RationalSnowflake

Usually, when someone is sad, we ask them what's wrong. It's natural, I guess, when we assume the default is happiness, to wonder what's got people feeling down. But as interesting as that is, personally I find it much more interesting to explore the reasons behind my good moods. Not necessarily because my default is sad, but because if I can figure out what makes me happy, I can know where to focus my energy. Today is a puzzle to me though. I've been smiling all day. I'm not high or anything like that. I feel grounded, at peace, content, and happy. And I have no idea why. My math class this morning was difficult to understand, but instead of becoming frustrated, I appreciated the challenge, and the opportunity to learn.  My social psychology class had a guest lecturer who talked about the Milgram experiments on obedience. Not exactly uplifting stuff. And the lecture was kind of dry. Still, I enjoyed every moment. It's so interesting. What makes some peopl...

Many people are unaware of the difference between envy and jealousy. Envy is the feeling you get when someone has something that you want. Your friend gets a new car, or some other shit, and you get that gut reaction, that  I want that feeling. That's envy. Jealousy, on the other hand, refers to the protective "ownership" feeling over another person. You see your significant other talking to someone attractive, and get that feeling that they're yours . That's jealousy. Sometimes, envy and jealousy combine. Like when you watch your best friend become good friends with someone you really like. You might feel envy that your friend is gaining a friendship which you would have wanted, and jealousy that your friend is giving their attention to someone else. Envy and jealousy, like all emotions, serve a purpose. They tell us what we care about, what really matters. I know this on an academic level. I understand the concepts of envy and jealousy, and the purpose they ...