# Do you live a happy life? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2015, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834 "2015-10-16T18:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/61 "2015-10-17T23:13:27Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I’ve dealt with arthritis for going on 30 years. I’ve had several failed marriages. My career is not really what I wanted to do with my life and I have been earning less, rather than more, the last couple contracts. I had a stroke a couple years ago and some of the effects still linger. Even so, I recognize that I still live better than people in whole great swaths of the world. Not much has been how I wanted it, but it is still better than most people got. Thank you for sharing. I hope everything works out. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/62 "2015-10-17T23:14:46Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Having gone from being seriously injured and disabled to holding down a job I enjoy, I can say I am happy. Thank you for sharing. I hope everything works out for you. That is a great achievement. I may have been broken by much less. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/63 "2015-10-17T23:44:22Z")
So far 15% of people are as unhappy as me, while 5.7% are more unhappy. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/64 "2015-10-18T00:00:52Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > I have seen lives of people in a nursing home. Likewise life of prisoners in USA – especially Supermax prisoners. I could never imagine their suffering or level of unhappiness. But you really have no idea as to their various levels of suffering. Could someone identify the scope and scale of _your_ suffering just by taking stock of your external living situation? ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/65 "2015-10-18T00:13:39Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > But you really have no idea as to their various levels of suffering. Could someone identify the scope and scale of _your_ suffering just by taking stock of your external living situation? Definitely not the worst level of suffering – but definitely not happiness. Some people broke down and became drug addicts at my level. Not becoming an addict is one of my very few achievements in life. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/66 "2015-10-18T00:25:48Z")
It hasn’t been what I thought and there have been the usual sad moments everyone goes through. But all in all I wouldn’t trade it for another. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/67 "2015-10-18T00:46:47Z")
I am unbelievably happy with a great life. I credit it to having left Texas, although having a great wife is wrapped up in it somewhere too. (She just told me thanks. :D) ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/68 "2015-10-18T00:51:14Z")
I’m a happy and sometimes very silly gal. Life in general is good, and the future in all regards is bright. I’m also healthy, and so are my loved ones. That alone makes me content. Oh, and sex has never been better. I endured many many years of quite the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/69 "2015-10-18T01:17:17Z")
I’ve been going through a pretty rough year and I’ve cried a lot; reached out to friends for support a lot because I’ve often felt I wasn’t up to the challenge of getting through on my own. Yet at the same time, I’d describe myself as at least content in life and even happy. There are things that have been hard and unhappy to deal with but I recognise those as stressors in my life rather than being my life. I feel the unhappiness I’ve contended with this year has been productive and I’ve used it to empower myself and put myself onto a path to a happier future that more closely resembles what I want my life to be. I feel blessed in so many ways that I almost feel guilty for dwelling on the stressful elements of my life. Overall, when I look at what I’ve achieved, I see very little, but I don’t feel like I fell short of my goals because I never really had any. I probably should regret that, and maybe that regret will come at some later date. Right now I’m at the beginning of a new phase of my life where I have more goals than I ever did before and I’m working towards fulfilling them. I’m also enjoying my life in this moment and I’m content within myself. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/70 "2015-10-18T02:08:49Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > So far 15% of people are as unhappy as me, while 5.7% are more unhappy. Well, I hope you’re happy now. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/71 "2015-10-18T02:21:15Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Well, I hope you’re happy now. No – I am not happy that people are suffering. Most nursing home patients do not use the Internet, and no prisoners have Internet access. These people are suffering much more. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/72 "2015-10-18T02:50:02Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > Not becoming an addict is one of my very few achievements in life. So let me get this straight: you consider not becoming an addict, something billions of people also manage not to do, a bigger achievement in your life over obtaining your PhD in mathematics, something most people will never do? Tell me, what was your secret for not becoming an addict? What makes it a proud accomplishment for you? ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/73 "2015-10-18T02:52:29Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > So let me get this straight: you consider not becoming an addict, something billions of people also manage not to do, a bigger achievement in your life over obtaining your PhD in mathematics, something most people will never do? How is buckling under pressure to get a PhD in something I do not like and do not need an achievement? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/74 "2015-10-18T02:53:16Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > No – I am not happy that people are suffering. Most nursing home patients do not use the Internet, and no prisoners have Internet access. These people are suffering much more. Again, you don’t know this. You _assume_ their lives must be so horrible because your looking at their situations thru your experiences. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/75 "2015-10-18T02:55:56Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > How is buckling under pressure to get a PhD in something I do not like and do not need an achievement? It shows perseverance and commitment to a task, even when that task is highly undesirable. And “do not need” is open for interpretation, seeing as how you live with your parents and you’re a 45 year old man. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/76 "2015-10-18T02:57:50Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > It shows perseverance and commitment to a task, even when that task is highly undesirable. I never had any commitment – I was ready to quit many many times. It took me many years to finish my PhD since I was working very slowly. I never pretended to work for PhD – I worked for the allowance. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/77 "2015-10-18T03:06:02Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > I never had any commitment – I was ready to quit many many times. It took me many years to finish my PhD since I was working very slowly. > > I never pretended to work for PhD – I worked for the allowance. So you’re saying your motivation for earning the advanced degree was the _sixty bucks a week_ mommy and daddy were giving you?? Now that the degree is earned, how are you earning that allowance? ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/78 "2015-10-18T03:07:57Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > So you’re saying your motivation for earning the advanced degree was the _sixty bucks a week_ mommy and daddy were giving you?? Now that the degree is earned, how are you earning that allowance? $240/month. I do not remember how much I earned then. Now I have an internship – since 2009. They pay $2,000 – $3,000 a year. I keep most of it and also get an allowance. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/79 "2015-10-18T03:08:46Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > In general how satisfactory is your life? Did you achieve most of your goals? Well, I didn’t achieve my career goals. Short version- higher education and subsequent career path a bust. Friends turned into losers, who had _lots_ of loser friends. I was healthy and I tried hard, but to no avail. I got out of there, moved someplace I chose and like. Worked multiple jobs, paid off my debts, put together a ‘satisfactory’, I suppose, new career path. Started getting fat, so once the debts were paid and I had one job again I took up running. It is pretty stupid really. I discovered that running 2-4 times a week makes my heart seem to throb in a way I can distinctly feel pretty much all the time. The whole trunk of my circulatory system kind of throbs. This keeps me really content and kind of blase towards life’s challenges- I guess it is how I ‘manage stress’. I worked hard. I used my college minor in math to succeed modestly in the stock market, and then I bought a nice townhouse. I have a hot gf. Not everything is peachy, but I stay pretty sunny most of the time (at least inwardly if not to everyone I see) perhaps more because of the stupid exercise induced heart-throbbiness than the other stuff. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834/80 "2015-10-18T06:02:31Z")
I am very happy because I am alive, relatively healthy and full of possibility for the foreseeable future, which is all I can reasonably ask for. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-live-a-happy-life/734834.md?page=5)