You are viewing the historical archive of The Philosophy Forum.
For current discussions, visit the live forum.
Go to live forum

Do Luxuries Necessarily make one happy? Or should we just avoid luxurious life for "True Happiness"

No One May 03, 2021 at 08:07 3400 views 9 comments
I don't know , do momentarily pleasures take away long term pleasures of life?

Comments (9)

Deleted User February 08, 2024 at 22:00 #879188
Luxuries can make you happy momentarily, but not lasting so be fond of the moment without attachment to fleeting items.
javi2541997 February 09, 2024 at 05:27 #879318
Quoting No One
momentarily pleasures


Quoting Born2Insights
happy momentarily


Happiness is momentary. It is not about pleasure or luxuries. You can't hold anything which makes you happy and lasts forever. The average day of each person is sad, boring, depressing and nihilistic. Happiness is like a butterfly. Beautiful and colorful, but it only lasts a few days...
Deleted User February 09, 2024 at 10:55 #879343
Agreed
Deleted User February 09, 2024 at 10:57 #879344
All things come and go
Vera Mont February 09, 2024 at 17:34 #879421
Quoting No One
I don't know , do momentarily pleasures take away long term pleasures of life?


Of course not. You can have a happy life only by accumulating many, many small pleasures. They don't need to be luxuries - unless you count anything beyond bare subsistence as a luxury - but they do have to be moments out of the mundane. They can be as simple as the joy of receiving a present, a sense of accomplishment from completing a difficult task, the satisfaction of an excellent meal, the revelation of a truth you've been seeking, a useful insight, an inspiration to creativity, the affection of a companion, the enjoyment of a good laugh, awe at a beautiful landscape.... If such moments outnumber or outweigh the negative experiences, you have long-term happiness. (Which, btw, is not synonymous with pleasure.)
Sir2u February 10, 2024 at 00:12 #879500
Quoting No One
I don't know, do momentarily pleasures take away long term pleasures of life?


I know lots of people that think a hot shower is a luxury, and a couple that think an indoor toilet is one as well. it is very subjective and relative to the "normal" of the person.

And there can be many happy moments that have absolutely no cost, so there is no real, hard correlation between happiness and luxuries.
Tom Storm February 10, 2024 at 23:27 #879747
Quoting No One
I don't know , do momentarily pleasures take away long term pleasures of life?


What are the 'long term pleasures of life' and what do you mean by 'momentarily pleasures'?

The title of your OP is a bit clearer. But I think most people know already that money can't buy happiness (hence the saying) and that owning some trinkets and vulgar displays of wealth don't really work for anyone. Some of the most unhappy people I have known have also been the wealthiest.

This isn't because happiness is fleeting or because material things come and go, it's because some people have psychological problems which can't be addressed merely by buying stuff.

Quoting javi2541997
The average day of each person is sad, boring, depressing and nihilistic.


While this might be true for some, I can't say I agree with this. Sad, depressing and nihilistic feature occasionally, but not in my average day or even my average month.
javi2541997 February 11, 2024 at 07:19 #879815
Quoting Tom Storm
Sad, depressing and nihilistic feature occasionally, but not in my average day or even my average month


Sadly, it is not my case, Tom. What it features occasionally is a peaceful state of mind. I don't seek happiness. I already accepted that this only pops up very often.
LuckyR February 13, 2024 at 06:54 #880531
The key is finding things to be happy about within one's routine experience. Luxuries are great, but should be unnecessary (by definition).