Schopenhauer & Nietzsche

It's Schopenhauer and Nietzsche in CoPhi, a sad and notorious pair of Teutonic misanthropes who wrote well and retain an enduring appeal among artsy elitists, alienated romantics, and those who feel shut out, underappreciated, and misunderstood - hence their particular attraction among a certain class of disaffected, anxious adolescent. Picture Dwayne in Little Miss Sunshine. 

James deplored "Poor Nietzsche's antipathy," and indeed Schopenhauer and Nietzsche were both full of contempt for much that most of us treasure. Bertrand Russell says Nietzsche's repudiation of love is his least admirable aversion. The same may also be said of Schopenhauer, though he does seem to have loved his puppies. As for humans,

“There is only one inborn error, and that is the notion that we exist in order to be happy… So long as we persist in this inborn error… the world seems to us full of contradictions. For at every step, in great things and small, we are bound to experience that the world and life are certainly not arranged for the purpose of being content. That’s why the faces of almost all elderly people are etched with such disappointment.”

And yet, both had their moments of insight. Both can still inspire. Alain de Botton is Schopenhauer's biggest fan, urging his kind of pessimism as a good fit for our times (vid) and finding deep consolation in bleak, terse aphorisms like To marry means to do everything possible to become an object of disgust to each other... Every life history is the history of suffering... Life has no intrinsic worth, but is kept in motion merely by want and illusion.

After spending a lot of time trying, yet failing to be famous, and trying, yet failing to have a good relationships, towards the end of his life, Schopenhauer eventually found an audience who adored his writings. He lived quietly in an apartment in Frankfurt with his dog, a white poodle whom he called Atman after the world soul of the Buddhists – but whom the neighbouring children called Mrs Schopenhauer.

 Maria Popova looks to Nietzsche for guidance in "how to find yourself and the true value of education," and the recognition that "embracing difficulty is essential for a fulfilling life."

"No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life. There may be countless trails and bridges and demigods who would gladly carry you across; but only at the price of pawning and forgoing yourself. There is one path in the world that none can walk but you. Where does it lead? Don’t ask, walk!"

He's right, we must each walk our path. But his pessimistic predecessor at least understood the wisdom of Schulz: if you cultivate your canine relationships you'll never have to walk alone.

But they both lacked the wisdom of the Bard: This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long...

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It’s the birthday of motion picture pioneer Auguste Lumière (1862)... he wasn’t much interested in pursuing further developments in motion picture technology, being more interested in medical research. He reportedly said, “My invention can be exploited … as a scientific curiosity, but apart from that it has no commercial value whatsoever.” WA

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