I just had a conversation with some friends who just finished watching the movie “The Pursuit of Happiness.” They loved the movie and told me to see it.

Then I remembered, Oh yeah I saw this movie. (I am trying to forget that I sat through it.)
In case you have not seen it, do not bother. The pursuit of Happiness is 2 hours of suffering and 5 minutes of “happiness” - at least what the movie wants you to think as happiness.

And what is this happiness? It is the character becoming a stock broker. He has sacrificed his wife, his child, his life, and in return he becomes a stock broker so that he can make lots of money (and buy a sports car someday) In fact his decision to become a stock broker comes after he decides he wants to drive a sports car. You think this is happiness?

The fact that this movie is so popular; the fact that I was told to go see this movie by a number of people: It scares me. Some of these people including the ones I spoke to tonight think of them as Buddhist. I think that they do not understand the teachings of Buddhism. Sacrificing family and friends, lying to people so that you can become a stockbroker and make lots of money is not the path to happiness.

If you think that it is, I welcome your input as to why you think this. Oh, and by the way. I would be really interested in hearing about any factual or scientific findings to support your opinion.