Happiness, Apparently, Is Short-Lived

01.06.07

Posted under: People, Thoughts

I believe that what makes us human is our insatiable nature. You can be a happy person for one day and then for the next, you feel as if you want something more. You are already content with what you have, but now you feel that there’s something else out there that could make you happier.

Why is that? Why are so many of us so tied into that thought? I don’t mean to say that we’re always looking for something better. You could be just perfectly content and happy for the time being, but then little by little, you notice that you could be happier if this or if that.

I don’t mean to say that you’re unhappy either. You can still be happy but want something more. Does that make sense? It’s like having that perfect ice cream cone and the only thing missing to make it extra special are sprinkles. It doesn’t lessen the joy you already have, but you know that if you had sprinkles, then it’d be perfect. But you’re still happy that it’s a great ice cream cone.

Do you think that there’s going to be someone who’s already gotten everything s/he’s wanted and there is nothing else? Or is that just death? To know that it’s the end and that when you’ve finally gotten what you want, then you can die? But that’s another topic entirely.

How do you cure the insatiable human?

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Tags: happiness, insatiable, People, pleasures

19 Comments »

Joana declared:

Friday, June 1, 2007 @ 2:49 am GMT-8

I think you also have to take into consideration the culture that people live in. In many of the smaller communities of the so called “un-developed” countries the members do not necessarily want anything more and feel content with their lot in life. Some hunter and gather communities are very much like this. They wrangle what they can get each year to meet ends meet and that is that. Perhaps it is the society that we come from, our governments continuously jockey with one another for power and prestige. Eventually that mentality is acted upon by the people. If the society as a whole is not satisfied with it’s position in the world then how can they be satisfied with the smaller things? It’s like that saying goes, before someone can love you, you must love yourself. Before a society can be content with it’s position it’s people must be content with their lot.

Of course the catch 22 is that both are tied together and go round and round in an ever going cycle. How do you break that?
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Aleida wrote:

Friday, June 1, 2007 @ 4:43 am GMT-8

Hmm there is no cure ~ People always have wants and needs - of course on different levels. Think of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs… but I think this constant flow of needs helps some of us to really achieve things. Developing, constantly moving, evolving …. - or something like that sorry for this vague little comment!
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Nicolah commented:

Friday, June 1, 2007 @ 9:40 am GMT-8

I hate how happiness is shortlived.. You can never be happy for too long.. But if you really want to be happy, just hang out with a child.. Their innocence is amazing. I could have the crappiest day EVER, but hanging out with my son just makes it all better.
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Stockton Boy typed:

Saturday, June 2, 2007 @ 1:30 am GMT-8

Humans, everyone of us, is very greedy. We always want more then what we have. We can be content with what we have but a 32 inch plasma tv with a ps3, wii, x box, with surround sound would make me a little happier then my 19 inch tv with nothing. I am fine with running by myself, but to run with someone would make me happier. People don’t really understand what they have, and hardly ever accept the plate that is given to them. You know me and the plate I was given, you know that I am very content and mildly happy with my life. I don’t really want anything other then a decent place to rest my head. But I would love to have adventure. My life almost bores me. Many people want more because there must be more then this simple life. People just want different things.
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Mari declared:

Saturday, June 2, 2007 @ 2:14 pm GMT-8

Humans are insatiable. Indeed. Mari would say it’s because we’re greedy creatures. We want it all, and condemn the expense.

Humans have been greedy and decadent ever since we learned to speak languages and form citites. Look at the Romans.

Or perhaps it’s our need for change. We see it around us every day. Change is time. It is a constant force pushing us forward.

And sprinkles sound really good right now…XD
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Julie stated:

Saturday, June 2, 2007 @ 6:38 pm GMT-8

Ok so I didn’t get a notify thinger, and your site didn’t load for me the past day. *kicks it* I think if you truly want nothing else out of this world than you are dead. It is human nature and the nature of being alive to desire something, to want more than you have, to strive for something. That’s not to say that you’re not happy with what you have, but something can always change and make you happier, you know? And that’s ok, that’s right, that’s good.
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Angela typed:

Sunday, June 3, 2007 @ 9:54 pm GMT-8

I am exactly like that. I always want something more or better. I don’t feel that makes me a BAD person, though. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the things that I have, but like you said it could always be BETTER. It could always be worse too, though. So.. I don’t really know where that leaves us.
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Anna declared:

Monday, June 4, 2007 @ 5:25 am GMT-8

Happiness is a little strange. I somehow never find a point in my life when I’m just happy or satisfied. I somehow feel that being happy will make me depressed. (I know that makes no sense) I don’t think I actually appreciate what I have, but when I do start appreciating things, it seems like I’m trying too hard. (Am I even in sync with the topic of the post?) Love your site by the way.
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Kaisa typed:

Tuesday, June 5, 2007 @ 12:37 pm GMT-8

I do that constantly. Want something better, something newer, something shinier. And it isn’t just about owning physical objects, being more and more materialistic, but also about more philosophical things. People strive to be better human beings as well as possess better toys.

