Is it ABNORMAL to be happy?
 

Turn on TV and you'd see news of all sorts of fucked up shit--bombings, people fight to secede, people fighting to unify, people fighting over religion, people killing in the name of money, etc. Moreover, you go downtown and hang out to see people homeless, broke, on drugs, drunk, crazy, bitter, etc. Even the lucky ones are depressed, stressed, angry, etc. Kinda makes you wonder is being HAPPY and content 'normal' in this day and age? Or do you run the risk of being labeled "naive" or "out of touch" or "romantic."? Is it the state of modern man to be unhappy, stressed, fearful, envious, and bitter...until he realizes the meaningless of his existence... then he dies?

Your thoughts... and... what makes you happy?

this is the key, which most never fully realize.

If life is essentially is meaningless... does that necessarily preclude being truly happy and content? Or is that a form of 'self delusion'?

In modern times, does :) have to mean :helpme ?

It's true, our existence is meaningless. Can still enjoy the illusion of happiness though.

Man has built himself up into these things. Our original purpose is very simular to other life forms in basis. Eat what you are designed to eat, be eaten by other animals that may hunt you, multiply through breeding, only the strong survive.

Your role in society over that is all only in existance in the modern human world. To be happy all you have to do is live in between the two, or at least that is how I do it. I remember each day that I am alive and getting older, the world is here for me to enjoy, it will be what I make of it. I remember that no one is going anywhere, so there is no point in hating my fellow men on the basis of gross generalities. What makes me happy is achieving my goals against the natural adversity life gives and the smiles on the faces of those around me.

KISS: keep it simple stupid is something I learned young and has kept me sane though lots of adversity, this life is a game, it will be over before I know it, live now but make good decisions for the future. Hope that when it ends it really is the end and not just the next level, unless you think you can do it all over again. Some people love life that much.

In Poland yes...

It's only the norm because the masses have the same mantra due to learning from ignorance, "it's out of our hands".

People believe that happiness is something that happens to them like getting hit by a bus, they don't understand happiness is belief generated and is part of human creation and recreation.

When happiness is present, it is either being accepted or generated by the person experiencing it.

:thumbsup

If meaninglessness is the true purpose of humanity then would this mean that all the cruelty, hate, pain, and anger in this world is well..... justified?

In essence, if we all agree that life is meaningless, then would it be okay for the strong to prey on the weak?

life is full of trials and challenges...that help us to become strong....maybe theres a good reason why peolple encounter such drastic event...to be happy while suffering from this, is only what we can do for now...let us believe that this will be have a better end..:)

I never said it was the purpose. In fact there is no purpose. That is the point.

So is it or is it not about YOU? If life is not about YOU (ie., no meaning) when what is it about?

Uh, what? When what is it about?

We have as much purpose as insects. Period.

So is it okay to kill you then since you serve no other purpose?

Most definitely. If you are able that is ;) Only one thing that truly rules, and that is might/power.

What point is there to have law then? How about morality? Is that yet another illusion since life ultimately is meaningless?

Moreover, isn't might/power utterly dependent on age/capacity... two things that ultimately decay?

Correct on all counts. Except that experience, ruthlessness and connections also play just as much a role as age/capacity.

we are all able, bounded only by time and space. So my question is, what's holding us back? Assuming that life has no meaning that is :)

You talk about all these bad things in the world but the fact is its been like that forever...you will always have the homeless, the poor, people dieing/killed somewhere.

Slave Morality. Sheep Mentality.

Life is only as good as you make it. PERIOD.

Yes. But the fact that it exists and never ceases to disappear does make you wonder WHY?

So a person who just does drugs all the time to 'deal' with problems, this person is just as REALISTIC as the Donald Trumps/Bill Gates of the world? Hey, we ALL create our own reality right?

Nop, being happy is the key of the success in life ! :Graucho

If this is the case, then society should glorify not demonize serial killers and Saddam Hussein types? Or maybe more conflicted but just as brutal historical figures like Napoleon and Peter the Great?

Isn't the problem with might makes right...ie., might making morality/bending purpose/meaning is that there will always be another guy stronger than you? If not now, then later?

I am not sure what to make of this comment :) But Im sure it is consistent with recent biochemical studies that equate man's brain/moods/perceptions with simple tissue being periodically washed over by differing chemicals. Hence, who's to say one person's happiness is any better or more 'real' than anothers....

You must be one of the happiest people in poland from your replies I read all the time :) And a wealthy one too!

That's why he's the polish aristocrat :)

mayaheeee mayawhoooooooo mayahaa

maya HAHA

-p

Good question, webmaster x. I don't know THE (complete, all comprensive, and definitive) answer but I do have an experience that brought it home for me - my business is located in the Philippines. Well, as you may or may not know, the Philippines is one of the more depressed economies of Southeast Asia. In fact, due to official corruption, kidnappings, high taxes, crappy infrastructure, it has managed to evade the rising tide of prosperity that is sweeping through the rest of Asia.

I was walking down a street in the depressed part of Manila to visit a cousin when I saw a sight that froze me in my tracks. I saw a huge family living in a shack composed of rotting plywood, car tires, and rusty corrugated roofing metal sheets. Their door/side wall apparently got blown out by one of the many typhoons that hit Manila seasonally. What I saw inside really put my personal concerns/issues in perspective, despite the hardships of life--little food to eat, extreme poverty, this family were gathered around the guitar playing grandfather and smiling and laughing and having a good time.

It is not your material condition that dictates your happiness. You need perspective and grounding to be happy. You may be physically and materially comfortable but if your inner being is needy and hungry, you will die miserable.

Like I said, I don't know the answer to your question but I'm glad I do have some experiences that may point the way. I'm not sure if people really answer that question--perhaps it can only be solved by 1 kind act after another, 1 act of compassion towards your family, lover, community, and even haterz and enemies.

Keep thinking though, at least you're trying :thumbsup