What is Happiness? Simple and Profound Tips Taught by Philosophy - A Recommendation for a Philosophy That Only Leads to Happiness
What exactly is happiness?
● I want to be happy. But what does that actually mean?
Everyone is aiming for "happiness"
We often say, "I want to be happy."
From finding a job, falling in love, getting married, and raising children, to achieving our dreams and planning for old age, if you get to the root of the motivation, almost everything is because we "want to be happy."
But if you stop and think about it for a moment, answering the question "What is happiness?" is surprisingly difficult.
Is it when you are with someone?
Is it when you are spending quiet time alone?
Is it when you achieve a goal?
Is it when you are doing nothing and just letting the wind blow?
Depending on the person, the time, and the situation, the shape of "happiness" keeps changing.
The modern age where we "lose sight" of happiness
If you look at social media, you are constantly seeing someone else's "happiness."
Anxieties that you cannot tell people about in real life are overwritten with "glitter" in the online world.
It is as if "looking happy" is proof of happiness.
Before you know it, you start to feel anxious, wondering, "Am I actually happy?"
● That is precisely why "thinking" is necessary
Philosophy was wisdom for "living better"
Philosophy might seem difficult.
However, philosophy was originally a tool for contemplation to seriously face the life question, "How can I live well?"
"What is happiness?" is the oldest and deepest theme in philosophy.
Whether in ancient Greece, Buddhism, or modern psychology, this question has been at the center.
Here, we will get hints for the question "What is happiness?" from seven perspectives from philosophy and thought throughout the ages and across the world.
I hope that when you finish reading, this will be a time where you can think, "There is no 'answer' to happiness, but perhaps the 'journey of thinking' itself is happiness."
① | Having a good soul: "Happiness" in ancient Greece
● Happiness dwells within the heart
Socrates' question: How should one live?
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates walked around asking people this question.
"You live for money and fame. But have you ever thought about 'living well'?"
To him, "happiness" was not just obtaining pleasure, but having a soul that is in a good state—that is, living well.
That is why he taught that "becoming aware of one's own ignorance" is true wisdom and the first step toward happiness.
Plato's Ideal: The Soul Turns Toward Heaven
Socrates' student, Plato, believed that "this world is nothing but shadows."
Truly beautiful and truly good things exist in an ideal world called the "Idea".
The human soul yearns for that ideal world and seeks to draw closer to it.
"The soul approaching its true form equals happiness."
In other words, Plato says that the very effort to elevate one's inner self is happiness.
● Happiness is born from reason and virtue
Aristotle's Conclusion: Happiness is "Eudaimonia"
Aristotle believed that humans have an "essential function." That is, "
living by exercising reason."
Therefore, following reason, cultivating virtue, and living actively as a human being equals happiness (Eudaimonia).
"Living well" is happiness itself
In modern times, we tend to think "happiness equals feeling good," but for Aristotle, it is the opposite.
"Feeling good is temporary. But a life lived well as a human being is happiness without regret."
Happiness is not something outside of us, but exists in the accumulation of "how we live each day.".
The thinkers of ancient Greece believed this.
Next, we will re-examine "happiness" through the themes of "pleasure" and "peace of mind," looking at Epicureanism, Stoicism, and Buddhism.
② | The Philosophy of Pleasure and Tranquility: Is Happiness "Peace of Mind"?
● Is happiness something quiet?
Happiness = having fun? Really?
For example, on a day when you think, "Today was so much fun!" you certainly feel happy.
But don't you ever feel a sudden sense of emptiness after the fun time is over?
Perhaps happiness is not "excitement" but "tranquility." The philosophies of Epicureanism and Stoicism, as well as Buddhism, confronted this question.
Suffering comes from 'lacking,' peace comes from 'having enough'
“I want more,” “I want to be higher up,” “I want more recognition”
—a heart that keeps running like that will never be satisfied.
But what is true happiness?
Isn't it the moment when you can feel,
“This is enough”?
That is a state of 'peace of mind,' which ismore precious than anything else.
● Epicurus: Happiness is 'the absence of pain'
The often misunderstood hedonism
When you hear 'hedonism,' you might imagine eating, drinking, and playing as you please.
But Epicurus taught that“pleasure” is actually 'the tranquility of a mind without pain'.
“By letting go of desire, suffering departs, and the heart becomes calm.”
In other words,rather than increasing what you want, reducing what you 'don't need' is one path to getting closer to happiness.
