Essays of Schopenhauer

"Essays of Schopenhauer" by Arthur Schopenhauer is a compilation of philosophical writings from the 1800s. In this collection, Schopenhauer shares his distinctive perspectives on subjects ranging from the purpose of writing to the distractions of noise, plus education, women, and the sense that life is meaningless. Schopenhauer critically studies human behavior and the social systems that shape it. The book starts by introducing Schopenhauer's life and way of thinking, with a focus on what he thinks makes good writing. He separates writers into two groups: those who write from their own minds and feelings, and those who simply write to earn money. Schopenhauer claims genuine writing comes from really caring about what someone is writing, but shallow writing comes from wanting something else or not thinking hard enough. He also talks about how noise can hurt someone's ability to think and create, arguing that interruptions can ruin thinking and expressing thoughts well.