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In what ways did Schopenhauer's beliefs challenge the societal norms of his time?

Manda Klimpke

Oh, boy, let me tell you about Schopenhauer! This guy was a total rebel. You know how society always has all these rules and norms that we're supposed to follow? Schopenhauer basically said "screw that" and went his own way.

First off, he was a philosopher who lived in the 19th century. At that time, people were really into this idea called "rationalism", which basically means that they believed everything could be figured out through logic and reason. Schopenhauer was like, "Uh, no, actually there's this thing called the will and it's what really drives us." He thought that our desires and impulses were more important than our thoughts and ideas, which was a pretty radical departure from what everyone else was saying.

Another thing that Schopenhauer did was question the whole idea of progress. In the 1800s, everyone was all about science and progress and making everything better and better. But Schopenhauer was like, "Hold up, guys, maybe constantly striving for more isn't actually making us happier." He believed that we should focus more on enjoying what we already have and finding contentment in the present moment. This was a pretty radical idea at the time, when everyone was obsessed with the future.

But the thing that really set Schopenhauer apart was his views on religion. See, in the 1800s, pretty much everyone believed in God. But Schopenhauer didn't. He thought that religion was just a way for people to make themselves feel better about the fact that life is inherently crappy. He believed that the universe was fundamentally meaningless, and that the only way to find happiness was to accept that fact and live in harmony with it.

So yeah, Schopenhauer was a pretty weird dude. But you've gotta admire someone who's willing to challenge the status quo like that.