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For Happiness (view source)

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{{trope}}
{{quote|'Cause I love to make you smile, smile, smile<br />
Yes I do<br />
It fills my heart with sunshine all the while<br />
Yes it does<br />
'Cause all I really need's a smile, smile, smile<br />
From these happy friends of mine
From these happy friends of mine|Pinkie Pie, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNrXMOSkBas "Smile Smile Smile"], ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]''}}
 
Bob really likes happiness. Not only for [[Protagonist -Centered Morality|himself]] or for his [[I Want My Beloved to Be Happy|loved ones]], but for everybody. [[Useful Notes/Ethical Hedonism|Since it's often impossible to let everyone be happy, he'll settle for as much happiness as possible to as many as possible]].
 
Let's, for example, say that [[For the Evulz|Alice is having a great time hurting Charlie]]. Bob disapproves: It's a good thing that she's doing something she enjoys, but it's not cool that she's doing it at his expense. Bob has no desire to punish her for her misdeeds, but might do so if that's the most efficient way to make her stop and to help Charlie get his self-esteem back.
 
While Bob might be any average guy, his desire to make happiness possible - and especially the fight against needless suffering that comes with it - might drive him to become a hero. In some interpretations of Order vs Chaos, Bob is a [[Chaotic Good]] kind of character who might clash with a [[Lawful Good]] hero who disregards [['''For Happiness]]''' in favor of having [[For Great Justice]] as his only driving principle. A hero who in such a setting embraceembraces BOTH''both'' [[For Happiness]] and [[For Great Justice]], keeping a balance between them when they clash, is [[Neutral Good]].
 
If the character is also promiscuous or such, he is itFor Happiness in an [[Ethical Slut]] kind of way. One way of maximizing happiness while keeping the risks of suffering minimal is to make sure that your play (sexually and otherwise) is [[Safe, Sane, and Consensual]].
 
This is an available basis for morality while being secular and without relying on "Because God and the priests said so."
 
Compare [[Good Feels Good]]. Compare ''and'' contrast [[Totalitarian Utilitarian]] and [[Happiness Is Mandatory]], as well as [[Getting Smilies Painted Onon Your Soul]].
 
{{examples|Examples}}▼
 
== Anime & Manga ==▼
 
▲{{examples|Examples}}
▲== [[Anime]] &and [[Manga ]] ==
* ''[[Black Lagoon]]'': Rock has this as his hobby. The rest of the cast thinks he's out of his mind, but they also think it's enough reason to let him live.
* ''[[Trigun]]'': Vash The Stampede LOVE AND PEACE!
* Elmer from ''[[Baccano (Light Novel)|Baccano!]]'' has this as his raison d'etre: he just wants everyone (particularly his more melancholy immortal bretheren) to smile.
** One of said immortal brethren, Begg Garoto, is developing [[Fantastic Drug|the perfect drug]] in the hopes of providing easy, instant happiness to everyone in the world.
* Love Momozono from ''[[Fresh Pretty Cure]]'', period.
* Tomoyo from ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura (Manga)|Cardcaptor Sakura]]''
* Nessa from ''[[Fractale]]'', who "loves love and hates hate."
* In ''[[G Gundam]]'', Domon and Rain modify {{spoiler|the [[Calling Your Attacks|attack call]] for the God Finger in the [[Grand Finale]] to reflect this attitude.}}
{{quote| {{spoiler|This hand of mine is burning red! Its loud cry tells us to grasp HAPPINESS! Erupting God Finger! Sekiha [[The Power of Love|Love! Love!]] Tenkyoken!}}}}
* Although he initially seems little more than a self-absorbed [[UpperclassUpper Class Twit]], [[Bishounen|Tama]][[Cloudcuckoolander|ki]] from ''[[Ouran High School Host Club]]'' actually subscribes to this philosophy. He wants to have fun, but he wants everyone else to have fun too.
 
== Comics ==▼
 
== [[Comic Books]] ==
* In ''Prime Baby'', the sluglike aliens turn out to be "missionaries of smiles and happy feelings". They hold sing-alongs and knit socks for the homeless.
* [[Superman]] is a rare [[Lawful Good]] example of this trope, at least with regards to his treasured home city of Metropolis. For the rest of the world, he usually takes a more low-profile [[For Great Justice]] route.
* In the ''[[Star Wars Expanded Universe]]'', the Zeltron [[Planet of Hats|hat]] is this...mostly. Justified as they're a race of empaths. If someone's unhappy, the whole block knows it and can feel it. The sociopaths of their species usually travel off-world to get away from the good cheer.
 
== [[Fan Film Works]] ==
* Harry Potter-Evans-Verres follows this in ''[[Harry Potter and Thethe Methods of Rationality (Fanfic)|Harry Potter-Evans-Verres]] follows this''. Rather than settling for less than making everyone become happy, he decided to try to [[A God Am I|become God]].▼
 
== [[Film]] ==
* [[Amelie]], who decides her destiny is to bring happiness and beauty to the lives of others - though she's not above cheating, fabricating, or deceiving to do so.
* In ''[[Happy Go Lucky|Happy-Go-Lucky]]'', Poppy just wants to share the joy and that everyone is happy. That goes so far as trying to cheer up even the grumpiest of people she meets.
* Giselle in ''[[Enchanted]]'' pretty much acts on this as her life philosophy, up to and including impromptu (delightful) musical numbers.
 
