Why is society so obsessed with happiness?

I think if you’re just as happy with things being not-so-happy.. then you’re still happy.

Why….?
Because people now realize that pursuing materialism and power did not cut it.
The real happiness and success comes from first knowing yourself and what it is that one really wants in life…the bottom line.
People see too much commericalism on TV that they are conditioned to think that they need everything portrayed on TV ads! ( this creates competitveness)
Sometimes simplicity is best, for some but not others.
Find time to contemplate in a quiet atmosphere (walking in Nature for example) to think on your real needs.
Then decide how to go in that direction that leads you to a more authentic life.

Most people realize you can’t be completely happy. You’re using the worst examples. What we’re describing when talking about happiness are things like confidence, and being content with what you have.

What else is there to Life, if not the pursuit of happiness?

If there is anything else that is worth sacrificing your happiness for?

I think the real question is “how should one pursue happiness” rather than “should one pursue happiness”.

Relevant.

I think it was Abraham Lincoln who said (and I am paraphrasing):

“Most people are about as happy in life as they choose to be…”

Should we put our efforts into being unhappy?

No, we should not.

I think we confuse self gratification with happiness.

@basstrom188 I think we confuse self gratification with happiness.

I agree. When I think of “pursuit of happiness”, I think of enjoying the fruits of hard work.

The pursuit is necessary before we get the happiness.

Why? Because it feels great to be happy. Why on earth would I want to be unhappy? Even my dog likes being happy.
As for people being unhappy with kids vs. happy without, it all has to do with what kind of person you are. I’ve met plenty of people who were very happy with their children. But children are people and the more people you have in your life the more compromises you have to make.
So I can see people without children being happier sometimes, because they are free to indulge in more selfish wants. But even that doesn’t guarantee happiness. If you feel lonely than you are going to be unhappy. If you feel stressed than you will be unhappy.
We typically tend to be happier when we expect less and feel grateful for all of lifes little blessings.

Happiness is the highest human value. Without it, human existence is nothing but animal survival. Not that there is anything wrong with survival. But without happiness, the struggle for survival starts to look a lot like work.

@tups Great question. And I honestly don’t know. What’s more troubling, I won’t be happy till I do know.

All emotions can certainly do good things for you, and a rich life isn’t going to be one that’s all unicorns and butterflies. But I don’t think most people are actually pursuing a constant state of happiness. Rather, they are attempting to be happier than they currently are. Or maybe they’re looking for ways to blunt the inevitable sadness when it comes. I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. Perhaps we should call it the pursuit of equilibrium or contentedness, because that’s probably more accurate.

As to childless people being happier than parents, I can see how that might generally be true. The childless are affected by x number of fewer peoples’ lives, emotions, circumstances, health, safety, etc. Taken to an extreme, psychopaths are probably happier than the average person, too. I mean, if you don’t have to think of anyone other than yourself, there’s a lot less to be sad about, eh? But there are so many rewards in life besides happiness. Every situation has its pros and cons, and happiness isn’t always the chief payoff.

Happiness can make people healthier and let them live longer life, when when this leads to an obsession the effect is the opposite. Self-help books can be great triggers for slowing down life and engage in self reflection.

Thank you for the answers, everybody.

@josie You say happiness is the highest human value. I have to disagree with that. I’d say it’s love and I might sound like a stupid Hollywood movie here, but I think love is the highest human value. And love is not always happy.

I am not saying that one should pursue unhappiness, of course not. I am not saying that the pursuit of happiness isn’t a good thing sometimes, it certainly is. I just think happiness is being vulgarized in a way. This giant market for the pursuit of happiness, is that really doing anything good for us? When we are told about this perfect happiness all the time, doesn’t that make us see that we are not perfect and thus not capable of this kind of happiness? Doesn’t it make us forget that there are other things to life than happiness?

If everybody was happy all the time, would art exist?

In my opinion happiness is the only thing that makes existing worthwhile, even if this happiness is the result of helping others over yourself. There’s a big difference between inner happiness vs being concerned about other people liking you, and I think that many who try to acheive the former through self-helpism usually are battling with the latter in some capacity. In my opinion (and likely not just mine alone) existence has no useful purpose for anyone without happiness, or at least the hope for it.

@tups Love (true love not infatuation or lust)) has no meaning without happiness. I’m trying to think of situations where people live miserably and are truly happy (paradox). Even groups of loving but miserable people attempt to find ways to be happier, even if the thought of something better coming along is nothing but mere hope. How can someone want to continue existing and not want to be happy? Those things you’ve mentioned pertaining to art are reactionary actions in an attempt to make light of tragedy, but even then it is a form of a coping mechanism to acheive some type of happiness.

@tups
The American founders tried to sum it up in the Declaration.
People are granted by their nature to certain things that are truly theirs, and nobody else’s.
Life, the most fundamental, without which there isn’t much else to talk about.
Liberty-that is the ability to choose your own direction in life, and the…
Pursuit of Happiness, which is next in line after the first two. Mine is not an original idea.
Love may or not produce happiness. That is sort of up to you.