Past Articles

Plato & Socrates find Zen.

More and more young Americans and movie stars are becoming great fans of Zen Buddhism and their ancient practice of meditation. In sports, NBA coach Phil Jackson has made the practice popular by implementing Zen practices with his team and leading them to eleven Championship victories. Among my friends I find them in a great state of tranquil peace after they emerge from their Zen meditation class. After observing all of these Zen activities and more, I thought it would be useful to research a bit about Zen. And who better to explore the research then our good friends Plato & Socrates.

 

Do the costs outweigh the benefits?

I’m sure that no matter what your age that by the time you read this you have come across what most people categorize as “Cost/Benefit analysis”. However, chances are that there is no clear parameter for all of the equations in this formula. If we look back upon decisions we or others have made, sometimes we can’t but help ask “What was/were I/they thinking?” President Bill Clinton’s decision to conduct an affair and jeopardize his seat as the most powerful man in the world (along with the pope) all for sex! What was he thinking? What were the Enron executives thinking when, after already making out like bandits, they decided to seek after more and more money until they were finally put in jail? What was Adam thinking when he took a bite of an apple at the cost of being rejected from the greatest place on earth?

Reflection.
Lessening the Dark (not with light but with less dark).

I am so sick and tired of hearing about how we should repent our sinful natures and immediately beg for forgiveness all the while adapting so and so’s way of living. If you are sick of being told you need to change and that you are somehow disrespecting God with your sinful actions this is the article for you.

 

You, Yourself and I.

Breaking up is hard to do. There’s been books written about it, movies displaying it, friends telling you to do it but when it comes down to it, getting over love and past a break-up can be one of the hardest parts of relationships, and of life itself. You might know people who you are envious of because they appear to get over relationships very quickly.  Rest assured, they are in just as much of a struggle as all of us; and in fact, probably digging their hole deeper and deeper. If you’re looking for a few ideas and thoughts on how to “move on,” you’ve set your eyes on the right article.

Plato & Socrates
Fishing For Guilt

For generation upon generation guilt and shame have plagued humanity. Socrates and Plato take a unique look at the purpose of these shady concepts and how to transform them into something more productive.

Plato: I’ve gotten a nibble! (The younger philosopher yelled triumphantly and excitedly as he felt a pull on his rod).

Socrates: Hush you dumbfounded moron; you are scaring all the little Nemos away.
Plato. Nemo?

Being You To The Fullest

Beauty. What is it to you? Please think of what makes something beautiful in your eyes. Whether it is a rainbow in the sky, a fast car on the freeway or a passionate kiss between lovers.

When I was a teenager I soon realized that beauty in itself meant nothing to me. Beauty is simply beauty. But when something becomes beautiful, or, we notice that it is beautiful, that is when the magic happens.

 

N.B. This is a subjectively objective investigation of the two main ways of acquiring what you want.

People do not need lessons, books, manuals or seminars to teach us how to get what we want. From the moments even prior to comprehending or forming language, babies and toddlers have become professionals at announcing what it is they want and their displeasure about not having it. From that young age of only a few months old individuals develop the skill and tools that they will need in life to gain what they want from life and from others. Although this article only emphasizes the two main forms of obtaining your desires there are hundreds more. Within the models of coming from above and coming from below are infinite different models and specific styles to “victory”. For times sake, we focus on the main two as we join our Greek friends.

 

 

Jacuzzi,
Free to Be.

How we relate to what we think we know is essential and quite revealing to the way that we lead our lives and make decisions. For the sake of relating to something that we may all be familiar with let’s zero down specifically into the religious paradigm. Though, as we are looking at the way we relate instead of the “it” itself we could contextualize the approach and broaden it to several more significant things that we relate to on a daily basis.

 

The Adventures of Plato and Socrates: The Cycle of Judgment

"Frustration is often lifted not by fixing the problem, but by exploring it."

Adventures of Plato & Socrates

"Ultimately you can choose to decide to start abiding by their request, rule, suggestion, whatever it is and let them know that it would not be your “road” of choice but out of respect you will take it. Or you can accept their judgment and possible rejection and go down your path creating the map of your life on your own together. Those are the choices that come to my mind at first anyways; obviously there are many irresponsible ones all around."

The Next Best Person

"I once heard of a guy who did exactly that. I’ve never met him in person but from what I understand he embraced people for who they were, not for who they should be. I’m not really sure how he was able to do this for his whole life but rumor is he did… But there is something that I really like about this model of friendship. It’s authentic, it allows us to be us, listen to that, as if we think we have the “power” to allow other people to be or not to be who they are! Or even as if we have the choice not to be ourselves, as if they could be anybody but who they are."

Present-ing Yourself!

So hopefully, whether we know it or not, we all have our own way of motivating ourselves to do something that might not typically be classified as “fun”. You know what I am talking about, the little things like getting to work on time this morning, doing your homework before class, cleaning the dishes and taking the dogs for a walk. But also the big things- filing your taxes, bringing up great kids and making sure you get the season tickets for the Lakers! Whether it is big things or small things sometimes we just need motivation, a “kick in the butt” or even a reward in order to get things done! I am going to suggest trying a new system, give presents to yourself! Everyday! Throughout the day!

Socrates and Plato: The religions of the world.

“A what?”

“A world-wide gathering of thinkers, historians, religious leaders and rulers! Please my friend we must go!”

There on his grand table lay an invitation addressed to Socrates of Athens to attend the world’s first annual “peace meeting” in Egypt the following week. Plato had run in and slapped the letter on the desk, despite the fact that Socrates had been hiding under the table itself.

“I won’t go. I have a cooking lesson that night. Roasted Pork with a cherry glaze, I’ve been looking forward to this one since I signed up for the class.”