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[Doctors talk freely.Guan Xin Ji]The Pursuit of Happiness: Philosophy

[Doctors talk freely.Guan Xin Ji]The Pursuit of Happiness: Philosophy


“It doesn’t matter if I am poor in this life, I will be rich and happier in my next life.” African folk ancestral motto in Zimbabwe.

Since social science, psychology, and current medicine have not found a good recipe for sustained happiness, can we find this ultimate goal of human beings in philosophy?

When the spirit is satisfied, the heart is happy

Daniel Kahneman, the winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economics, once made a study on the relationship between human daily life and happiness. The research report is quite long. One of the details is a couple who faced a newborn baby. Ask them what they hate doing the most, and the vast majority of couples will say changing the baby’s diaper or the baby being cranky all night and they have to calm him down. However, if one asks about the source of a couple’s happiness, many of the answers are that the family has become more perfect because of the birth of the baby.

Why is this so? Since they hate serving children, they think children bring them happiness. The answer involves the meaning of life! When we feel that life has meaning, no matter how hard life is, we still feel happy!

The scientist believes that his research results will contribute to all mankind, so his life is meaningful. Soldiers fight for their country and feel that their mission is sacred. Life becomes meaningful, the spirit is satisfied, and the thought of it brings joy to the heart.

When I visited Zimbabwe, I heard the voices of the local people: “Although we are poor, it doesn’t matter, we will be rich in the next life!” If not, wouldn’t they, who live in poverty, be sad every day? Similarly, peasant households in the Middle Ages in Europe did not feel that poverty was suffering, because sooner or later they would go to heaven after death. The Crusaders, who are not afraid of death, are not afraid even if they kill the enemy or be killed, because they believe that all sins can be forgiven after the Eastern Expedition!

The question is, how can they be so sure they are right?

If we tell these couples that taking care of your children is bittersweet, suffering is not a blessing; that the results of research may also destroy the earth to scientists; that it is a crime to kill an enemy to soldiers; After that, they may not be rich in the next life, etc., which will definitely reduce their happiness. Do I have to treat them like this? Or let human beings comfort themselves, even if they don’t know the truth, it doesn’t matter, as long as they are happy!

To obtain continuous happiness, do we human beings need to take antidepressants for a long time to increase the happy chemicals in the body; or do we need to find a meaning of our own life, no matter whether this meaning is right or wrong? Do we have any other options?

Liberalism is not a source of happiness

Can we throw ourselves all the way into liberalism that keeps us happy all the time? As long as we do what we like and don’t need to consider other people’s feelings or visions, we will always be happy! The so-called human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of belief, free love, and trade are all liberalism.

But we may also violate the human rights of others and slander others. We are all free to fall in love, but lovers are also free to leave us. Children are free to take drugs and sell arms! Christianity believes that such willful behavior will easily be tempted by the devil, and it will be beyond redemption. Evolutionary scientists also believe that if this continues, human beings will become more and more selfish. It can be seen that liberalism is not a source of continuous happiness!

It seems that human beings have reached the limit of their ability to seek continuous happiness. We can only rely on religion and hope to obtain eternal happiness.

I will make a detailed analysis in this aspect in the next article, don’t miss it!

(Guangming Daily/Doctor Column‧Author: Chen Changci)



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