Due on 2/12
"Authentic happiness is always independent of external conditions. Your happiness can only be found within."
-Epictetus 55-135AD
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Published Writing #2
Based on reading BOTH articles from class today, answer the following questions:
Be sure to respond in at least 2 paragraphs. Base your response on the questions below.
Write in complete sentences and provide the reader with concrete examples to support your statements. You may use the article and quotes from the article to support your examples. You may use your insight based on your experiences and the articles to respond.
Once you have published your response. Please comment on a classmate's response.
-Epictetus 55-135AD
_______________________________________________________________________________
Published Writing #2
Based on reading BOTH articles from class today, answer the following questions:
Be sure to respond in at least 2 paragraphs. Base your response on the questions below.
Write in complete sentences and provide the reader with concrete examples to support your statements. You may use the article and quotes from the article to support your examples. You may use your insight based on your experiences and the articles to respond.
Once you have published your response. Please comment on a classmate's response.
- What defines happiness? Can it be defined? Can it be measured?
- In what ways do we as humans consider ourselves happy? Do we depend on certain things to make us happy?
- Is happiness just an illusion?
- Do all human beings have a right to be happy?
Please print a copy of your response to share in class on Tuesday.
Have a Wonderful Weekend!
post comment here!
ReplyDeleteHappiness can be defined by the way you feel inside. It is a mental attitude or a state of mind. Happiness can be produced by thoughts about our life and what happens to us. “Essence of happiness is defined by a person’s state of mind, positive relationship with others, and balanced living that includes a higher purpose reaching beyond the self.” Happiness cannot be measured because there are too many levels. As humans, we consider ourselves happy when we don’t have to worry about problems, have enough money to live, and achieve all goals in life. The certain things we depend on to make us happy are money, achieving goals, and having fun.
ReplyDeleteI believe happiness is not an illusion because we make our life what it is. We can either be sad or we can be happy. If you keep to yourself and don’t worry about anyone else you will be happy. When you’re not happy you have a lot of stress and you worry about too many things on your mind. Happiness is like a game, you’re either happy or sad. Every human being has the right to be happy. Life would be miserable if nobody was ever happy. Happiness depends on what we are not what we have or do. Happiness comes from within not from the outside. “Authentic happiness is always independent of external conditions; your happiness can only be within.” Happiness doesn’t only affect us but affects the people around us.
I definitely agree with what you said about happiness being a mental attitude,it is very much mind over matter. I also liked that you said happiness should be based on what we have. People should be happy with what they have rather than being so focused on what they lack and wish they had.
DeleteI like your ending and I agree, because When your with a certain group and they see that your life is full of happiness, they will surely want the same thing! It's human nature, everyone wants it. Especially if you share with them, that you're not dependent on external conditions but changing the way you take things in life.
DeleteI would define happiness as being at peace with oneself and surroundings. However, I do not think a person's happiness can be measured, nor can it be just an illusion. We tend to consider ourselves happy when we feel that all of the aspects in our lives are going well or according to plan. For example, friendships,work, school, and relationships.
ReplyDeleteI think people absolutely depend on certain things to make them happy. I also think that a person's happiness should not depend on things or other people, but it should come from within. Finding happiness within will make it so that the person feeling the happiness does not have to be reliant on another thing for their happiness. Finally, I believe that everyone wants to be happy, and has the right to be.
People do depend on materialistic things nowadays, and you can see it. When it comes to the new tech, and cars and clothes. The more new the items are the happier they seem to be. They start to take things for granted, such as the roof under their head, or the meal in front of them every night, or even the cozy bed they get to lay in and the family that wants the best for them in life. These are little things that can make a person's life full of happiness.
DeleteHappiness can be all around us and yet, we barely seem to notice. Wealth, friends, relationships, and success are all key factors to ones happiness. In today's society, happiness can be considered as the essence of life. As humans it's part of our nature to seek happiness, and use it to satisfy our emotions and our well being. Each individual has their own definition of the word, and because of that there are different states of happiness. Defining the word itself can difficult, but studies show that happiness is a state of mind and attitudes towards certain situations.
ReplyDeleteAs for measuring the state of happiness you are in, I think overall, most humans measure the state of being happy with materialistic items, and comparing their happiness to another person. This is one way of measuring happiness because if you are a person that doesn't receive all they ask for, and compare with someone who has every new possible gadget out there, then of course you will be upset and look at life being unfair.On the contrary others measure their happiness with morals and values in life, whether it comes from family, relationships, spiritual connection with God, and faith. For example myself, I come from a religious standpoint so, my relationship with God uplifts my spirit and changes the way my day from being moody, dull, and seclusive, to pure joy and appreciation for everything I have currently in life.
