Attend the graduation of a college senior, and the commencement speech is likely to include a few themes: Do something big. Make a name for yourself. Change the world.
My guest is not a fan of this advice, and says that rather than focusing on solving large-scale problems, we ought to concentrate on making things better in our own backyards.
Brandon Warmke is a professor of philosophy and the co-author of Why It's OK to Mind Your Own Business. Today on the show, Brandon explains why what he calls "commencement speech morality" distorts our moral vision by emphasizing one version of the good and valuable life, at the expense of the value and good of a life marked by "ordinary morality." Brandon first unpacks the dangers of intervening in other people's business, including becoming a moralizer and a busybody. He then makes a case for the benefits of minding your own business and putting down roots, creating a good home, and living in solitude, and for how a smaller, quieter life can still be generous, important, and noble.
Resources Related to the PodcastThe Heroic Exploits of WWII’s Pacific Paratroopers
Answers to the FAQ of Modern Etiquette
The Art and Science of Getting Unstuck
The Essential Guide to Visiting and Camping in the National Parks
Thoreau on Making a Living
Optimize Your Testosterone
Leadership Lessons From Military Mentors
Become a Focused Monotasker
Generations — The Surprising Truths and Persistent Myths
Toastmasters, Aristotle, and the Essential Art of Rhetoric
The Wisdom of Psychopaths
The Science of a Better Daily Routine
The Golden Rules of Success
What the World of Psychology Gets Wrong About Men
The Essential Habits for Becoming an Agile, Vital, and Durable Human Being
How to Deal With the Worry of Waiting
The Naturalist’s Art of Animal Encounters
The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut in a World That Won’t Stop Talking
A Kantian Guide to Life
Finally Follow Through
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Dan Snow’s History Hit
The Ben Shapiro Show