Consciousness is the mere surface of our minds, of which, as of the earth, we do not know the inside, but only the crust.
Arthur SchopenhauerSolitude will be welcomed or endured or avoided, according as a man's personal value is large or small.
Arthur SchopenhauerAll religions promise a reward beyond life, in eternity, for excellences of the will or heart, but none for excellences of the head or understanding.
Arthur SchopenhauerTo be alone is the fate of all great mindsโa fate deplored at times, but still always chosen as the less grievous of two evils.
Arthur SchopenhauerIf people insist that honor is dearer than life itself, what they really mean is that existence and well-being are as nothing compared with other people's opinions. Of course, this may be only an exaggerated way of stating the prosaic truth that reputation, that is, the opinion others have of us, is indispensable if we are to make any progress in the world.
Arthur Schopenhauer