Banach 3

A question posed by David Banach was what is human happiness. As i grow older, I noticed that I am questoning the meaning or the word 'happiness' more and more. When I was younger, the smallest things would satisfy me or make me happy. However, over the years more and more is needed to make me happy. A peice of candy, or a day out playing in the park wont make me as happy as a day out with my friends or some new clothes and shoes (now that I'm 17).

After reading Bancah's lecture, and his definition of human happiness, I am starting to rethink what hapiness actually means to me. Banach mentions that "there are no external values that we can live up to" which is something that I wonder about. Banach is saying that no external things can make us happy, that it all comes from within. He does have a point, that material things shouldn't bring us happiness, but for a lot of people it does. If Banach definition of happines was so correct, then why do I get so happy when I get something new, or when I am spending time with my friends.

As I continue to read Banach's lecture, I feel like he is continuing go to the extreme with his beliefs, and his ideas of the right way to live. When he says "loss of our external sources of values are the necessary price of a greater value and happiness that comes from within ourselves”, I feel like he is exaggerating. It's hard for me to picture a person with absolutely nothing taht they consider valuable in their lives. Without close people in your life, material things,sports, or whatever makes a person happy, what is left? What is this happiness supposed to be based off of? Even though this sounds shallow, this is what our society is based off of. If these material things were taken away from most people in our society, I think that there will be no happiness. I owuld even say taht some of these people would be miserable.

As I read part 3 of Banach's lecture (which focused on human happiness), I feltmore confused and fustrated than with the previous parts of his lecture. I think that he is exaggerating with his beliefs to try to get people to see things the way he does. While doing this I feel that he is going in circles, and often contridicting himself. Banach's views on happiness, have caused me to question my own view of happiness. Before this lecture I felt so sure about everything. However now, I'm more confused than ever.