Conquest of Happiness

8/13/2019 Conquest of Happiness

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of the liht of da*+ To p$e.ent the pe$petuation of po.e$t* is ne%essa$* if theenefits of a%hine p$odu%tion a$e to a%%$ue in an* de$ee to those ost inneed of the; ut what is the use of a'in e.e$*od* $i%h if the $i%hthesel.es a$e ise$ale 8du%ation in %$uelt* and fea$ is ad, ut no othe$'ind %an e i.en * those who a$e thesel.es the sla.es of these passions+These %onside$ations lead us to the p$ole of the indi.idual what %an a

an o$ woan, he$e and now, in the idst of ou$ nostali% so%iet*, do toa%hie.e happiness fo$ hiself o$ he$self -n dis%ussin this p$ole, - shall%onfine * attention to those who a$e not sue%t to an* e"t$ee %ause ofoutwa$d ise$*+ - shall assue a suffi%ient in%oe to se%u$e food andshelte$, suffi%ient health to a'e o$dina$* odil* a%ti.ities possile+ - shallnot %onside$ the $eat %atast$ophes su%h as loss of all one7s %hild$en, o$puli% dis$a%e+ The$e a$e thins to e said aout su%h atte$s, and the* a$eipo$tant thins, ut the* elon to a diffe$ent o$de$ f$o the thins that -wish to sa*+ 4* pu$pose is to suest a %u$e fo$ the o$dina$* da*toda*unhappiness f$o whi%h ost people in %i.ilised %ount$ies suffe$, and whi%his all the o$e unea$ale e%ause, ha.in no o.ious e"te$nal %ause, itappea$s ines%apale+ - elie.e this unhappiness to e .e$* la$el* due toista'en .iews of the wo$ld, ista'en 7ethi%s, ista'en haits of life,leadin to dest$u%tion of that natu$al est and appetite fo$ possile thinsupon whi%h all happiness, whethe$ of en o$ anials, ultiatel* depends+These a$e atte$s whi%h lie within the powe$ of the indi.idual, and - p$oposeto suest the %hanes * whi%h his happiness, i.en a.e$ae ood fo$tune,a* e a%hie.ed+

#e$haps the est int$odu%tion to the philosoph* whi%h - wish to ad.o%ate wille a few wo$ds of autoio$aph*+ - was not o$n happ*+ As a %hild, *fa.ou$ite h*n was 72ea$* of ea$th and laden with * sin7+ At the ae offi.e, - $efle%ted that, if - should li.e to e se.ent*, - had onl* endu$ed, so fa$,a fou$teenth pa$t of * whole life, and - felt the lonsp$ead out o$edoahead of e to e alost unendu$ale+ -n adoles%en%e, - hated life and was%ontinua$* on the .e$e of sui%ide, f$o whi%h, howe.e$, - was $est$ained *the desi$e to 'now o$e atheati%s+

ow, on the %ont$a$*, - eno* life; - iht alost sa* that with e.e$* *ea$that passes - eno* it o$e+ This is due pa$tl* to ha.in dis%o.e$ed whatwe$e the thins that - ost desi$ed and ha.in $aduall* a%qui$ed an* ofthese thins+ #a$tl* it is due to ha.in su%%essfull* disissed %e$tain oe%tsof desi$e su%h as the a%quisition of induitale 'nowlede aout soethino$ othe$ as essentiall* unattainale+ 5ut .e$* la$el* it is due to a

diinishin p$eo%%upation with *self+

Li'e othe$s who had a #u$itan edu%ation, - had the hait of editatin on *sins, follies, and sho$t%oins+ - seeed to *self no dout ustl* aise$ale spe%ien+

:$aduall* - lea$ned to e indiffe$ent to *self and * defi%ien%ies; - %ae to%ent$e * attention in%$easinl* upon e"te$nal oe%ts the state of thewo$ld, .a$ious $an%hes of 'nowlede, indi.iduals fo$ who - felt affe%tion+8"te$nal inte$ests, it is t$ue, $in ea%h its own possiilit* of pain the wo$lda* e pluned in wa$, 'nowlede in soe di$e%tion a* e ha$d to a%hie.e,

f$iends a* die+ 5ut pains of these 'inds do not dest$o* the essential qualit*of life, as do those that sp$in f$o disust with self+ And e.e$* e"te$nalinte$est inspi$es soe a%ti.it* whi%h, so lon as the inte$est $eains ali.e, is


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a %oplete p$e.enti.e of ennui+ -nte$est in oneself, on the %ont$a$*, leads tono a%ti.it* of a p$o$essi.e 'ind+ -t a* lead to the 'eepin of a dia$*, toettin ps*%hoanal*sed, o$ pe$haps to e%oin a on'+ 5ut the on' willnot e happ* until the $outine of the onaste$* has ade hi fo$et his ownsoul+

The happiness whi%h he att$iutes to $eliion he %ould ha.e otained f$oe%oin a %$ossinsweepe$, p$o.ided he we$e %opelled to $eain one+8"te$nal dis%ipline is the onl* $oad to happiness fo$ those unfo$tunateswhose selfaso$ption is too p$ofound to e %u$ed in an* othe$ wa*+

The ps*%holoi%al %auses of unhappiness, it is %lea$, a$e an* and .a$ious+5ut all ha.e soethin in %oon+ The t*pi%al unhapp* an is one who,ha.in een dep$i.ed in *outh of soe no$al satisfa%tion, has %oe to.alue this one 'ind of satisfa%tion o$e than an* othe$, and has the$efo$ei.en to his life a onesided di$e%tion, toethe$ with a quite undue ephasisupon the a%hie.eent as opposed to the a%ti.ities %onne%ted with it+ The$eis, howe.e$, a fu$the$ de.elopent whi%h is .e$* %oon in the p$esent da*+A an a* feel so %opletel* thwa$ted that he see's no fo$ of satisfa%tion,ut onl* dist$a%tion and oli.ion+ He then e%oes a de.otee of 7pleasu$e7+That is to sa* he see's to a'e life ea$ale * e%oin less ali.e+

$un'enness, fo$ e"aple, is tepo$a$* sui%ide; the happiness that it $insis e$el* neati.e, a oenta$* %essation of unhappiness+ The na$%issistand the ealoania% elie.e that happiness is possile, thouh the* a*adopt ista'en eans of a%hie.in it; ut the an who see's into"i%ation, inwhate.e$ fo$, has i.en up hope e"%ept in oli.ion+ -n his %ase, the fi$stthin to e done is to pe$suade hi that happiness is desi$ale+ 4en who a$eunhapp*, li'e en who sleep adl*, a$e alwa*s p$oud of the fa%t+ #e$hapsthei$ p$ide is li'e that of the fo" who had lost his tail; if so, the wa* to %u$e itis to point out to the how the* %an $ow a new tail+


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Chapte$ = 5*$oni% Unhappiness

-t is %oon in ou$ da*, as it has een in an* othe$ pe$iods of the wo$ld7shisto$*, to suppose that those aon us who a$e wise ha.e seen th$ouh allthe enthusiass of ea$lie$ ties and ha.e e%oe awa$e that the$e isnothin left to li.e fo$+ The en who hold this .iew a$e enuinel* unhapp*,

ut the* a$e p$oud of thei$ unhappiness, whi%h the* att$iute to the natu$e ofthe uni.e$se and %onside$ to e the onl* $ational attitude fo$ an enlihtenedan+ Thei$ p$ide in thei$ unhappiness a'es less sophisti%ated peoplesuspi%ious of its enuineness; the* thin' that the an who eno*s einise$ale is not ise$ale+

This .iew is too siple; undoutedl* the$e is soe sliht %opensation in thefeelin of supe$io$it* and insiht whi%h these suffe$e$s ha.e, ut it is notsuffi%ient to a'e up fo$ the loss of siple$ pleasu$es+ - do not *self thin'that the$e is an* supe$io$ $ationalit* in ein unhapp*+ The wise an will eas happ* as %i$%ustan%es pe$it and if he finds the %onteplation of theuni.e$se painful e*ond a point, he will %onteplate soethin else instead+This is what - wish to p$o.e in the p$esent %hapte$+ - wish to pe$suade the$eade$ that, whate.e$ the a$uents a* e, $eason la*s no ea$o uponhappiness; na*, o$e, - a pe$suaded that those who quite sin%e$el*att$iute thei$ so$$ows to thei$ .iews aout the uni.e$se a$e puttin the %a$tefo$e the ho$se the t$uth is that the* a$e unhapp* fo$ soe $eason of whi%hthe* a$e not awa$e, and this unhappiness leads the to dwell upon the lessa$eeale %ha$a%te$isti%s of the wo$ld in whi%h the* li.e+

-t is fo$tunate fo$ lite$a$* en that people no lone$ $ead an*thin w$ittenlon ao, fo$ if the* did the* would %oe to the %on%lusion that, whate.e$a* e said aout pools of wate$, the a'in of new oo's is %e$tainl*.anit*+ -f we %an show that the do%t$ine of 8%%lesiastes is not the onl* oneopen to a wise an, we need not t$oule ou$sel.es u%h with the late$e"p$essions of the sae ood+

-n an a$uent of this so$t we ust distinuish etween a ood and itsintelle%tual e"p$ession+ The$e is no a$uin with a ood; it %an e %haned* soe fo$tunate e.ent, o$ * a %hane in ou$ odil* %ondition, ut it %annote %haned * a$uent+ - ha.e f$equentl* e"pe$ien%ed *self the ood inwhi%h - felt that all is .anit*; - ha.e ee$ed f$o it not * eans of an*philosoph*, ut owin to soe ipe$ati.e ne%essit* of a%tion+

-f *ou$ %hild is ill, *ou a* e unhapp*, ut *ou will not feel that all is .anit*;*ou will feel that the $esto$in of the %hild to health is a atte$ to eattended to $ea$dless of the question whethe$ the$e is ultiate .alue inhuan life o$ not+ A $i%h an a*, and often does, feel that all is .anit*, utif he should happen to lose his one*, he would feel that his ne"t eal was* no eans .anit*+

The feelin is one o$n of a too eas* satisfa%tion of natu$al needs+ The huananial, li'e othe$s, is adapted to a %e$tain aount of st$ule fo$ life, andwhen * eans of $eat wealth hoo sapiens %an $atif* all his whiswithout effo$t, the e$e asen%e of effo$t f$o his life $eo.es an essential

in$edient of happiness+ The an who a%qui$es easil* thins fo$ whi%h hefeels onl* a .e$* ode$ate desi$e %on%ludes that the attainent of desi$edoes not $in happiness+ -f he is of a philosophi% disposition, he %on%ludes


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that huan life is essentiall* w$et%hed, sin%e the an who has all he wantsis still unhapp*+ He fo$ets that to e without soe of the thins *ou want isan indispensale pa$t of happiness+

>o u%h fo$ the ood+ The$e a$e, howe.e$, also intelle%tual a$uents in8%%lesiestes+

The $i.e$s $un into the sea; *et the sea is not full+ The$e is no new thin unde$ the sun+ The$e is no $ee$an%e of fo$e$ thins+ - hated all * laou$ whi%h - had ta'en unde$ the sun e%ause - should lea.e it unto the an that shall e afte$ e+

-f one we$e to attept to set up these a$uents in the st*le of a ode$nphilosophe$ the* would %oe to soethin li'e this 4an is pe$petuall*toilin, and atte$ is pe$petuall* in otion *et nothin aides, althouh thenew thin that %oes afte$ it is in no wa* diffe$ent f$o what has oneefo$e+ A an dies, and his hei$ $eaps the enefits of his laou$s; the $i.e$s$un into the sea, ut thei$ wate$s a$e not pe$itted to sta* the$e+ /.e$ ando.e$ aain in an endless pu$poseless %*%le en and thins a$e o$n and diewithout ip$o.eent, without pe$anent a%hie.eent, da* afte$ da*, *ea$afte$ *ea$+ The $i.e$s, if the* we$e wise, would sta* whe$e the* a$e+>oloon, if he we$e wise, would not plant f$uit t$ees of whi%h his son is toeno* the f$uit+

5ut in anothe$ ood how diffe$ent all this loo's+ o new thin unde$ thesun 2hat aout s'*s%$ape$s, ae$oplanes, and the $oad%ast spee%hes ofpoliti%ians 2hat did >oloon 'now aout su%h thins 8%%lesiastes wasnot, of %ou$se, $eall* w$itten * >oloon, ut it is %on.enient to allude to theautho$ * this nae -f he %ould ha.e hea$d on the wi$eless the spee%h ofthe ?ueen of >hea to he$ sue%ts on he$ $etu$n f$o his doinions, wouldit not ha.e %onsoled hi aon his futile t$ees and pools -f he %ould ha.ehad a p$ess%uttin aen%* to let hi 'now what the newspape$s said aoutthe eaut* of his a$%hite%tu$e, the %ofo$ts of his ha$e, and thedis%ofitu$es of $i.al saes in a$uent with hi, %ould he ha.e one onsa*in that the$e is no new thin unde$ the sun -t a* e that these thinswould not ha.e wholl* %u$ed his pessiis, ut he would ha.e had to i.e ita new e"p$ession+ -ndeed, one of 4$ @$ut%h7s %oplaints of ou$ tie is thatthe$e a$e so an* new thins unde$ the sun+ -f eithe$ the asen%e o$ thep$esen%e of no.elt* is equall* anno*in, it would ha$dl* see that eithe$

