You're Not Happy? Act Like It | Happiness Hour

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Hi, Dennis Prager here. Well, as you know, I've been off the air since my injury in November 2024. Thank you for your prayers. Believe me, I've missed talking to you. I'm starting the Ask Me Anything episodes on the Timeless Wisdom Podcast, and I'd love to hear from you. Whether your question is about faith, morality, politics, history, relationships, happiness, Or even my life, give me a call and leave a voicemail. The number is 877-243-7776. That's 877-243-7776. Please include your first name and where you're calling from. I will answer as many questions as I can on future episodes. of the podcast. Obviously, I can't respond to every question, but I will listen or read every question. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for listening.

On today's episode of Timeless Wisdom.

Today, something that I have mentioned many times in the opening moments of the Happiness Hour, but I don't believe that I ever devoted the hour to this subject. one of the basic beliefs that I have regarding happiness, and that is act it even if you don't feel it.

Um, I just wanted to say that I'm 30 and I've got lupus, and, um, when I act happy, I feel happy, and it actually affects my health.

For— oh, no question, no question it affects your health. That is a very good— I mean, even your lupus.

It directly affects them.

Yes, that's very powerful. Yeah, that is—

that was it.

That was it. Great. Thank you very much. That's right. Listen, I'm telling you, folks, if you adopt this attitude, it'll change your life and the lives of those around you. People prefer to be around happy people. That's just the way it is, around people acting happy.

That's coming up on Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager.

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Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Hear thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, and classic radio programs, and to purchase To purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles, go to DennisPrager.com.

Hey, it's the Happiness Hour, everybody! Yes, indeed. The number of you who tell me, I love the Happiness Hour, is very encouraging.

Yeah!

Folks, I devote an hour every week, come hell or high water, to the subject of happiness. The older I get, the more I realize how important it is. That's right. Yes, it is. Thank you, Sean. Well done, well done. That was a test of Sean's auditory powers, my friends. Was he sensitive to the inflection that I was giving? And he was. Sean has inflection sensitivity syndrome, ISS, which is a good syndrome to have. My friends, welcome indeed. I'm Dennis Prager. I've written a book on happiness. I have lectured on it on all 7 continents. That is correct, including Antarctica. You can see me lecturing penguins. Since there were no humans to talk to on Antarctica, I chose a, a bird audience for my talk.

It is on my website, that picture.

And they, uh, I don't know how much they got out of it. That I have to say, you know, with all modesty. It is very hard for me to know. If I affected the penguins in any way. But I will tell you this, this I know, this is serious. This hour can change your life. My book is intended to do the same. It's called Happiness Is a Serious Problem. Because if you start to take happiness seriously, it changes your life, not only vis-à-vis your happiness, but vis-à-vis everybody around you. Happy people make the world a lot better than the unhappy do. Folks, I can't— I can't— almost impossible to overstate the importance of happiness. Okay, now today, something that I have mentioned many times in the opening moments of the Happiness Hour, but I don't believe that I ever devoted the hour to this subject. One of the basic beliefs that I have regarding happiness, and that is Act it, even if you don't feel it.

An idea arose in the stupid sixties, seventies, the when the age of stupidity was ushered in, in part because the older generation decided that college students knew better. Oh, I'm sorry. Every time I I think about the sixties and seventies.

Uh, and some of its attitudes, I begin to have uncontrollable laughter. Uh, be that as it may, the belief, uh, the belief arose that if you don't feel something, you should not act as if you do because that's hypocritical or dishonest.

