Through The Lens points to this surprisingly excellent article about the things we dream about.
One of the many good points it makes is about the fact I've observed myself, that when we reach a big goal, we are usually happy briefly, and then become very unhappy. Perhaps it is simply because we found out that the happiness it was supposed to bring was fool's gold, it didn't exist. But, usually we are desperate enough to try the lottery and see if the next goal won't do the trick...
Maybe the philosophers have a point about happiness not coming from outside. That would be nasty, eh?
The problem with this is that we don't really believe it in our gut. If being rich, famous, and beautiful would not make me happy, why would I have such a desire for it? Proves itself, donnit?
Of course we can see that fame, wealth and beauty does not make everybody happy, Lindsay Lohan is a mess. "But surely that's because she's an idiot, n'est pas? I'm not an idiot, so I would be happy if I had what she has."
The gut learns a lot slower than the head.
> Maybe the philosophers have a
ReplyDelete> point about happiness not coming
> from outside. That would be
> nasty, eh?
That would be the end of the travel industry, hehe.
Yeah! Plus nine out of ten other industries!
ReplyDeleteSmall nit to pick from the article:
ReplyDelete"Saying "power corrupts" is stating something so obvious we feel stupid even typing it. It's like saying elevators elevate."
I don't think so. I don't think the average trailer trash scum is less corrupt than the biggest politician. Only his outlets are less.
Reminds me of my way of thanking one of my bosses for a volunteer job I do occasionally.
ReplyDeleteMe: "Mary, know what I like about working for you? When I finish a task and do it well, what do I get from you?"
Mary: "Dunno. A thank you?"
Me: "Another task."
"I don't think so. I don't think the average trailer trash scum is less corrupt than the biggest politician. Only his outlets are less."
ReplyDeleteExactly. Power doesn't corrupt, it reveals your true nature.
"If being rich, famous, and beautiful would not make me happy, why would I have such a desire for it?"
ReplyDelete- Because we're conditioned to expect that it would. 'The American Dream', etc., etc., etc.
Some wit said that happiness isn't in gettings all the best toys - it's in being happy with what we have.
I learned a few things from the article. I hadn't got the correlation between Paris Hilton and kids who grew up with TV taking the place of parents.
ReplyDeleteThings that will make you happy: community, friendship, purpose, place.
"Power doesn't corrupt, it reveals your true nature."
ReplyDeleteIte, missa est. All is said. :-)
Of course, I seem to remember I said it first, on this very blog.
But I'm too lazy to dive into an archive search. Sounds too much like work, and work corrupts.
Same with money. Money corrupts those who don't have enough of it. But how much exactly is enough?...
"happiness not coming from outside. That would be nasty, eh?"Yea verily. It would mean it's not so far away that it's out of reach. Shucks to that!
Time for me to put my head where my happiness is, then...
"wealth and beauty does not make everybody happy, Lindsay Lohan is a mess."I'm sure she's the exception. But I wouldn't know, I never read celebrities magazines.
I wonder what these talk about, week after week?
"The gut learns a lot slower than the head."Well, hey, the neurovegetative network if the abdomen has been called "the second brain in our belly". Seems digesting our food and keeping the machinery tuned is far more complex a task than you would've expected.
Might explain the origin of brain farts...
Of course we can see that fame, wealth and beauty does not make everybody happy, Lindsay Lohan is a mess. But surely that's because she's an idiot, n'est pas? I'm not an idiot, so I would be happy if I had what she has.Only if you would be happy if you didn't have what she has.
ReplyDeleteAll I know is that I love that pool.
ReplyDelete