Can Happiness Be Achieved?

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"A library of wisdom, is more precious than all wealth, and all things that are desirable cannot be compared to it." -- Plato

Throughout time, people have constantly attempted to seek out what happiness truly is, and, if possible, how to achieve this happiness. The idea of what happiness is has changed often, and is dependent on the environment that the people live in. The era and the ideologies of that time period, the community, and who the people interact with all affect the idea of what happiness truly is. Because of this, what happiness is, and how to achieve it, will be continually changing.

The true meaning and idea of happiness could perhaps never be truly known. Throughout the ages, the idea of what happiness is has been changing constantly, dependant on the time period of the person. This may be because there is no one true idea of happiness and every separate ideology has a different view and interpretation of what it means to be truly happy. While some may believe that it is through knowledge that happiness is achieved, others may believe it to be achieved through a balance between the physiological self and the moral self, or through overcoming cravings in any form. Happiness could simply be the pursuit of knowledge, and the pursuit to understand what happiness really is. In studying and pursuing knowledge, happiness is achieved.

In Plato’s ideas, happiness could be seen as an attempt to achieve perfection on earth. It would be impossible to be perfectly happy, because on earth the happiness would only be a representation or imitation of the true idea of happiness. The true perfect form of happiness is only an idea that all humans strive to reach. Therefore, every person, throughout their personal circumsta...

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...idea. If this is true, there may not be a point in attempting to be happy. The greatest comfort that people may have is knowing that there is no higher form of happiness, and by refusing to pursue it, they acquire a deeper understanding and contentment of themselves.

Happiness cannot be eternally defined, because the idea of what happiness is would change with the ideas of people. It may not be possible to ever truly understand what happiness really is, or if there is some higher form of happiness. If there is a higher idea of happiness, then this is what all people are striving for, but failing because it is impossible to reach the idea of happiness, just the representation of the idea of happiness. Whether or not happiness can be achieved or pursued, it is the attempt to understand more about happiness that brings the idea of happiness closer to possibility.

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