Explain when it serves a purpose, to build trust, enable cooperation, or prevent harm, but not to justify ourselves to everyone who questions us.
Complain strategically and to people who can actually help, rather than venting repeatedly to those who can't. Focus complaints on specific, addressable problems rather than general grievances.
This philosophy works well if others attempt to over-explain themselves or complain excessively. But taken to an extreme, it can isolate folks and prevent them from building the connections and communication that actually help them navigate life effectively.
How to live well, what's worth pursuing, how to treat others, and what gives life meaning. Explore philosophies that address those specific questions. Test ideas against your experience. Keep what helps you flourish and discard what doesn't.
Philosophy works best as a toolkit, not a dogma. Different tools serve different purposes at various times.
Practically oriented philosophies like Stoicism emphasise focusing on what you can control, accepting what you can't, and developing resilience. They're instrumental during hardship.
Virtue ethics from Aristotle and others focuses on cultivating good character traits - courage, wisdom, compassion, integrity - rather than following rigid rules. This resonates with how many people naturally think about morality.
Pragmatism evaluates ideas based on their practical consequences and usefulness rather than abstract truth claims. It's flexible and empirically grounded.
Philosophical eclecticism - drawing useful insights from multiple traditions rather than committing to one system - is how many thoughtful people actually operate, even if they don't label it as such.
Start with the questions that matter most to you - how to live well, what's worth pursuing, how to treat others, what gives life meaning. Then explore philosophies that address those specific questions. Test ideas against your experience. Keep what helps you flourish and discard what doesn't.