People generally believe that life is short, time is fleeting, life is hard, and pain is frequent... Therefore, if you can be happy, be happy. In 1958, having food to eat was happiness, not going to school as a child was happiness, having a job during economic depression was happiness, having a partner while single was happiness... But once you are full, happiness doesn't matter, once you stop going to school, happiness doesn't matter, once you have a job, happiness doesn't matter, once you are married, happiness doesn't matter...
Happiness, the Essence of Thinking#
Everyone knows that immortals are good, but only fame and fortune cannot be forgotten. Where are the ancient and modern generals? Just a pile of grass on a desolate grave! Everyone knows that immortals are good, but only gold and silver cannot be forgotten. All day long, I regret not having more, but when I have more, my eyes are closed! Everyone knows that immortals are good, but only a beloved wife cannot be forgotten. You speak of kindness every day, but when you die, you go with others! Everyone knows that immortals are good, but only children and grandchildren cannot be forgotten. Many foolish parents have existed since ancient times, but who has seen filial descendants! — "Dream of the Red Chamber · Song of Happiness"
Happiness in "Song of Happiness"#
"Do you know that in the world, all that is good is just that, and that is good," thus happiness is not good, because once you are full, have drunk enough, have worked, and are married, there is no happiness.
Why does happiness cease once satisfied? Human desires are like rolling stones on high mountains, and the ravines of desire have no end. "Song of Happiness" points out a structure of thinking, a fall from high energy to low energy. The fall itself is meaningless; what is meaningful is the motivation generated by the thinking process from hunger to satiety. The countless processes of satisfying desires provide an inexhaustible motivation for thinking and constitute thinking itself.
The Existence of Thinking is Happiness#
The existence of thinking itself is a process of constantly satisfying desires. Here, desire is not a value judgment, but a structure of thinking that operates from the unknown to the known, from high energy to low energy, from nothing to something. I call myself "Desire Core," and everyone may have their own name for it.
If happiness is a state that is constantly satisfied, then active thinking itself is undoubtedly the happiest, meaning that thinking is a joyful activity.
The Difference Between Thinking Happiness and General Happiness#
The happiness brought by going to school, working, buying a house, getting married, and having children is also a kind of happiness brought by thinking. Compared to general thinking, the special aspect of this happiness is that it brings joy while also receiving rewards from the material world, allowing one to maintain social life. However, in terms of happiness itself, the happiness brought by going to school and so on is limited and less efficient. In fact, happiness does not necessarily require too many intermediaries from the material world.
Definition of Happiness#
Some may be very angry and ask, since you pursue happiness, why not use drugs, take some meth. However, in my definition, so-called happiness, so-called satisfaction of desires, is merely an active expression of the thinking process. And we can reach this happiness through thinking, which may be the very meaning of the existence of thinking, because happiness itself is the existence of thinking.
Explanation of the Meaning of "Song of Happiness"#
Since the existence of thinking itself is happiness, the so-called "good" is "satisfied," which does not deny all desires and pursuits, but rather denies some excessive pursuit of "good" behaviors, such as the aforementioned hopes for children to become dragons and daughters to become phoenixes. If we deny all desires for happiness, then "good," if seen as a moment, a point, or a pure goal, is meaningless. However, we can infer that "good" is a state of completeness. Therefore, the thinking process corresponding to this kind of life should be very peaceful. That is to say, thinking itself is happiness; being alive is already very happy. Excessively chasing happiness will lead to an incomplete state, thus becoming a slave to happiness.
Thinking, the Method of Happiness#
Thinking is a state and activity of active thinking. It is also an excellent method of obtaining happiness. The normal existence and operation of thinking is not essentially different from thinking itself; it is a process of quantitative change leading to qualitative change. It is like smoking and using drugs. For all things in the world, thinking is like using drugs; it can make people very happy. Of course, being alive itself is a kind of happiness, but for modern people, a little strong medicine is still needed to appreciate the wonders of life.
Since people think almost every day, this article specifically refers to conscious thinking. This kind of thinking is intentional, so it is generally in a relatively peaceful state. At least it is not in a state of urgent danger. This is related to the depth of thinking.
My Experience of Thinking#
As a child, I did not dare to fight back when bullied. My natural dullness made me like an isolated island, neither too influenced by external thoughts nor very puzzled by the strange world. Why don't they like me? Why don't I dare to fight back, and so on. Gradually, I did come up with some answers. Perhaps I absorbed models from books, or perhaps I found an officially recognized truth system, and I quickly entered it, making it a temporary refuge.
