Declaration Quote by Jamaica Kincaid
“I like to be depressing. I feel it's my duty to make everyone a little less happy. You know that line in the Declaration of Independence, "the pursuit of happiness"? I've come to think that it has no meaning at all. You cannot pursue happiness. And to think that this bad little sentence has determined our lives.”
About This Quote
The author rejects the pursuit of happiness as a meaningless societal mandate, preferring a darker outlook.
In simple terms: Questioning the value of chasing happiness.
Key Takeaway
Consider alternative life purposes.
Themes
existentialism
skepticism
nihilism
Mood
melancholic
critical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal fulfillment
- cultural critique
- mental health discussions
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you feel obligated to be happy?
- What purpose guides you beyond happiness?
A Different Perspective
Happiness can be a harmful societal pressure.
![“If [God] has made it a law in the nature of man to pursue his own happiness, He has left him free in the choice of place as well as mode, and we may safely call on the whole body of English jurists to produce the map on which nature has traced for each individual the geographical line which she…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/808/thomas-jefferson-43_body_if-god-has-made-it-a-law-in-the-nature-o_2482448.jpg)
