The Unhappy Forum

How much happiness is possible in an insane world?

How much happiness is possible in an insane world?

How much is 'much ' ? ......you would first have to quantify 'happiness' and even then it is all relative. What makes me ;) would probably make you :( and vice versa.

How much is 'much ' ? ......you would first have to quantify 'happiness' and even then it is all relative. What makes me would probably make you and vice versa.

I am happy but I have frustrations and discontentments which are quite separate from my own personal happiness.

I am happy but I have frustrations and discontentments which are quite separate from my own personal happiness.

[quote]How much is 'much ' ? ......you would first have to quantify 'happiness' and even then it is all relative. What makes me ;) would probably make you :( and vice versa.[/quote]Fair point. :) I suspect that there has always been a great deal of unhappiness in the world throughout history - but of course there has been a fair amount of happiness too. I suppose it depends very much on where you live; your family and upbringing, social circle and how lucky you are. :(:) Personally, I feel a bit guilty because I'm retired and my life is comfortable compared with so many others who are less fortunate. I seem to have to take on the persona of at least two personalities or at least to live with a compartmentalised mind that enjoys the excitement of modern life on the one hand but is saddened by the fact that so many others cannot enjoy the luxury that I have of not worrying about a roof over my head or how they are going to get out of debt and pay their bills - so many are in enormous debt - and it's not always their fault. On top of that, the world seems to be a very dangerous place right now. People are beginning to realise that they should not automatically defer to authority because they no longer respect authority because authority does not respect them. Apart from these observations, I'm ecstatically happy! :D

Quote:How much is 'much ' ? ......you would first have to quantify 'happiness' and even then it is all relative. What makes me would probably make you and vice versa.
Fair point.
I suspect that there has always been a great deal of unhappiness in the world throughout history - but of course there has been a fair amount of happiness too.
I suppose it depends very much on where you live; your family and upbringing, social circle and how lucky you are.
Personally, I feel a bit guilty because I'm retired and my life is comfortable compared with so many others who are less fortunate. I seem to have to take on the persona of at least two personalities or at least to live with a compartmentalised mind that enjoys the excitement of modern life on the one hand but is saddened by the fact that so many others cannot enjoy the luxury that I have of not worrying about a roof over my head or how they are going to get out of debt and pay their bills - so many are in enormous debt - and it's not always their fault.
On top of that, the world seems to be a very dangerous place right now.
People are beginning to realise that they should not automatically defer to authority because they no longer respect authority because authority does not respect them.
Apart from these observations, I'm ecstatically happy!

[quote]I am happy but I have frustrations and discontentments which are quite separate from my own personal happiness.[/quote]Yes, that probably nicely sums up in a few words, what I was saying - I used rather more words! :(;)

Quote:I am happy but I have frustrations and discontentments which are quite separate from my own personal happiness.
Yes, that probably nicely sums up in a few words, what I was saying - I used rather more words!

I'm Happy, some of my customers are very testing at times though! my company name.... The Happy roof company Steve:)

I'm Happy,

some of my customers are very testing at times though!

my company name....

The Happy roof company

Steve

[quote]I'm Happy, some of my customers are very testing at times though! my company name.... The Happy roof company Steve:)[/quote]I like it. "The Happy roof" brings pictures and sounds to my mind of a cosy little venue where there's a jazz group in session. :)

Quote:I'm Happy,

some of my customers are very testing at times though!

my company name....

The Happy roof company

Steve
I like it. "The Happy roof" brings pictures and sounds to my mind of a cosy little venue where there's a jazz group in session.

Anyway, to mitigate unhappiness, I find playing my guitar and "composing" stuff to use in my videos at least as satisfying as photography. I must say it's a bit easier to be happier knowing that there is a glimmer of hope in our future now that some people are waking up to the fact that they are being conned into thinking that austerity cuts have to be exacted only on the less well-off and poor in society. :) (obviously, both New Labour and the Tories are responsible - they both welcomed the wretched failed US "Free Market" dogma with open arms. :(

Anyway, to mitigate unhappiness, I find playing my guitar and "composing" stuff to use in my videos at least as satisfying as photography.

