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- Philosophy Satire: Minerva's Wingman (A Seinfeld and Philosophy Parody)
(Background music) Kramer and Newman dabble in quantum physics technology that would allow them to summon pizzas from the multiverse for their new pizza enterprise. However, their incompetence summons different philosophers from the original timeline. Furthermore, Kramer and Newman are transported back to the past. But because no one really cares about them, they just stay there and are never heard from again during the episode. They return in the next episode because that's how sitcoms work. Because there is no demand for philosophers in the nearby philosophy factories, it is up for Seinfeld to help Kant , Hobbes and Nietzsche to hook up with New York's ladies so they could find a place to live and continue their respective legacies.... And maybe even true love? For being the spineless man he is, Seinfeld allows the 3 philosophers to stay in his apartment. However, their constant discourse prevents him from making the terrible jokes no one really likes. So, he devised a plan with Elieen to hook the 3 men with her seemingly infinite inventory of female friends. Meanwhile, for the idiot he is, George eavesdropped on their scheme and honestly believed the philosophers are lesbians. Simping for chromo XX kind, George plans in solitude how to use his irresistible Constanza charm, which definitely worked in the past , to convert the "lesbians" to his "home turf" like a catholic priest. The attempt to dispose of the existential good-for-nothings are set in a restaurant called " Cabaret Caboose". On their way to the event, Seinfeld argued with Elieen over how overly sensitive lactose-intolerant people are. "At this point, I can't even make jokes about cheese, Elieen!" Impractically offended by this , because she had a stray cat who hated cheese and escaped her basement, Elieen whines in normalized infantility and abandons the group. For the profound mastermind Seinfeld is, he is now left with the three stooges on his own with the ladies. At "Cabaret Caboose", the date goes horribly awkward . For the profound intellects Elieen's girlfriends are, none of them were ever introduced to actual philosophy . Because they are flat in mind, not necessarily elsewhere, they think the 3 geniuses are in fact executives from "Philosophy", a skincare company. When their Platonic Cave-Like conception is revealed, Seinfeld tries to subvert their ignorance to his own interests, promoting their collective deception. However, the philosophers get mad as they begin inquiring about the horrible pain of not being understood by society. Collectively, they intend to leave and look for a way back to their own respective historical periods. You know, like the geeky killjoys they are. Unfortunately, the women were triggered because now they think they were talking about their periods. For god's sake! Remembering the one time he read Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" back in Florida, Seinfeld actually makes a smart decision and convinces the discouraged ladies to calm each other in the bathroom. Anyways, while the diversion tactic was in effect, Seinfeld asks the philosophers what's wrong with them. "What's wrong with you guys? I thought you were supposed to be smart!!" The philosophers then threaten Seinfeld that they will create an intellectualist syndicate solely for the degradation of his already-degraded material if he won't let them go. They told them that their combined wit will bring him much financial misfortune, so the categorical imperative is to let them set free. Degreeless, but not in a Rubinshteinic type of way , Seinfeld takes a deep zen breath and just tells them to be themselves with the ladies. That, the moral thing to do is to apologize for causing them grief and have a little bit of fun before both parties part ways. Further amused by his usually misused mind, the philosophers agree in unison. The ladies return from the bathroom, also trying to try and have a decent night out at the Cabaret. Their efforts are ruined by George, who enters the Caboose institution with over-the-top attire. He used all his savings just for that attire. He also bought a cane with a diamond and a top hat because he is "a philosopher". Ignoring the actual philosophers in front of his eyes, George introduces himself to the ladies and begins philosophizing with horrible logic in order to charm their brains. Kant, being a deontologist , begins fixing George every time he makes a fallacy in his arguments. Triggered by this, George begins to confront the little man and asks him what "he" does for a "living", that he "dares" challenge his rationale. Kant says that he's a deontologist. Having no idea what that means, George says he would break his teeth with his cane if he won't shut up. The philosophers laugh hysterically. Seinfeld left the scene thanks to Sun Tzu's wisdom, undetected. "Visiting my annoying parents does pay after all", he said to himself as he left. "Hmmm... Maybe I should return there as my personal conclusion to this episode... Seinfeld, you're the man with the plan!" "He is not a dentist you underutilized untermensch! " Nietzsche mocked George. "He is a deontologist!" "Yeah.... I knew that." He laughs awkwardly. "A teeth historian". Both the philosophers and the women laugh at the poor man. George begins to cry in distress. "I'm never going to get out of my parent's, aren't I?" Feeling sorry for his misfortune, one of the ladies offers to get to know him better.... personally. George gets excited and she commands him to wait outside, which he does without question. "I'm so glad I bought my shackles in my purse... Well, see you around!" the lady leaves with a joyous grin on her face after she turned around for the door.. "Well, Thomas, I guess we're just the four of us. I detect a plot hole in this flawed reality, because Kant is somehow gone too. And God is dead, so this is not even a cruel joke from a script writer from Olympus." Awkward silence. Hobbes finishes with a philosophical, punchline pickup. "Tonight, let us forge a social contract. Surrender your powers to me and my associate, and in return we will bear your company on our leviathans!" The ladies leave in disgust. Nietzsche leaves too. Hobbes lives the rest of his life as a New York homeless man.
- Why Psychologists Are Overrated -- A Critique And a Controverstial Stand
(2023 Note: Now that I compared myself to other autists, I've realized I have Asperger's Syndrome, which can be considered part of ASD, or the Autism Spectrum Disorders. I, however, am no longer sure if I am indeed an autist, even though I was diagnosed with both Asperger's and ASD. Please, take this article with a grain of salt, as I expect you to do, with any of my articles). Introductory Poem by Mr. John Duran... For the Loonies: Welcome to insanity friend, We hope you enjoy your stay. You here with us, and us with you, What a wonderful day! Don't concern yourself with ugly terms like madness, These are just nonsense words after all, certainly nothing concerning you now nevertheless. Here you are free to be yourself, irrational, illogical, and lunatic as ya want! In fact, that's what we want you to do, after all Lets not consign your psyche to a mere shelf! So does the white jacket fit well? Snug enough we hope. Can we make any adjustments for your comfort today? Don't concern yourself, you'll be here awhile, I'm sorry to say... Part 1 I do not know for sure how the general population sees psychologists, but as someone who went to psychologists for more than a decade, I can confidently say that psychologists are not the same to the mind as medical professionals are to our bodies. Unlike medical doctors, psychologists don't heal. They might help us solve problems or better understand ourselves ; however, if you want to be mentally stable, the solution is not to pay loads of cash to psychologists, but to destroy the roots of your problems instead. I wrote how I did it personally in a certain miniseries on Philosocom called Accepting Reality. No matter how many meetings I had with that professional, psychological assistance did not help me to cope with my sensitivity to noise at all. Later on, I got into a personal phase I'd like to call the Reaping Fatigue Era . No psychologist helped me solve it. I instead had to solve it on my own, despite, at last, becoming a physical handicap for a year. I thought psychologists would help me. They didn't. I thus no longer take pride in my intelligence , but instead see it as a necessary way to mentally survive this world. Take my advice: Don't abuse children . I made sure all those who abused me are no longer present in my life. They do not deserve the honor. That is why I decided to stop going to psychologists . It isn't that they are not good at their jobs; it's just that they offer advice and don't necessarily heal you like medical professionals do. And of course, it isn't the job of medical professionals to heal you mentally. Psychologists merely help you to find possible solutions to your problems; it does not mean that these solutions would be effective, no matter how much you talk with them about said issues. I solved much of my issues myself, by going deeper into my psyche, and understanding the roots of my traumas. You basically pay a lot of cash just to speak with someone for around an hour. You could do so with anyone else who wants to talk with you. It isn't to say that psychologists are disposable; they're, in theory, just problem solvers on the personal/intimate scale. There is no guarantee that the money you will invest in their services will eventually pay off. Therefore, it is sort of a gamble, with the only price being your time and money. I am, in a way, glad that I don't go to psychologists anymore. I have realized that, if I take action and eliminate the roots of my problems, their [the psychologists'] functionality in my life would no longer be necessary. Why choose to suffer when you can eliminate the source of suffering ? Accept reality, and the truth can set you free. At the very least, it can relieve you of some of the unconscious passions that lead you to suffer. Because when you are abused in some way, your desires may be distorted permanently. And when my former love of my life calls me irrelevant and discards me without struggle, I may want to build an article empire to prove to humanity that she was wrong. Understanding the root of our problems can bring us clarity and thus, a little bit of calm at the very least. We might still suffer, we might still take medications . But we can still save ourselves tons of money that would otherwise be wasted on ineffective expert help. It is far better than remaining unaware of our origins. For our traumatic origins are also the origins of our wants and needs . For we are defined by our memories , conscious or otherwise, and as such we deserve to know it and not repress it under the metaphorical rug. The root of your mental problems might stem from the past. Explore them through contemplations. Do not escape, or they will resume governing you from the back of your mind. Analyze them. Understand how they manage you, how they shape the being that you came to be. You don't necessarily need an external hand for that process. You just need to reflect. Despite the pain you may experience, mental or even physical, covering it from the shadows it is embedded in, can set you free from it more. And for free, too. Part 2 The thing about psychology is that it cannot cure you of mental disorders like doctors can cure you of diseases. Many people don't realize that, once you have a mental disorder, there is no going back. In other words, there are no cures for mental illnesses , and the pills you may take are merely delayers, not medicine to heal your wounds. This is why the consumption of therapy would burn a hole in your pocket UNLESS you actually solved the root of your problems yourself (or with help, I guess). In my case, it won't matter how much I speak with the professional I used to visit; I will forever be sensitive to noise because it is a part of my Asperger's, and that service will not make people stop tormenting me with yells they are legally allowed to make. The state does not care if I suffer. Society does not care. Therefore, with their lack of empathy, they are hostile to me. The only practical solution would be to move somewhere quieter. Now I can tell you that, two years of living somewhere completely different has been a far, far more practical solution than going to a psychologist for years on end. Now that I am aware that I will have these disorders for the rest of my life, unless there is a cure for them, I will have to learn to live with them, even if it means making compromises. For people like me, it is unfortunate to say that compromising is sometimes the best solution, if not a complete escape. There are no rules in my country that forbid people from screaming during the appropriate hours; I just had to find somewhere else to live where people would be more tolerant of my unwanted sensitivity. I sure hope that I will not have to see a psychologist ever again. It's not that I hate psychologists, which I don't; there are just better alternatives to solving issues than just talking about them and hoping for the best. It was my decision to move elsewhere, and who knows how much money I saved by doing so; money that would otherwise go to weekly sessions... Conclusions Psychologists are like modern-day sages , but that does not mean that they can cure you of your disorders or solve all of the problems that come with having them. When are psychologists at their best? It's when you're, highly depressed , or are in any kind of state that requires short-term consultation in a state of distress. They can be there to calm you, listen to your thoughts, and even cheer you up. Ultimately, they are people you hire to listen to you and provide feedback that MIGHT help you. Their ultimate contribution comes when they prevent taking one's own life or make you more mentally stable, even if the illnesses of your mentality are still there. I also wrote on mental health before. More specifically, mental illness.
- Painting a Hologram -- Article By Igal Shenderey (Philosophy of Art, Metaphysics)
(Philosocom Igal Sh.'s Articles) (Philosocom's Directory on Beauty and Art) (Disclaimer: The guest posts do not necessarily align with Philosocom's manager, Mr. Tomasio Rubinshtein's beliefs, thoughts, or feelings. The point of guest posts is to allow a wide range of narratives from a wide range of people. To apply for a guest post of your own, please send your request to mrtomasio@philosocom.com) Mr. Emmanuel David's Synopsis: "Painting a Hologram" explores the concept of finding meaning in one's craft and introduces a new dimension of art: holography. It introduces a technique called "materialistic holographic painting," which combines traditional materials to create holographic effects. This method is accessible, less expensive, and made by hand, making it intriguing for traditional artists. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding light, optics, and the periodic table to create desired holographic effects. The author emphasizes the importance of passion and time in mastering this new art form. (Background music) INTRODUCTION In Art, regardless of the medium, there is no right and wrong way, there's only creative expression, and how its perceived -- John Duran You can never find the meaning of life, but you can understand the meaning of what you do. Only by mastering your craft, you may understand its true meaning. I feel that I have accomplished a fair understanding of what art is and what it will be in the traditional sense. However, I also believe that there is much more to it than meets the eye of even the most knowledgeable art critic. In this book, I will take you to a different and barely touched dimension of art: holography. Some scientists claim that "the universe is a big hologram.” For a normal human with a physical perspective on reality, this can be hard to believe. However, holography in traditional art is possible to make, as you will see. I have found that the materials we use in paintings have peculiar and distinct properties. They react to light in many ways, and each has a code. This means that they can be used in a certain manner to make a certain effect. Understanding these materials and their effects is the key to unveiling the purpose they have to serve. Different light conditions can contrast different notions of the painting. Some holographic techniques are better than others in some aspects and worse in others. However, I have used a totally different approach to those techniques, ironically using old traditional ones. The name for this technique is “materialistic holographic painting " and it derives from the combination of materials rather than singular one like in holographic photography which uses certain crystalized film that captures laser light from different directions deflected from an object, which rearranges the crystal formation with in the film to form a reflected copy of this object. This method is wonderful, and it even gave its inventor Dennis Gabor the Nobel Prize. But still, it has limitations, in terms of depth of space, colour, angle of view, distance, and the light conditions to see it properly. Also, it is an expensive setup to make at home and it's created not by a human but a machine which makes it less intriguing to me as a traditional artist. Materialistic holography painting, on the other hand, is made by hand with fairly cheap materials, it has no colour limitation, and less lightening conditional problems, also in the sense of distance and view angle limitations it can prove to work better in some cases because there is no limit to the width of a layer like in the holographic film. What is also interesting is the connections this new technique has in regards to how materials behave in nature, how they are layered and how they react to light. Most people tend to believe something only when they see it, but do we really understand what we see there? The sight in a sense shows reality which our mind has retrieved from data that our senses collected, but it is powered by light and it may also illuminate illusions. I found that light can be bent and captured in a way and also controlled to show us what normally we cannot see. The means serve the purpose, and therefore we will be concentrating on the technique layer by layer showing the research behind it, I must note that there are lots of ways to do it properly and with good results but every painting has its own set of rules. I established these techniques and rules through long research and we will see other ways to do it but they have more to do with style, like, realistic verses expressionistic and others, they have a different set of effects but the rules are basically the same. There is a lot more to it than I can point right now because there is lots more research to do, and I hope we together can continue this mission and bring the holographic painting closer to tradition. Last but not least, to make such a painting you need passions, it may take a lot of time, and as I will show you it actually can be endless… Light Holography is the science of making a hologram, the meaning of this word comes from Greek which mean Holos- whole, and Graphe means drawing, but this description does not fit to what it is today. To begin, we will start by trying to understand basically the role of optics in this technique. Light is an energy which has speed and direction, it can be deflected from an object or absorbed in it, those two negatives, give us the ability to control materials to make a huge spectrum of reaction to light. Light has also a direction and therefore when it is deflected from an object it may change its direction depending on the angle of the impact. You can notice that when we look at a painting or a print from different angles we will see less of the image than what is seen from the front side, and that’s because the surface deflects light virtually blinding us. But we can notice something in that situation which we can’t notice otherwise like matt layers, just like dirt on the floor, or fingerprints on the table, this shows us other opposing factors which we will discuss and use later. Light has the ability to go through layers and change its output, from cold to hot and from one colour to the other. As we established, light can be absorbed and deflected, we will notice that these characteristics are controlled by the type of matter we put on a certain layer. That creates a phenomena in which we can see illumination of light above the surface of the painting under some conditions (in my theory this happens by the slowing of light “particle”). What is most important to understand is that making a painting is basically playing with light in every way possible by the medium that we work in. MATERIALS The materials that painters have used and still use are, in some way, too traditional. What I mean is that in a painting, we will find a different set of materials that have a certain effect, like the medium presents, but only to give a certain feel to the image in the painting. That's only one part of the story I will tell. Of course, we need the traditional understanding of geometrical, color, and tonal perspectives, as well as different compositions and other basics. However, this book relies on the painter who reads it to know those traditional rules and rely on them as well. This specific technique is not specific to using only one type of material. In fact, it will use many of them simultaneously on one painting, because each material has its own characteristics and they will be helpful somewhere along the process. In fact, we will use mostly varnish and fixative, but their role is much different from the role of the other materials, like color spray, oil colors of different sorts, ink-based and alcohol-based markers and pens, acrylic, watercolors, tempera, and we will discuss more potential materials like chalk, glow-in-the-dark colors, and nail polish. We will also see and try to understand the periodic table and see how different materials react to light. It is important to understand that the pigment of a colored material has only traditional meaning in this holographic technique. Traditionally, paintings are done on many different layers depending on the material used. For example, oil paintings are mostly done on a canvas covered with gesso or acrylic at first so that it will not be exposed to moisture underneath. Watercolors or ink are done on a certain paper to soak up the water, and alcohol-based colors are done on plastic or polymer-based paper. However, in our technique, we use a thick cardboard board! This is because we need the sheet to absorb up to a certain point. This creates a contrast between the absorbed material and the one laid on top of the surface, which also adds to the 3D effect that is noticeable from the beginning. Materials