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Philosophy Everyday » Podcast

Summary: This podcast is about philosophy for everyone, not just the people with Masters Degrees. I focus mainly on Stocism and Bushido, but any type of philosophy that helps you improve your life is fair game. I present ideas that you can try out in your own life, and see if they work for you.

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  • Artist: Ben Schoeffler
  • Copyright: Copyright 2013 PhilosophyEveryday.com

Podcasts:

 Philosophy Everyday 11 – The Secret to an Entertaining Life | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 41:32

Life can become boring if you let it. I've developed a habit that has allowed me to lead a very entertaining life. Join me as I discuss how to make life as entertaining as any video game! Show overview The secret to an entertaining life is to develop a sense of curiosity. What does curiosity do for me? How to be more curious? Is being curious ever bad? Philosophy everyday podcast is now on iTunes   QUOTES "Every habit and faculty is preserved and increased by its corresponding actions: The habit of walking makes us better walkers, regular running makes us better runners. t is the same regarding matters of the soul. Whenever you are angry, you increase your anger; you have increased a habit and added fuel to a fire. If you don't want an angry temper, then don't feed the habit. Give it nothing to help its increase. Be quiet at first and reckon the days in which you have not been angry. "I used to be angry every day; now every other day; then every third and fourth day." As time goes on, the habit is first weakened, and then its eventually overridden by a wiser response." - The art of living - Page 112 RESOURCES Things I reference: The Emperor’s Handbook by Marcus Aurelius The Art of Living by Epictetus Intro music by Slayerment

 Philosophy Everyday 10 – Shower Yourself to Success | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 38:10

Nothing in this world lasts. Jobs don't last, buildings crumble through the marching of time, fashion trends change, and motivation comes and goes. One of the more important lessons I've been learning over the past year that many long dead philosophers already discovered is that life is all about practice and maintenance. Today's episode is about that act of practice. The reason for this podcast, a quote by zig ziglar. Why its important to sweat more so you will bleed less My favorite story from the Hagakure Why we need principles The idea of maintenance Things I maintain in my own life Pitfalls to avoid The most important thing to maintain in your own life QUOTES “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.” - Zig Ziglar "Be a boxer, not a gladiator, in the way you act on your principles. The gladiator takes up his sword only to put it down again, but the boxer is never without his fist and has only to clench it." - The Emperor's Handbook, Page 139 RESOURCES Things I reference: The Emperor’s Handbook by Marcus Aurelius The Art of Living by Epictetus Intro music by Slayerment

 Philosophy Everyday 9 – Make the mundane challenging | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 44:48

There are many things in life that are boring, time consuming, and just plain not fun. In this episode I'm going to discuss some activities I've cultivated in my own life that have turned something boring, into something challenging and fun. Why it can be rewarding to make something challenging. How challenging tasks increase your sense of victory, and your overall happiness. People may dislike or be angry with you for doing this! What are some boring/mundane things that I have turned into challenging tasks that increase happiness? Discussion of quote from the Art of Living QUOTES  "Other people's views and troubles can be contagious. Don't sabotage yourself by unwittingly adopting negative, unproductive attitudes through your associations with others." - The Art of Living, Page 23 "Happiness is not mostly pleasure; it is mostly victory." -Harry Emerson Fosdick "Don't surrender your mind. If someone were to casually give your body away to any old passerby, you would naturally be furious. Why then do you feel no shame in giving your precious mind over to any person who might wish to influence you? Think twice before you give up your own mind to someone who may revile you, leaving you confused and upset." - The Art of Living, Page 37 RESOURCES Things I reference: The Emperor’s Handbook by Marcus Aurelius The Art of Living by Epictetus Intro music by Slayerment

 Philosophy Everyday 8 – Stoicism is an anagram for ‘consistent’ | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 43:25

