Alain de Botton’s School of Life

Critically acclaimed Swiss-born, Britain-based philosopher, Alain de Botton, gives Time Out Seoul an in-depth look at The School of Life and its future presence in Seoul (opening in October) as run by journalist Mina Sohn.

It's a place to come and study everything that we never tend to study at school or university, and yet which is essential to leading a good and fulfilled life. Questions like: Who should I marry? How do I have a successful relationship? How do I find a career that suits me? What do I do if I can't sleep, or am anxious or melancholic? These questions fascinate me, I have often written about them, and The School of Life is a place where you can go and have classes and conversations around them. The School of Life publishes books, runs classes, organizes talks, makes clothes and has a Youtube channel. Our activities are diverse because we are trying to communicate with a wide public in a very modern way.

At the School, we agree with the view (first put forward by Freud) that a fulfilled life is essentially made up of two ingredients: love and work. But we’re also aware that disappointment, frustration and a sense of failure are very often the norm in these arenas, which both saddens us and spurs our efforts.

Korea is a society that has many of the problems (and pleasures) of the modern world where people are extremely busy, life is crowded and expensive, there is never enough time and there is a tension between tradition and the hyper modern, between loyalty to family and to oneself. Koreans are extremely well-educated and curious and it seemed natural to open a branch here. We are so happy to have found a home in Seoul.

No, the School is in many ways very independent from me. I started it, but a team now operates it. In Seoul, we have a wonderful team lead by the author and journalist Mina Sohn. She has taken the initiative and will choose the lecturers and arrange the curriculum. I trust she will do something wonderful.

It should not only be children who go to school. Adults in general should see themselves as being in need of education, not for technical skills, but emotional skills. One should never be done with school. One should stay an active alumnus, learning throughout life. In the adult section of schools, there should be courses on how to converse with strangers, how to deal with the fear of getting old, how to calm down and how to forgive. Schools should be where a community gets educated, not just a place for children. In Utopia, the phrase, “I’ve finished school,” would sound extremely strange.