You should—

your feelings and your behavior should be one. Now, by the way, that is an ideal. If, if the behavior is good. We don't hold this in ethics, do we? Do we hold the idea that you should act morally or ethically the way you feel? Well, I feel that I would like that lovely piece of audio equipment at the store. I'd like that little digital camera. I'll just take it while they're not looking. Then my behavior and my feelings are at one. Are one, right? I have no desire to— you could list anything. The thing, the good things that people do, do you think that everybody who visits the sick in a hospital wakes up in the morning thinking, oh ho ho! Another day to visit the sick and dying. What a thrill. Some do, and they are really elevated spirits. But much of the good that people do, as parents, for example, you don't, you don't always wake up, oh, another day devoted to my children. Am I lucky? Now, you might, you might. And over the Totality of one's life, you will regard that as a blessing, or at least most people will. But on any given occasion— Oh, I would love to get up again at 2:30 in the morning for my crying baby. Oh God, is that great. My behavior and my feelings are one. I am getting up because I feel like getting up. I mean, come on, folks. Much of our lives is where our behavior and our feelings are not the same. Of course that's true. And there's nothing wrong with it. It's what makes you human. It's animals who act on their feelings all the time. That's the biggest difference, perhaps. There are many differences between us and the animals, and I will not say between us and the other animals, as is currently The fashion in the intellectual world because they regard us as just another animal. Anyway, we don't do that. So why would we do it with regard to emotions of happiness? We don't do it with regard to other things. We behave differently than we feel because that's the right thing to do. Well, it's the right thing to do for you and for the world to act happy, even if you don't feel it. That doesn't mean that you don't open up to an intimate, to somebody deepest in your life, that you are unhappy, or at least to perhaps a therapist. It doesn't mean that you fool yourself, but it does mean that you act happy. I don't mean silly happy. I don't mean giddy, but basically happy. You give a cheerful disposition. When I studied in yeshiva, which is religious, deeply religious Jewish schools, and I learned, I studied for 15 years. So I'm quite immersed in my religion's outlook. And one of the things I learned which really struck me as a kid was that a truly righteous person, one of the characteristics essential to the truly righteous person, is a cheerful demeanor. You can be as pious as Mother Teresa. You can be saintly in your behavior. You can do whatever it is, but with— you are, you are excluded from the ranks of the truly righteous if you do not have a cheerful countenance. Learned that as a kid. That makes perfect sense. We owe it to others to have a cheerful countenance. To use a religiously inspired term, if you will. But whether you're secular or religious, this is equally, entirely equally applicable. That's right. You can't descend unless you are incapable of controlling yourself. That has its own problems. You can't descend to your feelings. Now, the clinically depressed, it's, uh, they are overtaken, I am told, biologically, and that's a separate issue. But by and large, by and large, we can't do that. It is, it is, it is self-absorbed and ultimately narcissistic. Hey, I feel bad, so I am going to, uh, express it to everybody around me. 1-800-PRAGER-776 is the number. 1-800-PRAGER-776. Do you have experience with what I am saying? With either another person or yourself in particular, that you have acted or do act happy despite deep pain, unhappiness, or what have you. And here's the key. Not— remember, I don't only advocate this because you owe it to the people around you. I advocate it because it will change you. I am, folks, a behaviorist. One of the mottos of my life is, the deed shapes the heart more than the heart shapes the deed. You hear me? Act a certain way and you will feel that way. Ethically and emotionally, it is true. How you act, how you behave, affects you. You try acting happy for the next 3 months. You just try it. Non-complaining, for example. Cheerful demeanor, to use the phrase that I was speaking of, cheerful countenance earlier. And see if it does not affect inside. First of all, it'll affect the way people react to you. That'll affect you. That'll make you happier immediately. What was Lincoln's phrase? We are as happy as we decide to be. I think that that's what he said. There is a lot of truth to it. It is not entirely, entirely true, but it is largely true. And that is a decision that is in your hands. And that is a key message of my book on happiness and of this hour. Do you have a problem with it? Hey, acting the way I don't feel? Come on, what are you talking about, Dennis? I act happy if I feel happy. Or Or on the contrary, if you have taken this advice and acted on it, I want to hear from you. Any questions in particular? 1-800-PRAGER-776. It's 1-800-PRAGER-776, which in digits is 877-243-7776. The Happiness Hour on The Dennis Prager Show.

This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this.

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Now, back to more of Dennis Prager's timeless wisdom.

Hey everybody, Dennis Prager here, and this is the Happiness Hour. The topic is a big one, and that is, should you act happy even if you don't feel it? And my argument is that while not denying what you feel, you can't I don't think one should live in, in a self-delusion world. Nevertheless, a lot of our happiness will come from acting it. Yes, I'm a behaviorist, and I gave you the ethical examples. You don't act in terms of morality or ethics. You don't act on your feelings all the time.

