LITERATURE - Voltaire

Voltaire was one of the wisest, funniest and cleverest people of the 18th century. He continues to have lots to teach us about toleration, modesty and kindness.
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CREDITS
Produced in collaboration with Reflective Films
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Script written for The School of Life by Professor Nicholas Cronk, Director of the Voltaire Foundation:
www.mod-langs.ox.ac.uk/people/... #TheSchoolOfLife

[@braydnrea5912]

“Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” -Voltaire

[@madalinadanila_piano]

Brilliant

[@wanderingsoul1189]

A powerful line.

[@KingPhoey]

Corvus Morve Do not tattoo this as Voltaire lol Actually this quote is misattributed to Voltaire it was a man named Peter Gay who was summarizing Voltaire’s work who actually used the metaphor.

[@KootFloris]

Things have changed. "Earth is a spaceship and we're all crew." Buckminster Fuller. Sadly the billionaires want to build lifeboats, while sinking the ship.

[@KootFloris]

@Corvus Morve Not true. The economy would be smaller, but in fact more more people would have jobs, in way more local and regional businesses. Mass production kills jobs. And robots and AI will make this much worse in the near future. Other indicator: Trump just bailed out big business and still many many Americans lost their jobs. Clearly saving big corporations doesn't help people on the ground. And then you clearly don't mind plastics in all your food, dying ecosystems, a damage that continues due to corporate lobbies. Just check 'biggest threats to our planet' we're guilty of.

[@Bingewatchingmediacontent]

This narrator has the most calming and lovely voice

[@broobit7540]

It sounds like Olly

[@FORSIGHTPARADIGM]

May I recommend my own channel, I talk about the Enlightenment regularly, recently talked to this Diderot scholar: ​kzbin.info/www/bejne/oKrRkKGKeJuSodU​

[@theogriffin1686]

It’s Alain de Botton I think

[@TheeSeniorJr]

He's the main founder and contributer to the School of Life. I got to see him speak at one of their conferences. Smart dude.

[@teresaespana3845]

What is rational religion?

[@alexgm077]

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ― Voltaire

[@davidroberts7282]

Well, my response is that sometimes the biggest, greatest fools are laughed at and ridiculed by people far less intelligent then they are. That includes intellectuals, revolutionaries, men of reason, or science-ones that Voltaire would perceive as being least likeliest to be or act irrationally. Too bad Voltaire wasn't an existentialist like Pascal, and later on Kierkegaard, Doesteschy, Nietzsche. Those intellectuals broke down and re-contextualized Voltaire's occasional long, excessive prosaic arguments and tirades and made it more understandable. Take Kierkegaard's Wag in the Theatre argument or Pascal's Wager, or even Oscar Wilde's writings, books, or witty, memorable quotes: These men make profound, remarkable arguments but you don't sense this overbearing sense of intellectual arrogance, elitism, and priggish sense of entitlement Voltaire seems to come across as in his writings. With existentialism, its profound and deep but not cumbersome and doesn't try to talk way over the heads of its readers. Orwell probably would've found Voltaire a boring, self-entitled, self-righteous elitist whose arrogant demeanor made it hard to overlook and swallow the real considerable substance Voltaire put out. Orwell was the everyman's intellectual who despised the secluded, distant, aloof behavior, attitudes, and weekend, wannabe revolutionaries that existed in left wing academic circles, groups, secret associations in Cambridge, Oxford, Trinity College among the students, faculty, and even a few laymen.

[@mahnoorfatima331]

Credo quia absurdum

[@ngoooderick9626]

Albert camus

[@rarbango]

Yoi can"t forget this lesson in shortly #rarbango

[@EMlNENCJA]

We all are capable of atrocities. No matter which box of current beliefs you subscribe to (well, maybe Jainism stands in some weird way, but I digress). The point is -Life is absurd and I do not believe You to be a Jain, so probability is, that You came from a place of great vanity to say that. Just the same as me! ☺️ We all know what comes after pride…

[@markmarsh27]

This series is SPECTACULAR. ... I've never seen any catalouge of the Intellectual History of Mankind that even approaches the depth of meaning and scholarship you're building here. ... I'm blown away and deeply grateful.

