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👤 Rebel of the Week
Mad dog Diogenes
Plato described Diogenes as ‘Socrates gone crazy’, but he was taken seriously as one of the founders (along with Socrates’ pupil Antisthenes) of the philosophical movement called Cynicism, derived from the Greek kynikos, ‘dog-like’.
📚 Light Reading
Why are married people happier?
It doesn’t really matter if you are divorced, widowed, or have never married: If you’re not married, you’re less likely to be happy.
10 schools of philosophy and why you should know them
There are many famous schools of thought that you have probably heard of, but did you hear the truth or just get a caricature of the idea?
The herd in the head
It’s enormously empowering—even intoxicating—to lose yourself in a crowd. That is why we need contrarians.
🔎 Study of the Week
Monkeys choke under pressure, just like humans
Choking under pressure is a frustrating phenomenon experienced sometimes by skilled performers as well as in everyday life.
It seems rhesus monkeys choke under pressure too, which implies that choking has roots in our shared neurophysiology and is not unique to human psychology.
📺 Video of the Week
The great film director, Francis Ford Coppola, on risking everything for your craft (3 min.)
🎙 Podcast Episode
How much freedom would you trade for security?
Stephen West talks about the ongoing social dilemma of freedom versus security. The value of privacy, states of exception, and Deleuze's ‘Societies of Control’.
🗣 In Quotes
👀 Perception Watch
Can you see it?!
😲 WTF
In 1963, the huge underground city of Derinkuyu was discovered in Turkey when a man knocked down a wall in his basement.
Dating back 2500 years and extending to a depth of about 60 metres, the city housed up to 20,000 people in secrecy. It had everything needed for life underground when escaping invaders, including kitchens, schools, and stables.
😁 In the Memetime
📖 Book Club
In Wild Problems, Russ Roberts draws on the experience of great artists, writers, and scientists of the past who found creative ways to navigate life's biggest questions. And he lays out strategies for reducing the fear and loss of control that inevitably come when a wild problem requires a leap in the dark.
🤔 Contemplation Corner
In the late 19th century, around 75% of household budgets were spent on food, housing, and clothing.
🎧 The Song of the Week
Elaine Stritch — Are You Having Any fun?
Listen to the Rebel Intellects playlist on Spotify.
🧠 Become a Rebel
Elevate your thinking, one maverick at a time. Each month, we explore a different philosopher's wisdom. Click here to find out more.
September Workshop:
👍 Thanks for Reading
As always, if you enjoy this newsletter, I’d love it if you shared it with a friend or two. If you’re not finding it valuable, please consider unsubscribing—no hard feelings!
Live well, and I’ll see you next week.
John