just some thoughts?

If untreated, depression and suicide would be even more deadly than they currently are. Depression and suicide, as well as other mental illnesses, go beyond just being sad and a bit blue, like many people believe. While our experience can play a part in developing mental illness, there is also evidence to put forward the theory of genetics and predisposition being involved and playing a significant part in specific kinds of depression. So, no, mental illnesses would still be there and they would be even worse because left untreated. I don't feel "pushed to be happy" in my life. Maybe a couple of your friends might be telling you to cheers up, but once you get out of school, trust me, people will stop telling you to cheer up and just let you be.

That is a really cool thought! I read something similar about self-esteem: our schooling grants a very false sense of self-confidence in students, which sets a very rocky foundation. Everyone wants a good thing, and when some people don't get it, they immediately assume something is wrong with them. Excellent insight. However, as @White Peach Jelly mentioned, there would still be mental illness for the genetically predispositioned. It could be argued however, that there might be less of a push of stress. Who knows. All in all, great question. You've gotten me thinking about it now

@Sentinel Now you got me thinking, too! (: I am more inclined to think that stress derives from society's push to achieve more and more and more rather than from society's push to be happy. I feel that, rather than pushing for us to be happy no matter what (which, for some, might mean a totally "not extraordinary" life), society pushes us to have a biased view of happiness as money, success, fame. Therefore, if happiness = success = push to overachieve = stress then happiness = stress would be true. The real issue, in my opinion, is not in happiness itself but in what "happiness" has ended up meaning. Another thought: if happiness and sadness were to be equal in society's view, then how would we understand emotions? Would we still celebrate happy moments? Would we celebrate sad moments, too? What about being bullied: would that be seen more leniently because sadness and being hurt are not seen as "a bad thing"? This whole "what if" would require a completely different emotional framework and, most likely, a completely different society! But it's fun to wonder...