Chinese Curses And Happiness

Chris · 13 Apr 2007, 23:15 · from 2007-April.txt.gz

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From: rasputin_ at hotmail.com (Chris)
Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 23:15:41 +0000
Subject: (urth) Chinese Curses And Happiness
In-Reply-To: <38319.62844.qm at web32402.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <BAY129-F94DE7480B6E89B71AA74E865D0 at phx.gbl>

>--- brunians at brunians.org wrote:
>
> >
> > The full curse is 'May you live in interesting times
> > and come to the
> > attention of influential people.'
>
>Ah. Thank you, Josh. That's a nasty curse in any
>culture.
>
>
> > The Stoic philosophy (and also Buddhism,
> > coincidentally or not) both teach
> > how to be happy no matter how interesting your times
> > or personal
> > situation.
> >
>
>I was under the impression that happiness was
>inconsequential to both philosophies. Rather they
>teach one to endure such times and situations with
>equanimity.
>
>But I digress as well.
>
>Don

It depends, I guess. The good life that Stoics (and the ancients in general) 
were after isn't exactly equivalent to our concept of "happiness", but 
that's probably about the closest fit you're going to get. For a Stoic it's 
ok to be happy, just don't let yourself get carried away with it.

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