[Pygmalion]

I don't think I have, even those who seem happy on the surface ... Dig a little and they're just suffering like everyone else ...

Maybe happiness and contentment are illusions.

I know myself.

And I've learned the secrets of happiness from others.

[Pygmalion]

Originally Posted by theoretical

I know myself.

And I've learned the secrets of happiness from others.

You're genuinely happy?
Awesome!

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

You're genuinely happy?
Awesome!

Of course. Why wouldn't I be?

[divine1966]

I am happy and content.

Happiness and suffering are relative though. And no one can be slap happy every day of their lives. There are illnesses to endure and deaths in families to sort out etc etc but other than that I believe many people are happy.

[Pygmalion]

Maybe I just live amongst all the wrong sorts of people ... Because I really never have met one.

[divine1966]

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

Maybe I just live amongst all the wrong sorts of people ... Because I really never have met one.

What type of job do you have?

As about friendships do you associate with people who suffer from depression?

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

I don't think I have, even those who seem happy on the surface ... Dig a little and they're just suffering like everyone else ...

Maybe happiness and contentment are illusions.

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

Maybe I just live amongst all the wrong sorts of people ... Because I really never have met one.

Considering that, in several of your other posts, you've claimed that you haven't had friends in years, let alone close friends, how do you know if they're genuinely happy or not?

[divine1966]

Good point. If you don’t have friends, who are these unhappy people you know? Family? Neighbors? Coworkers? You can’t possibly know strangers on deep enough level to know if they are happy or not. I’d say unless these people are close friends of yours or close family members, you can’t know their level of happiness

[Pygmalion]

Colleagues, neighbours and family. I work in education, so I get to meet a couple new hundred people a year. I don't need to know much about them to know they got troubles and feel stressed and sad fairly often. Hence they ain't happy.

Again everyone I've ever met my whole life, many thousands of people, have problems that make them sad.

I’ve met plenty of people who are smiling and making the best they can out of a tough situation. I’ve met plenty of people who complain a lot and they have more blessings in their life than most. Who really knows but I suspect circumstances of your life don’t really determine your happiness. Like Abraham Lincoln once said.... People are as happy as they want to be....

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

Colleagues, neighbours and family. I work in education, so I get to meet a couple new hundred people a year. I don't need to know much about them to know they got troubles and feel stressed and sad fairly often. Hence they ain't happy.

Again everyone I've ever met my whole life, many thousands of people, have problems that make them sad.

And yet, no one you would call "friend." How do you know these deep and personal things about all these people?

Of course everyone has problems. That's life. I'm happy not because I'm without struggles, but because I have struggles to overcome. I need challenge and excitement. A life without any struggles would be rather dull.

[Pygmalion]

Originally Posted by Sisabel

I’ve met plenty of people who are smiling and making the best they can out of a tough situation. I’ve met plenty of people who complain a lot and they have more blessings in their life than most. Who really knows but I suspect circumstances of your life don’t really determine your happiness. Like Abraham Lincoln once said.... People are as happy as they want to be....

Yes, I've met plenty who are making the most of terrible situations. But they aren't really happy, just coping.

[Pygmalion]

Originally Posted by theoretical

And yet, no one you would call "friend." How do you know these deep and personal things about all these people?

Of course everyone has problems. That's life. I'm happy not because I'm without struggles, but because I have struggles to overcome. I need challenge and excitement. A life without any struggles would be rather dull.

Deep and personal? I know they are divorced, or lonely, or take drugs, or drink too much, or have cancer, or have relatives in prison, have terrible health, or been fired, or are poor, or have a range of mental health issues etc. You barely need to know anyone on a personal level to know that kind of stuff. And happiness, or the lack of it, is written across their face and life.

I don't find struggles make things interesting, I don't find pain necessary for happiness. Rather the opposite.

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

Deep and personal? I know they are divorced, or lonely, or take drugs, or drink too much, or have cancer, or have relatives in prison, have terrible health, or been fired, or are poor, or have a range of mental health issues etc. You barely need to know anyone on a personal level to know that kind of stuff. And happiness, or the lack of it, is written across their face and life.

