How Can Happiness Be Found In Thomas Merton Learning To Live Essay

How Can Happiness Be Found? From the beginning of humanity and the ability to think, humans have tried to understand and achieve true happiness. Philosophers, scholars, and everyday people have tried to figure out the answer but have had very little success. Philosopher and hermit, Thomas Merton, in the essay “Learning to Live”, claims that society’s ideal view of success will not make one happy rather, to truly find happiness one must learn who they are, learn what they have to offer and learn to make that offering valid. While Merton comes close to grasping ideal happiness he misses it partially because he forgets about social and economic problems as well as happiness caused by others happiness. Merton is definitely on to something when he makes his points, but the reason he is not completely correct is because there is other ways to also be truly happy. Thomas Merton, who studied at Columbia, …show more content…
But, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t pursue your “purpose” or what you love and still be successful. In fact, many people find true happiness by making family, friends and strangers happy. Such is much more possible and easier to do when your successful and aren’t worrying about financial burdens. I think it’s best to do what you love and be at least mildly successful in order to live comfortably. If you live too radically on either side I think that is what causes misery. If you live too much for success it’s possible to lose sight of what you love but, if you only pursue what you love you struggle with the downfalls and obstacles of today’s society. Yet I’m aware of how difficult what I preach is to achieve but hence the reason why many people aren’t ever truly happy. Someone might even ask, well how you know when you’re in the middle and are successful enough while still pursuing your “purpose”. My answer to that would be you will know when you feel you are truly content with