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Search For Happyness


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#1 DominO

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Posted 17 August 2003 - 10:19 PM

I though of one thing the other night(Domino new wondering).

What makes us wanting to live? I mean, what makes us wanting to wake in the morning, dress and go out? What are we searching, why are we not just taking off the plug?

Search for Happyness and making us happy, those are what makes us wanting to live, it is happyness... everything we do, this is our goal. We work to make money, to have what we want, we do what we want, because it makes us happy. All our life is centered on that. If we were not able to be happy, and more importantly, at the same time, losing FAITH of finding happyness, dying would not threaten us, living would be just suffering and boring.

EVERYTHING we do, we do it for one of those two reasons.

1- It makes us happy.
2- We expect that it would serve us to make us happy.(Faith in finding happyness)

Think about that, it is so true.

#2 gamavor

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Posted 17 August 2003 - 10:24 PM

"Yerchangutiun du bornig es anhoc isk yes hasarag mi d@gha, yev chem garogh yes yergar bahel kez, du indznitz g@ hoknes, g@ hoknes"! :)

Rupen Hakverdian

Edited by gamavor, 17 August 2003 - 10:26 PM.


#3 Sip

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Posted 18 August 2003 - 12:04 AM

That's why I love electronics ... as soon as you think you have it all, it's time to upgrade. It's an endless search for true happiness.

#4 Sasun

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Posted 01 September 2003 - 09:14 AM

I though of one thing the other night(Domino new wondering).

What makes us wanting to live? I mean, what makes us wanting to wake in the morning, dress and go out? What are we searching, why are we not just taking off the plug?

Search for Happyness and making us happy, those are what makes us wanting to live, it is happyness... everything we do, this is our goal. We work to make money, to have what we want, we do what we want, because it makes us happy. All our life is centered on that. If we were not able to be happy, and more importantly, at the same time, losing FAITH of finding happyness, dying would not threaten us, living would be just suffering and boring.

EVERYTHING we do, we do it for one of those two reasons.

1- It makes us happy.
2- We expect that it would serve us to make us happy.(Faith in finding happyness)

Think about that, it is so true.

I agree Domino, the purpose of all life is happiness. But we often try to be happy by doing this and that and end up unhappy :) And also we do a lot of things not with the drive to be happy but just out of habit.

#5 Anoushik

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Posted 27 March 2004 - 04:43 PM

QUOTE (Domino @ Aug 17 2003, 08:19 PM)
Search for Happyness and making us happy, those are what makes us wanting to live, it is happyness... everything we do, this is our goal. We work to make money, to have what we want, we do what we want, because it makes us happy. All our life is centered on that. If we were not able to be happy, and more importantly, at the same time, losing FAITH of finding happyness, dying would not threaten us, living would be just suffering and boring.

Domino, I always think about that. And I often wonder why people choose to struggle with a hard life instead of, let's say, kill themselves? Really, it's so interesting - what makes people want to live? And what if someone is tired of searching for happiness? What makes him want to go on with his life? I think many people at one point become dissapointed at life yet we don't see people committing suicide by the masses... hmm, interesting...

#6 Anileve

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Posted 11 August 2004 - 03:01 PM

Well I really don’t know what happiness is. First of all happiness as we know it doesn’t exist. Moments of joy, happiness and bliss do exist as temporal conditions. By people searching for happiness it would suggest that they are searching for a constant condition which defies the theory that nothing is absolute. Why do we even search for this thing happiness when it doesn’t even exist in the form we imagine. Content yes, happiness no. Although being content is not such a progressive state, it leaves no room for production and improvement, it numbs one out. Majority of masterpiece art has been created during a state of depression or some vibrant emotion, hardly ever was anything significant created during a tranquil time. I find myself more creative if I am overcome by certain overwhelming emotions, being content closes the gates of creativity and liveliness.

#7 Anoushik

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Posted 11 August 2004 - 10:12 PM

Yes, I do agree that happiness as we know it does not exist, Anileve. However, one can be content and be productive at the same time. No other name comes to mind at the moment but Robert Schumann, for example, wrote the most beautiful lieder in his most productive year of his life, the year when he married Clara.

