Russel, Bertrand. The conquest of Happiness. Routledge. 2015
Russell’s “The Happy Life” emphasizes three elements of how to live a happy life based on his how-to approach. Despite the existence of various things that lead to joyful living, Russell’s approach is through achieving a balance. A balance between an individual’s beliefs and the expectations in the society, balance between friends and lovers, a balance between an individual and others around him/her. The author argues that happiness is subject to an individual where being happy is dependent on the individual. He continues to assert that external influences have little to contribute to a person’s true happiness. Good acts might not bring true happiness to a person, especially if the good deeds were done in the wrong mindset. Russel establishes that true happiness is a manifestation of what we want and need. However, Russell points out that a balance is required if an individual is to experience true joy, and this is only achieved by an individual doing something because they want or need to do it not because another outside group or person dictates that.
Moreover, the article projects that when another decides to please others, they wouldn’t feel true happiness. This article is meant for those people that are in pursuit of true happiness. The author tries as much as possible to distinguish true happiness and other forms of happiness that most people experience. He argues based on an individual being unscathed by external forces that insinuate true happiness and make them focus on themselves. While drawing this distinction, Russell asserts that true happiness and material things don’t have to be bound together. Moreover, happiness is simply a perspective of the individual seeking happiness. The approach used by Russel confronts the natural ways of life we are used to, making it relatable and easily understandable. The author uses his perspective and notion to build up preference and projection of pure happiness with less empirical evidence to show how his ideas relate to real-life experiences.
Lewis, Clive Staples. “We Have No Right to Happiness.” The Saturday Evening Post 236 (1963). 21-28
“We Have No Right to Happiness” is an article that focuses on a situation that happened where a husband left his wife for another woman who was already married. These two married each other, and a controversy arose on the issue of pursuit for happiness, which Lewis uses as his main argument in the article. Lewis presents the readers with Clara, who defines the right to happiness through the natural law in the Declaration of Independence, “the pursuit of happiness.” Lewis critiques by asserting that Clara is taking the issue out of context merely because, in the natural law, there is no directive to pursue happiness in all means and ways possible.
In this article, Lewis focuses his assertions on happiness based on sexuality, which he thinks would gather a larger crowd. Consequently, Lewis agrees with Clara, who posits happiness as sexual happiness. He argues that one could not compare happiness to greed or alcoholism. According to Lewis, the right to happiness is out of human control and doesn’t make sense. Moreover, in “We Have No Right to Happiness,” Lewis projects that there is a difference in the rights a society gives to its people and what the natural law offers. This article is relevant to those who are pursuing happiness as it gives readers the varying perception of moral and legal rights to happiness. Using the situation of Clara, the distinction is clearly exhibited. However, Lewis is not clear on how sexual happiness should be treated on a societal level but instead wraps up with controversial thoughts.