The Philosopher King to The Rationalist, and My Life-549 words
Many times throughout my life I am asked what I wish for the most. What is the one thing that I want the most from my life despite all the various experiences I have? My answer has always been to be happy. This is a common answer however, from beauty pageant contestants to game show participants. Why is it that we aspire to be happy more than anything else that our lives can offer?
Of course, it is believed that happiness is subjective to the individual. According to Chapter 6 of Archetypes of Wisdom, happiness can be achieved in terms of functioning. "A thing was happy when it functioned fully and well according to its own nature." (6-10). Personally, I find that I tend to agree with Aristotle's view on happiness. He believed happiness is a quality of life here and now. One example given was that of how a wealthy person may not be happy, but a person living in poverty will definitely not be happy either (6-10). This leads me to the statement that, "No one can be happy in the fullest sense who is chronically ill or mentally deficient." (6-10). According to this, these people don't have as much of a chance at happiness versus those who seem to be "fully functioning."
In my experience, I have an older brother who seems to be the happiest of them all. He goes with the flow when facing events in his life and has an understanding of when things can or cannot be achieved at the moment. In fact, if a stranger were to meet him for the first time they'd never guess that he suffers from a mental disability. Most people, when meeting my brother, assume he is just as normal and functioning as the next guy. Yet according to this statement, he is not happy because he isn't capable mentally. I was not offended when I read that statement. I was and still am very open to these beliefs. I liked that it gave me something to think about and otherwise look at my brother in a different light. Instead of assuming he is happy because he never complains and understands why many things happen, it's possible that he may not be truly happy.
Funny enough, I asked him earlier today if he was happy. He just gave me a blank look and didn't answer. Naturally, I assumed he meant yes because he tends to answer a lot of personal questions this way, at least when asked by a family member. But deep down this yes answer comes from me wanting to be happy. If he truly isn't happy because of his disability, will he ever be happy at all? What if there was some kind of therapy or medication that can reverse this disability? Would he then have just as much of a shot at being happy as other people? Or would it be too late because of the experiences he has already had? In the end, I think in cases like the one about my brother, it is best to let him believe that he is happy. Let him enjoy his life day by day as he has already been as far as I know. As for me, I think the best way I can achieve happiness is by learning from my brother. He doesn't strive to have a happy life he just lives, no matter what. "It is the very pursuit of happiness that obviates happiness. The more we make it a target, the more widely we miss." (6-10).
Dibs
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePeer Comments by Pinklily26:
ReplyDeleteTotal number of words in the post: 595
Spelling errors: None.
Grammatical errors: None.
Lack of clarity: I understood it all.
Organization of ideas: I like how you organized your thoughts and ideas. You started with explaining and answering your question then following it up with and example. In the end, I like how you used a quote from the book to wrap it up. "It is the very pursuit of happiness that obviates happiness. The more we make it a target, the more widely we miss." (6-10).
Did the author answer their question?
Yes, her answer was to always be happy.
Did the author provide a concrete example that clearly illustrates their main point?
The example provided was about her brother and how he always is happy no matter what comes ahead of him, he is always able to conquer it with understanding of life and happiness. Even with her brother suffering from a mental disability, he's happy no matter what and that's how she wants to be.
How does the author’s concrete example illustrate or not illustrate their main point?
By providing an example of her brother, even though he suffers from a mental disability that doesn't stop him from being happy in life.
Do you agree or disagree with the author’s answer and why?
I do agree with the author's answer because happiness is the best feeling. You would think most people would say money is what makes them most happy but I've known family friends that have been wealthy and they still took their life because they weren't happy. Money isn't everything! Happiness is most important in life.
What is a concrete example that clearly illustrates why you agree or disagree with the author?
Her example in the end is why I agree, "He doesn't strive to have a happy life he just lives, no matter what. "It is the very pursuit of happiness that obviates happiness. The more we make it a target, the more widely we miss." (6-10)."
