Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment, Storey Benjamin, Storey Jenna Silber

A compelling exploration of how our pursuit of happiness makes us unhappy

We live in an age of unprecedented prosperity, yet everywhere we see signs that our pursuit of happiness has proven fruitless. Dissatisfied, we seek change for the sake of change--even if it means undermining the foundations of our common life. In Why We Are Restless, Benjamin and Jenna Storey offer a profound and beautiful reflection on the roots of this malaise and examine how we might begin to cure ourselves. Drawing on the insights of Montaigne, Pascal, Rousseau, and Tocqueville, Why We Are Restless explores the modern vision of happiness that leads us on, and the disquiet that follows it like a lengthening shadow. Arguing that the philosophy we have inherited, despite pretending to let us live as we please, produces remarkably homogenous and unhappy lives, Why We Are Restless makes the case that finding true contentment requires rethinking our most basic assumptions about happiness.

Benjamin and Jenna Storeys delightful Why We Are Restless belongs on the shelf of thoughtful, accessible books on human happiness like Matthew Crawfords Shop Class as Soulcraft and Sarah Bakewells How to Live.--Mark Lilla, author of The Once and Future Liberal

This challenging and provocative book provides us with substantial resources to look more closely at ourselves--all the while offering clarity, healing, and hope, wherever our reflections lead.--Zena Hitz, author of Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life