Comments on: Happiness: Still Out of Style http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/ An Irreverent Look at the Glocalized World Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:21:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: El Oso, El Moreno, and El Abogado » Blog Archive » 427 Toothbrushes http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-36434 El Oso, El Moreno, and El Abogado » Blog Archive » 427 Toothbrushes Thu, 07 Apr 2005 04:38:43 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-36434 [...] least when they know that others have more. I’m gonna make an assumption - one that susanitty! has already disagreed with me on: After surviva [...] [...] least when they know that others have more. I’m gonna make an assumption – one that susanitty! has already disagreed with me on: After surviva [...]

]]> By: oso http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-21563 oso Thu, 10 Feb 2005 09:13:00 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-21563 Wow George ... yeah, you uh, sound pretty damn happy. 80 1/2 hours of happiness. That's 40 hours of happiness right? My god. You've definitely got Disneyland beat. I am impressed sir. Wow George … yeah, you uh, sound pretty damn happy. 80 1/2 hours of happiness. That’s 40 hours of happiness right? My god. You’ve definitely got Disneyland beat. I am impressed sir.

]]> By: George Ortega http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-21510 George Ortega Thu, 10 Feb 2005 05:49:47 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-21510 Happiness is Awesome. Check out The Happiness Show; the world's first television program entirely about happiness! View over 80 1/2 hour episodes for free! Happiness is what life is all about! It rules. Happiness is Awesome. Check out The Happiness Show; the world’s first television program entirely about happiness! View over 80 1/2 hour episodes for free! Happiness is what life is all about! It rules.

]]> By: Susannity! http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-14349 Susannity! Sun, 23 Jan 2005 16:45:52 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-14349 I understand the journal-keeping to help you better understand how to increase the probability of feeling happy in your life. However, events on a day that coincide with happiness may coincide with sadness on a different day. I guess that's why I don't think of happiness as a goal or an end result. It just is. To chase it is to chase one's shadow. The more you chase it, the more it eludes you. However you can increase the probability of a shadow appearing through self-awareness as well as awareness of life. It is chaotic beauty and that's what makes it so wonderful. In Taoism, there is a concept of yin and yang and that in order to recognize happiness, one must also appreciate sadness. So to search for happiness is counter to "finding" happiness. One of my favorite Shel Silverstein poems covers this topic: The Land of Happy Have you been to The Land of Happy, Where everyone’s happy all day, Where they joke and they sing Of the happiest things, And everything’s jolly and gay? There’s no one unhappy in Happy, There’s laughter and smiles galore. I have been to The Land of Happy— What a bore! I understand the journal-keeping to help you better understand how to increase the probability of feeling happy in your life. However, events on a day that coincide with happiness may coincide with sadness on a different day. I guess that’s why I don’t think of happiness as a goal or an end result. It just is. To chase it is to chase one’s shadow. The more you chase it, the more it eludes you. However you can increase the probability of a shadow appearing through self-awareness as well as awareness of life. It is chaotic beauty and that’s what makes it so wonderful. In Taoism, there is a concept of yin and yang and that in order to recognize happiness, one must also appreciate sadness. So to search for happiness is counter to “finding” happiness. One of my favorite Shel Silverstein poems covers this topic:
The Land of Happy
Have you been to The Land of Happy,
Where everyone’s happy all day,
Where they joke and they sing
Of the happiest things,
And everything’s jolly and gay?
There’s no one unhappy in Happy,
There’s laughter and smiles galore.
I have been to The Land of Happy—
What a bore!

