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
Patriotism, when it wants to make itself felt in the domain of learning, is a dirty fellow who should be thrown out of doors.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote criticizes the influence of patriotism on education and intellectual freedom.
Schopenhauer argues that patriotism, when applied to the pursuit of knowledge, becomes a negative force that hinders open-mindedness and critical thinking. He suggests that such a form of nationalism in academia should be rejected, as it corrupts the integrity of learning and inquiry.
Themes
PatriotismLearningEducationNationalismFreedom
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on ethics, one might cite this quote to illustrate the dangers of allowing nationalism to influence scientific progress.
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.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
Life is full of troubles and vexations, that one must either rise above it by means of corrected thoughts, or leave it.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
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.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
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
Similar quotes
Intentions, good or bad, are not enough. There's luck or fate or something else that takes over.
John SteinbeckRead
The problem of the Middle East is poverty more than politics.
Shimon PeresRead
I feel closer to my country than ever. There is no longer a feeling of lonesome isolation. Instead-peace. I return without fearing prejudice that once bothered me . . . for I know that people practice cruel bigotry in their ignorance, not maliciously
Paul RobesonRead
The minute you understand racism, you're responsible for being racist. It's like eating from the tree of knowledge.
Lynda BarryRead
You cannot be a man of faith unless you know how to doubt.
Thomas MertonRead
All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason.
Immanuel KantRead