%ould e the t$ue %ause of despai$+ Aain, ta'e the fa%t that 7all the $i.e$s $uninto the sea, *et the sea is not full; unto the pla%e f$o when%e the $i.e$s%oe, thithe$ the* $etu$n aain7+ ea$ded as a $ound fo$ pessiis, thisassues that t$a.el is unpleasant+ #eople o to health $eso$ts in the sue$,*et $etu$n aain unto the pla%e when%e the* %ae+ This does not p$o.e that itis futile to o to health $eso$ts in the sue$+ -f the wate$s we$e endowedwith feelin, the* would p$oal* eno* the ad.entu$ous %*%le atfe$ theanne$ of >helle*7s Cloud+ As fo$ the painfulness of lea.in thins to one7shei$, that is a atte$ that a* e loo'ed at f$o two points of .iew f$o thepoint of .iew of the hei$ it is distin%tl* less disast$ous+ o$ is the fa%t that allthins pass in itself an* $ound fo$ pessiis+ -f the* we$e su%%eeded *

wo$se thins, that would e a $ound, ut if the* a$e su%%eeded * ette$thins, that is a $eason fo$ optiis+ 2hat a$e we to thin' if, as >oloonaintains, the* a$e su%%eeded * thins e"a%tl* li'e thesel.es oes not


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this a'e the whole p$o%ess futile 8phati%all* not, unless the .a$iousstaes of the %*%le a$e thesel.es painful+ The hait of loo'in to the futu$eand thin'in that the whole eanin of the p$esent lies in what it will $info$th is a pe$ni%ious one+ The$e %an e no .alue in the whole unless the$e is.alue in the pa$ts+ Life is not to e %on%ei.ed on the analo* of a elod$aain whi%h the he$o and he$oine o th$ouh in%$edile isfo$tunes fo$ whi%h

the* a$e %opensated * a happ* endin+ - li.e and ha.e * da*, * sonsu%%eeds e and has his da*, his son in tu$n su%%eeds hi+ 2hat is the$e inall this to a'e a t$aed* aout /n the %ont$a$*, if - li.ed fo$ e.e$ the o*sof life would ine.ital* in the end lose thei$ sa.ou$+ As it is, the* $eainpe$enniall* f$esh+

- wa$ed oth hands efo$e the fi$e; -t sin's, and - a $ead* to depa$t+

This attitude is quite as $ational as that of indination with death+ -f,the$efo$e, oods we$e to e de%ided * $eason, the$e would e quite asu%h $eason fo$ %hee$fulness as fo$ despai$+

78%%lesiastes7 is t$ai%; 4$ @$ut%h7s 4ode$n Tepe$ is patheti%+ 4$ @$ut%h, atotto, is sad e%ause the old edie.al %e$tainties ha.e %$uled, and alsosoe that a$e of o$e $e%ent o$iin+ 7As fo$ this p$esent unhapp* tie,7 hesa*s, 7haunted * hosts f$o a dead wo$ld and not *et at hoe in its own,its p$edi%aent is not unli'e the p$edi%aent of the adoles%ent who has not*et lea$ned to o$ient hiself without $efe$en%e to the *tholo* aid whi%hhis %hildhood was passed+7 This stateent is enti$el* %o$$e%t as applied to a%e$tain se%tion of intelle%tuals, those, nael*, who, ha.in had a lite$a$*edu%ation, %an 'now nothin of the ode$n wo$ld, and ha.in th$ouhoutthei$ *outh een tauht to ase elief upon eotion, %annot di.estthesel.es of that infantile desi$e fo$ safet* and p$ote%tion whi%h the wo$ldof s%ien%e %annot $atif*+ 4$ @$ut%h, li'e ost othe$ lite$a$* en, is osessedwith the idea that s%ien%e has not fulfilled its p$oises+ He does not, of%ou$se, tell us what these p$oises we$e, ut he sees to thin' that si"t**ea$s ao en li'e a$win and Hu"le* e"pe%ted soethin of s%ien%e whi%hit has not i.en+ - thin' this is an enti$e delusion; foste$ed * those w$ite$sand %le$*en who do not wish thei$ spe%ialties to e thouht of little .alue+

That the wo$ld %ontains an* pessiists at the p$esent oent is t$ue+The$e ha.e alwa*s een an* pessiists whene.e$ the$e ha.e een an*people whose in%oe has diinished+ 4$ @$ut%h, it is t$ue, is an Ae$i%an,

and Ae$i%an in%oes, on the whole, ha.e een in%$eased * the 2a$, utth$ouhout the Continent of 8u$ope the intelle%tual %lasses ha.e suffe$edte$$il*, while the 2a$ itself a.e e.e$*one a sense of instailit*+ >u%h so%ial%auses ha.e a $eat deal o$e to do with the ood of an epo%h than has its7theo$* as to the natu$e of the wo$ld+ !ew aes ha.e een o$e despai$inthan the thi$teenth %entu$*, althouh that faith whi%h 4$ @$ut%h so $e$etswas then fi$l* ente$tained * e.e$*one e"%ept the 8pe$o$ and a few $eat-talian noles+ Thus oe$ 5a%on sa*s 7!o$ o$e sins $ein in these da*s ofou$s than in an* past ae, and sin is in%opatile with wisdo+ Let us see all%onditions in the wo$ld, and %onside$ the dilientl* e.e$*whe$e we shallfind oundless %o$$uption, and fi$st of all in the Head + + + Le%he$* dishonou$s

the whole %ou$t, and lutton* is lo$d of all + + + -f then this is done in theHead, how is it in the ee$s >ee the p$elates how the* hunt afte$ one*and nele%t the %u$e of souls + + + Let us %onside$ the eliious /$de$s -


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e"%lude none f$o what - sa*+ >ee how the* a$e fallen, one and all, f$othei$ $iht state; and the new /$de$s (of !$ia$s) a$e al$ead* ho$$il* de%a*edf$o thei$ fi$st dinit*+ The whole %le$* is intent upon p$ide, le%he$*, anda.a$i%e and whe$esoe.e$ %le$'s a$e athe$ed toethe$, as at #a$is and/"fo$d, the* s%andalise the whole lait* with thei$ wa$s and qua$$els andothe$ .i%es + + + one %a$e what is done, o$ how, * hoo' o$ * %$oo',

p$o.ided onl* that ea%h %an fulfill his lust+7 Con%e$nin the paan saes ofantiquit*, he sa*s 7Thei$ li.es we$e e*ond all %opa$ison ette$ than ou$s,oth in all de%en%* and in %ontept of the wo$ld, with all its delihts and$i%hes and honou$s; as all en a* $ead in the wo$'s of A$istotle+ >ene%a,Tull*+ A.i%enna, Alfa$aius, #lato, >o%$ates, and othe$s; and so it was thatthe* attained to the se%$ets of wisdo and found out all 'nowlede+7B oe$5a%on7s opinion was that of all his lite$a$* %ontepo$a$ies, not one of wholi'ed the ae in whi%h he found hiself+ - do not fo$ a oent elie.e thatthis pessiis had an* etaph*si%al %ause+ -ts %auses we$e wa$, po.e$t*,and .iolen%e+

/ne of 4$ @$ut%h7s ost patheti% %hapte$s deals with the sue%t of lo.e+ -tappea$s that the


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This assues that %oati.eness is the onl* possile attitude towa$ds thewo$ld at la$e+ 2h* 5e%ause the wo$ld is %$uel, 5$ownin would sa*+5e%ause it will not a%%ept *ou at *ou$ own .aluation, we should sa*+ A %ouplea* fo$, as the 5$ownins did, a utual adi$ation so%iet*+ -t is .e$*pleasant to ha.e soeone at hand who is su$e to p$aise *ou$ wo$', whethe$it dese$.es it o$ not+ And 5$ownin undoutedl* felt that he was a fine,

anl* fellow when he denoun%ed !ite$ald in no easu$ed te$s fo$ ha.inda$ed not to adi$e Au$o$a Leih+ - %annot feel that this %opletesuspension of the %$iti%al fa%ult* on oth sides is $eall* adi$ale+ -t is oundup with fea$ and with the desi$e to find a $efue f$o the %old lasts ofipa$tial %$iti%is+ 4an* old a%helo$s lea$n to de$i.e the sae satisfa%tionf$o thei$ own fi$eside+

- li.ed too lon *self in the


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-n the se%ond pla%e, lo.e is to e .alued e%ause it enhan%es all the estpleasu$es, su%h as usi%, and sun$ise in ountains, and the sea unde$ thefull oon+ A an who has ne.e$ eno*ed eautiful thins in the %opan* of awoan who he lo.ed has not e"pe$ien%ed to the full the ai% powe$ ofwhi%h su%h thins a$e %apale+

Aain, lo.e is ale to $ea' down the ha$d shell of the eo, sin%e it is a fo$of ioloi%al %oope$ation in whi%h the eotions of ea%h a$e ne%essa$* to thefulfilent of the othe$7s instin%ti.e pu$poses+ The$e ha.e een in the wo$ld at.a$ious ties .a$ious solita$* philosophies, soe .e$* nole, soe less so+The >toi%s and the ea$l* Ch$istians elie.ed that a an %ould $ealise thehihest ood of whi%h huan life is %apale * eans of his own will alone,o$ at an* $ate without huan aid; othe$s aain ha.e $ea$ded powe$ as theend of life, and *et othe$s e$e pe$sonal pleasu$e+

All these a$e solita$* philosophies in the sense that the ood is supposed toe soethin $ealisale in ea%h sepa$ate pe$son, not onl* in a la$e$ o$salle$ so%iet* of pe$sons+ All su%h .iews, to * ind, a$e false, and not onl*in ethi%al theo$*, ut as e"p$essions of the ette$ pa$t of ou$ instin%ts+ 4andepends upon %oope$ation, and has een p$o.ided * natu$e, soewhatinadequatel*, it is t$ue, with the instin%ti.e appa$atus out of whi%h thef$iendliness $equi$ed fo$ %oope$ation %an sp$in+ Lo.e is the fi$st and%oonest fo$ of eotion leadin to %oope$ation, and those who ha.ee"pe$ien%ed lo.e with an* intensit* will not e %ontent with a philosoph*that supposes thei$ hihest ood to e independent of that of the pe$sonlo.ed+ -n this $espe%t pa$ental feelin is e.en o$e powe$ful, ut pa$entalfeelin at its est is the $esult of lo.e etween the pa$ents+ - do not p$etendthat lo.e in its hihest fo$ is %oon, ut - do aintain that in its hihestfo$ it $e.eals .alues whi%h ust othe$wise $eain un'nown, and has itselfa .alue whi%h is untou%hed * s%epti%is, althouh s%epti%s who a$ein%apale of it a* falsel* att$iute thei$ in%apa%it* to thei$ s%epti%is+

T$ue lo.e is a du$ale fi$e, -n the ind e.e$ u$nin, e.e$ si%', ne.e$ dead, ne.e$ %old, !$o itself ne.e$ tu$nin+

- %oe ne"t to what 4$+ @$ut%h has to sa* aout t$aed*+ He %ontends, and inthis - %annot ut a$ee with hi, that -sen7s :hosts is infe$io$ to @in Lee$+7o in%$eased powe$s of e"p$ession, no $eate$ ift fo$ wo$ds, %ould ha.e

t$ansfo$ed lsen into >ha'espea$e+ The ate$ials out of whi%h the latte$%$eated his wo$'s his %on%eption of huan dinit*, his sense of theipo$tan%e of huan passions, his .ision of the aplitude of huan life sipl* did not and %ould not e"ist fo$ lsen, as the* did not and %ould note"ist fo$ his %ontepo$a$ies+ :od and 4an and atu$e had all soehowdwindled in the %ou$se of the inte$.enin %entu$ies, not e%ause the $ealisti%%$eed of ode$n a$t led us to see' out ean people, ut e%ause thiseanness of huan life was soehow th$ust upon us * the ope$ation ofthat sae p$o%ess whi%h led to the de.elopent of $ealisti% theo$ies of a$t *whi%h ou$ .ision %ould e ustified7 -t is undoutedl* the %ase that the oldfashioned 'ind of t$aed* whi%h dealt with p$in%es and thei$ so$$ows is not

suitale to ou$ ae, and when we t$* to t$eat in the sae anne$ theso$$ows of an os%u$e indi.idual the effe%t is not the sae+ The $eason fo$this is not, howe.e$, an* dete$io$ation in ou$ outloo' on life, ut quite the


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$e.e$se+ -t is due to the fa%t that we %an no lone$ $ea$d %e$tain indi.idualsas the $eat ones of the ea$th, who ha.e a $iht to t$ai% passions, while allthe $est ust e$el* d$ude and toil to p$odu%e the anifi%en%e of thosefew+ >ha'espea$e sa*s

2hen ea$s die, the$e a$e no %oets seen;

The hea.ens thesel.es lae fo$th the death of p$in%es+

-n >ha'espea$e7s da* this sentient, if not lite$all* elie.ed, at leaste"p$essed an outloo' whi%h was p$a%ti%all* uni.e$sal and ost p$ofoundl*a%%epted * >ha'espea$e hiself+ Consequentl* the death of Cinna the poetis %oi%, whe$eas the deaths of Caesa$, 5$utus and Cassius a$e t$ai%+ The%osi% sinifi%an%e of an indi.idual death is lost to us e%ause we ha.ee%oe deo%$ati%, not onl* in outwa$d fo$s, ut in ou$ inost %on.i%tions+Hih t$aed* in the p$esent da*, the$efo$e, has to %on%e$n itself $athe$ withthe %ounit* than with the indi.idual+

