Comments on: Questioning http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/ Meditations on strategy and life Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:25:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ramiro http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11921 Ramiro Sun, 28 Mar 2010 13:47:40 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11921 The problem is, why would you turn red when observed? Why would you be embarrased? That is the problem. There is an Argentine contemporary philosopher (Alejandro Rozitchner, blogs in Spanish at www.100volando.net) that talks about "doing things without the feeling of being observed" (free translation). Why would you be embarrased? I think that is the issue. If you are embarrased, is because you have a mistaken approach to the whole thing. You may not be doing what you should be doing. I tend to think that we should be doing what we want to be doing (I like the idea of being guided by our wants, which will determine the "shoulds"). You SHOULD be doing what you WANT to be doing. If you are authentic, and true to yourself, if you learn to express your person(ality) from the inside to the outside, and learn to be responsible for your life, rather than being guided by outside sources, then the feeling of turning color or being embarrased should subside. I think. Thanks Ramiro The problem is, why would you turn red when observed? Why would you be embarrased? That is the problem. There is an Argentine contemporary philosopher (Alejandro Rozitchner, blogs in Spanish at http://www.100volando.net) that talks about “doing things without the feeling of being observed” (free translation). Why would you be embarrased? I think that is the issue. If you are embarrased, is because you have a mistaken approach to the whole thing. You may not be doing what you should be doing. I tend to think that we should be doing what we want to be doing (I like the idea of being guided by our wants, which will determine the “shoulds”). You SHOULD be doing what you WANT to be doing. If you are authentic, and true to yourself, if you learn to express your person(ality) from the inside to the outside, and learn to be responsible for your life, rather than being guided by outside sources, then the feeling of turning color or being embarrased should subside. I think. Thanks

Ramiro

]]> By: Sam http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11920 Sam Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:25:47 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11920 "You ought to keep the company of the sort of people who won't cause you to change color when observed" I like this. One thing I have noticed, though, is that occasionally it is not necessarily the company I need to change but rather myself. Case in point, last year there was a guy at school, a friend of a friend, who is just about the nerdiest/dorkiest looking guy I have ever seen in my life. He exuded dorkiness, to the extent that I was even embarrassed to be seen in public associating with him. Then I realized, how fucking insecure am I that I am afraid to be seen with a guy I don't even know just because of his damn appearance? When I finally got over my own insecurity, I actually realized he is a pretty cool guy. While we aren't exactly best friends (we don't have too much in common), when I was finally able to get over my own petty issues, I managed to meet an interesting person I wouldn't have otherwise had the pleasure of meeting. “You ought to keep the company of the sort of people who won’t cause you to change color when observed”

I like this. One thing I have noticed, though, is that occasionally it is not necessarily the company I need to change but rather myself.

Case in point, last year there was a guy at school, a friend of a friend, who is just about the nerdiest/dorkiest looking guy I have ever seen in my life. He exuded dorkiness, to the extent that I was even embarrassed to be seen in public associating with him.

Then I realized, how fucking insecure am I that I am afraid to be seen with a guy I don’t even know just because of his damn appearance?

When I finally got over my own insecurity, I actually realized he is a pretty cool guy. While we aren’t exactly best friends (we don’t have too much in common), when I was finally able to get over my own petty issues, I managed to meet an interesting person I wouldn’t have otherwise had the pleasure of meeting.

]]> By: Matt http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11919 Matt Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:44:41 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11919 I'm glad Ryan has chosen not to "blog for a living," but I think he has his own reasons for choosing to do other work instead. Anyway, I'm glad to have come across his page a few years back, and it's been one of the few that I've continued to follow regularly since it's been up. Whether or not his thoughts always resonate with me, his commitment to honest reflection and his attempts to communicate his thoughts has always inspired me. I’m glad Ryan has chosen not to “blog for a living,” but I think he has his own reasons for choosing to do other work instead. Anyway, I’m glad to have come across his page a few years back, and it’s been one of the few that I’ve continued to follow regularly since it’s been up. Whether or not his thoughts always resonate with me, his commitment to honest reflection and his attempts to communicate his thoughts has always inspired me.

]]> By: PK http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11918 PK Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:15:27 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11918 I'm with matt - Absolutely love reading your thoughts on business and life. Such great insights and you always draw from the most inspirational sources. Please update more often! You should really blog for a living if you already don't. We can all benefit from it. I’m with matt – Absolutely love reading your thoughts on business and life. Such great insights and you always draw from the most inspirational sources. Please update more often! You should really blog for a living if you already don’t. We can all benefit from it.

]]> By: Jenn http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11917 Jenn Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:54:48 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11917 Dammit, I've been reading your blog for some time now and ALL this time, I thought it was your mug in the header! My entire idea how I imagined you to be is kind of shattered at the moment.. Dammit, I’ve been reading your blog for some time now and ALL this time, I thought it was your mug in the header! My entire idea how I imagined you to be is kind of shattered at the moment..

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11916 Ryan Holiday Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:17:38 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11916 And no, I don't smoke and that's not me in the photo. And no, I don’t smoke and that’s not me in the photo.

]]> By: Ryan Holiday http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11915 Ryan Holiday Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:17:13 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11915 Uhh, no I'm saying you opt out of being backed into the corner by doing the right thing. Uhh, no I’m saying you opt out of being backed into the corner by doing the right thing.

]]> By: Ruth http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11914 Ruth Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:15:18 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11914 You have a cigarette featured in your webpage header. Keeping in mind nicotine's dangerous side effects on your health and the industry's infiltration of our capitalist economy, do you feel you're "banally...not prob[ing] something uncomfortable"? Are you also turning a blind eye to the fact that "there is this tacit admission that something is wrong with what is happening and our role in it"? Just wondering. You might not even be a smoker. You have a cigarette featured in your webpage header. Keeping in mind nicotine’s dangerous side effects on your health and the industry’s infiltration of our capitalist economy, do you feel you’re “banally…not prob[ing] something uncomfortable”? Are you also turning a blind eye to the fact that “there is this tacit admission that something is wrong with what is happening and our role in it”?

Just wondering. You might not even be a smoker.

]]> By: Alex http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11913 Alex Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:55:49 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11913 Are you saying that when you're backed into a corner, not sure what to do, you should take the action that won't make you ashamed if people knew about it? Are you saying that when you’re backed into a corner, not sure what to do, you should take the action that won’t make you ashamed if people knew about it?

]]> By: Hal http://www.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11912 Hal Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:56:02 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/questioning/#comment-11912 I am currently reading "Faking It" and this post reminds me of that book. Excellent post and book. I am currently reading “Faking It” and this post reminds me of that book. Excellent post and book.

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