Welcome to my headspace. Musings by X is where I share what goes on in this big head of mine.
Just kidding, it’s moderate-sized (I hope).
On this beautiful morning, I’ll share some insights I came to discover over the weekend. I’ll be counting Monday as part of the weekend since over here in the part of the world where I currently reside, we’re made to “sit-at-home” every Monday (why that is is a story for another day).
So let’s dive right in…
Comfort in silence
Just about a year ago, I was at a close friend’s place discussing and generally catching up when a realization hit me. You see, we were both lying down with our heads up staring at the ceiling. What we were really talking about I cannot remember.
But what I can remember is that in that moment I noticed something. It might have seemed trivial in another situation but right there, right then, it was profound.
I noticed the long moments of silence in between our conversation.
We both didn’t feel the urge to fill the silence with words. He spoke, I responded and then silence… Till one of us broke the silence again. Not because words had to be spoken but because there were words to be spoken.
We were comfortable in each other’s silence.
Yesterday, I rediscovered that experience on a call with a friend I care very much about. It was sublime listening to the silence, knowing that the other person was taking time to process their thoughts. That we weren’t both spitting half-thought rapid-fire responses at each other just to keep the conversation going.
In a world where we all have other things to do, where we have goals to be achieved by making that call, it is sure nice to lose ourselves in the comfort of the silence of our close ones once in a while. To really listen, even to the silence of the other person while they slowly mull over thoughts in their beautiful minds.
False Consensus Bias
My roommate is a philosopher. He has been reading a philosophy textbook for the better part of a month and never fails to refer to himself as a philosopher anytime he says something profound. Which admittedly, he has been doing a lot lately. So maybe, just maybe he is a philosopher.
We were having a conversation recently where I was trying to explain my view of things and generally lamenting about how a group of people didn’t see things the same way I saw them. Despite my way being the only logical way to view things (you’ve felt that way too, right?).
Then he asked me a question. It was along the line of, “How did you get into the life you currently lead? What made you interested in developing the skills you currently possess?” He then pointed out that everyone has had different experiences in life, which helped shape their worldview, making it impossible for everyone to share the same opinions with me.
This made me pause in my tracks and remember something similar I read that same day. It is called the False Consensus Bias and here’s a definition according to Mark Manson (who is one of my fave authors);
The False Consensus Bias is a tendency we all have to just assume that almost everyone around us shares our same opinions, beliefs, biases, values, habits, perceptions, etc.
We tend to think people should think the way we do, prioritize the things we prioritize and basically be clones of us. And when they don’t? We tag them to be irrational, unwise and my personal favorite, pagans.
So as my philosopher roommate pointed out, maybe we all should remember that not everyone shares our beliefs and values the next time we are about to launch into a rant fest.
Parallel between King Solomon and Marcus Aurelius?
Okay, I’ll admit this one is still under construction. But then, let’s go on in hoping logic doesn’t collapse around us while we are on our journey of discovery.
On Saturday, I was taking time out to read my Bible when I came upon a realization (yeah you guessed right, I’m a Christian). I was reading the first chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes, which is attributed to Solomon, the Hebrew king believed to be the wisest man to have ever lived.
While reading, I realized that Solomon was a perfect example of a Philosopher King just as the Stoics believe Marcus Aurelius to have been. In fact, they both wrote books full of practical wisdom and realizations from their experiences governing large empires. Solomon wrote the books of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs while Marcus Aurelius wrote Meditations. Both are widely read by millions of people in search of practical wisdom today.
I was so carried away by this insight that I quickly launched my Twitter App and fired off a tweet. I mentioned my favorite Stoic author in the tweet, hoping to spark a philosophical conversation.
And as you can see here, he didn’t respond.
But I still look forward to doing more research and writing that piece, though. If only for you guys who put up with reading what I write.
And one question for you all…
I was reading Miyamoto Musashi’s Dokkōdō when I across something that got me thinking.
Musashi was a 16th century Japanese swordsman, philosopher and strategist who wrote the Dokkōdō. The Dokkōdō is a short work he wrote about a week before dying. In it, he gave twenty-one precepts to live by.
Here is the precept that got me thinking. And that I need your opinion on…
What do you think about this precept? Do you agree with it or not?
You can even go as far as telling me why or why not. I’d love to read your responses.
Respect Buddha and the gods but do not depend on their help.
I think we shouldn't over depend on God's help.
In as much as he's here to help and always present in times of need doesn't mean he will grant our requests at that very moment.
Also, people say, "God helps does who help themselves"
God is of course powerful enough to help us all. He deserves our respect, honour and worship.
But as a believer, while praying also work. While facing a challenge, plan on a solution, and trust God to make things go your way.
"Respect buddha and it's Gods without counting on their help"
Budha in this case is God.
to count on someone means you have expectations on them.
you expect them to show up for you in cute and the ugly times. Now that's not bad at all, I mean having someone to count on is a great deal!!! Who doesn't want that?
But then respect in exchange for a reward from a supreme being like budha (in this case God) doesn't seem like geniun loyalty to me.
what is the proof that you'll still be loyal if there was no benefits to gain? Does it mean that you'ld leave your life recklessly without showing respect and concern for the basic principles that Govern life if there wasn't a supreme being to gain benefits from? Principles like honesty, love and more
These are questions we should ask ourselves..
We should show respect to God and ourselves without expectations of any sort.that is what genuine loyalty is all about.