[@srm4196]

Mark Marsh that too remaining interesting...

[@bennytvyt]

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" - Voltaire

[@norajacobs6723]

Or originally by Evelyn Beatrice Hall in The Friends of Voltaire 🙈

[@marfesh.hlimawma8882]

@@norajacobs6723 i was just about to say but... 🥂

[@norajacobs6723]

@@marfesh.hlimawma8882 i guess great minds think alike… 🥂😋

[@Lamassu112]

"The Holy Roman Empire is neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire." - Voltaire

[@tadstrange1465]

maybe the dog Thank you John Green, very cool!

[@avecmoi9429]

Nor is it Romaine lettuce.

[@Dominus_Augustus]

It's rather ironic that the Germans, who contributed to the fall of Rome, tried to recreate it

[@niclasjohansson5992]

Technically false when you are taking about it in its whole. Voltaire was talking about it in its later days. There are argument that can be made that it was imperial as it from time to time ruled over people of other ethnicities (which is one definition), an holy because it was from time to time blessed by the pope

[@eagle_spangled_tricolor2073]

Which one of his books did he say that phrase in?

[@donnierussellii4659]

François-Marie "How did I get this old without someone killing me" Arouet.

[@rbeforme]

"If God created us in His own image, then we have certainly returned the favor." - Voltaire

[@Learnersense]

Pls where can i get quotes from Voltiare

[@maryspanidi3700]

Common Sense is Not that Common. ---Voltaire

[@shimnakt955]

That hits hard....

[@robsmith3839]

Significant that there is no mention of his great love; Emilie du Chatalet, the most brilliant woman of the 18th century. Voltaire himself deferred to her. She deserves a section all her own.

[@ricardoafonso9626]

"Doctors put drugs of which they know little into bodies of which they know less for diseases of which they know nothing at all" Voltaire

[@curtisbergeron5585]

This didn't age well huh golly

[@pavlenikolic3555]

Light years ahead of his time. He predicted the COVID fascism, big pharma and state controlled media.

[@LeGentilhommeLGH]

I'm very proud to be french, thanks to the Lumières and their ideas, our world is well shaped. I read Candide long time ago, and it is one of these books you won't forget. Very good video by the way.

[@Rowlph8888]

That all came from English culture In the 1700s. If you've read Voltaire, then you should notice because he was clear about this and was contemptuous of French culture and society in general. the French Enlightenment thinkers were heavily influenced by English political structures, human and civil rights legislation and enlightened thinking. Voltaire and his contemporaries confirmed this - so don't be too proud, France was a backward feudal, autocratic society until it was dragged into the modern period

[@crazypato3752]

La culture français est très belle

[@j0kez708]

"If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." -Voltaire.

[@TheCoffeeNut711]

I found this channel by accident but damn I'm I happy I did.

[@ZKrow382]

Same.

[@burakbr7789]

same

[@iLiokardo]

SAME!!!

[@shoroqtarifi7548]

sammmeee'')

[@imanebacha6670]

Same :)

[@_pink_clovers]

I love how all the images hang together, metaphorically and literally, in a way that looks a little chaotic and still ordered, to convey a greater point and help you follow the ideas; it's very satisfying.

[@juliabrahy2605]

When I read Candide (I grew up and live in France, Paris) our teacher told us that Optimism was the philosophy of ignorance and to deliberately blind ourselves from the evil in the world and ignore it, not to simply change views on evil.

[@G_Rad_Ski]

Life's a garden, dig it.

[@ArmLegLegArmHead47]

Kid Zarathustra Underrated comment!

[@Rob81k]

I hear Santa agrees.

[@bullmoosemedia]

"We must cultivate our garden."

[@ganeshputrevu8358]

Videos run fast and the subtitles move faster unable to read.

[@rheajaiswal8980]

bukowski would've put it this way

[@johnboltonsmustache3014]

The most interesting thing to me is that Voltaire predicted a place where I grew up in and still live. There are so many religious beliefs , churches and so forth where I live. I've never seen a shred of violence or disrespect. Commerce rules and people worship the way they want. God bless Voltaire. I formulated the very same thoughts years ago and am glad to hear thoughts like this from people public school never taught me about. Bravo!

