The Pursuit of Happiness

 

"The be-all and end-all of life should not be to get rich, but to enrich the world."
– Bertie Charles Forbes

An article by Charles Murray titled “Rules for a Happy Life” appeared in the March 29-30, 2014 edition of the Wall Street Journal. According to Murray, Rule: 1. Consider Marrying Young. He talked about one advantage (a start up) is that you have many memories of your life (going from the initial insecurities to knowing you’re going to make it) and that you and your spouse have made your way together. He also talked about merger marriages (being more mature and less likely to outgrow each other). 2. Learn How to Recognize your Soul mate relates to not allowing objectionable deal breakers i.e. (punctuality, orderliness and thriftiness) to get in the way, since you’re not able to change your mate anyway. He added that it is important and critical for you to really like your spouse also. 3. Take Religion Seriously has to do with intellectually and experientially reading about i.e.  atheism, agnosticism, Hinduism, Christianity, etc. Also, to associate with people who are profoundly religious because they have learned to generally reconcile faith and reason (they transcend intelligence and judgment). 4.  Eventually Stop Fretting about Fame and Fortune and come to grips with your station in life. He quotes David Geffen, the billionaire “show me someone who thinks that money buys happiness and I’ll show you someone who has never had a lot of money.” Murray went on to say that fame and wealth do accomplish something: they cure ambition, anxiety, but that’s all. 5. Watch Groundhog Day Repeatedly since that fable deals with the most fundamental issues of virtue and happiness in that the protagonist Bill Murray learns to experience deep, lasting and justified satisfaction with life even in only one day to do it.

I really take exception to this article as Murray seems to be missing the boat. Perhaps his book provides more enlightenment then this adaptation.

 

Part 2  To be Continued