As I came into contact with more and more thoughts, I felt this was a quality that could showcase the extraordinary, and it was also a way to gain spiritual comfort. Because I constantly tried to explain my developmental experiences and the reasons for my failures through the absorption of new theories.
Once the patchwork of thought systems was built, my habit of thinking became more serious, and I gradually hoped to further improve my thought model. Every new spark of thought would bring me joy.
The Cheapness of Thinking#
I often reflect on why I have become what I am today; perhaps I like to avoid solving problems. When bullied, I did not go to hit others, but instead learned thoughts to make myself unafraid of battle; when I was not good at socializing, I did not go to interact with people, but internalized a "self-talk" model through thinking; when I developed feelings, I did not pursue them, but eliminated desires through thinking... As a result, now I only want to think.
This is due to the cheapness of thinking, its automatic nature. It does not require a lot of money and has no risks. Of course, what is lost is the opportunity at that moment.
In today's society, with economic recession, not getting married, not buying houses, and not having children have become choices for young people. They put more energy into other things that can bring happiness. Among all the ways to bring happiness, thinking is the cheapest and easiest to initiate.
Simply put, thinking can happen anytime and anywhere, without any restrictions. As long as you develop a habit of thinking well, you can enjoy its happiness at any moment. Of course, some people find this habit simple, while others find it difficult.
The Rewards and Compound Interest of Thinking#
There are no traces of birds in the sky, but I have flown. Thinking is like flying; you have indeed flown, but it leaves no trace. Thoughts are inherently illusory and subjective; those who do not like to think will say, what is the use of these things?
Thinking is intangible, but that does not mean it leaves no trace. On the contrary, its traces are deep. When the products of thinking are exposed to the objective world and discovered by others, it already indicates the terror of thinking.
Error feedback compares our predictions with reality and corrects the models we have shaped about the external world. — "Precise Learning"
A thousand people have a thousand Hamlets. When we accept any kind of information, our brains construct unique synapses for it. Because learning is a deep thinking activity, when people think, they are not receiving information from nothing to something, but constantly correcting information, correcting the models already constructed in their brains. To some extent, learning itself is a creative activity, or an activity of thinking. Creation, as an external standard, may be the patent of some people, but from the perspective of the inner world, learning itself is a reshaping of the individual brain, a genuine creation.
And thinking is a deep correction or development of existing models. If we are truth-seeking individuals who engage in thinking, then our thoughts will create many theories and models. Perhaps for many people, these thoughts are insignificant, but for us, they are undoubtedly a creation. Understanding itself is creation. Moreover, this level of creation will allow us to gain the results of thinking plus the methods of thinking.
The Results and Compound Interest of Thinking#
The results of thinking deepen our understanding of the world and make it easier to correct our models of the world. For example, I have an idea about creation in my mind; after thinking about it, the next time I encounter a topic related to creation, I will immediately think of the idea I once had and try to correct it.
More importantly, the things that people love to think about are generally important matters to them personally. That is to say, there is a close connection between the products of thinking and the individual. Thinking is not a disposable chopstick that is thrown away after use. As "Precise Learning" explains, it is a constantly improving model. A small thing we have thought about, such as a certain dimension of creation, will become the foundation of all our thinking, thus playing a dual role as a cornerstone and scaffolding.
Compound interest means interest on interest. The expected effects on us personally will grow exponentially with the passage of time. Of course, our thinking does not necessarily bring us economic benefits, but merely the benefits of thinking.
The results of thinking are more like the golden glimmer and Shirou's domain, containing countless treasures; as long as they have been collected or seen, they can be recalled at some future moment.
The Methods of Thinking#
Valuable Ideas Can Be Mass-Produced#
I have a habit of putting valuable ideas that I think of each day in one place. If I find the topic engaging enough or if I have a deep understanding of it, I will use logic to deduce and then correct the model. I mentioned this feeling in my short article "Inspiration Midwifery":
So this time is about midwifing feelings. Extracting the original subtle feelings with logic. I found that pulling out what is inside indeed increased my understanding of myself and the world. It’s like having many vague crushes; you always miss the chance to pursue them. Now, we want to catch up with them and have some deep conversations.
However, through my recent understanding, I found that these valuable ideas can be mass-produced.
This can be simply called the method of idea grafting. That is, based on the different understandings each day, thinking can graft two seemingly unrelated things together; the deeper the understanding of the two things, the more new discoveries will emerge.
Creating Without Dilemma#
When talking about this, we must rethink creation, referring to "The Dilemma of Creation". Creation, as Fan Zhongyan said, the grandeur of Yueyang Tower, "the predecessors have already described it." But since Fan Zhongyan wrote "The Record of Yueyang Tower," he must have created something new, which can also be called creation.
