A good way to simplifying epicurean pleasure: "Comfy but not high on crack". The distinction between peace of mind and hedonics is kinda muddled similar to stoicism and its extreme masochistic "hustle/masculinity" counterparts. In some sense scepticism vs relativism, or cynicism vs nihilism also fall within this type of one-track thinking.
Absolutely poignant. Now, I have an academic precedent from antiquity by which to define what I convey to others when they ask me about my approach to life, or for when they wonder "what it is all about?" It would seem that Epicureanism and Stoicism share much common ground. In this era of runaway information and so much social hand wringing, Epicureanism would seem to be a universal life "hack."
Hi Tom. A thought-provoking piece. As someone who has spent the last 33 years working with people to help them achieve their life goals I have, inevitably, experienced times when people have failed to do so because death came sooner than expected. In almost every case there are the unspoken words of regret which hang around the family. The sense that things could have been different, if only.
There are often huge positives that come out of these deaths. They can serve as a warning to others in the family, who DO change their life’s trajectory. Who decide to do something sooner rather than later. Or to do something different, to alter their lives completely, because what if they never try?
And of course there are lessons for me too.
Thanks also for the mention of Taleb. I’m a huge fan of his writing (though not so much of the man). I was not aware of the Incerto Collection, but will now check that out.
I feel this one is intrinsically linked to your #5 issue - The importance of the ordinary. I may be extrapolating here, but the more I age, the more I view epicureanism as a medicine of the soul; a mindset (I hate this word, but here we go) that will help you nurture your wounds and get back on the saddle. As you said, contrary to the popular opinion, you don't need "more" when things go wrong in your life. You don't necessarly need less also. You need a way to find back your compass, and like an old car battery, recalibrate and recharge. Contemplation, simple pleasures, nature and a lot of time alone intersperseded with meaningful conversations with great friends are critical; and what is all this, if not the mantra of Epicureanism?
Camus writes at length in his notebooks that his travels and semi-isolation within the Mediterranean countryside (esp Spouth of France, Greece and Italy) helped him surpass his failed first marriage and existential dread. He also spent a lot of time in the Algerian countryside with selected friends and credits that time as being the most important in his writer's life, from a creative perspective. He also stated after having received the Nobel prize that he could not stay for long periods of time in Paris, as the "big-city" atmosphere was detrimental to his mood and creativity.
Well before that time, philosopher René Decartes said he developped his theory while stuck in a small room during the German winter (he was a soldier at that time and this forced isolation gave him the rest and clarity of mind necessary to finally put into words what he had been intuiting for the past 4 years).
We could also talk about Theodore Roosevelt who, following both the death of his wife and mother AND his failed attempt at getting into politics, decided to leave the East coast and become a rancher in North Dakota. He spent the next two years mastering his sorrow by being a cowboy and cattle-owner, far from the lights of the cities. He only came back once he felt healed.
These examples may seem far-fetched regarding this week's topic, but I think they are totally on point with the subject: Pause, live well, and see what it does to your soul.
Hey Sebastien. You’re very astute to notice that thematic link with issue #5. I suspect this will happen more and more. With repetition being an important part of pedagogy and me increasingly becoming a weekly teacher in getting people to take it easy and enjoy life, I can see myself circling around a similar set of perennial themes and hitting theme from different angles.
As always, I love your examples and erudition and the care you put in to crafting these responses. I feel compelled to up my own game in the subsequent newsletters as a result.
Regarding Camus, and I say this as a complement, I find his life more interesting than his works. And his books are very good. It’s just that above all he seemed like a decent human being who was willing to evolve and change his mind and his stance as his lived experience and his conscience dictated. I don’t think the same can be said about Sartre. But then Sartre did take heroic doses of mind-destroying amphetamines over the course of a number of decades. The old quantity eradicating quality issues.
And to address the theme of your examples more generally, yes, rest is vital. Rather than read articles and listen to podcasts that offer glosses of great men and women filtered through a contemporary Silicon Valley fueled ‘hustle mentality’ I wish more people would read the definitive biographies of these figures. Close-Reading of such works of course confirms that these people understood how rest is vital to performance and a good life. This idea is one of the correctives to highly-strung modernity that I am trying to offer each Sunday.
I think we should push out in both directions simultaneously to avoid the mediocre middle. Which is to say that when you work REALLY WORK with maximum intensity and flow. But then other than these few daily hours be completely lazy. Same with exercise. The same with food- either fasting or a feast, no snacking.
