# Happy

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy/606004>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 13, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy/606004 "2011-12-13T06:11:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy/606004/1 "2011-12-13T06:11:39Z")

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How often do you try to make people happier?

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy/606004/2 "2011-12-13T14:14:08Z")

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I’m not sure how to vote. I spend pretty much no time trying to make others happy, but a lot of time trying to be happy, and by extension, spreading that happiness to others.

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy/606004/3 "2011-12-13T14:18:15Z")

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Including myself?

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**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy/606004/4 "2011-12-13T16:34:20Z")

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I love making people happy. I’m the type of person if you feel good I feel good.

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**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy/606004/5 "2011-12-13T16:52:17Z")

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Define “always,” “almost always,” “frequently,” “time,” “infrequently,” “almost never,” “never,” “try,” “make” and “happier.”

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**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy/606004/6 "2011-12-14T09:40:03Z")

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> [@panache45](#):
>
> Including myself?

If including yourself yields trying to make others happier, I would say “yes.”

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**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy/606004/7 "2011-12-14T12:55:03Z")

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I generally avoid people and need a heaping lot of alone time. But when i do go out into the world, after my own personal safety, my first thought is to be scrupulously courteous and respectful. If my brain is functioning at full capacity (rare), I will try to say something amusing and get a chuckle from another person. But i’m not completely self-effacing or obsequious. If someone is being rude, abrasive or belligerent, I won’t make any effort whatsoever and will push back if necessary. Sometimes I’ll feel guilty about this since I understand what it’s like to have a bad day. However I feel justified in expecting a certain degree of self control.