GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

What do each of the following quotations mean to you? (a) "The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."- Marcus Aurelius

Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2022–2024

Syllabus: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private and public relationships. Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

How toppers approached it

From all 4 answers · about 170 words · 25% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening3 of 4
  • A definition1 of 4

Body

  • Points2 of 4
  • Points and prose1 of 4
  • Continuous prose1 of 4

Close

  • A way forward3 of 4
  • A quotation1 of 4

The toppers’ answers

Parsanjeet KourAIR 11 · CSE 2022 · 165 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a definition

Happiness is an optimistic feeling which makes an individual feel good about himself as well as about others.

Body · continuous prose

Marcus Aurelius in this quotation remarks that happiness in life depends upon quality of thoughts and is dictated by how and what a person thinks and believes.

As an example Mother Teresa cherished thoughts of peace, service, help, honesty, gratitude and care and practice of these ideals in her service to Kolkata's poor and lepers gave her immense happiness.

Similarly, Adolf Hitler had thoughts of revenge, hatred, spiteful attitude, war and bloodshed and these gave him happiness when he did heinous genocide in deadly concentration camps which he referred as "DISINFECTION UNITS".

Thus what makes one happy is dependent on one's thoughts. Happiness derived from service to others is long lasting and eternal and one that is gained at costs of someone's tears is artificial and temporary.

Close · a way forward

Efforts should be to rejoice everlasting happiness. Life of APJ Abdul Kalam, Dr S. Radhakrishnan are role-models in this direction.

More on Dimensions of Ethics

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