We want to be entertained. We need to be enlightened. We want catchy and clever. We need deep and profound. We want what's new. We need what's old.
We want simple and easy. We need insightful and tough. We want quick. We need lasting.
We pursue our wants and often neglect our needs. So, then, the philosopher who hopes to serve those needs has to address the wants, as well. Otherwise, we may not notice, or listen. But, as just indicated, our wants and needs can be quite different. Of course, they can also at times overlap. We want our needs to be met, or at least, those we're aware of having. We need some of our wants to be met, as well. But apart from that, these two things can diverge greatly.
The marketplace of ideas is full of people catering only to wants but neglecting real needs.
I realized something early in my efforts to serve people well. The key for the true philosopher who would be of help to others is to dive deep, think hard, and then distill the wisdom that's there to be found into nuggets of insight that sparkle and work. That's the philosopher I try to be. And it's why I have fun with the serious, play with the profound, and try to make philosophical tools as memorable as they can be.
I want and need to be of service this way. And yes, whenever wants and needs come together, powerful results can ensue.
What do you want? What do you need? Do you have your priorities right?
