Essay on Are We Happier Than Our Forefathers
Are we happier than our forefathers? This is a rather difficult question to answer because much depends on what we mean by happiness. No doubt, we are producing and consuming goods that our forefathers would never even have dreamt of.
Means of transport and communication are speedier and better now. A wide variety of entertainment media and better medical facilities give more people a whole lot of comforts and luxuries that even the kings of yesteryear could not have dreamt of.
But, along with this, we also have slums, pollution, corruption, and social and political conflicts. Life is full of stress and tension. There are riots and wars. There is a lot of pleasure, lot of money and luxury, but there is no peace.
We have no time to stand and stare at nature's beauty. On account of the stresses and tensions of daily life, we cannot even have sound sleep at night. Today, people have to join yoga or meditation classes or go to a guru to learn how to relax and try to be happy.
As against this, our forefathers lived a simple life. They had fewer wants, and fewer luxuries. They had sound sleep at night. They were strong and healthy people, who had time to enjoy the beauty of nature, and lived contented and peaceful lives. There was hardly any pollution and there were no slums.
If one thinks that happiness means having a lot of material possessions, having luxuries and comforts, then no doubt we are happier than our forefathers. But if happiness means contentment and peace of mind, then surely our forefathers were happier than we are. So, finally it all depends on our definition of happiness.
Personally, I think that our forefathers were happier than us. For, according to me, happiness means peace of mind, contentment, satisfaction with our lot, which we do not have today, and which our forefathers had.
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