The Architecture of Happiness

This is a fairly good book. It's fairly deep. Definitly not light reading. Ideas I want to remember from the book...

• Yes beauty affects us, but sometimes nothing but an asprin and a nap will make us feel good.
• Have high standards. Uglness doesn't happen because it's cheaper or easier. It happens because we don't act like we deserve beauty and because we don't have loftier goals.

I've reread this in 2017. A few more things stick out to me.

First, this book is kind of an antidote to Stoicism. If we can be happy with a Spartan life, then why does beauty delight us so?

Second, De Botton's language is very pretty. Only he can describe why a building could push us to be good, or evil, or more religious, or less.

Third, again, have high standards. Have lofty goals.