tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post6517451731314146753..comments2023-10-17T02:52:22.037-07:00Comments on David's blog: On happinessDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-91026193867846803132012-03-21T04:44:46.192-07:002012-03-21T04:44:46.192-07:00OMG - someone wants to discuss something.
This f...OMG - someone wants to discuss something. <br /><br />This factor may be the weakest link in the chain. I do believe that someone can be generally happy without this special relationship. However, I notice that almost everyone seems to gravitate to it one way or another from the time they are teenagers. Usually, either people are in a relationship or they are seeking it. Sure, some young people and even some older people like being single. I find it rare. In fact, I can't think of anyone I know who actually feels that way - I just remember that there were times in my youth when I did. But, even promiscuous people seem to want the steady relationship. Even people miserable in a relationship seem to want it to work. Even people who cheat seem to want to keep it. Normally, this relationship is the married relationship among adults (I don't know enough about polygamy to comment on it in this context). I say that it is usually with someone of the opposite sex for two reasons. One, there are a significant amount of people who are gay. I don't know a lot of openly gay people, but those I have known all prefer a committed relationship. Two, there are people, who are not in a romantic relationship, but have a "best friend" or pal - possibly even a relative, who are very important to them. That's rarer too (I've only seen it a few times), and I believe much more common among older people (if not a mixed couple, more likely women). As I've said at the beginning though, I do believe people can be happy without this, but they would normally then have a strong social network. <br /><br />Hope that explains it. If you have a point you'd like to make, feel free.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-49869479558207639652012-03-20T19:27:14.684-07:002012-03-20T19:27:14.684-07:00What do you mean by "a special personal relat...What do you mean by "a special personal relationship, usually with the opposite sex and including a sexual relationship, at least for a significant part of the persons life". Please explain yourself?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-45254686055622007222012-03-20T13:05:11.912-07:002012-03-20T13:05:11.912-07:00Yeah, actually, it is, in context (from which your...Yeah, actually, it is, in context (from which your comment removes it). It is one of three qualities I notice that people who tend to be happy have - They tend to be problems solvers, who recognize that problems are part of life, and that you aren't always going to get your way. If you think about it, it is very much like Niebuhr's Serenity Prayer. "Failure is always an option" is just one way to express the third strand, and, it is actually meant to be ironic and strike you. You'd think a Zen buddhi-ish guy like yourself would get that. That is, if you weren't so busy trying to maul me. <br /><br />By the way, that's the second time recently you used "Are you kidding me?" I put some effort into these. You can put a little more effort into insulting me.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17038118012770250140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33957555.post-52915170135373413712012-03-20T11:23:14.660-07:002012-03-20T11:23:14.660-07:00I was happy until I read this labyrinth of limmeri...I was happy until I read this labyrinth of limmericks. While I appreciate the survey of philosophers which is the kind of thing you do like nobody's business, we wind up with being resigned to defeat is perhaps the key to happiness. Who do the voodoo? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?Bearnoreply@blogger.com