„In response to an essay competition posed by the Academy of Dijon—Has the restoration of the sciences and arts tended to purify morals?—Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued provocatively that it had not. In Discourse on the Arts and Sciences (1750), he mourned the erosion of virtue through the advancement of civilization, suggesting that the pursuit of progress often leaves humanity morally impoverished. Centuries later, on April 19, 2019, in a highly publicized debate at Meridian Hall in Toronto, Slavoj Žižek and Jordan Peterson debated the relationship between capitalism, Marxism, and happiness. Attended by an audience of 3,000, this discussion echoed Rousseau’s anxieties, albeit in a modern context of ideology and self-realization.
Rousseau’s skepticism toward the Enlightenment’s optimistic promises reverberates today, especially in a world shaped by rapid technological growth and the fragmentation of traditional values. Where Rousseau perceives decadence concealed beneath the pursuit of intellectual achievement, Žižek identifies a parallel in the paradoxes of late capitalism—a system that commodifies happiness while simultaneously deepening alienation. In contrast, Peterson presents happiness through a framework of individual responsibility, discipline, and the rediscovery of archetypal meaning, positioning his views closer to Rousseau’s call for a return to authentic human virtues.
The question then arises—can we truly reconcile the Enlightened promise of reason with an authentic pursuit of happiness, or does Rousseau’s warning about moral decay forecast our own dissonance? On the Pursuit of Happi-Mess reveals how the tension between individual well-being and societal structures remains an unresolved paradox and questions whether our age-old pursuit of knowledge and happiness aligns with morality or strays into contradictions.
Upon such inquiry, Rousseau’s own inconsistent behaviours, Žižek’s radical provocations, and Peterson’s polarizing rise to fame are naturally seen to complicate this line of thought. It is, therefore, through its highly controversial protagonists, that the book ultimately challenges the very enterprise of philosophy in the context of our times. The allure of their thought, once confined to academic circles, reflects how philosophical discussions have moved beyond traditional scholarly spaces and entered broader cultural conversations. This shift shows how philosophy is increasingly shaped by public discourse, with ideas and personalities influencing the way we address current societal issues.
On the Pursuit of Happi-Mess invites readers to critically assess whether these thinkers’ ideas still offer meaningful insight or have devolved into spectacle. Speak your truth on happi-mess.com.”
On the Pursuit of Happi-Mess (97 pages, 13x18cm) is a hybrid publication that reimagines Rousseau’s Discourse on the Arts and Sciences alongside Žižek and Peterson’s infamous debate. It explores ideology, happiness and contradictions in intellectual discourse, examining its complicated relationship to pop culture. The digital extension, happi-mess.com, allows for public contributions, reinforcing the project’s engagement with urgent publishing and alternative storytelling.