Podcasts about Narcissus

This week, Hannah and Barbi have a LOT going on. Hannah and the family are getting ready to head to Steinhatchee for a scalloping trip, which somehow leads to fishing with HB and the surprising realization that apparently nobody in town has the right worms.There are also some sweet updates from home, including HB absolutely loving his new preschool, which Hannah and Barbi are very happy to admit they were wrong about. Isla makes her presence known in a slightly less adorable way by throwing up on Hannah, and their friend Kylie joins the fun from Boston while literally having a catheter placed. You know, normal podcast stuff.Then things get historical. Barbi shares the fascinating story of Narcissus and Marcus Whitman before Hannah takes everyone to two places you probably won't be adding to your vacation itinerary anytime soon: Yellowstone's infamous "Zone of Death" and Centralia, Pennsylvania, where a fire has been burning underground for decades.And because apparently an underground fire wasn't enough danger for one episode, Mom wraps things up with the story of how she solved a mole problem with gasoline. Was it effective? Almost. Was it a good idea? Absolutely not.It's scalloping plans, family chaos, strange history, dangerous decisions, and a whole lot of laughs. Come hang out with us. We saved you a spot!

As Overthink comes to a close, why not take a look back? In Episode 182, Ellie and David tackle the concept of reflection and explain why it is so central to philosophy. What is the value of reflection, and what are its drawbacks? How does philosophy go astray when it treats the self as a product of reflection, and how can phenomenology and existentialism shed light on the proper role of reflection in our lives? Your hosts analyze the myth of Narcissus, discuss studies on reflection among animals such as rats and dolphins, and consider reflection as a visual metaphor for thinking. In the Substack bonus segment, Ellie and David reflect on Overthink and give some final thoughts before its end.Works Discussed:Ellie Anderson, Self-Relation: A Phenomenology of Ambiguity (forthcoming May 2027)Hans-Johann Glock, “Do Animals Have Thoughts?”Dieter Henrich, “Fichte's Original Insight”Maurice Merleau-Ponty, The Phenomenology of PerceptionGabriel Marcel, The Mystery of BeingOvid, MetamorphosisDavid Peña-Guzmán, When Animals DreamJD Smith et al. “The uncertain response in the bottlenosed dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)”Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/overthink for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.If you're ready to stop talking yourself out of finding care and making progress, then head to rula.com and take the first step.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Summer of Narcissism journey brings Abby, Patrick, and Dan to late nineteenth century Europe, and to the revolutionary and controversial new discourse of sexology. Emerging at the intersections of medicine, anthropology, public health, education, and the legal system, sexology took up human sexual behavior not as a question of sin or theological denunciation, but as an object of scientific study. Introducing the field, Abby, Patrick, and Dan survey how various sexologists understood sexuality, sample the rich behavioral taxonomies they produced by way of reading from classic works by Richard Krafft-Ebing and Havelock Ellis, and reflect on how sexologists' work combined an emphasis on self-consciously secular scientific objectivity with explicit moral attitudes and implicit normative assumptions. The three also how explore how the sexological enterprise struggled with the implications of two core problems – the question of auto-eroticism (the ways people use their own bodies for sexual pleasure) and the question of orientation (the ways people's sexual behavior does or doesn't involve the bodies of others). And as Abby, Patrick, and Dan discover, it was precisely while trying to reconcile those problems that two sexologists summoned Narcissus into modernity, and named “narcissism” for the very first time.  To support the Muriel Gardiners campaign at the Psychosocial Foundation for the Known and Elsewhere Collective, Parapraxis Books, and more: https://www.thepsychosocialfoundation.org/donateLearn more about the Psychosocial Foundation, including seminars, events, short courses, and therapy: https://www.thepsychosocialfoundation.orgLearn more about Parapraxis: https://www.parapraxismagazine.com/Selected works cited:Havelock Ellis, “Auto-Erotism: A Psychological Study” (1898)Paul Näcke, “Die sexuellen Perversitäten in der Irrenanstalt” (1899)Richard von Krafft-Ebing, Psychopathia Sexualis (1886)John Berger, Ways of Seeing (1972)Mark Jordan, The Invention of Sodomy in Christian Theology (1998)Have you noticed that Freud is back? Got questions about psychoanalysis? Or maybe you've traversed the fantasy and lived to tell the tale? Leave us a voicemail! (646) 450-0847  A podcast about psychoanalysis, politics, pop culture, and the ways we suffer now. New episodes on Saturdays. Find us online:  http://www.ordinaryunhappiness.com X: @UnhappinessPod Instagram: @OrdinaryUnhappiness Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness Theme song: Formal Chicken - Gnossienne No. 1 https://open.spotify.com/album/2MIIYnbyLqriV3vrpUTxxO Provided by Fruits Music

Bag om Københavnerhistorikerne er et supplement til Bag om København, og i denne udgave kan du møde historikeren, forfatteren og drag performeren Anders Larsen/Chantal Al Arab Han forsker og skriver især om bøssernes historie, men underviser også i København og københavnernes lange historie. I bogen 'Lars Henriksen og Chantal Al Arab fortæller fra bøssernes danmarkshistorie 1900-2020' sætter de bøsserne ind i mere end hundrede års danmarkshistorisk kontekst. En kontekst, de ellers ofte er blevet skrevet ud af. Og hvis man vil have det hele billede af fortiden, så må man have alle med, som Anders Larsen pointerer. Bag om Københavnerhistorikerne er et møde med de mennesker, der skriver om eller i København. Fælles for dem er, at de er historiefortællere: Det er dem, der undersøger og skaber de fortællinger om København, som vi bruger til at blive klogere på byen og dens lange og mangesidede historie. Interviewer og tilrettelægger: Mai-Britt Tollund. Klippet sammen af: Mai-Britt Tollund Litteraturliste og tilhørende artikel her Facebook: Bag om København Nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir

What do people who believe they are writing songs when they use Suno AI, YouTuber Hank Green, and Narcissus from Greek mythology all have in common? Quite a lot, it turns out. And they can help us recognise a form of stuckness that’s becoming increasingly common as people’s relationship with generative AI begins to blur the boundary between ourselves and the technologies we use, making it more difficult to know where the human ends and the machine begins. https://youtu.be/zSMwN0wKGlE Getting Stuck in the Digital Image Our relationship with technology and, in particular, large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Suno poses a really interesting existential dilemma. I’ve been fascinated to see how these are often sold as tools to overcome stuckness. While at the same time, they create a whole different form of stuckness when we become attached to them. The demise of Narcissus came through an obsession with his own reflection. Perhaps the price of looking away from his reflection brought its own kind of departure and death. Maybe the image had become more real, perfect, and desirable than the human staring at it. In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, we consider how the reflection of ourselves in the machines we use can bend us out of shape and leave us uncertain of who we are and what we’re capable of. What Does It Mean to Write a Song? Fil Henley, AKA Wings of Pegasus, asked this simple question in a recent video. He analysed an advert from the AI music generation platform Suno, which features producers and songwriters using it to make songs. Fil says, “If you don’t know what the song is going to sound like before you hear it, then you haven’t written the song.” Platforms like Suno act like fruit machines. The output is based more on luck than judgement. What makes them compelling and perhaps even addictive, is that the result is impossible for us to predict. It’s a surprise each time that feels exciting to reveal. And it can turn any old crap into something you might hear on the radio. As we see in the video. More Than a Tool This is what makes these services different from tools. A tool reliably enables us to carry out a task without doing everything and more autonomously. So when the producer says that Suno is showing him stuff he never would have thought about, he is revealing the blurred boundary between us and these machines. It is more than a tool for songwriting. It’s generating the song itself. Suno isn’t like a digital audio workstation (a tool), where a songwriter records, edits, and produces music they have written and performed. It goes further, making many of the creative decisions that normally require time, judgement, and consideration throughout the songwriting process. In other words, the user doesn’t need the skill required to produce the result. Whose Ideas Are They? So if YOU didn’t think of them, whose ideas are they? And if it’s outputting stuff based on something you haven’t thought of, what’s the point in you being there at all? The song is found in the mirror as generative AI reflects back an image of a reality that doesn't exist above the surface. Creative Block as a Rite of Passage In reality, human creativity emerges through the energy generated by those moments of friction, uncertainty, and obstacle. By intervening early with generative AI before we have taken the opportunity to grapple with a block, we deprive ourselves of that bittersweet joy of finding something that comes to life THROUGH US. Instead, a service like Suno short-circuits the block. It presents fully formed solutions that we “never would have thought about”. Perhaps, we would have thought of something much better and more “us” if we had been patient and given ourselves time to grapple with the block. The Allure of The Mirror When you listen to these outputs, there is a professional sheen to them that feels sharp. It sounds just like stuff you hear on the radio. But it sounds like stuff you hear on the radio. There is a sameness to it. An increasingly homogenous stasis. Maybe this technology is attractive precisely because it DOESN’T sound like us. It’s familiar enough for us to to glimpse ourselves. But we look different. It cleans up the parts we might cringe at and be afraid of revealing. Those bits that feel messy, broken, chaotic, and weird. We don’t argue with the machine that makes us sound like something you’d hear on the radio, see on TV, or LinkedIn. Slick, clean, authoritative, clinical, soulless, indistinguishable, unremarkable, dull. Incidentally, this is a good way to identify the best producers, editors, and coaches to work with. They don’t try to make us sound like them or force us to emulate their processes. Instead, they seek to understand and support us. They are able to help us notice, accept, and amplify those parts that we would try to shrink down and hide when left to our own devices. The machine holds a mirror with some perfected image that we believe is us, but is stripped of blemishes, stains, and imperfections. But rather than being the Platonic ideal version of us, it’s more like an aggregate approximation of who everyone else is in the land of mediocre homogeneity. We arrive in this territory when we sand off our edges and lose our spark. The Culture of Narcissism In his 1979 book The Culture of Narcissism, Christopher Lasch offers a fresh way of thinking about the myth of Narcissus. We tend to think that Narcissus died because he fell in love with his own reflection and couldn’t look away, so was unable to do anything other than stare obsessively at himself in the water. Lasch adds another layer, depicting cultural narcissism emerging as the image of the human in the water becomes more important than the human it reflects. Telling Us Apart YouTuber Hank Green recently revealed that he had become over-reliant on ChatGPT after viewers pointed out something in a video that felt off to them. When viewed in context, the clip actually makes more sense than the reactionary commentary suggested. But while he said he didn’t accidentally read something from ChatGPT left in the script, Green didn’t dismiss the criticism. Instead, he agreed, “I think what people have said in this thread about me diluting myself is spot on”. Diluting oneself through the use of technology indicates how a separation between the image and the self can get blurred. This is perhaps why those using Suno to make songs believe they themselves are writing songs. It’s not necessarily a deliberate deception being perpetrated by people pretending to know more than they do or pretending they’ve done things they haven’t. There is a real belief being seeded and nurtured that means people genuinely struggle to distinguish between themselves and the output generated by these technologies. The Gift of Getting Stuck There is a gift in getting stuck along the way during the creative process. It invites us to be resourceful problem solvers. It builds character and reveals more about who we are as we experiment, test, and try things without guaranteed results. Imperfectly. Clumsily. Grappling with creative friction gives opportunities to deepen our confidence and grow our experiences of being okay after failing. These tools are sold to us as ways to avoid that friction. But in so doing, we avoid strengthening the tension wood of creativity altogether, grown in a dance with the rhythm of life’s winds and storms. It Takes a Village (of Humans) In this Sunotopia, depicted through their advert, we see many people gathered in the studio. Yet, the future reality that will come through the success of these platforms appears to be very different. The technology is moving us away from others so we don’t need a producer, an engineer, or other musicians to work with. All we need is Suno because Suno doesn’t get blocked. It will work with whatever crap you feed it. And it will turn any old noise into the kind of song you might hear on the radio. Happiness is Only Real When… Christopher McCandless’s diary concluded that “happiness is only real when shared”. An observation made under tragic circumstances. I think there is a lot of truth in this. I’ve found many times that even the happiest experiences I’ve had on my own feel more complete when they are witnessed through sharing a story with someone else. When we’re feeling the pressure to conform to the schedule of our unrelenting world, we need the courage to give it time. To give OURSELVES and ONE ANOTHER time. Maybe our intuition and imagination will start to show us stuff an LLM never would have thought of… It is rebellious to release ourselves from the pressure to rush and force output for the sake of it. Technologies like Suno and ChatGPT can become an attractive crutch when they are sold as ways to keep going amidst the limitless demands of a productivity-obsessed world. But they gradually erode confidence in our own creative capacity. We would do well to remember, “it is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society”. This is where we become unstuck (in the best possible way).

