Author Topic: Philosophy  (Read 2112 times)

jdc

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Re: Philosophy
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2021, 08:55:28 PM »
Having not read it, I assume you must have a very different take away then this essay?  If the essay fairly represents the book, it would seem a philosophy more aligned to myself I would think. I have read some Camus and wouldn’t have thought it aligns to your philosophy, but to be honest, I am not clear on his philosophy, but The Stranger was my favourite book for a long time.

Well, I think I understand your politics much better than your personal philosophy of how to live a good life. I'll touch on a few of those points, though that may be useful (though I go on too long, like usual):

Voltaire - at least the version that wrote Candide, as we are all much more multifaceted than any one work we may produce - used his novel to rail against Leibniz's optimism. On his way, he could surely have led one to believe that there is no helping our fellow man. I don't subscribe to this, but I do find the idea of cultivating one's own garden essential whether or not your sense of decency says that we should not have people who are hungry, homeless, etc., in a world of plenty. Voltaire might disagree, but I think you can cultivate your own garden while also defeating prejudice, inequality, et al. But I'm stuck on the idea of the cultivation of the garden because mine is in shambles, and so the piece I posted touched me and made me think about how to take care of myself and make sure I get the best possible experience on the planet in these short days while I try to help others and stand up for a better world for everyone. I'm not saying I'm super selfless, there is plenty of ego and vanity here, only that I'm better at teaching and coaching than I am at following my own individual passions and taking care of my own individual health, and that lack of balance, lack of cultivation of my garden, is not good for me and won't lead to a long and productive life.

Thanks for this post, I might go back to read the rest of Camus.  I just don’t find all that much time to read unless it has something to do with work or possible self improvement.  While I do occasionally listen to audio books cause I walk a lot, somehow it doesn’t feel the same. 

I haven’t really thought about having a philosophy on how to live a good life though I generally have an approach to life I guess and try to be fairly consistent.  I certainly do not believe that there is  “no helping our fellow man” , but I can embrace cultivating your own garden and believe it helps to properly taken care of yourself first before taking on too many of the burdens of the world. I still have a ways to go on myself but by no means would consider anything close to shambles.  Most of what I can improve should be well within my control with better habits and discipline.
"Beer. Now there's a temporary solution."  Homer S.
“The direct use of physical force is so poor a solution to the problem of limited resources that it is commonly employed only by small children and great nations” - David Friedman

jdc

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Re: Philosophy
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2021, 09:13:42 PM »
Having not read it, I assume you must have a very different take away then this essay?  If the essay fairly represents the book, it would seem a philosophy more aligned to myself I would think. I have read some Camus and wouldn’t have thought it aligns to your philosophy, but to be honest, I am not clear on his philosophy, but The Stranger was my favourite book for a long time.
I'm not saying I'm super selfless, there is plenty of ego and vanity here, only that I'm better at teaching and coaching than I am at following my own individual passions and taking care of my own individual health, and that lack of balance, lack of cultivation of my garden, is not good for me and won't lead to a long and productive life.

This is likely a common problem… we all have blinders on or lack objectivity when looking inward, have you thought about a life coach or just a physical coach to help keep yourself accountable to goals? 
"Beer. Now there's a temporary solution."  Homer S.
“The direct use of physical force is so poor a solution to the problem of limited resources that it is commonly employed only by small children and great nations” - David Friedman

Eric/E.T.

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Re: Philosophy
« Reply #12 on: August 21, 2021, 12:23:04 AM »
Having not read it, I assume you must have a very different take away then this essay?  If the essay fairly represents the book, it would seem a philosophy more aligned to myself I would think. I have read some Camus and wouldn’t have thought it aligns to your philosophy, but to be honest, I am not clear on his philosophy, but The Stranger was my favourite book for a long time.

Well, I think I understand your politics much better than your personal philosophy of how to live a good life. I'll touch on a few of those points, though that may be useful (though I go on too long, like usual):

Voltaire - at least the version that wrote Candide, as we are all much more multifaceted than any one work we may produce - used his novel to rail against Leibniz's optimism. On his way, he could surely have led one to believe that there is no helping our fellow man. I don't subscribe to this, but I do find the idea of cultivating one's own garden essential whether or not your sense of decency says that we should not have people who are hungry, homeless, etc., in a world of plenty. Voltaire might disagree, but I think you can cultivate your own garden while also defeating prejudice, inequality, et al. But I'm stuck on the idea of the cultivation of the garden because mine is in shambles, and so the piece I posted touched me and made me think about how to take care of myself and make sure I get the best possible experience on the planet in these short days while I try to help others and stand up for a better world for everyone. I'm not saying I'm super selfless, there is plenty of ego and vanity here, only that I'm better at teaching and coaching than I am at following my own individual passions and taking care of my own individual health, and that lack of balance, lack of cultivation of my garden, is not good for me and won't lead to a long and productive life.

Thanks for this post, I might go back to read the rest of Camus.  I just don’t find all that much time to read unless it has something to do with work or possible self improvement.  While I do occasionally listen to audio books cause I walk a lot, somehow it doesn’t feel the same. 

I haven’t really thought about having a philosophy on how to live a good life though I generally have an approach to life I guess and try to be fairly consistent.  I certainly do not believe that there is  “no helping our fellow man” , but I can embrace cultivating your own garden and believe it helps to properly taken care of yourself first before taking on too many of the burdens of the world. I still have a ways to go on myself but by no means would consider anything close to shambles.  Most of what I can improve should be well within my control with better habits and discipline.

I feel you on struggling to find time to read, I hardly read anymore, and most projects just take forever. Only exception is I can pick up One Hundred Years of Solitude at any point in time and stick with it until the end. I just think if you love The Stranger so much, that might get you interested in The Plague and The Myth of Sisyphus, to see the whole picture of an essential philosophically viewpoint, even in our much-changed world. He might become a huge figure for you (if you have such things. I have a pantheon of people in my head.)

I take the gardening thing to be literally and figuratively, but I think the idea is cheapened if we attach it to the old, cliched concept of self-help. It's much more than having a hobby, it's about conducting your life in a way where sometimes the only goal should be to save yourself, so that you may head back into the fray with a clear mind and true sense of purpose. Everything emanates from this stab at decency. But if you're not trying to cultivate habits that benefit your physical and mental health and find true passions that you follow-through on, then when you go try to save the world by being a teacher, social worker, a counselor, a nurse, a doctor, you will ultimately live a shorter life, and it will feel empty, because those career fields will destroy you if you haven't tended to yourself.

I wish I had even a delusion that I had agency over what I'm going through now, and what I have been going through since COVID kicked in. I'm tried, but I need help. Fortunately, help is coming.
A witty saying proves nothing. - Voltaire

jdc

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Re: Philosophy
« Reply #13 on: August 21, 2021, 06:43:31 PM »
Was able to order the Kindle versions of The Stranger and The Plague for about $3 in total, The Myth of Sisyphus, I had to use an Audible credit as I couldn’t find it on Kindle. 

Self help or coaching is more of a way to help hold yourself accountable to goals or forming better habits.  It doesn’t have to be the Tony Robbin kind of thing or “Juice by …” informercial from Requiem for a Dream… Changing habits does seem to be incredible hard with some motivation on how to do it. 
"Beer. Now there's a temporary solution."  Homer S.
“The direct use of physical force is so poor a solution to the problem of limited resources that it is commonly employed only by small children and great nations” - David Friedman

 

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