This system leads to a more well rounded life I believe. It is the daily grind that grind you down. But challenges followed by rest leave you stronger, more capable and more energised.
Thank you for bearing with me re: the lateness of this response. And I look forward to reading your insightful take on my work in the next issue.
Thank you for your thorough answer Thomas. I feel (almost) exactly the same way about Camus and Sartre. Camus was the son a killed WW1 soldier and a housemaid who did not know how to write. A true autodidact, he forged his mind and soul in the real world, living for almost three decades in poverty. Sartre was the only son of a wealthy family of intellectuals and was secluded until he went to the university. He writes in his autobiography that he never had any friends, hence in my opinion why he could write things like "Hell is other people" later on. You could say that one of them loved men because he knew them, and the other loved humanity, because he didnt understand men.
Sartre's career thrived while France was occupied and yet, he was one of the leading cultural figures after the liberation. He also never acknowledged the crimes of the communist party in the east while Camus separated from the movement early on for these reasons (Sartre never forgave him, they stopped being friends at that point). And Sartre also increased his criticism when Camus was awarded the Nobel prize in 1957...
Exactly. I read a great biography of Camus a while back and foolishly gave it away in a book downsizing exercise (never again!). This book argued that Camus was a Mediterranean spirit in the classical sense and that his work was rooted in a deep understanding and study of Athenian literature and philosophy which often goes unnoticed and unacknowledged by people nowadays.
I think it’s interesting how Camus still resonates (especially with the young) whereas Sartre has become the preserve of academics and has been overtaken and undermined by the more destructive of tradition intellectuals who his work paved the way for.
How many people who buy Being and Nothingness actually read it? And on the other hand how many people who buy L’Etranger or La Peste read them and enjoy them? My bet would be virtually zero for the former and virtually everyone for the later.
This is the most telling factor for me. And like you say, I think it comes down to a difference in levels of trust for each respective author and the level of h7manity that we sense that they respectively possess.
Wonderful comment yet again, Sebastien. Always a pleasure.
Truth again Thomas. Let me just say a last word: Sartre was the right personnality at the right time, but he was not a great thinker; most of his philosophy is ripped from Heidegger (Sartre did his thesis on him at a time when he wasn't even translated into French), and Being and Nothingness is less and less studied in the universities... I am willing to bet his name will be almost forgotten within the next 20 years. Whereas Camus is still widely read. Classic case of Soul Vs poseur intellect.
As of last week, I did not allow myself to sit down for a few moments and relax until I was done with my to-do list. But I found that the to-do list never stops. So for the past few days I have made it a "to-do" to sit down for 5-10 minutes and do literally nothing. It is a skill that I do not have. But it has been glorious to allow myself to do nothing.
This post makes me think of the popularity of Marie Kondo. Remove everything that doesn't bring you joy. And allow yourself to FEEL joy over your things!
Hello Christen. Thanks for taking the time to stop by here and leave a comment.
You make an excellent point. As people become increasingly chained to a must-be-productive, to-do list mentality they can leverage this by intentionally scheduling time to do nothing. In fact, I would argue that the ever-growing popularity of meditation and mindfulness is a way for high-performance people to give themselves permission to do this while still feeling productive.
But I think it is better to get to the root of the (some would say toxic) work ethic issue by learning how to do nothing and to savour simple pleasures and activities as they arrive. This is a theme that I believe will continue to run through these Essays.
Issue #5 on Embracing The Ordinary may be upmyour alley.
Thanks again for stopping by Christen. I hope to hear from you again soon.
Think I may adopt it as a signature for a while, it seems to be a real statement. I had an old gym partner, huge Polish man, who used to sign off his messages with "Strength and Honor", but I fear I'm about 20kg too light and far too babyfaced for that.
I'll be the first to stick my hand up and say that I learned a great deal about Epicurus that I had no idea about before. Having spent time with Aurelius, Seneca and co, I somewhat naively assumed that Epicurus wasn't worth exploring.
That being said, my initial reaction to encountering stoicism many years ago was "that sounds dreadfully boring", and while I've come to realize the usefulness of the principles and have probably unconsciously adopted many of the behaviors, my opinion on it hasn't changed too much.
Well yet another book has been added to the list. Given that were about to plunge right back into quarantine over here in Ireland, I fully intend to make a respectable dent in it.
