In evolutionary psychology, it’s common to point out that our organism and nervous system is not made primarily for lasting happiness. It’s made to help us survive.
Of course, we experience happiness in periods, and some seem to have a higher set-point for happiness than others. Also, we can certainly experience a more stable contentment or a sense of gratitude, and that may be as good or better than happiness.
Perhaps this also goes for the world in general. It’s not created to make us happy.
If anything, it’s made for adventure. This world is the universe, existence, or life expressing, exploring, and experiencing itself in always new ways.
And, if we have a spiritual orientation, we can say that this world – this universe and all of existence – is the divine expressing, exploring, and experiencing itself in always new ways. Some call this lila.
Personally, I would take survival and adventure over happiness any day. If our human organism and brain were not made for survival, none of us would be here. To me, adventure is far more interesting than happiness. And as icing on the cake, we can still find contentment and gratitude, and even receive periods of happiness.
INITIAL NOTES
- Our brain and this world is not made to make us happy
- The brain is not created to make us happy, it’s created to help us survive
- And perhaps same about our life here
- Not meant to make us happy
- Meant as an adventure
- Lila
DRAFT
In evolutionary psychology, it’s common to point out that our organism and nervous system is not made to make us chronically happy. It’s made to help us survive.
Of course, we experience happiness in periods, and some seem to have a higher set-point for happiness than others. Also, we can certainly experience a more stable contentment or a sense of gratitude, and that may be as good or better than happiness.
Perhaps this also goes for the world in general. It’s not created to make us happy.
If anything, it’s made for adventure. This world is the universe, existence, or life expressing, exploring, and experiencing itself in always new ways.
And, if we have a spiritual orientation, we can say that this world – this universe and all of existence – is the divine expressing, exploring, and experiencing itself in always new ways. Some call this lila.
Personally, I would take survival and adventure over happiness any day. If our human organism and brain were not made for survival, none of us would be here. Adventure is far more interesting than happiness. And as icing on the cake, we can find contentment and gratitude, and even have periods of happiness.