(February 21, 2014 at 9:48 am)Napoléon Wrote: Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'd rather be living in the third world, just saying sometimes having all these things we consider as luxuries doesn't necessarily equate to happiness. If anything it could be argued living in the first world is a lot more complicated and demanding in other ways which can lead to people being unhappy in a different kind of way. I'm pretty sure I saw a documentary a while ago saying that people in the bronze age were probably just as happy as we are now, despite the fact we have so much that is technologically advanced. The thing is, people simply get used to their surroundings and the technologies and it becomes ingrained into their day to day life, so much so that it's taken for granted. I think that's true for most people in the first world to be honest. But it doesn't, IMO have all that much bearing on their happiness.
Well said, and I fully agree with that.
I've also read that some of the more developed countries tend to have higher rates of suicide and depression than many of the poorer countries:
http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/25/wh...ide-rates/
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,..._9,00.html
However, it's good to feel happy and thankful for having a good job, great health insurance, freezer full of beef, internet, cable, technology and all those other 'extra' stuff like Rahul said earlier ... I mean, these things are not necessarily bad things to have ... but many people unlike him may take these things for granted and I think that's one of the causes for people not being happy enough (i.e. because they are not mindful of all such modern conveniences that they already have).
As for me, I'm happy overall.
I don't have a great job, I'm not rich, I don't have a car, I don't have many friends, etc., but I'm still happy somehow and try to make the best of whatever that I do have.
