The irony of it all

[Gary Childress]

I have a friend who, in college, got his master's degree in teaching. He married and had two daughters. Broke up with his wife, or she broke up with him or whatever like that. His bachelor's degree was in parks and recreation. I studied philosophy but never got my bachelor's degree in it. These days he counsels me on all sorts of things about life. I feel like he is the swami and I'm just his understudy. It's kind of funny to me in some ways. I took philosophy wanting to learn wisdom and all that kind of stuff and he took parks and recreation and the road of ordinary life. Now he's the expert on everything and I'm the perpetual learner. Where did I go wrong? My mind is fading on me. I'm not very sharp and haven't experienced much in life because of living with my parents all my life. I would be the picture-perfect ivory tower academic if I were even an academic--having all the theoretical knowledge and him having all the applied knowledge. It's kind of sobering and humiliating for me to think about.

I guess the moral of the story is that the study of academic philosophy isn't the be-all and end-all of everything. Actually experiencing life in terms of marriage, children, etc. is. Now he treats me like I'm one of his kids or something--and I have no way of escaping his definition of me as such.

What are your thoughts?

[attofishpi]

I have a friend who, in college, got his master's degree in teaching. He married and had two daughters. Broke up with his wife, or she broke up with him or whatever like that. His bachelor's degree was in parks and recreation. I studied philosophy but never got my bachelor's degree in it. These days he counsels me on all sorts of things about life. I feel like he is the swami and I'm just his understudy. It's kind of funny to me in some ways. I took philosophy wanting to learn wisdom and all that kind of stuff and he took parks and recreation and the road of ordinary life. Now he's the expert on everything and I'm the perpetual learner. Where did I go wrong? My mind is fading on me. I'm not very sharp and haven't experienced much in life because of living with my parents all my life. I would be the picture-perfect ivory tower academic if I were even an academic--having all the theoretical knowledge and him having all the applied knowledge. It's kind of sobering and humiliating for me to think about.

I guess the moral of the story is that the study of academic philosophy isn't the be-all and end-all of everything. Actually experiencing life in terms of marriage, children, etc. is. Now he treats me like I'm one of his kids or something--and I have no way of escaping his definition of me as such.

What are your thoughts?

Reminds me of this film from 1981:- My Dinner with Andre

Literally two guys talking about philosophy over a nice dinner. It's much more interesting than it sounds
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0082783/

Ya, you gotta live LIFE. Studying it in books is at best reading other people's lives. I really recommend watching the above film if you haven't seen it. I only saw it about 5 months ago, someone from a writing group I am part of put me on to it.
Hopefully those guys arn't reading this, but I get the feeling - well, for one thing they are all very young, but when we collaborate on writing stuff (they are Adelaide Uni students) - I feel they have little to no ACTUAL life experience to draw upon, where it comes to sordid side of life - drugs, that scene, fights etc etc.. So to be an author - for example, I like cyberpunk - dystopia is key - well, they, I feel are from rather well to do backgrounds - most seem rather clean cut and would probably draw their inspiration from what they have read. Well. I have lived it!
It makes a HUGE difference.
I think when I get more financially sorted, then maybe I'll study more formally - but fuck! who needs it - a piece of paper on the wall? With the internet now, we can all give ourselves a free education by one method or other - and employers I feel are more interested in EXPERIENCE and aptitude - how you can apply your skills to what they want.
Education is BIG business - it's a recursive CON.
(Personally - fuck ever working for anyone ever again) - these days - if you have a decent PC and internet - learn 3D modelling (free Blender) - learn CGI (free Unreal Engine) - all the tutes are there for the consumption.

But as far as your quest for wisdom by learning 'philosophy' ...mmm, shit ain't like that - ya, you gotta experience life, then apply your own analysis of what you have experienced to better store those experiences as KNOWLEDGE that is worthy of reflection as you traverse forward through life.

That's my opinion. I am only now bothering to read 'philosophy' as per others thoughts. But, being part of this forum has educated me immensely over the past 10 years, and I've been glad to be part of it.

When I was enduring 'hell' ...I would walk to work past some graffiti (I love graffiti) and there was a fantastic piece that read "It's an insane world, but I am glad to be part of it." --- whoever sprayed that improved my day, everyday.

[jayjacobus]

I have a friend who, in college, got his master's degree in teaching. He married and had two daughters. Broke up with his wife, or she broke up with him or whatever like that. His bachelor's degree was in parks and recreation. I studied philosophy but never got my bachelor's degree in it. These days he counsels me on all sorts of things about life. I feel like he is the swami and I'm just his understudy. It's kind of funny to me in some ways. I took philosophy wanting to learn wisdom and all that kind of stuff and he took parks and recreation and the road of ordinary life. Now he's the expert on everything and I'm the perpetual learner. Where did I go wrong? My mind is fading on me. I'm not very sharp and haven't experienced much in life because of living with my parents all my life. I would be the picture-perfect ivory tower academic if I were even an academic--having all the theoretical knowledge and him having all the applied knowledge. It's kind of sobering and humiliating for me to think about.

I guess the moral of the story is that the study of academic philosophy isn't the be-all and end-all of everything. Actually experiencing life in terms of marriage, children, etc. is. Now he treats me like I'm one of his kids or something--and I have no way of escaping his definition of me as such.

What are your thoughts?

He is the teacher and you are the student.

Someday once you have learned more about practical things, you may be the teacher and he may be the student.

Let experience be your guide but don't stop listening to sound teachings.