- would i.e as an e"aple of what - ean 8$nst Tolle$7s 4asseens%h+ - donot aintain that this wo$' is as ood as the est that has een done in theest aes in the past, ut - do aintain that it is ustl* %opa$ale; it isnole, p$ofound and a%tual, %on%e$ned with he$oi% a%tion, and 7pu$in the$eade$ th$ouh pit* and te$$o$7, as A$istotle said it should+ The$e a$e as *etfew e"aples of this ode$n 'ind of t$aed*, sin%e the old te%hnique and theold t$aditions ha.e to e aandoned without ein $epla%ed * e$eedu%ated %oonpla%e+ To w$ite t$aed*, a an ust feel t$aed*+ To feelt$aed*, a an ust e awa$e of the wo$ld in whi%h he li.es, not onl* withhis ind, ut with his lood and sinews+ 4$ @$ut%h tal's th$ouhout his oo'at inte$.als aout despai$, and one is tou%hed * his he$oi% a%%eptan%e of alea' wo$ld, ut the lea'ness is due to the fa%t that he and ost lite$a$*en ha.e not *et lea$nt to feel the old eotions in $esponse to new stiuli+The stiuli e"ist, ut not in lite$a$* %ote$ies+ Lite$a$* %ote$ies ha.e no .ital%onta%t with the life of the %ounit*, and su%h %onta%t is ne%essa$* if en7sfeelins a$e to ha.e the se$iousness and depth within whi%h oth t$aed*and t$ue happiness p$o%eed+

To all the talented *oun en who wande$ aout feelin that the$e is nothinin the wo$ld fo$ the to do, - should sa* 7:i.e up t$*in to w$ite, and,instead, t$* not to w$ite+ :o out into the wo$ld; e%oe a pi$ate, a 'in in5o$neo, a laou$e$ in >o.iet ussia; i.e *ou$self an e"isten%e in whi%h thesatisfa%tion of eleenta$* ph*si%al needs will o%%up* all *ou$ ene$ies+7 - do

not $e%oend this %ou$se of a%tion to e.e$*one, ut onl* to those whosuffe$ f$o the disease whi%h 4$ @$ut%h dianoses+ - elie.e that, afte$ soe*ea$s of su%h an e"isten%e, the e"intelle%tual will find that in spite of hiseffo$ts he %an no lone$ $ef$ain f$o w$itin, and when this tie %oes hisw$itin will not see to hi futile+


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Chapte$ 3 Copetition

-f *ou as' an* an in Ae$i%a, o$ an* an in usiness in 8nland, what it isthat ost inte$fe$es with his eno*ent of e"isten%e, he will sa* 7Thest$ule fo$ life+7 He will sa* this in all sin%e$it*; he will elie.e it+ -n a %e$tainsense it is t$ue; *et in anothe$, and that a .e$* ipo$tant sense, it is

p$ofoundl* false+ The st$ule fo$ life is a thin whi%h does, of %ou$se, o%%u$+-t a* o%%u$ to an* of us if we a$e unfo$tunate+ -t o%%u$$ed, fo$ e"aple, toCon$ad7s he$o !al', who found hiself on a de$eli%t ship, one of the two enaon the %$ew who we$e possessed of fi$ea$s, with nothin to eat utthe othe$ en, 2hen the two en had finished the eals upon whi%h the*%ould a$ee, a t$ue st$ule fo$ life ean+ !al' won, ut was e.e$ afte$ a.eeta$ian+

ow that is not what the usinessan eans when he spea's of the7st$ule fo$ life7+ -t is an ina%%u$ate ph$ase whi%h he has pi%'ed up in o$de$to i.e dinit* to soethin essentiall* t$i.ial+ As' hi how an* en hehas 'nown in his %lass of life who ha.e died of hune$+ As' hi whathappened to his f$iends afte$ the* had een $uined+

8.e$*od* 'nows that a usinessan who has een $uined is ette$ off so fa$as ate$ial %ofo$ts a$e %on%e$ned than a an who has ne.e$ een $i%henouh to ha.e the %han%e of ein $uined+ 2hat people ean, the$efo$e, *the st$ule fo$ life is $eall* the st$ule fo$ su%%ess+ 2hat people fea$ whenthe* enae in the st$ule is not that the* will fail to et thei$ $ea'fastne"t o$nin, ut that the* will fail to outshine thei$ neihou$s+

-t is .e$* sinula$ how little en see to $ealise that the* a$e not %auht inthe $ip of a e%hanis f$o whi%h the$e is no es%ape, ut that the t$eadillis one upon whi%h the* $eain e$el* e%ause the* ha.e not noti%ed that itfails to ta'e the up to a hihe$ le.el+ - a thin'in, of %ou$se, of en inhihe$ wal's of usiness, en who al$ead* ha.e a ood in%oe and %ould, ifthe* %hose, li.e on what the* ha.e+ To do so would see to the shaeful,li'e dese$tin f$o the a$* in the fa%e of the ene*, thouh if *ou as' thewhat puli% %ause the* a$e se$.in * thei$ wo$', the* will e at a loss to$epl* as soon as the* ha.e $un th$ouh the platitudes to e found in thead.e$tiseents of the st$enuous life+

Conside$ the life of su%h a an+ He has, we a* suppose, a %ha$in house,a %ha$in wife, and %ha$in %hild$en+ He wa'es up ea$l* in the o$nin

while the* a$e still asleep and hu$$ies off to his offi%e+ The$e it is his dut* todispla* the qualities of a $eat e"e%uti.e; he %ulti.ates a fi$ aw, a de%isi.eanne$ of spee%h, and an ai$ of saa%ious $ese$.e %al%ulated to ip$esse.e$*od* e"%ept the offi%e o*+ He di%tates lette$s, %on.e$ses with .a$iousipo$tant pe$sons on the 7phone, studies the a$'et, and p$esentl* haslun%h with soe pe$son with who he is %ondu%tin o$ hopin to %ondu%t adeal+ The sae so$t of thin oes on all the afte$noon+ He a$$i.es hoe,ti$ed, ust in tie to d$ess fo$ dinne$+ At dinne$ he and a nue$ of othe$ti$ed en ha.e to p$etend to eno* the %opan* of ladies who ha.e noo%%asion to feel ti$ed *et+ How an* hou$s it a* ta'e the poo$ an toes%ape it is ipossile to fo$esee+ At last he sleeps, and fo$ a few hou$s the

tension is $ela"ed+


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B !$o !$ee aniation li$a$* httpDDwww+aniationli$a$*+%oDalDThe wo$'in life of this an has the ps*%holo* of a hund$ed*a$ds $a%e, utas the $a%e upon whi%h he is enaed is one whose onl* oal is the $a.e, the%on%ent$ation, whi%h is app$op$iate enouh fo$ a hund$ed *a$ds, e%oes inthe end soewhat e"%essi.e+

2hat does he 'now aout his %hild$en /n wee'da*s he is at the offi%e; on>unda*s he is at the olf lin's+ 2hat does he 'now of his wife 2hen helea.es he$ in the o$nin, she is asleep+ Th$ouhout the e.enin he and shea$e enaed in so%ial duties whi%h p$e.ent intiate %on.e$sation+ He hasp$oal* no en f$iends who a$e ipo$tant to hi, althouh he has anue$ with who he affe%ts a enialit* that he wishes he felt+ /fsp$intie and ha$.est he 'nows onl* as the* affe%t the a$'et; fo$ein%ount$ies he has p$oal* seen, ut with e*es of utte$ o$edo+ 5oo's seeto hi futile, and usi% hih$ow+ 6ea$ * *ea$ he $ows o$e lonel*; hisattention $ows o$e %on%ent$ated and his life outside usiness o$edesi%%ated+ - ha.e seen the Ae$i%an of this t*pe in late$ iddle life, in8u$ope, with his wife and dauhte$s+

8.identl* the* had pe$suaded the poo$ fellow that it was tie he too' aholida* and a.e his i$ls a %han%e to do the /ld 2o$ld+ The othe$ anddauhte$s in e%stas* su$$ound hi and %all his attention to ea%h new itethat st$i'es the as %ha$a%te$isti%+ #ate$failias, utte$l* wea$*, utte$l*o$ed, is wonde$in what the* a$e doin in the offi%e at this oent, o$what is happenin in the aseall wo$ld+ His woen 'ind, in the end, i.ehi up, and %on%lude that ales a$e #hilistines+ -t ne.e$ dawns upon thethat he is a .i%ti to thei$ $eed; no$, indeed, is this quite the t$uth, an*o$e than suttee is quite what it appea$ed to a 8u$opean onloo'e$+ #$oal*in nine %ases out of ten the widow was a willin .i%ti, p$epa$ed to e u$ntfo$ the sa'e of lo$* and e%ause $eliion so o$dained+ The usinessan7s$eliion and lo$* deand that he should a'e u%h one*; the$efo$e, li'ethe Hindu widow, he suffe$s the to$ent ladl*+

-f the Ae$i%an usinessan is to e ade happie$, he ust fi$st %hane his$eliion+ >o lon as he not onl* desi$es su%%ess, ut is wholehea$tedl*pe$suaded that it is a an7s dut* to pu$sue su%%ess, and that a an whodoes not do so is a poo$ %$eatu$e, so lon his life will $eain too%on%ent$ated and too an"ious to e happ*+

Ta'e a siple atte$, su%h as in.estents+ Alost e.e$* Ae$i%an would

soone$ et E pe$ %ent f$o a $is's in.estent than F pe$ %ent f$o a safeone+ The %onsequen%e is that the$e a$e f$equent losses of one* and%ontinual wo$$* and f$et+ !o$ * pa$t, the thin that - would wish to otainf$o one* would e leisu$e with se%u$it*+ 5ut what the t*pi%al ode$n andesi$es to et with it is o$e one*, with a .iew to ostentation, splendou$,and the outshinin of those who ha.e hithe$to een his equals+

The so%ial s%ale in Ae$i%a is indefinite and %ontinuall* flu%tuatin+Consequentl* all the snoish eotions e%oe o$e $estless than the* a$ewhe$e the so%ial o$de$ is fi"ed, and althouh one* in itself a* not suffi%eto a'e people $and, it is diffi%ult to e $and without one*+ 4o$eo.e$,

one* ade is the a%%epted easu$e of $ains+ A an who a'es a lot ofone* is a %le.e$ fellow; a an who does not, is not+ ood* li'es to ethouht a fool+ The$efo$e, when the a$'et is in ti%'lish %ondition, a an


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feels the wa* *oun people feel du$in an e"aination+

- thin' it should e aditted that an eleent of enuine thouh i$$ationalfea$ as to the %onsequen%es of $uin f$equentl* ente$s into a usinessan7san"ieties+ A$nold 5ennett7s Cla*hane$, howe.e$ $i%h he e%ae, %ontinuedto e af$aid of d*in in the wo$'house+ - ha.e no dout that those who ha.e

suffe$ed $eatl* th$ouh po.e$t* in thei$ %hildhood, a$e haunted * te$$o$slest thei$ %hild$en should suffe$ siila$l*, and feel that it is ha$dl* possile touild up enouh illions as a ulwa$' aainst this disaste$+ >u%h fea$s a$ep$oal* ine.itale in the fi$st ene$ation, ut the* a$e less li'el* to affli%tthose who ha.e ne.e$ 'nown $eat po.e$t*+ The* a$e in an* %ase a ino$ andsoewhat e"%eptional fa%to$ in the p$ole+

The $oot of the t$oule sp$ins f$o too u%h ephasis upon %opetiti.esu%%ess as the ain sou$%e of happiness+ - do not den* that the feelin ofsu%%ess a'es it easie$ to eno* life+ A painte$, let us sa*, who has eenos%u$e th$ouhout his *outh, is li'el* to e%oe happie$ if his talent wins$e%onition+ o$ do - den* that one*, up to a %e$tain point, is .e$* %apaleof in%$easin happiness; e*ond that point, - do not thin' it does so+ 2hat -do aintain is that su%%ess %an onl* e one in$edient in happiness, and istoo dea$l* pu$%hased if all the othe$ in$edients ha.e een sa%$ifi%ed tootain it+

The sou$%e of this t$oule is the p$e.alent philosoph* of life in usiness%i$%les+ -n 8u$ope, it is t$ue, the$e a$e still othe$ %i$%les that ha.e p$estie+ -nsoe %ount$ies the$e is an a$isto%$a%*; in all the$e a$e the lea$nedp$ofessions, and in all ut a few of the salle$ %ount$ies the a$* and thena.* eno* $eat $espe%t+ ow while it is t$ue that the$e is a %opetiti.eeleent in su%%ess no atte$ what a an7s p$ofession a* e, *et at thesae tie the 'ind of thin that is $espe%ted is not ust su%%ess, ut thate"%ellen%e, whate.e$ that a* e, to whi%h su%%ess has een due+ A an ofs%ien%e a* o$ a* not a'e one*; he is %e$tainl* not o$e $espe%ted if hedoes than if he does not+ o one is su$p$ised to find an einent ene$al o$adi$al poo$; indeed, po.e$t* in su%h %i$%ustan%es is, in a sense, itself anhonou$+ !o$ these $easons, in 8u$ope, the pu$el* oneta$* %opetiti.est$ule is %onfined to %e$tain %i$%les, and those pe$haps not the ostinfluential o$ the ost $espe%ted+

-n Ae$i%a the atte$ is othe$wise+ The >e$.i%es pla* too sall a pa$t in thenational life fo$ thei$ standa$ds to ha.e an* influen%e+ As fo$ the lea$ned

p$ofessions, no outside$ %an tell whethe$ a do%to$ $eall* 'nows u%hedi%ine, o$ whethe$ a law*e$ $eall* 'nows u%h law, and it is the$efo$eeasie$ to ude of thei$ e$it * the in%oe to e infe$$ed f$o thei$standa$d of life+ As fo$ p$ofesso$s, the* a$e the hi$ed se$.ants ofusinessen, and as su%h will less $espe%t than is a%%o$ded to the in olde$%ount$ies+ The %onsequen%e of all this is that in Ae$i%a the p$ofessional aniitates the usinessan, and does not %onstitute a sepa$ate t*pe as he doesin 8u$ope+

Th$ouhout the welltodo %lasses, the$efo$e, the$e is nothin to itiate thea$e, undiluted fiht fo$ finan%ial su%%ess+

