Bennett's Phylactery - Finding our Way Back to Children
Nov 1, 2023
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Kevin, organizer of Natalism conference and founder of Exit Group, discusses issues of demographic collapse, the importance of religion, government policies, declining sperm count, fertility technology, and more.
The Natalism Conference aims to address the problem of demographic collapse, emphasizing the importance of procreating and preserving culture.
Rebuilding trust between genders is essential for the success of natalism, requiring honest dialogue and understanding of each other's perspectives.
Embracing the 'forest passage' involves confronting mortality and undergoing a metaphysical and psychological transformation, negating machine-like thinking and emphasizing love and trust.
Deep dives
Kevin Dolan's exploration of the purpose behind the Natalism Conference
Kevin Dolan, founder of the Exit Group, discusses the origins of the Natalism Conference. As he explains, the conference arose from reflections on the goals of the Exit Group, which aims to foster independence from corporate employment and promote political and financial freedom. The Natalism Conference focuses on the desire to have grandchildren and ensure a healthy future for one's children. Dolan highlights the importance of procreating, preserving culture, and addressing population collapse. He emphasizes the need for conversation and collaboration among individuals from diverse perspectives to find solutions. The conference aims to explore the underlying problems, seek potential solutions, and encourage personal and collective investment in the future.
The Complexity of Trust and the Challenges of Building Relationships
Dolan delves into the challenges of trust between men and women, particularly in contemporary society. He discusses the impact of negative influences and the breakdown of trust amidst the rise of extreme behaviors and narratives in online spaces. Dolan argues that rebuilding trust between genders is a central issue to address for the success of natalism. He suggests that both men and women need to dialogue honestly and take on the responsibility of understanding and empathizing with each other's perspectives. Dolan highlights the importance of finding partners who share common values and objectives, as well as the need for cooperative and complementary relationships.
Efficiency, Fear of Death, and Divine Madness
Drawing from Ernst Jünger's book 'The Forest Passage', Dolan explores the connection between the drive for efficiency, the fear of death, and the need for divine madness. He discusses how societal efficiency and hyper-optimization stem from the fear of mortality. Dolan suggests that embracing the 'forest passage', which involves confronting mortality and undergoing a metaphysical and psychological transformation, is essential. He reflects on the divine frenzy and the necessity of abandoning hedonic efficiency for a higher purpose. Dolan also highlights the role of love, the leap it requires, and the need for trust in negating machine-like thinking.
Navigating the Challenges of the Technological Society
Dolan acknowledges the challenges posed by the technological society and the dominance of technique. He highlights the danger of becoming blinded by the gadgets and superficial aspects of technology, while ignoring its insidious impact on human relationships and societal structures. Dolan suggests that considering the human telos and emphasizing organic systems over mindless optimization can counter the dehumanizing effects of technology. He explores how the interplay between human values and technology relates to the broader narratives surrounding human fertility, love, and cultural legacy.
The Significance of Subversive Thinker Ernst Jünger
Dolan recommends Ernst Jünger's 'The Forest Passage' as an exploration of subversive thought that remains relevant today. He admires the prescient insights in Jünger's work, particularly on topics such as cybernetics, agrigors, and technique. Dolan emphasizes that although Jünger might not provide all the answers or solutions, his ability to foresee and analyze societal issues back in the 1950s is remarkable. 'The Forest Passage' challenges the pursuit of efficiency and highlights the importance of confronting mortality to transcend machine-like thinking and embrace divine-inspired madness.
We speak about the problem of demographic collapse, what it could look like, and how both individuals and policy can address it. We also speak about the importance of religion, secular alternatives to religious natalism culture, government policy that works and doesn’t, testosterone and sperm count decline, fertility technology like IVF and embryo selection, surrogacy, exo wombs, and more.
Kevin is the organizer of the Natalism conference held in Austin Texas, in December 2023 and the Founder of Exit Group - a fraternal organization dedicated to ending our reliance on corporate employment, so that you can’t be threatened by a politicized HR department or an “employer mandate”.
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