Steven E. Knepper

Steven Knepper, a philosophy professor at the Virginia Military Institute, explores the modern malaise of burnout and boredom through the lens of Byung-Chul Han's thought. He discusses the alarming concept of 'auto-exploitation' in our achievement-driven culture and critiques the 'palliative society' that shuns suffering. Knepper emphasizes the importance of rituals, genuine relationships, and embracing profound boredom as remedies for our contemporary struggles, urging a deeper connection to life's mysteries instead of succumbing to digital distractions.

Steven E. Knepper, an Associate Professor in English, and Rob Wyllie, a Political Science Assistant Professor, delve into Byung-Chul Han's philosophies on burnout and the human condition. They discuss the digital age's impact on boredom and fulfillment, emphasizing how technology alters our experiences of time and connection. The conversation highlights the tension between personal agency and societal expectations, exploring the dynamics of authenticity and modernity. Their insights reveal how rituals and genuine interactions can counter the crises of contemporary life.

Steven E. Knepper is Associate Professor of English and the Bruce C. Gottwald, Jr. ’81 Chair for Academic Excellence at the Virginia Military Institute. He is the author of Wonder Strikes: Approaching Aesthetics and Literature with William Desmond (SUNY, 2022), the editor of A Heart of Flesh: William Desmond and the Bible (Cascade, 2023), and the co-author, with Robert Wyllie and Ethan Stoneman, of Byung-Chul Han: A Critical Introduction (Polity, forthcoming 2024). Ryan G. Duns, SJ, is Associate Professor of Theology at Marquette University. He is the author of Spiritual Exercises for a Secular Age: Desmond’s Quest for God (Notre Dame, 2020) and the forthcoming Theology of Horror: The Hidden Depths of Popular Films (Notre Dame, 2024). PODCAST LINKS: A Heart of Flesh: https://wipfandstock.com/9781666738452/a-heart-of-flesh/ Fr. Ryan’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RyanDunsSJ Steve’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/StevenEKnepper Fr. Ryan’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/DunsSj CONNECT: Website: https://wipfandstock.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wipfandstock Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wipfandstock Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wipfandstock/ SOURCES MENTIONED: Bespaloff, Rachel. “On the Iliad.” Desmond, William. Desire, Dialectic, and Otherness: An Essay on Origins. ———. Godsends: From Default Atheism to the Surprise of Revelation. ———. The William Desmond Reader. Duns, Ryan G., SJ. Spiritual Exercises for a Secular Age: Desmond and the Quest for God. Knepper, Steven E. Byung-Chul Han: A Critical Introduction. ———. Wonder Strikes: Approaching Aesthetics and Literature with William Desmond. ———, ed. A Heart of Flesh: William Desmond and the Bible. Taylor, Charles. A Secular Age. ———. Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity. Weil, Simone. “The Iliad, or the Poem of Force.” OUTLINE: (01:53) – Discovering William Desmond (05:12) – Fr. Ryan’s roundtable: Desmond, Levertov, Murdoch, Rahner (07:27) – Steve’s roundtable: Desmond, Marcel, Bespaloff, Chrétien (11:31) – Describing William Desmond (19:40) – Between metaphysics and phenomenology (28:17) – The four senses of being (35:47) – “A heart of flesh” (39:30) – Reading Scripture metaxologically (45:41) – Reading 1 and 2 Samuel with Desmond (50:47) – Reading Jesus’ parables with Desmond (55:43) – What’s next for Fr. Ryan (57:51) – What’s next for Steve (59:52) – Where to find Fr. Ryan and Steve