A Machine Of Hapiness
- SeanHasQuestions
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A Machine Of Hapiness
"If there would exist a machine that could simulate (make you experience as if it was real) ultimate hapiness, instantly, after plugging yourself in. Would you plug yourself in?"
I'm not just asking the question myself, cause I've seen the question been asked and I've seen almost everyone respond with no, because of various reasons such as:
- hapiness has to be earned, you can't have hapiness without sadness.
- you want to make other happy as well, not just yourself.
- you care about goals and stuff you still want to in your life.
- if everyone would do it it would stagnate human development (nobody would work, explore, improve, even have kids, humans would basicly seize to exist)
-...
The thing is, I personally don't agree with any of these arguments. I have to give some context for this opinion first. In my opinion, hapiness(,their own hapiness) is the sole thing that drives people to do the things they do,
the total sum of hapiness gained when considering certain actions is what's going to make you decide to do certain things, not do other things, make certain choices.
And no, that doesn't make you selfish, because we are biologically programmed to become happy when we see that others are happy (look into mirror neurons if you don't know what I'm talking about),
so it makes perfect sense that we want to help and make other happy, just to make ourself happy, nothing selfish about that just logical. There is absolutely no way to "experience" the mind of someone else.
The only thing you will ever actually experience is what's going on inside YOUR OWN head, so that's the only motivation that can exist to make you do things.
Reaching certain goals, overcomming difficulties and sadness, reaching milestones in life such as marying, having kids, feeling like you are doing something of significance in this world, it's all stuff you do,
because those things make you happy. Happiness is the end sum, not a factor in it, that's very important.
If you take all these things into consideration, being plugged into such a machine that can make you experience ultimate happiness, it's actually the best possible thing that could ever happen to you.
It doesn't matter that you "didn't deserve" this happiness, or that you're leaving others behind, because those are all factors in a sum, and by plugging yourself into the machine, you're maximising the outcome of the sum,
not a factor of it, so you shouldn't care about these factors.
So my end conclusion to this question is "YES!, I would definetly plug myself in!"
I wanted to ask this question because I found almost nobody on the internet sharing my opinion and I'm really curious as to why that is, I just want to hear what arguments you would have against it.
(this is my first post on this forum and I'm not a native English speaker so excuse me for the mistakes I probably made.)
- LuckyR
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
- Sy Borg
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
Sean, I think we already have such a machine - the brain. I experienced an intense bliss state during an involuntary peak experience but I know much much work it would take to control that kind of buzz.SeanHasQuestions wrote:You guys might have heard about this already, but the question is basically this:
"If there would exist a machine that could simulate (make you experience as if it was real) ultimate happiness, instantly, after plugging yourself in. Would you plug yourself in?"
I definitely think it's a good idea to plug in. To experience that level of bliss, to realise that that state is possible and available, is an eye opener. I became happier and more optimistic afterwards. Many who have gained analogous states deliberately via ayahuasca have also reported an increase in optimism.
- Burning ghost
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
Is it dangerous? I think we fear any kind conclusive result, any kind of presupposed ultimate and so fearfully avoid the fall after the rise. I can perfectly understand the hesitation of making such a choice. I honestly think curiosity would get the better of most of us.
Many people who are called bipolar are willing to accept the lows because the highs are so high.
- LuckyR
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
Funny, as I started to read your post I thought you were going to say: "I think we already have such a machine - crack cocaine." No, there is a significant risk those unprepared for this sort of thing. It is not to be entered into lightly.Greta wrote:Sean, I think we already have such a machine - the brain. I experienced an intense bliss state during an involuntary peak experience but I know much much work it would take to control that kind of buzz.SeanHasQuestions wrote:You guys might have heard about this already, but the question is basically this:
"If there would exist a machine that could simulate (make you experience as if it was real) ultimate happiness, instantly, after plugging yourself in. Would you plug yourself in?"
I definitely think it's a good idea to plug in. To experience that level of bliss, to realise that that state is possible and available, is an eye opener. I became happier and more optimistic afterwards. Many who have gained analogous states deliberately via ayahuasca have also reported an increase in optimism.
- A_Seagull
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
I certainly would not and I think you would be foolish to do so. The reason being that it is artificial, and if someone can construct such a machine and allow you to plug yourself in, then just as easily they could switch the machine off; then you would be lost.SeanHasQuestions wrote:So my end conclusion to this question is "YES!, I would definetly plug myself in!"
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
Greta, I too have had a similar experience but I differ with you in that I would not plug myself in simply because the withdrawal might be debilitating. Till my mind can take itself to such a state and keep it there, I think it is a bad idea to use artificial means to get there because if your mind is not ready for it, the consequences might not be worth the risk.Greta wrote:Sean, I think we already have such a machine - the brain. I experienced an intense bliss state during an involuntary peak experience but I know much much work it would take to control that kind of buzz.SeanHasQuestions wrote:You guys might have heard about this already, but the question is basically this:
"If there would exist a machine that could simulate (make you experience as if it was real) ultimate happiness, instantly, after plugging yourself in. Would you plug yourself in?"
