Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

Human101948

(3,457 posts)
3. The "pursuit of happiness" does not necessarily equate with "happiness is a warm gun"
Mon Oct 5, 2015, 07:33 AM
Oct 2015

US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy explained this often forgotten sense of happiness in his 2005 lecture at the National Conference on Citizenship. Kennedy notes that while in modern times there is a “hedonistic component” to the definition of happiness, for the framers of the Declaration of Independence “happiness meant that feeling of self-worth and dignity you acquire by contributing to your community and to its civic life.” In the context of the Declaration of Independence, happiness was about an individual’s contribution to society rather than pursuits of self-gratification. While this sense has largely fallen out of use today, it’s important to keep these connotations of happiness mind when studying political documents from the 18th century.

http://blog.dictionary.com/happiness/

Notice the "community" component of that definition.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Almost EdwardBernays Oct 2015 #1
actually not, gejohnston Oct 2015 #6
a zeal to deceive jimmy the one Oct 2015 #13
I know exactly what I'm talking about gejohnston Oct 2015 #15
a blue link still needs explanation jimmy the one Oct 2015 #17
the reason I ignored the collective right gejohnston Oct 2015 #18
what kind of error was it jimmy the one Oct 2015 #20
stupid ol' supreme court jimmy the one Oct 2015 #19
printz and miller were both criminals gejohnston Oct 2015 #21
non responsive jimmy the one Oct 2015 #23
non responsive is gejohnston Oct 2015 #24
The U.S. Constitution doesn't do "collective rights." Rights are individual. Eleanors38 Oct 2015 #9
The right to life, liberty, and persuit of happiness is where firearm ownership comes from. ileus Oct 2015 #2
The "pursuit of happiness" does not necessarily equate with "happiness is a warm gun" Human101948 Oct 2015 #3
A right to life implies a right to self-defense discntnt_irny_srcsm Oct 2015 #4
It is the mode of self defense that is in dispute... Human101948 Oct 2015 #5
File with ATF... discntnt_irny_srcsm Oct 2015 #7
That's a negative, you're just wrong discntnt_irny_srcsm Oct 2015 #8
That paragraph essentially destroys interpretation out of context... beevul Oct 2015 #10
Absolutely!!! discntnt_irny_srcsm Oct 2015 #11
the invisible word - declaratory jimmy the one Oct 2015 #12
the Bill of Rights... discntnt_irny_srcsm Oct 2015 #14
declaratory & (govt) restrictive jimmy the one Oct 2015 #22
Of course it isn't, james. beevul Oct 2015 #16
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Gun Control & RKBA»The Second Amendment Is a...»Reply #3