Happiness is Overrated

Western civilization has become lost in its ways and is rampant with addiction, pleasure-seeking behavior, and selfishness. A nation created upon the frameworks of self-sacrifice and hard work has since adopted these hedonistic values and forgotten the importance of its predecessors. The sacrifices of our ancestors have allowed us the privilege to live in these times of peace and enjoy many frivolities. Our ancestors were taught the importance of working hard and the value of sacrificing the moment for the future, but it has been wasted on a rising generation of "iPad kids" and pleasure-seeking adolescents that believe happiness is the ultimate goal to strive towards.

Recent generations have been taught to prioritize being happy over everything else. What is happiness? Happiness is defined as a state of positive emotion and joy. For instance, it's the feeling you get when experiencing a breathtaking view; It's the feeling you get in the company of a close friend or family; It's the feeling you get when trivial things start to mean so much more. It is something we all strive for and is popular among the rolling bluegrass hills we refer to as the good ole days. The issue is happiness is fleeting, and feelings of inadequacy and sadness are always ready to creep in. A popular solution to these feelings is hedonism or the pursuit of pleasure. Searching for happiness in pleasure is not the answer to this predicament. Happiness is not the sole antithetical to suffering. When constant pleasure is used as an adversary to suffering; it is nothing more than anesthesia. Avoiding moodiness and harmful intrusive thoughts with pleasure is equivocal to numbing yourself and only buries these feelings deep within your subconscious. Some of these pleasure sources are as follows: cellular devices, video games, alcohol, porn, drugs, and nicotine. These practices should all be used in moderation and not solely for hedonistic ambitions. Hedonism is not the solution but rather look towards fulfillment.

Fulfillment is a feeling of satisfaction that is achieved by the completion of a task or goal. A person would experience fulfillment after meeting their own self-imposed requirements. For example, it could be practicing piano 5 hours a week or learning Spanish in 2 years. Whatever it is, working towards a goal is fulfilling. It is contentedness that comes from living up to your own word and pushing yourself to become better. It is a lasting feeling that comes through hard work and a commitment to self-mastery. Seneca, a stoic philosopher, summed this theme up pretty well when he said, "The day a man becomes superior to pleasure he will also become superior to pain." Happiness can be achieved through fulfillment, not vice versa. In conclusion, value fulfillment over happiness and do things that will make you proud of yourself.