Tyler Peaster - What Happiness Means To Me

What Happiness Means To Me

Happiness has many different definitions for many different people. Happiness is such a varied idea settled on a shaky definition. There are official definitions of happiness, but they fail to give the word justice. Happiness will have no constant definition, we create the definition ourselves. So, what does happiness mean to me? Although happiness varies, mine 

I may have lied a little bit. There is a technical definition of the word happiness. Webster’s Dictionary defines happiness as “A pleasurable or satisfying experience.'' That may lead you to think that there is a defining factor of happiness. For some, this is true. However, even Webster’s has another definition of happiness, “A state of well-being and contentment”. There is a difference in a “satisfying experience” and a “content experience”. Two different people had two different definitions of happiness. This is because happiness is different for all. So, what does happiness mean to me?

A lack of happiness doesn’t represent sadness. Some people may think that not being happy means they sad, or vise-versa. There is a middle ground between happiness and sadness. For example, let's say a person is watching television. The show is good, and so is the snack. They probably feel fairly content. Now, let’s say the same person is out with some friends, laughing and enjoying the moment. Can both of these examples truly be defined by the same word? They are two totally different experiences.

Happiness is scalable. There is a threshold for happiness, but once the threshold is met, the tiers of happiness are shown. The example of “hanging out with friends” I had mentioned earlier is a happy moment, but there are happier moments. Seeing your child take their first steps is also a tier of happiness, but it is a much higher tier than “hanging out with friends.” Happiness is the high end of the scale of emotion. The scale, in its simplest form, would be sadness -> content -> happiness. Each area of this scale has tiers themselves. Happiness represents the higher options of the scale of emotions.

The simplest way to represent the tiers of happiness is with five main tiers. Tier one would be a quick burst of happiness that would only last a little while. Tier two would be happiness that lasts anywhere from a few hours to a day. Tier three would be an event that caused happiness that lasts a few days or a few weeks. Tier four would be a huge event that brings happiness for months or even years. 

Imagine a person playing a normal basketball game. They play really hard and win the game. When they win, the experience tier one happiness, they feel a temporary, short burst of happiness that lasts for a few minutes. Now, think of another person who is hanging out with friends. This would be tier two happiness, as it would be fun for those few hours, but have no further effect on their happiness. Another person had a bunch of homework assignments due over the next week. They decide to get all of the work due early. This would be tier three, as this would remove stress from them and that would cause them to feel happiness for the next week. Finally, a couple decides to get married. This would be tier four, as the marriage could potentially bring decades of happiness. All of these people are happy, but they are happy at different levels.

Happiness is not simply the lack of sadness. Happiness is a scale of tiers on a larger emotional scale. Scales and tiers really do justify the power of happiness. Happiness is not a strict definition tied to one set level of emotion.