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«Yes, here`s my advice.» Philip spoke evenly, softly, still making no eye contact.

«Your wife is one of those people who is particularly unable to live in the present because

she is so heavily laden with the freight of the past. She is a sinking ship. She`s going

down. My advice to you is to jump overboard and start swimming. She`ll produce a

powerful wake when she goes under, so I urge you to swim away as fast and as hard as

you can.»

Silence. The group seemed stunned.

«Hey, no one is going to accuse you,” said Gill, «of pulling your punches. I asked a

question. You gave an answer. I appreciate that. A lot. Welcome to the group. Any other

comments you got—I want to hear them.»

«Well,” said Philip, still looking upward, «in that case let me add one additional

thought. Kierkegaard described some individuals as being in ‘double despair,` that is,

they are in despair but too self–deceived to know even that they are in despair. I think you

may be in double despair. Here`s what I mean: most of my own suffering is a result of

my being driven by desires, and then, once I satisfy a desire, I enjoy a moment of

satiation, which soon is transformed into boredom, which is then interrupted by another

desire springing up. Schopenhauer felt this was the universal human condition—wanting,

momentary satiation, boredom, further wanting.

«Back to you—I question whether you`ve yet explored this cycle of endless desires

within yourself. Perhaps you`ve been so preoccupied with your wife`s wishes it`s kept

you from becoming acquainted with your own desires? Isn`t that why others here were

applauding you today? Wasn`t it because you were finally refusing to be defined by her

wishes? In other words, I`m asking whether your work on yourself has been delayed or

derailed by your preoccupation with your wife`s wishes.»

Gill listened, mouth gaping, gaze fixed on Philip. «That`s deep. I know there`s

something deep and important in what you`re saying—in this double despair idea—but

I`m not getting it all.»

All eyes were now on Philip, who continued to have eyes only for the ceiling.

«Philip,” said Rebecca, now finished with replacing her barrettes, «weren`t you saying

that Gill`s personal work won`t really begin until he liberates himself from his wife?»

«Or,” Tony said, «that his involvement with her prevents him from knowing how

fucked–up he really is? Hell, I know this is true for me and the way I relate to my work—

I been thinking this past week that I`m so busy being ashamed of being a carpenter—

being blue–collar, being low–income, being looked down on—that I never get around to

thinking about the real shit I should be dealing with.»

Julius watched in amazement as others, thirsty for Philip`s every word, chimed in.

He felt competitive urges rising but quelled them by reminding himself that the group`s

purposes were being served.Cool it, Julius, he said to himself,the group needs you;

they`re not going to desert you for Philip. What`s going on here is great; they are

assimilating the new member, and they are also each laying out agendas for future work.

He had planned to talk about his diagnosis in the group today. In a sense his hand

was now forced because he had already told Philip he had a melanoma and, to avoid the

impression of a special relationship with him, had to share it with the whole group. But

he had been preempted. First there was Gill`s emergency, and then there was the group`s

total fascination with Philip. He checked the clock. Ten minutes left. Not enough time to

lay this on them. Julius resolved that he would absolutely begin the next meeting with the

bad news. He remained silent and let the clock run out.

12

1799—Arthur

Learns about

Choice and

Other Worldly

Horrors

_________________________

Thekings left their crowns and

scepters behind here, and the

heroes their weapons. Yet the

great spirits among them all,

whose splendor flowed out of

themselves, who did not

receive it from outward

things, they take their

greatness across with them.

—Arthur Schopenhauer, age sixteen at

Westminster Abbey

_________________________

When the nine–year–old Arthur returned from Le Havre, his father placed him in a private

school whose specific mandate was to educate future merchants. There he learned what

good merchants of the time had to know: to calculate in different currencies, to write

business letters in all the major European languages, to study transport routes, trade

centers, yields of the soil, and other such fascinating topics. But Arthur was not

fascinated; he had no interest in such knowledge, formed no close friendships at school,

and dreaded more each day his father`s plan for his future—a seven–year apprenticeship

with a local business magnate.

What did Arthur want? Not the life of a merchant—he loathed the very idea. He

craved the life of a scholar. Though many of his classmates also disliked the thought of a

long apprenticeship, Arthur`s protests ran far deeper. Despite his parents` strong

admonitions—a letter from his mother instructed him to «put aside all these authors for a

while...you are now fifteen and have already read and studied the best German, French

and, in part, also English authors»—he spent all his available free time studying literature

and philosophy.

Arthur`s father, Heinrich, was tormented by his son`s interests. The headmaster of

Arthur`s school had informed him that his son had a passion for philosophy, was

exceptionally suited for the life of a scholar, and would do well to transfer to a

gymnasium which would prepare him for the university. In his heart, Heinrich may have

sensed the correctness of the schoolmaster`s advice; his son`s voracious consumption and

comprehension of all works of philosophy, history, and literature in the extensive

Schopenhauer library was readily apparent.

What was Heinrich to do? At stake was his successor, as well as the future of the

entire firm and his filial obligation to all his ancestors to maintain the Schopenhauer

lineage. Moreover, he shuddered at the prospect of a male Schopenhauer subsisting on

the limited income of a scholar.

First, Heinrich considered setting up a lifelong annuity through his church for his

son, but the cost was prohibitive; business was bad, and Heinrich also had obligations to

guarantee the financial future of a wife and daughter.

Then gradually a solution, a somewhat diabolical solution, began to form in his

mind. For some time he had resisted Johanna`s pleas for a lengthy tour of Europe. These

were difficult times; the international political climate was so unstable that the safety of

the Hanseatic cities was threatened and his constant attention to business was required.

Yet because of weariness and his yearning to shed the weight of business responsibilities,

his resistance to Johanna`s request was wavering. Slowly there swiveled into mind an

inspired plan that would serve two purposes; his wife would be pleased, and the dilemma

of Arthur`s future would be resolved.

His decision was to offer his fifteen–year–old son a choice. «You must choose,” he

told him. «Either accompany your parents on a year`s grand tour of all of Europe or

pursue a career as a scholar. Either you give me a pledge that on the day you return from

the journey you will begin your business apprenticeshipor forego this journey, remain in

Hamburg, and immediately transfer to a classical educational curriculum which will

prepare you for the academic life.»