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Ignore the cynics, it's fine to pursue happiness
Friday, 7 October 2005
Some people sneer at the idea of trying to become happy and improve yourself. They think it's intelligent to dismiss such efforts as futile and pointless. They strike cynical poses and ridicule those who try to achieve contentment.
Ignore these fools.
This world view is peculiarly European. It stems in particular from the philosophies of Jean-Paul Sartre, who said "Hell is other people" and believed in existential angst. Sartre had a cool image and was popular with women and other intellectuals. While certainly a great man, he had a tendency to pose and has led to a generation of cool cynics who think it's stupid to try to be happy.
So it's dumb to try to make a better life for yourself. Oh really?
Is it equally stupid to attempt to lift yourself out of poverty, improve your health, or better your relationships? If that's what it means to be a moron, then I'm happy to be considered one.
Cynics of this school (whether they know they are or not) will ridicule any attempt you make to improve your life. They're already smart enough to realize that life is meaningless and miserable, so what's the point in trying? They actually share quite a few personality attributes with spoilt teenagers.
Contrary to their view, the evidence is everywhere that it is possible to improve your life. It is the cynics, not those who believe in the possibility of contentment, who ignore the truth. They are so busy trying to prove how smart they are, that they dismiss what is right before their eyes.
If someone laughs at you for trying to better yourself, ignore them. If they're dumb enough to be miserable in the hope it will make them look intelligent, they're not worth your time worrying about.
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