Ирвин Ялом - The Schopenhauer Cure

any other in the history of German philosophy,” but by the essence of

Schopenhauerian thought, which he describes as «emotional, breathtaking, playing

between violent contrasts, between instinct and mind, passion and redemption.» Then

and there Mann resolved that discovering Schopenhauer was too precious an

experience to keep to himself and straightaway used it creatively by offering the

philosopher to his suffering hero.

And not only Thomas Mann but many other great minds acknowledged their

debt to Arthur Schopenhauer. Tolstoy called Schopenhauer the «genius par excellence

among men.» To Richard Wagner he was a «gift from Heaven.» Nietzsche said his

life was never the same after purchasing a tattered volume of Schopenhauer in a used–book store in Leipzig and, as he put it, «letting that dynamic, dismal genius work on

my mind.» Schopenhauer forever changed the intellectual map of the Western world,

and without him we would have had a very different and weaker Freud, Nietzsche,

Hardy, Wittgenstein, Beckett, Ibsen, Conrad.

Philip pulled out a pocketwatch, studied it for a moment, and then, with great

solemnity:

Here concludes my introduction to Schopenhauer. His philosophy has such breadth

and depth it defies a short summary. Hence I have chosen to pique your curiosity in

the hope that you will read the sixty–page chapter in your text carefully. I prefer to

devote the last twenty minutes of this lecture to audience questions and discussion.

Are there questions from the audience, Dr. Hertzfeld?

Unnerved by Philip`s tone, Julius once again scanned the empty auditorium and

then softly said, «Philip, I wonder if you`re aware that your audience has departed?»

«What audience? Them? Those so–called students?» Philip flicked his wrist in a

disparaging manner to convey that they were beneath his notice, that neither their arrival

nor their departure made the slightest difference to him. «You, Dr. Hertzfeld, are my

audience today. I intended my lecture for you alone,” said Philip, who in no way seemed

discomfited by holding a conversation with someone thirty feet away in a cavernous

deserted auditorium.

«All right, I`ll bite. Why am I your audience today?»

«Think about it, Dr. Hertzfeld...”

«I`d prefer you`d call me Julius. If I refer to you as Philip, and I`m assuming that`s

okay with you, then it`s only right that you call me Julius. Ah, dГ©jГ vu all over again—

how clearly I recall saying so very very long ago, ‘Call me Julius, please—we`re not

strangers.`”

«I am not on a first–name basis with my clients because I am their professional

consultant, not their friend. But, as you wish, Julius it is. I`ll start again. You inquire why

you alone are my intended audience. My answer is that I am merely responding to your

request for help. Think about it, Julius, you came to see me with a request for an

interview and embedded in that request were other requests.»

«Oh?»

«Yes. Let me expand upon this matter. First, there was a tone of urgency in your

voice. It was particularly important to you that I meet with you. Obviously, your request

did not arise from simple curiosity about how I was doing. No, you wanted something

else. You mentioned that your health was imperiled, and, in a sixty–five–year–old man,

that means you must be confronting your death. Hence, I could only assume that you

were frightened and searching for some kind of consolation. My lecture today is my

response to your request.»

«An oblique response, Philip.»

«No more oblique than your request, Julius.»

«TouchГ©! But, as I recall, you`ve never minded obliquity.»

«And I`m comfortable with it now. You made a request for help, and I responded

by introducing you to the man who, of all men, can be most helpful to you.»

«And so your intent was to offer me solace by describing how Mann`s dying

Buddenbrooks received comfort from Schopenhauer?»

«Precisely. And I offered that to you only as an appetizer, a sampler of what is to

come. There is a great deal that I, as your guide to Schopenhauer, can offer you, and I

would like to make a proposal.»

«A proposal? Philip, you continue to surprise. My curiosity is piqued.»

«I`ve completed my course work in a counseling program and all other

requirements to obtain a state counseling license, except that I need two hundred more

hours of professional supervision. I can continue practicing as a clinical philosopher—

that field is not regulated by the state—but a counselor`s license would offer me a

number of advantages, including the ability to buy malpractice insurance and to market

myself more effectively. Unlike Schopenhauer, I have neither an independent source of

financial support nor any secure academic support—you`ve seen with your own eyes the

disinterest in philosophy displayed by the clods who attend this pigsty of a university.»

«Philip, why must we shout to one another? The lecture is over. Would you mind

taking a seat and continuing this discussion more informally.»

«Of course.» Philip collected his lecture notes, stuffed them into his briefcase, and

eased into a seat in the front row. Though they were closer, four rows of seats still

separated them, and Philip was forced to swivel his neck awkwardly to see Julius.

«So, am I correct in assuming that you propose a swap—I supervise you and you

teach me about Schopenhauer?» Julius now asked in a low voice.

«Right!» Philip turned his head but not enough to make eye contact.

«And you`ve given thought to the precise mechanics of our arrangement?»

«I`ve given much thought to it. In fact, Dr. Hertzfeld...”

«Julius.»

«Yes, yes—Julius. What I was going to say is that I`d been considering the idea of

calling you for several weeks to try to arrange supervision but kept putting it off,

primarily for financial reasons. So I was startled by the remarkable coincidence of your

call. As for mechanics, I suggest meeting weekly and splitting our hour: half the time you

provide expert advice about my patients, and half the time I am your guide to

Schopenhauer.»

Julius closed his eyes and lapsed into thought.

Philip waited two or three minutes and then: «What say you to my offer? Even

though I`m certain no students will appear, I`m scheduled for office hours after my

lecture and so must head back to the administration building.»

«Well Philip, it`s not your everyday offer. I need more time to think it through.

Let`s meet later this week. I take off Wednesday afternoons. Can you do four o`clock?»

Philip nodded. «I finish at three on Wednesday. Shall we meet in my office?»

«No, Philip. My office. It`s in my home at two–forty–nine Pacific Avenue, not too

far from my old office. Here, take my card.»

Excerpts from Julius`s Journal

After his lecture Philip`s proposal for a supervision–tutoring swap stunned me.

How quickly one moves back into the familiar force field of another person! So much like

the state–dependent memories in dreams in which the landscape`s eerie familiarity

reminds you that you`ve visited the identical locale before in other dreams. Same with

marijuana—a couple of hits and suddenly you`re in a familiar place thinking familiar

thoughts that exist only in the marijuana state.

And it`s the same with Philip. Only a little time in his presence and—presto—my

deep memories of him plus a peculiar Philip–induced state of mind reappear in a flash.