Poll: What would you do?

[Jenvas1306]

Lets say you have a brain tumor. That tumor isnt growing and its absolutely harmless, but it causes you to be happy all the time.
Would you get it removed? (the surgery would be as easy and low risk as brainsurgery can get)

 

[bojackx]

I voted yes.

I'm not entirely sure why, I just think life needs different levels of emotion to be interesting. Being constantly happy sounds boring.

 

[Dark_Reaction]

Anything that taints your perception of reality beyond your control is something you can - and should, I think - do without.

 

[disgruntledgamer]

Yes, better to be safe than sorry and there are times when you need to be sad or just don't want to be happy.

 

[Flamezdudes]

Anything that taints your perception of reality beyond your control is something you can - and should, I think - do without.

You could argue that the normal makeup of our brains does this anyway. We can already only perceive reality in a particular way.

 

[Marter]

We can guarantee that it's harmless?

I'm leaving it, then. I would adore being happy all the time.

 

[sextus the crazy]

Either's fine, really. They both have benefits, so I'll just go with whatever.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

If we're making the assumption that the surgery is at the lowest possible risk, yeah, I'd probably get it removed. I don't like the idea of being happy all the time if it isn't sincere.

The one thing that worries me is potential consequences. Is this a tumor I've had all my life? Am I completely unfamiliar with the concept of sadness/anger/etc? Because if that's the case, and I've never learned how to properly deal with negative emotions... they're going to end up hitting me like a ton of bricks. Even mild sadness, compared to my previous permanent glee, is going to likely be crippling.

 

[excalipoor]

I'm going for a second one. Hopefully it causes enough damage to make me forget that I had a brain tumor in the first place, so then I'll just be happy all the time and think there's nothing wrong with me.

 

[game-lover]

Happy as in even at inappropriate or scary-ish times? Such as after I get hit by a car or during a really hardcore tragedy movie?

If so, I get the surgery. If not, I'd probably let it be if it's not am immediate risk.

 

[Ice Car]

Yes. I like being a cynical socially awkward asshole.

 

[Rose and Thorn]

I would hate to be happy all the time, remove.

 

[Jenvas1306]

I'm just having one of these days, I'm happy for no reason and I find it weird, but aslo amusing. So i was wondering if that was the case every day, for a reason like a tumor.
Its really tough for me to answer my own question, but I guess I'd get it removed.
Sometimes you are sad and sometimes you are happy, I think both is important to value the other.

Btw, I'm terrible if I'm very happy, like really annoying.

 

[King of Asgaard]

I'd remove it, because you can't guarantee that it won't become harmful in the future.
But I'd like to ask a question: how do you define happy?
Is it a state of euphoria that never ends, resulting in nothing being able to get you down, or manipulation of your senses, making you experience what your individual perception of happiness is, regardless of what is really happening around you (kind of like the Pyro from TF2)?
I ask because it makes quite a large difference.
One way, you're an overly optimistic, jovial person, while the other way will have you perceived as mentally ill by those around you, and have you locked away.

 

[AnarchistFish]

I'd remove it and then grow it and sell bits to people for fucking trillions

 

[JoJo]

I'd keep, nothing wrong with being happy all the time, sounds pretty awesome. What we percieve as reality is largely subjective anyway so sure, bring on the mind-altering!

 

[Yopaz]

If a tumour is making you feel happy all of the time then it's blocking of some important neurotransmitters and it's obviously not a good thing. Being happy all the time might mean you're content all the time which might just mean that it might block off signals about other serious medical conditions which could be dangerous.

Now I'm not miserable enough to want fake happiness anyway.

 

[eternal-chaplain]

If I kept the tumor, I can see this going the way of that episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show in which Stimpy builds a helmet that makes Ren happy, indefinitely, and Ren goes insane.

 

[OneOfTheMichael's]

If its going to eventually kill me than yes. But other wise i think i can handle it.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

I'd get it removed. I think that having a static emotional state could negatively impact my decision making skills. Besides, I like my life well enough to not really have a need for constant artificial happiness. But I'm not going to lie, the idea is enticing.