How Do I Live A Good Life
Research Plan: "How Do I Live a Good Life?" Series
Goals
- Understand how major philosophers across traditions and eras have addressed the core question of living well.
- Connect their ideas to contemporary issues, including alienation, critical consciousness, and consumer culture.
- Engage your audience by making these ideas accessible, practical, and relevant.
- Synthesize insights into essays, reflections, podcasts, and interactive content.
Phase 1: Preliminary Organization
1. Create a Master List of Philosophers and Traditions
- Western Tradition: Socrates, Aristotle, Epicurus, Marcus Aurelius, Augustine, Aquinas, Kant, Nietzsche, Beauvoir, Camus.
- Non-Western Traditions: Confucius, Laozi, The Buddha, Shankara, Rumi.
- Modern Thinkers: MacIntyre, Nussbaum, West, hooks, Freire.
2. Categorize Key Themes
- Virtue and Character: Aristotle, Confucius, Stoics.
- Ethics and Relationships: Kant, Aquinas, Nussbaum, MacIntyre.
- Meaning and Purpose: Epicurus, Nietzsche, Camus, Beauvoir.
- Metaphysical and Spiritual: Laozi, The Buddha, Augustine, Spinoza.
3. Prioritize Philosophers/Topics
- Focus on one philosopher per month or quarter.
- Alternate between Western and non-Western traditions to provide balance.
Phase 2: Research and Note-Taking
1. Primary Texts
- Select essential works for each philosopher (e.g., Nicomachean Ethics for Aristotle, Meditations for Marcus Aurelius).
- Use summaries and secondary sources for additional context.
2. Critical Perspectives
- Research scholarly critiques and interpretations to deepen understanding.
- Explore how contemporary thinkers use or critique these ideas.
3. Practical Applications
- Identify how each philosopher’s ideas can be applied to modern life (e.g., Stoicism in navigating social media).
- Use Zotero for bibliography management.
- Organize notes in Obsidian using linked atomic notes for ideas and themes.
Phase 3: Writing and Content Creation
- Essays: Deep dives into specific philosophers or themes.
- Reflections: Personal insights on applying their ideas to daily life.
- Comparative Analysis: Juxtaposing thinkers (e.g., Aristotle vs. Confucius on virtue).
- Practical Guides: “How to Apply [Philosopher’s] Ideas Today.”
2. Develop Multimedia Content
- Podcast Episodes: Conversational explorations of key ideas.
- Social Media Posts: Bite-sized takeaways or thought-provoking questions.
- Interactive Content: Quizzes or reflection prompts (e.g., “Which philosopher’s idea of the good life resonates with you?”).
3. Plan Releases
- Focus on one philosopher/topic per month to allow for depth.
- Publish weekly: essays, shorter reflections, social media teasers, and a podcast.
Phase 4: Engagement and Reflection
1. Encourage Dialogue
- Host discussions on Farcaster, Bluesky, or other platforms.
- Create open threads inviting feedback and perspectives on each philosopher.
2. Reflect and Refine
- Revisit completed essays and episodes for synthesis.
- Look for overarching patterns or new themes to explore.
3. Gather Material for a Larger Project
- Use the series as a foundation for a future book, digital course, or workshop series.
Timeline
- Month 1: Preliminary research and content creation for the first philosopher (e.g., Aristotle).
- Month 2: Publish and engage while researching the next philosopher (e.g., Laozi).
- Months 3-12: Repeat, with regular check-ins to reflect on the series’ direction and impact.
Next Steps
- Identify the first philosopher to focus on.
- Draft a detailed outline for their feature (e.g., key ideas, practical applications, contemporary relevance).
- Begin research and start taking notes in Obsidian.