Wisdom from an 18th-century female philosopher to take to the voting booths.

Written by: Nina Cashman

Learnings from M.A. in Happiness Studies / September 20, 2024

Over the last several years, hearing and seeing so many people defend their political positions with an air of righteousness has struck me as rather odd. Assuming one’s perspective is too apparent for someone of matched intelligence or virtue to disagree with seems counter to the reality of our world. Like it or not, half of this country’s population will disagree with how you vote this November.

Does this mean half your peers, coworkers, neighbors, and friends are less intelligent than you? Is half the country’s morality lacking because their values ladder up differently than yours? What makes more sense – close to 50% of our population is committed to making a “bad choice,” or you – one individual, might not understand what it’s like to walk in other people’s shoes, especially those who view the world differently than you?

Call me an optimist or maybe even a realist, but I cannot bring myself to believe that half of our nation’s citizens are just plain stupid or wrong. I have too much faith in humankind.

However, I admit many people will be unhappy with the final election results. So, I’ve decided to draw on the writings of the great French Philosopher and Mathematician Emilie Du Chatelet to inspire half of us to stay happy, regardless of the election’s outcome. In her “Discourse on Happiness,” written in the mid-eighteenth century, Du Chatelet recommends several ways to increase our happiness. She goes so far as to say,

“As long as we prefer to endure life, we must open ourselves to pleasure by all the doors leading to our soul; we have no other business” (Du Chatelet, 1746).

So, here are some simple ways to live a happy and fulfilling life, no matter the outcome of the presidential election:

1. Stay healthy.

   Without health, enjoying life’s pleasures (or managing displeasures ; )) is impossible, so it is a prerequisite to life satisfaction.  As Du Chatelet points out, “But in order to have passions, to be able to satisfy them, one must certainly be healthy; this is the first good” (Du Chatelet, 1746).

   So, if you find yourself wanting to recount ballots this November, remember to eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep while you are at it. The world will continue to revolve, the sun will still rise, and the seasons will continue to change whether your candidate of choice gets elected or not. Breathe.

2. Be free from Prejudices.

   In the context of the 2024 election, I’d say a solid foundation to release prejudices would be to stop condemning people for experiencing the world differently than you. Du Chatelet describes prejudice as “an opinion that one has accepted without examination, because it would be indefensible otherwise” (Du Chatelet, 2024).

   Judging another person for holding a perspective you don’t share without examining what led them to that viewpoint makes for an ignorant and dull existence. Instead of shutting differences down, allow your curiosity to enhance your understanding and improve your sense of creativity and innovation.

   So, before you proclaim your latest vow to “move to another country” this November, consider how boring your travels would be if everyone thought and lived exactly as you do. Different perspectives and experiences are what make life interesting and enjoyable.

3. Be resolute.

   Regardless of political proclamations, stay connected to who you want to be, how you want to show up, and what you want to do. Maintain your internal compass to navigate your own life’s path, regardless of how political winds blow on the vast sea of infinite possibilities.

   Du Chatelet points out that without personal resolution, “one swims forever in a sea of uncertainties, one destroys in the morning what one made in the evening; life is spent doing stupid things, putting them right, repenting them” (Du Chatelet, 1746).

   Why on earth would we allow a new name in the White House to steer us away from creating a good life for ourselves, our families, friends, and communities? Keep your eyes on your prize, no matter what.

4. Allow your passions, not people, to guide your happiness.

   If whatever brings you joy ceases to exist when election results are announced, then perhaps it is time to find new passions—free from the influence of other people.

   I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to allow some talking head in Washington to depreciate my life satisfaction. I still plan to read, learn, and spend time with the people I love, regardless of who takes office next year. If specific policies of the incoming candidate seem, in my opinion, to be harmful, then perhaps I’ll make it my passion to take action and influence my surroundings in the most productive ways possible.

   Some could claim I’m speaking from a place of privilege here, and I don’t deny that I am. I feel very privileged to have rights as a citizen of this country. Above all, that includes the right to speak and express myself freely, even when my perspectives run counter to those of others.

5. Cultivate a love for learning.

   Regardless of whoever takes the presidential seat this November, there will be no lack of things to learn. Take advantage of the empowerment and sheer entertainment that comes with widening your lens on the world. Instead of proclaiming the limited righteousness of your opinions, dive into the world’s unlimited curiosities. Begin more sentences with “why” than “I know.”

   Du Chatelet says, “The love of study is the passion most necessary to our happiness. It is an unfailing resource against misfortunes, it is an inexhaustible source of pleasures.” Better yet, “if we value independence, the love of study is, of all the passions, the one that contributes most to our happiness” (Du Chatelet, 1746).

6. Cherish your illusions of what could be.

   It is easy to get disillusioned when things don’t go our way, especially in a polarizing political landscape offering only two viable voting platforms. No wonder we feel inclined to turn to our favorite news channels – it’s a way to ease our discomforts, feel validated, and feel less alone. Yet, falling prey to our discontent keeps us far from solutions and stuck in whatever mud we choose to curse (or sling).

   If you find yourself drawn to the nearest water cooler the morning after the election, drying your and your colleague’s tears with post-election headlines, my advice is simple: turn off the news.

   Instead, talk with your fellow friends and comrades about your common hopes and desires for your families, neighborhoods, communities, and cities. Allow the commonality of each other’s goodness to soothe you. We agree on so much more than we realize. Let the grand illusions of how you want to experience the world sway you from the disillusionment of faceless drones copying and pasting headlines.

   Du Chatelet writes, “Let us turn the mind away from all disagreeable ideas; they are the source of all metaphysical anxieties, and it is above all those anxieties that it is almost always in our power to avoid” (Du Chatelet, 1746).

Look, I’m not here to dissuade anyone from having a perspective and voting on it. I’m just suggesting the possibility of half of our population still enjoying their lives despite their presidential candidate losing. Since that message won’t come from the news, let this serve as a subtle reminder. After all,

“Happy men and women seek nothing and do not notify others of their happiness; the unhappy are interesting, the happy are unknown” (Du Chatelet, 1746).

This being the case, my vote is with the “unknown.”

Want to explore more of Emilie Du Chatelet? Check this out: Click Here

References

Du Chatelet, Emilie. Discourse on Happiness. 1746, pp. 107 -- 118. Texas A&M, people.tamu.edu/~sdaniel/Du%20Chatelet%20Happiness.pdf, https://doi.org/Texas%20A&M%20University. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.