Transcript [00:01] [music] [00:02] life audio. [00:04] >> On today's episode of Timeless Wisdom, [00:07] >> one of the most, if not the most [00:09] important questions you could ever ask [00:11] yourself is, "What do you want to be?" I [00:14] got the chills. It's so big. It's so [00:17] simple. And I never thought of it. It's [00:19] so amazing that it just hit me. What do [00:22] you What do I want to be? The only time [00:25] the question is asked is when we're [00:27] kids. [00:29] That's a worthy topic for a Russia sha [00:32] and young kipper. [00:33] >> That's coming up on Timeless Wisdom with [00:35] Dennis Prager. [00:37] >> What happens when faith and [music] [00:38] mental health meet for real? [00:40] >> What's up? I'm Grace Gra. [00:42] >> Welcome to Breaking Through [music] with [00:43] Grace Greyber, a podcast for honest [00:45] conversations about anxiety, trauma, [00:47] healing, hope, and the God who [music] [00:49] never backs away when life gets heavy. [00:51] >> We are going to talk about everything [00:53] mental health. No pretending, no perfect [00:55] answers, just real stories, real faith, [00:57] and a [music] reminder that you're not [00:59] alone. [01:00] >> Get ready. You're going to be absolutely [01:02] obsessed. [01:02] >> Breaking [music] through with Grace [01:04] Greyber. Available now, wherever you get [01:06] your podcasts. [01:08] >> Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis [01:10] [music] Prager. Here, thousands of hours [01:13] of Dennis's lectures, courses, and [01:14] classic radio programs. And to purchase [01:16] [music] Dennis Prager's rational Bibles, [01:18] go to dennisprager.com. [01:22] >> You should know. So now is the sermon [01:24] time. So you should know this is the [01:26] hardest thing I do all year. Radio [01:30] uh writing. The hardest thing I have is [01:33] to give you a meaningful sermon. And the [01:36] reason is so many of you have heard me [01:38] so often. [01:40] Some you know my radio show is daily. Uh [01:43] and and so [01:46] I I almost wish sometimes I wish you [01:48] know like uh you know in a London [01:51] synagogue would invite me to sermonize [01:54] on yum kipper rasher sha I take me five [01:57] minutes to prepare anything I wanted but [02:00] you're a challenge I got to tell you you [02:02] know I don't want you to say you know I [02:04] I I heard that Wednesday April 6th uh [02:08] you know [02:10] [laughter] [02:10] it's a very real issue And not only [02:13] that, I teach each each Shabbat at the [02:15] Dominion that we faced. So So this one [02:20] I've really I have never it's so simple [02:23] and I never came up with this. It's very [02:26] recent. It hit me [02:29] and I'll tell you how it hit me. I know [02:31] exactly the eeology [02:34] of this particular subject. The subject [02:37] is what do you want to be? Simple as [02:41] that. So, this is how it hit me. [02:46] Uh, a few months ago, it it occurred to [02:49] me [02:51] that uh I I my son my older son is [02:55] married. So, obviously, among other [02:58] things, I'm a father-in-law and a [03:00] father. [03:02] And it it for whatever reason it [03:04] occurred to me. I had already thought [03:06] about this previously, but it really hit [03:07] me. I have a real desire to be an an [03:12] easy father and an easy father-in-law. [03:15] This is like a a a goal. I I I want to [03:19] be totally nonbburdensome [03:22] on my on my children and and on my on in [03:27] this case daughter-in-law and hopefully [03:28] another daughter-in-law one day. But [03:30] that's so it's like it's it's it became [03:33] a goal. I I want to be easy in my uh in [03:39] my daughter-in-law's [03:41] uh life and in my son's life. By the [03:45] way, my parents were very easy in my [03:48] life. And I I I I said that all the [03:52] time. I was so grateful. They were so [03:54] wrapped up in each other that on [03:56] occasion when I would call, they go, [03:58] "Dennis, who?" [04:01] That's just a joke. It's a dark joke. Uh [04:04] but they really were they were truly [04:05] wrapped up in each other and had each [04:07] other uh till they were uh 90 and ' 89 [04:11] and then when my mother died it it it [04:13] was a very dark period for my dad till [04:15] he died at 96. [04:18] Uh he he he lived she she he lived she [04:21] was the center of his life which which [04:24] is great until the center collapses. [04:28] There's no blessing that doesn't come [04:30] with a curse. That's when it says in the [04:32] Torah, I give you blessings and curses. [04:35] I always understood cuz they come [04:37] together. They're not totally separate. [04:41] Anyway, [04:43] so I uh they were very easy and I I was [04:46] so appreciative because I know so many [04:48] adults who have difficult parents, you [04:51] know, drama queen mothers, uh obsessive [04:54] fathers, controlling fathers, it's it's [04:57] endless. [04:59] And that made so all of a sudden I [05:02] started thinking, huh, [05:05] I want to be easy. [05:09] And then I thought, wow, [05:12] maybe that's a great way [05:15] to think about life. What do you want to [05:18] be? [05:20] People don't [05:23] First of all, let me say just a word [05:25] about easy. Don't uh it sounds uh like [05:29] it's not a big deal. It's big. If you're [05:32] married to an easy spouse, [05:35] you got it made. [05:37] You have easy kids, you are really [05:40] lucky. You