About

“The unexamined life is not worth living” - Socrates

During his trial in Athens in 399 BCE, Socrates spoke these words. Charged with impiety and corrupting the youth, Socrates insisted upon questioning everything–questioning authority, your beliefs, and reality itself. The unexamined life is one without analysis, without critical thinking and reevaluation. Socrates chose his death by hemlock when faced with the alternative of ceasing to question, ceasing to seek answers and wisdom in a world full of contradictions and incongruencies. How far can one develop without self-reflection? How wise can one be when blindly accepting preexisting beliefs? Socrates knew his philosophical mission, his duty to humanity, was through this very questioning, this growth and dedication to always improve.

Here, we apply these same principles. A dedication to growth, self-reflection, and an ever-evolving understanding of not only the truth around us, but also the truth within us. Capital T Truth may seem like a pillar, obdurate and permanent, unchanging and resolute. Yet it is said that we can never step into the same river twice, for it is constantly changing, as are we. So, too, the Truth is kaleidoscopic–dynamic, shifting, never ceasing in its evolution. When a Truth takes hold, we must remember that This too shall pass. All things in life, good or bad, are fleeting, temporary. And so when one Truth passes by, we breathe in, we notice it, we breathe out. And the ephemerality forces us to start our search again.

Author

Katy Yut spends her time thinking, building, and living. She has always been curious about the meaning of life, the perpetual chase for happiness, and the bountiful wonders of the natural world. Motivated to strive for the optimal path, she searches for purpose in the works of others who came before her, through books, poetry, podcasts, art, speeches, and more.

Katy practices living in the present moment through meditation, acts of noticing (such as wildlife photography and bird watching), exercise, and creating (be it art, meals with loved ones, or tools for optimizing).

Content

Here, you will find her musings and the entire extent of knowledge she has gained over her lifetime of questioning, searching, and documenting. This consists of deliberate living, optimizing money, honing attention, and doing the unglamorous thing that compounds.

Contact

Reach out at katy@blog.the-examined-life.com.