The ONE RULE for LIFE - Immanuel Kant's Moral Philosophy - Mark Manson
Summary
TLDRThe video script explores the life and moral philosophy of Immanuel Kant, a highly influential yet rigidly routine-driven thinker. Despite his monotonous daily regimen, Kant's ideas on ethics, such as the categorical imperative, have had a profound impact on modern society. The script delves into Kant's belief in treating humanity as an end rather than a means, and how this principle applies to various aspects of life, including laziness, addiction, people-pleasing, and bigotry. It also touches on Kant's views on self-improvement, self-respect, and the development of character, emphasizing the importance of purpose over action in leading a moral and fulfilling life.
Takeaways
- 🕒 Kant's Routine: Emanuel Kant was known for his strict daily routine, waking up at 5:00 a.m., writing for 3 hours, lecturing for 4, and maintaining regular meal and walk schedules.
- 📚 Life in Konigsberg: Despite the world being accessible, Kant spent his entire life in Konigsberg, Prussia, never venturing out, yet his ideas had a profound impact globally.
- 🌟 Influential Thinker: Kant is considered one of the most influential thinkers in modern history, contributing significantly to philosophy, ethics, and the concept of individual rights.
- 🌱 Ethical Principles: Kant's moral philosophy is based on the idea that actions must be universalizable, meaning they should be right or wrong in all situations for all people.
- 🔄 Categorical Imperative: Kant's concept of the 'categorical imperative' suggests that ethical principles should be universal laws applicable to every human being in every situation.
- 💡 The Formulation of Humanity: Kant's key ethical rule is to 'act in such a way that you treat humanity, in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means.'
- 🧠 The Value of Rationality: Kant believed that rationality and the ability to make conscious decisions are what distinguish humans from the rest of the universe, making it crucial to base moral reasoning on the protection of this capacity.
- 🔄 Ethical Implications: Kant's rule has wide-ranging implications, affecting how we view laziness, addiction, people-pleasing, manipulation, and bigotry, all through the lens of treating humanity as an end in itself.
- 🌐 Global Vision: Kant envisioned a global governing body to ensure peace and was against racism and colonialism, advocating for the fundamental dignity and rights of all races and nations.
- 🔑 Duty of Self-Improvement: Kant emphasized that the best way to improve the world is through self-improvement, adhering to the categorical imperative, and considering this a moral duty.
- 💖 Self-Respect as an Ethical Duty: Kant argued that self-respect and self-love are not just personal virtues but ethical duties, as the way we treat ourselves sets the standard for how we treat others.
Q & A
What was Emanuel Kant's daily routine like?
-Emanuel Kant had a very structured daily routine. He woke up every morning at 5:00 a.m., wrote for exactly 3 hours, lectured at the same university for exactly 4 hours, had lunch at the same restaurant each day, went on an extended walk through the same park on the same route, and returned home at the same time every day. He also had dinner with the same friend every evening and went to bed at exactly 10 p.m.
Why is Kant considered an important and influential thinker?
-Kant is considered an important and influential thinker because he made significant contributions to various fields of philosophy. He was instrumental in envisioning a global governing body to ensure peace, inspired Einstein's discovery of Relativity with his concept of SpaceTime, introduced the idea that animals could have rights, invented the philosophy of Aesthetics, and resolved a 200-year philosophical debate. His moral philosophy, in particular, has had a lasting impact and is still discussed and debated in universities today.
What does Kant's concept of the 'categorical imperative' entail?
-Kant's concept of the 'categorical imperative' refers to universal ethical principles that are valid in all contexts and applicable to every human being. These principles are considered absolute rules to live by, and they dictate that something is either always right or always wrong, regardless of the situation.
How does Kant's moral philosophy apply to our daily lives?
-Kant's moral philosophy applies to our daily lives by influencing our values, decisions, actions, and beliefs. It emphasizes the importance of treating people as ends in themselves, not merely as means to achieve other ends. This principle can guide how we interact with others, make decisions, and conduct ourselves ethically.
