Images By Paul Besso, The Insane One 😉
Content Notice
The content below represents profound philosophical thought and is not for the adherents of the cult of mundanity. It is for those who appreciate diversity of thought and expression. I also state that I am of sound mind and body, so there is no fear that I am 'losing it:' whatever 'it' was that I have supposedly lost. So, without further ado—here are the insane ramblings from my unsound, unbound, intellectually free psyche. 😉
My Thoughts
Today, my thought process waxed philosophical, and I decided that the topics in my mind contained an innate profundity and lent themselves to a philosophical rant. In my musings below, I viewed those issues through an existentialist and stoic philosophical lens.Â
Philosophy is a discipline that I practice every day, in addition to reading and studying. The practice keeps my mind sharp, and I really have no concept of boredom. Socrates' mandate, 'know thyself,' initiated the practice of Western philosophy and was perhaps the most profound statement in history. I adhere to Socrates' mandate to the best of my ability!
Do you know who you are? Do you understand what motivates your actions? What are the angels, and what are the demons that turn the cogs of your thought processes? What life events are your puppetmaster? Tell me about yourself: what makes you tick? Now, with those profound questions in mind, here are my thoughts for today.
Death is the one true equal opportunity agent. It comes for each and every one of us in time. We may slow it down or speed it up, but it is a relentless bounty hunter who always collects their fee.Â
So, live well! Spend the time you have making a difference in the world, a difference that will become immortalised after you pay the Ferryman. Can you do that? Can you see the world as larger than yourself? Will you lament the Ferryman's fee, or will you pay it happily, knowing that you have left behind a legacy of remembrance?
Do not waste your time fretting about the past; instead, spend it forging your future. Fill your architectural life's creation with love, kindness, and understanding. Rise above the base reptilian propensity to react; instead, learn to think and learn to think critically!
You—and you alone—embody the potential to author your own destiny. The agency and power are yours: do not surrender them to others who would spite you or abuse you. Rise above their misplaced consternation and pen your own epic.Â
You do not know the intersection of life events that went into the fiery crucible and forged another person's life story: apply the power of forgiveness and move on.Â
Forgiveness is the key that frees us from the shackles of abuse, hate, self-pity and bondage to our abusers. Never forget: always forgive! Live and let live!Â
Set healthy boundaries for yourself, but do not build a wall to isolate yourself from feeling. That task is monumental, but it is a worthy one. Do not lose yourself in a haze of substances to anaesthetize your feelings. Work hard to emancipate yourself from self-pity and self-harm. Be free!
Will you forgive, or will you remain steadfastly enslaved by bitterness, hate and jealousy? What will your epic look like? What steps are you taking today that will change your tomorrow? Go forth now, live long and prosper!🖖
 The existentialist bit: Existentialists emphasise individual responsibility and creating meaning within our lives despite the inevitability of death. Existentialists like Jean-Paul Sartre and Friedrich Nietzsche stress the importance of living authentically and taking responsibility for our choices, seeing in this the path to freedom (emancipation) and self-definition.
The Stoicism bit:Â Stoics like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca the Younger argued that our happiness does not depend on external events but on our reactions to those events. By practising the art of forgiveness, we free ourselves from the negative emotions and actions that cloud our judgment and impede our ability to live according to our values.
#philosophy #existentialism #stoicism