Arthur Schopenhauer on meaning, wisdom and living well
Wisdom in plain sight
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Schopenhauer’s Mirror of Life
There are many things in the world that seem pointless, confusing, and downright depressing. It can be hard to keep pushing forward when the road ahead seems so long and full of hard-to-swerve-away-from obstacles. However, there is one thing you can do today to improve your outlook on life: learn from brilliant minds on how they take on the daily stressors.
There are countless benefits to reading ancient philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, including increased intellectual stimulation and a better understanding of our human nature. In the 18th century, German philosopher Schopenhauer made a name for himself by publishing his most famous work, The World as Will and Representation.
His work explored the apparent tension in life: we are subject to forces of nature, such as birth and death, while on the other hand, humans tend to objectify these natural forces and act as if they exist independently for our own benefit.
To illustrate this dichotomy in life, Schopenhauer used the example of an animal trap: it is built to catch a specific type of animal, but that does not mean that there is any real value in trapping whatever may come through it. When you see a person who has been trapped by their circumstances or environment — because they were born poor or because they received little love from others — you realise that the world is governed by impersonal laws that cannot be altered no matter how hard you try.
This realisation helps us accept our lot in life and find meaning through our actions rather than dwelling on what we cannot change. In this book, Schopenhauer discusses his belief that the world is ultimately governed by a blind and irrational force that he refers to as “the will.”
All suffering comes from the illusion of satisfaction
The root of suffering is discontent. It comes from a desire for something to be other than it is. This dissatisfaction can take many forms: anxiety, anger, envy, and so on. All these kinds of discontent are rooted in the same basic craving: the desire for something other than what it is at present.
The more we crave something else, the more unhappy we become when we don’t get our way. If someone asks you: “What would make you happy?” you may not even know how to answer that question. Happiness can come only from within — from a consciousness that recognises its own true self and acts accordingly.
We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore, happy or unhappy states stem from our actions, longings, and desires.
Schopenhauer thought striving to exist is what keeps humans in motion. When existence is secured, we quickly forget what we have and crave what we don’t necessarily need.
“All striving comes from lack, from a dissatisfaction with one’s condition, and is thus suffering as long as it is not satisfied; but no satisfaction is lasting; instead, it is only the beginning of a new striving. We see striving everywhere inhibited in many ways, struggling everywhere; and thus always suffering; there is no final goal of striving, and therefore no bounds or end to suffering,” he says in his book, The World as Will and Representation, Vol. 1.
Develop a sense of detachment to live well
According to Schopenhauer, the will is the fundamental drive that motivates all human action and shapes the world around us. However, he also believed this drive is ultimately irrational and self-destructive and leads to suffering and unhappiness.
To find meaning and live well in a world governed by the will, Schopenhauer believed that it was essential to develop a sense of detachment from the world and our own desires. This could be achieved through practices like solitude, meditation and contemplation, which allow us to step back from the world and gain a more objective perspective.
“A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; and if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free,” Schopenhauer said.
He thought, “happiness belongs to those who are sufficient unto themselves.” “The more a man finds his sources of pleasure in himself — the happier he will be. Therefore, it is with great truth that Aristotle says, To be happy means to be self-sufficient,” writes Schopenhauer in his essay, The Wisdom of Life.
Happiness isn’t something that happens to us, but rather something that we must take the time to cultivate. People who are sufficient unto themselves find happiness and meaning in the here and now, in their social connections, and in their relationship with themselves.
To find meaning, seek experiences that transcend the limits of your will
Most people barely get to experience their true inner selves. Their daily routines are filled with obligations that quash any pursuit of an adventurous life. But what if you could transcend the mundane limits of everyday existence?
What if you could immerse yourself in unbridled emotions, connect with the deepest parts of your being and discover a side of yourself that transcends external limitations?
Schopenhauer believed that we should seek out experiences that allow us to transcend the limitations of the will and connect with something greater than ourselves. This could involve engaging with art, creative projects, nature or pursuing activities and experiences that allow us to lose ourselves in a state of flow and transcendence.
