702. In this episode, Kevin explores the idea of finding personal meaning in fitness, emphasizing the importance of enjoying what you do rather than adhering to rigid, objective standards. He encourages listeners to reflect on their own fitness goals as 2025 approaches, focusing on activities that engage and excite them, whether it's strength training, running, or another passion.
702. In this episode, Kevin explores the idea of finding personal meaning in fitness, emphasizing the importance of enjoying what you do rather than adhering to rigid, objective standards. He encourages listeners to reflect on their own fitness goals as 2025 approaches, focusing on activities that engage and excite them, whether it's strength training, running, or another passion.
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Hello again listeners, this is Kevin and welcome to another episode of Get Fit Guy. I received a nice email last week from a listener who is a philosophy graduate and how much enjoyment they took from the episode on Frankfurt and free will. But also noting my use of ‘gender neutral’ language when referencing an email. It got me to thinking about this show. I don’t think, that in 2024, Get Fit Guy is an appropriate name for the show. I would much rather see a gender neutral title. Firstly, because I think its important to be an ally, but secondly, because it’s backed the show into a corner where it can only ever be hosted by a ‘guy’. What do you think? Do you think this is the right name for the show or maybe we should look for a gender neutral title. I'd be interested in hearing what listeners think. Please email me and let me know if you agree. I’m not sure what the show could be called, but I definitely think gender neutral is the way to go!
Ok, onto this week’s show, which, unsurprisingly is more than a little philosophical. I read back last week’s notes and I think that perhaps it may have been too much into what the philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein called a ‘language game’. That being that if you aren’t in the same language game as I am, perhaps its hard to play along! Philosophy has a lot of words that it shares with other subject matter areas and with general language, but mean very specific and different things. I will do my best to try and steer away from the language games.
Anyway, this past couple of weeks, I have been thinking about the meaning of things and the meaning in things. Sometimes people are so keen to identify things, like relationships and put them into a certain box. I think it's because as humans we all love things to be clearly defined. But I would argue that these definitions rob us of the beauty that we can find in the things themselves. It’s very unlikely anything in life fits very clearly into the defined border of a box we put them in and doesn’t overlap with other things or have leakage into other areas. Take friendship for example, sometimes we can have feelings for friends that might not fit entirely into a platonic box. They can be romantic feelings, lustful feelings, or even feelings like they are part of your family. And thats ok. I think it’s easier and better to embrace our own feelings rather than to squash them back down and place them into a box and cut the edges off that are hanging out the sides.
I think it can be the same in fitness. What we have to understand is that fitness is an industry. And it exists to provide some kind of monetised solutions. So, there are providers out there that will tell you how their fitness brand, their fitness equipment, their gym, their martial art, their supplement and so on is superior to others in the same space. But what makes something better than another thing? I will argue that it’s down to where you look for the answer.
Are you looking for the answers of things or the answer in things? In philosophy, a lot of time is devoted to the question: ‘What is the meaning of life?’. And there are many different takes on this. One of the most analysed in philosophy is from the French philosopher and author, Albert Camus. It is called the myth of Sisyphus. Sisyphus was condemned by the Gods to forever push a giant rock up a mountain, only for it to roll back down again. For Camus this scenario is a metaphor for life. It's pointless, futile, and a meaningless struggle that comes to nothing in the end. It is absurd and beyond reason and logic.
But this is not what is important. Again, as per previous weeks, a philosophical discussion on the meaning of life cannot be covered in a ten minute podcast, so this is a very simplified overview. What is important is not that the meaning OF life itself. But that we find good in the meaning IN life. We should take a subjective view, rather than trying to apply an objective view to all humanity. The meaning in life is down to each of us, individually, not collectively. It’s about finding things that actively engage you. Things that you are passionate about, excited and gripped by. Intellectual pursuits, moral achievements, creative enterprises, relationships, friendships, family, cultivating personal talents and virtues. These are all projects of worth that bring meaning IN our lives.
I think this idea of the meaning of things vs the meaning in things is incredibly important. It’s a distinction that frees us from spinning our wheels about what objective absurdity is and allows us to embrace subjective goodness. I can argue in fitness terms until the cows come home that strength training is more important to ageing populations (also know as all populations) than aerobic training or mobility training. But if someone hates strength training and finds no joy in it at all, then what is the point. Going to the gym after a day at work, or waking up at 5am to go do something you really despise is itself absurd. If you really enjoy running, or really enjoy hiking or martial arts or golf, then who really cares that some self proclaimed expert out there says that objectively doing this thing you can’t stand is good for you. I just can’t get on board at all with that.
So, I would encourage everyone to think about that. What is the meaning IN fitness? Not what is the meaning OF fitness. Because, if we look at the meaning of fitness, its only going to lead us to the same situation as the meaning of life. Something hard, probably not enjoyable and in the end, all for nothing. It’s a much better use of our time to find value IN the things we do and not value OF the things we do.
A further argument might be that the best way forward is to find the intersection of both. You should be where objectivity and subjectivity meet. Is there an objective meaning in fitness? Ok, well, my claim would be that it’s to resist ageing. And strength training is the best way to do this. So, what if the subjective meaning for someone is to make friends and have a social each week, such as golf. Well, perhaps there are strength clubs or classes at a nearby gym, where you can do strength training but also have that social connection. That might be an intercept point of objective and subjective meaning. I don’t know, because I can’t tell you what your subjective meaning is. Because any information I can martial on this would be subjective to me and not to you. All I can try to do here each week is give listeners some tools and some ways to use the tools. That's what I see philosophy as: tools for life and ideas on how to use those tools.
I hope that everyone, with the New Year coming up can reflect on their subjective meaning IN fitness and go into 2025 ready to fully embrace that and be happy.
If you have any questions or would like to just say ‘hi’, please email me at getfitguy@quickanddirtytips.com
Get-Fit Guy is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. Thanks to the team! Morgan Christianson, Holly Hutchings, the director of podcasts, Brennan Goetschius, and Davina Tomlin. And I've been your host, Kevin Don. If you have a question for me, leave me a voicemail at 510-353-3104 or send me an email at getfitguy@quickanddirtytips.com. For more information about the show, visit quickanddirtytips.com, or check out the show notes in your podcast app.