Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Danger of Happiness

Here's a piece from the Atlantic about the dangers of the pursuit of happiness. If that's all we desire for our children and if we always strive to secure it for them, then paradoxically they often won't have it.

Aristotle knew this. Happiness shouldn't be a goal in itself. Rather we should pursue success. Learn to do a thing well and happiness might come as a consequence. But pursue the happiness itself and likely it will elude you.

Choose a task. Devote yourself to success within in. The sum of your successes is the value of your life. If you achieve some measure of happiness along the way, feel fortunate. But do not mistake that happiness for the purpose of your life. Your purpose is success.

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