Empty is that philosopher’s argument by which no human suffering is therapeutically treated. For just as there is no use in a medical art that does not cast out the sicknesses of bodies, so too there is no use in philosophy, unless it casts out the suffering of the soul.
— Epicurus
I’m not a huge fan of Heidegger but I do think he was a genius and a juggernaut in philosophy, unavoidable. He argued human being, or Dasein more accurately, swings between more authentic, self-owned living and inauthentic, crowd-oriented living which he referred to as “fallenness” but despite the connotation it is not necessarily a negative. It is part of our condition and is natural, for lack of a better word. Meaning, don’t be too hard on yourself for not living a perfectly philosophical life.
Be a philosopher; but, amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.
— David Hume
Philosophy has changed my life.
I studied philosophy in university but also read it vociferously before and after university. It informs my perspective on everything. Lately I’ve gone a few years without reading too much philosophy, which is something that has not happened since I first began reading it in high school which happened half a lifetime ago for me but I had some things happen and I didn’t have the same energy or attunement for it. I think life comes in flows or rhythms so I try not to worry about it as I used to. I try to get my nourishment from films I can analyze philosophically and it also helps me that I am religious and gain consolation from that—although not in the way most are, and I don’t attend any sort of church or anything. I am also more inclined towards my social life, but my social life is filled with people who are very similarly philosophically inclined. Even if they don’t read it or know it, they live it, and being around people like that satisfies me. I will go back to philosophy when the time is right, or rather philosophy will come back to me.
Levinas thought it was not the role of philosophy to provide consolation for the soul, and reserved that for religion. Sometimes religion leads us to philosophy and sometimes philosophy leads us to religion. I am fortunate enough to have experienced both in that order.
You may feel lost right now but it’s more likely, from what I see in your writings, that you are already on your path but you just don’t see it yet. We all take different paths and some are more difficult than others but you have the strength to walk it, or to find another if this path is leading you away from yourself. But the suffering of the soul does not necessarily mean you are on the wrong path, it may very well mean you are on the right path. And you are laying good groundwork for yourself but don’t forget that we also are material beings and it is important to live our existence with others in a way that is fulfilling for ourselves and others. We cannot just think about it, it is just important for us to decide how to do it and then most importantly to do it.