You can be/do/experience all of those things and still be happy. I don't know why you would think otherwise.

It's "written across their face and life," is it? Or maybe you're projecting.

I don't find struggles make things interesting, I don't find pain necessary for happiness. Rather the opposite.

That's probably why you're always bored.

[Pygmalion]

Originally Posted by theoretical

You can be/do/experience all of those things and still be happy. I don't know why you would think otherwise.

It's "written across their face and life," is it? Or maybe you're projecting.


That's probably why you're always bored.

I don't think you can experience those things and be 'really happy'. And again, even if you can, I haven't met such.

I may be just projecting. Or I might just be right.

So you think I'm always bored because I don't find pain interesting? I guess if I found suffering interesting you'd be right, I woukdnt be bored, since suffering is easy to come by.

But what does a non-masochist do when bored? I don't want to end my boredom by suffering - I find pain worse than boredom, tbh. I'd rather have fun and be happy and be interested.

[sarahsweets]

I am pretty happy, definitely content and use humor to get through the hard times.

[Pygmalion]

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

I am pretty happy, definitely content and use humor to get through the hard times.

Would you describe yourself as 'really happy' even with hard times?

Again, this sort of happiness is not something I've encountered. Maybe it's because of where I live or something ...

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

I don't think you can experience those things and be 'really happy'. And again, even if you can, I haven't met such.

I may be just projecting. Or I might just be right.

Seriously?

You're projecting.

So you think I'm always bored because I don't find pain interesting.

I said "struggles." Something to overcome in order to grow and to learn. And yes, I think you're bored because you lack a meaningful challenge in your life.

[Pygmalion]

Originally Posted by theoretical

Seriously?

You're projecting.


I said "struggles." Something to overcome in order to grow and to learn. And yes, I think you're bored because you lack a meaningful challenge in your life.

How do you know I'm projecting rather having just never met a really happy person? Maybe you're the one projecting here

I don't think meaningful challenges are a decent swap for boredom. I'd rather be bored than suffer. And it seems they are the only choices you are offering me.

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

How do you know I'm projecting rather having just never met a really happy person? Maybe you're the one projecting here

I don't think meaningful challenges are a decent swap for boredom. I'd rather be bored than suffer. And it seems they are the only choices you are offering me.

Statistics. It's far more likely that you're projecting your feelings onto people you barely know on an intimate level, rather than you having some preternatural empathic abilities and the thousands of people you've "read" are all miserable.

[Pygmalion]

Originally Posted by theoretical

Statistics. It's far more likely that you're projecting your feelings onto people you barely know on an intimate level, rather than you having some preternatural empathic abilities and the thousands of people you've "read" are all miserable.

What are the statistics for the people in my local environment being 'really happy'?

That aside, which I think is more likely to do with how I interpet 'really happy' compared to others, what do you mean by 'meaningful challenge'? Can you provide examples of some challenge which is meaningful, alleviates boredom, but doesn't cause suffering?

Originally Posted by Pygmalion

What are the statistics for the people in my local environment being 'really happy'?

That aside, which I think is more likely to do with how I interpet 'really happy' compared to others, what do you mean by 'meaningful challenge'? Can you provide examples of some challenge which is meaningful, alleviates boredom, but doesn't cause suffering?

7.52/10 for the UK.

Overall UK happiness levels given English boost, ONS says | World news | The Guardian

[Pygmalion]

Originally Posted by theoretical

7.52/10 for the UK.

Overall UK happiness levels given English boost, ONS says | World news | The Guardian

Doesn't seem local. Seems national.
And only 'happiness', not 'really happy.'
Wouldn't 'really happy' be at least a 9/10?

The people I've met sure font talk or act like they're 'really happy'. Most constantly complain about how miserable they are.

What are these meaningful challenges?

[luvyrself]

I’m sort of surprised by these posts. I think a lot of people are happy,eg ok with their life in general, taking the good with the bad(as opposed to ecstatic or anything unrealistic) and a lot of people aren’t.