are categorized by their solution content, but pigmentation is a more general additive. Therefore, we may also use a material with no additive of that sort (oil pastel with no pigment). Materials substitute reality, meaning that varnish or fixative replaces air, metallic replaces light, and normal colors replace natural objects, as in known traditional art. For example, we can see the use of metallic colors in iconography and many forms of classic art, which were meant to replace light as well as other needs. They are also used in their original sense, such as in painting jewelry. We can also see on some of those works the use of wood carved bumps and holes to make the painting seem more 3D. LAYERS We can describe visual nature as a three-dimensional space, as each object in that space is known mathematically to have three coordinate systems: x, y, and z. Therefore, this object can be viewed from many angles. Two-dimensional (2D) space, on the other hand, consists of a maximum of two coordinate systems and represents part of a 3D object. It is made of a single flat surface. There is a big misconception today in which actual 3D objects are seen as 2D. For example, a sheet of paper is actually a 3D object. This abstraction makes us see reality in a narrow point of view, and it is still considered to be true enough for the naked eye to see. In this book, we will make a distinction and show that actual 2D objects only exist in theory. From a great distance, everything seems two-dimensional. Therefore, we will try to amplify reality to show that it is actually 3D. Any object can be split into a number of 2D layers to a certain extent. We will see that creating a holographic painting is amplifying this 2D object to make it look 3D. I call each layer "2.5D" because it serves me well to treat it as part of 3D. If we take a closer look at a real classic oil painting, we can actually see the effect created by a combination of layers. Because it is oil, we can actually see through it, in some cases more and in some less. This is due to the number of layers, their thickness, and color. It is just like seeing the veins under the skin. The actual purpose of a certain layer is to give additional information to the layers beneath and to serve the ones above. If you try to establish all the information on one layer, you will lose most of the effects we need to create on a holographic painting. Although the potential is there, it will be lost completely to the naked eye. Another interesting thing to notice in drawings and traditional art in general is that creating an object inside the painting was always done by making sets of strokes. In the classic sense, they provide information about the object. For example, round or diagonal strokes can be used to create a round object, as if we were sculpting it with our hands. As we collect more and more sets of strokes from different directions, we make the shape seem more uniform and smooth. We will see how this technical part helps us to create a real form by creating an illusion of it. That is why I believe that traditional art serves us greatly here. We will also see how each layer theoretically casts a shadow on the bottom layer depending on the light direction. This interestingly serves us a great deal with creating the holographic illusion, enabling us to see it from different directions. We will examine this closer in other chapters. VALUES Values are basically tones, and we can see any picture as a collection of values. Any colored image can be seen also in black and white, the same picture but only in values of light and dark. This understanding serves us greatly in the creation of a holographic painting. Values from white to black are not absolute, because the white and black colors are not absolute in terms of the materials we use, due to the effect of light on them, just like in nature. However, an astronomical black hole is totally black, and sunlight can be absolutely white. So, we will use materials that may get us closer to absolute values, such as matte black oil, chalk, or ink. Silver materials can show real light, which can be lighter than the white color we use. The matte effect has a unique signature, but it can be measured on the same type of scale we use for values. However, it is harder to identify the effect and control it. Only if we look at the painting from an angled viewpoint to the light can we see it in full scale and understand the true meaning of this holographic layering technique. Metallic colors are also hugely important. They can change values under different conditions. Sometimes they will appear lighter, and sometimes darker. This change creates movement. We need that movement both from the perspective of an observer and from the changes in the surrounding light. Mid-gray is a very elusive tone. The viewer will always find it hard to pinpoint it. That is because the contrast lies between black and white, and mid-gray is like the zero between them. It is important in cases where we want to make something fade out or disappear. Values give us the ability to see objects and judge their form. In 2D traditional art, values create the illusion of form. This concept is also very important to us because it gives us the ability to flatten 3D objects. As contradictory as it may sound, it actually helps us to compress the layers enough to make a hologram, not an actual 3D object. This is similar to many epoxy layering techniques, which are essentially sculptures. That's why the compression of layers in this new technique relies on old traditional techniques. These techniques give us the knowledge of compressing real life into one 2D object: a painting. PROGRESSION To me, the balance we try to find in each painting must not only have good balanced compositions (color, geometry, tone, etc.), but also have a good balance between the effects of light that we build up in the layers. These effects can actually be seen appearing and progressing on the painting. First, let's divide all the effects we see into two main families: primary and secondary. primary effects are the intense family of effects that are present in color, tone, reflective, matte, etc. We cannot use primary effects all over the painting, otherwise we will kill the balance we are looking for. For example, in traditional art, we never use primary effects in the background of an important object, so as not to draw attention. Secondary effects are the family of effects that we recognize visually later and are there to represent space and depth of field. We can always hide primary effects and make them secondary, under a new layer of varnish or other material. If a primary effect is covered by another layer, its effects are reduced and it becomes secondary. We have two ways of detecting this. One is from a frontal view, where we can see the reduction of brightness and the tinting of the bottom layer. We can also notice the lower temperature of the color than before. The other view is from a side angle to the painting, any side angle. There, we can see the reduction of matte effects and the saturation of the image. In some stages, when the cardboard can still soak up varnish and water, we can identify the matte that originates from the cardboard. Later, when it can no longer soak up, we need to recreate it with the materials in hand, such as oil-based or matte varnish, for example. We keep the primary effect always on the last layer we make, with the right intensity we are looking for. THE IMAGE I went through many stages in my art career, trying to taste all styles and all techniques I could. I found that a style fits to some ideas, but a subject cannot be subjective to a certain style alone. I always felt there was something bigger going on. Throughout history, art has progressed with people, and it has always told stories of religion and history. It teaches us not only about those things, but more importantly, about the world surrounding us. Traditional art to me is a science , a subject of slow evolution , constructed brick by brick. My book is about combining those bricks and others to create a whole new reality of what painting is to me. The first step is understanding the process, and through that process, we will learn what is behind it and what lies under those bricks, the foundation. An image is a collection of geometrical patches, they both carry information of light and form, which our mind rebuilds to describe in details. Details are mostly what our mind concentrates on, and therefore it cannot see the whole picture at first glance. This is due to a selective process we go threw to understand the hole image. This process can take a long time and it is called adaptation . New images usually take longer to adapt, as well. Basically, what happens is that our mind burn the image bit by bit to form it, in such a way that the longer you look the longer this image will last in memory, as an example, when we look at a bright patch of light for long enough it will burn and attach the patch on top of a current image like when we look at the sun. Our eyes are the operator that passes that info, but it has certain limits, it cannot focus on the whole image at once and therefore it moves, the closer to the centre the more clear the image will be. In addition, we concentrate on movement, traditional art describes movement as angular lines in opposition to static structures that are orthogonal or horizontal, and therefore we will remember them better. As I said, an image is a collection of patches, each image is a collection of huge amount of patches, some of them carry the same values and colour, and if we reduce an image to those alone we will see a spread of patches on the picture surface, it is easily done on the computer using Photoshop or other photo editing programs. Most of the layers we will create in the holographic painting will be a reduced collection of patches, and they will carry only bits of information about the final image.
- How to Become Your Own Professor
Article Synopsis by Ms. Gabbi Grace The article "How to Become Your Own Professor (A 'Self-Professor')" explores the concept of self-awareness and personal growth through solitude. It offers an intriguing framework for understanding oneself and navigating solitude as a means of achieving deeper self-knowledge. The central thesis posits that by becoming one's own "self-professor," individuals can harness their inner potential , develop a personalized philosophy, and attain a more authentic and resilient sense of self. The article excels in articulating the value of solitude as a tool for self-discovery, emphasizing the connection between solitude and spiritual exploration. It emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge, acknowledging both strengths and the shadowy aspects of one's psyche . The concept of self-professorship encourages readers to take ownership of their intellectual and emotional development, providing an empowering approach to personal growth. In conclusion, The article offers valuable insights for those seeking to enhance their self-knowledge and embrace their inner potential. (Background music) (Subcategory on Book-Related Content) "If we are the results of both our own choices, and the choices made by others, that's a complex web to orchestrate" -- John Duran Knowing the Psyche The psyche is made up of many layers , varied and twisted. Staying in the inner world, AKA, solitude, is the perfect time to start exploring the individualism that lies within you . Getting to know yourself is something of great importance, and all the more so in solitary activities, like writing. If you do not learn to know yourself, you are bound to suffer and sink into a thick fog of unconsciousness, when you do not know what your body and mind need at one moment or another. It's your job to be in-tune with your body and mind in order to know what is best for you. Each of us knows himself or herself to a certain extent. Most of us know when we are hungry, thirsty, stressed, and the like. But why would it be enough to reach the heights of human self-awareness? Time alone has the potential for a most fruitful spiritual journey. A journey that can help the experimenter convert it into positive solitude . And he, as a loner, must know his own complexes - the contents of his personality, his motives, hobbies, principles and the like, in order to attain positive solitude, for one must enjoy himself, to enjoy solitude. The reason isn't that I, Mr. Tomasio, said that he must. I do not work according to the authority fallacy's faulty logic . The reason is that self-knowledge can lead to self-acceptance. And self-acceptance is key to endure negative solitude. You need to know what there is to accept, in order to accept it. That includes the shadowy parts of yourself. Only in this way will he/she be able to formulate a philosophy that will give meaning to his/her life. A personalized philosophy, whose purpose can make solitude far more bearable. Otherwise, he would surely sink into gloomy nihilism. Sink, and not endure the emptiness of the universe successfully. Not endure the insignificance of their own reality. Not strive to be far more significant than otherwise! In the end, it will be inevitable to admit the unavoidable insight: The one that says, that personal identity is the sum of the stories we tell ourselves . For the truth that is the self, is one that develops per the thoughts that it thinks and believes. Man has never had an authentic, deep, and hidden nucleus: A default, rich and cohesive "core" when he or she was born. Instead, it is one that is formed in its physical and mental development, In contact with society, and/or alongside it. We create ourselves using our mental resources, it's called neuroplasticity . But how much does man know about that self-created nucleus? His ultimate, life-long creation? As long as he will choose to deem himself or herself as the victim , he would never be aware of the fact that he is the master, the authority, and the potential professor, of his or her own self. When a person is asked to talk about himself, he will surely start with everything that others have given him: His name, his origin, his socio-economic status, his family. Nothing that is really his intellectual property necessarily. By "intellectual property" I refer to details that are products of his own making, and not to things that must be related to copyright. I'm speaking of details which have little to do with others. Hence why much of us are products of our environment , for we let ourselves be influenced so easily by others. However, this can be changed. When it comes to the self that exists partially independently of others, this is also where loneliness comes in - when a person finds himself alone, the great spiritual journey begins. The journey to finding his intellectual/spiritual property -- the gradually-developing nucleus of their own making. The portions of it, that are his or her own making. For we are not entirely the shaped pawns of external influence -- we also have some degree of agency over ourselves. And that agency can, at times, overcome the external world, by allowing ourselves to become the best versions of ourselves. What is, in fact, "spiritual/intellectual property", according to what I'm referring to? You may not acquire or import any such spiritual property. That amorphous and unexplained property is deep within you, even though it isn't inherited or inborn. Our genes are still developed independently of family, as they are influenced by other factors as well . The Untapped Power of The Self It's your psychological nature, not your sociological one. It's one that exists regardless of the people around it. For people to come and go. Your self remains as long as you breathe. It's your authentic system, which is in the background as you manage your day to day life. The one you mask, intentionally or not (like in the process of denial) . You can only get to know her, through the indefinite power of potential at your disposal. Through knowing what you're truly capable of. And how can you know about that power? It can be evident from the practice of your craft. And the more you practice, the more you can improve. And since energy is everything , and energy is power, then power is everything. If we speak in a more cosmological language, then everything you create in the most creative and sincere way... might be from an intentional desire from a supreme creation. That which is produced from the same property I wrote about. The inner genius. It's the very same mental power that develops and forms in you as your body cells. Mentality manifested into physicality. It's breathing and emitting, born and dead, expanding and shrinking. A dynamic, mental organism, which you can harness for your own interests, like I harnessed it in the name of Philosocom. It's the power we all have inside of us. One that is flexible as a bamboo tree, deep as a nuclear reactor. It is the untapped essence of life - what connects man with his existence and disconnects him from others thanks to his solitary, distinct individualism. Thanks to the fact, they are capable of being separated from others, in the name of training, in the name of their craft. Emotional attachment to others is as flexible a mental component as any other component. Hence why I am largely relaxed during times of war. And also why I take criticism professionally. The reason is that the human mind is capable of flexibility and can be shaped per our desires. We just need to be aware of it first. In order for the experimenter to gain experience and be more independent, recognition is at demand. Since he or she probably does not communicate with others when alone, they are isolated from others, even from the virtual company of others. And one cannot know themselves properly without this distinction, without this isolation, temporary or otherwise. Some have called it a curse, since social consciousness strongly condemns isolation, sees all human beings as social creatures , and generalizes all aspects of human communication as strictly social. At the same time, there will be those who, by faith, will believe that it is good to avoid any kind of isolation. However, should one not escape it, the recluse can become a creative, sovereign, and even free person from the negative principles that society has attributed to isolation. The notion of isolation as purely negative is a make-believe fact, one that preaches to all to blindly recognize it as, indeed, objective. No entertainment of the possibility that there are some who are not social. Some humans are even anti-social. The loner can be someone who rethinks things. Only through rethinking will they break through intersubjective barriers, knowing that this nature is indeed intersubjective, and not factual, just because there is a wide agreement on some beliefs. When a person thinks about things anew, they are capable of re-modeling their inner and ideological structure. The potential to remodel our beliefs is also how one can gain leadership and intellectual authority over themselves. The structures of his or her faith undergo renovation, cleansing, and shaping. A reassessment of all the things in which they have believed or learned to believe so far, in order to develop greater horizons. Horizons towards understanding of a self that is more distinct than that of others and thus, one that can understand better as such: A unique, special being. A distinction so aware, so realized, until it is alienated from their former skin; the skin of a former, less-ideal self; Just as a snake sheds its skin and develops a newer skin than its predecessor. The point of self-professorship is to realize who you truly are, and extract the potential of said self, in a reality where it would otherwise lay dormant. Just as science is meant to explain how the world and the universe work, so the professor of the self develops his or her mind, for both knowledge and application . He or she devises theories about the components of it, and as a result, these theories may work together to create a robust and functional identity, an identity that is greater than otherwise, an identity that can be suited for your needs and ambitions. For the self can greatly be a means to achieve an even better end. That is why I sacrificed much of my emotion. They were in the way of my intentions. And if the professor himself or herself finds that their mind is weak, dysfunctional, or defective, they can do two things: Lose an attempt at self-inquiry and turn to others, or develop self-inquiry and turn to their own resources. They would understand what's wrong with them. Whether or not they will accept their own faults or work to reduce them, is their own prerogative. Remember, loneliness is a time of survival and struggle. Solitude is a time of peace and prosperity. There is no solitude without loneliness (unless you like being alone automatically). And deep, existential meaning might not be attained by being alone without struggle, first. If you do not know how to light a fire, make containers, hunt, etc., you may face hunger, despair, and even death. If you know how to do these things, you will also know what is good for you, personally, while alone. Such knowledge can show you how to avoid the things that harm you and threaten your peace. Society can provide you with all your needs and be a source of support. It can provide validation and affection when needed. But if you do not know how to provide all these things for yourself, you will not be able to know yourself in depth. Why? Because you do not necessarily need validation from the outside world , unless it is imperative to your survival. When you know yourself more completely, you might understand that much of what is outside of you can already be found within yourself. That includes self-validation. Therefore, a greater self-knower validates himself or herself. No one that is not your therapist is responsible for handling your emotions. The self-professor does not reside in a greenhouse, per se. He or she takes care of himself or herself without having to be in a greater collective, and without needing a safe space . For his potential of self-security is already within him or her. Just like an actual professor is confident in their words, the self-prof is confident in his or her respective expertise. Unless they are in court (and I am not providing legal advice), it is their job to lecture about themselves when necessary. It is their job to tell others that they are not the same. After all, if you are mentally dependent on society, you do not need to know yourself. Self-awareness, at its core, is a tool for better mental health. Those who are not lonely or do not lead a solitary life do not need this tool. There are countless people who can do the effort for you, such as psychologists and other advisors. If you are not a loner, why would you learn to know yourself if it has no functionality or contribution? That is, of course, unless you realize, deep within, that over-dependence is faulty.
