Truth vs. Happiness - Are They Mutually Exclusive?

I saw a quote in an episode of Star Wars Clone Wars, the animated series, that said:

"Truth will enlighten your mind, but it will not always bring you happiness."

Isn't that so true? So I got to thinking: Are truth and happiness mutually exclusive?

Have you noticed the following: People who prioritize happiness over truth tend to be fake, artificial and self-deluded. But people who prioritize truth over happiness tend to be jaded and cynical.

Is there a way to harmonize both extremes or have both? Truth is often disturbing and unpleasant. Most people prefer reality to be simple, orderly and make sense - that's why most people tend to close their minds and stick to rigid narrow paradigms. Illusion is often more comfortable than truth.

Is there a way to work within truth toward happiness? What do you think?

What about truth vs. harmony? Which is more important? Are they perpetually in conflict? Are lies necessary to preserve harmony?

In Asian cultures, I am told that harmony is the highest value, and truth is often sacrificed and suppressed to preserve harmony. That's why "speaking out" is not encouraged in Asian cultures.

Ouuwwhh!! thats a good one!! The truth can really hurt sometimes but when the pain goes away(if you let it). Then you can be happy that at least you know the truth! Most people on this site are looking for the ultimite truth, so they can be happy with what they know, IMO.

Originally posted by WWu777
I saw a quote in an episode of Star Wars Clone Wars, the animated series, that said:

"Truth will enlighten your mind, but it will not always bring you happiness."

Isn't that so true? So I got to thinking: Are truth and happiness mutually exclusive?

Have you noticed the following: People who prioritize happiness over truth tend to be fake, artificial and self-deluded. But people who prioritize truth over happiness tend to be jaded and cynical.

Is there a way to harmonize both extremes or have both? Truth is often disturbing and unpleasant. Most people prefer reality to be simple, orderly and make sense - that's why most people tend to close their minds and stick to rigid narrow paradigms. Illusion is often more comfortable than truth.

Is there a way to work within truth toward happiness? What do you think?

What about truth vs. harmony? Which is more important? Are they perpetually in conflict? Are lies necessary to preserve harmony?

In Asian cultures, I am told that harmony is the highest value, and truth is often sacrificed and suppressed to preserve harmony. That's why "speaking out" is not encouraged in Asian cultures.

Yes, people who prioritize truth always have something that they aren't happy about. Say for instance, Jesus knew he was going to die, and it was the truth, he wasn't always happy about it, but he preferred it to the utter misery that comes with upholding lies. The way a person can be happy with the truth is to know the truth intimately, not just a truth here and a truth there but to DWELL and abide in the truth, then one won't give place to the devil and submit to his lies that you are not important. "harmony" in the sense that people view it, is a place without standards neither recognizing the difference between good and evil, a life of seared conscience. There you have it, my thoughts. You either are happy with the truth and chose to dwell with it, or you visit the truth and are ambivilant, or you dislike the truth and are unhappy.

reply to post by WWu777


The only truth is there is no absolute truth, which can be known. Everything is subject to change, but the things that matter do last, because they are open to change and effortless transition of expression roles which compliment as they change. i.e. inexhaustible love between two individuals

All too often people rely upon others to recharge themselves and if this is the case then any relation ship that is founded on this will never last in bliss

www.abovetopsecret.com...

@WWu777 : Hi there, what an excellent post. I felt that I realised this all along but never really thought about it! How peculiar.

That seems to have hit the right spot. Many a times when the truth about something is revealed, it makes you "better" but it certainly fail's to make you happy. I guess that's the trade-off that goes with it.

But it also seems that truth on its own is non existent, rather only existing AFTER a lie, a fallacy, a misconception. Some years back while searching for the truth, I realised that for a person with wisdom, happiness and sadness does not matter at all. It's more a situation of whether you're satisfied or not. And that feels more better, somewhat more content of life.

And that's what matters for those who choose to break out of the in-a-rut mode of thinking.

Thanks for the post.

reply to post by WWu777


If you make Truth/Reality your God and you believe that no matter WHAT the reality/truth is, that there is ALWAYS a larger reason of GOOD INTENTION behind it... then yeah, you can have happiness and truth because you will be worshiping the truth and therefore you'll have happiness.

Kinda like asking if apples and oranges are mutually exclusive. I mix the two in fruit cocktails all the time.

Thuth is a perception, happiness is a feeling. Two different things, that can coexist at some times yes. When it is an "ugly truth", like realizing you are an addict or something, you can still find happiness in defeating the addiction, something you cannot even hope to do without realizing you are an addict in the first place. Does that make sense?

I definitely fall into the 'ignorance is bliss' column on this one.

Ultimately, truth is just knowledge that is accurate. Intelligence is a collection of knowledge. As intelligence goes up, happiness often goes down. See, I made a graph.


I make lots of graphs...

Note: In case you didn't notice, I didn't actually make that graph, Lisa Simpson did.

Absolutely not. They are only mutually exclusive when you attach your happiness to a certain truth. If you are able to accept what is without attachment then you will be truly happy.

reply to post by WWu777


good question w7, let me clarify my perspective of the question as an answer

happiness is freedom rights of ones
truth is existence rights of all

while objective fact is existing freedom and free existence in absolute terms

so for objective fact there must be all rights and one freedom out of each

but since they are related to each others, all and one, without objective relation, then abuse and confusions wills become the absolute fact translating it

so in fact happiness and truth are the same, truth is positive superiority so beyond nirvana cell, and happiness is superior positivity beyond all perfections facts

it is evil that invent those problems, what never mean to b happy while always through truth abuse for superiority freedom, and what never mean to b true while always through freedom rights abuse for positive life possessions

to say it more simply,

as soon as u recognize what is in front of u existing, u become true

as soon as u become true, u r only the free from it

bc

when i say that u exist honestly, then all that space perspective is urs

as being honest, then all my space is to honesty reason which is truth so not mine

then im free, relative fact to all and any so always else one, but all to me

existence that we mortals are forced to witness, is primary supposed to b for freedom rights exclusively

rights that know being relative so always respecting facts rights without ever meaning it while focused on meaning their happiness in absolute terms of knowing how to multiply what is positive in superior ways of their free rights

nothing that we see is related to that fact while it is the only fact i see true, which show how evil quickly jumped to possess existence rights in truth