1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: As Passover approaches, Salem is offering My Rational Passover Hagada 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: for fifty percent off at the Prager Store. The Hagada 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,719 Speaker 1: is the book used for the most widely celebrated Jewish ritual, 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: now increasingly celebrated by Christians by the way, the Passover Satyr. 5 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,639 Speaker 1: The Rational Passover Hagada is intended to serve as a 6 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: guide to life, God, Judaism, and the Evening's service. The 7 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: satyr Biblical and sacred text need to be explained in 8 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: her rational manner and made relevant. You will find topics 9 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: that raise some great issues of life, ranging from questions 10 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: like does God answer our prayers? To is it possible 11 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: to reconcile a good God with unjust suffering? Whether or 12 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: not you attend a satyr. This book is meant for 13 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 1: people of all faiths and even those with no faith. 14 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: Get The Rational Passover Hagada for fifty percent off. Go 15 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: to Praguerstore dot com or click the banner at Dennis 16 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: Praguer dot com. 17 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 2: Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Here thousands of 18 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 2: hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, and classic radio programs, and 19 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 2: to purchase Dennis Prager's rational Bibles go to Dennisprager dot 20 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: com on today's episode of Timeless Wisdom. 21 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: The irony is your kids will even enjoy you more 22 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: if you don't depend on them for your happiness. I 23 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: enjoy my parents precisely because they do have their own 24 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,680 Speaker 1: way to entertain themselves. They don't rely on me. They 25 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: rely on my brother. You don't know how much I 26 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,680 Speaker 1: enjoyed that line. You have no idea. 27 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 2: That's coming up on Timeless Wisdom, but Dennis Prager, and 28 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 2: it starts right now. 29 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: Actually, I do record all my talks, and there are 30 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: two reasons. One is that I people do subscribe to 31 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: my talks and I get them every other month or whenever, 32 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: and they have been doing that for about twenty years. 33 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: That's in fact, that's the only reason that I began 34 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: speaking on happiness is because of my talks that I record. 35 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: I should tell you that story. It's a very lovely 36 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 1: story how I got into the happiness business, which I 37 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: considered much of my life to be a gimmick. I 38 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: was utterly convinced that anybody who talks or writes about 39 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: happiness is a snake oil salesman, and they're the only 40 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: ones who get richer as they get their royalties and 41 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: speech checks and go to the bank. But that's how 42 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: they get happier. The other people don't get happier. So 43 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: I had a very negative view of this whole subject. 44 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: It turned out to be dead wrong. I now realized 45 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: that happiness is a moral category, not a psychological category. 46 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 1: I mean, you've heard me on this, I'm sure, and 47 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: I'm not going to develop that theme much, but it 48 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: is when I meet Pete, my age, or really any age, uh, 49 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: and they have a happy demeanor, do you know that 50 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: I admire them. It's like I admire kind people. I 51 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 1: admire bright people. If they're bright and kind bright without kindness, 52 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: I do not admire. And I'm very serious, it's no, 53 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: it's no achievement. But I I admire. I admire a 54 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: great violinist. I admire people with a cheerful disposition. Life 55 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: is tough, and I have a I have a motto 56 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: that if pain were water, the earth would drown, and 57 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: that that there's just that much pain in the world, 58 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: and that's that's that's just a given. And so uh 59 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: I I began this thanks to my lectures. I gave 60 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: a lecture at U C. L a on happiness. I 61 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 1: was sure it was the last time I would ever 62 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: speak publicly unhappiness because it just wasn't one of the 63 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: lectures I gave. I record it, sent it out to 64 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: my subscribers, and six months later I got a call 65 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: from New York City from the articles editor, a woman 66 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: at Red Book magazine. Not a magazine I normally read. 67 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: It's a ladies magazine. And I, let's put it this way, 68 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: I am to read book what you women are to stereophile. Okay, 69 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: I am as interested in Red Book as you are 70 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:33,239 Speaker 1: in my by reading as a guy like stereophile. But anyway, 71 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: I got a call so Dennis Prager, Yes, oh, I 72 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: finally found you. I would like you to write an 73 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 1: article on happiness for Red Book, to which I responded, 74 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: which is not a good sign for my business acumen? 