Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy

Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy

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Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
I Need Nothing, I Do Nothing

I Need Nothing, I Do Nothing

Most people think life is for living, which is a terrible waste of life.

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Martin Butler
Feb 18, 2025
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Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
I Need Nothing, I Do Nothing
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timelapse photo of people passing the street
Photo by mauro mora on Unsplash

In our sick society, it isn't easy to define a need. Obvious things come to mind, such as food, shelter, companionship, medicines, clean air and water, and sex. The Zen masters would say, "Chop wood, carry water," to indicate that needs should be simple. But there is a fundamental misunderstanding in the West of what life is.

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