"In Greek mythology, King Midas is granted one wish after performing an act of kindness. He asks for the power to turn everything he touches into gold, believing that wealth is the ultimate source of happiness. Very quickly, this gift becomes a curse. Food, objects, and even people turn to gold at his touch, stripping life of its vitality and meaning."
"Midas's story mirrors our contemporary obsession with being happy. We are constantly encouraged-by culture, family, and media-to maximize happiness and minimize discomfort. Yet some of the most meaningful moments in life are inseparable from pain, vulnerability, and uncertainty. Joy and suffering often coexist, and it is precisely this tension that gives life depth and meaning. Can a meaningful relationship exist without moments of hurt, fear, and emotional risk?"
King Midas's wish to turn everything to gold becomes a curse that strips life of vitality, illustrating how a singular pursuit of pleasure destroys essential conditions for life. Contemporary culture pressures people to maximize happiness and avoid discomfort, encouraging constant, visible, and measurable joy. Many meaningful experiences necessarily include pain, vulnerability, uncertainty, and emotional risk, and joy often coexists with suffering. Attempting to eliminate discomfort can drain emotional richness. Redefining happiness to include vulnerability and uncertainty supports resilience, deeper relationships, and psychological well-being.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]