75 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 1: Why me? In retrospect, I realized she should have hung up. 76 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: You know, what do you mean? Why you? If you 77 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: don't know why you should write an article for Red Book? 78 00:04:58,200 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 1: How the hell am I supposed to know why you 79 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 1: should write an article for a Red Book? So but 80 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: I was dead serious and why me? And she said, well, 81 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 1: I heard your lecture on happiness I said, you did 82 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 1: you subscribe to my lectures? She said, I never heard 83 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: of you in my life. He said, I just happened 84 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: to be listening in my car one night in New 85 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: York and they some station was playing your lecture. Turns 86 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 1: out a bunch of crooks at w ev D in 87 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: New York with no permission. I mean, you know what, 88 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 1: the FCC could have suit find them out of business 89 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: with no permission nothing. Spent an hour broadcasting my lecture. Anyway, 90 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 1: Thank god for these crooks. They I'm not kidding. These 91 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: crooks shaped my life and have done great help to 92 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: you who take my words on happiness seriously, and to 93 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 1: me who goes to the bank. No non ox, just 94 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: kidding anyway, partially. And so anyway, they played my talk. 95 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: She said, I sat in my car just to hear 96 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 1: who is this guy? This is fantastic stuff. So they 97 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: mentioned your name. Thank god they at least did that, 98 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: and I looked you up. I finally found you, and 99 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: I'd like you to write a piece. So I said, okay, 100 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: she said, it's three thousand dollars. Okay. Now, I always 101 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,840 Speaker 1: tell this. I had been writing for many journals, but 102 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,359 Speaker 1: not like Red Book for example, commentary, and whenever I 103 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: would write for commentary, I was paid with six copies 104 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 1: of commentary. That was my payment, you know, to give 105 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: to friends. You know you want to say, here's the 106 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 1: latest commentary, three thousand dollars. And I remember feelings that 107 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: we should all live so long as I remember thinking 108 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: I was right. The only people who get happier from 109 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: writing on happiness are the authors three thousand bucks. And 110 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: this is twenty years ago. So I said, fine, Look, 111 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: the woman could have said eleven dollars and fifteen cents. 112 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: I would have said yes. In fact, probably I would 113 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: have done it for six copies of read book. Anyway, 114 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: it got published, and then Reader's Digest published it in 115 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: its editions around the world, and then I got calls 116 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: from places to write a book. And it's the rest 117 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,679 Speaker 1: is history, as it were. But it all began because 118 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: I record my lectures. That's how I remember it. To 119 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: tell you this, so you never know, you never know 120 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: where it is a second reason though, that I do. 121 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: I'm so often misquoted that it is critical for me 122 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: to have everything that I say quoted. So let me 123 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: talk to you about the time we're in and the 124 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: issue of happiness in no order of importance. I feel very, 125 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: very vindicated by everything that I wrote in my book 126 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: on happiness and everything I've said to you on the happiness. 127 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: See it's one thing you might think to be happy 128 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: in a time of affluence. It's easy to talk about 129 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: happiness when people aren't worrying financially. Right, they have other 130 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 1: worries in life, but at least not financially, but with 131 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: a real downturn. Now are my theories accurate or not? 132 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: This is when they're tested, And I feel utterly vindicated 133 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: by every single thing that I have talked about, including 134 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: wrote you don't have to trust that I said this 135 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 1: what I wrote about money in my book on Happiness, 136 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 1: I'll tell you exactly what I wrote. I said this happiness. 137 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 1: Excuse me. Money makes the happy happier and makes the 138 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 1: unhappy unhappier. 139 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 2: This episode of timeless wisdom will continue right after. 140 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 3: This is losing weight getting harder as you get older. 141 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 3: It's not your fault. You're eating better, you're moving more, 142 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 3: but your body isn't responding anymore. 143 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: Weight loss. 144 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 3: They help people identify what's actually blocking fat loss and 145 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 3: help increase your life span. If you want to understand 146 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 3: why your buddy isn't cooperating. Called PhD Weight Loss. Now 147 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,959 Speaker 3: and book your consultation at eight six four sixty four 148 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 3: four nineteen hundred. Mention Dennis Prager, and you get two 149 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 3: weeks free in the program and they'll pay for your food. 150 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 3: That's a fifteen hundred dollars value absolutely free. Called eight 151 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 3: sixty four sixty four four nineteen hundred. 152 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 2: Now back to more of Dennis Prager's timeless wisdom. 