have easy parents, easy [05:44] people at work. I I mean, I'll give you [05:48] one totally uh out for lunch. Not out [05:51] for lunch, just totally different [05:53] example. [05:55] a an unbelievable blessing in my life is [05:57] the truly great number of terrific human [06:01] beings I meet. It's really an my cup [06:04] runth over. So, one of them is uh is the [06:08] principal bass. In other words, the [06:10] every section in an orchestra has a [06:12] principal the like the first violinist [06:15] is the principal violinist. The first [06:17] violist is principal viola. So, I have [06:20] this new friend in my life who is the [06:23] principal uh bass in a major orchestra. [06:25] I I can't say which I would normally, [06:27] but because of the story, it wouldn't [06:29] work. So, we were talking just last [06:31] night as it happened uh as he was [06:34] driving back from uh symphony [06:38] that uh they had performed and he so I I [06:41] I was looking up the his his [06:46] number two and number three players in [06:48] his orchestra on on bass. Said, "So, [06:52] tell me about them." And he said, "Well, [06:54] one is a sweetheart. I love that guy." [06:58] And another guy is like playing with the [07:01] devil every night. The guy has just been [07:05] horrible [07:06] uh until about two years ago when and [07:09] he's not terrific but he's less [07:10] horrible. And I'm thinking, you know, [07:14] who who hasn't worked with a difficult [07:16] person? [07:18] Isn't it a great This is a sidebar to my [07:21] talk, but isn't it a nice thing to want [07:24] to be easy? [07:26] Wouldn't that be if everybody aspired to [07:29] be easy in people's lives? World would [07:32] be another another example of the world [07:35] would be better. All right. By the way, [07:37] I now have uh I have my play on words. [07:40] So, you've all heard happy wife, happy [07:42] life. [07:44] So, I I I came up with a new one to add [07:47] to it and that is rational spouse, happy [07:52] house. [07:55] So, I I don't want to I don't want to [07:57] cast any burdens on any couples here, [07:59] but just thought I'd throw that out and [08:02] alienate a handful of you while doing [08:04] so. But anyway, uh back to this. So, [08:07] easy easy is a very is a good thing, but [08:09] my [08:11] uh my my theme is wow. [08:15] So, I consciously [08:17] said I want to be easy [08:21] and I worked at it. I'm working at it [08:25] now. I I don't think it I'm I'm not a [08:28] hero for it. It's not the hardest thing [08:29] in the world, but I'm very conscious of [08:32] wanting to do that. Just be an easy [08:35] father, an easy father-in-law. [08:38] And then the then the epiphany hit me. [08:45] We work at [08:48] what we want to be. [08:52] So, the most one of the most, if not the [08:54] most important questions you could ever [08:56] ask yourself is, what do you want to be? [08:59] >> This episode of Timeless Wisdom will [09:01] [music] continue right after this. [09:06] >> For nearly 3,000 years, Homer's The [09:08] Iliad has shaped the Western [09:10] imagination. As one of the foundational [09:12] works of Western [music] literature, it [09:14] explores permanent questions about [09:16] honor, courage, leadership, friendship, [09:19] justice, [music] and what it means to [09:21] live a noble life. In one of the epic's [09:23] defining moments, Achilles [music] [09:24] returns to battle after the death of his [09:27] beloved friend Petrolis. Setting aside [09:29] his wounded [music] pride to confront [09:31] the responsibilities that come with [09:33] greatness, his decision reveals one of [09:35] the central themes of the Iliad, that [09:36] true greatness requires more than [09:38] strength. [music] It demands character, [09:41] sacrifice, and the pursuit of what is [09:43] right. That's why Hillsdale College [09:44] [music] has released its newest free [09:46] online course, The Iliad, taught by [09:48] Professor Steven Smith. The course [09:50] [music] reveals why Homer's masterpiece [09:52] remains one of the greatest works of [09:54] Western literature. [09:56] Hillsdale.edu/startnow. [09:58] [music] [09:59] Read the classics. Study the West. [10:02] Hillsdale.edu/start [10:05] now. [10:08] Now, [music] back to more of Dennis [10:10] Prager's Timeless Wisdom. [10:13] >> I got the chills. It's so big. It's so [10:16] simple. And I never thought of it. It's [10:18] so amazing that it just hit me. What do [10:21] you What do I want to be? The only time [10:24] the question is asked is when we're kids [10:27] and adults say, so you when I was a kid [10:29] is, what do you want to be when you grow [10:31] up? Since so many people don't grow up [10:33] now, they don't add when you grow up. So [10:36] they just go, "What do what do you want [10:38] to be?" Right? It it's the most normal [10:41] question to ask a young person. What do [10:43] you want to be? Everyone knows that it [10:47] means what job do you want to do? So I [10:52] want to be Oh, I want to be a doctor. I [10:53] want to be a lawyer. I want to be an [10:55] airplane pilot. I want to be a fireman. [10:56] I want to be a policeman. I want to be [10:58] whatever it is I want to be. [11:02] That's so that's a big problem [11:07] because the only thing we think of when [11:09] we think what do I want to be is what [11:12] profession I'll work at [11:15] that's it's this is a calamity and I [11:18] don't