!$o quite ea$l* *ea$s Ae$i%an o*s feel that this is the onl* thin thatatte$s, and do not wish to e othe$ed with an* 'ind of edu%ation that is


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one of * uides 'new the nae of e.en one of the+ 2hat use would su%h'nowlede e -t %ould not add to an*od*7s in%oe+

The t$oule does not lie sipl* with the indi.idual, no$ %an a sinle indi.idualp$e.ent it in his own isolated %ase+ The t$oule a$ises f$o the ene$all*$e%ei.ed philosoph* of life, a%%o$din to whi%h life is a %ontest, a %opetition,

in whi%h $espe%t is to e a%%o$ded to the .i%to$+ This .iew leads to an undue%ulti.ation of the will at the e"pense of the senses and the intelle%t+ /$possil*, in sa*in this, we a* e puttin the %a$t efo$e the ho$se+ #u$itano$alists ha.e alwa*s ephasised the will in ode$n ties, althouho$iinall* it was faith upon whi%h the* laid st$ess+ -t a* e that aes of#u$itanis p$odu%ed a $a%e in whi%h will had een o.e$de.eloped, while thesenses and the intelle%t had een sta$.ed, and that su%h a $a%e adopted aphilosoph* of %opetition as the one est suited to its natu$e+

Howe.e$ that a* e, the p$odiious su%%ess of these ode$n dinosau$s,who, li'e thei$ p$ehisto$i% p$otot*pes, p$efe$ powe$ to intellien%e, is %ausinthe to e uni.e$sall* iitated the* ha.e e%oe the patte$n of the whitean e.e$*whe$e, and this is li'el* to e in%$easinl* the %ase fo$ the ne"thund$ed *ea$s+ Those, howe.e$, who a$e not in the fashion a* ta'e %ofo$tf$o the thouht that the dinosau$s did not ultiatel* t$iuph; the* 'illedea%h othe$ out, and intellient *stande$s inhe$ited thei$ 'indo+ /u$ode$n dinosau$s a$e 'illin thesel.es out+ The* do not, on the a.e$ae,ha.e so u%h as two %hild$en pe$ a$$iae; the* do not eno* life enouh towish to eet %hild$en+ At this point the undul* st$enuous philosoph* whi%hthe* ha.e %a$$ied o.e$ f$o thei$ #u$itan fo$efathe$s shows itself unadaptedto the wo$ld+ Those whose outloo' on life %auses the to feel so littlehappiness that the* do not %a$e to eet %hild$en a$e ioloi%all* dooed+5efo$e .e$* lon the* ust e su%%eeded * soethin a*e$ and ollie$+

Copetition %onside$ed as the ain thin in life is too $i, too tena%ious,too u%h a atte$ of taut us%les and intent will, to a'e a possile asis oflife fo$ o$e than one o$ two ene$ations at ost+ Afte$ that lenth of tie itust p$odu%e ne$.ous fatiue, .a$ious phenoena of es%ape, a pu$suit ofpleasu$es as tense and as diffi%ult as wo$' (sin%e $ela"in has e%oeipossile), and in the end a disappea$an%e of the sto%' th$ouh ste$ilit*+ -tis not onl* wo$' that is poisoned * the philosoph* of %opetition; leisu$e ispoisoned ust as u%h+ The 'ind of leisu$e whi%h is quiet and $esto$in to thene$.es %oes to e felt o$in+ The$e is ound to e a %ontinual a%%ele$ationof whi%h the natu$al te$ination would e d$us and %ollapse+ The %u$e fo$

this lies in adittin the pa$t of sane and quiet eno*ent in a alan%ed idealof life+


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thei$ .i%tis+

All this weiht of o$edo should e o$ne in ind in estiatin the wo$ld ofa hund$ed *ea$s ao, and when one oes fu$the$ into the past the o$edoe%oes still wo$se+ -aine the onoton* of winte$ in a edie.al .illae+#eople %ould not $ead o$ w$ite, the* had onl* %andles to i.e the liht afte$

da$', the so'e of thei$ one fi$e filled the onl* $oo that was not itte$l*%old+ oads we$e p$a%ti%all* ipassale, so that one ha$dl* e.e$ sawan*od* f$o anothe$ .illae+ -t ust ha.e een o$edo as u%h asan*thin that led to the p$a%ti%e of wit%hhunts as the sole spo$t * whi%hwinte$ e.enins %ould e enli.ened+

2e a$e less o$ed than ou$ an%esto$s we$e, ut we a$e o$e af$aid ofo$edo+ 2e ha.e %oe to 'now, o$ $athe$ to elie.e, that o$edo is notpa$t of the natu$al lot of an, ut %an e a.oided * a suffi%ientl* .io$ouspu$suit of e"%iteent+

:i$ls nowada*s ea$n thei$ own li.in, .e$* la$el* e%ause this enales theto see' e"%iteent in the e.enin and to es%ape 7the happ* fail* tie7 thatthei$ $andothe$s had to endu$e+ 8.e$*od* who %an li.es in a town; inAe$i%a, those who %annot, ha.e a %a$, o$ at the least a oto$i%*%le, tota'e the to the o.ies+ And of %ou$se the* ha.e the $adio in thei$ houses+6oun en and *oun woen eet ea%h othe$ with u%h less diffi%ult* thanwas fo$e$l* the %ase, and e.e$* houseaid e"pe%ts at least on%e a wee' asu%h e"%iteent as would ha.e lasted a Gane Austen he$oine th$ouhout awhole no.el+

As we $ise in the so%ial s%ale the pu$suit of e"%iteent e%oes o$e ando$e intense+ Those who %an affo$d it a$e pe$petuall* o.in f$o pla%e topla%e, %a$$*in with the as the* o aiet*, dan%in and d$in'in, ut fo$soe $eason alwa*s e"pe%tin to eno* these o$e in a new pla%e+ Thosewho ha.e to ea$n a li.in et thei$ sha$e of o$edo, of ne%essit*, in wo$'inhou$s, ut those who ha.e enouh one* to e f$eed f$o the need of wo$'ha.e as thei$ ideal a life %opletel* f$eed f$o o$edo+ -t is a nole ideal,and fa$ e it f$o e to de%$* it, ut - a af$aid that li'e othe$ ideals it iso$e diffi%ult to a%hie.eent than the idealists suppose+

Afte$ all, the o$nins a$e o$in in p$opo$tion as the p$e.ious e.eninswe$e ausin+ The$e will e iddle ae, possil* e.en old ae+ At twent*en thin' that life will e o.e$ at thi$t*+

-, at the ae of fift*eiht, %an no lone$ ta'e that .iew+ #e$haps it is asunwise to spend one7s .ital %apital as one7s finan%ial %apital+ #e$haps soeeleent of o$edo is a ne%essa$* in$edient in life+ A wish to es%ape f$oo$edo is natu$al; indeed, all $a%es of an'ind ha.e displa*ed it asoppo$tunit* o%%u$$ed+ 2hen sa.aes ha.e fi$st tasted liquo$ at the hands ofthe white en, the* ha.e found at last an es%ape f$o aeold tediu, and,e"%ept when the :o.e$nent has inte$fe$ed, the* ha.e d$un' thesel.esinto a $iotous death+ 2a$s, po$os, and pe$se%utions ha.e all een pa$t ofthe fliht f$o o$edo; e.en qua$$els with neihou$s ha.e een foundette$ than nothin+ 5o$edo is the$efo$e a .ital p$ole fo$ the o$alist,

sin%e at least half the sins of an'ind a$e %aused * the fea$ of it+

B !$o !$ee aniation li$a$* httpDDwww+aniationli$a$*+%oDalD


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5o$edo, howe.e$, is not to e $ea$ded as wholl* e.il+ The$e a$e two so$ts,of whi%h one is f$u%tif*in, while the othe$ is stultif*in+ The f$u%tif*in 'inda$ises f$o the asen%e of d$us, and the stultif*in 'ind f$o the asen%eof .ital a%ti.ities+ - a not p$epa$ed to sa* that d$us %an pla* no ood pa$tin life whatsoe.e$+ The$e a$e oents, fo$ e"aple, when an opiate will e

p$es%$ied * a wise ph*si%ian, and - thin' these oents o$e f$equentthan p$ohiitionists suppose+ 5ut the %$a.in fo$ d$us is %e$tainl* soethinwhi%h %annot e left to the unfette$ed ope$ation of natu$al ipulse+ And the'ind of o$edo whi%h the pe$son a%%ustoed to d$us e"pe$ien%es whendep$i.ed of the is soethin fo$ whi%h - %an suest no $eed* e"%epttie+

ow what applies to d$us applies also, within liits, to e.e$* 'ind ofe"%iteent+ A life too full of e"%iteent is an e"haustin life, in whi%h%ontinuall* st$one$ stiuli a$e needed to i.e the th$ill that has %oe to ethouht an essential pa$t of pleasu$e+

A pe$son a%%ustoed to too u%h e"%iteent is li'e a pe$son with a o$id%$a.in fo$ peppe$, who %oes last to e unale e.en to taste a quantit* ofpeppe$ whi%h would %ause an*one else to %ho'e+ The$e is an eleent ofo$edo whi%h is insepa$ale f$o the a.oidan%e of too u%h e"%iteent,and too u%h e"%iteent not onl* unde$ines the health, ut dulls thepalate fo$ e.e$* 'ind of pleasu$e, sustitutin titillations fo$ p$ofound o$ani%satisfa%tions, %le.e$ness fo$ wisdo, and aed su$p$ises fo$ eaut*+ - notwant to push to e"t$ees the oe%tion to e"%iteent+ A %e$tain aount of itis wholesoe, ut, li'e alost e.e$*thin else, the atte$ is quantitati.e+Too little a* p$odu%e o$id %$a.ins, too u%h will p$odu%e e"haustion+ A%e$tain powe$ of endu$in o$edo is the$efo$e essential to a happ* life, andis one of the thins that ouht to e tauht to the *oun+

All $eat oo's %ontain o$in po$tions, and all $eat li.es ha.e %ontaineduninte$estin st$et%hes+ -aine a ode$n Ae$i%an pulishe$ %onf$ontedwith the /ld Testaent as a new anus%$ipt suitted to hi fo$ the fi$sttie+ -t is not diffi%ult to thin' what his %oents would e, fo$ e"aple, onthe enealoies+

74* dea$ si$,7 he would sa*, 7this %hapte$ la%'s pep; *ou %an7t e"pe%t *ou$$eade$ to e inte$ested in a e$e st$in of p$ope$ naes of pe$sons aoutwho *ou tell hi so little+ 6ou ha.e eun *ou$ sto$*, - will adit, in fine

st*le, and at fi$st - was .e$* fa.ou$al* ip$essed, ut *ou ha.e altoethe$too u%h wish to tell it all+ #i%' out the hihlihts, ta'e out the supe$fluousatte$, and $in e a%' *ou$ anus%$ipt when *ou ha.e $edu%ed it to a$easonale lenth+7

>o the ode$n pulishe$ would spea', 'nowin the ode$n $eade$7s fea$ ofo$edo+ He would sa* the sae so$t of thin aout the Confu%ian %lassi%s,the @o$an, 4a$"7s Capital, and all the othe$ sa%$ed oo's whi%h ha.e p$o.edto e estselle$s+ o$ does this appl* onl* to sa%$ed oo's+ All the estno.els %ontain o$in passaes+ A no.el whi%h spa$'les f$o the fi$st pae tothe last is p$ett* su$e not to e a $eat oo'+

o$ ha.e the li.es of $eat en een e"%itin e"%ept at a few $eatoents+ >o%$ates %ould eno* a anquet now and aain, and ust ha.e


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de$i.ed %onside$ale satisfa%tion f$o his %on.e$sations while the helo%'was ta'in effe%t, ut ost of his life he li.ed quietl* with anthippe, ta'ina %onstitutional in the afte$noon, and pe$haps eetin a few f$iends * thewa*+ @ant is said ne.e$ to ha.e een o$e than ten iles f$o @onise$ inall his life+ a$win, afte$ oin $ound the wo$ld, spent the whole of the $est ofhis life in his own house+ 4a$", afte$ sti$$in up a few $e.olutions, de%ided to

spend the $eainde$ of his da*s in the 5$itish 4useu+

Altoethe$ it will e found that a quiet life is %ha$a%te$isti% of $eat en, andthat thei$ pleasu$es ha.e not een of the so$t that would loo' e"%itin to theoutwa$d e*e+ o $eat a%hie.eent is possile without pe$sistent wo$', soaso$in and so diffi%ult that little ene$* is left o.e$ fo$ the o$e st$enuous'inds of auseent, e"%ept su%h as se$.e to $e%upe$ate ph*si%al ene$*du$in holida*s, of whi%h Alpine %liin a* se$.e as the est e"aple+

The %apa%it* to endu$e a o$e o$ less onotonous life is one whi%h should ea%qui$ed in %hildhood+ 4ode$n pa$ents a$e $eatl* to lae in this $espe%t;the* p$o.ide thei$ %hild$en with fa$ too an* passi.e auseents, su%h asshows and ood thins to eat, and the* do not $ealise the ipo$tan%e to a%hild of ha.in one da* li'e anothe$, e"%ept, of %ou$se, fo$ soewhat $a$eo%%asions+

The pleasu$es of %hildhood should in the ain e su%h as the %hild e"t$a%tsf$o his en.i$onent * eans of soe effo$t and in.enti.eness+ #leasu$eswhi%h a$e e"%itin and at the sae tie in.ol.e no ph*si%al e"e$tion, su%h,fo$ e"aple, as the theat$e, should o%%u$ .e$* $a$el*+ The e"%iteent is inthe natu$e of a d$u, of whi%h o$e and o$e will %oe to e $equi$ed, andthe ph*si%al passi.it* du$in the e"%iteent is %ont$a$* to instin%t+ A %hildde.elops est when, li'e a *oun plant, he is left undistu$ed in the saesoil+ Too u%h t$a.el, too u%h .a$iet* of ip$essions, a$e not ood fo$ the*oun, and %ause the as the* $ow up to e%oe in%apale of endu$inf$uitful onoton*+