153 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: And that's all it does. And I want to explain, 154 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: and it's again it's in the book, so I couldn't 155 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: make this up. Money has the following rule. If you 156 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:44,319 Speaker 1: are essentially happy, then you gain more money. That's wonderful. 157 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: You know what to do with it. You spend it wisely. 158 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: You didn't rely on it to be happy. But now 159 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: that you have it, it's a real bonus in life. Wow. 160 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: In addition to all of what I have going on 161 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: in my life and in my own attitude toward life, 162 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: now I have some money. So it will make the 163 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: happy happier, but it will not make the unhappy happier. 164 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: It will make the unhappy unhappier. And the reason is this, 165 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: many unhappy people think that if they got money, then 166 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: that would solve their problems. Then they would be happy. 167 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: And that happens sometimes where the unhappy do get money. 168 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: I mean, in the normal a scheme of things in 169 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: American life, people do get money. You'd just buy a 170 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: simple house. It appreciated in value for decades. Correct, So 171 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 1: people had money, they took their equity, they spent it, 172 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 1: they went on trips, they bought things and so on. 173 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,959 Speaker 1: But they didn't get any happier. In fact, they got 174 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 1: more unhappy because the thing they thought would give them 175 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: happiness didn't. Then you're doomed. See, the rich unhappy have 176 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: it the worst. They have nothing to look forward to. 177 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 1: The poor unhappy can fantasize that if they were rich, 178 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 1: they would be happy. So if the poor unhappy get 179 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: richer and they don't get any happier, they're in really 180 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: bad straits. The thing that I was sure was the 181 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: only obstacle between me and happiness turns out not to 182 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:27,119 Speaker 1: be helpful at all, and then they get more unhappy. 183 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: So happiness and money do not have a direct relationship. 184 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 1: I learned this, and we were talking about this at 185 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: the table our Sindia. The trips that we've taken like 186 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: you're going to West Africa. Now, I've been to now 187 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: ninety countries. That's a lot of travel. I've been abroad 188 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: every single year since I'm twenty, which is only twenty 189 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 1: years ago, but still is still it's a lot of 190 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: It's a lot of travel, and I have seen a 191 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: lot of the world. Much of the travel, of course, 192 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,560 Speaker 1: is to third world countries. I remember my first trip 193 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: to India was life changing, and it was life changing 194 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: because of all the happy Indians I met. After all, 195 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: I had been taught that if you live in abject poverty, 196 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: you have to be depressed. And I saw kids who 197 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:18,439 Speaker 1: were semi naked running around. They were laughing and less 198 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: jaded than the average middle class American kid. Was the 199 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: dower faces you see on a lot of American kids 200 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: I didn't see on Indian kids. I don't want to 201 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 1: romanticize life in India. That's not my point at all. 202 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: They would like more money, believe me, And they'd like 203 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: to have a roof that didn't leak, and they would 204 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:39,199 Speaker 1: like to be treated by a doctor, of course, of course, 205 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:41,719 Speaker 1: and I want them to be I'm not saying it's 206 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: a source of their happiness. I said that they were 207 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 1: able to be happy, to have a jois de vive 208 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:51,079 Speaker 1: a joy of life despite their circumstances. I have found 209 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: in my life, whether in the middle of the richest 210 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: part of earth in southern California and New York, or 211 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: in the poorest parts of the world, I have fect 212 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: at the linkage between money and happiness is minimal. Obviously, 213 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 1: there is a level of poverty where life is just 214 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: so awful. Of course it matters, but beyond that it 215 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: seems to matter quite little. My grandparents were extremely poor, 216 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: extremely poor, and I don't know if their happiness level 217 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: was one bit different than their children or their grandchildren. 218 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,319 Speaker 1: People find reasons to be unhappy. Have you ever noticed that? 219 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 1: Somebody once told me that that problems are like gases. 220 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: A little gas fills a room, and a big gas 221 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:39,839 Speaker 1: fills a room. So that if your problem is little, 222 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: it fills up your whole brain, and if your problem 223 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: is big, it fills up your whole brain. That somehow 224 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: we figure out a way to be miserable no matter what, 225 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 1: and that and that is and that is true. And 226 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 1: sometimes by the way, it's a legitimate reason. I'm not 227 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 1: saying that it isn't. But what legitimate or not as 228 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 1: a very subjective thing. So what is happening? I think 229 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: when I talk to people, look, a lot of you 230 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: are hurting right now. I'm hurting right now. They're hurting 231 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: right now. I think at least one of you so acknowledged. 