Friday, October 1, 2010

Natural & Synthetic Happiness

What would a happy life consist of in your opinion? Would it be one where we don't confuse natural with synthetic happiness? The temporary with the everlasting? Natural happiness is that unconditional happiness that is always there and synthetic happiness is the temporary happiness, but we often mix up the two.

As human beings we always believe what we don't have at the moment will make us so much happier. But the thing is once we have that pair of expensive shoes we've been dying for or that brand new sports car our happiness fades, almost as if we get bored with what once made us "happy". This is called synthetic happiness, in which we overestimate how happy something else will make us. This is how we tend to mix up natural and synthetic happiness, but that's how we learn from our mistakes and learn how to differentiate the two a little more. We might not become perfect but we always think back to the last time when something, like those expensive shoes, only made us happy for a short amount of time.

Now natural happiness isn't planned. Its almost like a surprise, something that just happens. For example finding the person you will spend the rest of your life with, whether male or female, that will bring a person natural happiness. Love is often an example of natural happiness, not only being able to give love but also being able to receive it. Knowing you're going home to a loving family everyday that's definitely natural happiness. Its that unconditional feeling you have, its the everlasting. When feeling down and turning to your natural happiness helps you cope, well that's a feeling that will result in a positive vibe.

In conclusion, in life we will at one time or another confuse the synthetic with the natural, but remember those mistakes they will become your life lessons. Turn them into positive things for the future, use them to help guide you away from your synthetic happiness and towards your natural happiness.

3 comments:

  1. Good moring, Allison. I am Lin. I am reading your essay, and I wonder how can you come out such an amazing idea about natural happiness. From the words, I can easily know you prefer natural happiness than synthetic happiness. I think this essay is well done. But I want to recommend something to you, if you mention the inventor of the natural and synthetic happiness and give two life experience related to you, the essay will be excellent. Good job, Allison.

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  2. Hi, u did a good job. Your essay is short,but at the same time is very intersting. You have a very good idea and i think that your personality more close to natural happiness than synthetic happiness. Anyway, i will look forward to read your new essay to know more about the way you write.thanks

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  3. Hi Allison, this is clearly written and you seem to have a strong opinion. However, I'm not sure that your presentation of the difference between natural and synthetic happiness is accurate. Neither is "longer lasting" or even "better" than the other in Gilbert's writing. Check the text again.

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