wisdom of life

Chapter 16 The Magical Charm and Influence of Schopenhauer's Philosophy

Wei Qichang

Russian writer Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) plunged into Schopenhauer's philosophical world after finishing War and Peace in 1869, and was immediately intoxicated by it.In Toon's letter to his good friend Fett, Toon said this:
Do you know what this summer means to me?It was the ecstasy and continuous spiritual pleasure of Schopenhauer's works, which I have never experienced before.I've had all his works put together, and I'm reading them now (I also read Kant).I don't think any student has learned as much in one subject in one summer as I have.

I don't know if I will change my opinion in the future, but for now I am sure: Schopenhauer is unmatched.

You said that Schopenhauer wrote something on certain philosophical questions, and he wrote well.What exactly do you mean?What does it mean to write something?It reflected an entire world, with unbelievable clarity and beauty.

I started translating his works.You start this work too, okay?We can jointly publish these translations.As I read Schopenhauer's book, I was thinking: how could this man's name not be known, it is simply unimaginable.

Tolstoy bought back a portrait of Schopenhauer and hung it in his room, just as Wagner had done at the same time.Thon has never changed his views on Schopenhauer, and Schopenhauer's philosophy has always become a coordinate for Thon to look at things.He came to this conclusion:
Schopenhauer's philosophy has taken us as far as philosophy can take us.

Another Russian writer deeply influenced by Schopenhauer's thought is Turgenev.According to "Turgenev and Schopenhauer" written by the scholar Variki:
Schopenhauer was Turgenev's favorite philosopher from the 19s until his death.Schopenhauer's philosophy becomes a valuable framework - in which Turgenev integrates his views.

In addition, Turgenev's biographer Sapiro also cited examples:
Turgenev was deeply influenced by Schopenhauer's pessimism.The influence of Schopenhauer's views on the nature of erotic love on Turgenev is clearly exemplified in Turgenev's Spring Tide and Triumph of Love.Schopenhauer's ideas can be seen everywhere in Turgenev's works.For example, people always mistakenly think that happiness can be found in this world, but in fact, happiness is only the freedom from pain; when pain is free, boredom appears.In this way, a new round of striving for satisfaction begins again.

According to Joseon, the biographer of the French writer Zola, Zola wrote a novel that is completely Schopenhauer-style, and the title is satirical "The Joy of Life".In the book, the protagonist often ponders:

The tricks played by the will that governs this world, the blindness and stupidity of the will to live, and all life that is suffering.

Maupassant's biographer Innotus tells us that Maupassant:
Admitted himself to be an admirer of Schopenhauer.Maupassant's curiosity about metaphysics was greatly enhanced by reading Schopenhauer's works.Schopenhauer's philosophy has also become the undercurrent of Maupassant's reality, emotional stories, and novels.

A story "Around a Dead Man" in the novel collection "Ball of Fat" is related to Schopenhauer, and most of the words used in the story are praises.

The great French stream-of-consciousness writer Proust was also deeply influenced by Schopenhauer.From the "Guide to Reading Proust" written by Hendos, we can see that Proust is an "admirer of Schopenhauer"; he likes to use "language reminiscent of Schopenhauer".For example, when describing the pleasure of being with a lover, "it is more the removal of pain than the pleasure of affirming nature."Even "Prust's views on life are similar to Schopenhauer's." There are many other details, which also reflect that if Proust was not influenced by Schopenhauer, it was the two heroes. See similar.Proust's famous description is that when the protagonist of "Remembrance of Time Gone" smells the smell of a small pastry, he can't help but think back to the wonderful time of enjoying this small pastry in the past.This is easily reminiscent of Schopenhauer's remarks on the relationship between smell and memory:
Sometimes, a long-lost event suddenly appears vividly in our memory for no apparent reason.In many cases, this may be because we smell a faint scent that has not yet entered our conscious consciousness, just as we smelled it in the past.That's because smells are especially evocative.

The British writer Thomas Hardy loved and accepted Schopenhauer's ideas because Hardy had his own intuition and insight, and these things coincided with the philosopher Schopenhauer's thoughts.Moreover, Schopenhauer's ideas provided a complete intellectual basis for Hardy's own ideas.This is the point of view of Berry, a British scholar who studied Hardy.According to Berry, "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" was written by Hardy after he finished reading Schopenhauer.This work fits well with Schopenhauer's pessimism, and Schopenhauer's name even appears in the book.In addition, Schopenhauer's views on music are also reflected in Hardy's description of Tess hearing music.Schopenhauer's insights on hypnosis, crying, etc. are also reproduced in another way in this book.

Another great English writer who was influenced by Schopenhauer's thought was Joseph Conrad.In Memories of Conrad, fellow writer Galsworthy says:
Conrad read a lot of philosophical works.Schopenhauer's writings had given him great pleasure twenty years ago or earlier.

