Why Me? A philosophical guide to quarantined contemplation.

 What are some good ways to entertain the brain during lockdown?

“Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stand continually open to our gaze. But the book cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the language and read the letters in which it is composed” - Galileo Galilei. 

Even if this ‘grand book of the universe’ sounds daunting, it is nothing to shy away from. I have shrunk the book down to a couple pages, and it is a good sample of the meal philosophy holds. In these strange and unusual times, it can be good to lay back and take a moment to think. When I sit down outside with the birds chirping, more birds chirping, and only birds chirping can be heard, I wish I could take a break from it all and just think.

Who are some great people we can follow the lead of?

One very well known name includes Isaac Newton, with his self isolation period during the great plague of london, had some monumental findings in color, light and spectrum as well as perfecting calculus. When the bubonic plague hit, Shakespeare wrote hits like King Lear, Macbeth, as well as Antony and Cleopatra. 

When is the best time to expand the brain?

Right now! Any time you have time. More specifically, late morning/early noon is the most dashing time to use your head. It has yet to become stale, but not under done.

How can you start to question everything?

This article is a great place to start. You can go as deeply into them as you want, or just skim over them. Feel free to use them as guidelines to create your very own philosophical questions.

And finally, Why. Each of these questions can exist without a “Why?” at the end, but they do not live.

• If you could host an interview with any person, dead or alive, who would it be?

• Would you rather live a long yet boring life or a short and action packed one?

• If you had to get a tattoo, what would it be? And where

• What gives life meaning?

• If you had to start a new life in a totally different place, what would you bring with you? Why?

• What do you want your final words to be?

• Is it worse to fail or never try at all?

• What do you think are the five most beautiful things in the world? (This includes non-physical beauties)

• Do you trust anyone with your life?

• How do you think the world will change in a century?

• If you had the option of knowing the date and reason for your death, would you want to?

• Can war ever be justified?

• What do you value more, intelligence or wisdom?

• What is honor?

• What truths do you ignore?

• What makes someone hard to forget?

• What makes a good person?

• What do you count as “power”? Based on that, who is the most powerful person ever?

• How important is freedom of speech?

• Is there such a thing as a necessary evil?

• The Wagyu Problem:

  • Would you exchange your current life to live only 10 more years as a multi-billionaire?

• Do you believe in second chances?

• What would you do if you found out you were immortal? (In the long run)

• If you had to give up one of your senses, what would it be?

• Are you afraid of death?

• If you died today, what would your biggest regrets be?

• Is there someone in your life you will never fully trust/forgive?

• If you could teach the entire world one concept, What would it be?

• Is humanity going the right or wrong way?

• How do your intentions differ from your actions?

• Would you rather know a bit about everything, or everything about a bit?

• Does fate exist?

• What event in your life had the longest lasting consequences?

• If you trade lives with a character from a book or movie, who would it be?

• What brings/brought you the most joy?

• What is your definition of success?

• What is your biggest worry for the future?

• If you could give a toddler one piece of advice to build their entire life off of, what would it be?

• If you tried to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

• What would you like to be remembered as?

• While theseus sailed his ship through the medditeranian, he threw out a few boards each day and replaced them with new ones. By the end of his journey, his ship was made entirely of the new wood. Is it still the original ship?

  • As a bonus: 

  • His fans followed in suit and picked up each board he dropped. With this wood they built a ship. Which one is the real theseus’s ship, the one in the hands of his followers or him?

Using this helpful list can improve your view of the world, and ground your morals whilst we drift in an uncertain situation. It can help keep you from boredom, as well as helping you find more about yourself. This guide not only saves you from boredom, but it can help you learn more about yourself, and how you perceive the world. I suggest you try it out.