Why Join TPP?

Hi everyone, my name is Matt. I am the founder and lead writer at The Pocket Philosopher.

I built TPP to be helpful.

I built TPP because examined desire, an examined life, and an examined worldview all lead to our own personal happiness.

To put it another way, I built TPP because I want to help you to become 1% happier with every post.

At first, TPP was helpful for me.

For the first part of my life I was weaned on a world view that made me afraid, destructive, and anxious.

It was one part militarism, one part fundamentalism, one part white-supremacy, and one part violence.

The kicker was that I thought me and my tribe were set to inherit the earth, as they say.

In my 20s, I experienced a massive event which led to the annihilation of this mental model.

I found myself an Army Officer, West Point graduate, leader in my religious circle, and absolutely miserable.

This tension came to a crescendo in 2018 when I decided to leave active duty as a Conscientious Objector.

I left because at some visceral level I knew it was the right thing to do.

That said, I was so deeply integrated into these very specific models of thinking, that I couldn’t make sense of who I was, what I wanted, or what I was supposed to do.

Thankfully, I had studied philosophy extensively in college, so I decided to dig up my old notes. (The notes that I taken so that I could prove my worldview was superior, I might add.)

TPP is the result of my delving into the wisdom of traditions spanning the globe and history in order to mine the essential elements of helpful ideas.

At first for myself. Now for you.

Confucius, Epictetus, Lao Tzu, Micheal Walzer, Marcus Aruelius—they all have something to teach me. To teach us.

I’ve cobbled together a world view that optimizes for human well-being, balance, and happiness.

Happiness not defined by “feeling good” necessarily, but happiness defined by living a skillful life.

A life in harmony with those around you. With nature. And most importantly with yourself.

I work hard to mine the essential wisdom—only what is most urgent—for each post. I break each post down into 5 basic categories field-tested for easy retention and understanding.

My goal to make the essential elements of each idea accessible and applicable for as many people as possible.

It is a difficult labor, but also a labor of love.

If you believe in this mission, would you consider supporting TPP by becoming a paid subscriber for just $5/month?

Perhaps you might consider gifting a subscription to someone you think would benefit from the content.

Give a gift subscription

If you are an educator or in a position to expense TPP (for lesson planning, self-improvement, or even a wellness stipend) please reach out to thepocketphilosopher21@gmail.com and I can help you coordinate with your employer.

With much love friends,

Matt

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Matt studied philosophy at West Point and has worked in various industries including finance, government, and the NGO space. He is most interested in solving complex problems with thoughtful reflection and empathetic engagement.