We Are Not Saved

The podcast discusses the misconception that the apocalypse will be exciting and lethal, emphasizing the messy and miserable aspects of the aftermath. It also explores the resilience of life on Earth, the possibility of life spreading to other planets, and the realities of apocalyptic events. Lastly, it delves into the difficult and desperate aftermath of a war, criticizing idealized portrayals in fiction.

Transcript: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatchesendofworld/2023/08/does-technology-encourage-virtue/  Last week we looked at how technology appears to multiple our temptations, but what does it do to our better impulses. If we move from considering the Deadly Sins to the Capital Virtues does technology undermine our efforts or assist us?

The podcast discusses concerns about the national debt and the lack of attention it receives. Experts offer reasons for not worrying about the debt, but the speaker disagrees. They explore options for addressing the debt, such as raising taxes, inflating the debt away, and cutting spending. They also discuss potential solutions and the idea of ignoring the debt in hopes of a future resolution.

Transcript: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatchesendofworld/2023/08/the-temptations-of-technology/ What effect does technology have on the temptations we experience? If we examine the seven deadly sins it would appear that in all cases technology makes these sins more tempting and more accessible. Why would that be?

End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegration by: Peter Turchin Minds Make Societies: How Cognition Explains the World Humans Create by: Pascal Boyer How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World by: Steven Johnson Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by: Peter Attia MD Jump Gate Twist by: Mark L. Van Name Send Us Your Armies (Pilgrim's Path Book 1) by: Vic Davis Lonesome Dove by: Larry McMurtry Science Fiction Short Stories compiled by: Guy d'Andigne  Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent by: Larry Correia  The Myth of Sisyphus by: Albert Camus

Transcript: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatchesendofworld/2023/08/and-there-was-silence-in-heaven/  In the Book of Revelation we read that when the seventh seal was opened there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. In this post I'm going to engage in some spurious scriptural speculation about what that might mean. 

Delve into the intriguing world of supernormal stimuli and their impact on human behavior. Explore how exaggerated stimuli, like artificial foods and pornography, distort our decision-making and societal health. The podcast examines the blurry lines between reality and porn, noting the growing influence of virtual reality technologies. Critical questions arise about morality and the shifting cultural landscape. It also highlights the addictive nature of VR pornography and its potential dangers, linked to our deep-rooted evolutionary drives.

Somehow I got the two audio files mixed up. So I published my substack thinking it was my Patheos piece, so now I'm publishing that Patheos piece. I will go through and try and fix some links, but I don't think I can fix it entirely... In any case here's the Patheos Audio: Transcript: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatchesendofworld/2023/07/technological-salvation/  Two groups have a narrative of human potential — a sense of humanity’s ultimate destiny: the Actively Religious and the Radical Humanists. The former our ultimate salvation will occur in partnership with the divine (e.g. God). For the latter we are destined to be saved by our own efforts. These similarities invite us to consider both as paths to salvation, albeit very different ones.  

Transcript: https://www.wearenotsaved.com/p/tribe-by-sebastian-junger-and-the  The Siege of Sarajevo killed 20% of the population, a horror most of us can scarcely grasp, yet those who survived it look back on the siege as a period of unique happiness. Why should that be?

Transcript: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatchesendofworld/2023/07/chestertons-fence-and-technology/ G. K. Chesterton noted that one shouldn't remove a fence until you understand why it was there in the first place. This is a great analogy for the concept of the traditions which have been passed down to us by religion. Technology allows us to remove a lot of fences, but are we sure we understand why they were there to begin with?