Definition Essay: A Better Kind Of Happiness

Happiness is something that all people, no matter what race, gender, or social class, strive for. Based on lifestyle or perspective each person has their independent idea of what happiness is, but everyone shares an end goal to live their definition of a happy life. Many people, though, struggle in finding their way to this goal. They face hardships and challenges that test their happiness every day. Happiness, though somewhat indirectly, does take learning and training to discover and maintain.

Based on Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi “Happiness Revisited” People have many different points of view about how to achieve happiness, it can be based on the type of life one is having, an experience, a way of living, culture, and religion. Happiness can be defined in many ways but happiness is not something we find or get just by magic. In “Happiness Revisited” by Csikszentmihalyi, the author emphasizes that “It is by being fully involved with every detail of our lives, whether good or bad, that we find happiness, not by trying to look for it directly.” And just as he stays that happiness is when someone is involved in everything that happens in live either good or bad, one example that I think Csikszentmihalyi will describe as an optimal experience

What is happiness? People have agonized over this question for centuries. Let me start this essay by answering a somewhat easier question: what isn’t happiness? Happiness is NOT feeling good all the time. Happiness is a combination of human emotions and states of mind. Exploring this state of being has consumed the philosophical minds of the ages and will continue to do so for ages to come.

Happiness is not a strange term to us. We usually use that word to express our feelings in every day. Additionally, more than a word, “happiness” is what we really need and always seek in life. However, finding and understanding deeply its meaning is not easy. The online dictionary, “vocabulary.com” defines, “Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are successful, or safe, or lucky, they feel happiness.” Thus, we always wonder if we are happy or how could we be happier in our life. Happiness, therefore, becomes a goal for everybody.

The sensation of happiness is something that has undeniably been argued about for many years by a wide range of philosophical individuals. Questions about the true meaning of being happy are very common, as there are many different viewpoints that have very different opinions on the matter. A well respected analytical philosopher, Richard Kraut, attempted to differentiate a few of these viewpoints, as well as his own standpoint in comparison with Aristotle, who had his own definition of happiness. Aristotle defined happiness in his Nicomachean Ethics as “eudaimon”, which has roughly been translated as “human flourishing”. The term does not directly mean happiness, rather, he implored that the term differentiates between the notion of feeling happy, and the act of leading a happy life. Aristotle argued that these happy feelings only pertain to one’s internal identity and are only experienced by that particular individual. Leading a happy life is also experienced internally, but it is subject to external criticism, thus giving meaning to a similar, yet different idea. One may argue that a person’s life is full of happiness and joy because they have experienced these emotions, while another, who may have witnessed a large portion of their life, might say they have not had a happy life, despite some of the happy instances had by the person.

It can be difficult to give a proper definition of happiness, because it can mean different things to different people. I believe happiness is a state of emotion where you feel pure joy from anything ranging from being with family to seeing breathtaking scenery. For me, the simple things bring me happiness; reading a good book, attending church, helping others in my community, they make me feel joyous.

Happiness in the dictionary is defined as the state of being content or satisfied. In Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, he gives his view as to what he believes the definition of happiness is. To him happiness is not directly experienced through pleasure, it depends on a broad range of conditions that need to be fulfilled. Pleasure results from the satisfaction of one's desire for something, meaning that we get what we want, and

What is happiness? – The Encarta Dictionary – describes happiness as “feeling or showing pleasure, contentment or joy “.

Maybe it was a sign, I speculated to myself. Laying on my terribly cozy bed, the all of the curiosity that I possessed traveled throughout my body immensely pondering the sincere meaning of happiness. What produces such a feeling, I could not wrap such an ambitious argument around my head. I could not process the result of this reaction and to what extent it had on one’s demeanour as a whole. An ample amount of people affirm that happiness comes from ambition and success. Whereas, others assert to that it is truly derived from seeking your passions and dreams. However, my own definition of happiness has been vastly altered from what I have always presumed it as. Now the question is prominent in my mind as my eyes flutter close and I softly drift off into a vacation full of joy, called sleep.

The pursuit of happiness is a common zeitgeist feature that occurs across all of the humanities. The way individuals pursue this happiness varies depending on how the time period has influences them. This zeitgeist feature is especially apparent during the Contemporary era. There are many advancements in the area of technology, causing one to detach from reality. The entertainment industry allows for seriousness to be critiqued. There is a sense of paranoia stirred up by the Cold War. The contemporary era also deals with the idea of fragmentation, which stems into different areas of life. Each of these elements relate to one’s pursuit of happiness during the contemporary era, as well as past and future eras.

In this essay, I will present to you how happiness conflicts with morality by going through a specific scenario where the likes of two concepts are challenged. In addition, I will alternative endings and translations to this scenario by using the perspectives of Aristotelian and Kantian philosophies along with my own. Moreover, the scenario will challenge your perception of happiness and morality. Morality in a superficial sense is a guide for your behavior and happiness can be seen as satisfaction towards yourself or others. Of course, these interpretations aren’t the words of Aristotle or Kant but as you read the scenario it’s important to keep those light definitions in mind.

Happiness comes from the emotional and mental well-being characterized by positive emotions. Being happy comes with a good feeling of accomplishment and joy. Every individual has a different perception on what happiness is and what it brings. The word “happy” differs from the seventeenth to eighteenth century. Society grasps a new view on what happiness really is. Happiness can be brought by something physical like a nice car, an extravagant house, or having a lot of money. Happiness can also come from relationships, family, and friendships.

Happiness is “a state of well-being and contentment” (Merriam-Webster). Through time, people had search for words to describe what happiness means. Psychologists, however, are the ones who contribute to the discussion and meaning of this word “by empirically investigating measures, behavioral correlates, and determinants of happiness” (Stanford Graduate School of Business). Meanwhile, for another person: “happiness is a big umbrella term that can mean different things to different people,” (Nancy Etcoff). Definitely, there is a vast deal of definitions for this word since it changes depending of the person who is defining it.

Achieving a state of happiness, a state of nirvana, is of the utmost importance to a human. Every step that one takes, every action that one performs, all of it is to achieve satisfaction. However, not all satisfaction is derived from the save source and has the same effectiveness. Recall Grade 9 health class where you learned about the good and bad sources of calories. You learned that empty calories (bad) which were from carbohydrates were found mostly in fast food whereas, calories from healthier sources such as Greek yogurt were abundant with protein. In the short term, both sources would fulfill the job of providing the body with energy. However, in the long haul, the sources of calories will have a significant impact on one’s health; If one ate from an empty calorie source, excess intake of carbohydrates could lead to the developing insulin resistance. But, if the person chose a healthy source which provided protein the person could possibly develop extra muscle (given that he/she exercises too). Similarly, this concept of good or bad sources applies to happiness too. The two types of happiness are intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic happiness is attained from relationships, physical health, etc… while extrinsic happiness can be bought. Since intrinsic happiness is harder to attain it is more rewarding.

Do you remember growing up and hearing stories that end in “and they lived happily ever after”? Nowadays, the media stresses the importance of happiness, as if it is offensive to have any other emotion. We tend to surround ourselves with people who seem happy, and as humans we all enjoy the feeling of happiness. But is happiness even real or is it just an illusion that we are taught to chase from a young age. Is it possible to define happiness? Every individual has a slightly mixed definition of happiness. Yet, regardless of the definition of happiness one chooses, like most other things, happiness is impermanent. Happiness arises because of conditions: internal and external. Since it is impossible to control all circumstances happiness is