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I think I had the same reaction. How useful is the word "happiness" here? "Pleasure" seems a better term for the author's first sort of happiness. So, sure, pl

I think I had the same reaction. How useful is the word "happiness" here? "Pleasure" seems a better term for the author's first sort of happiness. So, sure, pleasure is important in life but cannot be the only thing. The second sort, is that happiness at all? Striving towards a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction. The problem in this world we've made is not that people choose to spend a fun time with friends rather than run a marathon. It's pleasures that are hardly even pleasures. It's getting angry on the internet, or gambling, or taking this or that substance because it's easier than living.

verisimi 4y ago
Yes, he's using the wrong word with "happiness". "Good life", "best life" are better conceptions for what he's trying to get to. I like your point that it's pleasures are hardly pleasures. Why do you think this is? For me the explanation is that this is not a world that I have had much input in making, nor is it unfolding naturally. Instead I think it is planned by powerful forces and steered in a way that uses our (good) nature against to achieve greater control. Eg, technology is a neutral 'tool' but it is being used to track everyone and everything. Events such as epidemics, result in greater centralised control, less individual freedom. The direction is towards greater authoritarianism. Everyone will struggle for happiness/the best life under those conditions. (Except those running the system.)
brokenmachine 4y ago
>The problem in this world we've made is not that people choose to spend a fun time with friends rather than run a marathon. It's pleasures that are hardly even pleasures. It's getting angry on the internet, or gambling, or taking this or that substance because it's easier than living. My (and I suspect many others') personal issue is that I'm forced to spend so much of my energy working that at the end of the day/week I only have enough left to veg out with wasted time like reddit or whatever. The things that truly make me happy take more energy, which I can't summon when forced to deal with life's necessities for >10h/day.

verisimi 4y ago

Yes, he's using the wrong word with "happiness". "Good life", "best life" are better conceptions for what he's trying to get to. I like your point that it's pleasures are hardly pleasures. Why do you think this is? For me the explanation is that this is not a world that I have had much input in making, nor is it unfolding naturally. Instead I think it is planned by powerful forces and steered in a way that uses our (good) nature against to achieve greater control. Eg, technology is a neutral 'tool' but it is being used to track everyone and everything. Events such as epidemics, result in greater centralised control, less individual freedom. The direction is towards greater authoritarianism. Everyone will struggle for happiness/the best life under those conditions. (Except those running the system.)

brokenmachine 4y ago

>The problem in this world we've made is not that people choose to spend a fun time with friends rather than run a marathon. It's pleasures that are hardly even pleasures. It's getting angry on the internet, or gambling, or taking this or that substance because it's easier than living. My (and I suspect many others') personal issue is that I'm forced to spend so much of my energy working that at the end of the day/week I only have enough left to veg out with wasted time like reddit or whatever. The things that truly make me happy take more energy, which I can't summon when forced to deal with life's necessities for >10h/day.