Writer and Friendly Neighbourhood Philosopher
Just Thinking…
The (Hopefully) Eternal Return Of Protest Music
I remember how cathartic it felt to put on headphones, to hit play and to have the angry blob in the pit of my stomach be so succinctly captured by someone’s lyrics. It was so empowering, so grounding to be able to sing my teenage angst, to be able to put it on a tape and pass it along for others to share. It still is.
Our Future Happiness
Sustainable happiness won’t be easy, and it won’t just show up. It will be work. Maybe it’s hard to put happiness and work in the same sentence, but that’s just because we’re used to them being at odds with one another. We can workshop that problem.
You Are Not Alone. Seriously.
If you’ve been itching to step out of line, but you’ve been putting it off, shrinking from it because you thought you’d be doing it solo, you don’t have to worry about that. If you look hard enough, as you’re sitting on the periphery, you’ll see others doing the same.
The Hardest (And Most Important) Change We Can Make
So, it's everyone’s job now. Certainty, persistence, inflexibility are not in the cards for us at the moment. Admittedly, change of any kind is hard, and changing one’s mind is at the top of the list.
Stepping Into the (Human)Light
I’ll hold as my mantra “There is a crack in everything. It’s how the light gets in.” (Leonard Cohen). I will, as the name of this holiday suggests, look for the sparks, the glimmers that we emit from time to time, in spite of ourselves.
Why Do We Stop Thinking Like Kids?
The wrinkles will come, along with aches and pains, and taxes, but we can still choose not to “grow up” as thinkers. Our success as human beings may very well depend on it.
What It Means To Be A Philosopher These Days
I’m a public philosopher, a friendly neighbourhood philosopher, and after three decades in these shoes, here’s what I think I do.
Does The Artist Know?
Please, please, pretty please, don’t dismiss the importance of art or the people who make it, especially at a time like this. There’s so much comfort and so much connection to be found in a painting, or a song, a dance, a poem... I guarantee there’s one something there for everyone, something that just sums up their slice of the human condition perfectly.
Is Philosophy For Kids Too Little Too Late?
We like to spout epithets about children being our future, musing about the many ways in which the next generation will fix things. I used to hang my practice on these ideas too, reassuring myself that in teaching kids how to think, instead of just what to think, I was helping to correct our course in some small way. Teaching kids to be philosophers was an act of hope, of optimism. Now, I think that part of it is a load of crap. It’s a copout, a wiggly, wet noodle of an excuse.
Why It Just Keeps Growing Back
As Joni Mitchell once said “We’ve got to get ourselves back to the garden.” Put on some gloves and start weeding. No more excuses.
Science, Music, and a Major Case of the Creeps
There’s a certain mood expected from science-inspired music, a certain ambiance, and it ain’t wistful or frivolous. It’s often dour, foreboding and imposing, with a hint of “randomly mash fist into keyboard”. It’s made me wonder what music about science can tell us about how we see science in general. Art, as they say, often imitates life.
Living In The Imperfect In-Between
I wish that everyone could be granted this kind of relief from the big, heavy yoke of perfection. Seeing what we’re going through on a global basis at the moment, “all or nothing” seems like a deadly, but common mantra.
A Playlist For The Curious
Have a listen, and give yourself a little extra space to think and explore. Then maybe go learn about someone or something new.
Sorry Folks, But You’re Gonna Have To Be Human.
I cannot tell a lie. I’ve made the acquaintance of our future AI overlords, and I’ve been playing with ChatGPT. I’ve used it for bits of work, asked it silly questions, and pushed it to see how far it would go and what it would do. And, true to form for a philosophy geek, I’ve spent a great deal of time puzzling over how this tool is going to change things in our already mixed-up, discombobulated world.
“I Enjoy Being A Girl.”
I really do enjoy being a girl. I’m happy with the mind I was given, not in spite of it being female, but because of it. It’s not a blessing or a curse, it’s just a fact of who I am, and I’m good with that. So I’m done apologizing, for something that is neither in my control, nor a bad thing to begin with.
It’s The (Really) Little Things That Matter
Here’s to the little things, and to the lovely people who trust us with them. May we take good care of them.
When You’re Not Supposed To Ask…
It’s not like there are easy answers to any of these big questions. Besides feeling like we have much to lose in asking them (though often, there’s much to gain), there’s always a bit of fatigue surrounding the prospect of them being ongoing. Wouldn’t it be splendid if we could just put them to bed and not think about them every again? Couldn’t we just sit with our neat and tidy, nicely-packaged, preestablished views of the world?
For The New Year
All of those things we wish for each other at New Year’s, like love, peace, and happiness, I think they’re all tied to curiosity. None of these things just land on us, not even in the midst of the twinkly magic of a fresh start, without us going digging for them, exploring what they are, why we want them, how to share them and sustain them.
A Playlist of Holiday Songs For Those Who Are Sick of Holiday Songs
Perhaps you’re ready for something a little different. Maybe you’re worn thin from gift shopping, and decorating, and baking, and getting the snow tires on. You could be on your last nerve after a particularly challenging year in general.
Once Upon A Postage Stamp
Maybe it’s just comforting to know that random connections like this can still happen, that some stranger on the other side of the world might still consider you important enough to take a few minutes to reach out every year. Maybe it’s just nice, simple, pleasant in a way that few things are anymore.