== Folk Hero [[Literature]] ==
* ''[[KushielsKushiel's Legacy|Kushiel's Mercy]]'' has Ptolmey Solon, the world's probably smartest man, who holds that happiness is the highest form of wisdom.▼
 
* ''[[Stranger in Aa Strange Land]]'' had Patricia Paiwonski, who "wanted to sacrifice herself on an altar of happiness for the world."▼
* Johnny Appleseed was famous for this. Though he spent most of his life a simple hermit, he made it his mission to cover the United States territories with apple trees so that everyone could enjoy their flowers and fruit. That and get drunk. Apple cider (what he was best remembered for giving to people) ferments very quickly.▼
* Vianne from the novel ''[[Chocolat]]'' doesn't believe in God or sin or forgiveness. She believes that "The only important thing is to be happy" - and does her best to make it happen with amazing gourmet chocolates. [[EverythingsEverything's Better Withwith Chocolate|Sounds like a solid strategy to me!]]▼
 
== Literature ==
 
▲* ''[[Kushiels Legacy|Kushiel's Mercy]]'' has Ptolmey Solon, the world's probably smartest man, who holds that happiness is the highest form of wisdom.
▲* ''[[Stranger in A Strange Land]]'' had Patricia Paiwonski, who "wanted to sacrifice herself on an altar of happiness for the world."
▲* Vianne from the novel ''[[Chocolat]]'' doesn't believe in God or sin or forgiveness. She believes that "The only important thing is to be happy" - and does her best to make it happen with amazing gourmet chocolates. [[Everythings Better With Chocolate|Sounds like a solid strategy to me!]]
* ''[[Wicked Lovely]]'' has the Summer court, who are described as 'happy by nature' and 'frivoulous and passoionate'. They oftentimes tell others to 'choose happiness'. However, due to their nature as part of [[The Fair Folk]], they often put happiness before things like morality and loyalty, on one occaision telling [[Badass Normal|Seth]] to leave [[Interspecies Romance|Aislinn]] because he'll be happier that way.
{{quote| "Sometimes it's not about being happy, but courting happiness." -Siobahn.}}
* [[Pollyanna]]'s reaction to life.
* In ''[[Animorphs (Literature)|Animorphs]]'', the Pemalites fit this trope to a T. Created by [[Sufficiently Advanced Alien|The Ellimist]] to spread life, love and freedom, they did exactly that... until [[Eldritch Abomination|Crayak's]] pet creation, the Howlers, straight-up [[Curb Stomp Battle|slaughtered their asses.]] It's worth noting that the Howlers {{spoiler|are also like this, Crayak just gave them a warped sense of what people find fun.}}
* ''[[Brave New World (Literaturenovel)|Brave New World]]'' is a [[Totalitarian Utilitarian|merciless]] [[Deconstructed Trope|deconstruction]]: the government makes sure people are basically [[Happiness in Slavery|enslaved to happiness]].
{{quote| "Happiness is a hard master—particularly other people's happiness."}}
* [[Jeeves and Wooster (Literaturenovel)|Bertie Wooster]] is [[UpperclassUpper Class Twit|rolling in the right stuff]], [[Lazy Bum|unashamed of his useless lifestyle]], and spends all his time either going to clubs and golf courses or [[The Dandy|shopping for clothes]]. He'll let his exuberant way of life get interrupted for one reason only--[[Spoiled Sweet|if he has to help a pal in distress]]. As far as that goes, [[Extreme Doormat|he's willing to survive anything]].
 
== [[Live -Action TV ]] ==
* ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'': As the self-appointed "Morale Officer", the character Neelix is constantly trying to live up to this trope.▼
 
▲* ''[[Star Trek Voyager]]'': As the self-appointed "Morale Officer", the character Neelix is constantly trying to live up to this trope.
* Yuusuke Godai, the hero of ''[[Kamen Rider Kuuga]]'' fights to protect people's smiles; likewise his [[Alternate Universe]] [[Expy]] Yuusuke Onodera from ''[[Kamen Rider Decade]]''.
* In ''[[Kamen Rider Double]]'', Shotaro Hidari makes it his mission to make sure no one in Futo cries. The fastest way to [[Berserk Button|set him off]] is to make sombody cry in his presence.
* In the ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]'' serial ''[[Doctor Who (TV)/Recap/S3 /E10 The War Machines|The War Machines]]'', the bartender asks Polly to help cheer up Ben. Polly comments on how reliably she is called on for such measures.
 
== [[Oral Tradition]], Folklore, myths and Legends ==
== Tabletop Games ==▼
▲* Johnny Appleseed was famous for this. Though he spent most of his life a simple hermit, he made it his mission to cover the United States territories with apple trees so that everyone could enjoy their flowers and fruit. That and get drunk. Apple cider (what he was best remembered for giving to people) ferments very quickly.
 
