How about; An internally consistent, user friendly, world view that doesn't clash with reality? Would that be a good definition of Happiness or Contentment? And that fleeting thing that comes and goes, we could call fun or kicks.

I think most people see happiness as a destination, when it is better looked at happiness as a way of traveling.

I think there's a chemical component to our capacity for happiness or contentment. Some people really do seem upbeat most of the time. I'm not one of those people. I do think that how we see reality plays into it, too, but not in a linear way. I think people who are more realistic in their worldview are less content because they have the capacity to see reality without rose-colored glasses. I think it's all interconnected, part of our personality.

I have hope that happiness does exist-something missing from your life that completes you. In my case a healthy relationship with a partner would complete me.

No! I'm happy. I can't speak for others.

I think media (and as a byproduct people in general) has sold us a version of happiness that doesn't exist, and if you try to achieve that you will be frustrated. I think if you look at the world you could be led to believe that it is abnormal to not be 100% happy all the time. That you are either happy or miserable and deserve it. If you compare yourself against that it feels like your doing it wrong. I think the problem is we compare ourselves to a standard that is inaccurate and impossible and feel like we're failing if we miss it.

Happiness is a cookie. You have a cookie, you eat your cookie, your cookie is gone.

Contentment is absolutely possible, but it tales maintenance.

I'm not completely happy right now in life. Once the 17th comes, I will relax. Or after Xmas.

Happiness is a choice. I've seen people who seem to have everything that aren't happy, nothing is ever "good enough" for them. And yet those who have little seem to be happier than most first world denizens. Which leads to the idea that things don't make you happy. Many years ago I read that the secret to happiness is three fold. 1. Someone to love. 2. Something to do. and 3. Something to look forward to. For me, happiness comes from my kids, I did a damn good job. (patting myself on the back.) I always have something to do, too much to do; but I have hobbies that give me contentment. And something to look forward to... sometimes that is tough to find but right now it isn't, for me. YMMV. And yes, more than ecstatically happy I am content. I like homeostasis, to be on an even keel. I'm not depressed and anxious today, so I'm happy And that goes back to Grammie's old saying, "count your blessings."

define happiness

There are degrees of happiness, methinks, and I don't think it's a myth since I do experience it from time to time (and know its antithesis well enough). I think that ideally, we should be able to create that state of happiness regardless of (most) external forces and circumstances; however, we have been acculturated to associate happiness with possessions, social status, relationships, and money. All false gods to the state of happiness. (I'm thinking that commodification of all things under the sun is in direct opposition to what happiness is.)

What is the significance of the capital "H" form as opposed to the lower-case form?

We tend to think we need certain conditions before happiness can come, but I think it works better to find happiness first. Then, not only do the conditions no longer matter as much, it's easier to achieve them.