Someone once said, “Happiness is like chasing a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. You will never find it if you look for it.” John Stuart Mill’s autobiography, “A Crisis in My Mental History: One Stage Onward” (1909) argues that in order to be happy, one must secure their mind on something other than their own happiness. Under the realization that one's happiness is only attained by not making it the direct end, Mill approaches this subject by first giving examples of what makes one happy and then continues to tell the reader why the route they are approaching happiness is insufficient to give contentment. His evident purpose is to inform the reader that one cannot pursue happiness through the enjoyments of life because once it is made a
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When my Dad was nineteen he proceeded to go on a mission to Taiwan, where he had the opportunity to do service. This opportunity appeared at an old folks home. In this residence, none of the men or women had family to take care of them, neither the money needed to pay someone to. Sadly, this caused the old folks home to become dumping ground for old decrepit people. Some of the people were mentally disabled and many had weird physical ailments or deformities. As my dad and others arrived, the orderlies let the deteriorated people hobble in, some were in wheelchairs, some had poop crusted on them, food crusted on them, some had open sores and their hair hadn’t been washed and they all smelled of dried saliva. Rather than leaving, my dad and the eight others went in and showered these neglected seniors who only ever had interaction during feeding time. This act of service brought great happiness to the recipients yet it brought the service providers stronger happiness. First off, cleaning brought immediate results, but also with no one to care for them, it was satisfying to see the happiness it brought them. Being able to provide a service for people who cannot help themselves helps one appreciate their own situation. One’s problems pale in comparison when they see others so destitute and devoid of human touch such as those in the old folks home. Moreover, with service one can receive contentment, appreciation and eventually
When my Dad was nineteen he proceeded to go on a mission to Taiwan, where he had the opportunity to do service. This opportunity appeared at an old folks home. In this residence, none of the men or women had family to take care of them, neither the money needed to pay someone to. Sadly, this caused the old folks home to become dumping ground for old decrepit people. Some of the people were mentally disabled and many had weird physical ailments or deformities. As my dad and others arrived, the orderlies let the deteriorated people hobble in, some were in wheelchairs, some had poop crusted on them, food crusted on them, some had open sores and their hair hadn’t been washed and they all smelled of dried saliva. Rather than leaving, my dad and the eight others went in and showered these neglected seniors who only ever had interaction during feeding time. This act of service brought great happiness to the recipients yet it brought the service providers stronger happiness. First off, cleaning brought immediate results, but also with no one to care for them, it was satisfying to see the happiness it brought them. Being able to provide a service for people who cannot help themselves helps one appreciate their own situation. One’s problems pale in comparison when they see others so destitute and devoid of human touch such as those in the old folks home. Moreover, with service one can receive contentment, appreciation and eventually