I can summarize in one sentence the philosophy of life put forward by Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860); my summary is the following: “Unless you make steady efforts to improve and protect yourself, chances are that bad luck will wipe you out.”
Mainstream philosophers call Schopenhauer a pessimist and consider his work uninteresting. They argue that Schopenhauer had little concern for social issues and that, for that reason, his ideas are unsuited for today’s world.
I would argue that the opposite is true. If you devote time to studying Schopenhauer, you will learn to appreciate the finesse and soundness of his analysis. His works provide insights that are not available elsewhere, and are intellectually stimulating.
Besides, Schopenhauer was an excellent, polished writer. In his books, you’ll find a seamless compilation of wisdom drawn from Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism.
Very few philosophers in history are as practically oriented as Schopenhauer. He really disliked wasting his own time and the time of his readers. In his books, he aims at providing valid and timely advice to solve the reader’s problems.
The central idea in Schopenhauer’s philosophy
Schopenhauer based his philosophy of life on a simple idea, namely, the existence of a life force (“the will”) that drives all living entities towards survival, reproduction and the pursuit of short-term pleasure.
The theory of the will is presented in Schopenhauer’s books “About the fourfold root of the principle of sufficient reason” (1814) and “The world as will and representation” (1818).
His description of the will is very graphic. He calls it “blind and insatiable” to indicate the impossibility to satisfy people in search of short-term pleasures. They are like a dog chasing its own tail.
Even if the succeed to get what they want, they will quench their thirst only for a short while. Permanent dissatisfaction is bound to generate a certain measure of suffering. Over time, as the search for pleasure intensifies, satisfaction grows more and more difficult.
Schopenhauer spent years studying Eastern philosophy, in particular Buddhism and Hinduism; their teachings point to the connection between unsatisfied desires and suffering, but such a connection is not automatic.
Schopenhauer’s advice on happiness
While Buddhism recommends the elimination of desires as a means to reduce suffering, Schopenhauer came up with better advice. Buddhism is aiming at “nirvana” (peace of mind”), but Schopenhauer’s philosophy is aiming at happiness. His advice is much more valuable than traditional Eastern philosophy.
In contrast to Buddhism and Hinduism, Schopenhauer is not recommending a total asceticism and renunciation of desires. If you go to that extreme, I doubt that you can aspire to happiness in the human sense. You might perhaps grow as contented as a dog or a cat after a good meal, but is that really happiness?
Schopenhauer presented his recommendations in his essays, compiled in his book “Parerga and Paralipomena” (1851). His advice encompasses risk reduction, adopting margins of safety, self-discipline, steadfastness, and artistic contemplation.
The advice given by Schopenhauer aims as minimizing the dire influence of the will. Self-awareness is the very first step. It’s crucial that you become aware that the will can distort your perception and logic.
Schopenhauer’s unique perspective
It takes substantial effort to counteract the influence of the will. You may have to force yourself to slow down, so that you can think things through. You may need to sit down and make a written assessment before taking decisions.
In which way is Schopenhauer’s philosophy of life different from Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity? A key difference is that Schopenhauer recommended artistic contemplation. His advice is that everybody should practise artistic contemplation regularly.
While Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity recommend to participate in religious rituals and pray, Schopenhauer regarded it easier to find solace (in particular, stress reduction) in music, or by contemplating great works of art, or by taking a walk in nature.
Contemplation of art and natural beauty allows individuals to forget for a while the struggles of life. It helps people fully counteract the influence of the will. Schopenhauer considered that artistic contemplation is easier to practise than traditional religion.
Schopenhauer and self-awareness
If you fail to heed Schopenhauer’s advice, you may end up paying a high price. He argued that you can do what you want, but the will is going to shape your desires. Unless you become self-aware and take countermeasures, you might end up taking actions that are detrimental to your interests.
Did Schopenhauer expect his philosophy to grow popular? No, not at all. He was perfectly aware that most people are not self-aware and regard philosophy as a waste of time. He wrote that every truth is initially ridiculed and opposed. It can take a long time before new ideas spread and become accepted.
In “Parerga and Paralipomena” (1851), Schopenhauer stated that suffering and boredom constitute the driving emotions for people under the influence of the will. Suffering pushes them to seek short-term pleasure. Once satisfied, the grow bored and the cycle starts all over again.
You need rational ideas to break away from suffering, pain, boredom, and other negative emotions. I commend you to the study of Schopenhauer’s works. His wisdom has the power to change one’s life.
If you are interested in applying rational philosophy to your own circumstances, I recommend you my book “Consistency: The key to permanent stress relief.”
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