Since I love to quote “Northern Exposure,” I am going to run with one of my favorite lines …

“There’s a dark side to each and every human soul. We wish we were Obi-Wan Kenobi, and for the most part we are, but there’s a little Darth Vadar in all of us. Thing is, this ain’t no either/or proposition. We’re talking about dialectics, the good and the bad merging into us. You can run but you can’t hide. My experience? Face the darkness, stare it down. Own it. As brother Nietzsche said, being human is a complicated gig. Give that old dark night of the soul a hug. Howl the eternal yes!”

As humans, we have created such complicated lives for ourselves. We are an “advanced” species (this is still up for debate) that thrives on power, money, sex and time. As a result, we find ourselves in a web of greed forever seeking “happiness.”

What is this happiness?

Happiness is not a “one size fits all.” It is different for everyone. We all have our separate needs and wants. Some of us are made happy by other people while others of us are made happy by sunshine and exercise. The simple fact - no other animal chases after rainbows quite like humans.

Since the human world revolves around computers and technology, a good example can be found in the popular video game - The Sims. Picture the screen where you get to choose the number of bars (1-10) that make up the personality of your character. It is really quite frightening when you think about it. You get to play God! You can make your character sloppy to neat, shy to outgoing, lazy to active, serious to playful, grouchy to nice. You also get to choose how the character looks and where he/she will live.

Welcome to the computer-generated universe …

Once you have decided the genetics of your character, it is time to play. If you think about it, The Sims world is not too far from the real world. The Sims have the same, needs, wants and desires – power, money, sex and time.

Environment and experience play a high role in the life of a Sims character. They have the same requirements for daily maintenance, such as personal hygiene, eating and sleeping. Some characters like these activities more than others, but I can guarantee it that your Sims character poops! If the simulated humans do not perform the proper amount of maintenance requirements, they will sicken and die.

The characters need personal development, such as reading, logic and exercise. They also need career development through skills, talents and knowledge. They have to go to work to make money just like you and me.

Sims also need fun and social interaction or else they get depressed. They enjoy many of the activities that we do, such as listening to music, watching television, playing on the computer, talking to people, flirting, hugging, shopping and more. And, yes, shopping is a must. You do it for them, but some characters are not happy unless they have expensive material possessions to accompany their consumer-driven lives. Sound familiar yet?

Now, through expansion packs, The Sims have complicated their lives almost to the point that they are actually human! They date, fall in love, have sex, get married (even same sex marriages), have children, have affairs, go dancing, become celebrities and even die. They are also not immune to natural disasters, such as floods, fires, tornados and hurricanes.

The real world …

I realize that life cannot be summed up by a video game. Humans are a lot more complicated than that. That is exactly my point! We are too complicated! We spend all our time looking for greener pastures rather than enjoying the here and now. We always want or need something else. Why can’t we just be happy with what we have?