Happily Discontented

“Ambition is a state of permanent dissatisfaction with the present” – Emanuel Derman

There seems to be a lot of talk recently centered around urging people to be grateful and contented with what we already have. A tidal wave of contrarian views following recent inconveniences (MRT disruption, flash floods) and election politics discussions that stirred up much unhappy feelings.

This includes an old article published in 2004 that resurfaced on a politician’s facebook page. The central idea in the article is that people never report feeling happier despite measurable progress, which probably results from a physical inability to experience improvements that occur over long stretches of time. In conclusion, the author argues that being happy is simple – just try to be kinder.

I’m not sure how the infrastructural improvements he used to illustrate his point eventually boils down to “being kinder makes you happy”. But I think in essence, he’s reiterating (in so many words) the age old adage of how contentment breeds happiness.

That’s all fine. We all agree to that – after all, the surest way to guarantee enjoyment is to lower your expectations to where they are already met!

In fact, I also don’t see a problem with imagining how much our lives have improved compared to the distant past. Despite occasional nostalgia and laments about not being born in the age of exciting musical developments aided by free drug use and the counterculture movement, I know for certain I would never choose to go back to such a time even if such an opportunity presents itself to me. The lack of the internet and numerous other technological inventions are enough to dissuade me, let alone the lack of a sewage system.

So why is it that we don’t simply embrace everything that we already have and be happy?

I think a distinction has to be made between momentary happiness that can be derived from simple pleasures in life, such as seeing the first rays of sun break out of dark clouds on a rainy day, or a good meal topped with a good read; versus real feelings of contentment with the present. The former I applaud, the latter I scorn.

No one should ever be truly happy and contented. Being contented means bringing the end of happiness to the now. What if, maybe, the whole point of the pursuit of happiness is in the pursuit – continuous relentless betterment of oneself and whatever purpose one serves, instead of resting on blissful contentment?

I believe that we should always challenge ourselves to seek perfection, however unattainable we all know it is. That’s how we learn and actually get better. It is effortful, and more often than not, work does not bring joy. Dissatisfaction, discontentment, and unhappiness is an absolutely necessary driving force for progress.