Mad About Movies - Summer 2014.1: PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS

[DavidC]

In this movie, Chris Gardener (Will Smith) comes to define happiness as something one can never achieve but only pursue. He regards Thomas Jefferson as a genius for understanding this and putting "pursuit of happiness" in the United State's founding document.

However, the movie also seems to define happiness as professional success and the acquisition of material wealth, which Chris ultimately achieves, giving the story its Hollywood, happy ending.

Like American culture, the movie is in conflict with itself.

What has your experience been? Think back on your life. What experiences or times in your life have given you the most lasting feeling of happiness? Have they been about the WINNING and POSSESSING, or have they been about the STRUGGLE to win and possess?

What do you think is the key to happiness? (Be specific in your answer, giving examples and details from your own experience.)

[Eugenia]

The question "what is happiness" has bothered many writers and poets all around the world. Many of them defined happiness as something human beings cannot reach absolutely and entirely. The same opinion in this movie has the main character, Chris Gardener, who referred us to the famous words of Thomas Jefferson about the pursuit of happiness.

Personally speaking, I want to make an example referring to the last year of studying in the high school. When I graduated I was really happy, because I had passed all the final exams successfully. This happiness related to "winning" and "possessing". However, during this last year in the school I was working hard to achieve excel results, I was nervous and under pressure and the most fascinating part is I was happy too! It was another happiness, the one about the struggle to win, in my case, to graduate school with excellent results; and this happiness definitely lasted more.

So, in my opinion, happiness isn't about some materialistic things, thus everybody can achieve the absolute happiness, if he/she would enjoy every moment of the life. This sounds naive, but it works for most people. I believe, when human beings live their lives thinking and concentrating on the positive moments they have more chances to feel happiness and to be happy.

[YukaInoue]

An experience in my life which has given me the lasting feeling of happiness is the time I studied for the entrance exam of university I hoped to enter.
It was hard time of my life at the point of that I spent most time studying every single day.
I wanted to aim at higher level university for my better job in the future.
Eventually I passed the exam and entered the university.
At that time I got the letter of acceptance, I couldn't be happier anymore for the truth that I wouldn't have to study as hard and that I was assured to be the student of the university.

That time brought me a lot of results.
I would never be the same without that hard time.
It even led me here in the US because this is a study abroad program my university provides.
I agree that happiness is something we cannot achieve but only pursuit.
Even if you think you once get happiness, it doesn't stay but changes all the time.
You have to keep pursuiting it otherwise it can go away from you.

[Kevser21]

I want to start the topic with the key to happiness. I have experineced a lot in life even though i am very young. I learned that the key to happiness is you and yourself only. As long as you do what you want to do, you can be happy. I dont have a specific experience where I can say that I was very happy because it was my choice that for example I choose to quit school or something like that. But I can tell you that I have lots of experiences were it was not my choice what I did. And those werent really my happiest moments of life so I figured out if I'd do something I chose I'd be happier. Or at least happy.

This may sound silly but my most lasting feeling of happiness is still ongoing Its my mother. We always have a time in a year when we dont see each other for more than two months. And there is always the fear that I wont see her again. And when we meet again after such a long seperation the happiness lasts for like a whole evening. I always have this silly grin on my face.

[Murad100]

Murad Ahmed.

Hello everyone,
After I graduated from high school, I couldn't decide which major I should take. In that time I was confused and I felt Im lost because in high school I didn't study very hard and I was bad student and I thought life is all about enjoying and having fun. I also thought money is the most important; However, one year ago, I realized education is the most important goal that should everybody try to do because if you don't develop yourself, you will feel lost as am I. Education is not only in schools, but in the whole life, we should learn everyday. Finally, I came to America to achieve my goals which is discovering the world and getting better life and that will make me think deeply about everything I see.