The Backwards Law - Why Happiness Is Ruining Your Life

“The safest way of not being very miserable is not to expect to be very happy.” - Arthur Schopenhauer.
In this video, we explore the paradoxical idea of how wanting happiness may not be the best way of finding it.

Follow Pursuit of Wonder on:

Recommended readings a part of this topic: 

(Above is an affiliate link that generates a small commission that supports the channel)

[somespecies]

Happiness seem to be a luxury now. People show how happy their lives are thru social media that the essence of happiness itself gets lost.

[weirdreportt]

It's around 1AM here

Time for some philosophical thoughts and existential crisis

[m.offord]

Basically we have to accept the fact that a truly perfect life is unattainable and embrace our imperfect reality and be at peace.

[koffhi]

the desire for more positive experience is itself a negative. And, paradoxically, the acceptance of one's negative experience is itself a positive experience.

[set_blocks]

"Only when we hold our breath and try to keep all the oxygen in, do we suffocate."

Wow... that metaphor really hit me.

[juzace]

*Life is beautiful, let it be. Life isn't a question, so there doesn't have to be an answer to it*

[balazs]

If you are going through hell... *keep going* !

Me and million others are with you

[Aizaaaaaaaaaa]

Nothing really matters, we're just dramatic animals.

[chantzukit]

"Only when we try to keep all the oxygen in do we suffocate."

[brianmilliken]

“The schizophrenic is drowning in the same waters in which the mystic swims with delight.” Joseph Campbell

[abon]

You and Kurzgesagt should team up and erase me from existence.

[ok.]

"Endless pleasure becomes its own form of punishment."

-Ryan Holiday, from The Daily Stoic

[Donaldo]

If this guy talked about a banana, it would sound deep and depressing

[DeTalented]

imagine Pursuit of Wonder, kurzgesagt, and TED-Ed teaming up to give us an ultimate existential crisis

[mikael]

Treat the present moment as if you chose it, surrender to what is.

- Eckhart Tolle

[martinlovegoodie]

my name is Martin and I have end stage kidney failure and heart failure i've been through a lot. a lot of hospital visits and I'm on dialysis and my life is never been better because I embrace the bad and learn to enjoy my life.

[kaymee]

I love that you distinguished between exceptional hardship and a normal level of misery. It makes this vid empathic, real and useful instead of the usual bullshit motivational 'get over it' 'psychology' 'self help' vids on Youtube. Thankyou. Keep it up!

[izzybeingbusy]

These videos are always a great wake-up call. I've been super unmotivated lately

[TheOwlCreek]

Happiness doesn’t exist. You will experience brief moments of pleasure but the human condition is that you know too much about the future to be happy.Psychologists agree that the natural human state is mild depression.So don’t be sad about being sad, its normal.

[devilboi]

Don't find happiness, just don't care about it, that will make you happy.