Happiness is an elusive pursuit. We often believe that it resides just beyond our reach—waiting for us at the end of a paycheck, a promotion, a perfect vacation, or the ideal relationship. However, if we dig a little deeper, the truth is far more complex. What if the very act of chasing happiness is the cause of our dissatisfaction? This notion, backed by the concept of the hedonic treadmill, challenges everything we believe about the pursuit of joy. Here’s why chasing happiness can sometimes be pointless, and how we can approach life with a more sustainable outlook.
The Story of Siddhartha: A Pursuit of True Fulfillment
The story of Siddhartha Gautama, who would later become the Buddha, is a powerful narrative about the failure of external pleasures to provide lasting happiness. Siddhartha’s early life was one of luxury and indulgence. As the son of King Suddhodana, he was born into a world of privilege, surrounded by all the riches and comforts that a royal life could offer. His father, determined to keep his son from following a spiritual path, shielded him from the harsh realities of life, keeping him confined within the palace walls. Siddhartha was groomed to inherit the throne, and his father hoped that by providing him with every material pleasure, he would never want for anything and would have no reason to seek deeper meaning or spiritual fulfillment.
Despite the efforts of his father to keep him immersed in this bubble of luxury, Siddhartha’s curiosity about the world beyond the palace walls grew. He began to feel an internal emptiness, a sense that there was something more to life than what he was experiencing. When he finally ventured outside the palace, he encountered the undeniable truths of aging, sickness, and death. These encounters were profound and unsettling; they shattered the illusions of invincibility and pleasure that had defined his life up until that point. For the first time, Siddhartha confronted the reality of human suffering, and it disturbed him deeply.
This moment marked a turning point in his life. Realizing that the pursuit of external pleasures would never provide lasting peace or fulfillment, he made a radical decision to abandon his life of luxury and embark on a journey to find the truth. He renounced his royal title, leaving behind his family, his wealth, and the comforts of palace life. His search for deeper meaning led him down a path of extreme asceticism and intense meditation, as he sought to understand the nature of suffering and how to overcome it.
After years of struggle and contemplation, Siddhartha finally reached a state of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. In this moment, he understood the impermanence of all things, the causes of suffering, and the path to liberation from it. He became the Buddha, the “Awakened One,” and began teaching others the path to inner peace and freedom from suffering. Siddhartha’s journey underscores a critical lesson: the pursuit of material wealth and sensory pleasure, while tempting, does not lead to lasting happiness. True fulfillment, as he discovered, comes from understanding the nature of the mind, transcending attachment, and cultivating inner peace.
Siddhartha’s story reminds us that external achievements, no matter how grand, are transient and cannot fill the deeper void within. His transformation from a prince surrounded by luxury to a wise spiritual teacher illustrates the futility of chasing happiness through material means. Ultimately, happiness is not something to be sought outside of ourselves, but something to be discovered within, through understanding, self-awareness, and spiritual growth.
The Hedonic Treadmill: The Illusion of Perpetual Happiness
The concept of the hedonic treadmill, also known as hedonic adaptation, highlights a critical flaw in the way we approach happiness. It suggests that, no matter how much we gain or lose in life, our baseline happiness remains remarkably stable. This idea is rooted in the observation that human beings have an innate tendency to adapt to new circumstances, both positive and negative, returning to their baseline level of happiness after a period of adjustment.
Studies on the subject, such as the one conducted by Brickman, Coates, and Janoff-Bulman, demonstrate how fleeting the effects of significant life events can be on our overall happiness. The study tracked three groups of people: lottery winners, individuals who had been paralyzed in accidents, and a control group of individuals with no major life changes. The results were striking. While the lottery winners initially experienced a surge in happiness, their emotional state returned to baseline levels within a year. Similarly, the accident victims, who had initially experienced deep unhappiness, eventually adapted to their new circumstances, and their happiness levels also returned to baseline.
What this reveals is that our emotional responses to external events are often short-lived. Whether it’s winning the lottery, getting married, or buying a new car, the excitement and happiness we experience after these events quickly fade, and we return to our baseline happiness level. This phenomenon, known as the hedonic treadmill, suggests that we are constantly striving for more, thinking that the next achievement or acquisition will bring us lasting happiness. However, once we achieve it, we adapt, and the happiness we anticipated fades, leaving us in the same emotional place we were before.
