I recently heard another philosopher interviewed on the radio. She stated that ‘philosophy should go hand in hand with enjoyment’. I’m not sure I follow her in this. More than ever, it seems that today we avoid discomfort at all costs. Philosophy, as the reflection on (one’s own) life should allow confrontations from time to time; those are – to me – the strongest learning moments.
However, it is true that, before you get to philosophizing, a certain level of personal comfort is needed. If you continuously need to invest your energy in mere survival (shall I get food today? where will I sleep tonight?), or run through the day head spinning, there is no room for philosophy.
“And all this despite ascesis?”, one could say. But ascetics do not philosophize; they are interested in faith, which is a different thing altogether. Or is it all in the end just something between the ears?
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