… he told her how much better the world would be, how much more enlightened, if we were allowed to gaze uninterrupted at people’s various deformities - because we all have them, he said, otherwise we’d be perfect, and what or who is a perfect human? (p64). I was gobsmacked when I read that Gilbert the counsellor advocates staring as a path to happiness. His logic is that if Tilley learns what makes others happy then she can become happy herself. Gilbert, the counsellor at the Happiness Clinic, sends Tilley on a quest to find what makes other people happy. As a result, Susan takes her to the doctor, to yoga, to the Happiness Clinic, trying to restore Tilley’s happiness. Susan, Tilley’s mother, requires Tilley to be perfect or at least ‘normal’ in all things. Macy, Tilley’s best friend, prescribes Tilley food and a dog (without asking before getting the dog) and demands that Tilley stop moping. Anxiety harangues her, fears of death, fears of decay haunt her. Tilley used to be happy or at least ‘average’ but now depression clouds her thoughts and days.
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