There will always be more externals to chase. Those who seek to save the world as a means to save themselves do neither.

[Eckhart Aurelius Hughes]

This is a discussion forum topic for the November 2022 Philosophy Book of the Month, In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All.



One does not find true happiness (a.k.a. inner peace) through externals such as money, fame, physical health, good looks, or good reputation. A similar but commonly overlooked external is the desire to make others happy and save others spiritually or otherwise. Sometimes it's even a desire to save the whole world. Where one person says, "I will finally be truly happy if I make a million dollars," another says, "I will finally be truly happy once I first make everyone else in the world happy." Both are equally foolish and wrong. Give an ungrateful person more of what they allegedly want, and you just make them more ungrateful. There is nothing wrong with desire, be it desire for money or desire to be a savior, just as there is nothing wrong with fear or hunger. Feelings cannot be wrong. What's wrong is the belief that fulfilling desires can or will make you happy. As my book teaches in detail, fulfillment causes desire to be replaced, not eliminated. There will always be more externals to chase, or figuratively speaking greener grass to chase in an endless cycle of greener-grass-chasing. Being a rebellious free-spirit with inner peace is, in part, about breaking that cycle, or at least transcending it to acceptingly notice its endlessness with an accepting spiritual smile. True happiness (i.e. inner peace) isn't found by fulfilling all your desires and eliminating all your fears and discomfort because that is impossible and silly. One with true happiness (i.e. inner peace) has it even while feeling desire, fear, hunger, pain, and discomfort, which are things that generally every single human feels every single day.

Those who seek to save the world as a means to save themselves do neither. You cannot fill other people's cups with your empty one. But you sure can make an effective scapegoat out of the futile attempt to do it. If you falsely treat true happiness as a zero-sum game you can scapegoat everyone else's unhappiness as the reason for your own unhappiness. In your futile attempts to fill other people's cups with your empty one, you can say, "my cup is empty because I am so generous and because everyone else is so needy and greedy."

Unhappy people tend to look for excuses and scapegoats for their unhappiness. They will often say something like, "I am unhappy because of X!" But, really, they would be unhappy even if X happened to not be the case, and perhaps they even purposely define X such that the alleged condition they set for their happiness is purposely impossible or unrealistic. In such cases, they might as well say, "I'd be happy if 2 + 2 equaled 5, but it doesn't so I'm not, and so I hate the world, and I hate life."

Many people claim to themselves and/or to others that they are trying to "save the world" and that they will be happy only if and when the whole outer world is saved. Thus, they thereby get to use the allegedly unsaved world as the scapegoat they so desperately want to have and cling to. Scapegoats are a common comfort to comfort addicts. If you would rather indulge in tempting comforts than have true happiness of free-spirited inner peace, I suggest you go find yourself some comforting scapegoats. They are easy to find because you make them up yourself.

In many ways, we always get what we want.

In many ways, we only and always see only what we want to see.

That's for many reasons, but one is that perception is at least mostly--if not entirely--a matter of projection. In other words, the outer world is much more of a mirror than we often realize.

Years ago, I found an infinite source of happiness, salvation, and invincible graceful inner peace.

In this human form, my absolute number one priority is to maintain and enjoy that wonderful free-spirited inner peace, every day until I die.

That takes priority, but, I am also happily eager to share it, just not at the sacrifice of it.

I am happily eager to share this wonderful thing with you and everyone primarily because of two reasons: First, I love you and everyone. Second, it's infinite. There's more than enough to go around. All our cups can be 100% filled. True happiness is not a zero-sum game. It's a game of dividing up something that's infinite. True happiness comes from an infinite source: No matter how much you take nor how much you throw back, my happiness remains fully intact, my cup still filled to the brim, infinitely overflowing. In other words, we can both be truly happy, meaning both have invincible graceful inner peace, day in and day out for the rest of our lives. In other words, we can both be saved.

But, if you are unhappy, I'll still be happy.

If you don't choose to have and enjoy wonderful invincible free-spirited inner peace, I'll still have it, and I'll still get to enjoy it.

If you choose to remain unsaved, I'll still be saved.

