Schopenhauer and how to confront the task of living

[whatevs]

Arthur Schopenhauer is an author that influenced me heavily during my 20s. Being a vulnerable narcissist, I had a natural affinity for this philosopher, which was obviously very narcissistic himself. The contempt and critical eyes he offers the reader for "the masses" and life itself is savoury to a narcissist that wants to justify why he doesn't partake or succeed in the world. After all, his work was done precisely with that intention in some respects!

The personality flaws of Arthur are particularly exposed in his obsession with Hegel, that has even been the subject of comical renditions by modern Internet artists. In many of his books he explodes with "impotent fury" against Hegel, which obtained the outward approval of academia by becoming an University professor or some shit. In others, he doesn't fail to add the adjective "awarded" to one of his books when mentioned in other works. He always wrote it like this "...in my awarded work 'The Will to Life in Nature' I explain that...". It meant a lot for him to be awarded the first position or whatever it was in a sort of national philosophy contest in Denmark I think.

This thread is focused on what I don't like or didn't find helpful in his philosophy and is not intended to be seen as something repudiatory in nature. His work on the essence of life is valuable and a success to build on top of in terms of understanding the world.

So here's the problem with Arthur. He went deep into ontology which most charlatans that pose as philosophers don't do, and that's great, but he never practiced the asceticism he preached as the exit door to Samsara.

Do you have experience with asceticism? Did it make living eventually lighter, and you felt like you were leaving this shitshow? Are the ideas of Arthur, put in practice, of any use? Or was Schopenhauer a consummated master of coping and bullshitting, unable to master his own ego?

And lastly, do you want to share your own criticism or appraisal of Schopenhauer?

 

[Feeding Pigeons]

I barely know about Schopenhauer through some youtube videos so I can't really argue his points, but you brought up something interesting.

He went deep into ontology which most charlatans that pose as philosophers don't do, and that's great, but he never practiced the asceticism he preached as the exit door to Samsara.

It is not easy to practice what you preach, and knowing the solution to a problem is not the same as actually living it. Plenty of addicts realize their problems in life come from their relationship to their vice, its not a mystery, but actually stopping their usage of the vice is a whole different affair. That person can still pass on wisdom and serve as an example.

Being a hypocrite makes someone a bit of an asshole, but it doesn't make them incorrect in what they're saying.

Or was Schopenhauer a consummated master of coping and bullshitting, unable to master his own ego?

Hey sometimes you got to do a lot of coping and bullshitting to find any sort of actual meaning in life. Even if thats what ol' Artie Schop' was doing the whole time, was it not worth it just for us to have this discussion today?

 

[whatevs]

I barely know about Schopenhauer through some youtube videos so I can't really argue his points, but you brought up something interesting.

It is not easy to practice what you preach, and knowing the solution to a problem is not the same as actually living it. Plenty of addicts realize their problems in life come from their relationship to their vice, its not a mystery, but actually stopping their usage of the vice is a whole different affair. That person can still pass on wisdom and serve as an example.

Being a hypocrite makes someone a bit of an asshole, but it doesn't make them incorrect in what they're saying.

Hey sometimes you got to do a lot of coping and bullshitting to find any sort of actual meaning in life. Even if thats what ol' Artie Schop' was doing the whole time, was it not worth it just for us to have this discussion today?

He did address in the same way you do the allegations of hipocrisy he knew would come, but you gotta admit that a personal trainer that´s fat isn´t trustworthy, no matter how good the diet and exercise advice he gives to clients.

Ultimately we are talking about some fucking serious business, do we accept life or do we reject it, and if we reject it, what is the best way to do it? Furthermore, is rejecting life a path that is preferable to accepting it in terms of peace and satisfaction? Is illumination (the idea of rejecting life AND feeling good as a result) even real? Also, is my idea of illumination wrong? Schopenhauer never experienced an ascetic or spiritual bliss, he just wrote about them. I need proof of the things I believe in, even though @GenesAndEnvironment likes to think I depend on magical thinking for my worldview.

 

[rationaltake]

If I could read any more I'd love to jump into Schopenhauer. I read Sartre and Camus when I was young and they made a lot of sense to me. But if I want to discuss them then I'll bugger off and make another thread instead of diverting this one.

I don't know if my views on asceticism will interest you as they're not connected with Schopenhauer at all?

My asceticism is influenced by existentialism and Buddhism. It's very much an extension of my OCD my desire for control my chaotic inner world my constant information overload.

Actually the things I have to say aren't relevant to this thread. I'll come back if I manage to read Schopenhauer.

Tipping my hat to you.

 

[whatevs]

Schopenhauer derived a good part of his work from Buddhism and Hinduism so discussing Buddhist asceticism in this thread wouldn't be unrelated.

 

[Nolan96]

Being a vulnerable narcissist, I had a natural affinity for this philosopher, which was obviously very narcissistic himself. The contempt and critical eyes he offers the reader for "the masses" and life itself is savoury to a narcissist that wants to justify why he doesn't partake or succeed in the world.

This is hilariously psychologically self-aware. Congratulations.

Good thread in general. I personally don't share his views though. I'm not anti-life, just sometimes anti-this-life.

 

[dreambound]

even tho' some of arthur schopenhauer's work was somewhat over my head I kind of appreciated his blatant honesty; i had not been been subjected to such opposition to the usual watered down, daytime television life theories. He saw great value in music & the arts, & in my overly imaginative/confused mind i think if he were alive today I wonder what great narrative he would deliver in observation of the present evolving shit circus of a world.
.....no doubt he would be a beacon of light to communities like SS & those questioning tradition & the nature of existance......