A good morning. Im honored when the festival started coming together i felt what were missing was to me, the moral compass. Im really honored today that your speaker is our moral compasses nation. Please, all of you i urge you to go to prego university, it has 220,000,000 views. He is there for us as americans is there for us as americans and i am honored, beyond honored to have speakers here today. Welcome dennis prager. [applause] thank you and congratulations to a great event that you put on. Give him a hand. This is really it was adorable actually. My my wife and i came here from the hotel. The only other person in the shuttle was another reader, as you are, participant in the way. I said to her what talk will you be attending because this is not the only one at this time. And she said im debating between prager and the guy on islam. [laughter] i told her to go to the guy on his. [laughter] as she is there right now, is at this moment is a precious moment. So youre thinking, isnt that sweet of dennis to do that. On the other hand to you can say is and he cocky he knew he was good to get a big crowd anyway. See theres two interpretations everything that happens. Placeholder look, i said if you want your life changed go to the prager talk. And this is the serious idea that i want to begin with. I would like, and i only say this in the lectures that i give on happiness and properly. I do want to change your life. And for a speaker to that on the outset takes some audacity, because what if i dont . Then i failed and i would feel that i failed. But, i have, i have talked about this for so many decades and i do it on my National Radio show every friday for an hour. So many people have said that it has touched their lives, not touched but changed their lives that i want you you to consider this in that regard. Thats how seriously i take it. I want to tell you that since we have the time here at there will be time for q a because of cspan and terrific book tv which i want to endorse, i want to, i love it. Just nobody told me to say that but i did want to add it. I want to tell you how this began. Had somebody told me when i began lecturing in my 20s that you will be talking more about happiness than any other subject, i wouldve that they were crazy. But this is how life happens. So, i was invited, this is about 30 years ago i was invited by a rabbi at ucla to come to speak to students. So i said, oh which you like me to speak on judaism . I wrote a book on judaism. And he said no, no one will show up. [laughter] this was a rabbi just want to make that clear. So i said, what would you like me to talk on . And he said something happy, or something fun like happiness. And i said rabbi happiness is not a light subject. Happiness is a serious problem. And he said, great title. That is how my book it got the title happiness is a serious problem is an amazing thing. So i gave my speech, for all of my life i have been making my speech is available to the public. If i if i like the speech, let me put it that way. I would record it, hon number of cassettes, some some of you old enough to remember the cassettes. It would be sent out to people who subscribe to my speeches and i decided, look im never going to give another talk on happiness a better record this one, im not sure if i will like it but maybe if i do ill send it out. I out. I speak about very serious subject. If its god that is suffering, why is is there evil in the world, politics, all of these different serious subjects. We would send it out to people who subscribed and i decided i had better record this i am not sure if i like it but if i do well send it out. Remember it was serious subjects like god and suffering why is there people in the world so i gave my speech and i liked it so much i did something than that i had never done before or since. I listened to the speech when i got home. Youd like curing you and i dont like hearing me that is built for him and condition but i kept going good point. [laughter] good point. Thats a good point. I was a listing to be the to the speaker that was a good sign a ever got it was me that was a really good point. [laughter] lowercase so we sent out the letter that was the end of it on that topic. About six months later ibca letter from new york city from the literary editor of redbook womans magazine i cannot say hadas subscription and please call me we would like you to write a column on happiness. I called that up and said what is going on . And what you to know i heard your the redbook literary editor subscribe to my lectures clerics chief said noah did not even know your game plan never heard the u. S. Life. View rodney york radio one night i sat in front of my apartment in a car listening until the yen to find out who the speaker was said it turns out the station in new york against every sec ruling could have been sued into bankruptcy took my talk with no permission and played it for one hour. [applause] i just want you to know these crops changed my life. [laughter] i would not be here speaking on happiness if not for that station who gives a great book a great credit at the end of this is a talk they could said it is our own jerry schwartz. So that is how she got in touch with me and said its 3,000 so cakewalks youre laughing but that is because you dont write for magazines. Do notes you normally get . Three copies of the magazine [laughter] but they do pay the postage. [laughter] and that is for commentary. 