Feeling happy isn't always good, is it?

[psy_guy]

Hi. I recently noticed, that feeling happy isn't always a good thing. If you get distracted by your happiness source, you cannot think rationally, or at least not always. Sometimes miss things which may be big things for example. In these cases, I think, it is better to be miserable, but think rationally.
Being happy is only good, when you can coop it with being rational and it doesn't affect your job or school.
Also being unhappy, depressed isn't good, if you tend to give up on things. It might lead to suicide or something else not good, so I will rationalize against my own argument now: it is better to be happy and not rational if you are that kind of person, because it's safer for your own and others' sake.

What do you think about these thoughts?

[pieceofpaper]

Hi. I recently noticed, that feeling happy isn't always a good thing. If you get distracted by your happiness source, you cannot think rationally, or at least not always. Sometimes miss things which may be big things for example. In these cases, I think, it is better to be miserable, but think rationally.
Being happy is only good, when you can coop it with being rational and it doesn't affect your job or school.
Also being unhappy, depressed isn't good, if you tend to give up on things. It might lead to suicide or something else not good, so I will rationalize against my own argument now: it is better to be happy and not rational if you are that kind of person, because it's safer for your own and others' sake.

What do you think about these thoughts?

I can completelly agree with all written above. I think that happyness cannot be usefull to us,when we are doing nothing active to achieve it.Truth is that saddness and certain degrees of unhappyness may inspire us and bring some joy into our lives...

I am kind of ´up-and-down´ person,who struggles with her own happyness and unhappyness practically every day and it is never getting better in long race-If I think about it, none of my mental struggles are completelly wined(and I dout they will be ever winned in my lifetime-they can get better or worse,but they will never disappear).

And yes,I agree,I cannot think rationally when Im overly happy and idealistic- it clutters mind completely,so person cannot think propherly... (Thats why this problem arise...) And I fear its too late for any kind of improvement,but at least I try to try it...  

In fact person should do things not because they make her happy,but because she will enrich her memory-memory is  all that stays...(At least it seems to be far better motivation in long perspective for me,though I have never tried it,but when I decide for it,I eventually will...But our fears and expectations are our only obstacles me have and unfortunatelly,they are very powerful and hard to defeat.)

And being brainwashed with different sets of rules per each person can be very damaging for your individuality,spontaneity and creativity...What is really-but really-sad!...

[acousticeagle]

Basically, I think it is better to hold fast to rational thought above all feelings that may prove to be distracting.

In the weekend just passed, I had to continue to do a task that I am finding boring, but when I finish this task, the rewards for its completion will be very good indeed. That will make me happy - or at least I get 'happiness' from the satisfaction of finishing this rather involved task.

But what I really wanted to do this weekend was to sit around, watch tv, some movies and read books! This is what would have made me happy.

Weighing up the choice to do the concentrated task (that I am finding boring) that brings happiness at the end, and more instantly gratifying happiness by loungeing around, I chose to do the task. I applied rational thought to how the completion of the task would play out long term (the task is an art project).

I think we pursue happiness like little else in life. For example, a man seeks to find a girlfriend because he thinks it will make him happy. This is fine, but happiness, like most things in life, is found through (I think) the satisfaction of knowing that you have done things well. A person can think they can find 'instant' or immediately gratifying happiness by having a one night stand with someone because they might think that 'getting laid' will make them happy. Basically I what I'm saying is that happiness can come about by deliberate step-taking - or by means of instant gratification.

If a man has a one night stand, will it provide happiness? It may for a little while, but then there could well be consequences of being so instantly gratified. If however, one mentally deliberates to pursue happiness and by rational thought, goes through the motions of bringing that about, then it's likely that the happiness from that pursuit might well remain as something lasting because of the satisfaction of deliberation.

These days there's lots in the world, and in the marketplace, that entice to happiness, for example, lots of gadgetry and [media for eg.,] inspired dreams that say, if you wear this, own this, you will find 'love', 'status/popularity', 'wealth', thus happiness. So people buy the clothing and the gadgets etc in the hope of happiness. This is the dream, or even the myth. But nothing is guaranteed towards happiness that way.

That brings me back to my thoughts on happiness being found as something more lasting and worthwhile when found through deliberations, through pursuit as it were, rather than as something that is found through things that promise a more instant gratification.

Btw, there was nothing really wrong with me sitting on the sofa all weekend, it's just that I probably wouldn't have had the task finished in time for the art event coming up. So I chose the form of happiness I wanted, something that would be more lasting.

If people constantly go after feelings however, without deliberations (ie. weighing up the pros and cons of actions ie how they affect oneself and others), the outcome could be folly and foolishness - for the sake of that more selfish gratification.

I think happiness comes and goes, it's transitory. There's a thing that I would distinguish from happiness that is probably more enduring and that is joy like as in 'joie de vivre' - the joy of living. If one has that within oneself, and one is able to distinguish those things that are either good for oneself or bad for oneself (ie remaining in a bad personal relationship), then I think there can remain a zest for life that can rise above melancholia.

Well, that's my say in this discussion. oi!

[MJAlex]

Happiness certainly isn't a bad thing, but deon't let it blind you. As Acoustic said, being bored and persistant can lead to more happiness than doing what isn't right for you. Don't let immediate happiness inspire your actions. Welcome happiness, but always think in the future and how your actions will make you feel then. Depression or despair can inspire us to do something that eventually brings us to happiness, but the same goes for happiness. We can create more depending on our decisions. And some may be the wrong decisions, but learn from what you felt blinded to before and adapt, keeping mistakes in mind, to disallow this happiness to distract from problems at hand.
Basically speaking, I agree completely with what acousticeagle is saying.

[S. Earl Martin]

Some of my best work was inspired by sadness or heartache. When I am happy and content? I am usually more lazy and less inspired.

[pljames]

What's rational and happy might not be the same for me. But to be calm and not emotional to me is better than angry and out of control. I have been happy and sad. For me happy or calm is my goal. Thoughts? pl

[S. Earl Martin]

To stay basically positive is good, but when adverse things occur it is good to learn from them or to try and use them in some way. Peace!