Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

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Grunth
Posts: 793
Joined: February 3rd, 2016, 9:48 pm

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Grunth »

Boots wrote:
Grunth wrote:I consider that you have more or less made the same point as me when you wrote this:

Boots "It is assumed and indeed pushed on those of us in western societies that happiness should be pursued. I think that some people do like to pursue happiness, but many others are more interested in other pursuits, like knowledge, understanding, creativity."

Consequently I would say that I am in your latter category and with having known myself priory as in your former category (once realizing that emotion is not 'it').
I'm not sure I follow.

I think happiness is an emotion or an emotional state that people pursue. I don't equate it with the pursuit of understanding. In other words, I don't think that people who pursue understanding are necessarily pursuing happiness nor do they necessarily attain happiness when they come to understand that which they are pursuing.
It is not the pursuit of an emotion which is relevant. It is to understand emotion therefore to understand the human condition thereby understanding one's own condition. 'Understanding' is not an 'emotion'. Why pursue what you have already stated as fleeting? Why care about what others pursue? Why not just lay out what 'happy' is to you and FOR you, rather than what it must mean to most and therefore must make it also so for you?

I've laid out what it means for me while you seem to be analyzing what it must mean for everyone. Are you for you or are you for everyone? I find this so often that the usual analysis of the human condition is never one which brings it home. It is so often left dangling in some dank chamber and assumed to be 'objective'. Apparent objectivity is merely an excuse for mediocrity. It seems most of humanity are distracted by conventions that are assumed as reality.
Boots
Posts: 327
Joined: February 11th, 2016, 9:19 am

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Boots »

Grunth wrote:
Boots wrote: (Nested quote removed.)


I'm not sure I follow.

I think happiness is an emotion or an emotional state that people pursue. I don't equate it with the pursuit of understanding. In other words, I don't think that people who pursue understanding are necessarily pursuing happiness nor do they necessarily attain happiness when they come to understand that which they are pursuing.
It is not the pursuit of an emotion which is relevant. It is to understand emotion therefore to understand the human condition thereby understanding one's own condition. 'Understanding' is not an 'emotion'. Why pursue what you have already stated as fleeting? Why care about what others pursue? Why not just lay out what 'happy' is to you and FOR you, rather than what it must mean to most and therefore must make it also so for you?

I've laid out what it means for me while you seem to be analyzing what it must mean for everyone. Are you for you or are you for everyone? I find this so often that the usual analysis of the human condition is never one which brings it home. It is so often left dangling in some dank chamber and assumed to be 'objective'. Apparent objectivity is merely an excuse for mediocrity. It seems most of humanity are distracted by conventions that are assumed as reality.
The pursuit of an emotion is relevant to some, since a number of humans pursue happiness. It's pursuit is considered a right in America. You say on the one hand that what is relevant is understanding "emotion therefore to understand the human condition thereby understanding one's own condition," and on the other hand, "Why care about what others pursue? Why not just lay out what 'happy' is to you and FOR you, rather than what it must mean to most." These statements are at odds. As you said, we try to understand others in order to understand ourselves.

Dangling in a dank chamber? Objectivity an excuse for mediocrity? Conventions assumed as reality?

I'm not following your logic.
Grunth
Posts: 793
Joined: February 3rd, 2016, 9:48 pm

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Grunth »

Boots wrote:
Grunth wrote: (Nested quote removed.)

It is not the pursuit of an emotion which is relevant. It is to understand emotion therefore to understand the human condition thereby understanding one's own condition. 'Understanding' is not an 'emotion'. Why pursue what you have already stated as fleeting? Why care about what others pursue? Why not just lay out what 'happy' is to you and FOR you, rather than what it must mean to most and therefore must make it also so for you?

I've laid out what it means for me while you seem to be analyzing what it must mean for everyone. Are you for you or are you for everyone? I find this so often that the usual analysis of the human condition is never one which brings it home. It is so often left dangling in some dank chamber and assumed to be 'objective'. Apparent objectivity is merely an excuse for mediocrity. It seems most of humanity are distracted by conventions that are assumed as reality.
The pursuit of an emotion is relevant to some, since a number of humans pursue happiness. It's pursuit is considered a right in America. You say on the one hand that what is relevant is understanding "emotion therefore to understand the human condition thereby understanding one's own condition," and on the other hand, "Why care about what others pursue? Why not just lay out what 'happy' is to you and FOR you, rather than what it must mean to most." These statements are at odds. As you said, we try to understand others in order to understand ourselves.