▲== [[Tabletop Games ]] ==
* In the ''[[Dungeons and& Dragons]]'' setting [[Scarred Lands]], the titan Gulaben held the powers of granting happiness. The mortal peoples believed her to be [[For Happiness]], and her popularity made her a threat to the God's reign over the world. Claiming that her power was merely a sinister kind of [[Getting Smilies Painted Onon Your Soul]], the Gods captured her and destroyed all memories of her so that no one would try to set her free. The official truth is that she was a fickle and cruel titan, she might kill you even as she induces pleasure beyond imagination. The gods simply [[I Did What I Had to Do|did what they had to do]]. And since no longer remember the real truth about Gulaben, we'll just have to take their word for it.
 
== [[Video Games ]] ==
* This is the rallying cry of Hayama Mizuki from ''[[Ef: aA Fairy Tale of Thethe Two.]]''.▼
* This is pretty much [[Darkstalkers (Video Game)|Felicia's]] outlook on life -- pursuelife—pursue happiness, and try to make as many other people happy as possible along the way.▼
 
▲== [[Web Comics ]] ==
▲* This is the rallying cry of Hayama Mizuki from ''[[Ef a Fairy Tale of The Two]]''.
* In ''[[OrderThe of the Stick (Webcomic)|Order of the Stick]]'', Elan and his mother both always try their best to live up to this trope.▼
▲* This is pretty much [[Darkstalkers (Video Game)|Felicia's]] outlook on life -- pursue happiness, and try to make as many other people happy as possible along the way.
 
== Web Comics ==
 
▲* In ''[[Order of the Stick (Webcomic)|Order of the Stick]]'', Elan and his mother both always try their best to live up to this trope.
* In ''[[Bob the Angry Flower]]'', Bob realizes that he owes a lot of kharma. Since being nicer to people would be to much work, he decides to just dump fifty pounds of Ecstasy in the water supply.
* One ''[[Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal]]'' [http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2569#comic strip] start out with featuring a [[Straw Character]] version of [[For Happiness]]. He soon becomes a [[Totalitarian Utilitarian]], however.
* ''Redpanels'' [http://www.redpanels.com/114 #114] illustrates a little downside of Utilitarianism.
* ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' has "[[Happiness Is Mandatory]]" version in 4U City. There are [https://archives.sluggy.com/book.php?chapter=60#2009-09-10 some side effects], and not only because too many people are too drugged to do complex jobs or [https://archives.sluggy.com/book.php?chapter=60#2009-09-09 tell] their lecturer from a pink balloon with crudely drawn face.
{{quote|'''plumber''': 4U City's primary goal is happiness, and plastic flange gaskets make us pipe-works guys very happy.}}
 
== [[Web Original ]] ==
* The [[Exactly What It Says Onon the Tin|aptly named]] Maximum Fun-Fun Ultra Super Happy People from ''[[Three Worlds Collide]]''.▼
 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171124092657/http://owlturd.com/post/167461344084 This] ''Owl Turd'' had many responses, thus creating an Utilitarianism [http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/1315695-my-bike-got-stolen-recently internet meme].
▲* The [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|aptly named]] Maximum Fun-Fun Ultra Super Happy People from ''[[Three Worlds Collide]]''.
 
== Western Animation ==▼
 
▲== [[Western Animation ]] ==
* ''[[Care Bears]]'' more or less revolves around this trope.
* Iroh from ''[[Avatar: The Last Airbender]]''.
* Finn from ''[[Adventure Time (Animation)|Adventure Time]]'' wants to solve everyone's problems. In another show, the way this was set up would lead to him realizing he can't, and making most people happy, or [[Sweet and Sour Grapes|giving up but finding that making himself happy makes everyone else happier]]. But this is ''[[Crazy Awesome|Adventure Time]]'', after all. So [[Determinator|he does]] [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|it.]]
** He does eventually learn that he can't make everybody ''like'' him for or by doing so though.
* [[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|Pinkie Pie]]'s talent is making people happy, often via parties. Her song [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNrXMOSkBas "Smile Smile Smile"] (from the episode "[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)/Recap/S2 /E18 A Friend in Deed|A Friend In Deed]]") could be the anthem of this trope.
 
== Fan Fiction ==
 
▲* [[Harry Potter and The Methods of Rationality (Fanfic)|Harry Potter-Evans-Verres]] follows this. Rather than settling for less than making everyone become happy, he decided to try to [[A God Am I|become God]].
 
== Real Life ==▼
 
▲== [[Real Life ]] ==
* This ethical position is an important form of utilitarian philosophy, and has been consistently popular among moral philosophers since the Enlightenment. Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill were both major developers of the theory, although "happiness" may sometimes be replaced with a more generally defined "good" or "well-being", or something else altogether like "freedom" or "beauty".
* The United States' Declaration of Independence includes "the pursuit of Happiness" as one of man's inalienable rights.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Trope{{PAGENAME}}]]▼
[[Category:Happiness Tropes]]
[[Category:Idealism Tropes]]
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[[Category:Hero Tropes]]
[[Category:Philosophy Tropes]]
[[Category:For Happiness]]
▲[[Category:Trope]]
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