"Most people, at least judging by surface appearances, are terrible at being happy. And they have a talent, or at least a wilfulness, towards making themselves miserable."
Agreed. It's also never been easier to distract your life away. Not happy, not sad, just meh. Youtube, twitter, instagram will keep you watching and scrolling and content. Not happy, but just distracted enough to hold your attention until it's time to eat or sleep.
"This is a simple point, a stupefyingly simple point, but one which in all of our quasi-sophistication we suppress: If you aren’t enjoying what you are doing, why are you continuing to do it?"
Having spent the last hour scrolling that I had intended to spend reading, I felt that. I promise to switch off my laptop and get back to Hesse after I finish this post.
This post reminded me of an old Taleb tweet actually, where he discussed his idea of true wealth, which align pretty closely with the ideals laid out in this post: "True wealth consists of Worriless sleeping, Clear conscience, Reciprocal gratitude, Absence of envy, Good appetite, Muscle strength, Physical energy, Frequent laughs, No meals alone, No gym classes, Some physical labor, No meeting rooms, Periodic surprises"
Couldn't agree more to be honest.
In terms of the ethical arguments and nuances of choosing a life based on pleasure, I've always found the idea that "the easiest way to get what you want is to give enough other people what they want" to be odd - does it take away from the kindness of the act if it's carried out with the intention of receiving reciprocation? Must an act be selfless in order to be good?
The answer seems simple, but it's always bothered me for some reason.
Anyway, congratulations on the success of these posts, I can imagine it's been incredibly gratifying to see your words resonate. 4-figures is just around the corner.
It certainly is gratifying to see these words resonate, Conor. I had an inkling that a lot of work ethic promoting ‘content’ and culture was performative and that beneath it all was an unhappiness, a desperation and a desire to be able to actually take it easy and live the simple life that you truly want.
I believe that what most people want is some kind of peace and basic contentment in life. And I believe that this is eminently achievable through perspective and Via Negativa. But of course if everyone were to think this way our consumerist economy would tank and so the desire for contentment has been subverted into a decadent, rushed, just-out-of-reach for of ‘happiness’
I suspect that these essays are being generally well received because they speak to something in people that rarely gets acknowledged or discussed. And this is primarily because I’m not trying to sell people anything and I think it is clearly that I am figuring things out for myself as I go rather than posing as some authority.
That Taleb quote is an absolute beauty. An elegant and complete distillation of what the good life is all about. I am due a re-read if the Incerto and I would like to see if I can create a newsletter out of applying some of his concepts- barbells, Extremistan, soul in the game- to the artistic life.
We will see.
Thanks as always for taking the time to leave an outstanding comment. I suspect there are several readers who get a lot out of them. I have learned that there are silent readers everywhere online. They may not introduce themselves or offer commentary but they are there and we can make a small difference to their lives if we try.
And finally, yes, I’m currently at 939 sign-up so the four figure club will be here soon. And next year I will look into adding additional premium stuff. But there’s no rush and no greed here. Things happen when they happen.
Thanks Thomas, I look forward to your essays very much. They seem to re-connect me with a very deep and true part of myself that I feel like I am re-discovering day by day and your writings are helping me get back to that place. Live well :)
Thanks for stopping by with such a kind comment Ashley. It’s especially gratifying to hear that because that is exactly my intention.
So many people are disconnected from their true selves, from the child that they were and the adult that they wish they could be.
Work and hustle are sold as the solutions but so often this becomes a case of digging the hole you are in faster.
Rest (not laziness), self-acceptance (not letting go of your standards) and vision (not a consumerist goal implanted by advertising) are the way out of this quandary.
Each week I am trying to add more pieces to the breadcrumb trail.
I hope to hear from you again Ashley. Thanks again for taking the time to comment.
This feels very familiar to me and matches up to how I try to live each day.
Some of the more meaningful connections I've had over the last 8 Covid-19 months are with walkers I pass on my daily ride. We see each other daily but slowing and engaging with them is especially fulfilling.
Meeting "Peace" and learning that she walks 11 miles a day is inspiring.
Seeing how Geraldine has warmed up and eagerly smiles is especially gratifying.
I have many other memories.
I appreciate the thoughts you shared about spending time with friends. It's very gratifying to see the world through people you might not have noticed if you didn't take the time to ask a question and start-up a new connection.
That’s lovely to hear Steve. I’ve found that if you take the first step- a nod to people who you walk by each day, a hello, a quick DM and so on- people can often be very receptive.
