According to most philosophy books, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was profoundly pessimistic. However, when you look into the details of his life and his works, you will see that the truth goes in the opposite direction. Historians tell us that Schopenhauer was confronted with a series of personal tragedies that rendered him pessimistic, but is this really true? Indeed, his father passed away when Arthur Schopenhauer was just seventeen. That’s an early death by any standards, but not an unheard tragedy. Let us not forget that Schopenhauer received from his father an inheritance that enabled him to live without ever working. I do not know many people that are placed in such a favourable financial situation when they are just seventeen. I am sure that Arthur Schopenhauer would have preferred that his father lived for another three decades, but that’s life. It gives you good cards and bad cards, and demands you to play the game right away. There is not much point in complaining. One thing is sure when speaking about Schopenhauer. He is not someone that had to face terrible financial struggles. I don’t know why some biographers would invent such nonsense. The truth is that Schopenhauer inherited a sizeable share package in his father’s company. The shares threw an annual dividend that is equivalent to forty thousand USD in today’s terms. Schopenhauer was not a millionaire in terms of income, but didn’t have to worry about his next meal. His father had placed him in a comfortable position. When his mother passed away, he inherited additional shares in the company. Historians also exaggerate Schopenhauer’s disappointments in the romantic area. He did have a tumultuous affair with the opera singer Caroline Richter. They eventually split, but is this such a big deal? They were not even married. Why was it such a tragedy to break up with a girlfriend? Schopenhauer also struggled in his academic career, but I find it difficult to call it “a career.” The truth is that he never put much effort into establishing himself as a professor. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/schopenhauers-pessimism-what-it-is-and-what-its-not/

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