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Who is your favorite philosopher / intellectual / societal influencer or commentator?

Mjäll said:
"The prophet" is a great book, admirably brief.
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I recommend Spirits Rebellious if you find his critiques of the clergy poignant. It’s probably his best work on religion, from the perspective of getting to the core of what religion actually is (and not what the clergy say it is)

Broken Wings is my favorite novel of his though. Can’t recommend it enough

But yes, The Prophet is a classic and is how I was introduced to his work. I actually bought it at a used book store a few days after my first LSD trip. It summed a lot of shit up that I was trying to make sense of
 
December Flower said:
also: Hikaru Nakamura
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May I ask why?

Amazing chess player but I've never absorbed anything else. He's lovably arrogant if anything, both egotistical but kind, as many chess players are.

But philosophy from him? Not sure, but curious.
 
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Snafu in the Void said:
May I ask why?

Amazing chess player but I've never absorbed anything else. He's lovably arrogant if anything, both egotistical but kind, as many chess players are.

But philosophy from him? Not sure, but curious.
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Well he's much less arrogant than most IMs i've seen, in fact he often states that the only reason he's good at chess is because he sucks at everything else.

I don't know, the thread asked for favourite intellectuals, he's my favourite alive, at least one of them, other than certain people i know irl.
 
December Flower said:
Well he's much less arrogant than most IMs i've seen, in fact he often states that the only reason he's good at chess is because he sucks at everything else.

I don't know, the thread asked for favourite intellectuals, he's my favourite alive, at least one of them, other than certain people i know irl.
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He's got a great sense of humor and is more humble than others, outside of chess, I agree.

I didn't know you were a chess fan. Do you play?
 
Snafu in the Void said:
He's got a great sense of humor and is more humble than others, outside of chess, I agree.

I didn't know you were a chess fan. Do you play?
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Yeah play almost every day with my housemate.

Only got back into it about 2 to 3 months ago. Before that an almost 20 year hiatus, after my grandpa died i couldn't deal. He taught me everything, he was Bavarian chess champion.

Im a huge fan, hell i got a chess board worth about 20,000€(from my granpa). I've been nerding the sport like crazy since i started again

I still play worse though in comparison to how i played when i was 9. humbling thought
 
brainonbugs said:
Oh many have tried.. but I love the man. He is truly a force for good , has helped me and millions of others.
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I don't agree with him on everything and lately he's lost the plot a bit I think, but I read his book and I've got a folder on YouTube with 230+ clips. I'm still cleaning my room lol.

This is my favourite clip. His use and understanding of language is one of the things I respect most about him..

 
Niccolo Machiavelli

Brilliant and (still) unfairly maligned historical figure imo

Also Emma Goldman and Eugene V. Debs, more for their perseverance and values rather than their intellectual contribution though
 
No other person, living or not, has had as much of a profound effect on me as Alan Watts.
 
George Carlin and Bill Hicks for social commentary. Each in their own way. For social commentary I don't want an endless intellectual diatribe e.g. Jordan Peterson, because inevitably the more you say the more there is for you to be wrong on. Just throw out valid observations and make everyone aware of their stupidity, and let God/themselves figure it out.

For philosophy I look to those with a mystical angle. Like the Indian, Nisargadatta Maharaj, and his book 'I am That'.
Western philosophy just tends to be endless word salad of nothing practical and also is no where near self-critical enough.

For keeping it real I liked Patrice O'Neal.
 
AbbeyLee said:
I don't agree with him on everything and lately he's lost the plot a bit I think, but I read his book and I've got a folder on YouTube with 230+ clips. I'm still cleaning my room lol.

This is my favourite clip. His use and understanding of language is one of the things I respect most about him..

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I agree he is not As sharp mentally , i think its partly just getting older but also the medical issues and stress.

We always have a room to clean 😝
 
brainonbugs said:
I agree he is not As sharp mentally , i think its partly just getting older but also the medical issues and stress.

We always have a room to clean 😝
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Yep. I actually saw some guy on YouTube saying the same thing not long ago.. I had to find it heh:

 
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