I should think that fear is at the heart of the reason why so many people don’t do this. Which I would stay stems from some sort of below the surface belief re: self worth.
Now, according to the psychometric tests I am as introverted as they come, but this is an energy management issue not a being inherently being unable to socialise issue. At some point you simple have to make that first move. In all things.
Thanks as always for leaving a comment Steve. Always a pleasure to get your perspective.
Love it. And thanks for stopping by LeAnne. I appreciate you taking the time toco ment.
Workaholism is a real problem. But there is a breadcrumb trail of solutions that runs through all of these essays. And it will continue into the future here.
Hey Axel, great to hear from you again. Always a pleasure to hear from one of the ‘regulars’
Taleb is fantastic, everyone who reads him seems to come away inspired and with at least one or two genuine and applicable epiphanies.
I find it no surprise that the man who popularised the Lindy Principle has now demented himself as a thinker who will be remembered by history and whose thoughts will survive the time they were published in.
And yes you are right. In many ways I feel that every week I am tackling the same general problems from a different angle. I suspect we will drift in different directions and along different related themes as the tide takes us. At the moment, I find that the ills of workaholism, stress and working with life-goals that are not truly your own is very pertinent.
These themes seem to resonate with burned out people in these stressful times.
If I can help one person to become even slightly happier or successful *by their own deepest definition* then I can say that this venture has been worthwhile.
This is a very insightful comment, Jason. Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.
I think that things click in to place for many people when they realise that via negativa (without going so far as to be ascetic or life-denying) is the most direct path to happiness. The ancients seemed to have a better grasp of this than we do, at least the ones whose writings have survived did.
The old emphasis that philosophy had one questions such as ‘what makes for a good life’ are just as important as ever. I think we all need to ponder such things carefully, away from the standard consumption-driven answer to this that society offers as a default.
In fact these newsletters in their totality can be said to be my attempts at answering this question for myself.
A good way to simplifying epicurean pleasure: "Comfy but not high on crack". The distinction between peace of mind and hedonics is kinda muddled similar to stoicism and its extreme masochistic "hustle/masculinity" counterparts. In some sense scepticism vs relativism, or cynicism vs nihilism also fall within this type of one-track thinking.
Absolutely poignant. Now, I have an academic precedent from antiquity by which to define what I convey to others when they ask me about my approach to life, or for when they wonder "what it is all about?" It would seem that Epicureanism and Stoicism share much common ground. In this era of runaway information and so much social hand wringing, Epicureanism would seem to be a universal life "hack."
Hi Tom. A thought-provoking piece. As someone who has spent the last 33 years working with people to help them achieve their life goals I have, inevitably, experienced times when people have failed to do so because death came sooner than expected. In almost every case there are the unspoken words of regret which hang around the family. The sense that things could have been different, if only.
There are often huge positives that come out of these deaths. They can serve as a warning to others in the family, who DO change their life’s trajectory. Who decide to do something sooner rather than later. Or to do something different, to alter their lives completely, because what if they never try?
And of course there are lessons for me too.
Thanks also for the mention of Taleb. I’m a huge fan of his writing (though not so much of the man). I was not aware of the Incerto Collection, but will now check that out.
Doh! So it’s simply a collection of some of his books - all but one I already have.
Hey Thomas ! Great newsletter, as usual.
I feel this one is intrinsically linked to your #5 issue - The importance of the ordinary. I may be extrapolating here, but the more I age, the more I view epicureanism as a medicine of the soul; a mindset (I hate this word, but here we go) that will help you nurture your wounds and get back on the saddle. As you said, contrary to the popular opinion, you don't need "more" when things go wrong in your life. You don't necessarly need less also. You need a way to find back your compass, and like an old car battery, recalibrate and recharge. Contemplation, simple pleasures, nature and a lot of time alone intersperseded with meaningful conversations with great friends are critical; and what is all this, if not the mantra of Epicureanism?
Camus writes at length in his notebooks that his travels and semi-isolation within the Mediterranean countryside (esp Spouth of France, Greece and Italy) helped him surpass his failed first marriage and existential dread. He also spent a lot of time in the Algerian countryside with selected friends and credits that time as being the most important in his writer's life, from a creative perspective. He also stated after having received the Nobel prize that he could not stay for long periods of time in Paris, as the "big-city" atmosphere was detrimental to his mood and creativity.