Dangling in a dank chamber? Objectivity an excuse for mediocrity? Conventions assumed as reality?

I'm not following your logic.

-- Updated May 14th, 2016, 1:44 am to add the following --
Boots wrote:
Grunth wrote: (Nested quote removed.)

It is not the pursuit of an emotion which is relevant. It is to understand emotion therefore to understand the human condition thereby understanding one's own condition. 'Understanding' is not an 'emotion'. Why pursue what you have already stated as fleeting? Why care about what others pursue? Why not just lay out what 'happy' is to you and FOR you, rather than what it must mean to most and therefore must make it also so for you?

I've laid out what it means for me while you seem to be analyzing what it must mean for everyone. Are you for you or are you for everyone? I find this so often that the usual analysis of the human condition is never one which brings it home. It is so often left dangling in some dank chamber and assumed to be 'objective'. Apparent objectivity is merely an excuse for mediocrity. It seems most of humanity are distracted by conventions that are assumed as reality.
The pursuit of an emotion is relevant to some, since a number of humans pursue happiness. It's pursuit is considered a right in America. You say on the one hand that what is relevant is understanding "emotion therefore to understand the human condition thereby understanding one's own condition," and on the other hand, "Why care about what others pursue? Why not just lay out what 'happy' is to you and FOR you, rather than what it must mean to most." These statements are at odds. As you said, we try to understand others in order to understand ourselves.

Dangling in a dank chamber? Objectivity an excuse for mediocrity? Conventions assumed as reality?

I'm not following your logic.
Do I really have to spell it out?


It is not the pursuit of an emotion which is relevant......to being happy.

As for the other things you are confused about, try a dictionary. Look up words like 'objectivity', 'excuse', 'mediocrity', 'convention', 'assume', then just see how they can make a sentence. As for 'Dangling in a dank chamber'. It's a metaphor, therefore you visualize the metaphor to see what feeling one may get from the visual. For example, did the visual feel warm, nice and comfortable or something else more or less opposite to that?

How old are you?
Boots
Posts: 327
Joined: February 11th, 2016, 9:19 am

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Boots »

Grunth wrote:
Boots wrote: (Nested quote removed.)


The pursuit of an emotion is relevant to some, since a number of humans pursue happiness. It's pursuit is considered a right in America. You say on the one hand that what is relevant is understanding "emotion therefore to understand the human condition thereby understanding one's own condition," and on the other hand, "Why care about what others pursue? Why not just lay out what 'happy' is to you and FOR you, rather than what it must mean to most." These statements are at odds. As you said, we try to understand others in order to understand ourselves.

Dangling in a dank chamber? Objectivity an excuse for mediocrity? Conventions assumed as reality?

I'm not following your logic.

-- Updated May 14th, 2016, 1:44 am to add the following --
Boots wrote: (Nested quote removed.)


The pursuit of an emotion is relevant to some, since a number of humans pursue happiness. It's pursuit is considered a right in America. You say on the one hand that what is relevant is understanding "emotion therefore to understand the human condition thereby understanding one's own condition," and on the other hand, "Why care about what others pursue? Why not just lay out what 'happy' is to you and FOR you, rather than what it must mean to most." These statements are at odds. As you said, we try to understand others in order to understand ourselves.

Dangling in a dank chamber? Objectivity an excuse for mediocrity? Conventions assumed as reality?

I'm not following your logic.
Do I really have to spell it out?


It is not the pursuit of an emotion which is relevant......to being happy.

As for the other things you are confused about, try a dictionary. Look up words like 'objectivity', 'excuse', 'mediocrity', 'convention', 'assume', then just see how they can make a sentence. As for 'Dangling in a dank chamber'. It's a metaphor, therefore you visualize the metaphor to see what feeling one may get from the visual. For example, did the visual feel warm, nice and comfortable or something else more or less opposite to that?

How old are you?
Oh. O.K. I'll get right on that. Thanks for being so clear and informative.

I'm not sure what my age has to do with it? Again, a confusing question. Are you suggesting that might be my problem in understanding you? I'm too old OR am I too young?
Grunth
Posts: 793
Joined: February 3rd, 2016, 9:48 pm

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Grunth »

I don't need to know anymore.
Boots
Posts: 327
Joined: February 11th, 2016, 9:19 am

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Boots »

Grunth wrote:I don't need to know anymore.
Why would you need to know in the first place?
Grunth
Posts: 793
Joined: February 3rd, 2016, 9:48 pm

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Grunth »

If you were fourteen then I felt I should take that into consideration in order to be empathetic and consider the teen's age condition.
Boots
Posts: 327
Joined: February 11th, 2016, 9:19 am

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Boots »

Grunth wrote:If you were fourteen then I felt I should take that into consideration in order to be empathetic and consider the teen's age condition.
Sounds fair.

