Philosophize This!

Episode #189 ... Everything that connects us is slowly disappearing. - Byung Chul Han pt. 2

Oct 3, 2023

Philosopher and author, Byung Chul Han, discusses the disappearance of rituals, truth, community, communication, public spaces, and the importance of being an idiot. They explore the impact of narcissistic attitudes on society, the effects of constant information overload, and the significance of preserving diversity for healthy human relationships and a thriving society.

30:43

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Episode guests

Byung Chul Han

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Quick takeaways

The disappearance of rituals in today's society leads to a lack of constructive negativity and a focus on individual optimization, resulting in a society lacking trust, integrity, and commitment.

The rise of information technology has resulted in the decline of truth and knowledge, with fragmented information and lack of contemplation preventing a deeper understanding of reality and fragmenting our perception of the world.

Deep dives

The Shift from 1984 to Brave New World

According to philosopher Byeongchul Han, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is a more accurate portrayal of our dystopian future than George Orwell's 1984. In Brave New World, people live under a single unified global world state, where government-grown humans are conditioned and engineered for specific roles. They are also given a calming and compliance-inducing drug called Soma. Han suggests that this is a metaphor for our digital panopticon, where people voluntarily depend on technology and substances to escape negative emotions.

Rituals enable closure and help make meaning out of time

01:23

Unity vs. Homogenization in Globalization

01:21

The Value of Negative Friction in the Digital Age

01:20

Introduction

2min

The Disappearance of Constructive Negativity

12min

The Significance of Rituals and the Disappearance of Truth

4min

The Age of Information and its Effects on Perception, News Consumption, and Culture

4min

Preserving Diversity and Healthy Human Relationships

11min

Today we talk about the disappearance of rituals, truth, community, communication, public spaces and talk about the importance sometimes of being an idiot. Hope you love it! :)

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