Q0123
“Envy is itself a terrible obstacle to happiness.” — Bertrand Russell (The Conquest of Happiness)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: The Conquest of Happiness. Theme: happiness.
English
Envy is itself a terrible obstacle to happiness.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to The Conquest of Happiness and files it under Analytic Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) was a British philosopher, logician, and public intellectual who helped found analytic philosophy. With A.
Interpretation
Russell's claim in The Conquest of Happiness is that envy is damaging to the one who feels it, and that its remedy is not achievement but a redirected attention. He distinguishes envy from emulation: the first is concerned with what another has, the second with what one is doing. The reason it is so corrosive, on his account, is that it makes one's own life unintelligible — its standard is elsewhere and so never satisfied.
Why it matters
The test he offers is simple: if you were told the other person had lost what you covet, would you feel better? If so, the feeling is envy and not ambition.
Concepts in this quote
- Happiness
- Happiness—or flourishing—is a central aim in ethics: what makes a life go well, and whether pleasure alone is enough.
- Mind
- Philosophy of mind asks what consciousness, thought, and mental life are—and how they relate to body and world.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Bertrand Russell. (n.d.). Envy is itself a terrible obstacle to happiness. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0123
MLA: Bertrand Russell. “Envy is itself a terrible obstacle to happiness..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0123.
Chicago: Bertrand Russell. “Envy is itself a terrible obstacle to happiness..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0123.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Envy is itself a terrible obstacle to happiness.”?
The passage is attributed to Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness. The archive attributes this English wording to The Conquest of Happiness and files it under Analytic Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Bertrand Russell mean by happiness?
Greek eudaimonia, Buddhist analyses of craving, utilitarian happiness, and modern well-being research all contest the meaning of a good life. This passage enters that discussion through happiness, mind.