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February 01, 2005

Arthur Schopenhauer

"There is no opinion, however absurd, that men will not readily embrace as soon as they can be brought to the conviction that it is generally adopted… They would sooner die than think."

[On the people] "lazy and credulous adherents"

"Those who venture to speak are incapable of forming any opinions of any echo of others' opinions. Nevertheless, they defend them with all the greater zeal and intolerance."

"There are very few who can think, but every man wants to have an opinion; and what remains but to take it ready-made from others, instead of forming opinions for himself?"

"As Hobbes observes, all mental pleasure exists in being able to compare oneself with others to one's own advantage… Nothing is of greater moment to a man than the gratification of his own vanity."

"Scarcely one man in a hundred is worth your disputing with him."

Posted by pauldavies on February 01, 2005

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