Happiness in the 21st Century

Growing up in Kolkata - unfocially deemed as India's cultural capital - it has been my privilege to witness cultural exchanges between the city's prominent and powerful intelligensia. Much to my profit, they have covered a vast spectrum of human emotions and philosophy. One word has always been characterised, however, by its constant mentioning in these discussions - happiness.

When we see senior citizens laughing their hearts out during their morning siesta or college going couples warming up cozily against each other on a rather cold December evening, it surprises me to see the subjectivity associated with the concept of happiness. While the idea of ultimate happiness achieved through penance is a prevalent concept in Hinduism, India's dominant religion, happiness to another person may eman marital bliss or even the raw sexual happiness. Who is to decide, or rather, who has the authority to decide which form of happiness is correct and which is not?

In today's world of democracy, along with the principles of existentialism as propounded by Sartre and Beauvoir, different forms of happiness have gained increasing acceptance. As the emotion itself gets diversified, it has acquired new menaings in the digital age, especially with the advent of the social media.

In socialist circles, money and always been attakced as a means of oppression. However, they fail to look at the ovbious good that materialism has done to the world - how it is an extension of Darwin's 'survival of the fittest' concept, and hence is the most natural. You don't need to feel all low about your yearning for money. Go get it. And there you go. Happiness served. You may go on to argue that human need is a continious feeling and can never be satisfied. But look at it this way. What if I tell you that it does nothing but increase private enterprise and the quality of human capital. There you go.