Reevaluating the Pursuit of Happiness

The concept of happiness, as outlined by the Founding Fathers, is not merely about feeling good but rather about embodying virtue and long-term moral excellence. Jefferson and Franklin drew from Cicero’s writings, particularly in *The Tusculum Disputations*, to define happiness as achieving a state of moral tranquility, which requires self-mastery and character improvement. This perspective shifts the understanding from immediate pleasures to the commitment to living a virtuous life, emphasizing that happiness is intrinsically tied to one's actions and moral integrity. Such insights reshape the narrative of the pursuit of happiness as a lifelong endeavor focused on personal and societal betterment.