[crassus]

I disagree with the dichotomy between living a "default life" and being happy[1]. Maybe in America where society is so atomized and culture is so dead this is true, but this is not true everywhere. It is an American sickness that says you must work your way to happiness, that happiness comes at the end of a chain of accomplishments.

What more is needed to be happy but friends, family, and enough to get by? Honestly, I think living in a culture with a strong sense of itself and its purpose is more important than any of the author's points, but people living in America wouldn't know what that feels like.

All of what makes America terrible and most of what makes it successful is the puritan ancestry of its institutions. More and more Americans are skipping having families. Why? Because it would interfere with their career. Translated: they want to work more. In an effort to work their way into heaven, they ignore heaven's gifts.

I know a lot of people that follow the author's advice, or try to (I can guess which cultural milieu this is coming from). They are all stressed out trying to save the world or something and nervous about failing (commandment number 3 is like saying "don't get cold in the winter").

[1] http://www.theonion.com/articles/unambitious-loser-with-happ...

[Amokrane]

FWIW, I grew up in a third world country, waking up everyday fearing that I or someone I care about will die in a bomb attack (search for Algerian Civil War: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algerian_Civil_War) and having all sort of daily issues (no water for a week, no electricity for days, etc.), and I can tell you this for sure: this didn't prevent us from wanting a life that's above average, from pursuing happiness and from questioning whether we loved what we were doing or not.

Also, I am not sure where you are reading that you should be solitary or not have any family. I take care of my parents, a depressed brother who threatens to suicide every now and then, I am married and would love to have children. What's wrong with having that and aspiring to work on something that you find enjoyable instead of settling on a boring job?