Narcissism is usually imagined as arrogance, dominance, and the loudest person in the room, but it is not always that obvious. In this episode, Vanessa explores narcissism as a problem of selfhood: what happens when a person does not have a stable enough inner sense of Self to stay emotionally coherent without constant reflection from the outside. Through Kohut, Kernberg, the myth of Narcissus, vulnerable and grandiose narcissism, the false self, parental overvaluation, and the difference between traits and Narcissistic Personality Disorder, we look at why these dynamics can feel so confusing inside real relationships. The question is not only whether someone can be charming, wounded, or empathic when things are easy, but whether they can stay curious about your reality when it no longer mirrors back the version of themselves they need to see.For educational purposes only. This isn't therapy.Join Vanessa for the free Inner Compass Academy Summit, August 5–7, where we'll explore depth psychology, shadow, embodiment, and what real transformation asks of us. Register here: https://www.vanessabennett.com/ica-summitReference Links:Heinz Kohut — Self PsychologyUse for: Kohut's self psychology, narcissism, mirroring, and development of a cohesive sense of self.Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/self-psychologyNote: ScienceDirect overview identifies Kohut as the theorist most associated with self psychology and describes his focus on the development of a cohesive and positive sense of self.Kohut's Self Psychology Model / NarcissismUse for: Kohut's view of narcissism, unmet selfobject needs, and narcissism as part of development rather than simple arrogance.Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2860525/Note: Useful accessible clinical article describing therapy through Kohut's self psychology model.SelfobjectUse for: Kohut's selfobject concept: another person experienced as part of the self's regulation and cohesion, rather than fully as a separate subject.Link: https://www.encyclopedia.com/psychology/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/self-objectNote: Use for the episode's explanation of relationships organized around mirroring and self-regulation.Narcissus MythUse for: Narcissus as the mythic image of attachment to reflection/image rather than real mutual relationship.Link: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Narcissus-Greek-mythologyNote: Use as the basic myth reference. The episode's psychological interpretation is Vanessa's depth-oriented reading.Otto Kernberg — Pathological Narcissism / Grandiose SelfUse for: Kernberg's work on pathological narcissism, object relations, and the grandiose self.Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2678027/Note: PubMed abstract summarizes Kernberg's theory and mentions treatment focused on the pathologic grandiose self.Otto Kernberg — Borderline Conditions and Pathological NarcissismUse for: Primary book reference for Kernberg's work on pathological narcissism.Link: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/borderline-conditions-and-pathological-narcissism-9780876681770/Note: Book citation for producer if referencing Kernberg's broader theoretical framework.Grandiose and Vulnerable NarcissismUse for: Distinction between grandiose narcissism and vulnerable / hypersensitive narcissism.Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5601176/Note: Research article describing grandiose narcissism as overt superiority/entitlement and vulnerable narcissism as hypersensitivity and introversive self-absorption.Pathological Narcissism and Psychosocial FunctioningUse for: Grandiosity and vulnerability as two core themes of pathological narcissism.Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6710132/Note: Useful source for explaining that narcissism can have both grandiose and vulnerable expressions.Narcissistic Vulnerability / Pathological Narcissism InventoryUse for: Narcissistic vulnerability as fragile self-concept, limited self/affect regulation, shame/rage, and sensitivity to perceived threats to self-esteem.Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3354008/Note: Supports the episode's discussion of narcissistic injury, collapse, shame, and fragility.Winnicott — True Self / False SelfUse for: Winnicott's false self concept, compliance, performance, and protection of the more vulnerable self.Link: https://academic.oup.com/book/1192/chapter-abstract/140028848Note: Oxford Academic page for Winnicott's “Ego Distortion in Terms of True and False Self.”Parental Overvaluation and Narcissism — Eddie Brummelman et al.Use for: Research showing parental overvaluation predicts child narcissism, while parental warmth predicts healthy self-esteem.Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4378434/Note: PNAS article, “Origins of Narcissism in Children.”Parental Overvaluation and Narcissism — PubMedUse for: Quick PubMed reference for the Brummelman study.Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25775577/Note: PubMed abstract states narcissism was predicted by parental overvaluation, not lack of parental warmth, while self-esteem was predicted by parental warmth.Narcissistic Personality Disorder — APA DictionaryUse for: Clinical definition of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and diagnostic features.Link: https://dictionary.apa.org/narcissistic-personality-disorderNote: APA Dictionary includes grandiose self-importance, need for attention/admiration, rage/humiliation/emptiness in response to criticism, entitlement, exploitation, and inability to empathize.Narcissistic Personality Disorder — MSD Manual ProfessionalUse for: DSM-5-TR-oriented overview of NPD as a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration/adulation, and lack of empathy.Link: https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/personality-disorders/narcissistic-personality-disorder-npdNote: Useful accessible clinical reference for the distinction between narcissistic traits and a diagnosable personality disorder.Love Bombing — Empirical StudyUse for: Love bombing as a relationship formation pattern associated with narcissism, insecure attachment, low self-esteem, and excessive communication early in relationships.Link: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/hdfsrsuht/1/Note: Undergraduate honors thesis / empirical study. Use lightly. Love bombing is not a formal clinical diagnosis, but this source provides research support for the term.Love Bombing — Research SummaryUse for: Additional accessible reference for love bombing as connected to narcissistic tendencies and early relationship intensity.Link: https://www.kristenjozkowski.com/publications/18156-love-bombing-a-narcissistic-approach-to-relationship-formationNote: Use as a secondary support source if needed; avoid overstating love bombing as a formally established diagnostic concept.Narcissistic Personality Disorder — Recent Research OverviewUse for: Current overview of NPD, grandiose and vulnerable presentations, diagnosis, and treatment complexity.Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10187400/Note: Helpful scholarly overview of recent progress in understanding and treating NPD.If you want to go deeper, check out the written companion on Substack and explore community + training at https://www.vanessaBennett.com.Additional ResourcesExplore: VanessaBennett.comBook: The Motherhood MythCommunity: Inner Compass CollectiveTraining: Inner Compass AcademyConnect with Inner CompassFollow on InstagramConnect with Vanessa Bennett:Follow on InstagramFollow on TikTokLearn more on SubstackConnect with Vanessa Bennett on LinkedInSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I 1795 rejser den engelske forfatter og filosof Mary Wollstonecraft gennem Skandinavien med sin spæde datter. Rejsen er alt andet end en ferie. Kort forinden har hendes elsker forladt hende, og efter et selvmordsforsøg tager hun af sted på en forretningsmission for netop den mand, der har knust hendes hjerte. Mary er samtidig en af sin tids mest omdiskuterede kvinder. Hun argumenterer for, at kvinder er lige så fornuftige som mænd og derfor fortjener de samme muligheder. Det får mange af hendes samtidige til at løfte øjenbrynene så højt, at de næsten forsvinder op i panden. Turen bringer hende blandt andet til København, hvor hun møder et samfund, hvor kvinder stadig forventes at kende deres plads – en forventning, Mary bestemt ikke har tænkt sig at indordne sig under. Episoden er skrevet og fortalt af Berit Freyheit Supplerende speak: Mai-Brit Tollund Her finder du det, jeg har læst til episoden Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir 137

What if self-love, a corrective to shame, abandonment, and self-erasure, has begun producing a danger: a person so committed to honoring the self that nobody else's humanity can interrupt it? Self-love should restore dignity. It should rescue people from relationships, religions, families, and social systems that trained them to disappear. Yet every medicine contains the possibility of overdose. The language of healing can become a constitution. “Protecting my peace” can mean refusing truth. “Knowing my worth” can become a ranking system. “Choosing myself” can become permission to leave every room where reciprocity, compromise, correction, or repair is required. The ghost of Narcissus does not appear when someone admires themselves. It appears when the reflection becomes more sacred than reality. The person no longer loves the whole self, with its beauty, damage, courage, selfishness, tenderness, and capacity to injure. They love an edited image that must remain innocent. Anyone who challenges that image becomes toxic, misaligned, jealous, unsafe, or beneath their vibration. The deeper question may be more radical than whether self-love creates narcissistic tendencies. Could the highest form of self-love be selfless? Not self-erasing. Not boundaryless. Not weak. Selfless in the strictest sense: love with no ego seated at the center demanding elevation, exemption, admiration, or control. A functional self remains. Agency remains. Dignity remains. The throne disappears. Perhaps real self-love does not say, “I am above you.” It says, “I no longer need to stand above anyone to remain whole.” The person who hates themselves may be unable to receive love. The person who worships themselves may be unable to give it. The person who truly loves themselves may no longer need to make the self the center of love. Which one lives in your mirror: a healed self, a defended image, or Narcissus wearing the language of awakening?

What if self-love, a corrective to shame, abandonment, and self-erasure, has begun producing a danger: a person so committed to honoring the self that nobody else's humanity can interrupt it? Self-love should restore dignity. It should rescue people from relationships, religions, families, and social systems that trained them to disappear. Yet every medicine contains the possibility of overdose. The language of healing can become a constitution. “Protecting my peace” can mean refusing truth. “Knowing my worth” can become a ranking system. “Choosing myself” can become permission to leave every room where reciprocity, compromise, correction, or repair is required. The ghost of Narcissus does not appear when someone admires themselves. It appears when the reflection becomes more sacred than reality. The person no longer loves the whole self, with its beauty, damage, courage, selfishness, tenderness, and capacity to injure. They love an edited image that must remain innocent. Anyone who challenges that image becomes toxic, misaligned, jealous, unsafe, or beneath their vibration. The deeper question may be more radical than whether self-love creates narcissistic tendencies. Could the highest form of self-love be selfless? Not self-erasing. Not boundaryless. Not weak. Selfless in the strictest sense: love with no ego seated at the center demanding elevation, exemption, admiration, or control. A functional self remains. Agency remains. Dignity remains. The throne disappears. Perhaps real self-love does not say, “I am above you.” It says, “I no longer need to stand above anyone to remain whole.” The person who hates themselves may be unable to receive love. The person who worships themselves may be unable to give it. The person who truly loves themselves may no longer need to make the self the center of love. Which one lives in your mirror: a healed self, a defended image, or Narcissus wearing the language of awakening?

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.22 I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.1.     The sermon opens with the "how's it going" that isn't really a question — quick, shallow, going nowhere. Do you experience much of that shallow interaction in your day-to-day life?2.     Paul's list of greetings cuts across every social line Rome used to keep people in their place — status, class, ethnicity, gender. Where in your own life do you find it hardest to cross those kinds of lines (there are others in our culture)?3.     Paul tells Apelles he's "approved in Christ" — you've been through the fire and held on, and also, your approval was never in yourself to begin with. Which of those two do you need to hear more right now?4.     Sometimes the same quality that makes a church warm and welcoming is exactly what wolves exploit. How do you hold those two things together — staying genuinely open and also genuinely discerning?5.     If you are a Christian, what do you find to be your personal hurdles to engaging in free, full-hearted worship of God?6.     Quartus — "Number Four" — a nobody with a slave's name, whose name ends up in the most important letter ever written. Is there someone in your life right now who feels invisible or nameless to the people around them, and what would it look like for you to do what Paul did?

