Jealousy is the killer of all satisfaction. When we were little, our parents told us to not be jealous of what other people had, to be grateful for what he did have, as that was the most important thing. Everyday, people are filled with wants. They want a good grade on their test, they want a raise at work, they want to spend more time with their kids. They are just fixated on their wants, as it can affect their own mental health as this sole focus can overtake any original thought they create. They are motivated solely on achieving this want, as it can act as a supplement for their self-worth, what value they have to the world and to themselves. People can be afraid to get what they want, scared of judgment it might cause them. Solely, people function with selfish purpose driven wants in life. They will view their own life on the spectrum of achieving what they want or not achieving what they want. Which if it’s the ladder, self-destruction is oftentimes the unfortunate reality.
People want to be happy, they want to be fulfilled. Is that not a want? Is it unhealthy to want something so generally positive? Is it not ok to gear your life to wanting to be happy? The answers to those questions are heavily convoluted, but I will try to entertain them through my lens. Happiness is tailored to the definition that one has everything they could ever need, so what would happen if one had everything. Would they be happy? I believe that happiness is rather being able to enjoy all that you have, no matter what has happened, you could’ve gained it all or lost it all, if you enjoy what you have, you are happy. On one specific distinction with that, I add that not wanting anything is a key to happiness. Happiness is incredibly susceptible to jealousy and lust, and eliminating all wants can ensure happiness. But like I previously mentioned, people who go through life not wanting anything to happen to them often have depressive tendencies. There has to be a line drawn, right? Between not wanting anything to happen and not wanting anything because you are content. The line is so thin. Two extremes, reliant on the same core thought, wanting the same thing, not wanting.
The distinction comes in the form of wanting to not want. What that means is going out of your way, having the goal to not want, which is an oxymoron in itself, wanting to not want. But the happier option is not wanting just because, you’re not going out of your way to not want, you aren’t wanting anything because you truly believe you don’t need anything else. This mindset is very appreciated and grateful, something most people try to do, but they won’t give up their true ambitions, they just can’t let go. Can people truly be happy when they can’t let go of what they want? It’s up to each individual. Wanting to not want is only a discussion of a possible definition to happiness in life. I am only discussing a possible explanation to the meaning of life, I for one am not agreeing with either side, for I am presenting lines of reasoning with the phenomenon.