Legal Definition Happiness

Although the explicit right to pursue happiness is absent from the U.S. Constitution, it has not been forgotten at the state level. Less than a month before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Virginia Convention of Delegates adopted the Virginia Bill of Rights, which guaranteed the inherent right to “the enjoyment of life and liberty. and the pursuit of happiness and security. [2] These safeguards are still enshrined in the state constitution today. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts followed Virginia`s lead by incorporating the term happiness eight times into its own state constitution and, most importantly, protecting people`s inalienable rights to “seek and obtain their happiness and security.” [3] More than 70 years after Jefferson included this famous phrase in the Declaration, these words have remained at the forefront of American political thought. The Wisconsin Constitution, adopted in 1848, reiterated the assurance of its people`s inherent rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” [4] These three states are the only states that explicitly recognize the right to pursue happiness as a fundamental right, but the application of the concept in U.S. jurisprudence has not been limited to the borders of these states. I think most people think that “persecution” in this sentence means “pursuit of happiness” – as in the expression “in pursuit.” This would mean that “the pursuit of happiness” has to do with seeking it in some way” or “striving to achieve it.” However, I must admit that now, in 2018, I am less confident about the government`s interest and ability to produce widespread happiness of the greatest variety for all. The vast majority of what comes to the news scribbles these days seems remarkably narrow-minded, if not downright tribal. The “luck” sought is usually for sale to the highest bidder with the most power (including firepower). But our contemporary understanding of the “pursuit of happiness” is a thinner, less meaningful shadow of what the authors of the Declaration intended, according to Brent Strawn, who teaches religion and theology at Emory`s Candler School of Theology and Graduate Division of Religion.

If the founders` understanding of the “pursuit of happiness” does indeed have “profound implications for public policy and thus real links to social justice,” what are some concrete examples of steps the government is taking or should take today to guarantee this right? Instead, it`s a very common use of the word “good,” and it`s the kind of thick usage we need to have when we talk about “happiness”—a usage that can include grief; These include social concerns such as nutrition, health and safety; And it`s about experiencing good, thriving life, not just hoping for it. According to the statement, expanding the quality of happiness – what we might call the good or prosperous life – is or should be a major concern of the government. In other words, it is not just about my happiness, particularly defined idiosyncratically, but about the happiness of all citizens. Only this – that the Bible and positive psychology give us a very thick understanding of the word “happiness.” It`s not about the breakfast being delicious. It is about human flourishing, the good life, obtaining and experiencing all that can be passed over in silence with the word “happiness”, but only carefully and ordinarily with a few sentences of explanation necessary to concretize everything. Such respect for others and their happiness would certainly have resonated with the early founders of our country, many of whom were immigrants themselves and who cared not only for their own well-being, but for all who would come after them to the United States. Now, in 2018, I continue to think that the thickest and best definition of “the pursuit of happiness” means that we need to think about making it easier for others to achieve happiness and not be too or exclusively obsessed with our own. Empirical research on happiness has shown that more money does not make a significant difference in a person`s happiness. The ultra-rich are no happier than the middle class (and sometimes, on the contrary). Beyond the hedonic aspects of happiness, researchers have shown the importance of positive emotions, positive individual qualities (e.g., virtues), and positive institutions. A thick understanding of “happiness” means that we need to think beyond pleasurable sensations or think about completely redefining “happiness” when “pleasure” is the only thing it means. If that`s the only thing “luck” still means, then we have a case of “word pollution” and we need to recover or redefine the word or maybe use a completely different one, at least for a while.

More than 200 years after Thomas Jefferson wrote the words “pursuit of happiness,” this right has gained significant protection in American jurisprudence and international constitutional theory. This year, the United Nations released its third World Happiness Report (in which the United States ranks 15th, Japan 46th, South Korea 47th, Ecuador 48th and Bolivia 51st) to measure the happiness of member countries and encourage them to use this information to guide their own public policies. [13] Using happiness as a public policy objective is not a new idea. To understand this perspective on governance, one need only look again at Thomas Jefferson, who once wrote: “Concern for human life and happiness, not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate goal of good government.” [14] Pursuing happiness is one thing, but attaining it and experiencing it – practicing happiness! — it`s something else entirely. This is the difference between dreams and reality. Remember that the pursuit of happiness in the statement is not a search or a hobby, but “an inalienable right.” Everyone has the right to be truly happy, not just to try to be happy.