The Living Philosophy

P.F. Jung, a YouTube creator and 'memetic feudal lord', dives deep into the concept of 'Enlightened Centrism', examining the struggle of maintaining nuanced political views in today's polarized climate. He discusses the challenges of bridging gaps between extremes and the importance of engaging in dialogue rather than dehumanizing opposing views. Jung also explores the limits of centrism, the historical significance of bold governance, and how social media dynamics impact political discourse. His insights aim to reclaim complexity in a world demanding binary allegiance.

Brendan Graham Dempsey, a metatheory researcher at the Institute of Applied Metatheory and host of the Metamodern Meaning podcast, delves into the measurement of worldviews and cultural evolution. He discusses how we can quantify complexity in human thought, exploring the application of hierarchical complexity in various texts. Brendan also highlights the surprising insights from scoring ancient texts and modern literature, while addressing the implications of cognitive complexity in societal contexts and its relation to educational systems.

Greg Dember, a Seattle-based musician and researcher on metamodernism, explores the cultural landscape shaping contemporary thought. He defines metamodernism as a response to postmodernism, emphasizing the significance of interiority and felt experience. The conversation highlights how artists like Sufjan Stevens and filmmakers like the Daniels weave irony with earnestness to create deep emotional connections. Dember also shares his 11 methods for recognizing metamodern art, illustrating the movement's presence from indie culture to mainstream icons like Billie Eilish.

Dr. Erik Goodwyn is a practising psychiatrist with a background in neurobiology who bridges the worlds of neuroscience, Jungian psychology, and fantasy. Erik is co-editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Jungian Studies and as well as dozens of academic papers he has written books on the neurobiology of the gods, dreams, and archetypes, and this year published his first fantasy novel, King of the Forgotten Darkness, which won the Literary Titan Golden Book Award.You can find Erik's work at:Website: https://erikgoodwyn.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimaginariumIn this conversation, I sit down with Erik to explore the neuroscience of dreams and their connection to creativity, trauma, and healing. We dive deep into how the default mode network operates during dreaming, why dreams create "as if" narratives to help us make sense of our lives, and how the psyche uses metaphor to consolidate memory, regulate emotions, and plan for the future. Erik shares fascinating insights from his clinical work, including how trauma dreams evolve during the healing process and why some dreams seem to bookend creative projects. We also venture into the realm of fantasy literature, discussing how writers like Tolkien and Sanderson use fantastical elements to tell deeply human stories about real lived experiences.⏳Timestamps00:00 James's Intro01:31 Beginning: Wyoming, Mountain Time, and writing fantasy03:24 Architects vs. Gardeners: Erik's writing process08:16 The divine child archetype in therapy dreams09:13 "as if": how dreams create meaning through metaphor11:58 Dreams in crisis mode vs. exploratory mode (PTSD example)15:08 Memory consolidation and forward planning in dreams16:37 The default mode network during dreaming19:32 Creativity and the default mode network24:19 Dream sequences: Exploration of themes across multiple dreams29:27 The body's natural healing process through dreams40:58 Ernest Hartman and contextualizing metaphors42:14 What is fantasy really about? Beyond escapism43:01 Tolkien's Lord of the Rings as meditation on the problem of evil43:04 Evil and grace in Middle-earth45:29 Morgoth, Sauron, and the continuation of evil46:37 Guest recommendation: Stefano Carpani47:19 Where to find Erik

