Schopenhauer’s views on solitude
from John Vespasian Hosted by John Vespasian
It is not exaggerated to affirm that solitude enabled Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) to become a great philosopher. It took him forty thousand hours of quietness to sharpen his powers of observation, and another forty thousand to make sense of what he had observed. John Vespasian explains that Schopenhauer held solitude in high regard because it is a prerequisite of self-awareness. Individuals need quietness to understand how the will (“life force”) affects their lives. In his book “The world as will and representation” (1818), Schopenhauer argued that the will never stops prompting humans to pursue goals that are often impossible to achieve. The will is to blame for a large part of dissatisfaction and suffering in the world. Solitude enables individuals to disengage from the influence of the will. It helps people say no to distractions and confront their passivity, disorientation, and fears. According to Schopenhauer, solitude can help you achieve a profound understanding of the world in general, and yourself (your motivation, goals and desires) in particular. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauers-views-on-solitude/
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