I think the best way I can sum my thoughts on that is that "it has to."

The drive of someday finding it for myself was what drove me to keep going even during the toughest times of my life. In that regard, I've never been able to settle for 'just pretending'. What definition and shape that happiness takes is going to be different, personal experience for everyone, and I don't pretend to know how others feel about it.

Whether everyone can reach what they consider to be genuine happiness is another thing, and I can only wish them the best.

I try not to think about it

Both

Look, happiness is just a word to talk about emotional experiences, it can only exist if the subjective point from which you see the world allows it to exist. Some external things would totally help (like living in a better society lmao) but in the end "being happy" is always an internal process.

This is too deep a question for 7AM... ummm probably!

i'm happy

Well, I feel like the closest thing I can get to it is deep interest and dedication. But I think it's possible. I'm just 5 years behind, plus 10 years previous to that. Wrong way and wrong track.

Genuine happiness is elusive and rare in this f*cked up world, but it definitely exists (especially in young children. Probably in animals too). Maybe some are pretending, but it seems to me that, for the most part, people are suffering honestly.

it deffo does but genuine feels like a ridiculous notion, happiness is happiness

It does exist. But it cannot exist when you are specifically looking for it. Happiness, as in being generally happy in your life and not just short lived feelings of love/gratefulness/etc, is a consequence of having your goals in life be fulfilled. If you are aiming for happiness then you can't be happy because there's nothing to trigger that happiness.

What a depressing question, huh
I believe genuine happiness does exist, even through it can be too rare or small for some

I think so?