SCHOPENHAUER: Being Alone (How to Deal With Society)

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Schopenhauer and Hegel on Napoleon Bonaparte
Schopenhauer on History versus Philosophy

▶ SCHOPENHAUER'S WORKS:

“To be self-sufficient, to be all in all to oneself, to want for nothing, to be able to say omnia mea mecum porto [everything I have, I carry with me]—that is assuredly the chief qualification for happiness.”

In order to live and to function in society, we must make sacrifices. This is inevitable. We must get along with other people to get what we want. We must be cooperative and generally be pleasant to be around. Above all, we must be able to relate to the common man.

For the intelligent person, and especially the man of genius, this is a big burden to carry. For the genius, it’s hard to relate to the common man. He will inevitably feel alone.

Therefore, it’s for the best if he learns to enjoy solitude.

But why is society so dull in the first place? Schopenhauer’s answer is elitist: because most people are dull. And it’s exactly because most people are dull, that they are driven to interaction with others. It’s as if the average person is not a full person by himself, and needs others to complete him.

The intelligent mind can occupy itself and does not need distractions or empty activity. But for the average person, this kind of activity, literally just passing the time, becomes necessary.

However, Schopenhauer also concedes that the need for solitude is directly related to age. The younger you are, the more need you have for socializing. This is also because your mind is not yet fully developed: the younger we are, the more we are like others.

The essay closes with a word of warning. Seclusion, being alone, has its drawbacks. For example, Schopenhauer notes that we become more irritable by being alone. We are more easily annoyed by minor things because we aren’t accustomed to the turmoils of regular life.

A small rock, thrown into a still lake, causes a notable disturbance. The same rock thrown into a stormy sea, not nearly as much. But this is a small price to pay for peace of mind, which we attain by removing ourselves from the stormy seas of society.

[WeltgeistYT]

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[benlotus]

"The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less." - Socrates

[kiowna]

I could never relate more with a philosopher

[elsaaforges]

Schopenhauer's brilliant and insightful philosophy is a slap in the face to modern psychology when it comes up with the idea that humans are hardwired for social connection, meaning that relationships are a basic need. Excuse me, but the only basic needs are eating and sleeping. Beyond that anyone is free to build their life as they like. Until I turned 40 I lived brainwashed by the idea that something was wrong with me because I don't have friends. Then I freed myself by getting rid of this nonsensical prejudice so now I feel free and happy since I have all my time at my disposal to think, write, read, enjoy art or other intellectual endeavours. And most important: I claim shamelessly my viewpoint of enjoying, loving and craving solitude. Keeping company is so draining apart from pointless. Schopenhauer is my hero, my idol, my solace.

[biashacker]

"Isolation is a gift." Once I realized that 99 percent of your problems come from interacting with other people, I began to treasure isolation.

A ton of introspection and growth comes from isolation as well, because the mind that guides you into making foolish decisions, can not hide behind life's meanderings.

[Eternalised]

"Most people are dull because they are driven to interaction with others. It's as if the average person is not a full person by himself and needs others to complete him"

Brilliant. Love the video.

[cracked]

"The goal is to move with society without actually becoming part of society "
I am using these line from way back

[jerryjones]

One doesn't have to be a genius to appreciate solitude. It does require self-respect.

[Gnosis]

'' He who knows more than others, becomes lonely'' - Carl Jung

[antinatalistwitch]

I love solitude. People try to make it seem like its so sad to be alone, but I think it's sad when people constantly need humans around to function. Being alone to me is like a breath of fresh air!!!!

[zeigbert]

I also find most are gullible. The strong desire for more authoritarianism nowadays blows my mind.

[RoYaL]

For most of my life i felt there was something wrong because i always felt alone and in solitude even when i was surrounded by people. Now this man is telling me that's what i should strive for! What a madman, i love it.

[greycats]

I love being by myself in a cottage on the mountains. The less people I see or speak to, the better I feel.
People think I'm strange, I couldn't care less.

[preonmodel]

I lived alone renovating a house for years, I became at one with myself, sitting in the garden at the end of the day stargazing and contemplating life.
I realised that when you’re isolated from society (or choose not to be too involved) that you can really start to see what you really want from it.
The best thing that I learned was that I was becoming happy. In becoming happy I began to meet some amazing people.
Now I have a family and I’m happy to have lived that way, I will tell my children that they don’t need to worry about popularity, but to be themselves and to be at peace to see life’s positives.

[jonhstonk]

i relate to this philosopher a lot...ive been alone all my life and i used to want to be friends with people now i realize that im better off on my own, had i had his words when i was a kid the world would have been so much more bearable

[FutureMindset]

This is really good advice. I've always found that my desire for social interactions is paradoxical. On the one hand, social interactions are fun but they can also get quite annoying and people can become quite unbearable.

So it's important to find a balance in life and learn to live in the world among people but also find peace in solitude.

[jayflamin]

"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 io only when he is alone that he is really free." -Schopenhauer


This is the realest and most relatable quote I've read in a while🔥

[satnamo]

Man alone suffers so deeply
That he has to invent laughter
Because life is no joke.

This video makes me smile.

[rayclam]

Living as a hermit is the best choice I have ever made.

[lazarusblackwell]

When you are isolated from other people and the world, you often create unique things that are not found anywhere else.

You become original in the true sense.

Thats a gift.