- do not ean that onoton* has an* e$its of its own; - ean onl* that%e$tain ood thins a$e not possile e"%ept whe$e the$e is a %e$tain de$ee ofonoton*+ Ta'e, sa*, 2o$dswo$th7s #$elude+ -t will e o.ious to e.e$*$eade$ that whate.e$ had an* .alue in 2o$dswo$th7s thouhts and feelinswould ha.e een ipossile to a sophisti%ated u$an *outh+ A o* o$ *ounan who has soe se$ious %onst$u%ti.e pu$pose will endu$e .olunta$il* a$eat deal of o$edo if he finds that it is ne%essa$* * the wa*+

5ut %onst$u%ti.e pu$poses do not easil* fo$ thesel.es in a o*7s ind if heis li.in a life of dist$a%tions and dissipations, fo$ in that %ase his thouhtswill alwa*s e di$e%ted towa$ds the ne"t pleasu$e $athe$ than towa$ds thedistant a%hie.eent+ !o$ all these $easons a ene$ation that %annot endu$eo$edo will e a ene$ation of little en, of en undul* di.o$%ed f$o theslow p$o%esses of natu$e, of en in who e.e$* .ital ipulse slowl* withe$s,as thouh the* we$e %ut flowe$s in a .ase+

- do not li'e *sti%al lanuae, and *et - ha$dl* 'nows how to e"p$ess what- ean without eplo*in ph$ases that sound poeti% $athe$ than s%ientifi%+

2hate.e$ we a* wish to thin', we a$e %$eatu$es of 8a$th; ou$ life is pa$t ofthe life of the 8a$th, and we d$aw ou$ nou$ishent f$o it ust as the plantsand anials do+ The $h*th of 8a$th life is slow; autun and winte$ a$e as


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21/94

Chapte$ I !atiue

!atiue is of an* so$ts, soe of whi%h a$e a u%h $a.e$ osta%le tohappiness than othe$s+ #u$el* ph*si%al fatiue, p$o.ided it is not e"%essi.e,tends if an*thin to e a %ause of happiness; it leads to sound sleep and aood appetite, and i.es est to the pleasu$es that a$e possile on holida*s+

5ut when it is e"%essi.e it e%oes a .e$* $a.e e.il+ #easant woen in allut the ost ad.an%ed %ounities a$e old at thi$t*, wo$n out withe"%essi.e toil+

Child$en in the ea$l* da*s of indust$ialis we$e stunted in thei$ $owth andf$equentl* 'illed * o.e$wo$' in ea$l* *ea$s+ The sae thin still happens inChina and Gapan, whe$e indust$ialis is new; to soe e"tent also in the>outhe$n >tates of Ae$i%a+ #h*si%al laou$ %a$$ied e*ond a %e$tain point isat$o%ious to$tu$e, and it has .e$* f$equentl* een %a$$ied so fa$ as to a'elife all ut unea$ale+ -n the ost ad.an%ed pa$ts of the ode$n wo$ld,howe.e$, ph*si%al fatiue has een u%h iniised th$ouh theip$o.eent of indust$ial %onditions+

The 'ind of fatiue that is ost se$ious in the p$esent da* in ad.an%ed%ounities is ne$.ous fatiue+ This 'ind, oddl* enouh, is ost p$onoun%edaon the welltodo, and tends to e u%h less aon waeea$ne$s thanit is aon usiness en and $ainwo$'e$s+

To es%ape f$o ne$.ous fatiue in ode$n life is a .e$* diffi%ult thin+ -n thefi$st pla%e, all th$ouh wo$'in hou$s, and still o$e in the tie spentetween wo$' and hoe, the u$an wo$'e$ is e"posed to noise, ost ofwhi%h, it is t$ue, he lea$ns not to hea$ %ons%iousl*, ut whi%h none the lesswea$s hi out, all the o$e owin to the su%ons%ious effo$t in.ol.ed in nothea$in it+ Anothe$ thin whi%h %auses fatiue without ou$ ein awa$e of itis the %onstant p$esen%e of st$ane$s+ The natu$al instin%t of an, as of othe$anials, is to in.estiate e.e$* st$ane$ of his spe%ies, with a .iew tode%idin whethe$ to eha.e to hi in a f$iendl* o$ hostile anne$+ Thisinstin%t has to e inhiited * those who t$a.el in the unde$$ound in the$ushhou$, and the $esult of inhiitin it is that the* feel a ene$al diffused$ae aainst all the st$ane$s with who the* a$e $ouht into thisin.olunta$* %onta%t+ Then the$e is the hu$$* to %at%h the o$nin t$ain, withthe $esultin d*spepsia+ Consequentl*, * the tie the offi%e is $ea%hed andthe da*7s wo$' eins, the la%'%oated wo$'e$ al$ead* has f$a*ed ne$.esand a tenden%* to .iew the huan $a%e as a nuisan%e+ His eplo*e$, a$$i.in

in the sae ood, does nothin to dissipate it in the eplo*ee+

!ea$ of the sa%' %opels $espe%tful eha.iou$, ut this unnatu$al %ondu%tonl* adds to the ne$.ous st$ain+ -f on%e a wee' eplo*ees we$e allowed topull the eplo*e$7s nose and othe$wise indi%ate what the* thouht of hi,the ne$.ous tension fo$ the would e $elie.ed, ut fo$ the eplo*e$, whoalso has his t$oules, this would not end atte$s+ 2hat the fea$ ofdisissal is to the eplo*ee, the fea$ of an'$upt%* is to the eplo*e$+>oe, it is t$ue, a$e i enouh to e ao.e this fea$, ut to $ea%h a $eatposition of this 'ind the* ha.e ene$all* had to pass th$ouh *ea$s ofst$enuous st$ule, du$in whi%h the* had to e a%ti.el* awa$e of e.ents in

all pa$ts of the wo$ld and %onstantl* foilin the a%hinations of thei$%opetito$s+ The $esult of all this is that when sound su%%ess %oes a an isal$ead* a ne$.ous w$e%', so a%%ustoed to an"iet* that he %annot sha'e off


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the hait of it when the need fo$ it is past+ The$e a$e, it is t$ue, $i%h en7ssons, ut the* ene$all* su%%eed in anufa%tu$in fo$ thesel.es an"ietiesas siila$ as possile to those that the* would ha.e suffe$ed if the* had noteen o$n $i%h+ 5* ettin and alin, the* in%u$ the displeasu$e of thei$fathe$s; * %uttin sho$t thei$ sleep fo$ the sa'e of thei$ auseents, the*deilitate thei$ ph*sique; and * the tie the* settle down, the* ha.e

e%oe as in%apale of happiness as thei$ fathe$s we$e efo$e the+


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natu$all* suppose; ou$ su%%esses and failu$es do not afte$ all atte$ .e$*u%h+ 8.en $eat so$$ows %an e su$.i.ed; t$oules whi%h see as if the*ust put an end to happiness fo$ life fade with the lapse of tie until ite%oes alost ipossile to $eee$ thei$ poinan%*+ 5ut o.e$ and ao.ethese self%ent$ed %onside$ations is the fa%t that one7s eo is no .e$* la$epa$t of the wo$ld+ The an who %an %ent$e his thouhts and hopes upon

soethin t$ans%endin self %an find a %e$tain pea%e in the o$dina$* t$oulesof life whi%h is ipossile to the pu$e eoist+

2hat iht e %alled h*iene of the ne$.es has een u%h too little studied+-ndust$ial ps*%holo*, it is t$ue, has ade elao$ate in.estiations intofatiue, and has p$o.ed * %a$eful statisti%s that if *ou o on doinsoethin fo$ a suffi%ientl* lon tie *ou will ultiatel* et $athe$ ti$ed a$esult whi%h iht ha.e een uessed without so u%h pa$ade of s%ien%e+The stud* of fatiue * ps*%holoists is ainl* %on%e$ned with us%ula$fatiue, althouh the$e a$e also a %e$tain nue$ of studies of fatiue ins%hool%hild$en+ one of these, howe.e$, tou%h upon the ipo$tant p$ole+

The ipo$tant 'ind of fatiue is alwa*s eotional in ode$n life; pu$el*intelle%tual fatiue, li'e pu$el* us%ula$ fatiue, p$odu%es its own $eed* insleep+ An* pe$son who has a $eat deal of intelle%tual wo$', de.oid ofeotion, to do sa*, fo$ e"aple, elao$ate %oputations will sleep off atthe end of ea%h da* the fatiue that that da* has $ouht+ The ha$ that isatt$iuted to o.e$wo$' is ha$dl* e.e$ due to that %ause, ut to soe 'ind ofwo$$* o$ an"iet*+ The t$oule with eotional fatiue is that it inte$fe$es with$est+ The o$e ti$ed a an e%oes, the o$e ipossile he finds it to stop+/ne of the s*ptos of app$oa%hin ne$.ous $ea'down is the elief thatone7s wo$' is te$$il* ipo$tant, and that to ta'e a holida* would $in all'inds of disaste$+

-f - we$e a edi%al an, - should p$es%$ie a holida* to an* patient who%onside$ed his wo$' ipo$tant+ The ne$.ous $ea'down whi%h appea$s to ep$odu%ed * the wo$' is, in fa%t, in e.e$* %ase that - ha.e e*e$ 'nown ofpe$sonall*, p$odu%ed * soe eotional t$oule f$o whi%h the patientattepts to es%ape * eans of his wo$'+

He is loath to i.e up his wo$' e%ause, if he does so, he will no lone$ ha.ean*thin to dist$a%t hi f$o the thouhts of his isfo$tune, whate.e$ ita* e+ /f %ou$se, the t$oule a* e fea$ of an'$upt%*, and in that %asehis wo$' is di$e%tl* %onne%ted with his wo$$*, ut e.en then wo$$* is li'el* to

lead hi to wo$' so lon that his udeent e%oes %louded andan'$upt%* %oes soone$ than if he wo$'ed less+ -n e.e$* %ase it is theeotional t$oule, not the wo$', that %auses the $ea'down+

The ps*%holo* of wo$$* is * no eans siple+ - ha.e spo'en al$ead* ofental dis%ipline, nael* the hait of thin'in of thins at the $iht tie+This has 7its ipo$tan%e, fi$st e%ause it a'es it possile to et th$ouh theda*7s wo$' with less e"penditu$e of thouht, se%ondl* e%ause it affo$ds a%u$e fo$ insonia, and thi$dl* e%ause it p$ootes effi%ien%* and wisdo inde%isions+ 5ut ethods of this 'ind do not tou%h the su%ons%ious o$ theun%ons%ious, and when a t$oule is $a.e no ethod is of u%h a.ail unless

it penet$ates elow the le.el of %ons%iousness+ The$e has een a $eat deal ofstud* * ps*%holoists of the ope$ation of the un%ons%ious upon the%ons%ious, ut u%h less of the ope$ation of the %ons%ious upon the


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un%ons%ious+ 6et the latte$ is of .ast ipo$tan%e in the sue%t of entalh*iene, and ust e unde$stood if $ational %on.i%tions a$e e.e$ to ope$atein the $eal of the un%ons%ious+ This applies in pa$ti%ula$ in the atte$ ofwo$$*+ -t is eas* thouh to tell oneself that su%h a isfo$tune would not eso .e$* te$$ile if it happened, ut so lon as this $eains e$el* a %ons%ious%on.i%tion it will not ope$ate in the wat%hes of the niht, o$ p$e.ent the

o%%u$$en%e of nihta$es+ 4* own elief is that a %ons%ious thouht %an eplanted into the un%ons%ious if a suffi%ient aount of .iou$ and intensit* ispot into it+ 4ost of the un%ons%ious %onsists of what we$e on%e hihl*eotional %ons%ious thouhts, whi%h ha.e now e%oe u$ied+ -t is possileto do this p$o%ess of u$*in delie$atel*, and in this wa* the un%ons%ious%an e led to do a lot of useful wo$'+ - ha.e found, fo$ e"aple, that if - ha.eto w$ite upon soe $athe$ diffi%ult topi% the est plan is to thin' aout it with.e$* $eat intensit* the $eatest intensit* of whi%h - a %apale fo$ a fewhou$s o$ da*s, and at the end of that tie i.e o$de$s, so to spea', that thewo$' is to p$o%eed unde$$ound+ Afte$ soe onths - $etu$n %ons%iousl* tothe topi% and find that the wo$' has een done+ 5efo$e - had dis%o.e$ed thiste%hnique, - used to spend the inte$.enin onths wo$$*in e%ause - wasa'in no p$o$ess; - a$$i.ed at the solution none the soone$ fo$ this wo$$*,and the inte$.enin onths we$e wasted, whe$eas now - %an de.ote the toothe$ pu$suits+ A p$o%ess ia an* wa*s analoous %an e adopted with$ea$d to an"ieties+ 2hen soe isfo$tune th$eatens, %onside$ se$iousl* anddelie$atel* what is te .e$* wo$st that %ould possil* happen+ Ha.in loo'edthis possile isfo$tune in the fa%e, i.e *ou$self sound $easons fo$ thin'inthat afte$ all it would e no su%h .e$* te$$ile disaste$+ >u%h $easons alwa*se"ist, sin%e at the wo$st nothin that happens to oneself has an* %osi%ipo$tan%e+ 2hen *ou ha.e loo'ed fo$ soe tie steadil* at the wo$stpossiilit* and ha.e said to *ou$self with $eal %on.i%tion, 72ell, afte$ all, thatwould not atte$ so .e$* u%h7, *ou will find that *ou$ wo$$* diinishes to aquite e"t$ao$dina$* e"tent+ -t a* e ne%essa$* to $epeat the p$o%ess a fewties, ut in the end, if *ou ha.e shi$'ed nothin in fa%in the wo$st possileissue, *ou will find that *ou$ wo$$* disappea$s altoethe$, and is $epla%ed *a 'ind of e"hila$ation+