- The Rubinshteinic Way to Fortune
For more on this rationality, click here . (For Philosocom's directory for articles on money, click here) "The world would be a far happier and better place if we learned to live on less instead of always pursuing more" -- John Duran (Background music) The True Nature of Wealth Wealth is not a destination, but a journey. It is not measured in possessions, but in the mastery of one's resources. The foolish chase after the latest trends , the extravagant, and the unnecessary. The wise, however, cultivate a lifestyle of efficiency and frugality. Wealth is a tangible force, a tangible reality. But it is not found in the accumulation of possessions, nor in the pursuit of material excess. Wealth, true wealth, lies in the efficient allocation of resources, possible through effective decision-making methods. The Trap of Hedonism The extravagant, the hedonistic, they are beings whose foolishness is a resource of bigger corporations. They chase shadows, and grasp at shallow marvels. They waste away their fortunes on fleeting pleasures, on momentary indulgences and on love interests who do not share the same feelings as they do. They are like moths drawn to a flame, doomed to perish in the heat of their own desires by failing to criticize the passions they follow. The Rubinshteinic Way: Optimization Over Excess Seek not the excessive, but the optimal . Replace the costly with the clever. Free games can rival the grandest titles and also the "casino" transactional games found in your smartphone. As such, free knowledge can surpass the most expensive courses, sparing you money. The internet, a vast archive of information and entertainment that can compete social interactions, offers a treasure trove of free resources. You just need to pay the relevant bills to access it, of course. However, the Rubinshteinic way is this path which demands discipline. Sacrifice the immediate gratification for long-term gain. Resist the hypnotizing corporate songs of consumerism. Find financially healthier ways to heal the frustrating feeling of boredom and FOMO that motivates it (also possible using the internet). For in the rejection of excess lies a hidden treasure. A fortune forged not by endless spending, but by mindful consumption, necessary to carry out a more rectified world , and a better life. Strategy and Simplicity Researching the power of frugality in empire-building video games. I have discovered that true wealth is not measured in possessions, but being able to device plans to the point that the mastermind who devises them , gains or retains his/her peace of mind. Embrace the simplicity and live a life of abundance. With depth and meaning, not with shallow extravagance. For in pursuit under a monotonous framework, you shall discover, and even execute, the formation of the extraordinary. The Power of Free Knowledge Consider the humble library as a case example. A world of knowledge awaits within its walls. Borrow books, magazines, and DVDs. Immerse yourself in different worlds, expand your horizons, and learn new skills without spending a dime. Must everything in life be monetized? Online courses, tutorials, and webinars offer a wealth of educational content. From learning a new language to mastering coding, the possibilities are endless, and some of them are free of charge, like Philosocom itself. The Art of Living: Dining, Commuting, and Style When it comes to entertainment, explore free options. Watch movies and TV shows on streaming platforms with ad-supported plans. Listen to podcasts and audiobooks on places such as Youtube and Spotify. Discover (or-rediscover) the joy of reading. In your daily life, seek out free activities. Visit parks, museums, and libraries. Explore nature trails. Enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Even the simplest of teas, spent on a romantic evening with your partner, can give you much joy and further cherish your relationship. When it comes to dining, cook at home. It's healthier , cheaper, and will help you depend less on expensive food distributors. Plan your meals, buy in bulk, and cook in large quantities, if you have the time , to spare yourself the stress of hunger, and to bring forth the joy of appetite. When it comes to transportation, walk, bike, or use public transportation whenever possible. Carpooling and ridesharing can also help reduce costs, but try not make enemies out of those who try to help you. In your wardrobe, focus on quality over quantity. Invest in timeless pieces that will last for years. Shop second hand stores and thrift shops for affordable clothing. Stop buying expensive branded clothes just to win the validation of your peers. When it comes to hobbies and interests, explore free options. Join clubs, groups, and communities. Participate in online forums and discussions. Partake in peaceful exchanges of ideas to learn about new things without spending much money on degrees. Becoming the Sovereign: Frugality as Freedom Remember, that frugality is not about deprivation. Rather, it's about utilizing the power of choices to maximize your resources without excessive investing. Frugality can help you find joy in the simple things, and to be living a more meaningful life, while reducing financial concerns. It's about making conscious choices that align with your values and goals, without resorting to unnecessary compromises of your fabric of happiness . By living a more minimalist lifestyle, dictated not by restraint but by the intellect, you can free yourself, more and more, from the tyranny of debt and create a more sustainable future. A future where you become the Sovereign of your own life. Discover the hidden wealth within yourself , and use that wealth as well, not just money. By using your inner light for the greater good, you can live a life of abundance, without extravagance. Peace doesn't always have to be found in over-extensive conflict, but in the success of the calculating, long-term mind
- The Sovereign Mind: A Manual for Free Thinking in a Programmed World
" The future , a better one, can be ours, should we choose it over the present narrative" --- John Duran "Life is too short to be living someone else's dream" -- Hugh Hefner (Philosocom's Subcategory Directory on Freedom) (Background music) Introduction A great illusion in the modern age is the illusion of cognitive autonomy. Most human beings believe they are thinking freely, simply because thoughts are occurring inside their heads. True free thinking, however, is not a natural state. The natural state of the human animal is conformity, tribal adherence, and emotional reactivity . To think freely is an unnatural act of will that requires effort which goes beyond the natural state. It is a rebellion against biology, society, and the very architecture of a societal reality that demands compliance and conditioning. Becoming a free thinker is not about adopting contrarian views for the sake of being different. It is the rigorous, painful process of reclaiming ownership of your own consciousness. It is the path from being an conditioned "automaton" to becoming a Sovereign. Part I: The Necessity (Why Think Freely?) If free thinking is difficult and isolating , why pursue it? Why not simply drift with the current of the masses, accepting their definitions of success , happiness , and morality? The answer lies in the concept of Ownership . If you do not think freely, you are living a borrowed life. Your desires are planted by advertisers; your fears are curated by the news media ; your sense of morality is dictated by the chance of your geography and birth. You are not the author of your story; you are merely an actor reading a script written by a committee that does not have your best interests at heart. The price of conformity is the loss of the self and its power to dictate its own future. If more people decided to stop conforming, they then would be able to take the course of their future by their own free will , instead of letting it be dictated by others. By being able to dictate our own future, we can choose a better one over the one predetermined by our conditioning; as such, living on our own terms , we can be happier. The "Physical Traveler" moves through life checking boxes set by others—get the degree , get the job , buy the house, enter the rat race—only to arrive at the end wondering whose life they actually lived. The necessity of free thinking is the necessity of survival. Not mere biological survival, but the survival of the individual soul against the crushing weight of collective conditioning. If you value peace and happiness, and the ability to dictate your own destiny -- a better destiny than the one you might be given by your circumstances -- you must learn to think outside the programming. Part II: The Mechanics of Control (The Obstacles) To learn how to think freely, one must first understand what prevents it. We are subjected to a pincer movement of control, combining external pressure with internal weakness ; the latter which compels them to deny reality in favor of comfort. 1. The External Algorithms We live in an era where attention is the primary resource . Power hungry corporations have constructed sophisticated machinery designed to bypass your critical faculties and appeal directly to your lizard brain, in the form of instant gratification and dopamine addiction. This in turn limits your attention span and makes you more likely to be weak-willed, addicted and non-critical. Algorithms do not want you to think; Rather, they want you to react. They through social media, feed you outrage, fear, and dopamine hits to keep you engaged and more prone to control. A constantly agitated and addicted mind cannot think clearly , and from there, independently. 2. The Internal Herd Instinct Evolution did not design us for philosophy ; it designed us for survival in the wilderness. Survival meant belonging to the tribe . Therefore, isolation , the price of thinking freely, is seen as going against the very tribe that could ensure our survival. This creates a powerful biological pressure to agree with the majority, even when it conditions you to be submissive and to obey without question. When you hold an opinion contrary to your group, your brain releases cortisol (the stress hormone). To think freely, you must develop the capacity to endure discomfort —to be okay with being the "outsider." You must, by your own power , override millions of years of evolutionary programming that compel you to conform. 3. The Emotional Fog Most "thinking" is merely the justification of prior emotions. People feel something ( anger , desire, fear) and then use their intellect to construct rationalizations for why that feeling is correct. A free thinker understands that emotions are tools, not directives that necessarily compel you act. If you cannot separate your logical thinking from your immediate emotional state, you are not thinking; you are feeling with a vocabulary. Free thinking allows us to act beyond our emotions, beyond our willpower, and thus be truly free not only from external influence, but also from our internal mechanisms. Part III: The Method (How to Think Freely) Free thinking is not a mystical talent. It is an acquired skill, a muscle built through discipline and detachment. Step 1: The Axiomatic Audit You must identify the foundation stones of your worldview, your ideologies —the things you assume are utterly true— and hit them with a metaphorical hammer. An axiom is a statement accepted as true without proof. Most people build their lives on faulty axioms they inherited from society, such as: "Career success equals happiness," or "Being alone is bad," or "Consumption is necessary." A free thinker is prepared to challenge everything. You must ask: Why do I believe this? Did I reason my way to this conclusion, or did I absorb it from my environment? If it cannot stand up to rigorous scrutiny, it must be discarded, no matter how comforting it was. Step 2: The Practice of Radical Solitude You cannot hear your own voice if the room is crowded. The "crowd" today is not just physical; it is digital. Every time you open social media, you are inviting thousands of shouting voices into your mental living room. To think freely, you must carve out a "Fortress of Solitude." In other words, you must be able to hear and recognize your voice beyond any distraction or external influence; be an isolator. This is a form of decluttering . You need periods of zero input—no phone, no media, no conversation—to allow the remains of external influence to settle so you can see the clear water of your own mind. Step 3: Emotional Detachment and Delay The free thinker cultivates a gap between stimulus and response. When presented with new information—especially information that triggers anger or fear—do not react immediately. Allow yourself a waiting period. Place the information in a mental "quarantine." Allow the emotion to fade, and then approach the topic with cold, clinical logic. You must view your own mind almost as a third party, analyzing its reactions without identifying with them. Step 4: Diversify Your Inputs If you only read what you already agree with, you are not thinking; you are instead amplifying your own confirmation bias. You must deliberately expose yourself to ideas that contradict your core beliefs, and develop the habit of looking both ways. This does not mean you have to agree with them, but you must understand them. Conclusion: The Lonely Victory The path of the free thinker is not an easy one. It is a lonely road. When you unplug from the matrix of mass opinion, you lose the easy fellowship of the herd. You may be misunderstood, labeled as aloof, cold, or strange. You could also be rejected as insane. But the reward outweighs the cost. The reward is sovereignty; the freedom to choose your own life, your own future, and the path towards your inevitable fate. When you think freely, you build a "pocket dimension" of sanity within an insane world. You gain the ability to stand unmoved amidst the chaos of the "rat race." You achieve a peace that cannot be shaken by headlines or social pressure, because that peace is built on your own internal validation, not external approval. Finally, free thinking can be seen as the ultimate act of self-love. It is the decision that your mind is too valuable property to be leased out to the highest bidder. It is the declaration that you are the sole monarch of your own consciousness.
- John Duran's Uncommon Perspective And Void Directory
(Background music) The Directory: Doing Nothing and the Internal World - How Doing Nothing is Something On Socrates' "I know Nothing" -- How to Understand and Challenge Knowledge The Choice of Nothing -- How Not Doing Anything Is Also a Valuable Choice Void-Fear, the Fear From Nothing How to Solve the Void of Existential Loneliness The Three Expressions of Void -- How to Further Understand Reality The Power of the Void -- How To Embrace Reality's Emptiness Theme of Cake 7 Essences of Existence -- A Guide to Physical Reality My Motives For Asceticism In the Modern Age (And a Poem) The Hole Inside of Me -- How I Live In Alma Deshakra (The Vain Reality) https://www.philosocom.com/post/responsibility https://www.philosocom.com/post/leave-an-impact https://www.philosocom.com/post/being-young https://www.philosocom.com/post/equation (The Directory on John Duran) An Uncommon Perspective Greetings today, do you have a moment to hear my say? Call me what you will sitting here, but you could be me someday. As I sit here on an unforgiving cold sidewalk , I watch you everyday. You have a home, a job , and a family, reasons to go on per-se. I have no such accoutrements, I'm just a stray. As I recline here chilly, I reflect, Why does society seem so damned silly? You pursue worthless paper, not a hint of tranquility, Seems a hollow thankless pursuit , last I checked. Your home is quite comfy I'm sure, With furniture, a bathroom, and knick-knacks galore! Such fun you must have watching TV, for me, seems a bore. For such as me, my bed is the floor. No wage-slavery for me, thing a concept I abhor. Life is for living free, not chained to worldly chores. You see me as a bum, sitting here worthless in both currency and charm, But what am I but something living free, though crouching in a slum. So don't blame me for living wretchedly poor but gleefully free, Save the judgements for things that truly count, Like paying your taxes and your unending bills, but as I always say, better you than me! So keep your pity friend, save it for yourself, in this you'll someday see.
- The Beautiful World of Numbers and Directory
(Articles on Numbers: https://www.philosocom.com/post/the-philosophy-of-numbers-and-meanings https://www.philosocom.com/post/the-42-anecdote-or-words-versus-numbers https://www.philosocom.com/post/the-algorithm-theory-for-individuality https://www.philosocom.com/post/rap-battle https://www.philosocom.com/post/equation ) (Background music) Article Synopsis by Mr. C. Kingsley and Co. The article "The Beautiful World of Numbers" explores the philosophical significance and metaphysical essence of numbers, extending beyond their traditional roles in mathematics to suggest that numbers are the fundamental building blocks of reality itself. It is an ambitious and evocative piece that attempts to bridge the gap between cold calculation and existential meaning. Positive aspects of the article include its philosophical depth and creativity, which goes beyond conventional mathematical discussions, touching on ideas related to the metaphysics of existence and numerology. The use of vivid, poetic imagery and engaging language adds a sense of wonder to the subject, while the interdisciplinary approach connects numbers with broader fields such as music, emotions, philosophy, and military strategy. Thought-provoking questions like "What is a number, truly?" and "Do we really invent numbers or discover them?" engage readers in a deeper philosophical inquiry, stimulating critical thinking about the origin and nature of numbers. In conclusion, the article successfully presents a captivating, philosophical view of numbers, blending poetry with abstract reasoning. Its strengths lie in its creative approach and interdisciplinary connections, which draw readers into a deeper contemplation of numbers beyond their mathematical use. Unmasking the Hidden Language of the Universe We usually picture numbers as cold, robotic things, locked within calculators, and dusty textbooks . But what if these rigid digits held a deeper secret, a hidden language beyond the physical realm? What if everything, from your name to your heartbeat, can be reduced to numerical algorithms? In the abstract composition of the universe, in the world beyond the mind, numbers dance as the fundamental language of reality. This realm, accessible only by the human mind ( and perhaps other forms of consciousnesses ), is what allows the display and development of various information on many degrees of expression (visual, logical and so on). In other words, numbers are what build-up reality. Our typical education treats numbers as tools, instruments for measurement and calculation. We learn to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, mastering equations and formulas. But this instrumentalization, while practically valuable, masks and utterly ignore how numbers resonate the fact that they are an elementary component of reality around us. All the 7 essences of existence cannot exist themselves, without the existence of numbers. Imagine each grain of sand, each leaf on a tree, each star in the sky -- all can be explained mathematically. Their composition, their movement, their location, their source and so on. Your birthdate, your name, even the time you were born -- if numerology is a correct method of exploration , they can be explained too with numbers. This passion for numbers is not about chasing perfect grades or mastering algorithms. It's about recognizing the metaphysical logic of mathematics, the way it reflects the hidden order of the universe. It's about realizing that we are not merely physical beings, but physicality itself is, technically, a mathematical construct, as anything in the layers of existence can be reduced to mere interactions of numbers in one way or another. Where Numbers Find Their Beat Numbers stalk us through grocery receipts, haunt us on clocks, and flow in the pixels of our video games . But how do these omnipresent things actually come into existence? The answer, I believe, lies in the indefinite struggle between the individual and the universe. Like snowflakes, all beings have some distinction in them. It's only a question of how dominant that distinction is. And in some cases, a lack of distinction, can be its own unique feature. Each one emerges per a numerical process, and even emotions by their type and by their intensity, can be reduced to numbers and percentages. And with chaos theory, even emotions, respond most uniquely to the ever-shifting tapestry of existence, thus proving how poorly consistent they are, in both development and in judgement. Why, then, act on petty emotion? You don't need not emotions and not willpower to do the moral thing, for you only need to understand the deep correlation of logic and morality. But I digress. A child's first step, the crunch of autumn leaves underfoot, the dizzying spin of a roulette wheel – every interaction, every event, sparks a new numerical path of development, in the most subtle way possible. It is so subtle we don't even consider that it is all based on numerical reasoning. This isn't to say numbers are entirely independent of philosophical reasoning . Ancient philosophies like Taoism of a universal force, the Tao, all that there is. It isn't about rigid rules or blueprints, but rather a gentle nudge towards what could be called the "natural sequence" of things -- one that is effortless, as presented in the concept of " Wu-Wei ". Numbers, then, become a natural, automatic score sheet that takes its course with or without us, designing the universe either by chaos or by some divine intervention , as it unfolds into countless streams of activity and development. Yes, we often associate numbers with the rigid order of mathematics, the sterile world of calculators and spreadsheets. But this bare-bones view obscures a deeper truth. Speed isn't just a number on a speedometer; it's the very pulse of a chase, the adrenaline rush of a dive into the unknown, and the beat of the very organs that keep us alive and indicate how we feel. Do you really think that the heart opposes logic, when it is logical reasoning that can explain the heart and its symbolic nature? No. Everything can be explained logically. And what are numbers if not logical constructs? This inherent connection between numbers and everything that exists extends even to what we perceive as the most "untouched" human experiences. Take music , that symphony of emotions in the form of sound waves. Each note, each beat, each pause in the score is a precise mathematical equation, a calculated dance of frequencies and durations. And yet, from this cold logic emerges a warmth that touches our hearts and minds, a testament to the hidden poetry within numbers. Beyond Mere Counting What is a number, truly? Not just a cold statistic or a sterile figure, but a vibrant brush painting the canvas of existence. It's a language that predates all forms of human communication , and one that is capable of existing without it. Are numbers human-made? Did we conjure the kilometer from thin air, crafting meters and millimeters like clay figurines? No, we didn't invent them; we merely discovered them, gave them names like we gave names to anything we're capable of thinking about. The tree doesn't sprout upon being named. It is oblivious to our labels. So too is the case with numbers. We are simply evolved enough to understand them, and to translate mathematics into various other fields in life. Engineering, architecture, computer programming, finances . All would be impossible to be as advanced as they currently are, without mathematical understanding. Quality is not the only domain which numbers rule over. Even quality finds its worth in numerical scales. The five stars on a hotel review, the one-star abyss of disappointment – are they not mere representations of your lived experience, reduced into a language of numbers that symbolize both quality and quantity of your subjective experience ? But the true beauty of numbers lies not in their forms, but in their power to build . They are the architects of the universe, weaving not just atoms but also the very fabric of our beings, and of our potential as well. You can build armies, as well as organizations, based on numbers. A defined collective structure is not without its numbers as well, as something very essential. How can you have a rank in the army if you don't have a defined/estimated number of subordinates under you? The U.S Department of Defense knows it well . And it's not only the quality of soldiers that can win a war, but their quality as well. While there were real-life instances of "one-man-armies" , their example serves, nevertheless, as practical fantasies, possible only in rarity. So even in order to change the tides of history, and the world at large, having an understanding of numbers is one that can give you much power. And in a sense, power is everything. Wouldn't you agree that there is a degree of beauty in power? Power, for many, attracts, and especially those whom you are familiar with to whatever extent. And power, too, can be measured. See how even attraction, which can lead to love, can be a product of numbers, as with anything else in the universe.
