SCHOPENHAUER: Why We Care About the Opinion of Others (Honor Culture, pt.1)

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WATCH: Schopenhauer: How to Be Happy (all parts):
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SCHOPENHAUER'S WORKS:
Parerga and Paralipomena vol. 1: https://amzn.to/3pK6xCj
Parerga and Paralipomena vol. 2: https://amzn.to/3jJa2p0
The World as Will and Representation vol. 1: https://amzn.to/3FPGkIj
The World as Will and Representation vol. 2: https://amzn.to/3FT0nFC

The main source of this video is Schopenhauer's Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life, which is a part of the Parerga and Paralipomena.

In the third chapter of the book, dealing with how an individual positions himself among his peers, Schopenhauer makes an elaborate critique of honor culture. This video series will analyze this critique.

Schopenhauer distinguishes between two kinds of honor.

The first kind we might call universal honor – which exists in nearly every culture. The other kind Schopenhauer calls knightly honor. Most of his critique will center upon this latter sort of honor, which arose in the European Middle Ages and is therefore not universal, rather it is very specific to a certain culture and a certain time period.


We have an innate realization that as humans, we need others to accomplish our true potential. In other words, we need society in order to function. Without society, Schopenhauer says, man is like Robinson Crusoe on a desert island – not capable of accomplishing much.

But to enjoy the benefits of living in society, we must prove ourselves worthy of being a part of it. We must contribute.

The best way to contribute to society is to fulfill the needs of the other members to the best of our ability. Humans do this by becoming doctors, carpenters, scientists, bricklayers, and so on. Each person plays his part, and in turn, he gets to enjoy the value created by other people who are also playing their part.

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