Bertrand Arthur William Russell who lived between 18 May 1872 and 2 February 1970, was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist, he was a prominent anti-war activist and a Nobel laureate.
In the video below, filmed doing an interview with John Freeman for the BBC’s Face to Face programme in 1959, Russell is asked by Freeman what advice would he give to future generations, based on his own life lessons.
Russell splits his answer into 2 parts, first intellectual advice and secondly moral advice.
The INTELLECTUAL advice
When studying anything, ask yourself what are the facts and what is the truth the facts bare out. Don’t get diverted by what you wish to believe or by what would have beneficial social effects if it were to be believed, only look at the facts
The MORAL advice
Love is wise, hatred is foolish. In an ever more interconnected world, we have to learn to tolerate each other and the learn to live with the fact that some people will say things we don’t like. This is the only way forwards, if we are to live together and not die together.