The Pursuit of Happiness Essay Example

may not always realize it, life can be good, and therefore happy. It is evident that we yearn for money, pleasure, and honor with the hope that these will bring us happiness. Happiness appears to be the sole ultimate objective, while all other goods serve as means to achieve it.

According to Aristotle, friendship is crucial for achieving happiness. A virtuous friendship can bring pleasure and virtue together, satisfying both our emotional and intellectual needs. Van Gogh's Sunflowers, a series of paintings he was proud of, reminds me of this concept.

Van Gogh eagerly anticipated the coming of his hero, the avant-garde painter Paul Gauguin, during a rare moment of enthusiastic hopefulness (nationalgallery.org). His work, characterized by raw beauty, candid emotion, and daring hues, was influential to the art of the 20th century. The sunflower was especially meaningful to Van Gogh.

According to nationalgallery.org, yellow symbolized happiness for the artist, who regarded the sunflower as a sign of loyalty and devotion in Dutch literature. My favorite painting in the series is the yellow on yellow, which features yellow flowers in a yellow vase on a yellow table surrounded by yellow walls. Despite the monochrome theme, the painting remains vibrant and striking. In all of his sunflower compositions, the artist employed radiant golden hues and warm earthly browns.

Looking at sunflowers always brings a smile to my face and makes me feel good, warm inside, and happy. Vincent van Gogh created the sunflower series as a tribute to his hero and friend Paul Gauguin, whom he greatly cherished. In order to express his appreciation for their friendship, Van Gogh painted the sunflowers. He employed a diverse range of

techniques, from minuscule pointillist dots to thick, sculptural brushstrokes (nationalgallery.org).

The artist utilized the sun as the primary source of illumination to direct light onto the vase with minimal shading. The yellow backdrop evokes a bright and joyful space, imparting a sense of tranquility and peacefulness. The painting was examined on the website www.

While I haven't seen it in person, I have visited nationalgallery.org.uk to view Aristotle's philosophy. According to him, a good life is possible without acquiring all our desires. In contrast, Hedonism believes that pleasure is the only intrinsic good.

The main objective of a hedonist is to achieve the highest possible amount of overall pleasure. Greek philosopher Aristippus believed that an individual's happiness was equivalent to the sum total of pleasure experienced throughout their lifetime (Janaro, 2012). Hedonists actively search for anything that can bring them joy, consistently pursuing physical gratification through experiences such as taste, sexual arousal, touch and other similar sensations.

According to Janaro (2012), while some adherents of hedonism constantly pursue pleasure through material possessions and wealth, the philosophy of Epicureanism is focused on attaining happiness by avoiding pain. The philosophy was established by the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus.

Epicurus's philosophy emphasizes that the ultimate good is "pleasure," attainable through living modestly and gaining knowledge of oneself and the world. This approach leads to a state of tranquility, freedom from fear, and absence of physical discomfort, which together represent the highest form of happiness. Although this philosophy shares traits with hedonism, its focus on painlessness as the greatest pleasure and advocacy for a simple existence distinguishes it. Stoicism represents another perspective on achieving contentment.

According to Janaro (2012), stoicism holds that happiness

involves managing sources of unhappiness in a rational manner. Stoics believe that it is crucial to prepare for and cope with natural, social, and personal disasters. While external circumstances may be beyond our control, we have the power to choose not to harbor negative emotions towards them. The Pursuit of Happyness movie provides a real-life illustration of this philosophy through the story of Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith), a salesperson in San Francisco who faced numerous challenges while trying to support himself and his young son Christopher (portrayed by Jaden Smith).

Chris manages to secure an unpaid internship in a highly competitive stockbroker-training program, despite his financial struggles and inability to pay rent. He experiences homelessness with his partner, resorting to staying in shelters and even a subway bathroom. Nevertheless, Chris persists and eventually achieves great success on Wall Street. This film is strongly recommended for its inspirational and poignant story.

It is clear that Will Smith and Jaden Smith were the perfect choices for their roles in the film. Will Smith's performance was exceptional, portraying a range of emotions felt by his character Chris, from agony and melancholy to elation and contentment. One impactful moment in the movie was when Chris reached his lowest point after his partner left him with their child. During this scene, he recited a quote from the Declaration of Independence, which made me contemplate Thomas Jefferson's ideology regarding our entitlement to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

As I considered the movie, I pondered how Chris knew to incorporate the pursuit of happiness. It appears that although we may strive for contentment, it remains elusive. During the course of the

film, Chris confronts various obstacles that threaten both his own and his son's well-being. Nevertheless, he persists and demonstrates himself to be an exceptional father in spite of hardship and adversity. When he lands a job and can provide for his child, Chris declares that "this part of my life is called happiness." Even though he lacks a luxurious vehicle or extravagant mansion, he strolls joyfully with his son and relishes in their laughter.

Despite facing many challenges, he found joy in providing for his son and himself. He persevered through hardships by devising a plan until he achieved his goals. The Dalai Lama and Buddhism are significant when it comes to happiness. Nirvana can be attained through two schools of Buddhism: Hinayana and Mahayana. The former, also known as "little ferryboat," focuses on transforming Siddhartha's teachings into the systematic practice of the four noble truths - that life is full of suffering, the cause of suffering is craving, there is a way out of suffering, and the way out is the eightfold path.

According to Tibetan Buddhism, Mahayana - whose literal translation is "big ferryboat" - is achieved by guiding others. The Dalai Lama, who leads Tibetan Buddhism, emphasizes the importance of inner peace and truth for happiness. Constructive actions are pivotal for positive outcomes, and the Dalai Lama discusses happiness in his book Becoming Enlightened.

The Dalai Lama discusses the correlation between material possessions and happiness. He states that if acquiring material wealth was the key to happiness and eliminating suffering, then those who are rich would not experience any suffering. However, true happiness must come from within rather than external factors. The ideal outcome is

to possess both outer prosperity and inner qualities of goodness, which would result in complete and genuine happiness.

The book provides a sequential guide for enhancing one's life, emphasizing the significance of allocating time judiciously. Time is a valuable commodity, hence don't rush into tasks that don't take precedence. Value others and refrain from causing any harm to them or animals.

Our contemporary culture encourages us to crave excessive amounts of objects and experiences. Instead, strive to find contentment with your current possessions and value them. Learn to manage your negative emotions towards unpleasant objects and people by recognizing their qualities and tolerating them.

The book encourages continuous learning and personal growth. One suggestion is to incorporate daily meditation for a calm, reflective experience. Characteristics to focus on during meditation include appreciation of oneself and others through the practice of sending waves of love, acceptance and joy. The meditation begins by directing these positive attributes towards oneself for several sessions and then shifts to focusing on a best friend during the next session.

Gradually expand your best friend circle as you practice sending love to them. Eventually, aim to extend that love to the entire world, allowing yourself to feel calm and at ease. Rather than fixating on desires for more material possessions or a better physical appearance, learn to be content with your current circumstances. By embracing contentment, you can experience greater happiness and wellness. Take pleasure in the unique opportunities that your life offers and make the most of them, as advised by the Dalai Lama in 2009.

The book presents a list of activities in order of severity to assist with focus. The sequence begins

with killing, followed by stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive talk, harsh speech, senseless chatter, covetousness, harmful intent, and ultimately wrong views. My perspective on happiness has shifted over time – I was once a hedonist but now embrace aspects of Aristotle and Buddhism.

It is a universally acknowledged fact that we continuously search for happiness throughout our lives. Each individual has their own definition of happiness, making it a subjective concept.