Brenton
Why Unhappy?
October 18th 2006 03:25
Why are we Unhappy? Part One of Two.
Let's look at Bob.
Bob isn't feeling very happy today. As he drives to work, he sees an add for a chair company, called Chair Go Varra. He thinks this might make him happy, so he buys it. When he gets it home however, he finds he is barely better off. The chair is just a chair, and no more...
Disgruntled, Bob looks out his window to watch the birds that always seem to calm him. However, they're not there. The fumes from the highly successful new chair company have driven away those not dead from intoxication.
So then he feels bad. He walks outside, and throws a rock at a tree. The rock breaks the eggs of a bird that the little girl next door has been waiting to see hatch. She breaks down in tears.
So, what three lessons can we learn?
1: Don't Redirect Happiness. Bob thought a chair would make him happy. While this is all very silly, we humans do this everyday, with houses, cars, furniture, fridges or whatever else we think will complete us if we can rustle up the cash.
2. Understand Consequences. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Remember - what you do now, has consequences. Big ones. So choose wisely.
3. Unhappy people do unhappy things. Abused children have grown up to be child abusers. Going Postal has found it's way into the Urban Dictionary. If we have an unhappy society, we unleash a potentially devastating cycle of misery.
Let's look at Bob.
Bob isn't feeling very happy today. As he drives to work, he sees an add for a chair company, called Chair Go Varra. He thinks this might make him happy, so he buys it. When he gets it home however, he finds he is barely better off. The chair is just a chair, and no more...
Bob finds no joy in his chair
Disgruntled, Bob looks out his window to watch the birds that always seem to calm him. However, they're not there. The fumes from the highly successful new chair company have driven away those not dead from intoxication.
The Birds Weren't There...
So then he feels bad. He walks outside, and throws a rock at a tree. The rock breaks the eggs of a bird that the little girl next door has been waiting to see hatch. She breaks down in tears.
The Tears Kept Flowing...
So, what three lessons can we learn?
1: Don't Redirect Happiness. Bob thought a chair would make him happy. While this is all very silly, we humans do this everyday, with houses, cars, furniture, fridges or whatever else we think will complete us if we can rustle up the cash.
2. Understand Consequences. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Remember - what you do now, has consequences. Big ones. So choose wisely.
3. Unhappy people do unhappy things. Abused children have grown up to be child abusers. Going Postal has found it's way into the Urban Dictionary. If we have an unhappy society, we unleash a potentially devastating cycle of misery.
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