232 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: And yet you know, I look at you. You came 233 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: this evening. I don't think that you have sunk into 234 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: a depression. You probably wouldn't have come if you were. 235 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: Somehow life goes on, doesn't it. Somehow you watch your 236 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: portfolio sink to very small numbers that you can't believe in. 237 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: You know you're going to have to work more years, 238 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: but somehow or other, you're capable of going on. I'm 239 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: capable of going on everybody else's and that's because we 240 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 1: have reservoirs of strength and reservoirs of happiness, providers that 241 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: transcend money. I'm not minimizing the role of money. Money 242 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 1: gives you security, Money gives you the opportunity to get 243 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: the best healthcare, gives you the opportunity to take care 244 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: of a relative who is sick, and whether it's parent 245 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: or a child, or a nephew or niece, whatever it 246 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 1: might be money used properly as a wonderful, wonderful thing. 247 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 1: People can then go and cruise around the world with 248 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: me and see these wonderful places, and I do think 249 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: that that adds to their happiness. I don't knock it. 250 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: I just say it isn't nearly as important. And I've 251 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: always said this. That's why I have credibility with you. 252 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: Right now. I'm not saying it to make you feel good. 253 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: I said it when you were rich. That's the point. 254 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: I'm not changing my word. My message on happiness is 255 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: identical today to what it was when people and I 256 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: were doing much better. I knew then, as I know 257 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: now that the sources of happiness are minimally material and 258 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 1: maximally other things, because of all the wealthy people I 259 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 1: had met who were troubled, who were unhappy, all the 260 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,280 Speaker 1: people not living with much who seemed to have had 261 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: a greater joy of life. And so it turns out 262 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: to be true. And you will find that in this 263 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: in this case, however long it lasts. I'll give you 264 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: another thing that I said on the radio on a 265 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: happiness hour. I did one happiness hour. I'll never forget 266 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: on the subject of one way to stay happy is 267 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 1: to think about the question, you know, well, what if 268 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: it really did get bad. I always do that, and 269 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 1: I even said then I said, folks, it could happen. 270 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: I mean, this is recorded, you could probably order it. 271 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: And I remember saying on the air, I said, folks, 272 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 1: I may lose my house. This was when my house 273 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: was doing great. There was no reason to think of this. 274 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: Eye it. But it could happen. I knew it could happen. 275 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: This doesn't shock me the situation. It's not shocking. It happens. 276 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: What was shocking was how long things were good. That 277 00:16:54,800 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: was the shock. Troubles are the norm in human existence, 278 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: not the shock. And so I said, let's say, okay, 279 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: I'm evicted from my house. Okay, so I will live 280 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 1: in a small apartment. I can handle it, I said it. 281 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: Then I said it then on the air. That is 282 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:20,679 Speaker 1: the way I think. Now there are minimums in my 283 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: life that I don't know. And in other words, if 284 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:26,640 Speaker 1: I truly lost my health, would I, you know, would 285 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: I still be cheerful? I mean, you know, if I 286 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 1: were in constant pain, could not work, could not speak. 287 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: I mean I can envision times where I would I 288 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:36,919 Speaker 1: would say the quality of my life is sunk to 289 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: such a so low level that I'm fooling myself with 290 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: some cheer. Of course I'm not. I'm not a robot. 291 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: But money is not one of them. Health may well 292 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: be the one, but but money is not one of them. 293 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 1: Money is a problem. Money isn't a life killer. It 294 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: isn't a happiness killer. 295 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 2: This episode of time less wisdom, we'll continue right after this. 296 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:11,200 Speaker 2: Now back to more of Dennis Prager's timeless wisdom. 297 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:16,199 Speaker 1: I would argue, in fact, that for a lot of people, 298 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: where did I heard? A survey was taken and it 299 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:24,120 Speaker 1: turned out the reporter reporting this was shocked. Turns out 300 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 1: it turned out that Americans were actually more grateful now 301 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: on some grateful some gratitude scale than they had been 302 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: when the study was done ten years earlier, and everything 303 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 1: was much more hunky dory financially. And by the way, 304 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: gratitude is the mother of happiness. Gratitude is the mother 305 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 1: of goodness. Gratitude is the most important single human trait. 