★★★ Highly recommended by Philosopher Jinseok Choi! ★★★

“The age when the inner tree begins to bear fruit,
“I decided to create the pinnacle of my life in the most authentic way possible.”
To you who only ran without rest
A midlife philosophy class that presents a rich life narrative

Ahn Gwang-bok, a first-generation philosophy teacher in Korea and CEO of SERI, considered the best humanities teacher, has returned with his new book, "When Fifty-Two Face Philosophy."
This is a philosophical essay that offers wisdom to readers facing a midlife crisis.
This article, which had been a hot topic among readers in their forties and fifties even before its publication and was serialized in “Hankyoreh 21” and “Monthly Country Life,” has now been reborn as a book along with 26 beautiful paintings.

An Gwang-bok, who studies endlessly with the belief that he “writes to find the wisdom and knowledge I desperately need,” honestly addresses the concerns he experienced while overcoming the midlife crisis, including anxiety, emptiness, futility, and loneliness.
And in this process, the wisdom gained is carefully woven into each season of life.
Middle age, the midpoint of one's life, is often called the 'autumn of life.'
However, in this book, the author says that even in one's fifties, there is spring, summer, fall, and winter, and conveys 22 attitudes toward life that will love all the seasons to come.

“When you encounter philosophy, you can experience the ecstatic state of becoming your own North Star.” Philosopher Jinseok Choi, who is an active philosopher, strongly recommends that you encounter philosophy right now through this book.
For readers who regret having lived a life of inadequacy, and for middle-aged people who feel depressed at the thought that their prime is over, this book will give them the courage to love the path they have taken and welcome the future that lies ahead.

During adolescence, emotions run wild.
Middle-aged people going through menopause are no different.
It means that there are many cases where I cannot control my own heart.
But there is a difference between the two.
During puberty, we want to grow faster, become more beautiful, and become stronger.
So, they put on a 'show'.
Middle-aged people also act tough.
With your physical strength gradually declining, your mind not working properly, you are gradually being pushed out of the workplace, your belly fat increasing, and your hair falling out, your confidence in your appearance will also plummet.
Despite their circumstances, middle-aged people are still showing off.
Still pretending to be strong and powerful, showing off and giving advice.
Their ‘old farts’ contain a desperate plea: “I’m not dead yet!”
Unfortunately, the flow of time cannot be reversed.
If you have presbyopia, you need to adjust your mind to your eyesight.
--- From “[Acceptance] Caring for the Shadows in Your Heart _ Carl Jung”

The philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer has been popular in recent years.
Several books about him stand out on the comprehensive bestseller lists.
My heart is complicated when I see this.
This is because the term ‘pessimistic philosopher’ is attached to Schopenhauer like a nickname.
How can we be drawn to dark music when we are depressed, and how can a society that is drawn to dark philosophy be bright and healthy?
The average age in South Korea is 45.5 years old as of 2025.
This means that the entire society is at a point where it could fall into a 'midlife crisis'.
The emotions that sweep through middle age—anxiety, helplessness, jealousy, envy, and inexplicable anger—appear like keywords that describe the state of South Korea.
What wisdom can Schopenhauer offer to the unstable middle-aged society of South Korea?
--- From “[Contemplation] It is not heavy if you don’t lift it _Arthur Schopenhauer”

It's frowned upon to see a fully grown adult whining like a child.
The image of a middle-aged man trying to look young by dressing up to look young and trying to attract the attention of a young lover is no different.
The youth that leaves like this will never come back.
The feelings of love in middle age are like fallen leaves.
It means that it is flashy for a moment, but in the end it is destined to fall and roll on the floor.
Of course, middle-aged sex is just as intense as that of any young person.
The attraction between middle-aged people in similar situations can be as pure and sincere as puppy love.
But it's more like an addictive sedative that makes you forget reality.
Even though the passion for life is rekindled during the moment of sharing love, once that scene ends, we are left with anxiety and emptiness.
How many times has a desperate late love flowed into obsession and suspicion, and collapsed into an 'ugly love with a burning aftertaste'?
The emptiness of one's fifties cannot be filled with physical love.
It's the same reason why a young person's anxiety doesn't go away when he receives his favorite toy from childhood.
An empty heart must be filled in a way that is appropriate to one's age.
--- From “How to Overcome the Storm of Emotions _ Cicero”

When an organization is doing well, its managers are looked up to.
However, performance does not come from skill alone.
Don't coincidences and circumstances sometimes create success?
When his luck runs out and his fate falls into the abyss, the world laughs at him and curses him.
On the other hand, what about a manager who perseveres and does his job even in the midst of ruin?
Regardless of the outcome, he is respected and his reputation rarely changes over time.
Aurelius says:
“If Hercules had stayed in his house, lived in luxury, and slept comfortably, he would not have been Hercules.” This means to face the fate of suffering boldly.
A young rival openly mocked the weak, old, and novice commander as an 'old philosopher'.
But Aurelius didn't care.
I was only concerned with doing what I had to do according to the role given to me.
Youth is swayed by temptations and gnashes at insults.
However, middle-aged people who have reached the realm of wisdom only listen to the will of heaven.
--- From “Let What Will Happen Happen _ Marcus Aurelius”

According to Brückner, today's middle-aged people are 'a generation that has recreated their prime youth.'
Since then, life expectancy has increased significantly.
Now fifty is neither young nor old.
If so, aren't these people destined to "recreate their old age" in line with the expanded life cycle? Looking at the population structure, those in their fifties are the largest demographic, making them a strong contender for the mainstream of society.
So what should we do now?
I need to look into my own condition first.
I am not the master of my body now.
When I push through the stiffness and pain without embracing it, my body definitely takes revenge on my daily routine.
So middle-aged people constantly ask themselves:
“Not everything is possible now.
“So what can I hope for? What more can I know?” This is a philosophical question that Kant once posed.
This is why Brückner says that we become philosophers of our own lives simply by growing old.
To plan our lives after fifty, we must find answers to these questions.
--- From “[Will] As long as there is a dream, life is still passionate _ Pascal Brückner”

Awe does not stop at the desire to become one with others.
According to Keltner, human society relies on 'traditional ecological knowledge'.
There is a saying, “There is no bad person who likes mountains.”
It seems that this is not just a collusion between mountaineers.
When we see the vast fields, majestic mountains, and vast seas, our hearts become infinitely generous.
Traditional ecological knowledge awakens the wisdom that humans are part of nature.
There is no society that neglects the sublimity and preciousness of nature.
Whenever people have the chance, they try to feel and experience nature.
This is also because it is a human instinct that is part of nature.
When we look at people and the world from the mother's embrace called the universe, our way of approaching life also changes.
You become more tolerant and open to things you don't know.
What if everyday life feels burdensome and meaningless, like the repetitive, monotonous blows of a heavy hammer? You subconsciously know what to do.
I just can't do it.

--- From “[Exclamation] Recovering the Wonder of Life _Dakker Keltner”