In a system that creates so much pain, the demand for happiness is insidious at best. It is a cover for violence - like fresh snowfall on a toxic waste dump.

Refusing this imposed demand for happiness is also then a path towards refusing the imposed structures of pain and suffering, recognizing that life must always include pain. Our goal should not be to avoid all pain but to know the difference between a pain that is a natural outgrowth of life and one that is forced upon us.

I'll also dig into how the demand for happiness dehumanizes us, and those we demand it of, the importance of engaging with our pain and the pain of others, a few musings on kids, and more!

Lemme know how y'all feel about the refusal of happiness.

* There are oodles more of these episodes plus great deals on art, music and movies at Patreon.com/ArtKillingApathy