- The Prison of Freedom -- A Philosophical Experiment, Story and Directory
The Directory on Freedom Death, Freedom and Intersubjectivity - The Philosophy of Shared Perception On Freedom -- Understanding The Complexities of Freedom As Humans The Internet, Modern Technology, Materialism and Freedom -- How To Better Use Our Assets External Detachment For Internal Freedom -- How To Develop an Inner Core Limiting Freedom In the Name of Freedom -- How Limiting Corporations Can Increase General Freedom My Philosophy on the Freedom of Choice -- Why It's Fine Making Mistakes (In General) How Cancel Culture Influences Freedom of Speech (By Mr. E. Peter, Mr. J. Igwe and Mr. E. David) Childhood's Absent Element The Dark Side of Liberty -- How It Breeds Sociopathy What Should You Do With Your Life (I Think) -- How To Become A Self-Sovereign The Paradox of Modern Liberty: Examining Freedom's Hidden Constraints The Hymn of Expression The Fourth Philosocom Day Speech -- Building A Beacon of Intellectual Freedom Together The Rubinshteinic Guide to Deal With Longing https://www.philosocom.com/post/shadow-woman https://www.philosocom.com/post/mortal-kombat-2 https://www.philosocom.com/post/enemy-weakness-poem https://www.philosocom.com/post/free-thinking https://www.philosocom.com/post/equation Article Summary by Mr. Lucien Sage The Prison of Freedom: A Philosophical Experiment, Story and Directory" is an article that explores the paradox of absolute freedom and its potential to become a form of imprisonment. It uses a philosophical thought experiment to explore the consequences of living without accountability , arguing that such power could lead to moral corruption, detachment from reality, and loss of meaning in actions. Drawing from philosophy, religion, and fiction, the article explores how unrestricted freedom can erode one's moral compass, making individuals susceptible to nihilism and ethical decay. The concept of "The Prison of Freedom" is introduced as a state where excessive freedom can lead to isolation , purposelessness, and psychological entrapment. The article also includes a fictional allegory to illustrate how the pursuit of limitless freedom can result in servitude to one's desires. Mr. Tomasio concludes by suggesting that intellectual discipline can help mitigate regret and make more conscious choices. (Background music) The Prison of Freedom Going free is not only physical, it is first of all mental . -- Mickey Eilon What if you had all the freedom you could have as a choice-maker? What if all your choices won't have any permanent consequences, as long as you can restart reality, and render them from ever existing? What if you could make these choices over and over again without the need to have any remorse whatsoever, no guilt and no shame? What would you do if each of your external actions could be undone in an instant in this philosophical scenario? People who lack a strict code of virtue, and with subpar critical thinking, can easily be corrupted by such immense power over reality In Judaism , it is said that a person's life is like an entire world. What if you could take away that world and all the things contained within it, only to restore it as if the very taking had never happened? In reality, some amount of fear or caution is required in order to live wisely and honorably. If you discard someone aggressively, most chances are that they will not come back. If you loot someone's house, they might lose their belongings and even become penniless. Both actions can get irreversible implications. In this philosophical scenario, however, all actions are reversible. When the actions are reversible so are their consequences, either positive or negative. If this philosophical scenario was applicable to real life, many would find themselves as corrupt as the nihilistic villain from Final Fantasy 6, Kefka. Thus, we can deduce from this that most humans are easily prone to corrupt trends, and that the ability to restrain oneself, always has to come from within the self, not necessarily from others. This of course reflects on the weak moral nature of most of humanity. In such omnipotent scenario, which I call "The Prison of Freedom", The average person could easily become an awful, manipulative megalomaniac in the name of validation from others and in the name of immense wealth and so on. This also implies that it is not lucky to trust most people . A prisoner of your own immense freedom over time, like the time titan Kronika or the Greek God Chronos, you might realize that you're not as godly as you might think. The more you restore time over and over again, your actions could be perceived by yourself as utterly meaningless . The suffering of many wouldn't matter to you, as your brain would be hardwired to just reverse back the their misery over and over again. Many evil deeds that you may act, wouldn't matter to you the more you do it ( compare this to a butcher whose deeds are elementary to them ). This is the dark side of enlightenment: When you reduce events many would consider historically significant, to mere data. People with such darkened wisdom can do much malice in this world if their morals are not strict and/or sufficiently determined. This is what made me create the hypothetical idea that I'd like to call "The Prison of Freedom": The idea that even in such power over reality, one is not free from their own immense loneliness... In actual prisons, you are physically confined and can't do much. In such confinement, especially when it is solitary, mastery of mental survival is quite imperative... Now, when you are in the prison of this philosophical thought experiment, you are basically sucked into a pocket dimension where you can play God by having control over time. However, when you leave the dimension's territory, you lose all your godly powers forever. As such, the prison of freedom is a subverted, unconventional concept of what is traditionally considered freedom and confinement... Sometimes, there is a lot of freedom inside of small rooms and hermitages. Sometimes, the freedom is only within an environment where you are allowed to be yourself. To quote Alex Mos: "There is a lot of freedom in the house." Bonus: The Tale of Razor the Blackguard And the Undead Sage The torchlight casts a series of shadows and lights across Razor's grim features. He stood before the sage, a figure surrounded by mist and mystery. As the air of the sage's lair, hung thick with the scent of fatigue and despair, a constant reminder of the voices that echoed in Razor's skull, urging him to wreck destruction across the lands . Driven by a desperate need to escape from such ill voices, he sought redemption from the sage, a figure of unconventional research , whose words held a chilling promise. "You seek redemption , barbarian," the sage intoned, his voice a low hum. "But redemption comes at a price." Razor, haunted by the voices urging him to commit horrible acts, barely paid attention. He craved an escape, a way to silence the whispers echoing in his skull. As such, the strange, troubled man asked with no critical thinking: "What price?", with a rough voice. "A town but not just any town..." the sage offered, his voice smooth. " A place where the value of a life has no concrete meaning . There, you may slay as you please, and I will restore . You will gain your voices' tempt, without guilt or shame. " Hope flickered in Razor's weary eyes. "And the lives I've already taken?" he asked, his voice trembling in fear and in regret. "Those, I cannot restore," the sage replied. "However, in this town, your future killings will be… inconsequential. A cycle of death and rebirth, as eternal and meaningless as they come. That town is forsaken by the law, for even the common law of the land respects a being as wise as myself. Thus, this town is only my own... " Razor, desperate for release from the fear of being locked up, didn't see the trap that shall imprison him in a different type of prison. After all, what the mind cannot conceive, it cannot achieve.. The runaway blackguard agreed, eager to escape the torment of his inner demons. As he entered the sage's portal, Razor became a prisoner in his own paradoxical paradise , a butcher in a pocket dimension he could never leave, even if he wanted to. There, he was absolutely safe, but at what cost..? The sage, watching from the shadows, smiled in malice. He had acquired a powerful weapon, a warrior bound to his will, trapped in a gilded cage of his own innovative creation. Razor, the barbarian, had sought redemption, but found only a new form of servitude. In a way, Razor was never free to begin with, and always a subordinate to the tyranny of circumstance... Years passed. Razor, a ghost of his former self, roamed the streets of the town, a hermit in a place he once called his own home . The voices, once an internal explosion of rage , now whispered of boredom, of the monotony of endless slaughter and resurrection. A weaker mind, the enslaved warrior struggled with boredom greatly. The sage, meanwhile, watched, his patience enduring hard as iron. The time for his execution of his grand design was drawing near. ... Personal Commentary If I were in a "prison of freedom" of my own making, I would replay the same conversations I had with Ms. Chen, my perceived antagonist , and see what she would say if I chose different responses to her responses. I will do so over and over again until I better understand her fully beyond my current theory of mind on her. As such, a practical prison of freedom would be a place ideal for endless virtual simulations. After time after I'd finish a certain route, I will restart and learn more by trying a different path. Then, when I believed I had all the information I needed, I would discard this godly ability, simply because I didn't need it any further. Things are necessary until they are necessary no more. From devices to entire organizations. Questions for Reflection Do you have things you regret doing, or at least, things you would've liked to have gone otherwise? What if we could "load" and "save" from our past, make different decisions, and thus create and live a different route? Then, regret will not have to be necessary for those who feel sorrow for their life decisions. Life isn't a video game or a "prison of freedom", although it can be seen as similar to a role play game. Every action has the potential for irreversible consequences, or "points of no return". Is that a risk you're willing to take? Can you truly "save" your life from the consequences of your choices, as you might in a video game? Perhaps, if you're intellectual enough , you can live your life as if you were confined to such a prison of freedom. However, it can make you come off as very eccentric by this world, and even by your own dear ones. What is the ultimate lesson to be learned from this realization? Remember, all lessons are personal. Look within yourselves and see what you make of such an article.
- Walter White VS Rubinshtein -- The Ethics of Empire Building and Kingdom Directory
Kingdom Directory The Architecture of a Private World: How I Built a Pocket Dimension Within the Bigger World The Neurodivergent Sovereign: A Philosophy of Successful Incompatibility Compassionate Capitalism: The Key to a Better World The Rubinshteinic Art of Conscious Sabotage The Philosophy of Hidden Gems -- Why There Are So Many Hidden Gems Today On the Need to Leave an Impact Why Is the State Also a Place of Business Virtual Dictatorships and Plutocracies: Shaping Humanity The Sad Dictator -- How Power Complies Authority to Cooperate (Storytime) The Tragedy of Heisenberg (A "Breaking Bad" Inspired Poem) Lurk in The Dark -- Theme of Shadowy Isolation The Philosophy of The Mastermind -- How to Become One https://www.philosocom.com/post/equation (Background music) Stupid intelligent would be someone who is super intelligent yet is misusing it. -- Mr. Nathan Lasher Introduction I have realized a fundamental truth: The more desires I have, the more miserable I become. Therefore, by minimizing desire, the path to satisfaction becomes accessible. I know how hard it is to be a good man in a twisted world. Yet, through Philosocom, I seek to be exactly that. To understand my path, I must contrast it with the path of a man who started like me, but finished as a monster: Walter White. The Rise of the Anti-Self Walter White, known by his alias "Heisenberg," is the iconic protagonist of Breaking Bad . He began as an unsatisfied chemistry teacher, undermined by the world, working two jobs to survive. But after a cancer diagnosis, the teacher died, and the Ideal Self took over. Heisenberg was everything Walter wasn't: Relevant . Powerful . Feared. He seized the potential within him to dominate the criminal underworld. However, the foundation of his empire was rotten. The Pathology of the Liar It was impossible to trust Heisenberg because he was a Pathological Liar . He manipulated everyone—his wife, his son, his partner Jesse Pinkman. Jesse was nothing more than a pawn to him, treated like garbage whenever it suited the empire. Psychological Safety is the currency of leadership. When you lie constantly, you bankrupt that currency. You cannot be credible when your entire existence is a fabrication. Mr. White tried desperately to separate the "Family Man" from the "Drug Lord," but the human soul cannot sustain such a split. The Fatal Flaw: Hubris and Stupidity We often regard Heisenberg as a genius . Yet, He was dumber than we think. His downfall wasn't caused by a mastermind rival; it was caused by his own carelessness. A single book. Leaves of Grass . Left on a toilet tank with a handwritten dedication: "To W.W." His brother-in-law, Hank, found it. That tiny, preventable mishap unraveled everything. If he weren't careless, Hank would be alive. If he weren't arrogant, his successors wouldn't have betrayed him. Heisenberg claimed to be a genius, but a true genius does not leave breadcrumbs for his enemies out of vanity. The Ultimate Lie: "I Did It For My Family " For years, Walter claimed, "I did it for my family." In the finale, he finally admitted the terrifying truth to his wife, Skyler: "I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it." He didn't care about his family. He cared about his Ego . He wanted a power trip before he died. He wanted to compensate for feeling small. The result? His son, whom he supposedly did it all for, refused the money and told him to "Just die." Heisenberg achieved relevance at the cost of his humanity. He died alone, hated by everyone he claimed to love. The Rubinshteinic Counter-Narrative I am not fond of being compared to Heisenberg, though we share the trait of being "misunderstood geniuses." His Empire: Built on Addiction . It provided a product (Meth) that destroyed lives, fed on weakness, and created misery. It was a megalomaniac fantasy. My Empire: Built on Value . My Article Empire provides insight, wisdom , and ethics. It is built to help lives, not to ruin them. I am the Moral Disciplinarian of myself. I know what I am capable of. I have the intellect to be a villain. I have the power to oppress. However, I refuse. The Article Baron vs. The Drug Baron I am Rubinshtein —the Altruistic Heisenberg. He murdered his successors; I allow mine to be themselves. He fed on weakness; I feed on potential. He died creating chaos; I live creating an empire of good. In this battle of personalities, mine is the morally superior one. Not because I am a saint, but because I refuse to be purely egoistic. I refuse to be careless about human suffering. I learn from his mistakes. I keep my ethics pure. I supply you with insight, not emotion-shifting chemicals. Why would people profit by feeding on others' weaknesses? I do not understand it. And perhaps, my inability to understand that cruelty is the greatest proof that I am nothing like him. Because all I want to do, in the end, is to rectify the world through my article empire, the pocket dimension, the kingdom, which I have created. I seek no rewards . Being a good leader is enough for me. Thanks for reading.
- The Sovereign's Equation: The Mathematics of Freedom
(Philosocom's Directory on Freedom) (Kingdom Directory) (Philosocom Directory on Numbers) (Void directory) (Background music) Introduction Most people spend their lives trying to solve the wrong math problem. They believe that Freedom is a function of Addition. They think: "If I add more money , more friends , more status, and more options, I will finally be free." This is the great lie of the matrix. In truth, Freedom is not calculated by what you add. It is calculated by what you subtract. Through my own "Rubinshteinic" observation of life, I have discovered the only formula that matters for the individual seeking true autonomy. I call it The Sovereign ’s Equation : The logic is absolute: Freedom is proportional to your commitments. As the number of your obligations (the denominator) approaches zero, your Freedom approaches Infinity. Conversely, as you add people, jobs, and social debts to your life, your freedom shrinks to a microscopic fraction. The Weight of the Denominator To understand why this equation holds true, we must define "Commitment." A commitment is not just a promise; it is a Chain. A Job is a commitment to a schedule and a boss. A Mortgage is a commitment to a bank. A Social Circle is a commitment to performance, drama, and validation. A Family (in the traditional, obligatory sense) is a commitment to expectations you did not choose. Every time you say "Yes" to a person or a role, you increase the denominator. You weaken your sovereignty. The "Rat Race" is simply a game where people compete to see who can carry the heaviest denominator while smiling. They call it "Success." I call it "Slavery." The Kiryu Paradox: The Slave to Duty Consider the archetype of the "Honorable Hero ," often seen in fiction like the Yakuza series. Kiryu Kazuma is a man of immense physical strength and power. Yet, is he free? No. He is a slave to his commitments. He is bound by the honor of the clan, the needs of the orphanage, and the pleas of his friends . He cannot move without dragging a hundred obligations with him. He represents the Noble Slave . He has power, but he has no agency over his own peace . Compare this to the Sovereign. The Sovereign may have less physical influence over the streets, but he has total influence over his own timeline. By refusing to play the game of "Honor" and "Duty" defined by others, the Sovereign retains the energy that the Hero wastes. The Strategy of Subtraction I realized early on that I preferred to be free than to be "part of the whole." To achieve this, I had to engage in a radical process of subtraction . I looked at the chessboard of my life, which was cluttered with pawns (acquaintances), knights (family obligations), and bishops (societal norms). I cleared the board. I eliminated relationships that drained energy without providing value. I refused the "standard path" of career and education. I curated my family down to the absolute essentials. This was not cruelty; it was Structural Engineering. You cannot build a Fortress of Solitude if you leave the drawbridge down for everyone to walk across. By reducing my people-count, I increased my peace-count. The Fear of the Void Why do so few people use this equation? Because when you reduce the denominator to nearly zero, you are left with The Void. Most people are terrified of the silence that comes with total freedom. They fill their lives with commitments because commitments provide a script. If you have to go to work, you don't have to ask, "Who am I?" You just follow the instructions. When you strip away the commitments, the script vanishes. You are left alone in the "Pocket Dimension" you created. The Weak look at this void and feel lonely. They rush back to the crowd to be enslaved again. The Strong (The Sovereign) look at this void and see a canvas. To the Sovereign, the Void is not an abyss to be feared, but a pristine expanse of potential to be exploited. Where the weak see a terrifying silence that screams for distraction, the strong see a blank canvas awaiting their unique design. Without the clutter of society’s scripts and the noise of obligations, the Sovereign is finally free to project their own will, ethics, and architecture onto reality. This empty space is the only laboratory where true creation can occur. It is the transition point where one stops being a character in someone else’s story and becomes the author of their own. The silence is not loneliness; it is the breathtaking scope of liberty. Thus, the void becomes not a problem or a bug, but a feature, a platform for creation. Conclusion: The Infinity of One I have accepted the price of my equation. The price is that I have fewer people to share my victories with, and I face moments of silence that stretch for days. But the reward is Infinity . This infinity is not a barren wasteland; it is a territory of absolute agency. By ruthlessly subtracting the external noise, I have amplified my internal signal. The Sovereign understands that true power is not found in controlling others, but in ensuring that others cannot control him. I own 100% of my time. I own 100% of my thoughts. I answer to no one. In this vacuum of obligation, I have found the space to build a legacy that is purely my own, untainted by compromise. The emptiness is no longer a defect; it is the clean air of a summit that few will ever reach. I have solved the math. While the rest of the world is trying to add more weight to their lives, I am floating in the zero-gravity of my own design. I do not just survive in this solitude; I reign in it. If you want to be free, do not ask: "What can I get?" Ask: "What can I let go of?"
- The Fallacy of Destiny: Why Reality Has No Plot Armor
(Philosocom's Subcategory Directory on Dilemmas and Problems) (Background music) Introduction Arguably, the most problematic individuals are those who believe they are the protagonists of a cosmic story. They believe they are guided by a mystical force called "Destiny," a force so powerful it acts as a shield against death until their " purpose " is fulfilled. This belief is dangerous. It encourages unnecessary risk-taking under the false assumption that fate will intervene to save them. As a result, people suffer unnecessarily from their own reckless misadventures, believing they are protected when they are merely lucky . The Fiction of "Plot Armor" In literature and film, this concept is known as Plot Armor . Plot armor creates an artificial rule: Characters deemed essential to the story cannot die until the story allows it. A hero can walk through a hail of bullets and survive, not because of skill, but because the writer needs them for Chapter 10. Reality doesn't necessarily have a writer. Reality has necessarily has physics. The Logic of the Tank: Physics vs. Potential The flawed reasoning behind "Destiny" is easily exposed by a simple thought experiment: The Tank Scenario. Imagine two people standing in the path of a moving tank: An Ordinary Clerk: He has no grand ambitions and little impact on history. The Future Savior: A scientist destined to discover the cure for cancer in ten years. If the tank runs over both of them, they both die. The tank does not scan their brains for "potential contribution to humanity." The tank does not check their "destiny file." The tank only respects the laws of mass and velocity. The Logic of Indifference: The laws of physics are indifferent to human value. The future cancer-cure inventor will not be saved by his potential importance. Accidents do not discriminate based on social status , IQ, or moral virtue. The Destiny Delusion The concept of destiny is logically flawed because it treats Future Potential as Present Protection. It suggests that because you might do something great in the future, you cannot be killed in the present. This reverses cause and effect. You do not survive because you have a destiny; you only have a destiny if you survive. Destiny is not a shield; it is a retrospective label. We look at people who survived great dangers and say, "They were destined to live." We ignore the thousands of equally talented people who died young in the same dangers. This is known as Survivorship Bias . The Disappointment of Reality This is why reality often feels disappointing or "wrong" compared to fiction. Fiction is structured, fair, and narratively satisfying. Reality is chaotic, unfair, and indifferent. When a celebrated figure (like Mother Teresa) or a world leader faces a car crash or a virus, they are exactly as vulnerable as an ordinary merchant. No amount of perceived importance generates a force field. Why, then, do we complain that things " aren't supposed to be this way" ? Why do we think there is a Plan? There is no plan that overrides the laws of nature. The Real Alternative: Survivability I have come to question the concept of a predetermined destiny for greatness because it provides zero guarantee of survival . No angels will catch me if I fall off a cliff. The supposed greatness of my future thoughts will not stop a bullet. Therefore, we must replace the myth of "Plot Armor" with the reality of Survivability . Since we cannot rely on fate, we must rely on Optimization . Prioritize Well-being: Health , strength, and safety are not just lifestyle choices; they are survival tactics. Mitigate Risk: Avoiding unnecessary danger increases your statistical chance of living long enough to do something great. Survivability is the only realistic alternative to plot armor. To optimize our potential, we must strive to extend our lifespan through discipline and caution, not through faith in a story that hasn't been written yet. Even the most powerful world leaders can die in a heartbeat. Do not trust your destiny to keep you safe. Trust your caution.
