Is anyone really happy? Is it all a facade?

Lord_Cat

Is anyone really happy? Or is it all a facade? Are happy emotions real? Or is happiness like a hospital IV fluid that has to be constantly pumped into you to ward off misery, sadness and negativity?

Are those who claim to be happy simply "pumping" themselves with positive emotions and thoughts constantly everyday (like fuel in a car) in order to "feel happy" and function well, lest the "dark side" of themselves take over and fill them with sadness, negativity and depression? If so, is it all authentic? Do these positive folks know that negative emotions are waiting around the corner for them?

Why is it that one has to "work at it" to keep positive, whereas to be negative, you don't have to "work at it" at all. It's like a natural disposition you automatically slide into unless you do something to prevent it. Why is that?

Questions:

Do most people you know who have good jobs look genuinely happy and joyful when you see them?

Do most people you know who are "happily married" and raising "wonderful families" look genuinely happy and joyful when you see them?

Do most people you know who are successful look genuinely happy and joyful when you see them?

Do most people you know who are well off look genuinely happy and joyful when you see them?

Is someone who has a "normal life" - work, has family to raise, owns a home, is settled down - happier than someone who is an independent wanderer with no roots planted?

What do you think?

cuana

I'm as happy as a pig in sh!t

Praetorian Saighdiuir

I'm happily apathetic.

I'm happy. What doesn't make me happy is randomly highlighted words.

Micky Dolenz

Mod

OP banned.

Peetrik

Lord_Cat wrote: »

Is someone who has a "normal life" - work, has family to raise, owns a home, is settled down - happier than someone who is an independent wanderer with no roots planted?

Good relationships and being healthy are what make people happy. Every thing else is secondary.

philologos

People go through good and bad throughout their lives. Generally, I'd say I'm happy. Of course at times that isn't the case, but yes, to say the least I think genuine happiness is possible.

DEFTLEFTHAND

I find just living day to day keeps me ok. I don't like looking too far ahead because it terrifies me, I've given up on this world (the human race in general completely disgusts me) but I haven't given up on myself so I'm just going to make the best of it.

That's life it's not meant to be easy but it doesn't have to be all sh1t either.

sfwcork

How does a cat become a lord?

Peetrik

sfwcork wrote: »

How does a cat become a lord?

Lobbying?

amacca

I'm not happy

and I haven't been happy for a long time :mad:

I believe most people who know me (at least on a casual basis) would assume I am happy or at least fairly content

maybe the fact this world is a festering cesspool is some sort of test or challenge to overcome

Or perhaps we are some sort of cosmic entertainment...we wouldn't be much of a show without adversity

but we are entering the difficult tenth season on air and the executives in charge have decided to shake things up with more random acts of cruelty and inexplicable asshattery to boost the ratings

grizzly

Is it ever so black and white? For me it's a rich tapestry of grays.

Micky Dolenz

I have a great life in fairness. I get down in the dumps sometimes but it doesn't last long.

Life is beautiful and is there for us to live it.

BBDBB

sfwcork wrote: »

How does a cat become a lord?

strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government

catrionanic

any ever told you you're over thinking things?

a sure fired way to unhappiness is to question every small happiness

chin up chuck

sfwcork

Peetrik wrote: »

Lobbying?

Do they promise not to bail out the cat bankers n stuff

Czarcasm

Lord_Cat wrote: »

Questions:

Do most people you know who have good jobs look genuinely happy and joyful when you see them?

Yes.

Do most people you know who are "happily married" and raising "wonderful families" look genuinely happy and joyful when you see them?

Yes.

Do most people you know who are successful look genuinely happy and joyful when you see them?

Yes.

Do most people you know who are well off look genuinely happy and joyful when you see them?

Yes.

Is someone who has a "normal life" - work, has family to raise, owns a home, is settled down - happier than someone who is an independent wanderer with no roots planted?

Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks.

What do you think?

My friends couldn't lie straight in the bed.

grizzly

sfwcork wrote: »

How does a cat become a lord?

Duh, Mouseland. Would also accept Cat Town.

Tom_Cruise

Stupid people are happiest, so anyone in this thread who claims to be happy............well you get my drift.

I'm extremely happy.

Dwork

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Mod

OP banned.

Happy now OP?:D

wolfpawnat

I am a happy person, pity life doesn't always want to go my way and keep me happy. But sure, everyone has shít to deal with and at the end of most days I am still smiling so

BBDBB

Tom_Cruise wrote: »

Stupid people are happiest, so anyone in this thread who claims to be happy............well you get my drift.

I'm extremely happy.

That was an appeal on behalf of The Scientology Network, please send donations to....

brummytom

I wouldn't say I'm a happy person, I'm pretty miserable most of the time, but if anything, that just makes the times when I am happy better.

For me, it's not an act. But for people who are constantly grinning like a mentalist, I'd have to wonder if they weren't hiding something.

Legs.Eleven

Overall, I can say I'm content. I feel the future is promising and I'm reasonably happy with my lot (which isn't much). I had great craic in my 20s and have no regrets on that front (although I'm not regret-free). The key, without sounding cliched, is to take pleasure in small things (books, coffees, going out, the craic, walks, runs, learning a language, ridin'...) and forget about accumulating "stuff".

Agricola

It's mostly down to the person and the amount of serotonin they produce

I know a guy with a wife / 3 kids / big job / big car / big house etc and he's fairly miserable all the time as far as I can see. Im sure he appreciates what he's got, but he doesnt go around clicking his heels or anything. When I worked in a call centre I knew people who barely had the price of their lunch and they had the disposition of a lottery winner, even on a monday morning with a 40 hour week in a fúcking call centre ahead of them.

Im neither one or the other, just floating along on a sea of "meh" - The highs arent high but the lows are ok too.

edit - Just to say Tom Cruise in probably onto something!

Lumbo

I read this Shakespeare quote this morning "for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so".

Not sure if it's from one of his plays but I quite like it. It helped me through what would have been an otherwise difficult day.

Chuck Stone

catrionanic wrote: »

chin up chuck

Huh?

Ruudi_Mentari

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

I find just living day to day keeps me ok. I don't like looking too far ahead because it terrifies me, I've given up on this world (the human race in general completely disgusts me) but I haven't given up on myself so I'm just going to make the best of it.

That's life it's not meant to be easy but it doesn't have to be all sh1t either.

Did you not say you tried I top yerself once but your folks pulled you out of it?

Well, I certainly don't know happiness but I like a laugh to stave off those feelings - certainly been close to there, the majority of my life but when mam suggested I follow through I did what I do best and thwarted her by staying alive there are people in this life who disgust me, but you're not one and neither is anyone I don't know enough to be disgusted by - certain cultures, absolutely but I am learning to try not judge the person just because.

Contentedness is attainable, and if we close ourselves off enough to our boxed in day to day routines where nothing can remind us of our shortcomings then it might be (mis)taken for happiness one day.

SparkySpitfire

I find it fairly depressing that the OP really resonated with me and now I'm ready for a night of stuffing my face full of sugar to make me feel better. (I guess I could take this time to be thankful for my fast metabolism )

Wattle

Happiness is fleeting. Contentment is the thing to aim for. And a sense of humor is vital. Poke fun at yourself and poke fun at how crazy the world is. There is great horror and there is great beauty. To focus on everything that's wrong means that everything will seem to be wrong.

wmpdd3

i am the poorest and happiest i have ever been.