Born on the 22nd of February, 1788, in Poland, Arthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher and writer. He was raised in a wealthy family and, at a certain point during his early years, was given the option of a traditional education or to learn the trade as a merchant. He chose to follow the path of a merchant, underestimating its demanding requirements and subsequently regretting his decision.

Schopenhauer was fundamentally a pessimist about life and our understanding of the world, as well as its understanding of us. He believed that the nature of reality is characterized by suffering and dissatisfaction. He claimed that individuals constantly search for satisfaction and pleasure, which leads to disappointment and unhappiness when these desires are not fulfilled.

His philosophical approach was greatly anchored by Eastern philosophy, primarily Buddhism, in which he believed their ideology towards suffering is that it is an innate requirement for human existence, and that this is the factor that drives all living things. Subsequently, we will never be satisfied and will continue to experience discontent.

I do think that suffering is a fundamental requirement for us all to absorb, traverse, and decipher, especially to move forward in life and grow. However, my perception of the Buddhist ideology on suffering is that through suffering, we learn and grow, we must find a neutral ground and evolve into the true understanding of a break line between both suffering and euphoria, not to live life through an eternal form of suffering.

One of the most profound aspects of his philosophy that I found is that he believed in transcendence through creativity and expression. Through fine art and creation, we have the capacity to traverse our minds into the cosmos of an alternate reality. He believed that by creating tangible ideas from our subconscious, we can evolve and transcend.

Despite his incredibly pessimistic outlook, Schopenhauer also emphasized the importance of the search for happiness and allowing ourselves the ability to find inner peace. He believed that by embracing the conscious awareness of suffering being a consistent and fundamental aspect of our lives and seeking detachment from desires, we can attain a certain level of tranquillity in life.

I think Schopenhauer was searching for something within himself that he never found. Yet, his writings and portrayal of life explained what he believed he knew, where some of the avenues were to find it.

Thanks,

Dean