The Happiness Gene

Does this sound familiar? If it does you're most likely recalling another idea proposed by a British Zoologist. But where I've always thought of that "gene story" as more of a religious work, the happiness gene is just a, hopefully eye catching title, for an easily observable phenomena. People often wonder what motivates others to do this or that. It is not a great mystery. Every person has one innate motive. It is to be happy. It is "universally observable" in all new humans. It is our instinct, our nature. It is the prime motive of all people. No person is without it. No person operates by any other motivational rule. It is absolute. It is absolutely observable and unarguable. We start out with the unconscious desire to be happy. Make any baby unhappy and you will understand perfectly. That part of the question is answered. Now we can move on to the variables.

All variables are introduced via data. When I say data, I mean every single piece of information that gets inside the brain. The brain is a library that we visit or that seems to visit us. This combination of motive and data is the single force behind all human action, the myriad of behavioral nuance. All choices, decisions, societal roles and so on stem from this store of collected information. As new humans we continue to grow. We observe things and our brain categorizes them and begins the process of building it's vast reference library. It is through this natural process that all personalities are formed. Personalities, identities, egos, whatever you want to call them. This is how we come to be the people, the personages, others see. You may still be a bit confused as to how a Genghis Khan and a Mother Theresa could emerge from this "two plus two" equation. The how is contained in the data. At some point we will receive teachings. This is where all things start to become possible. This begins our journey into the "Land of Enchantment". There is one other aspect that we need to include. Let's call it brain chemistry. This slight to severe difference in brain chemistry starts, at least, as early as the single fertilized human egg. Any deficiency or toxins will effect the, eventual formation of body and brain. Most of these effects are, if not unnoticeable at least, unidentifiable. For instance we can't say, "I see from your scan that your mom ate to much mercury...". But still, the effect of diet and the introduction of toxins is there. It exists in us all. So we are all a little different, as far as our brains go. This doesn't change the happiness motive or data factors. So here we are with our brains, our built in motive and the world around us. At some point in time we will start to ask the "who am I and what am I doing here" questions. This is a direct result of the happiness motive. Not having a clearly defined objective interferes with the happiness of the healthy human brain. This feeling of aimlessness is unacceptable and so we start asking questions. This is where most, if not all, of our individual and collective trouble begins.

For whatever reason we do not stay happy because we have satisfied our basic survival needs. We can be full and warm and lay awake after sex wondering - what does it all mean. So we see that the very questions are motivated by the unsatisfied "Happiness Gene". The searching for answers begins and we start to purposely take in data. Until now data was taken in sort of randomly. When we purposely set about seeking we are after specifics. Once we ask we start to absorb any and all data that comes our way. Everything that the wildest, kindest, most degenerate, selfish, loving, seriously malformed or beautiful imaginations can come up with. It's all there and we take it all in. We usually slow down when one of these stories brings us a feeling of, something that resembles happiness. If it satisfies the brain, we file it away as a truth. This has nothing whatsoever to do with the data being true - or even real. It just has to sit well with us. Or fit well in us. I don't know what the stories were that clicked with Genghis Khan. But it is by this process that he decided on a plan. It is by this same process that Mother Theresa spent her life doing what she did. It is by this process that we all go to work, get married, vote, preach, hate, like or dislike, care or don't care and otherwise come up with our latest identity. Everybody want's to be happy. There is no other motive. This would be the end of my story...But...I wouldn't be happy if I stopped now.

Because of my desire to be happy I have formulated a goal. That being to convince the world of people that the only way to ever be happy is to work in a way that brings happiness to everyone. You see there is something else here under the surface of this happiness motive idea. Do you see that it is our basic commonality? Our connection or observable oneness aspect? For as long as wise men have been saying wise things they have been saying, what amounts to, we are all brothers. We are one. Be kind to those who hate, and so on "because" it is best for you. Well, the problem is that there are people that we feel no commonality to whatsoever. We see them as a destructive quantity. We feel, at least to some degree, that it would be better for everyone if they died. Or that they were "just gone". Locked up, out of the way...We feel we have nothing in common with them. When we can clearly see a commonality, a shared nature, we begin to see that what makes them act the way they do, is what makes us act the way we do. The only difference, other than chemical brain development, is in the data they received. The stories they were told. All these people developed from a common desire to be happy - exactly like us. In this way we are one.

Here is the missing part of the collective story: no one will ever be happy until everyone is happy. Happiness is interdependent. We will never be happy until we see this. This is not the same as dependency. In fact it's quite the opposite. There is no dependency in oneness. It's like the difference between pleasure and happiness. Pleasure fluctuates, rising and falling, while happiness simply is. The happiness gene will not rest until it completes it's program. So if we want to be happy...and we do...we must first be convinced of this. We can not get there by ourselves, as a group, as a nation, an idea, a concept, a religion, belief, superstition, faith or hope. Those were steps along the path. That was learning and the way to understanding. Once all-ness, one-ness, is known, all else passes away. It's usefulness has passed. This solves every problem we've ever had and every problem we ever will have. All these problems are possible when "I can be happy without you" is possible. When that idea is done, every problem that comes from it, which is all problems, is done. The source of our collective suffering is no more. It's over.

The first thing we will do is stop killing each other over our imagined differences. We'll start treating each other better, so "we" can be happy. We will "now" want everyone to be happy. Because we will see this as our own happiness. This not killing each other - be nice to each other - idea has some far reaching consequences. If we want all people to be happy, will we participate in programs or policies that cause unhappiness? Will we buy from companies that don't line up with our ethics? Support any plan that brings harm or inequality to anyone? I can't list all the things that will come up if we start to look at people and the world in this new way: as the source of our happiness. It just goes on and on. But it starts here, with this understanding. As soon as enough people turn this one corner in consciousness it will just flip the world on it's head. It will all of a sudden...change. All the horror will end. All the nonsense that has been spread like a virus through stories will dissipate. They were never real anyway. Any story about the meaning of life, how life started, origins, evolution, creation tales, and all the rest that don't create universal happiness - can be discarded. We have a litmus test for them. The brain loves anything that's completely understandable. It is happy when the pieces fit together easily. A real story, one that contains only facts, does not require imagination, faith or any type of mental adjusting. When we act, from our own innate desire to be happy, in ways that cause universal happiness we won't participate in anything that confuses people. Nor will we try to force happiness from a state of confusion. If it ends in killing, misery, separation, subjugation or any other unhappy state, for anyone, we will discard it. It's time to get our stories straight. Well I've reached my word limit. I would like to hear from you. I have a site that is built to help people get passed addictions. If you want to help in this the forum is there. Start a "stuff to help people" topic. Hey, I'd be "happy" to hear from you.