What Constitutes "Happy Living"?

Hello Veeky Forums. Ive noticed on this board there is a thread about life situations, in which many (as far as I could subjectively ascertain) feel uncertain or lacking in their lives, or unhappy at the most. In this post, I will attempt to examine what a happy life is, and what makes it so. Please, join me if you will. Let us discuss what truly constitutes happiness.

First I should start by saying that it is the wish of all men to live happily, but, when it comes to seeing clearly what it is that makes life happy, they grope for the light; indeed, a measure of the difficulty of achieving a happy life is that the greater a man's energy in striving for it, the further he goes away from it if he has taken a wrong turning on the road; once this starts leading him in the opposite direction, his own swiftness separates him increasingly from his goal.
So let us determine both the goal and the road we will take, and let us have, besides, an experienced guide who has examined the territory we are entering, since this journey will have different conditions than those of most travel.

Usually on such journeys one would defer to recognized roads and ideas put forth by local people, but let us remember that the most well-trodden and frequented paths prove the most deceptive. Accordingly, the most important point to stress is that we should not, like sheep, follow the herd of creatures in front of us, making our way where others go, not where we ought to go. And yet there is nothing that brings greater trouble on us than the fact that we conform to rumor, thinking that what has won widespread approval is best, and that, as we have so many to follow as good, we live by the principle, not of reason, but of imitation. What follows from this is that we become piled high, us men, rushing to our ruin. Just as it happens that in a great crowd that is crushed together, when the people jostle against each other, no one falls without dragging someone else down with him, and the ones in front bring destruction on the ones behind, and you may see this happening throughout all of life.

And so I say that so long as each one of us prefers to trust someone else's judgement in our lives rather than relying on his own, we never exercise judgement in our lives but constantly resort to trust, and a mistake that has been passed down from one hand to another takes us over and leads us to ruin. It is this poor example of others that destroys us: we will regain our health, if only we distance ourselves from the crowd.
Yet still it is as things are, these people, defending their own wickedness, set themselves up against reason. And so the same thing happens at election meetings, when the very people who chose the senators wonder that those people were chosen, once the shifting breeze of public favor has changed direction: we show approval for something one moment, then criticize it in the next; every decision following the majority's wishes ends this way.

So when we discuss this happy life, there is no reason for you to give me the well-known reply familiar with vote-counting: 'This side seems to be in the majority.' For that is why it is the worse side. Human concerns are not so happily arranged that the majority favors the better things: evidence of the worst choice is the crowd. So let us ask what is best, not what is the most customary, thing to do, and what establishes our claim to unending happiness, not what he rabble has set its stamp of approval on. And when I say rabble, I mean grand and wealthy people just as much as ordinary folk; for I have no regard for the air of status that surrounds people.
In judging someone I do not trust my eyes, I have a better and more reliable light by which to distinguish truth from falsehood: let the soul's goodness be discovered by the soul.

Happy living is having a moral code you believe in unconditionally, by which you conduct yourself in every situation.

>Happy
>Living
Pick one

Personally, I have made enemies of many men, and returned from hatred to friendship with them, assuming there can be any friendship between the wicked: to myself I remain an enemy still. I took every care to withdraw from the masses and by means of some bequest to make myself renowned; all I did was expose myself to the knives of malice and show it where to wound me. Do you see the men who praise your eloquence, who follow on your riches, who seek to curry favor with you, who sing praises of your power? All of them either are your enemies, or, what amounts to the same things, are able to be; behind every admiring stare in the crowd lies the face of envy. Why not instead look for some real good, one that I could feel, not just exhibit?

This is not false.

I am trying to explain why that is not necessary.

I still have a lot of ideas on the subject, and I'll respond to any criticisms. My one request is that before criticizing, you actually read what I have to say.

Do you have any ideas on what does constitute happy living or just anecdotes about what doesn't constitute happy living?

And so I say let us seek something that is good not merely in outward appearance, something that is solid, balanced, and more beautiful in that part which is more hidden; let this be what we try to discover.
In this regard, I dare say that I am entitled to have my own opinion, as do you all. So, when I speak with you or in conjunction with your theories, I am not making an attack on a single one of your opinions, I am merely saying: 'I have this further observation to make'.
When I ponder the happy life, Nature becomes the guide I choose, wisdom lies in not wandering from her path and in molding oneself in accordance with her law and example.
And so, I say a happy life is one that is in harmony with its own nature, and the only way it can be achieved is if, first, the mind is sound and constantly in possesion of its sanity and secondly, if it is brave and vigorous, and, in addition, capable of the most noblest endurance, adapting to every new situation, attentive to the body and to all that affects it, but not in an anxious way, and, finally, if it concerns itself with all the things that enhance life, without showing undue respect for any one of them, taking advantage of gifts of Fortune, but not becoming their slave.

