Only 200-300 years old! Did you know that all our present day focus on I, Me and Self is a highly biased perspective? It's a Western Enlightenment view on life of species 'Homo Sapiens'. It's only a couple of 100 years old. 200 - 300 years old! Surprised?
Twenty years ago I planned to write "someday" a book on the history of happiness. Four years ago I realised I don't have to write it anymore. It's already written by Darrin M. MacMahon in his book 'Happiness: A history'. I read it 4 years ago. Back than I needed a mirror. I needed something that dried my tears and cleared my head. Reading Darrin's book worked perfect for me.
In a way we as species invented (better: have been inventing) "happiness". The definition on what a happy life is changed a few times during history (source):
- Homeric. Happiness = Luck
- Classical. Happiness = Virtue
- Medieval. Happiness = Heaven
- Enlightenment. Happiness = Pleasure
- Contemporary. Happiness = A Warm Puppy
It's my birthday today and I cry if I want to.
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