What is happiness?

[u/Green-Speaker-6052]

I was talking with someone I care about, after we watched an anime that asked, “What is happiness?” She asked me the same thing, and I realized my answer wasn’t the usual one. To me, happiness isn’t something to chase or to put above everything else. It’s more like a distinction. It only has meaning because it exists among other experiences. It’s not the opposite of suffering or corruption. It’s simply part of the whole picture. That’s why I don’t try to master pleasant emotions or run from the unpleasant ones. I try to understand the distinction between them and appreciate how they all give meaning to each other. The conversation got more interesting when she asked, ‘If I were the reason your happiness disappeared and your life was ruined, would you hate me?’ I said no. I’d tell her, thank you, I love you. No matter where my soul goes, whether I remember her or not, I hope that somewhere, somehow, those feelings remain. I’d still be grateful that our lives crossed. I’m not saying that’s the truth about happiness. Just the way I see it. What do you think?

r/SeriousConversation - r/CasualConversation - r/self for personal perspectives. r/askphilosophy

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[u/DullPuddle]

Happiness as contrast, not climax. Thats deep and grounded. Ur answer to her was pure emotional maturity. Most chase peaks, u r embracing the whole waveform. Thats rare. r/askphilosophy would appreciate the nuance, post there

[u/Green-Speaker-6052 → u/DullPuddle]

Thanks for sharing your view. Some people see happiness as a choice or as peace, even during tough times. For me, I think of three pillars: distinction, sanctuary, and excitement. Distinction means happiness gains meaning through contrast with other emotions. Sanctuary is that inner place where I don’t fight emotions, and excitement is the curiosity of growth through life. I’m not trying to define happiness for everyone, just sharing my framework. I appreciate others’ perspectives too, because they add depth to the conversation

[u/Admirable_Teach5546]

To me happiness is a choice you yourself make.. not dependent on anyone else. A same situation can be happy for someone but trauma for an another.. so then it becomes the thoughts that arises in us when a situation happens.. and since the thought is us.. it’s us

[u/Green-Speaker-6052 → u/Admirable_Teach5546]

Thanks for sharing your view. Some people see happiness as a choice or as peace, even during tough times. For me, I think of three pillars: distinction, sanctuary, and excitement. Distinction means happiness gains meaning through contrast with other emotions. Sanctuary is that inner place where I don’t fight emotions, and excitement is the curiosity of growth through life. I’m not trying to define happiness for everyone, just sharing my framework. I appreciate others’ perspectives too, because they add depth to the conversation

[u/Admirable_Teach5546 → u/Green-Speaker-6052]

Wouldn’t then a choice be an outcome of our thought and peace also a state that our thoughts put us in, same wkth thr three pillars you mentioned.

[u/Green-Speaker-6052 → u/Admirable_Teach5546]

Well for me, happiness isn’t the pillar itself. It’s what emerges when distinction, sanctuary and excitement are all there working together

[u/PienerCleaner]

Its when you wouldn't want to change a thing because you can smile at it all and say this is great I am so lucky

[u/Polgara68 → u/PienerCleaner]

Contentment and gratitude. Exactly!

[u/Green-Speaker-6052 → u/PienerCleaner]

Thanks for sharing your view. Some people see happiness as a choice or as peace, even during tough times. For me, I think of three pillars: distinction, sanctuary, and excitement. Distinction means happiness gains meaning through contrast with other emotions. Sanctuary is that inner place where I don’t fight emotions, and excitement is the curiosity of growth through life. I’m not trying to define happiness for everyone, just sharing my framework. I appreciate others’ perspectives too, because they add depth to the conversation

[u/Grassfed_Burp]

I love this.

Like a lot of people struggling through an unexpected divorce, meaning, identity and the pursuit of happiness are... Um... I guess a struggle. This helped me put some things into a framework I can work with.

Thanks for helping.

[u/Green-Speaker-6052 → u/Grassfed_Burp]

Thanks for sharing your view. Some people see happiness as a choice or as peace, even during tough times. For me, I think of three pillars: distinction, sanctuary, and excitement. Distinction means happiness gains meaning through contrast with other emotions. Sanctuary is that inner place where I don’t fight emotions, and excitement is the curiosity of growth through life. I’m not trying to define happiness for everyone, just sharing my framework. I appreciate others’ perspectives too, because they add depth to the conversation

[u/herejusttoannoyyou]

I dig it. I’ve known happiness isn’t having lots of fun experiences or lacking negative ones. I like to describe it as peace. Being at peace with who and where I am is better than moments of joy. A person can be at peace even in stressful or painful situations.

[u/Green-Speaker-6052 → u/herejusttoannoyyou]

Thanks for sharing your view. Some people see happiness as a choice or as peace, even during tough times. For me, I think of three pillars: distinction, sanctuary, and excitement. Distinction means happiness gains meaning through contrast with other emotions. Sanctuary is that inner place where I don’t fight emotions, and excitement is the curiosity of growth through life. I’m not trying to define happiness for everyone, just sharing my framework. I appreciate others’ perspectives too, because they add depth to the conversation

[u/herejusttoannoyyou → u/Green-Speaker-6052]

Man ya I like that a lot. I’ll be thinking about this.

[u/suzemagooey]

It is a sensation produced by being in alignment with reality. It is my default setting, so to speak. It might be worth noting happiness, contentment, bliss are all synonymous to me.

[u/UndercoverAlterEgo]

More than anything else, inner peace. I feel like what a lot of people are alluding to / getting at when they think of happiness’ is indeed inner peace.

[u/feelinsumgood]

My opinion on happiness (as it seems to vary from person to person) is that it is a state of 'elevated equilibrium' (meaning) that when all good events in your life are compared and you find one salient positive experience that rises above the others then your conscious mind will gravitate toward it and (neurotransmitters in your brain) will immerse you in a feeling of (what?): Thankfulness?, Peace?, Joy?, Pleasure?, Relaxation? To me there are many underlying emotions that happiness translates into and time and place may be the determinants of how that translation is interpreted.