The Headless Horseman Of Mass Media: Information Everywhere, Philosophy Nowhere
Did you ever notice that were surrounded by information but hardly ever come across an idea in the media that might help us lead sane and happy lives? Oh, not the usual self-help drivel about how to lose weight or enjoy sex, but answers to the really big questions, like what to think about when you wake up in the morning and how to drink water out of a plastic bottle without burping.
Try this experiment. Next time you go up to your favorite newsstand, scan all the overwrought front pages and smiley cover stories and try to find at least one suggestion that addresses the biggest questions your have about life. Were not kidding around here. Were talking about the big slam-dunk ideas that can actually help you get along with a commendable degree of rationality and happiness.
Of course, youd think everybody would know enough about such mental resources by the age of sixteen or so, but, judging by the amount of craziness and misery in the world, even among supposedly intelligent people, apparently very few folks ever do marshal their defenses against lifes tribulations and their...