I love you, but my happiness (i.e. inner peace) does not depend on you.




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My book, "In It Together: The Beautiful Struggling Uniting Us All", is available for purchase from all major book retailers in both ebook and hardcover format.

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[Surabhi Rani]

I enjoyed reading about your experience of discovering an infinite source of happiness, salvation, an invincible graceful inner peace and that you are happily eager to share it, Sir! I do know that there is an infinite source of energy within us and that we can find access to it at the right time in our lives. Also, I truly appreciate your message for all of us, 'We can both be truly happy, meaning both have invincible graceful inner peace, day in and day out for the rest of our lives.'

[Sondang Hotmauli]

"In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All" by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes explores the pursuit of true happiness and inner peace. The book challenges the notion that external factors such as money, fame, or the desire to save the world can bring genuine fulfillment. Hughes argues that constantly chasing external sources of happiness is futile, as there will always be more to chase in an endless cycle. True happiness lies in accepting the inherent ups and downs of life and finding contentment within oneself. The author cautions against using the unhappiness of others as a scapegoat for personal discontent. Hughes adds that while one is eager to share their inner peace with others, their personal pleasure is not dependent on other people's happiness or the desire to save the world. The paragraph exhorts readers to put their own needs first while adopting a free-spirited way of living and retaining empathy for others.

[Enos Rolex]

Finding inner fulfillment is crucial; external pursuits may not bring lasting satisfaction. The intention behind saving the world should be genuine rather than a means of personal salvation.

[Joseph Maroro]

The paradox lies in the realization that those who solely focus on external achievements may miss the profound impact of authentic, selfless actions. In essence, the quest to save oneself through saving the world can be an elusive and unfulfilling journey.

[Anthony Ekemezie]

I loved reading about how you, Sir, are joyfully glad to share your experience of finding an endless supply of happiness, salvation, and an unstoppable graceful inner serenity! I am aware that we all possess an endless supply of energy, which we can access at any point in our life. Furthermore, thank you so much for your message for all of us. "

[Ronald Aminga]

Meaningful relationships also contribute significantly to genuine happiness. The bonds forged with friends, family, and loved ones provide a support system that goes beyond the fleeting pleasures offered by external achievements. Shared experiences, emotional connections, and a sense of belonging can bring enduring fulfillment.

[Christopher Bundi]

Those who recognize the symbiotic relationship between personal growth and external contributions tend to create a more profound and lasting impact. Embracing self-discovery and inner peace can empower individuals to approach the challenges of the world with authenticity and compassion. In this way, the journey to save oneself and the world becomes intertwined, fostering a sense of purpose that goes beyond superficial achievements.

[Elijah Reuben]

The sad truth is that one person can't save the world. The irregularities and uncertainties are too numerous to contend with. As a matter of fact, many people benefit from the fact that the world is gradually going beyond repair.
Quick advice: save yourself first. Then, device means to survive in the world.

[Ambar Gill]

First I'd like to say I loved that last line.
"I love you but my happiness does not depend on you"
That is profound! I got literal goosebumps reading it because it's so incredibly true. Not only is happiness not found outside of you, it's exhausting in its endless search. I'm exhausted, which is what brought me down this path because surely there is a better way to do things. I think being a scapegoat is easy for people who exhaust themselves with all the pressure they put on themselves, having the world to blame is easier than saying they're tired and unhappy. If everyone just took a deep breath and took a step back, I think the world would be better for it.

[Stephanie Walker 11]

Changing yourself for the better is all you can do. And in the long run if everyone change themselves for the better , the world will change for the better. That's how I see it.

[Sushan]

I find the analogy of filling others' cups with your own empty one particularly striking. It underscores the importance of nurturing our own well-being first, rather than using the external world or other people’s happiness as a measure of our own. True happiness, as described, comes from an infinite source that doesn’t deplete with sharing; it remains abundant and intact regardless of external circumstances.

[Duru Bruno]

In my view, the most effective way to create positive change is to focus on self-improvement. By working on becoming a better version of ourselves, we set off a ripple effect that can collectively transform the world for the better. Essentially, personal growth and self-enhancement have the power to drive global progress, one individual at a time.