Is a Happy Life Different from a Meaningful One?
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happy2bretired
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
My life has had various rounds of happiness and purpose depending on what age and what stage of my life I was in. Socially, in high school, I wasn't really happy or unhappy, probably a little depressed and moody. Then, I started working part time my junior year. That part time job gave me a purpose and I was happy.
Then college...party time...you know 1969-1971, use your imagination.
Then I left college after two years, due to "party time", and worked in a factory. Back to not happy and probably a little depressed.
Then I moved to a bigger town hoping for more opportunities for work. I started very low, on a very low totem pole, but I was happy. I was happy and very poor because I had my freedom to figure out what I wanted and how to get there.
Then there were more jobs, one a little better than the last one. I had my ups and downs during that period. Then, I met my husband and I was mostly happy with my home life/family life and work life. I found purpose from both my family and my work. I've never been much of a social person, but, I did find purpose in my marriage and being a mother plus work, that too, was a very satisfying purpose for me. I finally figured out I was CONTENTED. I was middle of the road, boringly CONTENDED and that, to me, is being HAPPY.
Then college...party time...you know 1969-1971, use your imagination.
Then I left college after two years, due to "party time", and worked in a factory. Back to not happy and probably a little depressed.Then I moved to a bigger town hoping for more opportunities for work. I started very low, on a very low totem pole, but I was happy. I was happy and very poor because I had my freedom to figure out what I wanted and how to get there.
Then there were more jobs, one a little better than the last one. I had my ups and downs during that period. Then, I met my husband and I was mostly happy with my home life/family life and work life. I found purpose from both my family and my work. I've never been much of a social person, but, I did find purpose in my marriage and being a mother plus work, that too, was a very satisfying purpose for me. I finally figured out I was CONTENTED. I was middle of the road, boringly CONTENDED and that, to me, is being HAPPY.
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Dawg52
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Meaningful lives involve stress and challenges.
At this point..... I fail miserably. But I'm ok with that because I'm happy.
At this point..... I fail miserably. But I'm ok with that because I'm happy.
easysurfer
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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I'd say a happy life is joyful, content.
A meaningful life is impactful... joyful, content or not.
A meaningful life is impactful... joyful, content or not.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
* Happy people satisfy their wants and needs, but that seems largely irrelevant to a meaningful life.
Well scr*w that! After working hard for 61.5 years, why should I not satisfy my wants and needs now that I am retired. Give me a wet noodle quick, so I can self-flagellate.
* Happiness involves being focused on the present, whereas meaningfulness involves thinking more about the past, present, and future—and the relationship between them.
Total B.S.
I'm all for happiness and I love thinking about how much happier I am now, than I was as a kid. I had a totally miserable childhood and right now I am probably the happiest retiree ever. I also love planning for the future, setting up my home with all the conveniences and safety features that help out an elderly person for example. But heaven forbid that that should make me happy. OMG, quick, where's that wet noodle?
* Meaningfulness is derived from giving to other people; happiness comes from what they give to you.
Self flagellation and the desire to take on a submissive role and serve others and give only to others, always, never to myself. No thanks. I think I deserve equal consideration from myself.
* Meaningful lives involve stress and challenges.
…. and heart attacks, right? Forget it! I left stress and "challenges" behind at work.
I have REAL challenges in retirement, mostly arising in the pursuit of my own interests. Figuring out what things and experiences will make me happiest in retirement is a nice challenge to address, for example.
* Self-expression is important to meaning but not happiness.
I love expressing myself. Are 40,889 posts proof enough? And no, that has nothing to do with sacrificing happiness. Expressing myself is fun.
Well scr*w that! After working hard for 61.5 years, why should I not satisfy my wants and needs now that I am retired. Give me a wet noodle quick, so I can self-flagellate.
* Happiness involves being focused on the present, whereas meaningfulness involves thinking more about the past, present, and future—and the relationship between them.
Total B.S.