#8 THOTH

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 08:52 AM

I can't agree that there is no such thing as happiness. For one - I have found in my life - that for the most part - I would consider myself happy - or in a state of happiness....really...and in particular - I think I have felt this way since having children. I would be curious as to the differences in outlook regarding happiness - with childen and without...and perhaps we need to consider this idea of fulfilment (of which being content is perhaps a subset - and if even total fulfilment is necessary for happiness - I think not...)....etc.

And obviously the conditions, the expectations etc for happiness change as we age and go through cycles/periods in our lives....and of course differ from individual to individual as it must be. Children can be happy just by swinging on a swing. (me too BTW - lol)...and may be considered happy (and more then just content - but joyful...) with some very basic fulfilments met...as we get older our expectations tend to grow - as do our worries and concerns about the details of life that can erode our "happy state".....as we move beyond these years of yearning into our elder years I think most tend to simplify these expectations once again...one might be considered (and consider themselves) happy if they are free of pain, have no intimate/immediate health worries, and have some friends and family to interact with and that one knows care. etc

Bottom line - I think - its not really so difficult to be happy...its all a state of mind - no?

And Anileve - interesting point concerning creativity and stress....but cannot one be stressed and/yet still be creative and also happy? I think so - very much so. I think it is entirely possible to be happy even under dire conditions...things need not be rosy perfect and tranquil...as you imply - this may not be the ideal...this may create its own angst. Many are only happy when they are struggling (and hopefully, eventually - overcomming their obstacles and triumphing)....and self confidence is I think key to this...if one is confident in ones abilities to overcome and achieve - then nothing can (easily) get one down. Again - happiness..its a state of mind...many choose unhappiness (conciously or not...) - mostly because of unrealistic expectations (and the feeling that one needs to "have it all" to be happy)....and perhaps a certain laziness and expectation that it should just come to you...and wanting more then one has (realistically or not) - for whatever reason. I would love to own (and live on) an ocean going pleasure craft to flit from port to port with no worries in life...and perhaps envy - just a bit - those who have the means for such (as I do not)...but not having such has never made me unhappy or overly worked up or such. Sometimes being a bit realistic and simplyfying ones expectations is the key to being happy - regardless of ones situation - IMO. Thus I think one can be content - even if not entirely fulfiled - and content even if still stressed or what have you.

#9 Anoushik

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 10:49 AM

Welcome back Thoth clap.gif I missed you and your down-to-earth answers tongue.gif

#10 sev-mard

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 11:20 AM

QUOTE (anoushik @ Aug 12 2004, 10:49 AM)
Welcome back Thoth clap.gif I missed you and your down-to-earth answers tongue.gif

I second that e-motion. rockon.gif

#11 Anileve

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 11:44 AM

Thoth I don’t deny that one can be happy but I don’t believe in a continuous or a constant condition of the emotion. I will write more later but here is an article on creativity and depression.
http://www.vergemag....es/1200f04.html

Some of the geniuses to think about: Gaudi, Dostoyevsky, Van Gogh, Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, Goya and many others which I’ll list later. Were they happy or miserable, depressed and occasionally mad?

Anoushik, you can be content and still work and be productive, but I was referring to a burst of production, something more outstanding. And Robert Schumann produced his best work the year he got married (1840?), would you say that it was a year of content or was it more of a blissful time soon to be overcome by the dullness of the marital rituals? Being content does nothing for you in terms of feeling lively, you just are….in that medium.

#12 THOTH

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 12:16 PM

Thanks guys...