This is pa$t of a o$e ene$al te%hnique fo$ the a.oidan%e of fea$+ 2o$$* is afo$ of fea$, and all fo$s of fea$ p$odu%e fatiue+ A an who has lea$nt notto feel fea$ will find the fatiue of dail* life eno$ousl* diinished+ ow fea$,in its ost ha$ful fo$, a$ises whe$e the$e is soe dane$ whi%h we a$eunwillin to fa%e+ At odd oents ho$$ile thouhts da$t into ou$ inds;what the* a$e depends upon the pe$son, ut alost e.e$*od* had soe

'ind of lu$'in fea$+ 2ith one an it is %an%e$, with anothe$ finan%ial $uin,with a thi$d the dis%o.e$* of soe dis$a%eful se%$et, a fou$th is to$ented* ealous suspi%ions, a fifth is haunted at niht * the thouht that pe$hapsthe tales of hellfi$e told hi when he was *oun a* e t$ue+

#$oal* all these people eplo* the w$on te%hnique fo$ dealin with thei$fea$; whene.e$ it %oes into thei$ ind, the* t$* to thin' of soethin else;the* dist$a%t thei$ thouhts with auseent o$ wo$', o$ what not+ owe.e$* 'ind of fea$s $ows wo$se * not ein loo'ed at+ The effo$t of tu$ninawa* one7s thouhts is a t$iute to the ho$$ileness of the spe%t$e f$owhi%h one is a.e$tin one7s ae; the p$ope$ %ou$se with e.e$* 'ind of fea$ is

to thin' aout it $ationall* and %all*, ut with $eat %on%ent$ation, until ithas e%oe %opletel* failia$+ -n the end failia$it* will lunt its te$$o$s;the whole sue%t will e%oe o$in, and ou$ thouhts will tu$n awa* f$o


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it, not, as fo$e$l*, * an effo$t of will, ut th$ouh e$e la%' of inte$est inthe topi%+ 2hen *ou find *ou$self in%lined to $ood on an*thin, no atte$what, the est plan alwa*s is to thin' aout it e.en o$e than *ou natu$all*would, until at last its o$id fas%ination is wo$n off+

/ne of the atte$s in whi%h ode$n o$alit* is ost defe%ti.e is this

question of fea$+ -t is t$ue that ph*si%al %ou$ae, espe%iall* in wa$, ise"pe%ted of en, ut othe$ fo$s of %ou$ae a$e not e"pe%ted of the, andno fo$ of %ou$ae is e"pe%ted of woen+ A woan who is %ou$aeous hasto %on%eal the fa%t if she wishes en to li'e he$+ The an who is %ou$aeousin an* atte$ e"%ept ph*si%al dane$ is also thouht ill of+ -ndiffe$en%e topuli% opinion, fo$ e"aple, is $ea$ded as a %hallene, and the puli% doeswhat it %an to punish the an who da$es to flout its autho$it*+ All this is quiteopposite to what it should e+

8.e$* fo$ of %ou$ae, whethe$ in en o$ woen, should e adi$ed asu%h as ph*si%al %ou$ae is adi$ed in a soldie$+ The %oonness ofph*si%al %ou$ae aon *oun en is a p$oof that %ou$ae %an e p$odu%edin $esponse to a puli% opinion that deands it+ :i.en o$e %ou$ae the$ewould e less wo$$*, and the$efo$e less fatiue; fo$ a .e$* la$e p$opo$tion ofthe ne$.ous fatiues f$o whi%h en and woen suffe$ at p$esent a$e due tofea$s, %ons%ious o$ un%ons%ious+

A .e$* f$equent sou$%e of fatiue is lo.e of e"%iteent+ -f a an %ould spendhis leisu$e in sleep, he would 'eep fit, ut his wo$'in hou$s a$e d$ea$*, andhe feels the need of pleasu$e du$in his hou$s of f$eedo+ The t$oule is thatthe pleasu$es whi%h a$e easiest to otain and ost supe$fi%iall* att$a%ti.ea$e ostl* of a so$t to wea$ out the ne$.es+ esi$e fo$ e"%iteent, when itoes e*ond a point, is a sin eithe$ of a twisted disposition o$ of soeinstin%ti.e dissatisfa%tion+ -n the ea$l* da*s of a happ* a$$iae ost enfeel no need of e"%iteent, ut in the ode$n wo$ld a$$iae often has to epostponed fo$ su%h a lon tie that when at last it e%oes finan%iall*possile e"%iteent has e%oe a hait whi%h %an onl* e 'ept at a* fo$ asho$t tie+ -f puli% opinion allowed en to a$$* at twent*one withoutin%u$$in the finan%ial u$dens at p$esent in.ol.ed in at$ion*, an* enwould ne.e$ et into the wa* of deandin pleasu$es as fatiuin as thei$wo$'+ To suest that this should e ade possile is, howe.e$, io$al, asa* e seen f$o the fate of Gude Lindse*, who has suffe$ed oloqu*, inspite of a lon and honou$ale %a$ee$, fo$ the sole %$ie of wishin to sa.e*oun people f$o the isfo$tunes that the* in%u$ as a $esult of thei$ elde$s7

iot$*+ - shall not, howe.e$, pu$sue this topi% an* fu$the$ at p$esent, sin%e it%oes unde$ the headin of 8n.*, with whi%h we shall e %on%e$ned in a late$%hapte$+

!o$ the p$i.ate indi.idual, who %annot alte$ the laws and institutions unde$whi%h he li.es, it is diffi%ult to %ope with the situation that opp$essi.eo$alists %$eated and pe$petuate+ -t is, howe.e$, wo$th while to $ealise thate"%itin pleasu$es a$e not a $oad to happiness, althouh so lon as o$esatisf*in o*s $eain unattainale a an a* find it ha$dl* possile toendu$e life e"%ept * the help of e"%iteent+ -n su%h a situation the onl*thin that a p$udent an %an do is to $ation hiself, and not to allow hiself

su%h an aount of fatiuin pleasu$e as will unde$ine his health o$inte$fe$e with his wo$'+ The $adi%al %u$e fo$ the t$oules of the *oun lies ina %hane of puli% o$als+ -n the eantie a *oun an does well to $efle%t


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that he will ultiatel* e in a position to a$$*, and that he will e unwise ifhe li.es in su%h a wa* as to a'e a happ* a$$iae ipossile, whi%h a*easil* happen th$ouh f$a*ed ne$.es and an a%qui$ed in%apa%it* fo$ theentle$ pleasu$es+

/ne of the wo$st featu$es of ne$.ous fatiue is that it a%ts as a so$t of s%$een

etween a an and the outside wo$ld+ -p$essions $ea%h hi, as it we$e,uffled and uted; he no lone$ noti%es people e"%ept to e i$$itated *sall t$i%'s o$ anne$iss; he de$i.es no pleasu$e f$o his eals o$ f$othe sunshine, ut tends to e%oe tensel* %on%ent$ated upon a few oe%tsand indiffe$ent to all the $est+ This state of affai$s a'es it ipossile to $est,so that fatiue %ontinuall* in%$eases until it $ea%hes a point whe$e edi%alt$eatent is $equi$ed+ All this is at otto a penalt* fo$ ha.in lost that%onta%t with 8a$th of whi%h we spo'e in the p$e%edin %hapte$+ 5ut how su%h%onta%t is to e p$ese$.ed in ou$ $eat ode$n u$an aloe$ations ofpopulation, it is * no eans eas* to see+ Howe.e$, he$e aain we findou$sel.es upon the f$ine of la$e so%ial questions with whi%h in this .olueit is not * intention to deal+


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Chapte$ J 8n.*

e"t to wo$$* p$oal* one of the ost potent %auses of unhappiness isen.*+ 8n.* is, - should sa*, one of the ost uni.e$sal and deepseated ofhuan passions+ -t is .e$* noti%eale in %hild$en efo$e the* a$e a *ea$ old,and has to e t$eated with the ost tende$ $espe%t * e.e$* edu%ato$+ The

.e$* slihtest appea$an%e of fa.ou$in one %hild at the e"pense of anothe$ isinstantl* ose$.ed and $esented+ ist$iuti.e usti%e, asolute, $iid, andun.a$*in, ust e ose$.ed * an*one who has %hild$en to deal with+ 5ut%hild$en a$e onl* slihtl* o$e open in thei$ e"p$essions of en.*, and of

ealous* (whi%h is a spe%ial fo$ of en.*), than a$e $ownup people+ Theeotion is ust as p$e.alent aon adults as aon %hild$en+ Ta'e, fo$e"aple, aidse$.ants - $eee$ when one of ou$ aids, who was aa$$ied woan, e%ae p$enant, and we said that she was not to ee"pe%ted to lift hea.* weihts, the instant $esult was that none of the othe$swould lift hea.* weihts, and an* wo$' of that so$t that needed doin we hadto do ou$sel.es+

8n.* is the asis of deo%$a%*+ He$a%litus asse$ts that the %itiens of8phesus ouht all to e haned e%ause the* said, 7the$e shall e none fi$staon us7+ The deo%$ati% o.eent in :$ee' >tates ust ha.e een alostwholl* inspi$ed * this passion+ And the sae is t$ue of ode$n deo%$a%*+The$e is, it is t$ue, an idealisti% theo$* a%%o$din to whi%h deo%$a%* is theest fo$ of o.e$nent+ - thin' *self that this theo$* is t$ue+ 5ut the$e isno depa$tent of p$a%ti%al politi%s whe$e idealisti% theo$ies a$e st$onenouh to %ause $eat %hanes; when $eat %hanes o%%u$, the theo$ieswhi%h ustif* the a$e alwa*s a %aouflae fo$ passion+ And the passion thathas i.en d$i.in fo$%e to deo%$ati% theo$ies is undoutedl* the passion ofen.*+

ead the eoi$s of 4adae oland, who is f$equentl* $ep$esented as anole woan inspi$ed * de.otion to the people+ 6ou will find that whatade he$ su%h a .eheent deo%$at was the e"pe$ien%e of ein shown intothe se$.ants7 hall when she had o%%asion to .isit an a$isto%$ati% %hateau+

Aon a.e$ae $espe%tale woen en.* pla*s an e"t$ao$dina$il* la$e pa$t+-f *ou a$e sittin in the unde$$ound and a welld$essed woan happens towal' alon the %a$, wat%h the e*es of the othe$ woen+ 6ou will see thate.e$* one of then, with the possile e"%eption of those who a$e ette$d$essed, will wat%h the woan with ale.olent lan%es, and will e

st$ulin to d$aw infe$en%es de$oato$* to he$+ The lo.e of s%andal is ane"p$ession of this ene$al ale.olen%e an* sto$* aainst anothe$ woan isinstantl* elie.ed, e.en on the flisiest e.iden%e+ A loft* o$alit* se$.es thesae pu$pose those who ha.e a %han%e to sin aainst it a$e en.ied, and it is%onside$ed .i$tuous to punish the fo$ thei$ sins+ This pa$ti%ula$ fo$ of.i$tue is %e$tainl* its own $ewa$d+

8"a%tl* the sae thin, howe.e$, is to e ose$.ed aon en, e"%ept thatwoen $ea$d all othe$ woen as thei$ %opetito$s, whe$eas en as a $uleonl* ha.e this feelin towa$ds othe$ en in the sae p$ofession+ Ha.e *ou,$eade$, e.e$ een so ip$udent as to p$aise an a$tist to anothe$ a$tist Ha.e

*ou e.e$ p$aised a politi%ian to anothe$ politi%ian of the sae pa$t* Ha.e*ou e.e$ p$aised an 8*ptoloist to anothe$ 8*ptoloist -f *ou ha.e, it is ahund$ed to one that *ou will ha.e p$odu%ed an e"plosion of ealous*+


28/94

-n the %o$$esponden%e of Leini and Hu*hens the$e a$e a nue$ of lette$slaentin the supposed fa%t that ewton had e%oe insane+ 7-s it not sad,7the* w$ite to ea%h othe$, 7that the in%opa$ale enius of 4$ ewton shouldha.e e%oe o.e$%louded * the loss of $eason7 And these two einenten, in one lette$ afte$ anothe$, wept %$o%odile tea$s with o.ious $elish+ As

a atte$ of fa%t, the e.ent whi%h the* we$e h*po%$iti%all* laentin had notta'en pla%e, thouh a few e"aples of e%%ent$i% eha.iou$ had i.en $ise tothe $uou$+

/f all the %ha$a%te$isti%s of o$dina$* huan natu$e en.* is the ostunfo$tunate; not onl* does the en.ious pe$son wish to infli%t isfo$tune anddo so whene.e$ he %an with ipunit*, ut he is also hiself $ende$edunhapp* * en.*+ -nstead of de$i.in pleasu$e f$o what he has, he de$i.espain f$o what othe$s ha.e+ -f he %an, he dep$i.es othe$s of thei$ad.antaes, whi%h to hi is as desi$ale as it would e to se%u$e the saead.antaes hiself+ -f this passion is allowed to $un $iot it e%oes fatal toall e"%ellen%e, and e.en to the ost useful e"e$%ise of e"%eptional s'ill+ 2h*should a edi%al an o to see his patients in a %a$ when the laou$e$ has towal' to his wo$' 2h* should the s%ientifi% in.estiato$ e allowed to spendhis tie in a wa$ $oo when othe$s ha.e to fa%e the in%leen%* of theeleents 2h* should a an who possesses soe $a$e talent of $eatipo$tan%e to the wo$ld e sa.ed f$o the d$ude$* of his own housewo$'To su%h questions en.* finds no answe$+