What is the significance of Kant's statement 'Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means'?
-This statement encapsulates Kant's moral philosophy, emphasizing the inherent worth and dignity of every individual. It suggests that we should always consider the impact of our actions on others and ourselves, ensuring that we do not exploit or manipulate others for personal gain. It calls for respect for human autonomy and the conscious exercise of rationality.
How does Kant's philosophy view laziness?
-According to Kant, laziness is not just a personal failing but also an ethical issue. He believed that we have a moral imperative to do the best that we can at all times. Being lazy, in this sense, means treating ourselves as a means to short-term pleasure rather than maximizing our potential and treating ourselves as ends in ourselves.
What is Kant's stance on addiction and why is it considered unethical?
-Kant viewed addiction as unethical because it involves using one's rational mind and freedom as a means to an end, which in this case is the temporary escape from reality. He believed in facing one's problems and argued that suffering can sometimes be necessary in life. Addiction, therefore, is seen as a failure to confront the reality of one's own mind and consciousness.
How does Kant's philosophy relate to the concept of consent in relationships?
-Kant's philosophy emphasizes the importance of fully informed consent in all interactions, especially in relationships. He believed that consent demonstrates respect for the fundamental dignity of all conscious creatures. Any action that does not lead towards mutual consent is considered disrespectful and unethical.
What is the 'Michael Jackson Maxim' as mentioned in the script, and how does it relate to Kant's philosophy?
-The 'Michael Jackson Maxim' is a term used in the script to describe Kant's belief that the best way to improve the world is to start with improving oneself. It suggests that self-improvement, particularly in adhering to the categorical imperative, is a duty and an obligation that can lead to a better life for oneself and others.
How did Kant's personal life and habits influence his philosophy?
-Kant's personal life and habits, characterized by a strict routine and discipline, reflect his philosophical beliefs in the importance of rationality, self-control, and the maximization of one's potential. His transformation from a party-goer to a disciplined thinker at the age of 40 illustrates his commitment to developing character and living a life designed around ethical principles.
What is the connection between self-respect and ethics in Kant's philosophy?
-In Kant's philosophy, self-respect is not just about personal feelings but is fundamentally linked to ethics. He argued that recognizing our own value and the inherent dignity of every human being is essential. Lying to ourselves, harming ourselves, and treating ourselves as means rather than ends are considered unethical acts, just as they are when done to others.
Outlines
🕒 Routine and Productivity of Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant was a philosopher with an extremely disciplined daily routine, waking up at 5:00 a.m. and maintaining a strict schedule of writing, teaching, dining, and walking. Despite his monotonous lifestyle, Kant made significant contributions to various fields such as ethics, philosophy of aesthetics, and moral philosophy. His ideas have had a lasting impact on democratic societies and the concept of individual rights. Kant's moral philosophy, particularly his concept of the 'categorical imperative,' emphasizes universal ethical principles that apply to all humans in every situation.
🧠 Kant's Categorical Imperative and the Value of Rationality
Kant's moral philosophy is centered around the concept of rationality, which he considered the defining characteristic of humanity. He argued that each person should be treated as an end in themselves and never merely as a means to an end. This principle, known as the 'categorical imperative,' is a universal ethical rule that applies to all situations. Kant believed that rational consciousness is sacred and that protecting it is the foundation of all moral reasoning. He extended this principle to various aspects of life, including laziness, addiction, and the pursuit of happiness, asserting that self-respect and self-improvement are ethical duties.
🤔 Ethical Implications of Kant's Philosophy
Kant's philosophy has profound implications for understanding ethics in everyday life. His categorical imperative can be applied to evaluate actions such as lying, cheating, violence, laziness, addiction, and people-pleasing, revealing that treating others (or oneself) as a means to an end is unethical. Kant also addressed issues like consent in relationships, the ethics of capitalism and wealth inequality, and the moral responsibility of the wealthy to redistribute their resources. His views on bigotry and colonialism were progressive for his time, advocating for the inherent dignity and rights of all races and nations.
