Happiness - are you? Why or Why Not?

Last weekend I went and visited my parents. In the evening, when I felt some reading was in order, I decided once again to peruse their bookshelves. It still amazes me that even though I spent 20 years of my life living with them, and still visit frequently, I still manage to find old books that I swear I have never seen before!

I have, in fact, inherited my parents’ love of reading, and have always been a devourer of books. Most of mine are still in boxes after my last move, and I can’t wait until my Dad has finished building me two big bookcases that he’s been working on for a while now.

So, back to the story - I came across a tattered old edition of ‘The Conquest of Happiness’ by Bertrand Russell.

Now, I’ve studied a bit of philosophy, but I’ve never actually read any Bertie before. What a loss!

It is a pretty short book, and I made quick work of it, but I think I’ll be re-reading it in the not to distant future. His approach to happiness, and the lack thereof, is refreshingly down to earth and appealing.

The first half of the book analyses the causes for unhappiness in the modern, middle-class Western world, and the second half gives solutions - the things that will bring us true happiness. Now, it was written back in the 30’s, so some of it seems a little dated, but overall, it’s a fascinating read. What appealed to me the most was the idea that we are responsible for our feelings - that we can choose to engage ourselves in the kind of life that will bring us happiness - something that I’m sure many of you on the same path as me believe already.

It’s always lovely to come across a find like this… there’s nothing like a good, life-enhancing book.

Joining the blog roll

Well, I just joined Technorati. Here’s my Technorati Profile.
It tells me I have to write a post with the above link to make it all happen…

Up, up it goes…

Well, I have to admit that the news about oil prices surging today makes me uneasy. I’ve known about peak oil for a while now, and I do what I can to minimise my car use. But I don’t feel like there’s anything else I can do.

I can’t afford a hybrid car, as much as I’d like one. I live in hope that within the next decade the technology that has been suppressed for so long will finally come out and we most resourceful of species will create a viable solution  to our current crisis.

Now, I have to admit that I don’t fully understand how the world economy works, and I believe that the stock market is just legalised gambling in action - as it deals with perceptions of value and supply and demand, rather than any real value - but this ignorance is also starting to worry me. So much of our lives are now wrapped up in this volatile system, and I want out!

It just gives me more impetus  to get out of the city, grow my own food, learn how to make the things I need so that I can free myself as far as possible from entanglement from this web.