Too Often We Enjoy the Comfort of Opinion without the Discomfort of Thought

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The topic of essay – quote from John Kennedy seems to have remained as actual topic from the time of the J.F.Kennedy presidency to modern days. If we approach ourselves in everyday life, it seems that having an opinion comes more quickly, than having thought of it. In very foundations of Kant and Heidegger philosophy, philosophers approach concept of thought as fundamental part of existence, “to be” and “Being”. Introducing into determining what really is “thinking”, Heidegger has said “The most thought-provoking thing in our thought-provoking time is that we are still not thinking.” , as he further addresses, that indeed, the absence for thinking is the main thought provoker. “If we are cannot think, we are not free”, I elaborate on idea, that only when we start to think for ourselves, we are able to form an opinion, because if we don’t, we naturally attribute ourselves to opinion, which required no/least personal thought, therefore it is not our opinion. I will argue my why I agree with the quote from J.F. Kennedy with regards to Heidegger “thought” philosophy. I agree with this statement, substantiating my decision by three arguments made by Heidegger, in subsequent order, representing them in “direction” to origin of opinion with thought.

“Withdrawal” from “un-authentic” perceptions
Considered by Heidegger the paramount ingredient of achieving ability to really “be”. Withdrawal as meant by Heidegger, can be translated in many forms, but with key point being the removal of “cloud” or “authorities knowledge” that prohibits us from genuine “learning”, and consequently thinking. Individual according to Heidegger is deprived from both true “learning” and “thinking”, as they in principle were unavailable to individual. As he e...

... middle of paper ...

...th thinking, he firstly must be able to do it. Approaching J.F. Kennedy quote, in Heidegger terms I translate it as - “The ease of “un-authenticity”, and of “authenticity”. It is exactly through averageness, deprivation of true and genuine personal experience, one could say, mediocre-ness of information space that becomes “determinately” available altogether benefits towards realisation of “un-authentic” opinions un-substantiated with “authentic” thoughts, only then, when people and ourselves within will be able to fill opinion, judgement with true thoughts, un-burdened by existential and metaphysical necessity for comfort.

Works Cited

MARTIN HEIDEGGER, “WHAT IS THINKING”, 1976, P.6 http://www.google.com/about/careers/lifeatgoogle/hiringprocess/, https://www.facebook.com/careers/
Heidegger, M. Being and Time, State University of New York Press, Albany, 1996 134.

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