Life Philosophy

[Tom Young]

As I grow older (now 83), more time to look back on the bits and pieces of philosophy that have formed my own outlook on life. No single item or event, but one of the most compelling times in the past, was when we lived in Concord MA, near Walden Pond. Naturally this led to reading Thoreau's "On Walden Pond". A study of living simply, and a key part of "Transcendentalism". This led to more study of this mid 1850's philosophy.... furthered by reading and researching the writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson , (members of the original study group.)
It's hard to describe but cuts to the core of personal perception of people and events. In a way, the ability to step back and look at people and what is happening... from afar. To realize that what is said or done, is not a measure of the person or the societal reaction that appears on first look, but a peek behind the curtain.

We all have some parts of our make up that come from our journey through life. What we are is a product of what we've seen, read, or experienced. Most of the time, people talk about their life philosophy by describing it in a few words. That said, have you ever considered why you do what you do, think what you think, get angry, miserable, sad, or live a generally happy life?

I confess that until the past 5 or years... no thought of the "whys". Now, looking back to understand, has led to an inner peace that wasn't there in the long term past.

As an aside.... I feel that I can understand the speed of our politics, environmental pressures, technology, and even the psychology of younger persons. It is very comforting.

Your thoughts on the subject?

[daylen]

That said, have you ever considered why you do what you do, think what you think..

Constantly. My inner experience is like an onion where the outside layers are being pealed off.

One of the more prominent dichotomies in my mind is the subject-object differentiation that seems to be what people call "agency". Agents subject their bias to objects, and sometimes objects build alternative representations of the subject. A new subject emerges and the old subject becomes an object in a set to choose from. Life is becoming.

[7Wannabe5]

I try to think about thinking, but mostly I just keep searching for novel inputs to sort through.

[chenda]

I saw this interesting interview yesterday on a minimalist channel: https://youtu.be/h8u4clhDHvQ Last 10 minutes covers the key points.

I'm not sure I'll buy the book but I think he has some useful ideas.

[classical_Liberal]

This whole train of thought reminds me of a line from Dickens' Great Expectations

“That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.”

I try to analyze why I am (or why others are) the way I am too often. Sometimes it's better to accept the present and move on.

[daylen]

I try to analyze why I am (or why others are) the way I am too often. Sometimes it's better to accept the present and move on.

For me, there does not seem to be an "off button". There is always some kind of thinking going on in the background; unless I am doing something very intense that requires full attention. These sub-processes are usually trying to understand how things are as opposed to why things are. Why questions output dogma and how questions output curious observation.

[ellarose24]

I read so many fantasy books as a child. When I was older, I studied medieval literature. Something that always comes back to me about these books (Augstus, you will remember this from Lord of the Rings--Tolkien was also a student of medieval literature) were the feasts. Usually after some momentous occasion, some struggle, or in the middle of searching--there were feasts. They always spell out the food so descriptively. There is something good about being hungry, cold, scared--and coming back to basic comforts like warmth and food. I don't know why that's always stuck with me. My favorite part about hiking is the burger and beer I get after a 6-8 hour hike. Being able to put yourself in situations where you remember the absolute luxury of simple comforts is a necessity for me. It makes the world more novel and helps quiet any existential dread.

Tolstoy was another author I fell involve with--he glimpses at the same thing. There is no more real meaning to life than to come home to warm food, a comfortable bed, and people that love you. And that to me is profound.

[7Wannabe5]

@ellarose:

+1- Well put.