ktmeng/mec huggingface dataset:
Topic: happiness

Having argued out the two conflicting philosophical perspective on the role of self-examination in helping people achieve happiness and a general sense of worthiness of life, it is also important to take a neutral perspective to conclude the discussion. In this case, a religious perspective would suffice, recognizing the fact that God created each person with a mission for which He shall be pleased to see accomplished. The call of Prophet Jeremiah in the Bible (Jeremiah 1:5) are God’s own words, in which He is asserting His authority over the creation and existence of Jeremiah. God informs Jeremiah during the call that even before his formation in his mother’s womb, God did not only know him (Jeremiah), but had also set him apart.
Topic: happiness

It is this divine act of God to set Jeremiah apart, that positions him to acquire his position as great prophet that would deliver God’s message to the people. It is also important to note the circumstances under which God called Jeremiah, which require that as an anointed prophet of God, he had an obligation to reflect upon his life and determine the moist suitable way to fulfil God’s desire in his call. During his life, Jeremiah is often seen to engage in constant acts of meditation and prayers while offering petitions to God during his journey to proclaiming the message of God to the Jews. He is seen to visit God’s presence to take instructions as visions during which he is sent to deliver particular messages by God. This is a replica of the Socrates act of self-examination, in which Jeremiah, also examines his life to attain a worthier state to proclaim the message of God, warning the sinful land of Israel against the impending judgment of God.
Topic: happiness

God further reminds Him that He had appointed Jeremiah to be a prophet of the nations. From the story, it is important to recognize that God mentions His role in setting Jeremiah apart, as a way of ensuring he shall be able to carry out the prophetic mission for which He was created for. Jeremiah is set apart from the rest, which to a larger extent, can be likened to the Socratic idea of selfness when examining oneself as a way of achieving the worthiness of life. Jeremiah’s life would only be worth living if he accepted to be set apart from the rest to accomplish his prophetic mission. From God’s own words, it is agreeable that for one to accomplish most important missions, it is important to set aside from crowds, and seek God’s strength as the creator who understands the nature of the mission for which He created everyone. As such as, staying in an environment where one is exposed to external influence may turn detrimental to the possibility if success owing to unhealthy distractions.
Topic: happiness

The “pursuit of happiness” is about the key of happiness and the way his wisdom brought everyone out. He gave people surveys to see where they stood and how they really felt. This was questioning their happiness, eliminating the bad mods. Today I’m going over the main idea, the ideas on how the book holds up for society and lastly going over my opinion on the way this improves my own life. Money can’t buy happiness, explore the happiness, and the things people do.
Topic: happiness

Positive thinking, confidence sentiments of being in charge, fulfilling work, practical desires an active mien, physical wellness and wellbeing, companions, a great marriage, and religious confidence. Myers recommends that pretending an attractive attribute is a decent method to secure it saying moves toward becoming accepting as making a cursory effort triggers feeling, and acting ends up regular conduct. Two mental standards develop here that joy is in respect to earlier close to home understanding despite the fact that cash doesn’t purchase satisfaction getting a raise brings a brief flood of delight as one encounters a relative enhancement that joy is in respect to social experience correlations with those having less cash, achievement, knowledge, esteem, or favorable luck will in general deliver joy while correlations with those having a greater amount of these prized credits will in general create despondency.
Topic: happiness

Myers presumes that wellbeing is found in the reestablishment of taught ways of life submitted connections and the giving and getting of acknowledgment. Not another handy solution book however a calm sees what’s thought about the idea of human joy. Twenty-five outlines not seen. Myers, an exploration arranged social clinician whose sees, he recognizes, are hued by his Christian qualities, offers an interim cover a juvenile science’ the investigation of bliss. Taking note of that the mental writing on bliss, life fulfillment, and emotional prosperity has mushroomed in the previous decade or somewhere in the vicinity, Myers who composed the standard reading material Social Psychology provides details regarding what scientists have found hitherto. As anyone might expect, a few fantasies have been broken others fortified.
Topic: happiness

Age, sex, race, parental status place of living arrangement and instruction seem to have little connection with satisfaction nor do fire walking, crystal gazing, subliminal tapes, or entrancing, prevalent systems for reinventing despondent personalities that Myers exposes end route. Positive thinking, confidence sentiments of being in charge, fulfilling work, practical desires an active mien, physical wellness and wellbeing, companions, a great marriage, and religious confidence. Myers recommends that pretending an attractive attribute is a decent method to secure it saying moves toward becoming accepting as making a cursory effort triggers feeling, and acting ends up regular conduct. Two mental standards develop here that joy is in respect to earlier close to home understanding despite the fact that cash doesn’t purchase satisfaction getting a raise brings a brief flood of delight.
Topic: happiness

