Comments on: Too much wisdom literature. http://www.pragmatik.org/blog/2009/12/too-much-wisdom-literature/ Being of use to the world since 1979. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:48:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kali Durga http://www.pragmatik.org/blog/2009/12/too-much-wisdom-literature/comment-page-1/#comment-51186 Kali Durga Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:12:03 +0000 http://www.pragmatik.org/blog/?p=2388#comment-51186 Aw, man, if you wait that long, I might not be around to read it! Aw, man, if you wait that long, I might not be around to read it!

]]> By: Johnny http://www.pragmatik.org/blog/2009/12/too-much-wisdom-literature/comment-page-1/#comment-51174 Johnny Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:30:45 +0000 http://www.pragmatik.org/blog/?p=2388#comment-51174 I was starting to enjoy philosophy again after my coursework and exams were finished, but the whole "scholarship" for "scholarship"'s sake thing gets me down. I think that, when this is all finished and done with, I might pick it back up in a few years. I still totally plan to write my own Big Book of Philosophy when I'm an old man, likely dictated to my grown child, who will type it on my vintage portable typewriter. :) I was starting to enjoy philosophy again after my coursework and exams were finished, but the whole “scholarship” for “scholarship”‘s sake thing gets me down. I think that, when this is all finished and done with, I might pick it back up in a few years.

I still totally plan to write my own Big Book of Philosophy when I’m an old man, likely dictated to my grown child, who will type it on my vintage portable typewriter. :)

]]> By: Kali Durga http://www.pragmatik.org/blog/2009/12/too-much-wisdom-literature/comment-page-1/#comment-51120 Kali Durga Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:46:35 +0000 http://www.pragmatik.org/blog/?p=2388#comment-51120 Interesting stuff to think about. I've never delved as deeply into philosophy as you have, though I spent much of my early 20's as an armchair philosopher and did consider heading 'cross country to study it in Seattle. If things had worked out financially, I might've ended up on the same path as you (though I probably wouldn't have gotten past a Masters). But over the years I've found that, while I'm still enamored with the idea of it, I have less and less patience for reading philosophy. While I used to love Thoreau and Emerson and trying to decipher Kant and Camus (never did grasp Nietzsche, unfortunately), at this point it strikes me much as you described it: a bunch of digressive babbling. Which is why I think I've ended up gravitating towards Zen Buddhism in my mid-life years -- There's less talk, more being and doing. Still appreciate Aurelius and the Stoics, though. Lots of similarities to Buddhist thought in that camp. Perhaps you can find a middle ground in which you continue to explore philosophical readings purely for enjoyment, while keeping watch for the occasional nugget that will help you learn to live as wisely as you strive to. Interesting stuff to think about. I’ve never delved as deeply into philosophy as you have, though I spent much of my early 20′s as an armchair philosopher and did consider heading ‘cross country to study it in Seattle. If things had worked out financially, I might’ve ended up on the same path as you (though I probably wouldn’t have gotten past a Masters). But over the years I’ve found that, while I’m still enamored with the idea of it, I have less and less patience for reading philosophy.

While I used to love Thoreau and Emerson and trying to decipher Kant and Camus (never did grasp Nietzsche, unfortunately), at this point it strikes me much as you described it: a bunch of digressive babbling. Which is why I think I’ve ended up gravitating towards Zen Buddhism in my mid-life years — There’s less talk, more being and doing. Still appreciate Aurelius and the Stoics, though. Lots of similarities to Buddhist thought in that camp.

Perhaps you can find a middle ground in which you continue to explore philosophical readings purely for enjoyment, while keeping watch for the occasional nugget that will help you learn to live as wisely as you strive to.

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