🌐 Kant's Vision for a Better World
Kant believed that the best way to improve the world was through self-improvement, arguing that individuals should develop their ability to adhere to the categorical imperative. He saw this as a duty and an obligation for everyone, with the potential to create a ripple effect of positive change. Kant also emphasized the importance of self-respect, arguing that how we treat ourselves is a reflection of how we treat others. His philosophy suggests that cultivating self-love and self-care are not just personal choices but ethical responsibilities.
🎯 The Transformational Power of Kant's Ideas
The narrative concludes with a personal account of how Kant's philosophy had a transformative effect on the author's life. It highlights the shift from pursuing practical and transactional goals to understanding the moral purpose behind actions. The author shares a realization that aligning one's actions with Kant's categorical imperative can lead to a more meaningful and ethical life. The excerpt also mentions Mark Manson's book 'Everything is F*cked' and his YouTube channel, suggesting further exploration of these themes.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Emanuel Kant
💡Productivity Hacker
💡Categorical Imperative
💡Rationality
💡Moral Philosophy
💡Universal
💡Ends and Means
💡Self-Improvement
💡Consent
💡Duty
💡Character
Highlights
Emanuel Kant's daily routine of waking up at 5:00 a.m., writing for 3 hours, and maintaining a strict schedule contributed to his productivity and philosophical contributions.
Kant's life was spent entirely in Königsberg, Prussia, demonstrating an extreme level of consistency and routine.
Kant's ideas on ethics, particularly the 'categorical imperative,' continue to be influential and debated in modern universities.
Kant's moral philosophy posits that for an action to be good, it must be universalizable, meaning it should be right or wrong in all situations.
The 'categorical imperative' is a universal ethical principle that dictates morality for every human being, regardless of context.
Kant's formulation of the categorical imperative: 'Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means.'
Kant believed that rationality is sacred and the basis for all moral reasoning, emphasizing the importance of conscious choice and decision-making.
Kant's rule can be restated as: each person must never be treated only as a means to some other end but also be treated as an end themselves.
Kant's moral philosophy views actions such as lying, cheating, and violence as unethical because they involve treating people as means to an end.
Laziness, according to Kant, is unethical because it involves using one's consciousness as a means to achieve short-term pleasure rather than maximizing its potential.
Kant was against addiction and escapism, viewing them as unethical because they misuse rational mind and freedom as a means to other ends.
People-pleasing and seeking approval are considered unethical by Kant, as they involve treating oneself and others as means to achieve social validation.
Kant emphasized the importance of fully informed consent in interactions, viewing manipulation or coercion as unethical.
Kant's philosophy rejects bigotry and racism, advocating for the inherent dignity and rights of all rational beings, regardless of race.
Kant believed in the duty of self-improvement, arguing that the best way to improve the world is through personal development and adherence to the categorical imperative.
Kant's philosophy suggests that self-respect and self-love are ethical duties, as the way we treat ourselves sets the standard for how we treat others.
Kant's life transformation at the age of 40 reflects his belief in the moral implications of actions and the importance of developing character to maximize one's potential.
The excerpt is from the New York Times bestseller 'Everything is F*cked' by Mark Manson, which explores hope and philosophy.