overstate things it's a calamity [11:22] what so here is here is a radical [11:26] and in fact my column which I I sent in [11:29] today cuz I'm I don't work on it it's [11:31] due on Monday's But tomorrow's rash son. [11:33] I'm not going to work on it. So I wrote [11:34] it today and it's sent it in. It is on [11:37] this subject. What if you told your kid [11:41] the next time somebody asks you what do [11:45] you want to be? Say I want to be a good [11:48] person. [11:52] Just imagine if you said that to your [11:55] kid. [11:57] The next time someone asks you what do [11:59] you want to be? say I want to be a good [12:02] person. First of all, I would you [12:05] remember candid camera where they would, [12:07] you know, video people who didn't [12:10] realize there was a camera present. I [12:11] would do I would love to have a candid [12:14] camera for a hundred adults hearing [12:17] different adults hearing a kid say [12:21] I want to be a good person. [12:24] How do you think I don't know the [12:26] answer, how would the average adult [12:28] react? [12:29] They they might think this kid's nuts. [12:32] This is a this kid is one weirdo. Or [12:35] they might say, "No, no, no. I I don't [12:36] mean that. I mean, what do you want to [12:38] what do you want to do for a living?" [12:39] And then the kid will say, "Well, but [12:40] you didn't ask me that. You didn't ask [12:42] what I want to do for a living. You [12:43] asked, "What do I want to be?" [12:47] This would this would be such a sweeping [12:49] change in children's lives and in adults [12:52] lives. But we'll I I'll go back to [12:55] children later. Let's just talk about [12:57] you as an adult, me as an adult. [13:00] What do you want to be? [13:06] I I I submit we don't ask the question. [13:09] It hasn't been thought of in those terms [13:13] since we thought of what we'll do for a [13:15] living. [13:16] What do you want to be? [13:20] So I I would like you when when you have [13:24] the I think it's a great project. I'd [13:27] like you to write five things that you [13:30] want to be. [13:33] It it will you will you will really tax [13:36] your mind. You I promise you listen I [13:38] didn't think of this except for the easy [13:41] easy father-in-law. I never thought of [13:42] it and I think of this stuff for a [13:45] living. [13:47] I get paid to think of this stuff. It's [13:50] not something it's just we don't think [13:51] of that. What do I want to be? Well, but [13:55] I already am. I I do this for a living. [13:57] I'm a teacher. I'm I'm this. [14:00] So, for example, so what do you want to [14:02] be? So, if people are honest, it would [14:05] be very interesting to see what you [14:07] might write. And by the way, you might [14:08] write, for example, you want to be rich. [14:11] Okay? I'm not condemning that. By the [14:12] way, I'm I'm After all, you have five [14:14] you have five choices. So if rich is one [14:17] of them, write it down. [14:20] But but but write down you, by the way, [14:23] one thing if I ask kids [14:26] uh what beyond uh beyond what they'll do [14:32] for a job, what do you want to be? It is [14:34] astonishing how many say famous. [14:38] and and uh I I don't I don't I don't [14:41] believe that I I can talk any little kid [14:44] out of thinking that's important. [14:47] I know so many famous people and [14:53] I I'll tell you this. I think fame has [14:55] screwed up more people uh than [14:58] proportionately than heroin. [15:02] I I it's when you see what fame does to [15:04] to people who get they don't know how to [15:06] handle it. They're not prepared for it. [15:07] And and and it just it it destroys them [15:10] as as as a person. And and and if you're [15:14] not destroyed, it certainly doesn't make [15:15] you I have fame. So what? I go to bed [15:18] thinking, "Whoa, I'm going to bed with [15:20] Dennis Prager. Wow. [15:22] God, am I lucky? What a night." [15:26] The whole thing cracks me up to this day [15:28] when people say, "Oh, my favorite." You [15:30] will love this. So my favorite is this [15:32] happens [15:34] fair amount of time. So I I I live on [15:36] airplanes. So my stories are always [15:38] airplane. So I sit in first class. I [15:42] otherwise I don't go. Uh and and anyway, [15:45] so I'm in first class. So therefore, I'm [15:47] the first on the plane and then [15:48] everybody else is coming on. So it's [15:51] almost inevitable that some people will [15:52] say hello. They see me in the first. So [15:55] the first person says, "Oh, Dennis [15:57] Prager go. Wow, great to see. I can't [15:59] believe we're on the same flight." Okay. [16:01] And I'm And I'm I'm very touched by [16:02] anybody who says hello. It never bothers [16:04] me. Hey, I'm very touched. The person [16:06] next to me, I I I watch their body [16:09] language. So, obviously, they look over [16:12] and they see I'm being greeted by a [16:14] stranger. But the first person, they [16:16] just assume it's a friend who came on [16:17] board. [16:19] But if the second person go, "Oh, Dennis [16:21] Pra. Wow, I can't believe." So, then [16:23] they they have a look and they're [16:26] debating whether they should say [16:27] anything to me. And if they do, this is [16:30] one of my favorite moments in life. They [16:33] go, "Excuse me, are you famous?" [16:38] Which is one of the most funny questions [16:40] a human being could