Happiness is a matter of one's most ordinary and everyday mode of consciousness being busy and lively and unconcerned with self.

Quote by Iris Murdoch

Topics: Being Busy Quotes

Jealousy comes from self-love rather than from true love.

Jealousy comes from self-love rather than from true love.

There is no substitute for the comfort supplied by the utterly taken-for-granted relationship.

There is no substitute for the comfort supplied by the utterly taken-for-granted relationship.

Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.

Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.

Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out.

Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out.

Perhaps when distant people on other planets pick up some wavelength of ours all they...

Perhaps when distant people on other planets pick up some wavelength of ours all they...

The priesthood is a marriage. People often start by falling in love, and they go...

The priesthood is a marriage. People often start by falling in love, and they go...

All art is a struggle to be, in a particular sort of way, virtuous.

All art is a struggle to be, in a particular sort of way, virtuous.

The cry of equality pulls everyone down.

The cry of equality pulls everyone down.

Anything that consoles is fake.

Anything that consoles is fake.

Human affairs are not serious, but they have to be taken seriously.

Human affairs are not serious, but they have to be taken seriously.

Every man needs two women: a quiet home-maker, and a thrilling nymph.

Every man needs two women: a quiet home-maker, and a thrilling nymph.

Writing is like getting married. One should never commit oneself until one is amazed at...

Writing is like getting married. One should never commit oneself until one is amazed at...

Only lies and evil come from letting people off.

Only lies and evil come from letting people off.

Perhaps misguided moral passion is better than confused indifference.

Perhaps misguided moral passion is better than confused indifference.

Falling out of love is chiefly a matter of forgetting how charming someone is.

Falling out of love is chiefly a matter of forgetting how charming someone is.

In almost every marriage there is a selfish and an unselfish partner. A pattern is...

In almost every marriage there is a selfish and an unselfish partner. A pattern is...

The notion that one will not survive a particular catastrophe is, in general terms, a...

The notion that one will not survive a particular catastrophe is, in general terms, a...

A bad review is even less important than whether it is raining in Patagonia.

A bad review is even less important than whether it is raining in Patagonia.

Literature could be said to be a sort of disciplined technique for arousing certain emotions.

Literature could be said to be a sort of disciplined technique for arousing certain emotions.

I see myself as Rhoda, not Mary Tyler Moore.

I see myself as Rhoda, not Mary Tyler Moore.