The Gray Area with Sean Illing If God is dead, then … socialism?
Feb 13, 2020
Martin Hägglund, a Yale philosopher and author of 'This Life', discusses the quest for a meaningful existence without the comforts of an afterlife. He argues capitalism limits our ownership of time and suggests democratic socialism as a remedy. The conversation dives into how awareness of mortality urges us to make meaningful choices and explores the relationship between secular ethics and moral responsibility. Hägglund also touches on the spiritual dimensions of Marxist thought, emphasizing the link between economic conditions and our existential queries.
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Time as the Ultimate Question
- How should we spend our time is the most important question we can ask.
- It underlies all other questions, informing our priorities and commitments.
Death's Significance
- Death gives life meaning; heaven undermines it.
- A life without death lacks stakes, making purpose and meaning impossible.
Fragility as a Blessing
- Life's fragility, not death itself, is the blessing.
- The risk of death makes things matter, creating stakes and purpose.
