Thereareagreatmanypeoplewhohaveallthematerialconditionsofhappiness,i.e.healthandasufficientincome,andwho,nevertheless,areprofoundlyunhappy.Insuchcasesitwouldseemasifthefaultmustliewithawrongtheoryastohowtolive.Inonesense,wemaysaythatanytheoryastohowtoliveiswrong.Weimagineourselvesmoredifferentfromtheanimalsthanweare.Animalsliveonimpulse,andarehappyaslongasexternalconditionsarefavorable.Ifyouhaveacatitwillenjoylifeifithasfoodandwarmthandopportunitiesforanoccasionalnightonthetiles.Yourneedsaremorecomplexthanthoseofyourcat,buttheystillhavetheirbasisininstinct.Incivilizedsocieties,especiallyinEnglish-speakingsocieties,thisistooapttobeforgotten.Peopleproposetothemselvessomeoneparamountobjective,andrestrainallimpulsesthatdonotministertoit.Abusinessmanmaybesoanxioustogrowrichthattothisendhesacrificeshealthandprivateaffections.Whenatlasthehasbecomerich,nopleasureremainstohimexceptharryingotherpeoplebyexhortationstoimitatehisnobleexample.Manyrichladies,althoughnaturehasnotendowedthemwithanyspontaneouspleasureinliteratureorart,decidetobethoughtcultured,andspendboringhourslearningtherightthingtosayaboutfashionablenewbooksthatarewrittentogivedelight,nottoaffordopportunitiesfordustysnobbism.很多人拥有获得幸福的全部物质条件,即健康的身体和丰足的收入,可是他们非常不快乐。就这种情况来说,似乎问题处在生活理论的错误上。从某种意义上讲,我们可以说任何关于生活的理论都是不正确的。我们和动物的区别并没有我们想象的那么大。动物是凭冲动生活的,只要客观条件有利,它们就会快乐。如果你有一只猫,它只要有东西吃,感到暖和,偶尔晚上得到机会去寻欢,它就会很快活。你的需要比你的猫要复杂一些,但还是以本能为基础的。在文明社会中,特别是在讲英语的社会中,这一点很容易被忘却。人们给自己定下一个最高的目标,对一切不利于实现这一目标的冲动都加以克制。生意人可能因为切望发财以致不惜牺牲健康和爱情。等他终于发了财,他除了苦苦劝人效法他的好榜样而搅得别人心烦外,并没有得到快乐。很多有钱的贵妇人,尽管自然并未赋予她们任何欣赏文学或艺术的兴趣,却决意要使别人认为她们是有教养的,于是他们花费很多烦人的时间学习怎样谈论那些流行的新书。这些书写出来是要给人以乐趣的,而不是要给人以附庸风雅的机会的Income收入onimpulse一时冲动warmth温暖occasional偶然的Instinct本能sacrifices牺牲spontaneous无意识的dustysnobbism附庸风雅Evenifyouhavearichmateriallife,Butspirituallyrichoftenarenotbeingcontent.Spiritualrichnotbysomepraisewillreflect.actually,Weimagineourselvesmoredifferentfromtheanimalsthanweare.Theythinkthataslongascanhaveenoughtoeatandwear,canbeveryhappy.Andpeopleoftenbecauseinterestthelureforforgetthat.