!o$tunatel*, howe.e$, the$e is in huan natu$e a %opensatin passion,nael* that of adi$ation+ 2hoe.e$ wishes to in%$ease huan happinessust wish to in%$ease adi$ation and to diinish en.*+

2hat %u$e is the$e fo$ en.* !o$ the saint the$e is the %u$e of selflessness,thouh e.en in the %ase of saints en.* of othe$ saints is * no eansipossile+ - dout whethe$ >t >ieon >t*lites would ha.e een wholl*pleased if he had lea$nt of soe othe$ saint who had stood e.en lone$ on ane.en na$$owe$ pilla$+ 5ut, lea.in saints out of a%%ount, the onl* %u$e fo$en.* in the %ase of o$dina$* en and woen is happiness, and the diffi%ult*is that en.* is itself a te$$ile osta%le to happiness+ - thin' en.* isiensel* p$ooted * isfo$tunes in %hildhood+ The %hild who finds a$othe$ o$ siste$ p$efe$$ed efo$e hiself a%qui$es the hait of en.*, andwhen he oes out into the wo$ld loo's fo$ inusti%es of whi%h he is the .i%ti,pe$%ei.es the at on%e if the* o%%u$, and iaines the if the* do not+ >u%h

a an is ine.ital* unhapp*, and e%oes a nuisan%e to his f$iends, who%annot e alwa*s $eee$in to a.oid iaina$* slihts+ Ha.in eun *elie.in that no one li'es hi, he at last * his eha.iou$ a'es his elieft$ue+ Anothe$ isfo$tune in %hildhood whi%h has the sae $esult is to ha.epa$ents without u%h pa$ental feelin+ 2ithout ha.in an undul* fa.ou$ed$othe$ o$ siste$, a %hild a* pe$%ei.e that the %hild$en in othe$ failies a$eo$e lo.ed * thei$ othe$ and fathe$ than he is+ This will %ause hi to hatethe othe$ %hild$en and his own pa$ents, and when he $ows up he will feelhiself an -shael+ >oe 'inds of happiness a$e e.e$*one7s natu$ali$th$iht, and to e dep$i.ed of the is alost ine.ital* to e%oe wa$pedand eitte$ed+

5ut the en.ious an a* sa* 72hat is the ood of tellin e that the %u$efo$ en.* is happiness - %annot find happiness while - %ontinue to feel en.*,


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and *ou tell e that - %annot %ease to e en.ious until - find happiness+7 5ut$eal life is ne.e$ so loi%al as this+ 4e$el* to $ealise the %auses of one7s ownen.ious feelins is to ta'e a lon step towa$ds %u$in the+ The hait ofthin'in in te$s of %opa$isons is a fatal one+ 2hen an*thin pleasanto%%u$s it should e eno*ed to the fun, without stoppin to thin' that it is notso pleasant as soethin else that a* possil* e happenin to soeone

else+

76es,7 sa*s the en.ious an, 7this is a sunn* da*, and it is sp$intie, and thei$ds a$e sinin, and the flowe$s a$e in loo, ut - unde$stand that thesp$intie in >i%il* is a thousand ties o$e eautiful, that the i$ds sino$e e"quisitel* in the $o.es of Heli%on, and that the $ose of >ha$on is o$elo.el* than an* in * a$den+7 And as he thin's these thouhts the sun isdied, and the i$ds7 son e%oes a eaninless twitte$, and the flowe$ssee not wo$th a oent7s $ea$d+ All the othe$ o*s of life he t$eats in thesae wa*+ 76es,7 he will sa* to hiself, 7the lad* of * hea$t is lo.el*, - lo.ehe$ and she lo.es e, ut how u%h o$e e"quisite ust ha.e een the?ueen of >hea Ah, if - had ut had >oloon7s oppo$tunities 7

All su%h %opa$isons a$e pointless and foolish; whethe$ the ?ueen of >heao$ ou$ ne"tdoo$ neihou$ e the %ause of dis%ontent, eithe$ is equall*futile+ 2ith the wise an, what he has does not %ease to e eno*alee%ause soeone else has soethin else+ 8n.*, in fa%t, is one fo$ of a.i%e, pa$tl* o$al, pa$tl* intelle%tual, whi%h %onsists in seein thins ne.e$ inthesel.es, ut onl* in thei$ $elations+ - a ea$nin, let us sa*, a sala$*suffi%ient fo$ * needs+ - should e %ontent, ut - hea$ that soeone elsewho - elie.e to e in no wa* * supe$io$ is ea$nin a sala$* twi%e as $eatas ine+ -nstantl*, if - a of an en.ious disposition, the satisfa%tions to ede$i.ed f$o what - ha.e $ow di, and - ein to e eaten up with a senseof inusti%e+

!o$ all this the p$ope$ %u$e is ental dis%ipline, the hait of not thin'inp$ofitless thouhts+ Afte$ all, what is o$e en.iale than happiness And if -%an %u$e *self of en.* - %an a%qui$e happiness and e%oe en.iale+ Thean who has doule * sala$* is doutless to$tu$ed * the thouht thatsoeone else in tu$n has twi%e as u%h as he has, and so it oes on+ -f *oudesi$e lo$*, *ou a* en.* apoleon+ 5ut apoleon en.ied Caesa$, Caesa$en.ied Ale"ande$, and Ale"ande$, - da$e sa*, en.ied He$%ules, who ne.e$e"isted+ 6ou %annot, the$efo$e, et awa* f$o en.* * eans of su%%essalone, fo$ the$e will alwa*s e in histo$* o$ leend soe pe$son e.en o$e

su%%essful than *ou a$e+ 6ou %an et awa* f$o en.* * eno*in thepleasu$es that %oe *ou$ wa*, * doin the wo$' that *ou ha.e to do, and *a.oidin %opa$isons with those who *ou iaine, pe$haps quite falsel*,to e o$e fo$tunate than ou$self+

Unne%essa$* odest* has a $eat deal to do with en.*+ 4odest* is%onside$ed a .i$tue, ut fo$ * pa$t - a .e$* doutful whethe$, in its o$ee"t$ee fo$s, it dese$.es to e so $ea$ded+ 4odest people need a $eatdeal of $eassu$in, and often do not da$e to attept tas's whi%h the* a$equite %apale of pe$fo$in+ 4odest people elie.e thesel.es to eoutshone * those with who the* haituall* asso%iate+ The* a$e the$efo$e

pa$ti%ula$l* p$one to en.*, and, th$ouh en.*, to unhappiness and ill will+

!o$ * pa$t, - thin' the$e is u%h to e said fo$ $inin up a o* to thin'


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hiself a fine fellow+ - do not elie.e that an* pea%o%' en.ies anothe$pea%o%' his tail, e%ause e.e$* pea%o%' is pe$suaded that his own tail is thefinest in the wo$ld+ The %onsequen%e of this is that pea%o%'s a$e pea%ealei$ds+ -aine how unhapp* the life of a pea%o%' would e if he had eentauht that it is wi%'ed to ha.e a ood opinion of oneself+ 2hene.e$ he sawanothe$ pea%o%' sp$eadin out his tail, he would sa* to hiself

7- ust not iaine that * tail is ette$ than that, fo$ that would e%on%eited, ut oh, how - wish it we$e That odious i$d is so %on.in%ed of hisown anifi%en%e >hall - pull out soe of his feathe$s And then pe$haps -need no lone$ fea$ %opa$ison with hi+7

/$ pe$haps he would la* a t$ap fo$ hi, and p$o.e that he was a wi%'edpea%o%' who had een uilt* of unpea%o%'l* eha.iou$, and he woulddenoun%e hi to the assel* of the leade$s+

:$aduall* he would estalish the p$in%iple that pea%o%'s with spe%iall* finetails a$e alost alwa*s wi%'ed, and that the wise $ule$ in the pea%o%''indo would see' out the hule i$d with onl* a few d$aled tailfeathe$s+ Ha.in ot this p$in%iple a%%epted, he would et all the finest i$dsput to death, and in the end a $eall* splendid tail will e%oe onl* a dieo$* of the past+ >u%h is the .i%to$* of en.* asque$adin as o$alit*+5ut whe$e e.e$* pea%o%' thin's hiself o$e splendid than an* of theothe$s, the$e is no need fo$ all this $ep$ession+

8a%h pea%o%' e"pe%ts to win the fi$st p$ie in the %opetition, and ea%h,e%ause he .alues his own peahen, elie.es that he has done so+

8n.* is, of %ou$se, %losel* %onne%ted with %opetition+ 2e do not en.* aood fo$tune whi%h we %on%ei.e as quite hopelessl* out of ou$ $ea%h+ -n anae when the so%ial hie$a$%h* is fi"ed, the lowest %lasses do not en.* theuppe$ %lasses so lon as the di.ision etween $i%h and poo$ is thouht to eo$dained * :od+ 5ea$s do not en.* illionai$es, thouh of %ou$se the* willen.* othe$ ea$s who a$e o$e su%%essful+ The instailit* of so%ial statusin the ode$n wo$ld, and the equalita$ian do%t$ine of deo%$a%* andso%ialis, ha.e $eatl* e"tended the $ane of en.*+ !o$ the oent this isan e.il, ut it is an e.il whi%h ust e endu$ed in o$de$ to a$$i.e at a o$e

ust so%ial s*ste+ As soon as inequalities a$e thouht aout $ationall* the*a$e seen to e unust unless the* $est upon soe supe$io$it* of e$it+ And assoon as the* a$e seen to e unust, the$e is no $eed* fo$ the $esultin en.*

e"%ept the $eo.al of the inusti%e+ /u$ ae is the$efo$e one in whi%h en.*pla*s a pe%ulia$l* la$e pa$t+ The poo$ en.* the $i%h, the poo$e$ nations en.*the $i%he$ nations, woen en.* en, .i$tuous woen en.* those who,thouh not .i$tuous, $eain unpunished+ 2hile it is t$ue that en.* is the%hief oti.e fo$%e leadin to usti%e as etween diffe$ent %lasses, diffe$entnations, and diffe$ent se"es, it is at the sae tie t$ue that the 'ind of

usti%e to e e"pe%ted as a $esult of en.* is li'el* to e the wo$st possile'ind, nael* that whi%h %onsists $athe$ in diinishin the pleasu$es of thefo$tunate than in in%$easin those of the unfo$tunate+ #assions whi%h wo$'ha.o% in p$i.ate life wo$' ha.o% in puli% life also+ -t is not to e supposedthat out of soethin as e.il as en.* ood $esults will flow+ Those, the$efo$e,

who f$o idealisti% $easons desi$e p$ofound %hanes in ou$ so%ial s*ste,and a $eat in%$ease of so%ial usti%e, ust hope that othe$ fo$%es than en.*will e inst$uental in $inin the %hanes aout+


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All ad thins a$e inte$%onne%ted, and an* one of the is liale to e the%ause of an* othe$; o$e pa$ti%ula$l* fatiue is a .e$* f$equent %ause ofen.*+ 2hen a an feels inadequate to the wo$' he has to do, he feels aene$al dis%ontent whi%h is e"%eedinl* liale to ta'e the fo$ of en.*towa$ds those whose wo$' is less e"a%tin+ /ne of the wa*s of diinishin

en.*, the$efo$e, is to diinish fatiue+ 5ut * fa$ the ost ipo$tant thin isto se%u$e a life whi%h is satisf*in to instin%t+ 4u%h en.* that sees pu$el*p$ofessional $eall* has a se"ual sou$%e+ A an who is happ* in his a$$iaeand his %hild$en is not li'el* to feel u%h en.* of othe$ en e%ause of thei$$eate$ wealth o$ su%%ess, so lon as he has enouh to $in up his %hild$enin what he feels to e the $iht wa*+ The essentials of huan happiness a$esiple, so siple that sophisti%ated people %annot $in thesel.es to aditwhat it is the* $eall* la%'+

The woen we spo'e of ea$lie$ who loo' with en.* on e.e$* welld$essedwoan a$e, one a* e su$e, not happ* in thei$ instin%ti.e life+ -nstin%ti.ehappiness is $a$e in the 8nlishspea'in wo$ld, espe%iall* aon woen+Ci.ilisation in this $espe%t appea$s to ha.e one ast$a*+ -f the$e is to e lessen.*, eans ust e found fo$ $eed*in this state of affai$s, and if no su%heans a$e found ou$ %i.ilisation is in dane$ of oin down to dest$u%tion inan o$* of hat$ed,

-n old da*s people onl* en.ied thei$ neihou$s, e%ause the* 'new littleaout an*one else+ ow th$ouh edu%ation and the #$ess the* 'now u%h inan ast$a%t wa* aout la$e %lasses of an'ind of who no sinle indi.idualis aon thei$ a%quaintan%e+ Th$ouh the o.ies the* thin' the* 'now howthe $i%h li.e, th$ouh the newspape$s the* 'now u%h of the wi%'edness offo$ein nations, th$ouh p$opaanda the* 'now of the nefa$ious p$a%ti%es ofall whose s'in has a pientation diffe$ent f$o thei$ own+ 6ellows hatewhites, whites hate la%'s, and so on+ All this hat$ed, *ou a* sa*, is sti$$edup * p$opaanda, ut this is a soewhat shallow e"planation+ 2h* isp$opaanda so u%h o$e su%%essful when it sti$s up hat$ed than when itt$ies to sti$ up f$iendl* feelin The $eason is %lea$l* that the huan hea$t asode$n %i.ilisation has ade it is o$e p$one to hat$ed than to f$iendship+And it is p$one to hat$ed e%ause it is dissastisfied, e%ause it feels deepl*,pe$haps e.en un%ons%iousl*, that it has soehow issed the eanin of life,that pe$haps othe$s, ut not we ou$sel.es, ha.e se%u$ed the ood thinswhi%h natu$e offe$s an7s eno*ent+ The positi.e su of pleasu$es in aode$n an7s life is undoutedl* $eate$ than was to e found in o$e

p$iiti.e %ounities, ut the %ons%iousness of what iht e has in%$easede.en o$e+

2hene.e$ *ou happen to ta'e *ou$ %hild$en to the Koo *ou a* ose$.e inthe e*es of the apes, when the* a$e not pe$fo$in *nasti% feats o$%$a%'in nuts, a st$ane st$ained sadness+ /ne %an alost iaine that the*feel the* ouht to e%oe en, ut %annot dis%o.e$ the se%$et of how to doit+ /n the $oad of e.olution the* ha.e lost thei$ wa*; thei$ %ousins a$%hedon and the* we$e left ehind+ >oethin of the sae st$ain and anuishsees to ha.e ente$ed the soul of %i.ilised an+ He 'nows the$e issoethin ette$ than hiself alost within his $asp, *et he does not 'now

whe$e to see' it o$ how to find it+ -n despai$ he $aes aainst his fellow an,who is equall* lost and equall* unhapp*+


