HAPPINESS FOR SALE

Can you buy happiness? This question brings me back to the theology class I attended when I was a university student in the Philippines, nearly two decades ago. The topic has cropped up through a group discussion about Morality and Commercialism; and how young people should recognize the significance of Faith and Prayers to preserve one’s moral standard and values. Even in meticulous catholic universities, the issue of deteriorating ethics and moral principles of its students is a portrait of reality. The influence of education (even at that time) as far as morality is concerned was slowly showing signs of waning and silent disregard.
From the same group discussion, many social issues were inevitably brought upon, including drug addiction, corruption, abortion, premarital sex, amongst others. Back then, these were forefront indicators (at least in that particular location of the earth) to recognize the level of morality a society has. With wide-ranging arguments flying around the classroom, on the impact of these to our individual lives, our respective purpose to this world, and the subtle defiant against Christian teachings; our enduring theology teacher called our attention and asked us to define a fulfilled and happy life based on the philosophy that we individually clung to. Then as we seriously figured out the best answer we could write, one funny classmate stood up and enquired; ‘Is it the commercial happiness?’.