Life and Philosophy Archives

Veteran Artists Don’t Quit When They Should

Art, Life and Philosophy, Opinion, Productivity | 23 October 2024

A major issue I had to deal with in 2024 is the myriad reasons I’ve been told to quit whatever I’m doing for the sake of whatever I’m being told is more important and urgent — taking care of my mother, getting married and settling down, and the futility of what I do. I was told these things by people who know barely anything about how I live and what I do. I can’t ignore their advice for I have two functioning ears and a brain that retains information too well. However, what I can do is review what makes me resolute in pursuing my endeavors and my way of life. (more…)

Assess Your Goals by Examining Your Surrogate Activities

by: Sonny Go

Essays, Life and Philosophy | 11 October 2023

The term ‘surrogate activity’ was coined by the American mathematician and domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber, in his 35,000-word manifesto, Industrial Society and Its Future. It was his critique of modern civilization and society as it became during the late 20th century. He was noted not only for his opposition to technology, but also what he saw was pointlessness in modern living that the masses engaged in. Instead of living meaningful lives supporting each other as a society, they immerse themselves in surrogate activities to distract themselves from existential dread and keep them from partaking in things that may matter more in the long term.
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Get Out of Your Own Way

by: Sonny Go

Life and Philosophy, Mixed Martial Arts, Opinion, Pro Wrestling | 08 September 2023

After the recent news of a particular individual being given the boot out of a certain company, I had to write about not only that situation, but also what I think is the cause. It wasn’t just an organizational problem, but also a personal one. I’ve wanted to write about ego and how it can affect a person’s judgment and their ability to work well with others. The greatest trick your ego can pull is to convince you that you’re one and the same and that you need that ego to be who you are. That’s a path of self-destruction, and many never learn to get out of their own way. (more…)

Kayfabe in Politics and Media Manipulation

by: Sonny Go

Essays, Life and Philosophy, Politics, Pro Wrestling | 18 July 2023

After getting word of videos about Eric Weinstein’s interpretation of kayfabe on Twitter, I found Frame Problems after a brief search and gave these three videos a watch. I found them interesting as they stretched the application of kayfabe to politics, economics, and mainstream media as far as they possibly can. I had always been interested in Eric Weinstein’s opinion of kayfabe being a crucial component of the cognitive toolbox. As a part of the pro wrestling industry, I wanted to take a closer look at this take on kayfabe and how understanding it can enhance how one interprets mainstream media and public consciousness. (more…)

The Stone and the Shape: Philosophy for Finding One’s Purpose

by: Sonny Go

Essays, Life and Philosophy, Video Games | 03 July 2023

Dwarves in Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magic Obscura

One of the most profound pieces of philosophy I’ve ever encountered comes from a computer game, which happens to be my all-time favorite. Arcanum takes the best of old Fallout, brings it into a steampunk setting, and douses it with tons of lore and philosophy that even games by FromSoftware would struggle to compete against. This particular moment in the game would continue to fascinate me even as an adult, which is why I wanted to share it here in this blog post. (more…)

Cartuber Explains Postmodernism Better Than Jordan Peterson

by: Sonny Go

Life and Philosophy, Opinion, YouTube | 01 September 2022

As of this writing, I’m going through this 3-hour epic on lobster enthusiast Jordan B. Peterson, Canada’s benzo-addled middle child. Mind you, I’m not 100% a JP hater as I like it whenever he plies his actual field of expertise. I even find his lectures and interviews insightful. However, he’s insufferable whenever he delves into subjects outside his scope. Whether we like it or not, he’s a leading thinker in today’s world due to his online influence. After years of teetering between respect, indifference, and skepticism for Dr. Peterson, here’s my blog post about him. (more…)

Focus on What’s Needed, Not What Looks Good

by: Sonny Go

Life and Philosophy, Opinion | 12 January 2022

While watching random videos on YouTube out of boredom, I stumbled across this short scene from Bleach. The anime series has gotten a restart thanks to Tite Kubo finally putting the finishing touches to his long-neglected work. Part of that should be the long-awaited reveal of the kindly medic Retsu Unohana as the first Kenpachi, the deadliest swordsman ever. While she had been a killer of many in the past, she chose to be a healer in this timeline. Why? (more…)

What is an Experience?

by: Sonny Go

Life and Philosophy | 25 June 2021

In a moment of semi-lucidity, I was pondering on what makes a story and why stories make information easier to digest for most people. Explanations tend to fly over most people’s heads, but they’re more willing to understand them if told in a relatable story. Let’s talk about what an experience is. After all, the tagline of this blog is “Exploring experience through digital adventure,” so let’s now do just that. (more…)

From Strength to Weakness

by: Sonny Go

Life and Philosophy, Opinion | 08 August 2013

This entry is about my thoughts and feelings about a commencement speech for the graduating class of 2013 in Butler University given by the New York best-selling author John Green. It was about the journey that most would take after graduation, from a tremendous high to a bewildering low, and how it is the path of a true hero. (more…)