The philosophy we need
I came to believe that philosophy is seen as an obscure and complex topic, and that people just tune out when things get abstract. Even on the most popular TV show, we hear people talking about 'right reasons', not ethics and moral. If maths is perceived as that scene from 'The Hangover' where numbers and formulas appear floating in mid-air, how do people visualize philosophy?
We live in the time of status symbol and consumerism: we take great pride in our hauls and even more in our decluttering. This answers the question on our generational values, but what does it say about our needs? It surely doesn't mean we need more clutter, quite the opposite. And an insightful Japanese lady, called Marie Kondo, offers an answer.
Does it bring you joy? Keep it in your life.
Marie Kondo knows how scary the word ‘philosophy’ sounds, and prefers to call it 'lifestyle' or, even better: method. Even just a 'healthy lifestyle' is New Year's resolution material and requires planning, tracking, scheduling, budgeting, timing, and commitment.
And a new outfit, and maybe a journal to track progress.
A method, on the other hand, is just a how-to, or a step in a sequence, and by now we are experts in following tutorials.
Talking about ‘following things online’, I am 'literally obsessed' with the show 'The good place', on Netflix. It’s such a heartwarming feeling knowing that philosophy can be used in today's pop culture without fear of losing audience because big names and concepts are thrown around. 'The good place' offers a great example of moral philosophy applied to life.
Or should I say after-life?
In general, philosophy offers ways to find answers for the most pressing question in a specific moment in time. If you quickly read through centuries of history of philosophy you’d notice how mankind was brought to reflect on nature, on society, and on oneself, on god first, then on the absence of god, on reality, and on technology.
So, to answer the boyfriend when he asked if Marie Kondo’s method is a philosophy: damn right it is!
Marie Kondo and 'The good place' nailed the way to captivate the interest of today's society, which is in desperate need for some meaning and, at the same time, lacking the momentum to ask the right question.
Morality applied to today's anti-social society, monodose happiness, twenty minutes of mindfulness, minimalism within consumerism, philosophy applied to belongings. This may not be the philosophy we want, but it's the one we need.
Image: via
We live in the time of status symbol and consumerism: we take great pride in our hauls and even more in our decluttering. This answers the question on our generational values, but what does it say about our needs? It surely doesn't mean we need more clutter, quite the opposite. And an insightful Japanese lady, called Marie Kondo, offers an answer.
Does it bring you joy? Keep it in your life.
Marie Kondo knows how scary the word ‘philosophy’ sounds, and prefers to call it 'lifestyle' or, even better: method. Even just a 'healthy lifestyle' is New Year's resolution material and requires planning, tracking, scheduling, budgeting, timing, and commitment.
And a new outfit, and maybe a journal to track progress.
A method, on the other hand, is just a how-to, or a step in a sequence, and by now we are experts in following tutorials.
Talking about ‘following things online’, I am 'literally obsessed' with the show 'The good place', on Netflix. It’s such a heartwarming feeling knowing that philosophy can be used in today's pop culture without fear of losing audience because big names and concepts are thrown around. 'The good place' offers a great example of moral philosophy applied to life.
Or should I say after-life?
In general, philosophy offers ways to find answers for the most pressing question in a specific moment in time. If you quickly read through centuries of history of philosophy you’d notice how mankind was brought to reflect on nature, on society, and on oneself, on god first, then on the absence of god, on reality, and on technology.
So, to answer the boyfriend when he asked if Marie Kondo’s method is a philosophy: damn right it is!
Marie Kondo and 'The good place' nailed the way to captivate the interest of today's society, which is in desperate need for some meaning and, at the same time, lacking the momentum to ask the right question.
Morality applied to today's anti-social society, monodose happiness, twenty minutes of mindfulness, minimalism within consumerism, philosophy applied to belongings. This may not be the philosophy we want, but it's the one we need.
Image: via
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