Of course not.

I mean, I will admit publicly that when I give my charitable donations each year, it is not done with this great urge inside of me. I'd rather save it or spend it, that money. Okay? I give it because it's the right thing to do. That is the right behavior, to give charity. So it affects me inside. I agree with that. But I'm not relying on inside feelings to move me to do it. It's the right thing to do. There are things that are the right things to do. Every one of you do. It's the right thing to do to, I don't know, go to your kid's X event. But the event itself may not particularly interest you. It's that you want to show some solidarity with your child.

All right.

I want to hear from you. Let's go to Shirley in Denver on KNUS. Hello, Shirley.

Dennis Prager.

Hi, Dennis.

Hi.

Hi. I just wanted to tell you about a story. Actually, it's one of many, but I started volunteering at Craig Rehab Hospital here, which deals with spinal cord injuries and brain injuries. And I do facials once a month.

Mm-hmm.

And one of the many stories— they're not even stories, but things that have happened— is there is a gentleman there, or was there, they're usually there about 3 months, was down for a facial and he was infectious. Everybody wanted to be around him. And I remember saying to him, why, how do you have such a good attitude? He was a quadriplegic and he said, I wake up every morning and the first thought that comes into my mind is, oh, That's right, I'm a quadriplegic. But he said, I've learned that that quick I cut it off and I think I can either be a drain on society, I can be productive in society, and it's my choice right now. And it's obvious the choice he made. And where I went to help them, those people, I leave there thinking I'm the one that's getting all the benefit from this. He helps me and I tell everybody that I hear complaining.

Huh.

Um, this, this is the way it is.

You choose.

You can sit there and wallow in it, but nobody wants to be around you. Anytime I— I scratched my car the other day, my first thought was— I was angry. I thought of that man who said, I make a choice. I got out of my car, walked around, looked at it, and was thankful that I met that man who told me, you—

I—

what controls me, that incidence or my choice to be happy regardless?

I've just let you speak on because it is so wise what you're saying, and the example is so perfect. I mean, because most people think if they were quadriplegic, they'd want to die. Do you know that I actually did a— I would do it again. Alan, put it down because it's not a dark subject. It's an illuminating subject. I get angry at people who say, They, they would rather be dead than quadriplegic. I actually get angry at them. I'd rather be dead than brain damaged. I, I— because that's not me then. But there's no— but not quadriplegic. I, I could say point blank, I'd rather be alive. I could think, I could love, I could, I, I could see my children, I could read books, I could do a radio show if I were quadriplegic, for God's sake.

Well, it's amazing because everybody says, how do you work up there? It's got to be so depressing. Oh, that's right. They don't have a clue how uplifting it is.

That's right. You want to go depressing, you go to the beautiful people in Hollywood. Then you'll get depressed. The people with the best bodies.

Yeah, totally self-centered.

Yeah.

Thank you, Shirley.

You're welcome. Thank you.

Very touching. That's true. Where do you think— seriously, where do you think you would leave more uplifted in spirit? A Hollywood party or the spinal injury ward where this woman gives facials, volunteers to give facials?

Right.

It's an interesting question. No, no, it isn't. Yeah, it is. Come on, come on.

It is.

1-8-Prager-776. The guy decided to be happy. It is largely a decision. If it weren't a decision, then, uh, then what you're saying is circumstances will always determine your, your emotional state. Now, of course, sometimes they do.

Of course.

Of course.

But largely it is in our hands. Largely. This is not universal. It is not. There are things that are not and can cause deep sadness. There's no two ways about it. And let's go to— is that Abby? Abby in Minneapolis on the Patriot. Hello, Abby.

Hi.

Hi.

I just wanted to say that I'm 30 and I've got lupus. And, um, when I act happy, I feel happy, and it actually affects my health.

For—

oh, no question. No question it affects your health. That is a very good— I mean, even your lupus.

It directly affects the lupus.

