eminem

I've realized that I think deeper than anyone that I know really and I'm not sure what to make of it. Basically I've been organizing my thoughts on the computer and basically making a guide to life (maybe only my life?) Just basic ideas/morals/things I've discovered about life and it's a work in progress.

So if ya'll would be so kindly to read it and tell me anything you feel is revelant. I'm very open to suggestions/criticing and basically anything that can make it better. Anything you feel about it feel free to post! I learn very well from others

Remember, it's a work in progress so it's not even close to being finished!


Guide to Life

Section 1: Laws of Daily Life

1. Law of Teenagers: No matter how hard you try, a teenager will not listen to a word you say. They insist on learning through experience, feelings, and consequences.
2. Law of the Highway: As much as one may object, the opposite way traveled is indeed the way to get home.
3. Law of Meeting People: There is no need to go to a place where mass people gather to find an attractive member of the opposite sex. Any place where peers gather will suffice.
4. Law of Fun: Doing different things away from the norm is what keeps life interesting and exciting.
5. Law of People: Everyone seems nice and awesome until you get to know them. Everyone has a bad side.
6. Law of Being Taken: Members of the opposite sex will find you irresistible while you have a partner. However, once single, they won’t notice you. (You want what you can’t have)
7. Law of Discussions: Intense discussions are great for any occasion.
8. Law of Going Places: Traveling is very important for any person so they can realize that things do change depending on where you go. You will grow as a person and become a well rounded person as you get accustomed to new ideas and customs. (Yes New England is the armpit of the world)
9. Law of Alcohol: A person who is drunk is acting the way they want to but for some reason cannot while sober. This is their true self, however they are still drunk.
10. Law of Traffic: No matter what never change lanes in traffic. Once you do, that lane will stop moving and the lane you were just in will move quickly.
11. Law of The Golden Rule: Even if you don’t follow the Golden Rule, others do. Don’t be surprised if you’re a jerk to someone, and they’re a jerk back to you.



Section 2: Lessons to Live by

1. Life's never what you expect from it, but ultimately what you make of it.
2. If you're not sure, try asking questions first, before you come up with answers.
3. Don't expect to find answers, but aspire to ask and answer questions.
4. It's hard to do good, in a bad mood.
5. The bigger someone tries to make themselves, the smaller they're feeling.
6. Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.
7. Without pain; without sacrifice; we would have nothing.
8. Don’t be scared when the doors of happiness close because another one opens. Don’t be blinded by sadness because you will fail to see the opportunity.
9. Live for today, because tomorrow many never come.



Section 3: Scott’s Lessons to Live by

1. Whatever you see wrong with other people is really what’s wrong with yourself.
2. Don’t let people bring you down by calling you a “freak” or a “dork”. Be yourself and be proud.
3. Not everyone is like you, accept it and grow from it. Learn from they’re culture and beliefs.
4. Travel.
5. It’s okay to be different, in fact DARE to be different. It’s what makes you unique and not like Joe down the street.
6. Try different things and be open to new ideas. Don’t pass judgment on an idea just because it doesn’t coincide with your beliefs. Try it and see what all the fuss is about.
7. The things you want most in life will not come easy. They must be worked for. Put your blood, sweat, and tears into the most important aspects of your life.
8. Don’t be lazy, even if it is the American way. Get off your butt and change your life for the better!
9. Strive to be better than everyone else, just remember that you not.
10. You can’t get to the good part of life without first going through the bad. The bad is what makes the good so great.
11. Beauty fades and personality grows. Being physically attracted to a person is very important, but it’s not the backbone of a relationship.
12. Share your experiences and listen and learn from other peoples. Do both and do them equally.
13. No matter how hard you try to help people, they won’t listen. They have to figure things out for themselves.
14. Life is all about the little things. Find them and appreciate them.
15. One can never fully express a love for someone until they are gone. Because then is when you finally realize how much you had together and how important he/she was.
16. Nice guys only finish last with girls who don’t deserve them. Be nice and be yourself, eventually a girl will come along who appreciates you for you.
17. Mistakes are great as long as you learn from them. Otherwise you’re wasting both of our time making repeated stupid mistakes.
18. Sorry means that you regret doing what you did and it won’t happen again. It’s not a word that can be abused. Use with care, otherwise it won’t mean what you intend it to.
19. You should never regret doing anything, as long as you learn from it.
20. One should never find another special someone directly after a breakup. You need time to find out how much you cared about them and to see if the breakup is worthy. Otherwise you get sidetracked and tend not to think about it as much as you should. You owe it to the other person to not put them aside for someone else.
21. Guys tend to think that sex is a tool that is used primarily for sexual pleasure. However once you feel the amazing feeling when sex is shared with someone you love, sex with never be the same.
22. Learn to take advice and listen to what people tell you, they’re doing it for a reason. Most likely that reason is they care about you and are trying to help.
23. Don’t be scared to tell someone the truth, even though they probably won’t listen. There is no reason to lie to someone’s face just to make them feel good about themselves.






Section 4: Improving Thyself

Step 1. The 3 L’s for a Better Life
Everyone has flaws, and that’s inevitable because no one is perfect. However there are certain things that everyone can improve upon to become generally a better person.
1. Listen: That doesn’t mean hear, that means listen. That means when people talk, absorb what they say and process through it. If it’s advice, don’t try and deny and reason it to death.
2. Learn: Everyone in this world is different and has different qualities about them. Once you get to see other aspects of a person, learn off them. Take in their good qualities to make them apart of you and make sure you don’t do the negative things that they do.
3. Live: Live life for today, not tomorrow. I’m sure you’ve all heard that tomorrow may never come, and it’s true. Live today for the fullest, accomplish as much as you possibly can in one day.

