"It is only in a society that makes generalized, personalized growth the ultimate virtue that a disorder of generalized, personalized collapse (i.e. depression) will become inevitable. And so a culture which values only optimism will produce pathologies of pessimism; an economy built around competitiveness will turn defeatism into a disease."
(In: William Davies: The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.So society expects that each person will blossom out into an affluent, socially active, college-educated citizen who is, beyond all, “happy”. Yes, I can see that the stage is set for failure and depression. Someone told me once that you can’t find pleasure by seeking for pleasure.
As consciously aware beings with free will, we can see through those expectations and choose to ignore them. We can follow our hearts.
Could it be that we as individuals, through irrational thoughts, are creating our own sense of expectation—that we are seeing expectations where there is only well-meaning (or self-serving) advice, advice that we are perfectly free to ignore? I’m not ready to blame it all on government and big business.
Please don’t be depressed. Joy springs spontaneously from awareness of the absolutely stunning implications of existence. Bask in that awareness.
WilliamFleming
Level 8
Dec 4, 2018
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