At its core, finding meaning in anything is simply recognising what’s most important to you and valuing it at that level. Meaning can be as simple as loving what you do every day or as complex as striving to leave the world a little better than you found it after you depart this world. The more meaningful your work is to you, the more likely you are to find meaning in your work and your life.
Wisdom is a byproduct of self-knowledge
If you think about it, there is a direct correlation between self-knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to identify patterns and see things as they really are. It’s the ability to understand what you know, where you have knowledge gaps, why you believe in things and how these beliefs can be changed.
Self-knowledge helps us understand who we really are and what drives us. It also makes it easier to identify patterns and see things from a broader perspective. Self-knowledge also helps us identify what we value most in life, which has a major impact on our choices later on in life.
According to Schopenhauer, wisdom is the result of deep reflection and self-knowledge. He believed true wisdom comes from recognising the world’s fundamental nature and accepting the inevitability of suffering and death.
The vanity of the past and the future
Schopenhauer thought wisdom is choosing to live now and in the present — not in the past or the future.
“The greatest wisdom is to make the enjoyment of the present the supreme object of life; because that is the only reality, all else being merely the play of thought. On the other hand, such a course might just as well be called the greatest folly: for that which in the next moment exists no more, and vanishes utterly, like a dream, can never be worth a serious effort,” Schopenhauer said.
The happiest people often say that their happiest moments didn’t come from something they did or had but from simply being present and appreciating what was happening around them.
It all comes down to being conscious and aware of your surroundings at all times — because there are so many small pleasures in life, we don’t need anything extraordinary to impress us to make us happy. Schopenhauer’s philosophy is a unique and thought-provoking guide to wisdom, meaning, and living well in a world governed by the irrational forces of the will.
Food for thought
A list of things that make me think, in no particular order [A Free read on Medium]
The subjective nature of reality. My perception of the world is a sum of my senses, experiences, and biases. Is there an objective reality that exists independent of my perception? How can I be sure my understanding of the world is accurate? How do I distinguish between truth and illusion, perception and reality?
What is happiness? I’ve written and read a lot on it. But what is happiness, really? Is it a fleeting emotion, a state of being, something we create ourselves, something to hope for? Does true happiness truly exist?
Concepts worth understanding
Revenge Bedtime Procrastination — You don’t want the night to end and the dreaded morning to begin, so you procrastinate going to bed, as if by doing so you can prevent tomorrow ever coming. But tomorrow *will* come, and if you don’t sleep well, it’ll hit you all the harder.
Solomon's Paradox —“We're better at solving other people's problems than our own, because detachment yields objectivity. But Kross et al. (2014) found viewing oneself in the 3rd person yields the same detachment, so when trying to help yourself, imagine you're helping a friend.”
‘Mood follows action!’— Often, I find myself ‘not in the mood’ to do something (e.g. a much-needed exercise). But just as often, I’m surprised to find that my mood changes in a positive direction once I’ve started. Taking action has a powerful effect.
Psychologist Daniel Kahneman on making good decisions:
Confirmation bias can lead you to form an overall impression too early and to ignore contradictory information. The titles of two Hitchcock movies sum it up: a good decision maker should aim to keep a “shadow of a doubt,” not to be “the man who knew too much.”
—Source: Noise
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Thanks for reading!
Until next week,
Thomas
Medium | All Courses | The Write Life | Philosophy For Modern Life
Postanly Weekly is now a reader-supported publication. To support my work, you can upgrade to a paid subscription for $7 per month or $40 for an entire year. With a modest yearly contribution you’re not only helping keep Postanly Weekly going, you also get free access to Thinking Toolbox (mental models for life) and Mental Wealth Toolbox (practical concepts for smarter decisions).
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Ugh… just reading the Wickipedia writing on Schopenhauer?
I could NOT care less what the man THOUGHT!!!
A disgusting, entitled, over indulged wealthy white male who never raised a family. Blech!!!
Core truth here: "We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore, happy or unhappy states stem from our actions, longings, and desires." The more we nurture our positive states the more we embody those qualities (generosity, kindness, patience, etc.) Our states become our traits.