Practical tips from Epicurus
Natural and necessary desires (food, shelter) are important
Natural and unnecessary desires (luxury, excess) should be let go
Unnatural desires (fame, approval) are best discarded
● Stoicism and Buddhism: Happiness is not on the 'outside'
Stoicism: It's not the situation, but the 'attitude' that is everything
Stoic philosophers (Epictetus, Seneca, etc.) say,“You cannot control anything except your own mind.”
Even if there is disaster, poverty, or illness—
how you face it is up to you.
Freedom and happiness lie within that attitude.
“Instead of changing the outside world, let's change our own perspective.”
Buddhism: It is 'attachment' that creates suffering
The starting point of Buddhism is the recognition of the reality that "life is suffering."
But that is not despair; it is also a question: "So, how can we reduce suffering?".
Buddhism found the answer in "letting go of attachment".
You suffer because there is something you want.
You get angry because you want things to go your way.
You feel sad because you want things to stay the same.
By assuming that things "will not go as planned," and
by accepting "here and now" just as it is, the mind becomes quiet.
● Happiness might be "time when nothing is happening"
It doesn't have to be a dramatic event
"I got a lover," "I passed the exam," "My dream came true"—of course, those days are happy, but
every day is not a drama.
For example, the moment you feel relieved after drinking tea.
When you take a deep breath on a quiet morning.
The time spent walking side by side with someone without saying a word.
That is exactly a "quiet happiness" that no one can take away.
Listening to the silence
The more you chase happiness, the more it runs away.
But, when you stop and savor the "here and now," you suddenly realize it is sitting right next to you.
Especially when your mind is restless, it might be worth returning to the "stillness" that Epicurus and Buddhism teach us.
Next, we will explore the "forms of happiness" discovered by modern philosophy, with the theme of "individual freedom and reason."
③ | Choosing for Yourself: Modern Philosophy and "Happiness as Freedom"
● Is "being free" happiness?
"I want to be happy. But how?"
We in the modern age can choose.
Our careers, our ways of life, our partners, and even where we live.
"If you want to be happy, choose for yourself."
In a sense, that might be the modern standard.
But suddenly, don't you hear a voice like this?
"Being able to choose is actually exhausting."
"It's scary, as if everything is blamed on me."
The freedom to choose is, in other words, "taking responsibility for yourself". It was the
modern philosophers who delved into this relationship between "freedom and happiness."
● Bentham and Mill: The Happiness of the Many
Utilitarianism: Happiness that can be measured by numbers?
Jeremy Bentham advocated for "the greatest happiness of the greatest number." In other words, it is the idea that "a good society is one where as many people as possible are as happy as possible."
→ Example: Applications in medical care, welfare policy, and law remain deeply rooted in modern society.
He argued that pleasure and pain should be treated as "quantities," and that both morality and social systems should be measured by their effects.
J.S. Mill: "Quality" is more important than mere pleasure
Bentham's student, Mill, re-examined this by asking:
"Do all pleasures have the same value?"
Treating "eating" and "experiencing art" as the same level of happiness is a bit crude. Mill stated that "high-quality pleasure" is what constitutes human happiness.
● Kant and Rousseau: The Happiness of Living by Inner Reason
Kant: Happiness is not pleasure, but "the self that strives to be righteous"
Immanuel Kant states clearly:
"Whether you are happy depends on luck. But whether you have lived as a dignified human being is something you can decide for yourself."
For him, happiness is following duty and acting autonomously with reason. It is not about rewards or being praised; the
act of following one's own conscience itself has value.
Rousseau: Reclaiming a natural way of life
Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that "man is born free."
He saw that through civilization, humans get caught up in unnatural competition and comparison, becoming unhappy.
→ The solution?
Reclaiming "simplicity" and "harmony with nature."
In other words, the courage to choose a "way of life that is honest to oneself" rather than being bound by "what one should do" is the starting point of happiness.
● Happiness lies beyond 'freedom'
Being able to choose is only the first step
The modern world is overflowing with choices.
However,how do you live after you have chosen?
This is also an era where that question is asked.
Not which job to choose, but what you value in the job you have chosen
Not who you associate with, but how you interact with that person
“How do you accept and nurture the self that chose freely?”
That is where the “mature happiness” spoken of by modern philosophy lies.
Deciding for yourself—that is what it means to 'live your own life'
'Correctness,' 'pleasure,' and 'evaluation by others' can sometimes confuse the heart.
However,
'I think this is fine'
'I want to live like this'
Being a person who can say that.
That figure may well be the'form of happiness' that lies beyond freedom.