ask. There are so [16:43] many answers to that. One of them is [16:45] clearly not you. You don't know who the [16:49] hell I am. [16:51] The the very notion that you're asking [16:54] are you famous and don't know who I am [16:56] preludes my being that famous. I mean [16:59] [laughter] [17:01] I but then I have a really wonderful [17:04] precise answer. I go yes among all those [17:07] who know me. So then then they then they [17:10] think about that for a while. That was [17:13] so anyway kids want to be famous. Okay. [17:15] So finally ask your kids to make a list. [17:19] Five things you want to be. They can't [17:21] write astronaut and and and doctor and [17:24] teacher and fireman and all of that. [17:27] Maybe they will, but it's but I this is [17:30] really dedicated as much as I want us to [17:32] tell kids to answer other things. It's [17:35] dedicated to you. I want you to make a [17:38] list. What do you want to be? I only had [17:42] one an easy in-law. Then it occurred to [17:45] me, gee, what do I want to be? It's not [17:47] a it's not a simple question. [17:50] So, here's some suggestions on what you [17:53] might want to write on your list. [17:58] For example, clearly you want to be [18:00] happy. [18:04] And I'll have something to I have [18:05] something to say about all of these. [18:06] That is sort of another punchline to all [18:09] of this. That's a perfectly legit I I [18:12] want you. In fact, I want people to be [18:14] happy. [18:16] How about this, though? [18:18] Think about this. Would you put this on [18:20] your list? You would like to strongly [18:24] believe in God. [18:29] Interesting one. No, cuz I'll bet I'll [18:32] bet half of you are between agnostic and [18:35] believer. [18:38] That's a good one. That is a very good [18:39] one. I think you I think you should all [18:41] put that on your list. I I would like I [18:44] would put it on my list. I mean, I I I [18:47] probably believed in God stronger than [18:49] most, but [18:51] I I have my doubts. Who doesn't have [18:53] their doubts? I mean, I don't I never [18:55] met anyone who didn't, [18:58] which is okay, by the way. It's it's [19:00] it's [19:01] the name of the Jewish people is Israel. [19:03] It means struggle with God. You can you [19:05] can struggle. It's okay. In fact, God [19:07] expects us to [19:10] Well, and of course, a good person. Why [19:12] don't you put that? Would you put that [19:14] down? I want to be a good person. Okay. [19:18] How's this one? I want to be wise. [19:25] If a thou if I gave this to a thousand [19:28] Americans, maybe one would write wise, [19:31] but it's in some ways the most important [19:33] thing you could write because you can't [19:35] be good without wisdom. [19:38] That's that's a huge topic unto itself. [19:42] And where did I learn that from? Jewish [19:45] tradition, [19:46] there were four children at the Passover [19:48] seder, right? Four children. The the [19:51] there is the wise, the evil, the one who [19:55] was simple, and the one uh who does not [19:58] know how to ask questions. [20:00] As a kid, I remember thinking, where's [20:02] the good kid? If there's an evil kid or [20:06] a bad kid, where's the good kid? There's [20:08] no good kid at the table. [20:11] It took me till recently recently [20:15] to realize the good kid is the wise kid. [20:18] You can't be good if you're not wise. So [20:20] it it just jumped over. Good doesn't [20:22] exist without wise. Wisdom is the key to [20:25] goodness. [20:28] How many people would put I want to be a [20:31] wise person? Almost no one. [20:35] That's why I I thought this is so [20:37] important. What do you want to be? [20:40] People don't know what they want to be. [20:43] I I'm in that category. I I I didn't [20:45] know until I prepared this. I didn't [20:48] know what I would write. [20:50] And it only occurred to me because I [20:52] knew I wanted to be easy and as a as a [20:54] father-in-law. And that's when the next [20:57] this is the next part of this talk. So [21:00] here's the beauty of this. [21:04] You will be what you want to be. [21:12] That's why it's so important to want to [21:15] be something. [21:17] If you [21:19] virtually all of you here [21:22] have uh reached some degree of success [21:25] in life, either you the person you're [21:27] married to or in in some way or other. [21:30] Why? Because you wanted to be there were [21:35] doctors in this room. It's most it's a [21:37] dramatic example because it takes longer [21:38] to be a doctor than anything else. Okay, [21:40] there are doctors in this room. You're [21:42] only a doctor because you wanted to be a [21:44] doctor and did everything required to be [21:48] one. [21:50] Whatever it is, you wanted to be, you [21:55] pursued it pretty avidly. [22:00] That's why I want you to want to believe [22:02] in God more strongly. If you really do, [22:06] you will pursue it the way you pursued [22:08] your profession. [22:11] And that's the only way we will do [22:13] anything in life is if we want to be X, [22:17] then we will be X. That's the amazing [22:19] thing. Not because I don't believe in [22:21] the power of positive thinking. It has [22:22] nothing to do with positive thinking. It [22:24] has to do with reality. You are what you [22:28] are because you wanted to be it. You [22:30] wanted to be married. You got married. [22:33] You wanted to have children. Unless [22:35] biology prevented it, you had children. [22:38] Sometimes 12. [22:41] Am I right? Is it 12? Do I I got it [22:43] right. Correct. Yes. [22:45] >> This episode [music] of Timeless Wisdom [22:47] will continue right after this. [22:52] >> For a short devotional, we would love to [22:54] introduce you to the Salvation Army's [22:56] one minute podcast, Heartbeat. New [22:58] episodes drop every Tuesday and [23:00] Thursday. One of the biggest questions [23:02] we carry as human beings is what happens [23:04] next? What will heaven [music] be like? [23:06] The Bible gives us incredible promises [23:08] about eternity. We know that through [23:10] Jesus, death isn't the end. We know [23:12] there will be no more pain, no more [23:14] suffering, [music] [23:15] and that we will be with God. But it's [23:17] interesting that the Bible doesn't give [23:18] us every detail about heaven. [music] [23:20] And maybe that's intentional. Maybe God [23:22] didn't reveal everything because he [23:24] doesn't want us spending our lives only [23:26] looking forward to the next one. He [23:28] wants us to live [music] this one. Jesus [23:30] said, "I have come that they may have [23:32] life and have it abundantly. We don't [23:35] have to fear the future because God [23:37] holds [music] eternity, but we also [23:39] don't have to miss the beauty of the [23:41] life he has given us right now. Live [23:43] fully, love deeply, trust God [music] [23:46] with what comes next. [23:48] >> For more episodes of Heartbeat, visit [23:50] salvation armyradio.org. [23:54] Now, [music] back to more of Dennis [23:56] Prager's timeless wisdom. [23:59] >> Think about it. Everything that you've [24:01] done, you've wanted to be. [24:07] So, the list of what you want to be is [24:10] unbelievably important because if you [24:13] really want to be it, you will be it. [24:18] You want to be happy, write it down. [24:21] Then you will do what the founders of [24:23] this country wrote, pursue happiness. I [24:26] want people to pursue happiness. It's a [24:28] beautiful pursuit. [24:30] Think about it. Who would you rather be [24:33] with? People who pursued happiness or [24:34] who people who pursu pursued misery? I [24:37] mean, it's a stupid question. It's so [24:38] obvious the answer. You You want to be [24:40] with people who pursue happiness? Well, [24:42] they want to be with you. [24:46] That's why this list is is so important. [24:50] what you write, if you mean it, if you [24:52] really mean it, then you'll pursue it. [24:55] When you think of how much work has gone [24:58] in to uh being a lawyer or being a [25:01] businessman or being a doctor or being a [25:04] teacher, I mean, staggering amount of [25:06] work that has gone into it. It's because [25:09] you wanted to do it. [25:12] But is that the only thing you wanted to [25:14] be a professional? [25:17] That's it. [25:19] That's a pretty narrow life. That's all [25:23] you if all you are is a doctor, even if [25:25] you're the greatest doctor in the world. [25:27] I mean, that's great for the rest of the [25:28] world cuz you you're such a great [25:30] doctor, but it's not great for your [25:32] spouse. It's not great for you. It's not [25:34] great for your kids. And once again, [25:36] it's not great for you. [25:39] And what's going to happen when you [25:40] retire [25:44] then? Then what? If your meaning comes [25:47] from your profession, what happens when [25:48] you retire? You have no more meaning. [25:52] It's a it's a big danger, I'm sure, with [25:54] a lot of people. And I my heart goes out [25:56] to them. I I I I get it. [26:02] This is a very big deal. What do you [26:03] want to be? So I suggest to you happy, a [26:07] believer in God, a good person, a wise [26:10] person, [26:12] and I have a fourth and fifth [26:16] You should want to be a good spouse. [26:20] If you really want to be a good spouse, [26:24] it's you. You probably could be. [26:28] And listen, I've been divorced. I I am [26:30] no holier than anybody here. I know from [26:33] good marriage and bad marriage, life's [26:36] tough. I get it. [26:39] But it's better to be married to someone [26:41] who wants to be a good spouse than [26:43] someone who doesn't give it any thought. [26:47] Let's put it that way. Just as it's [26:50] better to be uh a daughter-in-law to a [26:52] father-in-law who wants to be an easy [26:54] father-in-law than one who doesn't want [26:55] to be an easy father-in-law. It's the [26:58] way it works. It's it's it's [27:03] you want to be happy. So, I'm not going [27:06] to give you a happiness hour here. [27:07] That's I devote plenty of time to ways [27:10] to to become happier. But the first [27:12] thing you have to do is want to be [27:13] happy. [27:15] You know what was one of the shocks that [27:16] I learned through the happiness hour? 20 [27:18] years of doing an hour a week on [27:20] happiness. [27:21] Not everybody wants to be happy. [27:24] I was shocked. I not many things have [27:27] shocked me on the happiness hour. That [27:29] one did it. I I cuz I raised it once. I [27:32] said I assume everybody wants to be [27:34] happy. Is that true? And then people [27:35] would call up my sister doesn't want to [27:37] be happy. My husband doesn't want to be [27:39] happy. I don't understand it. That's to [27:41] me like saying I I I don't want cake. I [27:44] I I I I can't relate to that