Grandma, what has this world come to!

So I'm actually supposed to be reading for my AP homework, but instead of quickly finishing off the books, I keep finding myself completely astounded at what I read and ruminating on the matter instead of reading.

According to Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, (and I am holding this book accountable for giving me the true facts, and hoping that Pollan has researched enough) the United Nations declared, in 2000, that the number of people suffering from overnutrition had officially surpassed that of the people suffering from malnutrition. The race was not at all close with a billion versing 800 million.

Gluttony, one of the seven sins, is now nothing short of reality.

Food can be good, unless its spoiled or tastes bad.

Fittingly, I have just finished chapter 3 in Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and I believe that it is safe to say that humans, (mostly Americans) need to:

1.) Stop being arrogant fools.
2.) Stop messing with nature and it's ways.
3.) Stop industrializing every @#$%^&* thing.

I'm starting to think that Plato was indeed right in his philosophy that a democratic state or soul absolutely fails (see Plato's Republic, Book 8).

The Conservation of Happiness.

The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy can neither be created nor can it be destroyed.

The Law of Conservation of Happiness states that happiness can neither be created nor can it be destroyed.

Ok, FINE. There may not REALLY be a law like that, but hey, I am as good as any Einstein out there! So, I guess, I was just thinking a bit, and actually this idea has been in my brain for quite some while, and ya know what? There really is a thing as "the Law of Conservation of Happiness" even if the scientific community hasn't discovered it yet. I'll do them all a favor :)

But on a more serious note, have you ever noticed how ones happiness causes another distress? Even the smallest things. In order to make this clear, lets look at some simple examples (I like writing like Plato, ok?)

Lets consider a class at High School X. There are two students, student b and student a, both of whom take a test in that same class. Student a receives a 95% on that test, whereas student b receives a 83%. On one hand, we have student a gloating about his 95%. He/she goes home, and proudly tells his/her parent his/her great grade. On the other hand, we have student b, a student who is usually happy with anything above a C. However, hearing student a gloat about their near-perfect grade makes student b embarrassed about theirs. Student b no longer feels happy about himself/herself. Moreover, when student a finds out about the grade that student b gets, student a feels even happier about themselves. In this example, happiness that would have been student b's was taken away and given to student a. Happiness was conserved.

Ok, another example. We have an interviewer take an interview of potential employee g (pog) and potential employee b (pob). Both "po's" ate a good breakfast and led happy lives and so have happiness. Six weeks after the interview, they both receive a letter. Pog got a letter of acceptance into the company, and is asked to start in two days. Pox, on the other hand, got the typical "you have a lot of potential, but aren't right for this company" rejection letter. Pog is elated, whereas pox is not. Where does pog's extra happiness come from? It comes from pox. Pox is sad that he/she did not get accepted. Happiness is conserved.

As you can see from the two detailed examples above, happiness is conserved. Happiness, like mass or energy, can neither be created nor destroyed.

By the way, this is MY idea, and you should never try to steal something that is not yours. Although you will conserve happiness in doing so. :)