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June 05, 2008
Happiness Is...
This morning I woke up with the melody of Happiness Is... from Youre a Good Man Charlie Brown in my mind. So I decided to ask my friends on twitter to finish the sentence that started with Happiness Is... I have complied their respective replies below. Special thanks to everyone who participated today whose participation provided insight into the amazing social sculpture of what twitter is.
---
A User Generated Poem by my friends on Twitter
Happiness Is...
...what you make it, not what others do or say. (@ChazFrench)
...a warm puppy. : ) (@chutchins)
...watching the snow lightly fall outside as you sit by the fire. (@paulswansen)
...rain on the roof and a cup of steaming hot coffee. (@paulswansen)
...a state of mind; a decision to be happy with urself as who u really r. It's a healthy and holistic self-perception. (@JonBurg)
...soul's fitness :P (@ernani)
...like a sweet sound of music when all the noise stops (@tonepedia)
...a warm bum (@bigyahu)
...A dose of cipro that works! (@johnbaloney)
... good friends, healthy family, a dozing cat in your lap, a gorgeous sunrise - not necessarily in that order. (@Merlene)
...is a steaming cup of coffee, a gently tossed compliment, any day where you're loved and a warm smile from a stranger. (@caffination)
...a cigar called Hamlet. The mild cigar. (and cue "Air on the G String" in the background). (@ewanspence)
...is knowing you have no plans to go outside for the next 3 days. (@WUGYA)
...happiness; it calls; we feel about it and can (must) give to other, without counting. (@evidencesx)
...when twitter is working! (@m1xzg)
...is a good cup of coffee in the morning, and snuggling with my kitty at night. (@JBevTV)
...Doing what makes you come alive with people you cannot get enough of (@jonathanfields)
...knowing life is still wonderful while you're looking at it from the bottom of a ditch. (@just_kate)
...waking up and knowing you're loved (@snixon)
...knowing you lived by your own design. (You would know.) (@chrisbrogan)
...a blank canvas and an idea! (@darrencox)
...a warm cup of coffee and a blanket on a porch in a summer thunderstorm. (@just_kate)
...surfing a barrel in the sunset and dancing with the reflections of the colors on the water... Bliss (@danny_strelitz)
...Being free with the people you love and respect around you. (@liorsion)
...sunshine outside and a good curtain guarding your monitor. (@Weltenweiser)
...not something which money can buy. Or, ...something which comes from within. Or, ....overrated - life sucks, move along. ;^) (@Mobasoft)
...never seeing that damn whale again. :) (@WickedStepmom)
...the road you travel, and... (@jnetten)
...being able to say so much in just 140 characters (@idarose)
...is a warm gun (@MelWebster)
...hearing Will say "no thank you" or catching him giving his sister a toy she is reaching for, just out of kindness of his heart (@MelanieBrandt)
...from within. And so is fearless passion. (@OrnitBarkai)
...loving what you do, and doing it often. (@tsand)
...a Keys sunset, gentle breezes, a Jim Croce song from the local troubador and a piece of Key Lime pie (@johnfleming)
...being. (@Sheryl4321)
...being Markovian (Mathematician's jovial way of saying be forgiving) (@aswath)
...waking each day next to the woman you love beyond anything in the world. (@kencamp)
...making every second count in some way. (@cartoongoddess)
...living a life on purpose and always in "beta" (@israeliwine)
...waking up each morning and finding your loved ones and friends are all okay and a new day is here. (@danyork)
...fulfilling your social needs as a human (@liors)
...is suddenly finding that there can still be poetry in little corners of the net, that soulless beast (@andresb)
...pursuing your passion! (@mark_hayward)
...see your ideas and project come true (@epiccolotto)
...interacting with people. (@nahumg)
...reading the replies from your friends who are answering the question and who are helping to create twitter poetry along the way (@jeffpulver)
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Readers of my blog are invited to join me on both twitter and Facebook.