And Anileve - I have rarely ever been depressed in my life - really - sure occasionally - and there are things/situations that have brought me down certainly...but overall I cannot say that I exhibit the tendency for depression (quite the oposite - I'm known for being very upbeat most all of the tinme..and its true/not an act etc)...I'm also know as a person of exeptional creativity (in thought) and I would agree that that is true as well. OK - pehraps I havent produced any great masterpieces...and I know that I am not brilliant - but I do fit the creative badge I think and I certainly am a socail animal - though do work well by myself and can easily function on my own without external inputs (and be productive and content - at least for a time) - (and I can't imagine that I have ever been in a state requirring - or where i would even beefit from psychoactive drugs of any sort...[and thus no withdraw symptoms or such...])- so what gives?

#13 kakachik77

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 02:49 PM

Why are we talking about this topic under Theology?

seems like it's something that relates to Psychology/Self-Improvement/Philosophy for that matter.

Edited by kakachik77, 12 August 2004 - 02:49 PM.


#14 Anoushik

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 03:26 PM

Anileve, the more I think about it the more I realize that in order to be productive one has to be content with oneself, one has to be happy. Once a person is content with himself then he can allow himself to be productive. The people that you mention were the most depressed artists/writers; however, that's not the norm. As a musician naturally I’m more inclined to mention musicians/composers. W. A. Mozart, for example, lived a very happy life with his wife, despite many hardships that he faced. However, judging from his letters to his father he seemed to be very happy with his life, and he was very cheerful. His music is very cheerful. Franz Schubert partied all his short-lived life and yet he is one of the greats in music. J. S. Bach, of course, lived a very fulfilling life yet his music is so full of life, so philosophical, it seems that through his music Bach was exploring the essence of life and being alive. Of course, had he been unhappy, unsatisfied, or depressed he wouldn’t have been able to accomplish as much as he did.

Also, I think, not being content with oneself actually stops one from being productive. Because then one becomes preoccupied with thoughts only regarding himself – one becomes self-centered. Whatever art one is able to create remains only for oneself, but the art of the great writers/composers/artists that have survived to our day is for the reason that their art speaks to all of us.

Edit: spelling

Edited by anoushik, 12 August 2004 - 03:30 PM.


#15 Armen

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 07:16 PM

Anoushik, I disagree. I don't think Mozart could produce the "Lacrimosa" in a content state of mind and spirit. Even if we take into account his father's death...
Although the "Requiem" is dedicated to his father at some points you can sense that it is more like a reflection of spiritual universal suffering rather than an ode to a beloved father.

Edit: typo

Edited by ArmenSarg, 12 August 2004 - 07:24 PM.


#16 gamavor

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 07:32 PM

Besides being an expert on the "migration habits of the deep sea bass", Sip has said something very true. Happiness could be state of mind. The only prerequisite to be happy is to have this constant remainder in your mind and of course to be alive.
As to art, I don't think that being content with oneself or not has great importance about your artistic achievements. I tend to share Eve's notion, since I believe most art is abstract (even the most dry core realists are kind of abstract) and hence art is about vision, extrapolation and perception. In other words thoughts for which art is the media of expression.

#17 Anoushik

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 09:22 PM

ArmenSarg, you're only talking about one Requiem, and let's not forget that it's a mass for the dead. What about the rest of Mozart's works? What about his operas, symphonies, concertos, chamber and intstrumental works? They all reflect a composer who was very content with his life.

PS. I'm not saying that Mozart was always happy, or that only happy people can be productive, but my point is that being content does not stop one from being productive. Moreover, I do believe that one is the most productive when one is content with himself.

#18 gamavor

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 09:26 PM

How about Musorgski, Stravinski, Wagner, etc..

#19 Armen

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 09:31 PM

QUOTE (anoushik @ Aug 12 2004, 09:22 PM)
They all reflect a composer who was very content with his life.

How do you know? Maybe they reflect a very different person. Perhaps, it was his search for happynnes.

#20 Anoushik

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Posted 12 August 2004 - 09:38 PM

QUOTE (ArmenSarg @ Aug 12 2004, 07:31 PM)
How do you know? Maybe they reflect a very different person. Perhaps, it was his search for happynnes.

So, what are you saying? I have no idea what we are discussing now. smile.gif Are you saying that every artist is unhappy and that their art is the product of their state of mind?




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