Pick up any newspaper or magazine, open the TV, and you'll be bombarded with suggestions of how to have a successful life. Some of these suggestions are deeply unhelpful to our own projects and priorities - and we should take care. Alain de Botton bombardcaredeeply share on social
We are certainly influenced by role models, and if we are surrounded by images of beautiful rich people, we will start to think that to be beautiful and rich is very important - just as in the Middle Ages, people were surrounded by images of religious piety. Alain de Botton agebeautifulimage share on social
What is fascinating about marriage is why anyone wants to get married. Alain de Botton fascinatemarriagemarry Change image and share on social
Booksellers are the most valuable destination for the lonely, given the numbers of books that were written because authors couldn't find anyone to talk to. Alain de Botton authorbookbookseller Change image and share on social
I went to church and couldn't swallow it. The music was nice but I don't belong there. Alain de Botton belongchurchmusic Change image and share on social
It's almost a blessing when we meet people who naturally want to do the sort of things that are in high demand in society. What a gift to do that, as opposed to other people who would say, 'I want to be a novelist but actually I have to be an accountant.' Alain de Botton accountantblessdemand share on social
I waste most of the day, then finally start to write around 3 P.M., totally disgusted with myself for my wasteful nature. Alain de Botton daydisgustfinally Change image and share on social
I'm also interested in the modern suggestion that you can have a combination of love and sex in a marriage - which no previous society has ever believed. Alain de Botton believecombinationinterest Change image and share on social
The Arab-Israeli conflict is also in many ways a conflict about status: it's a war between two peoples who feel deeply humiliated by the other, who want the other to respect them. Battles over status can be even more intractable than those over land or water or oil. Alain de Botton arabbattleconflict share on social
I think people want to get married to end their emotional uncertainty. In a way, they want to end powerful feelings, or certainly the negative ones. Alain de Botton emotionalendfeeling Change image and share on social
