What I’ve been reading:
The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton
Alain de Botton is a British author and philosopher. Some of you might know him as the founder of The School of Life, an educational company famous for its philosophy and psychology YouTube videos.
In The Consolations of Philosophy, de Botton aims to console the reader by using the philosophy of six great thinkers to help deal with everyday problems:
Consolation for Unpopularity - Socrates
Consolation for Not Having Enough Money - Epicurus
Consolation for Frustration - Seneca
Consolation for Inadequacy - Montaigne
Consolation for a Broken Heart - Schopenhauer
Consolation for Difficulties - Nietzsche
I picked up this book at the airport bookstore out of respect for de Botton as someone who knows how to bring philosophy as the art of life closer to the general public without trivializing it. So far, the book is living up to my expectations of doing just that.
What I’ve been watching:
Netflix drama “Beef”
This is the first time I’m sharing a TV series as a watching or listening recommendation in the 72 weeks of Existential Espresso. This is partly because that’s a form of entertainment that I consume the least. But you can also take it as a sign that Beef is worth all the hype, praise, and awards it’s been getting. Both writing and acting are some of the best I’ve seen in a while.
*After writing this, I saw that Beef was released on Netflix in April 2023. And here I was, thinking that I’m giving you a relatively fresh and new recommendation. Once again, it shows how up-to-date I am with the latest TV series.
What I’ve been thinking about:
Male loneliness.
I recently came across an Instagram post sharing an Oxford study that says men need to meet up with their male friends twice a week for optimal well-being.
The vast majority of comments ridiculed this idea, disregarding the fact that loneliness is the number one cause of male suicide.
I partially blame this page for the negative comments, because both the image and the caption support the stereotype that men spending time together is mostly about drinking alcohol.
But what I'm most appalled by is the number of men commenting that only boys and gay men need to spend time with other men in order to be happy. Real men should be either working or spending time with their wives and kids, they say.
This is what happens when you have men fall for online gurus who say that you should only be friends with men that you can build business with. Any other type of male connection is considered a waste of time and loser behavior. This is how male friendship, for the sake of friendship and brotherly love, disappears. This leads to men feeling alone, misunderstood, and even deciding to end their lives. We need to do better.
Men, you don’t need to be alone. You are not alone.
Thank you for reading.
Stay strong, love life, and never feel sorry for yourself.
Free Resources:
My free ebook: The Lost Art of Reading
Paid Resources:
The Art of Showing Up: A Clear and Practical Method for Mastering Consistency
The Gold Pill: Timeless Ideas for a Life Worth Living
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