An Open Letter To The Philosophically Stifled

Expressing my frustrations with those individuals who deem philosophy boring and useless

I recently saw a video of this woman who commented that she does not understand why anybody would voluntarily read a Russian novel such as one by Dostoyevsky. I had to pause the video because my utter frustration was too overwhelming. This woman isn’t the only person to have said this, there have been many others.

As a person who craves intellectual discussion, finding philosophy boring and useless is baffling to me. When we are born, we are thrown into this unknown existence with almost nothing. From an early age, I have made it my mission to understand everything I can about all aspects of life. I find people will dismiss the things that they deem difficult to understand.

There is a recent tag making the rounds on the book reviewing side of YouTube. One of the questions within the tag is:

“Name a classic book or author that you have no interest in reading.”

A common answer given is one that completely dismisses classics such as Moby Dick and Great Expectations. They will often comment on how old the books are, therefore making it completely irrelevant to them.

“Man can will nothing unless he has first understood that he must count on no one but himself; that he is alone, abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite responsibilities, without help, with no other aim than the one he sets himself, with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself on this earth.” ― Jean-Paul Sartre

If you know absolutely nothing about philosophy, then this quote will seem like complete gibberish to you. The key point is to have the forethought to make an effort to understand what is being said here. This lack of effort makes comments like the one about Dostoyevsky redundant and irritating.

Ultimately, what I gather from this quote is that man cannot will anything to happen unless he acknowledges he is responsible for everything he does. Jean-Paul Sartre was of the belief that we have been propelled into this world without adequate knowledge, but we are still responsible for all we choose to do.

There is a portion of those reluctant to immerse themselves in greater knowledge that view intellectuals as pompous and deluded. They believe intellectuals labour the experiences of life to a point where it becomes nonsensical. However, I would argue that philosophers know well that they will not find a concrete answer to their quests, rather they find value in the quest for their truth.

I personally believe that having the most knowledge possible will better prepare you for what life throws at you. I find value in every little thing, no matter if it’s not a subject I am particularly interested in. In some ways, it has almost become trendy to find the quest for knowledge silly.

Literature is one of the greatest joys that I have in my life. You may think that I don’t read for fun, but it is quite the opposite. My quest for knowledge is pleasurable for me, which makes reading these philosophical novels and treatise fun!

Refusing to delve deeper into the nuances presented throughout literary texts moves into dangerous territory. I implore you to find it within you to treat the quest for knowledge as vital as breathing. I want to dispel this myth that intellectuals or those who partake in such discussions are obnoxious and self-serving.

Before you judge somebody who likes to question the world and its values, ask yourself if you will consider the possibility that not every truth you know are the only truths to be found.