The Pursuit of Happiness...

[TheMC5]

Britney's latest song (don't even deny it - I don't know anyone who doesn't like that song)

Now you e-know someone who doesn't.
But that kind of music just isn't my bag.

[Ty-Land]

Britney's latest song (don't even deny it - I don't know anyone who doesn't like that song)

Now you e-know someone who doesn't.
But that kind of music just isn't my bag.

Make that 2. I would rather put my balls in a blender then listen to that song ever again. It makes me feel like dying.

[Dean]

Put me on the list too lol.. I mean, 'Its britney bitch' - wtf? lol

[Axel]

The lyrics aren't important. It is just really catchy.

[cyanide]

It is actually catchy. It might be the only other Britney song I'll ever download other than Lucky.

[Oznogrd]

I think to be happy is to have goals. When you have everything you want, it's easy to become unhappy since there's no sense of desire. I'm always setting up goals to keep me excited or looking forward to something. Once I reach that goal, I'll take the time to enjoy it until it reaches "well, it was fun while it lasted." Then set up a new goal. Goals could be anything. Reaching monetary goals, physical goals, good grades, relationship goals, job rankings, new toys and gadgets, a movie, whatever. Life's a long journey, so enjoy it while you can.

I finally caught up to this thread. While i slightly agree with you cy, you also have to make sure the goals dont consume. I have a friend who lives only for goals and it makes her miserable because she's never adequate enough when she doesnt reach one. It literally destroys her when something doesnt go according to plan.

I think happiness is a balance. You need the right friends/family/goals/sport/music...whatever is important to you. The times i'm truly happy are when i have the choice in life to go sit and vibe in my room, or to go have fun with friends, not when i feel forced to do one or the other

As for the Britney song, fuck her, she's done and everyone deluding themselves to otherwise is just gonna keep her white trash ass around longer. She always has sucked, just she used to be pretty so no one cared. Now not so much...

And finally in great bad taste because i havent seen this yet in this thread..."I wish this thread was emo so it would cut itself"

[cyanide]

I finally caught up to this thread. While i slightly agree with you cy, you also have to make sure the goals dont consume. I have a friend who lives only for goals and it makes her miserable because she's never adequate enough when she doesnt reach one. It literally destroys her when something doesnt go according to plan.

Definitely, you have to be careful not go for a goal that could be unattainable. When I say goals, I mean realistic goals, especially something for the short-term. A goal to get a pet rather than a goal of getting into medical school, for example.

I think happiness is a balance. You need the right friends/family/goals/sport/music...whatever is important to you. The times i'm truly happy are when i have the choice in life to go sit and vibe in my room, or to go have fun with friends, not when i feel forced to do one or the other

That's another huuuge aspect of happiness. Having support from family and friends, enjoying hobbies and sports, etc. Just experiencing life

[Jackal]

I consider myself quite happy. I think.

Sure I have my off days, but who doesn't? What makes me happy is usually quite simple, making others around me happy. Sure I like my share of attention too, but I'd rather give it than get it. I guess that makes me quite confusing though, some days I'm the jolliest person in the world and will proceed to shower anyone and everyone with attention that makes them feel all special and on another day I'll flat out ignore you. Not because of you, just isn't a day I want to be jolly on.

Thing is, people get used to you being jolly. Oh well...

What else makes me happy? Simple things I suppose, I'm quite happy after working out, I'm quite happy when a project I've worked on works out well, I'm happy when I'm being flirted with (or flirting myself). I was quite down that the girl I really adored pretty much friendzoned me, that really sucked hard, but I dealt with it. I can either whine, moan and bitch about it...or I can just suck it the fuck up. She wants to be friends? Fine, don't expect benefits of a non-friend then. Don't expect the same amount of attention, don't expect the same amount of affection.

That's when they get all panicky and shit, like what's happening to us. Us? You say us? There is no us. That was your call.

That also gave me a lot of happiness, as much of a jerk as it may come off as. Basically haven't seen the girl for quite a few months now...and recently went to a party where I saw some of her female friends and long story short seems that news has travelled back that I look great. Suddenly I've got to make time free in the coming weeks so we can go do something. Uh-huh, I'll think about it.

