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The Tim Ferriss Show
#118: How Philosophy Can Change Your Life, Alain de Botton
Nov 10, 2015
01:55:30
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Quick takeaways
- Philosophy can offer practical guidance for navigating life's complexities.
- Art can help us find purpose and appreciate the richness of everyday life.
- Popularizing philosophy requires presenting ideas in an engaging and understandable manner.
- Acknowledging life's challenges can lead to a more fulfilled and balanced existence.
Deep dives
Practical Philosophy: A Tool for Better Living
Philosophy, when approached as a practical discipline, can provide guidance for navigating life's complexities. The early philosophers in ancient Greece and Rome sought to offer therapy for the soul, addressing everyday concerns such as relationships, work, and happiness. However, in the 20th century, philosophy shifted, becoming more specialized and disconnected from the general public. Some contemporary thinkers, like Martha Nussbaum and John Armstrong, strive to bridge this gap, popularizing philosophy and making its insights accessible. The goal is to liberate wisdom from the confines of academia and make it relevant and useful for everyone.
How Proust Can Change Your Life
Marcel Proust's work goes beyond mere fiction or literature, instead offering insightful philosophical reflections on how to live a meaningful life. His novel, 'In Search of Lost Time,' follows a protagonist's search for the meaning of life through the pursuit of social status and romantic love. Ultimately, Proust suggests that art holds the key to finding purpose and appreciating the richness of everyday life. By studying artists like Vermeer and Chardin, we can learn to see the beauty in ordinary moments and gain a deeper understanding of the value of our own lives.
The Challenges of Popularizing Philosophy
Popularizing philosophy and making it accessible to a wider audience is a challenge in today's academic landscape. Many philosophers have become specialized and detached from the general public, often writing dense and convoluted works that hinder understanding. However, there are thinkers like Bertrand Russell and Jamie Oliver who have successfully popularized philosophy and made it relatable. The key is to present philosophical ideas in an engaging and understandable manner, helping people overcome their inhibitions and realize that philosophy has practical applications for their lives.
The Importance of Low Expectations and Realism
Low expectations and a realistic outlook on life are not mutually exclusive with ambition and striving for personal growth. Acknowledging the dark aspects of life and recognizing the limitations of love and social status can actually lead to a more informed and mature approach to these areas. By embracing a sober understanding of life's challenges, we can appreciate the small joys and meaningful connections that punctuate our journey, ultimately cultivating a more fulfilled and balanced existence.
The importance of embracing failure
It is important to make ourselves comfortable with failure and realize that failure is not necessarily a negative thing. By fully exploring and accepting failure, we can feel a sense of lightness and possibility, allowing us to move forward with courage.
The power of practical pessimism
Practicing the worst-case scenario and embracing a practical version of pessimism can actually free us to be more ambitious. By not being attached to the expectation of a best-case scenario, we can take more risks and pursue our goals without fear of failure.
The value of guidance and the role of the nanny state
The speaker believes in the importance of guidance and support from the state or government. He advocates for a public sphere that offers guidance on important life issues and helps individuals make better decisions.
The significance of appreciating the present moment
The speaker emphasizes the importance of appreciating the present moment and not always focusing on future ambitions. He suggests that appreciating the simple things in life, like flowers or a pretty sky, can bring a sense of happiness and fulfillment.
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The Underlying Principles of the 'Seven Fires' Are the Same as Those of Jamie Oliver
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What a Wonderful Essay, I'm So I Ben in So Much as Where Did All This Come From?
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Alain de Botton (@alaindebotton) is many things, but I think of him as a rare breed of practical philosopher. In 1997, he turned away from writing novels and instead wrote an extended essay titled How Proust Can Change Your Life, which became an unlikely blockbuster. His subsequent books have been described as a ‘philosophy of everyday life’ and subjects include love, travel, architecture, religion and work. His other bestsellers include Essays In Love, Status Anxiety, and The Architecture Of Happiness. More recent works include The News: A User’s Manual, which looks at the impact our obsession with checking news has on our minds, and Art as Therapy, co-written with the art historian John Armstrong. In 2008, de Botton helped start The School of Life in London, a social enterprise determined to make learning and therapy relevant in today's uptight culture. His goal is (through any of his mediums) to help clients learn "how to live wisely and well." In our wide-ranging conversation, we cover many things, including: Real-world versus academic philosophy The value of rituals and tribes Practical pessimism "Ordinary genius" The magic of pomegranates Lesser-known modern thinkers Why "mean" is often simply "anxious" His favorite Japanese pens And much more! Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. I have used them for years to create some amazing designs. When your business needs a logo, website design, business card, or anything you can imagine, check out 99Designs. I used them to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body, and I've also had them help with display advertising and illustrations. If you want a more personalized approach, I recommend their 1-on-1 service, which is non-spec. You get original designs from designers around the world. The best part? You provide your feedback, and then you end up with a product that you're happy with or your money back. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade. Give it a test run… This podcast is also brought to you by Vimeo Pro, which is the ideal video hosting platform for entrepreneurs. In fact, a bunch of my start-ups are already using Vimeo Pro. WealthFront uses it to explain how WealthFront works. TaskRabbit uses it to tell the company’s story. There are many other names who you would recognize among their customers (AirBnB, Etsy, etc.) Why do they use it? Vimeo Pro provides enterprise level video hosting for a fraction of the usual cost. Features include: Gorgeous high-quality playback with no ads Up to 20 GB of video storage every week Unlimited plays and views A fully customizable video player, which can include your company logo, custom outro, and more You get all this for just $199 per year (that’s only $17 per/mo.). There are no complicated bandwidth calculations or hidden fees. Try it risk-free for 30 days. Just go to Vimeo.com/business to check it out. If you like it, you can use the promo code “Tim” to get 25% off. This is a special discount just for you guys.
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Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.
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