5 Simple Steps to Study Philosophy on Your Own (Even If You’re Not a Genius)

Photo by Nicolas Houdayer on Unsplash

Alright, let’s get one thing straight from the start: you’re not a genius. Hell, I’m not a genius.

If you were a genius, you wouldn’t be reading this article, would you?

You’d already be holed up in your own study, mumbling quotes from Being and Nothingness while sipping scotch in the dim light of a dusty room.

But you’re here, looking for a way to understand this bizarre, twisted, and often maddening thing called philosophy.

Maybe you’ve had a few beers, flicked through a book of Nietzsche quotes, and thought, Yeah, this guy gets it. Maybe you’ve overheard some smug guy at a bar trying to drop Sartre in casual conversation and thought, What the hell is he talking about?

Don’t worry. You don’t need to be a philosopher to start thinking like one. You just need some guidance, a good drink, and a little bit of patience.

This isn’t a race, pal. Philosophy’s like a slow burn, like the cheap cigars you light on the balcony while staring into the void. It’ll get to you in its own time.

So let’s get this over with, shall we?

Step 1: Start with the Basics (Don’t Be a Snob, Just Get in the Door)

Look, I know. You’re not an idiot. You’ve probably heard someone mention “Socrates” at some point, and you thought, Yeah, sure, the guy was a big deal back in the day, but what’s he gonna teach me?

Well, here’s the thing: Socrates wasn’t a snob. He didn’t look down on people just because they didn’t have fancy degrees or fancy words to use.

No. The guy went around asking everyone questions, making them feel stupid, until they realized they didn’t know a damn thing. And guess what? That’s a good place to start.

Don’t jump straight into the intellectual deep end just yet. You’re gonna drown in a pool of jargon and self-doubt.

Start with something simple. Read a basic primer, something that doesn’t try to shove 200 years of philosophy down your throat all at once.

Try Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder or The Philosophy Book by DK Publishing. I know, it sounds like something your high school teacher would shove at you, but trust me, this is where you lay the foundation.

It’s the bread and butter. The vodka tonic of philosophy—easy to sip, doesn’t burn too much, and you can actually enjoy it without feeling like an idiot.

BookAuthorWhy You Should Read It
Sophie’s WorldJostein GaarderIt’s a story wrapped in a history of philosophy. It’s not boring, I swear.
The Philosophy BookDK PublishingA digestible way to understand major philosophical ideas without feeling like you’re stuck in a lecture hall.

These books are your entryway. They’ll give you a bird’s-eye view of the big shots—the ones who made a name for themselves by thinking too much.

You might not understand everything right off the bat, but that’s the beauty of philosophy—it’s a slow crawl. Don’t rush it. It’s not some race.

Step 2: Pick a Philosopher and Get Obsessive (Even If They’re a Total Pessimist)

Now that you’ve tasted the basics, it’s time to dig deeper. You’ve got your toes wet, now dive in headfirst.

And here’s the thing—you’re probably not going to like every philosopher you read. Some of them will sound like they’re reading from a script for a bad play, and others will make you want to punch something (I’m looking at you, Hegel).

But don’t worry. The goal isn’t to like everyone. The goal is to find that one philosopher who speaks to the nihilist inside you, the one who’s so disillusioned with everything that they make you feel less crazy for questioning the meaning of life.

Since you’re into philosophical pessimism, let’s start with Schopenhauer. The guy had a way of looking at the world that’s so dark, it could make Edgar Allan Poe look like a Disney character.

Schopenhauer didn’t sugarcoat life—he said it was nothing but a sick joke, a painful struggle that drags us along until we finally die.

Yeah, it’s pretty bleak, but it’s real. He’ll make you see the world the way it is—not the way we wish it was.

But, hey, don’t just jump into The World as Will and Representation. That’s like trying to drink an entire bottle of tequila in one go.

It’ll hurt. Instead, start with On the Suffering of the World. It’s short, sharp, and hits you like a punch to the gut—just the way you need it.

Step 3: Find a Comfortable Format (Because Reading Is a Pain)

Let’s be real—reading philosophy is a grind. It’s like trying to drag yourself through the mud, except the mud is made of abstract concepts and German words that take two minutes to pronounce.

Sometimes, you just don’t have the patience to sit and read a 500-page book with the vocabulary of a dictionary.

So do yourself a favor: switch up the format. There’s no shame in listening to a podcast or watching a YouTube video. Hell, if you’re sitting in traffic, you might as well get some culture in your life, right?

Podcasts like Philosophize This! by Stephen West break down complicated ideas into bite-sized pieces. West talks about Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, and others without making you feel like you’re in a lecture hall with a stuffy professor.

He’s got the right amount of sarcasm and insight to make you feel like you’re part of the conversation, even when you have no idea what’s going on.

YouTube? That’s got you covered too. Check out the School of Life channel. They have a knack for making philosophy feel less like a dry textbook and more like something you can understand over a few beers.

Step 4: Mix It Up (Because One Guy Can’t Do It All)

Philosophy isn’t a monologue; it’s a debate. It’s not about sitting in a room nodding along with one thinker. It’s about picking up ideas, tearing them apart, throwing them in the air, and seeing what lands.

When you read Schopenhauer, you’re not just reading Schopenhauer. You’re reading his opponent, Hegel, too.

Hegel thought history was this grand, logical process that moved us toward freedom and self-realization. Schopenhauer thought Hegel was full of crap. It’s like two boxers in a ring, swinging punches.

When you hear both sides, you’ll see where you stand—or maybe where you don’t stand at all. Either way, it’ll get you thinking.

Don’t just stick to one guy. Read their critics. Read their contemporaries. And don’t be afraid to disagree. A philosopher who doesn’t make you mad once in a while is probably not worth reading.

Step 5: Reflect, Write, Get Angry

Here’s where the real magic happens. You’ve read. You’ve listened. Now it’s time to think. And I don’t mean just thinking about the ideas.

I mean thinking about your thoughts. It’s easy to say, “Yeah, Schopenhauer was right, life sucks,” but it’s another thing to sit down and grapple with that idea.

Get a notebook. Hell, grab a napkin and write down your thoughts. Yell at the world. Argue with Schopenhauer like he’s in the room with you. Sure, he’s dead. But that’s what philosophy’s all about—those dead guys are still in the room.

Write. Reflect. Think about why you agree with something or why you want to throw the book across the room. The process itself is the lesson.

Final Words (It’s all good…)

Look, you’re not a genius. But who needs to be? You’re smart enough to ask the right questions. And that’s where philosophy begins. You don’t have to be some intellectual titan to get in the game.

You just need the guts to dive in and stick with it long enough to realize that the point of it all is to understand that it’s okay not to know.

So grab that first book. Put on that podcast. Let misery sink in. And let yourself ask questions that you won’t get answers to. After all, that’s the whole point.

About the Author:

I’m not a genius, I’m not a philosopher, and I don’t pretend to be either. But I’m stubborn enough to try. I used to think philosophy was for the elitists who sat in dark rooms, puffing their pipes and judging everyone else. But then I got tired of that cynicism and decided to get in on the joke. So, here I am—doing what I can, one painful step at a time.

Comments

Leave a Reply