In search of happiness.

Hey guys! Have you missed me? No? Whatever.

As you all probably know, it's that college crunch time and college is looming large over our lives at the moment. I've been thinking a lot lately about my future, and during a trippy conversation while lying comatose on couches after over consumption of turkey on Thanksgiving, I had a few revelations.

First off, why do we do what we do? What are we trying to accomplish with our lives? Isn't the ultimate goal to have a happy and fulfilling life? How is the plan we are currently setting forth for ourselves propelling us towards that vision? Why should having the sitcom family make us happy?

A lot of our plans at the moment are setting us up for the acquisition of wealth and material prosperity but is that necessarily happiness? Why can't happiness be not going to college and setting off for a life of adventure in some jungle somewhere? Isn't the ignorant farmer just as content with his life? What makes me happy is hanging out with little kids; I've always wanted to be a daycare instructor. In fact, my life plan is to earn lots of money until I'm self-supporting, and then to quit and become a daycare instructor. Why can't we all just jump the gun and pursue our dreams?

...reality

Dream meet...

Frankly, the answer is that we need a way to survive aka we need green. However, at what point does the acquisition of wealth go from being out of necessity to purely because of an habitual obsession with the practice of acquiring more. The fact of the matter is that at a certain point you just have to start thinking about what will make you happy. There's a difference between having and not having a home, but there really isn't that much of a difference between having a 3 bedroom and a 5 bedroom house (unless you have 10 kids). There's a difference between having a car and not having a car, but between having a Honda and a Ferrari?

Happiness is completely subjective and controlled by no one but yourself. You can't expect to attain happiness by meeting certain expectations or goals because by definition goals are that which you have not attained. Our idea of happiness is really more of a standard; that standard can be used as motivation to improve our lives, but at times it becomes a constant reminder of what we do not and cannot have. When that occurs, we have to remember that we control our definition of happiness and can always alter it to match our circumstances.

*disclaimer: I'm not trying to be racist and I sincerely hope I won't offend anyone, but these are my honest opinions. Of course, I draw generalizations, but I know that not everyone is like this.

One major problem with Asian culture is how formulaic our lives are. We care not about the process but rather only about the ultimate destination. Once we have reached that ideal of being married, employed, having kids, and having considerable wealth, we're good, but before that...The majority of the Asians I know are so predictable: college, more college, work, marriage, kids, etc. We don't deviate! On the contrary, it is my opinion that African American culture is the exact opposite. They are all about the climb and aren't really focused on any particular goal. It's all about livin' the life. Neither way of life is correct though. In life, we have to learn to find a balance. I think that white American culture does this best :P

At this point I'm sort of mostly just rambling, but whatever, because these are nothing more than the musings of an Asian slightly insane from thoughts of college...

In search of happiness.

Food for thought:

What do you think happiness is? Do you think it is attainable?

Do you agree with my cultural breakdown?

How are you coping with the stress of college applications?

Do you think about your future? Or do you just live in the moment?