The hedonic treadmill explains why people often feel trapped in the cycle of striving for more—whether it’s more money, more possessions, or more status. We are conditioned to believe that these external markers of success will provide lasting fulfillment, yet the effect is almost always temporary. No matter how many times we step off the treadmill, we eventually return to where we started, perpetually chasing something that always seems just out of reach. Understanding this cycle is essential for breaking free from the pursuit of happiness through external means, and for learning to find contentment in the present moment.
The Fallacy of External Pleasures
The belief that happiness is something to be found in the outside world is deeply ingrained in modern society. We are constantly told that happiness lies in the accumulation of wealth, experiences, and possessions. Whether it’s through advertising, social media, or cultural narratives, we are conditioned to believe that happiness is just one purchase, one trip, or one achievement away. The pursuit of external pleasures is often seen as a natural and necessary part of life, and many people spend their lives chasing these fleeting joys in the hope that they will bring lasting fulfillment.
However, the reality is far more complex. As the Stoics and other philosophers have pointed out, external pleasures are unreliable and often fail to deliver lasting happiness. Seneca, the Stoic philosopher, criticized the idea that a change of environment—such as travel—could cure an unhappy state of mind. According to Seneca, a change of climate might provide temporary distraction, but it would not address the root cause of unhappiness, which lies within our minds. Similarly, Socrates argued that no matter where we go or what we experience, we always bring our internal struggles with us. In other words, the external world is not the source of our happiness; our perceptions and mental state shape how we experience the world.
This perspective challenges the common belief that happiness is something to be found by external means. Whether it’s the belief that traveling to exotic destinations will bring happiness or the idea that a new car or a larger home will elevate our sense of well-being, these pursuits often prove to be empty promises. We may experience moments of pleasure or excitement, but these feelings are often short-lived. Moreover, as we adapt to new pleasures, their impact on our happiness diminishes over time, leaving us in search of the next source of joy.
Take, for example, the experience of traveling. Travel is often marketed as the ultimate escape—a way to break free from the monotony of daily life and find happiness in new experiences. Yet, as many people have discovered, the reality of travel is often less than ideal. Delayed flights, bad weather, illness, and other unforeseen circumstances can turn an anticipated vacation into a source of frustration rather than joy. In these moments, we are reminded of how unreliable external pleasures can be. No matter how much we plan, how much we invest in an experience, we cannot control every variable. External factors, such as health, weather, and even other people’s actions, can easily disrupt our happiness.
The Stoics understood this well. They taught that true contentment comes not from the external world, but from our ability to manage our responses to it. Happiness, according to Stoic philosophy, is not dependent on what happens to us but on how we choose to perceive and react to those events. By recognizing the fleeting nature of external pleasures and focusing on cultivating internal virtues, we can find a deeper, more enduring sense of happiness that is not subject to the whims of circumstance.
Why We Keep Chasing: The Nature of Desire
At the core of the human pursuit of happiness lies an intrinsic desire for pleasure and an aversion to pain. This duality—seeking pleasure and avoiding discomfort—is the driving force behind much of human behavior. It is the fundamental motivation behind our actions, and it shapes the choices we make every day. The idea that pleasure is the ultimate good is central to hedonistic philosophies, which have been espoused by thinkers such as Epicurus and Aristippus throughout history.
Epicurus, in particular, argued that the pursuit of pleasure is the highest good and the ultimate goal of human life. However, he also made an important distinction between different types of desires. Some desires, according to Epicurus, are natural and necessary for our survival, such as the desire for food and shelter. These desires are relatively easy to satisfy and provide lasting contentment when fulfilled. On the other hand, there are desires that are unnatural and insatiable, such as the desire for fame, wealth, or excessive luxury. These desires are more difficult to satisfy and often lead to frustration and dissatisfaction.
The pursuit of natural pleasures can bring happiness, but the relentless chase for unattainable desires often leads to the opposite effect. For example, the desire for fame or extreme wealth can never be fully satisfied because these desires are inherently limitless. The more we acquire, the more we desire, creating a cycle of dissatisfaction. Epicurus suggested that in order to attain true happiness, we must learn to focus on satisfying our natural desires while avoiding the insatiable desires that only lead to unhappiness.
The human tendency to chase after external sources of pleasure is deeply ingrained in our psychology. We are wired to seek out pleasurable experiences, as they provide immediate gratification. However, as Epicurus pointed out, these pleasures are not always aligned with our long-term well-being. The pursuit of fleeting pleasures often leads to a sense of emptiness, as we quickly adapt to new experiences and find ourselves in search of the next high. By focusing on simple, natural pleasures and avoiding the constant chase for more, we can find greater contentment and avoid the pitfalls of hedonistic excess.
