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BYU Speeches

“The Pursuit of Happiness” | Jeffrey Rosen | January 2025

Jan 29, 2025
Join Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, as he unveils the deep connection between happiness, virtue, and personal responsibility shaped by the philosophies of Jefferson and Franklin. He emphasizes prioritizing long-term virtue over fleeting gratification, offering practical advice for self-mastery. Delving into the principles of self-governance, Rosen highlights how moral integrity and constitutional understanding are essential for a thriving society, inspiring a thoughtful exploration of what it truly means to pursue happiness.
33:41

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Quick takeaways

  • Happiness, according to the Founding Fathers, is defined through virtue, moral excellence, and self-mastery rather than mere pleasure.
  • Jefferson's emphasis on a disciplined reading habit highlights the importance of moral philosophy in cultivating character and civic responsibility.

Deep dives

Reevaluating the Pursuit of Happiness

The concept of happiness, as outlined by the Founding Fathers, is not merely about feeling good but rather about embodying virtue and long-term moral excellence. Jefferson and Franklin drew from Cicero’s writings, particularly in *The Tusculum Disputations*, to define happiness as achieving a state of moral tranquility, which requires self-mastery and character improvement. This perspective shifts the understanding from immediate pleasures to the commitment to living a virtuous life, emphasizing that happiness is intrinsically tied to one's actions and moral integrity. Such insights reshape the narrative of the pursuit of happiness as a lifelong endeavor focused on personal and societal betterment.

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