Happiness is a Choice

[BigV]

If happiness is not a choice, what is it then?

The inescapable result of circumstances? A transient emotional state? A reflex? A chance, random result of... ?

I know people, and I know you know people, who have been in a set of circumstances, sets of people, who for group A, circumstance X, are happy. And for group B, circumstance X, are not happy. How can it be the circumstances? (as much as you can compare group A and B and how ever matchy-matchy the circumstances appear).

I know that in my own life, there have been times where I reacted well (happily) to some news, and other times when I reacted badly to similar news. Or changed my opinion / feeling about the exact same news/event/change.

Perhaps you've heard "Boredom is a choice". I think I heard it first here in the cellar. I agree with that. Especially in the context of young kids "I'm booooorrred." (complete with eyeroll and giant sigh). aw. poor baby. What? No books in your world? No grass to roll in? No chores? No animals to play with? etc, etc, etc, etc. They're bored because they've focused on X and not Y. I think happiness is much the same.

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And another idea, sparked from xoB's comment.... Happy, compared to what? How happy I was last week/year/as a young man/etc? Happy compared to the Joneses? Or (heaven forfend), happy compared to some image from the media or advertising? (good luck with that, eh?). Happy compared to what?

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by BigV

If happiness is not a choice, what is it then? ...

... Perhaps you've heard "Boredom is a choice". They're bored because they've focused on X and not Y. I think happiness is much the same. ...

Or maybe happiness the opposite, when you can forget about the Y (why?) and simply enjoy.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Happy compared to before shit happened.
You can't say X happens to group A or B with uniform results, hence uniform reactions. The same shit affects everyone differently, for example...

If I come out of the market and have a flat tire, it's an aggravation. I've got a spare, and if I have the time AAA will come change it for me. Also if the tire is trash, I can buy a new one without a second thought.

Now single mom, with 2 kids in tow, comes out of the market with barely enough food to last till her empty SNAP account gets refilled, and $1.67 in her pocket. That same flat tire, it's a fucking catastrophe.