Next, we will look at the 'content of happiness' as depicted by modern psychology and philosophy, using 'self-actualization' as a keyword.Focusing on Maslow, Frankl, and Arendt, we will gently and deeply explore 'modern views on happiness' using the keywords 'fulfillment, meaning, and the sense of being alive.'
④ | In Meaning and Fulfillment: Modern Thought and 'Happiness as Self-Actualization'
● When you think, 'What am I living for?'
Even though I should have enough, I feel unfulfilled
I can eat what I like, sleep in a room with a roof, and laugh with someone.
Yet, these thoughts sometimes suddenly arise.
'Is this really my own life?'
'What am I repeating these days for?'
When people lose sight of the reason for living, they find it harder to feel happiness.
Filling this'void of meaning'has become the key to modern theories of happiness.
● Maslow: Living your own 'truth'
The top floor of the hierarchy of needs
The "Hierarchy of Needs" proposed by psychologist Abraham Maslow is well-known.
Physiological needs (wanting to eat, wanting to sleep)
Safety needs (wanting to live with peace of mind)
Belongingness and love needs (wanting to connect with someone)
Esteem needs (wanting to be recognized)
Self-actualization needs (wanting to be one's true self)
Maslow said:
"Humans are beings who wish to become themselves."
"Realizing one's own potential is the deepest form of happiness."
In other words,when people feel they are expressing their "true selves," they experience happiness.
Self-actualization is not something special.
When you hear "self-actualization," you might think of great people or successful individuals who have achieved their dreams.
But what Maslow spoke of is something much closer to home.
"When you are immersed in something you truly want to do"
"When you have been genuinely kind to someone"
"When you are utilizing your own strengths"
It is in those very moments thatthe realization that "I am alive" = happiness exists.
● Frankl: Finding meaning sustains life
Even in suffering, one can ask for meaning.
Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, who survived the Holocaust, realized this during his harrowing experience:
"A person who has lost the meaning of life cannot have hope."
"But a person who has found meaning can overcome any suffering."
Happiness is not pleasure or achievement, but"being able to feel meaning." For Frankl, this was a
profound power capable of overcoming even hardship.
Meaning is not something you "find," but something you "discover."
What gives meaning to life is different for everyone.
When you are able to be of help to someone
When you learn or create something
When you share time with someone important to you
Meaning does not exist "outside," but is born from "your own perspective." And that leads to the feeling of being alive, which is happiness.born from "your own perspective".
And that leads to the feeling of being alive = happiness.
● Arendt: Just living is not enough
To live is to "act"
Political philosopher Hannah Arendt divided human life into three parts.
Labor (activities for survival)
Work (activities to create things)
Action (activities of speaking and interacting with others)
She says:
"For humans to be human, 'action' is essential."
In other words,just eating, sleeping, and working is not enough.
We feel happiness when we interact with others, exchange words, and leave behind 'traces of having existed in this world.'.
For you to 'have meaning' within a relationship with someone
Being influenced by someone's words, or having your own words remain in someone's memory.
For Arendt, happiness isthe feeling that 'I was here.'.
It was alsoa happiness that can only be born between people.
● Happiness is feeling that there is 'meaning'
More than when you are satisfied, it is 'when you are connected to your own core'
In the modern age, we are surrounded by things, information, and choices.
However, if you cannot answer the question, "So, who am I?", you will be struck by a sense of emptiness.
Self-realization, meaning, action.
While they may seem different, what they all have in common is,
"I was okay with this."
"I can say that this is my life."
The moment you can truly feel that iswhat makes a person happy in the deepest, quietest way.
"Happiness" dwells within you when you start to move.
It is not something given to you by someone else,
nor is it something lying around somewhere,
it is something you "discover for yourself."
That is the form of "active happiness" that modern philosophy and psychology teach us.
Next, we will explore the happiness of "stillness," "harmony," and "here and now" as seen through Eastern thought—Confucianism, Taoism, and Zen.
5 | Living naturally, here and now: Eastern thought and "happiness as harmony"
● Is "being yourself" all there is to happiness?
What lies beyond "I want to be myself"
In this day and age, we often hear the phrase "live as yourself."
Be honest with your feelings, don't push yourself, and be free. This is a very important way of thinking.
But don't you have these feelings somewhere in your heart?
"What should I actually do to be myself?"
"Sometimes, being too obsessed with 'myself' actually makes me suffer..."
At such times,the hints given by Eastern philosophy—Confucianism, Taoism, and Zen—are keywords like "harmony" and "nature."
Rather than pushing "yourself" forward, by blending into the "world",
before you know it, you have become quietly happy.
That kind of way of living exists here.
