Intention
Something I learned reading The Good Life Method by Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko is there are two types of thinkers when it comes to living a good life. Consequentialists and Virtue ethicists.
Consequentialists “measure the goodness and badness of life based on expected impact” - The great example in history (topical today because of the recent debut of the movie Oppenheimer) is the US decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan to end WWII. Interestingly post-WWII, consequentialist debates kept us from world nuclear destruction during the Cold War. Virtue ethicists, who “instead look to character and intention,” would argue against dropping the atomic bomb, or even creating such a bomb at all, because it is self evident that killing hundreds of thousands of people is bad.
This is an extreme example, but it’s philosophically respectable to say sound decisions weigh a balance of these two approaches depending on the situation and context. Weighing intention vs consequences is always a good place to start the decision making process. For instance, should we spend $5000 on a family vacation to have a lifetime of memories or save that $5000 in case the air conditioner breaks. You get the idea.
ANYways, This brings me to the intention of this website and blog, the place I’m publicly sharing my thoughts outside my comfort zone.
Here’s the figurative “bomb” I’d like to drop. (See what I did there) - My intention here is to help others. So I’ve re-written the “About” section of Calm is Strong with more intention or a mission statement, if you will.
Thanks to those who’ve subscribed and read my thoughts. I’d like to engage with you more and create a community of people to discuss reads, ideas, concepts and apply them in a modern context to our lives. Here it is…
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My name is Sean.
I’m a husband, father of four, an Air Force Academy graduate and veteran. I work in tech sales. I like my job and love my family.
Like many, I was frustrated during the pandemic. Well, more than frustrated. Angry. I was angry. My anger turned to shame.
I decided to read more. Listen to more thought leaders. I found Ryan Holiday which led me to Donald Robertson and studying Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and Seneca. I listened to Jay Shetty which led me to other Buddhist thinkers like Thich Nhat Hanh. Psychologists like Victor Frankl, Edith Eger, Mary O’Malley, Susan Cain, Angela Duckworth, and Nicole LePera. This has led to more reading, more learning… Greg McKeown, Cal Newport, Naval Ravikant, Stephen West’s podcast Philosophize This!, the concept of Ikagai, Tolstoy’s A Calendar of Wisdom… the world is full of amazing thinkers and healers, past and present.
I’ve internalized some ideas. Some things I thought I knew, but my actions and internal monologue proved otherwise.
The dichotomy of control
Service
Meditation
Mindful practices
Mobility and movement
I’d like to understand, and help others find their calm strength to become the best versions of themselves.
If you’re struggling like me, I am interested in helping. I’d like to start a community to discuss reads, ideas, concepts and apply them in a modern context to our lives. Sign up for my blog newsletter. Email me at calmisstrong22@gmail.com. Follow me on instagram and Twitter. I’m not sure where this will go but I’m starting here.