Discussions, reviews, and interviews exploring the edges of culture, including:
Book and movie reviews
Interviews
Lifestyle —travel, entrepreneurship, digital nomadism
Philosophy and belief systems
A discussion of the cult classic movie from 1981 with Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn. Also see my review on moviesindie.com.
1 Mar 2024
Walking in the Suburbs
I discuss the challenges and frustration of being a walker in a world dominated by cars. See the accompanying article at planetagora.net
30 Jan 2024
Book Review: Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
A discussion of the latest book by David Epstein, which argues that a generalist approach is often best for finding creative solutions and personal success. You can also read a written review of the book at Sagebooks.info
9 Aug 2023
Interview With Taylor Bratches, Energy Worker and Psychedelic Guide
In this interview, we discuss Taylor's background as a DJ, psychedelic guide, and energy worker. She discusses the benefits of this type of therapy, how she works with clients, and insights into the system she developed called somatic channeling. For more about her work, visit her website at https://www.taylorbratches.com/. (https://www.taylorbratches.com/)
4 Oct 2022
Wisdom of The Fool
In the Tarot, the Fool is the card with the number 0, indicating the start of the soul's journey. The Fool is at odds with the modern world with its desire to appear smart, sophisticated, and like an expert. The Fool, by contrast, embodies Suzuki's ideal of the "beginners' mind" or Socrates' admission that "I know that I know nothing."
In this discussion, I look at why we should embrace The Fool, but also other archetypes. The openness of The Fool doesn't have to mean ignorance but can be. balanced with knowledge and other virtues.
You can also read the article that this podcast is based on at Medium: Why We Should Embrace The Wisdom of The Fool (https://medium.com/@planetagora/why-we-should-embrace-the-wisdom-of-the-fool-72825e461f08)
13 Aug 2022
Movie Review: All My Friends Hate Me
A brief review of the dark comedy-drama-thriller All My Friends Hate Me, currently streaming on Hulu. Pete is a young man going to his own birthday party at a house with college friends he hasn't seen in years. There, he's subjected to what seems to be strange and passive-aggressive behavior. He's not sure if his friends are actually hostile towards him or if they're just being playful. You can also read my review at Indie Film World (https://moviesindie.com/all-my-friends-hate-me/).
2 Aug 2022
The Cult of the Eternal Present
As George Orwell warned in 1984, one way to control people is to manipulate their sense of time, even to alter the past. However, a state of timelessness can also be beneficial, as in the flow state or mystical experiences. In this podcast, I explore finding the balance between being grounded in linear time and finding creative expression and fulfillment in timelessness. I cover topics such as left brain-right brain research, psychedelics, how social media distracts us into a state of involuntary timelessness, and the importance of being aware of our relationship with time.
You can also read the essay that this podcast is based on at Medium (https://medium.com/@lchris33/the-cult-of-the-eternal-present-58bab231693e).
24 Jul 2022
Do We Live in a 5-Star World?
A discussion about how our obsession with ratings and reviews. Why we can't always trust reviews. How only a "perfect" 5-star rating is acceptable today. Are we moving into a Black Mirror-style dystopia where our every interaction will be rated?
Here's a link to the article this podcast is based on: The Problem With a 5-Star World (https://medium.com/@lchris33/the-problem-with-a-5-star-world-5324bb7ab21f)
4 Sept 2020
1BR Review
Review of the horror/suspense movie 1BR, currently streaming on Netflix
7 Feb 2020
Nostalgia as Mind Control
How nostalgia for old music, movies and ideas can be limiting, especially if we’re not aware of it.
14 Nov 2019
Review of Outside Looking In by T.C. Boyle
Outside Looking In is a novel by T.C. Boyle, a fictionalized account of the early days of LSD and the psychedelic movement. It mainly focuses on the group surrounding Timothy Leary in Cambridge and Millbrook. I discuss the book and why it's a good introduction to the history of LSD but quite limited in its view of the psychedelic experience.
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