e.g. Video games, Movies, TV, Anime, etc…
Does fake happiness even exist?
If you are happy you are happy.
It would be different to discuss if it would be long term sustainable.
It’s delusional to be happy because you believe the story is real. It’s not delusional to be happy because the story is happy.
Example: ”We’re so lucky the super heroes saved the world. Imagine what would happen to us if they didn’t”
Can you learn truths from fiction? Can you feel sad at a happy memory? Can you long for a person who wronged you? Can a good point he made by a bad person? Why does the source matter?
Happiness is literally the result of chemical reactions in the brain. If you’re feeling happy, it’s real.
You’re running into problems because you’re conflating the feeling of happiness with the things that make you feel happy.
There’s no such thing as “true happiness” or “false happiness”.
The things that make people happy rarely have objective value, and everything comes with some kind of cost, even if it’s just time.
The happiness drug users feel is real, but the cost (money/time/health) can be significant. The happiness that you feel from playing games or reading books is real, and the cost (money/time) is less, but still there.
Happiness is always real - just be mindful of the cost!
Happiness is weird and different for each culture. If you have time I do recommend this Ted talk about the science of happiness.
If you feel happy while reading or fishing in a creek or risking your life free climbing - those things are all valid. Tho the last one in my mind isn’t really sane and 100% healthy mind.
The only thing is not acceptable is when some twisted people get joy from others suffering. But technically speaking their happiness is real - even if they are not fit to be part of society.
Well we hallucinate an experience made from nerve bursts so everything is sort of an illusion for us IMO.
Allow me a question about your premise: If there is such a thing as true happiness, what is false happiness then?
Usually people regard using drugs as false happiness. Or like having a parasocial relationship with a famous person.
You can either steal a premade chocolate cake or you can bake one yourself. Neither turns the chocolate cake into a true or false one. It’s still only a chocolate cake.
If our feelings are formed by chemicals and waves in the brain, then what would be false about happiness from those sources? Is it actually false happiness, or is it possibly just happiness derived from stigmatized/alternative sources?
Happiness is a release of chemicals to receptors in your brain. If doing something makes you happy, then it makes you happy.
Does using drugs count as true happiness then? Why doesn’t everyone just use drugs to be happy forever?
Well yes, that’s why people do drugs.
Usually doing it forever runs up against other problems like paying for it, holding down a job or health problems
Why else would people use drugs? The problem is that the side effects from drugs tend to increase unhappiness when you’re not on them.
drugs only make you feel happy when you first start, eventually you use them to not feel bad
also when you have a heart attack and almost die and are crippled for life: that’s sad
basically, they only work temporarily and overall makes shit worseYes, all happiness is a release of chemicals in our brain. Dopamine from memes, oxytocin from petting a dog or a good hug, tryptophan from a good meal, endorphins from an intense workout, all are not much different from heroine and are addictive, just not as intense and without extreme physical side effects.
This sounds like a question for your pastor
Lmao
But the thing is, religious people seem to be miserable in their delusions, I’m not even sure what the point of religion is, if they are just gonna be afraid of hell all the time.
Perhaps remind them that there is no actual ‘hell’ in the bible. It’s a lake of fire.
I would say there is a case to argue it can be a delusion. I would say you don’t have the authority to determine to what extent someone enjoys or relates to this delusion.
I saw a conversation on another site and I didn’t reply the way I wanted because it would have been insensitive. But that point of view has greater context here. People were talking about the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. I don’t know anyone who died from AIDS, or really felt connected to any celebrities who had it. However (especially since you bring up anime in the OP), there is an anime that is generally disliked for a few reasons, some of them valid. Since I am introducing it in this context, I cannot say what the anime is, because the “AIDS angle” is a huge spoiler, and I really don’t do spoilers. But it introduces this character near the end of the second season, and this character is all kinds of awesome and inspirational. You find out that what they’re doing is due to their time being short… due to AIDS. Or, if we’re going off the book those episodes are based on (light novel, not manga), it’s actually AIDS and cancer because, like, eff this character in particular, I guess. I don’t think I have to tell you how this arc ends. I will say if it were its own thing, if it were adapted separately from that anime with all the baggage, it would stand as one of the great drama series out there, it would have a lot more fans and attention on it.
So now we circle back to the OP’s question. If happiness coming from anime (or the other media) is invalid, what about sadness from anime? What if it’s an anime character with purple hair who really makes you care about a real-life social issue that doesn’t affect anyone you know? Does that make it any less real?
It’s not up to me to decide for you. I personally believe those feelings are valid. How you feel, I suppose, depends on factors that matter to you. For example, you might personally know someone who died from AIDS, and you’re like “well screw that fictional character, because that disease claimed millions of lives and I’m more affected.” But I would argue the story brings awareness. I would not argue that such a person is wrong for feeling that way, though.
If you know what anime I’m talking about, I’d ask that you follow my lead on the spoiler thing and not mention it. But I’m no one’s boss here.
Reading a story that brings happiness is real happiness.
Most often, when I finish a good book, usually one that has altered my world view, or changed some aspect of thinking, is profound, absolutely can even bring joy. The sustained feelings from the thoughts that came from the media are real. If they are happy and joyful thoughts they are real, if they are negative, the emotion is real.
To be delusional in this aspect, you’d have to see the peice of fiction as real life, as in, you may meet the fictional character one day so you are happy at that chance to meet them.
Humans have always understood our experience through stories and myths. Literally every civilization throughout history has them. It’s the people who refuse to consume any fiction that I don’t understand. Even when a story is entirely fictional, surely there is still meaning in metaphor and juxtaposition and human understanding to be found.
I remember being young and trying to over analyze this stuff as if it’ll give me something. Meanwhile my brother was chugging beers on a golf course. It’s a good feeling to stop at times and just fucking live. The worst thing is when you start these questions, watch some documentary and read a couple books. Then 8 years later you find those were all bullshit Michael Moore type creations and everything you built your belief on for a decade was nonsense
Whilst i think happiness derived from fiction is real, I would refrain from letting it be my only source of happiness.
I could think of a million things in the world that i would like to do if I hade the resources to do them. None of them are fictional. But i can experience a glimpse of them through fiction.
Having fun at a movie, is just exercising a humorous aspect of our intelligence and consciousness, no different from being amused by a joke.
It’s obviously not a delusion if you know it’s fantasy, it’s only a delusion if it’s fictional, but you strongly believe it to be true. Like believing there is life after death.
Fantasy is a part of our imagination, that enable us to speculate on things that may happen in the future, and prepare for them.
We can do that for fun, and speculate on things we very well know will not likely happen. That can be for amusement / entertainment.Delusion is to believe things that are very unlikely to have either already happened or to happen in the future, but believe them despite being contrary to logic and the evidence. Like for instance religions or believing Santa Clause is real.
If a delusion is fixed, and no degree of evidence it is a delusion will persuade the person. It can become much like a psychosis:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delusion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PsychosisTherefore strongly held beliefs in things that aren’t true, like for instance conspiracy theories or religion can reasonably be considered a degree of mental illness. Which most today will not be willing to acknowledge, but I think maybe in 50 years will become more accepted.
Belief in God is a delusion, a strong belief in God can be borderline psychosis.Having fun at a movie, is just using our imagination for fun and entertainment, instead of the real life problem solving that is probably the evolutionary main reason we have it. Having fun using these skills, helps train them.
So this is perfectly healthy and normal, and has nothing to do with delusions. The story may be fantasy, but the fun is real.