While the word ‘stocisim’ isn't exactly an anagram for ‘consistent’, it might as well be. There are a lot of stoic principles that speak about consistency and for good reason. Consistency is something that drive a lot of your decision making, whether or not you are consciously aware of it. Listen to this episode if you want to learn how to harness the power of consistency to make it easier for you to start new habits and live with more honor. Why is it important to be consistent? Is there every a time when being consistent is bad? Or when being inconsistent is good? "But Ben, people need to change if we are to improve our lives! How to you remain consistent if you need to change something in your life?" How to be more consistent in your life? Listener question, "How to recover socially if you've made a drastic mistake?" QUOTES “To understand why consistency is so powerful a motive, it is important to recognize that in most circumstances consistency is valued and adaptive. Inconsistency is commonly thought to be an undesirable personality trait. The person whose beliefs, words, and deeds don’t match may be seen as indecisive, confused, two-faced, or even mentally ill. On the other side, a high degree of consistency is normally associated with personal and intellectual strength. It is at the heart of logic, rationality, stability, and honesty. A quote attributed to the great British chemist Michael Faraday suggests the extent to which being consistent is approved - sometimes more than being right. When asked after a lecture if he meant to imply that a hated academic rival was always wrong, Faraday glowered at the questioner and replied, ‘He’s not that consistent.’” - Page 60, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. “‘A man whose aim in life is not singular and consistent cannot be one and the same person throughout his life.’ But to say only this, without defining what his aim should be, is not enough. Except in the case of those things they hold in common, most people cannot agree on a definition of what is good. For this reason, it makes sense to aim at the common good, the well-being of society as a whole. He who strives to achieve this aim in life will be consistent in his behavior and therefore one and the same person throughout his life.” - Page 132, The Emperor’s Handbook “Don’t become disgusted with yourself, lose patience, or give up if you sometimes fail to act as your philosophy dictates, but after each setback, return to reason and be content if most of your acts are worthy of a good man. Love the philosophy to which you return, and go back to it, not as an unruly student to the rod of a school-master, but as a sore eye to a sponge and egg whites, or a wound to cleansing ointments and clean bandages. In this way, you will obey the voice of reason not to parade a perfect record, but to secure an inner peace.” - Page 56, The Emperor’s Handbook RESOURCES Things I reference: The Emperor’s Handbook by Marcus Aurelius Influence: The Pyschology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini PH.D.  The New Psycho-Cybernetics by Dan S. Kennedy Songs by Slayerment

 PODCAST: Philosophy Everyday 7 – Lessons from Lara Croft | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 53:55

In this episode I discuss the latest game I just got finished playing: Tomb Raider, with its star protagonist Lara Croft. After playing this game I was struck by how many stoic and bushido ideals are present in Lara's character. Please comment down below and subscribe to the RSS feed or e-mail list for updates. EPISODE OVERVIEW: Lessons from Lara Croft Lesson #1: The importance of friends and teachers “You are not an isolated entity, but a unique, irreplaceable part of the cosmos. Don’t forget this. You are an essential piece of the puzzle of humanity. Each of us is a part of a vast, intricate, and perfectly, ordered human community. But where do you fit into this web of humanity? To whom are you beholden?Look for and come to understand your connections to other people. We properly locate ourselves within the cosmic scheme by recognizing our natural relations to one another and thereby identifying our duties. Our duties naturally emerge from such fundamental relations as our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, our state or nation. Make it your regular habit to consider your roles - parent, child, neighbor, citizen, leader - and the natural duties that arise from them. Once you know who you are and to whom you are linked, you will know what to do.” - The art of living, Page 42. Lesson #2: Lara didn't complain Lesson #3: Things didn't go perfectly, and she was ok with that “Instead of averting your eyes from the painful events of life, look at them squarely and contemplate them often. By facing the realities of death, infirmity, loss, and disappointment , you free yourself of illusions and false hopes and you avoid miserable, envious thoughts.” - The Art of Living, Page 28. Lesson #4: Lara kept the forward momentum “Regardless of what is going on around you, make the best of what is in your power, and take the rest as it occurs.” - The art of living, Page 108 Lesson #5: Learn to trust in yourself Lesson #6: Be willing to throw your life away “When one has made a decision to kill a person, even if it will be very difficult to succeed by advancing straight ahead, it will not do to think about going at it in a long roundabout way. One’s heart may slacken, he may miss his chance, and by and large there will be no success. The way of the samurai is one of immediacy, and it is best to dash in headlong.” Hagakure, Page 60 Resources Things I reference: The Tomb Raider game the episode is based on. The Emperor’s Handbook by Marcus Aurelius The Hagakure The Art of Living by Epictetus Songs by Slayerment My friends and I going down the spillway! http://youtu.be/eW2x64sjUtE      

 PODCAST: Philosophy Everyday 6 – Be more selfish | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 38:36

