Humanity has thought about itself since it knew itself. While these thoughts were on our simpler and more important needs at first, they were thought about more complex works with the continuous provision of these needs over time. For example, after shelter, food and clothes, we think of relationships. Since we are a social species, we give importance to our social relations. After this is achieved, our brain thinks about situations that are not necessary. Like a better shelter or a different style of food. After getting rid of all these thoughts, the subconscious makes a decision for us. This decision will affect how the person sees himself and his environment. This view is naturally connected with our emotions. So how exactly is this happiness achieved?
Regarding happiness, Tolstoy said, “I am happy with what I have, and I do not fall for those who do not.” he said. Even though it makes sense when we read this statement as the majority of us, a large mass of people do not agree with this statement. By associating the reasons for not participating with today’s world, we tell ourselves that they also think logically. So let’s look at it objectively.
First, we must ask ourselves what is happiness? Its equivalent in Turkish; Happiness, which comes as the joy felt when a wish or longing is fulfilled, does not give the same meaning when people are asked. In fact, when people are asked, some of the answers may not even make sense. This is because the subject of happiness is not objective but completely subjective. For example, the fact that the richest person in the world is happy or unhappy is not related to the happiness of a pitiful man. Therefore, it is not possible to know exactly who is happy. Because happiness is not related to the concepts that we can observe.
As important as the concept of happiness is how many transitions people make with the concept. Because there are no rules to achieve happiness. It varies for everyone. Some people are happy when they get something, while others can be happy even if they don’t. Sometimes people don’t want to be happy, they just want to live happily. One of the problems that we encounter while making this attempt, but that we sometimes do not realize, is the question of whether happiness can be achieved.
Among all these thoughts, Tolstoy’s statement still creates confusion. That’s why we should think as simple as the spoken word. The reason why Tolstoy rejoices at what has happened and does not fall on what does not happen is to prevent the sad state. Tolstoy’s thought here reminds us how short human life is, and it is conveyed on not wasting our time, thinking that it would not be beneficial to think about those who are not in a sad state. This is really important because it should be known that every human being will sooner or later breathe his last.
However, if this word is not misinterpreted, it can be thought that one should not be sad about anything in the past. This is nonsense in my opinion. It is necessary for a person to be sad, and the emotions experienced in the past, such as sadness, have a special place in people’s brains. Here, the events that remain in our minds more clearly guide how we can respond to the events that we may experience in the future. These considerations will help us when a person who might be ahead of us in such matters is not near us. It’s okay to have these thoughts help us. But even if everything goes right, one should know that even in the best possible situation, one can lose. This is called life.