Epicurus: Obstacles To The Pursuit Of Happiness

At first I was skeptical of what the philosopher Epicurus had to said about the ethical principles that are suppose to guide human behavior. Turns out, some of his preachings actually resonated within me and some did not. In my opinion, his works seem to talk about how we are the keepers of our own happiness. Happiness can sprout from our external environment, but it is our internal environment that truly matters. If we are happy with what we have, that is all that matters. However, once we succumb to seeking more than we require, that is when things become a bit troublesome. Additionally, according to Epicurus, one of the main obstacles to achieving happiness, is anxiety ( “Epicurus Introduction”) Speaking from a psychologist …show more content…
I believe he even went as far as to say that there was no life after death; the only thing that followed death was death. I think that Christians would probably take the most offense to these words. This probably stems from the way in which most of them try to live a good life on earth so that they will have a good life in heaven. In similar manner, people of the Hindu faith often believe in the concept of reincarnation. This usually guides them to act in decent manner throughout their lives in order to live on just as decently, or more even, in the …show more content…
Despite his logic for this motto, I think many people would find many reasons to denounce it. For instance, people in third world countries or even people on the very streets of the U.S would beg a differ than it is not easy to get some of the basic things that humans need for survival. Lastly, Epicurus said that the things that make us suffer in life are actually not as bad as we perceive them to be ( “Epicurus Introduction”). I think there is some truth in this principle. I guess it just depends on one's frame of mind while they are enduring something that brings them pain and