"Life swings like a pendulum backward and forward between pain and boredom." | Arthur Schopenhauer
Is accepting the semi-satisfied life the essence of happiness
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In December 1807, from her new home in Weimar, Johanna Schopenhauer wrote a revealing letter to her son Arthur: "It is necessary for my happiness to know that you are happy, but not to be a witness to it."
Two years prior, Arthur's father, Heinrich Floris, was found dead in a canal behind their Hamburg home. Though the cause of death was uncertain, Arthur suspected suicide, a suspicion Johanna did not dispute. Shortly after this, Johanna sold their home and moved to Weimar to pursue a career as a writer and saloniste, while Arthur remained in Hamburg to complete a merchant apprenticeship arranged by his late father. However, he soon sought a different life.
Throughout 1807, Johanna and Arthur exchanged letters negotiating the terms of his release from the apprenticeship. Johanna agreed to support Arthur's pursuit of an intellectually fulfilling life, leveraging her connections to aid his university education, but with one condition: he must stay away from her. She could not bear his company, describing him in a November letter as a "boorish and tiresome know-it-all."
Arthur Schopenhauer, often associated with profound pessimism, spent much of his life in self-imposed isolation, a stance he justified as fitting for a philosopher. He believed solitude was essential, famously stating, "Were I a King, my prime command would be – Leave me alone."
Schopenhauer's pessimism rests on two observations: inwardly, he noted that humans are driven by endless desires, which, when fulfilled, only lead to new desires or boredom. He famously stated, "life swings back and forth like a pendulum between pain and boredom." Outwardly, he saw the natural world and human civilization as inherently filled with suffering, challenging the optimistic view that this is the best of all possible worlds.
Despite acknowledging the existence of happiness, Schopenhauer argued it is merely the absence of pain, a transient relief rather than a lasting state. He believed people often misinterpret happiness, failing to appreciate the good in their lives and focusing instead on their troubles. He emphasized the role of reflection in recognizing happiness, suggesting that recalling past sufferings or contemplating potential misfortunes could enhance one's appreciation of the present.
Schopenhauer's views on happiness resonate with Stoicism, which equates a happy life with a painless existence. However, he diverged from Stoicism by rejecting the possibility of achieving a completely happy life, arguing that suffering is unavoidable. Instead, he proposed a balanced life, oscillating between desire and fulfillment, as the best one can hope for.
Ultimately, Schopenhauer endorsed asceticism, valuing the transcendence of worldly suffering. Though he admired ascetic figures, his own life in Frankfurt was far from ascetic, marked by a comfortable routine. He believed the theoretical study of ethics need not translate into an ascetic lifestyle, suggesting that while true salvation lies in severe self-denial, most people must settle for a semi-satisfied life.
Schopenhauer's philosophy challenges us to reconsider our understanding of happiness and the nature of existence. It invites a deeper reflection on the balance between desire, fulfillment, and suffering, urging us to find contentment in the oscillation between them.