I must say it's a bit easier to be happier knowing that there is a glimmer of hope in our future now that some people are waking up to the fact that they are being conned into thinking that austerity cuts have to be exacted only on the less well-off and poor in society. (obviously, both New Labour and the Tories are responsible - they both welcomed the wretched failed US "Free Market" dogma with open arms.

Well you need a bit of a mix in life; I've been looking at the needs that allow children to flourish, along with making businesses work - A great model to look against seems to be "the 6 human needs" Have some certainty in your life, but keep some space for variety. Find out how you can feel special, and connect with others. Then do even more of the same and start giving back to others. Happy :) with short helpings of all the other emotions from time to time as life buffets you around.

Well you need a bit of a mix in life; I've been looking at the needs that allow children to flourish, along with making businesses work - A great model to look against seems to be "the 6 human needs"

Have some certainty in your life, but keep some space for variety.
Find out how you can feel special, and connect with others.
Then do even more of the same and start giving back to others.

Happy with short helpings of all the other emotions from time to time as life buffets you around.

If feeling guilty about being comfortable in life is your main worry, I can't, for the life of me, understand why you started a thread about it. I think a lot of the world's problems are a result of people not having enough to do. Protests in Germany; does anybody know what they're about? I don't. The whole thing is organised by the real culprits for political purposes, and people think they're changing the world, it's the same old, same old. I have too much on my plate to worry about what the leaders at the G20 Summit are talking about. The protesters are blasted by water canons, and one of the biggest problems in the world is a lack of clean water. People worry about too many insignificant little things. A woman gets a mess of plastic surgery because she wants to look good in the box, (I saw the interview) who gives a sweet fanny Annie. I see so many wealthy people who can't even smile anymore because they've had so much work done on their faces, people worried about getting old. Take it from one who knows, it can be fun. We take possession of our new home on Sept. 01, our youngest is getting married on the 2nd of Sept., our eldest is coming from the east coast with his family for the wedding, and staying with us, and my wife is taking cancer treatment throughout that time, and we're happy for our son and his new wife, and we're delighted to be seeing our other son and his family, even though we don't know where we're going to put them all. If you can't see the good parts, then you'll just have to be sad. I have no sympathy for you, get off your arse!;)

If feeling guilty about being comfortable in life is your main worry, I can't, for the life of me, understand why you started a thread about it. I think a lot of the world's problems are a result of people not having enough to do. Protests in Germany; does anybody know what they're about? I don't. The whole thing is organised by the real culprits for political purposes, and people think they're changing the world, it's the same old, same old. I have too much on my plate to worry about what the leaders at the G20 Summit are talking about. The protesters are blasted by water canons, and one of the biggest problems in the world is a lack of clean water.

People worry about too many insignificant little things. A woman gets a mess of plastic surgery because she wants to look good in the box, (I saw the interview) who gives a sweet fanny Annie. I see so many wealthy people who can't even smile anymore because they've had so much work done on their faces, people worried about getting old. Take it from one who knows, it can be fun. We take possession of our new home on Sept. 01, our youngest is getting married on the 2nd of Sept., our eldest is coming from the east coast with his family for the wedding, and staying with us, and my wife is taking cancer treatment throughout that time, and we're happy for our son and his new wife, and we're delighted to be seeing our other son and his family, even though we don't know where we're going to put them all. If you can't see the good parts, then you'll just have to be sad. I have no sympathy for you, get off your arse!

[quote]If feeling guilty about being comfortable in life is your main worry, I can't, for the life of me, understand why you started a thread about it. [/quote]I suppose I was simply trying to find out if others had similar feelings about the injustices and unnecessary inequalities that seem to permeate life. Denny, I certainly agree with you wholeheartedly about things like the preoccupation with having plastic surgery. [quote]People worry about too many insignificant little things. [/quote]Yes, and that's exactly what frustrates me. [quote] If you can't see the good parts, then you'll just have to be sad. I have no sympathy for you, get off your arse![/quote]Oh, I see the good parts alright: It's just the frustration of seeing that so many others can't! . :( [quote] I have too much on my plate to worry about what the leaders at the G20 Summit are talking about.[/quote]You hit the nail on the head: You make my point for me. Isn't that the problem? Most of us have "too much on our plates" to worry about what our leaders are doing (or not doing) to change our world...:( That's the way our leaders seem to like to keep things. Obviously, some of life's problems are sadly unavoidable, but for many of us, our lifestyles are made unnecessarily stressful and too busy by "the powers that be" in my opinion. Consequently, people make decisions without much time for really thinking things through, etc. :( Anyway, I wish you and your wife well, Denny - you certainly do have a lot on your plate.:)

