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> Avoid the pursuit of happiness. Seek to define your mission and pursue that. Someone is going to need to explain to me why focussing on being happy is a bad

> Avoid the pursuit of happiness. Seek to define your mission and pursue that. Someone is going to need to explain to me why focussing on being happy is a bad idea. My historic view was "I'd rather chase being content and comfortable" as it's less of a sugary high and more of a stable base. However - I do not think that is what is being said here?

MagnumOpus 5y ago
What he means is to avoid making hedonism your only goal in life, but to have some goal beyond that...
- Ntrails 5y ago
  I'm not sure that happiness == hedonism? I would contend that most people spend too much time and effort chasing eg "being an expert in field x" or "getting a job with consultancy k" because they mistakenly think it's a good thing in and of itself. Maybe I'm wrong! Maybe our goals should be lofty and our own happiness tangential - but I don't buy it. If anything I think more people should think about things that make them happy, rather than focussing on abstract life goals that may or may not do that.
TOGoS 5y ago
Because happiness is not something you can 'have', it's something that happens. If you pursue happiness as a goal in itself, you may find that whatever you thought would give you happiness is not enough. On the other hand, if you have a mission and pursue that, you might not accomplish your mission, but happiness, or at least contentment that you are making progress, may happen in the process. Related: "What is the meaning of existence? To stop searching for the meaning of existence" (paraphrased from somewhere). I like Alan Watts' talk on 'discipline'[1]. tl;dr: "It's enormously important, especially for American people, to understand that there is absolutely no possibility of having any pleasure in life at all without skill." [1] https://youtu.be/RNn1FB-Yn2M https://youtu.be/RNn1FB-Yn2M - put it in a background tab to avoid the silly graphics.
- Ntrails 5y ago
  I think my argument runs counter to this. Stop chasing things you think might give you happiness/contentment in some long run, as though it is some intangible second order effect.
michaelbrave 5y ago
it's been my life experience that trying to be happy is like grasping sand, the harder you try the more it eludes. While living with a purpose, or for the sake of others it seems to come naturally.

MagnumOpus 5y ago

What he means is to avoid making hedonism your only goal in life, but to have some goal beyond that...

Ntrails 5y ago
I'm not sure that happiness == hedonism? I would contend that most people spend too much time and effort chasing eg "being an expert in field x" or "getting a job with consultancy k" because they mistakenly think it's a good thing in and of itself. Maybe I'm wrong! Maybe our goals should be lofty and our own happiness tangential - but I don't buy it. If anything I think more people should think about things that make them happy, rather than focussing on abstract life goals that may or may not do that.

TOGoS 5y ago

Because happiness is not something you can 'have', it's something that happens. If you pursue happiness as a goal in itself, you may find that whatever you thought would give you happiness is not enough. On the other hand, if you have a mission and pursue that, you might not accomplish your mission, but happiness, or at least contentment that you are making progress, may happen in the process. Related: "What is the meaning of existence? To stop searching for the meaning of existence" (paraphrased from somewhere). I like Alan Watts' talk on 'discipline'[1]. tl;dr: "It's enormously important, especially for American people, to understand that there is absolutely no possibility of having any pleasure in life at all without skill." [1] https://youtu.be/RNn1FB-Yn2M https://youtu.be/RNn1FB-Yn2M - put it in a background tab to avoid the silly graphics.

Ntrails 5y ago
I think my argument runs counter to this. Stop chasing things you think might give you happiness/contentment in some long run, as though it is some intangible second order effect.

michaelbrave 5y ago

it's been my life experience that trying to be happy is like grasping sand, the harder you try the more it eludes. While living with a purpose, or for the sake of others it seems to come naturally.