As one encounters a relative enhancement that joy is in respect to social experience correlations with those having less cash, achievement, knowledge, esteem, or favorable luck will in general deliver joy while correlations with those having a greater amount of these prized credits will in general create despondency. Myers presumes that wellbeing is found in the reestablishment of taught ways of life submitted connections and the giving and getting of acknowledgment. Not another handy solution book, however a calm sees what’s thought about the idea of human joy. Twenty-five outlines not seen. In my opinion This book influenced me by showing me the way people really look at the world, the surveys and how he helped many people just by looking out for them.
Topic: happiness

The book taught me that 80 percent of men and woman are satisfied with life the other 20 percent of people is very happy. The book will not change what I think or act because this what I excepted as the outcome of his results. The alternative explanation was how he truly based stuff off. He saw a problem and he took it to another level of showing how it could be solved in a good way and bringing out the good in the bad. To conclude todays paper, I went over the main idea the overall purpose and my honest opinion on how the book influenced me and the society. This book has taught me a lot about the way we the humans look at certain things. This book has brought out the true thoughts upon the different surveys that he gave other people.
Topic: happiness

“Additionally, optimists had significantly better blood sugar and cholesterol levels, exercised more, had healthier body mass indexes also, and were less likely to smoke than pessimists”stated Zach Cutler a guest writer from entrepreneur.com. Optimism is related to positive effects. Furthermore, optimism supports psychological health. Pursuing this furtherOptimists are predominantly happier than pessimists. Someone without optimistic characteristics is at risk to themselves and others because this person believes they have nothing to lose/to live for. They are dangerous, and most likely host toxic relationships.
Topic: happiness

Optimism is absolutely important when striving to succeed. The world’s problems may all be solved but, there are still greater things to be succeeded. We need optimism to encourage us when all else fails. When humans fail they don’t just give up which is supported through all the major events and major achievements in history. Great inventors with growth mindsets such as Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and Henry Ford. These inventors had optimism and did not give up or give in during the times they failed.
Topic: happiness

Optimism is key to humanity evolving whether that be in economics, careers, healthcare, services, or technology. Optimism promotes hope and ambition which in turn generates positive outcomes. Believing in one’s self and believing it is possible is helps problems be solved successfully. Optimism is closely related to confidence. Thus, both of these combined can lead to successful, prosperous results in whatever you put your effort into. Optimists are also known for overcoming negative conditions as well. Some believe that optimists are oblivious to everything around them but optimists focus on everything around them. Optimists stay positive to deal with things around them in an effective way. They take time to find the appropriate alternative. Viewing situations in different positive angles can produce positive effects and positive solutions. Being optimistic includes staying positive, problem solving, thinking on a broad scale, being open to new horizons, believing in yourself, being hopeful, and being hardworking. These factors are essential when having a growth mindset, striving to succeed, and learning/continuing to be an optimist.
Topic: happiness

As a high school student, I think being positive and respectful should be an everyday thing, everyone you see every day will not give you the same energy back but you should always remain happy, negative people should not affect you. Every time i’m walking through the neighborhood market I speak to anyone I see, if someone doesn’t speak back it doesn’t bother me, I continue smiling. Anything you do is your own choice, my opinion is live life how you want so if you choose to be negative that’s fine, if you choose to be positive that’s great.
Topic: happiness

A pessimist is the opposite of an optimist, if it was a movie the optimist would be the hero and the pessimist would be the villain. Would you rather be a hero or a villain that’s the question you should ask yourself every day, every day you wake up imagine yourself in a movie and think of the previous question? The heroes always win at the end of the movie, the villain dies or gets locked away so why would anyone choose to be a villain.
Topic: happiness

If you’re in school I think you should be optimistic all the time because it will motivate you to get stuff done. If you’re pessimistic in school you will find yourself moping around and complaining all the time so it won’t be easy to a lot of stuff done because you will be too busy complaining and it will probably drive your teacher crazy which will cause her to yell at the other students and then their day will also be gloomy, being pessimistic can affect a lot of other so when you’re being negative don’t just think about yourself think of others too. If you’re motivated it will most likely make your teacher proud and will make him or her push others to be motivated just like you then you will have a successful class. In school I, as myself am not always optimistic yes, you will have your bad days sometimes but I am pretty sure you will get through it also. Being happy and positive is very healthy, being sad, miserable, and negative is not healthy. I am trying not to demand you to change your ways but please be optimistic 90% of the time, why would anyone ever choose to be negative it just doesn’t make sense to me at all.
Topic: happiness

