Does philosophy listen to these concerns?
A life of uncertainty, a leap forward with a breather through philosophy.

"I wish I was popular, but is this life ruined?" "Why does everyone have to study so hard?" "Is it harder to be a woman, or a man?" Philosophers have stepped forward to help teenagers who are struggling with unanswerable questions! This book speaks to teenagers struggling with unresolved questions and tangled concerns.
If you want to find wise answers without being swayed by others, then knock on the door of philosophy.


You might wonder what use philosophy has for solving our problems, but in fact, the questions we face in life are not much different from those that philosophers have been struggling with for hundreds of years.
Jinmin Lee, the "philosophical mother," bridges the gap between the concerns of teenagers about friends, grades, family, love, and career paths and the thoughts of philosophers, leading readers to delve deeper into questions that have no right answers.
The thoughts of philosophers who have spent their lives intensely contemplating what constitutes a better life impart the wisdom and insight essential for facing the world with confidence.

As you read the book, you will realize that having many worries is not a problem at all.
The author encourages all those who are struggling, saying, “It means that you diligently examine your own mind and try to find the answer.”
As you slowly confront the worries and concerns that have been bothersome and troubling with the author, you will realize that philosophy, which had previously felt distant, was not so troublesome after all.

Philosophy, in a word, is ‘the act of looking back at oneself and reading the world.’
Most of my worries start from the point where I don't know myself (or my mind), but having philosophy by my side makes me keep asking questions about myself.
And then, little by little, I begin to understand myself and this world.
People often compare philosophy to a weapon, saying things like, "Philosophy becomes a weapon for life," but I believe that philosophy should not be a tool for harming others, but rather a tool for saving people and supporting the world.
So I think it's closer to a staff than a weapon.
It is an essential item for people who are unsteady on their feet.
--- p.8 From "Prologue: Opening the Door"

Most of our problems with love stem from thinking of love as passive rather than active.
The problem arises not from having the ability to 'love', that is, to love properly, but from thinking about 'being loved', that is, how to be loved and popular.
Note that the title of the book is The Art of 'Loving', not The Art of 'Love'.
It's about 'loving'.
The biggest clue is in the title.
Just realizing that love is active, not passive, will solve a lot of your worries.

--- p.38~39 From “February: The Trouble of Solo”

Rousseau thought that human society was degenerate.
Within this chain of comparison, no one is free, and the vicious cycle continues, with everyone chained together and ultimately destroying themselves.
This is why Rousseau called savages 'noble savages'.
The savages who lived peacefully, focusing on themselves, had noble spirits, but the noble humans who were touched by civilization became envious of each other and became corrupted beings.
Therefore, he made a sharp judgment, like broken glass, that the savages who lived simply and roughly in nature were much more noble than the civilized people of noble status.
--- p.56 From "March: Chain of Comparison"

Hobbes says that most people who laugh at themselves are 'people who think themselves to be worthless.'
That's why we find joy in seeing other people's flaws.
So Hobbes says, “To laugh out loud at another’s faults is a sign of cowardice.”
It is said that great people rather help those who are objects of contempt and ridicule to escape from it, and compare themselves with the most capable and outstanding people.
It's not about feeling superior and happy by comparing yourself to people who are worse off than you.
--- p.81~82 From “April: The Meaning of Laughter, More Diverse Than You Think”

Confucius, the Chinese philosopher from around 500 BC and the main character of the Analects, first spoke of the joy of learning when he said, “Isn’t it a joy to learn and practice from time to time?”
But we are generally not happy when we learn and sometimes master it.
Why is that? It's because there's no "self" as the subject in studying.
Because I don't think about how I want to live my life, I just get pushed into studying.
I'm forced to do it because I'm told to, but it's boring, difficult, and sometimes even painful, so how can I be happy about it?
On the one hand, it is because we think of studying as something limited to 'memorizing textbooks and solving problems to get good grades.'
In other words, it is because we have such narrow and distorted stereotypes about studying.
Let me warn you in advance: Confucius said that the kind of knowledge acquisition that involves sitting at a desk and reading is the lowest of all studies, and should be done when you have spare time.
How about it, doesn't Grandpa Confucius look a little better?
--- p.87~88 From “May: The Meaning of Learning”

To avoid asking, "AI will do everything, so what are we going to do?" we must think and philosophize. To confront the threat of survival as competitive humans in the AI ​​era, we must steadfastly ask, "Do we really need to be the ones who survive? Can't we create a way for people to live enjoyable lives even if they're not competitive?"
To protect human rights and to prevent human life from being flattened by technology.
Technology is not responsible.
We must be the ones to take responsibility for the science that can run wild.
--- p.115~116 From “June: Living in the Age of Science”

Going back to the first question, “Is it harder to live as a woman or as a man?”, it is difficult to live as a man or as a woman.
It's harder if you teach.
In order for everyone to live happily, we must think of each other as fellow human beings and respect each other.
Finally, let me quote Beauvoir:
I hope the aftertaste of these words lingers in your hearts for a long time.
“I am really greedy.
I want to enjoy everything in life.
I want to be a woman and a man, have lots of friends and enjoy loneliness at the same time, work hard, write good books, travel, and have fun.
“I want to be both selfish and altruistic.”
--- p.136 From “July: Philosophy of Gender”

Earlier, I said that I recommend listening to Mencius's stories as if you were eating ice cream, and that is not an exaggeration; Mencius's grandfather's words are refreshing and sweet.
What makes humans human is not intelligence or cleverness, but the ability to empathize with the emotions of others and be concerned for them.
We are driven by authority, anxiety, pain, and profit, but in fact, I am a wonderful being who holds values ​​within me that transcend those.
Although we are not perfect, if we put our minds to it, we can make our foundation bloom and become good.
So, even if we are not completely good, let's try to believe in our goodness.
--- p.148~149 From "August: Blossoming Humanity"

As Martin Heidegger, the philosopher who represented 20th-century German existentialism, said, we are all “beings thrown” into the world.
We begin life completely helpless and have to face countless hardships and threats along the way.
No one came into this world by choice, but was thrown into this world when they were born.
However, in the process of living life by being thrown like that, we sometimes throw ourselves into places or throw others into certain situations.
(…)
Although Heidegger isn't actually making this argument to emphasize justice, I'd like to see this passage lead to the conclusion that we must each care for one another with the goodwill and courage we possess.
For the sole reason that beings thrown into the world without any protection must look after and protect each other.
--- p.136 From "September: Justice and Injustice"

Do not call people "bugs," "niggers," or food names carelessly.
Furthermore, do not call them by harsh words like ‘retard’, ‘red’, ‘kimchi girl’, and ‘hannam’.
Recognizing and correcting all the crumbs of prejudice that have seeped into names.
This is the very definition of righteousness that Confucius emphasized when he lost his temper.
I really wish you would sometimes think of this grandfather's anger when you call someone.
I hope we can all think together about the importance of calling each other by our names properly and cultivating beautiful names for everyone.
Because all relationships start with a name.

--- p.185~186 From “October: A Surprisingly Powerful Language”

“I think, therefore I am.” If we take Descartes’ famous saying literally, it could be said that “thought determines existence” or “without thought, there is no existence.”
But after twelve months of philosophical counseling, I want to put this before you, interpreting it above all else, as pointing to the immense power that thoughts have over our being.
Thoughts can make us exist, that is, 'thoughts can save us'.
So, I hope you will think about it constantly and save yourself.

--- p.232 From "Epilogue: I'll Keep the Door Open"