I’m rambling and probably way off topic…
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Joana replied:

Wednesday, June 6, 2007 @ 1:32 pm GMT-8

Back again hun to let you know that you have been tagged to tell us 8 Things about yourself!
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Monica expressed:

Wednesday, June 6, 2007 @ 10:37 pm GMT-8

I think it has a lot to do with the society/culture we’re immersed in. Capitalism does that to individuals. Makes individuals always wanting to strive for more - i.e. to get a better car, own a bigger home, get that promotion. We’re just so lucky to have what we already have, yet we still want more.
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Diana responded:

Thursday, June 7, 2007 @ 8:04 am GMT-8

That’s just it though. Deep down we are looking for something better. The ability to “want” is always going to be the driving force in our lives. The “id” is the want want want… we want everything and we want it all the time.
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Julie wrote:

Friday, June 8, 2007 @ 8:40 am GMT-8

I like this entry! It’s so deep and thought provoking! You have seriously given me something to think about! You should post more entries like this!!
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Maria responded:

Friday, June 8, 2007 @ 7:42 pm GMT-8

@Joana
(Replying after reading Aleida’s comment)
I think that Maslow’s hierarchy plays into this. Those in other countries have different needs. Those in better countries have already fulfilled their needs and are now moving up. But yes, the catch-22 is inevitable.

@Aleida
Yes, Maslow’s hierarchy does play a good part into this.

@Nicolah
Yes, children are quite happy people.

@Stockton Boy
It’s not that they don’t understand what they have; it’s their want for something better even if they are happy with where they are and with what they have.

@Mari
I think it’s more for our need for change than our need to be greedy. That doesn’t mean there aren’t those who are greedy; but for the most part, we want change.

@Julie
(That’s odd. I get it for me right away, but yours lags for me too.)
Makes sense Julie.

@Angela
But most of the time, we don’t focus on how it could be worse, you know?

@Anna
That’s an odd view to happiness. But I suppose you make some sense about how you feel.

@Kaisa
You’re not off topic. I never specified whether it was a materialistic or philosophical want.

@Monica
I think that society can implant materialistic wants and desires.

@Diana
All about the psyche, isn’t it? That damned id.

@Julie
Um… I would like your thoughts about the topic of the post… not the post itself.
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Deanna answered:

Saturday, June 9, 2007 @ 10:46 am GMT-8

I don’t think there is a cure for that. It’s just who we are. We always want more then what we have. I guess that’s part of why we have kept on evolving.
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Angela shouted:

Saturday, June 9, 2007 @ 12:34 pm GMT-8

Maria, yes you are right. By nature I guess we all do focus on how things can be better and complain about our lives and what not. We could all stand to learn how to be more appreciative of what we have and not concern ourselves so much with what we COULD have. I mean in some instances it’s good to have goals, ambitions, and wants.. but greed is ugly. I try hard not to be greedy but I am only human and sometimes I find myself being a tad bit selfish and greedy.
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Henriet responded:

Saturday, June 9, 2007 @ 12:50 pm GMT-8

Well I’m not too sure. I think a person can’t have everything in there lives and I think the people who do have everything are still missing something but they can’t figure out what.
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Sandra voiced:

Monday, June 11, 2007 @ 1:06 am GMT-8

I agree with you about the thing that people (usually) wants this and that to make him/herself happier.
It doesn’t need a cure. It’s human nature. If we are not like that, then the world wouldn’t be as it is now.
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Maria responded:

Monday, June 11, 2007 @ 10:46 am GMT-8

@Deanna
I didn’t think we could cure it too, especially since it’s human nature.

@Angela
Yes, it’s okay to have ambitions and goals, but there’s a line that separates them from greed. I wouldn’t necessarily say that most are on the “greed” side, but those that are, I believe, are very unappreciative of the things they do have.

@Henriet
They know what they’re missing; they just can’t get it.

@Sandra
Very true. And there isn’t a cure anyway even if we wanted one.
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