[@mohammedengabdikarinmohamm5943]

l'm 22 years and i love so much vontaire's books eg 1 Candide 2. Zadig 3.Essai sur les meaurs et l esprit des nation from somaliland /borama amoud university medical student “My eyes hunger to read more books then time allows me to devour.” ... but “Never force yourself to read a book that you do not enjoy. ... read what u enjoy

[@cindyforshaw1514]

This is one of the the best sites I've found. So entertaining, whilst learning more about our favorite philosophers. Wonderful to hear even more about Kafka. Had no idea his father was such a sociopath. No wonder poor Kafka had zilch confidence. A tragedy. Alain de Botton does a wonderful job of narrating these picturesque productions. Thanks so much for these.

[@Elbasilius]

Hey I'm really impressed by your french pronounciation, even in other videos your foreign languages sound flawless. Could you make a video about yourself? Like who you are, what do you do and so on

[@SomeBF]

The narrator is Alain De Botton, you'll find a lot of information just by googling him

[@bolivar1789]

+Luca5197 Hi Luca! He is one of the greatest and most original thinkers of our time. And certainly the best " teacher of life" I know. You can listen to the Tim Ferris podcast, for a two hour interview with Alain. It's on youtube too. It is also a great idea to watch his documentaries. He has another youtube channel, where you can find all of them. Just search for the documentary " The Status Anxiety" you'll find the channel. You can also subscribe to "The Book of Life" which is the brain of this channel. Have a nice weekend!

[@abhilashajha8822]

Pali and Sanskrit pronunciations could be improved.

[@AdmiralHipper15]

Abhilasha Jha Ok Abhilasha

[@wanderingsoul1189]

@@bolivar1789 Hello. I'm the guy who suggested you mariage d'amour music composition. :) Did you listen that? Btw I love reading your such comprehensive and compressible analysis in comments.

[@madalinadanila_piano]

You are doing such an incredible work posting and commenting all these videos about philosophers and writers who have been established as the greatest minds of humanity! Such valuable pocket lessons! I get curious and want to find out more. Thank you immensely!

[@paules3437]

I've been listening to/watching a number of youtube videos lately and boy, is there a difference in the quality of the writing among them! This one is beautifully, succinctly, and elegantly written. It also has the advantage of a cultured British narrator whose French pronunciation is notably accurate.

[@svvv977]

This video is absolutely brilliant. I totally adore each and every one you make, but this one in particular sparked a certain interest inside of me. What you are doing is excellent and you are truly aiding people by providing them a better understanding of the world. Thank you and please, keep up the good work

[@CosmicFaust]

Thank you School of Life for finally doing Voltaire! He was so witty and his views on many topics are admirable. Please do Thomas Paine next? Also other great thinkers you can possibly do next are David Hume, Thomas Jefferson and Gottfried Leibniz. It would also be so cool if you did science as well along with philosophy and literature. Anyway, your channel is great and I think your doing a fantastic job for culture. I'm glad I've been a subscriber for this long and hope you get many more :) Also I live in England and I might come visit your shop in London.

[@MenaceRx]

if you're interested they have an article on Hume in their webpage, I think it is schooloflife.org or something like that

[@asdmla8777]

+Ellis Farrow and dino buzzati

[@donaldwhittaker7987]

Back in the 60s my favorite writers were Voltaire and Bertrand Russell. Good guys.

[@navyforeveryoungjean-phili5940]

What a beautiful voice. The timbre the cadence the tone. Smooth and soothing and calm but not boring. Appropriate inflections and volume. And your French is beautiful as well. Your voice with French is sublime.

[@Abstractman224]

Thanks School of Life, now I need to read some Voltaire. He is a very interesting man, but his ideals are even more interesting. So much mentioned in this video can be applied to the present day and even more can be applied to the human mind. Gotta love some history and philosophy every once in a while

[@jonzu4]

Voltaire's ghost lurks around on youtube. Not shitting you. He even has a channel called "Voltaire's Ghost."

