When contemplating philosophy, it’s often useful to speak in the negative.
We never usually do this. We say, “I’m angry.” We don’t say, “I’m not calm.” We say, “I’m joyful.” We don’t say, “I’m not miserable.”
But when looking at a thing straight on, as in philosophy, we tend to get a clearer picture if we speak negatively.
It’s a hard thing to do. Because when we look at things straight on and start to speak negatively of said things, we begin to have to reconcile the opposite natures of those things.
For instance, it’s easy to say life is beautiful. It’s hard to say that life is not easy. Because when we say that life is not easy, it takes away from the beauty. But the reality is that life IS not easy. So, it seems that beauty has an element of wishful thinking. I guess what we call “hope.” But the second we realize that. We try to stop lying to ourselves. We grab back to the here and now, only to be confronted with the difficulties of paying attention to our duties as living creatures.
But when we speak in the negative in our minds and outwardly. When we say with a smile, “I’m not miserable.” Instead of saying, “I’m joyful”. We then open ourselves up to a more honest and lasting peace. Because we don’t set ourselves up for disappointment when the inevitable merry-go-round of life brings us down to below joy. Many people crash from spiritual highs because they don’t see the value of appreciating just not being miserable.
Life will always be hard. And so I will always take not being miserable over joy any day. I’ll take the simple carrying on in peace over the highs.
Whenever joy arrives in your existence, you’ll better see the situation if you simply appreciate not being miserable.
I know thinking in the negatives seems like cynicism, but I assure you that a slightly cynical outlook will lower your expectations to exactly where they need to be.