The Stoic Critique: A Lesson in Internal Control
The Stoics were among the earliest thinkers to challenge the conventional notion that happiness is found in external sources. For the Stoics, true happiness is not dependent on external circumstances, but on one’s internal mindset and the ability to respond wisely to the unpredictable events of life. The Stoic philosophers believed that it is not the world around us that determines our emotional state, but our judgments and perceptions about the world. This view is encapsulated in the Stoic idea that external events themselves are neutral, and it is only our reactions to those events that determine whether we experience joy or suffering.
One of the central figures in Stoic philosophy, Epictetus, taught that our power lies not in changing the world, but in changing our attitude toward it. According to Epictetus, it is crucial to recognize the distinction between things we can control and things we cannot. We have control over our thoughts, actions, and attitudes, but we do not have control over external events, such as other people’s actions, natural disasters, or even the weather. The Stoic approach to happiness involves focusing on what is within our power—our thoughts and our responses—while accepting that much of the world is beyond our influence.
This philosophical approach is a radical departure from the conventional view that happiness is achieved through material possessions, social status, or sensory pleasures. Instead, the Stoics argued that happiness is an internal state that arises from cultivating virtues such as wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance. These virtues are not contingent on external circumstances; they are qualities that can be developed and refined through conscious effort and self-discipline.
For the Stoics, the key to lasting happiness lies in our ability to practice acceptance and resilience in the face of life’s challenges. This acceptance does not mean passivity or resignation, but rather the understanding that we cannot always control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. By adopting a mindset of equanimity—remaining calm and rational in both good times and bad—we can navigate life’s ups and downs without being swept away by them. The Stoic emphasis on internal control and acceptance provides a path to happiness that is not dependent on the fickle nature of external circumstances.
The Stoic critique of pleasure-seeking is not an indictment of all forms of enjoyment, but a warning against becoming overly attached to transient pleasures. While the Stoics acknowledged that certain external pleasures, such as friendship, beauty, and intellectual achievement, can bring joy, they emphasized that these should not be the ultimate goal of life. Instead, the Stoics advocated for a life of virtue and wisdom, where happiness comes from living in accordance with nature and exercising self-control over our desires.
Schopenhauer’s Dark View: Pleasure as Relief
Arthur Schopenhauer, a 19th-century German philosopher, offered a much more pessimistic view of human nature and the pursuit of happiness. In Schopenhauer’s philosophy, the human condition is one of constant dissatisfaction. He believed that the primary driving force behind human behavior is the “Will-to-live”—an insatiable and unrelenting force that propels individuals to seek pleasure, avoid pain, and perpetually strive for fulfillment. However, Schopenhauer argued that this drive ultimately leads to suffering, as the satisfaction of one desire quickly gives way to the emergence of another.
Schopenhauer’s view of pleasure is strikingly different from the hedonistic notion that pleasure is inherently good. Rather than seeing pleasure as a positive experience, Schopenhauer argued that pleasure is simply the temporary cessation of pain. In his view, when we satisfy a desire, we don’t experience a positive feeling of pleasure, but rather a brief moment of relief from the ongoing dissatisfaction that defines our existence. The pleasure we experience after fulfilling a desire is fleeting, and the underlying sense of dissatisfaction quickly returns, driving us to pursue the next desire.
This continual cycle of desire and dissatisfaction, Schopenhauer believed, is the root cause of human suffering. He saw this “Will-to-live” as a curse that keeps us trapped in a perpetual state of longing, never truly able to achieve lasting happiness. As soon as one desire is fulfilled, another arises, creating an endless cycle of yearning and frustration. This cycle, according to Schopenhauer, is the essence of human existence, and it is this ceaseless striving that causes most of our unhappiness.
Schopenhauer’s response to this grim reality was asceticism—a radical renunciation of desire and the “Will-to-live.” He argued that the only way to break free from the cycle of suffering was to reject worldly desires entirely and cultivate a life of self-denial. By curbing the insatiable drive for pleasure and material gain, individuals could attain a state of inner peace and contentment that is free from the perpetual dissatisfaction that defines the human condition.
While Schopenhauer’s approach may seem extreme, it offers an interesting perspective on the nature of pleasure. According to him, the pursuit of pleasure is not inherently fulfilling but is merely a temporary respite from the underlying discontent that pervades our lives. His philosophy encourages us to reconsider our relationship with desire and to question whether the pursuit of pleasure is truly the key to happiness.