https://cjthex.com/subscribe → subscribe to CJ's mailing list for all things CJ the X https://tinyurl.com/asdi708uo → buy tickets to CJ's show in San Francisco, CA on the 10th OctoberI sat down with CJ the X recently to discuss the creative process, pragmatism, their recent world tour and later in the weird world of dreams. We also talk about the topic that first brought us together many moons ago: Jordan Peterson and CJ's year long deep dive into him that dragged him deeper into the philosophical quest. ⏳Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction01:39 - Reflections on CJ's Intercontinental Speaking Tour05:56 - Wrestling with the need to be right10:27 - Play, fear and the creative process15:27 - Colonised by the algorithm17:47 - Search for Signal19:27 - Exploring the Balance of Routine and Passion23:52 - Flywheel or Passion?26:14 - CJ's journey from chaotic fun to serious philosophy27:33 - CJ done with YouTube?32:28 - CJ's Jordan Peterson video36:28 - James's struggle with intellectual responsibility40:43 - CJ on why passion has to be the guide44:18 - Is CJ a Platonist or a Pragmatism45:55 - CJ on the sacred and the profane47:11 - James on holding knowledge lightly48:39 - The Metaphysical Club49:48 - The strands of pragmatism50:34 - C.S. Peirce51:18 - William James and Peirce's Relationship53:44 - Pragmatism and Jordan Peterson55:55 - What is Pragmatism?57:17 - Pragmatism vs. Postmodernism1:00:48 - Is Western civilisation the peak?1:01:35 - Peterson's Pragmatic Christianity 1:04:19 - The dangers of high status1:05:51 - CJ's lessons learned from speaking tour1:11:28 - CJ's Anti-mimetic attitude1:14:55 - James starting Jungian Masters1:15:38 - James on Dreams1:16:55 - CJ's troubled relationship with the dreamworld1:19:32 - Dreams and creativity1:24:40 - CJ on James's excessive curiosity1:26:18 - CJ's read on James's alien dreams1:27:36 - Connection between dreams and creativity1:30:01 - James wants to study CJ's dreams1:34:44 - Wrapping up1:35:27 - CJ's Guest Recommendations

Gary Clark, a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide and author focused on the intersection of Jungian psychology and neuroscience, discusses how psychedelics provide new insights into Jung's theories of the collective unconscious. He explores the roles of primary and secondary consciousness, and how psychedelics can reveal deeper archetypal layers of the mind. Clark also addresses cross-cultural motifs observed in psychedelic experiences, challenges some mainstream assumptions, and considers the therapeutic potential of mystical experiences for mental health.

This episode is an exploration of the allegations of racism against Jung and looks at some possible defences of Jung. Since Dalal published Jung: A Racist in 1988 there has been something of an open crisis in Jungian circles regarding the extent of the issue and what is to be done about it. This episode is about laying out the issue in as clear a way as possible. To learn more about the schism in the Jungian community see Samuels 2019 in the Further Reading section below. ____________________ 📚 References: - Hannah, B. (1976). Jung: His Life and His Work. New York: Putnam - Jung, C.G. (1909) Report on America. In The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, vol. 18. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. - Jung, C.G. (1927) Woman in Europe. In The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, vol. 10. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. - Jung, C.G. (1927a) Mind and Earth. In The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, vol. 10. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. - Jung, C.G. (1930) The Complications of American Psychology. In The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, vol. 10. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. - Jung, C.G. (1930) A Radio Talk in Munich. In The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, vol. 18. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. - Jung, C. G. (1935). The Tavistock lectures. In The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, vol. 18. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. - Jung, C. G. (1989). Memories, Dreams, Reflections. New York: Vintage Books. - Radin, P. (1927). Primitive Man as Philosopher. New York: D. Appleton and Company - Shamdasani, S. (2003). Jung and the making of modern psychology: The dream of a science. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. 📚 Further Reading: - Dalal F (1988) Jung: A Racist. British Journal of Psychotherapy 4(3): 263–279. - Collins J (2009) ‘Shadow Selves’: Jung, Africa and the Psyche. Interventions 11(1). Routledge: 69–80. - Brewster F (2013) Wheel of Fire: The African American Dreamer and Cultural Consciousness. Jung Journal 7(1): 70–87. - Brewster F (2017) African Americans and Jungian Psychology: Leaving the Shadows. London: Routledge. - Samuels A (2018) Jung and ‘Africans’: a critical and contemporary review of some of the issues. International Journal of Jungian Studies 10(2). Brill: 122–134. - Samuels A (2019) Notes on the Open Letter on Jung and ‘Africans’ published in the British Journal of Psychotherapy, November 2018. Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society 24(2): 217–229. - Johnson, J. (2020) Being white, being Jungian: implications of Jung’s encounter with the ‘non-European’ other1. The Journal of analytical psychology 65(4). J Anal Psychol. - Carter C (2021) Time for space at the table: an African American - Native American analyst-in-training’s first-hand reflections. A call for the IAAP to publicly denounce (but not erase) the White supremacist writings of C.G. Jung. The Journal of analytical psychology 66(1). J Anal Psychol. ________________ ⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy _________________ 💬 More from The Living Philosophy ▶ Discord https://discord.gg/XNd4gTpfu9 ▶ 📨 Subscribe with email: https://thelivingphilosophy.substack.com/ ________________ 🎼 Media Used: 1. Eye - Hara Noda 2. Five Leaves - Hara Noda 3. Anew - Hara Noda 4. Goodnight Mr. Malone - Bladverk Band 5. Mural - Hara Noda 6. Waltz for Maybe - Jonah Aardekke All music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com _________________ ⌛ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:13 Jung: A Racist 5:46 One African Race 8:53 Nature Over Nurture 11:31 Jung on African Americans 16:58 Defence 1: Primitive Compliment 19:21 Defence 2: Man of His Times 21:50 Implications

