post i didn't make to the sin bin

reflecting... thinking out loud... Obviously happiness -- joy --  is better. Misery is best used as a steppingstone to happiness... Elevating misery and melancholy can be  a way of making the best of a bad situation.  It's like Stockhom Syndrome, where the captive aligns with the captors.  Melancholic people sometimes band together for support and community (think "commune"), but can make the mistake of establishing permanent, proud, predictable residence there, rather than always keeping an eye on the goal of joy. Resentment of those gifted with an easy ongoing happiness and metastisize into a chronic state of sour grapes.   Misery sucks, for sure. The antidote is joy.