Effectiveness of Schopenhauer’s philosophy of life

The art of getting things done effectively and inexpensively underlies the philosophy of Arthur #schopenhauer (1788–1860). His theory of the will (“life force”) warns us against the lethal consequences of giving way to our instincts without looking at the cost and at the long-term consequences. How do you protect yourself against the negative influence of the will? Schopenhauer advised parsimony, self-reliance and self-awareness. Those habits can help us counteract the will and make better decisions. I wholeheartedly endorse Schopenhauer’s advice in this respect. His own life offers compelling illustrations about how to practise those habits. In addition to pointing to Schopenhauer’s lifestyle, I advise everybody to read the biography of #benjaminfranklin (1706-1790). You can read Franklin’s autobiography or any biography of his available on the market. The fact that Benjamin Franklin had been born eighty-two years earlier than Schopenhauer doesn’t prevent me from using Franklin as a vivid example of the lifestyle and ethics favoured by Schopenhauer. I’m talking about high personal effectiveness and everything that goes with it. Ask yourself which lifestyle and virtues help increase personal effectiveness? Schopenhauer provided solid answers: self-reliance, risk avoidance, prudence, maintaining a wide margin of safety, #awareness and alertness. You will find all those virtues in Franklin’s approach to #selfimprovement . He made a list of thirteen virtues (temperance, industry, humility, etc.) with the goal of improving his personal effectiveness. Franklin also devised a system for acquiring those virtues. I regard his system as excessively prescriptive, but many people have practised it successfully. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/effectiveness-in-schopenhauers-philosophy-of-life/