The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy; I mean that if you are happy you will be good. ... The happy man does not desire intoxication. Nor does he envy his neighbor and therefore hate him.
出典: Bertrand Russell: New Hopes for a Changing World, 1951, p.16
People in Search of "Intoxication"
Those in power -- statesmen, the privileged, and religious leaders -- are well aware of the human tendency to seek "intoxication." They skillfully exploit this psychological inclination of the masses for their own ends.
Politicians devote their energy to hosting mega-events, such as World Expos, designed to make the public forget, even temporarily, the deadlocks of daily life and political failures. They know that in the midst of a frenzy, many citizens will turn a blind eye to the corruption and scandals occurring behind the scenes. The media, too, fuels the festive mood, refraining from reports that might dampen the public's enthusiasm.
The Tokyo Olympics, for instance, was forced through under the pretext of "putting the athletes first," despite allegations of bribery in its solicitation and the unreasonableness of holding it during a global pandemic. As a result, many people surrendered themselves to the intoxication of "inspiration" provided by the athletes' performances, ultimately validating the event with the sentiment that "it was worth it," as if to purify all previous wrongdoings. The FIFA World Cup in Qatar followed a similar pattern. Although it was reported that approximately 6,500 migrant workers died in the ten years leading up to the tournament, once the festival began, media coverage of that tragedy virtually vanished.
The wealthy are also part of this structure. They immerse themselves in the intoxication of superiority, confirming their own luxurious existence by contrasting it with those struggling in poverty. Some go as far as to launch "poverty businesses" that exploit these disparities rather than rectifying them.
Religious leaders stimulate the unhappiness known as "anxiety" within the gaps of people's hearts by preaching doctrines such as hell, and they exert great effort in proselytizing by claiming that salvation is found through devotion to their faith. While specific religious groups (such as the Unification Church) have recently become a social issue, the essence of many religions harbors a hidden structure that exploits human fear to lure people into an intoxication called faith.
Bertrand Russell demonstrated an attitude diametrically opposed to a life dependent on the "false intoxication" provided by such powers and organizations. The "happy man" he describes does not require external stimulation or manufactured fervor. Precisely because he is fulfilled from within, he can attain a quiet, self-reliant freedom --immune to manipulation, harboring no envy toward his neighbor, and therefore feeling no hatred toward him.
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