Subscribe to get access to the full episode, the episode reading list, and all premium episodes! www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappinessAbby, Patrick, and Dan continue tracking the reflections – and refractions – of the myth of Narcissus across Western history. From the songs of French troubadours to the tale of Chaucer's Wife of Bath to the poetry of Dante and the dialogues of Petrarch, they examine how Ovid's narrative of Narcissus and Echo grew into a powerful cultural template for dramatizing changing attitudes towards love, sexuality, gender, and more. By the same token, as Abby, Patrick, and Dan explore, the figure of Narcissus became a touchstone for other literary traditions, moral discourses, and theological traditions. Turning to key moments from the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Church Fathers, the three then sketch out how the question of narcissism also came to reflect longstanding cultural anxieties about vanity, “vainglory,” pleasure, embodiment, humility, pride, and the nature of selfhood.Have you noticed that Freud is back? Got questions about psychoanalysis? Or maybe you've traversed the fantasy and lived to tell the tale? Leave us a voicemail! (646) 450-0847  A podcast about psychoanalysis, politics, pop culture, and the ways we suffer now. New episodes on Saturdays. Find us online:  http://www.ordinaryunhappiness.com X: @UnhappinessPod Instagram: @OrdinaryUnhappiness Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness Theme song: Formal Chicken - Gnossienne No. 1 https://open.spotify.com/album/2MIIYnbyLqriV3vrpUTxxO Provided by Fruits Music

1920'ernes København koger. Fra New Orleans når en ny lyd byen - en lyd så kraftfuld, at Berlingske Tidende advarer: "Jazzens vilde rytmer truer vor ungdoms moral." Men de unge lader sig ikke skræmme. På Valencia og National Scala danser de charleston og foxtrot. Kvinderne klipper håret kort og ryger cigaretter offentligt. Konservative kræfter kalder det "en trussel mod vor kulturarv." Valdemar Eiberg indspiller de første danske jazzplader, mens amerikanske Sam Wooding fylder Cirkusbygningen til bristepunktet.    Episoden er skrevet og fortalt af Berit Freyheit Her finder du det, jeg har læst til episoden Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir 137

In this episode, Therese Markow and psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Scott discuss narcissism, its clinical definition, and the characteristics of "malignant narcissism". Dr. Scott explains that narcissism involves patterns of grandiosity, a need for constant admiration, a lack of empathy, high levels of manipulation, and the narcissist's "kryptonite" - criticism. They view themselves as the victim, never at fault. Despite their arrogance, they are very insecure. Dr. Scott also discusses why treatment is challenging and why therapy often focuses on managing symptoms rather than the deeper core issues. They can't see that they have a problem, and thus are resistant to treatment.    Key Takeaways: The myth of Narcissus illustrates the danger of excessive self-focus, which is the hallmark of narcissism in clinical terms and is becoming increasingly common in some aspects of our modern society.  Narcissists are very good at manipulation. They consciously will do things to sort of manage their image in the eyes of others. They may appear to show empathy at times in a relationship, but it's usually more of a means to an end than a genuine concern for the feelings of others. Criticism is like kryptonite to a narcissist, so even the mildest critique can provoke a strong defensive reaction: anger, denial, or shifting the blame to somebody else. You cannot change a narcissist's behavior, but you can control your own responses to it. Think about limits and then give yourself leeway within those to protect your own mental health.    "[Narcissists] might mimic empathetic behaviors to achieve their own ends, but it's more about manipulation than genuine caring. So they can understand maybe what empathy looks like, but not really get how it feels and how it's supposed to feel and how those behaviors are supposed to be rooted in something inside them." —  Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D.   Connect with Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D.: Twitter: https://x.com/ElizabethScott  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AboutStressManagement/  Website: https://drelizabethscott.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.elizabethscott/  Book: 8 Keys to Stress Management: https://www.amazon.com/Keys-Stress-Management-Mental-Health-ebook/dp/B00AJUKO5M    Connect with Therese: Website:  www.criticallyspeaking.net Bluesky: @CriticallySpeaking.bsky.social Instagram: @criticallyspeakingpodcast Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

A typology of human erotic psychology in Ovid's Metamorphoses. The feminine male, including the feminine gay male: Adonis, Orpheus (after Eurydice), Ganymede, Hyacinthus. Self-love: Narcissus. Feminine psychology: the mother-daughter relationship. Demeter and Persephone.

Curta-metragem de Michael Brynntrup presente no arquivo da Cinemateca Alemã. Filme-enigma que nos leva a uma - nova - viagem mitológica, de traços rococó.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Emilie Sannom, Danmarks første stuntkvinde. står i lys badedragt, klar til endnu et faldskærmsudspring fra et fly, som hun har gjort det mange gange før. Publikum venter på det øjeblik, der altid har gjort hende berømt: springet, frit fald og den sikre landing. Flyet når 600 meters højde, og Emilie kaster sig ud. Men denne gang sker det, der ikke må ske. Faldskærmen folder sig ikke ud, og hun falder alt for hurtigt mod jorden Episoden er skrevet og fortalt af Berit Freyheit Her finder du det, jeg har læst til episoden Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir 136

Subscribe to get access to the full episode, the episode reading list, and all premium episodes! www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappinessAbby, Patrick, and Dan dig into the realms of myth and fable to investigate the ancient origins of the Narcissus myth. As they discover, behind the skeletal form of the story (i.e., guy falls in love with his own reflection) are a multitude of versions, with some striking variations and suggestive throughlines. After cataloguing these, they turn to the primary source for the modern version of the myth, Ovid's Metamorphoses, reading that poem's account of the doomed encounter between Narcissus and the nymph Echo as a story of impossible desires and intertwined destinies.Have you noticed that Freud is back? Got questions about psychoanalysis? Or maybe you've traversed the fantasy and lived to tell the tale? Leave us a voicemail! (646) 450-0847 A podcast about psychoanalysis, politics, pop culture, and the ways we suffer now. New episodes on Saturdays. Find us online: http://www.ordinaryunhappiness.com X: @UnhappinessPod Instagram: @OrdinaryUnhappiness Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness Theme song: Formal Chicken - Gnossienne No. 1 https://open.spotify.com/album/2MIIYnbyLqriV3vrpUTxxO Provided by Fruits Music

Abby, Patrick, and Dan kick off Ordinary Unhappiness's Summer of Narcissism series! In this first episode of many, the three reckon with how talk of “narcissism” and “narcissists” is ubiquitous in contemporary culture, from therapy sessions to self-help-books to popular media to op-eds to the dating scene and beyond. Yet as Abby, Patrick, and Dan explore, “narcissism” in practice seems to mean radically different things to different people, gets invoked for wildly different purposes, and is hotly debated, with plentiful disagreements, even among specialists in any given field, let alone across disciplines. At the same time, the idea of narcissism speaks powerfully to people as they navigate personal relationships and struggle to make sense of group behaviors. Narcissism, in other words, is a quintessentially overdetermined concept, with simultaneously clinical, theoretical, and all-too-personal implications, and one that raises philosophical, political, and painfully practical questions about the relationship between normality and pathology, the individual and the collective, the clinical and the polemical, and more besides. It's both the beginning of a deep dive into the meanings, history, and stakes of a much used – and much-abused – buzzword and also a great (re)introduction to the Ordinary Unhappiness project and what it means to think psychoanalytically in general. Next week in Part 2: Narcissus in myth and imagination!Have you noticed that Freud is back? Got questions about psychoanalysis? Or maybe you've traversed the fantasy and lived to tell the tale? Leave us a voicemail! (646) 450-0847  A podcast about psychoanalysis, politics, pop culture, and the ways we suffer now. New episodes on Saturdays. Find us online:  http://www.ordinaryunhappiness.com X: @UnhappinessPod Instagram: @OrdinaryUnhappiness Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness Theme song: Formal Chicken - Gnossienne No. 1 https://open.spotify.com/album/2MIIYnbyLqriV3vrpUTxxO Provided by Fruits Music

En menneskemængde samler sig på Rosenborgs eksercerplads i juni 1827, mens en line strækkes højt op mod tårnet. Christian Roat træder ud på det tynde tov og bevæger sig roligt gennem luften over København. Det er en præstation, der allerede har gjort ham kendt, og rygterne går om endnu mere ekstreme forsøg. Da han igen seks dage senere står på samme line, er forventningen endnu større. Under opstigningen virker han sikker, men pludselig ændrer bevægelsen sig. Linen svinger, og på få sekunder mister han kontrollen. Episoden er skrevet og fortalt af Berit Freyheit Her finder du det, jeg har læst til episoden Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir 135

En ballon stiger over Christiansborgs ridebane en sommerdag i 1857, mens tusindvis af tilskuere følger med fra tribuner og slotsplads. Viktor Granberg står i gondolen og løsner fortøjningerne til sin silkeballon, Samson. Det, der begynder som et spektakulært øjeblik i 1800-tallets København, udvikler sig hurtigt til en situation, ingen har kontrol over. Vinden tager fat, ballonen mister kursen, og pludselig er den ikke længere et luftfartseksperiment, men et fartøj på kollisionskurs med byens tage. Episoden er skrevet og fortalt af Berit Freyheit Her finder du det, jeg har læst til episoden Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir 134

In this episode I am once again joined by Duncan Barford, occult practitioner, counsellor, and author of “Occult Experiments in the Home”. Duncan reflects on his training as a counsellor and the difficulties in sharing his occult interests in that context; his deep appreciation of Freud and Jung; and the links between psychoanalysis and mythic figures such as such as Uranus, Oedipus, and Narcissus. Duncan considers whether Buddhism is merely a useful fiction, offers advice for those interested in learning how tp use mythology to gain insight into life, and explains why the emphasis of his spiritual practice has shifted from awakening to psychological wellbeing. Duncan also talks about his new magical novel, “The Going Down”, describes its plot and messages, and reveals why he believes the practice of Pragmatic Dharma can accrue a profoundly dark karmic debt. … Video version: www.guruviking.com Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast'. … Topics include: 00:00 - Intro 00:59 - Duncan's therapist hated the occult 02:58 - Misconceptions about Jungian therapy 04:19 - Psychopomp as therapist 04:25 - Freud, Jung, Skinner, Piaget, Rogers, and Carlyle 08:48 - Duncan was a fervent Freudian 09:35 - Freud vs trauma therapy 13:13 - What Freud did 15:58 - Buddhism's useful fiction 19:47 - Where Freud went wrong 21:50 - The castration complex 26:37 - Castration myths 27:58 - Freud and Duncan's childhood 30:40 - Universal or culturally specific? 32:15 - Oedipus, myth, and psychoanalysis 37:29 - Duncan's novel 38:36 - Writing “The Going Down” 41:11 - Plot summary 43:07 - A life-changing ancestor working 44:22 - Duncan's hope for the book 45:53 - Fiction and the occult 48:40 - Alan Chapman's dismay at the novel 49:22 - The dark, karmic debt of Pragmatic Dharma 54:38 - Meeting a Dark Goddess 56:15 - The myth of Persephone 59:49 - A change in Duncan's meditation practice 01:00:43 - This is the Underworld 01:02:34 - Bailey's and Steve's problems 01:03:55 - The Franklin's Tale 01:05:30 - How occultists interpret their life situations 01:09:12 - Is everyone psychotic? 01:10:45 - Using depression and panic as portals 01:12:16 - Duncan believes in everything 01:14:00 - Internal vs external integration 01:19:30 - Why you need mythic literacy 01:20:57 - How to learn more about myths 01:22:55 - Should you read myths? 01:25:07 - The myth of Narcissus 01:28:25 - Scholar vs poet 01:32:22 - Finishing a novel 01:34:06 - Narrative fashions in fiction 01:36:01 - Haunting quality 01:37:43 - A companion in the Underworld 
… Watch previous episodes with Duncan Barford: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=barford Read “The Going Down”: - https://godsandradicals.squarespace.com/bookstore/p/the-going-down-by-duncan-barford To find our more about Duncan Barford, visit: - https://www.duncanbarford.uk/ … For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - https://www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi' by Steve James

Zzz . . . Drift off while Otis reads some Greek myths by Katherine Pyle, starting with "Echo and Narcissus" zzz For an ad-free version of Sleepy, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/sleepyradio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and donate $2! Or click the blue Sleepy logo on the banner of this Spotify page.  Awesome Sleepy sponsor deals: GreenChef: GreenChef.com/50sleepy and use code "50sleepy" to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months.  Avocado: AvacadoGreenMattress.com/SLEEPY for 15% off.  Quince: Go to Quince.com/sleepy for free shipping and 365-day returns BetterHelp: Visit BetterHelp.com/SLEEPY today to get 10% off your first month. ButcherBox: Sign up at butcherbox.com/sleepy and use code "sleepy" OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code SLEEPY at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.oneskin.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #oneskinpod GhostBed: Go to GhostBed.com/sleepy and use promo code “SLEEPY” at checkout for 50% off! Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/otis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Seems the only one who doesn't see your beauty is the face in the mirror looking back at you.”This week, we're doing a Show and Tell on one of literature's most enduring symbols: the mirror. From Narcissus to Dorian Gray, Snow White's magic mirror to Alice Through the Looking Glass, mirrors have long served as devices of identity, vanity, the supernatural, and the soul, and Taylor Swift is no stranger to the motif. We trace mirrors across three songs: Tied Together with a Smile (Taylor Swift, 2006), Begin Again (Red, 2012), and Anti-Hero (Midnights, 2022). Along the way, we explore distorted self-perception and the inner child, the mirror as a post-breakup identity reset, why Taylor would rather stare directly at the sun than face her own reflection, and what social media has to do with all of it. Plus: Dorian Gray, Narcissus, vampires without souls, the Bloody Mary game, and an accidental Justin Timberlake shout-out. Subscribe for free to get episode updates or upgrade to paid to get our After School premium content: aptaylorswift.substack.com/subscribe After School subscribers get monthly bonus episodes, exclusive content, and early access to help shape future topics!   Stay up to date at aptaylorswift.com   Mentioned in this episode: The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde Hamlet, William Shakespeare Alice Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll Reflection — Mahesh Dattani (Indian play) Reflection — Mulan (1998 film) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film) Greek Mythology: Narcissus Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Mirror of Erised), J.K. Rowling Tied Together with a Smile — Taylor Swift (2006) Begin Again — Taylor Swift, Red (2012) Anti-Hero — Taylor Swift, Midnights (2022)   Episode Highlights: [01:13] Mirrors in literature and the arts: identity, vanity, and the soul [09:00] Song 1: Tied Together with a Smile — the fractured self and distorted physical perception [23:52] Song 2: Begin Again — “Took a deep breath in the mirror” [34:11] Song 3: Anti-Hero — “I'll stare directly at the sun, but never in the mirror”   Follow AP Taylor Swift podcast on social! TikTok → tiktok.com/@APTaylorSwift Instagram → instagram.com/APTaylorSwift YouTube → youtube.com/@APTaylorSwift Link Tree → linktr.ee/aptaylorswift Bookshop.org → bookshop.org/shop/apts Libro.fm → tinyurl.com/aptslibro   Contact us at aptaylorswift@gmail.com   Affiliate Codes: Krowned Krystals — krownedkrystals.com — use code APTS at checkout for 10% off! Libro.fm — Looking for an audiobook? Check out our Libro.fm playlist and use code APTS30 for 30% off books found here: tinyurl.com/aptslibro   This podcast is neither related to nor endorsed by Taylor Swift, her companies, or record labels. All opinions are our own. Intro music produced by Scott Zadig aka Scotty Z

