We can come to look upon the deaths of our enemies with as much regret as we feel for those of our friends, namely, when we miss their existence as witnesses to our success.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
At bottom, every state regards another as a gang of robbers who will fall upon it as soon as there is an opportunity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the intrinsic distrust and conflict between states, suggesting that cooperation is often overshadowed by a fear of betrayal.
Arthur Schopenhauer's quote highlights a cynical view of international relations, where each state perceives others as potential threats, akin to robbers ready to seize an opportunity for gain. This perspective underscores the notion that even among nations, the absence of trust can lead to a vicious cycle of suspicion and aggression, indicating a deeper philosophical inquiry into human nature and societal organization.
Themes
StatesTrustConflictSuspicionPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about international relations at a political conference.
More from Arthur Schopenhauer
All quotes βTo be shocked at how deeply rejection hurts is to ignore what acceptance involves. We must never allow our suffering to be compounded by suggestions that there is something odd in suffering so deeply. There would be something amiss if we didn't.
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Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people.
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Life is full of troubles and vexations, that one must either rise above it by means of corrected thoughts, or leave it.
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Our religions will never at any time take root; the ancient wisdom of the human race will not be supplanted by the events in Galilee. On the contrary, Indian wisdom flows back to Europe, and will produce a fundamental change in our knowledge and thought.
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We will gradually become indifferent to what goes on in the minds of other people when we acquire a knowledge of the superficial nature of their thoughts, the narrowness of their views and of the number of their errors. Whoever attaches a lot of value to the opinions of others pays them too much honor.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
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