Happiness is being neurally stimulated enough to experience long term signals of satisfaction

The last sentence there begins with it, I have more. But yes, I do, to answer your question.

This is a response to Dunno why I couldn't get that linking right.

Happiness is a state of mental harmony which comes from acting in line with one's morals. First, one must identify what is important or valuable. I personally value the welfare of sentient life, and because of this I strive to act with compassion and empathy. Your Meaning May Vary. Through self awareness and mindfulness, one may cultivate moral thought and subsequently moral action.

From a purely biological standpoint, yes. We are not speaking in terms of biology, as altering brain chemistry is no substitute for a happy life.

Its clear that you have a good understanding of what makes happiness, happiness. I do respect your ideals.

I still do have more ideas, and I will continue, please, do contribute and ask questions, I welcome any criticism as well.

You all must understand as well, even if I were not to make this further point I am about to, that, once, the things that either exasperate or scare us are banished, there follows a state of peace, of freedom, that knows no end; for once pleasures and pains have been scorned, then, in place of those things that are trivial and fragile and, because of their noxious effects, harmful, we experience a great joy that is steadfast and constant, then peace and harmony of mind and the greatness that goes with benevolence; for every impulse to cruelty is born from weakness.

I will posit that there is another way in which this good of ours can be defined, that is, the same notion can be expressed in different words. Just as an army remains the same, thought at one time it deploys with an extended line, at another it contracts into a narrow area and either stands with wings curved and center hollowed, or it stretches out with straightened front, and whatever formation it adopts, it maintains the same energy and same resolve to fight for the same cause, so the definition of the highest good can at one time be made in a lengthy and protracted form, at another concisely and succinctly.

It will, then, be the same thing, if I say, 'The highest good is a mind that despises the operations of chance, rejoicing in moral excellence,' or 'The power of the mind resides in being unconquerable, experienced in life, calm in action, and possessed of much kindness and concern for whom it has dealings.'
I may also offer the following definition, that of calling that man happy who recognizes no good and evil apart from a good and evil mind, who holds honor dear and is content with moral excellence (virtue, if you will), who is not the sort of person to let the workings of chance go to his head or crush his spirit, who does not recognize any good greater that the one he alone can confer upon himself, and who will find true pleasure in despising pleasures.

It is also possible, should you wish to take a wider view, to transfer the same notion to other, different forms of expression without impairing or detracting from its meaning; for what prevents us from saying that the happy life is to have a mind that is independent, elevated, fearless, and unshakeable, a mind that exists beyond the reach of fear and of desire, that regard honor as the only good and infamy as the only evil, and everything else as a trivial collection of things, which come and go, neither subtracting anything from a happy life nor adding anything to it, and do not increase or diminish the highest good? It is inevitable that a man with such a grounding, whether he wills it or not, will be accompanied by a continues cheerfulness, and a profound happiness that comes from deep inside him, since he is one who takes pleasure in his own resources and wishes for no joys greater than those of his own heart.

Would he not be justified in matching these joys against the petty and worthless and transitory sensations of that thing, the body? That day a man triumphs over pleasure, he will triumph also over pain; but you observe how wicked and harmful is the servitude to which a man will submit when he is enslaved in turn by pleasures and pains, those tyrants to wield their powers with such willful cruelty: so, we must escape to freedom.
This freedom is won only by showing indifference to chance, to fortune: then will arise that priceless blessing, the peace and elevation of a mind that has found a secure anchorage, and, once all error has been driven out, the great and unalterable joy that springs from discovering the truth, together with the benevolence and blitheness of the spirit, and a man's delight in all these will come from knowing, not that they are good, but that they derive from a good which is his own.

Seneca?

high-speed internet and a lifetime supply of mountain dew and doritos

Most people would not, let's say, kill their mother in exchange for an enough amount of serotonin. You fell for the pop science meme.

Communism and the solidarity of the people

You cannot apply those concepts to the individual, as those are exclusively collectivist political concepts. If you can show how what you say affects the individuals happy life, then I invite you to do so.

Fool! How can there be an individual if we reject the community out of which the zoon politikon emerges?

The individual precedes the community. The individual is the foundation upon which the community is built. There is no community without the individual.

This idea of happy living is certainly wise, as would be expected of wisdom of one telling it. And yet, forgive this fool, I can fathom not what man, trust he abides by your description, might ejaculate so: "I am living happily!". When I ask of my servant to fetch me an apple, I must make sure to teach him of what an apple looks like; else when the boy walks through the garden and lays his hands upon the desired fruit, he will have not a thought that it may be the object of my wishes. Just the same, it well may be that one is living happily, but with no wisdom to inform him of that, this man strays from happyness' path and unto misery. After all, it is in the nature of man to always strive for more, and without a map to tell you that your state is as close to perfection as it can be, we shan't fault this man for trying to improve this state. In other words, wise one, how does one teach the soul to know happyness from misery?

