Throughout African culture, happiness can be a main issue in many households. African cultures are very different in the types of things that make them happy. Throughout the “west,” the things that seem to make us happy are all very different; they are often materialistic and can go away in the blink of an eye. In Africa and in its surrounding areas, the things that make Africans happy are just being able to live a comfortable life without disturbance and having a loving family to fall back on.
These views can be seen in an article in the South African Journal of Philosophy, where Lawrence Ogbo expresses his views by giving the reader experiences that he himself lived. Ogbo, who also based his reasoning “on analytical deduction from the available literature on African philosophy,” states that Africans have differing philosophies from the West (Ogbo 1). Coming from these views we see how a person can be happy just from the family around them that is able to support one’s decisions in life and making one happy. Yet a happy life does not accompany a purposeless life. Ogbo believes that while “happiness and a meaningful life are not equivalent,” a happy life does need purpose and meaning. This type of purpose and meaning can be found in home life, work life, social life, and the life that just resides in one person.
It is surprising to see how a life without material blessings can still lead to a life full of joy and happiness. Many times, it is the life that has stability and purpose that can be the most happy life. Through this study of Africa, we can see ways where people look beyond transient objects and instead find purpose in more abstract but real concepts.
Ugwuanyi, Lawrence Ogbo. “The Question of Happiness in African Philosophy.” South African Journal of Philosophy. Dec 2014.
Happiness 