"Man's happiness or well-being, which in Aristotle's system also is regarded as the supreme end of all endeavour, is, indeed, dependent in part upon external fortune; it is not complete until this has afforded its good things; but ethics has to do only that which stands in our power, only with the happiness which man gains by his own activity. Every being, however, becomes happy by the unfolding of his own nature and of his own peculiar activity -- man, therefore, through reason. The virtue of man is, accordingly, that habitude or permanent state of mind through which he is made capable of the practice of rational activity; it develops out of the endowments of his natural disposition, and has for its fruit, satisfaction, pleasure.”
~Wilhelm Windelband, A History of Philosophy
[hat tip Andy Clarkson]
Happiness is not about what you have but what you do. It is the challenges that we face and conquer that makes life invigorating . People whose Lives are without challenge and without hard ship will never appreciate the good things and their lives are meaning less, and people that live free on welfare will never no happiness.
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