Schopenhauer's Advice to Gifted Children

"Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, unfortunately, didn't have much to offer us in his consolations about death, but, more importantly, he succeeded in helping us believe that life was worth living, even if this was somewhat unintended; he was a nihilist through and through. Philosopher David Bather Woods, in his new book Arthur Schopenhauer: The Life and Thought of Philosophy's Greatest Pessimist, chronicles Schopenhauer's life and thought in a manner resembling a parable."

"The reclusive philosopher barely existed but nonetheless lived a life fuller, both in thought and deed, than most of us can hope for. Paradox crops up so frequently in the book that it makes one wonder if it's the fullest expression of a life well-lived, even when it takes the form of extreme avoidance. Schopenhauer's wisdom, to me, is most applicable to gifted children and young adults, who struggle with living up to expectations and actualizing their innate abilities."

"As I read on, I considered how I would address patients struggling with perfectionism and a desperate need for external validation, people who conceive of acclaim as the ultimate proof of their innate value and purpose for being. If decisiveness overly relies on the external world, based on credentials and others' opinions, Schopenhauer offers somewhat of a way out, to whatever degree it can be expected."

Arthur Schopenhauer valued honor and the pursuit of truth above fame, viewing fame as worthless without them. He distinguished fame from genuine value, noting that many attain notoriety without contributing meaningful worth. He lived reclusively yet experienced intellectual and practical fullness, embodying paradox and extreme avoidance while maintaining inner conviction. His stance offers guidance for gifted young people and perfectionistic individuals who tie self-worth to external recognition, suggesting decisiveness grounded in internal vocation rather than credentials. He showed patience with himself by not craving acclaim, and he provided limited consolation about death while affirming life’s worth despite nihilistic tendencies.

Read at Psychology Today