[@ooloncolluphid7904]

'Cause he was RIGHT, Sir Greedo! BTW, have you thanked Kylo? ;)

[@paulcannon5065]

What a phenomenal, brilliant and great person

[@Deathwisherpro]

I was looking at the song writer Voltaire and got here and I'm glad I learned about his guy now

[@windyhead7960]

No, you did it all because you're EVILLLL!

[@MagnusWallentin]

This series is the best of it's kind, thanks for creating it!

[@nsbd90now]

These videos are terrific, and you present the world's most interesting people and their thoughts in easy snippets.

[@cristinacorreia23]

Excellent video. Teachers should use this in schools. It's almost disappointing to think on how updated Voltaire still is, 250 years later.

[@alokinrainborn]

Thank you so much for covering The Greatest. Amazing work as always

[@ivanaznar6495]

I keep coming back to watch some of the videos of this series, amazing work even 7 years later

[@Erghheurghh]

Fun fact: Voltaire was rumored to have drunken forty cups of coffee a day!

[@banksterkid5930]

It's a fact that's supposed to be roumered. Gr8.. just gr8

[@maaniekgupta2787]

Oxymoron statement

[@jessegaut5969]

Not an oxymoron at all. It is a fact that he was rumored to have done this. These guys don’t know English.

[@werelyve]

Fun fact - rumours are the opposite of facts

[@jessegaut5969]

@@werelyve true. But saying that something is rumored to be true is a fact. It’s a self fulfilling statement. He is spreading the pre existing rumor. Voltaire was rumored to have drank tons of coffee. It’s a fact

[@gobstompper13]

I applaud how you can concentrate so much much information in your videos. I always end up reading more about the topic afterwards.

[@tiggarinos773]

yess, your literature videos are my favourite!!

[@lostpopcorns]

after I felt really depressed watching the Kafka video, this one here was refreshing and even uplifting. I love this literature series of yours and I'm looking forward to more

[@idicula1979]

Candid was the Forest Gump of his day. It's kind of funny if you think about it.

[@narcissesmith9466]

More like the opposite

[@narcissesmith9466]

@@hits_different Candide was written 240 years before that movie, so its more like "Forrest Gump is the Candid of his day"

[@summit1104]

Damn! Friggin killed it, Voltaire, No words, Candid, just been reading him. Thank you Alain and team. Voltaire and Newton absolutely brilliant.

[@tamtaghvitidze4735]

+The School of Life You're awesome! Thank You very much!

[@wisdomofthecrowd9845]

Such a coincidence that this video was uploaded today, when I just finished reading Candide! It did not feel like an enjoyable experience to read Candide, as Voltaire seems to put the reader through an emotional roller coaster (mostly negative), but I did feel like I learned some good lessons at the end of it! My takeaway at the end was: it is much more enjoyable to have a life where you struggle and try to improve, than to have a life of idleness. Thanks for the video!

[@Lyotac]

Great episode! Voltaire is such an interesting person! I'm curious to find out more about him now

[@rickartdefoix1298]

His short or not so short stories deserve to be read. He is witty and imaginative. He's a bit forgotten, think, in what literature concerns. 🆗👍

[@JohanStarDragon]

Hmmm. I have the shrewd notion that the only reason that people of different religions tolerate together in trade is because they at some level have a universal religion: the religion of money.

[@wetteefun]

Montesquieu: "Commerce is a cure for the most destructive prejudices … wherever we find agreeable manners, there commerce flourishes; and that wherever there is commerce, there we meet with agreeable manners."

[@bardackx2]

+StarDragon77 I prefer the word wealth, but I get the point

[@JohanStarDragon]

***** Hmmm, yes. In retrospect, probably the better word would have been "greed".

[@JohanStarDragon]

wetteefun In other words "money talks"?

[@bardackx2]

StarDragon77 greed if tou want, the thing I want to address is that money is worthless while wealth is not, for example, you can print more money, but you cant print more wealth

[@code_kanga5390]

That was really good. I always hit this channel up when I'm reading a classic.

[@DoReMi123acb]

Videos like this help to reinforce my mindset of hopefulness. Tolerance, progress and enlightenment are always better and can always achieved in society. Thank Voltaire.

