The School of Life: An Interview With Alain de Botton

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Philosophers were the first therapists

Philosophers teach us to think about our emotions, rather than simply have them. By understanding and analysing our feelings, we learn to see how emotions impact on our behaviour in unexpected, counterintuitive and sometimes dangerous ways. - Alain de Botton

Philosophy = thinking for yourself

Philosophers are interested in asking whether an idea is logical–rather than simply assuming it must be right because it is popular and long-established. - Alain de Botton

We don’t ask big questions

Big questions referring to is the meaning of life matter deeply because only with sound answers to them we can direct our energies meaningfully, but most of us get shy expressing them. - Alain de Botton

Individualism vs. fitting in

Most of us are interested in being normal. We want to belong – and worry about ways in which we don’t. No matter how much we praise individualism and celebrate ourselves as unique, we are deeply concerned with fitting in. - Alain de Botton