There is far too much sadness in this world. I do not know who said it if I had to guess it would be Nietzsche but any way to paraphrase it went something like all sadness comes from disappointment.
The thing is that disappointment comes from expectation. You are not disappointed that it is a rainy day until you expect it to be a sunny one. You are not sad because you are alone until you have the expectation that you should be in love or have some significant companionship. What separates us form the other mammals? Expectation is that separation. A bunny rabbit expects to be eaten every day on a subconscious level; that is called survival instinct. Therefore when that bunny does not get eaten that day before it goes to sleep it is happy.
We humans create our expectations and therefore create our own sadness. You are at a bar and you expect that the person to whom you are attracted will reciprocate, when they don't; you are sad.
I do not want to throw gender bias in here but I really think that women do in fact get the short end of the stick here.
If I ever have a daughter I promise that I will make it clear to her that her importance has nothing to do with a god, a future marriage, having children, or anything that is outside of her happiness and self expectation. That is not to say that I will encourage her to be anything less than all she can be, but I would want her to know that her self worth comes from her and nothing else.
The thing is that disappointment comes from expectation. You are not disappointed that it is a rainy day until you expect it to be a sunny one. You are not sad because you are alone until you have the expectation that you should be in love or have some significant companionship. What separates us form the other mammals? Expectation is that separation. A bunny rabbit expects to be eaten every day on a subconscious level; that is called survival instinct. Therefore when that bunny does not get eaten that day before it goes to sleep it is happy.
We humans create our expectations and therefore create our own sadness. You are at a bar and you expect that the person to whom you are attracted will reciprocate, when they don't; you are sad.
I do not want to throw gender bias in here but I really think that women do in fact get the short end of the stick here.
If I ever have a daughter I promise that I will make it clear to her that her importance has nothing to do with a god, a future marriage, having children, or anything that is outside of her happiness and self expectation. That is not to say that I will encourage her to be anything less than all she can be, but I would want her to know that her self worth comes from her and nothing else.
I have been pondering since reading your post though. I think sadness is good. Happiness and sadness are not opposites. Indifference is the opposite of the two. Happiness and sadness are 2 extremes of emotion while indifference is a lack of emotion. Indifference is worse than sadness. I suppose it makes no sense. I find it very difficult to express myself outside of my own mind.