1788–1860
Schopenhauer
German philosopher of the will and the great pessimist, who still wrote a practical guide to living as well as one can.
Every line we carry
Each one links to its source, what it means, and the shirt in any of our looks.
- A healthy beggar is happier than a sick king.
Schopenhauer says health outweighs every external good. Without it, nothing else can be enjoyed. Guard it first.
Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 1, our translation from the German
- The first forty years are the text. The next thirty, the commentary.
Later life, Schopenhauer says, explains the meaning of earlier life. You only see the shape of your story after living a lot of it. Be patient with your own text.
Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 6, our translation from the German
- Fate shuffles the cards, and we play.
We do not choose our hand, only how we play it. Schopenhauer compares life to a game where both chance and skill decide. Play well with what you are dealt.
Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 5, our translation from the German
- Whoever doesn't love solitude doesn't love freedom.
In company, Schopenhauer says, everyone adjusts to everyone. Only alone are you fully yourself. Make time to be alone.
Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 5, our translation from the German
- Each day is a little life.
Every waking is a small birth, every morning a small youth and every sleep a small death. Schopenhauer wants us to treat mornings as precious. Live each day as a whole.
Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 5, our translation from the German
- Honor is the outer conscience. Conscience is the inner honor.
Schopenhauer offers this definition and then calls it more brilliant than precise. Still, it shows the two sides of integrity. Be the same inside and out.
Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, ch. 4, our translation from the German