That’s true of young children in general. For most, the complexities of living don’t concern them obsessively as they do adults. Children enjoy the simple pleasures we no longer purely do: playing hide-and-seek; splashing in rain puddles; licking a dripping ice cream cone; chasing lightning bugs; catching snowflakes on the tongue; making rainbows with a water hose … To see a child’s healthy happy smile is a sunburst from our own past shining briefly.
Applicable to every member of the Fat Orange Clown’s cult.
[Encore Presentation]
THE CON
How does THE CON work in a political scenario? Why are so many right wingnuts and even some of the GOPQ leadership stuck with a demented ignorant influencer? Why are they so content in their beliefs as they empty their pockets?
(From this excerpt some may see how the Fat Orange Clown has been so effective, and the reasons that those in his cult are unable to “see the light”.)
From THE CONFIDENCE GAME by Maria Konnikova, PhD
“Cons aren’t about money or about love,” Konnikova cautions. “They are about our beliefs. We are savvy investors. We are discerning with love interests. We have a stellar reputation. We are, fundamentally, people to whom good things happen with good reason.” We believe those things, so we believe the people, the con artists, who affirm them.
Once we believe, once we’re emotionally or financially invested in an idea, we have a hard time letting go. If contrary evidence pops up, Konnikova notes, we often find ways to explain it away, to minimize the cognitive dissonance. “Our personal attachment overshadows our objective knowledge,” the author writes. “We focus on the rationale that retroactively justifies our choice rather than actually base our choice in the moment on the most pertinent rationale.” And the longer we’re invested (whether emotionally or financially) in an idea, a story, a pitch, the harder it is to stop.
These are “sunk costs” that we’re unwilling to forget. And even when we see we’ve been duped, fear for our reputations often keeps us from denouncing the con artist or admitting to ourselves that we’ve been had.
To paraphrase Freud, sometimes they are just a girl and her pet. A dog will wake with no leftover worries from yesterday, the morning is a wonderland of smells. He looks at you like “Hey! We’re alive! Again! Isn’t it great?” Credit for that thought goes to some comic i can’t remember.
It’s not “happiness,” Stantisferwhinin’; it’s peace…………..it’s shalom, and it only comes after confronting the truth, which is something you refuse to do.
Happiness is a warm puppy, Carmen. Go ahead and stretch a point or two, lower your expectation a shade, and embrace your happiness. Or stay the course.
Happiness? Easy! Trust in the Lord and remember His mercy endures forever. Follow the path of Jesus Christ and you will find that you are happy in nearly every situation. When you face difficulties you will find peace and then get through it and back to happiness!
There is an old saying about ignorance being bliss – its corollary seems to be (and oddly enough there is psychology research about this sort of thing) that increase in knowledge decreases happiness, pretty significantly. Up to some point, then it either levels out as more knowledge is gained, or it increases for reasons that can be difficult to explain. There is other research that indicates that many people who are happy actively make the choice to be happy. There appears to be more research about whether the latter is “real” happiness or not. For me, the more I read about some of this stuff the more I realize I (and apparently a bunch of Ph.D. folks out there) don’t know so my happiness index doesn’t suffer a drop.
jmworacle over 3 years ago
According to whom?
PraiseofFolly over 3 years ago
That’s true of young children in general. For most, the complexities of living don’t concern them obsessively as they do adults. Children enjoy the simple pleasures we no longer purely do: playing hide-and-seek; splashing in rain puddles; licking a dripping ice cream cone; chasing lightning bugs; catching snowflakes on the tongue; making rainbows with a water hose … To see a child’s healthy happy smile is a sunburst from our own past shining briefly.
admiree2 over 3 years ago
Applicable to every member of the Fat Orange Clown’s cult.
[Encore Presentation]
THE CON
How does THE CON work in a political scenario? Why are so many right wingnuts and even some of the GOPQ leadership stuck with a demented ignorant influencer? Why are they so content in their beliefs as they empty their pockets?
(From this excerpt some may see how the Fat Orange Clown has been so effective, and the reasons that those in his cult are unable to “see the light”.)
