Happiness theory !

        I once casually observed that a person is as happy as others think he is. But on deeper contemplation I found that it’s a rare piece of wisdom. The happiness that a normal being feels, is not because of his own inherent state/possessions, but is an indirect result of the appreciation/envy he invokes in others. Being a student of Mrs Rand , I have learnt that any simple idea can become a complete philosophy with the help of monstrous prolixity. The writing of this post therefore was imperative. Coming back to the topic, its really amazing how true this apparently funny observation is. In search of happiness, people don’t do what would actually make them happy. They do things which would make people around them think that they are happy. So , they constantly seek affirmation from others that look, I got promotion, am I happy ? And the following ego massage( wonderful term from I am OK you are OK)  is what actually makes them happy. People would buy those things, the possessor of whom are generally considered a happy lot. Whether they actually need  those things is surprisingly irrelevant. Thus the quest for happiness becomes an anxious effort to convince people around, that look I am happy. Girls would starve themselves to bones, chasing that perfect shape which would get them many a male eyeball or feminine envy. They would even wear un ‘in-gettable’ clothes, which would need as much effort as a serpentine to slough  to get out of, just to show what they have achieved. Boys would burn many a calorie getting silly fleshy tissue pop out from strategic locations from their body for the same (The author, being fallible, has been a party to this literal vice of the flesh). People even brag about their achievements/belongings , knowing that they own less than what they are showing. Its interesting to notice the games they play while conversing to out do each other in terms of appearing happy.They would  either play down the achievements of others , oh its not a big deal, they would say. Another approach , when acknowledging the achievement is inevitable, they would try to extract a party, just to ameliorate the ‘grief’ caused by others achievement. The seeker(rather the snatcher) of the party then acts as a victor vis a vis the person who made achievement, thereby scoring his own points in the ensuing ‘battle for happiness’. The observation of people including one self in the light of the aforesaid, is quite an interesting job !.