306 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: And so if gratitude has arisen, then I'll bet you 307 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 1: some happiness has with all of our problems. Now, isn't 308 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: that interesting? Why are people more grateful? Today, you should 309 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: think quite the opposite, because we know that anything that 310 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: happened to my neighbor could happen to me. We are 311 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 1: now thankful for just about any job. Look, I'm still employed. 312 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:07,440 Speaker 1: You know how many people say that to me. Look, 313 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: we're still in business. I'm still employed. People didn't say 314 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: that five years ago. They were lamenting that they weren't CEOs, 315 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,919 Speaker 1: or they were lamenting that they didn't have a fifty 316 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: percent higher income. Now people are just thrilled they have 317 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: an income. So ironically, there are actually reasons to assume 318 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: that at this very moment, the happiness level of the 319 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: American people may have increased. The worried level is increased, yes, 320 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 1: but that doesn't necessarily mean that the unhappiness level has increased. 321 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,199 Speaker 1: People also know now how to get a little how 322 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 1: to get happy on littler things, things that they thought 323 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: they really needed to be happy. They may not need. 324 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,919 Speaker 1: They may not need a luxury car. They may not 325 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: need the finest restaurant, and I want restaurants to stay 326 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: in business. I want luxury car as one of my 327 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,919 Speaker 1: sponts which just makes luxury cars and they're the best. 328 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: But people do understand now that hey, Wait, what I 329 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 1: thought was necessary turns out not to have been so necessary. 330 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 1: What really matters is friends, What really matters is love. 331 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 1: What really matters is if you have religion, religion and God, 332 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,400 Speaker 1: and there's still books to be read, and there's still 333 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,159 Speaker 1: music to be listened to, Which brings me to the 334 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: third thing that I often talk about on the Happiness Hour. 335 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:34,360 Speaker 1: You never put all your happiness eggs in one basket. 336 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: And what have they talked about today but not putting 337 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: all your financial eggs in one basket? See, isn't it ironic? 338 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: There's a real parallel there. Don't never put all your 339 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: happiness eggs in one basket. And I'll give you the 340 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,160 Speaker 1: classic example is the people who put all their happiness 341 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 1: eggs in their children. Even if your children turn out great. 342 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: It's a bad idea, it is. It's a terrible idea. 343 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 1: First of all, it's not fair to your children. Do 344 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: you want to be the happiness one hundred percent of 345 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:10,120 Speaker 1: the happiness to your parents? I don't want that burden, 346 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: And thank god my parents are still living. My father 347 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: the other day, my father, you probably heard him on 348 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 1: his birthday. My father's a big philosopher, and my father 349 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: said the other day on the phone. In fact, Sue 350 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: Sue heard it. My wife Sue, and I should introduce 351 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:26,879 Speaker 1: you my wife, Sue, would you please stand Sue, thank you. 352 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:36,919 Speaker 1: So she heard my father say. And it's very funny 353 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: for your own parent to say this. You know, children 354 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: are terrific children, grandchildren are nice great grandchildren. It's really wonderful. 355 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: But the biggest source of happiness in my life is 356 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: my wife. Right, And he's right. He's right. You don't 357 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 1: want the biggest source of happiness in your life to 358 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: be your children, because I don't want to be the 359 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: biggest source of happiness in my parents life. So put 360 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 1: the shoe on the other foot. It's too big a 361 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 1: burden to place on your child. That's a tough thing 362 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: to do. Especially traditional American culture is much more capable 363 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 1: of living by this than traditional culture. Traditional cultures put 364 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 1: all their eggs in the children's basket, and it had 365 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: terrible impact. That's why people came to the United States. 366 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: They didn't want some of those old fashioned ideas like 367 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: you live for your child. If you live for your child, 368 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: it's not good for your child. Okay, So not to 369 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: say that they can't be sources of pleasure and joy 370 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,480 Speaker 1: or grandchildren. I'm told you know, it's like that's the 371 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:43,479 Speaker 1: best thing you know since since liced bread and so on, 372 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: Then that's great. But there are you can't put your 373 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: eggs in any all your eggs in any happiness basket. 374 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,479 Speaker 1: The irony, by the way, is the irony is your 375 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: kids will even enjoy you more if you don't depend 376 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: on them for your happiness. I enjoy my parents precisely 377 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: because they do have their own way to entertain themselves. 378 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: They don't rely on me. They rely on my brother. 