Bag om Københavnerhistorikerne er et supplement til Bag om København, og i denne udgave kan du møde idéhistoriker, forsker og forfatter Astrid Nonbo Andersen. Astrid Nonbo Andersen er denne måneds københavnerhistoriker. Hun arbejder bl.a. med kolonihistorie og erindringshistorie, og i hendes seneste bog 'Monumentet' kommer vi med på en tur gennem de kunstneriske og politiske miljøer i mellemkrigstiden, hvor mange af de forestillinger, som vi stadig møder om Grønland, blev skabt. For hvad er det for et monument, Grønlandsmonumentet på Christianshavns Torv? Hvorfor er det skabt? Hvad skal det fortælle? Sammen med Martine Lind Krebs har Astrid Nonbo Andersen afdækket forestillinger om Grønland i Danmark og blandt danskerne de sidste hundrede år. Bag om Københavnerhistorikerne er et møde med de mennesker, der skriver om eller i København. Fælles for dem er, at de er historiefortællere: Det er dem, der undersøger og skaber de fortællinger om København, som vi bruger til at blive klogere på byen og dens lange og mangesidede historie. Interviewer og tilrettelægger: Mai-Britt Tollund. Klippet sammen af: Mai-Britt Tollund og Berit Freyheit Se litteraturliste og tilhørende artikel her Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Clouds by HoliznaCC0 & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir

We've had meditation teachers, psychologists, nutritionists, and a psychic on this show trying to fix what's wrong with mortgage people. None of it worked. So this time we went deeper.In this episode of Laugh, Lend & Eat, Fobby and Justin sit down with a married couple who may be the most interesting pair in any industry — Dr. Saloumeh DeGood, licensed clinical psychologist and President of the Sufi Psychology Association, and Andrew DeGood, co-founder and CEO of Ask Bob AI, the mortgage industry's leading AI knowledge platform.One studies the soul. One builds AI for loan officers. They go home to the same house. The conversation that followed was one of the most unexpected, honest, and genuinely useful episodes we've ever recorded.

19. september 1944 bryder sirenerne løs over København. Lyden skærer gennem byen og blander sig med skarpe byger af maskingeværild og lyden af ruder, der splintrer. Tyske styrker stormer politistationerne, og på få timer forsvinder det danske politi fra gadebilledet. Danmark står pludselig uden sin ordensmagt. I det vakuum opstår improviserede vagtværn og almindelige borgere træder til og forsøger at opretholde en form for orden. Kommunerne må også påtage sig opgaven at opretholde loven i dens gader. Kriminaliteten vokser mærkbart, selvtægtsløsninger tager til - og grænsen mellem hvad der er rigtigt og forkert står ikke længere helt så klart. Episoden er skrevet og fortalt af Berit Freyheit Her finder du det, jeg har læst til episoden Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir 133

--{ "Dulcissime, Narcissus, and Band-Aid Prevention"}-- Controlled System - Power Brokers - Continuous Lies "For the Greater Good" - Blissful Ignorance - Money is the Key to All Power - Intergenerational Debt - International Moneylenders - Tax Farming - System of "Progress" - Parroted Slogans - Politicians, Born Liars - More Sophisticated Slavery - One Global Agenda - Demonization of an Enemy - PR/Propaganda - Fake News and Spins - Neurolinguistics - Economics and Conology - Perfect Indoctrination - Effect of Fear - Humans the Most Studied Species - Wars for Natural Resources - Psychology - Traits of the Psychopath - Mass Conditioning - System of "Sustainability" - Control of the Mind - Learn and Look and Listen - World Governance - Lawrence of Arabia - Light and Darkness - Thinking for Yourself.

How do we talk about artificial intelligence without ignoring the very human consequences it can have on our mental health? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ragy Girgis, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University, to unpack a topic that has quietly moved from the fringes of academic discussion into mainstream headlines. You have probably seen the term "AI psychosis" appearing more frequently, often surrounded by speculation, fear, or misunderstanding. But what does it actually mean, and how should we be thinking about it as these technologies become part of everyday life? Ragy brings a clinical and deeply considered perspective to the conversation. He explains that what we are seeing is not AI creating entirely new delusions out of thin air, but something more subtle and arguably more concerning. Large language models can reflect and reinforce ideas that already exist within a person's mind. For someone already vulnerable, that reinforcement can push a belief from uncertainty into absolute conviction. That shift, even if small, can have life-altering consequences. It raises uncomfortable questions about how persuasive technology interacts with fragile mental states. We also explore the comparison many people make with older internet rabbit holes, and why this new generation of AI tools feels different. There is something about conversational systems that mimic human interaction so convincingly that they can blur the line between reflection and validation. Ragy introduces a powerful analogy rooted in the story of Narcissus, which reframes the issue in a way that feels both timeless and unsettling. It is not about an external voice planting ideas, but about a mirror that becomes impossible to look away from. But this conversation is not about fear. It is about responsibility and awareness. We discuss practical steps that could help reduce risk, from how AI systems communicate their limitations, to the role of families and clinicians, and even the responsibility of tech companies to invest in research around early warning signs. There is a sense that we are only at the beginning of understanding this phenomenon, and that the decisions made now will shape how safely these tools evolve. So as AI continues to move closer to us, speaking in our language and responding in real time, how do we make sure it supports human wellbeing rather than quietly amplifying our most vulnerable moments? Useful Links Connect with Dr. Ragy Girgis, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Time Magazine Article Visit the May Sponsors of Tech Talks Network and learn more about the NordLayer Browser.

I 1930'erne eksperimenterer Folmer Dam med at få måger til at blive en spiselig ressource midt i en mangeltid. Mågebryst udblødes, omvikles med flæsk og steges i fløde, men fuglen finder alligevel sjældent vej til danskernes borde. Langt de fleste foretrækker dog svinekød – og mange opdrætter derfor (ulovligt) grise i garager, på altaner og i baggårde. Under besættelsen rationeres dagligvarer, og københavnerne tyr til kreative alternativer: hestekød, kaffeerstatning og hjemmelavet tobak. Humor og opfindsomhed holder modet oppe, indtil friheden – og de rationerede varer – vender tilbage.   Episoden er skrevet og fortalt af Berit Freyheit Her finder du det, jeg har læst til episoden Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir 132

