The Art of Curiosity w/ Larry Swetman: Recent Episodes
The Art of Curiosity w/ Larry Swetman
Is there a difference between bullshitting and lying to someone? What if you own a media company? What if you're just posting online? IS all fair in love and war? Is this description just another example of bullshit online?
We very much need to talk about this one...
What is meaning? Is it necessary for happiness and fulfillment? How does the world handle the apparent lack of meaning in our 21st century media-saturated culture?
Commenting on lectures by Dr. John Vervaeke of the University of Toronto and expounding upon the theme, Nils and Larry take a stab and exploring this most crucial question of our postmodern post-truth world.
Dr. Vervaeke, "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54l8_ewcOlY&t=370s
What do you get when you take a group of people committed to a higher power who gather around a symbol to form a group with a tribal identity, cultural norms, a vision for the future, and a reward/punishment system of values? A religion or a political ideology? Both? Neither? Seems like an important question in today's hyper-political and increasingly connected world. Let's explore in the hopes of learning from the mistakes of our elders.
What is faith? Are religious people the only ones who have it? Are the New Atheists right? Is the end of faith nigh? Or does the zeitgeist misunderstand faith to its detriment?
In the latest episode of Prodigal, Larry explores the psychological components of faith and what it means for ALL our lives.
It's "Us Vs. Them" in 2018 America. From public discourse to University campuses all the way to the political process, if you're not on the winning team you are an immoral enemy. But what if "the other side" isn't evil. What if psychology and spirituality have something to teach us about humility and morality? Let's find out...
Returning from a brief hiatus, Larry returns to the pod talking objectivism, Ayn Rand, libertarianism, liberal values, and ROADS with the very well read and articulate Jay Adragna. Very informative, precise, and timely, this pod is a great introduction to classical liberal, libertarian, ideals.
After a short absence, Larry returns with a surprising turn of events in his spiritual journey. What is the relationship between the "ego" and the Universe? How does it relate to the Spirit Larry has been trying so hard to find? Where is the golden palace with the jade and diamond words? Join us... namaste.
It's not a trick question. Are you living a purpose-filled journey or settling for consuming a steady diet of manufactured meaning? How does our culture encourage us (or not) to find our purpose? How did we get here? How can we find our meaning as individuals and human beings? In the first hour long Prodigal, Larry traces the loss of meaning in American culture and what it means for us in our own pursuits. Definitely worth a listen.
What's the deal with religion and the Spirit? Is the fact that there are falsifiable facts in religious tradition a deterrent from participation or is there a deeper neurological meaning at work?
The boys get metaphysical in the latest episode of Nils & Larry In The Evening. From getting placid in a sensory depravation tank to how mindfulness can transcend daily life. Also, could it be that God or spirits are four dimensional beings? Are these two things related? Let's find out...
In the fourth installment of Prodigal, Larry goes back to a church for the first time in a decade, fulfilling his promise to wait at the boundary line to the prodigal father's country.
How did it go? Did the Spirit show up or was it just another performance? Sit back, pour yourself a drink, and let's go to church with Larry.
In the third installment of Prodigal, Larry tries to pick apart what Jesus meant in his miracle of a saying, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's".
What is the place of politics in the Spirit filled life? Should we be obsessed with politics at the expense of our spiritual or existential lives? Should the Kingdom be ushered in with the vote? Can there ever be a savior on Capitol Hill? Let's talk...
Of all the drugs in all the world why is it that one of the most dangerous gets a free pass? What is it about alcohol that it is not only accepted in society as a whole, but celebrated as a right?
In part one of this discussion, Nils and Larry try to begin to conceptualize what it actually is about alcohol that makes it such a human heritage.
In the first double digit episode of The Art of Curiosity (formerly Cat Club), Nils and Larry talk about their education experience, with its strengths and weakness, and talk about what could change systemically so that the process could produce more complete people.
In this second episode of Prodigal, Larry reads the ancient story of the hero who comes aware of himself and his responsibilities, learns his role in the world, and ventures out to fight the ages-old dragon of Kaos.
The hero's story is all of our stories. Recorded during a thunderstorm of the Spirit, this story is foundational for the Prodigal listener. Enjoy and let there be light!
In the spot on the upper railings on the promenade where Jake and Nog spent some much time wasting time, Larry and Nicole dive into how Star Trek cultures reflect aspects of our own humanity, for better or worse, and what the soul is...
Strap in and let's take off for another episode of Deep Space Vibes...
What is the Spirit? How does It manifest Itself in the world? Through religion? Nature? Some of both? Neither? Through the Word?
In this 30 minute pilot pod of "Prodigal", Larry Swetman takes us through his struggle and journey as a Christian outlaw.
Join up as he asks the tough questions: what does it mean to be a Christian? Feel the Spirit? Live in the Spirit? Is it rules? Is it what we've been taught? Or is it something more?
What is consciousness? What is the space between universal consciousness, existential meaning, and orgasms that erupt from light houses?
Well, if you don't know you gotta listen to the latest installment of Nils & Larry In The Evening. They get quite abstract in this one, but keep it real at the same time. It's a doozey. Highly recommended. They say it's their favorite so far.
In the second, much anticipated, episode of Nils & Larry In The Evening, the boys discuss the importance of civil discourse, oppression politics, and citizenship in American public life... or their individual lives... they disagreed about that last point... but were civil about it... so they were an example... anyway... If you're tired of the outrage online and think that America is at it's best when we, as citizens, discuss our differences in the interest of a common understanding, you might like this one.
In episode 2 of the Art of Curiosity (formerly "Cat Club & The Tappy Toes") Larry sits down with Nils to discuss some contemporary social topics such as infamous psychologist Jordan Peterson, western heritage, and race in America. Light stuff, really.