Is happiness just a marketing gimmick?

others try to measure it but of what standard and basis?One aspect of happiness is satisfaction.  Can you be happy if you are not satisfied?

Well, on a serious note, the essence of all religions, at least some, is to achieve eternal happiness before death. The trivialities which give shortlived happiness is not what the OP is looking for. Not trying to be dogmatic but the supreme and ultimate objective of human beings is to find 'sat-chit-ananda' which is eternal bliss by knowing the truth about our existence and feeling our soul being the part of the almighty.

In today's world, where exo-biology and astrophysics have given almost all these answers, the original concepts are still relevant to some extent if understood correctly.

@Segmund...got your point.  

Happiness does exist..if you don't agree, go to Bangkok and take a sandwich massage :)

Awww. Well, you are one of those few lucky ones who have found the secret of happiness. Happiness comrises little good things. Oftentimes, we humans endless search and wait for big things to happen to make us happy. In this pursuit, we fail to see the small things. And life comes to an end, and we never find happiness anywhere.

When my home is clean and neat,food is cooked,warm and ready to serve,I m alone at home, room is chilled and I m not expecting anybody for atleast 2 - 3 hours and I have choice to go to any place for exploring new things.... :)Trust me last wednesday I did it..I had been to Al Corniche to see the fish market for the first time,,than from there I had been to Souq for some small shopping and than back to home and still I had few hours on hand to take rest.....this is what is happiness to me...

I really do not know why people find it so difficult to define happiness. In fact, people have tried to write books in trying to come up with something proper and have yet not succeeded.I personally love to define things (everytime I define something, people ask me, hey where did you get that definition from). May be it is because as a child, I used to read the dictionary all the time. It was a kind of hobby for me. Let me try to define happiness. I must say there can be other ways to define happiness as well; therefore, my own definition, I must admit, is only one definition among others possible ones. Happiness is a state of mind in which an individual is satisfied with his environment, external as well as internal, has no sense of loss or want and feels particularly accomplished about an achievement. I can go on to explain happiness in detail but that would not qualify for a definition I guess.

If I explain in detail, it would lead to even further confusions. Let me put it bluntly, as much as we can. Our moms and dads did not do it for love of God. Now did they? :D They did it for the happiness, and we are here now. Remove happiness from it, and no one would do it. Life would cease to exist.

Agreed with FathimaH. Contentment is happiness.  We humans always crave for more and more. Happiness is contentment. Thanking god for who you are and what you are given. Happiness is found when you are in a mindset that Good, Bad, Loss, Gain, Victory,  & Failure is decided by god and it is a mere test.Depression in the other hand is when you crave for more and when you think of loosing something that you possess.So be content with what you possess, do not compare your lifestyle with others, prepare for the day of judgement and do justice to your concious. You will be happy.

I for one believe in happiness. For me happiness is essential. And contentment I believe is linked with it. To be happy and content is a great blessing IMO. And it is what our religion teaches us as well. In a hadith we learn that our Prophet said " "There is no harm in wealth for him who fears Allah, Who is Great and Glorious, but for him who fears Allah health is better than wealth, and a happy frame of mind is one of Allah's favours."(At Tirmidi) Happiness is something I constantly seek out and sadness I seek refuge from. 

No.. but love is.. :)

"Happiness is important to the existence of mankind. If there is no happiness, all human life would cease to exist".... How & why??? I do not agree.

Happiness is a workaday experience. It is as real as the sun in the heavens. If it be a myth, then verily human existence too is unreal. Happiness is important to the existence of mankind. If there is no happiness, all human life would cease to exist. Happiness, however, is difficult to define. It is because happiness may not mean the same thing to everyone. It is even not achieved the same way by everyone.Happiness is temporary and transient. But that is a good thing. A constancy of it would have left it impalpable.