What Defines Happiness?

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    What is happiness defined by? This was a question that the movie Little Miss Sunshine brought up among its viewers. Oftentimes, happiness is perceived as a materialistic concept; the more you have, the happier you are. This is a concept that modern society struggles with, and social media doesn’t help. Platforms such as Tik Tok and Instagram give celebrities, influencers, and ordinary people the opportunity to share their daily lives. To say the least, it is a trap for comparison. I think everyone is guilty of scrolling through a platform and comparing what they have and don’t have to someone else based off of a simple video or picture. We think that these people live “the perfect lives” and are “so happy” because of everything they have that we may not.

    Little Miss Sunshine breaks this stereotype and redefines happiness. One of the most powerful parts of the movie is when Dwayne, a character that struggles to find his happiness, says that you should “do what you love, and **** the rest”. It seems very harsh, but it’s true. Happiness shouldn’t stem from the physical things you have. If you are pursuing what you enjoy, happiness will find its way to you. I love small, quirky movies like these because they are often more than just a movie and have a larger overall meaning. At first glance, Little Miss Sunshine is a goofy, satirical movie that dives into a family’s experience at a children's pageant show. Although after watching it, you can clearly see that it is much more. The family doesn’t obtain much when it comes to what they have. They drive a yellow van, with a door that nearly falls off, and have very little compared to the other families that attended. Although one thing that they have that no other family does is pure joy. The rest of the families are there to win in their fancy, over the top outfits, and the Hoover’s are there for experience. Happiness is defined by creating moments like these and doing what you love, not by what you have.

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