[Gary Childress]

I have a friend who, in college, got his master's degree in teaching. He married and had two daughters. Broke up with his wife, or she broke up with him or whatever like that. His bachelor's degree was in parks and recreation. I studied philosophy but never got my bachelor's degree in it. These days he counsels me on all sorts of things about life. I feel like he is the swami and I'm just his understudy. It's kind of funny to me in some ways. I took philosophy wanting to learn wisdom and all that kind of stuff and he took parks and recreation and the road of ordinary life. Now he's the expert on everything and I'm the perpetual learner. Where did I go wrong? My mind is fading on me. I'm not very sharp and haven't experienced much in life because of living with my parents all my life. I would be the picture-perfect ivory tower academic if I were even an academic--having all the theoretical knowledge and him having all the applied knowledge. It's kind of sobering and humiliating for me to think about.

I guess the moral of the story is that the study of academic philosophy isn't the be-all and end-all of everything. Actually experiencing life in terms of marriage, children, etc. is. Now he treats me like I'm one of his kids or something--and I have no way of escaping his definition of me as such.

What are your thoughts?

He is the teacher and you are the student.

Someday once you have learned more about practical things, you may be the teacher and he may be the student.

Let experience be your guide but don't stop listening to sound teachings.

I sincerely doubt I will ever be anything but a student. EVERYONE and their cousin twice removed is wiser than I am when it comes to life. I just fucking give up. Philosophy was wasted on me. I have no idea what I'm doing on this planet other than wasting oxygen that could be better used by a Nobel prize winner or something.

[Age]

I have a friend who, in college, got his master's degree in teaching. He married and had two daughters. Broke up with his wife, or she broke up with him or whatever like that. His bachelor's degree was in parks and recreation. I studied philosophy but never got my bachelor's degree in it. These days he counsels me on all sorts of things about life. I feel like he is the swami and I'm just his understudy. It's kind of funny to me in some ways. I took philosophy wanting to learn wisdom and all that kind of stuff and he took parks and recreation and the road of ordinary life. Now he's the expert on everything and I'm the perpetual learner. Where did I go wrong? My mind is fading on me. I'm not very sharp and haven't experienced much in life because of living with my parents all my life. I would be the picture-perfect ivory tower academic if I were even an academic--having all the theoretical knowledge and him having all the applied knowledge. It's kind of sobering and humiliating for me to think about.

I guess the moral of the story is that the study of academic philosophy isn't the be-all and end-all of everything. Actually experiencing life in terms of marriage, children, etc. is. Now he treats me like I'm one of his kids or something--and I have no way of escaping his definition of me as such.

What are your thoughts?

He is the teacher and you are the student.

Someday once you have learned more about practical things, you may be the teacher and he may be the student.

Let experience be your guide but don't stop listening to sound teachings.

I sincerely doubt I will ever be anything but a student. EVERYONE and their cousin twice removed is wiser than I am when it comes to life. I just fucking give up. Philosophy was wasted on me.

The 'philosophy' you are referring to here, which was wasted on you, was 'wasted' because 'philosophy' is NOT some 'thing' that can be 'taught'.

'Philosophy' is some 'thing' that 'you' just either have, or do NOT have.

I have no idea what I'm doing on this planet other than wasting oxygen that could be better used by a Nobel prize winner or something.

But, 'nobel prize winning' human beings do NOT necessarily know what they are doing on this planet either.

[Gary Childress]

But, 'nobel prize winning' human beings do NOT necessarily know what they are doing on this planet either.

Maybe not but at least they contribute shiny sparkly greatness to humanity.

[Age]

But, 'nobel prize winning' human beings do NOT necessarily know what they are doing on this planet either.

Maybe not but at least they contribute shiny sparkly greatness to humanity.

Do they ALWAYS, or REALLY?

Have you NEVER contributed 'shiny sparkles of greatness' to your parents/guardians, thus to humanity, itself, sometimes?

[Gary Childress]

But, 'nobel prize winning' human beings do NOT necessarily know what they are doing on this planet either.

Maybe not but at least they contribute shiny sparkly greatness to humanity.

Do they ALWAYS, or REALLY?

Have you NEVER contributed 'shiny sparkles of greatness' to your parents/guardians, thus to humanity, itself, sometimes?

Not if I've been able to help it. Fucking up is my specialty.

[Age]

But, 'nobel prize winning' human beings do NOT necessarily know what they are doing on this planet either.

Maybe not but at least they contribute shiny sparkly greatness to humanity.

By the way, just doing 'things' to receive a 'prize', like a 'shining sparkly nobel prize' is NOT REALLY doing, or being, 'nobel' AT ALL.

When you have brought HAPPINESS, and/or GREATNESS, to your parents/guardians, were you doing 'that' for some materialistic prize', just like what a 'nobel prize' REALLY IS? Or, did you bring HAPPINESS, or GREATNESS, to those human beings, thus to humanity, just because 'you' were just BEING, or DOING, 'you'?

[Age]

Maybe not but at least they contribute shiny sparkly greatness to humanity.

Do they ALWAYS, or REALLY?

Have you NEVER contributed 'shiny sparkles of greatness' to your parents/guardians, thus to humanity, itself, sometimes?

Not if I've been able to help it. Fucking up is my specialty.

Doing things that ended up in creating weapons, which by the way some received 'nobel prizes' for doing, is what I call 'FUCKING UP', and in the extreme.

What 'you' have done in Life is just make MISTAKES, SOMETIMES. Making MISTAKES is CERTAINLY NOT 'fucking up' AT ALL.

And, if you could name an adult human being who has NOT made MISTAKES, SOMETIMES, then I would be VERY SURPRISED.