Jung describes Americans as having an “astonishingly feeble resistance to collective influences” which he found “positively terrifying”. His 1931 article on the uniquely American psychology is filled with novel insights into American psychology: its herdlike nature, the Heroic Ideal driving it as well as showcasing some of Jung’s more unsavoury Shadow elements — his racism which we’ll talk more about in the next episode. ____________________ 📚 Further Reading: - Jung, C.G. 1931. The Complications of American Psychology ________________ ⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy _________________ 💬 More from The Living Philosophy ▶ 📨 Subscribe with email: https://thelivingphilosophy.com/ ________________ 🎼 Media Used: 1. Eliot Ness - Bladverk Band 2. Common Language - Venla 3. Dans Les Pensées - Franz Gordon 4. Here and Now - Bladverk Band All music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com _________________ ⌛ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:50 It’s Complicated 06:52 The Heroic Ideal 09:25 The Source of American Psychology

Synchronicity was coined by psychological pioneer Carl Jung. Its meaning is simple: a Synchronicity is a “meaningful coincidence”. But it seems that there has been a lot of misreading of Jung going on. In this episode we are going back to Jung’s original definition of Synchronicity in his 1952 work “Synchronicity: An Acausal Principle” to see what he really meant by the term. ____________________ 📚 Further Reading: - Atmanspacher, H. “The Pauli-Jung Conjecture and Its Impact Today” - Cambray, J., “Synchronicity as emergence” in “Analytical Psychology: Contemporary Perspectives in Jungian Analysis” - Cavalli, C. “Synchronicity and the emergence of meaning” - Jung, C.G. and Pauli, W., “The Interpretation of Nature and the Psyche” - Jung, C.G. and Jaffé, E., “Memories, dreams, reflections” - Jung, C.G. “Letters of C. G. Jung vol.1” - Shinoda Bolen, J., “The Tao of Psychology” - Main, R., “Synchronicity and analysis: Jung and after” http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13642530701725924 - Main, R., “Revelations of chance: synchronicity as spiritual experience” - von Franz, M. L., “On divination and synchronicity: the psychology of meaningful chance” ________________ ⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy _________________ 💬 More from The Living Philosophy ▶ Discord https://discord.gg/XNd4gTpfu9 ▶ 📨 Subscribe with email: https://thelivingphilosophy.substack.com/ ________________ 🎼 Media Used: 1. A Garden Romance - Martin Landström 2. I May Have Lost Forever - Martin Landström 3. Paris in the Rain - Martin Landström 4. Moonlight Sparkle - William Claeson 5. Sea Smoke - Gustav Lundgren Trio 6. Make You Smile - Magnus Ringblom Quartet 7. Balance - Amaranth Cove 8. Silent Waves - Helmut Schenker 9. Monograph - Johannes Bornlöf All music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com _________________ ⌛ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 03:50 1. Temporal Alignment Component 06:46 2. Internal/External Component 10:37 3. Acausal Component 14:56 (concrete) synchronicity vs. (abstract) Synchronicity 18:38 Winks from the Universe?

________________ 📚 Further Reading: - Camus, Albert, *The Myth of Sisyphus* - Camus, Albert, *The Outsider* - Camus, Albert, *The Rebel* - Camus, Albert, *Caligula* ________________ ⭐ Support the channel (thank you!) ▶ Patreon: https://patreon.com/thelivingphilosophy ▶ Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thelivingphilosophy _________________ 💬 More from The Living Philosophy ▶ 📨 Subscribe with email: https://thelivingphilosophy.substack.com/ ________________ 🎼 Media Used: 1. Cessura - Ever So Blue 2. Refreshing - Megan Wofford 3. Nova Scotia - Synthetic Tides 4. Save You from the Death - Ruiqi Zhao 5. By Night - Hushed 6. Common Language - Vendla All music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com _________________ ⌛ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 4:07 1. Suicide 5:41 2.Philosophical Suicide 7:36 3. Absurdism 12:57 4. The living philosophy of Absurdism