● Confucianism (Confucius): Being "good" within relationships with others
Happiness lies in "living well with someone"
In the philosophy of Confucius,humans are considered "beings who live within relationships." Therefore, happiness was also thought to be nurtured by "how one relates to others."
The central concepts are "Ren" (benevolence) and "Li" (propriety).
Ren: Compassion, a heart that cares for others
Li: Behavior that creates harmony within society
In other words, the core of happiness is not just 'how I feel,' but 'how I relate to others'.
Not 'being myself,' but 'being good with someone'
For Confucius, happiness is:
'Becoming a person who can wish for the happiness of others'
'Disciplining oneself and living straight and sincerely'
Letting go of being 'self-centered' a little, the process of maturing within connections is what leads to a peaceful happiness.
● Taoism (Zhuangzi): Living as you are, doing nothing
The happiness of 'Wu-wei Ziran' (effortless action/naturalness)
The Taoist philosopher Zhuangzi valued the concept of 'Wu-wei Ziran'.
It is an attitude of 'not forcing things, but living in accordance with the natural flow'.
In modern times, 'working hard' is considered a virtue, but Zhuangzi asks instead:
'Why do you feel you must work hard?'
'Are you trying to make yourself a 'useful tree' only to be cut down?'
He taught that for people to live happily, it is important not to compare, not to compete, not to resist, and simply to exist naturally.
'Not using yourself up' is also a form of happiness
Zhuangzi says:
'The usefulness of the useless is the true usefulness'
In other words, if you only seek what is 'meaningful' in the eyes of others, your heart will be worn away.
Sometimes, it's okay to have no meaning.
Just like the wind, like the clouds, the feeling of 'being fulfilled just by existing'.
That is the state of happiness as Zhuangzi envisions it.
● Zen: The richness of just being here, now
Happiness as returning to the 'here and now'
Zen is a school of Buddhism, but what makes it unique is that it does not over-explain with words.
'Simply feeling the here and now' — this is practiced in the form of Zazen.
Not being trapped by the past or future
Not being bound by evaluations or meanings
Trying to let go of even the sense of self
By doing so, savoring only the fact that 'I am living here and now'. That is the form of happiness that Zen speaks of.
'Knowing contentment' is a word for becoming full
In Zen, the term 'Chisoku' (knowing contentment) is often used.
This means 'noticing what is present now and knowing that you are fulfilled'.
Without seeking outside,
without needing to become someone else,
you who are here now are already 'enough'.
Such a gentle perspective dwells within Zen's theory of happiness.
● Happiness might just be 'being just right'
Not going to grasp happiness, but noticing it
Confucianism focuses on goodness within human relationships
, Taoism on a natural state left to the flow
, and Zen on the feeling of being full here and now
All of them value stepping one step outside of 'my own happiness' and harmonizing with the world. And that is a quiet, deep, and gently permeating happiness.
Things to remember when you are tired of trying hard
It is painful to keep trying hard, thinking 'more,' 'properly,' and 'this is how it should be.'
At such times, Eastern philosophies speak to us.
'You are enough just as you are.'
'Let's live slowly and naturally.'
Happiness is not something you 'run and chase,' but perhaps something that stays by your side at a walking pace.
In the final chapter, we will take a deep look at the question itself: 'What is happiness in the first place?' We will clearly unravel structural aspects such as 'subjective vs. objective,' 'state vs. process,' and 'happiness ≠ pleasure.'
⑥ | What is 'happiness'? — Re-questioning the question itself
● Is it okay for the question "What is happiness?" to remain unanswered?
The more you search, the less you understand
Up to this point, we have explored "what is happiness?" by looking through ancient to modern times, East and West, and psychology and philosophy.
── However, you might have thought this at some point.
"In the end, which one is correct?"
"It's completely different for everyone, isn't it?"
"The answers are so scattered that I'm confused..."
But actually, that is the "correct" form of this question.the "correct" form of this question.
Because the question "What is happiness?" is like a "mirror that reflects yourself".a "mirror that reflects yourself".
● Subjective happiness and objective happiness
"Feeling good" = happiness?
For example, soaking in a hot spring, eating delicious food, or sleeping as much as you want.
It is common to feel "I'm so happy" in such moments.
This kind of "subjective happiness" is defined in psychology as "pleasure," "fulfillment," or "emotional satisfaction."
Simply put, "feeling good/fun/relieved" = happiness.
But does life become fulfilled with just that?
Being able to think that you are "living well"
On the other hand, there is also the concept of "objective happiness."
This is happiness rooted in "value" or "significance," such as "living with virtue," "being useful to others," or "being involved in meaningful work.""value" or "significance".
