No one can transcend their own individuality. Arthur Schopenhauer More Quotes by Arthur Schopenhauer More Quotes From Arthur Schopenhauer The more unintelligent a man is, the less mysterious existence seems to him. Arthur Schopenhauer philosophicalwisdomlife We forfeit three-quarters of ourselves in order to be like other people. Arthur Schopenhauer philosophicalinspirationalknowledge Without books the development of civilization would have been impossible. They are the engines of change, windows on the world, "Lighthouses" as the poet said "erected in the sea of time." They are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind, Books are humanity in print. Arthur Schopenhauer changeteacherbook A man can be himself only so long as he is alone. Arthur Schopenhauer alone-manbeing-alonemen Life is short and truth works far and lives long: let us speak the truth. Arthur Schopenhauer philosophylifelong Suicide may also be regarded as an experiment - a question which man puts to Nature, trying to force her to answer. The question is this: What change will death produce in a man's existence and in his insight into the nature of things? It is a clumsy experiment to make; for it involves the destruction of the very consciousness which puts the question and awaits the answer. Arthur Schopenhauer suicidalnaturesuicide No greater mistake can be made than to imagine that what has been written latest is always the more correct; that what is written later on is an improvement on what was written previously; and that every change means progress. Arthur Schopenhauer progressmistakemean A man can surely do what he wills to do, but cannot determine what he wills. Arthur Schopenhauer free-willdeterminemen When you look back on your life, it looks as though it were a plot, but when you are into it, it's a mess: just one surprise after another. Then, later, you see it was perfect. Arthur Schopenhauer plotperfectlooks I have not yet spoken my last word about women. I believe that if a woman succeeds in withdrawing from the mass, or rather raising herself from above the mass, she grows ceaselessly and more than a man. Arthur Schopenhauer growthmenbelieve Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things. Arthur Schopenhauer teachlossdeath Men best show their character in trifles, where they are not on their guard. It is in the simplest habits, that we often see the boundless egotism which pays no regard to the feelings of others and denies nothing to itself. Arthur Schopenhauer inspirationalcharactermen Still, instead of trusting what their own minds tell them, men have as a rule a weakness for trusting others who pretend to supernatural sources of knowledge. Arthur Schopenhauer weaknessmindmen Life without pain has no meaning. Arthur Schopenhauer without-painpain Just remember, once you're over the hill you begin to pick up speed. Arthur Schopenhauer congratulationsagebirthday A high degree of intellect tends to make a man unsocial. Arthur Schopenhauer intellectdegreesmen Truth that is naked is the most beautiful, and the simpler its expression the deeper is the impression it makes. Arthur Schopenhauer expressionwritingbeautiful True brevity of expression consists in a man only saying what is worth saying, while avoiding all diffuse explanations of things which every one can think out for himself. Arthur Schopenhauer expressionmenthinking Just as one spoils the stomach by overfeeding and thereby impairs the whole body, so can one overload and choke the mind by giving it too much nourishment. For the more one reads the fewer are the traces left of what one has read; the mind is like a tablet that has been written over and over. Hence it is impossible to reflect; and it is only by reflection that one can assimilate what one has read. If one reads straight ahead without pondering over it later, what has been read does not take root, but is for the most part lost. Arthur Schopenhauer reflectionrootsgiving I owe what is best in my own development to the impression made by Kant's works, the sacred writings of the Hindus, and Plato. Arthur Schopenhauer developmentplatowriting
