What is it to live 'the good life'?
As we get older it becomes incumbent upon us to ask these questions. Is the good life an accomplishment of success as it is understood in the material world. Are we living the good life when we have acquired possessions to validate our efforts. That would mean landing a well-paying and prestigious job, owning a beautiful house, and driving an expensive car. But, we all would agree that is not all, at the end of the day we want more, something intangible, something inexplicable. After achieving all in the tangible world we yearn for peace, contentment, the ever elusive happiness. We are also aware that 'having' or owning valuable things is not the goal, yes it is one of the goals of life, but not the end goal.
In simple terms 'good life' would mean a 'happy life'. A life without major financial issues, health problems and personal strife. A good life would make one happy. How do we get there. How do we be happy. Scholars believe that we all have core values that we live by. And when we live by those values we achieve happiness, serenity and peace within ourselves. Obviously these values are different for different people. For some building strong familial ties is significant while for others having a strong network of friends. Some people want to direct their life according to their religious beliefs.
What we need to do is 'examine our values', define and identify those values and try to live by them. When we compromise on our values, when we live in opposition to what we intrinsically believe to be important is where we go amiss. In today's world we have given this job to other people, that is society. The society dictates what should make one happy and we follow like a blind herd. This blind following is what is to be reconsidered, do we actually believe what we are told to believe? should we?
The quest to self is the key. We must try and think for ourselves and decide what is important to us and live accordingly.
It is the most difficult of all tasks
As we get older it becomes incumbent upon us to ask these questions. Is the good life an accomplishment of success as it is understood in the material world. Are we living the good life when we have acquired possessions to validate our efforts. That would mean landing a well-paying and prestigious job, owning a beautiful house, and driving an expensive car. But, we all would agree that is not all, at the end of the day we want more, something intangible, something inexplicable. After achieving all in the tangible world we yearn for peace, contentment, the ever elusive happiness. We are also aware that 'having' or owning valuable things is not the goal, yes it is one of the goals of life, but not the end goal.
In simple terms 'good life' would mean a 'happy life'. A life without major financial issues, health problems and personal strife. A good life would make one happy. How do we get there. How do we be happy. Scholars believe that we all have core values that we live by. And when we live by those values we achieve happiness, serenity and peace within ourselves. Obviously these values are different for different people. For some building strong familial ties is significant while for others having a strong network of friends. Some people want to direct their life according to their religious beliefs.
What we need to do is 'examine our values', define and identify those values and try to live by them. When we compromise on our values, when we live in opposition to what we intrinsically believe to be important is where we go amiss. In today's world we have given this job to other people, that is society. The society dictates what should make one happy and we follow like a blind herd. This blind following is what is to be reconsidered, do we actually believe what we are told to believe? should we?
The quest to self is the key. We must try and think for ourselves and decide what is important to us and live accordingly.
It is the most difficult of all tasks
Comments
Post a Comment