Friday, June 11, 2010

12. PHILOSOPHY


I used to think college was a place where you learned new things and grew personally. Boy was I wrong. College is a business. Except no one treats it that way. If college is a business then I am the customer and therefore should have things my way. So when I first enrolled in classes it was a surprise to me that I was REQUIRED to take certain classes. Im paying for it so why dont you take the money and give me what I want instead of telling me what to do like a Democrat? (makes sense to me) One of the classes I was told to take was Philosophy. I loved it. I was good at thinking and better at arguing. You couldnt back me into a corner. I kept taking philosophy and religion classes and as you might expect, over time, the two different fields soon came to a head in my mind. I was forced to reconcile things I had learned in each with the differing views of the other. Then something magical happened. Something clicked. Somehow I was able to discover that ... Philosophy is a load of crap.

Philosophy is a cul du sac (french for overrated i think). When I was following philosophy I found myself drifting toward Utilitarianism and Existentialism. I know, RIGHT! But here is where "believing" in philosophy will get you: right back to where you started. I could give you examples of why each different field within the field is a waste of time but you would get bored about two sentences in. So instead I will tell you the only philosophy that works ... My philosophy!

The points of Kurtism:

1.) BECAUSE I SAID SO!
This is the most important point. It sounds like something youre mother would say but is that such a bad thing? No one, I mean NO ONE tells me how to live my life. No one on this earth is smart enough to tell me how I should think or how to behave or what to believe. That is my job. I get to pick and choose what I want. Nietzsche, Mill, Kant, Augustine, Freud. Screw 'em. They were all stupid when you apply their knowledge to what is best for me. I say what I do, I say that it is right, and it is right because I said so. If I say and believe something is right then it is universally right, because within my universe it is. Eff your universe. Mine's probably better anyways.

2.) WHO CARES ABOUT HAPPINESS?
I dont. Happiness is fleeting and fickle. It comes and goes. It becomes an addiction if you let it. My world is not all happy. And so therefore I cannot want for happiness all the time. Here is what I am after: Joy! I want Peace.... and Joy. I want to be settled. At rest inside. Happiness is a welcome guest in my home, yet Joy is a welcome companion for life. When I find it Ill let you know, but dont try and get it the way I did. Youre not me. And Im not you. Find youre own way. Search for the thing that will let you discontinue ever searching again. Happiness will use you and leave you.

3.) DO THE MATH
The picture accompanying this post is an example of what I am talking about. Religion and Philosophy have a few things in common I suppose. The one I would like to focus on is the math of it all. Take the number four. Divide it by two. You get two. Divide that by two. Divide it again. One. Divide it. 1/2. Again. Again. Again. What do you get? Where do you get? You get closer and closer to zero but you will never, ever, ever reach it. Ever. This is philosophy. You may think and think and divide and divide but, rationalize as you might, you will never reach the answer. Ever. Compare this to religion and you'll find almost the same. You will "approach zero" nearing an answer, getting so close. You wont make it. Not with that brain of yours. However there is one paramount difference between Religion and Philosophy in this sense. With religion there is one tool, one precious little thing that will allow you to bridge that tiny, yet insurmountable gap. Faith. Have faith in the answer and jump! You'll find yourself safely and peacefully on the spiritual X Axis of the bar graph of life.

So have it your way. Torture yourself with your pride by trying to believe in a cynical, narrow minded, tunnel visioned, obsessed group of thinkers, or do it on your own... your way. You'll find that it will strengthen your spirit, buoy you up, and let you continue your personal progression indefinitely! And if you just cant figure it out, ask me. I have it all figured out.

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