From: Michelle Anderson (michelle@barrymenasherealtors.com)
Date: Thu Jan 29 2004 - 09:48:36 MST
[Jake] That's nice to think about, but I somehow suspect that people are
generally either hardwired for happiness or not. I think that there are
some people that are just genetically happy and will always find a way
to be happy regardless of how crappy things get for them, and generally
when things go well, they become rich and famous etc., for them it
doesn't really change their self concept that much because they were
already happy to begin with.
These happy exceptions are probably not as genetically fit IMO. I
suspect that people for whom happiness is more elusive are much more
likely to reproduce in some (probably delusional) hopes of reaching that
great happiness through their children that has otherwise eluded
themselves throughout their own lives. Whether or not we individually
fall for this reproductive strategy, I would imagine that most people
reading this right now are not the happy exceptions; probably dreaming
of how to get to "wow", possibly okay, possibly not. Aside from
momentary thrills, occasional philosophical moments, and perhaps drug
induced euphoria, profound happiness remains elusive, and uneasiness
comes more naturally. I think that's the way that mother nature keeps
things running. Mamma may say that she only wants you to be happy, but
really she just wants grandchildren.
[Michelle] Interesting point, Jake. I consider myself to be hard-wired
for happiness and have often wondered if perhaps it was a handicap,
because I don't feel any huge drive or ambition... I feel no need to
change my life (often) because I am happy no matter what. Similarly, I
am not very picky about much of anything (cuz I'm always happy anyway),
and therefore am a bad-or-odd cook, because I like everything. I used to
have a hard time knowing in hindsight if I was in love because I felt
like I could love anyone, everyone has something fascinating to offer
(that has changed as I've aged and become a LITTLE more persnickety).
Also I have a hard time being passionate about politics or points of
view because I know that everything is relative and "you never know what
you know" - I am content to think in abstractions and remain unaffected
by the outcome.
The upside is that I can be with very picky people, because they always
get their way (it matters not to me). And it makes me a very good
teacher because I am extremely patient and pleased with any progress, no
matter how small. But I do not plan to have children because I am happy
with or without, and the pain of the process (not to mention fitting it
in before I get too old) seems unnecessary to my life. So you're
probably right. I'm more likely to be happy enough without going
through all the bother...*
BUT, for my mother/grandparents/etc their happiness meter was
supplemented with religious uplift and they couldn't wait to share their
love of life with babies and grandchildren. They felt like they
overflowed with love and happiness and the grace of god and had a duty
to share with offspring and bring more happy baptists into the world...
seems like an ideal balance to me, from the motivation-to-breed
standpoint...
Hmph.
*However, since I am happy however things are, I was fine to go through
shots and hormonal crazyness for egg donation procedures and therefore
passed my genes along. I think most cranky people couldn't deal with
the daily pain in the ass/side/belly/ovaries of the whole rigamarole...
Unfit? Me? *sniff*
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