Being busy keeps me happy, as soon as I slow down...that's when shit fucks up. As soon as I start thinking about stuff too much, that's when I realise I'm not as happy as I perceive myself to opposed to when I am busy. So yeah, I really despise Sundays and love the rest of the week.

[TheMC5]

On a semi-related note, I've got a debate in PoliSci tomorrow, and I was assigned the "against" position on the topic "To be resolved whether gays should be allowed to marry".

How much fun is that? I hate that class.

So, I guess happiness for me is not being forced to engage in intellectual dishonesty in a public setting. But seriously, I'm a pretty easy guy to please. As long as I don't hate what I have to do everyday, i.e. my job or classes in school, and am free to pursue my interests outside of those commitments, them I'm pretty much content. Everything else is just gravy.

[Riot]

Why should gay people be allowed to marry when it is a christian tradition?

[benji]

Not exclusively.

[TheMC5]

Not exclusively.

On top of which, there are Christian denominations that are in favor of same-sex marriage. I believe it was the Canadian Anglican Church (could be wrong, may have been a different denomination) that recently voted in favor of performing gay marriage, as same-sex marriage is legal in Canada, but left up to the church to decide whether to perform them.

[Axel]

Why should gay people be allowed to marry when it is a christian tradition?

Gay people can't be christian?

Amazing.

[Ty-Land]

Why should gay people be allowed to marry when it is a christian tradition?

Why should women be allowed to vote and work when the bible stipulates otherwise? Why are people allowed to have sex before marriage? How can their be women reverends in the Anglican church? Why don't we stone adulterers? Why don't we oppress heathens, heretics and atheists?

If you are going to follow religious traditions, then why be selective. I mean, why not just institute a religious fundamentalist government? Go back to the good ol' days. Just because something was traditionally different doesn't mean it can't and shouldn't evolve. Think of the legal system, if that couldn't shift from its traditional positions the world would be a very different place.

Marriage is not only a christian tradition, other religions allow marriage as well.

[Axel]

Why should gay people be allowed to marry when it is a christian tradition?

Why should women be allowed to vote and work when the bible stipulates otherwise? Why are people allowed to have sex before marriage? How can their be women reverends in the Anglican church? Why don't we stone adulterers? Why don't we oppress heathens, heretics and atheists?

If you are going to follow religious traditions, then why be selective. I mean, why not just institute a religious fundamentalist government? Go back to the good ol' days. Just because something was traditionally different doesn't mean it can't and shouldn't evolve. Think of the legal system, if that couldn't shift from its traditional positions the world would be a very different place.

Marriage is not only a christian tradition, other religions allow marriage as well.

Riot's argument is just like the one on morality. It always amuses me when people say that I can't be moral but not christian. Apparently philosophy and the Greeks (which predates the Bible, fyi) just seemed to be conveniently forgotten.

[Oznogrd]

I'm just curious, where did the Greeks get their idea of morality from if not from religion though? Pretty much all societies are based on some sort of tradition to set up their social values and morals. I'm just thinking, if there was no religion, would there be morality? I dont mean religion specifically like christianity: i mean any massively believed set of stories that attempts to answer the unanswerable and help people cope with the uncopable

I fully believe you can be moral and not Christian. Hell, i consider myself a pretty good guy and i havent been a Christian since middle school (ah i was such a sheep back then) .

As for the gay marriage issue; I do not believe that gay couples shouldnt receive the same benefits as straight couples, and I do not believe that everyone HAS to support gay marriage simply due to the fact marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman. But i will say, i'm ok with redefining it to a union between two people

[tempo]

it seems to me like every point riot makes wether it be right or wrong you guys are just dissecting it to make out what his saying is wrong. the guy has openley expressed he is not homophobic in any way and yet you guys keep questioning his statements.

thats whats wrong with the world today..the "thought police". you cant openley disagree with something if it dosent conform to the norm. for example and i am in no way racist, if i were to question why there is no black swimmers i could be accused of been racist. when that is far from the case.

i just think sometimes people need to relax a little and listen to other peoples opinions no matter how radical or different or far from the norm they seem. its ironic how this was the case for gay people before people felt able to come out in the open (as they should definatley have been able to).

