Stay up to date with Arthur’s latest columns by signing up to receive an email notification whenever a new one is released. Achieving overall well-being requires two essential tasks: increasing happiness and managing unhappiness. To determine where to begin, self-evaluation can provide valuable insights. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) test is an effective tool that assesses your natural levels of positive and negative affect, allowing you to compare your mood with that of others. In my experience as a teacher and writer, PANAS has proven to be one of the most reliable tests for self-understanding as it breaks down your well-being into distinct emotional channels.
Even without taking the PANAS test, you probably have a good sense of whether happiness or unhappiness presents a greater challenge in your life. One individual who certainly had a grasp on this was Bertrand Russell, an eminent 20th-century British thinker known for his contributions as a philosopher, mathematician, logician, and Nobel laureate in literature. In his autobiography from the 1960s, Russell reflects on his profound sense of loneliness and despair during his childhood, expressing his struggle to find someone to connect with. However, this misery became the catalyst for his greatest accomplishment – the creation of analytic philosophy. Russell believed that by breaking down life problems, including his own unhappiness, into manageable pieces, he could surpass mere intellectual speculation and offer practical solutions. If unhappiness is your primary challenge, Russell’s approach may hold the answers you’ve been seeking.
Russell’s self-prescription for battling unhappiness began with a bold hypothesis, eloquently expressed in his book “The Conquest of Happiness”: our unhappiness stems largely from misconceptions. He argued, “I believe… unhappiness to be very largely due to mistaken views of the world, mistaken ethics, and mistaken habits of life.” According to Russell, these errors undermine the essential sense of curiosity and enthusiasm for what’s possible, which forms the foundation of all happiness, whether for humans or animals. From there, he identified eight categories of common errors and offered rectification for each one as a solution to unnecessary unhappiness.
Error 1: Fashionable pessimism – Russell critiqued the prevalence of negative and pessimistic attitudes among those who considered themselves enlightened. He observed their fixation on the world’s flaws and their belief that life held no further value. He viewed this as a pathetic pose that one should abandon, warning that pessimism can distort one’s perception of reality.
Error 2: Social comparison – Russell denounced the tendency to assess one’s worth based on comparison with others, noting that most individuals fear not destitution but the inability to outshine their neighbors. He quoted the saying, “Comparison is the thief of joy,” and suggested that instead of resenting what others have, we should focus on gratitude for what we possess.
Error 3: Envy – Russell acknowledged envy as a source of profound unhappiness, arising from coveting what others possess rather than being content with what we have. He believed that increasing admiration for those who excel in areas we aspire to would contribute to greater human happiness.
Error 4: Evading boredom – While people today might be less bored than their ancestors, Russell observed an increased fear of boredom, leading to a constant pursuit of distractions. He argued that the solution lies not in seeking more sources of amusement but in embracing moments of stillness and finding comfort in our surroundings. This perspective aligns with the mindfulness practice defined by Ellen Langer, emphasizing the active noticing of new things without constant distraction.
Error 5: Coping with fear – Russell recognized anxiety as a prevalent mental disorder rooted in an unwillingness to confront certain dangers. He proposed facing fear head-on, examining it calmly and rationally until it becomes familiar. This process gradually reduces fear’s power over us, akin to exposure therapy used by psychologists.
Error 6: Senseless guilt – Russell criticized the religious concept of sin and unworthiness, considering it a mislabeling of normal behaviors that leads to unnecessary unhappiness. By setting aside the stigma of undeserved guilt and cultivating gratitude, individuals can experience relief from this emotional burden.
Error 7: Virtuous victimhood – Russell cautioned against adopting a perpetual victim mentality in which individuals see themselves as constant targets of ingratitude, unkindness, and treachery. While acknowledging genuine instances of injustice, he asserted that defining oneself solely as a victim intensifies unhappiness. Research supports this notion, showing that self-pity can fuel anger and depression.
Error 8: Fear of public opinion – Russell pointed out the danger of excessively concerning oneself with public opinion, emphasizing that allowing public perception to define one’s worth only exacerbates unhappiness. Learning to prioritize personal values and opinions over external judgment is key to achieving emotional well-being.
Don’t miss out on more wisdom from Arthur C. Brooks. Join him and other brilliant writers and thought leaders at The Atlantic Festival on September 28 and 29. Secure your pass to this exciting event here.
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