Brain Food #525
Schopenhauer's subtle nudge towards gratitude
Thoughts of the day
Most philosophers, and human beings, are eternally preoccupied with the topic of happiness. Is it ever attainable? And, if so, how?
For German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, it’s not an end goal we can actively chase, but something to be found in the gaps between moments of suffering. For him, suffering is an inevitable and ongoing part of living, partly because we will always desire something — it could be a house, a job, a person — and not being able to attain what we desire is the root cause of our pain.
On the opposing end, finally gaining what we desire may yield some momentary satisfaction, but that is only so because it means we are finally relieved from the very pain of not having it.
Our nature, and the nature of the world, are such that the fulfillment of one desire will eventually leave much more to be craved. As he wrote, “Life is a business that does not cover its costs”.
Schopenhauer’s is a pessimistic notion, but there is some hope to be found in it. If we are constantly actively working towards our happiness, we are setting ourselves up for failure. Perhaps this happiness is to be found in the moments where we stop to look at what we already have, and not at what we are yet to attain, what is most commonly referred to nowadays as gratefulness. When we remember to linger in the in-between state, between the fulfillment of one desire and the chase of the next one.
“We seldom think of what we have but always of what we lack. Therefore, rather than grateful, we are bitter.”
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