[One Thousand Characters a Day] Reading Schopenhauer at Forty <4>

Editor's NoteOne reason why countless people turn to Schopenhauer through generations is that each of his words is realistic and immediately understandable. Schopenhauer is often known as a pessimist who glorified suicide, but he was said to be optimistic and full of laughter. His writings are imbued with humor. While being keenly aware of worldly life and money, he valued culture and enjoyed reading and the arts. Although he had no family or friends, he took daily walks with his dog to maintain his health. He knew how to enjoy life and live in balance. Word count: 913 characters.

Society inevitably demands mutual conformity and compromise. Coercion is inseparable from every society. All societies require sacrifice, and the more one's thoughts differ or the stronger one's individuality, the greater the sacrifice. The more people one meets, the more friends one has, and the more people one likes, the wider the range of contact becomes, increasing the opportunities and environments that can bring about unhappiness.

Humans need the warmth of others when their inner self is empty and life is monotonous. They want to be empathized with, supported, and acknowledged through conversation. However, when they actually feel differences in thought with others and become disappointed, relationships grow distant again.

There is an old saying that explains this situation and a Korean proverb derived from it.

"Bul-gyeon-sang-gyeon-jeol-chi (不見想見切齒)"

"If you don't see them, you miss them; if you see them, you grind your teeth."

It means that one longs deeply for the other person but loses affection after seeing them. Therefore, Schopenhauer called the slightly cold distance necessary in human relationships 'courtesy and manners.' A wise person who knows how to keep distance may not fully satisfy the desire for warmth but can avoid the worst situation of being pricked by thorns. Schopenhauer compared human society to 'fire.'

"A wise person sits at an appropriate distance from the fire to warm themselves, but a fool puts their hand into the fire, gets burned, and then flees to the cold place called solitude, lamenting that the fire is burning."

(Omitted)

Solitude is close to the original nature of humans. Whether friends, lovers, or family, it is impossible to become completely one with others. Each has different individuality, tastes, and opinions, so discord and conflict inevitably arise. However, only with oneself can perfect harmony be achieved. Peace of mind and happiness arise only within one's own solitude. To attain happiness, one must not avoid solitude, the source of it, but learn to endure it.

"Because everyone reveals their true self when they are alone."

- Kang Yong-su, , Yuno Books, 17,000 KRW