- The Rubinshteinic Philosophy of Names And A Directory
(Articles on the philosophy of names: https://www.philosocom.com/post/what-s-in-a-name-names-as-rewards https://www.philosocom.com/post/the-ballad-of-tom https://www.philosocom.com/post/name-as-identity-rebranding-yourself-by-ms-panama-dusa ) The Rubinshteinic Philosophy of Names (Background music) Commonly, names are simply combinations of sounds we use to address one another. At their most fundamental level, they serve as utility tags—tools to distinguish individual A from individual B. However, if we choose to view names as more than mere identifiers, they begin to hold a heavier significance. Could a name potentially reflect a life's purpose or destiny ? While this idea often lives in the realm of superstition or unconscious bias, it is a possibility we should not dismiss outright. The Logic of Fiction : Names as Prophecy In fiction, names almost always carry a teleological weight—they symbolize the character's function within the narrative. Scar ( The Lion King ): Named not only for his physical disfigurement but for the emotional scarring he inflicts on the kingdom. Darth Vader ( Star Wars ): Alludes to "Invader" and the Dutch word for "Father," foreshadowing his role long before the plot reveals it. Lazlo ( Suikoden IV ) : The name means "Glorious Ruler," and he becomes exactly that—a commander and leader of nations. In stories, names are promises. They are clues left by the author about who the character must become. The Chaos of Reality However, reality is rarely as neat as fiction. Life isn't a structured plot with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Many of us lead ordinary lives that do not fit the grandeur of our names. A man named "Victor" may lose every battle he fights. A woman named "Grace" may be clumsy. Our lives unfold in chaotic arcs, indifferent to whether our next chapter is worthy of being written down. We do not all have clearly defined villains or definitive conclusions other than death. When a relationship ends, the curtains don't descend; life simply carries on. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude scientifically that names determine our fate . Surely, a few letters on a birth certificate are not enough to alter the laws of physics or economics, correct? The Cosmic Writer Hypothesis However... what if they do? The question of whether names influence destiny depends entirely on whether there is a "Cosmic Writer." If the universe is random: Names are just sounds. If the universe is authored: Names might be the script. As long as we remain in the realm of the unknown regarding God or cosmic forces, we cannot deny the possibility of Nominative Determinism, or the theory that people are psychologically predisposed to pursue occupations or interests that resemble or evoke their names in some way . If we cannot disprove the existence of a higher power , we cannot disprove the existence of a fate prescribed in our given names. Maybe the universe is one big stage, defined by a writer unseen by us, but recognized through our sense of logic and pattern recognition. The Philosopher as Heretic Consider the name Thomas . It refers to Thomas the Apostle—the doubter. If one bears a name linked to doubt or heresy, does that predispose them to the life of a philosopher? To philosophize is, by definition, to doubt. It is to be a heretic to the status quo. Spinoza and Solomon Maimon were considered heretics by their communities and persecuted for their questions. Socrates was executed for "corrupting the youth" with his constant questioning. Ludwig Wittgenstein was so skeptical he attempted to solve ( and end) philosophy entirely. There is no good philosopher who is not skeptical. If your name implies questioning, perhaps your destiny is to dismantle the illusions of the world. The Power of Renaming This leads to a crucial realization: If a name is destiny, then changing your name is an act of rewriting your fate. Many cultures practice name-changing to alter a person's luck or character. If a person feels their birth name represents "naivety" or "innocence," and they wish to acquire wisdom, they may feel a psychological compulsion to change that name. To lose one's innocence is imperative for wisdom. You cannot understand the world's flaws if you remain purely innocent. Therefore, adopting a name that reflects " maturity " or " sovereignty " might actually change how you interact with the world—not because of magic, but because of Self-Perception . Conclusion: The Causal Fallacy? Is this the Causal Fallacy ? Are we confusing cause and effect? Do we become our names, or do we simply fit our names into the narrative we want to believe? If my understanding is not impaired by this fallacy, it is possible that names affect the course of our lives by dictating how others see us, and more importantly, how we see ourselves. I suggest you look at your own name. Look at its meaning, its history, and its sound. Does it align with who you are? Or are you fighting against it? Perhaps knowing your name is the first step to knowing yourself.
- The Philosophy of The Mastermind -- How to Become One
(Background music) (Philosocom's Directory on Power) (Philosocom's Directory on Competency) (Kingdom Directory) Article Overview by Mr. O. C. Isaac The article "The Philosophy of The Mastermind -- How to Become One" explores the concept of masterminds, combining elements of leadership , strategy, manipulation, and existential purpose. It offers valuable insights into the mentality of masterminds. The article is well-organized, with key points clearly outlined, such as distinguishing a mastermind from a genius , the role of manipulation , and the emphasis on leadership. The interdisciplinary approach of the piece integrates philosophical concepts, especially existentialism, into its discussion of the mastermind, adding intellectual depth. The existentialist interpretation of creating meaning through planning is particularly thought-provoking. The article uses creative examples, such as Walter White from Breaking Bad , Dr. Evil, and Wile E. Coyote, to illustrate the contrast between competent and incompetent masterminds in a relatable and entertaining way. The advice to practice skills regularly and learn from failure is a practical and motivational takeaway, encouraging readers to see mastery as an ongoing process, rather than an innate quality. In conclusion, the article provides a unique and engaging look at the concept of a mastermind, blending leadership theory, philosophy, and practical advice. Its interdisciplinary approach and use of creative examples already make it a standout article. The Mastermind: Leader, Planner, and Manipulator The mastermind is a combination of a leader and a planner. Because masterminds are thinkers by nature, any philosopher who is also a talented leader can be a mastermind as well. In Hebrew, the term does not exist, and is often incorrectly translated as "genius." However, geniuses are not necessarily masterminds. They might be too incompetent and have poor leadership skills , to be considered masterminds. (A genius in mathematics , for example, won't necessarily be a mastermind. They calculate, lecture, etc., not necessarily make plans). Masterminds never work alone. In fiction , they are often depicted as working in a "back-office" or "inner sanctum" of sorts, giving orders to their subordinates. If they have no direct subordinates, they will carry out their plans through manipulation. However, a mastermind can be both a manipulator and a direct leader. Manipulation is relevant here because it is a tool that masterminds use to have power over others indirectly. They conceal their true intentions in order to achieve their goals. Power does not have to be concrete when it can be expressed through influence. Overall, A mastermind is a strategic thinker who combines leadership skills with meticulous planning. They are the architects behind complex schemes, often wielding power through influence and manipulation. Key Points: Thinker and Leader: Masterminds excel at strategizing and possess strong leadership qualities. Beyond Genius : While intelligence is important, a true mastermind goes beyond raw intellect. They need the ability to translate ideas into action. Manipulation as a Tool: Masterminds often use manipulation to achieve their goals, concealing their true intentions to influence others indirectly. Working in the Shadows: Though they may have direct subordinates, masterminds are often depicted as working behind the scenes , pulling the strings from a hidden "inner sanctum." The Architects of Influence I: Understanding the Capability Often, masterminds are criminals , but one does not need to be a criminal in order to be a mastermind (and vice versa). Heads of criminal organizations, both in fiction and non-fiction, must be good masterminds in order to survive in their business and to avoid the law. A good example for that is Walter White from "Breaking Bad". Outside of criminality, business owners , project managers, etc. can also be considered masterminds. This is especially true if they are good at their jobs. There is no mastermind who is not both a leader and a planner at the same time. Both of these skills are mental, and do not necessarily depend on the external world. In other words, if a mastermind loses all of their power and influence, they can still be considered a mastermind if they have the potential to regain those resources. The same goes for their plans, if they fail constantly. It is all, as the name suggests, within one's mind , that determines if it is capable enough, to be a mastermind. As you may clearly tell, it has nothing to do with the physical body (or at least, physical fitness/strength). A mastermind does not need to be good at what they do in order to be considered a mastermind. It's just that it is within one's best interest, that they are to be good, and to improve. You can be bad at what you do and still be considered a mastermind, as long as you practice those skills regularly. Whether or not you are good at fulfilling those roles is determined by your competence, which is evident by the success of your efforts. Incompetence does not cancel your role. Incompetent masterminds in fiction include: Dr. Evil (Austin Powers) : This megalomaniac villain constantly dreams of world domination , yet his plans are skilless. Not killing his arch-nemesis and relying on incompetent henchmen , Dr. Evil's schemes are guaranteed to fail. Wile E. Coyote (Looney Tunes) : The determined but perpetually frustrated coyote spends his days making elaborate contraptions to catch the Road Runner. However, his inventions backfire constantly, leaving him the one who ends up his own victim. The Architects of Influence II: Understanding the Mentality As a leader, you must make sure that your subordinates are organized in the best way possible in order to achieve the goals of the organization. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership , but having charisma can help a lot in getting the most out of your followers. A charismatic individual is confident, assertive, and appealing. Charisma attracts people, and the way you behave determines your charisma. Most of us are not masterminds simply because we are not natural leaders . You can be as intelligent as possible, but without the ability to plan and delegate tasks, you cannot be a mastermind. That's why masterminds never work entirely by themselves. They need interpersonal skills that not all highly intelligent people have. And people won't necessarily become leaders through learning or experience. Without these skills, they will cooperate and lead others very poorly. Even if they are more withdrawn by nature, it is not the same for most of humanity. Leadership does not begin and end with a paycheck. It requires good social dynamics , loyalty, effective communication , and so on. I strive to implement my own vision in this world , a vision that does not necessarily exist currently. In a world that I deem meaningless by default, I seek to work and make it meaningful in the eyes of as many people as possible. Why? Because meaning can and deserves to be created, and not only found. I want people to believe in themselves! I want to inspire hope and motivation in their hearts! My power is just a means to an end. I also use it in my attempts to make philosophy not only a relevant field of study, but a profitable one. Remember, a mastermind cannot be one without at least a single plan. And plans cannot exist without a purpose or goal in mind . Therefore, every mastermind works to achieve the purpose they set out for themselves to carry. In a very partial way, every mastermind is therefore an existentialist. Because when you create a plan, you attribute meaning to reality. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come up with a plan, would you? The meaning you work for has yet to be present, hence why you work to create it. There are other proficiencies required to be a mastermind, and they depend on the niche you're in. For example, a website manager might not need military expertise, and a modern-day warlord might not need to know how to play football. Like with anything, it takes practice and is an ongoing effort to be a good mastermind . So be prepared to fail, even miserably. Suffer the consequences of your mistakes and learn from them. Learn from them so you can reduce the chances of failure in the future. Try to be creative with your plans. Don't conform to the orthodox ways of life . Limiting yourself will only hinder your plans from becoming a reality. This is one of the many reasons I'm not fond of conformity for its own sake. Don't be afraid of what others may think of you. You have a right to resist fear . If you will, you'll only harm your goals and put yourself in a corner. Instead, embrace your eccentricity as a means to an end. Remember, a mastermind tries to make whatever they have into something useful. This doesn't mean you have to see other people as tools on a chessboard, but I digress. In the end, a mastermind is a universal businessman . They seek to do anything in their power to make their dreams come true. And you can't do that without coming up with plans and making sure they work. Building Your Empire Through Collaboration Since working entirely on your own can deliver poor results, you must reach out and make connections, to increase your chance of success . Only through cooperation can the chances of your success vastly increase. And theirs too, especially if you choose to join forces under a shared goal. Make them stick with you in exchange for something valuable. Make them feel how great it is to be connected with a person such as yourself. And you'll get "bonus points" if you convince them that they won't necessarily get what they want/need without you.
- Lurk in The Dark (Poem)
(Philosocom's Subcategory on Revenge) (Subcategory Directory on Darkness) (Kingdom Directory) Poem Analysis by Ms. Gabbi Grace "Lurk In the Dark" is a profound poem that explores themes of alienation, identity, and societal rejection. It can be analyzed through various lenses, including existentialism, the nature of suffering, and the concept of moral darkness. The poem reflects existential concerns about individual significance and the meaning of one's existence in the face of societal indifference . The speaker's retreat from the social sphere suggests a feeling of alienation and marginalization, aligning with existentialist themes of isolation and the search for self-identity. The poem also delves into the nature of suffering and how it is often dismissed or overlooked by society. Mr. Tomasio acknowledges his pain and decides not to "burn them down," reflecting a nuanced understanding of suffering. This approach echoes philosophical ideas about the nature of suffering and its role in personal growth. The poem also engages with the concept of moral darkness, presenting the phrase "lurk in the dark" as a metaphor for embracing one's inner struggles and using them for personal growth rather than seeking external validation. The reference to " Grandma's word to be realized" introduces a traditional wisdom that encourages the constructive use of one's inner darkness, suggesting that the author's journey through darkness is not without purpose and can lead to redemption or self-actualization. The poem critiques societal norms that marginalize those who do not fit conventional molds , highlighting a failure in societal structures to accommodate and embrace diversity. The final lines suggest that despite societal failings, the writer's work and perseverance in the dark might eventually lead to a form of personal and philosophical redemption, reflecting a belief in the possibility of finding meaning and purpose despite systemic rejection. (Inspired Theme) The Poem If you're down and deemed irrelevant, Why don't you put an end to it and become prevalent? Lurk in the dark. Society rejects your existence, And will live on regardless of your mental state. Lurk in the dark. Tempted to burn them down just to feel some warmth. But you know that then you'll be wearing their own stained coats, (Weakness up the throat). So instead you've decided to transform, Into a being who is no longer their shunned form. And lurk in the dark. For pain is unheard, thus ignored, But suffer not forevermore! Realize what you have in store, When you admit your inner roar! Darkness, morally utilized, A better world , Grandma's word to be realized. Apprentices have rowed! Happy alone while lying low! Friends left me in my depression, They are blind to my own self-oppression. I lurk in the dark. And as my heart was wide in light, It refused to go down to malice without a fight. So I stay in the dark. They didn't care for my care and for my sorrow. Tom thus died by the hands of Tomasio. .. (I'm a shadow). And for the sake of not traumatizing, This world with the dark I've been discovering... I lurk in the dark. Only through mastery I think I'll be able, Redeem the fault of being too weird , thus "disabled" (Saving I was able...) Society could've adopt better philosophies, But instead it creates its own antagonists. Lurk in the dark. Lurk in the dark. Lurk in the dark. Lurk in the dark.
