AUTHOR SERIES - "Belonging Again" w/ O.G. Rose (Daniel Garner)
Aug 23, 2023
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Daniel Garner, co-author of the book Belonging Again, discusses the concept of belonging in our fragmented age. They explore the importance of tragic sociology, the role of altered states in engaging with the world, and the impact of spiritual bypassing on personal growth. They also delve into the influence of movies on group dynamics and explore the consequences of the existence or non-existence of God.
The book 'Belonging Again' proposes finding an optimal balance between limiting forms and practices that release from limitation in order to achieve a sense of belonging in contemporary civilization.
Societies must navigate the conflict of individuals' deep moral disagreements by fostering a new kind of belonging that is both meaningful and chosen by individuals, requiring wisdom and the ability to handle moral differences while still maintaining a sense of belonging.
Individuals need to develop the ability to make quality decisions in ambiguous and complex situations in a world characterized by pluralism and globalism, recognizing that decision-making is influenced by non-rational factors and can be trained through humanities and the arts.
Societies should focus on creating a higher resolution form of belonging that involves making quality decisions and judgments while still acknowledging and addressing the complexities and moral disagreements within society, navigating the trade-offs presented by diversity of values and beliefs.
Deep dives
Book explores the balance between constraints and freedom
The podcast episode discusses a book called 'Belonging Again' which explores the balance between freedom from constraint and constraints against freedom. The book argues that mere freedom or oppressive constraints are not the solutions for achieving a sense of belonging in contemporary civilization. It proposes finding an optimal balance between limiting forms and practices that release from limitation. The author suggests that the traditional framework of givens and releases no longer works in the current society, and there is a need to navigate a new kind of constraint that does not rely on traditional structures. The book emphasizes the importance of active decision-making and quality judgment in a world characterized by pluralism and globalism.
The tension between belonging and meaning
The podcast explores the tension between belonging and meaning. Belonging in the past was often a lower resolution form of belonging, as it was a result of givens and not individually chosen. However, the development of justice has led to individuals choosing their own values and creating a higher resolution form of belonging. This requires making courageous choices and judgments based on individual values and beliefs. The podcast suggests that societies must navigate the conflict of individuals' deep moral disagreements by fostering a new kind of belonging that is both meaningful and chosen by individuals. This shift towards a thoughtful belonging requires wisdom and the ability to handle moral differences while still maintaining a sense of belonging.
The importance of quality judgment and decision-making
The podcast highlights the significance of quality judgment and decision-making in navigating a world characterized by pluralism and globalism. It argues that individuals need to develop the ability to make quality decisions in ambiguous and complex situations. The emphasis is on the importance of courage and the willingness to face fears and make choices that align with personal values and beliefs. The podcast suggests that humanities and the arts can play a role in training individuals to make quality judgments through exploring ambiguous situations. It also highlights the need for individuals to recognize that their decision-making is not purely rational but influenced by non-rational factors such as emotion, community, and experience.
Tragic sociology and the trade-offs of belonging
The podcast episode introduces the concept of tragic sociology, which views society as a trade-off of competing goods rather than merely a problem and solution scenario. It emphasizes the need to navigate the complex trade-offs presented by the diversity of values, beliefs, and societal norms. Tragic sociology recognizes that belonging and meaning are interconnected but not necessarily the same. It explores how social orders have historically excluded minorities, resulting in a lower resolution form of belonging. The podcast proposes that societies should focus on creating a higher resolution form of belonging which involves making quality decisions and judgments while still acknowledging and addressing the complexities and moral disagreements within society.
The nature of irony and the danger of infinite negation
The podcast explores the irony in human behavior where people often choose means that hinder their desired ends. It highlights the importance of distancing ourselves from our wants and desires to examine them objectively. However, there is a risk of using irony as a means to avoid making choices altogether. This infinite absolute negation can lead to cynicism or dismissal. Without given values or beliefs, the only choice becomes a Nietzschean promise, perpetuating a cycle of irony and escape. The episode emphasizes the need to balance critique with positive vision and complete the process of deconstruction to facilitate reconstruction.
Philosophical journey and embedding critique
The podcast delves into the philosophical journey inspired by David Hume. It argues that individuals should embark on a journey away from their unexamined common life to gain a broader view of the world through philosophy. However, the speaker warns against falling into philosophical resentment and conforming the world to one's own vision. Instead, philosophy should be used as a decision-making tool and a means of defending and improving the common life or community that one is a part of. The episode emphasizes the importance of embedding oneself in the subject being critiqued to enable a constructive critique based on participation and understanding.
Contemplation, trust, and the role of material conditions
In discussing contemplation, the podcast highlights the need to go beyond rationality and consider the real consequences of one's thoughts. This means facing the real-world implications of one's beliefs and choices. Trust is explored, emphasizing that it cannot be earned but must be given or withdrawn. The loss of trust can arise from personal emotional experiences, material conditions, or an intellectual mistake about the nature of trust. The episode encourages creating mechanisms that allow individuals to confront the real of their beliefs and introduces non-rational variables that prompt deeper reflection. It emphasizes the need to reform systems and process rather than attempting to make others earn trust.
For the 34th episode of the Integral Stage Authors series, Layman sits down with Daniel Garner of @O.G.Rose (Michelle.and.Daniel) to talk about their new book, Belonging Again -- the first in a series of explorations on the topic of "belonging" in our fragmented age.
As they put it in the book's description: "Our identities, religions, nationalities, occupations, life choices, philosophies, political ideologies, political leaders -- none of these are 'given' anymore: whatever we face, we find ourselves full of questions. 'Is this true? Is this best? Is this valid?' ... Individuals today have more freedom than ever before, but at the expense of 'givens' which would help them determine what they should do with that freedom. Choice has increased while direction has decreased, so where should we go now?"
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