*trying not to smile* 'with none of the animosity these words imply and all due respect, it sounds like you have a rod lodged two foot up your ***....'
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*trying not to smile* 'with none of the animosity these words imply and all due respect, it sounds like you have a rod lodged two foot up your ***....'
From the NIMH website:
<There is growing evidence that familial and genetic factors contribute to the risk for suicidal behavior. Major psychiatric illnesses, including bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, alcoholism and substance abuse, and certain personality disorders, which run in families, increase the risk for suicidal behavior. This does not mean that suicidal behavior is inevitable for individuals with this family history; it simply means that such persons may be more vulnerable and should take steps to reduce their risk, such as getting evaluation and treatment at the first sign of mental illness.>
Anyway, to get back on the track of this thread, it would appear from some discussions here that happiness cannot be the sole criterion for a purpose in life. Happiness, if it is somehow connected to the purpose of life, has to be qualified with something else.
It strikes me that in centuries past, the idea of 'personal' anything was largely irrelevant. I think the order of things was such, that most people would have believed in a kind of predestined station in life. Maybe in the process of developing human freedom, those pioneers against oppression created a world for their fellow human beings, which enabled the development of individualism to emerge. It would seem ironic, that through the sacrifices of radical thinkers who laboured for the freedom of others, we know wallow in the idea that purpose is all about individual liberty, individual happiness or individual meaning.
'growing evidence'...yup. Never denied it. All I was trying to point out is that the instance of unhappiness among more than one member of the same family does not, in itself, constitute that evidence.
Yes, and it's got a picture of your face on it. Keep a check on those personal attacks. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by fayefaye
Mono,
Thanks for an interesting presentation. First let me state that I agree with you that contentment is a much more reasonable fashion to describe that which humans normally refer to as happiness if only because to my understanding Happiness is a concept whilst contentment is a description.
That may seem a semantic description to some but to me it is a fundamental distinction between an abstraction (happiness) and a describable state of mind (contentment).
The way I see it contentment allows me the freedom to make happiness (with all its ingredients included) a kind of a superstate or a super-concept that is a-priori unattainable and is used as a compass to guide me in my knowledge of my immediacy into a desired future.
Hence when the level of contentment has grown the knowledge of correctness of my inner direction is clearer. This clarity of direction towards happiness using the yardstick of contentment in turn allows me a certain foundation for humility when approaching the vicissitudes of life. So in a sense I do agree with Aristotle especially concerning his descriptions of the persistence of the state in question.
Having said the above I wish to add that in accordance to the old traditions I cannot imagine a contentment state which does not in some deep sense involve self reflection but more importantly still is the need to reflect upon the wisdom of being a human. A human of integrity (and a human striving for contentment in my book needs inherent integrity) needs this kind of inner reflection to move upward in his own self-fulfillment. A fulfillment, which by definition involves the concept of meeting life on its own terms.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mohan kumar
If you believe in God, then this is where God play his role. You were born with them on purpose. Now I'm totally agree with Russel..
Individual happines would led to the happines of the greater group, and so on...Quote:
It would seem ironic, that through the sacrifices of radical thinkers who laboured for the freedom of others, we know wallow in the idea that purpose is all about individual liberty, individual happiness or individual meaning.
It seems to me that we are partly here to be witness to the greateness of the universe, to stand in awe of it. Somehow that must require that there is some meaning in life since something must witness and remember this greateness.
Very well said, Ulalle. I could not agree more. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulalle
The thought that contentment providing somewhat of a path for happiness I have never thought of, but I certainly perceive what you mean; and realizing the potential wisdom of a human being I find quite essential also in a degree of happiness (despite the phrase: "wisdom comes from suffering").
Well said!
Quote:
Originally Posted by simon
Just witness? Without taking part at all?
<Somehow that must require that there is some meaning in life since something must witness and remember this greateness.>
Does a CCTV camera have much meaning?
<Individual happines would led to the happines of the greater group, and so on...>
That all depends on the route to individual happiness. Capitalism offers routes to individual happiness, but with a finite amount of resources, with not enough to go round, how can this lead to the happiness of everyone? Competition can lead to individual happiness for the one or the few, but can it lead to happiness of the many? of all?
Quote:
Originally Posted by atiguhya padma
Weren't the philosophers always talk in the "idealistic" level..? I mean when Adam Smith wrote the wealth of nations, wasn't he being idealistic there by saying those theories which he thought would brought prosperity to everyone?
But it's quite funny that since the old old days, people trying to figure the anwser to this old Q..and when they (thought) they did, they considered it as the answer to whole human race..whilst, the issue they thought about is something which is very individualistic (the purpose of life -of a person).
Maybe the question of the purpose of life is twofold then, what is the purpose of an individual human life? and what is the purpose of the human race? There might even be a third: what is the point of any life, be it human, animal, vegetable etc.
However, I would imagine that any answer to the second question would probably cover the third.