Zac D. (no_insight) wrote, @ 2004-06-15 14:37:00

A reply to Aldrin (see previous comment)
"Happiness through fulfillment is not a present happiness because fulfillment happens at some unknown point in the future. satisfaction can happen now..."

I must object Aldrin. I was vague in my entry to be sure. My title was indeed "Is fulfillment the right word?" But even so fulfillment is an emotion (well actually I'm not sure I would define it as such, but anyhoo) that one feels, ergo one must feel it in the present. I think the problem with the feeling I'm trying to describe is that it's not really triggered by one incident. An example.

I want to be in shape and I enjoy playing sports, but I have more pressing matters to attend to (i.e. finding a job). Now I will be happy if I play basketball (for a short time), and I probably won't be happy if I look for a job, but again this is the short time span. If I lengthen my p.o.v. a bit then I can see that I will be extremely happy when I find a job, not only that but I will be happy to have money so I don't have to live with my folks, I'll be more independent, etc. Note though that none of these alternatives (basketball, lookinf for job nor getting a job will make me 'fulfilled'. Which brings me back to, how does one achieve this sense of peace with the world.

(before I forget, I should talk some about Buddhism. The opposite of fulfilled is wanting. Buddhism says that this wanting is what makes people unhappy, their solution? Want nothing. Well that ain't gonna happen. I want to live. Time for a new solution)

I had a nice (drunk) talk with Michael Moewe. He was all 'happiness is the meaning of life', and I was like "Dude, I just thought that until last night." After some discussion I learned that Moewe was defining knowledge as happiness. Which is completely wrong. Knowledge and understanding are just that, knowledge and understanding. They may lead to happiness. Now I'm saying that knowledge and understanding probably are happiness, to Michael, and understanding does give that clarity that I associate with fulfillment and happiness, but that is not the ony way to go about achieving that happiness. It's like saying that if you can't understand nano-physics than you can never truly be happy. Well I know a few people who are happy (as Michael would say, fulfilled as I would), and I'm sure that there are dozens more scattered around the world and I'm also sure a small minority (if any) understand their own personal development. But that's ok, because they are happy.

So I think fulfillment (because you can be at peace, without being happy. e.g. if you were captured by terrorists and they started to saw off your head) comes from a way of life, a sustained pattern of living. Not just one event, but how you decide to live your life, the rationale (rationale also not a good word) that dictates how you will respond to any stimuli, and ergo any response and any and all events that you actually do. I'm thinking of re-reading The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, I think it addresses this issue somewhat. Happiness is a way of life.

ok, that's enough for now. I can't wait for more criticism. I love arguing, especially when no one can be right.

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