Today we had a class discussing about what elements make people happy.
Our teacher, Eunice, showed us several photos she took in Nepal during this winter vocation. We learned that the Nepalese are living happy lives(at least from the pictures), though their life conditions may not be as good as other countries around or else where.
Then since they are not rich in materials, why do they still feel happy or what elements constitute the causation of their happiness. People usually thinks it might be a healthy body, or a lot of money, or good relationship with family members or friends, or respect from others that makes people happy.According to Eunice, however, it is the religion which is deeply rooted in Nepalese minds that makes them happy.(Hinduism is popular in Nepal)
If you have read " The happy man ", which is the last chapter in The Conquest of Happiness written by Bertrand Russell, the British philosopher and political activist, you may find this sentence:"the man who is unhappy will, as a rule, adopt an unhappy creed, while the man who is happy will adopt a happy creed." Yes , Russell believes people have different creeds because of his or her own happiness or unhappiness.
The two views above are totally different. I have never been abroad, not to mention Nepal, and I have no ideas whether the Nepalese are happily or not. And I'm not sure which view is right or wrong(perhaps neither is right). But I do believe people have their own life goal, hope or desires during different life stages. Life stages here refer to different periods of time in life when someone is rich or poor.
Join our discussion and leave your comments. What elements do you think make people happy and why?