The common thought experiment discusses, if you had a pill for ‘happiness’ and a pill for ‘truth’, well, which one would you choose? I dare to propose that the real question you might have to answer is slightly different, but perhaps even more difficult, for it is a real one and not a hypothetical: If you had a pill - or rather, a ‘pill’ - that gave you both happiness AND the truth, but made you DIFFERENT from everyone else, to a point where others might think you have gone quite stark raving mad – well, what would you do in this case? For I claim this is exactly the case; there is a truth to be understood, and this truth is relaxing and relieving to a point of euphoria.

For it is the truth that there is nothing to be taken ‘seriously’, nothing to be worried about, everything is quite alright just as it is, it always has been and always will be. Here in the West we are taught there are things that need to be done, and we must trouble ourselves and do them, and things will be very bad if we do not do them.

But this is not the case, and understanding this is not the case affords both the truth and near-ecstatic relief. You will be in the minority, however: most people are undeniably of the opinion that there is a great deal to fuss about, although they disagree on what exactly we should fuss and how exactly we should apply this fussing. So if you suggest that all this fuss is really not worth the hassle, you will be perceived as a lunatic. And now that might be a real price to pay. And so we come back to the question: it is really up to you, to choose the happy truth, or the social conventions. Choose wisely! It is not assured that you will be able to go back.