Understanding ourselves and the world we live in.
Recently, my teammate AP2 published a touching post about life's meaning. A major point he sought to make was this: "our lives hold as much meaning as we give them" which he connects with the danger of losing a sense of meaningfulness, the danger of getting swallowed up by a personal existential nihilism, of becoming... Continue Reading →
Sometimes I remember a writer, I can't recall who, describing a friend who though atheist, sometimes goes into a church and prays. photo by SeekerFive The writer had noticed this about his friend and was perplexed: How, or why, is he praying, if he does not believe in a god to pray to? His friend... Continue Reading →
Most of the world, it seems, has experienced a great deal of fear during this past year. I'm not thinking primarily of the recent U.S. election or the current U.S. presidential transition. There had already been enough fear to write this post after a month or two of pandemic-occasioned "lock down." Timelines differ around the... Continue Reading →
How would you illustrate what it means to do a good thing gladly and with pleasure, as distinguished from doing the same thing with reluctance, pain, and a sense of loss?
Obviously technical skills are important in life. But it's other qualities that make you a good person, a good human being. Someone, in other words, who leads a good life. Does the question seem random? In fact, it's intrinsically connected with the pursuit of humane and skillful wisdom. I'll follow up on this question in... Continue Reading →
A few days ago, Bogdan brought up destiny in one of his posts, which got me thinking more about this notion. It often seems, or at least is presented as, mysterious. But on reflection, the basic concept itself was fairly straightforward. One's destin-y is one's eventual destin-ation. It's where you'll arrive, the place you'll end... Continue Reading →
Anything fully up to you. Dependent only on you. Entirely within your own control? A little context: When walking the Stoic path (one form of philosophy as an art of living), people often seek to distinguish what’s within their own power and what isn’t. This sets the stage for acceptance of what is not, and... Continue Reading →
You may have noticed a certain internet meme featuring Yoda and this pithy saying: The difference between a master and a beginner is that the master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried. I think there’s a lot to this, and it’s had me thinking about failure and success. Of course there’s... Continue Reading →