“Being rich doesn’t guarantee your happiness” (Chatzky 12). Money is important in the world we live in but in chapter one, Sophie Tucker Was Wrong, Jean Chatzy tells us that money will make life easier if manage well but is not supposed to be the source of one’s long term happiness. One page twenty-two it says that “happiness is the process of enjoying what you are doing” and not what you own. I learned money is a temporary fix for all of us that desire the true happiness that comes from relationships with people and experiences in life.
Topic: happiness

One example is to not compare yourself and what you have to others, instead compare and realize that you are well better off than many others simply because you live America where your voice can be heard. Also, I learned that I need to remind myself to differentiate between the thing I need and want, and this will not only improve my finances but also my humility as well. Finally, I learned that having more experiences to have and talk about will decrease the amount I spend because I am satisfied by the happiness of the experiences instead of the materials I do not need.
Topic: happiness

The third chapter is this book is titled “Feng Shui Finance”. In this chapter, Chatzy talks about how to take control of your finances and the less stress you will have because of good money management. Chatzy encourages us to take hold of your financial situation even though there will be moments when it feels like we have absolutely no control. I love the quote in the book on page sixty-one, “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the thigs I can, and the wisdom to know the difference” (AA serenity prayer). This quote teaches and rectifies that not everything can be changed but many times we’re are afraid to step up and change the situation that are in our control. I also learned that it is important to not tackle all your bills at once; take littles steps like these: toss the junk mail, organize the mail, file away what is done and take a little time of your day every day to do this process. It is easier to make habits when they seem easy to accomplish the same is applied to finances.
Topic: happiness

“What Do You Really Want”, chapter four, talks about being a goal setter and how to achieve your goals with your finances. I learned how to set my future goals. I need to realize what I want to do in the distant future, write them down, and set my goals into actions understanding that my goal will not be achieved instantly. I also learned how to achieve by goals. The hardest thing about goals is starting them just as it is hard to take the first step in asking out someone you like. Afterwards you must realize that you are not alone and can ask for help when there are hard days and understanding that hard days are not the end and that tomorrow will be better. With all these objectives put into practice I can become better at completing goals and improve my financial situation and overall become happier for less stress.
Topic: happiness

The fifth chapter, “Making It Happen,” is about invest in other business so that “your money [can] work as hard as you do” (109). One of the most important things I learned from this chapter is that it is important to diversify where I invest my money because then if one business goes decreasing in equity or value I won’t lose as much money. I also learned about saving for retirement and how to make them last longer. Asset allocation, a type of investment strategy to weight and match the risk and reward and managing my stream of withdrawals are the best way to live without the stress of running out of money during my retirement. It is important to prepare for the future by starting today and will in turn make you happier by having less anxiety about retirement and education fee for kids.
Topic: happiness

“Living Within Your Means” is what we should all try to achieve and is the title and topic of the sixth chapter in this book. Living within your means translate to being able to pay for expenses with your own money without the aid of the government, family, or friends. One of the biggest ways someone can go bankrupt is by using their credit card as a debit card and not paying the fees on said card. The best advice I learn about credit cards from this book is that it should only be used if you can pay the bill at the end of the month in full. Also, living with your means also encourages me to save up more of my money than I spend. This is significantly important because I will never know when I made need the extra cash for an emergency. Spending less and living with only what you need to survive not only make you better of financial but also, again, increases your happiness and self-esteem.
Topic: happiness

The seven chapter is titled, “Go with the ‘Flow’,” and is where the ten commandments of financial happiness are continued. Also, this chapter talks about how many people living in America are not satisfied with their occupations and in turn only care about the money they are earing instead of the job they are performing. There are two effective ways to improve one’s happiness at work, or at least be able to enjoy the job at hand. One viable way I learned is to find a job that is your passion or goal in life. Another way is to obtain a job that give you enough free time to peruse hobbies outside of work. I also learned that it is important to invest in my family and spend time with them because that can be a major factor to being unsatisfied with the job I am in. Work isn’t always about the money. I always want to get paid, but the real satisfaction comes when I have rightfully earned the cash and knowing I have done my best work and enjoyed doing it.
Topic: happiness

There are also important things I would need to do that help in reducing stress and improving your financial happiness. One example is to acquire insurance for my house, future spouse and kids, and myself. Insurance and wills are the main topics of chapter eight “It’s Not Just About the Money.” I learned that I need to remind myself that there are so many things in my life that are more important than money: family, faith, friends, and the future. I learned that I will be less stressed out the future and have more financial stability if I have insurance for all parts of my life which can cover the cost of any natural disaster, injuries, and death to protect those I love. Insurance is paid for just as almost everything else in this world, but it does so much more than protect homes. Insurance insures that your family can be able to financial live on if something were to happen to you.
Topic: happiness