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2e ha.e $ea%hed a stae in e.olution whi%h is not the final stae+ 2e ustpass th$ouh it qui%'l*, fo$ if we do not, ost of us will pe$ish * the wa*,and the othe$s will e lost in a fo$est of dout and fea$+ 8n.* the$efo$e, e.ilas it is, and te$$ile as a$e its effe%ts, is not wholl* of the de.il+ -t is in pa$tthe e"p$ession of an he$oi% pain, the pain of those who wal' th$ouh theniht lindl*, pe$haps to a ette$ $estinpla%e, pe$haps onl* to death and

dest$u%tion+ To find the $iht $oad out of this despai$ %i.ilised an ustenla$e his hea$t as he has enla$ed his ind+ He ust lea$n to t$ans%endself, and in so doin to a%qui$e the f$eedo of the Uni.e$se+


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Chapte$ The sense of sin

Con%e$nin the sense of sin we ha.e al$ead* in Chapte$ - had o%%asion to sa*soethin, ut we ust now o into it o$e full*, sin%e it is one of the ostipo$tant of the unde$l*in ps*%holoi%al %auses of unhappiness in adult life+The$e is a t$aditional $eliious ps*%holo* of sin whi%h no ode$n

ps*%holoist %an a%%ept+ -t was supposed, espe%iall* * #$otestants, that%ons%ien%e $e.eals to e.e$* an when an a%t to whi%h he is tepted is sinful,and that afte$ %oittin su%h an a%t he a* e"pe$ien%e eithe$ of twopainful feelins, one %alled $eo$se, in whi%h the$e is no e$it, and the othe$%alled $epentan%e, whi%h is %apale of wipin out his uilt+ -n #$otestant%ount$ies e.en an* of those who lost thei$ faith %ontinued fo$ a tie toa%%ept with $eate$ o$ salle$ odifi%ations the o$thodo" .iew of sin+ -n ou$own da*, pa$tl* owin to ps*%hoanal*sis, we ha.e the opposite state ofaffai$s not onl* do the uno$thodo" $ee%t the old do%t$ine of sin, ut an* ofthose who still %onside$ thesel.es o$thodo" do so li'ewise+ Cons%ien%e has%eased to e soethin *ste$ious whi%h, e%ause it was *ste$ious, %oulde $ea$ded as the .oi%e of :od+ 2e 'now that %ons%ien%e enoins diffe$enta%ts in diffe$ent pa$ts of the wo$ld, and,that $oadl* spea'in it ise.e$*whe$e in a$eeent with t$ial %usto+ 2hat, then, is $eall* happeninwhen a an7s %ons%ien%e p$i%'s hi

The wo$d 7%ons%ien%e7 %o.e$s+ as a atte$ of fa%t, se.e$al diffe$ent feelins;the siplest of these is the fea$ of ein found out+ 6ou, $eade$, ha.e, - asu$e, li.ed a %opletel* laeless life, ut if *ou will as' soeone who hasat soe tie a%ted in a anne$ fo$ whi%h he would e punished if it e%ae'nown, *ou will find that, when dis%o.e$* seeed iinent, the pe$son inquestion $epented of his %$ie+ - do not sa* that this would appl* to thep$ofessional thief who e"pe%ts a %e$tain aount of p$ison as a t$ade $is', utit applies to what a* e %alled the $espe%tale offende$, su%h as the 5an'4anae$ who has eeled in a oent of st$ess, o$ the %le$*an whohas een tepted * passion into soe sensual i$$eula$it*+

>u%h en %an fo$et thei$ %$ie when the$e sees little %han%e of dete%tion,ut when the* a$e found out, o$ in $a.e dane$ of ein so, the* wish the*had een o$e .i$tuous, and this wish a* i.e the a li.el* sense of theeno$it* of thei$ sin+ Closel* allied with this feelin is the fea$ of e%oinan out%ast f$o the he$d+ A an who %heats at %a$ds o$ fails to pa* his detsof honou$ has nothin within hiself * whi%h to stand up aainst thedisapp$o.al of the he$d when he is found out+ -n this he is unli'e the

$eliious inno.ato$, the ana$%hist, and the $e.olutiona$*, who all feel that,whate.e$ a* e thei$ fate in the p$esent, the futu$e is with the and willhonou$ the as u%h as the* a$e e"e%$ated in the p$esent+ These en, inspite of the hostilit* of the he$d, do not feel sinful, ut the an who enti$el*a%%epts the o$alit* of the he$d while a%tin aainst it suffe$s $eatunhappiness when he loses %aste, and the fea$ of this disaste$, o$ the pain ofit when it has happened, a* easil* %ause hi to $ea$d his a%ts thesel.esas sinful+

5ut the sense of sin in its ost ipo$tant fo$s is soethin whi%h oesdeepe$+ -t is soethin whi%h has its $oots in the un%ons%ious, and does not

appea$ in %ons%iousness as fea$ of othe$ people7s disapp$o.al+ -n%ons%iousness %e$tain 'inds of a%ts a$e laelled >in fo$ no $eason .isile toint$ospe%tion+ 2hen a an %oits these a%ts he feels un%ofo$tale


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infantile suestions of the un%ons%ious, and e.en to %hane the %ontents ofthe un%ons%ious, * eplo*in the $iht 'ind of te%hnique+ 2hene.e$ *ouein to feel $eo$se fo$ an a%t whi%h *ou$ $eason tells *ou is not wi%'ed,e"aine the %auses of *ou$ feelin of $eo$se, and %on.in%e *ou$self indetail of thei$ asu$dit*+ Let *ou$ %ons%ious eliefs e so .i.id and ephati%that the* a'e an ip$ession upon *ou$ un%ons%ious st$on enouh to %ope

with the ip$essions ade * *ou$ nu$se o$ *ou$ othe$ when *ou we$e aninfant+ o not e %ontent with an alte$nation etween oents of $ationalit*and oents of i$$ationalit*+ Loo' into the i$$ationalit* %losel*, with adete$ination not to $espe%t it, and not to let it doinate *ou+ 2hene.e$ itth$usts foolish thouhts o$ feelins into *ou$ %ons%iousness, pull the up *the $oots, e"aine the, and $ee%t the+ o not allow *ou$self to $eain a.a%illatin %$eatu$e, swa*ed half * $eason and half * infantile foll*+ o note af$aid of i$$e.e$en%e towa$ds the eo$* of those who %ont$olled *ou$%hildhood+ The* seeed to *ou then st$on and wise e%ause *ou we$e wea'and foolish; now that *ou a$e neithe$, it is *ou$ usiness to e"aine thei$appa$ent st$enth and wisdo, to %onside$ whethe$ the* dese$.e that$e.e$en%e that f$o fo$%e of hait *ou still estow upon the+ As' *ou$selfse$iousl* whethe$ the wo$ld is the ette$ fo$ the o$al tea%hin t$aditionall*i.en to the *oun+ Conside$ how u%h of unadulte$ated supe$stition oesinto the a'eup of the %on.entionall* .i$tuous an, and $efle%t that, whileall 'inds of iaina$* o$al dane$s we$e ua$ded aainst * in%$edil*foolish p$ohiitions,the $eal o$al dane$s to whi%h an adult is e"posed we$ep$a%ti%all* unentioned+ 2hat a$e the $eall* ha$ful a%ts to whi%h thea.e$ae an is tepted >ha$p p$a%ti%e in usiness of the so$t not punished* law, ha$shness towa$ds eplo*ees, %$uelt* towa$ds wife and %hild$en,ale.olen%e towa$ds %opetito$s, fe$o%it* in politi%al %onfli%ts these a$ethe $eall* ha$ful sins that a$e %oon aon $espe%tale and $espe%ted%itiens+ 5* eans of these sins a an sp$eads ise$* in his iediate %i$%leand does his it towa$ds dest$o*in %i.ilisation+ 6et these a$e not the thinsthat a'e hi, when he is ill, $ea$d hiself as an out%ast who has fo$feitedall %lai to di.ine fa.ou$+ These a$e not the thins that %ause hi nihta$esto see .isions of his othe$ endin $ep$oa%hful lan%es upon hi+ 2h* ishis su%ons%ious o$alit* thus di.o$%ed f$o $eason 5e%ause the ethi%elie.ed in * those who had %ha$e of his infan%* was sill*; e%ause it wasnot de$i.ed f$o an* stud* of the indi.idual7s dut* to the %ounit*;e%ause it was ade up of old s%$aps of i$$ational taoos; and e%ause it%ontained within itself eleents of o$idness de$i.ed f$o the spi$itualsi%'ness that t$ouled the d*in oan 8pi$e+ /u$ noinal o$alit* haseen fo$ulated * p$iests and entall* ensla.ed woen+ -t is tie that

en who ha.e to ta'e a no$al pa$t in the no$al life of the wo$ld lea$ned to$eel aainst this si%'l* nonsense+

5ut if the $eellion is to e su%%essful in $inin indi.idual happiness and inenalin a an to li.e %onsistentl* * one standa$d, not to .a%illate etweentwo, it is ne%essa$* that he should thin' and feel deepl* aout what his$eason tells hi+ 4ost en, when the* ha.e th$own off supe$fi%iall* thesupe$stitions of thei$ %hildhood, thin' that the$e is no o$e to e done+ The*do not $ealise that these supe$stitions a$e still lu$'in unde$$ound+ 2hen a$ational %on.i%tion has een a$$i.ed at, it is ne%essa$* to dwell upon it, tofollow out its %onsequen%es, to sea$%h out in oneself whate.e$ eliefs

in%onsistent with the new %on.i%tion iht othe$wise su$.i.e, and when thesense of sin $ows st$on, as f$o tie to tie it will, to t$eat it not as a$e.elation and a %all to hihe$ thins, ut as a disease and a wea'ness,


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unless of %ou$se it is %aused * soe a%t whi%h a $ational ethi% would%onden+ - a not suestin that a an should e destitute of o$alit*, -a onl* suestin that he should e destitute of supe$stitious o$alit*,whi%h is a .e$* diffe$ent thin+

5ut e.en when a an has offended aainst his own $ational %ode, - dout

whethe$ a sense of sin is the 7est ethod of a$$i.in at a ette$ wa* of life+The$e is in the sense of sin soethin ae%t, soethin la%'in in self$espe%t+ o ood was e.e$ done to an*one * the loss of self$espe%t+ The$ational an will $ea$d his own undesi$ale a%ts as he $ea$ds those ofothe$s, as a%ts p$odu%ed * %e$tain %i$%ustan%es, and to e a.oided eithe$* a fulle$ $ealisation that the* a$e undesi$ale, o$, whe$e this is possile, *a.oidan%e of the %i$%ustan%es that %aused the+

As a atte$ of fa%t the sense of sin, so fa$ f$o ein a %ause of s ood life,is quite the $e.e$se+ -t a'es a an unhapp* and it a'es hi feel infe$io$+5ein unhapp*, he is li'el* to a'e %lais upon othe$ people whi%h a$ee"%essi.e and whi%h p$e.ent hi f$o eno*in happiness in pe$sonal$elations+ !eelin infe$io$, he will ha.e a $ude aainst those who seesupe$io$+ He will find adi$ation diffi%ult and en.* eas*+ He will e%oe aene$all* disa$eale pe$son, and will find hiself o$e and o$e solita$*+An e"pansi.e and ene$ous attitude towa$ds othe$ people not onl* i.eshappiness to othe$s, ut is an iense sou$%e of happiness to its possesse$,sin%e it %auses hi to e ene$all* li'ed+ 5ut su%h an attitude is s%a$%el*possile to the an haunted * a sense of sin+ -t is an out%oe of poise andself$elian%e; it deands what a* e %alled ental inte$ation; * whi%h -ean that the .a$ious la*e$s of a an7s natu$e, %ons%ious, su%ons%ious, andun%ons%ious, wo$' toethe$ ha$oniousl* and a$e not enaed in pe$petualattle+ To p$odu%e su%h ha$on* is possile in ost %ases * wise edu%ation,ut whe$e edu%ation has een unwise it is a o$e diffi%ult p$o%ess+ -t is thep$o%ess whi%h the ps*%hoanal*sts attept, ut - elie.e that in a .e$* $eatan* %ases the patient %an hiself pe$fo$ the wo$' whi%h in o$e e"t$ee%ases $equi$es the help of the e"pe$t+ o not sa*, 7- ha.e no tie fo$ su%hps*%holoi%al laou$s; * life is a us* one filled with affai$s, and - ustlea.e * un%ons%ious to its t$i%'s+7 othin so u%h diinishes not onl*happiness ut effi%ien%* as a pe$sonalit* di.ided aainst itself+ The tiespent in

Conquest of Happiness

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