Arthur Schopenhauer Sayings and Quotes

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old Arthur Schopenhauer quotes, Arthur Schopenhauer sayings, and Arthur Schopenhauer proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.'

Just as a stream flows smoothly on as long as it encounters no obstruction, so the nature of man and animal is such that we never really notice or become conscious of what is agreeable to our will; if we are to notice something, our will has to have been thwarted, has to have experienced a shock of some kind. Arthur Schopenhauer
The difficulty is to try and teach the multitude that something can be true and untrue at the same time. Arthur Schopenhauer
(Politeness is) a tacit agreement that people's miserable defects, whether moral or intellectual, shall on either side be ignored and not be made the subject of reproach. Arthur Schopenhauer
Politeness is to human nature what warmth is to wax. Arthur Schopenhauer
It is a wise thing to be polite; consequently, it is a stupid thing to be rude. To make enemies by unnecessary and willful incivility, is just as insane a proceeding as to set your house on fire. For politeness is like a counter--an avowedly false coin, with which it is foolish to be stingy. Arthur Schopenhauer
The scenes of our life are like pictures done in rough mosaic. Looked at close, they produce no effect. There is nothing beautiful to be found in them, unless you stand some distance off. Arthur Schopenhauer
A good supply of resignation is of the first importance in providing for the journey of life. Arthur Schopenhauer
It is in the treatment of trifles that a person shows what they are. Arthur Schopenhauer
Reasonable and vicious are quite consistent with each other, in fact, only through their union are great and far-reaching crimes possible Arthur Schopenhauer
Astrology furnishes a splendid proof of the contemptible subjectivity of men.  It refers the course of celestial bodies to the miserable ego:  it establishes a connection between the comets in heaven and squabbles and rascalities on earth. Arthur Schopenhauer
Newspapers are the second hand of history. Arthur Schopenhauer
Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things. Arthur Schopenhauer
Will minus intellect constitutes vulgarity. Arthur Schopenhauer
Every person takes the limits of their own field of vision for the limits of the world. Arthur Schopenhauer
Noise is the most impertinent of all forms of interruption. It is not only an interruption, but also a disruption of thought. Arthur Schopenhauer
Indeed, intolerance is essential only to monotheism; an only God is by nature a jealous God who will not allow another to live. On the other hand, polytheistic gods are naturally tolerant, they live and let live. Arthur Schopenhauer
The power of religious dogma, when inculcated early, is such as to stifle conscience, compassion, and finally every feeling of humanity. Arthur Schopenhauer
The first forty years of life give us the text; the next thirty supply the commentary on it. Arthur Schopenhauer
Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality. Arthur Schopenhauer
It is a clumsy experiment to make; for it involves the destruction of the very consciousness which puts the question and awaits the answer. Arthur Schopenhauer
Great men are like eagles, and build their nest on some lofty solitude. Arthur Schopenhauer
Human life must be some form of mistake. Arthur Schopenhauer
Friends and acquaintances are the surest passport to fortune. Arthur Schopenhauer
Suffering by nature or chance never seems so painful as suffering inflicted on us by the arbitrary will of another. Arthur Schopenhauer
Exaggeration in every sense is as essential to newspaper writing as it is to the writing of plays: for the point is to make as much as possible of every occurrence. Arthur Schopenhauer
A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; and if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free. Arthur Schopenhauer
The deep pain that is felt at the death of every friendly soul arises from the feeling that there is in every individual something which is inexpressible, peculiar to him alone, and is, therefore, absolutely and irretrievably lost. Arthur Schopenhauer
To find out your real opinion of someone, judge the impression you have when you first see a letter from them. Arthur Schopenhauer
Each day is a little life: every waking and rising a little birth, every fresh morning a little youth, every going to rest and sleep a little death. Arthur Schopenhauer
The deep pain that is felt at the death of every friendly soul arises from the feeling that there is in every individual something which is inexpressible, peculiar to him alone, and is, therefore, absolutely and irretrievably lost. Arthur Schopenhauer