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Originally Posted by An Amateur  Its interesting that you consider it lying to yourself. It sounds like a very rationalistic way of thinking. Basically meaning you cannot trust the evidence of your own experience, senses, or even feelings? To me its a kind of extremism.
I agree with your last statement though. But is it the ability to identify needs and set goals that makes them happy or is it a trait of being happy, or even a self sustaining cycle? If it is a cycle how does one start the cycle if they are not in it?
It alright saying "I think that all you need is this...", but thats like saying all you need to be happy is to be happy. Enjoyment is inseperable linked with happiness. You don't get pleasure out of something and think, damn im miserable. |
We studied this in psych, from that perspective. Their are basic needs everyone needs - survival, a sense of safety, food and shelter essentially. This things allow someone to be "content" but that no longer really applies to humans. Under that logic an abused child would be "happy." The model is based of a more regular animal kingdom though, and as far as I know humans are the only animals capable of that.
Beyond that, there is a need to belong, and a need for accomplishment and recognition. These cannot be filled before the lower levels, and it is this that allow for the happiness you're talking about (from a psych point of view).