Happiness is an individual achievement. Whatever makes one person happy may not do the same to another, and the reality of the situation is: that is okay. I enjoy skating, running, and playing music. Does that mean that everyone should enjoy those activities? Of course not. Does that mean that others should empathize and respect my right to self achievement and my pursuit of happiness? Yes. Even though someone may look at running and decide that it is a miserable activity and no one should ever run, realizing that differences exist in personality can help to understand the differences in lifestyle.
These same principles applies to sadness. Many would look into the life of Jeannette Walls and decide that her childhood was miserable and dark, and it may seem that way. But if instead we look at her own feelings toward her life, she was not sad at all. Walls "was happy in Battle Mountain" (50) even though the life she lived may seem to be miserable. This is where the book is realized to be not a sad story at all; the reader may see what happens and immediately decide that there is no way that anyone could still be cheerful in a situation like Walls faces. They are simply wrong. If Jeannette found happiness-- at least for the first years of her life-- in the crazy lifestyle she lived, then no one may say otherwise. In this way of thinking, happiness and sorrow are linked. As one looks deeper into the life of Walls, it is realized she is happy for two main reasons: ignorance of her abnormal life, and a positive outlook to outshine any outside influence. Her own ignorance causes her happiness and until Welch, she stays this way. Walls begins to understand the reality of her life as she sees "cute brick houses" (120) and other luxuries of the wealthy. She no longer has the veil of innocence to hide her happy, giddy child self behind and now strives for change. Ignorance is bliss and breeds happiness; the concept seems so backwards but is still true. But is ignorance still bad if it can make others happy? Even though Plato said "Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil," this may not always be true... A high schooler questioning a famous philosopher? Yup
In theme with individuality of happiness and sadness, the following video addresses two men who follow their dreams to ride-- on motorcycle-- from California to the Arctic Circle. Their own strive for self fulfillment may seem terrifying to others but still demands respect with the magnitude of their adventure.
Jack,
ReplyDeleteThe connection that you draw between happiness and sadness is intriguing. I also believe you have every right to challenge Plato. Given his view on ignorance, I think he would be delighted someone with new knowledge and in a new culture is questioning his ideas, leading to a decrease in ignorance (though by your reasoning, that's not necessarily as good as Plato might have thought.)