Food for Thought

[ThePKFish]

Hey guys! Whenever I’m on parkour, sometimes I’ll do an “event” where I ask those that participate some philosophical and random questions. So, I thought I’d ask some here if anyone happens to see this! Make your answers detailed, I want your full reasoning behind whatever you put. You can also ask questions of your own after you answer! I’ll start

Do you control your own happiness?

 

[k_rissy]

I already pmed you this answer but yOU INSIST

In some factors, yes, happiness can be controlled. We have the option of surrounding ourselves in a positive environment, around people who make us feel good and cared for. We have the ability to go out and spread positivity throughout ourselves and the people around us. In comparison, a lack of happiness can also be controlled. We can choose to lock ourselves in isolation, surround ourselves with negative people, and take up negative habits.
Sometimes happiness isn't controlled. People can grow up in environments of abuse and neglect, which can lead to feelings of depression and other mental health issues. No matter how often these people try to surround themselves with happiness, depression wraps around them like a blanket, physically making it so that they can't be happy. It's a mental illness, and illnesses cannot be controlled, as seen today with Coronavirus.

 

[celestiiia]

I think happiness is definitely defined by both internal and external factors- and often the two can play off of each other.

To a certain degree, we all depend on each other for our own happiness, the herd mentality often means you're not going to be happy when someone you love is unhappy or suffering, but this is also seen in a billion self-care posts on the internet as a bad thing depending on others for happiness is cruel to them and yourself!!11! blah blah blah but I think that's a rather unrealistic ask of mankind to directly defy their nature. Sure it's super great if you can just be happy by yourself but there's a load of factors that are sometimes out of our control. Kat mentioned mental illnesses- quite literally chemical limitations to someone's happiness, and it's not because they chose not to be happy -I don't think I've encountered anyone with mental illnesses who wants them- they simply lack the control over their own happiness.

A lot of times people would turn to religion- to answer those unanswerable questions, like the disparity in control over happiness, some higher power or being is testing people or is going to ultimately bring everyone and everything to the ultimate prize. In my opinion that just falls apart the moment you look at how unjust of a system that is, some people can control their happiness; they have the confidence, the time and most likely the money to do so, compare those people to say the ones born into wars, thrown into domestic violence situations and facing oppression. What loving God(s) could put their people through such hardships, with no very limited control over their own happiness whilst let others have free reign to determine theirs?

There's also the question of what actually is happiness? Is it purely the chemical release of serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins into your brain? Is it a bit more wishy-washy than that? I don't think you can truly define happiness at all- it's a subjective concept, no two people will experience happy the exact same way, that makes it pretty hard to tell if you can control it or not, I might be happiest when I'm talking to the people I love, for someone else they might experience the same level of happiness from eating icecream or petting a dog. You can't measure something you can't define- although without getting too ethics-nerdy, I'm sure Bentham and Mill would say pleasure is equal to happiness, and the whole hedonic calculus comes into play and that just falls apart entirely for a whole host of reasons!

To summarise I suppose I disagree with the idea that we can control our own happiness, I don't think it's entirely possible for any singular thing to dictate an individuals happiness, there are a lot of physical, geographical, economic and mental factors that contribute to someone's mood. I'm also not certain the question can be answered- happiness is too broad of a spectrum for it to be talked about easily.

My apologies for the length,, I haven't been in one of my philosophy and ethics classes for about two months and I miss it dearly, got a little carried away! I look forward to more Ash ;)

 

[Tas]

Control is an inaccurate word. Any person who does not suffer from a factor that completely limits the ability to, well, control emotion - or at least be able to impact it in a meaningful way and on a personal level - such as mental illness or extreme poverty, is able to control (or at least measure) their happiness. There is however no "way" to "control" happiness as every person is different. For me, either a guided meditation or some ambient music/white noise is a perfect way to feel happier than I was before. Working out is a common one, as is something as simple as laughing- or crying. However what is "happiness", and what are the differences between "pleasure" and "happiness"? Alan Watts, old-fashioned and odd may he be, has some very interesting lectures on happiness and pleasure. He believes the meaning of pleasure is to submit to others' happiness etc., etc. and find meaning in a sort of ouroboros of fulfillment. Heavy, but worth considering.

 

[Quinny]

It's sociology time y'all ;)
Thinking about sociological concepts such as socialization, social control, and even aspects of social psychology such as coat switching... I would say no, because we don't really control anything in our own lives deep underneath the surface. Everyone influences each other in society as we grow, learn, and have new experiences throughout life. Our lives and every aspect of them are shaped by one another. This includes our goals, hobbies, dreams, leisure, etc. We are all influencing each other as a part of society as humans are innately social beings. We thrive off of learning from others actions. So, while we do have a surface level of control over the choices we make, concepts deeply rooted socialization and things we learn from those around us shape our being and influence our subconscious thinking. So, from a sociological perspective, as long as you are living among others and taking in information from them either verbally or nonverbally, you are and never will be in control of yourself. Sucks, right? TIP: don't study sociology if you want to love the world

This also gets into the philosophical argument of "what free will is and how one can attain it" that is as old as time. But I think another thing to consider in this is the concept of agency, or the idea of having control over oneself.

In sociology, we talk about forms of agency as the ability to have greater control over others, gained through high amounts of social power, status, and wealth. The more of even one of these things usually makes it easier to obtain the others, which, gives you the ability to influence what OTHERS perceive as happiness.

Then again, as the saying goes, money can't buy you happiness. So we're back to square one. Overall, the most you could ever really do is have control over others perceived happiness. Not to mention all the multitude of things created by humans that restrict us within society such as laws, morals, and norms. ANYWAY, rant over <3

 

[ThePKFish]

Y’all got some interesting points!

Anyone else that sees this thread, feel free to answer whatever question you want that’s asked!

Here’s another one:

Do we have a set destiny from birth or do we make our own destiny?

Or perhaps...

Do we even have a destiny?

 

[anxi]

Everytime I see the word philosophy I'm instantly salty because I missed out on having classes about Philosophy because of lack of interest :( Still very interesting though!
Do you control your own happiness?
In most cases I find the answer to questions like these are either maybe or sometimes. Not a definite yes or no, which makes it even more intriguing! I don't think we can outright control our happiness, if we would, happiness just wouldn't be happiness, right?

Do we even have a destiny?
I really like to believe that everyone has a purpose; a destiny - Mine is definitely staying up until 3am drinking coffee and finishing work hours before its due. Everyone has or will find that one thing that draws to them, yknow? I think its just a matter of being able to pursue that or not, like putting the effort in and not messing around, and having the determination. Not everyone's destiny is positive though sadly. Some people are made for certain things that maybe other people wouldn't wanna do.
b99 coming in

 

[Taracait]

I think happeniness because it puts you in a good mood.

 

[Geovara]

Hey guys! Whenever I’m on parkour, sometimes I’ll do an “event” where I ask those that participate some philosophical and random questions. So, I thought I’d ask some here if anyone happens to see this! Make your answers detailed, I want your full reasoning behind whatever you put. You can also ask questions of your own after you answer! I’ll start

Do you control your own happiness?

Happiness can be fed but not controlled. Chemical reactions in the gut and in the brain are responsible for such things, leading to illnesses like depression when they do not work correctly. Some would say that 'mind over matter' is a good approach to such things, but the only true way to be happy is to acknowledge both what you can and what you cannot control. If you can change the chemicals in your brain, do it. If there is something that you have always wanted to do, do it.