This is episode is one full of techniques that can really help you. Being selfish has a very negative connotation, but in this podcast you will find there are very good reasons to be a bit more selfish in your daily life. Please comment down below and subscribe to the RSS feed or e-mail list for updates. EPISODE OVERVIEW: Why being selfish is important What would happen if EVERYONE was more selfish? Things you can do to be more selfish. Was Marcus Aurelius selfish? A technique you can use to immediately identify the two or three things in your life that you do on a regular basis, that make you miserable and you don’t even know it. Resources Technique for Emotional Identification: STEP 1: Take a piece of paper and start listing all of the activities you do on a regular basis. Make an effort to be as thorough as possible. An example of a few things to get you started might be as follows: Work out at the gym Go to work Surf reddit Surf Facebook Watch episodes of TV show Hang out with Jody Smoke cigarettes Go to meetings at work Eating fast food Do dishes Have tea Practice learning spanish Study Philosophy Etc... You should have at least 20-30 different things on your list.Make it as comprehensive as possible. STEP 2: Next to each activity write out the emotion you feel that activity creates. You can NOT use generic terms like "Happy" or "sad", and don't make it a full sentence. Be like a cave man, a full sentence means you are starting to justify. Make it raw and to the point. Examples as follows: Work out at the gym | Makes me feel strong Go to work | Makes me feel exhausted and frustrated etc.... RESOURCE: If you need help coming up with emotions, check out this PDF with a ton of different examples. STEP 3: Go have a cup of a coffee or tea. Do something to take a short 5-10 minute break to distance yourself from the emotional feelings you had to remember and categorize. STEP 4: Look back at your list. Notice anything surprising? You might find that some of the activities you do on a regular basis are actually creating negative emotions like alienation, frustration, and emptiness. Ask yourself if those activities are really adding to your life and the person you want to be, or if they are just holding you back from accomplishing your goals. STEP 5: Start making changes. They can be small changes, or big changes. Start eliminating the things that cause you harm, and start cultivating the things that bring you joy and happiness. You don't have to change everything right away either, don't be afraid to start small and to gradually change those behaviors. Remember Pareto's Principle of 80/20. Chances are, 20% of the things you are doing on a regular basis are generating 80% of your negative emotions! Books I reference: The Emperor’s Handbook by Marcus Aurelius The Hagakure Songs by Slayerment  

 PODCAST: Philosophy Everyday 5 – Violence and Loving Kindness | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 14:49

Here is episode 5 of the Philosophy Everyday Podcast. This is a shorter, more freeform episode where I work through a problem I've been thinking about lately. How can you practice loving kindness meditation and also practice a martial art designed to injure or kill another person? Can you be ethical and not hypocritical while practicing both? How does violence fit in with developing compassion and love for your fellow human being? I would love to hear your thoughts!

 PODCAST: Philosophy Everyday 4 – On Death | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 50:54

This episode is on death, which is arguably one of my favorite subjects. Although it's strange because in my day to day life I don't actually have that much face to face interaction with death. Yes, the food I eat has died at one point, but I'm not in any military job that forces me to kill, and I'm not in a health care field that typically deals with dying patients. To paraphrase one of my favorite books "On Killing", discussing death for most people is like virgins discussing sex. We haven't experienced it yet, so we can only fathom a guess of what it will be like and how it will affect us. Some of us have experienced loved ones die though, and in doing so we have experienced grief, which is one aspect of death. I think that the stoic view of death is particularly adept at dealing with grief if it is applied diligently. EPISODE OVERVIEW Why death important to think about Biggest fear It’s common among everyone Conquering fear of death is one of the most significant steps towards bravery Samurai and their view on death The Stoic view of death My own views of death Various possibilities The process of dying / does it hurt? Universe and Alan Watts Death meditation Hagakure quotes on death: Page 75: “Whether people be of high or low birth, rich or poor, old or young, enlightened or confused, they are all alike in that they will one day die. It is not that we don’t know that we are going to die, but we grasp at straws. While knowing that we will die someday, we think that all the others will die before us and that we will be the last to go. Death seems a long way off.Is this not shallow thinking? It is worthless and is only a joke within a dream. It will not do to think in such a way and be negligent. Insofar as death is always at one’s door, one should make sufficient effort and act quickly” Page 130: “It is said that Tokunaga Kichezaemon repeatedly complained, “I’ve grown so old that now, even if there were to be a battle, I wouldn’t be able to do anything. Still, I would like to die by galloping into the midst of the enemy and being struck down and killed. It would be a shame to do nothing more than to die in one’s bed.” Page 154: “A person who does not want to be struck by the enemy’s arrows will have no divine protection. For a man who does not wish to be hit by the arrows of a common soldier, bt rather by those of a warrior of fame, there will be the protection for which he has asked.” Meditations quotes on death: Book 4, Passage 47, page 50 “Just imagine the gods saying to you, “Tomorrow, you’re going to die, or at the latest, the day after tomorrow.” Are you going to make a big deal over the difference between tomorrow and the day after and start begging the gods for an extra day? Not unless you’re a thorough-going coward. Really, what’s the difference? Well then, take the same attitude toward living to be a ripe old age or dying tomorrow.” Book 6, Passage 2, page 65 “Do your duty - and never mind whether you are shivering or warm, sleeping on your feet or in your bed, hearing yourself slandered or praised, dying or doing something else. Yes, even dying is an act of life and should be done, live everything else, “to the best of your abilities.” Resources Books I reference: The Emperor’s Handbook by Marcus Aurelius The Hagakure Songs by Slayerment

