philophasia, is as it were

    falling into despair

  • The opinion trap (~200 words)

    When people ask you “What do you think of X?”, do yourself a favor and say you don’t.
  • The branding of yore (~130 words)

    I have always been averse to the idea of self-branding, but as I grow older, I realize how much self-promotion and branding are going on around me.
  • The defeated phisicist (~160 words)

    Like all good phisicists1, I sit down to think. I stand to think. I walk to think. And like all good phisicists, I want to strip the conscious world naked.

    1. You’ll notice that I didn’t say I’m a philosopher. I’m undeserving of this title, but should I ever gain it, I would use it like a fiery brand to stamp on my enemies and friends alike. I think this is why no one likes philosophers (or me)
  • Existential mundanity (~240 words)

    At this point in time, existential depression is nothing new. In fact, it’s a common and boring human condition.
  • A less than adoring public (~120 words)

    Does the mockery and jeering of the public prevent me from having my thoughts?
  • Achieving Ultra-Niche Appeal (~210 words)

    I am reluctant to share what I write because I’m afraid of getting thrown into the sea or being made fun of or even worse: completely ignored.
  • The popularity trap (~330 words)

    In artistic and creative endeavours, there is often a compromise to be made between popularity and merit.

    • overthinking things

  • Why listen to me? (~150 words)

    Telling others what to do is rarely popular, but someone has to do it.
  • The science of morality will never catch on (~330 words)

    At the heart of human behavior is a paradox: the way in which we envision our perfect selves and the performance of our perfect self are rarely the same.
  • Logic versus Morality versus Myself (~470 words)

    All the logic in the world can and will not persuade me that we should move away from a more egalitarian society 1, yet I can imagine that there exists some logical set of arguments that lead to that conclusion.

    1. Why do I believe that our society should be more egalitarian? Were there not always peasants and lords throughout history?
  • Mental Frameworks and First Class Features (~510 words)

    There’s a phenomena I sometimes encounter of running into someone who has completely embraced an ideology to the point that they view the world (or some particular ring of it) with that ideology, perhaps even defining the reality they see. 1

    1. These ideologies are sometimes known as “memetic viruses” or “mind viruses”, but I’d prefer to stay away from how they are transmitted and focus on the effect they have on our own thinking.
  • Ideological Sublimation (~640 words)

    If you’ve ever noticed your friends turning into their jobs, you aren’t alone. This essay describes process of how people’s values change over time and the way in which we turn into our jobs.
  • Inconsistencies, as they were (~410 words)

    If we consider the idea that many cultures and philosophies can co-exist, then it seems natural that a person (given the choice) will choose a “framework” for living their life. 1

    1. See Philosophy Frameworks

    • small wars

  • The end of capitalism (~910 words)

    In Capitalist Realism, Fisher famously quotes Jameson and Žižek as saying “it is easier to imagine an end to the world than an end to capitalism” - is this true because capitalism is an unstoppable force or because the statement itself is vacuous?
  • On The Merits Of Debate (~740 words)

    Debate and Discussion can be fun and entertaining if done right - If not, they are unbearable. Why, then, do we risk the tedium when we enter in debates with others? And how can it be avoided?
  • The Spectre of Democracy (~400 words)

    A linguistic process that particularly bothers me is the over-generalization of words. It starts with taking a word that represents a noble idea and watering it down until it is almost meaningless. “Democracy” is one them1.

    1. Some other notable noble words that have been destroyed over time are equality and freedom, but the list doesn’t stop there. If you find someone saying “X is good”, its likely that X is one of these fallen words.
  • Kill your Idols (~440 words)

    One of the worst things to happen to me is meeting my heroes and idols. Even seeing a picture of them is enough to ruin them in my eyes.