Tags: Social Sculpture, twitter, Social+Media, Jeff Pulver
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Posted by jeff on June 5, 2008 05:54 PM | Permalink
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Comments
But could I say happiness is as simple as that stated in the following 2 essays of mine?
(Key: Ineffective happiness, optimal points, bio-entity,
.)
Yi Kang
(康易)
(Professor of chemistry, retired)
-------
Essay 1
Summary of 500 Essays
on Health-Happiness
Yi Kang
To be happy is easy if we know:
1. Happiness (including love, sense of beauty,
) is the feeling of things being better for our propagation and encouraging us to go further. (Except ineffective happiness, as smoking
)
2. Well-being is the ongoing feeling of things going better for our propagation.
3. Suffering is the feeling of things being harmful to our propagation and calling us for taking measure to prevent or rectify it.
4. The ultimate goal of life is to propagate forever. (The origin of all things in human world)
All the four above are instincts.
An instinct is ancestors successful experiences saved on our DNA.
Also, the following are instincts:
* * *
Babies, children . eat, play(learn), .
Being in love is the in the process of carefully matching of the couples instinct data and programs (intuition, feeling, soul, ) and their acquired data and programs (knowledge, statuses, accuracy, .) for their propagation.
A couple of spouses or lovers are one bio-entity integrated spiritually in order to propagate.
The old .love grand-children.
* * *
Friends are the essential members of our symbiotic group.
Moral, conscience, justice,
are instincts for maintenance of our symbiotic group.
* * *
Everything has its own optimal point. Being not up to or going beyond the point is harmful.
For people, the optimal point is 10,000-years-ago norm in most cases.
* * *
The optimal point of wealth is not being rich but passably well-to-do. (e.g. Bill Gates after 2008)
* * *
Our health, beauty, and long life are based on 10,000-years-ago norm.
* * *
The 10,000-years-ago norm based on instincts.
The instincts run our thinking and body.
The thinking runs our body.
Right?
(from http://blog.sina.com.cn/happywellness)
P.S.
The balanced diet, essential exercise, best environmental standards and highest happiness index all meet the norm. Ineffective happiness does not.
________
幸福万标500博文 摘要
康易
幸福人生(含婚姻) 不难，
只需明白 下边： （尤其最佳点）
快乐（含：爱、美感、
） 是 事物 进一步利于传种接代之感。（肯定、鼓励）
幸福 是 传种接代 进行顺利之感。
痛苦（含：恨、丑感、
） 是 事物 有害传种接代之感。（警告、监改）
人生最终目的 传种接代。（人间万事之源）
以上四者 都是 本能。
本能是 DNA上祖先成功经验。
还有：
儿时，吃、玩
为长大后传种接代。
恋爱 是 仔细、不断 核对
本能的 数据和程序（感情、直觉、心声、灵魂、
；60分以上 启动 爱情程序）、
后天的 数据和程序（理智、知识、精确度、
）
利于传种接代的 程度。
（见：拙博 照片 4，点击放大）
情侣、 夫妻 是 用精神连结成的 一个完整的 生物体。
双方 互视己身之半、分工合作传种接代。
（见：拙博 照片 4-5，点击放大）
老年，乐在育孙。
朋友、伙伴 是 群居共生的 必要成员。
道德、良心、正义、助人(含授课)
是 维持群居共生
以利传种接代的 本能。
万事 各有最佳点。
不及、过之，都不好。
对人，此点 经常 是万标。
财富 最佳点 是 小康。
不然、 传种接代不良。
（如 盖茨）
健康、苗条、雀跃长寿， 靠万标。
万标从 本能。
本能 定 心身。
心领身。
对吗？
有例外？
(参见： 小书简介（拙博 相册 照片2，点击放大）)
学生 还觉得：
饮食平衡（含减肥
）具体化 是 万标饮食。
必要运动（含 健脑、减肥
）的 量、质、境， 也是 万标那样。
心态平衡具体化 是 万标心态。
无效快乐， 是 非万标的快乐。
无效痛苦， 是 非万标的痛苦。
无效美， 是 假美、不利于传种接代之美。
环保指标的 最终点，是万标的环境。
幸福指数最高的 生活 是 最接近万标的 生活。
对吗？
学生
康易（happy_wellness）敬上
（自http://blog.sina.com.cn/happywellness）
--- 欢迎转贴 ---
Essay 2
Happiness，Effective or Not?
by Yi Kang
(1/500 Examples of 10,000=Years-Ago-Norm)
(Mini-Topic on Health No.0 (1st/86))
Keywords: Definition of happiness, mechanism of happiness, effective happiness, ineffective happiness, baton, self-reproduction, standards of 10,000 years ago, evolution.
