“Of what use is a philosopher who doesn't hurt anybody's feelings?” ~Diogenes of Sinope We live in a world filled with thin-skinned status quo junkies walking on eggshells. Everyone is afraid of offending and being offended. Everyone is afraid of getting real. Everyone is afraid—full stop. Sentimentality abounds. Meek and soppy simpletons rule the day. Snowflakes with hair triggers are being triggered left and right. It’s a veritable minefield of mawkishness and cry-me-a-rive

“Just as a well-filled day brings blessed sleep, so a well-employed life brings blessed death.” ~Leonardo Da Vinci Death comes to us all. But life does not, necessarily. Most of us live life half-alive, or half-dead, depending on how you look at it. Quiet desperation tends to rule the day. Most of us merely survive rather than vitally thrive. Ironically, death can help us with this conundrum. Death can help us live life more fully. It can help us go from mere survivor to reso

“A philosophy of life is something that we all need, and something we all develop, consciously or not. Some people simply import wholesale whatever framework for life they acquire from a religion. Others make up their own philosophy as they go along.” ~Massimo Pigliucci Self-inflicted philosophy is foremost about creating our own philosophy despite the philosophies, religions, or ideologies of others. It’s rejecting the crutch handed down by our forefathers. It’s discarding t

“The law of levity is allowed to supersede the law of gravity.” ~R.A. Lafferty A robust character hinges on the Seven Core Virtues (courage, moderation, wisdom, justice, creativity, honor, and humor). This article is about the last and most powerful core virtue: humor. More specifically, high humor. So how do we attain high humor? By climbing up the ladder of Virtues. From which a healthy character leads to a healthy sense of wonder which leads to a healthy sense of humor. Th