Reading & the Good Life
Join the conversation! Every Friday at Noon EST, Perennial Meditations readers are welcome to gather for Reading & the Good Life (Register here), a casual space for connection, contemplation, and conversations on the art of living.
What is Happiness?
In the prologue of his book Happiness, the French sociologist and philosopher Frederic Lenoir writes,
Although the quest for happiness is probably the most widely shared thing in the world, it isn’t easy to write about it. … The question of happiness is forever being discussed: eventually, it gets worn down and loses its edge. But although it’s become so commonplace and seems so simple, it’s still an enthralling question, one that involves a whole skein of factors not easy to untangle.
This stems from the very nature of happiness: In some ways, it can’t be grasped, any more than wind or water. No sooner do you think you’ve got hold of it than it slips through your fingers. If you try to nail it down, it evades you. Sometimes it escapes just when you think you’re onto it, and suddenly it pops up when you’re least expecting it. And sometimes you only recognize it after some mishap has befallen you. …
The great paradox of happiness is that it can be tamed while still remaining essentially beyond our control. Happiness is a matter of fate and chance; but it can also stem from a rational, deliberate approach. […]
Source: Happiness: A Philosopher’s Guide
Dear Readers,
This Friday, we continue our exploration of happiness through Frederic Lenoir’s book Happiness: A Philosopher’s Guide. If you’re available at Noon EST, please join us (Register here). As you read the passages below, consider reflecting on the following questions:
(1) How can I embody these lessons in daily life?
(2) What might stand in the way of implementing these ideas?
(3) How can the following insights help me live the “good” life?