3,000 was two months mortgage. So i said fine. Like i was debating. She could have said a 300. I like the article then i get a call from random house we want you to write a book ibis say i am lucky have one article i cannot write a book just because somebody has a publisher. I said i will give a course on happiness in los angeles and if i like it i realized i had enough to say for the book level get back to you. Soleil gave the course eight, 90 minutes sessions but still was not convinced to have 1690 minutes sessions say contacted random house the didnt have the book i had to give them their money back and that was painful but then Simon Schuster published it. I am very rational on this subject but my major theme is that it should change your life unless you have already adopted this in your life. Here it is. I have a theory and happiness that is different from any approach i have ever seen a believe it is a moral virtue that is the great difference i dont really care how you feel i care how you behave. [applause] and that is why it is a moral issue and on some abstract level that you care but not on a five hour flight across the country if theres family or financial troubles you care that they act nicely to the extent to have any interaction. Thats it. What to people in your life may care holyfield all the others only care how you back to. That is why it is a moral issue. To inflict your bad mood on others is analogous to putting your bad breath on others. [laughter] you brush your teeth you should brush your mood. Why do we shower every day it is absolutely unnecessary for health we shower every day for others. But the primary reason is you smell good for others. Also the biggest objection is it is not natural or authentic. Byte order a body odor is authentic. Fluctuating is authentic. [laughter] wide use stop it . The notion you dont know how large a subject this is that is what i never say b tran doityourself. That is a slob laugh laugh not getting up to go to work. Most of the day i am not true to myself. I am true to my values. That is why this subject is important you should be true to your values. Day know what i have asked to speak today they ask what would you like to speak on . And a very prestigious prep school in the Los Angeles Area where they prep them for princeton and yale and kids to listen to my show regularly in the money to come speak because i am not on the liberal side. I am of the conservative side and it dont have many conservative speakers. I said sure and went to Great Lengths i arrived that day my wife is here and was with me and can vouch for all of this. These wonderful young people were so excited to see me they used the term mr. And said what will you be talking on . They were hoping would be on the case for conservativism and values and what today been . In an alternate voice is that i will speak and happiness in their faces were crestfallen i said but i promise this will be by far more upsetting to the students and anything i can say about conservatism. [laughter] the school told me it was the most talkedabout lecture they have ever received more debates, more teachers, and teachers applauded me. This is my first choice to get as a speech to young people. Because what i say to that they have almost never hurt unless their parents have told them but unfortunately most dont. That it doesnt matter how you feel it only matters how you act. They have never heard that to. Everything in the last 50 years in america has been how would you feel . I dont care. We dont care we care you act about it. Into be all those words the teachers were told not to ask questions and only let the students asked questions of the speaker. But the teachers were infuriated. But this really got everybody. One guy called up on the radio a teacher there and he was angry. I notice a nurse me. A it angers people to tell them theyre feeling still matter in a narcissistic age. Behavior behavior behavior behavior behavior behavior behavior is all the matters he was the visit teachers said but if not for unhappiness you would not have beethoven. U. N. L. V. In their delight that i have. I really know classical music. If he picked ballet i would have been dead but he picked my strong suit and i said sir, with all respect i can tell you all nine finished completed symphonies he did not complete his tenth. But it is not true is a method. If they werent unhappy i just read a 1,000 page biography of beethoven he wrote great music when he was happy and unhappy and happy music when he was not happy. Cuba is totally deaf certainly by the second half of the symphonys and eight out of the nine he is just as cheerful. It is a myth. If we could give you able man he never had a relationship with a woman to reciprocate. But beethoven will find you the woman of dreams and she will love you. He said i am not writing any more. He had to compose not because he was miserable. Now this goes to the second theme when i give my hour on happiness i open up on the second hour i open up to open on the subject of happiness does good excuse me this happy make though world better in the end have been making it worse . There was a gigantic moral dimension to happiness prior to that i spoke in macro but in micro i will give you both be happy this is related to goodness that the macro and micro level. Happy people it is not generally happiness that induces people to put guns on their body to blow other people up. Interview them. [laughter] isnt dead great to be alive quicks . By suspect i did not just interview a terrorist. I am happy to check out and get 72 virgins. Really. I am not joking nobody mentions their reward. [laughter] there have been three monumental peoples and in Chronological Order with the Islamic Radical list and take the american example there are not many left a white supremacist the first thing you think of is a happy guy. [laughter] he is one happy dude to attending the kkk rally because