"WhatifAlthist" | World History, Philosophy, Culture

Shatter the Glass of Modernity

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Dec 29, 2024

Explore how modern ambition intertwines with technology and personal evolution. Dive into the pervasive unhappiness gripping society and the quest for meaning amid cultural identity crises. Analyze how myths shape self-perception and challenge ingrained ideologies for true psychological freedom. Reassess the roots of depression, exposing societal influences over chemical imbalances. Confront the identity crisis and rising nihilism, urging a deeper understanding of societal changes and their implications for all.

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INSIGHT

Societal Sickness

The West faces a declining birth rate, worsening mental health, and societal self-loathing.
These factors point to a profound spiritual sickness, potentially the worst in human history.

insights

INSIGHT

Modern Naivete

Modernity displays naivete by ignoring explicit statements from hostile groups.
This, combined with a societal feminization, contributes to an attraction to destructive ideologies.

insights

INSIGHT

Pain of Radicals

Many political radicals are driven by deep psychological pain and a sense of meaninglessness.
This societal pain manifests as a desire for self-destruction.

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Challenging Modern Assumptions: A Search for Happiness in Society

01:51 • 4min

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Societal Decline and the Search for Meaning

06:21 • 11min

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Mythology and Modern Self-Perception

17:22 • 27min

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Reevaluating Depression: Context, Culture, and Self-Perception

44:17 • 2min

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Confronting the Crisis of Identity and Nihilism

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.

Lost Connections

Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions

Johann Hari

In 'Lost Connections', Johann Hari explores the increasing rates of depression and anxiety in the Western world. Through a 40,000-mile journey interviewing experts and visiting various communities, Hari identifies nine causes of depression and anxiety, all centered around the theme of disconnection. These causes include disconnection from meaningful work, other people, meaningful values, childhood trauma, status and respect, the natural world, and a hopeful or secure future. The book also delves into the role of genes and brain changes. Hari argues that traditional solutions focusing on chemical imbalances are insufficient and proposes alternative solutions based on reconnection, such as social prescribing, community engagement, and addressing societal issues like inequality and lack of social security.

A Secular Age

Charles Taylor

In 'A Secular Age', Charles Taylor explores the transformation of Western society from a pre-modern world where belief in God was inescapable to a modern secular age where believing in God is just one option among many. Taylor argues against the 'subtraction story' of secularization, which posits that religion has been removed from society. Instead, he describes a complex historical process involving the Reform movement in Christianity, the rise of disciplinary society, and the emergence of exclusive humanism. The book examines how these changes have affected the conditions of belief and unbelief, and how they have shaped modern social forms, moral orders, and spiritual experiences.

The Elephant in the Brain

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Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson

The Myth of Disenchantment

Magic, Modernity, and the Birth of the Human Sciences

Jason Ananda Josephson Storm

This book traces the history of the myth of disenchantment in the development of philosophy, anthropology, sociology, folklore, psychoanalysis, and religious studies. Josephson-Storm argues that the founding figures of these disciplines were not only aware of but deeply involved in the occult and spiritualist movements of their time. He contends that the myth of a disenchanted modern world was constructed in response to these occult revivals, and that magic and enchantment have never truly disappeared from modern society. The book provides a nuanced history of Western thought, showing that magic and secularism have coexisted and influenced each other in complex ways.

Why are people SHOCKED by the obvious consequences of their actions? We print money and act surprised at inflation. We pursue godless lives and wonder why we feel empty. I've spent years asking the most accomplished people I know—CEOs, politicians, artists—how to live happily as a young man, and received NO satisfying answers. This episode identifies the 12 toxic cultural assumptions driving our collective misery and offers the only path forward: shattering these illusions completely.

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RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

LINKS:

Link to HIstory 102: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w

Link to my cancellation insurance: https://becomepluribus.com/creators/20

Link to my Twitter - https://x.com/whatifalthist

Link to my Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en

Bibliography:

Lost Connections by Johann Hari

A Secular Age by Charles Taylor

The Myth of Disenchantment by Storm