]]> By: oso http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-13512 oso Thu, 20 Jan 2005 22:35:16 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-13512 Susannity!, Ah, now I understand. But I'm still not sure if I agree. Part of me wants to. In fact, I remember that I first started keeping a journal because I wanted to understand what makes me happy and what makes me sad. So I'd keep a journal of how I was feeling and try to understand why. It both worked and didn't work. I figured out some general things. I like change. I like a sense of accomplishment and a sense of purpose. I like a sense of community and friends I can depend on. But even keeping those things in mind, it's not like I've got it all figured out. There are plenty of happy and plenty of sad days and I have no idea why. I don't think that means there is no explanation though. Just that I haven't figured it out. Susannity!,

Ah, now I understand. But I’m still not sure if I agree. Part of me wants to. In fact, I remember that I first started keeping a journal because I wanted to understand what makes me happy and what makes me sad. So I’d keep a journal of how I was feeling and try to understand why.

It both worked and didn’t work. I figured out some general things. I like change. I like a sense of accomplishment and a sense of purpose. I like a sense of community and friends I can depend on.

But even keeping those things in mind, it’s not like I’ve got it all figured out. There are plenty of happy and plenty of sad days and I have no idea why. I don’t think that means there is no explanation though. Just that I haven’t figured it out.

]]> By: Susannity! http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-13458 Susannity! Thu, 20 Jan 2005 15:09:39 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-13458 Sorry I didn't state very well. I'm not saying "happiness" is or isn't the ultimate objective. I'm saying happiness can't be an objective, that to give it personification and therefore treat it as attainable is the underlying "error". You can have the goal of "making 1 million dollars by the time i'm 35". It is measurable. You can at 35 say yes or no i achieved that goal. To say "my goal is to be happy by the time i'm 35" is wu li. Sorry I didn’t state very well. I’m not saying “happiness” is or isn’t the ultimate objective. I’m saying happiness can’t be an objective, that to give it personification and therefore treat it as attainable is the underlying “error”. You can have the goal of “making 1 million dollars by the time i’m 35″. It is measurable. You can at 35 say yes or no i achieved that goal. To say “my goal is to be happy by the time i’m 35″ is wu li.

]]> By: oso http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-13407 oso Mon, 17 Jan 2005 20:22:24 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-13407 Susannity!, You bring up a really good point. Most of us take for granted that there is some said law that happiness is the ultimate objective in life. It is for me, but I think there are others for whom things like success, fame, wealth, power, or knowledge are more important even if it causes them to be unhappy. I'm curious though. If happiness is not your ultimate objective, what is? Susannity!,

You bring up a really good point. Most of us take for granted that there is some said law that happiness is the ultimate objective in life. It is for me, but I think there are others for whom things like success, fame, wealth, power, or knowledge are more important even if it causes them to be unhappy.

I’m curious though. If happiness is not your ultimate objective, what is?

]]> By: Susannity! http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-13403 Susannity! Mon, 17 Jan 2005 17:05:03 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-13403 I don't think happiness is a "goal" or an object to be attained. When you shift your view from that, then there is no "grass is greener" because you don't put it in tangible terms that need to be sought out. I don’t think happiness is a “goal” or an object to be attained. When you shift your view from that, then there is no “grass is greener” because you don’t put it in tangible terms that need to be sought out.

]]> By: DD http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-13273 DD Sun, 16 Jan 2005 07:17:40 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-13273 I completely agree. Which is why finding the clitoris is the fourth most important trick in the book. --Oso The fourth? Or the second? Muahahahaha! j/k I completely agree. Which is why finding the clitoris is the fourth most important trick in the book.

–Oso

The fourth? Or the second?

Muahahahaha!

j/k

]]> By: Joe Crawford http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/comment-page-1/#comment-13140 Joe Crawford Fri, 14 Jan 2005 21:15:06 +0000 http://el-oso.net/blog/archives/2005/01/12/happiness-still-out-of-style/#comment-13140 Really awesome post. Thought-provoking even. I forget when I embraced happiness -- but it was later in life than in retrospect I would hope. But maybe that's the journey? Still evolving... Joe Really awesome post. Thought-provoking even.

I forget when I embraced happiness — but it was later in life than in retrospect I would hope. But maybe that’s the journey?

Still evolving…

Joe

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