[@fullonfriends]

Voltaire is my man! I love everything he has written! I've reread Candide twice!

[@lronhubbard5915]

I bet you haven't read any of his work. You pretentious piece of garbage.

[@JoseMiguel-fl5oi]

what do you think is the meaning behind the character called martin

[@arte0021]

@@lronhubbard5915 why are you so angry, L.Ron? Go preach about Xenu or something

[@miguelbranquinho7235]

@@JoseMiguel-fl5oi Martin is a huge chad. But seriously now I think he's the embodiment of the opposite view of Optimism, a counterpart to Candide and Pangloss. He's also hilarious.

[@dearplikki4014]

@@miguelbranquinho7235 I agree lol, I feel like Voltaire possibly used Martin to write himself into the story a little bit as well, or to represent his views 1:35

[@mr.mckinnon5680]

One thing I noticed about Candid. No matter what kind of hell that man went through... He just kept going. After reading the book. The first thing that popped into my mind was, Bob Marley. "Though my days have seen much sorrow, I know there will be a better tomorrow." That's Candid.

[@sych9433]

Wonderfully describe the world even today. Thank you for sharing

[@armandocanalestorres5635]

Thank you. I wish one day i could express myself and listen to me the way just now i reasoned.

[@SuperZorgus]

Well, I don't believe in God - but God bless this man. And your channel.

[@cindyforshaw1514]

+Jacky Danny ...Amen to that Jacky.

[@LinusE]

The ending of Cadide is basically Candide not buying Pangloss bs anymore and it's amazing

[@lisak1355]

I especially love the use of William Blake's paintings in this video :)

[@henrikrolfsen584]

"The pen is mightier than the sword". Their is no greater power than that of language. Words are the very building blocks of culture. Nothing moves, and impresses better, than the power of expression.

[@dreaminginnoother]

these summaries and animations are very good. How do ya'll pump them out so fast?

[@thedevo01]

+The School of Life - Do a video about workaholism with pictures of your staff / cast, then. lol

[@Doraphobic]

So so so grateful for the amazing videos you're putting on KZbin. The level of cultural excellence and the ease with which you manage to convey difficult notions is very rare to find. Thank you so much

[@gibgiuseppe]

Thank you School of Life for posting such video. I wish you delved a bit deeper into the writers/philosophers' mind and theories, but I understand it would make them longer and harder to understand

[@TheAhmadShow717]

Thank you so much i really want to appreciate the hardwork and creativity of everyone because of whom this masterpiece became possible 🙏🏻❤️

[@MrSidney9]

Read Almost everything he's written. Philosophers tend be dry in their writing. Not Voltaire! The man was so witty in funny (and in the most sophisticated way)! His handle of the French language was so great that French critics would say his French was spiritual!

[@Koropokel]

best channel ever. thank you.

[@AsatorIV]

Many thanks for the video! It made me greatly interested in his work.

[@tahacherradi599]

I like your voice and your style of narration. Thank you for the priceless information.

[@jessysimsfreeplay2825]

I stan Voltaire PERIOD

[@Pullmanfan7]

Thanks for this succinct summary, amongst many others. :)

[@MarcosLopez-cu6ui]

Great content! Thank you! And your pronunciation in English, French and Italian (in other videos) is exemplary.

[@YourAngel]

y’all, I was fr struggling out here with my world history project. thanks for the video!

[@weltgeist2604]

The next philosopher needs to be Diogenes.

[@Jugebertix]

Of course...

[@idicula1979]

Voltaire and Nietzche are my favorite.

[@tonyhawk94]

I love them too and Nietzsche highly regarded Voltaire he even dedicated his book "human, all too human" to him, i think that thanks to both europe broke away from old superstitions even though sadly today their ideas are still quite misinterpreted...

[@doyle6000]

I love these School of Life videos!!

[@staurosnika5980]

The School of Life is the greatest channel ever !

[@vrixphillips]

Yay! Voltaire has been one of my heroes since.... gosh, Middle School probably. Love your videos; have you thought of doing one on Lacan or Jung?

[@logical-functionsmodel9364]

+Vrixton Phillips Yes, Lacan or Jung! Maybe Jacques-Alain Miller.

