I read the book The Happy Minimalist about 2 years ago. In the book, the author identifies some of the points made here. The author has successfully given up status, fancy cars and big houses for a life that is debt free and healthy. Highly recommended reading!

I just finished the entire documentary. Wow! What a fucking piece of work! I absolutely loved it to say the very least. I recommend this to anyone and everyone. Two fucking thumbs all the way up!!!! What a ride!

Always great to hear philosophy online. De Botton is very skilled in contemplating issues of everyday life in such depth and intricacy. He makes philosophy painless and pleasurable. More power to him. Thanks for great posts.

This is a great vid sociologically and psychologically speaking. EXCELLENT post!

This is for my assignment, a great way to come across something so interesting.

Well done! Thank you.We need new thinkers of this caliber to redress some of our inadequacies

his points ring true for me a Newzealnder/Australian/ human being

Thanks for doing this work; I thought it was excellent and very thought provoking. Keep going!

@sdflksdfkfh botton is not blaming the constitution, he's talking about an anxiety created about our self worth relating to status in a society where we're considered equal. he's not attacking the constitution, he's just discussing a psychological side affect of free society where our status supposedly reflects value. status doesn't represent our value (jesus was a carpenter) but there is a cultural suggestion in our societies that if we aren't rich we're failures or at least worth less.

its all about saying "im better than you".

This reminds me of how couples compete. "I can't have my wife make more than me - that's embarrassing." "My husband will not have a higher income than me." Even in the workplace people compete. It's not just the fancy parties - everyone wants the riches others seem to have.

"Is that a doric column?" "Errr, uhhh..."

Although I may not disagree with your last sentence. But the majority of animals are this way, and so I don't see how this is the factor that makes us the most dominant.

Se olvidan que 2/3 partes de la humanidad no solo no está satifecha, sino que es terriblemente POBRE. Propongo a Botton hacer un documental similar, pero sobre el estado de ansiedas debido a la pobreza, o a la mera supervivencia

this is the curse of the consumer society

@SuzaneVonRichthofen "gnawing" and "gripping"

English is not my first language. Could somebody please help me with a couple of words I didn't understand? "De Tocqueville analyzed the relationship between inequality and a (?) sense of envy" at 6:01 and "that disgust with life, sometimes (?)-ing them even in calm and easy circumstances" at 7:59. Thanks!

While I agree somewhat with this - his prose isn't exactly the most quickly and easily digestible (at least to me). I often have to read ADB slowly. So I don't think your point holds completely! Perhaps he's a Nandos :p

can anyone tell me where can i find this with english subtitles??

Im not choosing sides here. I am watching just the start of this long series of Mr De Botton's. But I feel sorry that you do not know Alain de bottons work Bluetigerlily. He is a fair and decent man with an honest albeit british opinion. I cant imagine him being biased toward europe. he I think is using in these scenes modern america as an example (the world is americanized, as you know)

I must say I'm now put off living with 'professionals' as roommates now, I treat everyone equally but I've met so many that have this air of arrogance about them that there's this huge 'class' distinction and so many act like they're 'so much better people'. It's such a childish attitude that I can't take seriously, similar to the 'My Dad's bigger than your Dad' crap children have. The human race is primitive beyond belief.

u know slaves were more happy than ppl today cause they knew their place in the world! great documentary!

its not his thesis . . .he is merely a mediator of philosphical thought that is not his own . . .he's a form of 'mcdonalds' . . .he is good at referencing philosophical concepts and applying them in various frameworks . . .that means 'presented in happy meal bite size chunks for the ipod generation' i'n not having a dig AT YOU PERSONALLY . . .

Gnawing.......gripping.....

as if people didn't compare themselves before democracy. america is not to blame for the world's greediness. social anxiety has existed ever since humans have existed.

@maykmendo1 Fuck yeah!

alain De botton

It's a stage of development that some people never mature out of....lol. Just kidding....it's due to the environment we're in: mass consumption capitalism.

@jmorrisspeaking Hey there. No need to disparage Americans. I doubt if you believe Terry is representative of the American people.

He looks like Ronald McDonalds older, more serious brother

epic compression failure.. Good book though.

@c3z712 lol

Capitalism... Or even money in it self.

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