Can you be truly happy, when you know that someone that you care about is suffering?
I don’t mean just someone specific that you know. No, I’m talking about the ‘World’ in general. Are you really comfortable with the distractions (Sports, Entertainments, Amusements etc.) that you use? Is there a sense of ‘denial’ going on? I’m reminded of a quote ( not sure who its by)
“Who shall be happy if not everyone?”
Does this resonate with you?
What if abstaining from your amusements/distractions (for a while) could have a powerful, positive effect?
Would you?
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I cant be happy to see others suffer. But often I find myself suffering to get moving in life that i totally ignore others. To me those distractions that you mention are ways for me to avoid thinking the miserable busineses in my life. Yes it is a denial but once a while denial is a must to keep me sane before i get back to face the reality. Touching the issue on other’s suffering i do not really care in a big scale. I will have probably read something about the war in iraq or being told about the earthquake in china , i sympathise the people in such condition but its just for that moment and i will then forget about it. However, if i see someone is suffering as in having troubles in their life or something similar I would lend a hand if possible. IN the future, if i have extras in my pocket, ill hope to contribute to the charity or be involved in their activities but I am just having to much problems in life to go into that sort thing now.
My being miserable does not improve the situation of others.
I can offer what support: emotional, financial, time that I can to make the world better in my little corner, but I cannot fix the world’s problems.
I do not seeing a benefit in being generally miserable myself.
@Marina Where is the “misery” in this Q ?
@lloydbird If I let the misery of others constantly permeate my consciousness, I would go under. I am an empath, and I cannot handle thinking all the time about the suffering going on in the world around me. Me going nuts is not going to help anyone else.
If it’s someone I don’t know (and there’s millions of unhappy people I don’t know) then yes, I can manage to ignore their problems and focus on my own. But no, if it’s someone I care about, then it’s practically impossible to be truly happy.
Having said that, happiness is relative. You can be happy even in your deepest misery just because something good happened. People were sometimes happy even during times of war and famine. I have a friend dying of cancer and I’ve often seen him smile. And similarly, someone who seems to have everything can easily be unhappy if something (relatively minor as far as we’re concerned) goes wrong.
The only person that can make me happy is me.
The only person that can make you happey is you.
With all the strife that’s going on in the world at any given moment, if a person were to constantly worry and be perpetually unhappy because of that, they’d make themselves sick and miserable. It is completely unfair to someone for them to feel guilt about all the badness going on around them especially when it wasn’t caused by them and they can’t make any instantaneous sweeping changes that are going to correct the problems.
Amusements and entertainment in our lives are a necessary outlet for us and it is something to be enjoyed. God knows we all need to laugh and smile and have fun once in a while on top of trying to keep our sanity as we plow through the daily grind. If someone abstains from entertainment as some kind of tribute or recognition to those that are suffering, I’m sure there is merit in that in their minds but I also think it could end up being unhealthy and unproductive in the long run because you’re denying yourself a form of release and an outlet for pleasure.
I would love to immediately end all the suffering going on and it pains me to know of all the terrible things going on in the world around me. Realistically, as one person among 6 billion others, I know that on my own I won’t change the world but I’m satisfied doing my part whenever and wherever I can to make a difference because even though it will be a small impact, it will be meaningful nonetheless.
@Bluefreedom I’m just curious, if you really believed that, why did you start a family and have children? you love your wife and 3 babies…THEY make you happy so you’re NOT the only person to make YOU happy
@Simone_De_Beauvoir. Where did the 3 babies come from? I have no children. Anyway, I read back through my answer and I didn’t state in it that I was the sole person to keep me happy in my life. I just said that we all need entertainment at some point and the results of that are necessary and beneficial. And yes, my family consisting of my wife and 5 cats do make me very happy.
@Blondesjon well that’s just semantics
you can choose to react to them in a happy way
but they’re the reason you’re given the choice
I am unhappy that people are suffering, but since I am not suffering today, I am happy about that. I have also suffered in the past so I am not unfamiliar with the feelings,and have overcome those tough days. I also know that suffering is a part of life so it is an inevitable part of the human condition. It would be very unhelpful to be miserable just because other people are, well knowing I will get my kick at that life reality again. By being unhapy you merely make other people unhappy, leading to suffering, which just self-perpetuates. I don’t think anybody is completely happy in any case, just degrees, on different days, as we charge our brains to deal with our specific journeys.
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