Yes, that's very powerful. Yeah, that is—

that was it.

That was it? Great, thank you very much. That's right. Listen, I'm telling you, folks, if you adopt this attitude, it'll change your life. And the lives of those around you. People prefer to be around happy people. That's just the way it is. Around people acting happy. What you are inside, everybody is pained inside. Everybody, everybody who thinks— that's the way it is. You think that everybody who walks around happy has no unhappiness? You're living on another planet if you think that. Doesn't work like that. People, you know, this is a really important point because I am convinced that that is the way people think. Oh, I met so-and-so and she's really happy or he's really happy. And you think, ah, they're really happy because they have nothing to be unhappy about. Eh, eh, eh, eh, not true. Not true. Everybody has something to be unhappy about.

Everyone.

It's the nature of human existence. Let's go to Arlington, Texas, on K-SKY. It's Rick. Hello, Rick. Dennis Prager.

Hi, Dennis. Those last couple of calls were really marvelous.

Yes, that's right. So you have a lot to live up to.

Well, I don't mean because the calls were good. I mean because of the people in them. I'm a migraine sufferer. My wife is an early-onset Alzheimer's victim. And it's amazing to me how many times I talk to other people who have conditions and they say, oh, you have migraines? I get 2 to 3 a week. And they say, that must be awful. And, uh, and I'm sitting there thinking, you think I have a problem? And it's, it's amazing.

That's right.

People with, with difficult situations The people who say that are almost inevitably people who are cheerful in spite of their problems. And, and yet—

That's it. That's what people don't— the unhappy don't know that. The unhappy think the happy are just luckier because life has worked out much better for them. Overwhelmingly, that isn't true. This is so important for you to know, folks. They have decided to be happy. We'll be back in a moment. I'm Dennis Prager.

This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this.

Rising interest rates, stock volatility, out-of-control inflation. People are concerned about what the future holds financially. This is Dennis Prager for AMFED Coin and Bullion. There's no better time than the present to move a portion of your IRA into precious metals. You should know there's a right and a wrong way to set up your precious metals IRA. Mistakes could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars in IRS fines. Call AMFED Coin and Bullion, 1-800-221-7694, americanfederal.com.

That's americanfederal.com.

Now back to more of Dennis Prager's timeless wisdom.

Let me phrase the question a little differently so that I can get as well a different batch of calls. Do you find it difficult to act happy? This is the Happiness Hour on the Dennis Prager Show. And I admit that there is a tension here. There is a tension between not being in touch with what you feel and how you act.

And—

but by and large, there is a, there is a world of pain out there for everybody. And you have your choice to a certain extent, and that's why I'm asking those of you who find it difficult to act happy to give me a call, 1-800-PRAGER-776. That by and large, I believe that there ought to be a behavioral approach to happiness. If you act it, you're more likely to feel it. And who exactly gains from your not acting it? Who, who gains? Do you gain? Do those around you gain? That doesn't mean you shouldn't express it verbally. And I have a question on that coming in, so I'm going to take— actually, uh, take that call. 1-800-PRAGER-776. Got to tell me how this advice, advice sits with you, the behavioral approach to happiness, as well as many other approaches that I've taken, of course. In my book and over all the broadcasts. In Golden Valley, Minnesota, Joe. Hello, Joe.

Wow, Dennis Prager, the Happiness Hour makes me happy. Thanks for taking my call.

Good, thank you.

I have a perfect example of—

I picture you and the wife are driving down the road or on the way to a party, or you're having a party yourself, and you get into a nasty fight, and it's just awful. But all of a sudden, the guests come through the door and you get to the party.

Wham! You're happy.

You're both in love, and nobody knew anything was wrong.

And, uh, by the end of the party, you're not mad at each other anymore.

And certainly, what if you went to the party and said, uh, you know, before you started, you know, continuing the fight or the behavior? That would certainly ruin the party.

But, you know, you put on the happiness, you change your behavior for the good of the event.

That's a very good point. So you're, you're, you're, uh, agreeing with me?

