E3 | What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?

Jun 10, 2024

Delve into the intense exploration of human motivation, confronting anxieties tied to meaning, pleasure, and power. Engage with the philosopher's perspectives as they relate to a poignant song's lyrics. Witness a journey of rebirth and spiritual exploration, grappling with despair while seeking hope. Controversies surrounding the prosperity gospel and its impact on faith come to light, revealing ethical dilemmas in church teachings. Finally, explore the psychological weights of belief and the pursuit of authentic connection amidst existential struggles.

51:52

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Philosophy Behind The Fire

Dave Le'aupepe explores the loss of his 'savage spirit of inquiry' as a metaphor for losing desire and meaning.
He connects this to philosophical ideas on human drives by Freud, Frankl, and Nietzsche.

insights

INSIGHT

Three Wills Collide

The song reflects a conflict of three fundamental drives: will to meaning, pleasure, and power.
This inner battle symbolizes Dave's fear of losing his driving force, his 'want.'

insights

INSIGHT

Statue Symbolizes Mental Struggle

The single's cover art features a 2,200-year-old marble bust possibly of Alexander the Great.
The cleaved head symbolically reflects mental anguish and the quest for spiritual rebirth.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Human Drives Explored: Meaning, Pleasure, and Power

03:42 • 7min

chevron_right

Exploring Musical Anxieties and Spiritual Connections

10:40 • 5min

chevron_right

Journey of Rebirth and Spiritual Exploration

15:35 • 13min

chevron_right

Examining the Controversies of Prosperity Gospel and Hillsong Church

28:26 • 4min

chevron_right

Struggles of Faith and Identity

32:20 • 17min

chevron_right

Exploring Emotional Turmoil and Future Journeys

49:42 • 2min

chevron_right

Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor Frankl

The book is divided into two parts. The first part recounts Frankl's harrowing experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, between 1942 and 1945. He describes the inhumane conditions and the psychological and emotional struggles of the prisoners. The second part introduces Frankl's theory of logotherapy, which posits that the primary human drive is the search for meaning, rather than pleasure. Frankl argues that meaning can be found through three main avenues: work (doing something significant), love (caring for another), and suffering (finding meaning in one's own suffering). The book emphasizes the importance of finding purpose and meaning in life, even in the most adverse conditions, as a key factor in survival and personal growth.

Beyond Good and Evil

Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future

Friedrich Nietzsche

In 'Beyond Good and Evil', Nietzsche challenges the traditional morality and philosophical thought of his time. He argues that the Christian world is steeped in a 'slave morality' that demonizes strength and domination, and instead proposes a philosophy that celebrates the present and the individual's 'will to power'. The book is known for its aphoristic style and its critique of past philosophers for their dogmatic premises. Nietzsche advocates for a new kind of philosopher who values imagination, self-assertion, and the creation of values, and he introduces the concept of 'perspective of life' which denies a universal morality for all human beings.

The interpretation of dreams

Sigmund Freud

In this seminal work, Freud introduces his theory of the unconscious with respect to dream interpretation and discusses what would later become the theory of the Oedipus complex. He argues that dreams are forms of 'wish fulfillment' and are influenced by unconscious forces and censorship. The book differentiates between the manifest content and latent content of dreams and explores the mechanisms of dream formation, including displacement and the 'dream-work'. Freud uses his own dreams and those of his patients to illustrate his theories, providing a deeply personal and insightful look into the human psyche.

Being and Nothingness

Jean-Paul Sartre

In 'Being and Nothingness,' Jean-Paul Sartre delves into the fundamental categories of being and nothingness. He distinguishes between 'being-in-itself' (objects that simply exist and are unaware of themselves) and 'being-for-itself' (human consciousness, which is self-aware and free). Sartre argues that human beings are characterized by their freedom and responsibility, and that they must create their own being through their actions in the world. The book also introduces the concept of 'being-for-others,' highlighting the impact of others on our self-perception. Sartre rejects traditional notions of a transcendent reality and instead emphasizes the importance of individual responsibility and authenticity in human existence.

The hero with a thousand faces

Joseph Campbell

In this book, Joseph Campbell explores his theory of the 'monomyth', a universal pattern found in the mythological narratives of various cultures. He details the stages of the 'hero's journey', which include departure from the ordinary world, initiation into a supernatural world, and return with a boon. Campbell draws on a wide range of mythological sources and integrates insights from psychology, particularly from Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, to illustrate the common elements of heroic myths across different cultures.

You Need More Money, Discovering God's Amazing Financial Plan for Your Life

None

Brian Houston

God's Will Is Prosperity

Gloria Copeland

Fear and trembling

Søren Kierkegaard

Søren Kierkegaard's 'Fear and Trembling' is a philosophical exploration of faith and the ethical dilemmas it presents. The work centers on the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac, examining the conflict between ethical demands and religious faith. Kierkegaard argues that true faith requires a leap of faith, a suspension of ethical considerations in favor of absolute commitment to God. The book's profound insights into the nature of faith and the individual's relationship with God have had a lasting impact on religious thought and existentialism. Kierkegaard's work challenges readers to confront the complexities of faith and to grapple with the ultimate questions of existence.

Écrits: A Selection is Jacques Lacan's most important work, compiling twenty-seven articles and lectures originally published between 1936 and 1966. The book gained Lacan international attention upon its first publication in 1966 and has had a profound influence on contemporary intellectual life, affecting fields such as film theory, art history, and literary criticism. Lacan's work is characterized by its radical, brilliant, and complex ideas on subjects like the unconscious, the castration complex, and the centrality of language to subjectivity. The book is essential for understanding Lacan's thought and his significant impact on modern thought and culture.

The Myth of Sisyphus

Albert Camus

In 'The Myth of Sisyphus', Albert Camus delves into the concept of the absurd, which arises from the conflict between humanity's desire for meaning and the apparent indifference of the universe. Camus argues that this absurdity does not justify suicide but rather requires a revolt against it. He introduces Sisyphus, a figure from Greek mythology condemned to eternally push a boulder up a mountain only for it to roll back down, as the ideal absurd hero. Camus suggests that Sisyphus's acceptance of his fate and his continued effort to push the boulder up the mountain, despite its futility, exemplify the human condition and the possibility of finding happiness in the face of absurdity. The essay also discusses other examples of absurd lives and includes an appendix on the works of Franz Kafka.

From anxiety into desperation we come to Track 2 - ‘What Can I Do If The Fire Goes Out?’. We explore what keeps our protagonist’s fire burning - is it the will to pleasure, meaning or power? Uncertain if the answer is to be found in Freud, Frankl or Nietzsche, this intensely yearning song also sees him ask God what he's to do to keep this fire burning.

No Tone Unturned is a docu-podcast series that takes Australian music seriously.

Every season, we’ll take 1 significant Australian album, and work our way through it from start to finish, one song per episode. We’ll comb through each and every verse to unpack the lyrics, songwriting techniques and philosophy behind the tunes that have moved this country.

Follow us across socials @scrubbingmedia. Check out the pinned post on Instagram for a chance to win a ‘Go Farther In Lightness' vinyl or VERY limited edition alternate cover art signed vinyl of ‘angel in realtime’

Proof Listening for this episode by Ben Marcuse

A full list of references can be found publicly listed on the Scrubbing Media Patreon. View here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/no-tone-unturned-105597864

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Home Top podcasts Popular guests