Starting Point: Curiosity Spark
So last Tuesday, I wondered why smart-sounding folks mix philosophy with psychology like peanut butter and jelly. Grabbed coffee, sat on my lumpy couch, and just dove headfirst into this mess. Started scribbling notes on an old pizza box—yeah, classy.
The Messy Experiment Phase
First up, tried stalking my own thoughts. Like, why did I yell at my dying houseplant last week? Realized I treat that fern like my annoying cousin. Made zero sense logically, but emotionally? Boom – connection. Scribbled that down next to a pepperoni stain.
Tried another test:
- Observed myself avoiding my packed email inbox like it’s radioactive waste.
- Remembered Epicurus yapping about avoiding pain.
- Binged cat videos instead. Pure pain avoidance. Philosophy + psychology = me procrastinating.
The Library Disaster
Went to the library feeling all scholarly. Grabbed dusty philosophy tomes and psych journals. Looked at big brain words: existentialism, cognitive bias. Felt my eyes glaze over. Spilled lukewarm coffee on Nietzsche. Sorry, Friedrich. Key takeaway? Experts ruin everything with jargon.
Street-Level Testing
Hit my neighborhood park. Asked a grumpy dude feeding pigeons: “What’s your life purpose?” He stared hard. “Feed birds. Avoid my wife.” Stoicism meets marriage counseling. Simple. Brutal. Later, chatted a kid who said happiness was unlimited ice cream (Aristotle’s pleasure principle meets brain freeze). Real philosophy and psychology live where people just… exist.
Connecting My Own Dots
Synthesized my chaos into 5 ugly truths:
- You aren’t thinking – you’re reacting like a lab rat. Philosophy questions it, psychology explains why.
- Everybody’s “truth” feels solid until their boss yells at them. Then it shatters like cheap glass.
- Ancient dead guys figured out mental health hacks before “self-care” was Instagrammable. Marcus Aurelius basically invented journaling angst.
- Logic fights feelings. Feelings usually win. You “know” smoking kills. Still crave that sweet, sweet nicotine.
- Understanding why you feel crazy doesn’t stop the crazy. It just makes you sigh louder.
The Aftermath
Tried using my new “wisdom.” Partner asked why I forgot our anniversary. Quoted Kierkegaard’s fear and trembling concept about commitment. Got the couch for a week. Conclusion? Hybrid knowledge won’t save you from stupid mistakes. Just lets you analyze them better while eating cold pizza alone.