CALL ME MAGGIE

Philosophy as a Way of Life

  • “What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness.”

    A wonderful graduation speech from George Saunders to the Syracuse University Class of 2013. Down through the ages, a traditional form has evolved for this type of speech, which is: Some old fart, his best years behind him, who, over… Continue reading

    “What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness.”

  • Daodejing 9

    #9.* Holding and filling it up, no comparison to stopping it in time; Honing and sharpening it cannot remain for a long time. Gold and jade fill the hall, Yet cannot be guarded. Wealthy and honored Yet arrogant, Brings disaster… Continue reading

    Daodejing 9

  • Socrates was Right

    THE Greek founders of philosophy constantly debated how best to live the good life. Some contended that personal pleasure is the key. Others pointed out that serving society and finding purpose is vital. Socrates was in the latter camp, fiercely… Continue reading

    Socrates was Right

  • Daodejing 8

    #8* The highest good is like water: Water is good at benefitting the 10,000 things yet never contends. Dwell in the place that the majority dislikes; thus, be close To Dào . Be good at dwelling in place; Be good at… Continue reading

    Daodejing 8

  • Suggestions – Rules – Advice –

    10 Rules for Students, Teachers, and Life by John Cage with Hints & Amendments by Sister Corita Kent “Nothing is a mistake. There’s no win and no fail, there’s only make.” RULE ONE: Find a place you trust, and then… Continue reading

    Suggestions – Rules – Advice –

  • Daodejing 7

    #7* Heaven is eternal; earth is everlasting. The reason why heaven and earth can be eternal and everlasting? Because they do not exist for themselves, [they] thus can live long. Therefore, the Sage makes himself go behind yet he comes… Continue reading

    Daodejing 7

  • Daodejing 6

    #6* The Grain God never dies; it is called “the mysterious female”. The door of the mysterious female is called “the root of heaven and earth.” Existing endlessly, use it and never be exhausted. *Translation by LU Wenlong & Keith… Continue reading

    Daodejing 6

  • Daodejing 5

    #5* Heaven and earth have no mercy, treating the 10,000 things as straw dogs; the Sage has no mercy, treating people as straw dogs. [1]  The space between Heaven and earth Just like a bellows! Empty but never Exhausted; work it… Continue reading

    Daodejing 5

  • Zetetics

    Doing some research on the notion of zetetic only to find my dear friend Pete A. Y. Gunter quoted by this gentleman. I had forgotten about this term zetetics. As I move more and more back to philosophizing through dialog with youth, it… Continue reading

    Zetetics

  • Irrationality: Factual Fictions

    irrational (adj.) late 15c., “not endowed with reason” (of beats, etc.); earlier (of quantities) “inexpressible in ordinary numbers” (late 14c.); from Latin irrationalis “without reason,” from assimilated form of in- “not, opposite of” (see in- (1)) + rationalis “reason” (see rational). Meaning “illogical, absurd” is attested from 1640s. via etymonline.com… Continue reading

    Irrationality: Factual Fictions

  • Amor fati

    Today everyone allows himself to express his dearest wish and thoughts: so I, too, want to say what I wish from myself today and what thought first crossed my heart -what thought shall be the reason, warrant, and sweetness of… Continue reading

  • Daodejing 36

    #36* To shrink it, expand it. To weaken it, strengthen it. To demote it, promote it. To take it, give it. Call this subtle brilliance: Bending and weakness overcomes rigidity and strength. *Translation by LU Wenlong & Keith Wayne Brown,… Continue reading

    Daodejing 36

  • “Seek out historic …

    “Seek out historic distractions–purposeful conspiracy and habitual con-spiring (breathing a common air)–by which those who would claim to hold power try to keep empowered. Power belongs to no person. It already flows from the Way and always returns to the… Continue reading

    “Seek out historic …

  • Nothingness and Liberation

    As an anarchocynic, I find myself looking through the open and secret history of humankind very often. Part of my apparent contradiction to folks comes from how one must needs hop from this to that to the other in order… Continue reading

    Nothingness and Liberation

  • Cool As A Cucumber

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  • Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

    To be GOVERNED is to be watched, inspected, spied upon, directed, law-driven, numbered, regulated, enrolled, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, checked, estimated, valued, censured, commanded, by creatures who have neither the right nor the wisdom nor the virtue to do so.… Continue reading