“Deceiving yourself shouldn’t make logical sense. After all, lying involves telling someone something you know to be untrue. When you are both the liar and one lied to, this means you have to both know the truth and not know the truth. In practice, that means willfully disregarding key knowledge to arrive at a conclusion that is more convenient than what the facts appear to suggest.”
“Deceiving yourself shouldn’t make logical sense. After all, lying involves telling someone something you know to be untrue. When you are both the liar and one lied to, this means you have to both know the truth and not know the truth. In practice, that means willfully disregarding key knowledge to arrive at a conclusion that is more convenient than what the facts appear to suggest.”
“We are living in a culture entirely hypnotized by the illusion of time, in which the so-called present moment is felt as nothing but an infinitesimal hairline between a causative past and an absorbingly important future. We have no present. Our consciousness is almost completely preoccupied with memory and expectation. We do not realize that there never was, is, nor will be any other experience than present experience. We are therefore out of touch with reality.”
While history often highlights wealthy philosophers like Plato or Marcus Aurelius, philosophy has never been exclusive to the rich. Many thinkers, including Socrates, Diogenes, and Epictetus, came from modest or even impoverished backgrounds.
Socrates lived simply and never sought wealth.
Diogenes rejected material possessions entirely, living in a barrel and mocking societal norms.
Epictetus was born a slave before becoming a major Stoic philosopher.
Karl Marx struggled financially for much of his life while developing his critiques of capitalism.
Philosophy isn’t about wealth—it’s about seeking understanding. In fact, those who face hardship often have a deeper need for wisdom to navigate life’s struggles. The rich may have more leisure time to study, but the poor often live philosophy in practice.
When people are struggling just to survive, philosophy might seem like a luxury they can’t afford. If someone is worried about putting food on the table or paying rent, deep thinking about the meaning of life or ethics might not be their top priority.
But I wouldn’t say that poor people aren’t interested in philosophy—just that their engagement with it might look different. In many ways, survival itself forces people to think philosophically, even if they don’t call it that. Questions like “What is a good life?”, “Is money the only path to happiness?”, or “Why is the world so unfair?” are deeply philosophical, and people in tough situations often wrestle with them daily.
In developing countries, you might not see as many people studying philosophy formally, but that doesn’t mean they don’t reflect on life, fairness, morality, or purpose. In fact, some of the most profound wisdom comes from those who have lived through struggle.
“We are living in a culture entirely hypnotized by the illusion of time, in which the so-called present moment is felt as nothing but an infinitesimal hairline between a causative past and an absorbingly important future. We have no present. Our consciousness is almost completely preoccupied with memory and expectation. We do not realize that there never was, is, nor will be any other experience than present experience. We are therefore out of touch with reality.”
“Deceiving yourself shouldn’t make logical sense. After all, lying involves telling someone something you know to be untrue. When you are both the liar and one lied to, this means you have to both know the truth and not know the truth. In practice, that means willfully disregarding key knowledge to arrive at a conclusion that is more convenient than what the facts appear to suggest.”
“All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else.”
“Zen is a school of Buddhism which emphasises the practice of meditation as the key ingredient to awakening ones inner nature, compassion and wisdom. The practice of meditation (Zen in Japanese) as a means of attaining enlightenment was introduced, as we have seen, by the Buddha himself. Zen approached Buddhism in the most direct, simple and practical way. It grasped that enlightenment was the most fundamental aspect of Buddhism and thus did away with sacred scriptures, rituals and objects of worship, all of which had become a major aspect of Mahayana Buddhism in India.”
In Zen Buddhism, the main goal is not exactly “Nirvana” as understood in some other Buddhist traditions. Instead, Zen focuses on achieving “satori” or “kensho,” which are terms for enlightenment or awakening. This awakening is a direct, experiential realization of one’s true nature or the true nature of reality.
While Nirvana in broader Buddhist context often refers to the liberation from the cycle of birth and death (samsara) and the end of suffering, Zen emphasizes a more immediate and experiential understanding. Zen practice involves meditation (zazen), mindfulness, and direct experience, often guided by a teacher, to awaken to the present moment and one’s true self.
In essence, while both Zen and other Buddhist traditions aim for enlightenment and liberation, Zen’s approach is more focused on direct, immediate experience and awakening in the present moment.