In Response to John
Happiness is a broad term which covers several different concepts. Each state is accessible independently, they also work together. Maslows hierarchy of needs is a good example of a hierarchy of happiness. I can only speak about happiness I have experienced.
1. Pleasure - Physiological side to happiness: Experiences of something pleasing to our five senses. Eating a good meal, the song smile.. makes me smile. Thanks to modern inventions (CAT and PET scan to name a few) and advances in the field of neuroscience , we can now quantify chemicals and brain regions that are involved in happiness. Animals also experience this level of happiness.
Specifically the nucleus accumbens, the hypothalamus, Dopamine and endorphins are another example of physiological signs of happiness. These chemicals and happiness it self are of a different nature. They have a connection but it would seem the experience of happiness creates these chemical reactions. They are connected as sheet music and a symphony are. The note on the page is not the Music itself, but it is deeply connected.
Ben Franklin - "The constitution only gives you the right to pursue happiness you have to catch it for yourself."
2. Joy - A different level of happiness is related to temporal emotions. That is how you feel over time, as well as feelings concerning the past, present and future. Basically happiness of memories or anticipation of future events as well as present current emotional states.
Duration,is also a factor for example: laugh for a second , have joy your whole life.
3. Existential happiness-
Goes beyond ourselves and our individual physical existence. Connected to companionship, friends and family, grandparents. People that are happy to be created, for some people it is there mantra, they are happy they have another day, this is a high level of Happiness. It is connected to choice, perception and appreciation. It is rooted in self esteem and a sense of purpose.
Happiness is a perspective anyone can choose to cultivate every day.
Happiness is whatever you make it to be
ReplyDeleteI love the Ben Franklin quote.
ReplyDeleteYes! I agree with pool... "happiness is what you make it to be.". This is true because we are all very different in many ways and what makes you happy could make me very unhappy! So I don't think how much we try to define what happiness is... we can't! Because happiness is whatever you want it to be... Whatever that may be, that's your definition... Happiness is being happy! :)
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