Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Friday, May 31. 2019

Is it a government's job to make us happy?

Should Government Produce Happiness?


If governments know how to do that, I am all in as long as it does not involve distribution of soma. Maybe governments do know something, because they seem to know how to make themselves happy. Mostly, government seems to annoy and burden me, though.


Posted by Bird Dog at 12:10 | Comments (5) | Trackback (1)

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I’m from the government and I’m here to help.
#1 Spurt Reynolds on 2019-05-31 13:58 (Reply)
If your happiness depends on external factors (particularly other people) then you are well and truly f*cked. Sure pleasure and love and other external events can bring flashes of happiness, but they can also bring pain and disappointment. Happiness as a disposition comes from internal forces, a choice. Be content in your circumstances, work hard to improve them and those of other people, be accomplished (small or large), bring happiness to other people as you are able. These things will help you to be happy as long as you recognize them for that.
#2 Ken in NH on 2019-05-31 14:01 (Reply)
If government produces happiness, then how can we pursue it as is reason for our form of government?
#3 JK Brown on 2019-05-31 14:33 (Reply)
"The Declaration of Independence says: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' The word 'pursuit' implies that you're going to go out and do something. It doesn't mention a right to happiness, a happiness entitlement, or a US Department of Happiness. We are a vigorous and robust society. The motto for the State of New Hampshire is: 'Live free or die'. It does not say: 'Live free or whine.'"
-- Speaker Gingrich
#4 kevino on 2019-05-31 17:43 (Reply)
Invariably this will end up in a rule-making, which will beget further rule-makings, which will beget further rule-makings and so forth. Since it is in the nature of regulation to constrain and prohibit, is is not in the nature of producing anything, by definition. How could it help but to burden and annoy you? Our founding fathers understood this.
#5 Phil, Jr. on 2019-05-31 18:57 (Reply)

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