Seeking feedback and participation in a shared effort to develop a movement of better living, embodied in lived experience and rooted in philosophical exploration, drawing on some of the themes from ancient philosophy and modern living that MMM has popularized.
The election has sparked me to begin to actualize this effort after years of thinking. We waste hours in the day with activities that leave us feeling flat. Sometimes our routines fail to elevate our highest priorities above the grind of making it through a day. I would like to gather participants around the sharing of encouragement and ideas to redesign our lives around some common principles, individually interpreted. These principles inform a list of capacities which become real through the conscious development of sturdy habits of a good life. There's also a list of common cultural traps that damage our capacities to live a good life.
Principles -
A. We live better if we pause to reflect on our priorities, create sturdy habits to fulfill our priorities, work through the cultural traps that impede the good life, and consult the best thoughts and experiences of others (living and dead) on the good life.
B. By living better lives we also improve the lives of others in our families, communities, and societies.
Most Prioritized Human Capacities for a Good Life:
Sleep
Reflection
Togetherness
Exercise
Food
Work
Beauty
Neighborliness
Learning
Civic participation
X
The big idea is that we stop to figure out our priorities, build habits to live those priorities, and learn to ameliorate cultural traps that prevent us from living our chosen lives. As my friend said, "Learn not to be a dumbfu*k."
So, for instance, I have noticed that I feel flatter and unable to avoid common cultural traps when I haven't slept enough. For me, sleep is the single item that most affects my ability to focus on my other desired capacities, so I put that first on my list. I noticed a lack of beauty in my daily life. For me, cello is the most beautiful instrument and the Bach Cello Suites the most beautiful music. I've begun learning cello and created habits of daily practice that immerse me in the making and appreciation of beauty.
X stands for the item that you need on your list that might be unique or unusual compared to most people. Or perhaps it's a shifting focus - now it's getting your home de-cluttered but later it will be a full on attempt to get out of debt.
Common Traps -
Each of the following activities, powerfully encouraged by dominant culture, hijack us away from our intentions through a combination of super-stimulation, over-satiation, and a paradoxical insatiability. We let them make us into junkies. These traps lose us time and energy to carry out our priorities for a good life.
A. Eating badly
B. TV and other mass media
C. Spinning around the internet and social media
D. Overexposure to news
E. Consumerism
F. Personal drama
G. Substance abuse
Would your list of core capacities of a good life look roughly like mine above? Would it make sense to you to share ideas and encouragement with others that want to live better, around this sort of prioritizing, planning, and habit building? Are there other important traps to name and avoid? Has anyone elegantly crafted habits that have fulfilled multiple capacities?
https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/september-1-1939