Chapter nine is called “Don’t Dictate, Communicate,” and talks about how financial happiness is a huge influence in the happiness of a marriage. I learned that communication of dreams, goals and plans is how marriages thrive or die. In fact, this chapter taught me that the lack of financial communication is one of the most common causes of divorce. Divorce because of finances miscommunication can be avoided by sitting down and talking through all the financial problems and solutions together as team. Another factor of financial happiness I learned from this chapter is being able to share your earnings without hesitation, but also to see recognize the red flag if your partner does not do the same. Marriage is a complicated subject and becomes more complex with finances in the mixture but the couples and still achieve financial happiness if they love and talk with the other about all financial situation.
Topic: happiness

The concluding chapter of this book is called “The Ten Commandments of Financial Happiness” and is a summary of the previous chapters in a formatted list of ten principles to live by. These principles taught me that is possible to achieve financial happiness if I live by them. Also, I learned that it will be harder to manage my finances if I fail to follow one of the commandments Chatzky listed but not impossible. Money is not what makes people happy but financial happiness makes life less stressful and in turn helps make it easier for people to be happy.
Topic: happiness

Happiness is essential to life. It is a key part of the human condition. A living being needs happiness to survive. That’s where I found myself struggling, I was never really happy on my own, I always had to have someone in my life for me to be happy. Like for example, me ex-girlfriend, Samantha. There are other things that play a point not only in this story but in the human condition, such as pain, grief, and love.
Topic: happiness

I fell in love, Samantha made me happy. I had never been happier in my entire life. She was good to me, sometimes. Things were good until about eight months later. Samantha ended up cheating on me with a guy and then left me for him. I was devastated. I was in a lot of pain and all I could do was grieve over the loss. It was terrible. Liam was one of the only people there for me, he would always tell me “Don’t worry Alexis, it’ll be okay, there will be girls better than Sam.” But I never believed him. Until one day I woke up and nothing hurt anymore. I didn’t feel the numbness anymore. I was actually happy on my own for once, it was the most amazing feeling. Now I knew what everyone was talking about. You can’t rely on other people to make you happy.
Topic: happiness

Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale is a story of both tragic and comedic events. The structure of Shakespeare’s play, The Winter’s Tale, creates a mixed genre of both tragedy and comedy. The first half of the play is considered a tragedy, and the second half shifts to a comedy. Shakespeare uses this structure to convey the concept that one must first face struggles in order to experience true happiness. All the characters are facing some type of hardship during the first acts of the play, and then a sudden change is made where the characters start enjoying pleasure and happiness.
Topic: happiness

In the first act of the play, Leontes conceives the idea that his wife Hermione is cheating on him with his close friend, Polixenes. After watching their friendliness toward one another Leontes becomes certain the Polixenes and Hermione have both betrayed him. This is the first tragic event Shakespeare writes in his play. After Leontes accuses Polixenes, Polixenes shares that this event has taken both of their innocence away.
Topic: happiness

He wishes they could go back to how it was before. After a tragic event, one just wishes they were back to the time where they were still innocent. “We were as twinned lambs that did frisk i’th’sun, / And bleat the one at th’other. What we changed / Was innocence for innocence” (1.2.81-83). Affliction takes away innocence, which makes the victim a more enlightened person on the feeling of pain.
Topic: happiness

The second act brings readers to Hermione and Mamillius, who is there to keep her company. Hermione asks Mamillius to tell her a story and he replies, “A sad tale’s best for winter. I have one / Of sprites and goblins” (2.1.33-34). This famous quote adverts to the title of the play, The Winter’s Tale. When Mamillius says that a sad tale is better in the winter, Shakespeare is portraying the notion to the reader that because it is winter time, something sad is going to take place. Later on, in the act, Mamillius becomes ill which Leontes tries to blame on his mother’s unfaithfulness but is truly from his mother’s grief.
Topic: happiness

Act three contains the dramatic shift from comedy to tragedy. It opens with continued tragic events. Atrial is held where Hermione tries to defend herself, but Leontes is convinced she is guilty and should be put to death. In scene two, Mamillius dies and Leontes realizes the mistake he has made. Hermione immediately faints, and then dies of a broken heart. Leontes feels a great deal of grief and swears he will spend the rest of his life in penance for his sin.
Topic: happiness

Sixteen years later, in act four, readers are introduced once again to Leontes, Hermione’s long-lost daughter, Perdita, and Autolycus. Perdita was abandoned as a baby because Leontes thought she was an illegitimate child. Readers are informed of Perdita and Florizel’s (son of Polixenes) love for one another. Autolycus is a peddler and pickpocket that steals an abundance of possessions from the clown. He is a drastic contrast to the winter tragedy of the first half of the play because of his free-spirited nature. Autolycus is a key player in adding a sort of comic relief to this once tragic story. Autolycus declared his falsehood when he shares, “Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance” (4.4.785-786). Shakespeare uses Autolycus in this scene to remind the reader that even though a catastrophic event may seem like the end of the world, there are enjoyable moments that still occur. Autolycus is a character that lightens the tone of a story and adds a more light-hearted approach to the hardships, while also returning Perdita and Florizel to Sicilia later on in the play.
Topic: happiness