Don't try to write like that, you're bad at it. I actually explicitly went over what makes a man know he is living a happy life in my last

few posts. You should try and read them then ask again. If you don't understand them, I can't help you.

good relationships
meaningful occupation
treating your senses (good food/music/etc)
doing things you enjoy

don't fuck it up with your autism

>good relationships

I think this is indeed a good thing, if it is genuine, but let us examine so many of our relationships to see if they are genuine at all. Think on one friend, then the next, then the next. Is there nothing that would make you believe any single one of them might succumb to their base desires and betray your loyalty? For what is a friend without loyalty? So I ask you to tell me how many of your friends you'd trust your life with, and their great expense.

>meaningful occupation

It is the duty of all men to have some sort of occupation, this is a given, as restlessness will always lead to straying from a happy life. If your occupation is serving some meaning to you, then I say a meaningful occupation is a part of the happy life.

>treating your senses (good food/music/etc)

I believe you are wrong here friend, for what difference does it make if I dine nicely or sate my hunger with plain bread? It has achieved the same end.

Happy living is insufficient

It excludes sadness, misery blah blah


Power living is key. The power to say yes no, take all the energy wherever it comes from and use it to fuel the actions of your resolve. That includes everything but sleep, which is death

I'm done

That's a chicken and egg conundrum. You can propose a state of nature in which there is no society but this remains a thought experiment. Humans are social animals and as such their individuality emerges from their interaction with society. Of course, society is made up of individuals but individuals do not precede society in any way. Humans have always been living in groups and as such have defined themselves always in relation to their relative position within society. Even the rejection of living in society is a position that emerges out of living in society.

1.hence GOOD relationships.
2.nah it's not complicated doing what you love makes you happier, don't run away from the cliche
3.the difference is pleasure
>don't fuck it up with your autism

>Power living is key. The power to say yes no, take all the energy wherever it comes from and use it to fuel the actions of your resolve. That includes everything but sleep, which is death
spoken as powerless hedonist

But what if those are unattainable? I'm sure if I had access to these I wouldn't be in this thread. I would be on the beach somewhere, living it up.

You think a state of nature that includes no society is not intrinsic to the human condition? Its hardwired into our biology, we could easily be lone nomadic wanderers.

I don't think you understood this guy's point at all.

Being on the beach somewhere living it up does not constitute happiness.

why is it unattainable? difficult maybe if you had a rough start but that's the challenge, man.

what did i miss? enlighten me

>a state of nature that includes no society is not intrinsic to the human condition
Precisely. We can be lone nomadic wanderers, but only as individuals who have been growing up in a society, maybe just a little community, maybe as small as the mere familial unit. We are formed through social interactions. Babies that do not experience social interaction while growing up, simply die.

Why then put the individual higher than society if the individual is so dependent upon it? I'm not saying that we should fall into mindless collectivism but the benefits of society and social cohesion must be recognized as constitutional to the human condition. The meaning of individual human lives does not arise intrinsically from tabula rasa but extrinsically, by means of society. We define ourselves in relation to others and society at large.

He was basically saying how many friends do you think would die for you in response to your first point.

>Being on the beach somewhere living it up does not constitute happiness.

Being on the beach is a traditional american metaphor for a good time. That's why Corona uses that imagery for light beer commercials. It so happens today is a holiday where many people go to the beach. These people have friends. If I went to the beach I would probably go alone and be bored.

I've gotten to the point where people don't outright talk shit to me anymore, but I'm not exactly invited to places either. I didn't get good enough grades in school to go further into Grad studies, because I lacked energy and focus. I always thought that my misery would end in college, I would find a girlfriend, be happy for the first time ever, and with happiness achieve motivation and success. Now that I'm 26 I'm expected to achieve success without happiness or motivation, but as a vehicle towards those goals. And yet every time I've had any measure of success it has been because of confidence, like one of the few times I had a date and I started making ridiculous trick shots at pool or pong, making everything seem intentional, and yet under normal circumstances I struggle to perform even basic tasks. I used to be the best at everything, but now I am a hollow shell, and have been so for at least a decade. Yet there are occasional flashes where I remember who I am, and in those brief moments I touch the sun, I feel as if I can hold the world in the palm of my hand. Since my earliest days those flashes were the closest I ever got to being loved. Compared to that, what can I look forward to?

i reread his post and he talks about loyalty, yes good relationships tend to have loyalty as a prerequisite.
either way someone needs to be willing to die for you for it be a good relationship? unless you're in a warzone you should work on your autism.

I'm 26 too, i spent my last few years getting my head and shit together. Just sounds like you're in a rough spot 2bh. Start doing things maybe join a class in something you're interested in, you'll build your confidence as you get better and you'll meet people too. You can try reconnecting with old friends too. Anything that gets you out of your house and head.
Consistency is everything, if you really want to get out of it there will be pain involved just remember that once you get over the hill you pick up speed.