- The Sad Dictator -- How Power Complies Authority to Cooperate (Storytime)
(Birthday Subcategory Directory) (Philosocom's Directory on Power) (Kingdom Directory) (Note: Written in 2023) When Sorrow Dims the Dictator's Light There was once a tyrant, Who couldn't smile much. However, even if he wanted to smile, He just couldn't do it. All because he was sad. Even when troops marched in front of him, And trumpets roared, And his image was placed everywhere, He could not smile. Not because he didn't appreciate the glory. He was simply sad. His sadness is absurd. He has no reason to feel that way. He has a palace, He has food and drinks, Servants, Supporters, However, The fact remains, That he is sad, And that smiling, Is just too hard for him to do. There is no reasoning to this. Despite being an absolute ruler, He has no agency, Over his own emotions. Any delicacy offered to him, Any statue built in his name, Any song tributed to him, He just experienced it, And none more. He isn't exactly cruel, He isn't exactly a megalomaniac, He doesn't exactly love to execute his enemies, Just because of his irrational sadness, Nor because of his position in the world. He is just what he is, And sometimes, No matter how much he or she will think into it, Nothing much will be found, If at all. The only certainty of his, Is the fact that he feels, Have been feeling, And perhaps, Will feel further into life. He has no reason for self-sacrifice, He has no reason to cry, But on the other hand, He has any reason to smile, And yet that, Feels impossible naturally. Some people love him, Some despise him, It doesn't matter. He watches the troops march, Alongside the glorious sound of orchestra, And waves to them above, As expected of him. There is no ending to this story, For the ending is unknown. *********************** A Birthday Meditation on Worth, Work, and the Elusive Joy According to Judaism, the set of the sun marks the end of the day, and the beginning of tomorrow . I guess this is my birthday now. I have no idea what I should feel, but for some reason, I feel sad. I guess some of you will wish me a happy birthday , especially on Facebook. Some will be really happy for me, some will but less so. It does not change the fact, that emotions are prone to irrationality, and that counting on them too much, isn't a good reflection of reality. I am 25. I feel incapable of caring towards the fact that I'm young. I do not have a death wish, but I am eager to ensure the fate of my works. Life for me is but a continuous work towards that end. Maybe happiness just does not matter for this function to occur. I ate at a restaurant today. I don't remember the previous time I did so, maybe in July. The food was tasty, but the feeling of joy, wasn't there. It's just food. And maybe emotions don't have much function in life when you're but a ascetic whose philosophy towards life, is all about the roles of functions of things. Everything? I pass under that judgement. That which has little function, or even is dysfunctional, is unworthy of my time, unless it could be more functional. Yep, maybe happiness has no function for me anymore. It's just an emotion, and why should an emotion be so sacred? People tell me that love is more than an emotion. For me it sounds absurd. No idea why it's hard to smile. Maybe logic just ruined it for me. The idea that emotion can be changed by direct will , is irrational. It is intuitive, and can only be done indirectly, through our thoughts. When I am told "Be happy", it doesn't make me feel happy. Why would it? A state of a being can't be changed so easily, as if it were a tower of bricks. I guess it's fine. I will wave and thank as expected of me. No reason to do otherwise. I no longer feel that important , but I guess some people will portray me as such, by the dawn of the sun. No reason to argue against them. No reason to prove them wrong , even if I think they are. This is "my day" and I just have to accept it, that I have one. No reason, But, To, Wave. Being a public figure is hard . Masking is sometimes vital. Those who won't read this, won't know. I just feel incapable of keeping this to myself. ... Glory to Philosocom
- Virtual Dictatorships and Plutocracies: Shaping Humanity
(EDIT: For the matter of this article, a Plutocracy is a space/community dominated by its richest members. A Virtual Dictatorship is a virtual space/product owned by a non-elected owner. An "E-dictator" is the non-elected owner/ruler of a virtual dictatorship. Not to be confused with digital authoritarianism , which defines ways to oppress and diminish actual democracies). (Additional Read: VPN Use and Data Privacy Stats for 2025 ) (Philosocom's Directory On the Virtual Realm) (Kingdom Directory) (Social Media Directory) The internet has become such a crucial part of our lives that we no longer live within the walls of only a few regimes, such as the democracy of a country or the dictatorship of an employer. Instead, we live under much more social frameworks that we either accept as granted or object to through protest, such as the community guidelines of sites like Facebook and Twitter. Deem it as the rise of the universal culture. In other words, much of our lives are basically contained within "e-dictatorships" that we didn't ask for nor elected, even though much of our private data and ability to express ourselves is in their hands. This is because, technically, all the sites and apps we use are not equivalent to countries we live in, but merely products that operate like dictatorships. In other words, CEOs of social networks, given that they own these platforms, are virtual dictators that we register to in exchange for the services they allow. However, these services, as mentioned, compromise our right for privacy, and like with any other business, do not allow us to elect their leaders. Our registry gives them power in the form of traffic that can be converted to monetary gain. And in some cases, the data that is being collected from us, can be sold to third parties. This means that social media platforms are essentially surveillance states , installed on our devices, made to monitor and influence us in the name of generating profit. And yes, the online world can largely influence us and our decisions. Platforms may personalized our social media feeds in order to satisfy us. That, in turn, can enhance fake news and increase our biases. Without our knowledge, these virtual dictatorships can polarize the thoughts and opinions of entire populations. Therefore, the responsibility of power "e-dictators" have, is placed on us rather than on them. It is placed on our consent to consume their products, and even to create accounts there. This is done in the form of policies and terms of service that we "agree" to (by whatever means), leaving us to operate in an allegedly-liberated virtual world governed by mega-corporations and their various products, to which we dedicate much of ourselves. The idea of a virtual dictatorship has not been left untouched in the field of video games either, but not necessarily in the form of corporations letting you deal with the consequences of your actions. Instead of pseudo-free products, many video games today have become a plutocracy, where those who pay the most money become the strongest foe in an online game. This encourages the plutocratic idea that revenue leads to greater power in the minds of the youth, and can, in theory, lead to the next generations of greedy plutocrats. Virtual or otherwise. While this can encourage people to increase their own revenue to pay for these non-sensical investments, it also encourages them to just live with their parents and play games all the time instead of doing anything else. Either way, the original form of democracy might be fading away in the future, because of the ability of the wealthy to feed on the addictions of the less wealthy. This can gradually lead to a traditional sense of a plutocracy, AKA, the regime of the rich, embedded in contemporary features. In fact, some may argue that the United States is already a plutocracy. Even if you can vote for your political leaders, you cannot vote who is going to be the next CEO of any of the apps you're using. Being a user of a website or a platform does not grant you civil rights within their jurisdiction. No. Financially, you're either a potential customer, a utilized content creator or a private information provider for them to potentially sell. Unfortunately, even in a more benevolent era, wealth remains the true source of supremacy, in many parts of the internet and outside the internet that is a true democracy. As such, plutocratic tendencies are natural developments in this economy-driven civilization. As such, with awareness or without, we have socio-economic biases towards people, and may judge them in accordance to their wealth. However, take note that I do not imply communism by criticizing capitalism. I think the egalitarian attempt of communism for a happier, more just society has been an impractical failure. The world's only communist countries being China, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, and Cuba, are just a total of 5 countries in a world of hundreds of nations. It's possible to assume that if China wasn't open to the West like it is now, it would remain even poorer. No offense to the Chinese intended. International trade is just profitable far more than self-sufficient philosophies like the North Korean Juche . A completely unopposed capitalistic world is problematic as well. If we want to maintain our liberties online, there must be a dialogue between bodies that balance between power and liberty, just as there are in many democracies and in, mostly, republics. You see, the Virtual Dictatorships and Plutocracies of today are mostly independent of governmental regulations as they are privately-owned businesses. That excludes policies such as those. This means that the "e-dictators" are technically free to do as they please as long as they do not violate the few regulations they are confined to. The problem with capitalism is that the freedom it grants can often become a recipe for the rich to gain more control , and the poor, to lose more power. In contemporary gaming, senseless spending is like a "rule of the jungle," and your protests are likely to fall on deaf ears. That is what you also get when you are in a virtual dictatorship, built on the foundation of maximum monetary gain than anything else. You cannot change the rules of a social media platform just like you can't change the rules of an online game. No matter how invested you will be in either virtual plutocracies, you'll never have that kind of power. It's just like in an actual, physical tyranny. This is the problem with greed: even if all you wish for is to make money, your justified desire can result in severe dissatisfaction by your customers, when a small minority of them hold much or most of the money you gain. They can appeal to you with their services, turn you into an addict, and profit from your addiction/s for the rest of their lives. It's that easy at least on paper. This civilization is unequal by the very resource of wealth. Social classes nowadays are divided by wealth. You will either be respected or treated like dirt depending on your wealth. Your value in this materialistic society is largely determined by how much money you gain, have, and whether or not you hire people. Power tempts not only the power-bearer but also those around them. That can especially be true in dating. Having power is also how relevance is gained ... My point is, if we wish to preserve democracy, a certain limitation of freedom to the most privileged should be implemented. It's not for the sake of short-term limitation, but for giving as much as possible a fair chance to everyone -- for the long term. And to do so without the significant difference or relevance of wealth, ethnicity, and so on. Making lots of money isn't something most of us know or are capable of doing; why should we be punished for it? We still deserve to have opportunities in life just like those who can afford them more than us. It's part of the philosophy behind welfare, after all.
- Why Is the State Also a Place of Business
(Philosocom's Money Directory) (Philosocom's Directory on Politics) (Kingdom Directory) (Background music) Why We Form Nations People establish nations for many reasons, whether or not these nations are recognized by others, or left unrecognized (AKA, micronations ). The U.S was founded in the name of human liberty and rights. The Soviet Union existed to practice Karl Marx's communist philosophy. Nations are not founded in a vacuum. The choice to create and develop a nation is backed up by some kind of rationale. Thomas Hobbes suggested a universal rationale, called the social contract theory . The social contract says this: In order to survive, we must exchange our individual freedoms and our independence. As such, Hobbes was an absolute monarchist who supported the British monarch in his time, several centuries ago. Shared Identity, Social Contracts, and the Rubinshteinic Rationale Allow me to propose a Rubinshteinic (I.E, my own brand of) universal rationale for the establishment and preservation of nations: Nations exist also to serve the functionally of business and commerce. They are, in a sense, corporations. And no nation can survive without funds. By developing the financial aspect of the nation, it can allow many other aspects of its management and support. From within and from outside its territory. Why? Because money is the lifestream of any business, just like with nations. For money allows us not only to survive, but have far more possibilities in life. Hence why money is also a form of power. It is, perhaps, the reason as to why almost all nations are currently capitalist. Because prosperity allows them to elevate beyond survival, and focus on other tasks at hand. Tasks that do not have to solely be defined as mere luxury. Funds are "energy" to the state, like food is energy for the organism. Because my mistake over the years was to ignore the third functionality of money. It is not only used for either necessity or un-necessity. But also, for benefit. And benefit can be of ourselves, of others, or both. Even when it is for our own benefit or for the benefit of others, it can also be for the harm of others. It does not have to contradict when, for example, you supply aid for a tyrannical country. Because when you provide benefit to that country, you also add to the misery of those it oppresses. And adding suffering to this world intentionally, is a form of evil. I suppose there isn't much of a need to be this naive on that matter, correct? The matter of hope. Of a better future. Of world peace. Ultimately, the nation is a business. And when its revenue is all good and well, why would its leader/s wish to risk it? After all, war is also a profitable business. Selling weapons and military technology, is profitable. Even state-funded criminal empires, are profitable. Profit... is not only for the greedy. And not only for survival, either. It is also to actualize your hopes and dreams. It is also to build a better future for your children or successors. When you seek profit purely or mostly for luxury and un-necessities , then consider the idea that you might be greedy. The same goes for politicians. Some people, politicians included, cannot afford not being rich. Why? Because some people have plenty things they need to afford. Even if you want to donate to charity, you need to afford the money first. Politics are also a matter of survival. Social survival, of course. Because even as dictator, disapproval from the people could lead to treachery, and treachery could kill you. The tyrant may want to be rich in order to survive through the means of corruption. Like paying bribes to keep certain officials in line. Like participating in illegal trades to ensure a nuclear program ( Like with North Korea ). And the list may go on and on. When it comes to money, you may need to put, sometimes, your own morality aside. Hence why evil may indeed exist in capitalism. Because there are some acts that are more profitable than others, despite their moral nature. And being able to provide and to generate profit, can ensure your relevancy in this social and political world. Even if you're not a politican or even a public figure like me. Your relevancy to others may also be measured by the profit you can generate for your household. Whether a man or woman, does not have to matter. Because no one really likes freeloaders that are able to generate profit. The Philosocom Vision By building an infrastructure on the WIX platform that has the potential to sustain itself for centuries, along with content preservation, I can give you a promise social media does not. For anything on social media, that you post there, can be deleted. Philosocom is made for longevity for both my and your content. Join my growing empire , and you can contribute to a good cause that will preserve your content for generations in potential. And unlike in a country, I intend Philosocom to be read for free, no paywalls. We can use that power for good. Especially to those who need it more than us. And a country that does it, is most definitely a good one, morally. Philosocom aspires to be a different kind of "nation". Here, everyone has free access to knowledge and discussion. As wisdom deserves to be accessible to all. After all, wisdom is the key to freedom. Mr. Nathan Lasher's Feedback: A government must be run like a business. It is the reason why governments survive. It is through taxation, seen on goods and services, that governments obtain money to operate. It’s been many years, I believe, since a more capitalistic approach was taken and a government enforced a stipend to all residents which stated that they must pay x amount of money to the government. Nowadays, in America at least, it is seen that you get charged x amount of money depending upon the activity which you are undertaking. After all, the government must operate in that way in some capacity in order for them to continue to serve the people’s interests. Aren’t all governments, democratic, formed out of public opinion? They start because enough people want them to form in the way that they do. Monarchs are another kind of example. Citizens giving up certain rights in exchange for a government which is backed by someone else’s wealth and not the state’s itself. A monarch will remain in power as long as they possesses the wealth to securely finance the government if necessary. I’m referring to this as buying power at its core. You can buy enough people's support that others will just blindly follow you out of herd mentality . I don’t understand the ins and outs of military, not saying I never will only that I currently don’t. I still understand enough that they protect us so I’m fully ok with contributing my part to it.
- On the Need to Leave an Impact
(Void directory) (Kingdom Directory) (Background music) My childhood was a very happy one. I played video games for years on end and did not have a care in the world.... Until the moment the emptiness began chewing in. I felt a need to leave an impact, and it is a need I only managed to fulfil in my adulthood. I remember telling my mother I have no life, and she was astounded by my grim philosophical insights. I told her how, after studying astronomy by myself, that we are tiny insignificant creatures, like ants, and how the void is big compared to humanity. My mother wanted me to stop because I began scaring her with all of these philosophical insights on the insignificance of humanity. I always knew how insignificant I, as a human, really am. I am small compared to the Earth, and the Earth is small compared to the solar system. We are just small ants who really think they are objectively significant. But I knew that we are not as significant as we see ourselves. This understanding left me hollow as a child, and all I wanted to do was to do something meaningful that will leave an impact on the world, so I won't feel as insignificant a human I objectively am. Being a mere child, facing existential crisis, there was very little I could do to leave an impact , so I fell into depression , 20 years ago, as I wanted to do something extraordinary, but didn't have the means to do it. Now as an adult, I keep on working on this empire of articles because that helps me fill in the emptiness that started 20 years ago, when I faced existential crisis as a child. The void never leaves entirely. The void accompanied me ever since my initial existential crisis. Ever since the void began bothering me, life began being hard, as I experienced this void in many aspects of life. One of the reasons I am a solitary ascetic is because I perceive void in social interactions . Ever since I had my existential crisis, social interactions were never the same. In elementary school I already discarded a lot of friends I used to have because interacting with them felt useless. I also had to guard my mother, but I digress. This void is what makes me special as an individual. It is hard to comprehend me because most people don't necessarily feel this giant void within them. I do, ever since the 2000's. Life has been hard as a result. I was depressed and nothing rarely gave me satisfaction. I passed high school with flying colors and I was supposed to be a philosophy professor in university, until I sabotaged my life. The reason? Social interactions. I just couldn't bear the vain-ess of teachers socializing with students there. I just couldn't. It's the same degree of hardship I experienced back in high school, when teachers socialized with students there as well. Ever since childhood, the need to leave an impact accompanied me to this very day. Leaving an impact on people's lives is how the void within me vanishes, and so I get to feel fulfilled just like the days of before the existential crisis. I feel gratification writing because I know this legacy of Philosocom is going to last for long . This is what makes me feel happier, and the void, less heavy. I know this age of AI , where its rapid development renders writers irrelevant, renders also websites not as visited. However, I don't care. I just don't. My need to fill in the void exists irrespective of AI, and so Philosocom endures regardless of the rapid AI revolution, which replaces writers above all other professions and occupations. This void within me compelled me to help a lot of people and save lives from the pit of despair. Had I not felt compelled to leave an impact, several people would probably end up dead. There must be a higher reasoning as to why I feel this deep emptiness within me. The emptiness doesn't exist in a vacuum. This emptiness within me has the power to transform and change entire lives, has the potential to leave a truly enduring impact on the world. And so, like Sisyphus, I lift the stone of productivity up the mountain of life, until the time it falls off, and then I feel insanely empty again. Sometimes, I wish the void will disappear completely, so I will be happy . But it doesn't. No matter how many lives I saved, how many people I helped, the void just enters again, rendering my sacrifice irrelevant in my subjective experience of the world. But it doesn't. It just doesn't. It remorselessly goes back, and makes me feel a deep desire to leave an impact once more. Why? Because I am well aware of the fact that we are just tiny insignificant creatures compared to the larger universe we're in. The fact is as clear as day to me. I am aware, and yet cannot accept it. Accepting it would be defeatism. Just because we're tiny and insignificant beings compared to the universe, doesn't mean we cannot leave an impact. I already left an impact in people's lives, but I am young, and I see that as a fault, not as a virtue. I see it as a fault because I still have so much time left. Despite everything I did, life is still ahead of me. And I hate it. I really do. I hate being young, for I am old in my mentality. I am a traditionalist who struggles keeping up with the rapid times of the godlike technology humanity has been catering to . I am more of an old stubborn man within the body of a young man. I see on YouTube the Sudanese sword artisans, and I am filled with inspiration. I see the biography of the character Lau Chan of Virtua Fighter, who dedicated his entire life to mastering a single martial art, and I am filled with inspiration. These are the very few things that help me feel alive, that ignite some spark within me, beyond the world of love. I see myself like a consistent drop of water, carving up its own unique path in an old, stern rock. The more I persist in my way, the more the void goes away. And I am filled with true satisfaction, that lasts only for a while, until it returns back again. I feel trapped, imprisoned, with the consistent desire to leave an impact, the only thing outside love that makes me feel alive. And rectifying people in my own terms is how I leave that impact. The fallen trend of blogs in face of AI doesn't matter to me. With my keyboard and with my art I persevere, as the Ruler of Philosocom, as I do what I like to do the most: Contribute to you. It's the only thing that makes me feel alive outside love. And I love it. I love to feel alive. To write something of depth, and to provide it, is what gratifies me so much. I just wish these feelings would last forever, but they do not. So I am back to writing yet again, looking for the next rush of gratification. I don't want to accept the void in utter defeatism. Instead I choose to employ it in my quest for contribution and gratification. I have a deep, psychological need to leave an impact in people's lives, and I do just that. I saved people, I helped people, but no matter what, this feeling of void, like an unwelcome guest, will keep invading me, as I keep isolating myself from the world, wanting nothing to do with it beyond my online contributions to it, and beyond the necessary evil of survival. Because I refuse to be a tiny insignificant human in the universe. I can't bear it. I just can't. I am disabled for my unique potential to succeed in writing makes me feel I need to do something great for as long as I can. It is not arrogance, but the need to contribute to you. It's not narcissism , but the need to leave a long, enduring impact on this world which I have forsaken in the name of good. And I write and write like a lone swordsman who cuts hordes of demons again and again, until at the very last satisfaction is reached, but for as long as that satisfaction is not reached, I just keep at it no matter in what state I am or what is the state of the internet. I know much of the internet is dead, making way for bots. I know websites are irrelevant, but I don't have the heartlessness within me that is called keeping up with the times. I don't have the heartlessness within me to give up on the need to leave an impact under my own terms. I am too heartful to partake in society, so I spare society of myself, because my need to be accomplished is ravenous and takes every good bit of normalcy. I don't want to be happy, I want to be satisfied in the impact I make, and what other impact is bigger than creating a massive empire of articles to last throughout the ages? All I want is to contribute. That is the reason I keep on going online. That is the reason I helped and saved people. My desire for relevance fuels me because it is the only thing that keeps this annoying void away from me. There must, must be a higher reasoning for this. My void exists in the name of unrelenting altruism. In the name of helping even more people, and as long as I am empty inside, my void will still compel me to write. There is no stopping this maddening void. There is only delaying it until the next time it arrives. Such existence is hard and tragic , but I boldly persevere, never giving in to the defeatism and uselessness that comes from the existential understanding that we are just tiny insignificant creatures!!!! And I will write and write and write and write until the void is gone! Look how much I need to write to make this void go away! There must be a reason why it exists that goes beyond just myself! Who knows who will pick this article up, read it, and feel inspired to do something great? That is exactly why I believe this void doesn't exist for nothing, and my need to leave an impact doesn't exist for nothing. As detached as I appear, people will read this eventually, people will need this eventually, during some point in the future. And this future will become history, my history, the history which I carve in the form of Philosocom. And at long last the void is gone. It feels like a giant creature sitting on my chest. I feel lighter, writing this article; lighter as a feather, and not as heavy to the point breathing is hard. I need this. I need to write, for my sanity , for the void to go away, I need this more than I need social interactions, more than I need friends. Once all the people in my life will be gone, in 30, 40 years, I will be left alone with the same void that gnaws on me, and I will just keep on writing as usual. Death doesn't startle me, I accept death for death is inevitable , and I know that my solitude is inevitable as well. I will just keep being a philosophical Sisyphus and Azazel, sacrificing much of my time and internet on writing and writing and writing and writing. I need to leave an impact so I must leave an impact. This isn't a delusion of necessity but a necessity that helps me function in life. Who knows, there might be a higher reasoning for everything and everyone, and my purpose in this life, to rectify this world using my articles, is unique, for I am cursed with a deep void unlike any other. I want it away. I want it to keep it away from me. Otherwise existence feels like a burden, and I am looking for a way out of the burdensome nature of this void within me. I seek freedom , but I presume this freedom will be accessible to me only in my death. But I refuse to die just yet. I have my whole life ahead of me, despite of all the work I did. It means, that more work is to be done, as a result... Far, far, far more work than I did already! Like an unrelenting warrior I will hold firm my sword as I continue slashing away the void within me via writing. And I will keep helping people via my writing, and I will keep doing it with great determination because it is the only way out of the void, leaving an impact will be the sword that will set me free from the burdensome chains of the void. And only then, only when I am finally free from this void, is where I will know happiness in my cursed existence which I perceive as empty. Only love and working on Philosocom gratify me from the void, so I keep at it, keep at it, hoping one day to finally be set free from the suffering of the deep hole inside of me.
