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March 21st, 2010 at 3:41 am
Yes and No. Yes it may to general happiness. Even so, Psychologically, We have up’s and down’s. Generally speaking after a good deal of Epicurian delight we sink into a sadder state of being. The two emotions generally balance out creating level emtional state. Ergo, we might be generally happy if we follow Epiurus, but not always so. Poor Epicrus died centuries befoe modern psychology but leaves behind instructions for generalized sense of wellbeing
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Me!!!
March 21st, 2010 at 3:49 am
Could you be happy? Yes.
Would you be happy? You tell me.
I’d say the biggest problem with this in today’s society is comparison, especially with teens. I think the real question is, would you let yourself be free.
We seem to take what we have for granted, so the things that you’ve mentioned some people don’t even know they have, or they don’t realize how important those things are and strive for more.
I’d be happy in general when looking at the big picture, my life. All emotions are built from supporting factors and have a foundation for why they are the way they are. When speaking about being happy in general, the things that you’ve mentioned are all that should truly matter to have that foundation. But it’s the other part of life that bring out the other emtions; How the friendships are going, and How others lives effect my life when our paths cross.
I like to give aid to those less forunate than I am, and seeing their lives makes me sad sometimes.
I guess in the end you have to define what type of happy you want.
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March 21st, 2010 at 4:14 am
It is relative to person.
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March 21st, 2010 at 4:37 am
oh yes analysing my own life makes me aware of everything in and around my life.
so applying this changes my way of thinking. meaning every thing in and around my life
is changing like friends money health. once we reconditioned are minds we can be happy with
friends freedom and an analysed life.
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March 21st, 2010 at 5:15 am
…no, Epicurus doesn’t live in the 21st century, "show me the money" and i’ll be happier…
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March 21st, 2010 at 6:04 am
Well… one can be happy without them… and it doesn’t make much of a distinction… in term of happiness…
Cheers!!!
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March 21st, 2010 at 6:36 am
No. We all need love. ♥
There is no "I" in the word love,
but there is in Epicurus. <}:-{(
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March 21st, 2010 at 6:59 am
We are very choosy about friends, and that is what makes others (the rest of non-friends), less friends, neutral-friends/enemies, less enemies, more enemies and bitter enemies. Once we get rid of friends, there is no ‘enemy’ also, and all would be ‘close’ bonds (almost a part of ourselves). This attitude gives better freedom, and obviates the need even to ‘analyse’ the life.
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March 21st, 2010 at 7:14 am
Happiness is generic, and is applied to almost every
kind of enjoyment except that of the animal appetites.
It ia a state of well-being characterized by emotions
ranging from contentment to intense joy. These include:
bliss, joy, joyous, carefree, jubilant, exultant,
cheerful, playful, amused, fun, glad, gay, gleeful,
jolly, jovial, delighted, euphoric, ecstatic, thrilled,
elated, enraptured, comfortable, harmonious, and
triumphant. Societies, religions, and individuals have
various views on the nature of happiness and how to
pursue it.
Only saint-like persons, who feel that they are no
longer interested in the external world, think that
happiness is within. For many persons, nothing can make
them happy. Our minds are as different as our finger
prints – no two are alike. Listening to loud music
makes one happy and makes another unhappy. Hence, there
can be no single definition for happiness. It is
probably impossible to objectively define happiness as
humans know and understand it, as internal experiences
are subjective by nature. Because of this, explaining
happiness as experienced by one individual is as
pointless as trying to define the color green such that
a completely color blind person could understand the
experience of seeing green.
As a state and a subject, it has been pursued and
commented on extensively throughout world history.
"Call no man happy till he is dead." – Aeschylus
"True happiness arises, in the first place, from the
enjoyment of one’s self, and in the next, from the
friendship and conversation of a few select
companions." – Joseph Addison
Happiness is often associated with the presence of
favourable circumstances such as a supportive family
life, a loving marriage, and economic stability. Kali
Yuga, the age of darkness, is the time when these
favourables are difficult to find.
Unfavorable circumstances – such as abusive
relationships, accidents, loss of employment, and
conflicts – diminish the amount of happiness a person
experiences. In all nations, factors such as hunger,
disease, crime, corruption, and warfare can decrease
happiness. However, according to several ancient and
modern thinkers, happiness is influenced by the
attitude and perspective taken on such circumstances.
From the observation that fish must become happy by
swimming, and birds must become happy by flying.
Aristotle points to the unique abilities of man as the
route to happiness. Of all the animals only man can sit
and contemplate reality. Of all the animals only man
can develop social relations to the political level.
Thus the contemplative life of a monk or a professor, or
the political life of a military commander or
a politician will be the happiest according to their own
"psyche".
Our minds are as different as our finger prints – no two
are alike.
The following is the self-reported positive affect
(i.e. positive emotion) during the day by 909 employed
women in USA:
Activities and their positive effect index:
Intimate relations 5.10
Socializing 4.59
Relaxing 4.42
Pray/Worship/Meditate 4.35
Eating 4.34
Exercising 4.31
Watching TV 4.19
Shopping 3.95
Preparing food 3.93
On the phone 3.92
Napping 3.87
Taking care of
my children 3.86
Computer/Email/
Internet 3.81
Housework 3.73
Working 3.62
Commuting 3.45
Interaction with partners:
w/ friends 4.36
w/ relatives 4.17
w/ spouse/Significant
other 4.11
w/ children 4.04
w/ clients/customers 3.79
w/ co-workers 3.76
w/ boss 3.52
alone 3.41
Happiness is not entirely psychological in
nature – it has got a biological basis too. The
neurotransmitter dopamine is involved in desire and
seems often related to pleasure. Pleasure can be
induced artificially with drugs. Use of drugs is not
some thing new, it has been used by many including
Sanyasis since millenia.
Our minds are as different as our finger prints
- no two are identical.
http://www.answers.com/Phenomenology
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March 21st, 2010 at 7:53 am
Probably promoting a self image…
Happiness is somewhat different for each person, but we all require the necessities of life (food, water, shelter, clothing). With the necessities anyone has the ability to be happy, but certainly not as happy as they can be. The same principle applies here with Epicurus. Those things can make most people happy, but not as happy as they can be. Happiness has objective and subjective value; where the two meet will be as close to a generalized happiness I can think of at the moment.
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March 21st, 2010 at 8:36 am
I have all of those, but there is one thing missing and it’s a thing that can’t be earned it simply falls on good luck….love
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March 21st, 2010 at 9:20 am
I think that you need good food too. But yea that about covers it.
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March 21st, 2010 at 10:02 am
In general, no. In his time it would probably be true enough but these days material goods are too important for most people to be happy without them. I myself would not be happy, but perfectly content with these conditions.
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March 21st, 2010 at 10:18 am
I think I would be content – which to me is better then being happy as that will can never really be permanent.
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