Dennis Prager talks about one of humanity’s biggest pursuits–happiness. It’s mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. Therapists and psychologists (and even pharmaceutical companies!) make their careers out of helping people be and feel happy. And we all know that being unhappy, and being around unhappy people, is no fun. Dennis will discuss why happiness, while great for personal and emotional reasons, is far more than a selfish pursuit. It is a moral obligation. Being happy around others is a necessary ingredient of growing up and accumulating friends. No one likes a Moody Mary. Also, more happiness makes for a better world. After all, how many of the world’s dictators and tyrants are motivated by happiness? None! So, learn how to be happy and learn why being happy is so important.
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Script:
Most people think of happiness as essentially a selfish issue: “I want to be happy — and I want to be happy for me.”
I’d like to suggest that in fact happiness is far, far more than a selfish desire. In fact, it is a moral obligation.
I know that most people have never thought of happiness in this way. Neither did I, to tell the truth, for much of my life. I thought that happiness, and especially the pursuit of happiness, was all about oneself.
But it isn’t.
Whether or not you’re happy, and most importantly, whether or not you act happy is about altruism, not selfishness — because it is about how we affect others’ lives.
And that’s what makes it a moral issue. Ask anybody who was raised by an unhappy parent whether or not happiness is a moral issue, and I assure you the answer will be “yes”.
It is no fun being raised by an unhappy parent, or being married to an unhappy person, or being the parent of an unhappy child, or working with an unhappy co-worker.
Our happiness affects others — profoundly. That’s why happiness is a moral obligation. We are morally obligated to at least act as happy as possible — even if we don’t feel happy. People can’t be guided by feelings because it is how we act that affects others — not how we feel.
A good analogy to bad moods is bad breath. Why do we brush our teeth multiple times every day? It’s not only because of hygiene, it’s because we want to present good breath to anybody who we come in contact with.
Well, the same thing holds true for our moods. A bad mood should be regarded exactly as we regard bad breath. Why are you inflicting it on me? Or, why am I inflicting it on you? It’s just not right. That’s why one should endeavor as much as possible, to act as happy as possible, as often as possible.
And just about anyone can do this. No matter how unhappy you may feel at any given moment, you can — and have to — make a decision on how to act. We may not be free to control whether we feel sad or happy, but we are free to control whether or not we present a happy countenance to others.
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