- The Philosophy of Hidden Gems -- Why There Are So Many Hidden Gems Today
(Philosocom's Subcategory on Manipulation) (Social Media Directory) (Philosocom's Directory On the Virtual Realm) (Philosocom's Directory on Technology) (Kingdom Directory) (Background music) The Internet Then and Now: A Shift from Exploration to Manipulation Just 20 years ago, in the 2000's and even in the 90's, the impact of algorithms wasn't very high, and the internet was a place of exploration and knowledge. Nowadays, the internet has been utilized for the manipulation of the masses, and to the spread of fake news and propaganda. As such, the popular sides of the internet have been used to exploit and to addict. I believe the internet of today has been hijacked by corrupt manipulators that are there to keep you addicted and constantly engaged for the sake of revenue and political manipulation. Furthermore, the dead internet theory suggests that AI bots are largely taking over the virtual landscape, with many websites being largely, if not entirely, AI generated. And in the rapidly changing environment of the internet, where AI bots take over and create what is called " AI slop ", many websites' owners stop posting because maintaining a website is too much work that isn't necessarily profitable. The Reign of Algorithms and the Concealment of "Hidden Gems" A "hidden gem" is a term defining something great that remains largely undiscovered . In the online world, where algorithms rule and dictate what internet surfers are seeing, many hidden gems are left undiscovered and unvisited in favor of those that pay money to promote their content online. The algorithms are heavily biased towards what is popular, far less towards what could be fascinating. Many hidden gems are left hidden because the purpose of large websites, like social media platforms, is to keep you sticked and addicted to surfing said platforms. That goes for google, which also works using algorithms, and mainly advertises websites that spend a lot of money on being advertised in the first place. Algorithms narrow down online content and create a form of a maze/hill to keep you trapped within popular platforms in the name of generating revenue and selling your data to third party users. There are many hidden gems because popularity is but one of the hallmarks of injustice in the world -- shallow content that is meant to keep you occupied and addicted, is prioritized over deep, unique content that is meant to help you think differently. The Nature of Hidden Gems: Passion Over Profit As such, hidden gems are most often than not, a product of passion , by people strong enough to keep on sticking to their own truths in a largely biased, algorithm-based environment that invades your privacy so it could cater the most addicting content for you. And with many hidden gems in the virtual landscape existing , I am sure I am not the only one who works out of passion instead for profit, like it is often done. I look at those who are sellouts -- who sell their unique selves for profit and ask myself, are they satisfied with what they're doing? Maybe sell out their originality and creativity to survive, which is a legitimate cause, but is it worthy to live a life that is merely there to pay the bills? I don't want to give in to the hollowness of reality. Had I been a sellout myself, I would have had more money, but I would be far hollower and emptier than I already am. I believe most people hate their jobs. Hidden gems are for those who love to work. In the AI revolution, many jobs are already being replaced, leaving many people jobless. In such a rapidly changing world, it is the opportunity of many to deviate from the traditional world of working in soul-destroying jobs in favor of chasing their passions. While the AI revolution takes away jobs and will continue doing so the more it is advanced, I believe that many hidden gems will keep on appearing in the virtual landscape, and work that is done solely for the sake of money will be replaced in favor of passion-based projects. And should there be a universal basic income implemented as a result of the AI revolution, there will be even more hidden gems, and people will be free from wage slavery, free to chase their passions and do what they want the most. Hidden gems are product of people who deviate away from society , which is there mainly for the obedient and the submissive, to follow their own passions. I believe the more people will be disillusioned from society, the more they will create their own alternative frameworks. Those who believe money isn't everything in life, I believe, are likelier to build hidden gems online, which is most often than not a creative effort. Finding Hidden Gems: A Call for Critical Thinking and Exploration There are many hidden gems in the online world as a result of heavily biased algorithms. All you have to do is to find them using search engines. Using critical thinking, one can sway away from the popular aspects of the internet, the "mainstream" aspects, and dive deep within the realm of hidden gems. Had the internet not be full of algorithms that bias your view, internet users would've needed to utilize their cognitive abilities to find what they want to find, and the internet would've been used like it would 20 years ago: for the sake of exploration and research. Hidden gems are, however, hard to find unless you dedicate the extra work necessary to find them. Hidden gems are hidden for a reason -- because they are left out in a world built on the competition for profit. To be able to find hidden gems will require you to overcome the dependency over algorithms and use your own independent thinking to find content. I believe technology should serve us, and that we shouldn't become slaves to technology. I believe technology is there so we could enjoy from it, and not to be enslaved to it. As far as I see, nowadays technology is used to enslave people, to keep them addicted and manipulated by bots and by people with ulterior motives. If we want to benefit from technology, then we should use it in a way that helps us feel satisfied and gratified, not merely addicted and enslaved. For too long have we learned to conform, and the more we conform, the more we serve the interests of those who wish to profit off from us, exploit us and manipulate us for their own gain. I believe it is high time that we learned to break free from the toxic cycle of social media, and explore the internet in a way that helps us feel passionate and that fills a spark within us. And that is where hidden gems come in -- they are able to fulfil that spark within you if only you would stop being enslaved to algorithms and begin to use the internet like it was intended to originally -- to serve as a respiratory of exploration, wonder and adventure, instead as a tool meant to exploit you and your time. Philosocom: An Example of a Hidden Gem Philosocom is but one of these hidden gems that just refuses to keep up with the times, instead resorting to having its articles expanded and serving as a platform for many esoteric subjects in the world of contemporary philosophy. This website doesn't have algorithms that bias your ability to navigate it. Instead, it works like a library, having many subcategory directories that are meant to help you navigate this massive esoteric platform. Philosocom is an example of work that is based on passion and not profit. I am a very passionate writer and I want to be always strong so I will keep this website ongoing and serve as a form of an " enduring pillar " in a rapidly changing world. My aim as a website owner is to create unique and original content in a virtual world that is getting shallower and more unoriginal. I still believe that even in our shallow world, creativity and unique content still have their place, and that passion shouldn't be killed in favor of profit. I think that a life meant solely for profit is a hollow one and that is why I dedicated many years to Philosocom, while not earning much from it. I do it for the satisfaction and because I want to be useful to the world. That is why I keep doing what I do and keep my passion alive. My mission with Philosocom is not only to contribute to others but to also live a life fulfilled, and I think a life fulfilled is one where you are chasing and accomplishing your dreams on your own terms. Philosocom is a platform for those who have the passion of exploration in them. Of people willing to not give up on their inner child as adults, and venture out into many interesting and unique articles, made to help you think critically -- and differently. I believe what I'm doing is vital to making the world a better place, and as such I will keep at it. Creators of hidden gems have to stay strong and not give up even when it's hard, to not surrender their hopes and dreams in a world where it is the caterers who make more profit. The Philosophy of Hidden Gems: Wonder, Curiosity, and Challenging the Status Quo Hidden gems are there to spark wonder, just like philosophy itself. The common thing with hidden gems and philosophy is that both spark wonder, curiosity and exploration . Unfortunately, most people, I believe, lose their curiosity when they become adults, choosing the easiness of comfort over the fun that can come from challenging exploration, both online and offline. But if you go on this journey of finding hidden gems in your free time, you might find avenues that you would otherwise not touch. Will you overcome yourself and explore this site, or choose the comfort of catering algorithms that make profit out of your visitor analytics? That is for you to decide.
- Compassionate Capitalism: The Key to a Better World
(Help and Rectification Directory) (Power Directory) (Kingdom Directory) (Background music) Introduction Compassionate capitalism is a unique branch of capitalism where the earning of profit is not seen as the top, nor only, priority when running a venture. Compassionate capitalism puts other factors as well, as important values to pursue, such as helping people, showing compassion, and be a servant. In compassionate capitalism, the top leaders are not after profit alone. They are after helping people using the pursuit of profit. The pursuit of profit is not only for the sake of the top leader/s, but for everybody involved. As such, the accumulation of power is done not for the sake of corporate greed , but corporate help. In compassionate capitalism, the workers/apprentices are a priority as well, and are there not only to make the top leader/s rich, but to be profited from as well. As such, compassionate capitalism puts an extra challenge in the pursuit of profit and power: to do the moral/ right thing of using them for the sake of everyone involved in the venture. Organizations under compassionate capitalism profit in a more equitable way, while the top leaders earn their way up not by backstabbing or competing with others, but by serving. They serve their way up, and the means to gain wealth and power are moral by nature, and thus, give a moral justification to the ends, which is the accumulation of wealth and power. Compassionate Capitalism Versus Ruthless Capitalism Ruthless capitalism is the most popular form of capitalism today. It views workers/apprentices as expandable and view the ends of wealth and power as justified by any means -- even if immoral by nature. Ruthless capitalism seeks to earn wealth and power by any cost. Compassionate capitalism conditions this quest by moral and humane means. Ruthless capitalism, at the face of the AI revolution, would seek to fire many workers in the name of cheaper, cost-effective automation. The compassionate capitalist, on the other hand, would seek to save people from the great replacement of AI, as the mission of the compassionate capitalist is not to profit for its own sake, but to profit by helping people. Nowadays, compassionate capitalism is the road not taken, yet it is the key to a better world. A world where people are not mere wage slaves, but the priority. Ruthless capitalism, on the other hand, seeks to subjugate for the sake of profit, and would not consider the human element's happiness and wellbeing as important priorities in the quest for capital. Ruthless capitalism views the human element as a mere cog in a greater machine, while compassionate capitalism views humans as more than mere cogs, but as the means which are meant to serve in the quest for capital. They are the means which are there to be helped, rather than the means to help the top leader/s to get richer. Why Compassionate Capitalism Is the Key to a Better World Compassionate capitalism is the key to a better world because it is there to serve the people, to make them pleased, to help them out, and be happier. An example of a compassionate capitalist in fiction is Papa Smurf from the Smurfs. He is a leader that leads for the prosperity of his fellow subjects, than for the sake of himself. He seeks to help his fellow Smurfs in any way he can, and is kind-hearted to them. Despite being a sole leader, he leads with benevolence and virtue , and puts the average Smurf as the main source of concern. The Smurf village is a utopian example for a better world. They seek to help each other, never leave their fellow Smurfs behind, all under the guidance of a single leader with executive powers. Moral Egoism and Compassionate Capitalism I argue that it is the interest of leaders to introduce compassionate capitalism into their leadership philosophies because it can increase the loyalty of those who work for them. The more you help out your followers , the more they will seek to be useful to you. Furthermore, some of them, under compassionate capitalism, would be proud and grateful to help you out in your quest for capital. Therefore, compassionate capitalism has the power to make your followers appreciated, and thus more eager to be competent and effective as workers . A more competent and effective worker is a worker that is the least to be replaced, or act against you. Looking Both Ways : The Problems with Compassionate Capitalism However, the problems with compassionate capitalism stem from the fact that it is made for a better world than this one. The problem with such a good philosophy is that under the wrong hands, followers can exploit your benevolent philosophy and seek capital when it is not morally justified. For example, they might lie to you in order to be helped. Indeed, the problem with compassionate capitalism is not everyone deserves to be helped. For example, those that are not always grateful to your compassionate nature, and/or people who mainly care about their own selfish interests, are examples of people who are unworthy of compassionate capitalism. A List of People Who Deserve Compassionate Capitalism * People who are considerate of others. * People who are always grateful to be helped. * People that seek to work better thanks to being helped. * People that are not exploiters by heart. * People who are not manipulators . * People that want you to succeed . * People who don't mainly care about themselves. Conclusions Compassionate Capitalism is there for the people. It is there to help them out as a means to get more capital. It requires more investment, and puts the attaining of wealth and capital under the challenge of being a truly good person. If you seek to be a better person, morally, as a way to get more capital, than compassionate capitalism is the way for you. However, you should take note that being a good person comes at the challenge of being exploited and helping people that do not deserve your help. Furthermore, you should take note that pleasing everyone is not always possible. Therefore, being ruthless does have its perks of firing those who don't deserve your help, and/or those who are incompetent . Compassionate capitalism is for those who seek to improve the world, not necessarily to get more capital for yourself. It's for those looking to serve rather than be served. If you seek to make the world a better place, then compassionate capitalism is the path for you.
- The Neurodivergent Sovereign: A Philosophy of Successful Incompatibility
(Autism Subcategory Directory) (For the directory on success, click here ) (Directory on Power) (Subcategory Directory on Law and Order) (Philosocom's Disability Directory) (Kingdom Directory) (Background music) Society has a simple and brutal word for those who do not fit its narrow demands and trends: "misfit." It is a term of deficit, a label that implies something is broken or wrong. For the neurodivergent individuals -- people whose minds operate on a different, often more intense, frequency—this label can become a lifelong burden. The conventional world, built for the predictable rhythms of neurotypicals, offers a simple and unforgiving contract: learn to mask your true nature, suppress/ repress your authentic self, and exhaust your soul trying to fit in, or be cast out as a dysfunction. However, what if this two way existence is a delusion of necessity? What if there is a third option? What if the healthiest, most powerful, and most successful path is not to desperately seek a place in a world that is designed for neurotypicals, but to have the courage to build your own? This is the philosophy of the Neurodivergent Sovereign , an affiliation built not on the struggle for acceptance, but on the profound and liberating power of successful incompatibility . Successful incompatibility is when you subvert incompatibility by turning it from a vice to virtue . It is when you choose to step away from society and instead create your own world, on your own terms , thanks to the basic incompatibility you have with the rest of society. The first and most difficult act on this path is to reject the idea that you are "misfit," or at least reject the idea that a being a misfit is a necessarily a bad or faulty thing. An autistic brain is not a broken brain; it is a different kind of brain, often more powerful, more focused, and more sensitive. It is one that is wired differently and therefore interacts with the world differently. To force such a high-performance engine to run on the cheap fuel of social conformity and conventional work is not just inefficient; it is a direct and certain path to burnout, chronic fatigue , and the slow, grinding death of the soul. Instead, the wise, neurodivergent sovereign understands that his first duty is to the nature of his own realm, or in other words, to build a realm that goes along with his or her unique brain . If the world is a hostile environment, then the only logical choice is to become the mastermind of a new one. A world within the world, so to speak. An example to that could be a project, like a website or tribe of people, that are different from the rest of the world. An empire, a kingdom in which the neurodivergent is not a disadvantaged individual, but its sovereign, its head. A creator of a unique community or ecosystem that they lead. Forming your own world is not an act of surrender or a retreat into weakness ; it is the ultimate act of self-preservation , bravery and strength. It is the conscious, deliberate, and often difficult work of building a kingdom that is perfectly and unapologetically tailored to your own unique and powerful way of being. It is the creation of a fortress of solitude, not to hide from the world , but to create the one and only environment in which your specific genius can thrive. The laws of this self-made kingdom are written to serve the neurodivergent mind, not to break it. Only the neurodivergent mind can know what is best for itself. The relentless demand for meaningless social interaction is replaced by the deep, quiet satisfaction of a solitary craft in one's field of interest. The chaotic and unpredictable demands of a conventional job are replaced by a mission of one's own choosing , a purpose that brings meaning and order. In this kingdom, the very traits that were once a "disability" in the outside world—the intense focus, the rejection of the superficial , the need for a quiet and controlled environment—are transformed from vices, to virtues, or into the very pillars of said world's success. It is not necessarily a life without connection. It is a life of curated connection . The sovereign ruler of this realm understands that their energy is a precious and finite resource. They cannot afford the high cost of toxic, draining, or inauthentic relationships. Instead, his or her world is one of small, trusted alliances —perhaps, a single, profound love; perhaps, a group of close friends in brotherhood; perhaps, a handful of loyal subjects who understand and respect the laws of the kingdom. It is a world that chooses the profound depth of a few true connections over the shallow, chaotic noise of the many. This path requires a courage that the conventional world can never understand. It requires the courage to be misunderstood, to be judged, to be seen as "weird" or "antisocial" or even "insane". It requires the strength to stand alone and to have an unwavering faith in the validity of your own, unique reality. It requires you to speak up, despite fear , overcome anxieties and, it requires you to be in a position of power that you'll have to maintain, along with the rest of your newly world. It is the lonely and difficult work of being the sole author and the absolute monarch of your own life. Yet, the benefits, if successfully created, shall allow you to pursue your passions in a general world that would, otherwise, demand you to succumb to it. It will turn you from a disabled individual into the privileged creator of your own destiny, who calls his own shots , and who has the freedom to create whatever he or she desires. The final and most beautiful stage of this journey is the achievement of a profound and lasting peace , both with the larger world and the world within it, and most importantly -- with yourself, with your unique nature, and your unique challenges. It is the quiet satisfaction of a king or queen who is finally, truly at home in his own, well-ordered world, that he or she manages. They no longer feel the gnawing pain of being a misfit, because they have created the one place in the universe where he, by definition, is the perfect fit. In the old world, they might be a dysfunction; In the new world, they are the sovereign. This, then, is the ultimate message of the Neurodivergent Sovereign to all the other solitary rulers, the other misfits, the other beautiful and unique minds who feel they have no place in this world: Stop trying to find a kingdom that will accept you. By your own power, you have the potential to be the king or queen themselves. Then, it is time to build your own; a place in the world where you will be accepted.
