It is, indeed, only in old age that intellectual men attain their sublime expression, whilst portraits of them in their youth show only the first traces of it.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Aging, Intellect, Expression, Personal Growth, Wisdom
Arthur Schopenhauer’s Quotes On Topics
Ethical Principles | Comparison | Wellbeing | Personal Freedom | Realization | Ability | Human Belief | Essence | Relationships | Possessions | Philosophical Challenge | Rejection | Evolution Of Thought | Virtue | Mindset | Literary Ethics | Monogamy | Immortality | Pride | Monotony | More
More Arthur Schopenhauer Quotes
“If you want to earn the gratitude of your own age you must keep in step with it. But if you do that you will produce nothing great. If you have something great in view you must address yourself to posterity: only then, to be sure, you will probably remain unknown to your contemporaries; you will be like a man compelled to spend his life on a desert island and there toiling to erect a memorial so that future seafarers shall know he once existed.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Creativity, Legacy, Societal Expectations, Greatness, Historical Perspective
Arthur Schopenhauer Creativity, Legacy, Societal Expectations, Greatness, Historical Perspective“In reading, the mind is, in fact, only the playground of another’s thoughts.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Reading, Thoughts, Individuality, Intellectual Engagement, Influence
Arthur Schopenhauer Reading, Thoughts, Individuality, Intellectual Engagement, Influence“In early youth, as we contemplate our coming life, we are like children in a theatre before the curtain is raised, sitting there in high spirits and eagerly waiting for the play to begin.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Youth, Anticipation, Life, Metaphor, Imagination
Arthur Schopenhauer Youth, Anticipation, Life, Metaphor, Imagination“A library may be very large; but if it is in disorder, it is not so useful as one that is small but well arranged. In the same way, a man may have a great mass of knowledge, but if he has not worked it up by thinking it over for himself, it has much less value than a far smaller amount which he has thoroughly pondered.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Knowledge, Organization, Learning, Value, Intellectual Independence
Arthur Schopenhauer Knowledge, Organization, Learning, Value, Intellectual Independence“Man is the only animal who causes pain to others with no other object than wanting to do so.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Pain, Humanity, Cruelty, Animal Nature, Moral Reflection
Arthur Schopenhauer Pain, Humanity, Cruelty, Animal Nature, Moral Reflection“Compassion is the basis of morality.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Compassion, Morality, Ethical Principles, Human Values, Empathy
Arthur Schopenhauer Compassion, Morality, Ethical Principles, Human Values, Empathy“Whenever we are not occupied in one of these ways, but cast upon existence itself, its vain and worthless nature is brought home to us; and this is what we mean by boredom.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Existence, Boredom, Human Nature, Reflection, Existential Insight
Arthur Schopenhauer Existence, Boredom, Human Nature, Reflection, Existential Insight“The doctor sees all the weakness of mankind; the lawyer all the wickedness, the theologian all the stupidity.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Professions, Observation, Human Traits, Critique, Moral Insight
Arthur Schopenhauer Professions, Observation, Human Traits, Critique, Moral Insight“Knowledge is to a certain extent a second existence.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Knowledge, Existence, Understanding, Duality, Intellectual Life
Arthur Schopenhauer Knowledge, Existence, Understanding, Duality, Intellectual Life“A man of talent will strive for money and reputation; but the spring that moves genius to the production of its works is not as easy to name.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Talent, Genius, Ambition, Creativity, Motivation
Arthur Schopenhauer Talent, Genius, Ambition, Creativity, Motivation“He who truly thinks for himself is like a monarch, in that he recognizes no one over him. His judgments, like the decisions of a monarch, arise directly from his own absolute power. He no more accepts authorities than a monarch does orders, and he acknowledges the validity of nothing he has not himself confirmed.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Individuality, Autonomy, Thought, Authority, Self-governance
Arthur Schopenhauer Individuality, Autonomy, Thought, Authority, Self-governance“Genius is to other gifts what the carbuncle is to the precious stones. It sends forth its own light, whereas other stones only reflect borrowed light.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Genius, Creativity, Uniqueness, Comparison, Illumination
Arthur Schopenhauer Genius, Creativity, Uniqueness, Comparison, Illumination“When a new truth enters the world, the first stage of reaction to it is ridicule, the second stage is violent opposition, and in the third stage, that truth comes to be regarded as self-evident.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Truth, Acceptance, Ridicule, Opposition, Societal Evolution
Arthur Schopenhauer Truth, Acceptance, Ridicule, Opposition, Societal Evolution“Opinion is like a pendulum and obeys the same law. If it goes past the centre of gravity on one side, it must go a like distance on the other; and it is only after a certain time that it finds the true point at which it can remain at rest.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Opinion, Balance, Perspective, Duality, Philosophical Insight
Arthur Schopenhauer Opinion, Balance, Perspective, Duality, Philosophical Insight“Hence, in all countries the chief occupation of society is card-playing, and it is the gauge of its value, and an outward sign that it is bankrupt in thought. Because people have no thoughts to deal in, they deal cards, and try and win one another’s money. Idiots!” Arthur Schopenhauer
Society, Card-playing, Thoughtlessness, Gambling, Social Commentary
Arthur Schopenhauer Society, Card-playing, Thoughtlessness, Gambling, Social Commentary“It is only when a man is alone that he is really free.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Freedom, Solitude, Self-discovery, Independence, Personal Insight
Arthur Schopenhauer Freedom, Solitude, Self-discovery, Independence, Personal Insight“Men best show their character in trifles, where they are not on their guard. It is in the simplest habits that we often see the boundless egotism which pays no regard to the feelings of others and denies nothing to itself.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Character, Trifles, Authenticity, Human Behavior, Egoism
Arthur Schopenhauer Character, Trifles, Authenticity, Human Behavior, Egoism“Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people.” Arthur Schopenhauer
Sorrow, Relationships, Human Condition, Emotional Health, Social Dynamics
Arthur Schopenhauer Sorrow, Relationships, Human Condition, Emotional Health, Social Dynamics