In scene four of act four, Perdita shares her view on winter and tragedy. She gives Polixenes flowers and explains the purpose behind them. “For you there’s rosemary and rue. These keep / Seeming and savour all the winter long. / Grace and remembrance be to you both, / And welcome to our shearing!” (4.4.83-86). Perdita is giving Polixenes the flowers rosemary and rue which symbolize grace, repentance, and remembrance. She hopes these symbols will last throughout the winter, or throughout tragic times in his life. Polixenes then replies with, “Shepherdess, / A fair one are you—well you fit our ages / With flowers of winter” (4.4.87-89). He informs Perdita that he is pleased with her selections of winter flowers since he is older and has experienced more hardship in his life. Perdita prefers winter flowers over spring flowers. However, she believes the shepherdesses need spring flowers in contrast to Polixenes. Perdita declared to Dorcas and Mopsa.
Topic: happiness

Perdita believes the shepherdesses deserve flowers of spring because they are still innocent and have not experienced winter, or true affliction yet. They are still in their adolescence, so they are unfamiliar with the tragedies they may encounter in the future. A young innocent person cannot truly appreciate the happiness of young life because they have not experienced hardships as Perdita has. People do not appreciate the happiness of their childhood because they do not know what sadness actually feels like.
Topic: happiness

In act.five, the play is back in Sicilia where Perdita and Florizel are asking for Leonte’s blessing of their marriage, and the characters learn that Perdita is the lost daughter of the king and queen. This brings a new and lively atmosphere to Shakespeare’s play. Paulina declared in her excitement, “Go together, / You precious winners all. Your exultation / Partake to every one” (5.3.157-159). These people had experienced a great tragedy with the believed death of Hermione and loss of Perdita, but now the family is back together, and mother and daughter are finally united. The whole group rejoiced in the miracle of Hermione’s resurrection and Perdita’s return. They appreciate the presence of Perdita and Hermione more because they now know what it was like to have them both missing.
Topic: happiness

Some may argue that innocent children are happier in life because they do not know what it is like to be sad. Once one’s innocence is taken away, they will never feel the child-like happiness of ignorance and evil. Shakespeare’s play shows that one can be happy without experiencing tragedy, but they are not truly happy, and they do not appreciate the delightful times as much. Children may have happiness, but they do not truly appreciate it; they expect it. No one that has experienced hardships expects their lives to always be joyful and carefree like children do. When one that has experienced afflictions enjoys happiness, they are truly joyful and grateful for the joy and happiness they have.
Topic: happiness

Shakespeare’s message emphasizes that one cannot enjoy the true beauty of spring if they do not know what winter was like throughout the play, The Winter’s Tale. The arrangement of this play notably shows readers that the characters had to experience tragedy within the first half of the play to experience true joy and happiness in the end. Hermione was falsely accused and Leontes lost both his son and his wife. By the end of the play, they were contentedly reunited with their family and were able to appreciate the genuine beauty of joy and love for one another. During affliction, one believes it will never end, similar to how Leontes felt. When tragedy resolves, one appreciates the time and events which follow greater than previously experienced.
Topic: happiness

I remembered there were times that I wanted to cry, to share how stressful I was with my mother, but then realized our unwell relationship. There were times that I fell and hurt, but it was my dad who bandaged for me. There were times that I even fought with my classmates, but it was dad who patiently listened to my reason. Home in my eyes became a place just to shelter from sun, cover from rain, rest from exhausting days. Joining as many clubs as I could be a way to avoid returning home.
Topic: happiness

I dove deeper into constant conflicts with my mother, without realizing that by ignoring and neglecting our knotted problems, that huge tangled ball of yarn had swallowed us inside. Everyone has their limits, and on that day, I couldn’t help but run away. Yet, I remembered being surprised with myself realizing that how difficult it could be without a home. I began to understand not everyone can be my anchor point, each person would serve different roles in my life and sometimes I got to accept and appreciate that. I can’t always expect mom or anyone to absolutely like and understand me, but at least I should be grateful for them for supporting me.
Topic: happiness

