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Happiness or Pleasure

lost weekend said:
I'm just wondering if we are fooling ourselves with so many descriptive emotions into believing that our base emotion which makes us who we are is pleasure and the thought of more pleasure
Which could make it a selfish emotion
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Monks are supposed to renounce worldly pleasures as those rarely bring contentment and are a huge distraction from leading a spiritual life according to the religion they follow.
As per the basic emotions the Buddhist view makes sense to me when talking about desire (for pleasure), aversion ( to pain) and ignorance ( no meaning in either way).
 
BTW CC my previous post. Boethius is generally considered to be part of the Neoplatonic school of philosophy although he applied Aristotelianism (Peripatetic) logic making his writings unique.
 
It is unrealistic to strive for 'happiness' if it is defined as a peak emotional experience. That can't be a permanent state, and isn't even desirable.

Like being permanently high - the way you even register being 'high' is because it is in contrast to how you normally feel, otherwise it would become meaningless.

I think what most people actually mean when they say they want to be happy in their existence however is being CONTENT.
Not to be suffering, either physically or mentally; not to have to worry about the next meal or a roof above your head, to have fulfilling relationships and time to enjoy whatever activity that makes life worth living for that individual.

And that I believe is both well worth striving for, and a natural want for all of us. If we are fortunate, such general contentment will also reach those truly elevated moments we tend to imagine when we think of happiness, as well.
 
Renoucing possessions in my experience allows you to be content with the basics and stop the chase.

You see through the chase of what is ingrained into you to desire, and is helpful for directing all your resources to what you actually care about.

But you are on your own and don’t have easy distractions.

You have to face more and it’s hard. Your having to cut of reliance and manage with just your self and your loved ones.

It’s for the best but it’s hard. I thought renoucing possessions would fix me, but it only aided me to the next step.

Which I’d quantify as the human connection/ whatever you call having to rely on your objectivity and circumstance and not throwing your toys out. (Having a crisis, breakdown etc)

I still throw my toys out to this day, but I do so in a much better way as time goes on.

Generally I just need to remember that I have options and people. I need not bury myself and I can get help through difficult periods.

It’s acceptable to step out of your head, listen to what someone says, digest it, and move forward a way.

Idk, had a better few days. Trying to keep it going.
 
Happiness and pleasure are often related, but they are not exactly the same. Pleasure usually comes from short-term experiences like eating good food, entertainment, or other enjoyable activities. Happiness, on the other hand, is more about long-term emotional well-being and life satisfaction. Many people find that practices like mindfulness, healthy habits, and meaningful relationships contribute more to lasting happiness than temporary pleasure.
 
lost weekend said:
Should happy/happiness be something that we should give up trying to attain ,can it ever be achieved or is it a general word we use to describe other emotions like joy,excitement, contentment etc which are all fleeting
Is pleasure the only real emotion we and other animals feel that makes us feel "happy"
Pleasure it's self could be described as a real emotion ,an act of kindness to another person for example which releases dopamine etc
Is it a selfish emotion that can result in positive human behaviour
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you’re overthinking it a bit, happiness isn’t one clean thing, it’s a mix, some dopamine, some meaning, some calm, chasing only pleasure burns out fast, the stable stuff usually comes from routine and small wins not big hits
 
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