But of course, Orwell didn’t just write that book; a few years before that, he wrote the novella, Animal Farm, a “political fable based on the story of the Russian Revolution,” per Britannica. He also wrote many essays, articles and more; most of them were variations of political commentary, social criticism and shared his opposition to totalitarianism. And in one of those essays comes our quote of the day, which highlights his thoughts on how hard it is to find happiness in times of turmoil.
He was well-known internationally for his novels, writing and journalism right up until his death, and his legacy lives on today. Orwell had a lot of scathing, witty and very valid things to say about politics, government and society. And he didn't shy away from satirizing and commenting on even complicated or controversial topics like revolutions, world leaders and even his friends. Today's quote is from an essay he wrote about one of his closest writer confidants, and it very much doesn't shy from criticism, talking about how it's easier to find happiness when it's not your main goal in life.
Related: Quote of the Day by Elsie Lincoln Benedict: ‘Each One of the World’s Great Successes Was a Failure First'
Quote of the Day by George Orwell
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This quote appears in George Orwell’s Critical Essays, published in 1946. This is a collection of pieces Orwell wrote during wartime and touches on various topics, from English literature to pop culture.
A couple of paragraphs above this quote, Orwell writes that Koestler calls himself a “short-term pessimist,” that he deals with “every kind of horror” that’s “blowing up over the horizon,” but that he believes that “somehow it will all come right in the end.” Which—as World War II was brewing and the rise of fascism was happening in multiple countries—was an accurate description of the times. And so, because of that, Orwell does note that this way of thinking and looking at life was probably becoming popular.
Then, he says that really only those who are religious have a view that allows them not to wallow in despair, but he then notes that that group of people is diminishing. He then writes the line:
Related: Quote of the Day: Stoic Philosopher Marcus Aurelius on Having ‘Power Over Your Mind—Not Outside Events’
As he notes right before our quote of the day, Orwell writes that Christian churches would go out of business if they only had “their own merits” to survive with, and not a promise of eternal life to their congregation. So, if people didn’t have the hope of an afterlife, they might fall into a doom spiral. Or if they held onto the hope that one day they could achieve the full purpose of life—to be happy—they would also be distraught because “happiness” does not feel attainable in their current climate.
Related: Quote of the Day: Ralph Waldo Emerson on Self-Reliance and Staying True to Yourself
More Quotes from George Orwell
“Progress is not an illusion, it happens, but it is slow and invariably disappointing.”“The average millionaire is only the average dishwasher dressed in a new suit.”“Whoever is winning at the moment will always seem to be invincible.”“Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.”“If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face – forever.”“There are some situations from which one can only escape by acting like a devil or a lunatic.”“The consequences of every act are included in the act itself.”Related: Quote of the Day: Psychologist Gordon Allport on Humor Being the Best Way To Fight Life’s ‘Tangles’—‘We Have No Appropriate Sword Other Than Laughter’
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