There can be many things which can make us happy. One of those, as I have found from my experience, is to do the job you enjoy doing. I was earlier a software professional and was having a very good income. But I was interested in teaching. After those who were financially dependent on me, got settled in their lives, I gave up the software job. Now, I spend many hours daily tutoring students who live nearby. I tutor them completely for free. I also have some International students. Some of them pay. Sometimes I take up some freelancing software project. I teach so many students that I work much longer than earlier, but I earn less. As a software professional, my income was more than 1.8 million per annum. Now I make only 9 to 10 thousand rupees monthly on an avarage. But I am liking this work a lot. It is so thrilling!
- monkeys / apes act in groups, try to dominate each other to get control over females (kings and 100s of wives/concubines) - fighting over territory - inside the group, cronies/buddies obey the alpha-male - monkeys and snakes tend to try and copulate all the time.
Since that is not allowed in civilised human society, they are substituted by pornography.
Stress-busting needs some strong stimulant sensation - enter smoking and alcohol. All of Europe and USA does not need alcohol, but the present "free market" capitalism system (devoid of ethics by the very definition of economics) creates all sorts of fake delusive signals to our ape brains.
These are called supernormal stimuli which our brains are hardwired to respond to.
When there is cruelty and trickery in the mind the whole day, cleaner emotions of empathy and compassion are impossible to hold in the brain (they come from a different background feeling of security)
Google search the following: 1. "Dan Dennett cute sexy sweet funny" 2. "Philip Zimbardo Lucifer effect" 3. "Dan Ariely why we think it is OK to cheat"
All ape behaviours.
If not for the scientific fact that interstellar space travel is truly impossible, one would think that some really really intelligent race is manipulating us as we manipulate animals.
Alas, it is our own animal behaviours we use against each other.
Re: ape-brain functions in ape fashion
by Devdutt Nayak on Dec 19, 2010 01:44 PM
No other species (maybe except ants) behaves in so much organised crime against itself.
It's always the neighbor's wealth that is the benchmark. If he has a good car, then we want to have one. If he has a bigger TV, we wanna have one. If his kid excels in study you want you kid to emulate. Even in the work place, if the boss praises your co-worker you want him to do so to you too. The example just can be extrapolated and probably we will arrive at Darwin's theory. Our own Indian philosophy says that that there are two factors that impact one's personality. His surroundings and ofcourse his in built persona. Very often we think that our behavior influenced by our surroundings are our in-built behavior/talent and get totally taken away by it thus ending up not tapping one's own ability.
the article is crap. earning more money comes at a cost which is hard work, tension, stress, health problems in long term, politics, risk taking. If a person cannot be happy with a nokia basic phone and thinks an iphone will make him happy, then he must work harder to buy that. only contentment, good health and relations will keep a person happy. don't get mislead western lifestyle driven by consumerism and materialistic desires which can never lead to happiness, only misery
Re: good health, relations and contentment keeps you happy
by Pawan Bhootra on Dec 19, 2010 01:24 PM
I fully agree with you.Luxuries, materialistic approach can bring happiness in short term but in long term it will never give you peace and happiness. Sound health, good family relationship and your noncontroversial personality(free of egos and jealousy) will bring tremedous happinness and peace in the life. What this article is finally proving this point only that since normally people are very jealous and egostic about the earnings/wealth creation of friends, close relatives and neibours and that keep them unhappy all the time. One who is not affected by above, will be most happy person in life.
We have only one life to live so enjoy it with most happiness and solid health. No stress, no tension. Just try to earn what you need to keep a reasonable life style and donot try to check what others are doing. Keep your family happy. Do always 3-4 donations to poor(providing food, shelter, providing clothers to needy) in a month will give unbelievebly satisfication than this materialistic and consumerism. Keep your self away from egostic and materialistic people. I believe this is what happiness and peace is.
India or world cannot progress without UP/ BIHAR hardworking Engineers, Technicians, Workers etc. They are the MAIN Driving force of the nation........ Many realise this publicly. Many privately.... But, this the truth, one and all agree in front of their GOD...... Right from working in Infrastructure Projects, Ports, Selling Newspapers, Vada-Paw, Ironing Clothes of high flying executives, Driving Taxis, Rickshaws in diff. parts of Globe.... We all must salute them......... Poeple from UP/ BIHAR excel in education sector also. They are cometent in Medicine, Law, Engineering, Management etc.......... BIHAR was the place where Chanakya was born, it is the Land of "Gautam Buddha"...... Many of Hindu Gods and Goddess are from present Geographical location called "UTTAR PRADESH".... Without UP/ BIHAR ------ There will be no humanity!!!!!!!!!!
Farmers continue to commit sucide in some of INDIA's "Progressive States"! All Indians have to think of their well being and bring happiness to them and protect them from cruel money lenders........
If tomorrow there will be need of making colonies etc. in Moon or Mars (a century later etc.), ------ it will be possible only and only due to "Hardworking" people of UP/ BIHAR, China etc. This truth all will acknowledge (willingly or unwillingly) in front of their Gods
I AM A HAPPY HUMAN BUT AN UNHAPPY INDIAN. When every Indian family of 4/5 gets at least Rs. 300-Rs. 500 a day to meet their normal expenses. When every Indian can afford a decent roof over his head with 24-hour water and electricity. When every Indian can afford education at least upto 12th standard for his children. When every Indian can afford meals at least 4 times in a day for himself and his children – no exotic food, just plain rice, daal, sambar, bhaaji, achar, papad, tea and coffee. When every Indian can afford medical treatment for himself and his family members, no matter how high the cost. When we have a scam-free Government. When the idea of joining politics is to improve the common good and not just take bribes, grab land and inflame people based on caste, region and religion. When there are no pot-holed roads in my country. A road when made lasts for at least 10 years without a scratch on it. A bridge when made doesn’t collapse till the expiry of at least 50 years. When I do not have to bribe to get a driving licencse, school/college admission. When the police force protects and guards the poor from injustice from the hands of the rich and not protect the rich and political class. When judges and lawyers are men of great honesty and integrity.
Re: Happy Human but unhappy Indian
by Kungfu Panda on Dec 18, 2010 06:35 PM
thank you for pointing out India's problems. That was very enlightening. Even a 5 year old kid knows about them
Re: Happy Human but unhappy Indian
by srnvs san on Dec 16, 2010 06:31 AM
What do we need to do to improve it? We can talk about problems all day long or life long.
a) If every educated person educates 2 other persons then illiteary is iradicated. Simple solution for big problems.
We need solutions and contributions from every body. I am not saying you are not contributing.
b) If we plant a tree and grow on each birth day, we can cut down global warming.
These are not big things. We need contribution from every body.
I AM A HAPPY HUMAN BUT AN UNHAPPY INDIAN. When every Indian family of 4/5 gets at least Rs. 300-Rs. 500 a day to meet their normal expenses. When every Indian can afford a decent roof over his head with 24-hour water and electricity. When every Indian can afford education at least upto 12th standard for his children. When every Indian can afford meals at least 4 times in a day for himself and his children – no exotic food, just plain rice, daal, sambar, bhaaji, achar, papad, tea and coffee. When every Indian can afford medical treatment for himself and his family members, no matter how high the cost. When we have a scam-free Government. When the idea of joining politics is to improve the common good and not just take bribes, grab land and inflame people based on caste, region and religion. When there are no pot-holed roads in my country. A road when made lasts for at least 10 years without a scratch on it. A bridge when made doesn’t collapse till the expiry of at least 50 years. When I do not have to bribe to get a driving licencse, school/college admission. When the police force protects and guards the poor from injustice from the hands of the rich and not protect the rich and political class. When judges and lawyers are men of great honesty and integrity.
