34141Yunohahode37TheRight ToThePursuitOfHappiness,

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ORIGINALLY ENVISAGED AS A RESTRAINT ON STATE POWER,
has imperceptibly morphed into the right to happiness - as if human beings have a natural right
to be happy, and anything which makes us dissatisfied is a violation of our basic human rights, so the state
should really do something about it! In the 20th century per capita GDP was perhaps the supreme yardstick
for evaluating national success?! From this perspective, Singapore, each of whose citizens produces on average
$56,000 worth of goods and services a year, is a more successful country than Costa Rica, whose citizens
produce only only $ 14,000 a year!? But nowadays thinkers, politicians & even economists are calling
to supplement or even replace GDP with GDH - gross domestic happiness! After all, what dó people wànt?
They don't want to produce: they want to be happy!
Production is important because it provides the material basis for happiness. But it is only the means,
not the end! In one survey after another Costa Ricans report far higher levels of life satisfaction than
Singaporeans. Would you rather be a highly productive but dissatisfied Simgaporean, or a less productive but
satisfied Costa Rican? This kind of logic might drive humankind to make happiness its second main goal for this
21st century! At first glance this might seem a relatively easy project? Ìf famine, plague & war are disappearing,
if humankind experiences unprecedented peace & prosperity, and if life expectancy increases dramatically,
surely all thàt wìll máke humans happy, right? WRÒNG! When Epicurus defined happiness as the supreme good,
he warned his disciples that it is hard work to be happy! Material achievements alone will not satisfy us for long.
Indeed, the blind pursuit of money, fame & pleasure will only make us miserable! Epicurus recommended, for
example, to eat & drink in moderation, and to curb one's sexual appetites! In the long run, a deep friendship
will make us more content than frenzied orgy? Epicurus outlined an entire ethic so dos & don'ts to guide people
along the treacherous path to happiness! Epicurus wàs apparently òn to something?
Being happy doesn't come easy...
14 mrt 2019 - bewerkt op 17 mrt 2019 - meld ongepast verhaal
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