beardo1

I think i got into philosophy initally because public school left me so starved intellectually that i couldn't help myself. The first philosophy book i read was Plato's Phaedo, and within the first 20 pages i had already decided to be a philosophy major. Looking back now, i realize that i could have taken something more marketable, that could make me more money, but why? It makes me think of a quote from Marcus Aurleius "When the rich man and the poor man go to die, they lose one and the same thing."

What i realize now is, there are probably a dozen or so philosophies like Taoism, Buddhism, Platonism, Stoicism, Epicurianism, etc. that can help me justify why it is okay to not have a lot of money or many things, even why it is better to be that way. But there isn't one damn thing that i can buy that, on my death bed, will make me think "You know, having this really makes it okay that i never got to know myself and to ask the really big questions; having this was reason enough to live." Maybe it is all futile, i'm willing to accept that; i'm just not willing to bet on it.

Security is definetly important. I would appeal to Maslow's heirarchy in saying that without security, most people, myself included, would be far too preoccupied with just surviving to have time for philosophical introspection. I organized a two credit pass/fail class on Taoism, and we were discussing the difference between the striving and rather materialistic life that is fairly celebrated in America and the more simplified taoist life. One of the girls in the class said essentially the same thing, that she doesn't really want lots of stuff but she does like the idea of having healthcare in case something happens.

And i definetly take your point about one job vs. two or three. I have one right now but i will almost definetly have to get a second one soon, and i don't like the idea of working 12 hours a day, or giving up my weekends when i would be reading and writing and thinking. And trade school is not a bad way to go at all. I think in going to trade school and learning a unique skill, there's a greater sense of significance in that than doing the generic kind of office job that pays okay but not well, and seems utterly pointless and soul-crushing.

I don't know if anything could have detered me from majoring in philosophy; as i said, the public school education left me a little intellectually starved, so i basically gorged myself on it. I think if i had been exposed to it during high school, i would have been able to just incorporate it into life instead of focusing on it professionally. But, woulda shoulda coulda didn't. I do, however, think that what philosophy in particular provides that is very wanting in other studies is strong writing skills coupled with strong critical reasoning skills. Assuming you don't focus on the highly realtivist trains of thought, philosophy allows you to see through a lot of bullshit that other people take as truth (which, unfortunately, can get you in a lot of trouble).

Incidently, i don't know if you're part of the Question Everything group, but i just started a thread on the question of the basis for human rights if you're interested.