Dear friend,
I wanted to pen a quick essay on some personal thoughts on freedom, free will, and how you have (more) power than you think!
What do we really want in life?
OK, this is my thought:
Many of us think that we seek happiness via pleasure.
However this is what I believe:
I think what we really want is freedom– freedom to do whatever we want, freedom to NOT have to go into work everyday, and the freedom to NOT do shit you don’t want to do, and the freedom NOT to do stuff that others tell you to do.
Another idea:
The best way to be ‘happy’ is to be a creator– to make stuff!
Genesis means to give birth. As an artist, you give birth to your artworks.
The more artworks you give birth to, the happier you will be. The more artwork you create, the more likely you are to make a few which leave a deep impression and make a large impact on individuals on society, or others in the world (present or future).
Free will
There is a lot of talk with philosophers on the nature of ‘free will’.
There are some weak philosophers who say that humans have no free will — they say we are nothing but animals who are led by our instincts, wanton pleasures, etc.
I disagree. I think humans are great. Humans are MUCH greater than most people think!
No — humans are not just animals. We are something else– perhaps in today’s world we are “Homo Deus” [Yuval] — human+god-like.
I am a machine
Consider, at this point it is insane– we are like cyborgs. Consider even right now– I am standing up, typing my thoughts onto my keyboard (I can type around 130-140 words per minute), I am plugged into the laptop, and listening to music. I can stream thoughts seamlessly — could a dog ever do that?
Free will
I also have free will. I can decide TO do something, or choose NOT to do something.
For example, I have the power to fast (not eat food). I then also have the power to break my fast– to eat.
I have the power to walk to a car, jump in, drive to the gym, and do deadlifts.
Free will vs Will-Power
Now, when I think when people are talking about “free will” — I think they are trying to talk about “will-power”.
For example, if you have strong willpower, you can do almost anything. Remember Virgil’s phrase: “Mens movens molem” (Mind moves matter). That means, you can channel your mind (willpower) to create stuff in real life.
For example genetically, I have a smaller frame. Yet, I have been able to deadlift 405+ pounds. How did I do that? Simple — willpower (knowing that I had the ability to become very strong), training (going to the gym everyday), and pushing my limits (attempting to add 5 pounds to my maximum lifts every week).
Now, anyone can do what I did. The question isn’t a matter of free will or not (you can technically do anything you want to do). The question is will-power — or a question of:
Do you want to do it or not?
Then,
How bad do you want it?
Channeling your ego
Where does willpower come from? My thought: the ego.
I think innately human beings want to become powerful beings. We are never satisfied. We are always hungry for more power, influence, and domination (over our environment, over animals, and over other humans).
Thus I think a lot of the human ego can be used in a positive way– for us to channel our ego to do great things!
For example, Eddie Hall channels his ego to desire to become the strongest man in the world — to achieve the world-record of a 500kg deadlift — which is insane, because it is the heaviest weight that ANY HUMAN BEING (in the history of thousands of years) has been able to do!
Eddie Hall always had this burning ambition to become the best. Now, some people might call that being “egotistical” and thus “evil”. In today’s modern society, the quest of excellence is shunned– we are trained to be “humble” by Christian morality. We are not allowed to “flex” — because weaker people might feel bad about themselves!
But why is flexing bad? Why is being egotistical bad? I think if we can use our strength to help the weak — isn’t that noble?
So this is my idea:
Grow your ego to monstrous proportions– but channel your ego to do great things, and to use your strength to help the weak!
Free will
You can do anything you want in life. And you also must self-appoint your own task in life.
My thinking is this:
Our lives is short. Let us maximize our time, resources, and human metabolism to become the most epic human being possible — then use our strength to hoist others to our level!
GET STRONGER!
ERIC
Philosophy by KIM
Dictate your meaning and purpose in your life with ZEN OF ERIC:
Philosophical Essays
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- Wisdom Augmentation
- Why We Need Friction in Life
- Straight Line Philosophy
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- Try the Impossible
- SELF-RESPECT
- Anti-Social Extrovert
- Never Blame Anybody But Yourself
- Human Flourishing
- Simpler, Not Better.
- How to be Free
- Embrace the Extremes
- Cultivate Your Own Culture
- COURAGE.
- Thrivival
- Inner Power
- How to Live a Purposeful Life
- My Definition of Happiness
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- The Two-Pronged Approach to Maximize Joy in Your Life
- You Always Have Another Option!
- INFINITISM
- Never Stop!
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- Money Cannot Destroy Boredom
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- Never Stop Striving
- How to Motivate Yourself in Life
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- How to Dictate Your Purpose in Life
- In Praise of a Dynamic Life
- PURPOSE.
- How to Enjoy Life
- Photography Therapy
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- Take Your Play Very Seriously.
- How to Prosper
- Memento Vivere
- Destroy in Order to CREATE
- Trust Your Body More Than Your Mind
- Make Photos to Make Meaning in Your Life
- Seek Knowledge, Not Information
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- How to Overcome Impedence
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- How to Be Happy
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- Why I’m Happy
- Why?
- Why I’m So Prolific
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