HW #5: Response to Ethics of Absolute Freedom III

III. The Existential view of human Happiness.

According to the text "the secret of happiness is to get ones value from within oneself. In doing so, one loses the promise of external value, but they find a more real happiness that cannot be taken away by external forces beyond their control." Based on my understanding of this existentialists view of happiness I could say that I do not entirely agree. I might not thoroughly understand his point, but I do not think that we, humans, are able to get ones value from within oneself without getting an external value first. In my point of view I think that rather of finding a new value from within it would be changing one's values after a meaningful experience. All sources of external value will not be taken away nor banish because when we express our values externally then other people adopt them and then express them once again. It is a chain of beliefs that happens ion a pattern. External to internal then Internal to External. That is what I think.

Although Banach makes an excellent point, all humans need something to learn first before becoming part of this society. It is possible that because of the values that were transmitted to us during our childhood prevent us from recognizing happiness. However Banach argues that learning that we cannot attain happiness from the exterior is "the necessary price of an important lesson." According to him it is only from our island of subjectivity that we would be able to attain happiness, and this is because "the value one gets from within is infinitely better than the value one vainly attempts to get from outside".
However, this statement is obviously debatable. I do not agree with him because as previously mentioned People need to learn different values in order to find themselves and what makes them happy. It is their choice to follow and teach these values to future generations in their lives. But it is necessary to learn them in order to identify freedom.

This comes from a very basic idea. Without black we cannot identify white. Without good we do not know evil. I think this is the same as the values that society offers. When we feel limited by these values then we understand why we are feeling in such way. If we did not have these values then we would not be able to identify when we are limited and when we are not, then we would actually live as absolute individuals.

But because we are "forced" to live in this place of ideas, values and ethics we cannot live as free. It is possible however to live free by living far away from society and not learning unnecessary things to live. Such as how to behave or how to speak. It is because we live with others that we NEED some sense of structure and order. And values come from this original purpose. If you were to live alone in one island, the island of subjectivity, then you would eventually create your own values. For example, if you are used to collecting food during the morning, but you are very tired from walking all day you decide to save food for the next 3 days rather than collecting it everyday. Then you learn to restrain yourself and give the art of collecting food as important. As well as taking care of your body and resting when you need to. It is inevitable to have values in our lives even if they come from within. We will eventually limit ourselves because of the values we have created. It is no different than living along with others, it just gives you more free time.