A Brief Overview of Schopenhauer
Arthur Schopenhauer, like Buddha, was astounded by the injustices of the world—poverty, illness, and endless suffering. If life does not seem particularly harsh or unfair, it might be because one has not personally experienced it in its full intensity. However, both Schopenhauer and Buddha did not speak from a personal perspective; rather, they took a comprehensive view of the world.
At the age of 17, Schopenhauer inherited a vast fortune and lived comfortably for the rest of his life. Outwardly, he was handsome and well-built. However, his philosophy was a profound and overarching reflection on the world. He argued that if one believes life to be just, one should think of a four-year-old child who dies from the blows of an alcoholic father, of the innocent who are tortured and executed, of earthquake victims, or of the horrors of genocide. Schopenhauer claimed that the world is designed in such a way that it seems to have been created by a malevolent being that derives pleasure from human suffering.
Schopenhauer’s Daily Life and Routine
He was always alone and loved solitude. He believed that geniuses, due to their superior intelligence, often live in isolation because their inner monologues are far more insightful than any conversation with others. His daily routine included three hours of writing, one hour of flute playing, dining at a restaurant dressed in a white bow tie, reading at the library, an evening walk with his dogs, and attending opera and theater performances at night. He detested excessive noise and believed that the amount of noise people create is inversely proportional to their intelligence.
The Philosophy of Happiness According to Schopenhauer
Like Aristotle, Schopenhauer believed that happiness does not lie in the pursuit of pleasure but in overcoming life’s sufferings.
Aristotle: “The goal of a wise person is not pleasure, but freedom from pain.”
Schopenhauer states:
“Whoever wishes to summarize their life in terms of happiness from a philosophical perspective should calculate not the pleasures they have enjoyed but the misfortunes they have avoided.”
Thus, the philosophy of happiness must emphasize that the term itself is a euphemism. “Living happily” should be understood as “living with bearable suffering.”
Man muss suchen durchzukommen. Es wird schon durch die Welt kommen.
(In other words, happiness lies in making life bearable and freeing oneself from mental and physical pain, rather than in luxury and transient pleasures.)
The Three Aspects of Life According to Schopenhauer
He divided life into three aspects:
- What we are: Personality, health, strength, beauty, morality, intelligence, and education.
- What we have: Wealth and possessions.
- What we appear to be: The image others have of us.
He believed that human happiness depends on what one is, rather than on what one has or how one is perceived. As Goethe put it:
“All people, whether of low status or successful in life, always acknowledge that the highest happiness of earthly beings is their own personality.”
Volk und Knecht und Überwinder,
Sie gestehn, zu jeder Zeit:
Höchstes Glück der Erdenkinder
Sei nur die Persönlichkeit.
Strategies for Happiness Regarding Personal Character
For happiness in life, what one is—one’s character—is the primary and most important factor.
Innate qualities such as a noble character, a sharp intellect, a joyful disposition, and a balanced and completely healthy body—essentially, a sound mind in a sound body—are the first and most crucial prerequisites for happiness.
Balance Between Past, Present, and Future
One should direct attention alternately and in a balanced manner between the present and the future. Those who live only in the present are reckless, while those who dwell too much on the future become cowardly and overly cautious. They are constantly trying to move forward, becoming impatient—like Italian donkeys that have a bundle of straw dangled in front of them, running their entire lives in pursuit of an unreachable goal.
To live wisely and fully learn from experiences, one must repeatedly reflect on the past, reviewing what has happened or what has been done along with the emotions each event has evoked.
Pythagoras advised that each night before sleep, one should review the day’s actions.
The Praise of Solitude
Spiritual emptiness is the main reason why people seek social interaction, entertainment, and luxury, which often lead to extravagance and ultimately poverty.
Nothing protects a person from these distractions more than inner wealth and spiritual richness; the greater this wealth, the less room there is for boredom.
A mentally rich person primarily seeks to be free from distress, to have peace and leisure, and thus aspires to a calm, modest, and as conflict-free a life as possible. As a result, after only brief acquaintance with so-called fellow humans, they are drawn to solitude. If they possess exceptional intellect, they choose loneliness.
The more a person possesses within themselves, the less they seek from external sources, and the less others can offer them. Thus, higher intelligence leads to social detachment.
Schopenhauer constantly emphasized that solitude should be endured, as it is the source of happiness and peace of mind.
However, he was not entirely opposed to socialization. He tells the story of hedgehogs in winter:
One day, a group of hedgehogs huddled together for warmth in the cold. Before long, they felt each other’s quills and moved apart. They continued adjusting their distance until they found a balance—close enough to benefit from the warmth but far enough to avoid pain.
Overall, Schopenhauer saw happiness in distancing oneself from others. He quoted Bernardin de Saint-Pierre:
“Moderation in eating ensures physical health, and moderation in socializing ensures mental well-being.”
Voltaire similarly stated:
“The world is full of people with whom conversation is futile.”
Saadi, the Persian poet, wrote in Gulistan:
“From that day, I abandoned companionship and chose solitude.”
“Salvation lies in solitude.”
Ultimately, Schopenhauer advises carrying solitude into social settings—learning to maintain a degree of solitude even in company. This can be achieved by:
- Not immediately expressing every thought.
- Not taking others’ words too seriously.
- Having minimal expectations of others, both morally and intellectually.
- Being indifferent to their opinions.
The Importance of Activity and Engagement
During long journeys, it becomes evident how harmful a lack of purposeful engagement can be, as it leads to dissatisfaction, as if one were severed from their natural element.
Struggle and grappling with challenges are fundamental human needs.
An example from ants illustrates this: When carrying food, ants secrete pheromones to inform others of their discovery. In an experiment where food was placed on an uphill branch, ants secreted more pheromones while climbing the incline. This increased secretion was linked to their satisfaction derived from hard work and overcoming greater effort.
Schopenhauer’s View on Others and Their Flaws
To navigate life, one must carry two things: prudence and tolerance.
One must never entirely dismiss anyone for their inherent nature, regardless of how flawed, miserable, or ridiculous they may seem. Instead, one must accept individuality as an immutable reality.
He noted that people often fail to see their own shortcomings while readily identifying faults in others—akin to a dog barking at its reflection in a mirror, unaware that it is seeing itself.
The Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi wrote:
“If the mirror shows you the truth, do not shatter it; breaking the mirror is a mistake.”
Schopenhauer on Love and Sexual Desire
Unlike many philosophers, Schopenhauer viewed sexual desire as extremely significant—so powerful that it can override human reason and judgment, warranting philosophical examination.
According to him, love and sexual attraction are not guided by individual happiness but by an unconscious force he called the will to life (Wille zum Leben), whose ultimate goal is reproduction and the continuation of life.
Schopenhauer’s philosophy challenges conventional notions of happiness, urging deeper reflection on human nature and existence.