On the elitism of philosophy: some general housekeeping

March 25, 2024 12:28 am

I've always been fascinated by the usual philosophical questions like 'what is this place?' , 'what's the meaning of it?', etc. etc. (I'll specify the 'etc.' at a later time.)

I set these questions aside—not because I was too lazy—but because it just wasn't my place. No, these questions were reserved for a scholar somewhere, probably at Princeton, probably in a tweed coat, and definitely reading Kant. But surely, not meant for me, petting my dogs in my pajamas on the front porch. Who was I to think about my place in the world? God forbid I'd end up on the subreddit "I'm 15 and this is deep." So, out of fear, out of cowardice, I set the questions aside.

This elitism of philosophy runs deep. Philosophers throughout history prevented all sorts of people from participating in their protected practice. They wrote in languages only known to the elite members of society and outright dismissed the idea of women being able to understand such sophisticated thought. -.-

But, philosophy should not be kept behind ivy-laden gates that "scholars," "academics," and "intellectuals" get to ponder while labeling the rest of us as"cringe", "melodramatic," and "tortured artists". So long as you are in this universe, you have the right just as anyone else to ask questions about what you're doing and more than that, you have the right to propose your own answers. In fact, everyone ought to. It makes for a good person. (But I'll get to that later.)

So, here is my blog. Here, I'll be speaking freely about some questions I have. Selfishly, I hope to sort some things out for myself. But, more than that, I hope to inspire another to do the same.

As promised, here are the specified 'etc'.:

Why are there bad people?
Does my dog recognize herself in the mirror?
Is there a God?
Is it ok to lie?
How do I be a good person?
Should I eat animals?
What happens to people when they die?
What would Socrates think (WWST) of Instagram? Walmart? Corporate America? Quantum Mechanics?
What's a soul, what's a conscience?
How does seeing a word on a page create a mental image in my head?
What in the world is quantum uncertainty?
Where does my gut instinct come from?
Where do new thoughts come from?
Do bugs feel sad, happy, hot, cold, hurt, hungry, full, etc?
What would happen if other living things gained consciousness?
Why do I have so much trouble throwing away a piece of trash when my phone is in the same hand?
What is the role of math in this world?
What is the meaning of being here?
What should I do while I'm here?
If humans are social creatures, then why do I get anxious in social settings?
Can you compare two people's sufferings?
Why is it so hard to respond to an email?