Fifty two years ago, the Star Trek episode “This Side of Paradise” aired. The Enterprise was sent to a planet where an agricultural and research colony had been established several years earlier. They expected to find the entire colony wiped out from exposure to deadly radiation. Instead, the colonists were alive and happy… very, very happy. To the exclusion of everything else. They had become infected with plant spores that protected them from radiation, and also left them happy. A fully functional “happy pill”.
Star Fleet ordered their immediate evacuation, which was temporarily thwarted by the Enterprise crew becoming “infected” by happiness. So what is wrong with happiness? The colonists lived a simple life, growing only the food they needed. They wandered the planet being… happy. Paradise.
The episode makes the case that mankind was not meant to just be happy. As Captain Kirk postulated:
“Well, that’s the second time man’s been thrown out of Paradise.“
“No, no, Bones, this time we walked out on our own. Maybe we weren’t meant for paradise. Maybe we were meant to fight our way through, struggle, claw our way up, scratch for every inch of the way. Maybe we can’t stroll to the music of the lute. We must march to the sound of drums.“
- – McCoy and Kirk
Or, think what you desire for your children. Many unthinking parents say, “I just want them to grow up happy.” When one gives it more thought, you want much more for your children. You want them to grow up strong, motivated, knowledgable, wise, productive. You want them to help make the world a better place… and have a good measure of happiness.
And here we are today in paradise. Even cloudy days deserve a trip to a beach. Almost a year. Free. Living an uncluttered simple life. Swimming in happiness almost every day. Then again, my first book is not nearly complete. Can man create and be productive while fantastically happy?
Time will tell.