Become less foolish?

Become less foolish with the writings and experiments of Peter Limberg and friends. Paid subscribers will have access to private journals and live experiments.

“The writer and podcaster Peter Limberg, a devotee of Stoic thought.” - The New York Times

A newspaper of record called me a devotee of Stoic thought. While that's (not) cool, it's actually a case of misinformation, as my primary focus is on doing philosophy rather than having a philosophy. While the term has fallen out of fashion in academic circles, the core essence of doing philosophy is still wisdom.

Wisdom, defined by wisdom researcher Igor Grossman, is “the meta-value that adjudicates all other values.” However, it's unwise to strive for greater wisdom; instead, lessening its opposite, foolishness, is the wiser path. I find philosophical inquiry, especially through journaling, chips away at my foolishness. Journalling here since 2020 has been my journey in becoming less foolish. 

If you are new to this Substack, welcome. Here are ten pieces I recommend for onboarding:

  • Transperspectival Masturbation - “Transperspectival" suggests the capacity to encompass various viewpoints without fixating on any single one. I hold the position that not only is this attainable, but it also constitutes the foundation of wisdom. Nonetheless, it can also regress into masturbatory thinking.

  • The “Terrible Communities” series - A five-part series delving into the premise "all communities are terrible communities." The series delves into the terrible outcomes of intentional communal living, terrible people within communities, and promotes the importance of power literacy and friendships of virtue.

  • Minimum Viable Philosophy - While the New York Times article was misinformation, my “minimum viable philosophy” (MVP) does share similarities with Stoicism. In this article, I suggest that everyone should craft their own MVP. Complementary read: Rather be Stoic than Cool.

  • A Post-Identity World - A reflection on the concept of identity, suggesting that a post-identity world will be one where people embrace their factually accurate identifiers without undue emotional attachment and aspire to be who they can be within the bounds of reality.

  • How to Disagree With a Friend - A guide on engaging in disagreements with virtuous friends, which should be a regular practice.

  • Fuck You Happiness - Ditch the "fuck you money" attractor for the more wholesome "fuck you happiness” one instead.

  • All Philosophers Are Charlatans - Combining confession and academic philosopher roasting, this meme fest explores the motivational path of philosophical pursuits. Complementary read: The Dildofication of Philosophy.

  • Self-Help Is Dead, Got Wisdom Instead? - This entry reflects on the evolution of self-help movement and explores the shift from the pursuit of success and status to the values of agency and power, ultimately emphasizing the importance of wisdom as a guiding meta-value.

  • Purpose Porn - This critique examines society's fixation on finding a life purpose, proposing that this pursuit, often tied to notions of greatness, fosters shame and a sense of inadequacy.

  • Overcoming Intellectual Servitude - A discussion on the risks associated with either overestimating or underestimating one's intelligence, with a focus on promoting autonomy in philosophizing. Complementary read: Midwittery to Humility.

I also conduct one-on-one inquiries as part of my philosophy practice. You can read more about my practice here or here. If you're interested in scheduling a session, email me @ thestoa at protonmail dot com.

In philia,

Peter

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