Transcripts
[Music] depending on your perspective Emanuel Kant was either the most boring person on the planet
or a productivity Hacker's wet dream for over 40 years he woke up every morning at 5:00 a.m. and
wrote for exactly 3 hours he would then lecture at the same University for exactly 4 hours he
followed that up with lunch at the same restaurant each day then in the afternoon he would go on an
extended walk through the same park on the same route leaving and returning home at the exact same
time every day K spent his entire life in kbur Prussia I mean that literally he never left the
city despite the ca being an hour away he never saw it Kant was efficiency personified he was so
mechanical on his habits that his neighbors joke that they could tune their clocks based on when he
left his apartment each day he would would leave for his daily walk at 3:30 p.m. have dinner with
the same friend every evening and return home to finish work and go to bed at exactly 10 p.m. it's
easy for us to scoff at a guy like this what a loser seriously get a life dude but K was one
of the most important and influential thinkers in modern history he did more to steer the world
from his single room apartment in Prussia than most Kings and armies ever did before or since
if you're living in a Democratic Society that protects indiv idual rights you have can't to
partially thank for that he was the first person to ever Envision a global governing body that
would guarantee peace across much of the world he prescribed SpaceTime in such a way that it later
inspired Einstein's discovery of Relativity he came up with the idea that animals could
potentially have rights themselves he invented the philosophy of Aesthetics and beauty and resolved
a 200-year philosophical debate in the span of a couple hundred Pages he reinvented moral
Philosophy from top to bottom over throwing ideas that had been the basis of Western Civilization
since Aristotle Kant was an intellectual badass if brains had balls K would have been made out
of steel his ideas particularly about ethics are still discussed and debated in thousands of
universities today and that's what I want to talk about K's moral philosophy and why it matters now
you might be saying really moral philosophy who cares man show me a shiny Sunset inspirational
quote or a cat meme well that right there is moral philosophy anytime you say who cares or
what's the big deal you're essentially questioning the value of something is it worth your time and
attention is it better or worse than something else these are all questions of value and they
all fall under the umbrella of moral philosophy our moral philosophy determines what we value what
we care about and what we don't care about and our values determine our decisions actions and beliefs
therefore moral philosophy applies to everything in our lives got it kant's moral philosophy is
unique and counterintuitive can't believe that for something to be good it had to be Universal
that is it can't be right to do something in one situation and wrong to do it in another if lying
is wrong it has to be wrong all the time it has to be wrong when everyone does it period if it isn't
always right or always wrong then it cannot be a valid ethical principle Kant these universalized
ethical principles categorical imperatives rules to live by that are valid in all contexts in every
situation to every human being well holy [ __ ] universal laws that dictate all morality for every
human being sure you want fries with that it's so impossible it sounds ludicrous but Kant made
a hell of an attempt in fact he made a number of attempts at creating categorical imperatives some
of those attempts were quickly ripped the shreds by other philosophers but others have actually
held up the test of time to some degree one of them in particular has kind of stuck and in all
of my years reading and studying philosophy psychology and other Sciences it is one of
the most powerful statements that I've ever come across its implications reach into every part of
each person's life in a single sentence it sums up the bulk of all of our ethical intuitions and
assumptions and in each situation it points to a clear direction of how we should be acting and why
okay enough foreplay here's kant's rule act that you use Humanity whether in your own person or in
a person of any other always at the same time as an end and never merely as a means okay what the
actual [ __ ] let's back up for a second can't believe that rationality was sacred when I say
rationality I don't mean like Sudoku or chess Grandmaster rationality I mean rationality as
the fact that we are the only known creatures in the universe that are able to make the decisions
weigh options and consider the moral implications of each and every action basically Consciousness
to the only thing that distinguishes us from the rest of the universe is our ability to process
information and act consciously in the world and this to him is special it's exceedingly special
for all we know we are the only shot the universe has at intelligent self organization therefore
we need to take it seriously and therefore rationality and protecting conscious Choice
must be the basis for all of our moral reasoning Kant wrote that quote without rationality the
universe would be a waste in vain and without purpose to K's mind without intelligence and the
freedom to exercise that intelligence we might as well just be a bunch of rocks nothing would
