Introduction

“Some books leave us free and some books make us free” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am overjoyed to experience the world of philosophy, poetry, and literature with everyone. I guess I should first give an introduction so you know a little more about the man behind the keyboard. Lets get the boring stuff out of the way. I currently live in Boston, MA and a law student (I know – exciting). But I think more importantly, is the story of how I found myself starting this blog. I was sitting at an Irish pub with two of my friends (who are also really into philosophy). We were talking about what we were going to do over the summer (as you’ll find typical law school students doing).

I have always enjoyed the theories and underpinnings that compose our legal system. More broadly speaking, philosophy. As we started walking towards the inevitable back porch, as most undergraduates or graduates know, we discussed my love for academia (this is something I have only recently found out myself). Of course our discussion led to the ultimate question: is there anything new left to say?

To be 100% honest, I have relatively niche ideas on various philosophical topics. However, my friend looked to me and said that I should start a blog. Now I’m pretty sure this isn’t exactly what she had in mind, or maybe it is. Can you really ever tell exactly what another person is thinking? Anyway, here I am. Blogging about everything from philosophy to poetry to literature. It is only fair how I tell the story of how I fell in love with each because no one is more important to me than the other.

It was freshman year of undergrad and I was enrolled as a political science major (biggest regret). I had an 8:00 a.m. class (which we all know is a student’s worst nightmare) and to make matters worse I worked the night shift. For the first couple of weeks I wasn’t all that interested in what the professor had to say. But that all changed when he assigned Plato’s Republic. From the moment on, I was hooked. Plus, the subject was definitely more interesting because the professor was cute (just being honest). Rambling aside, it would be a year before I picked up another philosophy book. Properly introduced to philosophy in my first 101 course, I knew this would turn into a life long love affair. I have published both in undergrad and post-undergrad exclusively in political theory. Since then, I have expanded my specialization to include jurisprudence and ethics. It is my goal to keep this blog as neutral as possible when it comes to my particular philosophical viewpoints on those subjects but also to explore with you the many other branches of philosophies and philosophers.

Now comes time for my favorite love story, poetry. I wish it wasn’t as embarrassing as it sounds, but my love of poetry didn’t happen over some renowned work like The Road Not Taken. Instead, it started with me writing my own poem for my sixth grade class (I know – how conceded, but it did go on to win an award and be published). From there my love of poetry took an unconventional route. First it was spoken word. One of my favorite past times was to turn off all the lights then light a candle and let YouTube auto-play do its thing (still is). In high school I was asked to be the keynote speaker at the awards ceremony. When putting together my speak, I found that the only way I could adequately describe how I felt was through poetry. So with the help of Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Paul Laurence Dunbar I was able to speak my truth. While poetry takes up significantly less of my time nowadays, I was inclined to revisit my love during a troubling period in my life. Out of such a time of hopelessness came my book Dear One, Two, and Three . . .

It would hardly be fair to say my last love and the maxim “last but not least” hardly does it justice, but now to my love of literature. If you have made it this far, I thank you. As you know us “proclaimed seekers of truth” have an aversion to succinctness. Regardless, I have a different conception of literature than most individuals. I don’t believe that it is the test of time that makes a narrative literature. Nor do I think it is how widely the narrative has been read. Truly and unequivocally I believe to call a narrative literature, it must have touched something so fundamental to a person reading it. Now you can imagine the philosophical difficulties in my definition. But that aside, we have all been confronted with a narrative of such a nature that made us question our own life. We sat gripping the closed pages of the book in a state of melancholy. Mostly for me, these states arise because by the time the book ends, I feel as if I was just getting to be a part of the characters’ lives. However, it was John Knowles A Separate Peace that first gave me this feeling. Hell, I think I was overly invested looking back. His book changed the course of my life and how I approach love, live, and my relationships with other people (even to the point where I have a tattoo of a quote). Honestly, George Martin said it best, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”

So, as we embark on the journey into the world of philosophy, poetry, and literature I remind you to keep an open mind. There are those topics that will be inherently divisive in nature. And that’s ok. Engage! This is meant to be a “market place of ideas.” However, it is the best practice to argue and discuss respectfully because the keystone to any Ivory Tower idea is provocative and elaborate thought!

— Yours Truly,

Michael A. Westbrook