A minimalist lifestyle concerns itself with minimizing the number of material resources we need to be satisfied. A tremendous benefit of this approach is the reduced cost of living. The less we need, the more time, money, and energy we save. So, can we also apply minimalism to our social connections to gain the same […]
Read More
The World isn’t Nearly as Horrible as We Think (or is it?)
As soon as we turn on the radio or television, or scroll through our social media feeds, a rush of tragic events scourges our minds. From pandemics to street violence, from clashes between countries to changes in climate: if we immerse ourselves in these messages long enough, the world becomes a terrible place. It’s not […]
Read More
The Surest Way Out of Misery | Arthur Schopenhauer
Arthur Schopenhauer is infamous for his pessimistic outlook on life. He saw life on Earth as a cosmic disaster and felt that the universe would have been a better place without it. Human existence, as a whole, he compared to a prison sentence. And he also claimed that our lives are not inherently enjoyable but […]
Read More
All I’m Offering Is The Truth | The Philosophy of The Matrix
[This piece contains spoilers] The Matrix, a science fiction film created by the Wachowskis, is probably one of the most influential movies ever made. The story starts when computer programmer Thomas Anderson, operating as a hacker under the alias “Neo,” discovers the truth about the world he’s living in, as he becomes aware of the […]
Read More
Paradoxical Intention (Viktor Frankl)
The neurotic who learns to laugh at himself may be on the way to self-management, perhaps to cure. Gordon W. Allport, The Individual and His Religion Austrian psychiatrist, philosopher, and author Viktor Frankl spent four years in different concentration camps during the second world war. From the ashes of his horrific experiences during his imprisonment […]
Read More
Wu-Wei | The Art of Letting Things Happen
Once upon a time, a novice farmer indulged himself in motivational videos. He became familiar with ideas like the importance of ‘effort,’ the ‘hustle culture,’ and ‘work hard, play hard.’ After binge-watching for days, he walked onto his farm, fired up, and determined to make it a great success. He started pulling one of the […]
Read More
Reasons Not to Have Sex
In most modern-day societies, the idea of not having sex may sound preposterous. After all, isn’t physical intimacy one of the key ingredients of a healthy and fulfilling life? Well, if that’s the case, then we stumble upon a problem, as the visibility of sexuality and eroticism only increases in this era, the frequency of […]
Read More
Forgiving Someone Who Wronged You
Feelings of bitterness and revenge are like heavy stones we carry around on our backs. And if we’re unable or unwilling to throw these stones onto the ground and walk away from them, we’ll not only exhaust ourselves; the load also increases because of new hurtful life experiences. Eventually, we’ll carry even more stones until […]
Read More
When Life Disappoints You, Don’t Disappoint Life
For many, the disappointments of life justify destructive behaviors towards oneself and others. Entitlement to what they feel they deserve, or what others have and they have not, leads to disappointment if reality doesn’t provide them with what they expect. And thus, they feel wronged. It’s no surprise that many people feel this way. We […]
Read More
Wabi-Sabi | A Japanese Philosophy of Perfect Imperfection
The pursuit of perfection has become the norm in today’s world, where chronic dissatisfaction, burnout, depression, and anxiety reign supreme. We’ve subjected ourselves to unrealistic standards and rigorously chase an ideal that’s impossible to reach. Advertisements show us snapshots of handsome people enjoying their favorite drink dancing among a crowd of fashion models with ever-smiling […]
Read More