Those who prefer their principles over their happiness, they refuse to be happy outside the conditions they seem to have attached to their happiness. If they are happy by surprise, they find themselves disabled, unhappy to be deprived of their unhappiness.

This insightful quote is found which can be found in: Notebooks 1951-1959 By Albert Camus, Translated By Ryan Bloom, Ivan R. Dee, 2008; p.13.

The original quote in French is:

“Ceux qui préfèrent leurs principes à leur bonheur. Ils refusent d’être heureux en dehors des conditions qu’auparavant ils ont fixées à leur bonheur. S’ils le sont, par surprise, les voilà désemparés – malheureux d’être privés de leur malheur.”

(Carnets, tome III : Mars 1951 – décembre 1959 de Albert Camus, Édition de Raymond Gay-Crosier, Editions Gallimard)

Those Who Prefer Their Principles Over Their Happiness Meaning

There are folks who you may call them stubborn or silly. They adamantly stick to their so-called principles.

To them happiness in life, it must satisfy their set of principles, values or fundamental rules. Otherwise they still won’t be truly happy.

Even if it a surprised happiness, they still will not accept it and be happy about it.

This preference may sound odd or even preposterous to some of you, that there are people who think and behave this way.

The problem with life principles is that, they become our habits. As you know habits are hard to break. As a result, this behavior can restrict our capacity for happiness.

Anyway, here is another profound quotation.

“Killing yourself amounts to confessing. It is confessing that life is too much for you or that you do not understand it“.

It is also by French-Algerian philosopher, author, and journalist, Albert Camus.

You can find this quote from his book: “The Myth Of Sisyphus And Other Essays” and here.