Well before that time, philosopher René Decartes said he developped his theory while stuck in a small room during the German winter (he was a soldier at that time and this forced isolation gave him the rest and clarity of mind necessary to finally put into words what he had been intuiting for the past 4 years).
We could also talk about Theodore Roosevelt who, following both the death of his wife and mother AND his failed attempt at getting into politics, decided to leave the East coast and become a rancher in North Dakota. He spent the next two years mastering his sorrow by being a cowboy and cattle-owner, far from the lights of the cities. He only came back once he felt healed.
These examples may seem far-fetched regarding this week's topic, but I think they are totally on point with the subject: Pause, live well, and see what it does to your soul.
Hey Sebastien. You’re very astute to notice that thematic link with issue #5. I suspect this will happen more and more. With repetition being an important part of pedagogy and me increasingly becoming a weekly teacher in getting people to take it easy and enjoy life, I can see myself circling around a similar set of perennial themes and hitting theme from different angles.
As always, I love your examples and erudition and the care you put in to crafting these responses. I feel compelled to up my own game in the subsequent newsletters as a result.
Regarding Camus, and I say this as a complement, I find his life more interesting than his works. And his books are very good. It’s just that above all he seemed like a decent human being who was willing to evolve and change his mind and his stance as his lived experience and his conscience dictated. I don’t think the same can be said about Sartre. But then Sartre did take heroic doses of mind-destroying amphetamines over the course of a number of decades. The old quantity eradicating quality issues.
And to address the theme of your examples more generally, yes, rest is vital. Rather than read articles and listen to podcasts that offer glosses of great men and women filtered through a contemporary Silicon Valley fueled ‘hustle mentality’ I wish more people would read the definitive biographies of these figures. Close-Reading of such works of course confirms that these people understood how rest is vital to performance and a good life. This idea is one of the correctives to highly-strung modernity that I am trying to offer each Sunday.
I think we should push out in both directions simultaneously to avoid the mediocre middle. Which is to say that when you work REALLY WORK with maximum intensity and flow. But then other than these few daily hours be completely lazy. Same with exercise. The same with food- either fasting or a feast, no snacking.
This system leads to a more well rounded life I believe. It is the daily grind that grind you down. But challenges followed by rest leave you stronger, more capable and more energised.
Thank you for bearing with me re: the lateness of this response. And I look forward to reading your insightful take on my work in the next issue.
Cheers.
Tom.
Thank you for your thorough answer Thomas. I feel (almost) exactly the same way about Camus and Sartre. Camus was the son a killed WW1 soldier and a housemaid who did not know how to write. A true autodidact, he forged his mind and soul in the real world, living for almost three decades in poverty. Sartre was the only son of a wealthy family of intellectuals and was secluded until he went to the university. He writes in his autobiography that he never had any friends, hence in my opinion why he could write things like "Hell is other people" later on. You could say that one of them loved men because he knew them, and the other loved humanity, because he didnt understand men.
Sartre's career thrived while France was occupied and yet, he was one of the leading cultural figures after the liberation. He also never acknowledged the crimes of the communist party in the east while Camus separated from the movement early on for these reasons (Sartre never forgave him, they stopped being friends at that point). And Sartre also increased his criticism when Camus was awarded the Nobel prize in 1957...
Guess which one of the two I trust most.
Exactly. I read a great biography of Camus a while back and foolishly gave it away in a book downsizing exercise (never again!). This book argued that Camus was a Mediterranean spirit in the classical sense and that his work was rooted in a deep understanding and study of Athenian literature and philosophy which often goes unnoticed and unacknowledged by people nowadays.
I think it’s interesting how Camus still resonates (especially with the young) whereas Sartre has become the preserve of academics and has been overtaken and undermined by the more destructive of tradition intellectuals who his work paved the way for.
How many people who buy Being and Nothingness actually read it? And on the other hand how many people who buy L’Etranger or La Peste read them and enjoy them? My bet would be virtually zero for the former and virtually everyone for the later.
This is the most telling factor for me. And like you say, I think it comes down to a difference in levels of trust for each respective author and the level of h7manity that we sense that they respectively possess.
Wonderful comment yet again, Sebastien. Always a pleasure.
Truth again Thomas. Let me just say a last word: Sartre was the right personnality at the right time, but he was not a great thinker; most of his philosophy is ripped from Heidegger (Sartre did his thesis on him at a time when he wasn't even translated into French), and Being and Nothingness is less and less studied in the universities... I am willing to bet his name will be almost forgotten within the next 20 years. Whereas Camus is still widely read. Classic case of Soul Vs poseur intellect.
