skeptic 1000 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 "The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself." Benjamin Franklin Link to post Share on other sites
Eamonn 61 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I think that I'd really liked to meet the old fellow. He has always struck me as being a fascinating character. Re: This pursuit of happiness. Every now and then I think it's worth while taking time out to take stock of what makes me happy and what causes me to not be happy. Last time I checked I came to the conclusion that for the most part I'm doing OK and am a happy little fellow. This being happy doesn't always happen by accident, it takes thought, planning and a positive attitude. It is kinda easy to stand up and say that things don't make me happy. So while maybe? I'm very happy on a warm sunny day taking my dogs out for a run. The truth is that I need to be dressed to do this and the dogs need to be cared for. All this costs money and once you start along that path all sorts of things jump out at you. I need money so I need a job. I need to be able to get to my job. I have to work with other people. The list goes on and some of the things on the list can cause me to be either unhappy or help make me happy. Where we find what makes us happy is very much a personal thing. Have to admit to having never spent a great deal of time thinking about it, but I kinda think that some how some way it's tied into the value system that each of us has deep inside of us. There are times when others and what they do or don't do really has an effect on my happiness. Knowing this and being able to accept it does help when it comes the time to deal with it. - A lot of the time being prepared for when things go wrong can make the world of difference. I'm not exactly sure how it all works? But maybe we need times of not being happy so as to be able to appreciate what makes us happy and being happy. Sometimes just this appreciation helps to serve making us less unhappy? Have to admit that I don't spend a lot of time working on this pursuit of happiness. I kinda expect and hope that all the pieces will fall into place. Very often it's only when things aren't working that I take the time to react and make the needed changes. - Then again there are times when the fear of change keeps me from taking a step that might make me more happy. Fear is the biggest road block that prevents people from being happy. Freedom of fear goes a long way in helping people be happy. Ea. Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle732 27 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Constitution? Who cares about some old piece of paper a bunch of old farts wrote? Pursuit of happiness? Doesn't that mean I'm entitled to free cable TV and internet? Oh and I want one of those free cell phones too. I am for doing good to the poor, but...I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed...that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer. B. Franklin Or this which relates to another current thread: They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. B. Franklin Link to post Share on other sites
Eamonn 61 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I never thought that my pursuit of being happy had anything to do with putting other people, rich or poor down? But that's just a personal thing. Ea. Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle732 27 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I wasn't responding to you Eamonn, I was responding to skeptics post. I didn't see your post until after I posted. My comments reflect a large group of today's society. Link to post Share on other sites
Basementdweller 608 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 The more you have the more you need Link to post Share on other sites
Brewmeister 132 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 When we create about 150k jobs in a month it is cause for celebration. Meanwhile 600k were added to the food stamp rolls in a month... Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Pursuing happiness is a given right. Having it is not. Try reading what's written, not what one thinks is written. Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
FScouter 24 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 "Of all the millions of words written on happiness, this is the oldest and most enduring truth. If the principles of contentment are not within us, no material success, no pleasures or possessions, can make us happy." Lillian Eichler Watson Link to post Share on other sites
CalicoPenn 729 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 The only problem with the learned Mr. Franklin's statement is that the Constitution doesn't guarantee the right to pursue happiness. The Declaration of Independence talks about the pursuit of happiness. Link to post Share on other sites
Nike 94 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Let's count it as one of the un-enumerated "blessings of liberty." Link to post Share on other sites
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