Finding a Sustainable Path: Simple Pleasures and Intellectual Fulfillment
Despite Schopenhauer’s grim view of human desire, there is another path to happiness that does not involve the complete denial of pleasure. A more balanced and sustainable approach to happiness can be found in the cultivation of simple, easily attainable pleasures that are not driven by excessive desire. Instead of constantly chasing after the next big thing or striving for more, we can focus on the small, everyday pleasures that bring contentment and peace.
One of the most effective ways to find sustainable happiness is by focusing on pleasures that are natural, accessible, and inexpensive. Simple activities, such as taking a walk in nature, spending time with loved ones, or enjoying a good meal, can provide lasting fulfillment without the need for excessive material wealth or external achievements. These pleasures are available to almost everyone and can be enjoyed without the stress and anxiety that often accompany the pursuit of more ambitious goals.
Another powerful source of fulfillment lies in intellectual pleasures. Unlike sensory pleasures, which are fleeting and easily satiated, intellectual pleasures offer an endless source of satisfaction. Reading books, listening to thought-provoking podcasts, or engaging in stimulating conversations can provide a deep sense of fulfillment that does not rely on external circumstances. In today’s world, access to knowledge is more abundant than ever, thanks to the internet and digital media. With a vast array of resources at our fingertips, we can continuously learn, grow, and challenge ourselves intellectually, providing a constant source of pleasure that enriches our lives in meaningful ways.
Henry David Thoreau, the American transcendentalist, famously sought fulfillment in the simplicity of life in nature. In his book Walden, Thoreau recounts his experience living in a small cabin in the woods, where he embraced the quiet pleasures of solitude, contemplation, and connection with nature. Thoreau found that by simplifying his life and focusing on the essential, he could achieve a profound sense of contentment that was not dependent on material wealth or external success. His philosophy encourages us to reconnect with the natural world and to find joy in the simple, everyday experiences that often go unnoticed.
For many people, walking is a simple yet powerful source of pleasure. The act of walking, especially in nature, can be both calming and invigorating, providing an opportunity to clear the mind and reflect. Personally, walking has become an essential part of my daily routine. Whether I’m walking in a park, along a beach, or simply around my neighborhood, it offers a moment of peace and clarity that helps me stay grounded and focused. It’s an inexpensive activity that provides significant physical and mental benefits, reminding me that happiness can often be found in the simplest of activities.
By focusing on simple pleasures and intellectual fulfillment, we can avoid the trap of constantly chasing external sources of happiness. These pleasures are sustainable, accessible, and meaningful, offering a deeper and more lasting sense of contentment. Instead of seeking fleeting pleasures that ultimately leave us empty, we can find joy in the present moment and cultivate a life that is rich in meaning and satisfaction.
The Art of Contentment: Embracing Simple Joys
In the modern world, we are constantly bombarded with messages that tell us happiness can only be found in material success, social status, or extraordinary experiences. We are led to believe that once we achieve a certain level of wealth, prestige, or recognition, we will be truly happy. However, this mindset often leads to frustration, as we are constantly chasing something that seems just out of reach. The reality, as we have seen through the lens of philosophy and personal experience, is that happiness is not something to be found in the external world. Instead, it is an internal state of contentment that comes from within.
The key to lasting happiness lies in embracing the simple joys that life has to offer. Instead of constantly striving for more, we can learn to appreciate the small, everyday pleasures that often go unnoticed. Whether it’s savoring a cup of coffee, enjoying a conversation with a friend, or simply taking a moment to reflect, these simple acts can bring a deep sense of fulfillment and peace. By shifting our focus from external achievements to internal satisfaction, we can cultivate a sense of contentment that is not dependent on the ever-changing external world.
The art of contentment involves learning to live in the present moment and finding joy in what is already available to us. Rather than constantly looking for the next big thing, we can find peace in the here and now. By embracing simple pleasures, practicing gratitude, and focusing on the things that truly matter, we can break free from the cycle of desire and find lasting happiness in the present moment.
Conclusion: The Power of Acceptance and Simplicity
The pursuit of happiness through external means often leads to frustration and disappointment. We are conditioned to believe that happiness lies in achieving more, acquiring more, and experiencing more. Yet, the hedonic treadmill reveals that no matter how much we gain, we inevitably return to our baseline happiness.
By focusing on simple, attainable pleasures and developing a mindset of acceptance, we can break free from the cycle of perpetual striving. True happiness comes not from the world around us, but from our internal response to it. In embracing the art of contentment—through intellectual engagement, nature, and inner peace—we can find a sustainable path to lasting joy.