"Pursuit of happiness", to me, is pretty clear and elegant. I am not guaranteed happiness, but am allowed to pursue happiness.
It is similar to the misunderstanding around "health care is a right". The pursuit of health care is a right, but health care, itself, is not a right and can never really be a right. If you legally make health care, or happiness, a right then the government must provide it. There is no possible way the government can meet the legal requirements of that responsibility - at least not in a free society. Even in a totalitarian state it would be effectively impossible. Sure, the government could force people to become doctors, surgeons, nurses, and caregivers, but the quality of the health care would be poor.
We're looking for happiness in all the wrong places
"Pursuit of happiness", to me, is pretty clear and elegant. I am not guaranteed happiness, but am allowed to pursue happiness.
It is similar to the misunderstanding around "health care is a right". The pursuit of health care is a right, but health care, itself, is not a right and can never really be a right. If you legally make health care, or happiness, a right then the government must provide it. There is no possible way the government can meet the legal requirements of that responsibility - at least not in a free society. Even in a totalitarian state it would be effectively impossible. Sure, the government could force people to become doctors, surgeons, nurses, and caregivers, but the quality of the health care would be poor.