Maggie's Farm

'And "self-esteem" is psychobabble: I have yet to meet the person who deserved it.'

imo,it's psychobabble because it's *soft language*.

people recognize its absence,
but all seem to define its presence differently.

Dr Bliss -

i'm gonna be a weeny coz i have yet to read
the "Happiness Traps" article...but here goes:

"I still blame Jefferson for being a weeny and giving in by replacing the words "pursuit of property" with the vague and new-agey "pursuit of happiness." (Yes, that did happen.) I think that set a crazy standard for a life which is in many ways a vale of tears, confusing, mysterious, and an endless challenge."

It is much easier to talk about what doesn't make us happy, or makes us unhappy, or upset, angry, disappointed, fearful, or pained.

exactly HOW is Jefferson a weenie??

WHERE does the Constitution say ANY of this stuff
(Life,Liberty and/or The PURSUIT of Happiness)
is gonna be EASY???

one could point to any number of arguments about
Equality of Outcome vs. Equality of Opportunity.


what's ommited from the picture you frame...

'replacing the words "pursuit of property"
with the vague and new-agey "pursuit of happiness." '

..is that Jefferson is talking about ALL of US pursuing our individual wants,but WITH RESPECT FOR the desires and rights of others...imo,that's a higher and more noble value than simply protecting your neighbors's right to his/her property...Jefferson's proposal was a hopeful picture of civic harmony...what Marx and his goons would want to do with that noble sentiment is a discussion for another day.

-gumshoe

PS - i'll try to read "Traps" tomorrow
and be back to take my lumps.

the Pirke Aboth has some words about
the Scoundrel,the Average Man and the Saint.

hopefully i can post that tomorrow as well.

"I think that set a crazy standard for a life which is in many ways a vale of tears, confusing, mysterious, and an endless challenge."


so life is Big,it's Complex, it has Tragedies,
and even stuff we can't Comprehend ...so Jefferson
shoulda wrote....

"We the People...should pursue the ownership of MORE STUFF."

seems to me the whole 60's thing
was an entire generational rant about that idea.
(and,imo, a good portion of that was coz it's easy to complain about the imperfections of a problem that's already been substantially solved).

i think,had Jefferson gone that route, we would have NEEDED the Marxists.

_____________________________________
the "Traps" article had some valid points.

As seems common for people needing to
"Fix" Americans,it's usually
their ambition and aquisitiveness
that comes in for moralizing and attacks...
the weight of Baker's "Traps" seemed
tilted in the same direction.

To be fair if an entire society is afflicted and blinded by its biases,those biases may need to be pointed out repeatedly.

but what is Healthy Ambition?

do the "Men Without Chests" know?

and if not,who will teach them?
Baker??

Baker was,thankfully, positive in that he said
his clients seem to heal and improve most when they focus on their Strengths rather than their Weaknesses.

the "People who are happiest
are the one's who follow their Passions"
sounds great (and VERY New-Agey),
and he then "demonstrates" its validity as a life philosophy by vaguely suggesting they have happy spouses and children and implies they are content with middle-of-the-road jobs and achievement.

but what about people with inappropriate passions??
maybe they reallyreallyreally love sex,drugs and rock & roll,
for example....they think it will make them happy.

it's their passion!

not to be Kafka-esque but couldn't "Passion"
also be a "Happiness Trap"?

so much of pop-psych is old wisdom in new packging:

"Take what you want,and PAY fot It."
-old Spanish Proverb