Then & Now: Philosophy, History & Politics

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

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

The podcast explores the concept of being 'red-pilled' and its relationship to wider worldviews and conspiracy theories. It delves into thought experiments on truth and authenticity in philosophy, highlighting the importance of individual freedom. The concept of authenticity in philosophy is examined, drawing parallels to red pill philosophy. The red pill subreddit and its aim to provide men with timeless truths about masculinity is discussed, along with the importance of empathy and understanding different perspectives. The limitations of cutting oneself off from other groups and ideas are also explored.

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I look at the current trend of Stoicism through the lens of Ryan Holiday's Daily Stoic, and more broadly through the Ancient Stoic philosophers, and ask, is it really a useful guide to life today? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore the evolution of addiction, from behavioral addictions like social media and gaming to the constant presence of addictive hooks in our environment. Discover the concept of limbic capitalism and its encouragement of compulsive behavior. Uncover the allure and danger of digital temptations in the attention economy, and the difficulties of overcoming addiction while addressing psychological needs.

Explore the negative impact of constant advertising, tricks used to grab attention, and resulting stress. Dive into the concept of attention and its history, covering its dimensions and limited nature. Discover the historical use of attention-grabbing techniques and their impact on society. Uncover the strategies used by media and technology to capture our attention and the negative consequences. Examine the effects of technology and constant distractions on our attention and how our brains are wired to seek more stimuli.

I look at the history of the internet, from ARPANET & NSFNET, through privatization, to Tim-Berners Lee, Yahoo, Netscape, Google, eBay, and Facebook, examining Microsoft's antitrust court case and their battle against Open Source and Free Software, Bill Gate's Open Letter to Hobbyists and the leaked Halloween Documents. Then we take a look at the emergence of Surveillance Capitalism, and how platforms like AirBnb & Uber coopt the idea of the community and lobby politicians. Finally, we take a look at some alternatives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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