1. Origin of Happiness
According to the evolution knowledge learned in our high school, it is obvious that happiness is originated from biological evolution of human being. As all kinds of human activities need a director or baton to coordinate themselves to reach the best result，happiness was gradually formed during the long period of evolution. (1,3,4)
2. Definition of Happiness
Happiness is a director or baton or feeling that confirms and encourages people for whatever they want to or are doing or have done is ultimately good for their propagation. (1)
3. Role of Happiness
All activities of human being are for the ultimate goal of their propagation (keeping their DNA alive). To reach this goal in the most efficient way, there has to be a unified director in charge of all the kinds of human activities so as to avoid chaos or low efficiency that will eventually lead to the extinction of human being. This director is obviously the happiness, which directs all activities toward the right way as a traffic baton. (1)
4. Mechanism of Happiness
To simplify the explanation, let us suppose that human brain worked just like a personal computer. Similarly, there were decision programs in the human brain computer, too. One of the programs was used to deal with the happiness. Using the data in the database of the human brain computer (instinct data on DNA saved by our ancestors), the program could recognize accurately whether a human activity is in favor of propagation or not. If it is, then the program making people feel happy runs for a short time. (1,3,4)
5. Effective Happiness
The effective happiness is a kind of happiness that happens 10,000 years ago when a thing in favor of propagation is done by or to human.(2) For example, eating unprocessed fresh food and living in an environment same as those 10,000 years ago. All these activities are good for our propagation.（1）
6. Ineffective Happiness
The ineffective happiness is such a kind of happiness that did not happen 10,000 years ago. For examples，the happiness people have during eating junk food, smoking tobacco, abusing drug, living in a luxurious house with various pollutants,
even economy booming. And all these activities are harmful to our propagation. (2 )
7. Harm of Ineffective Happiness
Facts show that almost all of ineffective happiness (including ineffective economy) is harmful to human survival on the earth. (2) It is overshooting.
References
1. 英文 著，《吃、喝、穿、住、其他：康乐简则》, 2005, Jerry&Harry /He Co. ISBN 978-0-9771-8610-5. (To be published in English ( W. Ying, Eat, Drink, Wear, Dwell, etc.: An Easy Rule for Happy Health )) or http://www.geocities.com/happy_wellness/HappyWellness1stEdtion.pdf.
2. ibid, p. 18-148.
3. Paul Kwatz, Conscious Robots, 2005, Lulu, Inc., http://www.consciousrobots.co.uk/.
4. Stevenson, J. 2006. Man, the Digital Machine. http://www.onelife.com/evolve/digman.html.
Last updated October 7, 2008
Copyright 2005-2008 Jerry He and Harry He All Rights Reserved.
