One thing that I realized recently is that humans are not "designed" to be happy. We will always not be content with the current state of being. We will always be looking for the next improvement or change.
In a sense, what humans actually care about is the derivative of their state. The absolute state doesn't matter that much.
I mean, why would it? Why would evolution design a creature that is content? Happiness and contentment only works (for survival purposes) if it is fleeting.
At some point, I was happy just _thinking_ of buying good, beefy PCs so everything becomes snappy. However, now that I can literally buy them, I don't have that desire anymore.
In fact, I have no idea what to do with my money? I was happy just living with my parents and I could probably afford to do that until the end of their days. But now that I do have the money, that "dream" is no longer there.
I guess what I am trying to get at is to no be trapped by the illusion of "the next good thing". Its designed to be a treadmill. Learn how to be happy with what you have.
Yes, your brain's main goal is survival. You don't need to be happy to live.
Hedonism is a dead end. The best way is to make up some higher meaning for oneself, be it creating a better world, raising a child, spirituality, being an artist or whatever. You concerns should be bigger than yourself but still manageable.
>In a sense, what humans actually care about is the derivative of their state.
I suspect humans mostly care about the delta between their state and that of their friends and neighbours. It takes a great deal of fortitude to ignore the fact that those around you are materially richer.
In a sense, what humans actually care about is the derivative of their state. The absolute state doesn't matter that much.
I mean, why would it? Why would evolution design a creature that is content? Happiness and contentment only works (for survival purposes) if it is fleeting.
At some point, I was happy just _thinking_ of buying good, beefy PCs so everything becomes snappy. However, now that I can literally buy them, I don't have that desire anymore.
In fact, I have no idea what to do with my money? I was happy just living with my parents and I could probably afford to do that until the end of their days. But now that I do have the money, that "dream" is no longer there.
I guess what I am trying to get at is to no be trapped by the illusion of "the next good thing". Its designed to be a treadmill. Learn how to be happy with what you have.