I definitely think it's a good idea to plug in. To experience that level of bliss, to realise that that state is possible and available, is an eye opener. I became happier and more optimistic afterwards. Many who have gained analogous states deliberately via ayahuasca have also reported an increase in optimism.
- Burning ghost
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
I concur. There is a significant risk.LuckyR wrote:Funny, as I started to read your post I thought you were going to say: "I think we already have such a machine - crack cocaine." No, there is a significant risk those unprepared for this sort of thing. It is not to be entered into lightly.Greta wrote: (Nested quote removed.)
Sean, I think we already have such a machine - the brain. I experienced an intense bliss state during an involuntary peak experience but I know much much work it would take to control that kind of buzz.
I definitely think it's a good idea to plug in. To experience that level of bliss, to realise that that state is possible and available, is an eye opener. I became happier and more optimistic afterwards. Many who have gained analogous states deliberately via ayahuasca have also reported an increase in optimism.
- Sy Borg
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
Heh, I doubt my mind was ready for the peak experiences. I doubt it's possible to ready your mind for such an experience. Each experience rocked my world, took away the foundations, so I had to spend some time afterwards reflecting to make sense of them. We are no so weak that we break every time something weird happens.Vijaydevani wrote:Greta, I too have had a similar experience but I differ with you in that I would not plug myself in simply because the withdrawal might be debilitating. Till my mind can take itself to such a state and keep it there, I think it is a bad idea to use artificial means to get there because if your mind is not ready for it, the consequences might not be worth the risk.Greta wrote:Sean, I think we already have such a machine - the brain. I experienced an intense bliss state during an involuntary peak experience but I know how much work it would take to control that kind of buzz.
I definitely think it's a good idea to plug in. To experience that level of bliss, to realise that that state is possible and available, is an eye opener. I became happier and more optimistic afterwards. Many who have gained analogous states deliberately via ayahuasca have also reported an increase in optimism.
Besides, bliss tempered by fear of its loss is not bliss. That's just feeling pretty good :). That is actually the point - a blissful egoless state is highly trusting. No defences, no worries, no fears. Letting it all hang out, so to speak. You need to feel safe enough to let any and all of your guards down and open yourself up to, well, whatever.
So I don't think such a machine would pose issues to those of reasonably sound mind who can simply be grateful for good experiences without always expecting or craving repetition.
- TSBU
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
Would you unplug yourself?
I don't know, I'm not plugged.
About this thread, I don't think this have a simple answer, it depends in yourlife when you have that option, in the state of Universe. Nobody can put that in the question.
For example, if I have cancer, the doctor said that I'm going to live for 3 days, and I can't get up or make proper thoughts... the answer would probably be "yes". If find that machine, but there are people who want to kill me on the other side of the door. I won't use the machine, cause that means death in a few minutes. Maybe that's a point for this question: survival. You can't know it all, you can only fight for your life forever, you can't do that in a machine cutting your mind. It would be good as a suicide option though, if you surrender in this world, that machine is probably better than a gun XD.
- LuckyR
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
Those without an addictive personality do not understand those with one.Greta wrote:Heh, I doubt my mind was ready for the peak experiences. I doubt it's possible to ready your mind for such an experience. Each experience rocked my world, took away the foundations, so I had to spend some time afterwards reflecting to make sense of them. We are no so weak that we break every time something weird happens.Vijaydevani wrote: (Nested quote removed.)
Greta, I too have had a similar experience but I differ with you in that I would not plug myself in simply because the withdrawal might be debilitating. Till my mind can take itself to such a state and keep it there, I think it is a bad idea to use artificial means to get there because if your mind is not ready for it, the consequences might not be worth the risk.
Besides, bliss tempered by fear of its loss is not bliss. That's just feeling pretty good . That is actually the point - a blissful egoless state is highly trusting. No defences, no worries, no fears. Letting it all hang out, so to speak. You need to feel safe enough to let any and all of your guards down and open yourself up to, well, whatever.
So I don't think such a machine would pose issues to those of reasonably sound mind who can simply be grateful for good experiences without always expecting or craving repetition.
- Felix
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
- Sy Borg
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
Greta wrote:... I don't think such a machine would pose issues to those of reasonably sound mind who can simply be grateful for good experiences without always expecting or craving repetition.
I'd dispute any claim that I don't have an addictive personality but I agree that it depends on the individual. Some people need to know what's out there, others are probably better off not knowing although it feels a tad patronising to say so.LuckyR wrote:Those without an addictive personality do not understand those with one.
- Present awareness
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
The problem with trying to maintain just one side of the emotional spectrum, without it's opposite, is that it would soon lose it's context with sadness and would become very stale.
- Rasher Null
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Re: A Machine Of Hapiness
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