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Meaning
The joke turns on the gap between wanting happiness and hunting it so hard that it slips away. It can be taken to mean that self-help can become self-sabotage, and it lands in a culture that treats happiness as a project, especially when effort starts to crowd out contentment.
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Originally said in English.
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About P. J. O'Rourke
American author, journalist, and political satirist
P. J. O'Rourke was an American author, journalist, and political satirist. He wrote on politics and on subjects as varied as cars, etiquette, and economics, and 481 quotes are listed on the site. He published twenty-two books. Among them, Parliament of Whores and Give War a Chance both reached No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list. His work is associated with sharp political satire and wide-ranging social commentary.
More from P. J. O'Rourke (481 quotes) →Keep reading P. J. O'Rourke
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Explore Happiness
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