I’m coming to philosophy from a place of necessity. It was never an area of study that particularly drew my interest. It struck me as being a boring pretentious circle jerk, to be frank. But now I find myself in a dark night of the soul and am turning to philosophy as a palliative measure. An antidote to despair.
I want to gain acceptance of illness and grief, to become inured to the inevitable ups and downs. To defy hopelessness. To gain resilience and that much-admired ability some have for demonstrating a quiet dignity in suffering. (Infuriating.)
I like beautiful literature but struggle with nonfiction if I find it overly dry or information dense. I learn best through stories that ground the ideas in people and relationships, not abstract examples. Do you have some recommendations for where to start?
Novels, nonfiction, philosophical essays, historical analysis, poetry… all are welcome. Please point me toward anything that helped you get through hard times.
by Equinox_Eyes