Character Quote by Arthur Schopenhauer
“Every generation, no matter how paltry its character, thinks itself much wiser than the one immediately preceding it, let alone those that are more remote.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Parerga and Paralipomena, 1851
Each generation overestimates its own wisdom compared to its predecessors, ignoring the value of older perspectives.
In simple terms: People think they’re smarter than those before them.
Question assumptions about past generations.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- family discussions
- educational curricula
- policy debates
- media analysis
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this bias affect decision making?
- What can we learn from past generations?
Older insights can still be relevant; dismissing them may cause loss of knowledge.