he is so happy with life happy communist. A happy not see you are laughing because it is an oxymoron. So happy to be working in the gulag. [laughter] happiness is a moral issue if it is on of macro they dont cause trouble for other people because theyre happy so why Congress Trouble . They give of themselves more in every possible way it is a moral virtue. That is why i begin to say on the micro it is particular obvious the relationship between goodness and happiness if you act happy bring happy if you act unhappy you bring unhappiness to others anybody raised by an unhappy period they know what that is like in you understand it is a moral issue not just devotional. It is hard to be raised by the unhappy parent level alone by eight to unhappy parents which for the record rarely happens. The movie almost never marry another movie. Sometimes to non moody mary and bill whole house will levitate as happy. [laughter] before the great majority of marriages is moody and on moody that will merry so why dont they marry each other . They are miserable but they are not stupid. They never marry one of their own white plastic as it can stand them but it is a moral obligation to any spouse to be directed by your moods. Of course, you tell the people one parents survive the holocaust the one who didnt want who survived is the happy parents. [laughter] i have changed their lives the brooklyn is not the auschwitz. So lets not get carried away. The relationship between peoples lives people who had terrible things happen and walk around with a cheerful disposition to have had trauma in their life they are not related. Is a decision Abraham Lincoln had a very unhappy life. With a country that was slaughtering one another. Lincoln said we are as happy as we decide to be. It is the decision we make these decisions unhappy spouses will kill a marriage identify have never even said this line it is spontaneous never know but as a married person, i think it is more incurious to a marriage for one of the spouses to be in a constant bad mood than it is to have a one night stand. That is how bad i think it constant mood is imi advocating infidelity if you are unfaithful as a disk with you to know that was a good move. [laughter] to put into proper context this is the experience on the non news subjects that kills marriage so here comes the question so why did the non moody merry the moody . That is the question that perplexes me so why . Nine order of importance but moody did not act moody when they dated laugh laugh. [applause] that is called disgusting that is false advertising then all of a sudden you get married and what happened to miss cheerful . What happened to them . That is one reason to have a mission in life like the masai and to save the unhappy who could do save better than the person that you very . They will bring you down. You will not bring them up. Is a very hard lesson to learn nothing will happen to make you happier make a list of things if they all love arrive you are temporarily happy if you are in bad health but were you happy when you were healthy . The odds are you overwhelmingly were not. Coasta you know, about charles crowd hammer and he is paralyzed and was watching him being interviewed on himself he dove into a pool at harvard medical about his next neck and was paralyzed in the neck down he said after the people dont know that i am paralyzed he is the least complaining person he drives around using his pinkies and his breath and he lives a normal and full life. People have called me and says the quadraplegic would commit suicide as long as my brain is a functioning and i can communicate it to even identified one to be quadraplegic ahead but dont think that way i want to embrace life and to bring cheer to others i am so adamant there is a certain game that i play that is called canada brings in a joy to the person that i am sharing the elevator with. I unserious. That is how i think about this subject in my own life. I have 30 seconds alone with another human being both staring at the numbers. Look at that sixth showed up after five. [laughter] is that all some . On some. So i will try to think of something it is like a game. Night as stupid comment but a witty comment i wanted said when i leave this room who never interacted with him left little happier i am praising the idea yes they were moody but nevertheless it is the san now let me tell you why this is so revolutionary that you have to act in your feelings but act on your values is a moral issue. On zero issue of mood to say i am not in the mood so for the record is a ginger topic but i tried to confront reality i write a syndicated column 90 are Current Issues i wrote a twopart piece titled when a wife is not in the mood. [laughter] i tell you how i can up with the theory. Through the ages of 18 that is why wrote two books on duty is some. And in fourth grade life was permanently altered by rabbi. In fourth grade the of rabbi announces to say it is time for the afternoon prayers. To be very respectful and then to say i am not in the mood. [laughter] for the afternoon prayers. The rabbi spoke english flu and the but it is clear he never heard the word mood and the word prayer in the same sentence purpose of keystrokes his beard and he thought and he thought. He is not in the mood for the afternoon prayers. So what . [laughter] [applause] and basically who gives a damn about your mood . That is why i said my wife is not in the mood and she should say to herself issue loves her husband so what . [laughter] i might add that only men are applauding. [laughter] i notice cspan caught that. But i mean that sincerely. The more you can say so what the better life you will live. If you