Cult of the wish
The dogma of a happy life
Recently my girlfiend and I had a meeting with the person, who will guide our wedding ceremony. Beforehand we had to fill out a questionaire.
During the meeting we were going over the answers. The guiding person seemed particularly interested in the things that make us happy in life and by extension of course the things that make us happy in our relationship. This probing made me feel a bit uncomfortable, although I really couldn't say why during the conversation.
In this context it was legitimate interest, but the question kept me busy. In fact it keeps us all busy. We constantly ask each other things like: what are your dreams, what do you hope for the future, what if you had all the money in the world, what if you had more time for yourself. What do you wish for?
We constantly ask these things in the most trivial conversations and in our inner dialogues. If we don't have anything to wish for and we are just content with what we have or we are just happy with our current situation, the interviewer is even more delighted.
When one wish has been fulfilled, we almost immediately formulate a new one for ourselves. Not only to keep our own lives going, but also to have normal conversations with other human beings, who like to see us thrive and succeed, only to reassure themselves that their wishes and goals are also within reach.
This induces an endless cycle. Even wanting to escape it, is a wish within it self. It's the worst wish of all. It's a meta wish. Fulfilling this wish, immediately brings you back to the beginning of the cycle.
Happiness is dogmatic. We never question it. It all feels like a cult. One we can never escape.