Pursuit of Happiness

What isn't mentioned is that the pursuit of happiness is constrained by the law, and to a lesser extent your moral conscience.

No, he begs that question rhetorically.

Ever read Ayn Rand? I remember something from her, she said that if you saw your superior drowning, the best course of action would be to allow him to drown so that you may advance towards the position he once occupied. Highly metaphorical though, and can be applied to many situations.

Another one of those is, the question about being stuck in a flood with a friend and a boat that only seats one. Do you take the boat, or allow him to take it?

Naturally I'm a bit of a ****tard so I suggested that neither of us get in the boat, but instead use it as a float and grip along the sides. But you're not supposed to be smarter than the philosopher (who always seem convinced that someone wants to hear what they say).

Does acting selfishly for what you truly want define you as a bad person?
You can define ‘bad person’ however you wish. There is no standard measure of a bad person. It’s subjective.

If discretion is ignored, can the choices you make still be appropriate?
Yes.

Because it seems to me, impinging on someone else's happiness in pursuit of your own is never the right thing to do.- get real. In this world you are always impinging on someone else happiness in pursuit of your own. Not doing something is as powerful as doing it – and a conscious choice.
I live in the 3rd world. I pass beggars everyday. Do I give to them? No.
By not giving, am I impinging on their happiness in pursuit of my own. Yes.
If you want, send me some money, I’ll gladly distribute it amongst people who really need it—it will change their life and make them very happy.
I bet you don’t do it! you will turn a blind eye to the suffering of others in order to pursuit your own happiness.

But if we refuse to pursue what makes us happy, in respect of others, are we not compromising our own happiness?
Yes - If that action makes you less happy. No – if that action does not comprise your happiness.

The question is as silly as me asking you will taking a tablet make me feel better. Will it?

Does acting selfishly for what you truly want define you as a bad person?
You can define ‘bad person’ however you wish. There is no standard measure of a bad person. It’s subjective.

If discretion is ignored, can the choices you make still be appropriate?
Yes.

Because it seems to me, impinging on someone else's happiness in pursuit of your own is never the right thing to do.- get real. In this world you are always impinging on someone else happiness in pursuit of your own. Not doing something is as powerful as doing it – and a conscious choice.
I live in the 3rd world. I pass beggars everyday. Do I give to them? No.
By not giving, am I impinging on their happiness in pursuit of my own. Yes.
If you want, send me some money, I’ll gladly distribute it amongst people who really need it—it will change their life and make them very happy.
I bet you don’t do it! you will turn a blind eye to the suffering of others in order to pursuit your own happiness.

But if we refuse to pursue what makes us happy, in respect of others, are we not compromising our own happiness?
Yes - If that action makes you less happy. No – if that action does not comprise your happiness.

The question is as silly as me asking you will taking a tablet make me feel better. Will it?

Does acting selfishly for what you truly want define you as a bad person?
You can define ‘bad person’ however you wish. There is no standard measure of a bad person. It’s subjective.


Because it seems to me, impinging on someone else's happiness in pursuit of your own is never the right thing to do.- get real. In this world you are always impinging on someone else happiness in pursuit of your own. Not doing something is as powerful as doing it – and a conscious choice.
I live in the 3rd world. I pass beggars everyday. Do I give to them? No.
By not giving, am I impinging on their happiness in pursuit of my own. Yes.
If you want, send me some money, I’ll gladly distribute it amongst people who really need it—it will change their life and make them very happy.
I bet you don’t do it! you will turn a blind eye to the suffering of others in order to pursuit your own happiness.

But if we refuse to pursue what makes us happy, in respect of others, are we not compromising our own happiness?
Yes - If that action makes you less happy. No – if that action does not comprise your happiness.

The question is as silly as me asking you will taking a tablet make me feel better. Will it?

computor gone mad!

Why should a person have to give up his own happiness for the happiness of others? A person should only sacrifice his own happiness for things that he cares about--in the end, he still gets happiness. The idea that people have to help others without thought of their own happiness is disgusting.

A man has a duty to himself. An altruist will say to you, "Some people live in mansions, others in cardboard boxes. This is unfair; if some people live in mansions, everyone should." But what altruism is really saying is: "This is unfair; if some people live in cardboard boxes, everyone should." See what's wrong with this picture?

If everyone worked for himself and his own happiness, more people would achieve it. But sacrificing one's happiness for others does not make anyone happy.

And here's the thing: asking another to live for you is as bad as living for someone else.

Sorry about this extra post, it was an unintentional duplicate post. Just ignore it.