This realization granted me a relief, encouraged me to follow what my heart wants without concerning others. I withdrew from some clubs, classes and began to spend more time for myself. I found new hobbies that I never knew before and shared them with people around me like Kpop or photography. I talked more about what I was enthusiastic about, rather than what other people liked. I became more open to share my story because I was not the only one who met difficulty with talking about feelings. More and more people came to me to talk about their problems or just to find someone for consolation. I remembered as I returned home that day, my heart was filled with guilt, apprehension, but also calmness. I accepted that my relationship with mom can not be improved. However, I am thankful her for expecting the best for me though it was in the wrong way. Everything that I have experienced built the person I’m today, open-minded and accepting.
Topic: happiness

The road was bladed with ice and the sides were filled with sheer white snows. A fast speeding trailer spun and hit our truck at a cross intersection. All I remember were the broken window glasses flying at me, and the person sitting next to me. My life flashed before my eyes during that moment of impact. I lie on the side road covered up with a white blanket. I could not feel my body; my neck was stiffed, and I was all wrapped like a mummy.
Topic: happiness

The elevator dings, I woke up to see my mother sitting next to me. Holding my hand near her face, I felt the warmth of her hands. I wasn’t quite sure what the day was. I feel the breezy air floating through the room. I looked over to my side and there standing my brother and my brother-in-law. “I must have had a bad dream?” I asked. The two looked at me with tears filling their eyes. I knew then was not a dream.
Topic: happiness

The man spoke, “Peter, do you know what happened?” I nodded my head slowly. “You were in a serious car accident.” I nodded again. The man says, “you are a very lucky person. Many people would never survive such an accident.” I asked, “what about the others?” The man looked at me than my brother. “The two persons are both hospitalized, one is still unconscious, and the little girl is doing well, and Peter you had a broken collar bone and a bad concussion.” I broke down in tears. My mom held me tight.
Topic: happiness

Many days had gone by. I had slowly regained my strength. The doors swung open, the man in the white coat walked in. Stood beside the bed, he said, “Peter, do you want to go home?” “Home?” I mumble. I could not remember my home, but I was desperately wanted to leave the gloomy hospital. The doctor signed the release form and handed it to my mom. As we were driving home, many thoughts had come to my head. That moment was imprinted in my memory till today.
Topic: happiness

Human nature, or the relationship between the human soul and physical body, is a topic that has perplexed mankind as a whole. Human nature refers to a set of immanent characteristics which all humans share. Since ancient times, people strived to identify and understand these characteristics. As various beliefs and ideas of human nature emerged, the question of man’s purpose in life followed. Different views developed but all similarly devoted attention to happiness, a feeling of pleasure or contentment in life, and virtue, or what it means to be a good person, in respect to human flourishing, or the efforts to achieve self-actualization.
Topic: happiness

On the one hand, Plato argues that it is through moral thought and understanding justice and other virtues. On the other hand, Aristotle professes that living a flourishing life is by seeking intellectual virtues plus applying the knowledge to result in the development of character virtues. In comparison to those two views, Augustine’s beliefs are based more on Christianity’s God providing fulfilling happiness in life. My personal belief resonates with Augustine’s in the way that to live a purposeful, flourishing life is dependent on God, but I also recognize a mixture of Plato’s and Aristotle’s beliefs.
Topic: happiness

One of the most influential beliefs of happiness and virtue was shaped by Plato, a well-known philosopher from Classical Athens. His main claim is a flourishing life is made possible through the concept of justice applied to the soul. In Plato’s Republic, he explains by providing a foundation of his belief in human nature, specifically focusing on his theory of the soul. He states that the human soul consists of three elements: reason, spirit, and appetite. He implies that the fulfilling of these three needs, with reason managing the spirited and appetitive elements, can satisfy the intricate nature of the human being. It is essential for humans to use reason to reign in their passions to promote the stability of his community. Justice, virtue or excellence for a man means to function in accordance with the three elements composing the soul (435a-445e). He also introduces four virtues that lead to harmony in an ideal civilization that also applies for the individual. These four cardinal virtues are temperance, courage, wisdom, and justice which reflect the nature of the soul. He claims that these four virtues apply complete moral excellence. Plato concludes that a flourishing life is achieved by the pursuit of higher knowledge and the man’s social responsibility to the public good.
Topic: happiness

Responding to Plato, another influential perspective was formed by Aristotle. Aristotle was a former student of Plato and became another well-known Greek philosopher. His main claim is that everything in this world has a function which gives it purpose. “Every craft and every inquiry, and similarly every action and project, seems to aim at some good; hence the good has been well defined as that at which everything aims” (MacIntyre 57). Thus, for human beings to live a purposeful flourishing life, we have to live according to our essence or what sets humans apart from other classes of living things — which is our abilities to reason and be sociable. So, Aristotle encourages people to achieve intellectual virtues, through gaining knowledge and applying that knowledge. Through habituation, these good actions will result in molding your character. Another aspect he introduces is to live a flourishing life, one must reach a medium between vices of deficiency and excess. The good, virtuous life results in this golden mean. For example, the virtue of courage is a medium between cowardice and being overly rash. Aristotle responds to Plato in his book Nichomachean Ethics that asserts intellectual virtues alone were not enough to achieve happiness, rather the acquisition of the intellectual virtues and the virtues of character. Though I concede with most of what Aristotle claims, I still insist that God plays a part in providing substantial worth and happiness in life.
Topic: happiness

