Do you think the pursuit of happiness is a marketing myth?

[Kulotz]

Today, I read something interesting. It said that trying to be happy by buying things, like cars or houses, is a trick used by advertisers. The article mentioned we can actually be happy with simple things, like spending time outdoors, which doesn't make money for big companies. They make us think we need to buy stuff to be happy. What do you think about this?

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

From my perspective, the pursuit of happiness (I'd also add inner peace) is one of the ultimate and most noble goals in life, but we shouldn't be getting our ideas of how to do it from advertisements.

I'm into Stoic philosophy which actually tends to emphasize the complete opposite. It's not the man who needs the richest luxuries who is the happiest as his happiness is now a slave to such luxuries. If he loses them, so too does he lose his happiness. The truly wealthiest and wisest is the man who needs no such luxuries to be happy as he will be happy with or without such luxuries as his happiness is now liberated of all such shackles that bond him in servitude.

Buddhism is similar.

That's not to say we have to live the most modest lives like isolated Zen Buddhist monks so divorced from material. We can enjoy material luxuries but we shouldn't depend on them for our happiness. We shouldn't enslave ourselves that way.

If we need the most beautiful or handsome SO to be happy, for example, then we won't be happy for very long with our SO since looks fade with time. We are slaves to the transient and fleeting in that case.

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

Both of these philosophies deal with ideals as in something to reach for, not something to grasp. Yet the more we can liberate our happiness from the dependency on external things, the more resiliently we can remain happy no matter what we gain or lose.

At the heart of both is the dichotomy of control. We can pursue what some might call the finer things in life and enjoy them when they come our way. Yet the pursuit of such finer things comes with no guarantees of the receiving them or keeping them indefinitely. So we should strive to liberate ourselves from the dependency on such finer things to be happy in the first place.

[KrakenAttackin]

@GuyAnswersGirls123. Well said. Inner peace cannot be found with "stuff".

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

@KrakenAttackin Cheers! 🤝

[NathanDavis]

you don't chase it, you make it happen...

consumerism is not about happiness, no... but spending on others and others enjoying some of this or that it can add a lot to every day happiness, yes...

[PetLover24]

Happiness comes from within.

By rights as a hospital pharmacist (I'm 32, not 23) who does consulting & part time teaching at a university I easily make between 150,000 to 200,000 a year.

I drive a Hyundai. I wear an old weather beaten jacket. I own a 2 bedroom condo. I usually wear dress pants & sneakers (unless a meeting than more professionally).

I could easily do as colleagues do and dress myself up fancy every day of the week. I could easily buy Lexus or Mercedes SUVs. I could easily buy huge multi bedroom / multi bedroom houses. I could do as my colleagues do and PRETEND to be happy.

Because when you're buying shit to "be happy" you're NOT happy, you're miserable.

[Account]

Αctually spending time outdoors but near nature is one of the ways that I have felt the closest to ever being happy.
Another instance I have felt the closest to being happy is doing things that spike my adrenaline.
And other instances of feeling the closest to being happy is feeling comfort and spending time with people I respect.
Being near animals also gives me a feeling of comfort close to happiness.
Reading fictional books or playing video games also can give me feelings of euphoria.
Also learning a new skill gives me a temporary feeling of happiness.


I am not sure if it is similar for other people though.

[whistlingwh0res]

buying nothing doesn't give you happiness either. you have to know what to buy for your necessity. don't be afraid of investing some money for your future, life, fun and activities. If it's not too much its ok. Even if it's too much you learn from your mistake. mistake happens always at first.

[Billlewis]

I just spend as much time, effort and yes, money if necessary, to please the female. If I do that often enough, and well enough, I'll always be happy.

[jennifer_bloom]

You've got a good point. I think that happiness comes by loving and caring for others, and that Starbucks and Tim Hortons will not make you happy.

[Staximus]

People can be happy if they aren't trying to put too much mustard on the hot dog if life. We never should have evolved past the hunter gather stage.

[Vegasrunner]

I think that is the kind of answer a 25 yro woman would give.

[gorydetails]

Isn’t being happy with simple things you pursuing happiness?

[LazerBean]

Exactly

[Anonymous]

I only have a good vehicle so I’m not bothered with it falling apart or breaking unexpectedly. I don’t go to shopping malls, I don’t have visa or credit cards. All my money goes to rent

[noohair]

Happiness is an internal emotion. I know what makes me happy and it is not stuff to buy.

[WhitneySnow]

That makes sense

[Astarlessnightsky]

mostly yes.

[sheikalana]

Maybe it is.

[jimmy2]

It sure is