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
Newspapers are the second hand of history. This hand, however, is usually not only of inferior metal to the other hands, it also seldom works properly.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Newspapers provide a record of history, but their accuracy and quality can be questionable.
In this quote, Schopenhauer likens newspapers to the second hand of a clock, suggesting that while they play a role in recording history, they often do so inadequately and with less reliability compared to other sources. This reflects his skepticism about the media's reliability and the importance of scrutinizing the information we consume.
Themes
NewspapersHistoryMediaReliabilityInformation
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of media literacy, this quote can highlight the need for critical thinking.
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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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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