As of last week, I did not allow myself to sit down for a few moments and relax until I was done with my to-do list. But I found that the to-do list never stops. So for the past few days I have made it a "to-do" to sit down for 5-10 minutes and do literally nothing. It is a skill that I do not have. But it has been glorious to allow myself to do nothing.
This post makes me think of the popularity of Marie Kondo. Remove everything that doesn't bring you joy. And allow yourself to FEEL joy over your things!
Hello Christen. Thanks for taking the time to stop by here and leave a comment.
You make an excellent point. As people become increasingly chained to a must-be-productive, to-do list mentality they can leverage this by intentionally scheduling time to do nothing. In fact, I would argue that the ever-growing popularity of meditation and mindfulness is a way for high-performance people to give themselves permission to do this while still feeling productive.
But I think it is better to get to the root of the (some would say toxic) work ethic issue by learning how to do nothing and to savour simple pleasures and activities as they arrive. This is a theme that I believe will continue to run through these Essays.
Issue #5 on Embracing The Ordinary may be upmyour alley.
Thanks again for stopping by Christen. I hope to hear from you again soon.
Tom.
Live well. Gorgeous, I love it.
Think I may adopt it as a signature for a while, it seems to be a real statement. I had an old gym partner, huge Polish man, who used to sign off his messages with "Strength and Honor", but I fear I'm about 20kg too light and far too babyfaced for that.
I'll be the first to stick my hand up and say that I learned a great deal about Epicurus that I had no idea about before. Having spent time with Aurelius, Seneca and co, I somewhat naively assumed that Epicurus wasn't worth exploring.
That being said, my initial reaction to encountering stoicism many years ago was "that sounds dreadfully boring", and while I've come to realize the usefulness of the principles and have probably unconsciously adopted many of the behaviors, my opinion on it hasn't changed too much.
Well yet another book has been added to the list. Given that were about to plunge right back into quarantine over here in Ireland, I fully intend to make a respectable dent in it.
"Most people, at least judging by surface appearances, are terrible at being happy. And they have a talent, or at least a wilfulness, towards making themselves miserable."
Agreed. It's also never been easier to distract your life away. Not happy, not sad, just meh. Youtube, twitter, instagram will keep you watching and scrolling and content. Not happy, but just distracted enough to hold your attention until it's time to eat or sleep.
"This is a simple point, a stupefyingly simple point, but one which in all of our quasi-sophistication we suppress: If you aren’t enjoying what you are doing, why are you continuing to do it?"
Having spent the last hour scrolling that I had intended to spend reading, I felt that. I promise to switch off my laptop and get back to Hesse after I finish this post.
This post reminded me of an old Taleb tweet actually, where he discussed his idea of true wealth, which align pretty closely with the ideals laid out in this post: "True wealth consists of Worriless sleeping, Clear conscience, Reciprocal gratitude, Absence of envy, Good appetite, Muscle strength, Physical energy, Frequent laughs, No meals alone, No gym classes, Some physical labor, No meeting rooms, Periodic surprises"
Couldn't agree more to be honest.
In terms of the ethical arguments and nuances of choosing a life based on pleasure, I've always found the idea that "the easiest way to get what you want is to give enough other people what they want" to be odd - does it take away from the kindness of the act if it's carried out with the intention of receiving reciprocation? Must an act be selfless in order to be good?
The answer seems simple, but it's always bothered me for some reason.
Anyway, congratulations on the success of these posts, I can imagine it's been incredibly gratifying to see your words resonate. 4-figures is just around the corner.
Live well
It certainly is gratifying to see these words resonate, Conor. I had an inkling that a lot of work ethic promoting ‘content’ and culture was performative and that beneath it all was an unhappiness, a desperation and a desire to be able to actually take it easy and live the simple life that you truly want.
I believe that what most people want is some kind of peace and basic contentment in life. And I believe that this is eminently achievable through perspective and Via Negativa. But of course if everyone were to think this way our consumerist economy would tank and so the desire for contentment has been subverted into a decadent, rushed, just-out-of-reach for of ‘happiness’
I suspect that these essays are being generally well received because they speak to something in people that rarely gets acknowledged or discussed. And this is primarily because I’m not trying to sell people anything and I think it is clearly that I am figuring things out for myself as I go rather than posing as some authority.