 PODCAST: Philosophy Everyday 3 – Power of the mind | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 46:48

In this episode I tend to ramble a little bit, so brace yourselves. I talk about thoughts, meditation, and how I now view one of the most painful physically experiences of my life as a positive experience. Show Notes Can we control our thoughts? Meditation, pink elephants, and the ability to hold focus. Is thinking positively a load of crap? (it is without the proper tools and techniques) Technique to use to get over something in your life if its bothering you. Thoughts come and go with no real rhyme or reason. How the mind deals with pain (can this change how we experience pain?) Passage from The Emperor’s Handbook: “Don’t be a Caesar drunk with power and self importance: it happens all too easily. Keep yourself simple, good, pure, sincere, natural, just, god-fearing, kind, affectionate, and devoted to your duty. Strive to be the man your training in philosophy prepared you to be.” – Meditations, page 70, Book six, passage 30, "“Pain is either bad for the body (and if so, let the body say so) or for the soul. But the mind can refuse to regard pain as bad and thereby ensure the soul’s unclouded calm and perfect equanimity. Every judgement of this sort, every impulse to act, every desire and aversion comes from within; nothing bad can gain entrance without the mind’s consent.” Meditations, page 96, passage 28. Resources Books I reference: The Emperor’s Handbook by Marcus Aurelius Songs by Slayerment Some random pics of me when I had my ol' faithful.

 PODCAST: Philosophy Everyday 2 – Purposeful life and being cool | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 46:02

Here is episode two of the philosophy everyday podcast. In this podcast I discuss why it's important to live a purposeful life and what you can do if you find yourself surrounded by stuff that isn't in line with your true nature. I then talk about Justin Timberlake. Yes, thats right, I discuss JT on a podcast about philosophy. Show Notes Why creating a purposeful life is important. A story about a friend and a fire. A technique for you to use to start creating a purposeful life. Why Justin Timberlake is THE BEST!!! Why is being cool important? It's not for others, it's for you. Being cool is a mindset that is rewarding, relaxing, and empowering. Being cool helps you in life by opening more doors for you. Whether it's fair or not, how you are perceived is important. The best way to spread a good message (like philosophy) is to lead by example. Being cool is just... well, cool. What are the main ideas of being cool? Confidence in yourself and the ability to handle what comes up. How you present yourself (clean clothes, good hygiene). Story about a samurai. Class, manners, etiquette. Making sure others are comfortable. Taking what you do seriously, but not taking yourself too seriously. Philosophical quotes that support the idea of being cool. Passage from the Hagakure: “Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige's wall there was this one: 'Matters of great concern should be treated lightly.' Master Ittei commented, 'Matters of small concern should be treated seriously.' Among one's affairs there should not be more than two or three matters of what one could call great concern. If these are deliberated upon during ordinary times, they can be understood. Thinking about things previously and then handling them lightly when the time comes is what this is all about. To face an event and solve it lightly is difficult if you are not resolved beforehand, and there will always be uncertainty in hitting your mark. However, if the foundation is laid previously, you can think of the saying, 'Matters of great concern should be treated lightly,' as your own basis for action." - Hagakure, Page 27 Passage from The Emperor’s Handbook: “Don’t be a Caesar drunk with power and self importance: it happens all too easily. Keep yourself simple, good, pure, sincere, natural, just, god-fearing, kind, affectionate, and devoted to your duty. Strive to be the man your training in philosophy prepared you to be.” - Meditations, page 70, Book six, passage 30, Resources TECHNIQUE: Examine what is in your life now: What is in your life physically? Do you actively use the things you own? Are you keeping things around out of habit that you will most likely never use? Examine your friends? Are your friends in your life because they actively add to your life, or because they have just “always been there”? Examine your habits? Are these the types of habits that the best version of yourself would be doing? How do you spend your time? Did you actively choose these habits? Or have you gotten into a rut of just sitting down and watching TV because its “easy”. Books I reference: The Emperor’s Handbook by Marcus Aurelius The Hagakure Songs by Slayerment

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