(part 1 of 3): ideas of happiness
Although happiness may be one of the most important things in life, science cannot explain much about it yet. Your term itself is difficult to grasp. Is it an idea, a feeling, a virtue, a philosophy or is it only programmed in our genes? There is no unanimous explanation for it, and nowadays everyone seems to be selling happiness – drug dealers, the pharmaceutical industry, Hollywood, toy manufacturers, self-help gurus and of course Disney, the creator of the happiest place on planet Earth. Can happiness actually be purchased? Is happiness achieved by increasing pleasure, fame and fortune to the utmost, or by leading a rampant life? This series of articles will briefly outline the evolution of happiness in Western thinking, followed by current cultural understanding in the West. Finally, the meaning and some means of how to achieve happiness are explained from an Islamic perspective.
Development of Happiness in the Western Mindset
The Christian idea of happiness is based on a traditional statement by Jesus:
“… you too are now sad; but I want to see you again, and your heart should rejoice, and none of you should take your joy. ” (John 16:22)
The Christian concept of happiness developed over the centuries, and in turn persisted in the theory of sin, which, as St. Augustine explained in the City of God, explained that due to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden „true happiness is unattainable in our current life.“
In 1776, Thomas Jefferson summarized a good century of reflection on the subject in Europe and Africa and saw the „persecution of happiness“ as an „obvious“ truth. At that time, the truth of happiness was so convincingly explained that many believed that evidence was no longer necessary. It was self-evident, as Jefferson said. Ensuring “the greatest possible happiness for the greatest number” of people had become the command of the moral of the century. But – how “self-evident” was the pursuit of happiness? Was it really so obvious that happiness was our natural intended end? The Christians testified that people pursued happiness during their pilgrimage on earth, but remained skeptical about this achievement. On the other hand, Jefferson himself was pessimistic about whether the hunt would ever lead to a satisfactory outcome. „Perfect happiness … was never intended by the deity to be the plumb of one of his creatures,“ he said in a letter in 1763, adding soberly: „The luckiest of us to meet on our journey through life are regularly struck by misfortune and misfortune afflicted, which can grieve us considerably. „[2]“ To strengthen our minds against these attacks, „he concluded,“ should be one of the most important studies and In the fifth century, however, Boethius claimed that „God himself is happiness“. [3] In the middle of the 19th century, the term was reversed: “Happiness is God”. Happiness on earth appeared as the idol of idols, the center of modern life, the source of human longing, the meaning of existence, the why and what for. If, as Freud said, happiness was not provided „in the plan of creation“ [4], there are those who are willing to change the craft of the creator to incorporate it into the name of democracy and free trade Fabricate, consume and export (materialism). As the philosopher Pascal Bruckner stated: „Happiness is the only horizon of our contemporary democracies.“ As a substitute religion, materialism has moved God to the shopping mile.
Happiness in Western Culture
It is commonly believed in our culture that when you become rich, powerful, or famous, you become happy. The youngsters dream of becoming a famous pop star, the elderly wish to win the jackpot. We often seek happiness by trying to get rid of any stress, grief, and distraction. For some, happiness lies in therapies that change mood. Eva Moskowitz, a historian, gives us an idea of America’s obsession with the gospel of therapy: „Nowadays, this obsession knows no boundaries … there are over 260 12-step programs in America.“ [ 5]
One reason that we have so many difficulties in getting happiness is that we don’t have a clear idea of what it is. For this reason, we make wrong decisions in life. An Islamic story illuminates the relationship between decision and happiness.
„Oh, great, wise Nasrudin,“ said
the impatient student, „I have to
ask you a very important question, the answer of which
we are all very interested in: What is the secret
to achieving happiness?“
Nasrudin thought for a while,
then replied, „The secret of
happiness is good judgment.“
„Ah,“ said the student. “But how
do we get a good judgment?
„From experience,“ answered
Nasrudin.
„Yes,“ said the student. „But how
do we get experience?“
„Bad judgment.“
An example of our good judgment is knowing that materialistic convenience does not lead to lasting happiness. If we come to this conclusion with our good judgment, we will not sink into self-pity. We continue to plead happiness that seems out of our reach. We make more and more money because we think that this will make us happy and we neglect our family. Most of the big events we dream of bring us less luck than we hoped for. In addition to being less happy than we expected or hoped for, we regularly don’t know exactly what we want, what will make us happy, or how we can achieve it. We make wrong judgments.
Lasting happiness does not come from “making it”. Let’s imagine someone who could snap their fingers and give you fame, success, and leisure. Would you be happy then? You would be euphoric, but only for a short time. Little by little you would adapt to these new circumstances and your life would return to the everyday mix of feelings. Studies show that people who won the big lottery a few months later are no happier than the average person. To win the joy, you would need an even higher height.
Let’s also consider how we “made it”. In 1957, income per person was less than $ 8,000 in current dollar value. Today it’s $ 16,000. With double income, we now have twice as much material goods that you can buy with money – including twice as many cars per person. We also have microwave ovens, color televisions, VCRs, answering machines, and $ 12 million annually for branded athletic shoes.
Are we happier? No! In 1957, 35% of Americans told the National Opinion Research Center that they were „very happy“. In 1991, only 31% said the same thing. [6] In the meantime, the number of depressions has continued to increase.
God’s Prophet of Mercy said:
„True enrichment does not come from owning a lot of wealth, but a real enrichment is the enrichment of the soul.“ (Sahieh Al-Bukhari)
Footnotes:
[1] City of God, (XIX.4-10). (http://www.humanities.mq.edu.au/Ockham/y6705.html).
[2] Notes for an Autobiography, 1821.
[3] De Consol. iii.
[4] Civilization and Its Discontents, (1930).
[5] We trust therapy: America’s obsession with self-fulfillment.
[6] Center for a New American Dream, 2000 Annual Report. (http://www.newdream.org/publications/2000annualreport.pdf)
Source: https://www.islamland.com/deu/articles/glck-im-islam