Einzelgänger

So, you're a lone wolf? Maybe you’re a proverbial lone wolf or aspiring to be one. You probably have your reasons for it, and so do I. But let’s look at the ‘lone wolf’ model (or archetype) with a critical eye - let’s be honest about what such existence entails.Creative Commons (attributions):Alone on the road painting: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alone_on_a_Road.jpgVideo: So, you're a lone wolf?Support the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want i...

Why Pride Is the Worst | The Seven Deadly Sins | PRIDE This video series explores the Seven Deadly Sins as a Christian concept and beyond. What’s so bad about these sins? How do they apply to presentday life and society, and how can they influence our wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around us? And can nonChristians benefit from this concept? This essay delves into the mother of all sin: pride.Video: Pride Comes Before the Fall | The Seven Deadly Sins ExploredSupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7q...

How Epicurus Keeps Calm The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus may seem an unlikely figure to teach us how to achieve a calm mind because of his reputation as an indulgent pleasureseeker. Unfortunately, the teachings of Epicurus are gravely misunderstood by many. While it’s true that, according to Epicurus, pleasure leads to happiness, his philosophy leans much more to asceticism than to indulgence.Within Epicurus’ teachings, we find a curious recipe for reaching a state of ‘ataraxia’, which can be translated as ‘equanimity’ or ‘tranquility’. Unlike the Stoics, Epicurus wasn’t interested in traditional virtues. Instead, he believed that engaging in the ri...

Does today's news make you anxious? Einzelgänger explores a wide range of topics and ideas, with a dose of "as I see it," out of curiosity and creative urge.Einzelgänger is under the supervision of the Dutch Regulatory Media Authority (Commissariaat voor de Media).*Disclaimer: The material provided by Einzelgänger isn't a clinical/medical service or replacement of mental health professionals, nor an academic resource.Disclaimer: This audio project is an independent interpretation of content originally created by Einzelgänger. It was made by a listener who resonates deeply with the channel’s quiet reflections on philos...

When to walk away At its heart, it’s about asking ourselves a fundamental question: Is this situation good for me, or should I move on? It’s a simple question, but, for many, extremely difficult to answer.Video: When to walk awaySupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7yPurchase Stoicism for Inner Peace (affiliate links): 📘 Paperback: https://amzn.to/3wB9iHb ...

The Men Who Explained the Universe | Thales, Anaximander & Anaximenes Einzelgänger explores a wide range of topics and ideas, with a dose of "as I see it," out of curiosity and creative urge.Einzelgänger is under the supervision of the Dutch Regulatory Media Authority (Commissariaat voor de Media).*Disclaimer: The material provided by Einzelgänger isn't a clinical/medical service or replacement of mental health professionals, nor an academic resource.Disclaimer: This audio project is an independent interpretation of content originally created by Einzelgänger. It was made by a listener who resonates deeply with the channel’s quiet...

Seneca's Secrets to StressFree Living | Stoic Philosophy In a letter to his dear friend Lucilius, Stoic philosopher Seneca wrote: “There are more things, Lucilius, likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”This video (Seneca's Secrets to StressFree Living | Stoic Philosophy) explores Seneca’s antidotes to worry and groundless fears.Support the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ​✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations by Munkaa: https://www.yo...

When Life Hurts, Let Go | A Stoic Lesson for Inner Peace Epictetus believed that happiness and inner peace are entirely within our power. This video delves into the actual cause of our suffering and how we can overcome it and develop unshakable inner peace-a goal entirely within our power (according to Epictetus).Video: When Life Hurts, Let Go | A Stoic Lesson for Inner PeaceSupport the channel: ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7yBooks: (affiliate links): 📖 The Urge: Fall of a Stoic: https://amzn.to...

Lost in a World Without Purpose: Now What? Philosophers have been dealing with the problem of meaninglessness for centuries. Their ideas about life (or how to live well in a meaningless universe) could be valuable to those struggling with a lack of meaning in their lives. Can we live well as humans when life has no inherent purpose? According to several philosophers: yes, we can. And, according to some, we should. After all, if life loses meaning, there’s still life.Video: Lost in a World Without Purpose: Now What?Support the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: h...

Why Suffering is Beautiful | Emil Cioran’s Dark Philosophy Check out my novel The Urge: Fall of a Stoic: https://einzelganger.co/urgeCioran’s writings do not shy away from the uncomfortable realities we don’t want to see. This video explores Cioran's first book, On the Heights of Despair.Video: Why Suffering is Beautiful | Emil Cioran’s Dark PhilosophySupport the channel: ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://ww...

