Tuesday, May 6, 2008
I don't believe in the pursuit of happiness
If happiness occurs while I'm producing something beneficial, then fine. But pursuing happiness for its own sake distracts from that more important component of the life well-led. I know that makes me a stick in the mud, but that's what I believe.
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5 comments:
Okay. Based on your articles, you seem to draw three components for a life well led.
1. Accomplishment
2. Gratitude
3. Serving others (helping people to get what they want).
And these things bring about self-satisfaction, a life with meaning/purpose and overall contentment.
Anonymous is absolutely correct.
Then happiness is simply a byproduct of these three things.
The pursuit happiness for its own sake is an empty value.
This I believe, but keep forgetting when I am caught up in frustration. It was an outstanding reminder to find in my mail today!
Tony Campolo wrote that when you ask the parents of today what they want for their children, they say, "I want my children to be happy."
Ask these parent's parents and they will say, "I wanted my children to be successful."
Tony said that what his parents wanted for him was to "be good".
I want my children to be happy and successful, but most of all I want them to be people of integrity and compassion.
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