Be Happy
Lack of control leads to anxiety and anxiety leads to unhappiness. This is the default state of the human mind.
The one who has power over others is not free. The one who has everything is unhappy. The strong man is weak, the landlord is in chains, the honorable have no respect, and the leader has no authority. Meditate on this fact because one’s freedom and happiness hinges on understanding what is and what is not within one’s power, possession, and control.
Does one have power over one’s body, property, reputation, and position?
Body: Humans come in all shapes and sizes, based on genetics, early nutrition, and developmental opportunities, none of which are under their control. One can optimize their physicality through focus, and discipline, but one cannot control the results achieved. The human body is surprisingly weak; injury, loss of limbs, and diseases can strike at any time. The strongest of men have been brought to their knees by old age, and illnesses over which they have no control. One only has to reflect on Lou Gehrig to understand this fact.
Property: Who owns the land that one calls their own? The land existed eons before and will continue to be around long after one is gone. One’s rights to property is at the mercy of large scale human activities like commerce, war, and natural disasters like tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes. No one has control over these forces. Pompeii must have had many landlords who believed they had absolute dominion over their land.
Reputation: One can conform to what society endorses, one could create something that society needs, or one could pursue an endeavor that society respects. One could seek honor, but whether society endorses, needs, or respects their efforts is not under their control. Cancel culture is a good example of that.
Position: A position in a workplace or society requires the presence of others. The person in the highest position is dependent on their subjects to accept that position. To seek the highest position is under one’s control but the acceptance of leadership by others in the workplace or society is not. The French and Russian revolutions are a good example of that.
One desires strength, wealth, reputation, and position to improve their lot in life. But there is no end to power, and possession. There is no absolute power over others. Anything that is measurable by an external standard or requires the approval of others can never be completely within one's power.
How to be happy?
If lack of control leads to anxiety and one is not in control of the things they desire, then the path to happiness is to desire only the things that are in one's control. One has no control over the fate of their body, wealth, reputation, or position but one has control over one’s opinion, emotions, and actions. This is a difficult concept to understand so let’s study this in some detail.
Opinion: One can challenge external forces that influence their current opinions. One can challenge their preconceived notions by participating in discussions with the learned. One can choose to seek out the truth or remain in the status quo of life. To let our minds be carried away by the tide of misinformation is a choice. To take control of the helm is completely within our power.
Emotion: Most desire strength, wealth, honor, and power and are averse to their opposites. Such lives are tossed about in the sea of fate, and chance. One can steady their course of life by critically examining these desires, aversions, and the resulting emotions. To act without desire or aversion is temperance. To desire temperance and to be averse from indulgence is within one’s power.
Action: Action stems from thought. One can choose to act to gain strength, wealth, reputation, and power. One can also choose to forego these desires and instead pursue excellence in thought. To be able to control one’s opinions, and emotions through rational thought is a great achievement. The ultimate expression of excellence is to act according to rational thinking in all spheres of life, socio-political, professional, and personal. Achieving control by living in accordance with this philosophy would secure freedom, and happiness.
In conclusion
One can choose to believe or dismiss the philosophy of control. But if one mistakes the things which are not in their power to be their own, they will be unhappy, and will blame their lot in life on the Gods, fate, and chance. But the one who exercises control over the mind through temperance, and desires only that which is within their control, they will be free from the anxieties that plague the human mind. This is the path to happiness.
-Aneesh