Sam de Brito, in his regular Sun-Herald All men are liars except Sam de Brito column entitled ‘Great Expectations = 24-hour FOMO’ said that happiness is largely determined by a person’s expectations, which are invariably set by the culture in which they live.
My generation grew up surrounded by people who looked like us and wanted pretty much the same things. Obviously, we saw beautiful people in magazines and on television but there was a context to that – they were on telly; whereas, – now there is no context. In this modern switched-on world, a second after you join Instagram, for instance, it shows you dozens of people you don’t know, but who are apparently your peers and ‘just like you’ – 19 year-old supermodels on St. Barts talking selfies under waterfalls and muscled playboys posing with them.
Social media and mobile phones allow kids to compare themselves to the most gorgeous, gifted, privileged, airbrushed, staged people in the world – all the time – because of the little electronic gadget in their purse or pocket. In my era, fear of missing out (FOMO) was confined to not being invited to someone’s birthday party. Today’s generation beat themselves up because they don’t have the same body, wardrobe, friends and holidays as people they have never met, never will meet and would probably be overwhelmingly disappointed with if they did.
It may be hard for some people to imagine, but people once flourished without every modern convenience we now consider ‘essential’ – from hygiene to refrigeration to almond milk – yet there’s no persuasive evidence they were unhappier than those of us today, who lose our minds if there’s no aircon or Wi-Fi.
In truth, your level of happiness is largely determined by how you feel within yourself that makes the difference. One of the leading philosophers of the 20th Century, the Indian Master of Happiness – Paramhansa Yogananda – once said: Many people are unhappy because they are looking for happiness in material things. In fact, they are looking for happiness everywhere, except, within themselves. To chase happiness outside of yourself. Is like searching for the pot of gold. At the end of the rainbow. It is simply not there.
My mission is to help people to live better lives. One way I do this is by delivering talks in which I cover what I feel are the most important ingredients for a more fulfilled life.
Here is my next appearance this month.
Thursday Night October 22 at 6pm Author Talk in the Conference Room at The Stanton Library, 234 Miller Street North Sydney. The event is free; however, bookings are essential. Please phone Amanda Hudson on 9936 8400. As this is part of the Library’s Mental Health month program my talk will cover Depression and the Road to Recovery. You could say that you’d be crazy to miss it. Please click on this link for further details: http://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/Library_Databases/LibraryPrograms/Mental_Health_Month/Author_TalkEric_Stanley
Be Happy Be Rich 