“It is better to be unhappy and know the worst, than to be happy in a fool's paradise.”
Source: The Idiot (Idiot)
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Fyodor Dostoyevsky155
Russian author 1821–1881Related quotes
Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) logician, one of the first analytic philosophers and political activist
"A Liberal Decalogue" http://www.panarchy.org/russell/decalogue.1951.html, from "The Best Answer to Fanaticism: Liberalism", New York Times Magazine (16/December/1951); later printed in The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell (1969), vol. 3: 1944-1967, pp. 71-2 <br class="br">1950s <br class="br">Context: The Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate, might be set forth as follows:<br>1. Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.<br>2. Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the evidence is sure to come to light.<br>3. Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed.<br>4. When you meet with opposition, even if it should be from your husband or your children, endeavour to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory.<br>5. Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary authorities to be found.<br>6. Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do the opinions will suppress you.<br>7. Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.<br>8. Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent that in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.<br>9. Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is more inconvenient when you try to conceal it.<br>10. Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.
“It was better to know the worst than to wonder.”
Margaret Mitchell book Vom Winde verweht (1937 German edition)
Source: Gone with the Wind
Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) logician, one of the first analytic philosophers and political activist
As quoted in Think, Vol. 27 (1961), p. 32
Disputed
“It's far better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone — so far.”
Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962) American actress, model, and singer
Variant: It's far better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone — so far.
Source: On Being Blonde (2007), p. 52
“It is a kind of happiness to know how unhappy we must be.”
François de La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680) French author of maxims and memoirs
C’est une espèce de bonheur, de connaître jusqu’à quel point on doit être malheureux.
Maxim 8 of the Maximes supprimées.
Later Additions to the Maxims
Jessamyn West (1902–1984) American author
To See the Dream, part 1 (1956)
“An intelligent hell would be better than a stupid paradise.”
Victor Hugo (1802–1885) French poet, novelist, and dramatist
Source: Ninety-Three