Step 2: Define Faulty Characteristics
Ask a close friend who you know will tell you the truth what your faults are. Have him/her read this list and let you know what negative traits you posses. Be prepared to hear what you don’t want to!
1. Unassertive: Are you a shy person who rarely speaks his/her mind in fear of getting shut down? Do you go with the flow because you find it to be easier?
2. Dishonest: Are you constantly telling a lie to back up another? Do you find that it’s hard to tell someone something because you’re not sure if it’ll go against something that you’ve said earlier? Do you say things that aren’t true to spare the feelings of another?
3. Procrastinator: Are you one to always say I’ll do it later or I’m too busy? Do you not meet deadlines because you put something off until the last minute? Or if you do meet them, is it not your best work because you did a 2 week job in 3 hours?
4. Attention Starved: Do you feel like you always need to be in the spot light? Are you one to say or do things that aren’t morally right just to get attention from a member of the same or opposite sex?
5. Selfish: Are you one who will beg for help from others but refuses to give it back? Do you take and take but never give back? Are your feelings more important than others?
6. Vain: Are you constantly looking at a reflection of yourself in a mirror or another reflective object? Do you feel that beauty is the most important thing in a person and personality comes in a distant second? Do you feel that you have to look good in order to be liked?
7. Judgmental: Do you see someone who is different from you and automatically put a name to them such as freak? Do you feel that because someone has a different that is not similar to yours; it doesn’t need to be heard? Do you find the negative traits in a person before you see the good? Do you stick to your thoughts even after a reasonable explanation is given?
8. Stubborn: Do things always have to go your way? Do you refuse to do a certain activity for no apparent reason at all and give no explanation? Do you stick to your guns no matter what the argument is? Can you never be wrong?

Step 3: Define Positive Characteristics
Ask a close friend who you know will tell you the truth what your positive traits are. Have him/her read this list and let you know what positive attributes you posses. Be prepared to gloat as you hear the best things about yourself.
1. Assertive: Do you not care what people think about you? Do you go for the gusto and obtain goals?
2. Leadership: Are you one who can direct other people to do certain jobs? Can you actively lay out a game plan and find people to fulfill it? Are you capable of being left in charge and succeed? Are you the person people put in charge to complete daily activities?
3. Organization: Do you have a planner of some sort? Do you know where all of your belongings are and when dates are? Are you left in charge to organize big events that occur in your daily life? Do you tend to keep things orderly in your mind and not have a million things to do, but instead go about them in a “common sense” process?
4. Caring: Are you the helpful friend who strives to help people out? Do you enjoy helping others and seeing other people happy and emotionally content? If a friend is in need, do you do all you possibly can to help that in any way possible?
5. Honest: Do you tell people like it is and try to make the see the light? Are you outright with how you feel even though you know it may cause distress?
6. Liable: Can you admit when you’re wrong and realize your mistakes? Do you take responsibility for your actions?
7. Polite: Do you tend to do things that aren’t required but make someone else grateful? Do you always say “please” and “thank you” when appropriate? Do you hold doors open for people regardless of age or gender?

AdamWho

Your thoughts are interesting but I wouldn't call them philosophy.

I think of philosophy in two ways.
1. There is "philosophy", as in a personal ideology or method for living. This is more like self-help books and religion.
2. Then there is philosophy the science of thinking and asking questions. This is found exclusively in colleges and in forums like this one.

The one thing that struck me most was the qualitative nature of your observations. You for instance say
While this maybe a useful piece of wisdom, you need to probe a little deeper. Why is a person more "true" when they are impaired? Is it the suppression of cognitive abilities? What is the self that can be suppress or released? Are we the same self or a different person when we drink?

Keep asking questions. You seem to have more answers than questions - the opposite of most philosophers.

Mach Looney

I found that I agreed with many, if not most, of the points of your personal "philosophy". I especially like the Law of Discussions! If only our society were more privy to intense discussions.

I do, however, agree with Adamwho in that your Laws are somewhat arbitrary and not really related to intense philosophical inquiry. Unless, that is, you have based these laws on some philosophical points that you did not delve into in this post.

I think that people "do" philosophy for different reasons. Some might do it in order to find the proper way to live, others do it for the intellectual exercise, and maybe others do it to find some truth. I find that your laws fit into the first category, which is fine.

So you won't get this published as a doctoral thesis. So what?

Keep thinking deep!

eminem

I wasn't sure which forum to post this in, and I assumed Philosophy would be the best one. I was hoping to get the most feedback and/or ideas I could add. Should I post it in a different forum which is more applicable?

Bill Snedden

Well, I agree that it doesn't really belong in the Philosophy forum, but I'm unsure as to what the best forum would be.

Because it deals with "lifestyle" issues, I'm thinking that it will get a better response in the Secular Lifestyle and Support forum. If not, the mods there can move it as they see fit.

Regards,

Bill Snedden

AspenMama

Well, as I don't see this as a Secular Lifestyle thread... off you go again-- sorry about the bumpy ride.

AspenMama, SL&S Moderator