How do you get Happy as an Audiophile?


There’s an interesting, relatively modern take on mental health called Positive Psychology. While not without it’s faults and detractors, PP has a very interesting approach. Instead of asking questions on the axis of illness and diagnosis PP asks questions on the scale of happiness:

What is it that makes you more or less content with your life and in your pursuits? How can these actions, events or states be codified and applied as general principles?

In the spirit of PP then I ask:

How do you get happy? What advice would you give an audiophile that asks "What is satisfying about being an audiophile, and what are the approaches that get me there? Do you personally know the answers for yourself? "

erik_squires

Showing 2 responses by stuartk

"How do you get happy?" 

This is what I've observed... 

Happiness is not a thing to be acquired so there can be no "getting" happy.

Happiness is about being, not getting. . . and I cannot be in two places at once! 

As long as I am chasing something "out there" and telling myself I will be happy once I get it, at some point in the future, I am, in effect, denying myself the possibility of being happy, as happiness can only be encountered 1) in the here and now and 2)  internally. 

I don't find being an audiophile makes me happy. It's more like an addiction than anything else. People who are perfectionist by nature, who  love music and who have enough $ can easily become hooked by audiophilia. I find it can be quite an emotional roller coaster. 

Each time I upgrade my system, I notice the desire to attain "the next level" invariably arises. So, in a way, the very act of upgrading inhibits my potential for satisfaction as it continually generates an ongoing chain of desires. I don't find this brings me happiness. Temporary intoxication-- sure-- but happiness? I don't think so. 

 

Now if you want to talk about music, that's different...