"What is happiness?" This is a million-dollar question. Although the model does not explain what 'happiness' is, it explains how to attain it. In the "Order of Search" model, one who attains happiness is one who searches for truth - at the highest state of mind.
At stage one, we encounter the emotion of 'happiness'. We discover things that put us in good mood, and we interpret those emotions as 'happiness'. With a basic understanding of happiness, at second stage, we actively search for things that make us happy (answers) and avoid things that make us unhappy. This is perhaps the naievite of teenage years, when we only focus on stimulating the brain to release stints of dopamine without considering consequences of our actions.
At stage three, we are trimming down the list of things that make us happy; things such as "watching Teletubbies" and "Listening to Cinderella Story again" may fall off the list. As that list get smaller and smaller, we begin to search for reasons why certain things make us happy.
Take the scenario of a high school party-holic who is obsessed with partying and "having a good time". If the person is at stage two, he would continue his life of a party. If the person is at stage three, he would be searching for reasons why he enjoys partying so much, and based on his findings, he may or may not change his behaviour; reasoning that he loves parties because "parties make him forget his other problems" and "parties allow him to build an useful social network" will have different impacts on his future actions. In this scenario, the latter person is at a higher state of mind regardless the fact both persons are partyholics.
Without any more reason, in the highest level, happiness must be found from within as the person develops the mental capacity to tolerate, forgive, and love.
On Love
Before the days we had our first girlfriend/boyfriend, we didn't really know what love is. We sort of have an idea through observing the world, which urges us to "find love". This is the stage of searching for meaning, when we are searching for a girlfriend/boyfriend simply because we don't have one.
At the next maturity level, we developed an image of an ideal person whom we wish to form relationship with. That image becomes the answer we are searching for. Have you had a friend who once said "She/he is the only one for me". This statement suggests the person has yet to be searching for reasons. We can make such conclusion because, for one, the youth is using his/her partner to fill a mental space that would be otherwise empty. Second, the statement makes no logical sense as most of people who said this does end up moving onto another person he/she fancies.
In the third stage, we go back to question that "image" we developed. Does it reflect our own values? In the phenomenon of "high school relationship", many relationships are built on the basis of social gains. Dating a certain someone will automatically bring you give you a certain social status, or gain you entrance to a certain "group". This explains why most high school relationships fail once the "group" dissembles.
Of course, there are other reasons why we date someone. At the stage where we begin to search for those reasons, our relationships could either take a huge turn, or fluorish evermore. In either case, the search for reason remain to be a critical stage and reflect a higher state of mind than those who are searching for answers.
At the highest state of mind, one no longer searches for reasons as the person realizes love needs no reason. Love is therefore a selfless act.
On Life
As you probably guessed, asking "What is the meaning of life" implies a person is at the lowest mental and most immature state according to this model, which will bring forth some controversy. However in this model sees a person who is simply searching for the meaning of life is someone very confused and lack forsight. The person does not know what to do with his/her life and finds life rather meaningless, as such, this person is still seeking for the 'meaning of life'.
At the second stage, people are searching for answers and different things to do. They are the people out in the real world experimenting and living life by doing a variety of things. At this stage, they do not have a clear vision yet, but have a general direction.
In the next stage, a person searches for the reason of life. Having experienced many endeavours, at this stage they ought to find the purpose of his or her life. This is far more than simply "doing something", people are "doing something" with a purpose.
If asking "What is the meaning of life" is immature, what does a person at the highest level ask? Simply "What is life?". He or she is no longer searching for reasons as they've already found the purpose of life. What is missing is still the truth of life; things explainable beyond reasoning. They are no longer using reasons to explain what life is but simply accept life for what its outcomes...but only at death will the person understand life.
Note:
Since I have yet to find truth, I lack the truth to explain truth.
Now that you've seen the model and its practicality, please leave your thoughts below in the "Comment" section.
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