Schopenhauer

Question 1

What will the wise man aim at?

Answer 1

Freedom from pain. Not pleasure.

Question 2

What is the character of happiness?

Answer 2

It is negative in character. In that, it is not positively felt by the mind.

Pleasure therefore is only the negation of pain and pain is the only ‘positively’ felt element in life.

Question 3

What does it mean to live happily?

Answer 3

To live less unhappily. To have more freedom from pain

Question 4

What are the 2 elements of happiness?

Answer 4

Freedom from pain + absence of boredom. Earthly happiness is attained if you have this.

All else is chimerical (illusory / impossible)

Question 5

Why should you never try to purchase pleasure at the cost of pain?

Answer 5

Because pleasure is negative and illusory.

Pain is positive and real.

Question 6

What’s the wise view of the world?

Answer 6

Looking upon the world as a kind of burning hell, a place of misery where your only goal is to secure a room that is not exposed to the fire (aka freedom from pain)

Question 7

What will bring unhappiness?

Answer 7

Optimistic ideas that the world should conform to what we want and be good / how we want it to be.

Question 8

Regarding your fortune / events in life, how should you desire them?

Answer 8

Desire them to be as they are and for them to go as they go.

Question 9

What is the safest way of not being miserable?

Answer 9

Not to expect to be very happy.

Question 10

What are most of the ‘glories’ of the world?

Answer 10

Mere outward show, like scenes on a stage. There is nothing real about them.

Question 11

Surest way to avoid extreme misfortune?

Answer 11

Live within your means and desire little.

Question 12

What is the fruit of life?

Answer 12

Learning, education and experience. Not happiness.

Your life is predetermined. It will go as it will go. Live and let live. Learn and experience things.

Question 13

What type of people are in a constant state of illusion as to their whole existence?

Answer 13

Those who strive and hope for things in the future and who say they will only be happy when they get something that is coming.

They are like donkeys who have a carrot dangling in front of them and urged to move quicker by the vendor.

What they want is always just in front of them, and get they never get it.

Question 14

What is the only certainty?

Answer 14

The present moment.

The future always turns out contrary to what we think will happen.

The past was very different to how we now think it was.

Question 15

What is today? What is this moment?

Answer 15

It is integral. It is entirely separate to tomorrow and to the next moment.

It is an irreplaceable portion of life that you can only live once.

Question 16

What part does simplicity play in happiness?

Answer 16

A big part. A simple life is a good life.

As long as we are not bored, a certain monotony will mean life (and the burden / pain of life which is a necessary accompaniment) will be least felt.

Question 17

What is the most mistaken path to happiness?

Answer 17

The high life: a succession of joys, delights and momentary pleasures.

This process is guaranteed to end in disappointment and delusion

Question 18

How should we treat envy?

Answer 18

As a natural, but highly damaging and evil thought.

It’s hard to avoid but it will stifle happiness. Banish envy at all costs.

Question 19

When something goes wrong, how should you treat it?

Answer 19

Do not allow yourself to think it could have gone otherwise or avoided in anyway. It couldn’t have.

Reflections of this kind will only add to your distress and make yourself a torment to yourself.

Question 20

Why does fatalism give you refuge and calm?

Answer 20

Because everything happens as a result of necessity and is inevitable.

Question 21

How should we look upon each day?

Answer 21

As if it is a little life.

Every morning we are fresh and should use this time to be effective.

In the evening we should be languid, talkative and silly.

Question 22

How does our vision compare to the severity / importance we apply to events in our life?

Answer 22

If we hold small things up to our eyes, they seem large and all consuming.

Much like the events that happen presently and the things around us.

Even though they are of the smallest consequence, we give them attention beyond their due and occupy us disagreeably.

Question 23

What is our nature in terms of boredom?

Answer 23

We are restless and must have things to do. Boredom is never far from seizing us.

Question 24

How should you combat boredom?

Answer 24

Activity: namely, creating something or learning something. We cannot exist happily without this.

Effort: struggle with difficult things. This is as natural to man as digging is to a mole.

Question 25

Where is there the full delight of existence?

Answer 25

In overcoming difficulties and overcoming obstacles. Whether in life or work or anything else. There is always something pleasurable in the struggle.

Question 26

Do people care about anything that does not affect them personally?

Answer 26

No, not at all.

Question 27

How can you ensure people around you do not like you?

Answer 27

If you show you are dependant on them. This makes them feel uncomfortable and will make them domineering / insolent (rude) toward you

Question 28

When do you see someone’s character?

Answer 28

When things are tough/pressurised. It is here you see their true nature which they can mask in easier circumstances