Another influential belief was molded by Augustine who introduced a theologist viewpoint which differs from Plato and Aristotle. As a Christian, he believed that happiness and virtue are possible only through God as it is revealed through his introspection, “But my sin was this, that I looked for pleasure, beauty, and truth not in him but in myself and his other creatures, and the search led me instead to pain, confusion, and error” (Confessions I.20). Although Augustine does not say so directly, he apparently assumes that happiness relies on a divine power. In a search to understand human nature, he presumes that human nature is inherently evil, as the result of the concept of original sin, which is the belief humans inherited Adam’s sin of disobedience (Sciarabba, slide 18). Although I agree with Augustine that we are dependent on God to cleanse us from our sin, I do not agree with his belief of original sin. Even though our human nature is a result of Adam’s sin, everyone did not commit that particular sin thus humans cannot all be guilty of it. He also believes that humans suffer from total depravity. Therefore, they have no power to be good by their own merit and works. Instead, it is through God’s grace that is infused into the soul which enables it to choose him and only then can humans perform good deeds to live a flourishing life.
Topic: happiness

In conclusion, most humans are concerned for their well-being, searching to find happiness and purpose. Therefore, humans strive to figure out how to live a flourishing life. Through much analysis of Plato’s, Aristotle’s, and Augustine’s beliefs, one could begin to form their own beliefs. For example, my personal belief consists of a mixture of all of them. I agree with Plato that intellectual virtues such as justice and wisdom will lead people to live good lives because these virtues reflect God’s character which is perfect. I also agree with Aristotle that applying our knowledge and capabilities of reason and being sociable is important to be happy and to flourish because God purposely created humans to be more complex comparable to his image. Thirdly, I agree with Augustine that God is essential for human flourishing because, without him, all is vanity. No matter what one’s view is, at least people can agree on the role of happiness and virtue to live a flourishing life.
Topic: happiness

Kim Davis, as I’m sure you’ve heard of her, was a county clerk in Kentucky that did not take so well to issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples. Because of this, she made national headlines, even spending a few days in jail for being so uncooperative. What she stated was that her religious beliefs prevented her from doing her job, which was to grant couples marriage licenses through the court. This is a clear example of Mill’s greatest happiness principle.
Topic: happiness

The results were overwhelming, but with a 53 – 51 vote, it instead of the community finally getting the happiness they were looking for, a democratic party came in and vetoed the whole operation. According to the New York Times, “Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom where civil marriage between same-sex couples is not recognized. It was legalized in England, Wales and Scotland last year.” With this, again, there is a sense of individualization instead of a sense of community.
Topic: happiness

I think it takes a lot of courage to put someone else’s thoughts and actions before your own in order to achieve that ultimate happiness level. I also agree with Mill that the happiness of a community or a population directly correlates with an individual’s happiness and both internal and external sanctions. For example, if you have a good relationship with your family, the thoughts of them are going to make you happy. This can bring happiness to other families though meetings, stories, and overall communication.
Topic: happiness

One of the main ideas in the “Nicomachean Ethics” of Aristotle is that every action of a rational human being is made for a definite purpose. There can be low and high-scaled purposes and actions. The achievement of low-scaled ones serve as a means to achieve higher goals, and eventually the end goal – happiness. Basing on Aristotle, human is happy when he or she is living the life of contemplation, in accordance with reason and principles of moral virtue. Thus, in order to achieve happiness, a man has to go through the actions based on reason and virtuousness, most of which can be hard to complete.
Topic: happiness

The end goal of a low-scaled action can be limited, i.e. can be easily achieved in a short-term period, but it can serve as a prerequisite to greater goal which is subordinate to more greater goal, and eventually, it will come to the final goal which will be the highest good – happiness. Even small-scale actions, which seem not to contribute to the happiness, serve as prerequisites to larger goals (Aristotle, 1984).
Topic: happiness

