INTRODUCTION
Bertrand Russell was one of the most influenced Rationalist, philosopher, a liberal and open-minded man of the 20th century. He was the world’s most celebrated public intellectual. He had written some of the influential works including; Conquest of happiness is one of the most delightful works by Bertrand Russell. The beauty of this literary work is considerable. This book leads people to a happy life. It is a guideline for pleased living. This book deals with the problems of human life to be happy, unfortunately, which leads towards unhappiness. Russell had done influence-able work that deals with the whole universe and the entire life of the men. Russell tells in modern life people suffer more, they have different technology and machine system, though they have time but have a mental illness, mentally they are tired. Russell categorized this piece into two parts; the causes of unhappiness and the causes of happiness.
DISCUSSION
In the first part of the book, Russell raises questions of
unhappiness and gives the reasons behind them. He initiated to observe human
life and compare it with animal life, and got the reasons for unhappiness
throughout the questions; like, What Makes people unhappy? Following this
question, he makes a list of the causes of unhappiness such as Byronic
unhappiness, competition, boredom and excitement, fatigue, envy, the sense of
sin, persecution mania, and fear of public opinion. Including all these reasons
he acknowledged so many examples like he quoted Mr. Krutch work’s modern
temper, Napoleon, etc.
The most considerable cause of unhappiness identified by Russell is self-centeredness. Furthermore; competition, sense of sin, persecution mania, and fear of public opinion are caused under the different social and political, and religious conditions include some economic issues. In daily life unhappiness cause due to, look for parental care, lack of affection, no education, no job, no security, sense of illness, sense of loneliness, leading negative life, nihilism, fear of death, and lack of facilities in childhood that leads person psychologically disturbed. As in the self-absorption, the men are indifferent behavior some are narcissists and some are megalomaniac. Due to such behavior, they cannot believe a happy life to get power, honor, admire. These are the greedy type of things which always put away them from their internal joys that’s why they are victims of Byronic unhappiness. He further told that competition leads men towards unhappiness but it has two sides, one side caused happiness and the other is unhappiness. Like in business life a person struggles for success, day and night he works hard but he failed to give time to his family. He awakes early and comes late so that he is unable to give time children and wife. As well as in student life if he gets success his family becomes happy as well as he will. But on another side what about those who don’t get it. No doubt competition creates enthusiasm for people but it leads towards unhappiness by avoiding families, friends, natural zest, and enjoyments. But it can be solved through the reading masterpiece of books like Shakespeare Hamlet and the examples of different competitive and hard-working people, such as; Thomas Edison, who spent his whole life to the invented bulb. Karl Marx fully devoted his life to the entire universe. Einstein, Galileo, and Darwin are the most influential hard workers.
Their aim in life is not to
compete but to facilitate people. He also tells me that it is better to write
something rather than spend time free. Russell further moves on the sense of
sin, he thought religion is the major cause of human unhappiness. For example
in America, if people want to happy and successful life first he should have to
change their religion as Russell told. In religion psychologically people are
bound, at every single step they differentiate sin and virtue. So many thoughts
about what makes up sinful like the concept of sexuality prohibited in religion.
In fear of public opinion, Russell declared that many people decide their path
on other’s thinking. They put themselves into unhappiness by thinking that,
what people think about them, what their family, friends, and mate think about
them, they are afraid of them. This is all about internal communication to
one’s self, or to change the state of mind and way of looking at things in
different approach; i.e. if we look things horrible, it worried us. If we look
at things pleasant, it would be wonderful for us.
After study unhappiness, Russell continues to readers strong hope.
In the second part of his book, Russell tells that happiness does not subject
to doom or luck of being born wealthy or stunning but you can conquer it
through the finding of love, family, work, health, sharing and caring,
impersonal interest, and Zest if you failed to find it, you’ll never be happy.
In this section, that is more appealing and understandable for us, Russell
convinced that outward focus of life is only one that leads people to
happiness; such as social worker, charitable trust, humanitarian, etc. By doing
such deeds; helping someone anonymously, not looking for credit for doing some
vast contribution, and by all these deeds and you forget all such sacrifices
that keep you in the world of happiness. This will be the cause of joyful
pleasant life.
Russell describes the Zest as an experience of happiness in life.
He noted the relationship between a zestful approach to living and the
experience of being loved. According to Aristotle's case, zest is a potentially
problematic virtue, as Russell suggested reason for happiness is zest.
CONCLUSION
Concluding this book, Russell gives us a simple solution to our daily life problem through his analytical, philosophical ideas. In more modern terms, things come to us when we make ourselves tuned in with the same incidence as the things we desire. If we just wish we had those things, but the only thing inside us is despair, negativity and lack of hope, faith that we will ever get to the desired outcome, then the desired outcome flees away. Similar things are attracted to each other. Negativity only brings negative people and situations to us. If we can cultivate ourselves so that we have a positive outlook, positive feelings towards life and towards other people, then good things will start happening. So happiness is difficult to get but easy to lose, be with family, friends, and enjoy every movement of life.
