A kinder, gentler philosophy of success

Why should we feel sympathy instead of contempt for a guy who's driving a Ferrari and why are we more likely to be jealous on our classmates than on the Queen of England? Why are we more anxious about our careers than ever before? Are we soooo afraid of failure because of the judgmental way our society regards it? What would some of the Great Tragedies (stories of peoples' failures) in literature look in the newspapers today? "Shopachoolic adulterous swallows arsenic after credit fraud" (Madame Bovary) or "Sex with mum was blinding" (Oedip).

Just a glimpse in the witty, beautifully coherent and introspective perspective Alain de Botton has upon ourselves.

http://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_a_kinder_gentler_philosophy_of_success.html