Description
Discover the enlightening book 'Why We Are Restless' by Benjamin and Jenna Storey, a new release from Princeton University Press, that captivates readers with its deep exploration of modern happiness. In today’s world of plenty, this thought-provoking text reveals why our relentless quest for happiness often leads to dissatisfaction and restlessness.
This compelling read draws on historic thinkers like Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville, providing vital insights into concepts of individual contentment and societal well-being. The authors articulate how contemporary views on happiness can create a paradox of prosperity but also restless discontent. They argue that our modern philosophy, promising freedom and happiness, might actually deliver a homogenous and unhappy existence.
In 'Why We Are Restless', you'll learn about the contrasting perspectives on happiness from the past and how these ideas interweave with our present experiences. With a focus on philosophical reflection and the importance of community life, this book encourages readers to rethink their basic assumptions about happiness and strive for meaningful contentment.
Ideal for those interested in philosophy, self-help, and societal critiques, this book not only illuminates our struggles but also provides a pathway to understanding and overcoming our unhappiness. A thought-provoking choice for anyone seeking a richer understanding of human fulfillment.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691211121
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691211121
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
A compelling exploration of how our pursuit of happiness makes us unhappy
We live in an age of unprecedented prosperity, yet everywhere we see signs that our pursuit of happiness has proven fruitless. Dissatisfied, we seek change for the sake of change — even if it means undermining the foundations of our common life. In Why We Are Restless, Benjamin and Jenna Storey offer a profound and beautiful reflection on the roots of this malaise and examine how we might begin to cure ourselves.
Drawing on the insights of Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville, Why We Are Restless explores the modern vision of happiness that leads us on, and the disquiet that follows it like a lengthening shadow. In the sixteenth century, Montaigne articulated an original vision of human life that inspired people to see themselves as individuals dedicated to seeking contentment in the here and now, but Pascal argued that we cannot find happiness through pleasant self-seeking, only anguished God-seeking. Rousseau later tried and failed to rescue Montaigne's worldliness from Pascal's attack. Steeped in these debates, Tocqueville visited the United States in 1831 and, observing a people 'restless in the midst of their well-being,' discovered what happens when an entire nation seeks worldly contentment — and finds mostly discontent.
Arguing that the philosophy we have inherited, despite pretending to let us live as we please, produces remarkably homogenous and unhappy lives, Why We Are Restless makes the case that finding true contentment requires rethinking our most basic assumptions about ha
This compelling read draws on historic thinkers like Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville, providing vital insights into concepts of individual contentment and societal well-being. The authors articulate how contemporary views on happiness can create a paradox of prosperity but also restless discontent. They argue that our modern philosophy, promising freedom and happiness, might actually deliver a homogenous and unhappy existence.
In 'Why We Are Restless', you'll learn about the contrasting perspectives on happiness from the past and how these ideas interweave with our present experiences. With a focus on philosophical reflection and the importance of community life, this book encourages readers to rethink their basic assumptions about happiness and strive for meaningful contentment.
Ideal for those interested in philosophy, self-help, and societal critiques, this book not only illuminates our struggles but also provides a pathway to understanding and overcoming our unhappiness. A thought-provoking choice for anyone seeking a richer understanding of human fulfillment.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691211121
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691211121
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
A compelling exploration of how our pursuit of happiness makes us unhappy
We live in an age of unprecedented prosperity, yet everywhere we see signs that our pursuit of happiness has proven fruitless. Dissatisfied, we seek change for the sake of change — even if it means undermining the foundations of our common life. In Why We Are Restless, Benjamin and Jenna Storey offer a profound and beautiful reflection on the roots of this malaise and examine how we might begin to cure ourselves.
Drawing on the insights of Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville, Why We Are Restless explores the modern vision of happiness that leads us on, and the disquiet that follows it like a lengthening shadow. In the sixteenth century, Montaigne articulated an original vision of human life that inspired people to see themselves as individuals dedicated to seeking contentment in the here and now, but Pascal argued that we cannot find happiness through pleasant self-seeking, only anguished God-seeking. Rousseau later tried and failed to rescue Montaigne's worldliness from Pascal's attack. Steeped in these debates, Tocqueville visited the United States in 1831 and, observing a people 'restless in the midst of their well-being,' discovered what happens when an entire nation seeks worldly contentment — and finds mostly discontent.
Arguing that the philosophy we have inherited, despite pretending to let us live as we please, produces remarkably homogenous and unhappy lives, Why We Are Restless makes the case that finding true contentment requires rethinking our most basic assumptions about ha