A Reaction Paper on

Russells Is Happiness Still Possible?

The text which is currently under scrutiny is Chapter 10 of Bertrand Russells book, The
Conquest of Happiness. Chapter 10 is entitled Is Happiness Still Possible? The
chapter under inquiry is actually the beginning of the second part of the book. The book
can be divided into two (2) parts: the first part, composed of chapters one to nine,
discussed the causes of unhappiness; the second part, which is chapter 10 17, dealt
with the causes of happiness. Chapter 10 serves as an introductory chapter to the
second part. In the first paragraph of the chapter, Russell wrote: in the present chapter
I wish to make a survey of the happy people that I have come across in the course of
my life.
In the next paragraph, Russell presented the two sorts of happiness, that is: of the heart
and of the head. He said: that one sort is open to any human being, and the other only
to those who can read and write. It seems to me that with this description of happiness,
there is a higher one and there is a lesser one. Hence, happiness would be subjective.
And this idea could be seen in the same paragraph as he described pleasure, which is
also a source of contentment, to be based on individual differences.
Russell also insinuated that contentment is a path to happiness. He implied this by
writing that: the man who underestimates himself is perpetually being surprised by
success, whereas the man who overestimates himself is just as often surprised by
failure. A man who cannot be contented will definitely find failure which will bring to him
unhappiness.
As a part of his objective in this chapter, he presented some persons who can be said to
be happy in their own little ways. But he gave more importance with the distinction
between the happiness of the men of science and the unhappiness of the poets and
artists. He said that: all the conditions of happiness are realised in the life of the man of
science. And the poets and artists are oftentimes despised when the public cannot
understand the formers works. This proposition is something that I cannot agree with

Benguet State University: Ph.D. in Language Education: Philosophy of Man:

Academic Year 2013-2014: 1st Semester: Sammy Borgonia Viste
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especially in our present times. Maybe during the time of Russell, it was true. But it is
not anymore at present.
In the succeeding paragraphs, Russell also made a distinction between the happiness
of the young intelligent in the West versus those in the East. He surmised that those
from the East could easily feel happiness under their own situation rather than those in
the West. It seems to Russell that people in the East are easier pleased than those in
the West.
In another paragraph, Russell suggested how happiness could be achieved by the
skilled worker. He stipulated that: the pleasure of work is open to anyone who can
develop some specialised skill, provided that he can get satisfaction from the exercise
of his skill without demanding universal applause. In the same paragraph, he also
presumed that contentment can bring about happiness. As along as a person is
contented with what he has or what is doing, that person is capable of having happiness
in his own ways.
In the next paragraph, he suggested that it is customary to say that in our machine age
there is less room than formerly for the craftsman's joy in skilled work. However, he
clarified that it should not be the case because the skilled worker is different from the
machine. The ultimate goals of machines is for them to do what is uninteresting and
repetitive, while those that needs variety and initiative is reserved to human.
Russell also talked about belief in a cause as a source of happiness to large numbers
of people. But he also said that I cannot advocate any happiness based upon what
seem to me to be false beliefs.
He also said that one of the sources of happiness is absorption in a hobby. He
mentioned a mathematician who finds consolation in collecting stamps when he cannot
make any progress in mathematics. According to Russell, any pleasure that does no
harm to others is to be valued.

Benguet State University: Ph.D. in Language Education: Philosophy of Man:

Academic Year 2013-2014: 1st Semester: Sammy Borgonia Viste
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After giving some concrete examples of persons who became happy and how they
achieved happiness, in the next paragraphs, which I presume, are the concluding
paragraphs of the chapter, Russell discussed happiness in general. He stated that
fundamental happiness depends more than anything else upon what may be called a
friendly interest in persons and things. A friendly interest in persons is a form of
affectionateness, but not the form which is grasping and possessive and seeking always
an emphatic response. The kind that makes for happiness is the kind that likes to
observe people and finds pleasure in their individual traits. He also talked about a happy
person can become a good companion. He said that being happy in himself, he will be a
pleasant companion, and this in turn will increase his happiness. But he clarified that all
this must be genuine; it must not spring from an idea of self-sacrifice inspired by a
sense of duty.
Moreover, Russell asserted that the world is vast and our own powers are limited. The
man who can forget his worries by means of a genuine interest will find that, when he
returns from his excursion into the impersonal world, he has acquired a poise and calm
which enable him to deal with his worries in the best way, and he will in the meantime
have experienced a genuine even if temporary happiness.
Russell ended the chapter by expressing that the secret of happiness is let your
interests be as wide as possible, and let your reactions to the things and persons that
interest you be as far as possible friendly rather than hostile.
Through the discussions presented, there is no doubt that the answer to the question
serving as the title of chapter is positive. We can generalize, then, that happiness is
possible. Happiness can be achieved through our own little ways, as exemplified by the
persons mentioned by Russell. It can also be great, if only we are contented, if only we
can accept that we are miniatures in this vast world. Happiness can be achieved if we
can accept that we cannot have everything we want.
Russell was able to answer the query that he has posed in this chapter, and he was
able to answer it positively. However, if looking at the manner the chapter was
Benguet State University: Ph.D. in Language Education: Philosophy of Man:
Academic Year 2013-2014: 1st Semester: Sammy Borgonia Viste
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presented, I could say that it was rowdy. The presentation of ideas is not good. There is
no coherence and unity in his paragraphs. He tends to present a lot of ideas in just one
paragraph, making his writing difficult to understand. There were so many going-aroundthe-bush presentation. He was too wordy. The text would have been easier to
understand if only he went directly to the point.
Moreover, the concrete examples he has presented are already outdated. Some of
them are not anymore applicable to the present state of affairs. Thus, younger
generations might not anymore understand what he is saying.
Nevertheless, the ideas he had shared are well accepted. Overall, I could say that the
chapter is proficient and satisfactory. That is why I could agree with him that happiness
is still possible.

Benguet State University: Ph.D. in Language Education: Philosophy of Man:

Academic Year 2013-2014: 1st Semester: Sammy Borgonia Viste
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