“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Declaration of Independence)
By definition, according to Merriam Webster, pursuit is the action of following someone or something whereas happiness is feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. So therefore, by definition, the pursuit of happiness means to follow the feeling of pleasure or contentment.
Happiness isn’t found, but followed.
However, in Arthur M. Schlesinger‘s article, The Lost Meaning of “The Pursuit of Happiness”, he states that the interpretation of the word pursuit has changed. He claims that according to the New English Dictionary on Historical Principals it has had two definitions since the sixteenth century and we have been mistaken.
Schlesigner wrote his article in July of 1964 while the Declaration of Independence was written in 1776. He backs up his theory with the Virginia constitution, written during the same time as the Declaration, by George Mason. The first section in this document states:
“That all men are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inherent rights, of which, when they enter into a state of society, they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.”
Huh, sounds oddly familiar WITH the additional word obtaining..
So let’s assume that Schlesigner is right, that happiness is INTENDED to be found and it was all a big misconception.
Now the big question is:
How do I find happiness?
PERSONALLY, I firmly believe in The Law of Attraction and Karma. These both include intrinsic motivations, producing a more genuine and longer lasting feeling of happiness.
BUT I also firmly believe in Retail Therapy and a nice cold glass of strawberry lemonade. Unfortunately, these include extrinsic motivations, leaving a more temporary sense of happiness.
Let me break this down for you:
Intrinsic motivations are powered by how you feel internally.. duh
Extrinsic motivations are fueled by the tangible, or external, rewards.. obviously
The Law of Attraction is a complicated matter, but put simply: mentality to reality. There’s a solid documentary on Netflix, The Secret, that will explain this theory in depth. To practice this Law, you must understand that the universe is unbiased and doesn’t listen to the words want and don’t want. The focus of your thoughts is what the universe listens to and will grant them, whether you wanted it to happen or not. The cliche be careful what you wish for, isn’t kidding.
Karma isn’t as complicated, do something good and something good will come back to you. I like to call this the good Karma circle. In Buddhism, Karma is a fundamental principal and is used to answer questions of inequality. This idea is not only present in Buddhism, but seems to be conveyed within the Bible. The Ten Commandments are basic ethic and moral principals within Christianity; however, God forgives. There is no action without an equal reaction, Sir Issac Newton applied this to physics. Karma is basically the result of our past and current doings; so make them GOOD and not bad.
Retail Therapy is the destruction of your wallet through purchasing unnecessary items, such as another pair of shoes, to keep you fashionable.
Strawberry lemonade is the mixture of strawberry flavoring with a classic lemonade.
Allison Sanzone 