Lib isn’t just saying saying “be happy”, he’s actually giving you a method for doing so. He’s absolutely right, all unhappiness comes from desire, and if you let go of your desire you will release your unhappiness. IIRC Buddha believed that it was desire that kept humans reincarnating on Earth, and not reaching Nirvana. I wouldn’t go that far, but I do believe that if you analyze everything that makes you unhappy, at it’s core is a desire.
Problem is, removing a desire is nearly impossible for a lot people, myself including. But I do feel this path is my personal best hope for happiness, and maybe for a lot of other people too.
OK, to me it seems that Lib often is dismissive of people’s problems/rants. He often comes in to threads like these and posts things like “just be happy.” It comes across not as spiritual advice, but more like there’s something wrong with you for getting angry in the first place.
Maybe I should do a search, but I fear for the hamsters considering his 10,000+ posts. I will if you ask it of me, though.
The two aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive; many people like the philosophical aspects of Buddhism. In a book on the subject, Buddhism Without Beliefs, a fairly prominent Western writer on Buddhism discusses the philosophy for non-Buddhist readers, and even outlines how Buddhism didn’t emphasize religion at its start.
Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Libertarian was trying to be honestly supportive. I’m just laying out one possibility.
Matt, sorry to hear of your (continued) work-place woes. I know very much myself (particularly at the moment) just how helling work-place stress can be.
Just remember that at the end of the working day you can walk away from it. It is only work. It isn’t actually your problem - you are just the one assigned to deal with the problem. If the problem isn’t fixed at the end of the day then what is the actual consequence for you? You did your best and you can justify yourself to those who deserve justification. More than that is just dressing.
Work <> home. The moment you start letting one interfere with the other, you begin to suffer. And it is always your choice to let them interfere. Work late, pull an all-nighter if necessary. But when you leave, leave.
After all, backwards and downwards are very tedious.