For example if we ask: Why are you studying? -To get a good waged job. Why do you want to get a good waged job? –To be able to satisfy my material needs. Why do you want to do so? -To be happy, which is the final goal. Thus, happiness is an end goal, for the sake of which humans accomplish many other different actions, which sometimes might be difficult, but definitely will fulfill their lives. Happiness is the ultimate destination and there is nothing beyond it, as we pursue happiness for its own sake. Influential philosophers like Epicurus, Plato, John Locke and Thomas Jefferson also agree with Aristotle on his conclusion that happiness is an end goal. John Locke, an English philosopher, known as the most authoritative figure of Enlightenment intellectuals, in his book “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” wrote: “…the highest perfection of intellectual nature lies in a careful and constant pursuit of true and solid happiness…” (Locke, 1690, p. 348).
Topic: happiness

John Locke’s position regarding happiness was mainly affected by an ancient Greek thinker – Epicurus, who stated in his Letter to Menoeceus, that the only thing that moves forward human desires is the happiness and that alone; other goals are desired as a tools to achieve happiness (Annas, 1987). The other claim, which also leads to the conclusion that happiness is an end goal, is that people do not give up because they hope that eventually they will be happy, thus, happiness motivates people to overcome obstacles and achieve goals. The path of pursuing happiness is not pleasurable, it comprises of many actions and goals, through which eventually happiness will be acquired. Achieving goals, for instance career or educational goals requires motivation and hard work, as there might occur a plenty of obstacles and disappointments. However, the one’s understanding that he/she will eventually achieve the goal and will be happy, gives him/her a strength to go further (Haase, Poulin, Heckhausen, 2012). This is clearly illustrated in a movie, based on true story of an African-American guy, Christopher Gardner, called “The Pursuit of Happiness”. The film was about unemployed Christopher, whose wife left him and their five years old son due to financial indebtedness and his inability to satisfy material needs of the family.
Topic: happiness

The father and the son has been experiencing extremely difficult times, as Christopher’s investments have burned; he lost his house and forced to live in the streets with his little son. Then, he has found a 6-month internship program, without a salary and any guarantees that eventually he will be employed. During all this time, despite all failures, disappointments and desperateness he bravely struggled to provide a better life for his son and so-called “American dream”. Eventually after the internship, he was accepted to a workplace, and afterwards he achieved success, money and high career goals. So, Christopher was in a desperate situation and he had nothing but a hope that eventually he will succeed and achieve happiness.
Topic: happiness

Thus, disappointments, difficulties, obstacles, sufferings are essential things in humans’ lives and only a hope that eventually they will be happy motivates them not to give up and continue to fight for their end goal – happiness. It was discussed above that happiness serve as a motivator to overcome difficulties and evil, but these things themselves help to produce happiness. Life is not perfect, it does consist both: good and evil, and even evil, which is expressed in sufferings, serve as a mean to achieve happiness. These negative feelings usually resulted from major crises help to contemplate thyself, thus leading to happiness, because happiness includes life of contemplation and self-researching (Aristotle, 1984). It is interesting that if people were asked about valuable situations in their lives that helped become closer to happiness, spiritual life and wisdom, they would not remember about happy, positive moments, they would say about major negative, difficult events. According to a study, conducted by Tedeschi & Calhoun (2004), difficult incidents in people’s lives change them, shaping their perceptions, personal characteristics and priorities, making them stronger, teaching to overcome sufferings and appreciate more every moment of their lives, thereby providing essential experience that only major sufferings can give.
Topic: happiness

To describe this phenomenon a term “post-traumatic growth” was invented by U.S. psychologists Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun from the University of North Carolina, which conceptualizes the betterment brought by extremely difficult life events. Despite the fact that the term is new, the idea that great evil can cause great good, or “there is no evil without a good” are ancient. Friedrich Nietzsche, one of the most bright minds of humanity, supports this point of view, which can be seen in his book “The Will to Power” where he writes: “To those human beings who are of any concern to me I wish suffering, desolation, sickness, ill-treatment, indignities — I wish that they should not remain unfamiliar with profound self-contempt, the torture of self mistrust, the wretchedness of the vanquished: I have no pity for them, because I wish them the only thing that can prove today whether one is worth anything or not — that one endures” (Nietzsche, 1968). Thus, Nietzsche consider that suffering is the only thing that provides the understanding of life.
Topic: happiness

The book of Hamilton Jordan (2000) named “No Such Thing as a Bad Day” also supports this idea from another side, by describing his experience of positive change and growth as a consequence of fight with cancer. He wrote that after his disease he started appreciate every small and for some meaningless things of the life, like watching a dawn, a cuddle from his kid, having fun with Dorothy and so on. This level of his life appreciation has not decreased over the period. Thus, negative emotions like sadness, disappointment, failure, hatred or the most effective one – being at the margin of a life, make people truly appreciate good emotions and become closer to happiness. In order to feel happiness, people should know what unhappiness is. Therefore, even extremely negative feelings exists to serve as a contributors or prerequisites to our final happiness (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).