General Studies Mains-2014 Paper-4 (Ethics and Integrity) Answer : Q-1-A

All human beings aspire for happiness. Do you agree? What does happiness mean to you? Explain with examples. (150 words)

Yes, the ultimate goal of life for man is happiness. All the activities of mankind are in the pursuit of happiness. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” To me, happiness is the freedom to pursue my goals and anything else that provides me contentment. Also, like Gandhi said, unity of the self is important to achieve happiness. I have a few goals, my aim is to achieve them, and I am free to pursue my dreams. This makes me happy irrespective of whether I achieve my goals or not. Mere fulfilment of goals does not guarantee happiness. For example, having a future aim to look forward to makes life meaningful, and makes me happy.