Is Happiness Just The Sum Of Individual Pleasures

A philosophical notion that has crossed the minds of many is that true happiness is the combination of little moments of joy and contentment. But this way of thinking can have a negative effect on a person’s life. We must make a distinction between happiness for ourselves, and happiness as a collective society. This essay will also explore whether selfish pleasure brings the same quality of joy as the contentment associated with selfless love.

Living for ourselves

People who believe that happiness is the sum of individual pleasures will automatically adopt a lifestyle that seeks out as much pleasure as possible. They will even do so at the expense of other individuals—always putting their own happiness ahead of others. This way of life will inevitably lead to loneliness, resentment, and arrogance. If we carry on believing that happiness is the sum of small pleasures, our society will suffer this condition.

Pleasure does not satisfy

Ultimately, pleasure will not bring us any lasting joy. It does not satisfy because it does not last. If we are shallow enough to think that a whole bunch of short-lived happy events make up a happy life, we are fooling ourselves. Selfish pleasure, as described above, does not satisfy our need for general contentment. If we have nothing to show at the end of our lives, we can be sure that our past will not make our present a happy one.

The point of life is to give

Sacrifice is the way to true contentment. Unlike individual selfish pleasures, giving to others provides a person with lasting satisfaction. At the end of a person’s life, he or she will ask what they did to better the lives of others—and the answer will determine whether or not they experience the content and peace desired by so many.

From what we have discussed, we can conclude that true happiness is not just the sum of individual pleasures. Those pleasures are few and far between, and don’t really bring lasting happiness to our lives. Individual pleasures that are rooted in selfishness may bring temporary happiness, but not lasting happiness. True joy is derived from putting others before ourselves. If everyone lived that way, the world would be a much better place—and there would be more happy people in the world.