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What Is Happiness Anyway?
New York, 2:01 AM
Sun Dec 6
21 posts in the last 24 hours
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What Is Happiness Anyway? |
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And did anyone else notice that it looks like he's growing a mustache?
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I have to remind myself that my life at 25 is not going to be frozen in time forever, and always this way. Or as my mom says, "This too shall pass."
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Dude. Of course I'm not as "happy" -- I'm worried half the time! Or stretched to my limit! Or exhausted! That doesn't mean that I would exchange my lot for someone else's, though -- the comparison is apples to oranges, or apples to elephants. Each side of that divide can find joy, even if they're not always "happy."
Also: In their wisdom, the founding father acknowledged our right to pursue happiness. Happiness is an emotion -- it comes, and it goes. We can't always choose it.
Also II: A rush of media treatment as to whether or not Western women are "happy" strikes me as an indication of the fact that we have our noses very firmly planted in our navels. Which is not necessarily a bad thing -- it's a good thing that we have enough regular food, shelter, and health that we are free to explore our deeper but equally human needs -- but it bears acknowledgment.
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I've learned in the last couple of years to be content with what I've got and go from there. I have found that it makes me feel pretty happy.
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Of course it was necessary to expand the expectations to allow room for women to be praised for a wider variety of accomplishments, but making those all simultaneous expectations (get an advanced degree, get married, become a CEO, raise children, be skinny, rule the world...) is a truly unfair burden.
And I agree with the "stigmatization of men" point too. Ever since the Feminist movement came along we've piled a shitload of expectation onto women's plates without requiring a damn thing more of men. We need to level the playing field.
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06/01/09
What about all the things a theoretical you in the 1960s might want to do and not be able to?
What if
-you were a lesbian?
-you were straight but never wanted to marry?
-you never wanted to have kids?
-you wanted a great education or a great career?
-you hated/were bad at housework or cooking
Should Michelle Obama 'get back in the kitchen'? Should I long to be a housewife because then I wouldn't have the bother of negotiating my salary?
No fucking thank you.
06/01/09
Happiness is knowing no one has to fear for their life because they do a job some people don't agree with.
Happiness is being able to date when I want, who I want, and not being called a cougar or a pedo (haha!) or a snob.
Happiness is people not researching my happiness, but instead focusing on the worthy stuff, like finding a cure for cancer or escorting clinic employees and clients past fucking fundies.
06/01/09
Happiness is being told I am too fat.
Happiness is being passed over for promotions in favor of some douchebag fratty boss' drinking buddy who is 75% stupider than me.
Oh wait. That's opposite happiness.
06/01/09
On opposite day.
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Because I am double opposite excited about this concept.
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The only problem that I've encountered with the site is that she has a pretty pronounced anti-obesity vibe (which she admits to) that can come across as anti-food. She is forever talking about an activity that one would use in place of 'comfort food' that isn't actually food. For her, it's children's books. Which is lovely, but what's wrong with comfort food?
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