“Are you happy?” is a good place to start, reflects Jason Kottke.

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Question: What should we be asking ourselves?

Jason Kottke:  I mean I think, “Are you happy?” is a good answer . . . you know is a good question to ask.  I think it’s a hard question for people to answer truthfully because I think . . .  I don’t wanna say people are fooling themselves into thinking they’re happy, but I don’t know.  And you know I can’t take credit for, you know, being such an introspective person about my life that I’ve, you know . . . that I’m not fooling myself that I’m happy.  I don’t know.  I just get the feeling that there are a lot of people, especially in the United States, that aren’t that happy with what they’re doing.  And I don’t know.  I think taking a good . . . maybe taking a good look at yourself and really kind of digging down.  And it’s like, “Is this really what I wanna be doing with my life?  Would I be happier doing something else?  Would I be happier with someone else?  Would I be happier with a family?  Would I be happier without a family?  Would I be happier if I took a lower paying job?  You know that means I don’t have a fancy car and I don’t get to go out to nice restaurants; but if I took a lower paying job, you know, doing something I really love, would that make me happier?”  And you know it might.

Recorded on: 10/9/07