/lit/ - Literature

>>6360173

Philosophy ain't religion mate. That's why I love it: you can study it, "preach it", but still not live it. Basically- you can be as hypocritical as you want!

See, with religion you have to live up to the ideals you espouse and preach otherwise your arguments hold no meaning and you're shunned by both the practitioners of the faith and those debating it.

With philosophy you can be the greediest little materialistic fuck and preach platonist idealism and marxist communism. Ain't nobody gonna give a shit. You'll still sound legit, credible.

You can be the happiest, clueless cunt out there- always laughing, enjoying banter and good eats and fucking your girl 24/7 and still make valid arguments in favor of nihilism- proclaiming it to be your school of thought.

I don't think you should change your life because of philosophy and if that shit happens it's gonna be spontaneous and in minuscule steps. Not like "Whoah, this Descartes dude thinks and therefore is. Yep. From now on I'm gonna try to think some more."

I do believe in praxis the academia...you name it. I do personally believe I should pursue truth (always be honest about my opinions), live up to the ethical values I claim to understand and, finally, live according to the philosophical doctrines I proclaim to be mine. I'm an idealist and a communist and that means I really don't give a shit about cash- most of my mates would confirm it.

But I don't think you have to be like that and I don't think it's a prerequisite to understanding philosophy or calling yourself a philosopher. I also don't think it's the point and goal of philosophy (especially not western, theoretical or even analytic philosophy) to alter a person's lifestyle. That's a very modern, individualist approach and is more befitting of eastern philosophy and it's doctrines of life.