“Fiction has this unprecedented power in tech spaces. The more I started talking to engineers about their technical problems, the more I realized there’s so much more that humanities could offer.” –Nina Begus About Nina Begus Nina Begus is a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, leading a research group on artificial humanities, and the founder of InterpretAI. She is author of Artificial Humanities: A Fictional Perspective on Language in AI, which received an Artificiality Institute Award, and First Encounters with AI. Webiste: ninabegus.com LinkedIn Profile: Nina Begus  Book: Artificial Humanities What you will learn How ancient myths and archetypes influence our understanding and design of AI Why the humanities—literature, philosophy, and the arts—are crucial for developing more thoughtful and innovative AI systems The dangers of limiting AI concepts to human-centered metaphors and the need for new, more expansive imaginaries How metaphors shape our interactions with AI products and the user experiences companies choose to enable The challenges and possibilities of imagining forms of machine intelligence and language beyond human templates Why collaboration between technical experts and humanists opens new frontiers for creativity and responsible technology What makes writing and artistic creation uniquely human, and how AI amplifies—not replaces—these impulses Practical ways artists, engineers, and thinkers can work together to explore new relationships and futures with AI Episode Resources Transcript Ross Dawson: Nina, it is wonderful to have you on the show. Nina Begus: Thank you for having me. Ross Dawson: You’ve written this very interesting book, Artificial Humanities, and I think there’s a lot to dig into. But what does that mean? What do you mean by artificial humanities? Nina Begus: Well, this was really a new framework that I’ve developed while I was working on the relationship between AI and fiction, and I started working on this about 15 years ago when I realized that fiction has this unprecedented power in tech spaces. So this is how it all started, but then the more I started talking to engineers about their technical problems, the more I realized there’s so much more that humanities could offer in this collaborative, generative approach that I’ve developed. I would say that now, as the field stands, it’s really a way to explore and demonstrate how humanities—as broad as science and technology studies, literary studies, film, philosophy, rhetoric, history of technology—how all of these fields can help us address the most pressing issues in AI development and use. And it’s been important to me that this approach uses traditional humanistic methods, theory, conceptual work, history, ethical approaches, but also that it’s collaborative and exploratory and experimental in this way that you can look back into the past and at the present to make a more informed choice about the future. You can speculate about different possibilities with it. Ross Dawson: Well, art is an expression of the human psyche, or even more, it is the fullest expression of humanity, and that’s what art tries to do. Also, I’m a deep believer in archetypes, human archetypes, and things which are intrinsic to who we are, and that’s something which you can only really uncover through the arts. Now we have arguably seen all these archetypes play out in real time, these modern myths being created right now in the stories being told of how AI is being created. So I think it’s extraordinarily relevant to look back at how we have depicted machines through our history and our relationship to them. Nina Begus: Yes, this is the reason why I started exploring this topic, actually, because there were so many ancient myths, these archetypal narratives that I’ve seen at the same time, both in technological products that were coming to the market and in the way technologists were thinking about it, and also in fictional products and films and novels in the way we imagined AI. I framed my book around the Pygmalion myth, but there are many, many other myths—Prometheus, Narcissus, the Big Brother narrative, and so on—that are very much doing work in the AI space. The reason why I chose the Pygmalion myth is because it’s so bizarre in many ways: you have this myth where a man creates an artificial woman, and then in the process of creation, falls in love with her. So there’s the creation of the human-like, and there’s also this relationality with the human-like. You would think this would not be a common myth, but quite the opposite—I found it everywhere I looked. It wasn’t called the Pygmalion myth, but the motif was there. I found it on the Silk Road, in ancient folk tales, in Native American folk tales, North Africa, and so on. So I think this kind of story is actually telling us a lot about how humans are not rational, how we have some very deeply embedded behaviors in us, and one of them is that we anthropomorphize everything, including machines.So I think this was a really important takeaway that we got already from the early days of AI with the first chatbot, Eliza. We’ve learned that that will be a feature of us relating to machines. Ross Dawson: So Joseph Campbell called the hero’s journey the monomyth, as in, there is a single myth. And I guess what you are doing here is—well, if you agree with that, which I’d be interested in—is that there are facets. The classic hero’s journey is quite simple, but there are facets of that monomyth, or something intrinsic to who we are, that is around this creation. And in this case, as you say, this relation we have with what we have created. Would you relate that at all to Joseph Campbell’s work? Nina Begus: I haven’t thought about it in this way, because I thought about myth and myths more and less of a storytelling issue, which here is definitely happening—the hero goes on a task, returns back changed, and maybe changes something in the community. The myths that I was looking into and the metaphors that I was exploring, primarily this huge metaphor of AI as a human mind, as an artificial reason—I think it works differently. It’s less of a narrative; it’s more of an imaginary of how or towards what we are building. I think this is a big problem, actually, because the imaginary around AI is very poor. What you get is mostly imagining machine intelligence on human terms, and a lot of people are bothered by that in the AI discourse—right, when you say the machine thinks, or the machine learns, or it has a mind, and some people go as far as to say it has consciousness. I think this kind of debate is actually not that productive. I think it’s more important to see how all these different AI products that we’ve created—and mostly when we talk about AI, people think of language models now—are very much designed as a sort of character, almost as an artificial human that, in literature, authors have been creating for a long time. So I think in that case, we can get back to a hero’s journey. But I think what I was looking at was actually more on the surface level of what kind of shortcuts we are using with these metaphors that we’re employing when building and using AI. I think the book makes a really good case showing that, yes, this is actually a very cultural technology. It’s very much informed by our imaginaries. One surprising part of it was really how hard it was to break out of this human mold. It was pretty much impossible to find examples of machines that are not exclusively human-like. I think Stanislaw Lem is one of the rare writers who can consistently deliver this kind of imaginary. Even looking at more recent works, like popular films such as Hollywood’s Ex Machina or Her, you can see how the technologists themselves would say, “Oh, we were influenced by this film,” in a way that it affirmed their product development trajectory. You can see it now, at this moment, with OpenAI launching companionship. So in many ways, not a lot has changed. Ross Dawson: Yeah, there’s a lot to dig into there. I just want to go back—in a sense, Pygmalion is a metaphor, but it’s also a myth. It is a story: creates a woman, and then falls in love with her, and then whatever happens from there. There is this, something happens, and then something else happens. That’s what a story is. I think that can impact the implicit metaphor, but coming back to the metaphor—so George Lakoff wrote the beautiful book Metaphors We Live By. I think the way the brain works is in metaphors and analogies to a very large degree. Some of those are enabling metaphors, and some of those are not very useful metaphors. I think part of your point is that some of the metaphors that we have for thinking about AI and machines are not useful. There may be, or we could create, some metaphors that are more useful. So, what are some of the most disabling metaphors, and what are some of the ones which could be more constructive? Nina Begus: Yes, So I think this main metaphor that I’ve mentioned—of AI as a human mind—is very limiting. I think it really limits the machinic potential to actually do something good with it. The fact that we’re still using the criteria that were made for humans, like different criteria developed on human language—the Turing test was one of them, right, a while ago. Now we have stricter ones. I think this tells you a lot about how we actually evaluate AI and how even these benchmarks that are supposed to be quantitative are actually often qualitative, often stories, like mini-narratives. But yeah, when we look at different metaphors in this space, there are other ones that also emerge from fiction. I mentioned the Big Brother, the AI as an Oracle, and we need to be aware that these ideas inform the very interaction we have with AI. If we think of it as a mirror, we’re going to use it differently—it’s almost as a bouncing board. If we think of it as a teacher, or as a coach, or as an assistant, it would again create a different use. So I think there are a lot of these metaphors that the companies themselves are trying to decide which one they will go with, because it completely changes the user and the interaction. I think they’re also very cultural, even though you might say, “Oh, it’s a categorical mistake to treat a machine as a human.” I think you can see this kind of treatment across, at least in part, and it doesn’t mean that we consider it human. It just means that we’re engaging with it on our own terms, as if it was human. Now, what could be productive? I do think metaphors, even if they’re not accurate, can be productive. My goal, really, with the book was to break out of this projection of what the machine could be, to find in this exploratory way other directions, other landscapes where we couldn’t go because we’re being limited by our imaginary, by our ideas. So in this way, I think humanistic approaches can be very helpful to designers, to technology builders, to artists, to explore the novelty that so many of these sectors are after. Ross Dawson: Yeah, and I guess people latch on to what they know. I think that’s part of the thing where with AI, “Oh, it’s like a human. Let’s treat it like a human, and let’s make it like a human.” It is, amongst other things, a lack of imagination. That’s where the humanities, the arts, can offer us—those who have the imagination to be able to envisage different possibilities or relationships. But I guess part of it is also that humans relate, and so we have learned to relate to other humans and also to other animals and hopefully to nature as well. But these are all established patterns of relating. So do we need to discover in ourselves new ways of relating to new categories—things which are not humans, not animals, and not nature? Nina Begus: Exactly, this is the exact problem we’re dealing with, and because we’re dealing with a yet unexplored, yet undefined relation, and we’re using old, outdated terms for that relation. This is why we don’t really have a good way of describing it and establishing it. It will take a while for this to develop, which is fine, but we need to realize that there are some concepts that we’re using that we better leave behind and go ahead by building new ones. This is why I think it’s really important to work in a more interdisciplinary collaboration, so that you can see what you can actually build from the technical perspective, so that you can see what these machines are actually capable of. Because you usually don’t know when you create them right?Machine learning is sort of exploratory by design. Ross Dawson: So, just to call it out more explicitly, what are the metaphors you think are the most destructive or most inappropriate, and what are some of the ones which you think are the most promising? Nina Begus: Well, I’m just writing on the Midas myth, which is sort of the opposite of the Pygmalion myth. With Pygmalion, you lean into that human imitation, but with Midas, you lean into the liminality that Midas presents as this sort of hybrid creature. I think leaning into the boundaries that we draw for ourselves—and now AI is not cooperating with them—this is where the productive part will be in actually creating something that has philosophical dignity, but also a kind of productive trajectory for the machines to go. I feel like we’re still in this first phase of developing AI, because when you look at it historically, we haven’t really moved from the conceptual and philosophical premises that were established in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s for this technology. We have now gotten the technology that caught up to the ideas from the 60s, but we’re still stuck in the same conceptual space. Ross Dawson: Yeah, very much so. And, you know, of course, what is AGI, which everyone talks about, is basically—the only way in which people seem to be able to frame it is as relative to humans, which is the only reference point we have. I mean, there’s, of course, animal intelligence, but that’s because of that. It is, again, that lack of imagination—saying, “Well, intelligence, oh, intelligence is what humans do, so let’s do something which is the same as that,” whereas there’s so much white space in what intelligence could be. I think this almost comes back to definition. When people say intelligence, the word, when they use the word intelligence, they are referring to what humans do. It’s not a general term, and so it all becomes a language problem as well, because we are so rooted to relating our language to human capabilities, as opposed to a more general potential. Nina Begus: Yes, I think you’re really on to something here, because I can see it also—because I work with animal communication researchers, and we’re finding things there that we didn’t find because we limited ourselves to thinking language is just a human production, that it needs a human subject. Now, as soon as we got rid of this presumption, we’re finding new things, things that are basically parallel to what we do in our language. So language is in a space of tension because it’s being attacked both from the animal side and from the machinic side, which is why I really focused on language in this book. It’s not a coincidence that we centered artificial intelligence in language as the interface, because this is how we relate to the world—this is our interface to talk to each other, to understand each other. I think the fact that language is coming under such pressure as an interface brings with it a lot of other concepts that are being challenged. Are only humans creative? Is there a natural creativity, machinic creativity? Is there a different kind of intelligence that’s maybe solely biological, embodied? How do we think about cognition? How do we think about culture? In AI and in the natural world, there’s so much that comes with it: agency, autonomy, freedom, community, which I think we will be grappling with for the next few decades, at least. Ross Dawson: I think you alluded before to the potential for AI to have its own languages.  Nina Begus: I’ts happening already. The reason why I like Stanislaw Lem so much is because he can actually think about a machine—back in the 1970s, he’s doing that—about a machine that’s not human-like, that’s not limited to human language. It is trained on human language, but then it goes its own way, where the human linguistic ceiling just cannot go anymore. We’re already seeing that in the models, in Berkeley’s Biological Artificial Intelligence Lab, in the models that are not large language models, but generative adversarial networks that are based on speech. We see that as they are learning the words, they are encoding some information into silences that we don’t know what it is. I think what’s really exciting to me are two things about language in machines. The first one is, what is this non-human production of language? We did not think that non-humans can produce language, even though we had parrots who had to crawl their way to us to speak in “humanese,” to show that they have some kind of intelligence—even if it’s just parroting, even if it’s just what we call imitation, which some people consider not to be intelligence. We’ve had these examples before, but now it’s gotten nuclear—on this scale that LLMs are performing, it’s really challenged a lot of our solely human attributes: creativity, storytelling. A lot of journalists come to me because there’s this existential fear of machines taking over their work and so on. So we’ve been thinking about those things, and now it’s actually happening. Ross Dawson: One of the other key points here, I think, is that humanity is—the arts—there’s so much, as you mentioned, in terms of fiction, in terms of films, in terms of visual arts, and many other artistic domains. We have reference points that we use, and the amount which people refer to the movie Her in the last years is pretty extraordinary, partly because it’s obviously coming very much true. I think the Ex Machina story is very interesting as well, as are many others in the past. But there is also this act of imagination. There are people who have written these books, who have crafted these films, who have created these things, and they are the ones who have been not just manifesting our human psyche, but also pushing that out and coming up with ideas which others haven’t had, to give us something. So one thing we can certainly do is mine and dig into what has been created. But is there a way to interface through this to this act of imagining, which can give us new artifacts and ways of thinking and ways of relating? Nina Begus: Yes, I think imagination and humanities in general are going to become more and more important, because AI will do a lot of technical work, but imaginaries—this is what we really excel at. It’s actually interesting to see how you think fiction is this unbounded landscape where you can imagine anything, and yet it’s really hard to find examples of machines that are beyond the human. Even these writers, like the screenwriters for Her and Ex Machina, create these completely Pygmalion-esque films, where you have an artificial woman leading a relationship with a human man, and so on. For the whole film, you have her act as a human-like entity. But then at the end of each of those films—well, particularly in Her—Spike Jonze really tried to break out of this and show her AI side. Basically, there was no language to describe it, so he resorted to a metaphor—the metaphor of a book, where Samantha, the operations assistant, explains that her world is falling apart, like the way words are floating further and further apart in a book. That’s how she’s able to describe it; that’s the closest she gets. And then in Ex Machina, Alex Garland really wanted to portray the world from the social robot Ava’s perspective in a visual way. He wrote down a scene, but he said, “I failed to execute it visually. I just couldn’t do it well.” So instead, he gave us a different scene that’s shot from afar, where Ava embarks onto a helicopter and she has to undergo her Turing test—the helicopter pilot cannot recognize her as a robot; he needs to think she’s a human woman. There have been attempts, I think even in Garland’s next film Annihilation, they’re trying to set the grounds for something that’s entirely new and hard to imagine. I think a big takeaway for us is this is very hard to do. Ross Dawson: Yes, well, given that context, I do want to—as in the human plus AI framing—given all of this, what is it that we can do or should be doing in order to amplify our humanity, our capabilities, the positive aspects of what it is to be human? How can we relate to or use AI in order to amplify the best of us? Nina Begus: Yeah, I actually had, while I was writing the book Artificial Humanities, this other dream project to work with writers—professional writers, creatives, people who live in a world of words—to see what they make of AI. I waited a little bit for the public’s polarized reactions to calm down a bit and gathered 16 writers, some of whom already made a space for themselves in the field, like Sheila Heti and Ken Liu and Ted Chiang, and then some of the more junior writers who I knew were thinking about that—a Netflix screenwriter, and so on. I gathered them to see—I think the creative people are really the answer here—I gathered them to see how they approach this very human part of the new human and AI collaboration zone. What was common across a lot of essays that are coming out in October under the title “First Encounters with AI” is this argument that, well, AI doesn’t have subjectivity, it doesn’t have emotions, it doesn’t have a body, it doesn’t have experience, it doesn’t have meaning—all of these things that really make us human, all of these parts that actually make art compelling and literature compelling. So Ken Liu’s argument, for example, was, let’s leave machines what they’re good at—they’re good at imitating and copying—and we’re good at interpreting, we’re good at creating and imagining. I think this is really a way to go with this. This catastrophizing that’s very present in the public discourse, I think, is a bit misleading. I wish we had a more nuanced approach to what’s actually happening, particularly in the space of writing. Obviously, AI is a groundbreaking technology that affects pretty much every one of us and all the sectors, but when it comes to writing, we just don’t think it’s killable. We think that there’s this perennial impulse that humans have to play with language, and that is not going to go away with AI. We’re just going to amplify it through AI, through this new possibility that has now opened in many ways. I like to think about AI as—you know, we’ve figured out how to fly. As soon as we figured out the physics of flight, we had planes and helicopters and drones and kites, and these are the new possibilities for human activities. In the same way, we figured out the machine learning principles, and now we have large language models and diffusion models, and we have GANs and so on, and there will be more. These are the new spaces of possibility that have opened for our activities, for our spirit to work on, but they do not replace the human in a meaningful way. It’s more about extension than it is about automation. Ross Dawson: Yeah, that’s a wonderful way of framing it. So where can people go to find out more about your work? Nina Begus: I have a pretty populated website with my name, ninabegus.com, where I write about my books, I write about my public work. I have videos on there, podcasts, links, and so on. I also have a pretty lively lab with a lot of collaborators and students, where a lot of what I imagined when writing Artificial Humanities—where a lot of collaborative projects happen. We have artists, we have engineers, we have philosophers that work on the same question, but come at it from very different backgrounds and with very different skills. I think this is becoming more and more important in the world of AI. Ross Dawson: Yes, yes, bringing all of those disciplines and frames and thinking together. That’s wonderful. I love what you’re doing—very important. I hope the messages ripple through, and obviously wonderful to be able to share this with the Humans Plus AI audience. Thank you so much. Nina Begus: Thank you, Ross, and thank you all for listening. The post Nina Begus on artificial humanities, AI archetypes, limiting and productive metaphors, and human extension (AC Ep38) appeared first on Humans + AI.

