You'll NEVER Want to Be Smart Again | SCHOPENHAUER's Secret

[Music] you've acted like an idiot in public but I'm not just talking about mistakes I'm talking about intentionally playing dumb yes pretending you don't understand something when you actually do for Arthur schopenhauer one of the most influential philosophers of the 19th century the art of acting foolishly was not only a means of entertainment but also a powerful way of critiquing the absurdities of human existence but what makes playing the fool such a captivating and challenging Pursuit as we explore schopenhauer's ideas we'll reveal how being underestimated can sometimes work in your favor and we'll discuss why

he believes that playing the fool might be one of the smartest ways to navigate life to better understand his views on this topic we should first explore his insights into the human tendency to obsess over the opinions of others as schopenhauer observed we often feel the need to present an image of superior intelligence fearing the stigma of being perceived as foolish this compulsive desire to preserve our reputation and Garner the admiration of others is a peculiar weakness of human nature as the philosopher noted in his work the wisdom of life he wrote by A peculiar

weakness of human nature people generally think too much about the opinion which others form of them although the slightest reflection will show that this opinion whatever it may be is not in itself essential to happiness therefore it is hard to understand why why everybody feels so very pleased when he sees that other people have a good opinion of him or say anything flattering to his vanity most of the time we can't help but care about what others think we don't want to be seen as dumb but when we focus too much on others opinions we

may lose sight of what truly benefits us sometimes it actually helps when people don't hold us in high regard being perceived as stupid can be better for our well-being than being seen as intelligent to enjoy the benefits of being stupid we must be willing to be seen as foolish to get ahead yes we may sometimes feel that people dislike us and think less of us but as schopenhauer argued their opinions are not essential for our happiness now consider that you are at the age of 19 and your mother sent you this letter you are not

an evil human you are not without intellect and education you have everything that could make you a credit to Human Society all your good qualities become obscured by your super cleverness and are made useless to the world merely because of your rage at wanting to know everything better than others of wanting to improve and master what you cannot command with this you embitter the people around you since no one wants to be improved or enlightened in such a forceful way if you were less like you you would only be ridiculous but thus as you are

you are highly annoying this letter written to schopenhauer by his mother when he was 19 years old offers a unique glimpse into his early life rather than praising his intellect it criticizes him shedding light on his struggles with the consequences of intellectual superiority it seems that schopenhauer's early experiences and his mother's words influenced his later philosophical Reflections including the concept of playing the fool schopenhauer captured the essence of human pride in intellectual ability with his words now there is nothing of which a man is prouder than of intellectual ability for it is this that gives

him his commanding place in the animal world it is an exceedingly rash thing to let anyone see that you are decidedly Superior to him in this respect and to let other people see it too because he will then thirst for vengeance schopenhauer believed intellectual superiority placed one on a higher plane of existence above the masses yet he recognized the double-edged nature of such a gift while Keen intelligence can make one proud it can also make others envious just seeing other person's towering intellect can make the inferior party feel inadequate and diminish their self-worth this recognition

often leads to a desire to diminish or undermine the intellectually Superior individual schopenhauer emphasized that this strategic use of stupidity is not about genuine ignorance but rather about knowing when and how to appear not to know he believed that it is of little value to be wise among fools or sane among lunatics by adopting the the guise of the dumbest of brutes one can ensure a warmer reception from others and avoid generating hostility he further emphasizes the value of playing dumb stating it is a real recommendation to be stupid for just as warmth is agreeable

to the body so it does the mind good to feel its superiority and a man will seek company likely to give him this feeling as instinctively as he will approach the fireplace or walk in the sun if he wants to get warm He suggests that embracing ignorance strategically can provide a sense of gratification ation and psychological warmth similar to the physical comfort of warmth to the body however it is important to note that he does not advocate for suppressing or denying one's intelligence rather his advice is clear exercise prudence and sensitivity to navigate the Dynamics

of Human Relationships more effectively while intellectual superiority can be a source of personal satisfaction and accomplishment it also carries the potential to disrupt social harmony in his essay metaphysics of the love of the sex schopenhauer discussed how people act in social situations he said to play the fool is the last resort in order to cover the defects of others this statement perfectly encapsulates schopenhauer's belief that assuming the role of a fool can serve as a strategic maneuver to conceal the shortcomings or flaws of those around us he was aware that people often have imperfections weaknesses

or inadequacies that they may wish to keep hidden however openly acknowledge Ling these defects can be uncomfortable and potentially detrimental to one's reputation or self-esteem schopenhauer was clear that adopting the guise of a fool can provide a convenient cover diverting attention away from the flaws of others and allowing them to save face this strategic tactic can be employed in various social contexts such as conversations debates or group dynamics he knew that we humans are often quick to judge and criticize one another when we see that someone else isn't quite up to scratch we tend to

focus on their weaknesses however schopenhauer is clear that this approach rarely works and can often lead to more tension and resentment schopenhauer's quote is clear wisdom is all about context it challenges the idea that just having a lot of smarts makes you a good person instead it confidently suggests that being a little bit foolish can help you get through the ups and downs of human interaction and make things more harmonious in the end schopenhauer makes a compelling case for embracing the unexpected value of playing the fool at times while Society prizes intelligence sometimes acting a

bit clueless can actually help smooth over tough social situations in fact a little feigned ignorance may be the smartest way to keep the peace thank you for watching