The More You Try, The Worse It Goes (Law of Reverse Effect) We might believe that the more we worry about the task and its consequence, the more control we gain and the more chance we have to succeed. But the opposite is true; the more we worry, the more we try to control, the more likely our performances will suffer. When we care too much about the outcome, we will likely push ourselves in ways that eventually obstruct our progress.The full video is available here: https://youtu.be/VpcQVjSVqOM#backwardslaw #reversedeffort #paradox Turn on notifications for the...

Reasons Not to Worry What Others Think Taoism for Inner Peace (book): https://einzelganger.co/tao/It’s generally a good idea to care about other people’s opinions to some degree, as they could contain some worthwhile insight. But focusing on them too much to the point that we spend hours and hours dwelling on what people might think can leave us in agony. It’s not only potentially harmful but also unnecessary. This video explains why based on several concepts from psychology and philosophy. Hence, 7 reasons not to worry about what others think.Support the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://ww...

Are you here to please others? Well, I’m not. Are you a people pleaser? Or do you know someone who is? This video explores the pernicious act of people pleasing, why we shouldn’t do it, and some thoughts on how to stop it.Support the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7y📘 Books (affiliate links):Stoicism for Inner Strength: http...

Philosophers: "Stop Caring About People's Opinions" (Diogenes, Schopenhauer, Epictetus, Nietzsche) As for today, being hurt by other people’s opinions and actions remains a struggle we all face, especially in a world so polarized. Luckily, the philosophers of old shared valuable insights that could protect us from being harmed by people’s toxicity, stupidity, and shortsightedness.Video: Why You Shouldn’t Care What People Think… According to PhilosophersSupport the channel: ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7yBooks: (affiliate links): 📖 The Urge: Fall of a Stoic: https...

How Not to Be Pathetic | Stoic Philosophy & Emotions The Stoics pursued a mental state called ‘apatheia’ (from which the English word ‘apathy’ derived). They saw this mental state as a condition for living according to nature; the latter is a Stoic’s ultimate goal and virtue. However, the word ‘apathy’ in contemporary language has a different meaning than the Greek ‘apatheia,’ as ‘apathy’ has a pretty negative charge, pointing to a state of emotional numbness.The Stoic meaning of ‘apatheia’ is different, as it refers to a mind that isn’t disturbed by the passions (or “patheia”), not the absence of emotions altogether...

How a broken, screwedup life can be beautiful (Kintsugi) Taoism for Inner Peace (BOOK): https://einzelganger.co/tao/Kintsugi doesn’t hide the history of brokenness; it accentuates it, making it a feature of beauty rather than something to put out of sight. This video explores the Japanese concept of Kintsugi and how a screwedup, broken life can be beautiful.Creative Commons (attributions):Kintsugi (1): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E9%87%91%E7%B6%99%E3%81%8E%EF%BC%88%E6%AC%A0%E3%81%91%E7%9B%B4%E3%81%97%EF%BC%89.jpg Kintsugi (2): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hand_Pinted_Kintsugi_Pottery_Bo...

Drifting Away from People: The Dark Side of Solitude As a lover of solitude, I think it’s useful to look at the dark sides behind turning our backs on society. This video explores why we drift away from people, the resulting loneliness and estrangement, and the associated dangers.Video: Drifting away from people | The dangers of loneliness & estrangementSupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https...

How Philosophers Handle Rejection (Diogenes, Schopenhauer, Epictetus & Zhuangzi) Many people fear being rejected because they experience it as painful. As a result, they avoid situations in which they could be rejected. And so, they rather not apply for jobs that might be out of their league, avoid asking out a romantic interest when there’s a possibility of refusal (which is always the case), and never ask friends to hang out as they might turn down the offer.But when we fear rejection, what do we fear? Is it the disapproval from other people? And if so, why do we...

Walking away from marriage, children, and other stuff we're supposed to have When society believes something is good, does it necessarily mean it’s true? Is it wrong to live life differently? And what is life like when we go against the grain? Let’s explore life without marriage, children, and other stuff we’re supposed to have, the nature of social norms, and some existentialism.Video: Walking away from marriage, children, and other stuff we're supposed to haveSupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donat...

How Do We Manage Loneliness? Some people seem unable to function without daily social interaction, while others can go weeks without seeing a human being, and are perfectly fine. How do we manage loneliness?Still, we cannot ignore that many studies show us that people with lots of social connections are, in general, happier. And looking at human behavior, on the whole, we could say that, from a default position, we always tend to look for a connection with fellow humans.Thus, it seems that the desire for social interaction, in one form or another, is ingrained in human...