(From http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4bcbe5d1010007p7.html )
保健漫谈 小议0：（1st/86）
（幸福万标500用例 之一）
快乐，有效？无效？
（进化论）
康 易
关键词：快乐、快乐的定义、快乐的机理、有效快乐、无效快乐、指挥棒、传种接代、一万年前标准、进化论。
1、快乐的起源
快乐 起源于 人的生物进化。人的活动需要一个指挥棒，方能得到最好效果，才能延续到今天。经过漫长的生物进化，才形成了快乐这个指挥棒。（1、3）
2、快乐的定义
快乐是 对进行传种接代活动的 事前、事中、事后的 肯定、鼓励。（1）
3、快乐的用途
人的活动的 最终目的 是传种接代（延续 自己DNA的活动）。为了最有效地达到这个目的，要用快乐这个指挥棒 统帅人体的一切活动。（1）
4、快乐的机理
用电脑常识来比喻：快乐好像是人体电脑里的一种判断程序。它能根据人体电脑中储存的数据，判断出所作所为是否有利于传种接代。如果是，就启动一个快乐程序，使人感觉快乐。（1）
5、有效快乐
符合一万年前标准的人间万事。 例如：吃未加工的天然食品、住原始生态的环境、等时，感觉到的快乐，是有效快乐。因为，这些活动对传种接代 有效。（1）
6、无效快乐
从不符合一万年前标准的人间万事中得到的快乐，都是无效快乐。例如，吃垃圾食品、吸烟、吸毒，住污染的高级建筑中，等时感到的快乐，是无效快乐。因为，这些活动对传种接代 无效。（2）
7、无效快乐的危害
事实证明:无效快乐，绝大多数，都损害 人的身心健康。所以，不但浪费 人力物力，而且有害 人类 在地球上 生存。（2）
参考文献
1. 英文著《吃、喝、穿、住、其他：康乐简则》，18-24页， 2005，Jerry & Harry / He Co. ISBN 878-0-9771-8610-5 或 http://www.geocities.com/happy_wellness/HappyWellness1stEdtion.pdf。
2. 同上，18-148页。
3. Paul Kwatz, Conscious Robots （有意识的机器人）, 2005, Lulu, Inc., http://www.consciousrobots.co.uk/.
4. Stevenson, J. 2006. Man, the Digital Machine. http://www.onelife.com/evolve/digman.html
5. Sharpe. K., 1998, The Sense pf Happiness: Biological Explanations and Ultimate Reality and Meaning, Ultimate Reality and Meaning 21 (4) December 1998: 301-314. Or www.ksharpe.com/Word/EP20.htm
恭候赐教！
Last updated October 3, 2008
Copyright 2005-2008 Jerry He and Harry He All Rights Reserved.
(自 http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4bcbe5d1010007p7.html )
Posted by: Y. Kang at November 10, 2008 07:00 PM
I really liked the "Desperate housewives" approach on this (couldn't write this on twitter of course..) here's the quote:
"From the moment we wake up in the morning 'til our head hits the pillow at night, our lives are filled with questions. Most are easily answered and soon forgotten. But some questions are much harder to ask because we are so afraid of the answer. Will I be around to watch my children grow up? Am I making a mistake by marrying this man? Could he ever truly love me? And what happens when we ask ourself the hard question and get the answer we've been hoping for? Well, that's when happiness begins"
Posted by: Nadav Bruchiel at June 8, 2008 12:40 AM
Jeff, what a wonderful exercise!
You can really know people a little better when you read their answers to what happiness is.
I am happy at the thought of Obama making decisions hopefully very soon, happy letting go/surrendering after holding on tight(out of some fear), reading Broken Open by Eliz Lesser, waking after a good night sleep, helping when I can...and the list goes on.
Another idea-what are you grateful about?
I'm grateful to have met you and others on Twitter :)
Posted by: Myrna at June 6, 2008 08:09 AM
Amazing how many felt like answering your question. Lovely. Glad i wasn΄t the only one.
Posted by: Weltenweiser at June 6, 2008 03:37 AM
I have to add, happiness is friends like Jeff too.
Looking forward to seeing you next week!
Posted by: Ken Camp at June 5, 2008 09:11 PM
hehe "a warm bum" is so true!
Posted by: Darren Daz Cox at June 5, 2008 07:28 PM
A great blog entry, Jeff...I was sorry to have missed the opportunity to offer my own (all kinds of Twitter issues these days, due to the whole IM thing), but I am happy to offer it here:
Happiness is...vicariously growing up a second time through my son.
Posted by: K² at June 5, 2008 07:08 PM
Happiness is a warm gun. thats so basic... how didn't i think of that?
Following @MelWebster just for that.
Posted by: Danny at June 5, 2008 07:02 PM