Rich Mehan
Theology
Tolkien’s Six Keys to Happiness by Gregory Bassham

The first key to happiness is delight in simple things. Bassham states, “Hobbits are merry, good-natured folk who delight in simple pleasures: eating and drinking, pipe-smoking, gardening, wearing brightly colored clothing, attending parties, giving and receiving presents, making simple jests, and gathering at the village pubs with friends and neighbors.” Hobbits take pleasures in simple things, unlike humans who always want more. Humans are complex wanting expensive designer clothing, have to be popular, eat what they want when they want , and these things just to begin to give them a false happiness. Humans need to “be fit and have healthy bodies, have a positive self-esteem, feelings of control over our lives and our time, optimism. outgoingness, Challenging and meaningful work,” according to Bassam, and a few other things for humans to be happy If humans could be like hobbits or the more sophisticated elves everyone would be happy.

The second key to happiness is to make light of your troubles. The hobbits, according to Bassham, “work hard, love their family, show kindness, and have charity in their hearts”. “The hobbits ability to remain cheerful and unbowed in the face of hardship and suffering is one of their most endearing qualities. It is also, of course, a virtue praised by philosophers”.

The third key to happiness is to get personal. Hobbits have extended families live together, have a remarkable capacity for friendship, and never have divorces. If humans could have these 3 qualities I believe everyone would be a lot happier in the world.

The fourth key to happiness is cultivating good character. There is a strong connection between goodness and happiness. Goodness is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for being happy. Not all the Good people are happy but most are. All the bad people are not necessarily unhappy but most are unhappy. By nature humans need to feel loved, respected, trusted and appreciated just as hobbits do. But the difference is hobbit do feel these thing and most humans are lucky to feel a few.

The fifth key to happiness is cherish and create beauty. In the Lord of the Rings, Ugliness enervates and depresses, while beauty inspires and refreshes. We find happiness in beauty and creativity because that is where we came from and we are forced towards it.

The six key to happiness is to rediscover wonder. Some characters in the Lord of the Rings care for others more than themselves. Human need to understand care for other more than themselves and do this to be happy. They need to care for other more than themselves. They have to be men others.