Is Having Babies a Crime? | Emil Cioran’s Antinatalism This video continues the journey into Cioran’s pessimistic worldview as we delve into his life and explore his later work, The Trouble with Being Born, a collection of aphorisms illustrating why being born is a disaster, what causes our suffering, and what we could do to cope.Video: Is Having Babies a Crime? | Emil Cioran’s Dark PhilosophySupport the channel: ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7yBooks: (affiliate links): 📖 The Urge: Fall of a Stoic: https...

Why Chasing Happiness is Pointless (The Hedonic Treadmill) Could it be that chasing happiness doesn’t make us happier and could even make us miserable? And if so, how should we go about this ‘happiness’ thing? This video explores the nature of happiness.Video: Why Stuff Won't Make You Happier | The Hedonic TreadmillSupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7yPurchase Stoi...

When Life Disappoints You, Don’t Disappoint Life For many, the disappointments of life justify destructive behaviors towards oneself and others. Entitlement to what they feel they deserve, or what others have and they have not, leads to disappointment if reality doesn’t provide them with what they expect. And thus, they feel wronged.In a way, life has betrayed us. From the day we were born, it has sold us false expectations of sunshine, served us utter lies on a golden platter, and then slaps us in the face with indifference after we see our dreams perish, one by o...

Lao Tzu’s Secrets to StressFree Living | Taoist Philosophy Taoism for Inner Peace (book): https://einzelganger.co/tao/Let's explore Taoist views that could help us to let go of a stressful, insane world.Video: Lao Tzu Lao Tzu’s Secret to StressFree LivingSupport the channel: ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7yPurchase Stoicism for Inner Peace (affiliate links): 📘 Paperback: https://amzn...

At first glance, looksmaxxing seems like little more than internet slang for improving one’s appearance. But when we dive deeper, we find ideas and beliefs that are pretty disturbing. What draws young men (such as Clavicular) to looksmaxxing? What do they believe? Does it make their lives better? And what can we learn from their pursuits about happiness?

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Just Let Go | The Philosophy of Fight Club Check the second Fight Club essay: https://youtu.be/ER69AuimtOQLife is short. It’s ending one minute at a time. Why waste it on fulfilling other people’s expectations? This is just one of those questions presented in a novel written by Chuck Palahniuk named Fight Club.The film version of Fight Club directed by David Fincher, starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter, could be considered one of the best and most impactful movies ever made when looking at its reception and ongoing popularity.Fight Club isn’t shy...

Viktor Frankl's Method to Overcome Fear (Paradoxical Intention) Paradoxical intention is one of the techniques found in Viktor Frankl's logotherapy. Therapists can use paradoxical intention to treat people with anxiety, fear, phobias, and even insomnia.Instead of escaping or minimizing the fear, paradoxical intention encourages us to face it headon and actually desire and wish for it as a means of conquering it (how strange this may sound). But this reverse psychology that tricks the mind out of its neurosis makes Frankl’s approach interesting and worth examining.This video explores the ideas behind this method (paradoxical intention) and ho...

Why We Isolate Ourselves and How to Reconnect Check out my novel The Urge: Fall of a Stoic: https://einzelganger.co/urgeWhat drives us to withdraw from the world, choosing solitude over connection? Is it the peace we seek or the fear that lurks within? Social isolation affects millions. This video explores social isolation, why we do it, and how to stop it.Video: Why We Isolate Ourselves and How to Reconnect Lao Tzu The Art of Not Trying (After Skool): https://youtu.be/lsYJrLrEAMSupport the channel: ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQ...

Signs of a Toxic Friend | Buddhist Philosophy But whether or not a friend is toxic can be challenging to determine, especially when we’re attached to this friend. For a significant part, whether someone’s behavior is desirable or not is pretty subjective. Also, people are rarely entirely bad; most (if not all) human beings have positive sides as well. So, how do we decide if a friend is actually an enemy in disguise? What are the signs of a toxic friend?The Buddha may have some valuable answers to this question. The Sigalovada Sutta, a Buddhist text, teaches us t...

The Harder You Try, The Worse It Gets | Law of Reversed Effort Taoism for Inner Peace (book): https://einzelganger.co/tao/The Backwards Law: https://youtu.be/O42tZseP6w | A phenomenon we often experience is that when we chase something or someone, it moves away from us. But when we leave it alone, it comes to us. This mechanism can be hard to reconcile with the idea that ‘effort’ is the key to success. Even though it’s true that achieving goals often requires work, there’s also another side to the story. The law of reversed effort shows us...