Quote:If feeling guilty about being comfortable in life is your main worry, I can't, for the life of me, understand why you started a thread about it.
I suppose I was simply trying to find out if others had similar feelings about the injustices and unnecessary inequalities that seem to permeate life.
Denny, I certainly agree with you wholeheartedly about things like the preoccupation with having plastic surgery.

Quote:People worry about too many insignificant little things.

Yes, and that's exactly what frustrates me.

Quote: If you can't see the good parts, then you'll just have to be sad. I have no sympathy for you, get off your arse!
Oh, I see the good parts alright: It's just the frustration of seeing that so many others can't! .

Quote: I have too much on my plate to worry about what the leaders at the G20 Summit are talking about.
You hit the nail on the head: You make my point for me.
Isn't that the problem? Most of us have "too much on our plates" to worry about what our leaders are doing (or not doing) to change our world...
That's the way our leaders seem to like to keep things. Obviously, some of life's problems are sadly unavoidable, but for many of us, our lifestyles are made unnecessarily stressful and too busy by "the powers that be" in my opinion. Consequently, people make decisions without much time for really thinking things through, etc.
Anyway, I wish you and your wife well, Denny - you certainly do have a lot on your plate.

[quote]Well you need a bit of a mix in life; I've been looking at the needs that allow children to flourish, along with making businesses work - A great model to look against seems to be "the 6 human needs" Have some certainty in your life, but keep some space for variety. Find out how you can feel special, and connect with others. Then do even more of the same and start giving back to others. Happy :) with short helpings of all the other emotions from time to time as life buffets you around. [/quote]Wise words! :)

Quote:Well you need a bit of a mix in life; I've been looking at the needs that allow children to flourish, along with making businesses work - A great model to look against seems to be "the 6 human needs"

Have some certainty in your life, but keep some space for variety.
Find out how you can feel special, and connect with others.
Then do even more of the same and start giving back to others.

Happy with short helpings of all the other emotions from time to time as life buffets you around.

Wise words!

[quote]Protests in Germany; does anybody know what they're about? I don't.[/quote] The protests are against Trump's policy of America First. The planet we live on belongs to all of us, it it is up to all of us to look after it. he has rejected the idea of Global Warming which puts the rest of the world at risk.

Quote:Protests in Germany; does anybody know what they're about? I don't.


The protests are against Trump's policy of America First. The planet we live on belongs to all of us, it it is up to all of us to look after it. he has rejected the idea of Global Warming which puts the rest of the world at risk.

[quote][quote]Protests in Germany; does anybody know what they're about? I don't.[/quote] The protests are against Trump's policy of America First. The planet we live on belongs to all of us, it it is up to all of us to look after it. he has rejected the idea of Global Warming which puts the rest of the world at risk. [/quote] They are protesting against inequality, not against the USA specifically. Protestting against the few who make decisions that affect the whole world.

Quote:
Quote:Protests in Germany; does anybody know what they're about? I don't.


The protests are against Trump's policy of America First. The planet we live on belongs to all of us, it it is up to all of us to look after it. he has rejected the idea of Global Warming which puts the rest of the world at risk.

They are protesting against inequality, not against the USA specifically. Protestting against the few who make decisions that affect the whole world.

[quote]They are protesting against inequality, not against the USA specifically. Protestting against the few who make decisions that affect the whole world.[/quote]Yes. They have plenty to protest about but it seems pretty counterproductive when the violent ones resort to burning cars, etc..

Quote:They are protesting against inequality, not against the USA specifically. Protestting against the few who make decisions that affect the whole world.
Yes. They have plenty to protest about but it seems pretty counterproductive when the violent ones resort to burning cars, etc..