matter therefore Kant believed that all morality is derived from the protection and promotion of
rational Consciousness in each individual so how do you do that well cons rule above let's restate
State con rule in a more modern language to make it more easily digestible quote each person must
never be treated only as a means to some other end but also be treated as an end themselves
okay let's say I'm hungry and I want a burrito I get in the car and I drive to Chipotle and I order
my usual double meat monster that makes me oh so happy on a weekly basis in this situation eating
the burrito is my end goal it's ultimately why I'm doing everything else getting in the car driving
buying gas and so on all these things I do to get the burrito are the means I.E the things that I
must do in order to achieve my end if you call a friend to find out how they're doing calling them
is a means finding out how they're doing is your end if you leave a party early so you can wake
up in the morning leaving the party is the means and waking up early is your end means are things
that we do conditionally I don't want to get in my car and drive but I want a burrito therefore
driving is the means to my burrito end an end is something that is desired for its own sake it is
the defining motivating factor of our decisions and behaviors if I wanted to eat a burrito only
because my wife wanted a burrito and I wanted to make her happy then the burrito is no longer
my end it is now a means to an even greater end making my wife happy and if I only wanted
to make my wife happy so I could hopefully get laid tonight now my wife's happiness is a means
to a greater end of sex likely that last example made you squirm a little bit and think I'm kind
of a dirt bag and that's exactly what Kant is talking about his argument hell his rule states
that treating any human being as a means to some other end is the basis of all unethical Behavior
so treating a burrito as a means to my wife's end is fine after all as far as I know burritos
don't have rational Consciousness but if I treat my wife as a means to the end of sex now I am
treating her as a means and Kant would argue that that is some shade of wrong let's give K's Rule
The Common Sense check lying is wrong because you are misleading another person's conscious
behavior in order to achieve your own goal you are therefore treating that person as a means
to your own end therefore lying is unethical cheating is unethical for a similar reason you
are violating the expectations of other rational and sentient beings for your own personal aims
you are treating the rules and expectations agreed to with others as a means to your own
personal end that is wrong violence same deal you were treating another person as a means to
some greater political or personal end bad very bad cons formulation checks all the boxes that
we would expect from a theory of morality but it goes Way Way Beyond Common Sense Morality In fact
I will try to argue that K rule plausibly extends to pretty much everything that we value is right
and good today check it out the moral implications of K's rule the list below is incomplete some of
the items K explicitly wrote about but others are extrapolations that I've taken from his work and
applied to my own values my hope is that by the end of it you will see the incredible flexibility
of the single moral maximum to extend almost all areas of human life example one laziness okay I
can be as lazy is the next Guy full disclosure and I often feel guilty about it but we all know
that [ __ ] off in the short term inevitably harms Us in the long term but for whatever reason this
short-term gain versus long-term loss calculation never seems to inspire or move us but that's not
why Kant thinks it's wrong in fact Kant would say that this is the wrong way to think about laziness
it's insufficient comp believed that we all had a moral imperative to do the best that we can at all
times but he didn't say to do your best because of self-esteem or personal utility or contributing to
society or whatever he went even further than that he argued you should do your best because
anything less is to treat ourselves as a means rather than an end yes you can treat yourself
as a means as well you're sitting on the couch refreshing Twitter for the 28th time and you're
treating your mind and your attention as a mere pleasure receptacle you are not maximizing the
potential of your Consciousness in fact you are using your Consciousness as a means to stimulate
your emotional ends this is not only bad Kant would argue but it's unethical you are actively
harming yourself example two addiction Believe It or Not Kant wasn't a total party pooper he enjoyed
some wine with his lunch he smoked the pipe but only at the same time each morning and only one
bowl of tobacco Kant was not necessarily anti-un what he was against though was pure escapism
he wrote that using alcohol or other means of escaping one's own life was unethical because
it requires you to use your rational mind and freedom as a means to some other end in this
case getting [ __ ] up comp believed in facing one's problems he believed that suffering is
sometimes warranted and even necessary in life we tend to judge the immorality of addiction by
the damage it causes to others but Kant believed that first overindulgence was fundamentally the
act of being immoral to oneself the harm it did to others was merely collateral damage it
