--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Schopenhauer remarked that buying books…" description: "\"“Schopenhauer remarked that buying books would be better if you could also buy the time to read them. Books are different from natural objects in that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/john-durham-peters-66802_big-city_schopenhauer-remarked-that-buying-books_1263230.jpg" --- # Schopenhauer remarked that buying books would be better if… ![“Schopenhauer remarked that buying books would be better if you could also buy the time to read them. Books are different from natural objects in that they can overwhelm us in a way that nature’s abundance rarely does. There has always been too much to know; the universe is thoroughly baffling…” quote by John Durham Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/john-durham-peters-66802_big-city_schopenhauer-remarked-that-buying-books_1263230.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/john-durham-peters-66802_big-city_schopenhauer-remarked-that-buying-books_1263230.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fb/john-durham-peters-66802_big-city_schopenhauer-remarked-that-buying-books_1263230.jpg) > ““Schopenhauer remarked that buying books would be better if you could also buy the time to read them. Books are different from natural objects in that they can overwhelm us in a way that nature’s abundance rarely does. There has always been too much to know; the universe is thoroughly baffling. When we walk into a bookstore, it is easy to feel oppressed by the amount of knowledge on tap. Why don’t we have the same feeling in a forest, at the beach, in a big city, or simply in breathing? There is more going on in our body every second than we will ever understand, and yet we rarely feel bothered by our inability to know it all. Books, however, are designed to make demands on our attention and time: they hail us in ways that nature rarely does. A thing is what Heidegger calls zunichtsgedrängt, relaxed and bothered about nothing. A plant or stone is as self-sufficient as the Aristotelian god or Heidegger’s slacker things, but books are needy. They cry out for readers as devils hunger for souls.”” [John Durham Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-durham-peters/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Books demand attention and time, unlike nature, creating a feeling of oppression due to their designed neediness. **In simple terms:** Books feel demanding, nature feels effortless. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance reading time with other activities. Themes attention knowledge overwhelm nature reading Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - Choosing a book - visiting a library - managing study schedule - digital reading vs print - mindful consumption Key Concepts Heidegger Schopenhauer information overload attention economy Questions to Reflect On - How does your reading habit affect your sense of overwhelm? - Can you apply nature's effortless presence to your reading routine? A Different Perspective The feeling of oppression may stem from personal expectations rather than the medium itself. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-city/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Needy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-needy-4024278/) [Buying books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying-books/) [Every second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-second/) [Feeling Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-forest-4024280/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Needy Readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needy-readers-4024279/) [Thing Heidegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-heidegger-4024281/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Understand Rarely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-rarely-4024277/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“A bookshop is a peaceful sanctuary of silent voices waiting to heard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mala-naidoo/a-bookshop-is-a-peaceful-sanctuary-of-silent-voices-waiting-to-heard/) [Mala Naidoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mala-naidoo/) > [“I mention the library only as a last resort. 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Use… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/d-on-t-ever-apologise-to-an-author-for-buying-something-in-paperback/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Now, everyone is excited about food - cooking, growing, learning - watching it on TV, buying books, trying things at home. It's the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-oliver/now-everyone-is-excited-about-food-cooking-growing-learning-watching/) [Jamie Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-oliver/) > [“Buying books would be a good thing if one could also buy the time to read them; but as a rule the purchase of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/buying-books-would-be-a-good-thing-if-one-could-also-buy-the-time-to/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“Jack shook his head. 'Books. What is it with women and books? My sisters were the same. 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Edward Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-edward-newton/) ## More by John Durham Peters > [“Books you have read share a deep ontological similarity with books you haven't: both can be profoundly fuzzy. 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There is more going on in our body every second than we will ever understand, and yet we rarely feel bothered by our inability to know it all. Books, however, are designed to make demands on our attention and time: they hail us in ways that nature rarely does. A thing is what Heidegger calls zunichtsgedrängt, relaxed and bothered about nothing. A plant or stone is as self-sufficient as the Aristotelian god or Heidegger’s slacker things, but books are needy. 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