[cyanide]

it seems to me like every point riot makes wether it be right or wrong you guys are just dissecting it to make out what his saying is wrong. the guy has openley expressed he is not homophobic in any way and yet you guys keep questioning his statements.

thats whats wrong with the world today..the "thought police". you cant openley disagree with something if it dosent conform to the norm.

What he perceives to be not homophobic is perceived to be homophobic by others. Riot, of course, has a right to say what he wants, but you can't dismiss a disagreement either.

for example and i am in no way racist, if i were to question why there is no black swimmers i could be accused of been racist. when that is far from the case.

That's not racist, but that's also not a good analogy to what Riot had said.

[Oznogrd]

it seems to me like every point riot makes wether it be right or wrong you guys are just dissecting it to make out what his saying is wrong. the guy has openley expressed he is not homophobic in any way and yet you guys keep questioning his statements.

thats whats wrong with the world today..the "thought police". you cant openley disagree with something if it dosent conform to the norm. for example and i am in no way racist, if i were to question why there is no black swimmers i could be accused of been racist. when that is far from the case.

i just think sometimes people need to relax a little and listen to other peoples opinions no matter how radical or different or far from the norm they seem. its ironic how this was the case for gay people before people felt able to come out in the open (as they should definatley have been able to).

1. There is a difference between asking why there are no black swimmers and saying "black people are afraid of the water" one isnt racist one is. Saying "homosexuals shouldnt marry because they are immoral" may not be homophobic but it is discriminatory if you believe homosexuality is a way you are born.
2. The norm of society agrees with riot...just not alot of us here apparently

[tempo]

sorry i opened my mouth then. all hail the message board intellect disecters.

[Axel]

OT: illini, I just saw your display pic. How was Across the Universe? I missed it.

[Riot]

I'm just saying...marriage is a religious tradition that is recgonized by the state. I just find it odd, and unfitting, to allow two people to get married (religious tradition) when they aren't suppose to according to that same religious tradition.

Marriage is between a man and a woman. Yeah you mentioned having sex before marriage amongst other things but you cannot control that. That is something the government cannot govern but they can do that to marriage.

Since I don't agree with your opinion I must be a homophobe and a bigot. I have no problem with homosexuals as people but I have a problem with gay people getting married and their lifestyle. I do not agree with homosexuality but I am able to put that past me and still be friends and respect them. I'm certainly not afraid of them, in fact it helps me out because now there is less competition for the women, but I simply don't like it.

Me and you are friends. If all of a sudden you start dating this wack chick who I don't like for whatever reason (she made fun of my momma or something). I won't like your decision to to date her but we're still friends. It doesn't put anything between us. That's how I feel with gay people. What you do is what you do but if you ask me about it I'll let you know how I feel but otherwise I won't bring it up. Homosexuality is an uncomfortable topic with me and I don't discuss it that often. It just gives me the creeps.

[TheMC5]

I'm just saying...marriage is a religious tradition that is recgonized by the state. I just find it odd, and unfitting, to allow two people to get married (religious tradition) when they aren't suppose to according to that same religious tradition.

So should I not be allowed to marry because I'm an agnostic?

[Riot]

I'm just saying...marriage is a religious tradition that is recgonized by the state. I just find it odd, and unfitting, to allow two people to get married (religious tradition) when they aren't suppose to according to that same religious tradition.

So should I not be allowed to marry because I'm an agnostic?

I don't think you have to worry about that.

[Patr1ck]

I'm just saying...marriage is a religious tradition that is recgonized by the state. I just find it odd, and unfitting, to allow two people to get married (religious tradition) when they aren't suppose to according to that same religious tradition.

So should I not be allowed to marry because I'm an agnostic?

Everyone should be able to have a legal binding relationship with their life partner regardless of the religion they practice, or their sexual preference, whether it is actually called a marriage or not.