We seldom think of what we have but always of what we lack. Therefore, rather than grateful, we are bitter. Arthur Schopenhauer More Quotes by Arthur Schopenhauer More Quotes From Arthur Schopenhauer Our life is a loan received from death with sleep as the daily interest on this loan. Arthur Schopenhauer loanlife-issleep The world is not a factory and animals are not products for our use Arthur Schopenhauer useanimalworld We can regard our life as a uselessly disturbing episode in the blissful repose of nothingness. Arthur Schopenhauer existentialismregardepisodes Exaggeration of every kind is as essential to journalism as it is to dramatic art, for the object of journalism is to make events go as far as possible. Arthur Schopenhauer essentialseventsart The art of not reading is a very important one. It consists in not taking an interest in whatever may be engaging the attention of the general public at any particular time. When some political or ecclesiastical pamphlet, or novel, or poem is making a great commotion, you should remember that he who writes for fools always finds a large public. A precondition for reading good books is not reading bad ones: for life is short. Arthur Schopenhauer readingbookart If children were brought into the world by an act of pure reason alone, would the human race continue to exist? Would not a man rather have so much sympathy with the coming generation as to spare it the burden of existence, or at any rate not take it upon himself to impose that burden upon it in cold blood? Arthur Schopenhauer racemenchildren Reading is equivalent to thinking with someone else's head instead of with one's own. Arthur Schopenhauer philosophicalreadingthinking Journalists are like dogs, when ever anything moves they begin to bark. Arthur Schopenhauer dogfunnymoving The two enemies of human happiness are pain and boredom. Arthur Schopenhauer painhappyhappiness Optimism is not only a false but also a pernicious doctrine, for it presents life as a desirable state and man's happiness as its aim and object. Starting from this, everyone then believes he has the most legitimate claim to happiness and enjoyment. If, as usually happens, these do not fall to his lot, he believes that he suffers an injustice, in fact that he misses the whole point of his existence. Arthur Schopenhauer menbelievefall Every nation ridicules other nations, and all are right. Arthur Schopenhauer libertarianphilosophicalliberty Man may have the most excellent judgment in all other matters, and yet go wrong in those which concern himself; because here the will comes in and deranges the intellect at once. Therefore let a man take counsel of a friend. A doctor can cure everyone but himself; if he falls ill, he sends for a colleague. Arthur Schopenhauer doctorsmenfall The effect of music is so very much more powerful and penetrating than is that of the other arts, for these others speak only of the shadow, but music of the essence. Arthur Schopenhauer musicpowerfulart Change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal. Arthur Schopenhauer eternal-lovegrowthchange Every generation, no matter how paltry its character, thinks itself much wiser than the one immediately preceding it, let alone those that are more remote. Arthur Schopenhauer generationscharacterthinking What people commonly call fate is mostly their own stupidity. Arthur Schopenhauer fatedestinyfunny It is in the treatment of trifles that a person shows what they are. Arthur Schopenhauer triflestreatmentphilosophical If, while hurrying ostensibly to the temple of truth, we hand the reins over to our personal interests which look aside at very different guiding stars, for instance at the tastes and foibles of our contemporaries, at the established religion, but in particular at the hints and suggestions of those at the head of affairs, then how shall we ever reach the high, precipitous, bare rock whereon stands the temple of truth? Arthur Schopenhauer rocksstarshands Every hero is a Samson. The strong man succumbs to the intrigues of the weak and the many; and if in the end he loses all patience he crushes both them and himself. Arthur Schopenhauer crushstronghero The first forty years of life give us the text; the next thirty supply the commentary on it. Arthur Schopenhauer philosophicalbirthdayyears