was a failure to confront the reality of one's own mind and Consciousness and this failure is
akin to lying to oneself or cheating oneself out of precious life potential and to can't lying to
yourself is just as unethical as lying to others example three people pleasing and seeking approval
okay I know it's not a good strategy to be kissing people's asses all the time but unethical really
isn't being really nice to people and making them happy an ethical thing to do well not necessarily
seeking approval in people pleasing forces you to alter your actions and speech to no longer
reflect what you actually think and feel so right there you are already treating yourself
as a means rather than an end but it gets worse because if you alter your speech and behavior
in order to make others like you then you are also treating them as a means to your end you
are altering and manipulating their perceptions of you in order to Garner a pleasant response
from them K would undoubtedly argue that this is also unethical how dare you tell me my shirt
looks good on me you ethical piece of [ __ ] I've written that length about how people pleasing and
seeking approval leads to toxic relationships but again as usual Kant takes it even further
because Kant was [ __ ] hardcore like that example four manipulation or coercion even if
you're not lying but you're communicating with an attitude and a purpose of gaining something from
someone without their full knowledge or explicit consent then you are being unethical K was big on
fully informed consent he believed it was the only way for there to be healthy interactions
between individuals it was Radical for his time and it's something that people still struggle to
accept today there are two areas in the modern world where I think that consent issue is huge
and K would have a lot to say about it the first is obvious sex and dating under K's rule anything
short of explicit fully informed and fully sober consent is ethically out of bounds this is a hot
button issue today and I personally think people make it far more complicated than it needs to be
it basically just means being respectful people assume this means asking for permission 20 times
on a date but it's not all you have to do is State how you feel ask them how they feel and
then respect whatever response comes back to you that's it it's not complicated respect was
also sacred within K's moral framework because Kant believe that all conscious creatures have a
fundamental dignity that must be respected at all times and by everyone for Kant consent was the act
of demonstrating respect anything that didn't lead towards consent between two people was to some
degree disrespectful I know that makes Kant sound like an angry grandmother but the implications
of the consent issue are far reaching and wide touching every human relationship that we have
the other modern area that is problematic is sales and advertising pretty much every marketing tactic
is built around treating people as a means to some end that is making money in fact Kant struggled
much of his life with the ethical implications of capitalism and wealth inequality he believed that
it was impossible for anyone to amass a fortune without some degree of manipulation or coercion
along the way therefore he was dubious of the entire system he wasn't anti- capitalist per se
and communism didn't exist yet but the Staggering wealth inequality of his time did make him uneasy
he believed Anyone Who Had Mass the fortune had a moral imperative to give much of it
away to the starving masses example five bigotry might as well throw it in here especially since
Enlightenment thinkers were Infamous for having pretty racist views which were common in the time
interestingly K despite saying some pretty awful [ __ ] about race early in his career turned the
intellectual corner and realized later in his life that no race has any right to subjugate any other
it makes sense after all racism and other forms of bigotry are textbook cases of treating other
people as means rather than ends Kant came to the conclusion that if all rationality is sacred then
there's nothing permitting European special privileges over any other nations or races
he also became vehemently anti-colonialist K argued that regardless of race the violence
and oppression required to subjugate populations would destroy people's Humanity in the process
it was the ultimate unethical institution this was completely radical for the time radical to
the point of being considered absurd by many but Kant reasoned that the only way to prevent
war and oppression was to form an international government that organized and bound nation states
together centuries later the United Nations would largely be based on his vision example six the
duty of self-improvement most philosophers of the Enlightenment believed that the best way to live
was to increase happiness as much as possible and to reduce suffering as much as possible as well
this approach to ethics is called utilitarianism and is still the predominant view held by many
thinkers today K had a completely different take on how to go about improving the world let's call
it the Michael Jackson Maxim because K like Michael believed that if you want to make the
world a better place take a look at yourself and make that change but instead of grabbing
his crotch comp made his argument with brutal rationality and here's how he argued it comp
believed that generally it is impossible to know whether a person deserves to be happy or
