I need to read this essay. I have spent some time with second part of The Life of the Mind (and quite a lot of time with first half). What I have gleaned about freedom from the second half, on willing, is that there are two kind of freedom, external and internal (these are my terms for them). The second kind of freedom. ie, internal freedom, is a historical invention, which I do not think means that it is not real. Internal freedom was born with Christianity. The first kind of freedom, external freedom is basically just a state of not being a slave, not being destitute, not being sick, having private property, etc. These two types of freedom also correspond 1) starting something new and 2) . . . something else . . . maybe choosing. They do not correspond exactly. . . I think she may think that freedom occurs when internal and external freedom overlap in the proper ways. For example, I may experience freedom in consciously willing to tie my shoe (starting something new), but this situation does not really capture what it means to be free in the world. What do you think? I will give your video a listen.
I've looked at Peterson's 12 Rules. It's my opinion that Peterson's work has some of the trappings of philosophy, but in content is actually quite shallow self-help. If we dig deeper into Arendt's work we find a response to some of the deepest questions in the history of philosophy, whereas, it seems to me, when we dig deeper into Peterson's, we find a poorly justified invocation of traditional cultural values. That said, Arendt certainly has a socially conservative bent and I think there's probably some room for comparison on that front, if not philosophically.
You are the best....you made it easy to understand...please continue 🙌
Thank you allot! Hero!
I need to read this essay. I have spent some time with second part of The Life of the Mind (and quite a lot of time with first half). What I have gleaned about freedom from the second half, on willing, is that there are two kind of freedom, external and internal (these are my terms for them). The second kind of freedom. ie, internal freedom, is a historical invention, which I do not think means that it is not real. Internal freedom was born with Christianity. The first kind of freedom, external freedom is basically just a state of not being a slave, not being destitute, not being sick, having private property, etc. These two types of freedom also correspond 1) starting something new and 2) . . . something else . . . maybe choosing. They do not correspond exactly. . . I think she may think that freedom occurs when internal and external freedom overlap in the proper ways. For example, I may experience freedom in consciously willing to tie my shoe (starting something new), but this situation does not really capture what it means to be free in the world. What do you think? I will give your video a listen.
This is very close to what Jordan Peterson means when he says clean your room.
I've looked at Peterson's 12 Rules. It's my opinion that Peterson's work has some of the trappings of philosophy, but in content is actually quite shallow self-help. If we dig deeper into Arendt's work we find a response to some of the deepest questions in the history of philosophy, whereas, it seems to me, when we dig deeper into Peterson's, we find a poorly justified invocation of traditional cultural values. That said, Arendt certainly has a socially conservative bent and I think there's probably some room for comparison on that front, if not philosophically.