Oh, I absolutely agree with you. Yeah, I was just giving an example of how that—

Well, and can— and imagine, how would it be if you and your wife had a fight, you're having a party at your home, and you both act angry with the guests when they come? That's the last party you'll have, right? Yep, that's exactly right. Thank you very much.

Thanks for—

yeah, yeah. By the way, those of you say you can't control your behavior, You know, it's almost never true. People who are, you know, act in an angry way or unhappy way or whatever, and then somebody comes to the door or you have to go to work and you change your demeanor. So it's very possible. Usually. Usually. I understand that it's not always possible. But my argument is the behavioral argument. Over to Philadelphia, WNTP NewsTalk Philadelphia. Boyd, hello.

Hi, Dennis. How are you today, sir?

Good, thank you.

Great show.

Thank you.

I just wanted to say that first of all.

Absolutely.

I appreciate it.

I appreciate it.

And something my dad taught me growing up, and I'm not sure who actually quoted it, but it's that we travel in the direction of our most dominant thoughts, mentally speaking. And so I have to agree with you totally when you say that even though we shouldn't fake things and, and put on a false attitude, that If we look at the positives in life, even in negative times, that if, if, if we look for the positive things in life and not just focus on the negatives, then what we're doing is we're making our most dominant thoughts of our mind more positive. And thus, I do believe fully that we'll travel in a positive direction.

Very good. Are you married?

Yes, I am, sir.

And, and, uh, does your wife follow the same, uh, advice?

Well, usually not on the days that I do, and I usually don't on the days that she does.

Well, thank God you don't both do it on the same day.

We wouldn't know what to do.

I understand. Boyd, thanks a lot.

Sure.

Bless you.

Appreciate your call. And, uh, let's see, WETR, Knoxville, Tennessee. Billy. Hello, Billy. Dennis Prager.

Um, hi.

Hi.

Um, I called because I was on my way home from My psychologist appointment.

Oh, perfect.

And I know that you're absolutely right, and I know that that would make like 150% difference in my life.

Yeah.

But I don't know.

All the way home, I'm sitting there thinking, right, I just should go around being not giddy.

Not giddy.

Just pleasant.

Just what? Say the word.

Nobody deserves to be around somebody like me.

That's right.

I feel like I'm at the bottom of a well.

Right, I understand that feeling entirely. This is something—

I'm on the radio right now.

This is something— huh? I'm sorry? Oh, that's just the music. That's the music saying that we're gonna come to the end of a segment here. We'll be back in a moment.

This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this.

Rising interest rates, stock volatility, out-of-control inflation. People are concerned about what the future holds financially. This is Dennis Prager for AMFED Coin. There's no better time than the present to move a portion of your IRA into precious metals. You should know there's a right and a wrong way to set up your precious metals IRA. Mistakes could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars in IRS fines. Call AMFED Coin and Bullion, 800-221-7694, americanfederal.com. That's americanfederal.com.

Now back to more of Dennis Prager's timeless wisdom.

Alrighty, my friends, The Dennis Prager Show, the Happiness Hour. Every week at this time, at this hour, we have the Happiness Hour. And my proposition to you today is that you can't act all the time, or even much of the time perhaps, on your feelings of unhappiness. That acting happy will in fact help change your mood. And will certainly change the way people act to you, which will— is likely to again change your mood. And that's the way it is, because otherwise we become insufferable. Would you rather be— I'm asking the unhappy among you— would you rather be among happy people or unhappy people? Now, misery loves company. That is true. But I'm not talking about expressing. Yes, express. The following is making me sad. The following is unhappy. Yes, that's correct. That's right. Be aware of your feelings. I'm not asking you to deny your feelings. I'm saying that you act one way and you can feel another. It's true in all areas of life. Now, Billy in Knoxville, this is something— it's a good idea perhaps to raise with your therapist. Because she feels that she's at the bottom of a well. It's a great metaphor. I like it. I understand it. And it doesn't, you don't know how to act differently. This, this is something that you may need, you know, that's beyond my ability to answer right now. And I would have to see, you know, how you are in general. But that is why you have to bounce and bounce it off other people in your life. A lot of people at the bottom of wells, folks. A lot of people. All righty, let's go to Lynn. Lynn in Colorado Springs and KZNT. Hello, Lynn. Dennis Prager.

