I’m sure you have a system in place to save noteworthy quotes. Perhaps you keep a personal diary, a notes app, or the saved section on Instagram. This page is intended to be similar - a collection of insightful movie quotations, something I read in a book, or perhaps a thought-provoking Instagram reel - coupled with those provoked thoughts. I’ll try to include the source for as much stuff as possible, but many times I won’t recall where I found that because it was a culmination of many similar concepts. This is likely not going to be in any particular order because I may update it as and when I find something worthwhile.
Let me start by writing about why I’m so interested in philosophy. Turns out I prefer to create a mental model of the world in order to explain why individuals do what they do (including myself). Why do some people react so differently to a circumstance than others? To me, philosophy is just a fancy title for the internal monologue that people have with themselves when doing virtually anything - whether they realise it or not. This internal monologue is the consequence of everything we’ve picked up, conscious but mostly subconscious, and it drives so much of our lives. So, doesn’t it make sense to be mindful of our own philosophies? Anyways, I might be missing the mark by a country mile but that’s just my model of the world and so far it seems fitting.
The great moments of your life won’t necessarily be the things you do, they’ll also be the things that happen to you. Now, I’m not saying you can’t take action to affect the outcome of your life, you have to take action, and you will. But never forget that on any day, you can step out the front door and your whole life can change forever. You see, the universe has a plan, kids, and that plan is always in motion. A butterfly flaps its wings, and it starts to rain. It’s a scary thought, but it’s also kind of wonderful. All these little parts of the machine constantly working, making sure that you end up exactly where you’re supposed to be, exactly when you’re supposed to be there. The right place at the right time. - Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother, Season 4: Right Place, Right Time
Ted Mosby said so well that everything happens for a purpose. Although I am not a firm believer in destiny and like to feel that I have complete control over my life, it is soothing to know that there is a larger design at work when things aren’t really going my way. Another reassuring statement from a good friend is that “smart people are bound to end up in good places; it’s just a matter of how we get there.”
Some more Ted Mosby which no one asked for:
You make me thank God for every mistake I ever made, because each one led me down the path that brought me to you.
I like to rephrase this as - thank god for unanswered prayers!
If you’re not scared, you’re not taking a chance and if you’re not taking a chance, what the hell are you doing anyway?
I used to be (and still am) a risk-averse person. Perhaps because I haven’t witnessed many failures in my life. This was exacerbated by a strong degree and a solid career. So I was nervous when I quit my job at Goldman in 2023 to start my own company. I guess I am not used to going all in without a safety net. I’ve always known this had to change. I return to this quote a lot for strength.
Sometimes things have to fall apart to make way for better things.
We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses there is at least one which makes the heart run over. - The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell
…, Though in reviewing the incidents of my administration I’m unconscious of intentional errors, I’m nevertheless too sensible of my defects, not to think it probable that I may have committed many errors. I shall also carry with me the hope that my country would view them with indulgence and after 45 years of my life dedicated to its service with an upright zeal, the faults of incompetent abilities will be consigned to oblivion as I myself would soon be, … - George Washington’s farewell address (1796)
In 9th grade, a friend introduced me to Hamilton the musical. I found this there (Did you really believe I had read Washington’s farewell address?). When I initially heard this, I immediately decided that I would include this in every farewell letter I ever write.
A friend once told me that the true measure of a man isn’t what he reveals to the world, but what he hides from it. - Raymond Reddington, The Blacklist
You know I have this mental list of people who I absolutely love. I’d would move mountains for them. And I make sure to put myself on the top of the list every day.
I heard this in a poem recitation and have completely forgotten the what / who of that poem. When you cultivate self-love, you develop a stronger sense of self-worth, increased resilience, and a greater capacity to navigate life’s challenges. When you’re not used to being confident, confidence will feel like arrogance. When you’re used to being passive, assertiveness will feel like aggression. When you’re not used to getting your needs met, prioritising yourself will feel selfish. 🤯 Another one where I’m forgetting the source:
I like to spend 80% of my time on the light side and 20% on the dark side. And as Darth Vader will tell you, “There’s power in dark side.” You have to spend 80% of your time loving you, being proud of yourself. No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, just be really loving that you are showing up. Maybe you’re not satisfied with the level you’re playing at but no worries you’re there, you’re doing it. And then 20% of the time being WILDLY disappointed by yourself, being horrified by the fact that you were so lazy and so afraid of being cold that you couldn’t get out of bed. Like that’s terrifying and not acceptable and that’s not the person you want to continue to be and you find that so disgusting in yourself that you’ll make an immediate change. And if you don’t do that, you will never change.
Do you ever feel like you’re obsessing over someone. You hate yourself for doing that, but can’t seem to avoid it. This might be for you.
We obsess over people who reject us or we fear they might reject us. Obsessing gives us a false sense of control. When we face uncertainity or fear, our brain often becomes flodded with thoughts and scenarious about the situation in an attempt to control/predict the future.
DO NOT REMAIN STUCK in The Region Beta Paradox - Daniel Gilbert
Let’s say we have Jim who decides to walk to office if his office is within 1 mile of his residence otherwise he’d cycle. Now the paradox is that if his office is 2 miles away and he cycles, he’ll arrive there earlier than if the office was 1 mile away. This weird situation when something was technically worse for him - like his office being further away - actually turns out to be better. This happens very frequently in life. For example if you don’t like your job but it’s just about bearable, it could be better for you if it was worse so that you were forced to quit or take some other kind of action. This is the region beta paradox - that sometimes in life things need to get bad enough before you’re forced to take an action like breaking up with someone or going to see the doctor.
The body should be treated rigorously, that it may not be disobedient to the mind. - Seneca
When I crank the knob to cold in the shower or I push myself when I’m running or lifting weights, I feel like part of what that is is an assertion about who’s in charge,
Do people in heaven know that hell exists and do people in hell know that heaven exists? What power would hell have if those imprisoned there couldn’t dream of heaven.
It’s a beautiful line right, the idea that being trapped in hell, part of your punishment is your awareness of what you’re missing out on. But this begs a much darker question - what if the part of living in heaven is precisely that you know that other people are suffering in hell. It’s not enough to just be in heaven, it’s also the knowledge that other people aren’t. Very related to living in a capitalist consumer society - what if part of the enjoyment is our very shame that others don’t have it as good as us?