Introduction
The first interview session involves Michael Blake, my friend from childhood of 22 years. Blake has been schooling for the most part of his life but is currently working in an esteemed IT organization as a network administrator. He grew up in a middle class family, and lived and schooled in the city of Boulder, Nevada. Blake was raised by his mother after losing his dad at the age of three. Blake schooled in the Boulder Valley District School and advanced to the University of Colorado Boulder, where he graduated with a degree in Information Technology at the age of 21. Our relationship as friends goes along way while we were kids until he advanced to university. We still have close contacts as we hang out most of the time.
The second interview involved Amanda Clark, who is my neighbor for less than two years. I do not know much about her, just that she is married and has a young son. I asked her more about herself, and learned that she is unemployed and is currently a housewife and a mother to a 5 year old son. Clark is 33 year old and has previously worked as a secretary in several establishments before getting married to her husband. Our relationship is based on neighborliness, and we do not interact a lot since she lives about two doors from my house. I also learned that their marriage was not going well as they argued frequently, and his husband cheating on her on several occasions.
First Interview with Michael Blake on May 21, 2013
- Question: Blake, could you define what happiness means to you?
Response: Happiness is having that feeling of great joy in my heart for achieving something and being able to enjoy the moments in life.
- Question: Has your definition changed by some events in life?
Response: Yes, in school I used to think having fun with friends was fun, but after getting my new job and becoming independent, I changed my view of happiness.
- Question: When do you remember being happy?
Response: When I got my job as a network administrator.
- Question: Blake, do you feel you will be happy as you continue living?
Response: Yes, as long as I achieve my dreams and have fewer problems.
- Question: Do you believe other people can achieve happiness, and what would be your advice to those without happiness?
Response: Yes, I would advise them to concentrate on what and who they love to do and accomplishing their dreams in life.
- Question: What gives you the most happiness? Moreover, is it possible to achieve the highest state of happiness such as described by the Buddhist tern Nirvana (Janaro & Altshuler)?
Response: achieving my dreams and leaving a successful life. I do not think anyone can achieve the highest level of happiness; there are too many problems in the world.
Second interview With Amanda Clark
- Question: Blake, could you define what happiness means to you?
Response: Happiness to me is being alive and health to cater for my child.
- Question: Has your definition changed by some events in life?
Response: Yes, I used to think happiness was having no problems at all, but when I got married and had a son, this changed.
- Question: When do you remember being happy?
Response: When I had my son.
- Question: Blake, do you feel you will be happy as you continue living?
Response: Yes, as long as am comfortable and healthy.
- Question: Do you believe other people can achieve happiness, and what would be your advice to those without happiness?
Response: Yes, people should appreciate what they have and become content with their lives that when one can become happy.
- Question: What gives you the most happiness? Moreover, is it possible to achieve the highest state of happiness such as described by the Buddhist tern Nirvana?
Response: Being alive, comfortable, and healthy. I do not think one can achieve the highest state of happiness because life is very tough.
Essay
The interviews in this study involved one female and male participant with numerous differences in education, age, and lifestyles. This work aims at comparing and contrasting their definitions of happiness based on theories of achieving happiness.
Clark adopts a more hedonistic viewpoint of her life as she chooses to forget all her woes in her failing marriage, and concentrates on her health and son for happiness. To her being “alive, comfortable, and healthy” is the most happiness she would want to achieve. She portrays as the hero acting strong, positive, and happy in a failing marriage full of arguments and unfaithfulness. Clark does not choose to be wooed to a stoic situation, where she can never maintain pleasure for a certain period (Janaro & Altshuler, 2009). This is illustrated in the interview when she claims that “when my son was born” (Amanda, personal communication May 21, 2013) is her happiest moment. This is reflected by the fact that happy is based on our earliest moments (Janaro & Altshuler, 2009).
Blake is my friend and I know he puts his ambitions before his friends all anything else. He can be mean or even unkind at times. He is not that generous and does not work to help other become happy. Blake should adapt the “Mahayana” way of happiness. He is a person in a dilemma that does not understand happiness due to his young age. Blake does not follow the Aristotelian model of happiness, as he does not live based on avoiding problems for happiness (Janaro & Altshuler, 2009). He is only happy when “I achieve my goals and dreams” (Blake, personal communication, May 21, 2013), which is very self-centered. His young age has not provided him with the experience he requires to view happiness in a different way. In conclusion, I believe that experiences and circumstances of an individual’s lifestyle have great influence over their perspective of happiness. There is no theory that can effectively describe an experience in an individual’s life.
References
Blake, M. personal communication, May 21, 2013.
Clark, A. personal communication, May 21, 2013.
Janaro & Altshuler. (2009). The Art of Being Human: The Humanities as a Technique for Living. (Ch. 9). Second Custom Edition. Boston, Pearson Custom Publishing.
