Question

*MINIMUM 250 WORDS*

Discussion: Wisdom and Happiness

Purpose: To discuss the differences between virtue and happiness.

Would you think that a wise person would also be a happy person? Why or why not? What is the difference between wisdom and happiness, and more generally, the pursuit of happiness and the pursuit or development of virtue?

Answer 1

The basic difference between happiness and wisdom is that, happiness is a fleeting feeling that would last for few moments, whereas the wisdom or virtues are long lasting stable values of life that stays with humans for their life time. Every individual is in pursuit of happiness, but those who are sensible to themselves and have a clear difference of good and bad achieve a state of happiness that stays longer and gives them contentment in their life. The pursuit of happiness could be the pursuit of pleasure, the momentarily fleeting feelings when the bodily desires are fulfilled, or a feeling of goodness that do not stay longer. But those who pursue for the virtues may not pursue happiness intentionally, but, happiness comes to them eventually and stays with them for long.

A wise person is a happy person because they have accepted themselves as they are,they know their limits, they strive for betterment in life, and are in constant efforts to develop their virtues. Such individuals have gratitude towards their life, they uplift, encourage and motivate others to have a sensible and good life. Thus, they do not pursue happiness,but happiness is in them and they spread this happiness to others around them.

Attaining wisdom or virtues need sacrifices of immediate pleasures. It requires to overcome one's fears, to acknowledge one's limitations and boundaries. It requires sensibleness to know what is right and wrong, and to strive for the right values at any cost. A wise person accepts as they are, and strives for improvement in life. Their goal is not the immediate pleasures of life, but the long term virtues and values that gives self contentment and joy in life. This joy cannot be taken away from them by the difficult situations of life because they know how to endure and overcome them.