Posted by Diarmuid on January 29, 2002 at 11:38:13:
A philosophy is basically a pattern of rational thought.
Most actions, however, do not result from a rational, conscious decision-making process.
Near as I can tell, 99% of the things people do are simple "force of habit" rote behavior, or imitation of others. No conscious desision-making, or even a thought process.
With that in mind, it seems silly to make too strong a connection between a philosophy and actual behavior. Inventing philosophy is just a thing humans do for their own amusement, following them is different.
You could, I suppose, just invent a philosophy around stuff you do anyway, like "The Tao of Breathing and Shitting". Then you get to claim "I lived by my philosophical principles!"