Hi. Hi, Dennis. Uh, I just wanted to say that I agree with you that people do react much different to you when you're, um, you know, uh, project yourself more pleasantly.

Yeah.

I spent the first 30 years of my life clinically depressed until I got medication for it. So I know firsthand the difference.

The difference in how people react to you?

Yes, that's right.

Yes, exactly, exactly.

Yeah, but even when I was in my first, you know, 30 years when I was clinically depressed—

When you say first 30 years, you mean from birth?

Well, I would say from teenager on is when I, you know, really noticed. that I had a problem.

And, uh— And you didn't take medication for 30 years?

Well, I wasn't diagnosed until I was 30. When I went to a psychiatrist, he couldn't believe that I hadn't been diagnosed.

I see.

What particular medicine are you on?

Well, I was on Prozac for many years, and now I'm on Depakote, which is also a mood stabilizer.

Have you married?

Yes.

And how is it—

did—

why did you find the difference between Prozac and Depakote?

Depakote?

Depakote. I never heard of it, that's why I'm asking. Yeah.

Yeah, it's a mood stabilizer.

It's basically— Did it— for example, Prozac is reported to have— to minimize sexual desire. Did Prozac have that effect on you?

Yes, unfortunately that is correct.

Yeah. Did—

does this—

most of those depression medications do.

Yeah. Depakote as well?

Yes. So that is a side effect, right? Unfortunately. But, uh, I do have to say, you know, I, I wouldn't give it up for anything, uh, my medication, because I wake up every day now and I am not unhappy. I am Generally, I'm in a wonderful mood, and the difference in the quality of my life is night and day.

Yep, there's no comparison. Well, you're a powerful advocate, that's correct. A person who— for whom medicine has worked, uh, they will tell you how true what I'm saying is. I mean, everything is different to be able to act that way. But of course, one could argue, but her feelings have changed too, that's why she can act that way. That's why, folks, this is a very complex subject. And I stand by what I'm advocating, even though I understand it is not always doable. I do understand that. But what is your choice? To act unhappy while you feel it? Is that your choice? See, it's tough. Dallas. Christy in Dallas. Dennis Prager, hi. Case Guy.

Hi, this is my first time to call. I really enjoy your show. Thanks for taking it.

Thank you.

Just a couple of things I wanted to point out. I recently turned 30, and it was a huge milestone for me, and I was borderline depressed for a very long time. One of the things that worked for me that I just wanted to share on the air is that when you change yourself, everything else around you will change, which is Right in line with what you've been saying this afternoon.

Mm-hmm.

Um, it started as, um, looking at my situations and circumstances in life, and my, uh, my strategy was thinking, well, it could be worse. And gradually things, um, began to get better. And what I found is the less I focused on myself and the more I focused on others, um, those it could be worse situations turned into it doesn't get any better than this situations.

Right.

Wow.

That's powerful. Now, uh, why did 30 throw you for such a loop?

You know, it's, it's a ridiculous, uh, story, but there's an old song, um, What's With the Thought Inside My Head? Once I reached 30, I'd be dead.

Right.

And my dad used to listen to that song all the time, so as a kid, I guess it just stuck.

Well, I could tell you, I never heard that song, but when I turned 30, uh, friends baked the cake for me and it was a tombstone. And it had— so, the truth is, 30 is a tough age.

It is.

It is. These things are laughed at a lot by people, and a lot of times laughed at by older people, uh, because 30 is so young to anybody who's older. But the truth is, 30 is a tough obstacle. Were you not married?

I had actually been divorced for about 2 months when I turned 30.

Right.

So there was a lot going on.

That's right.

Yes.

Well, you know, to me, to make it, you know, make life livable.

Well, you did well. Thank you. By the way, you know my theory, folks, and it's been sustained now. I, I, I had never heard this, and I don't, I don't claim I'm the first to come up with it, but I had never heard it before. 29 seems to be a sort of magical time for women when they undergo this massive questioning of what are— who are they, what are they, and so on. It's a very— it's particularly hits women that age. Other things hit men particularly. Final segment of this Happiness Hour coming up. You're listening to The Dennis Prager Show.

