“There's something called religion, and it was invented a long time ago by people who felt very out of control with their lives, who didn't know... why the sun always rose over the mountains.”

Swiss philosopher and writer of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, de Botton blends psychology, philosophy, and pop culture to explore human behavior and relationships. His work—including *The Consolations of Philosophy* and *Status Anxiety*—examines how we navigate love, art, and social expectations with wit and clarity.