In the preface to The Conrad Letters, Waters describes Conrad's pessimism throughout his letters and novels:

Conrad believed that improvement is ultimately futile because human nature is selfish and cruel... even awareness of this would be seen as a sin, because scrutiny of our human condition would take away our belief that having the freedom to improve our existence state of phantom.

The German writer Thomas Mann discovered Schopenhauer, the philosopher he admired all his life, when he was about 20 years old.It was an electric experience, like Nietzsche's first discovery of Schopenhauer.

I reclined on the sofa and read Schopenhauer's "The World as Will and Representation" all day long. . . . I devoured this magical metaphysics in such a way that . . . one reads like this only once in a lifetime.I can immediately have the opportunity to express my feelings, to express my gratitude, in a poetic way...that's one of my great blessings.

Thomas Mann wrote an article on Schopenhauer after he was 63 years old, the purpose is to:
To evoke and rethink a man who is little known to contemporaries today. ...Schopenhauer has its modern significance, and even its future significance... There was a time when Schopenhauer's philosophy was all the rage, well-known, and then almost forgotten.But his philosophy still has a full-fledged and humanizing impact in our time.

Some other famous writers and poets, such as Russian writer Chekhov, British poet Eliot, British novelist Somerset Maugham, American playwright Eugene O'Neill, etc., all revealed their understanding of Schopenhauer's philosophy in their works or letters. intoxicated.In a play written by Chekhov, Schopenhauer's name even appears.

Among contemporary writers, the famous Argentine writer Borges is also deeply influenced by Schopenhauer's thought.Here is how Schopenhauer expert McGee describes it:
When I met Borges not long ago, I mentioned to him that I was going to write a book on Schopenhauer.He was very excited when he heard the news, and began to talk endlessly about Schopenhauer's place in his heart.He said that it was the desire to read Schopenhauer in its original form that led him to study German; and, whenever he was asked—as was often the case—why he never tried To make a systematic elaboration of the worldview hidden behind his works, his answer is that he did not do so because Schopenhauer had already done such a thing.

Nietzsche described his impression of Schopenhauer's philosophy in this way:

I am a reader of Schopenhauer: after reading the first page of Schopenhauer's book, it is clear that I am going to read everything he has written; Listen to all of them. ... I understood what he was saying, as if his book was written just for me. ... So, I never read anything plausible about him, although sometimes there are some small mistakes.This is because specious things are just some statements without firm and clear opinions. The authors who say these specious words do not have firm and clear views. , or the most important thing is to pretend to be very thoughtful.Schopenhauer never put on a pose, he wrote for himself. …Schopenhauer spoke to himself, but if you want to imagine his audience, imagine a father teaching a son.The kind of discourse is informal, honest and humorous; the listener listens with great love and deep love.Such authors are extremely rare.As soon as you hear his voice, you immediately feel his health and strength.It was as if we had come to a forest highland - here, we breathed deeply the fresh air and felt refreshed and alive again.We can feel... the frankness and naturalness unique to Schopenhauer, which can only be achieved by people who really understand their own thoughts and have very rich thoughts.Schopenhauer is not like those writers who are surprised themselves by occasionally slipping something clever. ...Schopenhauer's style reminds me somewhat of Goethe, but Schopenhauer's style does not imitate any German writer.He knows how to express profundity with simplicity, impress people without flowery rhetoric, and reason strictly logically without appearing pedantic or bookish...

Ever since I've read Schopenhauer, I can describe him the way he described Plutarch, "As soon as I open his book, it seems as if a pair of wings grow out of him", if I must If I want to settle down on this earth, then I will choose Schopenhauer as my partner.

The reason why Nietzsche called Schopenhauer "educator" and "liberator" is because "how can people know themselves? People are hidden in the dark", and "a real educator is to put you The real and original meaning and basic material of the existence of human beings are revealed-these things cannot be changed through education, and it is very difficult to understand these things because these inner and basic things are firmly imprisoned. The educator is for Nothing more can be done for you than that which you undo. This is the secret of education."

