re: Is sadness stronger than happiness
I do get your point, but think about it if there is some happy occasion and something bad happens, all the happiness just vanish, but if there is some sad occasion and something good (worth of making happy) happens we do get happy but not to full extent, cause we still have some of that sadness with us.
Its like sadness take total control on happiness
It is a battle of happy versus sad event, its perception as well as expression which eventually is observed.
So there are three steps:
1- The event
2- The preception of the event.
3- And the last one is expression of the event.
**All three variables make the result in the form of happiness or sadness.
**Do you see the last two of factors actually depend on the person and first one is merely an event?
*Hence it is up to the person 2/3rd of the time to bring the result.
*
When you say sadness is stronger or longer lasing, then this is very subjective. In your example it really depends on all three factors how strongly, the sad event during happy ocassion would take over; or vice versa.
As for the second factor above, a person who has for any reason happiness of mind will express the happiness outside and a sad person will do the opposite.
There is no generalized rule which can be applied universally when it comes to emotions felt by the people.
Have you not come across people who find sad event funny and happy event sad?
P.S. I notice your previous post had emphasis of repetition (over and over again) and now you are talking about strength or sustenance of the emotions.
P.S. 2 Good topic. :)