Very often in this hectic society, people tend to forget one crucial element of their life: happiness.
It is happiness, not fame, fortune or power, that completes one.
Everyday, there would be people committing suicide. Those are people who do not treasure happiness, or rather do not seem to find happiness out of every little things in life. You can be happy even if you're in the toughest times, struggling to make ends meet. Happiness and sadness are self-induced. If we can appreciate everything in life, we can find true happiness.
There is this saying, that money cannot buy you happiness. Instead being rich makes you crave for more since we're insatiable, making you less happy. Do you live for happiness or do you live your life according to what the society dictates you to? Think about it. You've only got one life to live.
A life of meaning or a life of happiness. Choose one.
Monday 29 October 2012
Nash Equilibrium
The Nash Equilibrium demonstrates the most probable situation involving two or more players, in which each player is assumed to know the equilibrium strategies of the other players without communication. To put simply, it just meant that there is an equilibrium (most probable) decision where people will fall into using the every man for himself concept.
Sadly, often the equilibrium does not portray a win-win situation for all players involved. Usually any particular player would not obtain the highest gains in this situation. If the players collaborate, they would instead obtain higher gains by collaborating not to go against each other for instance.
However, this is not utopia. If only players could collaborate and stick to their promise so they achieve a better equilibrium and not go against each other to switch strategy for personal gains. There will be players who will go against this collaboration which is a sad part of humanity, therefore the first equilibrium of every man for himself will exist.
Sadly, often the equilibrium does not portray a win-win situation for all players involved. Usually any particular player would not obtain the highest gains in this situation. If the players collaborate, they would instead obtain higher gains by collaborating not to go against each other for instance.
However, this is not utopia. If only players could collaborate and stick to their promise so they achieve a better equilibrium and not go against each other to switch strategy for personal gains. There will be players who will go against this collaboration which is a sad part of humanity, therefore the first equilibrium of every man for himself will exist.
7 deadly sins
I once came across the 7 deadly sins when i was young. Continuing from my previous post about humanity, the 7 deadly sins are just instilled in everyone since birth.
Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride.
It is what makes humanity and sadly, this is getting more prominent along with modernization.
Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride.
It is what makes humanity and sadly, this is getting more prominent along with modernization.
Humanity
Have you ever thought of what makes humanity the way it is? No I do not mean how we're birthed, nor am I referring to religious debates of who created us. I am referring to how life sustain itself to keep humanity going.
Of course, the reason humanity exists until now is because of the ability to reproduce. But ask yourself, when a baby is born, the baby learns the ability to breath for survival. Male and female are attracted to each other and there is innate sexual desire for the purpose of reproduction.
Just by looking at any baby or infant (I am using them as reference as I believe they're the purest form of humanity). A baby would cry if the baby is hungry. A baby goes to sleep when the baby is tired. Since birth, the baby has innate survival instincts.
Of course, the reason humanity exists until now is because of the ability to reproduce. But ask yourself, when a baby is born, the baby learns the ability to breath for survival. Male and female are attracted to each other and there is innate sexual desire for the purpose of reproduction.
Just by looking at any baby or infant (I am using them as reference as I believe they're the purest form of humanity). A baby would cry if the baby is hungry. A baby goes to sleep when the baby is tired. Since birth, the baby has innate survival instincts.
Rat race
I woke up today, thought it would be just as another Monday, start of the entire week cycle again, mere routine. Something was different this morning. I thought about life. Something that most people neglect is what do we actually live for? Are we just following the social norm to participate in the rat race we're in unknowingly?
Most of us are unaware that we're actually in this endless, self-defeating pursuit. What do people pursue? Fame, fortune, power. Ultimately, what does it shape you into? A better man? Sadly, it is the nature of humanity that we're insatiable, we will never be satisfied with our possessions. I once came across a quote: Show me a satisfied man and I'll show you a failure.
From young, we were told that we should stay educated, so that we would have a better life in future. Note that our lives have already been dictated by this social norm, and we're unknowingly stuck in the rat race since young. Now that we're grown up, educated with qualifications, we pursue a job, in which we're never satisfied with the salary. Then it is time to buy a house, a car, start a family. Then you spend the rest of your life slogging to repay the debts you owe for house and car. The next phase of life would be slogging to send your kids to a top school or to upgrade your house or car. When you reach your death bed, what have you achieved? The mansion that's in utopia? Or that Ferrari everyone is amused of? Ultimately the question lies whether you're happy living your life the way it is, to slog for all your life to find that it all amounts to nothing but possession of wealth, fame or power.
My point is, people live their life thinking that fame, fortune, power would bring them happiness. People living in the past were generally happier and easily contented. The very reason for that is the absence of affluence. Some poor people in more unfortunate places in the Earth could be contented with just a bread, for them to share with their families. This would never happen in a first world nation. We're barely happy with our possessions, always grumpy and wanting more. The utility level (happiness level) is inversely related to the wealth of a being. That means the richer you get, the less happy you get. How ironic.
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