Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

girldetective · 01-23-2008, 06:42 AM

Pursuit of happiness can be selfish or not, don't you think? And being happy can come from anywhere, from the pursuit or simply from dopamine levels. For instance, the dog that found the sunny spot and languidly stretched out. He is being happy at that moment perhaps because there is sun, he found a spot, and/or the sun feels good. Is it selfish? I suppose. Is it wrong? I don't think so. But if you look at Intellectual Martyr it is a different story. His purging crop was close by, never leaving the room. Give babydoll a kiss, whack! Like something too much? Whack! The way that I understand it is that while truly languishing in happiness at a personal level, he CAN'T continue simply because he is happy. He believes he will be seen globally as less than because his taste for love gravitates towards the sweet rather than the world rebel cause. In other words, he likes the frosting more than the cake, but he believes he should like the cake better. In the end though it is easy to admire conviction and no one comes out too unhappy. Could it be that the conviction and denial make him happy and satisfied while at the same time miserable, in which case he is mistaken and is pursuing happiness? And really maybe this post belongs in the Psychological Hell Forum rather than Philosophy, but I don't think so necessarily. I have met other people like him just not on such a personal level. Personal happiness vs global happiness as if they are separate, which of course they are, but really they aren't. And isn't misery selfish? Are all feelings inherently selfish?

01-23-2008, 06:42 AM	#43 (permalink)
girldetective sufferable	Pursuit of happiness can be selfish or not, don't you think? And being happy can come from anywhere, from the pursuit or simply from dopamine levels. For instance, the dog that found the sunny spot and languidly stretched out. He is being happy at that moment perhaps because there is sun, he found a spot, and/or the sun feels good. Is it selfish? I suppose. Is it wrong? I don't think so. But if you look at Intellectual Martyr it is a different story. His purging crop was close by, never leaving the room. Give babydoll a kiss, whack! Like something too much? Whack! The way that I understand it is that while truly languishing in happiness at a personal level, he CAN'T continue simply because he is happy. He believes he will be seen globally as less than because his taste for love gravitates towards the sweet rather than the world rebel cause. In other words, he likes the frosting more than the cake, but he believes he should like the cake better. In the end though it is easy to admire conviction and no one comes out too unhappy. Could it be that the conviction and denial make him happy and satisfied while at the same time miserable, in which case he is mistaken and is pursuing happiness? And really maybe this post belongs in the Psychological Hell Forum rather than Philosophy, but I don't think so necessarily. I have met other people like him just not on such a personal level. Personal happiness vs global happiness as if they are separate, which of course they are, but really they aren't. And isn't misery selfish? Are all feelings inherently selfish? Last edited by girldetective; 01-23-2008 at 09:35 AM..