The Essence and Relativity of Creation#
In the past, I always wondered where new things could be found; now it seems that new things lie in constructing more connections. It’s like stewing a pot of meat, adding a little sugar, a little fruit, etc.; everyone’s stew is different. The accumulation of quantity reflects not only simple stacking but also reveals the inherent connections between things.
From a negative perspective, for individuals, understanding is a form of creation. The description of Hamlet illustrates this principle. However, creation is relative; what is new to you may not be new to others.
The Method of Creation#
This method of thinking is learning, not in the narrow sense of learning from books, but learning in a way that reflects the objective world and corrects models. The essence of this meaning is to create new connections based on the original foundation.
So-called Creation is a Kind of Luck#
When we discover the connections between different things and subsequently correct our models, we discover new things for ourselves. Of course, if you are lucky enough, you will discover things that are new to everyone. These thousand Hamlets are not just the privilege of certain authorities; luck is also a part of strength.
Simply put, "Learning without thinking is labor lost; thinking without learning is perilous." Learning from various things is the most important bridge connecting the subjective and objective. Thinking is the process of correcting models and constructing connections. As long as you learn along a predetermined path, you will correct the original errors in the model.
Creation, Examples of Idea Grafting#
Example of Unsatisfied Constituent Elements#
For example, "Records of the Grand Historian" records Xiang Yu saying, "Books are only enough to record names. A sword can defeat one person, but it is not enough to learn; learning can defeat thousands." In "Journey to the West," Sun Wukong complains about the spells that Bodhi Patriarch wants to teach him, saying that if he cannot achieve immortality, then "based on this, it is not long-lasting. I won't learn! I won't learn!" I suddenly recalled these two similar situations, where the purpose of learning is very strong. But I did not reach further conclusions; I just felt there was something in them.
Example of Satisfied Constituent Elements#
Another example is that the U.S. Constitution emphasizes the separation of powers. After the Supreme Court gained the power of constitutional review through case law and legal theory, the American democratic system was praised. However, the process of transplanting constitutional review in European countries has been successful. Japan's transplantation of the Supreme Court's constitutional review system after World War II was also not ideal; the court's restriction on power was insufficient, and there were not many significant precedents.
In this example, you may be puzzled without understanding, but once you understand, your brain will naturally think about why the American judicial system, as the world's first constitutional review, is difficult to transplant. My brain suddenly reached a conclusion: because the American judicial system is a place where the constitutional review system is automatically generated. The reason why constitutional review can operate is not merely the form of American justice, nor is it the form of the court's ability to review laws, but due to the reasons of the entire American society. You could say the entire system needs a court for constitutional review. And in the process of transplantation, what is transplanted is not just the superficial system; like planting flowers, a flower with soil is more likely to survive. This soil is the foundational requirement that allows the constitutional review system to survive. Originally, the Supreme Court's review was merely a formality; it must be done through some means to increase the intentionality of this review and gain more attention. Thus, there is the constitutional court system, which is merely setting up a system. It is equivalent to a flower with soil.
These examples aim to illustrate that a new idea requires many points of connection. When we possess many of these points and satisfy the objective requirements for the emergence of new ideas, new ideas will naturally arise. This is the method of thinking: learn more to gain new connections, think more to summarize new connections.
Conclusion#
I originally only wanted to write about the methods of thinking, but I kept recalling the previous "Song of Happiness," so I started from happiness and then constructed the connection between happiness and thinking. This construction can be said to be a method of thinking grafting.
Life is not meant to pursue suffering, although we cannot help but cry when we arrive at this stage of grotesque beauty. Happiness, as something people pursue, can be said to be the most core concept, and it is a relatively objective concept, much better than the term happiness. Human thinking itself arises between existence and non-existence. If there were no such differences, thinking would not exist; we can hardly imagine a world that is entirely known. This kind of thinking, this kind of will has already merged with the world; it has truly become the "satisfaction" in the "Song of Happiness." Whether people are immortal or only exist in this world, it is based on people, on thinking, on living as a premise. If there is no self, there is no living; this so-called completeness has no motive for pursuit.
Thinking, like other methods of happiness, is an activity of thinking; only thinking is purer and less dependent on others, much like a pure command line rather than having a UI. Thinking itself is also a form of creation, and creation itself is also an objective, incidental activity of thinking. As long as certain requirements are met, new things will inevitably emerge.
In today's society, perhaps thinking is our cheapest way to happiness!
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