Happiness According to JJ

Talking about happiness seems simple at first glance. The word floats lightly through everyday conversations, advertisements, motivational speeches, and social media. Everyone appears to have a quick definition, a short formula, a ready promise. Yet, a little scratching reveal that this apparent clarity is superficial. Everyone believes they know what happiness is; almost no one knows how to hold onto it when the euphoria fades, when the stimulus runs out, or when life stops being accommodating.

Happiness has become a utilitarian concept. It is invoked as a goal, pursued as a promise, and sold as a product. It gets linked to success, consumption, image, and the accumulation of experiences. In this context, it's no surprise that many people feel like failures not for living badly, but for not feeling the way they think they should. Happiness, turned into a mandate, ends up as just another source of pressure.