Everyday Canvas

Is True Happiness within the Individual Only?

Prompt: Gandhi said, "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." Agree or disagree? Is there more to happiness than that?

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I think there's more to happiness than what goes on within an individual. What goes on around him or her must have some effect on happiness also. Still, happiness starts from within, and I agree with Gandhi, if partially, from a specific point of view because of this question: How can anyone be happy if his insides are fighting within its sections?

Then other questions also come to mind. What does it mean to live with thoughts, words, and actions different from each other? What does this say about the character of a person?

I think it shows a person with dubious values, wavering rationality, and a faulty character. It also points to a person conflicted within himself.

Most of the old Greek moralists think that if we are rational, we aim at living well. Living well doesn't necessarily mean material possessions, but it means how a person is at peace within himself. The Stoics identify happiness with “living coherently.” To live coherently, a person needs that psychological unity within himself.

First, our thoughts have great power over our life. At the core of human psychology, our thinking affects who we are. Then how we conduct our speech is a very important quality, too. Our words need to agree with our thoughts perfectly, so we don't feel their separation inside ourselves. No matter how we rationalize or ignore that separation, it will always be there, working against us, against our good mood, whether we are aware of it or not.

As human beings, we usually act what we think, but sometimes the words we utter come out differently for many reasons, some of which are: to save face, to quiet or appease the other people so they don't mess with our actions, to help the outcome of a scheme, etc.

It is guessed by psychologists that in most people thoughts, words, and deeds are in disarray. That is to say, we do not say what we mean, we don't do what we say, and our words and actions are not in sync with our thoughts. Could be true, but which one of us hasn't told a white lie, possibly to not hurt another person? Then, be it for the best of intentions, when we tell that white lie, don't we feel an uneasiness within ourselves? This, therefore, shows that sticking to truthfulness is the best thing to do for our personal happiness and peace of mind, but does it always help our environs? I value truth greatly, but I can be flexible in not exposing it in its stark nakedness, if this has to do with helping another person.

As to deeds, if they don't agree with our words and thoughts, what good are they for? Our actions spurred by our weaknesses give us even more trouble, deadening our minds to the ultimate goal of happiness.

I think, in the complicated times that we live in, it is not always possible to have thoughts, words, and actions agree all the time. For that same reason, being perfectly happy is practically impossible all the time, as well. If our time and place lacks harmony, how can we as individuals have that perfect harmony and find happiness while everyone around us is falling apart?