concept. [27:48] Uh don't want to be happy. Uh but there [27:51] are such people. Uh I remember speaking [27:54] on happiness at uh at a very major prep [27:58] uh school in in the LA area where you [28:00] know oodles of kids go to Harvard and [28:02] Yale and Princeton and so on. [28:05] And I spoke on happiness. [28:08] It was amazing how many teachers hated [28:10] my lecture. Hated it because I said it's [28:13] a it's a moral obligation to try to be [28:15] happy. One guy, the teachers were not [28:17] supposed to ask questions, just the [28:19] students. But they couldn't resist cuz [28:21] they were so angry at my talk. And one [28:24] teacher gets up and goes, [28:27] "You don't understand. you don't [28:30] understand how valuable depression and [28:33] sadness are. [28:35] And I said, you're right. I don't I I [28:37] fully admit I I don't know how valuable [28:39] they are. He said that we would have [28:42] almost no great art if people were [28:45] happy. [28:47] Think of Mer. He gave Mueller as the [28:49] example. The joke is the guy picked the [28:52] wrong guy. I know a lot of music. I you [28:55] know in fact I said sir would you like [28:56] me to recite the keys of the first nine [28:59] symphonies of Mer I I'm aware of my mer [29:03] and guy who writes a resurrection [29:05] symphony is not he is not necessarily [29:07] depressed and then the symphony ends on [29:09] a tremendously high note and and the [29:12] fourth symphony is very happy the first [29:14] symphony is very happy I'm sorry it just [29:17] it just is that way yes he wrote he [29:20] wrote kinder toten leader yes uh which I [29:23] knew just even saying that the guy felt [29:25] oh my god I can't believe I started with [29:27] this guy ch this stuff gives me you have [29:30] no you have no idea what joy this stuff [29:32] gives me so which it means songs on the [29:35] death of children you're not a happy [29:37] dude if you write songs on the death of [29:39] children I fully acknowledge that but it [29:41] doesn't matter I mean when Beethoven [29:44] wrote happy and sad symphonies had you [29:46] asked I I just read a thousandpage [29:48] biography of Beethoven and and believe [29:51] me I really do believe had somebody said [29:53] to Beethoven. Hey, listen. I got a pill. [29:57] You'll be happier. [29:59] Would you take it? Of course he would [30:00] take it. Do you think he wouldn't have [30:01] written great music? This notion you [30:04] have to be unhappy to to to produce [30:06] great art. Bach was happy. He's the [30:08] greatest composer who ever lived. I It's [30:11] just It's nonsense. But anyway, uh [30:14] people, it's good. So, write happy. [30:17] Next. [30:19] Here's the thing. Here's the punchline. [30:22] I gave it earlier. I'm giving it again. [30:24] Once you establish this is what you want [30:28] to be, then you have to work at being [30:31] it. So you have to work at being happy. [30:34] That's a big part of my life. But you [30:36] also you have to work at being a [30:38] believer in God. [30:40] See, people think [30:43] I don't know when this developed. People [30:46] think happiness happens. They also think [30:50] faith happens. That's what they think. [30:54] Oh, you know, I I don't know if I [30:55] believe in God. You know, sort of hasn't [30:59] appeared to me. [31:02] People don't understand there is nothing [31:04] worthwhile that you that just comes. [31:06] Nothing. It doesn't happen. Happiness [31:09] has to be worked at. It's not, oh, I'll [31:11] I'll I'll be happy one day. Uh because [31:14] my you know, my kid just got married, [31:16] I'll be happy. Okay. What do you do the [31:17] next day? You have you have you don't [31:19] have thousands of children to get [31:21] married. [31:23] This is critical. You you can't sit back [31:26] in life. You must pursue what you want [31:29] to be. You want to be happy, pursue it. [31:31] You want to you want to have God in your [31:34] life, you have to pursue it. It's not [31:38] going to happen to you. God will not [31:40] appear to you in some vision. You have [31:43] to work at it. [31:46] That's that's why and and to a certain [31:49] extent that's why you're here. Even [31:50] whether you consciously realized it or [31:52] not, that is part of why you're here. [31:54] That's why I'm here. It's why why I work [31:56] so hard to make this possible. I work at [31:59] faith. I was not given the gift of [32:02] unquestioning faith that and and some [32:05] people have it and it is a gift. That's [32:06] fine. But I don't have that gift. I work [32:09] at it because I know how important it is [32:12] to have God in my life to have faith in [32:15] God because otherwise it's all a bad [32:17] joke and I don't want it to all be all a [32:19] bad joke and I know it's a deeper life [32:22] to have God in it. Tomorrow we'll talk [32:24] about that in a in a context of Judaism. [32:28] You got to so you you you want you want [32:31] to be you want to believe in God, work [32:33] at it. You want to be a good person, [32:35] work at it. You want to be a wise person [32:38] work. How do you how do people work to [32:39] gain wisdom? The source of wisdom in the [32:42] western world was the Bible. How many [32:44] people study Bible today? And I mean it. [32:47] I I've asked on my radio show. I've said [32:49] if you don't get your wisdom from the [32:52] Bible, tell me where you get it