In Pursuit of Happiness

American Thinker.com ^ | April 14, 2021 | S. Christopher Michaels

[Kaslin]

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is a well-known phrase to many Americans. Thomas Jefferson famously enshrined it into the Declaration of Independence. What’s interesting about the addition of ‘happiness’ is the historical record is unclear of its precise meaning as Jefferson used it.

The research center at Monticello -- Jefferson’s Presidential Library -- concluded the most logical guess is that Jefferson borrowed from George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights. Regardless of the source of inspiration, the pursuit of happiness begs several questions:

• What does it mean to be happy?
• How is happiness quantified?
• How do Americans set aside their political ideologies and find shared happiness?

Before going further, please understand that the United States remains the most desired country for immigration. According to the World Population Review, the United States has approximately 48 million foreign-born residents. The following five countries on the list have 49 million foreign-born residents combined. America may have its problems, but that is not stopping others from seeing it as the land of milk and honey.

[rarestia]

It’s important to note that we are offered a “pursuit of happiness,” not a guarantee. Regardless of Jefferson’s choice of promise, pursuit means you’ll be given the tools to find it, not guaranteed payment. This is something that is sorely missing in modern discussion of the tenet.

[Fester Chugabrew]

I am confident that Jefferson’s idea of “happiness” is not personal satiety in eevery respect.

[PGalt]

life, liberty and...

[Buttons12]

I figure Jefferson used “happiness” because property was too specific and they didn’t use words like self-fulfillment and self-interest back then, whereas “happiness” flowed better in the text.

[chajin]

FWIW, I always taught that "happiness" was the 18th century English equivalent of the Aristotelian term ευδαιμονία (eudaimonia), literally meaning "good living." Aristotle defined this in his Ethics as a sufficient amount of health, wealth, knowledge, and friendships, obtained over the course of a whole lifetime. This is why "happiness" is never obtained, only pursued, because it takes one's whole lifetime to have a good life.

[bennowens]

Happiness is dependent on something external that happens. It is transitory and short lived, kind of like the second derivative to you math majors. A better goal is joy which comes from inside.

[super7man]

It is the pursuit that brings happiness. >

[central_va]

Maslov!!!

[super7man]

Happiness is dependent on something external that happens.

Absolutely. It's root is from happenings or happenstance which are external. In the context of the relationship between a government and the people, an opportunity for happiness is the best a government can provide.

Government can not provide joy. It is from the heart regardless of the present happenstance.

[super7man]

Yep, Maslow’s Triangle

Not sure why it needs to be a triangle. Maybe everyone starts at the bottom but only a few reach the top.

[Inspectorette]

Maslow’s Triangle

In school it was called "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs".

[subterfuge]

Government can’t grant happiness, but they can and are draining the happiness from it’s subjects today, with the enthusiastic help of academia, the media and the social “justice warriors.

I’m pretty happy myself, but the attacks on what were considered normal people just a few years ago is taking a toll. Being relentlessly targeted as a hater, bigot, white supremacist, homophobe and more for holding the same values as millions of people throughout the world have over thousands of years is very discouraging. But I will NOT be controlled.

[super7man]

Yes, you are right that is how I remember it too. Long time ago.