The widespread interest in gossip is inspired, not by a love of knowledge but by malice: no one … - Bertrand Russell

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I give her sadness and the gift of pain, a new moon madness and a love of rain.

Bertrand Russell

The widespread interest in gossip is inspired, not by a love of knowledge but by malice: no one gossips about other people's secret virtues, but only about their secret vices. Accordingly most gossip is untrue, but care is taken not to verify it. Our neighbour's sins, like the consolations of religion, are so agreeable that we do not stop to scrutinise the evidence closely.

Gossip, Inspired, People, Taken, Untrue, Virtues

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The secret to happiness is to face the fact that the world is horrible.

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Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth - more than ruin, more even than death. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habits; thought is anarchic and lawless, indifferent to authority, careless of the well-tried wisdom of the ages. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. . . Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.

Courage, Light, Men, Subversive, Swift, Wisdom

We may define "faith" as the firm belief in something for which there is no evidence. Where there is evidence, no one speaks of "faith. " We do not speak of faith that two and two are four or that the earth is round. We only speak of faith when we wish to substitute emotion for evidence. The substitution of emotion for evidence is apt to lead to strife, since different groups, substitute different emotions.

Apt, Belief, Define, Religion, Two, Wish

Envy was one of the most potent causes of unhappiness.

Causes, Envy, Potent, Unhappiness

I believe four ingredients are necessary for happiness: health, warm personal relations, sufficient means to keep you from want, and successful work.

Believe, Mean, Necessary, Personal, Successful, Work