Do you think some people are born without the capability to be happy?

Question

Like, is it a biological part of their makeup, that they might be born without, or is it just something learned, that might not have been taught?

Nature vs. Nuture

Answer 1

No. Happiness is not a "capability", a "gene" or a "skill" - it's a state of mind.

No baby is born with it. No one can be taught happiness. It is not something you can give or keep - it can be taken away.

However, this is somewhat true about how one is feeling: if you have never been so happy, you could never be so sad.

Answer 2

Nope everyone has the make up to be or become happy.  I think it's how were brought up.  

Answer 3

Happiness is usurped along with everything you are by government when they steel you from your mother aged 5 years. You then have to earn it. Happiness to them is thi nking the whole world is beautiful and everything is done to serve them. Then youl be happy. Happiness is actually a state of being you can develop. Kepp telling yourself your happy instead of telling yourself you are not.

work out what you like to do, who you like and where you like to be etc. Then do it to BE. you either are or are not something. You decide.? are you happy with this responce.?  

Answer 4

I don't think anyone is completely incapable of being happy, if even for a short time.

It's always a mixture of nature and nurture, maybe in varying proportions, but both will always play a part, IMHO.

Answer 5

yes definitely

Answer 6

yes,its their upbringing.

Answer 7

Yes.  I believe this because you look at people in all different areas and social levels unhappy.  Famous, rich,  popular, gifted and lucky.  I kind of think about people who win the lottery.  They say there is a "lottery curse" that a lot of people who win the lottery end up being terribly unhappy and often commit suicide.  I think this because who are unhappy with their lives play the lottery to change it and make them happy.  Then they win, and really they still aren't happy.   I know that is a strange answer to the question, but in short, I DO believe some people, no matter how happy they SHOULD be, just aren't.  

I like the quote from little miss sunshine though....

"Do you know who Marcel Proust is?...."

"Yeah. French writer. Total loser. Never had a real job. Unrequited love affairs. g*y. Spent 20 years writing a book almost no one reads. But he's also probably the greatest writer since Shakespeare. Anyway, he uh... he gets down to the end of his life, and he looks back and decides that all those years he suffered, Those were the best years of his life, 'cause they made him who he was. All those years he was happy? You know, total waste. Didn't learn a thing. So, if you sleep until you're 18... Ah, think of the suffering you're gonna miss. I mean high school? High school-those are your prime suffering years. You don't get better suffering than that. "

Answer 8

Social factors have an effect on happiness.

Answer 9

well im not really a jolly person..more sombre and thoughtful and always have been..so yes I do think that

Answer 10

i think that it depends on the parents

definitely

:)

Answer 11

I recon some people just have that type of face and underneath are happier than you think, just relaxed.

As for personalities, you can choose to go two paths at any given time with attitude and I find some people thrive on their persona of miserable bar-stewards, but if that makes them happy (giggle).

I think others can make my face get a landslide, but I can't keep it thay way for long (I self-taught myself ways of coping and adapting) and I have had a pretty rough ride that you can't tell due to my Zebedee nature.

Answer 12

hmmm.... i think it could be down to the nurture side.

people who are pessimistic do tend to have an more unloving family background then people who do not.

however it does not explain the minority that are pessimistic and do have a loving background....

mainly nurture but nature must also play a small part to, as if your not happy in the mind then you are not going to be happy yourself?

Answer 13

I feel we learn how to be happy as opposed to being born with a happy gene.  

Answer 14

I think it's what happens to them in life or just a way their personality developed. I've met people that were completely happy when we first met and years later they were the most miserable and mean people I've ever known.  

Answer 15

We all can be anything we want if we put our minds to it.  

Answer 16

yes i think its just there destiny not to be happy

Answer 17

am always on the side of nurture myself i believe it is a learned behaviour, if you grow up with unhappy people or memories then inevitably you will find it a normal behaviour,