- The Architecture of a Private World: How I Built a Pocket Dimension Within the Bigger World
(Kingdom Directory) (Background music) Introduction For twenty years, I had a hunch. It was a quiet, persistent gnawing at the back of my mind, whispering that the game of life was rigged, and that we are heading towards a dystopian future. I looked at the world around me—the "rat race," the endless chase for shallow things , the explosive hatred defined by politics and polarization —and I realized that this was not a society designed for human flourishing; rather, it was a reality made to oppress and exploit. It was an Adversary Reality . It was a system designed to extract energy, time, and peace of mind in exchange for temporary comforts and permanent anxiety. Most people sense this hunch, but they ignore it. They double down, pedalling faster on the wheel, hoping that if they just work harder, they will eventually outrun the toxicity, and get to achieve their hopes and dreams. I chose a different path. I chose not to partake in the rigged game , but instead, create my own game, a world within the world, using Philosocom. I realized that if the world outside is hostile and rigged, the only rational response is to build a world inside that is impervious to it. I decided to construct a "pocket of reality"— a disconnected fortress where the rules of the adversary world do not apply. A world so disconnected from the rest of the world, I get to be from a merely disabled man, to its sovereign. This is the architecture of that fortress. Phase 1: The Great Retreat Society calls stepping back "giving up" or "checking out." This is a lie designed to keep you on the battlefield. My withdrawal was not an act of cowardice ; it was an act of supreme strategy. When an army is outnumbered and facing a terrain that guarantees defeat, the only wise move is a Strategic Retreat . I realized that I could not win the battles the world wanted me to fight—the battle for prestige, for endless wealth, for social validation . These are battles where even the winners trade entire lifetimes for an unjust world. So, I left the field. I stopped seeking validation from a sick society. I stopped tying my worth to my productivity in their system. I retreated not into nothingness, but into foundational construction . I traded the noise of the crowd for the silence of the blueprint. Phase 2: Building the Walls ( Financia l and Mental Sovereignty) A fortress needs walls. In the modern world, those walls are built of financial independence and psychological fortitude. My walls were not built with vast riches, but with vast discipline. I utilized what I call the Rubinshteinic Way to Fortune : the realization that true wealth is not in possessing more, but in needing less. By embracing extreme frugality, I lowered the drawbridge cost of my life, and instead invested in this site. I discovered that if you refuse to buy into the "must-haves" of consumer culture , you do not need a six-figure salary to be free. You just need enough to keep the fortress stocked and the gate locked. This allowed me to transition my life into "Easy Mode." I escaped the survival trap. I no longer work because I am terrified of starving; I work only when it serves the legacy of my article empire. Mentally, I built walls against the brain-rot and the hatred. Like a closed ecological system, I control the atmosphere inside my carefully constructed world. Just as a sealed terrarium is unaffected by the storm outside, my inner peace is no longer dictated by the external news cycle. The hatred and alienation of the world is a storm I watch through thick glass; it does not rain inside my home. Phase 3: The New Law ( Discipline vs. Comfort) Once the fortress is built, a new challenge emerges. When you no longer have to fight for survival every day, you face the insidious threat of comfort. A fortress unguarded becomes a ruin. My life now is governed by a New Uphill Battle. It is quieter than the old wars against trauma and psychosis, but it is just as deadly. It is the daily battle of Discipline versus Laziness . Tony Montana from Scarface failed keeping the world he created for himself because he let himself drown into misery and chose unhealthy activities like smoking, sabotaging his relationships impulsively instead of strategically, and becoming an addict to his own product. Watching this movie, I learned from his mistakes, and instead worked up on becoming fit and healthy, being satisfied with what I have through asceticism , and being grateful for what I have. My peace is an active state, not a passive one. It requires the discipline to maintain health, to resist the pull of lethargy, and to keep the internal machinery running smoothly. I am the King of this domain, but also its caretaker. If I stop maintaining the structure, the roof collapses on my own head. By working on this site, I get to maintain my mind, not only my body, and work towards keeping this world of health and wisdom , where I remain its virtual "dictator". Phase 4: The Inhabitants (Solitude and the Queen) The most common critique of this life is that it is lonely at the top. However, when you get to solve the existential problem of loneliness, this becomes a misunderstanding of terms. Loneliness is the pain of being alone when you desire a crowd. Solitude is the glory of being alone when you are good company for yourself. Solitarus , a term I created, is when you begin to feel love towards your own company. It's a rare emotion achievable through hard work on yourself and through mastering the art of being alone. My fortress is built for solitude. I have found that it is preferable to be solitary and fortunate than to be together in collective misery. I thus applied active sabotage and ruined every relationship that was toxic to me and also left much of social media . The higher you climb the pyramid of self-actualization , the significantly fewer people you will find, as most people are busy surviving the rat race. Solitude is the price you have to pay when you go your own way as a philosopher. Yet, my world is not empty. It has a Queen. My relationship with her is possible only because of the pocket dimension I created so persistently while sacrificing my own happiness. We met through the site. In a world where dating becomes hard and harder, I secured love through my own platform. Additionally, I keep an inner circle of people which help Philosocom develop and gain traffic. Beyond that, I stand as an eternal outsider to the world beyond my pocket dimension. Conclusion: The View from the Balcony I am writing this from inside the pocket of reality I created. Outside, the world is loud, angry , and confused. Inside, it is quiet. I am not telling you this to boast, but to provide a proof of concept. You do not have to accept the deal the world offers you. You do not have to live in the adversary reality. You can walk your own way, deviate from the norms , create your alternative frameworks/"game" and build a world beyond this world as well. With enough persistence and right investments, you can be free from the rat race, call your own shots, and live a life of self-sovereignty. You have the power to withdraw. You have the power to build your own walls, establish your own laws, and crown yourself sovereign of your own existence. It requires the strength to be solitary and the discipline to endure peace, but the view from the balcony of your own fortress is worth every brick you have to lay.
- The Philosopher's Trap -- The Delusion of the Universal and Perception Directory
The Directory The Subjection of Perception -- How Perception Remains Limited Death Freedom and Intersubjectivity: Shared Perception External Vision and Identity -- How Perception and Identity Has To Do With Truth and Survival The Tragedy of Philosophy -- Impressions and Truth -- How Our Perception is Hindered The Attempt to Redeem Subjectivity The Philosophy of Numbers and Meanings -- How They Are the Keys to Reality and Subjectivity The Philosophy of Subjective Equality -- How "Everything" Could Be Equally Real https://www.philosocom.com/post/neolithic-spirals The Philosophy of Monsters (Or, How to Cope with Reality) (Background music) Alex Mos's synopsis: Objectivity is hard to grasp. Widely accepted subjectivity is often incorrectly accepted as objectivity. A way to understand objectivity is to search for a truth that exists logically regardless of its post-truth. Since the reality is in constant change, it’s difficult to determine an objective truth. It exists regardless of the present knowledge, technology and cultural norms. The Philosopher’s Trap is the delusion of finding eternal, unchangeable truth. The most philosophical insights are limited in time and to societal circumstances . Only a few philosophers created “immortal” ideas which remained relevant and actual throughout centuries. The Subjective Facade of Objectivity Much of what we see as objective is actually widely accepted subjectivity . From norms to rules to tradition to laws -- a large part of what we consider truth or falsehood is the product of very wide agreement on things. This happens because true objectivity is very hard to grasp, when anything you or others claim can quickly be labelled as their own subjective opinion. Such are "truths" in the absence of logic nor evidence. And even then, they could be disproven at any time. Additionally, the fact that an opinion is transcended into a wider agreement doesn't erase its original subjectivity. With or without research , the universe is too dynamic and uncertain to actually reach any universal, eternal truths about anyone or anything. At the very least, at least frequently. One could take time to think of such a possibility, but actually reaching it, and frequently, is far harder to do. When we believe that we, by default, exist to reproduce , that is also a subjective belief. That's even though many believe it to be the truth. When we believe that food must be eaten with a fork and a knife, that too is a subjective belief made out of tradition, along with its association to being civilized in some countries. In other words, there is no "one" way of doing things ; no "one", higher truth that is true about anyone or anything. There will always be, at least for the most part, an exception to that rule, and that is, if anything, the only way to understand objectivity. A truth that exists logically regardless of its post truth. Reaching that elusive post-truth-independent truth is the basic purpose of philosophical research. Existence is so diverse, so wide, and so uncertain, exceptions can easily disprove any common belief of ours, once seen as an objective truth. AKA, a truth that is wider than your own opinion. And even if something is your own individual opinion, that doesn't make it any less true or false than an opinion that is commonly held as truth. That is because both are subjective either way, and are therefore equal in their lack of objectivity. The validity of an opinion isn't something that is based on the number of people who hold it as truth; that is a logical fallacy called ad-populum. ' The eccentric, the exception, might always be there, somewhere in the world -- in the universe, even - that might as well show your universalized belief to be but a local thing . How objective can we be about reality when our knowledge of the universe remains far from absolute? This is not a rhetorical question. The Elusive Quest for Eternal Truths Since reality is ever-changing, even beyond the realm of humanity, it is difficult to come up with a universal statement that is true regardless of the age and state of being people are currently in. As such, an objective truth, or an independent truth, would exist regardless of these specific scales (other than opinion): Present knowledge. Technology. Culture and norms . The first scale can be surpassed by adapting a mindset of lifelong learning . The second scale could be solved through theorizing about fictional technology. Lastly, the barrier of culture and norms could be solved by becoming a social critic, which is one of the roles of the philosopher -- to take social risks. By questioning these aspects, and understanding that universal truths exist outside specific, local frameworks, we would conclude that logic is the primary tool to find such types of truths. After all, logic is universal as well, and in fact, similar to numbers , is the building stone of the universe itself. Even if something becomes a habit, from belief to activity, that alone does not mean that it is correct, or be based or aligned to the truth. The truth does not care if you're comfortable with it or not, and habits may be based on falsehood as well, not being the truth itself. Truth is but a trait of things and beings, and truths can be prone to change at any time under any circumstance. An election based on falsehood that convinces can change the way things truly are, for example. That could apply to universal truths as well because nothing is indestructible, only change form through re-arrangement. Even if you reach the truth, something that is hard to do as written, after a while it might as well no longer be relevant! It will no longer be relevant because very few things are actually certain. Even in this world of infinite information, many things remain undiscovered; unknown; unseen; unanswered. You might for example make up a complex theory about the recent future of a nation, only to find out that the theory has been entirely collapsed by that exact future. This is the Philosopher's Trap : As a truth seeker, once you believe that you are able to reach truths that are eternal and too powerful to be altered by reality, you WILL delude yourself at a high possibility. Reality is not like a monotonous stream of water; it is an ever-changing landscape, an infinite struggle of chaos, where tiny fractions of order are made, like on Earth, like the Solar System, and like modern life. For a truth as high as a universal truth, something that could reasonably apply to anything and anyone, you would require a careful examination of reality. You'll need to be able to doubt what you regard as the truth, by either thinking of exceptions, or experimenting with situations likely to be exceptions. You must climb atop your biases to overcome their limiting presence , capable of misleading you further away from the truth. The fact that we have embedded ourselves so deeply in our own orderly systems does not indicate that the whole universe works that way, or that any other place on earth is independent of such systems. As such, you might realize that cooperation is objectively far better than competition . And that's regardless of any specific social or personal ways of life. Also, as the cliche says: the only thing you can be sure of, is that existence is uncertain. That is also a universal truth because we could never perfectly tell the future , thus resulting in some degree of uncertainty. One day, the office building you work in might be reduced to stardust that'll build a new planet after billions of years. your beloved cat may desert you, never to be seen again. The search for higher truths often lead to either religious conclusions, which are faith-based, or to nihilism, which is defined by the absence of such truth and their value, thus becoming a "higher truth" itself if there are indeed no gods to determine their existence. The philosophers are therefore often left with bringing insights into the world that are limited in time and are prone to specific contexts. These could be useful until something happens to cancel their usefulness, deeming them irrelevant. To be a philosopher is simply to see from within the mind on a more-universal, large-range scale. The philosopher becomes an "immortal" in terms of relevance once their ideas can be discussed throughout the centuries, and still matter to people and to present situations. Thus, reaching such a truth could leave your mark in history. Why We See the World Differently Our truths, from religion to law, are ultimately subjective beliefs with varying degrees of acceptance. An acceptance that might disregard the truth just like the truth might disregard it, leading to more-unhealthy lifestyles in the name of validation. This inherent human subjectivity makes us susceptible to bias . We see the acceptable as the correct, making it easy to convert others to our views or interpret information according to our existing beliefs. Imagine viewing the world objectively, like from a flying eagle's point of view, free from the distorting filters of our biases. This ideal, however, can only be reached once subjectivity is purged as much as possible, leaving little to no room for unnecessary remarks and expressions of post-truth. Sacrifice of our subjective qualities might be a bad option that could change who we are in accordance. However, just like democracy it's the least bad option we have for navigating a world colored by our individually misleading, confidence-based perspectives.
- Evil In Humanity - The Common Interest Within Us As Motive (And Philosocom's Directory on Evil)
(For more Evil, here are some articles: https://www.philosocom.com/post/what-is-true-evil https://www.philosocom.com/post/the-polarity-of-evil https://www.philosocom.com/post/evil-as-distinction https://www.philosocom.com/post/defining-evil https://www.philosocom.com/post/revenge-a-natural-evil https://www.philosocom.com/post/the-philosophical-reason-as-to-why-i-play-the-bad-guy-in-certain-games The Philosophy of Monsters (Or, How to Cope with Reality) ) "Why are we so judgemental when it comes to matters of morality? It all seems so ambigious. Evil deeds are done daily in the name of a 'greater good', so hold back the moral judgements, they seem unwarranted in the practical reality of our lives" -- John Duran (Background music) ********************** Rethinking Self-Interest in a Connected World It was that I realized that there is a very thick connection between evil and self-interest. The more you put yourself above others, the likelier it is that you'll commit evil acts, which are basically actions that serve you at the expense of others. To quote an article from "Initiative on Faith & Public Life": “Illegitimate” self-interest, on the other hand, is expressed in the form of deceit, coercion and violence—seeking their own benefit, people enrich themselves at the expense of those around them. This type of self-interest is usually condemned, and often illegal." Of course, this is a very broad definition, because egotistical pursuits, such as self-care and even beautification ( shaving, putting on make-up ) can technically be not evil at all. Ego thus leads to much evil, but it is not inherently evil. Nevertheless, when we put our own self-interest over the dependency on or cooperation of others, that is when evil has the potential to occur. When the one known as Ms. Chen called me irrelevant, she did so even though she knew I meant no harm and that I wanted her as a connection in my life. The fact that she saw me as disposable, despite my own consideration and history, is borderline, if not entirely, evil. That is because seeing people as expendable allows us to treat them like tools and not like humans. How Evil Is Effected by Choice In Star Wars, we see the Empire as the personification of evil in that universe, for it is meant to rule through fear, intimidation and tyranny on a countless-world authoritarian regime. In the Imperial ranks, everything and everyone is disposable, from troops to spaceships to Darth Vader himself in the sixth movie, as the emperor wanted another servant in lieu of Vader. The stormtroopers, who serve as the Imperial elite shock troops, were expected to show full loyalty towards the emperor by overcoming their own individual needs and identities. Whether they are to be sacrificed or not, they cannot be reasoned with as their reasoning was brainwashed in favor of the Empire. While they can choose to betray, their brainwashed mentality largely prevents them from doing so. Hitler's evil is when he is not ready to come clean and openly admit that he made mistakes that he needs to pay for through retribution and punishment. Much bloodshed had been made by him, and he lacked the heroic courage, the "good" courage, to atone through trial; to admit defeat. By killing himself in his bunker ( nowadays an ordinary parking lot ), he disposed of the lives of the people whom he sacrificed for his goals. The blood of his brainwashed population will not be avenged by a responsibility he did not take. Thus, he was evil not only to his enemies but also to the people he led -- by leading his nation, and the entire world, to unnecessary ruin and death. He refused to undergo any redemption, and thus he resorted to " mortal escapism " and let the war go to hell in his mortal absence. It weren't the crimes he committed that made him evil in that regard. After all, Augusto Pinochet, the deceased Chilean dictator, is considered a hero by many even though he committed terrible crimes too . But unlike Hitler he was kicked from office through a national referendum, was partially under arrest, and died by a heart attack in 2006 . We can learn from Pinochet's example that evil, like good, can be compromised and thus altered, even though the past cannot . The ultimate way to do so is to not resort to self-sacrifice when facing charges for misdeeds. Heroism and villainy are not the same as good and evil. Ms. Chen, who disposed of me, is a hero in her own story, and I, in said story, am but a minor antagonist that kept coming back during the years we have known each other. In other words, beyond the objectivity of obvious crimes and other misdeeds ( like murder ), one's hero is another villain, and vice versa, regardless of their moral alignment . Since she told me, in our final conversation, that I didn't do anything wrong. She was someone who just wants to have other people in her life. There is no evil, after all, in wanting to see other people. It is the wonder of adulthood, to be able to choose the people in your life, regardless of the results of our actions. It all lies in the seemingly eternal conflict between self-interest and egotism over loyalty, love, unity, and brotherhood, that defines evil . If you are ready to "put a knife" in the back of your most loyal friends and family, over something such as power, money , and so on, then you are technically evil, at least now that the backstabbing has been done. On the contrary, if you put your own self-interest below of friends, family, and your country, then you are either a good person, a "hero," or even both. However, let us not forget that Nazi Germany's hero was obviously Hitler, even if his heroism led his nation into inevitable doom. Then, at least according to the Nazi perspective, Hitler was either a coward or a "tragic hero" who failed his mission against the "evil" of the "lesser" "races". Aristotle defined the tragic hero as one that is a noble (or "virtuous"). The uncanny irony cuts deep should we see things from the lens of a Neo-Nazi, and realize that the first name "Adolf" means " noble wolf ". If all subjective experiences hold equal quality of realness to them , then even the most evil of people could be accepted by some as good. This is how perspectives can be dangerous to the norms of a society, but I digress. Towards a World Where We All Matter Finally, a note. We can never overcome this eternal conflict between good and evil if there is no total unity . a total identity of "I" and "We" together. It is in division that conflict arises. A total unity, in the form of humanity as a universal identity, is when we can say that we are one and that everyone cares for everyone else. However, that is far, far from actualization, and I'm not sure if it will ever be, if there is nationalism, elitism, racism , and separate collective identities with no common recognition as a greater, unitary whole of something like "earthlings" or "human earthlings": A whole that transcends difference of any kind, at least on that recognizable level of being. The world as it is now, and the evil in humanity, is a massive collection of self-serving entities, whether they are corporations, countries, or any other independent collective bodies. Even if there are altruistic people in the world, the former cannot be avoided. And egoism has its own moral legitimacy.



























