External discipline is the only road to happiness for those unfortunates whose self-absorption is too profound to be cured in any other way.

Now, on the contrary, I enjoy life; I might almost say that with every year that passes I enjoy it more. This is due partly to having discovered what were the things that I most desired and having gradually acquired many of these things.Partly it is due to having successfully dismissed certain objects of desire-such as the acquisition of indubitable knowledge about something or other-as essentially unattainable. But very largely it is due to a diminishing preoccupation with myself.