"Happiness is an unnatural state of the universe"

RedEyedAbyss

Category: Bullshit is more like it, but I had to go with the closest term.

Yes, I know stuff like this is either said by villains or posers that mistake cynicism for realism, and I can't really argue something that abuses the word "natural" in this way, but I'm going to try anyway. Thinking in terms of the human body, unnatural things such as viruses are rejected. So if happiness is so unnatural, then why is the pursuit of happiness the goal of so many people? If "natural" is contrasted with "artificial", or man-made, then couldn't the same be said of all emotions? What makes happiness any more fabricated than sadness or anger?

I'm guessing this is one of those "It Makes Sense In Context" things, but it sounds so ridiculous that I can't imagine it actually being said seriously.

IanExMachina

But if you accept happiness, how can you be all wangsty?!

┻━┻ ︵ ヽ(`Д´）╯︵ ┻━┻

The only time i've ever seen this is from Urobuchi Gen, who doesn't state that it is a fabrication. Well, this is really more like a happy ending, but it's the closest I got.

It's unnatural to him because the universe ends dead, and everything that's been done is pointless at the end.

I don't see why any human at the time being should care though, unless some of us somehow become immortal.

Also, I don't see why something needs to be natural to be a common goal.

IanExMachina

Thorn14

^ When you look at it that way it DOES look a little unnatural....

GLORIOUSLeader

Fun fact: our trope page "Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism" used to be called "Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Realism."

Myrmidon

That is a real dualism, but the page used the incorrect definition of both words.

TheMightyAnonym

"Happiness is an unnatural state of the universe"


Let me just stop you right here: I wasn't aware that the physical universe had feelings, nor was I aware that human minds somehow "invented" happiness.

Clearly, something is amiss. The BEST interpretation I can think of is that in the mental universe (there is just such a distinction in dualism), otherwise known as "mind", our "default" state is one in which we perhaps akin to emotionally neutral, and not happy. By "unnatural", the person *actually* means that it's a deviation from the default status. In this case they would be accurate, because happiness and pleasure exist as *rewards* and thus we are never fully content with out lot in life; thus we are convinced to always press forward to get a little bit more happiness, as we watch it dangled in front of us and chase onward.

TheMightyAnonym

...

Beholderess

Pursuit of happiness (which might be specified as being content) seems to be quite natural. The state itself tends to be temporary. The only "unnatural" thing about humans is that they seem to require a lot to be content.

InsanityAddict

Appeal to nature is a fallacy in itself anyway.

Beholderess

True, too.

Besides, what does "unnatural" mean? Opposed to "natural" - in what way? Man-made? But it is the natural capabilities and inclinations of humans that allow such things in the first play. Human-made constructs, whether material or mental, are no more unnatural that anthill or beaver dam.