The definition of “happiness”

The definition “happiness” as the state of being in equilibrium, at peace with one’s surroundings. A state of non-conflict with one’s environment, both material as well as psychological. The really happy person has no conflicts with either his own self, or with his environment, his society etc.

By this definition, happy people are probably the rarest humans in the world. And they’re probably populating the mental asylums or remote Himalayan caves, or monasteries, having spent years working hard to attain that state of sustained equilibrium, or having disconnected themselves with reality. All the rest of us are doomed to experiencing fleeting moments of that state of peace, while the majority of our lives are spent trying our best to get to that next happy fix. Our lives are a series of “happy” moments interspersed by rather long periods of gloomy existence, states of non-equilibrium, conflict, strife, doomed to finding the final equilibrium only in our deaths. The people among us who appear the happiest are those who learn to hold on to those fleeting moments of happiness for as long as they can and treasure their memories as vividly as they can for as long as possible.

Interestingly, all progress is the result of “unhappiness”. Only those who are truly in a state of conflict with their environment strive to attain equilibrium, or peace, either by changing themselves, or by altering their surroundings. Perpetual disequilibrium, perpetual strife is the driver of human progress. The illusion of the perfect state is what keeps us going. In other words, I’d rather be unhappy and moving than be happy and stagnant.