Schopenhauer: A Companion on the Path
This article, which is exhausting, requires a second reading, so I reserved it for a holiday or Friday. One of the tendencies shared by the majority of human beings, regardless of their civilizational or technological advancement or backwardness, is to adopt the opinions of others. “With the blond, follow the horses,” as the saying goes: as long as the majority follows that path, it is usually the right one, perhaps the shortest and safest, though the opposite may also be true. Consequently, thinking outside the conventional framework, or “outside the box,” has become difficult, because the majority has not been trained to swim against the current; rather, they have been pushed, intentionally or by chance, to distance themselves from independent thought.
The philosopher Schopenhauer wrote a paragraph of great importance in his book *Parerga and Paralipomena*, specifically in his essay “On Independent Thinking.” Its gist is that independent thinking is rare because people tend to accept ready-made opinions and allow others’ ideas to replace their own. Throughout my life, I have strived to maintain independent thinking, although at times I am influenced, and I still tend to be swayed by ready-made opinions, allowing the views and ideas of others to affect me, albeit to a lesser degree than others. I have always been different from my surroundings in appearance, thoughts, and even in what I wear, and naturally, in my opinions. An example is my decision, at an early age, to shave my mustache. In the 1960s, and before and even today, having a mustache is something some people place their hands on when they wish to swear or pledge to carry out an action or achieve a difficult demand. It is necessary to state, however, that my difference from the majority has never, in any way, made me superior to them.
As Arthur Schopenhauer, the German pessimist philosopher, says: “Some people never think; and when they do think, they only rearrange their preconceived ideas!” This is among the quotations that revolve around bias, independent thinking, and the danger of following others’ opinions. The person, or “man,” who does not think for himself does not think at all. “The hallmark of genius is that he thinks for himself.” Most people are incapable of independent thinking, capable only of believing, especially when the opinions come from “influencers” or are heard repeatedly. “The power of opinions is so great that people will believe the most absurd things if repeated enough.”
According to Schopenhauer, “The stronger a man is, the less he needs what is external.” Therefore, society, or those who control it, does not want or desire for man to be strong, because that grants him independence and reduces his need for others. Thus, we find that those with profound or deep culture are more capable of living apart from others, and the reverse is also true.
Schopenhauer also said: “The greatest folly is sacrificing health for any other kind of happiness.” When we believe that drugs, smoking, or drinking, for example, make us feel happier, and this comes at the expense of our health, we will ultimately pay a high price, which represents the pinnacle of folly.
Ahmed Al-Sarraff
