The Relationship between Happiness and Individuality

According to Mill (1998 ), individuality remains in direct opposition to finish submission of one's interests and goals to the desires and custom-mades of society. While it is essential to follow societal norms, individuality needs to be preserved seeing that affecting does not lead to developments the method uniqueness does. Therefore, leaders are individuals that increase to change something that is undesirably dealing with society at any provided time. Considered that leaders are thorough mavericks, and they work to increase the joy of society, uniqueness and joy must be linked.

However, uniqueness is often thought to be linked with the self-centered pursuit of individual desires instead of societal interests. After all, if everyone on our world ended up being an out and out independent, there would be no use of societal standards that link people as social animals. Societal control would be likewise unnecessary in that occasion, seeing that every child, teen, male and woman would firmly insist on doing as he or she pleases without understanding the effects-- which may consist of harm done unto others.

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Psychologists think that happiness is an emotional experience of "feeling great ("The Meaning of Happiness to Live By," 2005)." Likewise according to them, happiness includes thoughts of complete satisfaction regarding one's past and future. Furthermore, happiness needs to include the emotional experience of "not feeling bad ("The Definition of Joy to Live By").

" Indeed, all of these experiences are individual experiences. Without individuality, these experiences are worthless.

Even if a private were to forget his or her uniqueness-- or his or her appreciable personality-- for a while as she or he spends many of the time with other individuals; the experiences of "feeling great" and "not feeling bad" would stay as individual experiences ("The Meaning of Joy to Live By"). Moreover, it is possible that a person that has forgotten his/her individuality for a long time would feel extra great or feel bad about something associated to the people he or she connects with. Hence, the individual's sensations would function as a reminder of his or her individuality.

     People pursue their individual interests and goals to maximize their happiness.  Some people are more adamant than the others about doing as they please.  For others, their individual interests and goals must be the same as societal interests and goals.  Such people believe that they would maximize their happiness by conforming to the society’s ideals.  All the same, there is no way to tell whether the first as opposed to the second group of people is right.  After all, people that are adamant about doing as they please may ultimately come up with innovations that society has never had the chance to enjoy.  Likewise, the people who feel happy by accepting societal interests and goals as their individual interests and goals are trying to maximize the happiness of society too.

     Still, there is no happiness without individuality, given that happiness is defined by individual emotional experiences of “feeling good” and “not feeling bad (“The Definition of Happiness to Live By”).”  It is possible to be an out and out individualist and continue to respect societal norms to maximize one’s happiness.  But, certain individualists would hurt society by following their own selfish interests.

  Most probably they would also hurt themselves.  Thus, the necessary relationship between happiness and individuality demands a balance and a respect.  The individualist must take a balanced approach to pursuing his or her interests and goals to maximize happiness – bearing in mind that his or her pursuit of happiness should not turn into pain for anybody.  Respect of society is crucial for individualism to bear its fruit.  Hence, the essential relationship between happiness and individuality must be handled with care.

References

Mill, J. S. (1998). On Liberty. Retrieved Nov 25, 2007, from

http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/m/m645o/m645o.zip.

 The Definition of Happiness to Live By. (2005). Coaching to Happiness. Retrieved Nov 25,

2007, from http://www.coachingtohappiness.com/definition-of-happiness.html.