[@mathiasplans2677]

you are doing much better job than my literature teacher

[@pierrotmonami9506]

great episode, very informative and very coherent at the same time. this size/format is very good

[@ChauncetonBird]

Well done. My Amazon wish list just grew with a few Voltaire works.

[@user-qg1rv6jm5m]

Dear School of Life.. on behalf of all non English speakers we thank you from all our hearts for adding different subtitles as it was kinda difficult for us to follow in English. 1- Please add more subtitles for the languages that you didn't add yet to help in spreading the message of Voltaire and other great heros to spread their lights around the world because I can tell you that we really need this knowledge (speaking from the Middle East) 2- Please use marketing to promote this channel as their are many humans who are still lost and look for such a sun to light up their lives. BE sincerely your truly follower Fares

[@kaylabower546]

Would you guys ever consider making an episode on C.S. Lewis? I'd love to see what you could write about his works.

[@starry_lis]

I long for seeing one about Salinger.

[@imanebacha6670]

Same here :)

[@ybnkareem560]

I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes.

[@Purin95]

This guy was my hero since middle school

[@Rey_B]

i relate myself with Voltaire, started to like him even before knowing him more

[@jodyswallow1008]

"Bad teacher, blame pupil" - Me. No but seriously Voltaire was a top geezer.

[@jonquillehhh6657]

Please School of life, your videos mean so much to me, could you consider making a video on Hermann Hesse sometimes in the next 10 years ? He's had a great influence on my life and still has a lot of messages to teach us

[@captainie1]

Absolutely superb video thank you so much

[@pedronuno8363]

Could you make a episode about Luís de Camões? He is one of the most important authors in Portuguese litterature and it would be intersting if more peolpe knew about this amazing artist.

[@ameliadeering8843]

This is so good, I read Candide last year, so it is nice to be reminded about how great a work it is! Please do Chaucer next, he's so underrated since it's quite difficult to read Middle English, but the content of the Canterbury Tales (especially the Wife of Bath) is so amazing and relevant, considering it was written so long ago

[@winecheese2185]

Thank you for this sir.I really appreciate this.

[@myles8747]

I've been waiting for this man and you did well :D

[@wm6789]

Could you guys do Kurt Vonnegut? I think it be a great episode.

[@alexcorcoran7807]

I wonder if you guys could do David Hume as your next philosopher?

[@MenaceRx]

+Takei Kazushige They're probably making the video, but there already are an article www.thebookoflife.org/david-hume/

[@ViaKarelia]

I have been waiting for this for a long time. Brilliant!

[@marleoca2644]

What a great channel! Thank you. Subscribed.

[@Divert486]

Wow, not only do you have a beautiful English accent. You have perfectly mastered the French accent too.

[@TheRevWillNotBeTelevised]

+Divert He has had a highly privileged education costing many hundreds of thousands of pounds. If only we all had the opportunity.

[@AidarAmrekulov]

Considering that he is swiss, so french and german were his first languages, he didn't really "master" them.

[@imranmeco3393]

This was made a day after my written assignment on Candide.

[@Mustamaggara]

+Imran Meco who did it better?

[@RainintheBrain]

+Imran Meco I did a report on Candide during my 2nd year at College. Candide is one of my favorite books from the 1700s.

[@davidb6382]

Candide is very funny, one mishap after another.

[@angelosenlob1557]

what a pleasure to listen at your speech in so good and clear English

[@jayd4132]

So much respect for this guy!

[@XDspacemanJD]

Thank for this video, I have my AS Level English literature exam in a week and this can aid me in being perceptive in my essay.

[@rossstephen7013]

best of luck!

[@MayuMadeItThrough]

I took my A level Lang exam yesterday. Best of luck!

[@Campboiwil]

assassin's creed level?

[@XDspacemanJD]

+Mayuri Singh thank you so much!

[@XDspacemanJD]

+That space dude probably 😞 I just hope I'll be calm.

[@OneLastWo]

The first time I heard of the name Voltaire was in university philosophy class. I was troubled by how epic this name sounds.

[@carloshenriquetracera524]

Excelente edição

[@emlee9603]

This channel is amazing in every. single. way. I love you.