379 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 1: You don't know how much I enjoyed that line. You 380 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: have no idea. I will prove it to you. This 381 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: is going to crack you up. There are two of us. 382 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 1: They have two children, my parents, my brother, and myself. 383 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 1: So my brother and I have identical voices. I mean, 384 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: it's eerie, so much so when I visit him. My 385 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: brother is a prominent physician in New York at Columbia 386 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:43,680 Speaker 1: Presbyterian Hospital, and he's a professor of medicine at Columbia University. 387 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 1: And whenever I have visited him and just start talking, 388 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: people would say, oh, doctor Prager's here. If they didn't 389 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 1: see who the face and if they'd see the face, 390 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: they'd almost get scared. That's how similar to the void. 391 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: My parents often can tell the difference. So I call up. 392 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,160 Speaker 1: This happened about a year ago. I call up and 393 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 1: Heim and my mother says, oh, Kenny, and I decided, yeah, 394 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 1: I'll play along. So this was revelatory. This was revelatory. 395 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: So I said, uh, yeah, this is this is Kenny. 396 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 1: And then my mother goes into a two minute description 397 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: of all the ailments that she has, and I realized 398 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 1: my brother has a different mother than I do. It's 399 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 1: a phenomenon. It was a phenomenon. I am sitting there going, 400 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 1: oh my god, I didn't know that. No kid really wow. 401 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: When she thinks it's Dennis, it goes like this, mahaw, 402 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: you doing great. Great, everything's a feeling. I feel great. 403 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:53,320 Speaker 1: But my brother is a doctor, so he gets every 404 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: bloody ailment. My mother has everything that aches in her body. 405 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: It's a totally different world. So it was just it 406 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 1: was I now only say it's Dennis the second I 407 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: call it's Dennis. Mod it's Dennis. Okay. I told my 408 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,360 Speaker 1: brother to say he's Dennis, and it would be but 409 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: he has I don't know if he's done that, you 410 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: can't put all your eggs, all your happiness eggs in 411 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:26,920 Speaker 1: one basket. The more. And again, I'm only I made 412 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: a talk for you tonight based on everything that I 413 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 1: have said when things were great for people. Okay, just 414 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:37,160 Speaker 1: want you to understand that the theories are being tested 415 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:41,440 Speaker 1: now and they're coming through. And so I said, maximize 416 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:45,440 Speaker 1: the areas of life that bring you joy. Maximize them. 417 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: The more that brings you joy, reading, music, travel, friends, religion, spouse, 418 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 1: every whatever, maximize those things. Use them. There should be 419 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 1: very many bests where happiness can be derived from in life. 420 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: If it's only one place, and God forbid it was money, 421 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,120 Speaker 1: then you're doomed. Then you really are doomed. By the way, 422 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,679 Speaker 1: even if you get rich and it's and money is 423 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: a big, big basket for your eggs, you're finished because 424 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 1: you will spend your life worrying. Friends that I have 425 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: who are preoccupied, who have been preoccupied with the market, 426 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:28,399 Speaker 1: even when they were doing well, they were preoccupied. I 427 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,159 Speaker 1: followed my grandfather's advice. I said this on the air too. 428 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: It didn't help because I had real estate, so I 429 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 1: was killed there. But I bought one stock in my 430 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: entire life. Actually didn't buy it. I was given it 431 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,480 Speaker 1: when I left ABC was on by Disney. Disney gave 432 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: me stock. I have no idea what it's doing, but 433 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:48,399 Speaker 1: that's it. I am one of the only people in 434 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:52,679 Speaker 1: my socioeconomic status who didn't buy stocks. I'm not proud 435 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: of it. It's not here or there, but I know 436 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:59,160 Speaker 1: what it came from. A I'm not interested terribly in money, 437 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 1: so long as I have enough to live on. I 438 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: have always been very, very grateful. I'm not even I'm 439 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 1: not proud of that. I should have been more preoccupied 440 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:09,880 Speaker 1: in my life with it, but in any event, that's 441 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: my nature. But my grandfather, who lost a lot in 442 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: the depression and whom I loved very much, would say 443 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:21,720 Speaker 1: to me. Dennis actually called me Danela, Danela, if you want, 444 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 1: never buy stocks. If you want to gamble, go to 445 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 1: the racetrack. It's more honest. And for whatever reason, it 446 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,119 Speaker 1: stayed in my mind. Not that I go to the 447 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: racetrack because I don't have a big gambling instinct, but 448 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: be that as it may. My friends who were preoccupied 449 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 1: with stocks and who really knew the market and first 450 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:46,479 Speaker 1: thing every day, got got some either email or before email. 