from. [32:54] You know what people answered? From life [32:57] experience. [32:59] That means everybody reinvents the wheel [33:02] every life. What's the use of reading [33:05] anything of any human being who preceded [33:07] you? [33:10] That's the reason you read great works [33:12] so that you get a head start of wisdom. [33:16] And if you really have all your wisdom [33:18] is from life experience, what you have [33:20] no wisdom till 70? [33:25] Why would we want to give the vote to 18 [33:27] year olds? Right? If wisdom comes only [33:30] from life experience, why on God's earth [33:33] would you give an 18year-old a vote? [33:35] Which, by the way, I don't think they [33:36] should get get anyway. I didn't even [33:38] think when I was 18 I should have vote. [33:41] But it but isn't that true? What do you [33:43] mean life experience? Yeah, life [33:45] experience helps. What about the [33:47] experience of those who lived before me, [33:49] who were smarter than me, who wrote down [33:52] what what life is about? That's what I [33:54] believed. [33:56] I have great admiration for Alan [33:58] Dersawitz. I really do cuz he's cou [34:00] courageous and courage is the rarest of [34:02] the good traits. By the way, I have a [34:04] lecture uh now that I just thought of [34:06] it. I have a lecture on how to try to [34:08] develop courage. [34:10] So I realized there's that's that's a [34:13] good one. That should be the fifth. I [34:15] want to be courageous. [34:17] That would be a great fifth one. [34:22] Uh I I have been uh in dialogue with him [34:24] for 20 years, different parts of the [34:26] country, and I remember the first night [34:27] it was at the 92nd Street Y in [34:29] Manhattan, and the subject was should [34:32] Jews be uh liberal or conservative or [34:35] Democrat or Republican, whatever it was. [34:38] So we differed on everything. [34:42] And then uh I I looked at the audience [34:45] and I said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I [34:47] figured out the biggest difference [34:48] between Professor Dersowitz and myself. [34:52] When Professor Durowitz disagrees with [34:54] the Torah, he says he is right and the [34:56] Torah is wrong. When I disagree with the [34:59] Torah, I say the Torah is right and I am [35:02] wrong." And then he looked at the [35:04] audience and said, "For the first time [35:05] tonight, I agree with Dennis Prager. [35:09] I I really that that was really it. And [35:12] it's like people today who the founders [35:14] what did the founders know? If we [35:17] disagree with the constitution, we'll [35:19] just change the constitution. [35:21] They weren't wiser. [35:24] People don't want to be wise. [35:28] They may want to be compassionate or [35:30] whatever else, but they want to be woke, [35:34] but not wise. [35:37] Finally, with young people, [35:40] here's some suggestions if you have a [35:41] grandchild or a child. [35:44] So, here are some thoughts. [35:47] Hey kid, what do you want to be? [35:50] So, I gave you a good person. Here are [35:52] some alter alternate possible responses. [35:56] A boy might answer, [35:58] I want to be a good man. [36:01] Can you imagine that? [36:03] Again, I'm as interested in the adults [36:06] reaction to the kid who says this, but [36:10] it would you understand? I want you to [36:12] understand something. This alone, this [36:15] is very rare that I would say this [36:17] changes a child's life. If you told a [36:19] child whenever you're asked what do you [36:22] want to be, don't think in terms of what [36:24] you want to do for a living. That's a [36:25] separate question. [36:28] Answer, I want to be a good man or a [36:30] good woman. I I want to be a good [36:33] person. How about this? I want to be a [36:36] good Jew or I want to be a good [36:37] Christian. Can you imagine that? I mean, [36:40] that would send most educated people uh [36:44] to to to drinking. They would start [36:46] shrinking. [36:48] Imagine you you met a little you met a [36:49] kid. Hey kid, what do you want to be? [36:51] Not to be a good Christian. [36:54] It would horrify them. It would horrify [36:56] them. If the kid said, I want to be a [36:58] good pagan. [37:00] All right. We have a scholarship for you [37:02] at Princeton. [37:03] >> This episode of Timeless Wisdom will [37:06] continue right after [music] this. [37:10] >> For a short devotional, we would love to [37:12] introduce you to the Salvation Army's [37:14] one minute podcast, Heartbeat. [music] [37:16] New episodes drop every Tuesday and [37:18] Thursday. [37:18] >> One of the biggest questions we carry as [37:20] human beings is what happens next? What [37:23] will heaven be like? The Bible gives us [37:25] incredible promises [music] about [37:27] eternity. We know that through Jesus, [37:29] death isn't the end. We know there will [37:31] be no more pain, no more suffering, [37:32] [music] [37:33] and that we will be with God. But it's [37:35] interesting that the Bible doesn't give [37:36] us every detail about heaven. [music] [37:38] And maybe that's intentional. Maybe God [37:40] didn't reveal everything because he [37:42] doesn't want us spending our lives only [37:44] looking forward to the next one. He [37:46] wants us to live [music] this one. Jesus [37:48] said, "I have come that they may have [37:50] life and have it abundantly." [music] We [37:53] don't have to fear the future