Life seems to be a process of replacing one anxiety with another and substituting one desire for another--which is not to say that we should never strive to overcome any of our anxieties or fulfil any of our desires, but rather to suggest that we should perhaps build into our strivings an awareness of the way our goals promise us a respite and a resolution that they cannot, by definition, deliver.
Alain de BottonWe are continuously challenged to discover new works of cultureโand, in the process, we donโt allow any one of them to assume a weight in our minds.
Alain de BottonLet's say you went to Harvard or Oxford or Cambridge, and you said, 'I've come here because I'm in search of morality, guidance and consolation; I want to know how to live,' - they would show you the way to the insane asylum.
Alain de BottonRather than getting more spoilt with age, as difficulties pile up, epiphanies of gratitude abound.
Alain de BottonMy writing always came out of a very personal place, out of an attempt to stay sane.
Alain de Botton