451 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,760 Speaker 1: Look at the paper, you know, on the market page. 452 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: They didn't sleep well. They so what's the good? What 453 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: was the happiness? I kept thinking, what's Your stocks are 454 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: going up, but you're not very happy, You're worried, and 455 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: the first thing you look at every day is how 456 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 1: did my stock do? So it's not It's like if 457 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:10,160 Speaker 1: your children, even if they're wonderful, don't put them all 458 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 1: your eggs in the children's basket. Even if your stocks 459 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: are doing well, don't put all your stocks in the 460 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:15,640 Speaker 1: money basket. 461 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 2: This episode of timeless wisdom will continue right after. 462 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 1: This as Passover approaches, Salem is offering My Rational Passover 463 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: Hagada for fifty percent off at the Praeger Store. The 464 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:31,679 Speaker 1: Hagada is the book used for the most widely celebrated 465 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: Jewish ritual, now increasingly celebrated by Christians by the way, 466 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: the Passover Satyr. The Rational Passover Hagada is intended to 467 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: serve as a guide to life, God, Judaism, and the 468 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 1: Evening's service. The Satyr, Biblical and sacred text need to 469 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 1: be explained in her rational manner and made relevant. You 470 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 1: will find topics that raise some great issues of life, 471 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 1: ranging from questions like does God answer our prayers too? 472 00:28:57,320 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: Is it possible to reconcile a good God with un 473 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 1: just suffering? Whether or not you attend to Satyr? This 474 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: book is meant for people of all faiths and even 475 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: those with no faith. Get the Rational Passover Hagata for 476 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: fifty percent off. Go to Pragerstore dot com or click 477 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: the banner at Dennis Prager dot com. 478 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 2: Now back to more of Dennis Prager's timeless wisdom. 479 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: So joy wherever you can find it. Don't rely on 480 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 1: money for happiness, don't put all your happiness eggs in 481 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: any one basket. Have this new found gratitude that has 482 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 1: come to a lot of people realizing, Wow, I am looking, 483 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 1: I am still working. I didn't have to foreclose, And 484 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 1: if you did have to foreclose, you're not in the street. 485 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: It's a shame. It's sad, but it's sad, So congratulations. 486 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 1: Who doesn't have sadness in one way or another way. 487 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 1: And finally, let me just end with a general statement 488 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: that the older I get, the more I realize I 489 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: have worked out in my own life, and I commend 490 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: it to you. This is very hard for many. Happiness 491 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 1: must come from your mind. We think of happiness as 492 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: a feeling. We should think of happiness instead as an 493 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: attitude or a philosophy. If you rely on your feelings 494 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: to tell you whether you're happy or not, you will 495 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: be a rollercoaster because in any given day, you will 496 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 1: in any given day forget any given decade. In any 497 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 1: given day, you will be up and down. You wake 498 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 1: up feeling one way. In the middle of the day, 499 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: you feel another. Something bad happens, you feel bad, something 500 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: good happens, you feel good. You go to bed and 501 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: something else happened, and then you think in bed, and 502 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 1: then you wake up at night. You'll go nuts, which 503 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 1: is what a lot of people do, go nuts. I 504 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 1: advocate the power of your mind over your brain. The 505 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,240 Speaker 1: brain is the seed of feelings. The mind is the 506 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 1: seed of reason. And I have given so many examples. 507 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: Let me give you one that I know I use 508 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:26,960 Speaker 1: and I'm very good at this. I'm blessed. But I've 509 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:29,960 Speaker 1: also I have a very very powerful I don't mean 510 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 1: great mind, I mean powerful mind. I started very early 511 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 1: in life being very mind centered, and I believe in 512 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:48,719 Speaker 1: the compartmentalization theory of problems, even tragedies in life. The 513 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:54,640 Speaker 1: reason that the Titanic sank was that the compartment doors 514 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 1: broke the walls between the compartments. It was supposed to 515 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:02,520 Speaker 1: be able to water in compartments A, B, and C, 516 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: and they were supposed to be water tight, so the 517 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 1: boat wouldn't sink, but unfortunately the gash was so great 518 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: that the water went through the ship because they couldn't 519 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:21,280 Speaker 1: be contained. You will sink if you cannot contain your problems. 520 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:26,480 Speaker 1: They have to be allowed to stay in a compartment. Now, 521 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 1: you will say, very nice, easy to say, not so 522 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: easy to do. That may well be, but you have 523 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:37,719 Speaker 1: no choice if you want to stay afloat. You have 524 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:41,479 Speaker 1: no choice. If there is a if there is a 525 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 1: real given pain in your life, a parent, a child, 526 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:54,480 Speaker 1: a bad marriage, a financial whatever it might be, you 527 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:58,120 Speaker 1: have to be able to know it's there, but not 528 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 1: let it toxify the rest of your mind by allowing 529 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 1: the walls to crumble between the containers and thereby sync 530 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 1: your ship of life. You have to do that, and 531 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 1: that's where you train your mind. You work. Again. A 532 00:33:17,320 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 1: good way to do it is maximize the good things. 