The core content of the psychoanalysis established by the Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud is that our thoughts, behaviors, and reactions all have reasons behind them that are often unconscious. Our instincts, desires ( The id) is like an iceberg under the surface of the sea, what has entered our consciousness is only a small tip of the iceberg, and these things that have entered our consciousness have also been distorted.The reason why we are not aware or distorted awareness of these drives is because these longings, desires, drives are repressed, because if we make ourselves aware of these things, it will disturb and disturb ourselves; A hugely important part of the id (id)—sexuality, or the drive to sex—is everywhere, whether we realize it or not.These main views of Freud have already been expressed in detail and clearly by Schopenhauer as an integral part of Schopenhauer's thought system.For example, Schopenhauer said, "The will constitutes the real core of man... The intellect furnishes the motives for the will, and how these motives work is only later understood by the intellect...In fact, when the will is really determined and In making decisions in private, the intellect is on the sidelines....We often don't know what we desire, or what we fear. We can have a desire for years without admitting it to ourselves, even letting This wish enters into our clear consciousness, because our intellect is not allowed to know these things, without which our good opinion of ourselves would inevitably be impaired." This is why Schopenhauer often said, "As Clothes cover our bodies, and lies cover our minds. Our words, deeds, and our whole nature are false and deceitful, and we can only barely guess our true emotions through this veil, Just as a person's body can only be estimated by clothes." And then, "In the real life of this world, erotic love expresses itself as the most powerful and active drive, second only to the love of life; it lasts Constantly occupying half the energies and thoughts of the younger generation of mankind; sex is the ultimate goal of almost all desires and endeavors; vital human affairs are adversely swayed by it, and every passing hour is interrupted by it. Serious, earnest business; even the greatest spiritual minds are occasionally lost and confused by it; Searching, researching; it will sneak love notes and curls into even preaching purses and philosophical manuscripts without a teacher; Quarreling and fighting break the most precious bonds between people and destroy the most unbreakable unity; , trustworthy people become unconscionable and unscrupulous, turning the loyal people into traitors."

Freud also acknowledged that it was Schopenhauer who first made these discoveries.He said:
I always thought the theory of repression was primitive until Ranke showed me a passage from The World as Will and Representation where the philosopher Schopenhauer tries to explain madness.What he says there about people trying to suppress themselves, refusing to accept a painful reality, fits perfectly with my theory of repression.I have to thank myself for not reading extensively so that I might discover something.Of course, someone will read these discussions of Schopenhauer, but ignore them and find nothing.  … So I am always ready to give up on being the first to make these discoveries, and am happy to do so; deep insights.The theory of repression is the cornerstone of psychoanalysis.

Thomas Mann put it more directly and boldly:

Freud's id (repository of various instincts and desires) and ego (self that enters consciousness)—isn't that exactly the same as Schopenhauer's discussion of will and intelligence?Doesn't that translate Schopenhauer's metaphysics into psychology?

So Thomas Mann puts it bluntly:

Schopenhauer, as the psychologist of will, is the father of modern psychology.Starting from Schopenhauer, then Nietzsche, and then directly to Freud and others who established Schopenhauer's unconscious psychology and applied this theory to spiritual science.

Reeve, one of Freud's biographers, seems to have said:

Many years ago, Freud said oddly that he did not read philosophers because he was unfortunate enough not to understand them.But now, as an adult, Freud carried a copy of Schopenhauer in his pocket when he went on vacation.

According to Professor Anscomb, who wrote Introduction to Wittgenstein's Philosophy, the philosopher Wittgenstein
I studied Schopenhauer's philosophy at a young age, and was deeply impressed by Schopenhauer's theory of "the world as representation".He believed that Schopenhauer's theory was fundamentally correct. ... To explore the ancestors of Wittgenstein's philosophy, we have to look at Schopenhauer's philosophy.

In fact, to understand some of Wittgenstein's theses, it is almost essential to be familiar with Schopenhauer's philosophy, because Wittgenstein often thinks and develops Schopenhauer's themes directly, and even the metaphors and words used are completely Schopenhauer's.

For the great musician Wagner, as Thomas Mann wrote:

Getting in touch with and understanding Schopenhauer's philosophy was a major event in Wagner's life. ... That meant to him the greatest consolation, the highest self-affirmation; it also meant the liberation of mind and spirit. …No doubt that frees his music from its constraints, that it takes the courage to be itself.

Wagner also wrote in his autobiography:

For four years Schopenhauer never left my mind, and by the following summer I had read Schopenhauer from cover to cover four times.Schopenhauer's book has had a strong influence on my whole life.

While writing the second act of Tristan in 1858, Wagner fell ill.

Once again I took up the books of Schopenhauer, which I was familiar with, as a way of recovering my spiritual thoughts, as I always did.Then I felt relieved, because I could use the tools Schopenhauer provided to explain the torturous discontinuities in his system.

Wagner also said:
How wonderful it was that the old man had no idea what he meant to me, or what I meant to myself through him!
Wagner gave Schopenhauer his own work "The Ring of the Nibelungen", which only wrote:

With deep respect and gratitude, the dedication to Arthur Schopenhauer does not sign Wagner's name.

Partial bibliography of the appendix:
Patrick Gardiner: Schopenhauer
Frederick Coplestone: Arthur Schopenhauer: Philosopher of Pessimism
Helen Zimmern: Arthur Schopenhauer: His Life and His Philosophy
Walter Abendroth: Arthur Schopenhauer in Selbstzeugnissen und Bilddokumenten
Friedrich Nietzsche: Unzeitgemasse Betrachtungen
Sigmund Freud: The History of the Psychoanalytic Moevement
(End of this chapter)