Even if feelings fluctuate, when we can think "I am living my life properly," we feel a stable happiness in the depths of our hearts.
we feel a stable happiness in the depths of our hearts.
● Is happiness a "state" or a "process"?
Something that only exists "after" you obtain something?
"If only I could get X, I would surely be happy."
── Everyone must have thought that at some point.
But after you get it, another "I want X" begins.
In other words, if you make happiness a "goal," you will never reach it.
Happiness as a "process that continues throughout life"
Conversely, philosophy, Buddhism, and the psychology of self-actualization emphasize happiness that exists within the "accumulation of the present".
The process of striving to live well
Days spent growing while engaging with others
Time spent carefully savoring the here and now
In other words, “happiness” may not be a goal, but the very “act of living” itself perhaps.
● Happiness ≠ Pleasure: That is precisely why it is deep and difficult
“Feeling good” and “being fulfilled” are different
Having fun and feeling good are important. But they pass in an instant.
On the other hand, for example, when you “truly clash with someone and come to understand each other.” Or when you “are not getting the results you want, but are steadily facing the situation.”
In those moments, there is a “deep satisfaction” even if it isn't flashy.
That is the essence of “happiness ≠ pleasure.”
The act of continuing to ask questions itself leads to happiness
What philosophy teaches us is the attitude that “the persistence of the question is more important than the answer”.
When you ask yourself, “What is happiness?”
In that moment, you are “trying to live better.”
And it is within that very question that,
in fact, the seeds of happiness already reside.
● “Happiness” is a “question of your own” unique to the world
Someone else's correct answer is not necessarily your own
No matter how brilliant a philosopher may be,
no matter how beautiful the philosophy,
they cannot live your life “for you.”
That is precisely why, regarding the question “What is happiness?,” there is no single correct answer.
But, you can think about “happiness for yourself” in “your own words.”
That is what it means to live life. And it is also
where philosophy gently gives you a push.
Finally, let's unfold the map of “happiness” we have explored so far and find some hints for your own journey.
Summary | What I think now, having finished the journey of “What is happiness?”
● There is no single right answer to happiness. But it is worth asking the question.
We all wish to "be happy."
That desire transcends borders, eras, genders, and ages; it is surely a fundamental emotion at the "root" of being human.
However, the shape of "happiness" is different for everyone.
That is precisely why we sometimes feel confused or anxious about the reality that "there is no single right answer."
Even so, when we look at it through philosophy as we have done this time, several important hints have come into view.
● Let's review the hints for happiness once more
▪︎ "Living well" is happiness (Socrates, Aristotle)
▶︎ Happiness is nurtured by turning your gaze inward
▶︎ It is not pleasure, but the state of the soul that forms the foundation of happiness
▪︎ "Peace of mind" is happiness (Epicurus, Stoics, Buddhism)
▶︎ Let go of desire and be fulfilled in the "here and now"
▶︎ Happiness is not something you obtain, but something you "realize"
▪︎ "Freedom and reason" is happiness (Kant, Bentham, Mill, Rousseau)
▶︎ The power to choose, think, and live your own path
▶︎ Taking responsibility for yourself turns into deep happiness
▪︎ "Meaning and realization" is happiness (Maslow, Frankl, Arendt)
▶︎ Being able to feel "I am living this life"
▶︎ Finding meaning brings fulfillment to life
▪︎ "Harmony and nature" is happiness (Confucius, Zhuangzi, Zen)
▶︎ Peace found in "just the right amount"
▶︎ Not trying too hard is also a wonderful form of happiness
● "Happiness for you" is something you find for yourself
You who have read this note should already know this.
Wishing to "be happy."
Wondering "what is happiness?"
Both of these things already make you a "person heading toward happiness."
The greatest gift philosophy has given us is not an "answer," but "the power to keep asking questions."
● Finally, I leave you with this question
◆ When did you feel "a little happy" today?
◆ What was a moment recently where you felt "this is truly me"?
◆ What was an event where being with someone made your heart feel warm?
◆ What was something painful that you felt had "meaning"?
That might be the “sprout of happiness” for you.
Please, try to cherish the time spent observing it.
I believe that if you keep watering it steadily, your own answer will grow.
🌱Conclusion: May your journey lead to a happiness that is uniquely yours
We cannot provide a clear "correct answer" to the question "What is happiness?"
However, carrying this question in your heart as you go about your days is what leads to
cultivating a "happiness of your own" that no one can take away.
Small, quiet, yet undeniably warm.
Let us continue to search for that way of being happy together.