[One Thousand Characters a Day] Reading Schopenhauer at Forty <2>

Editor's NoteSchopenhauer's philosophy influenced and inspired notable figures across various fields such as Søren Kierkegaard, Charles Darwin, Einstein, Carl Jung, Hermann Hesse, Franz Kafka, Tolstoy, and ?mile Zola. Friedrich Nietzsche embarked on his path as a philosopher with just one book by Schopenhauer, and Wagner admired Schopenhauer throughout his life. However, Schopenhauer himself lived in seclusion and was not recognized by academia until his 40s. Yet, he endured with the confidence that he would eventually be acknowledged. It was only from his mid-40s that his abilities gradually became known, and he gained worldwide fame. Schopenhauer, who was recognized only in middle age, expressed his feelings as follows: "The reason I can look back on what I have done with joy is that I was not shaken no matter what anyone said." Word count: 894.

Every human being must know what they want to do and what they are capable of doing. Self-awareness that distinguishes between what one desires (desire) and what one can do (ability) is a prerequisite for happiness.

However, it is impossible to know one's personality from the start, and much trial and error and experience are necessary. Only by truly understanding what one wants and what one can do can one achieve something; otherwise, one will ultimately fail in life. True happiness cannot be achieved when one is still unaware of what suits oneself and what only one can do.

Innate personality is born as it is, but acquired personality appears after recognizing one's motivation and ability. If one cannot gain insight into what one wants to do and can do, one is dominated by innate temperament and instincts, but as one gains insight through life experience, one gets the opportunity to find the conditions for one's own happiness. Through experience, one learns how to align one's motivation (desire) and ability, and with the acquired personality, one fully understands one's individuality.

Each person discovers their talents from different desires and abilities. The level of those talents varies according to individuality, so one must actually experience them to clearly recognize them. Schopenhauer described it this way:

"Fish must be in water, birds must be in the air, moles must be underground to be happy."

This means that one should make efforts only in work that is most advantageous to the given individuality and consistent with one's character. According to Schopenhauer, one can be happy only by finding work, lifestyle, and occupation that suit one's individuality and demonstrating one's abilities.

Conversely, one should avoid work that does not fit one's individuality. If one does not know what suits oneself, what one can achieve, and what one can enjoy, one becomes unhappy. Ignorance of one's individuality and lack of self-awareness are causes of unhappiness.

- Kang Yong-su, Schopenhauer to Read at Forty, Yuno Books, 17,000 KRW

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