The Impossible Happiness of the Soul

Is it possible for a good person to be happy in these tragic days?

Yes, of course it is. Switch off the news, head off to the mountains or the sea, and when you have found the loneliest spot, sit down, let go of your thoughts, still your mind, sink into its serene depths and enjoy its inner peace.

"Undisturbed by such questions, we may enjoy life happily, in a naive euphoria of existence without any need for its justification." (Tymieniecka 1974)

But can a good person really walk away from this tragic world? Would this not be walking away from the responsiveness and responsibilities which make us human?

What is it that stops us? Is it ourselves, our overblown sense of duty and self-importance?

And in reality, to what extent does our own engagement with our world, our everyday social and economic activities actually contribute to the tragic events which cause us such despair?

Should we lose ourselves in the naive euphoria of existence, may we not unwittingly be in fact reducing our contribution to the structures creating and perpetuating these very conditions?

If everyone had to walk away, who would build the weapons and fight the wars that tear this world apart? And if no one bought the stuff that no one actually needs, would there still be the need to fight these wars?

Maybe the answers to these questions hold the key to the impossible happiness of the soul...