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> If only we could feel their suffering the way they do, I don't think we could be unhappy for a day in our lives. So essentially you argue that “it could be w

> If only we could feel their suffering the way they do, I don't think we could be unhappy for a day in our lives. So essentially you argue that “it could be worse”? This doesn’t seem materially different to me than “it could be better”. Perhaps a person could see those things and he incredibly depressed to be born into a world with no apparent practical solution to those problems. Perhaps a person could come here from those conditions and never actually adapt properly to their new life, living each day waiting for the bottom to fall out. For myself, I’ve seen plenty of shit. I also have plenty that I’m thankful for. Neither of those facts predisposes me to happiness, in any particular sense of the word.

pingeroo 5y ago
Thinking it could be worse makes us grateful that it is not. Thinking it could be better makes us desire for more. In that way I think the two ideas are different. I think there is great wisdom in the buddhist idea of desire being the root for all suffering. But if we want to make progress we have to desire for more. So then we have to embrace the Buddha's idea that "life is suffering". Another factor I haven't seen mentioned much in this thread, which undoubtedly plays a role in our happiness is genetics and upbringing. Some of our brains are just wired in ways that predispose us to being (un)happy.