533 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 1: Everyone who has a big problem also has big blessings. 534 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 1: Everyone I know, I can't say everyone on earth, if 535 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 1: you're in North Korea, I assure you life is more 536 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 1: bad than good. That I would not give this speech 537 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 1: in North Korea. Okay, I know that we're very blessed 538 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 1: not to be living in a North Korea like place. 539 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 1: But for those of us here, I can say that 540 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 1: for the vast majority of us, we have more blessings 541 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:57,400 Speaker 1: than curses in our life. Don't let the curse get you. 542 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 1: And I'll conclude with with one of the chapters in 543 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: the book. And I don't even have it here to sell, 544 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:06,160 Speaker 1: which gives you an idea of what a businessman I am, 545 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 1: but I have in it. I know from people's reactions, 546 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:17,120 Speaker 1: it's very interesting how often they cite this chapter as 547 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:22,759 Speaker 1: having particularly touched them what I call the missing tile syndrome. Now, 548 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 1: this ceiling is not tiles. But if it were, if 549 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: this ceiling were perfect, just as it is now, but 550 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 1: one tile on the entire ceiling of a thousand tiles, 551 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:38,680 Speaker 1: we're missing. What would you stare at exactly? Now, that's 552 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:43,319 Speaker 1: okay for ceilings because you can get that tile, put 553 00:34:43,360 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 1: it up, and then it's perfect, But it's not good 554 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:53,320 Speaker 1: for your life if you stare at what's missing. You're doomed. 555 00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:59,600 Speaker 1: Everyone has missing tiles. Everyone. There is no human since 556 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 1: Adam without missing tiles. And it could be little things, 557 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:06,880 Speaker 1: and it could be big things. Women who want to 558 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:08,920 Speaker 1: who have no children, who want to get a child. 559 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:14,520 Speaker 1: They're consumed with missing a child, and believe everybody has 560 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:17,920 Speaker 1: a child. I learned about the missing tile syndrome from 561 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:19,800 Speaker 1: a bald man. As it happened. A bald man is 562 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:21,800 Speaker 1: about thirty years ago said to me, you know, Dennis, 563 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,120 Speaker 1: every time I walk into a room, all I see 564 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: is hair. It was a phenomenal, illuminating observation for me. 565 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 1: I never see hair. If I were at a table. 566 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 1: I'm serious. If I were at a table with eight 567 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:41,799 Speaker 1: men and I spent an hour talking over dinner with them, 568 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 1: and then you called me over afterwards, said Dennis, we 569 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:46,480 Speaker 1: will shoot you if you don't tell us which one 570 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:50,319 Speaker 1: was bald, I'd be shot because it doesn't mean a 571 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:54,200 Speaker 1: thing to me. Fifty other things about a group of 572 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:56,319 Speaker 1: men make an impact on me, but not whether they 573 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:58,359 Speaker 1: have hair. But the guy who doesn't have hair, he'll 574 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:02,359 Speaker 1: know everyone at that table who had hair. There are 575 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:04,359 Speaker 1: women who walk into a room and all they see 576 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:10,319 Speaker 1: are slim thighs. The world consists of thin thighs. That's 577 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:13,080 Speaker 1: all they see in any given room. This is the 578 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:16,480 Speaker 1: human nature. We dwell on what we think or really 579 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: is missing. You can't do that. It is missing. Everyone 580 00:36:23,320 --> 00:36:26,879 Speaker 1: has that, but you probably have more tiles that are 581 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:32,200 Speaker 1: there than that are. These are the ways one copes 582 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:35,440 Speaker 1: with a difficult time, and frankly, that's what it is 583 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:39,840 Speaker 1: for most of us. It's difficult. It isn't a trauma. 584 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:44,520 Speaker 1: It's difficult. None of you invested with Bernie madeoff for 585 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: that alone. You should be grateful. Thank you very much, 586 00:36:58,000 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 1: thank you. Thank you. 587 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,720 Speaker 2: Tomorrow Untimeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. 588 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:06,239 Speaker 1: Whenever I speak about men and women, I offer this 589 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:09,799 Speaker 1: thought that if we could swap brains for a day, 590 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:12,520 Speaker 1: men with women and women with men, this is what 591 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:18,520 Speaker 1: would happen. Women would take a man's brain and just 592 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:24,440 Speaker 1: go I can't believe it. Nothing is happening. 593 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:32,480 Speaker 2: Join us tomorrow to hear more on Timeless Wisdom with 594 00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:37,080 Speaker 2: Dennis Prager. This has been timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. 595 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:42,160 Speaker 2: Visit dennispragger dot com for thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, 596 00:37:42,200 --> 00:37:46,200 Speaker 2: and classic radio programs, and to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational 597 00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:46,840 Speaker 2: Bibles