Lost in a World Without Purpose: Now What? Philosophers have been dealing with the problem of meaninglessness for centuries. Their ideas about life (or how to live well in a meaningless universe) could be valuable to those struggling with a lack of meaning in their lives. Can we live well as humans when life has no inherent purpose? According to several philosophers: yes, we can. And, according to some, we should. After all, if life loses meaning, there’s still life.Video: Lost in a World Without Purpose: Now What?Support the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: h...

Just Because You Think It, Doesn’t Mean It’s True No matter how convincing they are, thoughts aren’t necessarily facts. Even though it’s a master at posing as ‘truth,’ a thought is a thought. And just because you think it doesn’t mean it’s true.Video: Just Because You Think It, Doesn’t Mean It’s TrueSupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www...

Stop Caring What People Think (The Power of Indifference) People are generally anything but indifferent toward the opinions of others and how they perceive them. They fear not belonging, being rejected, or falling by the wayside. But as philosophers such as Arthur Schopenhauer and the Stoics have pointed out: the opinions of others are not as significant as we tend to think. If we want to pursue our dreams or display a persona that’s more congruent with who we are, we need to be indifferent to certain social conventions and the opinions of others.Check out the full vi...

When your selfworth depends on what you achieve We’re obsessed with achievement, trapped in a cycle where one’s latest success measures personal worth. This fixation raises a crucial question: Have we stopped recognizing each other’s inherent value, seeing ourselves merely as products of our accomplishments?Video: When your selfworth depends on what you achieveSupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com...

Why Invisibility is Power | Priceless Benefits of Being Invisible Being invisible in itself holds tremendous power; it’s an advantage widely overlooked in today’s narcissistic world. This video explores the priceless benefits of being invisible.Video: Why Invisibility is Power | Priceless Benefits of Being InvisibleSupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7yPurchase Stoicism for Inner Peace (affiliate links): 📘 P...

You Don’t Lose People. You Return Them | Stoic Philosophy Most people struggle significantly after losing their loved ones, which seems to be a natural phenomenon. Also, the mere prospect of losing someone close to us triggers anxiety in many. But the Stoics observed that the fear of loss and the torturing distress of grief are consequences of irrational thinking. This video explores Stoic philosophy in the context of attachment, loss of loved ones, and how to deal with being separated from those we care about.Video: You Don't Lose People. You Return Them | Stoic PhilosophySupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https...

TAOISM | The Art of Not Trying Taoism for Inner Peace (book): https://einzelganger.co/tao/The Taoists observed that humans tend to act in ways that are counterproductive. And in their attempts to alter the natural way, they only make things worse. All these strivings, rules, ethics, values, surely are invented to benefit humanity. But according to the ancient Taoist sages, we should get rid of them all.Why?Because all these manmade ideas only remove us further from the natural flow of life. Trying to alter what nature has intended, is like swimming against the stream: it’s ex...

The Benefits of Ignoring People Sometimes, by ignoring people, we do ourselves a great favor. Moreover, I’d say that ignoring people from time to time is necessary to keep our sanity in a world that constantly tries to grasp our attention.Video: The Benefits of Ignoring PeopleSupport the channel: ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ Bitcoin: 3HQnEz1LQ4G6dqN2LdZgzc7qoJjJCyWjTC (Donated BTC and want in the credits? Send me an email with the amount/address)🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7yPurchase Stoicism for Inner Peace (affili...

When Walking Away Is the Only Answer | The Path of the Hermit What moved people in the past and present to become hermits? What does a life of seclusion offer? And is the hermit life possible today?Video: When Walking Away Is the ONLY Answer (A Hermit’s Philosophy)Support the channel: ✔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/einzelgangster ✔️ PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/einzelgangerco🎞️ Animations and thumbnail art by Munkaa: https://www.youtube.com/user/jus7yBooks: (affiliate links): 📖 The Urge: Fall of a Stoic: https://amzn.to/3Yc77Kw 📖 Stoicism for Inner Strength: https://amzn.to/3rZU0xL 📖 Stoicism for Inner Peace...

If Life Has No Meaning, Why Live? | Albert Camus & The Absurd Man According to FrenchAlgerian philosopher Albert Camus, our world has no ultimate meaning, but if it had, it would be impossible to know it. It’s all pretty pointless as if the universe is nothing more than a cosmic coincidence, born without any specific goal or significance. For some, such a meaningless existence could lead to despair and even worse. So it seems that, for many, meaning is necessary to live; and without meaning, life is not worth living.Video: If Life Has No Meaning, Why Live? | Albert Ca...