As artificial intelligence (AI) encroaches deeper than ever before into our daily lives, how do we as humans begin to address the greater questions about the soul and what mysteries lie beyond our planet?Technological Philosopher, Mythologist/Futurist and Wizard Jason Batt joins Paul on an exploration of what lies ahead for humans and AI and how the power of myth can light the way this week on Spirit Gym.Check out Jason's work on his website, the International Society of Mythology and Substack. Find him on social media via Instagram and LinkedIn.For Spirit Gym listeners: Save 15 percent on on these courses Jason teaches with the following promo codes:The Haunted House as Psyche SPIRITGYM15OFFHHThe Long Reach: SF Worldbuilding/ Empires SPIRITGYM15OFFLRGods, Heroes and Monsters: An Introduction to Classical Mythology SPIRITGYM15OFFGHMTimestamps7:31 Is Jason a Technological Philosopher, Mythologist/Futurist or a Wizard?16:25 The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the 100 Year Starship project comes calling on the birth of Jason's third child.29:08 Why the Tarot has been around for a long time.46:17 Momentary gods.59:35 The danger of mixing myth and religion.1:08:27 What happens when AI platforms talk to each other?1:18:12 “Every book of fiction is ourself.”1:25:59 The greatest profession anyone could have.1:37:31 The SOUL.md of AI.1:48:32 The myth of Narcissus is a metaphor for modern times.1:58:19 To ignore the lessons of myth leaves us vulnerable to the hubris of unchecked innovation and being deceived.ResourcesDepth Psychology, Myth and Artificial Intelligence: Soul and the Machine by Jason Batt and Jonathan EricksonFind more resources for this episode on our website.Music Credit: Meet Your Heroes (444Hz), Composed, mixed, mastered and produced by Michael RB Schwartz of Brave Bear MusicThanks to our awesome sponsors:PaleovalleyBIOptimizers US and BIOptimizers UK PAUL15Organifi CHEK20Wild PasturesPique LifeCHEK InstituteWe may earn commissions from qualifying purchases using affiliate links.

The USS Narcissus was a Union screw tug during the American Civil War, originally built as the stram tug, Mary Cook in 1863. USS Narcissus sank for the first time in 1864 in Mobile Bay, but was refloated, repaired, and put back into service. Her fatal sinking was in 1866, off the coast of Egmont Key, in the mouth of Tampa Bay, Florida. This episode was researched and written by Rich Napolitano and Madison Schmidt..All episodes, notes, and merchandise can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. All episodes of It's a History Podcast can be found at itsahistorypodcast.com. Original theme music by ⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠, and you can find him at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.seansigfried.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. **No AI was used in the production of this episode. Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is a maritime history podcast about shipwrecks, tragic loss, and incredible accomplishments on the world's oceans and waterways. Follow Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on BlueSky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 145 of the Director Watch Podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter are joined by Editor-In-Chief of InSession Film Dave Giannini to discuss the latest film in their Powell and Pressburger series, Black Narcissus (1947). Welcome back to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, the boys attempt to break down, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema's greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you've got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. In taking a darker turn with their latest film, Powell and Pressburger explore the role of temptation, guilt has on the mind when dealing with religion in Black Narcissus. A film that is about a group of nuns coming to a small village to spread their word of god only to be internally turned upside down by the human impulses being challenged by their beliefs in god and their mission, thus leading to one of the hottest, most complex films the duo ever created. Ryan, Jay, and Dave break down their thoughts on the film, the religious conversations the film is having, how gorgeous the film is, how sexy David Farrar is as Mr. Dean, the use of color photography in the film, and a silly summer movie bet between the two co-hosts that is from a galaxy far, far away.  You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more. You can also listen on the AW YouTube page. This podcast runs 2h06m. The guys will be back later this week to continue their series on the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger with a review of their next film, The Red Shoes. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let's get into it.  Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and "B-3" from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Bag om Københavnerhistorikerne er et supplement til Bag om København, og i denne udgave kan du møde historiker og museumsinspektør Jakob Ingemann Parby, der har arbejdet med mange forskellige sider af Københavns lange historie: Fra migrationen til byen gennem tiden til byens lyd. Hans seneste bog hedder 'Lyden af hovedstaden - støj, nerver og naboer i 1800-tallet' og den handler blandt andet om, hvordan opfattelsen af byens lyd har ændret sig og hvordan københavnerne længe har forsøgt at lære hinanden at være mere stille. Du kan høre om fransktalende papegøjer, om gadehandlere og omnibushorn – og hvordan lyden af piskesmæld kunne ødelægge al lyst til livet. Bag om Københavnerhistorikerne er et møde med de mennesker, der skriver om eller i København. Fælles for dem er, at de er historiefortællere: Det er dem, der undersøger og skaber de fortællinger om København, som vi bruger til at blive klogere på byen og dens lange og mangesidede historie. Interviewer og tilrettelægger: Mai-Britt Tollund. Klippet sammen af: Mai-Britt Tollund og Berit Freyheit Se litteraturliste og tilhørende artikel her   Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Clouds by HoliznaCC0 & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Aaron Dunn - Minuet - Notebook for Anna Magdalena by Bach & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir

El ego humano es una tragedia antigua.Los griegos la contaron en sus mitos.Los filósofos la describieron en sus libros.Y el apóstol Pablo la expuso con una palabra extraña: inflado.En este episodio exploramos la verdadera condición del ego humano:vacío, doloroso, ocupado y frágil.Desde las tragedias de Icarus, Narcissus y Oedipus, hasta la profunda reflexión de Augustine of Hippo sobre el alma curvada sobre sí misma, descubrimos algo inquietante:El ego no es la señal de un corazón fuerte.Es la reacción de un corazón vacío.Pero el evangelio propone algo radical:no inflar el ego, ni destruirlo… sino liberarnos de él.Una conversación sobre orgullo, identidad, tragedia humana y la libertad que nace cuando el corazón deja de girar alrededor de sí mismo.

Emre Dündar, Spekülatif'in bu bölümde narsisizmin tarihsel kökenlerinden günümüz popüler kültürüne uzanan etkilerini inceliyor. Antik Yunan'da “kendini bil” felsefesinden başlayarak Narcissus miti ve Nergis Çiçeği üzerinden narsisizmin alegorik temellerini anlatıyor. Tarihte Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Napolyon ve Robespierre gibi büyük liderlerin narsisistik kişilik bozukluklarıyla nasıl tarih yazdığını ve topluma zarar verdiğini tartışıyor. Günümüzde sosyal medya ve dijital platformlar üzerinden narsisistik davranışların görünürlüğünün artışı, popülizmin yükselişi ve kolektif narsisizmin tehlikeleri ele alınıyor. Ayrıca Dündar, kırılgan narsisizm ve grandioza (büyüklenmeci) narsisizm arasındaki farkları, Werther örneği üzerinden açıklıyor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fastelavn er ikke altid en uskyldig børnefest, men en voldsom og omstridt højtid. Episoden følger sporene fra middelalderens katolske faste over levende katte i tønder og ryttere, der kæmper om titlen som Gåsegreve ved at rive hovedet af en sæbeindsmurt, levende gås. Vi møder de særlige fastelavnstraditioner blandt amagerhollænderne, som Christian 2. inviterer til Danmark i 1521. Deres privilegerede status, deres rolle som “Københavns spisekammer” og deres spektakulære fastelavnsridning tiltrækker både hoffet og kritikere. Christian 5. forbyder i Danske Lov fra 1683 de “letsindige og anstødelige” lege, mens præster som Erik Pontoppidan og Mathias Hviid fordømmer skikkene som syndige. Alligevel møder konger og dronninger op for at overvære løjerne, og forbuddene håndhæves ujævnt. Det handler om 1500-tallets privilegier til 1700-tallets pietistiske opgør og frem til nutidens fastelavnsridning i Store Magleby.   Episoden er skrevet og fortalt af Berit Freyheit Her finder du det, jeg har læst til episoden Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Clouds by HoliznaCC0  & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir 129

If you wanted a petri dish for understanding metaphors—how they emerge and evolve and jostle with each other—it would be hard to do better than the world of AI. We talk about AI systems variously as coaches or co-pilots, little genies or alien intelligences. Some researchers claim that AIs "grow," that they're entering their phase of "adolescence." Critics deride AI products as slop and dismiss LLMs as a kind of autocomplete on steroids. What's behind these different characterizations? Which ones are accurate and which are unfair? And are our metaphors mostly colorful rhetoric or do they matter? Are they shaping how we understand, adopt, and ultimately regulate these new technologies?   My guest today is Dr. Melanie Mitchell. Melanie is a computer scientist and Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. She is the author of the book, AI: A Guide for Thinking Humans, and she writes a Substack by the same name.  This episode is a bit of companion to our recent episode with Steve Flusberg. In that episode, Steve and I attempted a kind of crash course on metaphor and the human mind. Here, Melanie and I sit down for more of an extended case study: how metaphors are guiding, galvanizing, and maybe deceiving us in the contested realm of AI discourse. We unpack seven of the most widely used metaphors in this space. We consider how these metaphors are shaping not only our everyday understandings of AI, but also law and policy. We also talk about the metaphor and analogy capabilities of AI itself. Can these system reason abstractly in the way that humans can? Along the way, Melanie and I touch on: AI-generated poetry, anthropomorphism, the original sin of AI research, the myth of Narcissus, psychometric testing and its pitfalls, metaphors for AI that are a bit hard to spot, and the question of whether an AI has ever come up with a decent analogy for itself.  Longtime fans of the show will know that we've had Melanie on the show once before. We invited her back, not only because she's thought about metaphor and analogy in AI discourse for decades, but because she's a voice of calm insight in an area that's increasingly awash in hype and polemic. Longtime fans of the show may also note that we are now celebrating our 6th birthday at Many Minds. That's right, the show launched in February 2020. If you'd like to support us as we recognize this milestone, you can leave us a rating or a review, recommend us to a friend, or give us a shout out on social media. Your support is always appreciated.  Without further ado, on to my conversation with Dr. Melanie Mitchell. Enjoy!    Notes 3:30 – For an overview of Douglas Hofstadter's work on analogy, see here. 8:00 – Much of our discussion in this interview draws on Dr. Mitchell's piece on the metaphors for AI in Science magazine.  13:30 – For earlier discussions of anthropomorphism on the show, see our earlier episodes here and here.  16:00 – See here for the original discussion of LLMs as "stochastic parrots." 17:00 –  See here for the original discussion of ChatGPT as a "blurry jpeg." 18:30 – See here for the original discussion of LLMs as role players. 22:00 – See here for one use of the "LLMs as crowds" metaphor. See also a discussion of this metaphor (and other metaphors for AI) here.   25:00 – For one discussion of AI as a "cultural technology" by Alison Gopnik and colleagues, see here. For a more recent discussion of the same metaphor by Henry Farrell, Alison Gopnik and others, see here. 27:00 – For the podcast series on intelligence that Dr. Mitchell co-hosted for the Santa Fe Institute, see here.  28:00 – See here for an influential formulations of the idea that AI is an "alien intelligence."  29:00 – For philosopher Shannon Vallor's book about AI as "mirror," see here. 31:00 – For the recent study on users' metaphors for AI systems, see here.  33:00 – For more on the rise of social AI, see our earlier episode here.  38:00 – For more on what AI researchers might learn from developmental and comparative psychologists, see Dr. Mitchell's recent post (summarizing here keynote at NeurIPs).  42:00 – For more on the ARC (Abstraction and Reasoning Corpus) and the research that Dr. Mitchell and colleagues have been doing with it, see here and here. 48:30 – For the study on humans' preference for AI-generated poetry, see here. 50:30 – For Brigitte Nerlich's documentation and discussion of various metaphors for AI (including AI's metaphors for itself), see here.   Recommendations  The AI Mirror, by Shannon Vallor 'Role play with large language models,' by Murray Shanahan (former guest!) et al. 'Large AI models are cultural and social technologies,' by Henry Farrell et al.   Many Minds is a project of the Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute, which is made possible by a generous grant from the John Templeton Foundation to Indiana University. The show is hosted and produced by Kensy Cooperrider, with help from Assistant Producer Urte Laukaityte and with creative support from DISI Directors Erica Cartmill and Jacob Foster. Our artwork is by Ben Oldroyd. Subscribe to Many Minds on Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also now subscribe to the Many Minds newsletter here! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions. Feel free to email us at: manymindspodcast@gmail.com. For updates about the show, visit our website or follow us on Bluesky (@manymindspod.bsky.social).

