[Justan]

Happiness is part of the founding documents of the USA. Happiness is both simple and very complex, and obviously extremely important from a developmental perspective for both an individual and a nation. I came across this article and found it very intriguing. The article describes a wide variety of elements related to happiness and offers different perceptions of happiness. http://www.newyorker.com/critics/books/articles/060227crbo_books Look at the article if you will, but weather you do or don’t answer this question: What is happiness? __________________

[Brain]

A loving wife and two beautiful children. I'm very happy.

[cajunhiker]

Couldn't access the info as it came back with an error message. So I will just dive in on my own. Happiness in my world is having a job you can't believe you get paid for including enjoying even the ups and downs of it. Having more than enough money to pay for the basics of life and having enough left over to indulge in two of lifes great pleasures: family and those less fortunate than your family.

[lookout bob]

Justan...the link doesn't work for me either. I am happy.....happiness is having love and a grand partner to spend your days with..... belief in the goodness of life....hiking and backpacking and seeing the manifestation of spirit in the nature world. Friends. A good job ( see that other thread) good folks to chat with on NWHikers. a sense of humor. more

[Dean]

Happiness for me is having a great family, good health and being able to go into the mountains.

[Justan]

[Quark]

It starts within, and works its way out.

[wildernessed]

A perception.

[Justan]

[kleet]

When Benjamin Franklin was 20 years old, he wrote up a 13-point "plan" for how he would live his life. He found that following the plan increased his happiness so much that he kept it up for the rest of his life. 1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation. (C'mon, Ben, some of my best drinking has been done at elevation) 2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation. (Ben woulda loved Thread Length) 3. Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time. 4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve. 5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. waste nothing. (The original Greenie!) 6. Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions. (Right after this post, it's back to work. Honest.) 7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly. 8. Justice: Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty. 9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve. 10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation. (Ben and Tom woulda been great lakebagging buds) 11. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation. (Ok, let's get real, Ben) 12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable. 13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates. (I heard Jim Carrey does a good Socrates.)

[Stefan]

I do not agree with the article at all. Dude, if people aint happy, then they aint having sex! The happier people are having sex more often and be passing on their genes.

[paul]

I love Ben, I truly do. Ben was a friend of mine. But Ben's secret to his own happiness was completely ignoring his own list. Some quick examples (I'm at work) include an iligitimate son, gout, and famous lack of humility. Not that he was unaware of his own hipocracy, in his autobiography he mused that it was a fine thing humans were a reasonable creature: for they can usually find a reason for doing what it was they wanted to do anyway.

[Slugman]

"Happiness is a warm gun." - Antonin Scalia

[Starjumper7]

[Karen]

For me it's an odd mix of peace/joy after I've created something beautiful, whether it be a poem or a photograph or a composition on the piano. I don't "catch" it from other people though I sometimes enjoy the companionship of other people (they do not bring happiness nor should they, it's an inside job). Slaphappy is another kind of happiness that occurs at random moments when endomorphins kick in after a hard hike (or a run) and everything becomes funny and laughter just lurks beneath the surface. Karen