Why I Chose Philosophy as My Purpose
Updated: Apr 15
Quiet Joys and Restless Souls
For some, a life of relative peace is sufficient for them to call it worthy. It's a life that is with few disturbances and with a greater deal of perks by comparison. There are many who prefer to live their lives privately, keeping a small group of family and friends around. They're largely undisturbed by the many worries celebrities have to deal with regarding their privacy.
This quiet contentment is a liability by itself, however, when it comes in comparison to what many of us are capable of doing and becoming.
While I try to respect this lifestyle, which the shamelessly arrogant may call "mediocre," I confess, I belong to a "different breed". I guess that I would rather leave a mark, for better or worse, than live a life of little impact on the world beyond one's job and personal commitments. The call to action, to make a difference, burns too brightly for me to simply find comfort in the everyday.
Finding Purpose Through Philosophy
You see, privacy is a very comfortable thing to have. It's a shield against judgment and criticism, which many of us may lack the professionalism to handle. However, comfort can become a trap, an "easy" way to live that avoids the potential impact we could have on the world. Therefore, the choice to live in greater privacy than otherwise is a sacrifice of its own -- the sacrifice of our potential.
For a while, I found solace in a peaceful, anonymous life. However, serenity alone couldn't satiate the urge within me to contribute. Like joy, it was an emotion, pleasant but ultimately limited. And thus, the more-peaceful life can often be a result of denying ourselves the lives we want to lead. Sometimes, the peaceful life just doesn't correlate with our ideal selves.
This realization sparked a crucial question: What does it mean to live a meaningful life? If impact is the goal, some serenity and comfort must be sacrificed. In my case, this means dedicating time to writing and sharing my thoughts, as they are a way to offer something beyond myself. This compels me to face the reception dilemma at the cost of my serenity. And in philosophy, a good philosopher would seek out the truth even if it requires him or her to sacrifice their comfort. As such, truth-seeking is a form of sacrifice.
My limitations, like stress from demanding jobs, steered me towards philosophizing, which allows me to avoid unnecessary drama with others. Unlike traditional education, my auto-didacting ways aren't as exhausting or stressful, even though they can often be to some degree.
Logical reasoning, the core of philosophy, seemed like a skill I could hone with the investment of minimal resources. Thanks to online platforms like Udemy, I could explore these ideas without the pressures of exams or overwhelming workloads.
Philosophizing, for me, isn't about self-glorification of my character. If anything, that would be the a pseudo-intellectual purpose. Instead, It's a tool, a means to an end: A way to be useful to others according to my abilities. Monotonous jobs left me feeling empty and exhausted. It was hard to bear and made me deeply contemplate on the vast emptiness of the universe.
Ironically, the act of writing philosophical articles doesn't trigger that intensive exhaustion. I attribute this abnormalcy to my neurodiversity: People's minds process reality differently, and in the case of neurodivergent people, it's done to the point of partial disability. This makes the world unaccessible to people like myself, who are prone to greater intensity of fatigue.
As such, the beauty of philosophy lies in its accessibility to anyone willing to learn and better understand reality. Beyond logic, there are few conditions on the path of philosophership. It's about free thinking and the pursuit of new ideas. My inspiration for this paragraph is Diogenes, who an eccentric street-dweller. There's no single "philosopher" mold – anyone curious and willing enough can participate.
While degrees offer and reinforce prestige bias, they're often unnecessary for personal exploration. The information is readily available online, often for free. This has led me to devise the degree fallacy.
This diminishes the relevance of universities in the context of philosophy. In today's information age, with knowledge readily accessible, formalized education may not be the only path. And we can pursuit the same goal without being so stressed by the orthodox paths.
Of course, philosophy isn't for everyone. There are sciences, religions, and even entertainment that offer alternative perspectives. However, the continued existence of philosophy speaks to its enduring, relevant value. Even in a world filled with empirical data, there's still a thirst for contemplative insights, attained by the intellect, with or without empirical research.
And this is what keeps me going, providing a purpose beyond mere self-gratification. That is despite my limitations as a neurodivergent being.
The question of philosophy's relevance in the 21st century is one everyone who engages with it should contemplate. The reasons people seek philosophy are diverse – a desire for deeper meaning, an alternative to religion, or an escape from financial materialism. The reasons could even be professional, and even be related to the value of true love.
Whatever your motivation to read Philosocom articles, your presence validates my reasoning to resume being a relentless altruist, inspired by the Salaryman philosophy. It's because of readers like you that philosophy, and Philosocom specifically, remains relevant. Your presence enables the offering a unique perspectives in a world dominated by the ruthless competition of other fields and activities for your time.
From Serenity to Significance
As to my "beef" with the so-called "Ms. Chen," that ambition for vengeance might as well never be direct. However, symbolically, to me, she represents the "common" man and woman; the very audience I wish to eventually expand my content's influence to. Those who think philosophy is irrelevant, unaware of its perks.
My goal isn't only to resonate with philosophy seekers like yourself. With enough contribution to the world, I aspire to reach a broader audience, the "common folk" who might not actively seek philosophy but could benefit from its insights, and become moral.
This ambition, as such, necessitates a shift from the comfort of privacy and serenity. Ultimately, such comfort hinders my ability to make a significant impact. The pursuit of "greatness," in this sense, is not about personal glory, but about maximizing my potential to help others.
In the end, the choice is clear: a life of quiet contentment, intentionally hindered by challenge and potential for greater influence. For me, the call to contribute to the world, to challenge the "Ms. Chens" of the world through the power of ideas, is far more compelling than a life lived solely for myself. This is the path I choose, a journey from serenity to significance.