That Taleb quote is an absolute beauty. An elegant and complete distillation of what the good life is all about. I am due a re-read if the Incerto and I would like to see if I can create a newsletter out of applying some of his concepts- barbells, Extremistan, soul in the game- to the artistic life.
We will see.
Thanks as always for taking the time to leave an outstanding comment. I suspect there are several readers who get a lot out of them. I have learned that there are silent readers everywhere online. They may not introduce themselves or offer commentary but they are there and we can make a small difference to their lives if we try.
And finally, yes, I’m currently at 939 sign-up so the four figure club will be here soon. And next year I will look into adding additional premium stuff. But there’s no rush and no greed here. Things happen when they happen.
Cheers.
Tom.
I will look that up. It sounds as if it would be right up my alley.
Thanks Axel.
Thanks Thomas, I look forward to your essays very much. They seem to re-connect me with a very deep and true part of myself that I feel like I am re-discovering day by day and your writings are helping me get back to that place. Live well :)
Ashley
Thanks for stopping by with such a kind comment Ashley. It’s especially gratifying to hear that because that is exactly my intention.
So many people are disconnected from their true selves, from the child that they were and the adult that they wish they could be.
Work and hustle are sold as the solutions but so often this becomes a case of digging the hole you are in faster.
Rest (not laziness), self-acceptance (not letting go of your standards) and vision (not a consumerist goal implanted by advertising) are the way out of this quandary.
Each week I am trying to add more pieces to the breadcrumb trail.
I hope to hear from you again Ashley. Thanks again for taking the time to comment.
Tom.
This feels very familiar to me and matches up to how I try to live each day.
Some of the more meaningful connections I've had over the last 8 Covid-19 months are with walkers I pass on my daily ride. We see each other daily but slowing and engaging with them is especially fulfilling.
Meeting "Peace" and learning that she walks 11 miles a day is inspiring.
Seeing how Geraldine has warmed up and eagerly smiles is especially gratifying.
I have many other memories.
I appreciate the thoughts you shared about spending time with friends. It's very gratifying to see the world through people you might not have noticed if you didn't take the time to ask a question and start-up a new connection.
That’s lovely to hear Steve. I’ve found that if you take the first step- a nod to people who you walk by each day, a hello, a quick DM and so on- people can often be very receptive.
I should think that fear is at the heart of the reason why so many people don’t do this. Which I would stay stems from some sort of below the surface belief re: self worth.
Now, according to the psychometric tests I am as introverted as they come, but this is an energy management issue not a being inherently being unable to socialise issue. At some point you simple have to make that first move. In all things.
Thanks as always for leaving a comment Steve. Always a pleasure to get your perspective.
Tom.
As I work to consciously unwind my workaholic tendencies, THIS will be my mantra.
Live Well
Thanks Tom
Love it. And thanks for stopping by LeAnne. I appreciate you taking the time toco ment.
Workaholism is a real problem. But there is a breadcrumb trail of solutions that runs through all of these essays. And it will continue into the future here.
Thanks.
Tom.
Hey Axel, great to hear from you again. Always a pleasure to hear from one of the ‘regulars’
Taleb is fantastic, everyone who reads him seems to come away inspired and with at least one or two genuine and applicable epiphanies.
I find it no surprise that the man who popularised the Lindy Principle has now demented himself as a thinker who will be remembered by history and whose thoughts will survive the time they were published in.
And yes you are right. In many ways I feel that every week I am tackling the same general problems from a different angle. I suspect we will drift in different directions and along different related themes as the tide takes us. At the moment, I find that the ills of workaholism, stress and working with life-goals that are not truly your own is very pertinent.
These themes seem to resonate with burned out people in these stressful times.
If I can help one person to become even slightly happier or successful *by their own deepest definition* then I can say that this venture has been worthwhile.
Live well.
Tom.
This is a very insightful comment, Jason. Thanks for taking the time to share it with us.
I think that things click in to place for many people when they realise that via negativa (without going so far as to be ascetic or life-denying) is the most direct path to happiness. The ancients seemed to have a better grasp of this than we do, at least the ones whose writings have survived did.
The old emphasis that philosophy had one questions such as ‘what makes for a good life’ are just as important as ever. I think we all need to ponder such things carefully, away from the standard consumption-driven answer to this that society offers as a default.
In fact these newsletters in their totality can be said to be my attempts at answering this question for myself.
Thanks again for taking the time to stop by here.
Tom.