I'm all for happiness and I love thinking about how much happier I am now, than I was as a kid. I had a totally miserable childhood and right now I am probably the happiest retiree ever. I also love planning for the future, setting up my home with all the conveniences and safety features that help out an elderly person for example. But heaven forbid that that should make me happy. OMG, quick, where's that wet noodle?
* Meaningfulness is derived from giving to other people; happiness comes from what they give to you.
Self flagellation and the desire to take on a submissive role and serve others and give only to others, always, never to myself. No thanks. I think I deserve equal consideration from myself.
* Meaningful lives involve stress and challenges.
…. and heart attacks, right? Forget it! I left stress and "challenges" behind at work.
I have REAL challenges in retirement, mostly arising in the pursuit of my own interests. Figuring out what things and experiences will make me happiest in retirement is a nice challenge to address, for example.
* Self-expression is important to meaning but not happiness.
I love expressing myself. Are 40,889 posts proof enough? And no, that has nothing to do with sacrificing happiness. Expressing myself is fun.
GravitySucks
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
The short term low stress volunteering I've done is both Meaningful and helps provide Happiness.
The longer term stint of caring for the ill and dieing were very Meaningful though not Happy at all.
I'm hoping to take a break from Meaningful endeavours for a bit and just pursue meaningless enjoyment for a bit.
Fat Drunk and Stupid can be a way to live for a short while Flounder.
The longer term stint of caring for the ill and dieing were very Meaningful though not Happy at all.
I'm hoping to take a break from Meaningful endeavours for a bit and just pursue meaningless enjoyment for a bit.
Fat Drunk and Stupid can be a way to live for a short while Flounder.
Fedup
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
It’s too late for me on the purpose front. But I’m always happy. It’s hard for me to contain it sometime.
So 1 out of 2 is not bad. I’ll take it.
So 1 out of 2 is not bad. I’ll take it.
I think the idea of a meaningful life is fluff created by humans to justify, or explain, our existence. The reality is that we are biological beings and our meaning is the same as any other organism, to pass on genetic material by creating offspring. We create lots of social mechanisms to make us humans seem like we are above that stark reality of biology, like religion, purpose, and "meaningfulness".
Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist, had a lot to say about altruism. His assertion is that altruism is nothing more than a genetic imperative because it gives an advantage to the genes you share with those who are the recipients of your altruism. I believe you can exchange the word "altruism" for "meaningful behavior" and the same assertion holds true.
Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist, had a lot to say about altruism. His assertion is that altruism is nothing more than a genetic imperative because it gives an advantage to the genes you share with those who are the recipients of your altruism. I believe you can exchange the word "altruism" for "meaningful behavior" and the same assertion holds true.
Red Badger
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
While my life has had some short periods of time in the ditches, it has been full of both happiness and meaning.
Being a husband, father, and a career soldier is/was very meaningful and mostly enjoyable. Retiring from megacorp at 60 made me blissfully happy. In retirement, I'm very happy to be able to pursue meaningful (volunteer, teach, etc) and just plain silly (convert an old fridge into a smoker just because, etc) stuff.
While there are forms of healthy stress (ie, exercise stresses your body), we tend to think of the kind most of us left "at the office." The kind that ills and kills. No Thanks.
Being a husband, father, and a career soldier is/was very meaningful and mostly enjoyable. Retiring from megacorp at 60 made me blissfully happy. In retirement, I'm very happy to be able to pursue meaningful (volunteer, teach, etc) and just plain silly (convert an old fridge into a smoker just because, etc) stuff.
While there are forms of healthy stress (ie, exercise stresses your body), we tend to think of the kind most of us left "at the office." The kind that ills and kills. No Thanks.
To be or not to be, what was the question?
...or to pass that philosophy course so we can graduate.
...or to pass that philosophy course so we can graduate.
bmcgonig
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The best definition of happiness I've seen is that it's a combination of pleasure and purpose. We can be happy with little pleasure but lots of purpose, or vice versa, or a combination thereof.
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