A Right to Be Happy

the thinking of happiness as a goal and thinking of happiness as a right they kind of go hand in hand in fact one place where you see this is in the document the Declaration of Independence what does it say you know we hold these truths to be self-evident again an axiom how do you know it's true it's self-evident we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men were created equal endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness but the idea of the right it's an inalienable right I have a right nobody thinks they're bad nobody thinks they're the bad guy that's how arguments happen right cuz what are you talking about I'm the victim here I misunderstood nobody thinks they're bad everyone rationalizes you know rationalize you know to rationalize rational lies the rational lies that you tell yourself right okay based on a faulty belief system so the person who's pursuing happiness I'm sorry I'm not trying to hurt you but you got in the way of my happiness it's not just a goal that like I'm pursuing this for fawn or for sport no it's alright I'm entitled to pursue this goal not only it's a right it's a god-given right now it's a holy war now is jihad because I'm sorry no nothing personal but you got in between me and my happiness you're gonna get balled over that's it sorry I got to do what makes me happy I have to it's my rights my god-given right so now he has this holy self righteous indignation it's a mitzvah all ready to go and do whatever it takes to make myself happy contrast this with the Jewish perspective happiness is not a right it's an obligation there's not a right to be happy there's an obligation to be happy society around us says I've got a right to be happy I'm entitled to my happiness and we say no no you're not entitled to be happy you have to be happy so I was telling you the irony the irony of the one who has a right to be happy will never be happy because there's no better formula for being disgruntled and irritated all the time than to walk around feeling entitled to walk around with expectations of how things are supposed to be instead of just showing up with an attitude of wonderment and finding out how things are supposed to be by just experiencing the moment you