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Menno van der Land

Critical Thinker | World Traveler

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12 December 202012 December 2020 mennovanderlandLife

Loneliness is not being alone. It’s the feeling that nobody cares

A journey into the world of loneliness – and how to deal with it In our modern societies having a ‘rich social life’ is widely seen and promoted as anContinue reading

6 November 20206 November 2020 mennovanderlandLife

Is autonomy a myth? (Spoiler: No it is not.)

Are humans autonomous beings or is autonomy a myth? In the debate on this question, two views are often diametrically opposed: on the one hand there are people who believeContinue reading

16 October 202017 October 2020 mennovanderlandLife

Why you should always keep asking ‘why?’

You may have noticed that I refer to myself as a “critical thinker” on the homepage of my website. That is not without reason. In my opinion critical thinking isContinue reading

6 September 2020 mennovanderlandLife

Perfection is an illusion. Pursuing it is a recipe for unhappiness

There are many ways in which people can make life hard on themselves. One of the best ways to do so, is without a doubt the pursuit of perfection. PerfectionismContinue reading

6 June 20206 June 2020 mennovanderlandLife

Individuality, conformity and our need for social acceptance

One of the most paradoxical aspects of human behavior, if you ask me, is the universally felt need for freedom to be yourself and the simultaneous tendency to conform toContinue reading

7 May 2020 mennovanderlandLife

Why we need to be angry sometimes (regardless what the Stoics say)

I don’t know about you, but I can get quite angry sometimes. It doesn’t happen often, but things like injustice, cheating and disrespectful behavior can really piss me off. ItContinue reading

30 April 20203 May 2020 mennovanderlandLife

Do you want what you wish?

“You don’t have to learn to want,” said Greek philosopher Seneca. And indeed, we humans seem very good at wanting. We want all kinds of things. And there are thingsContinue reading

19 April 20203 May 2020 mennovanderlandLife

Forget being who you are. Life’s about becoming who you want to be

You may recognize this: To friends, family or colleagues you can’t refrain from stressing that you “want to be yourself”, and meanwhile you silently ask yourself, “Who am I actually?”Continue reading

2 April 20203 May 2020 mennovanderlandLife

Authenticity: your values, your choice

If you buy an age-old painting for a lot of money, you probably want a certificate that guarantees the authenticity of the painting, so that you can be sure thatContinue reading

Quick facts

Home base: Leiden, The Netherlands

Education: PhD in political science

Philosophy: existentialism & pragmatism

Personality type: INTJ-A, critical thinker & ambivert

Political orientation: liberal-minded democrat

Into: travel, philosophy, photography, politics, wine, good food & good conversation

Recent Posts

  • Loneliness is not being alone. It’s the feeling that nobody cares
  • Is autonomy a myth? (Spoiler: No it is not.)
  • Why you should always keep asking ‘why?’
  • Luxemburg & Belgische Ardennen
  • Perfection is an illusion. Pursuing it is a recipe for unhappiness

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