論幸福

• => The causes of these various kinds of unhappiness lie partly in the social system, partly in individual psychology- which, of course, is itself to a considerable extent a product of the social system.

=> Like others who had a Puritan education, I had the habit of meditating on my sins, follies, and shortcomings, Iseemed to myself- no doubt justly- a miserable specimen. Gradually I learned to be indifferent to myself and my deficiencies; I camr to centre my attention increasingly upon external objects... ... The happiness which he attributes to religion he could have obtained from becoming a crossing-sweeper, provided he were compelled to remain one. External discipline is the only road to hapiness for those unfortunates whose self-absorption is too profound to be cured in any other way.

=> I have found that if I have to write upon some rather difficult topic the best plan is to think about it with very great intensity- the greatest intensity if which I am capable - for a few hours or days, and at the end of that time give orders that the work is to proceed underground. After some months I return consciously to the topic and find that the work has been done.

=> Next to worry probably one of the most potent causes of unhappiness is envy.

=> Four maxims：the first is to remember that your motives are not always as altruistic as they seem to yourself. The second is: don't over-estimate your own merits. The third is: don't expect others to take as much interest in you as you do yourself. And the forth is: don't imagine that most people give enough thought to you to have any special desire to persecute you.

=> The secret of happiness is this：let your interests be as wide as possible, and let your reactions to the things and persons that interest you be as far as possible friendly rather than hostile.