Philosophy
In high school, or within a few years afterwards, I became interested in philosophy. I actively avoided reading on philosophy, however. I was concerned that it would taint my own conclusions. I see people go to college and select a philosophy like they're ordering a pizza -- they look at a list and pick the one that looks best to them, or they order the same pizza their parents always ordered. I feel everyone needs to develop their own philosophy on life to become a well-rounded person. If you subscribe wholly to another's philosophy, you will always be a student. I wanted to avoid these things.
I emptied my mind of as many societal influences and preconceptions as I could. I tried to look at things for what they truly were, rather than how I was programmed to perceive them. It was long work, and it lead me to trying to seperate what was a result of instinct and what was a result of social programming. I tried to find my own truths within the reality I believed that I had bared. However, this is a never-ending quest. As with many quests, experiencing the journey is more important than reaching the end. I have attempted to be pragmatic and objective, and to ultimately move toward selflessness, to the best of my ability.
During this journey, I have occassionally picked up bits and pieces that flavored my own philosophy, but mostly I have relied on my own observations and experiences. At this point, I feel I have laid a solid groundwork that will support, for the most part, any additions or changes I make. (I don't feel that any philosophical conclusions should be set in stone, as it were.) I feel I'm ready to start exploring the philosophies of others, and that I can objectively pull things from them that ring true to me without tainting my own reasoning. It should be an interesting journey.
I emptied my mind of as many societal influences and preconceptions as I could. I tried to look at things for what they truly were, rather than how I was programmed to perceive them. It was long work, and it lead me to trying to seperate what was a result of instinct and what was a result of social programming. I tried to find my own truths within the reality I believed that I had bared. However, this is a never-ending quest. As with many quests, experiencing the journey is more important than reaching the end. I have attempted to be pragmatic and objective, and to ultimately move toward selflessness, to the best of my ability.
During this journey, I have occassionally picked up bits and pieces that flavored my own philosophy, but mostly I have relied on my own observations and experiences. At this point, I feel I have laid a solid groundwork that will support, for the most part, any additions or changes I make. (I don't feel that any philosophical conclusions should be set in stone, as it were.) I feel I'm ready to start exploring the philosophies of others, and that I can objectively pull things from them that ring true to me without tainting my own reasoning. It should be an interesting journey.