The new 'thinking class'
The ivory tower has opened its doors, and philosophy is becoming popular among the people. Now all of a sudden thinkers are trying to entertain, advise, persuade and encourage us – and even tell us about the meaning of life.
This November two German magazines on philosophy in the broadest sense were launched within a single 24-hour period, Hohe Luft and Philosophie-Magazin, which address a wider, more popular audience than academia in promoting a love of thinking. Philosophy and philosophizing are well on their way to becoming an established part of mainstream society within the next few years.
Many philosophy heads and gurus have come away from an elitist attitude, doing everything in their power to be more accessible and understandable to people of average intelligence who have everyday problems In these times of crisis, philosophy has become the latest sensation in the burgeoning fields of alternative healing and personal growth, reflecting people's longing for direction and meaning in their lives.
They usually call it something like "philosophy for everyday life", and there are a multitude of offerings, ranging from small discussion groups to full-fledged institutes. Philosophers offer consulting support in the midst of crises (of which we have had no lack for several years now) and help answering life's big questions. A "Philosophical Society" was recently established for example at the public meeting hall at Lichterfelde train station, organized to help its members "to lead a balanced and harmonious life."
Richard David Precht, whom the German newspaper Die Zeit has called "our citizen-philosopher" got the ball rolling in 2008, and since then a whole lot has happened on the philosophy scene, which is now at pains to overcome its fusty, impractical image. Sometimes you get the impression that today's philosophizers are bending over backwards to emphasize the fun-and-enjoyment factor in the philosophical services they provide, as a result of a widely held view that thinking, and philosophy in particular, is not really a relaxing or pleasant activity to engage in. Also in 2011, the Modern Life School (slogan: "Better Living Through Art") opened in Hamburg's Gängeviertel district, which has created a casual, modern environment for philosophizing. The school offers classes and weekend and special-topic seminars with such titles as "How to be Cool," "Fall in Love with Life", and "Buy Yourself Happy." The school's staff members have varied backgrounds, and seminar content is interdisciplinary in nature. Philosophy, psychology, literature, art and entertainment are interwoven here in an attempt to acquaint students with a different way of thinking. The key thing when trying to address serious issues about life is to somehow package the message in a fun way. For example, the company's Facebook page – which lists theologians, philosophers, sociologists, artists and scientists among its "schoolmaster" staff members – is itself listed in the category of Arts/Entertainment/Nightlife.
The school's aims are to deliver "philosophy for the real world", and stimulate people to address issues and questions of meaning in their day-to-day lives. These fundamental questions include: "What is real friendship?", "How can I get my life in order?", "What is happiness in life, and what characterizes a good decision?". And with the focus so much on enjoyment, Modern Life School discussion groups like "Gastrosophy" are always held at a pub or restaurant that are thematically fitting for the topic.
While the Modern Life School has answered the question of whether philosophy has practical implications with a resounding Yes, the pop-up store cum event location Hypermarché, dubbing itself “a good place in Hamburg, Winter 2011” recently held its first-ever “Philosophical Supper” in the city’s swank HafenCity district. The topic: “How can we integrate the philosophy into our daily lives?” Guests pondered that question “over bread, butter, cheese, ham and red wine” and were invited to reflect on “what concerns us every day”. The organizers envisioned the evening as an attempt "to establish a philosophical dialogue”, promoting the event as a “process-like experiment”.
Businesses as well as individuals are embarking on the new quest for meaning. Any serious company has to have a “philosophy”. Nowadays companies not only publish their corporate philosophy on their websites and tout it in customer magazines; they also employ corporate philosophy consultants. After years of bean-counting and continuous optimization, there is a growing recognition that employees do better work when they identify positively with their company. Dominic Veken, founder and CEO of an “institute for brands and corporate philosophy”, offers his clients a “corporate spirit”, which he says motivates employees by inspiring them.
For all the hype surrounding philosophy, the real issue is orientation. There is a need for support in the quest to regain inner strength, to return to core values and to anchor them firmly in our everyday lives, and this need is being felt by individuals and businesses alike. After decades of being exposed to a glut of Eastern faiths, methods and approaches, we are now looking to our own treasure troves of Western intellectual culture for guidance. Here’s hoping we may once again finally be able to make GOOD and RIGHT decisions.