Dennis, Dennis, Dennis, Dennis Prager.

Do you have a question you've always wanted to ask Dennis Prager? Well, now's your opportunity. For upcoming Ask Me Anything episodes of Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager, we're inviting you to leave Dennis a voicemail. He'll personally answer selected questions in your Your question could be featured on a future episode, whether it's about faith, morality, politics, history, relationships, happiness, or simply navigating life. Dennis would love to hear from you. Just call 877-243-7776 and leave your question. Oh, and be sure to include your first name and where you're calling from. That's 877-243-7776. And while we can't feature every question, Dennis will listen to every voicemail, so call today. You may hear Dennis Prager answering your question on an upcoming episode of Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. And thanks for listening and supporting Dennis Prager.

Alrighty everybody, Dennis Prager here. Ah, so many calls and so little time.

Hmm.

Let's go to—

Texas is calling in. Is there any reason why when the subject is happiness Texans call in?

There is none.

This is a total—

it's—

the question was utterly silly. Plano, Texas, where I will be in the not-too-distant future. Brett, Dennis Prager, you're on K-SKY.

Dennis, how are you, sir?

Good, thank you.

Good. Well, I appreciate your show today and I wanted to call in with my experience, how it works for me. And a lot I've learned from other people, mainly when it comes to seeing other people and thinking they're happy and I'm not, etc.

Right.

Usually falls back to me matching my insides with people's outsides.

Very good.

That's a big problem.

Yes, it is.

Because you should think of their insides matched to your insides and their outsides matched to your outsides.

Exactly. In other words, what's going on inside of me, you may not see.

Of course not. That's exactly right. And I'm telling you, I said earlier, and this is a big thing, Brett, thank you, because at the time I have to say this again, folks. I submit to you that most people who are acting happy are happy— are acting happier than they are inside. And to them goes a salute. A thank you, because you want to be with them. They make the world better. Now, we should work on our insides and our behavior. I'm not saying just behavior. That's ridiculous. We're not automatons. But they— it's an effort. You know, folks, let me summarize all this. And forgive me, Joanne and Wendy and Marcel and Moses and others whose names I don't see. It always pains me that I can't get to all the calls. But it's by definition, it'll always be that way. Folks, I titled my book on happiness, Happiness Is a Serious Problem. There must be a reason that I titled it that, because it is.

It is.

Every achievement is a serious problem, and it is achievement. Happiness is an achievement, and it's worth working at. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The giants, the unbelievable giants who founded our country listed that one of the 3 things that the American citizen in creating this new, better world would in fact engage in. Not every society, almost no society has the pursuit of happiness in its founding documents. I don't know of any other, in fact. There are challenges in being in America, of course. But we have offered happiness to more people than any society in history. It is worth pursuing. This is the Dennis Prager Show. Don't go away.

On tomorrow's episode of Dennis Teaches the Torah.

How many of you have gone through things in life which made no sense or seemed horrific when it happened, And turn out to be blessings. And if I'd have said to you, God is in this act, God is in this act, give me a break, this is terrible. And then in the long run of things, certain things do make sense. Not for everybody. I already said I don't know if God operates in everybody's life. We dealt with that, uh, you know, in a previous session. But even for those to whom God directly, directly reveals himself, They only know it once it's happened. It's faith until it happens. Even for Moses, a burning bush, a God talking to him, to go to Egypt and try to get the Jews out is an act of faith. You won't know, Moses, until you're back here with the Jewish people at Sinai.

Amen.

For— you won't know for a fact until that happens. Until then, it is, it is partially revelation and partially faith, your faith, that is going to enable it to happen.

Come back tomorrow for Dennis Prager's signature series on the first 5 books of the Bible, Dennis Teaches the Torah. This has been Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Visit DennisPrager.com. Visit PragerU.com for thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, and classic radio programs, and to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles. We wanna take just a second to thank the team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on the podcast. Go to lifeaudio.com to find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network, including shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.

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