Happiness=Apathy

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I'm not really sure if I believe what I'm saying, but I've said it before, and I'm starting sort of believe it again. You see, the whole 'power of positive thinking' idea is that to maintain a positive outlook you have to simply not pay attention to your surroundings, or, if you continue to pay attention, not to care. After all, you can't be happy if you care about people. That's why I have a problem with people who are constantly optimistic. They piss me off because they don't care, at all. When you're angry about an injustice, or when you're depressed on someone else's behalf, or when you're afraid for someone else's well-being, that's when you see the truth, that's when the veil has been lifted from over your eyes. In this world, it's unlikely that you'll have your brains blown out, sure, but everyone's a potential target to people with the capability to injure them, down from the guy on top who can push the red button to some loser with a butcher's knife. But we don't think about that, do we? Everything bad happens to other people, doesn't it? Not only that but people in foreign countries are living in horrible conditions because we don't seem to give a damn about 'em because WE'RE happy and WE have more than enough. More than enough to spare, that is. But when there are factors that could give those people aid, do they get it? No, of course not. They get sympathy, but not help.
Now, I see it like this: You can take heads or tails. You can be a content, uncaring sheep, or you can care about other people and mentally suffer because of it. It's up to you. Happiness is shameful, really. If you think ill of the way things are, then you can change it. But if you think everything's perfect, you can't.

I don't think positive thinking is about thinking everything's perfect. It's believing that if you do try to heal something, you can make a difference. It's about hope and ambition, not apathy.

Allowing yourself to feel all the pain and suffering in the world only drains valuable energy you could be using to help fix it. Anger, depression, and fear are only useful to the degree they motivate you to take action. It seems as if you're treating them as ends in themselves, as the only path out of ignorance and into truth.

Happiness is not shameful, nor is ignorance. The magnitude of the world's suffering is so huge that it's mind-crushing to truly contemplate it. We have to close ourselves off from some of it, in order to maintain enough hope to even try to do anything about it. What is shameful is allowing yourself to be so overwhelmed by suffering that you give up all belief in the ability to fight it.

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Actually, i understand the exact degree to which suffering exists in the world(and that which i am unaware of i am trying systematically to be aware of), and i'm still happy. I have changed my values such that i can understand the pain of the world while not simultaneously feeling its pain. Part of it is understanding that i truely cannot help the world to change. Perhaps i could help a few by some small effort, but i plan to maximize the area of effect by becoming a teacher and setting example. Later i shall write, and research new discoveries in as many sciences as i have the life to continue. Until then i see no reason to feel the pain of the world as i prepare to help them.

You appear to be saying that to be happy is to deny suffering, turning a blind eye to those who are experiencing pain. I must disagree with you. For me, happiness is not exeriencing life as perfect and free of unhappiness, but rather seeing the joy in life and the hope in times of darkness. There is a time for grieving and sorrow, but the presence of such misery is hardly cause to live in despair. Whilst I may mourn the loss of a loved one, I can rejoice in having loved them and known them. To me, apathy is a death sentance: tempting when life gets awful, but a death sentance none the less.

Nihlists hate happy people. Nihilists secretly wish they could be happy, but since they can't, their bitterness distorts their understanding of the world. Can you pass off happiness as stupidity unless you yourself are profoundly unhappy? Happiness would seem stupid and worthless to someone whose given up on themselves. How these types describe happiness and contentment indicates how they feel about themselves.

If you feel good, they'll tell you it's too good to be true. If there are things that give you pleasure, they'll describe them as tools of slavery. If it gives your life meanig, it must be meaningless. If you love something, they hate both it and you for having something to love. Misery loves company, so if the nihilists can make you miserable, they have more company.

Happiness = Happiness

Apathy = Apathy

Ignorance = Ignorance

Happiness occurs when the overall level of activity of the brain is low, and when the various regions are in synchrony with each other. This is rather different from euphoria or joy.

Most religious traditions have realized that when parts of the brain responsible for direct perception atrophy, and when the 'chattering-monkey mind' takes over, a person becomes agitated, angry, and ultimately, exhausted.

"Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness.”

- Chuang Tzu

That actually makes more since monty, thanks for clearing yourself up.