Sunday, April 7, 2013

Chanil Kim/Happiness/Tue 9AM

Material happiness, Not the Answer

People pursuit happiness with different ways. One thing in common is that everyone might feel that only material things cannot make somebody happy. That is because we are supposed to satisfy ourselves with spiritual things in order to be happy. In this sense, people feel happy by being with something familiar, expressing their own thinking and not thinking of how to be happier.

First, spending time with familiar things leads to people's happiness. Familiar things range from invisible to visible things, which also can be any person. For instances, some people feel happy by getting knowledge about new subjects; other people consider it happy to challenge themselves to try something new; others find happiness in meeting and becoming friends with those who are not close to them. All these people seem to turn unfamiliar things into familiar things, so that they can stay with them and feel comfortable. People definitely feel happy with comfortable things.

Next, people can also be happy by expressing their own thoughts. And people do so through a variety methods. For examples, people write something whether it is a part of literature or not, make every genre of movies and paint something mainly to fulfill their desire to share their own idea with others.  People who appreciate those works are likely to empathize with those who create them. Consequently, those works presenting somebody's own message makes people who both enjoy and make them satisfied and happy.

Finally and most importantly, we can be really happy only by not thinking too much about how to be happier than now. It is certain that every human being instinctively seeks to live happy life, constantly worrying over what will make us happier in the near future than in the present days. It is the thinking of how we can be happier that ever that makes us unhappy; that kind of thought are very probable to just force someone not to satisfied with his present life. Always feeling concerned about what will bring happiness to us and when, we cannot appreciate present blessings that we have now.

If people spend much time with something or someone they feel attached to, displaying their own feelings through many various ways and stop considering what really bring us happiness, they will find the greatest happiness in their lives. It is good for us to give up the greed for material things, and then we come to feel grateful for everything that belongs to us now; that is exactly how we take a shortcut to happiness.  

3 comments:

  1. It was really interesting to read. I love your writing about 'pursuit' at the front was very good start. It looks the writing more sophisticated. Also you put the last body 'finally and most importantly' it goes increasingly and make the writing better. In addition you put title and that was make me interesting to read. But I think it would be better if you arrange more longer at the conclusion and give specific answer to us.

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  2. Pursuing happiness by familiarizing, expressing, freeing oneself from obsessing with being happy are I think all good ideas. It has a lot of good points and ideas about happiness but it would have been better if the three body paragraphs were more connected.

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  3. Thanks for comments, and here is my final draft.

    Material happiness, Not the Answer

    Get into any bookstore, and at least one of many bookshelves there is probably packed with books about a certain topic — happiness. This is what people always talk about and hope to find ways to achieve. People pursue happiness with different ways. Some of them follow footsteps of anyone who they think seems happy while others come up with their own ways to be happy. One thing in common is that we all know only material things cannot make us happy. In this sense, I believe that people feel happy by feeling familiar with either something or someone, expressing their own thought and not being obsessed with the thinking of how to be happier.

    First, spending time with familiar things will lead to someone’s happiness. It can be related with anything from invisible to visible things, including any person. Since human beings are supposed to feel happy with familiar situations, they have definitely sought to make everything become familiar. For examples, some people, whether they are students or not, feel happy by learning new things; other people consider it happy to challenge themselves to try what they have never done before; others find happiness in meeting and becoming friends with those who are not close to them. All these people feel happy not just because they do those activities but because they feel those activities and following achievements seem very likely to make things familiar to them.

    Next, people find it happy to express their own ideas. And they use a variety methods in an attempt to fulfill the desire to express themselves. For example, authors write literary things like novels and poetry through which their own thoughts can be seen. Movie directors reveal their own messages by producing every genre of movies ranging from romantic to science-fiction movies. Artists create works such as paintings and music, making them the outlet for their own values. Their works, in turn, draw attention from others who enjoy arts and possibly empathize with them, thus satisfying and bringing happiness to those who makes the works.

    Finally and most importantly, we can be really happy only by not thinking too much about how to be happier than now. It is certain that every human being instinctively seeks to live happy life, constantly worrying over what will make us happier in the near future than in the present days. Paradoxical as it may seems, it is the thought of how we can be happy that are very probable to make us unhappy. If someone doesn’t struggle to find an answer for a happier life, it means that he is able to appreciate what are given to him now. It goes without saying that somebody who feels grateful for what he have now understandably feel satisfied with his present life and ultimately happy. It is not an easy job to stop thinking of what could bring us much more happiness and when, but we should, at least, try to find happiness not in the future but at this time.

    If people feel closely attached to something or someone, display their own feelings through many various ways and quit worrying over what can really contribute to a happier life, they will find the greatest happiness in their lives. we cannot surely say which way is the best or fastest way to reach the goal of our happiness. In addition, it might be difficult to live our lives without material things like food, clothing and shelter. However, we might as well let something material meet our minimum needs and then forget about those things. Try to avoid taking them as the most important aspect in our lives since they are never to be gratified. Be thankful for everything that belongs to us now; that is exactly what we ought to take as a shortcut to happiness.

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