In addition, happiness can also come from our ambition to completing our goals. This can either bring you happiness or distress because of the confusion between expectation and reality. Money is a key factor to this matter, due to most things of this world require you some sort of cash. Even when it comes to college, if graduating college was your goal in life and money prevented you from doing that, then of course you will feel awful. Worrying can also affect our state of happiness. Constantly worrying about the outcome can really get to us, and if we learn to let go of that, it's one step closer to a joyful life.
When we meet someone that is always happy, always cheerful, out and about, doing this and that, can it simply be just an illusion? An act to cover up what they are really feeling inside? I think happiness can shield one's true feelings about a situation. For example, a person can go through the most disastrous event and yet, is still happy because they don't want to give off a negative vibe to the people surrounding them; Rather then bringing the whole group into depression a person will often show a side reassurance and put on a forced smile. Even when it comes to a person's physical appearance, happiness can be found in more attractive people, because they get things easier. But even in that situation , a person can look their best and yet, feel like something is missing, so their happiness can also be a illusion, to make everything seem merely perfect.
With everything being said, happiness again should be how we look at life and what we make out of it. Whatever situation comes by, whether bad or good, we should not let it overcome our state of mind. Everyone deserves to be happy, because we all have the power to be subjective to certain situations. We never know what will happen to us the next day, so let's live it happily, no matter what the outcome is.
In my own opinion, happiness cannot be defined. The sole reason why I believe this is because there are so many things that can make a person happy and at different levels. People are usually focused on being happy, that they become unhappy. Business people for instance, are focused on the luxuries they will have with the money that they make, that they end up unhappy because they have no time to spend it. Happiness is different for every human. Some people may be happy with external things, such as materials. Others can be happy with themselves internally, which i feel like internal happiness is true happiness. Anyone with happiness based on the things they have, or the people around them will eventually turn out bad.
ReplyDeletePeople in fact do depend on certain things to keep them content. This is most likely false happiness because without those things, what would one do with themselves? They would be lost and depressed because they counted on something or SOMEONE to maintain and determine their life. Every human being has the right to be happy, but it's up to them if they want to live for themselves or others.
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DeleteI agree on how people become unhappy when all they seem to do is try to be happy. I like your example about businessmen and thought it was a great comparison. I also agree that true happiness comes from within, not wealth, careers or tangible items. I feel those things only acts as a mask for ones true happiness. Materialistic things can only make one happy for so long, even though we all depend on them. It really comes down to ones way of thinking and what they make out of life. Not only theirs but the lives around them as well.
DeleteGreat job!
These responses are magnificent! Matthew excellent job highlighting the many elements of happiness that can be seen as an illusion.
ReplyDeleteTyler - Wonderful job incorporating and interpreting the quotes.
Brittani,
ReplyDeleteI think you did an amazing job of painting a portrait of false happiness. Brava!
Everyone I know says they are looking for happiness but none of them can truly define it. I believe happiness is an internal feeling that comes from within and can be determined by how we feel about ourselves, how we react to external experiences, and what we make out of our lives. "We believe the essence of happiness is defined by a person's state of mind, positive relationships with others, and balanced living that includes a higher purpose reaching beyond the self." Happiness is definitely a mental attitude, a state of mind, and ones perception on life conditions. Happiness cannot be measured for multiple reason. There are so many different feelings of happiness and so many levels to each one. As humans, we are all striving for happiness. Many people believe that money, relationships, and success is the answer to this. Although all these materialistic things and perfect relationships make us feel better about ourselves, do they really make us happy? We are all very competitive towards each other and all enjoy winning the race. We get lost in what surrounds us and we start to turn our goals into expectations. High expectations. Because of this we may start to lack happiness and become disappointed with the lives we are living. In order to keep happy we need to set smaller goals, let got of worry and just accept life as it goes. We can either make the best out of a situation or make it the worse, and this is where we define our happiness. Everyone has the right to happiness, we as individuals choose to be happy or not. "No man is happy who does not think himself so."- Publilus Syrus, Maxims. Like love, happiness is an essential right that makes life worth living. Ones happiness does not only reflect on oneself but all the other lives around them.
ReplyDeletehi its gregory
ReplyDelete