The road to happiness is the way to suffering

Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Department of History and Philosophy, Center for Humanitarian Training, Moscow, Russia

^* Corresponding author: kindzerskaya.ma@rea.ru

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of a person’s conscious choice between happiness and suffering. At first glance, happiness and suffering are two different paths, and one should choose which road to take. On the one hand, suffering is an obstacle on the way to oneself, to a happy existence. On the other hand, one chooses suffering and happiness willingly, happiness is proportionate to suffering. One should not forget that existence has no meaning if it brings merely pain and dissatisfaction, so it is very important to strive to be happy. Throughout the entire history of humanity, the problem of happiness and the search for the best way to be released from suffering is a pressing issue. The relevance of the problem is determined by the particular significance of the concepts under study, because every person’s natural desire, regardless of the era and area of residence, is to be happy and free. The concepts of “happiness” and “suffering” are not only philosophical but also sociocultural phenomena that expound the axiological and spiritual and moral aspects of human existence. The study features quotes from thinkers of different ages and cultures that to an extent engaged in interpreting the content of the phenomena of happiness and suffering. The purpose of the study is to expound the sociocultural content of the phenomena of “happiness” and “suffering”, their causes, and the conditions for coexistence. The main methods of the study are the method of systemic analysis, the comparative method, and the typological method. The novelty of the study consists in the fact that the authors examine the phenomena of “happiness” and “suffering” together for the first time. Although the phenomena are an integral part of human activity.