Are you on any medication?
Grunth
Posts: 793
Joined: February 3rd, 2016, 9:48 pm

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Grunth »

Boots wrote:
Grunth wrote:If you were fourteen then I felt I should take that into consideration in order to be empathetic and consider the teen's age condition.
Sounds fair.

Are you on any medication?
Always.
Boots
Posts: 327
Joined: February 11th, 2016, 9:19 am

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Boots »

Grunth wrote:
Boots wrote: (Nested quote removed.)


Sounds fair.

Are you on any medication?
Always.
Ahhh. That explains a lot.
Grunth
Posts: 793
Joined: February 3rd, 2016, 9:48 pm

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Grunth »

Boots wrote:
Grunth wrote: (Nested quote removed.)

Always.
Ahhh. That explains a lot.
Yeah, I take stuff daily for back pain. Man, you should try it. Its really far out.
Boots
Posts: 327
Joined: February 11th, 2016, 9:19 am

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Boots »

Grunth wrote:
Boots wrote: (Nested quote removed.)


Ahhh. That explains a lot.
Yeah, I take stuff daily for back pain. Man, you should try it. Its really far out.
Well...I don't need to ask your age. Far out? I'd say you were either a teenager or in your 20's during the seventies.

Back pain is difficult, but I don't like to take too much medication since I'm worried what it will do to my kidneys and/or liver over time.
Grunth
Posts: 793
Joined: February 3rd, 2016, 9:48 pm

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Grunth »

Boots wrote:
Grunth wrote: (Nested quote removed.)

Yeah, I take stuff daily for back pain. Man, you should try it. Its really far out.
Well...I don't need to ask your age. Far out? I'd say you were either a teenager or in your 20's during the seventies.

Back pain is difficult, but I don't like to take too much medication since I'm worried what it will do to my kidneys and/or liver over time.
Well that is sometimes a problem if we assume pain is better than longevity. Even when we are 80 we will probably always want more days. A person sick at 80 will usually still seek a cure. The neurosis of death often persists regardless but life in the meantime is always better with less pain just as a happy short time is better than a miserable long time. Medication may shorten things by 5 years, but hey!
Boots
Posts: 327
Joined: February 11th, 2016, 9:19 am

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Boots »

Grunth wrote:
Boots wrote: (Nested quote removed.)


Well...I don't need to ask your age. Far out? I'd say you were either a teenager or in your 20's during the seventies.

Back pain is difficult, but I don't like to take too much medication since I'm worried what it will do to my kidneys and/or liver over time.
Well that is sometimes a problem if we assume pain is better than longevity. Even when we are 80 we will probably always want more days. A person sick at 80 will usually still seek a cure. The neurosis of death often persists regardless but life in the meantime is always better with less pain just as a happy short time is better than a miserable long time. Medication may shorten things by 5 years, but hey!
True. I'm more worried about being an invalid when I'm old vs. how long I live. But, longer would be better if I was healthy and able.
Grunth
Posts: 793
Joined: February 3rd, 2016, 9:48 pm

Re: Insight into construction of a concept of being happy

Post by Grunth »

Boots wrote:
Grunth wrote: (Nested quote removed.)

Well that is sometimes a problem if we assume pain is better than longevity. Even when we are 80 we will probably always want more days. A person sick at 80 will usually still seek a cure. The neurosis of death often persists regardless but life in the meantime is always better with less pain just as a happy short time is better than a miserable long time. Medication may shorten things by 5 years, but hey!
True. I'm more worried about being an invalid when I'm old vs. how long I live. But, longer would be better if I was healthy and able.
'Invalid' is a relative state. When younger I used to play football, so quite a few years ago I had already become an invalid in relation to playing football. Currently I am an invalid in relation to all the building work I used to do. However, now I have merely got myself set up to be comfortable and in many ways enjoy not feeling the impulse to do the things I used to do. After all, playing sport was an impulse and building/designing a comfortable home over many years was an impulse (impulse to create). What I have found is that the impulse to create is still apparent without the heavy work because being creative with thinking is satisfying. Also being a spectator of other's creations (film, ideas) is enjoyable. I have not yet become an invalid to my entertained brain.
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