Thread: ... and the Pursuit of Happiness

Since the dawn of time humanity has been hounded by and sought an answer to the age old question, "why are we here". Cultures the world over have come up with answer after answer, but how is one to know, to truly know whether the traditional response is right or not. We are usually instructed, usually indoctrinated at a young age not to question the answer we are given, but to live it and we are told that through such action we will see that the answer is true. Buddhists for example (and other's I am sure) contend that the reason we are here on Earth is to seek, find or create happiness. The Dalai Lama adds rhetorically, "What other reason could there be"? It is a wise answer and just the sort that a pupil could follow blindly believing he is fulfilling his Earthly purpose.

Researchers from The University of British Columbia and Harvard have discovered that happiness does not necessarily reside where you think it does. Apparently, making your self happy doesn't work nearly as well as simply helping others. I recently saw a program (on the CBC I think it was, but can't recall the details) where they took five individuals and got them to fulfill both parts of the study. They tested them for stamina and brain stimulus before the study, then again after instructing them to go and do something nice for themselves, and then again after being instructed to help others. All five subjects showed no improvement after their selfish pampering, but all five also made a marked improvement following their personal act of charity.

Happiness comes, not as a result of making yourself happy, but as a result of being good to others.

X

Originally Posted by xman

Happiness comes, not as a result of making yourself happy, but as a result of being good to others.

X

Sounds rather Christian to me X! Better be careful or you might turn into one of us "bitter clingers"!

Originally Posted by JMS

Sounds rather Christian to me X! Better be careful or you might turn into one of us "bitter clingers"!

The faithful always try to claim sole possession of our good Humanist values and who could blame 'em?

Originally Posted by xman

The faithful always try to claim sole possession of our good Humanist values and who could blame 'em?

Your not saying that you aren't faithful to your good humanist values are you?

Originally Posted by JMS

Sounds rather Christian to me X! Better be careful or you might turn into one of us "bitter clingers"!

Or on the other hand Mark it fits with scientist and outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins' theory of the Selfish Gene. Viz, there's no such thing as altruism -- acts of kindness are only as a result of us expecting a return on them sometime in the future and for getting on a higher rung on the social ladder. All specifically to improve our chances of passing on our genes. If I'm kind and good to others then it's likely to improve my standing within my peers, attract a mate, and pass those genes on.

The book can be accessed here, but strangely the one chapter that really tackles this "Chapter 12: Nice Guys Finish First" is the onyl one disabled from view in Google Books.

Disclaimer: I'm not Richard Dawkins.

Originally Posted by JMS

Sounds rather Christian to me X! Better be careful or you might turn into one of us "bitter clingers"!

Are you suggesting that being good to others is somehow monopolized by those who have sworn some allegiance to Jesus Christ?

Originally Posted by JMS

Sounds rather Christian to me X! Better be careful or you might turn into one of us "bitter clingers"!

"To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness."

-Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)


If I remember correctly, BC means "before Christ". Christianity has no more claim to originating morality and kindness towards others than do the Chinese.

Eh, let's maybe not bring religion into this (Mark!) as we all know I'd have to get involved and bring up the Egyptian god Horus (aka Jesus)...

But yeah, Russel brings up a great point.

Don't let's get our nickers in a knot. Mark and I have a relationship and he's just poking a bit of fun at me. I KNOW it wasn't meant in earnest and he knows I don't take it that way. Nobody else should either. ... But yeah, we shouldn't beat that mythical horse anyhow.

X

Originally Posted by xman

Don't let's get our nickers in a knot. Mark and I have a relationship and he's just poking a bit of fun at me. I KNOW it wasn't meant in earnest and he knows I don't take it that way. Nobody else should either. ... But yeah, we shouldn't beat that mythical horse anyhow.

X

And I was just about to set them straight X! You took all my fun away!