Schopenhauer: True Prudence | Counsels & Maxims 50

The person of prudence & discretion plans for unseen hazards.
Schopenhauer playlist: • Schopenhauer's Counsel...
Section 50 of Counsels and Maxims (1851)
0:00 Anticipating Risks
1:19 Comment 1
2:58 Sacrifice to Evil Spirits
3:45 Comment 2
#Philosophy #Schopenhauer #lifeadvice
Music: Among the Clouds, by Darren Curtis
Thumbnail Image: 1815 Portrait, By Ludwig Sigismund Ruhl - Schopenhauer-Archiv der Stadt- und Universitätsbibliothek Frankfurt am Main, Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Schopenhauer Text:
In the daily affairs of life, you will have very many opportunities of recognizing a characteristic difference between ordinary people of prudence and discretion. In estimating the possibility of danger in connection with any undertaking, an ordinary man will confine his inquiries to the kind of risk that has already attended such undertakings in the past; whereas a prudent person will look ahead, and consider everything that might possibly happen in the future, having regard to a certain Spanish maxim: lo que no acaece en un ano, acaece en un rato-a thing may not happen in a year, and yet may happen within two minutes.
The difference in question is, of course, quite natural; for it requires some amount of discernment to calculate possibilities; but a man need only have his senses about him to see what has already happened.
Do not omit to sacrifice to evil spirits. What I mean is, that a man should not hesitate about spending time, trouble, and money, or giving up his comfort, or restricting his aims and denying himself, if he can thereby shut the door on the possibility of misfortune. The most terrible misfortunes are also the most improbable and remote-the least likely to occur. The rule I am giving is best exemplified in the practice of insurance,-a public sacrifice made on the altar of anxiety. Therefore take out your policy of insurance!

[@Zero-ry2rc]

One of the first instances that I remember about "insurance" was the dutch in the 16-17th century for sailing vessels cargo.