in a constant way is happiness in my book.

So in other words, right now, reading the posts here, replying etc, youre feeling happiness?

 

[CartesianFart]

Is happiness is simply a state of pleasure or a disposition forced out?

Is unhappiness is simply the reflection of the absence of pleasure or a disposition that is inescapeable?

 

[punkbass2000]

I only suffer when I choose to.

 

[Narz]

If someone hooks me up with Civ II MP Gold I'll be happy.

 

[Narz]

I only suffer when I choose to.

Everyone else is the same but they just don't realize it.

 

[punkbass2000]

I agree. Getting them to realize that is very difficult, though.

 

[Narz]

I agree. Getting them to realize that is very difficult, though.

Oddly enough, telling someone they are more in control of their emotions than they realize often triggers anger and denial. Why do you think that is?

 

[punkbass2000]

It means responsibility.