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His status as a star philosophical pessimism and his most famous portraitin which we see him as an old man, disheveled, gray-haired, with a tired look and a severe rictus, has made us observe Arthur Schopenhauer with some suspicion. In an already difficult world, who would want to dedicate a few minutes to a 19th century Prussian who stood out for the crudeness with which he approached life? The reality is that in 2026 Schopenhauer is still a philosophical beacon that helps us understand issues as basic as the meaning of life. Even “the crisis of 40”. Life, like a book. Throughout his long life (he died at the age of 72) Schopenhauer dedicated himself to writing on issues as diverse as politics, aesthetics, morals, psychology, rhetoric or even about ‘the art of insulting’. Towards the end of his life, however, he published a monumental work, Parerga and Paraliomenain which he leaves a vital reflection that over the years has become one of his most famous aphorisms. And it’s normal. Ultimately, it sheds light on the meaning of life using a universal metaphor: books. What does it say exactly? That just as essays, novels or plays follow an internal structure without which they would be chaotic, life can be divided into parts that, in a certain way, explain each other. To be more precise, in his ‘Eudemonology’, Schopenhauer tells us: “In a broader sense, it can be said that the first forty years of existence provide the text and the next thirty the commentary, which then makes us understand well the true meaning, then the morality and all the subtleties (…). At the end of life there is something that reminds us of the end of a masked ball, when the masked men retire.” Is it the only quote on the subject? No. In his work, Schopenhauer, who was already over 60 years old when it was published Parerga and Paralipomenagives us many other phrases that point in a similar direction. For example: “In youth, contemplation dominates; in mature age, reflection. That is why the first is the age of poetry; the second, that of philosophy. In practice, likewise, one is determined by perception and its impression during youth; Later, by reflection.” “This comes partly from the fact that in middle age images have been presented and grouped around notions in sufficient numbers to give them importance, weight and value, as well as to moderate at the same time, for custom, the impression of perceptions.”. “Only he who reaches old age receives a complete and measured representation of life, since he encompasses it at a glance in its fullness and in its natural course, in a special way and not merely as others do, only from its beginning, but also from its end, through which he perfectly recognizes its vanity. What do you want to tell us? May your reflections have had so much success It’s not surprising at all. Faced with frustration, defeatism or even pessimism due to the passage of time, Schopenhauer basically reminds us that each period of life has its function in the story of life, just like the parts of a book. During the years of youth we ‘write’ the text, we make decisions, we accumulate experiences, we make mistakes and successes and, ultimately, we form our character and set a path for ourselves both at a professional and personal level. In the second half of life, as we mature, turning 40, it is time to look back and adopt a critical approach that gives us coherence. Beyond Schopenhauer. As remember in TrendsSchopenhauer’s theory connects with those of other actors, such as the psychiatrist Robert N. Butler, who in the 1960s described the tendency of people to review their own biography when they reach old age to make sense of it. After all, we are not just a concatenation of decisions and events, but the story that we ourselves shape and build with those pieces, a story that is in the process of being rewritten. Why at 40 years old? Schopenhauer wrote in the 19th century, the one in which he lived, and this is perceived in his essays. For example, he marks the turning point at 40 years old and outlines a life horizon of another 30 years ahead. The reality is that right now life expectancy in Spain is over 84 years old. That being true, it is undeniable that the Prussian had amazing aim. Today experts use a concept called reminiscence bump (reminiscence peak) that describes how when entering adulthood, at 30 or more years old, our autobiographical memory becomes especially active. The phenomenon connects in some way with Schopenhauer’s metaphor. “He reminiscence peak refers to the disproportionate amount of autobiographical memories dating from adolescence and early adulthood. It has often been attributed to the consolidation of the mature self in the period encompassed by that peak,” they explain researchers Jonathan Koppel and Dorthe Berntsen. Other authors they define it such as “the increase in the proportion of autobiographical memories of youth observed in those over 40 years of age.” Centering the focus. Does that mean that after 40 the past defeats us? Are we condemned to live chained to continuous memory? No. What Schopenhauer tells us is that when we reach adulthood the focus changes: beyond the experiences or decisions, the story matters. We discover the meaning of the path we have traveled and see things more clearly. We move from the age of poetry to the age of philosophy, paraphrasing Schopenhauer. The reflection of Qarerga and Paralipomena It helps us better understand Schopenhauer’s multifaceted and nuanced thought. To that and something more: understanding that, beyond the patina it may have, philosophical pessimism it’s not exactly the same than psychological pessimism. On the contrary, authors like Schopenhauer offer a path that can be followed with a positive attitude and helps to avoid the goodness that has made happiness an industry. Images | Wikipedia 1 and 2 Via | Trends In … Read more