Photo: Bertrand Russell, in one of his happy moods.
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contain’d,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins…
— from ‘Animals’ by Walt Whitman, 1885
Like certain of my friends, I want to be happy. I don’t want to sweat or whine about my condition, or lie awake in the dark.
Is there anything wrong with that? I think not. Even a great poet like Walt Whitman thought he could turn and live with animals, or at the very least, stand and look at them.
Unfortunately, I live in a country where humans struggle to be happy. You would think, after 250 years of democracy and capitalism, we would wake up every morning with a smile on our faces. But alas, only the billionaires are really happy these days.
In my search for a cure — if indeed a cure exists — I purchased a used book at our local bookstore. The Conquest of Happiness, by Bertrand Russell.
Happiness isn’t something that occurs accidentally or haphazardly. It has to be conquered. Intentionally subdued and subjugated. Buying books can be part of the quest.
Mr. Russell published his book in 1930, hoping to help with our process.
My purpose is to suggest a cure for the ordinary day-to-day unhappiness from which most people in civilized countries suffer, and which is all the more unbearable because, having no obvious external cause, it appears inescapable.
Of course, Mr. Russell was living in Great Britain in 1930, at which time it was still a civilized country, but nevertheless suffering unbearably.
I have to assume that the book was actually written sometime previous to 1930, because by 1930, England and the rest of Great Britain had begun suffering from what was obviously an “external cause”. Namely, the “Great Slump” — more affectionately known in the U.S. as the “Great Depression”.
Civilized countries can suffer unbearably from day-to-day unhappiness, even if the cause is obviously a global disaster brought about by greedy capitalists. Even uncivilized countries can suffer unbearably.
We don’t know if Mr. Russell considered the U.S. to be a civilized country in 1930. But if he could see us now…
In his book, Mr. Russell proposes that most people are unhappy, and that we really have no excuse for complaining, especially in civilized countries. The causes of our unhappiness, he says, are many and various, but chief among them is a failed quest for happiness.
This makes perfect sense.
If we stopped trying so hard to be happy, we could be happy.
This philosophy is somewhat at odds with the criteria used by the folks who publish the annual World Happiness Report. According to that group of experts, our happiness depends mainly on things beyond our control, such as:
- GDP per capita: Economic prosperity contributes to overall life satisfaction.
- Social support: Strong community ties and support systems enhance well-being.
- Healthy life expectancy: Access to healthcare and a healthy lifestyle are crucial.
- Freedom to make life choices: Personal autonomy impacts happiness levels.
- Perceptions of corruption: Trust in institutions affects overall life satisfaction.
If we buy this approach, then we would want to live in Finland, the number-one ranked country.
The U.S. ranks 24th in a list of 147 countries.
I was not happy to see that ranking.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.