are controlled by your moods you are not you prepare your your hormones and emotions so yes use violent things are difficult. That doesnt mean if you just lost a loved one Walking Around laughing im not even talking about laughter my producer has not left in 27 years. [laughter] but he is never in a bad mood please understand i am not talking about laughing. It changes your life and that was the moral case. Un up feeling away that you behave. We think feelings lead to behavior but the opposite if you act happy will feel happy. And diane convinced 6 about the raindrops. I have had storms fall right on top of me with no umbrella about what is interesting every day that i broadcast over the last 33 years nobody wants to hear a glom broadcast. Day you think i really want to be here . [laughter] i need a paycheck. [laughter] you are laughing correctly. I am cheerful. People want a lively host. That is the point everybody has problems they do need yours. So in the toughest times of my life i have left every broadcast happier than when i walked in and three hours earlier. Forcing me to get dressed to prepare and to be alive if to say god for the program. To act the way of your circumstances so that it affects you that i am a total behaviorist integral Step Programs 12 Step Programs. I know people who have had in addiction i do believe that. But this former wisdom and a former 12 step fecit until you make it that is exactly right. Every alcoholic is an alcoholic either current or recovering of not acting every single day are acting against what they want to do to lead a happy life. Is all behavior. There is a simple answer to that he will start to feel with religious. I do exist and take me seriously. But they think that is a practical joke that a friend would play on them. But think religious life is a better life and one year later if it does not offer something to your life. I live in in los angeles i have the desire to be with friends not celebrities. But there was a celebrity i was because he was an exceptional man. Charlton heston so we would have lunch. Did playing moses affect you . He said ibm licensed people saw me as moses so i had a moral obligation and the other was just acting like moses had an impact many years later i noticed a New York Times piece on the actor from schindlers list of the commandants who would sleep with this mix with negative mistress then shoot the jews and said to the interviewer icahn not wait until the movie is over i becoming a worse person. That is powerful. He knows he is acting a role in greediness script listening to a directors instructions everything is behavior. How you act is how you feel. If i have only one chance with young people this is the message is the most difficult for them to hear because everything has then how do you feel . I dont care how you feel. How many adults have said that to kids . Often zero. Eyecare you lacked i care how you act. My son was to two years old. Is a painful subject he is around 32 now laugh laugh he was in a park his mom told this to me but she does not exaggerated a for or five youll play through our son to the ground just like that. And his mother ran over to him and said what is troubling you . [laughter] i just want to say for the record i do not know i do not know who she was but no one thing for certain she attended graduate school. [laughter] you learn to Say Something that stupid. That is not naturally coming with parenting in the history of the world of a song of a fiveyear old throw a baby to the ground they did not ask what is troubling them you have to study for in the vans to agree to come to such a conclusion what is troubling that the way is secondary to being punished severely for doing that we can deal with that later would is troubling him now is his punishment. [laughter] he gives a course butted great child psychologist he has a brilliant period theory that kids lack of vitamin n. No is what they need but we are so preoccupied with their feelings were not prepared to say so what. These are life changing issues. Is the moral issue of life to make you the person but if Abraham Lincoln had a harder life than most of you that i believe that is the case for everyone of us. Rallying it is almost dramatic igo into manhattan i love the coulter and everything. One day i was writing back at 11 00 p. M. Alone in the subway. Been back and in a grumpy mood but might mind said to my brain disease rfid be miserable. Is easy to be miserable. But he would often say you take the easy way out and i remember thinking if i am unhappy or grumpy i take the easy way out and my fathers voice resonated with me. And that is when i made that decision and will not just act so that is how it all happened ucla for 30 years ago invited me that they would not show up to lecture on happiness but now to take this message seriously it affects every aspect and is the key message to our children and ourselves ill the give 15 percent of the courses at prager at prager university. Com but i will just end with the favor to give you a wisdom i raised very real subjects i raise this subject is it true you cannot be happier than your beast happy child . I dont like that. I want peoples happiness determined by others. So we talk about it on the air and that is a decision that you make a woman called up unchanged a lot of lives with this call and i will the leave the skiff with p. O. She said i had a 30 yearold daughter and she is just a miserable. One day i decided if i did not break her then i cannot fix her. I want you to understand that wisdom. There is only one person who should determine how happy you are and that is you. I will be signing the books. [applause] [inaudible conversations]