JOIN USA joyride through philosophy
Eric Weiner’s love for trains can be termed infectious, as he takes readers on a journey to places that bear testimonies to timeless philosophical wisdom. Like philosophy, suggests Eric, train travel helps unearth hidden perspectives in new ways of being. In these troubled times, when most of us are literally ‘misliving’, nuggets of wisdom are badly needed as ‘medicine for the soul’ and hence this journey across continents. In the comforting company of 14 philosophers — from Socrates to Confucius and from Thoreau to Gandhi — The Socrates Express helps explore joy in uncertainty.
Not an easy task though, but Neitzsche would advise that it is not our actions, but the reorientation of our attitude that alone can help revalue what we may or may not value in our life. The core idea of this immensely readable book is to help the reader enhance his taste for life. Written with passion and purpose, it is a journey from the state of sleep to wakefulness that not only typifies a day, but an entire life. Organised into three stages of each day — Dawn, Noon and Dusk — it provides specific lessons that can be drawn to make each stage a meaningful lived reality. From ‘How to get out of bed like Marcus Aurelius’ to ‘How to Die like Montaigne’, the journey of life is packed into a day of learning on how to wonder, walk, see, listen, enjoy, pay attention, fight, be kind, be appreciative, and grow old. It isn’t a self-help book though, but one that helps us navigate through our daily quota of anxieties and travesties.
Life upside down
Philosophy provides clues to ruthless self-interrogation, to not only question what we know, but to also explore who we are and what we think. In a way, it is an experiment in isolation to capture the reality of nature. To do that, Thoreau used to often look at life upside down through his legs. In an engaging date with each of the carefully curated list of philosophers, Eric pays strict attention as much to their idiosyncrasies as to the essence of their divergent thoughts. What comes out is a neatly distilled narrative that takes the reader on a life- changing voyage in pursuit of wisdom and thus aid in reinventing oneself to face today’s chaotic times.
Socrates valued ignorance as a necessary step on the road to true wisdom; Schopenhauer wondered if one could comprehend the world without knowing oneself; Confucius elevated kindness to a philosophical linchpin; and for Epictetus, forgoing pleasure was one of life’s greatest pleasures. With so much on offer, the book works like a cup of coffee. It is not only the pleasant weightiness of the mug, but also the warmth of holding it that adds to its magic. The Socrates Express is one such cup of overflowing wisdom that can make philosophers out of us all.
Amusing trivia
Erudite and reflective, amusing but insightful, Eric makes each of the philosophers relatable as he plays a guide and interpreter along the way. Even amusing trivia gets conveyed as some sort of wisdom. For instance, Japanese philosopher Shonagen could not bear people who wore a white shirt that was slightly yellowed. One might consider it as some sort of irritating fastidiousness, but this prickly attitude can also be interpreted as being sensitive; even avoidable things can draw attention to the profound.
Like in his previous bestsellers, The Geography of Bliss and The Geography of Genius, Eric’s love for geography comes alive in The Socrates Express yet again. How else could he learn that there is stillness in chaos in India, while patience is the essential take-home from Israel.
How to read such a book that has skimmed wisdom from some of the best minds? It is the sort of book that ought to be kept by the bedside for long; a gentle reminder to embrace wonder.
The travel on this philosophical train is worth your time, and will help you shed the extra baggage that you (and I) inadvertently tend to carry. There is a lot of stuff to be uploaded mentally though.