It is in books, poems, paintings which often give us the confidence to take seriously feelings in ourselves that we might otherwise never have thought to acknowledge.
Alain De BottonRead
As an atheist, I think there are lots of things religions get up to which are of value to non-believers - and one of those things is trying to be a bit better than we normally manage to be.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the positive aspects of religion that can benefit everyone, regardless of belief.
Alain De Botton highlights that even non-believers can appreciate the value found in religious practices, particularly the moral striving that encourages individuals to improve themselves. He suggests that religions foster a sense of improvement and ethical living that transcends belief, encouraging people to aspire to be better versions of themselves.
Themes
ReligionSelf-ImprovementValuesEthicsPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about personal growth, one might quote this to illustrate the universal benefits of striving for betterment.
More from Alain De Botton
All quotes →Taking architecture seriously therefore makes some singular and strenuous demands upon us...It means conceding that we are inconveniently vulnerable to the colour of our wallpaper and that our sense of purpose may be derailed by an unfortunate bedspread
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The more closely we analyze what we consider 'sexy,' the more clearly we will understand that eroticism is the feeling of excitement we experience at finding another human being who shares our values and our sense of the meaning of existence.
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Good books put a finger on emotions that are deeply our own - but that we could never have described on our own.
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The challenge of modern relationships: how to prove more interesting than the other's smartphone.
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It is the most ambitious and driven among us who are the most sorely in need of having our reckless hopes dampened through immersive dousings in the darkness which religions have explored. This is a particular priority for secular Americans, perhaps the most anxious and disappointed people on earth, for their nation infuses them with the most extreme hopes about what they may be able to achieve in their working lives and relationships.
Alain De BottonRead
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