The Road to Happiness Summary by Bertrand Russell
The Road to Happiness Summary – For over two thousand years pursuit of happiness has been thought to be something degraded and unworthy. Stoics, especially condemned it. In relatively much more modern times Germans put forward their disastrous theories causing great unhappiness for themselves and the rest of the world, and men like Carlyle imitating the German thinking prevalent in his time supported men like Cromwell, Frederick the Great, Gover Eyre in their nefarious deeds.
Contempt for happiness, actually means contempt for other people’s happiness and is an elegant disguise for hatred of the human race. Those seemingly making sacrifices for a noble cause, like saints and communists grudge other their happiness, often leading to their being cruel and destructive.
Before making theories one should make allowances for natural impulses, the restraint of which makes like distasteful in the end, and the natural impulses so repressed find outlet in carousal and frivolous pleasures which ultimately do not bring happiness but deeper despair.
Moralists often give the plea that happiness flees the pursuer, but that is true only when you pursue it the wrong way, without caring for the consequences, such as gambling and drinking lead to. For most people pursuing of happiness has to be in some tangible form without being too abstract and theoretical.
Often in developed societies sacrificing the basic needs and instincts for some paramount purpose in life robs the outwardly affluent and healthy persons of the joys of life.
For being happy one has to be active in such a way that the activity itself should be “enjoyable on its own account and which, in addition, gradually builds up something that you are glad to see coming into existence”. Hobbies like gardening and pursuits that “have the naturalness of hunting, are ends in themselves. Modern city dwellers are, however, too exhausted after work to pursue such active pleasures that vigorous natural outlets of energy in games and sports has to offer.
Conforming to social norms to enhance ‘prestige’ in the society and fear of public censure and to have always the ‘correct code of conduct is something not natural. It is unfortunate that children are ruthlessly trained by their parents to adopt the so called ‘correct’ ways which curb and cripple their natural impulse, making them sedate puppets.
Mere social success, without friends, hobbies and absorbing interest in something not just utilitarian, is not enough, because it is living according to some set theory and all living by theory is dusty and Desiccating”.
Some settled framework eliciting fairly constant impulse and scope for doing something merely for fun, for ‘play’ seems to be sufficient conditions for otherwise healthy and well-fed men or women to be happy.
Having a theory of life or a religion hardly matters in one’s way to happiness, but the simple yet necessary things like well-knit family, satisfying job, right diet and exercise are more important. It may not seem quite flattering but the basic animal needs and instincts go a long way towards happiness, as man is basically an animal.
Important Links
- John Keats Biography
- Percy Bysshe Shelley Biography
- William Wordsworth as a Romantic Poet
- William Wordsworth as a poet of Nature
- William Wordsworth Biography
- William Collins Biography
- John Dryden Biography
- Alexander Pope Biography
- Metaphysical Poetry: Definition, Characteristics and John Donne as a Metaphysical Poet
- John Donne as a Metaphysical Poet
- Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116: (explained in hindi)
- What is poetry? What are its main characteristics?
- Debate- Meaning, Advantage & Limitations of Debate
- Sarojini Naidu (1879-1949) Biography, Quotes, & Poem Indian Weavers
- Charles Mackay: Poems Sympathy, summary & Quotes – Biography
- William Shakespeare – Quotes, Plays & Wife – Biography
- Ralph Waldo Emerson – Poems, Quotes & Books- Biography
- What is a lyric and what are its main forms?