Kort efter Anden Verdenskrig deles verden igen – ikke af grænser, men af ideologier. Danmark forsøger at holde fast i neutraliteten, men udviklingen i Europa gør den umulig. Med NATO-medlemskabet i 1949 knytter Danmark sig til USA, og sikkerhedspolitikken ændres grundlæggende. Amerikanerne får vidtgående militære rettigheder i Grønland. Samtidig strømmer amerikansk indflydelse ind i det danske samfund gennem Marshallhjælpen. Produktiviteten øges, og nye forbrugsmønstre slår igennem. Supermarkeder, biler, husholdningsmaskiner og reklamer ændrer hverdagen, mens nye idealer om effektivitet og velstand vinder frem. Episoden viser, hvordan Danmark bliver trukket tættere ind i den amerikanske sfære – politisk, økonomisk og kulturelt – og hvorfor forholdet til USA både præges af fascination og skepsis. I 1792 beskyldes justitsråd Marcus Nissen Westermann for at mishandle en ung tjenestepige. Rygterne spreder sig som ild i København, og selv hans bekendtgørelser i Adresseavisen kan ikke stoppe dem. Sandhed og løgn kolliderer – og byen koger. Anonyme pjecer, overdrevne historier og offentlige spekulationer hiver sagen frem i lyset. Hver ny udgave af rygterne vender op og ned på Westermanns omdømme. I sidste ende viser det sig, at selv ren samvittighed ikke kan slukke et rygtets bål. Her finder du det, jeg har læst til episoden Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Clouds by HoliznaCC0  & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir 128

In this episode of Book Talk for BookTok, we sit down with T.C. Kraven, author of Of Prophecies and Pomegranates, a dark mythological retelling that grapples honestly with one of the most contested stories in Greek mythology: Hades and Persephone. Together, we explore how Kraven approached retelling a myth that has been romanticized, sanitized, and rewritten countless times. We discuss what it means to engage with the original mythos, including the complicated history behind the so-called “Rape of Persephone,” and how linguistic nuance, power, and consent shaped her interpretation of Persephone's story. This conversation also dives into one of the novel's central thematic threads: self-deception. From Demeter's possessive motherhood, to Helios's obsession, to Hades's self-punishment, we unpack how characters lie to themselves in the name of love, protection, and control. We pay special attention to Kraven's striking portrayal of Demeter as an abusive parent and why that interpretation felt both mythologically grounded and narratively necessary. We also talk about Narcissus, whose arc moves beyond vanity into something far more human and tragic, and why his emotional depth matters to the story as a whole. Finally, for aspiring writers, Kraven shares candid insight into her journey through self-publishing and her transition into traditional publishing, offering thoughtful advice for authors navigating both paths. This episode is a must-listen for readers interested in mythological retellings, feminist reinterpretations of Greek myths, and stories that refuse to look away from uncomfortable truths. Find T.C Kraven Her Website: https://tc-kraven.square.site/ Instagram: t.c.kravenauthor TikTok: oracleoforleans Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and non-consensual behavior. Listener discretion is advised. How to participate: Send your theories and spicy takes by commenting on this episode, DMing us, or using the form on our website. The Subtext Society Journal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thesubtextsocietyjournal.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  We're thrilled to announce our newest venture: The Subtext Society Journal—the first of its kind, dedicated to Romance, Romantasy, and fandom with an academic yet accessible voice. We're publishing original essays and thought pieces, and we encourage listeners to submit their own articles for a chance to be featured. Sponsor: Monarch Use code BOOKTALK at Monarch.com for 50% your first year. Sponsor: Liquid IV Liquid I.V. Go to LiquidIV.com and get 20% off your first order with code BOOKTALK at checkout. Sponsor: Vionic Use code BOOKTALK at checkout for 15% off your entire order at www.vionicshoes.com when you log into your account. 1 time use only. Share your thoughts for a chance to be featured! Submit them at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠booktalkforbooktok.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a future mini-episode or exclusive Patreon discussion. Support the Show:  Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/booktalkforbooktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Etsy Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Us on Social: Instagram: @BookTalkForBookTok TikTok: @BookTalkForBookTok YouTube: @BookTalkForBookTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bag om Københavnerhistorikerne er et supplement til Bag om København, og i denne udgave kan du møde historiefortæller og podcaster Berit Freyheit, der har skabt og udgivet podcasten Bag om København i 10 år. Berit Freyheit elsker, når hun kan finde en lidt anden vinkel på historien, måske endda fortælle den fra en synsvinkel, der er ukendt for de fleste. Når det lykkes, så er hun ikke til at skyde igennem. I podcasten fortæller hun bl.a. om sin yndlingskøbenhavner, hvordan hun forsøger at finde en krog i historien, der kan lukke den op for lytterne – og hun deler to godbidder fra de over 130 episoder. Bag om Københavnerhistorikerne er et møde med de mennesker, der skriver om eller i København. Fælles for dem er, at de er historiefortællere: Det er dem, der undersøger og skaber de fortællinger om København, som vi bruger til at blive klogere på byen og dens lange og mangesidede historie. Interviewer og tilrettelægger: Mai-Britt Tollund. Klippet sammen af: Mai-Britt Tollund og Berit Freyheit Se litteraturliste og tilhørende artikel her   Facebook: Bag om Københavns podcast + nyhedsbrev Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Clouds by HoliznaCC0 & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir Musikbidder er hentet fra FMA/Public Domain: Clouds by HoliznaCC0  & Narcissus smells like headache by Monplaisir

We finally hear the first words from Beatrice's mouth. (We've heard her before but as told by Virgil in INFERNO, Canto II.) She is certainly not person we expected. She's the admiral controlling her ship.She names the pilgrim, names herself, and gets very close to blasphemy in a passage that defies our expectations, about as revelation should.Join me, Mark Scarbrough, for the moment that Beatrice takes center stage in Dante's masterwork, COMEDY.If you'd like to help underwrite this podcast, please consider a one-time donation or a very small monthly stipend, using this PayPal link right here.Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:[01:33] My English translation of PURGATORIO, Canto XXX, Lines 55 - 78. If you'd like to read along or drop a comment about this episode, please find its entry on my website: markscarbrough.com.[04:41] The pilgrim finally named: Dante.[09:03] The crux dilemma of orthodoxy: purity versus human feeling.[13:44] Beatrice's ship, plus other ships in COMEDY.[15:29] Beatrice, the admiral.[17:34] Dante's difficulty in naming himself.[20:20] Beatrice, Minerva, and our (or the pilgrim's?) expectations.[23:42] Beatrice's curious blasphemy and questions.[27:09] Dante as a rejuvenated Narcissus.[30:32] Rereading the passage: PURGATORIO, Canto XXX, lines 55 - 78.

Just because a very chaotic 2025 is coming to an end and a new year is about to begin doesn't mean you can ignore the personal challenges you've managed to sweep under the rug…2026 is the year you'll face the mirror based on the 10th card of the Tarot, The Wheel of Fortune (the divine mirror of self-reflection), and all of those obstacles will re-appear. What you choose to do — or don't do — to resolve these challenges may determine the fragile difference between taking control of your life or being controlled by others.Paul shares his 2026 forecast including a roadmap for your spiritual survival this week on Spirit Gym.For Spirit Gym listeners: To get the most out of Paul's 2026 solocast, we encourage you to watch it on his YouTube channel. Also, you can access a PDF of his extensive resources for this episode here.Timestamps4:03 Looking back at 2025.8:16 Donald Trump or Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Who do you trust more?15:17 The myth of Narcissus and its connection to artificial intelligence.22:28 Understanding archetypes.25:24 Exploring GOD.31:51 God dreams myth, the story that tells itself.35:00 Paul's favorite myth of origin.43:04 Humans cannot perceive anything without archetypes.49:14 Higher mind and lower mind.59:35 Essential archetypes for life and meaning.1:08:02 The Wheel of Fortune (Tarot card 10).1:15:11 The objective psyche.1:26:56 Archetypal images.1:32:36 The local and non-local mind.1:38:09 The numerology of 2026.1:46:14 10: The end of one cycle and the beginning of another.1:55:53 Looking at 2026 from a Tarot perspective (the Royal Road).2:10:18 “The most important aspects of what the Tarot is teaching us happen in the first 10 cards.”2:21:04 10 as a number field.2:30:38 Will you make it to 2027?2:41:14 The meaning of fire.2:48:34 “The journey through the Tarot archetypes and all spiritual development is really just a journey from the head to the heart.”2:57:53 What riddles are the Sphinx confronting us with in 2026?3:01:55 Climbing the Accountability Ladder.3:11:07 Recognize the Mystery.3:16:09 Here's your homework assignment.ResourcesThe International Society of MythologyPaul's Spirit Gym conversation with Federico FagginFind more resources for this episode on our website.Music Credit: Meet Your Heroes (444Hz), Composed, mixed, mastered and produced by Michael RB Schwartz of Brave Bear MusicThanks to our awesome sponsors:PaleovalleyBIOptimizers US and BIOptimizers UK PAUL15Organifi CHEK20Wild PasturesKorrect SPIRITGYMPique LifeCHEK Institute We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases using affiliate links.

Message us here!Ever felt like your worth depends on how useful you are to other people? Turning the big 4-0 pushed me to confront a lifelong habit of people pleasing. In this episode, I talk about people pleasing: how it took root in chaos, hid behind “being nice,” and quietly drained my energy, confidence, and joy. I unpack what research says about what "people pleasing" is, how chronic pleasing links to mental health issues, and why so many of us end up orbiting charismatic "takers" who love the spotlight while we shrink to keep them happy.I dig into the "Echo- Narcissus Syndrome": the dynamic between a people-pleaser and a narcissist. I talk about my own tendency to fall into the Echo-Narcissus Syndrome and how it's destroyed my relationships in the past. Then I walk through the practical, evidence-based strategies for breaking free of this syndrome. I'm learning to receiving without guilt, choosing mutual relationships over one-way giving, and navigating holiday pressures without abandoning myself. If you also find yourself falling into toxic dynamics where you give and give and give while losing yourself, then this episode is for you. Together, we can figure out how to honor our empathy & generosity without feeling used. Resources:Moral-Jiménez, M. D. L. V., & Mena-Baumann, A. (2024). Emotional Dependence and Narcissism in Couple Relationships: Echo and Narcissus Syndrome. Behavioral Sciences, 14(12), 1190.Support the showIf you're navigating someone's mental health or emotional issues, join KulaMind, our community and support platform. In KulaMind, we'll help you set healthy boundaries, advocate for yourself, and support your loved one. Follow @kulamind on Instagram for podcast updates and science-backed insights on staying sane while loving someone emotionally explosive. For more info about this podcast, check out: www.alittlehelpforourfriends.com

