The Consolations of Philosphy
Alain de Botton is not the man you’d expect him to be.
Born in Switzerland to a wealthy family, Alain went to schools like Harrow, Cambridge and Harvard. After graduating, instead of taking a traditional route in academia, he decided to write a book when he was 23 years old and forge his own path.
Known as a philosopher, author and founder of The School of Life, his work has been described as a philosophy of everyday life and explores love, status, meritocracy, religion and self-knowledge.
Alain De Botton’s first publication “Essays in Love”, went on to sell two million copies. His latest book “An Emotional Education” teaches us about emotional intelligence and how to understand oneself, become more effective at work, and grow resilient in the face of failure.
The School of Life Explores All Aspects of Philosophy
Along with his many best selling books, Alain also co-founded The School of Life in 2008 and now has 13 locations globally.
In 2015, he was also awarded “The Fellowship of Schopenhauer“, an annual writers’ award from the Melbourne Writers Festival, for this work.
I absolutely loved talking to Alain. I’ve read much of his earlier work and I’m excited to learn more about The School of Life. If you’ve ever struggled with self-esteem, finding your purpose or feeling inadequate, Alain de Botton’s philosophy on life will help.
We talked about so many fascinating things and I know you’re going to love this episode with Alain.
Join us as we discuss:
- Michel de Montaigne, Romanticism, and raising kids
- Growing up in Switzerland, Lego, and world-building
- Dragon School, the English Empire, and attachment theory
- John Bowlby, adolescent rebellion, and rising depression rates
- Plato, insomnia, and psychotherapy
- Meditation, art, and psychedelics
- Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Dionysia, and the Feast of Fools
- Jackson Pollock, the School of Life, and a society of losers
