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There is only one way to achieve happiness on this terrestrial ball, and that is to have either a clear conscience or none at all.
Ogden Nash
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Interpretation

What this quote means

True happiness comes from a clear conscience or a lack of concerns over one's actions.

Ogden Nash emphasizes that happiness is fundamentally linked to one's moral integrity. The quote suggests that to attain true happiness on Earth, one must either live with a clear conscience—acting ethically and justly—or choose to live without any moral concerns, thus freeing oneself from the burden of guilt or remorse. This highlights the importance of aligning one's actions with their values to find genuine joy.

Themes

HappinessConscienceMoral IntegrityJoyEthics

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a discussion about the importance of ethical behavior in achieving happiness.

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