The Thoughts of We

Comparison is the end of happiness in our lives. You may compare a rose to a bush, or a dolphin to a jellyfish, or a mountain to a mole hill. A rose does not even think about competing with another rose for the same space on your desk. It only blooms once.

Then there lies the real beauty of the world. There are no comparisons: each flower is beautiful for itself and is an individual with its own thoughts, desires, and dreams. When I speak of the flowering of life at its most basic form, I am talking about the intrinsic value of human flourishing – the pursuit of happiness on this earth – and the pursuit of intrinsic value must begin with an assessment of what is valuable to a human being. In other words, humans pursue happiness when they use their hands to create value in the world.

Humans pursue happiness when they use their minds to create and achieve something that is of inherent value to them. This creates the foundation for both personal flourishing and social flourishing. You reap what you sow; the flowers you take from the nature must always have been for your benefit. The flowers will never wilt if you take care of them. Likewise, people will never wither when they live by the example set by the successful, the rich, the honorable and the beautiful. The End of Happiness refers to the way in which these things are viewed on this earth, on this planet.