Karl Marx was a revolutionary in his time and is still such today. However, he was regressive (conservative) morally.
His values, the values of communism, held to an early tribal or even Catholic disposition: cost should not disrupt/corrupt the importance of humanity or the value of souls.
Tag: philosophy
- Theme: Culture
Marx was old fashioned
°
1–2 minutes - Theme: Self
Strong pawns
°
1–2 minutesThere are pawns who appear to be strong opinionated and competitive advocates for their side.
Some people are malleable to authority and power, aligning with their best interests, which is the party line.
For unique insights we should look to those who have broken with their team in favor of truth seeking over sustaining loyalty. If they risk betrayal their findings must be worth considering.
- Theme: Systems
Science doesn’t need your belief
°
1–2 minutesBy stating science as a matter of belief or faith one shifts the empirical to the subjective, opening the indisputable to the option for disagreement.
In wanting to profess commitment people unwittingly democratize (shift into the realm of popularity) and politicize science’s process into its opposite: a platform for affirmative declaration instead of contingent falsification.
Science does not need your belief. Instead, it is actively harmed by the adherent’s myopic misunderstanding, like most religions.
- Theme: Politics
What is the power of a story?
°
1–2 minutesFinding balance entails much equating of efficiencies and min/max usage.Spending energy on something without tangible use is wasteful and unproductive. Our free time now produces "mental health" or must be justified.
But what about art and stories? A blockbuster movie seems a frivolous waste of resources, as does the amateur artist’s passionate pursuits.
Yet the creation is a story that sustains us, motivates us, circumvents quantification, and disassembles our rational pretenses.
- Theme: Self
losing the reason to reason
°
1–2 minutesWe need reason in order to have conversations. The shared ability to equate symbolic sounds with objects and concepts allows societies to build and thrive. Good faith in normative standards of discourse is known as "communicative rationality."
Yet, emotion is vital to focus: to be competitive (to feel threat or joy and pride) drives us to learn faster, and generate results.
To sever reason from emotion is to no longer have a reason to reason. - Theme: Growth
Rationally planning your irrationality
°
1–2 minutesBeing rational is excellent. We intake and adapt to evidence to reach a goal.
Yet, "instrumental rationality" allows us to logically make a plan (following the process of rationality), but it does not mean our goal is rational.Example: Terrorists/bombers use rationality to achieve an irrational goal.
(Jurgen Habermas)
- Theme: Growth
Reasons are not Rational
°
1–2 minutesEveryone has a reason for their actions. (If not, we can create one for them.) "Reason" is synonymous with rationality, but to be "reasonable" is to conform or compromise, not to use logic. To "have a reason" is to justify a subjective position that seldom includes air-tight dialectics.
In short, we privilege reason but mainly use it to excuse our lack of it.
- Theme: Growth
Wisdom is the form of reason
°
1–2 minutesWisdom is where we stop thinking and begin applying the "form" of rationality.
Wisdom is the catchphrase, clever reversal, and cautious reminder that collapses into context-specific, contradictory back-pats and butt-kicks when examined. - Theme: Growth
doubling down on rationality
°
1–2 minutesWe often appeal to rationality, yet seldom take it far enough.
We partially problem solve, applying enough effort to get past the current predicament.Taking rationality further it begins to dissolve its own support, leading from solutions to existential dilemmas. - Theme: Growth
beyond reason
°
1–2 minutesIs there a point where we can act spontaneously -instantly- manifest our uniqueness without the ponderous weight of rationality?
This presumes a self that can function irrationally, which we do constantly, yet we still privilege reason as an ideal.
This pursuit manifests as a programmable man, front-loading your reason into habits that become instinctive.