What is your explanation of how your concrete example clearly illustrates your reason for why you agree or disagree with the author?
If you force yourself to be happy, then you're truly not happy. Unless you just go with the flow and be happy, then you're truly happy.
Nice review pinklily26.
DeleteThank you Pinklily26 for taking the time to read and respond to what I had to say. I'm glad that you understood me and came to the same conclusion by the end as well. I like the fact that you pretty much summarized my whole post by saying, "If you force yourself to be happy, then you're truly not happy. Unless you just go with the flow and be happy, then you're truly happy." I couldn't have said it better myself.
ReplyDeleteThe Philosopher King to The Rationalist, and My Life-549 words
ReplyDeleteMany times throughout my life I am asked what I wish for the most. What is the one thing that I want the most from my life despite all the various experiences I have? My answer has always been to be happy. This is a common answer however, from beauty pageant contestants to game show participants. Why is it that we aspire to be happy more than anything else that our lives can offer?
Of course, it is believed that happiness is subjective to the individual. According to Chapter 6 of Archetypes of Wisdom, happiness can be achieved in terms of [well] functioning[:] "A thing was happy when it functioned fully and well according to its own nature." (6-10). Personally, I find that I tend to agree with Aristotle's view on happiness. [He believed happiness is a quality of life here and now.]←(Not quite. Aristotle thought that one could really determine whether or not one lived a happy life only at the end of one’s life, in hindsight.) One example given was that of how a wealthy person may not be happy, but a person living in poverty will definitely not be happy either (6-10). [This leads me to the statement that [delete comma] “[n]o one can be happy in the fullest sense who is chronically ill or mentally deficient [delete period]” (6-10).]←(You might want to give the context of this statement. Where is it from, who said it, etc.) According to this, [these people don't have as much of a chance at happiness versus those who seem to be “fully functioning.”]←(Can you explain this a bit more? Tell us why, given that happiness is defined in terms of well functioning, it would follow that those who are “mentally deficient” would not be happy? What are the assumptions that underlie this conclusion? We often characterize those who are “mentally deficient” as ‘deficient’ in some way because we are comparing them to some norm, typically a statistical norm of our population.” We assume that they should be like most other people and that is what it means for them to be a well-functioning human being?)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, I have an older brother who seems to be the happiest of them all. He goes with the flow when facing events in his life and has an understanding of when things can or cannot be achieved at the moment. In fact, if a stranger were to meet him for the first time they'd never guess that he suffers from a mental disability. Most people, when meeting my brother, assume he is just as normal and functioning as the next guy. [Yet according to this statement, he is not happy because he isn't capable mentally.]←(Granted that he may not be capable of doing all the things that you are capable of, but does that make him not mentally capable?) I was not offended when I read that statement. I was and still am very open to these beliefs. I liked that it gave me something to think about and otherwise look at my brother in a different light. Instead of assuming he is happy because he never complains and understands why many things happen, [it's possible that he may not be truly happy.]←(Ok, and the question is, how do we determine whether or not he is happy?)
ReplyDeleteFunny enough, I asked him earlier today if he was happy. He just gave me a blank look and didn't answer. Naturally, I assumed he meant yes because he tends to answer a lot of personal questions this way, at least when asked by a family member. But deep down this yes answer comes from me wanting [him] to be happy. If he truly isn't happy because of his disability, will he ever be happy at all? What if there was some kind of therapy or medication that can reverse this disability? Would he then have just as much of a shot at being happy as other people? Or would it be too late because of the experiences he has already had? In the end, I think in cases like the one about my brother, [it is best to let him believe that he is happy. Let him enjoy his life day by day as he has already been as far as I know.]←(Is there a difference between believing that one is happy and actually being happy? If so, what might that be? If not, why not?) As for me, I think the best way I can achieve happiness is by learning from my brother. He doesn't strive to have a happy life he just lives, no matter what[:] “It is the very pursuit of happiness that obviates happiness. The more we make it a target, the more widely we miss [delete period]" (6-10).