From THE CONFIDENCE GAME by Maria Konnikova, PhD
“Cons aren’t about money or about love,” Konnikova cautions. “They are about our beliefs. We are savvy investors. We are discerning with love interests. We have a stellar reputation. We are, fundamentally, people to whom good things happen with good reason.” We believe those things, so we believe the people, the con artists, who affirm them.
Once we believe, once we’re emotionally or financially invested in an idea, we have a hard time letting go. If contrary evidence pops up, Konnikova notes, we often find ways to explain it away, to minimize the cognitive dissonance. “Our personal attachment overshadows our objective knowledge,” the author writes. “We focus on the rationale that retroactively justifies our choice rather than actually base our choice in the moment on the most pertinent rationale.” And the longer we’re invested (whether emotionally or financially) in an idea, a story, a pitch, the harder it is to stop.
These are “sunk costs” that we’re unwilling to forget. And even when we see we’ve been duped, fear for our reputations often keeps us from denouncing the con artist or admitting to ourselves that we’ve been had.
Christopher Shea over 3 years ago
“I’m happy!”
“That’s because unlike me, the cartoonist’s mouthpiece, you’re stupid.”
“Oh. Really? Why are we friends again?”
William Robbins Premium Member over 3 years ago
To paraphrase Freud, sometimes they are just a girl and her pet. A dog will wake with no leftover worries from yesterday, the morning is a wonderland of smells. He looks at you like “Hey! We’re alive! Again! Isn’t it great?” Credit for that thought goes to some comic i can’t remember.
rossevrymn over 3 years ago
It’s not “happiness,” Stantisferwhinin’; it’s peace…………..it’s shalom, and it only comes after confronting the truth, which is something you refuse to do.
Kip Williams over 3 years ago
Happiness is a warm puppy, Carmen. Go ahead and stretch a point or two, lower your expectation a shade, and embrace your happiness. Or stay the course.
But frolic. FROLIC, darn you!
christelisbetty over 3 years ago
It’s hard to be happy if you allow yourself to follow those who’s every belief is based on hatred.
fritzoid Premium Member over 3 years ago
“All I know is I’d rather be happy than smart.”
“Ha! You only THINK you’re happy!”
“Well, you only think you’re smart.”
(Matt Groening, “Life In Hell”)
RonnieAThompson Premium Member over 3 years ago
Vote them out in 2022 and 2024. The country that you save will be your own.
RobinHood over 3 years ago
You want a good life? It’s not complicated. Tell the girl you love that you love her. And tell the truth to everyone whenever you can.
Yesterday
Bruce1253 over 3 years ago
“Here’s a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don’t worry, be happy
In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry you make it double
Don’t worry, be happy
Don’t worry, be happy now. . ." – Don’t Worry Be Happy, Bobby McFerrin
Free or Not? Premium Member over 3 years ago
Happiness? Easy! Trust in the Lord and remember His mercy endures forever. Follow the path of Jesus Christ and you will find that you are happy in nearly every situation. When you face difficulties you will find peace and then get through it and back to happiness!
ferddo over 3 years ago
She wants the coyote to be happy only on her terms…
librarian4hire over 3 years ago
Where ignorance is bliss,
’Tis folly to be wise.
Thinkingblade over 3 years ago
There is an old saying about ignorance being bliss – its corollary seems to be (and oddly enough there is psychology research about this sort of thing) that increase in knowledge decreases happiness, pretty significantly. Up to some point, then it either levels out as more knowledge is gained, or it increases for reasons that can be difficult to explain. There is other research that indicates that many people who are happy actively make the choice to be happy. There appears to be more research about whether the latter is “real” happiness or not. For me, the more I read about some of this stuff the more I realize I (and apparently a bunch of Ph.D. folks out there) don’t know so my happiness index doesn’t suffer a drop.
grumpypophobart over 3 years ago
I used to be happy. then I discovered ideologies and politics………………sigh!
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 3 years ago
You can be happy in Hell if you have a mind to.
Radish the wordsmith over 3 years ago
The dog is right, happiness comes from within.