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
Everyone wants a better life: very few of us want to be better people.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the difference between wanting improved circumstances and the willingness to improve oneself.
Alain De Botton's quote points out a common human tendency: while many aspire for a better life characterized by external improvements such as wealth or status, few are committed to personal growth and becoming a better version of themselves. This reflects the idea that true fulfillment and quality of life stem not just from material success, but from nurturing one's character and values.
Themes
Better LifeSelf-ImprovementPersonal GrowthPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about personal development.
More from Alain De Botton
All quotes βTaking 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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