suffer because you can never truly know what their intentions and aims were when they acted similarly
even if you should make others happy there's no way to precisely know how to make them happy you
do not know their feelings values or expectations you do not know the implications your actions will
have on them on top of that what actually constitutes suffering or happiness in most
non-extreme situations is unclear your divorce may cause you incredible pain today but in a year
it might be the best thing that ever happened to you you may relish the joy of a celebration
with friends but maybe it's distracting you from pursuing something that would prevent more future
suffering therefore K argued the the only logical way to improve the world is through improving
ourselves this is because the only thing we can truly experience with any certainty is ourselves
K defined self-improvement is developing the ability to adhere to the categorical
imperative and he saw self-improvement as a duty an undebatable obligation put on us all to K the
reward or punishment for not following one's duty was not in heaven or hell but in a life
made for oneself adherence to morality produced not only a better life for yourself but a better
life for all those around you similarly failure to adhere to morality would produce unnecessary
suffering for oneself and for those around you con rule has a ripple effect your improved ability to
be honest with yourself will increase how honest you are with others and your honesty with others
will influence them to be more honest with themselves which will then help them improve
their lives this is true for all aspects of K's rule whether it's honesty productivity charity or
consent the Michael Jackson Maxum suggest that kant's rule once adopted by enough people will
generate a snowball effect in the world enacting more positive change than any calculated policy
or institution the duty of self-respect Kant intuitively understood that there is a fundamental
link between our respect for ourselves and our respect for the world the way we interact with
our own psyche is the template which we apply to our interactions with others and little progress
can be made with others until we've made progress with ourselves he would likely be disgusted with
the self-esteem movement today seeing it as just another way of treating people as a means to some
end of feeling better self-respect isn't about feeling better self-respect is about knowing
your own value knowing that every human no matter who they are deserves basic rights and dignities
that every Consciousness is sacred and must be treated as such Kant would argue that telling
ourselves that we are worthless and shitty is just as wrong as telling others that they are
worthless and shitty lying to ourselves is just as unethical as lying to others harming ourselves is
just as repugnant as harming others self-love and self-care are therefore not something you
learn about or practice they are something you are ethically called on to cultivate within yourself
even if they are all you have left the impact of kant's philosophy Khan's philosophy if you
dive into it is riddled with inconsistencies and issues but the power of His original ideas
is undoubtedly changed the world and strangely when I came across them a year ago they changed
me I had spent most of my 20s pursuing many of the items on the list above but I pursued them
for practical and transactional reasons I pursued them as a means because I thought that they would
make my life better meanwhile the more I worked at it the emptier I felt but reading Kant was an
epiphany and only 80 Pages Kant Swept Away decades worth of assumptions and beliefs he showed me that
what you actually do doesn't matter as much as the purpose behind doing it and until you find the
right purpose you haven't found much of anything at all K wasn't always a hum drum roue obsessed
dork he wasn't always the mayor of boreville in fact in kant's younger years he was a bit of a
party Hound as well he would stay up late drinking wine and playing cards with his friends he'd sleep
late and eat too much and host big parties it wasn't until he turned 40 that he dropped it
all and developed the routine life he later made famous he said that he developed this routine at
40 because he realized the moral implications of his actions and decided that he would no
longer allow himself to waste the precious time or energy his Consciousness had left Kant called this
developing character AKA building a life designed around maximizing your own potential he believed
most people can't develop true character until they reach middle age because until then they
are still too seduced by the fancies and whims of the world blown this way and that from excitement
to Despair and back again we're too obsessed with accumulating more means and are hopelessly
oblivious to the ends that drive us to develop character a person must Master their own actions
and master themselves and while few of us can accomplish that in a lifetime Kant believed
it's something we each have a duty to work towards in fact he believed it was the only thing to work
[Music] towards what's up everybody Mark Manson here and what you just heard is an
excerpt from the number one New York Times bestseller everything is [ __ ] a book about
Hope be sure to check it out and uh check out my YouTube channel it's um you're on [Music]
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