'The pursuit of contentment is hopelessly self-defeating.'

The pursuit of contentment is hopelessly self-defeating.

Stuart Jeffries (NewsMaster) -

If I had a penny for every time a self-styled happiness guru has pointed out that our increased riches and health have made us no happier than we were 50 years ago, I would have enough money to buy a really good pair of those Bose headphones - you know the ones that enable you to complete block out the wittering of people nearby, especially that of those who enjoining you to be happy.

The point is that all this happiness talk is making me really miserable, chiefly because it seems philosophically naïve, and practically self-defeating. There is only one thing more dismal than the prospect of attending lessons in happiness and that is listening to Ken Dodd's song on the same subject. "Happiness, happiness," sang the forerunner of the current glut of happiness gurus, "The greatest gift that I possess." A song that makes me want to hit the bottle, at the very least, or, failing that, a Diddy Man.

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• Why happiness is overrated

Comment #1 Six of Cups from Deep South -

Sounds like Buddhism - as taught originally by Guatama the Buddha - might appeal to you. Basically, he taught that achieving a state of absence of desire would mean freedom and enlightenment.

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