Happiness is the Only Good

"Happiness is the only good. The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so."

This brief passage serves as a concise summary of Ingersoll's secular humanism. It grounds morality not in abstract faith, but in actionable, measurable good that can be done immediately. It's a reminder that life's purpose is not deferred to an afterlife, but is found in the present moment and through communal kindness.

In the context of the larger essay "My Creed," this quote acts as the thesis statement for a life dedicated to reason and active benevolence. It offers a powerful, simple philosophy for modern living.

Quote originally sourced from "A Humanistic Philosophy," 1897.