Respect for the fragility and importance of an individual life is still the mark of an educated man.
Norman CousinsRead
Do you prefer that you be right or happy?
Interpretation
What this quote means
Choosing happiness over being right can lead to a more fulfilling life.
This quote by Norman Cousins emphasizes the importance of prioritizing happiness over the need to always be correct. In many situations, clinging to the idea of being right can lead to conflict and dissatisfaction, while choosing happiness encourages acceptance and peace, often leading to better relationships and a more joyful life.
Themes
HappinessRightChoiceContentmentWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
In a relationship discussion, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of compromising for happiness rather than insisting on being correct.
More from Norman Cousins
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Although a man may have no jurisdiction over the fact of his existence, he can hold supreme command over the meaning of existence for him.
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People are never more insecure than when they become obsessed with their fears at the expense of their dreams.
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Reverence for life is more than solicitude or sensitivity for life. It is a sense of the whole, a capacity for inspired response, a respect for the intricate universe of individual life. It is the supreme awareness of awareness itself.
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Drugs are not always necessary. Belief in recovery always is.
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