"The greatest happiness is to know the source of unhappiness"
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
About this Quote
This quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky speaks with the concept that true happiness originates from comprehending the source of distress. It suggests that by acknowledging the root of our suffering, we can start to take actions to ease it. This could suggest comprehending the reasons for our own unhappiness, such as our own negative thoughts and behaviors, or it could mean understanding the external elements that contribute to our distress, such as hardship, inequality, and injustice. By acknowledging the source of our unhappiness, we can start to do something about it to resolve it. This could imply making modifications in our own lives, such as altering our ideas and habits, or it might mean doing something about it to address the external elements that add to our misery. Eventually, this quote suggests that real joy originates from understanding the source of our misery and taking action to resolve it.
"The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom"