"You cannot teach anybody anything. You can only help them discover it
within themselves." ~ Galileo (1564 - 1642)
This blog, like most of us as individuals, is a work in progress. It has no specific end goal; but is rather a means of forming, crystallizing, and sharing thoughts -- its end is the means, the journey. Put another way, the content here is just a written reflection of conversations I have had with myself, within my own mind, that I hope will help others in some meaningful way -- a shared journey of introspection and self-discovery...
The physical appearance of the blog has also evolved over the past three years, including the new banner debuting today (those with email subscriptions, go to The Financial Philosopher home page if you care to see it).
Another feature of this blog that is a work in progress is the Philosophers pages (with its own link in the updated Navigation bar). The featured philosophers are those that have influenced my thoughts, especially in regard to values, life, and the pursuit of meaning -- all of which are predecessors to philosophies of money and financial planning; hence, the new sub-title of the blog, "Meaning before Money - Purpose before Planning."
The featured philosophers, including Rene Descartes, Viktor Frankl, Jesus Christ, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Friederich Nietzshe, Plato and Socrates, are a diverse group of thinkers with something valuable to share for everyone. Notably, the philosopher pages, and many of the weekly posts, feature an illustration created by a wonderful illustrator (and friend), Shannon, as well as biographical information and select quotes.
These images are given life, first by my direction, which includes the careful selection of the philosophers' age in the images, their posture and/or gestures, and their spirit or nature communicated to Shannon for her to capture in an illustration for which she also selects a background that is fitting for the philosopher (Examples: Check Descartes' image background, which is a collection of his hand-drawn sketches and Viktor Frankl's, which is barbed-wire fencing as a haunting reminder of his Holocaust experience).
In the near future, other philosophers, including Soren Kierkegaard, Ayn Rand, Blaise Pascal, Henry David Thoreau, and Helen Keller will be added.
The remaining items in the Navigation bar include Markets (on investing and the economy), Psychology (on mindfulness, behavioral finance, neural science, and self-knowledge), Happiness (on true happiness, best described as "contentment"), Life Planning (on making money a tool for life, rather than the more common opposite), Quotes (pages with quoted words on subjects such as Contentment, Uncertainty, and Suffering), the About page (a profile on my background and the creation of this blog), and a link to My Firm, Atlantic Capital Investments.
I also have other projects, including three books, that I am working on that I believe will present the themes of this blog in a way that can be more useful, complete, and effective for the reader's (your) experience and for application in your life than can be done more effectively outside of the blog format. I'll share more on the progress, status, and availability of my book projects in the coming months...
As with everything on this blog site, I hope that this small tour of The Financial Philosopher makes your experience a bit more useful and meaningful!
I'll be back soon with another post. Thanks for reading...
-----------------------------------
"that I hope will help others in some meaningful way"
I just wanted to share with you that I find your blog incredibly helpful, thank you so much for your work and the time you spend sharing your thoughts & ideas in this format.
Posted by: David | January 25, 2010 at 01:45 PM
Thanks, David. The work is my pleasure. The quote I use on my "About" page says it best for me:
"I write to keep from going mad from the contradictions I find among mankind -- and to work some of those contradictions out for myself." ~ Michel de Montaigne
Thanks again...
Kent
Posted by: Kent @ The Financial Philosopher | January 25, 2010 at 03:46 PM
Hi Kent.
I recently found your blog thru a link from Barry's BP site.
You present some very interesting material and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.
The Philospher's page is insightful.
thanks.
Posted by: Hapsburger | January 30, 2010 at 03:24 PM
Hapsburger:
Welcome! I enjoy Barry Ritholtz's "The Big Picture" blog as well and I am glad that I am able to provide some kind of value to readers.
The Philosophers' pages will be expanding. I estimate at least one new philosopher will be added per month for the next several months.
Thanks again...
Kent
Posted by: Kent @ The Financial Philosopher | January 31, 2010 at 01:50 PM