because [37:55] God holds eternity. But we also [music] [37:57] don't have to miss the beauty of the [37:59] life he has given us right now. Live [38:01] fully, love deeply, [music] trust God [38:04] with what comes next. [38:06] >> For more episodes of Heartbeat, visit [38:08] salvation armyradio.org. [38:12] >> Now, back to more [music] of Dennis [38:14] Prager's timeless wisdom. [38:17] >> Or how about this? What do you want to [38:20] be? Want to be a good American. It's [38:23] inconceivable, isn't it? It's [38:24] inconceivable to get that. I told my [38:27] kids, "Hey, boys, I want you to be I [38:30] want you to be a good uh uh let's see, [38:33] what was it? I don't remember. It [38:34] doesn't matter the order. I want you to [38:36] be a good man, a good Jew, and a good [38:38] American. That's all I want from you. I [38:40] don't care about your grades." And and [38:42] and the truth is they didn't. Now, [38:44] unfortunately, [38:46] one is in Kamas and one is with [38:47] Hezbollah today, but it's uh [38:53] just kidding in case there are those [38:55] don't know that I'm just kidding. Uh but [38:58] uh that that's that's a terrific that [39:01] that's a terrific answer. [39:03] God, tell your kids this. When somebody [39:07] asks you that, it'll change their view [39:09] of life. How about this? I want to be [39:13] married. [39:16] I'll tell you that. I'll tell you this. [39:18] Before 1960, you would have asked a lot [39:20] of girls in high school, what do you [39:22] want to be? They wouldn't have said [39:23] doctoral lawyer. And of course, that [39:25] would be considered, oh, that's the [39:26] misogyny and sexism of the time. They [39:28] would have said, I want to be married. [39:30] So, if a girl said that today, she'd be [39:32] considered a loser. I consider a girl [39:34] who says that she wants to be married a [39:36] winner. A total winner. I think it's I [39:39] think it's it's awesome if a girl would [39:42] acknowledge that. You know what strength [39:43] it would take today to say I want to be [39:45] married? It's a boy would sooner [39:48] acknowledge he wants to be married today [39:50] than a girl does. [39:52] Or how about this? I want to be a father [39:54] and a husband. [39:56] What if a kid said that? I want to be a [39:59] father and husband. [40:01] Wow. [40:03] You mean even more than a chiropractor? [40:09] Yeah, [40:11] even more than a chiropractor. [40:14] I did. I wanted to be a father and [40:16] husband more than I wanted to be [40:17] anything. [40:20] Or a mother and wife. I want to be a [40:21] mother and wife. [40:23] It's a great list to give to your kids, [40:27] but you have to believe it. You have to [40:30] believe. Do you understand? 90% 99% [40:35] of American kids of the middle class are [40:38] raised to want to be one thing. [40:42] A good student to get into a good [40:44] college. To get a good job. [40:48] That's that's what they want to be. And [40:51] then what do you want to be after that? [40:54] What's left? [40:56] [music] [40:57] That's a worthy topic for a Russia sha [41:00] and young kipper. [41:02] >> On tomorrow's [music] [41:04] Sunday fireside chat, [41:06] >> there was a an some actor, I don't [41:08] remember his name and it's not [41:09] important, was leading a vigil at a [41:12] prison where a ma man a man was about to [41:15] be executed [41:17] uh for murder. and he had him on and he [41:20] had me on [41:22] and that man he said, "Oh, Prager or [41:26] something like that." Uh, you you're [41:29] you're what is it something like [41:32] licking your lips at the thought of of [41:35] of of another killing at a at bloodshed. [41:39] I mean, so as if I I enjoy the idea that [41:44] that people die. It was but that was his [41:47] mindset. [41:49] that if you believe some murderer should [41:51] die, you are a big fan of bloodshed. [41:56] So, it made it clear to me we we don't [41:59] understand each other. I So, I said to [42:01] him, I'm just curious. You're having a [42:03] vigil now outside the prison where the [42:06] man is about to be executed. Have you [42:08] ever had a vigil at the home of the [42:11] murdered? [42:13] I got no answer. Join us tomorrow [42:16] [music] to hear more on Timeless Wisdom [42:19] with Dennis Prager. Visit [42:21] dennisprager.com [music] [42:22] for thousands of hours of Dennis's [42:24] lectures, courses, and classic radio [42:26] programs, and to purchase Dennis [42:28] Prager's [music] Rational Bibles. [42:34] We want to take just a second to thank [42:36] the team at Life Audio for their [42:37] partnership with us on the podcast. Go [42:39] to lifeaudio.com to find dozens of other [42:42] FaithCenter podcasts and their network, [42:44] including shows about prayer, Bible [42:46] study, parenting, and more. Rising [42:49] interest rates, stock volatility, out of [42:51] control inflation. People are concerned [42:53] about what the future holds financially. [42:55] This is Dennis Prager for AF Coin and [42:57] Bullion. There's no better time than the [42:59] present to move a portion of your IRA [43:01] into precious metals. You should know [43:02] there's a right and a wrong way to set [43:04] up your precious metals IRA. Mistakes [43:06] could cost you hundreds of thousands of [43:08] dollars in IRS fines. Call Amfed Coin [43:11] and Bullion 8002217694. [43:15] americanfederal.com. [43:17] It's americanfederal.com.
