Why you do it Archives - Why You Do it

Can you name one event that people get congratulated for that was done ENTIRELY within their control and ENTIRELY with their own free will? (The only thing that you can truly congratulate someone for is…umm…?)

Dave March 1, 2018 On Questions / Why you do it

Any thing ‘fortunate’ that happens happen with either the help of other people, conditions or things you don’t control. Getting married relies on someone else accepting you. Having a baby relies on favourable biological dispositions within the father and mother’s body. Getting accepted into University relies on acceptance by the …

Missing the point #6 & [Am I full of shit? #2]: Why am I getting a tattoo of Snufkin today?* (Especially since he’s maybe the last person who’d see the point in getting one) *Actually,2 of him and 2 of what he says.

Dave December 2, 2017 Am I full of shit? / Missing the Point / On body / On Snufkin / On the philosophy of... / On the Stoicism of... / Why you do it

What’s the point of tattoos? I don’t know and it might be different for every person, but today I’m getting this done on one arm: And this on the other: With this text somewhere too: It’s so exciting… Things which you have no control over… You can see a great …

Why you do it: Handwriting and sending letters overseas like it’s 1997

Dave August 30, 2017 Why you do it / Whyism

Socrates said that an unexamined life is not worth living. And as is one without purpose. A purpose for everything we do. When’s the last time you handwrote a letter and sent it? I’m about to for the first time since September 2006, to a friend across a shit ton of …

Don’t take anyone’s word for it (except maybe the Pirahã)

Dave June 13, 2017 Why you do it / Why you learn it

The Pirahã people of Brazil don’t believe anything unless they actually see it for themselves. And if they’re told a story or someone gives them advice, they don’t accept it unless that person’s actually experienced it themself. It’s the ‘immediacy of experience’ principle. The Pirahã also don’t think or talk about worst-case scenarios …

Ben Lee wrote about my blog (well, a line)

Dave June 12, 2017 Stoicism / Why you do it

This happened today (well, actually last week, but I don’t check my Facebook because I have 0 Facebook friends): That’s pretty cool. Especially since it’s Ben Lee –someone whose music I not only love, but whose philosophy on life is one I try to live by in many ways. Another …

Don’t read this. Seriously, don’t.

Dave May 21, 2017 Constant Consciousness / Why you do it

Clickbait is everywhere. Basically anything on the internet is clickbait. But it’s not different to anything else in life either. Newspaper headlines, movie names, even book titles are all cooked up to hook you. But the internet is pretty much based on clickbait. Articles with titles designed to make you worry, …

Success lies in the process not in the praise

Dave May 19, 2017 Routines / The good life / Why you do it

Academy and Grammy award winners talk about the crash they feel soon after they win. They get the high of the victory but soon after, many think ‘Is that it? Now what? Where do I go from here?’ It’s because being what society sees as ‘successful’ is something most of …

This could be your last day on Earth. Okay, go.

Dave May 18, 2017 Stoicism / The good life / Why you do it

If this were the last day you were going to be alive, what would you do? And at the end of it, would you be happy with how you spent it? I’m sure you’ve seen this kind of thing before: or: or the lamest one of all: Shitty. And the last one’s …

The pointless pursuit of legacy

Dave May 17, 2017 Why you do it

Devoting all your effort and time into leaving a legacy is like going to Disneyland and instead of actually going on the rides, you spend the whole day convincing people that no one has ever ridden Disneyland’s rides with such valour, bravery and heroism as you. That you ride the rides …

Constant Consciousness

Dave May 16, 2017 Constant Consciousness / On time / Why you do it

You can make as much money as you can or buy or collect as many things as you want but there’s one thing that can’t be recovered. The thing that once you waste, you can’t get back: time. How much closer would we be to the life we want if we didn’t waste …