Ecclesiastes 2:1 says, I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.  Solomon moved from an intellectual pursuit for happiness to becoming a party animal, so to speak.  When we are seemingly unable to find happiness in our lives today, we are often told we just need to get out and party with others more.  We need to laugh and enjoy life.  Now, there is nothing wrong with going out with friends and having a good time laughing, but if this becomes our soul purpose in life, it is going to leave us feeling that life is nothing of value.  We today start at a very young age looking for things to bring us pleasure and happiness and often spend most of our lives doing the same.  Solomon with all his riches couldn't find value in chasing happiness.  Verse two says, I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?  Trying to live in a world that is all laughter is indeed mad.  As a matter of fact, if we go through life laughing at everything, or in spite of everything, people will indeed call us mad.  Verse three says, I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.  Though Solomon sought to give himself to wine, he did it with wisdom.  Even when using wine to find answers to see what was good for mankind, he did it with wisdom.  Too often, when we are using wine, or any other mind altering substance, we leave wisdom out of the equation.  We use these things as a means of escape from reality, not to understand the world better.  Even though some drugs are professed to be mind expanding, they simply remove a person from reality.  Solomon, though King of God's people, was still looking to himself for answers about man's purpose.  We will never find God's answer by our own abilities.