Hello fellow philosophers. I am in a bit of a conundrum. How do you convince your fellow philosophers that your philosophy doesn’t explicitly try to explain them while explicitly explaining them? It seems as though my last article “Play Your Position,” touched a few people. For that I am pleased. That was part of the goal. I am going to steal a word from my good Public Relations friend Constance (actually not her word; she just made me aware of it) Viral Marketing. In this case it was viral writing (if there is such a thing).
I have received several replies about my last article from individuals who swear I was talking about them. While that is not a problem, the tone in which most of them responded was. It was almost as if I offended them. I told them that the article was not about anyone in particular, yet it was about everyone including myself. Not quite sure that is an easy idea to grasp, but then again, we are thinkers. The article was meant to be a provocation to self-assessment. We as philosophers and lovers of learning can get totally immersed in our quest for knowledge. We sometimes fail to recognize when our behavior is inappropriate or when we are in the presence of fellow philosophers. As philosophers and lovers of learning, I think self-assessment is a useful tool; it forces us to look at ourselves and gauge our behavior. The result should be an active self-monitor. That was the real goal.
I hope that you have heard the messages and lessons that I have intended to include. As philosophers like me and explorers seeking knowledge I am sure that there is something for everyone. And if not, maybe next time. Until then………………………..Carpe Diem
