Happy Now?

Just what is this thing we call happiness? Is it Up With People singing at your birthday party, or a new pony, or just the next hit of crack? Like any state of mind, it's governed by the release of endorphins, and subject to one's ability to produce them. Being nothing more than a bag of chemicals is not so hard to understand, but the illogical conditioning that makes the release subject to whatever whim, say, shopping, or watching basketball, or torturing people in Guantanamo Bay, is not so easy to get into focus. Worse still is when that conditioning breaks down, or is interrupted, and the flow goes out the door with it. And then, Elvis reached for his pills...

Happiness is overrated. Chances are, whatever is making you so happy is either going to get spent, lost, broken, stolen, or will eventually cheat on you. THEN, where are you? Like the song says, it's just a paper sun. Happiness really needs to be a zen thing, where you're happy about absolutely nothing. You might be really boring to others, but, who cares. You're happy. Problem is, most people don't have the patience to work at things like meditation that have no immediate payoff, and require intense concentration. Not while there's a game on, at least. So, what have you got for me, Doc?

Why does Bush have a list of everyone who is on anti-depression meds? Is he planning on sending them all get-well cards? Maybe he's getting ready to enact a law that forbids the sale of firearms to anyone on meds. Boy, there's half your gun control right there. If it works, whoever thought it up will be promoted to a very high position, and maybe get a big bonus in Halliburton stock. Think he'll be happy then? I can't speak to that, but I know what would make ME happy. They better never give me the chance.