My great-grandma Maxine started laying this groundwork early, with my 9th birthday card (one of my most treasured items). One of the lines: "Of course you will not be happy always. Just be as happy as you can, one day at a time."
I recognize the foolishness of debating Jay Heinrichs, and perhaps this is more political and economic history than rhetoric or the study of virtue, but I don't think Jefferson would agree that the Pursuit of Happiness "meant making sure that everyone had at least an Epicurean-level lifestyle, being provided with their basic needs." Jefferson's pursuit of happiness meant that government should be small and out of the way so that as free fledgling citizens of a new nation, unencumbered by a controlling government, we would be free to provide for ourselves in whatever way we preferred as we pursued our own definitions of happiness. He was not a socialist, quite the opposite (and not just because the term didn't really appear in any meaningful way until half a century later). Jefferson believed farming your own land to provide for yourself, ideally working hard enough to produce a little surplus to sell and engage in commerce, would help make you a good person (and thereby make a happy and strong nation) -- his famous "yoeman farmer."
I imagine that Jefferson's version of a Secretery of Happiness would be the eudaemian version of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. More reporting than nanny-stating. On the other hand, that man was one of the least consistent of our Founding Fathers. Who knows how he would have handled our current unagrarian society.
I find it both interesting and ironic what you write about the early Christians picking up on stoicism to live a more virtuous life. The irony comes in that the early Christians first discarded the virtues espoused by the historical Jesus Christ (not the one taught in churches) who advocated peace, empathy for all sentient beings, treating one's neighbor as oneself, atonement to enter and stay in the Kingdom of God. In fact, Jesus had set the bar very high in virtuousness which Paul largely discarded as he wrote his now famous notes from Rome (more irony still) while Jesus Nazarene followers largely lived out their virtuous life in the wilderness. I am guessing the Stoics offered a lower and thus more appetizing bar for many.
While any religion quickly runs into trouble when it comes to public virtue (it's easier to be virtuous in the desert), Christianity stayed consistent in Stoicism's beliefs in connecting one's soul to god, and in the soul's survival after death. The Epicureans shrugged all that off, which is why the Christians gave them a bum rap.
My great-grandma Maxine started laying this groundwork early, with my 9th birthday card (one of my most treasured items). One of the lines: "Of course you will not be happy always. Just be as happy as you can, one day at a time."
Reading this post made me happy. In an Epicurean way.
A wonderful read, as always!
I recognize the foolishness of debating Jay Heinrichs, and perhaps this is more political and economic history than rhetoric or the study of virtue, but I don't think Jefferson would agree that the Pursuit of Happiness "meant making sure that everyone had at least an Epicurean-level lifestyle, being provided with their basic needs." Jefferson's pursuit of happiness meant that government should be small and out of the way so that as free fledgling citizens of a new nation, unencumbered by a controlling government, we would be free to provide for ourselves in whatever way we preferred as we pursued our own definitions of happiness. He was not a socialist, quite the opposite (and not just because the term didn't really appear in any meaningful way until half a century later). Jefferson believed farming your own land to provide for yourself, ideally working hard enough to produce a little surplus to sell and engage in commerce, would help make you a good person (and thereby make a happy and strong nation) -- his famous "yoeman farmer."
The smiling (I like your terming him drunk) Jefferson picture reminded me of this scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu2lKqRP534&t=22s
I imagine that Jefferson's version of a Secretery of Happiness would be the eudaemian version of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. More reporting than nanny-stating. On the other hand, that man was one of the least consistent of our Founding Fathers. Who knows how he would have handled our current unagrarian society.
I find it both interesting and ironic what you write about the early Christians picking up on stoicism to live a more virtuous life. The irony comes in that the early Christians first discarded the virtues espoused by the historical Jesus Christ (not the one taught in churches) who advocated peace, empathy for all sentient beings, treating one's neighbor as oneself, atonement to enter and stay in the Kingdom of God. In fact, Jesus had set the bar very high in virtuousness which Paul largely discarded as he wrote his now famous notes from Rome (more irony still) while Jesus Nazarene followers largely lived out their virtuous life in the wilderness. I am guessing the Stoics offered a lower and thus more appetizing bar for many.
While any religion quickly runs into trouble when it comes to public virtue (it's easier to be virtuous in the desert), Christianity stayed consistent in Stoicism's beliefs in connecting one's soul to god, and in the soul's survival after death. The Epicureans shrugged all that off, which is why the Christians gave them a bum rap.
Someone should give voice to this fun thinking on that stoicism podcast! This one would be particularly happy-making.