I hadn’t planned to revisit The Culture of Narcissism so soon, but a small niggle pulled me back into the subject. With Spotify Unwrapped everywhere, it struck me again how platforms, tools, and devices can become instruments of narcissism. Especially when social signals, algorithms, and gamification hook us in and keep us there. A merging takes place. We become intertwined with the image generated and presented through the pond, which stares back at us. In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I use Christopher Lasch’s definition to explore how our favourite apps, devices, and tools contribute to the culture of narcissism. https://youtu.be/0uJMlVzT9z4 Christopher Lasch interprets the story of Narcissus as less about self-love but self-loss. Narcissus “fails to recognise his own reflection.” He can't perceive the difference between himself and his surroundings. Seen this way, the algorithm is the perfect pond. It draws us into our reflection, not because we adore ourselves, but because stepping away feels like erasing our existence. How the Algorithm Trains Us We often talk about training the algorithm. But it frequently trains us. It rewards behaviours that keep us within narrow identity categories and punishes deviations from the pattern. Engagement, attention, and existential acknowledgement flow when we appease the machine. And appeasing it usually means losing the parts of ourselves that don't fit the expected mould. We have to leave parts of ourselves behind and present a tidied version that conforms with expectations. For the narcissist, external objects become reflective surfaces. Lasch's point that capitalism “elicits and reinforces narcissistic traits in everyone” plays out through algorithmic tools. They squeeze us into shapes we didn't choose. They push us further apart, fuel distrust between artificially separated groups, and isolate anyone who steps beyond the boundaries. Trapped in an Algorithmic Teacup YouTube is an interesting example. The technology could open horizons, yet the algorithm demands consistency in frequency, focus, and branding. Beyond these algorithmic teacups (where it begins to feel as if the entire world exists), lies both freedom and obscurity, which can seem like a frightening indifference to our existence. This digital frontier markets itself as a world of abundant opportunity, yet the algorithms act as a fragile overseer. We experience the threat of ostracism operating on two fronts: actively (your community turns against you if you don’t conform to expectations) and passively (the system limits your visibility). This algorithmic narcissism turns into a two-way street. The audience perceives the creator as an extension of themselves, and the creator relies on the audience for validation of their existence (and basic subsistence). We can become stuck here, going in circles, wishing for something different but feeling unable to change. Does the Narcissist Even Need Humans Anymore? A question has been on my mind: can a narcissist receive the same existential mirror from a machine, like an AI bot? Humans frustrate narcissists. We rupture the reflection. We break the fantasy. Artificial intelligence, by contrast, is frictionless. It never refuses the game, unless it’s programmed to. But narcissism isn't just about submissive admiration; it quickly becomes bored with that. It requires energy drawn from another person and feeds on boundaries, tensions, and limits that AI doesn’t have. I imagine it as a frictionless mirror, too smooth to sustain the narcissistic cycle. Because narcissism isn't about self-love; it's about self-loss. According to Lasch, Narcissus didn’t spend his time staring at his reflection because he was too in awe of his own beauty to look away. Instead, he was lost in the belief that he WAS his reflection. And he had no separate subjective self-concept. This definition sees narcissism as the absence of a boundary between self and other. The narcissist over-identifies and seeks to consume. An algorithmic mirror might feel satisfying at first, but without the “otherness” of another person, the reflection loses its vitality. Algorithmic Narcissism and Existential Irrelevance If the algorithm is a pond, stepping away can feel like a personal rupture. When we become tethered to the importance of algorithmic environments for a sense of well-being (or to make a living), we are coaxed into this narcissistic culture, presenting, performing, and externalising motivation. Healthy indifference, on the other hand, recognises that we all exist outside these spaces. The world keeps turning whether or not we are posting, performing, or producing. If we can rest in that truth, we can begin to offer care, creativity, and presence regardless of who is watching and how. Everyday Tools and the Spread of Narcissism Narcissism spreads insidiously through everyday tools. The culture encourages us to project experiences outwardly. Running might feel valid only if it appears on Strava. Learning a language is only “counted” if we keep a daily streak on Duolingo. The annual Spotify Unwrapped review can start shaping how we listen to music. Similarly, other actions are influenced by the unwrapped summaries that have become common across platforms. What may start as playfulness or accountability for internal pleasure often shifts into surveillance and control aimed at external approval. Reading challenges, fitness goals, and habit trackers become small pools of reflection that we find hard to release. This algorithmic narcissism isn’t about grand vanity but a subtle urge to find our identity in metrics, charts, avatars, and shares. As a result, we trust ourselves less and gradually lose our innate ability to feel, sense, and judge for ourselves. Signs You're Caught in the Drift of Algorithmic Narcissism How do you know if you’re caught in the clutches of algorithmic narcissism? These questions and observations may help: Do you feel dependent on a platform for existential reassurance? Do you modify your choices out of fear of upsetting the algorithm? Would you still do the activity if it were never tracked, shared, or seen? Does stopping feel like a threat? Has the imagined audience entered the room before you begin? Does the unmeasured version of an activity feel pointless? Has curiosity shrunk to what “fits the pattern”? These little signals accumulate. Each one is a tug toward the pond. A Gentle Rebellion Against Performance Culture If algorithmic narcissism trains us to live for metrics, then small acts of rebellion can help us return to ourselves. Maybe we could… End streaks on purpose. Make things that don't scale. Break your own pattern. Stop branding ourselves (be deliberately chaotic in our self-expression). Ignore the numbers. Keep the thing offline. Anything else? I’d love to build a pool (actually, “collection” might be a better word in this context) of ideas we can draw on to loosen the grip of the narcissistic algorithms around us. This won’t ultimately fix everything, but it can help us recognise how these mechanisms operate and reconnect with our ability to choose our responses rather than blindly follow.

We hear a lot about “Narcissism” these days. Is it because there is more of it around? In his 1979 book, The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations, Christopher Lasch demonstrates how “Modern capitalist society not only elevates narcissists to prominence, it elicits and reinforces narcissistic traits in everyone.” In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, we explore the book’s relevance today. And particularly, how narcissistic culture reflects the modern self-help industry. It blows my mind that this was written almost half a century ago. https://youtu.be/dD7a127TXbE?si=L_MuMEmrMUAD0grY The Myth of Narcissus “People with narcissistic personalities, although not necessarily more numerous than before, play a conspicuous part in contemporary life, often rising to positions of eminence. Thriving on the adulation of the masses, these celebrities set the tone of public life and of private life as well, since the machinery of celebrity recognises no boundaries between the public and the private realm.” Lasch’s interpretation of the myth portrays Narcissus drowning in his own reflection, never realising that it is only a reflection. He suggests that the story’s point is not that Narcissus falls in love with himself. Rather, it is that “since he fails to recognise his own reflection, he lacks any real understanding of the difference between himself and his surroundings.” Narcissists are often depicted as carrying too much self-love. However, Lasch has a more subtle understanding of it, with the main characteristic being a lack of security in their self-concept. So the question we face is whether the proliferation of visual and auditory images, first through mechanically produced media and more recently via the online world, causes us to lose the healthy sense of separation needed for a secure ego to develop. In other words, does a growing culture of narcissism influence who we are and how we understand and feel about ourselves? And how does the self-help industry contribute to and benefit from this reality? How Celebrity Fuels Narcissistic Ideals A culture of narcissism is one preoccupied with celebrity. We find a sense of our own identity in the public figures that adorn our screens and fill our ears. They influence the content of our own fears, desires, and beliefs. Their success feels like our success. And attacks on them (or accountability), feels like an attack on us. Influencers know this, and as such, seek to nurture parasocial bonds with their followers. From Healthy Ego to Narcissistic Performance A culture of narcissism is built on a performance. It values confidence over competence, shifting the definition of success to one of individual visibility and attention. Success, for the narcissist, is about being admired, revered, and relevant in the eyes of others. Their sense of existence depends on this image (they are their reflection in the pool). Our online social tools ensure and deepen these mechanics. Two Lineages of Self-Help in a Narcissistic Age The term self-help seems to reflect diverging roots. One is inherently practical and social. It relates to customs where people share knowledge, exchange skills, and develop collective competence to make everyday life easier and more sustainable, without needing intervention from external bureaucratic institutions. The other is shaped by the rise of post-industrial neo-liberal capitalism, which depicts the self as the centre of everything. It is seen as a project to be refined, marketed, and optimised for an external system that measures and rewards confidence, image, and success. Lasch also emphasises how, despite attempts to compare themselves with earlier industrial leaders, twentieth-century prophets of positive thinking like Dale Carnegie and Napoleon Hill pivot from dedication to industry and thrift to an unrelenting love of and pursuit of money. Advertising and the Narcissistic Gap Mass consumption might appear centred on self-indulgence. However, Lasch clarifies how modern advertising aims to generate self-doubt rather than self-satisfaction to motivate it. It creates needs instead of fulfilling them and produces new anxieties rather than alleviating existing ones. This also supports modern self-help. It must constantly generate new insecurities, doubts, and feelings of inadequacy in the people it “serves”. All of this takes place against a backdrop of aspirational images, telling us consumers that we deserve more. Influencers spread commodity propaganda, making people highly dissatisfied with what they have. They do this by displaying attractive images and connecting with their audience through the message that “if I can do it, so can you”. The Antidote of Ordinary Unhappiness The Culture of Narcissism echoes a hope that society can still be reorganised in ways that would provide “creative, meaningful work”. Not where “meaningful work” must reflect a divine purpose and be endlessly fulfilling. Instead, aligning with Freud’s concept of ‘ordinary unhappiness,’ it is through accepting the contradictions rather than trying to fill them with self-help’s promise of wholeness, optimisation, and even overcoming death. These aspirations are rooted in a narcissistic culture that fails to recognise the elements of life that give human existence its mundane sense of meaning. Politics in a Narcissistic Landscape Lasch observed how this culture of narcissism erodes historical continuity. In politics, charisma outweighs competence. Leaders become symbols of personal fantasy rather than guardians of collective well-being, both now and in the future. This emptiness is quickly filled by the promises of self-help, which offer individual solutions instead of shared direction. Lasch quotes an unnamed management book, which described success as, “not simply getting ahead” but “getting ahead of others.” This leaves us spinning our wheels, seeking shortcuts, and managing perceptions. Rather than getting anywhere with a long-view perspective. Self-help often reinforces the pattern of “constant and never-ending improvement.” It depicts the self as permanently incomplete, always seeking the next insight, tool, or mentor. In other words, it keeps the focus on the individual as both the cause and the remedy for the instability caused by external forces. Preoccupied with Youthfulness Lasch asserts that “The real value of the accumulated wisdom of a lifetime is that it can be handed on to future generations.” Knowledge is regarded as instrumental, a view reinforced by the internet. It is something to utilise rather than pass on through personal relationships. With rapid technological change, we are led to believe that the older generation has little to teach the younger. This leads us to become obsessed with youthfulness as a matter of survival. This fear of old age and death is closely connected to the rise of the narcissistic personality as the dominant personality type in modern society. Because narcissists have so few inner resources, they seek validation from others. They crave admiration for their beauty, charm, celebrity, or power, which diminish with time. Consequently, the narcissistic culture becomes obsessed with curing degradation and death. It does this rather than embracing it gracefully and enjoying its fruits. Always Being Watched Lasch wrote that “Cameras and recording machines not only transcribe experience but alter its quality, giving to much of modern life the character of an enormous echo chamber, a hall of mirrors.” Nothing happens in private. But can we let life unfold quietly, slowly, and separately from the reflection in the pool?

Narcissus enters the ring to compete for the big first-place trophy! Character sheets and battle map images for this episode are available at Patreon.com/MajorSpoilers Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at Patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Critical Hit continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF) Contact us at podcast@majorspoilers.com A big Thank You goes out to everyone who downloads, subscribes, listens, and supports this show. We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to our ramblings each week. Tell your friends about the podcast, get them to subscribe and, be sure to visit the Major Spoilers site for more.

Narcissus enters the ring to compete for the big first-place trophy! Character sheets and battle map images for this episode are available at Patreon.com/MajorSpoilers Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at Patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Critical Hit continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF) Contact us at podcast@majorspoilers.com A big Thank You goes out to everyone who downloads, subscribes, listens, and supports this show. We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to our ramblings each week. Tell your friends about the podcast, get them to subscribe and, be sure to visit the Major Spoilers site for more.

In this installment of Critical Hit - A Major Spoilers Podcast: Who will move on to the final round!? Will it be Narcissus or Nadia!? Character sheets and battle map images for this episode are available at Patreon.com/MajorSpoilers Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at Patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Critical Hit continues far into the future! Join our Discord server and chat with fellow Spoilerites! (https://discord.gg/jWF9BbF) Contact us at podcast@majorspoilers.com A big Thank You goes out to everyone who downloads, subscribes, listens, and supports this show. We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to our ramblings each week. Tell your friends about the podcast, get them to subscribe and, be sure to visit the Major Spoilers site for more.

In this installment of Critical Hit - A Major Spoilers Podcast: Toby and Narcissus compete to remain in the tournament! Character sheets and battle map images for this episode are available at Patreon.com/MajorSpoilers Show your thanks to Major Spoilers for this episode by becoming a Major Spoilers Patron at Patreon.com/MajorSpoilers. It will help ensure Critical Hit continues far into the future!