New Show: MindMatters (RIP Truth Perspective)

1) Will you guys be doing a show on process philosophy and Whitehead? It's often mentioned, and an overview would be helpful.

We didn't have any plans for a show on Whitehead in the near term, but maybe now that we know there's an interest we can plan for one in the future.

For now though, you can hear this one: The Truth Perspective: An Alternative to Nihilistic Postmodernism: Whitehead's Process Philosophy

2) Will the Truth Perspective shows be uploaded on Youtube? They are also often mentioned, and I'd love to go listen to them as they are referred to in the Mind Matters show.

As of now there are no plans to, but you can always use the search function on the top right of the Sott page. Just enter 'Truth Perspective' and you'll see links to all the shows listed. From the show page you're interested in you can either download the MP3 file and listen to it at your convenience, or listen to the show directly from the embedded audio on the page. Enjoy!
 
Our most recent show takes a look at an important political essay in order to, hopefully, help us navigate the present:

MindMatters: Follow the Leader - Étienne de La Boétie's Politics of Obedience

If tyrannical leaders are so few, and the people over which they rule so many - then why do the masses so often take it on the proverbial chin? What prevents the vast numbers of the oppressed from refusing to submit to the relatively small numbers of individuals who are doing all the oppressing? It's a good question that many are asking today - and that French political essayist Étienne de La Boétie asked more than 450 years ago in his now classic treatise The Politics of Obedience: The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude. Seeing injustice all around him, and while still an idealistic student of law, La Boétie's questions provided the groundwork for political thought and action for centuries to come - influencing thinkers of the calibre of Tolstoy and Gandhi - and form a point of departure from which many sought to reasonably act without calling hell upon their heads.

This week on MindMatters we examine The Politics Of Obedience and what it seems to be saying about power structures, the nature of servitude and the conditioning that citizens are largely subject to - and need to be rid of. Analyzing its virtues and flaws, we ask how we can apply the writer's answers to today (short of taking out the pitchforks), and what it means to be truly free in a world of nameless technocrats and their rules and agendas.


 
The MindMatters crew connects a number of psychological dots that show relevance to many of the developments we're seeing societally:

MindMatters: The Allure and Contagion of the Criminal Mind


In such works as Inside the Criminal Mind and The Myth of the Out of Character Crime criminologist Dr. Stanton E. Samenow conceptualized and gave credence to the specific traits and behaviors of the 'criminal mind'. Such works not only show the thinking processes involved in law-breaking and antisocial behavior, but also (however unintentionally) instruct the more normally oriented of us of the self-entitlement one can and should be wary of - within our own character structure.

Making use of the above, and as a point of departure, we look at how historical and current cultural landscapes have, and do still, feed the criminal mind. Through political indoctrination and ideology this sickness glorifies, popularizes and normalizes pathological thinking - and, like a virus, is emulated and adopted across all strata of society.

Join us this week on MindMatters as we take a gander at the criminal minds at work all around us; from popular culture, Mao's China, and the hallowed halls of government, to the streets of Portland, the boardrooms of multi-national corporations, and your next-door neighbor. Criminal minds and thinking are all around us - but we can learn to see the signs of them lest we get infected by their poison.


 
To my shame I've ended up all of 11 episodes of Mind Matters behind! Unheard of from such an avid fan! Thank you COVID madness for that aberration!

Well I feel really out of the loop! I've been working my way through the Gurdjieff playlist and your discussions and the interviews with Joseph Azize are so helpful for me both to review the material and deepen my understanding of it. I've watched a handful of the other shows and after reading through the thread I'm really looking forward to getting caught up. Really great work guys!
 
We didn't have any plans for a show on Whitehead in the near term, but maybe now that we know there's an interest we can plan for one in the future.

For now though, you can hear this one: The Truth Perspective: An Alternative to Nihilistic Postmodernism: Whitehead's Process Philosophy



As of now there are no plans to, but you can always use the search function on the top right of the Sott page. Just enter 'Truth Perspective' and you'll see links to all the shows listed. From the show page you're interested in you can either download the MP3 file and listen to it at your convenience, or listen to the show directly from the embedded audio on the page. Enjoy!
I noticed that you guys put up some Whitehead episodes. It was much appreciated! I find Process Philosophy most interesting, it seems quite similar to Gurdjieff's metaphysics (namely that all things are processes in motion).

Also shamefully behind on the recent episodes that deal with the current social problems, will be catching up soon enough. Thanks again guys for continuing to produce such informative episodes here week after week! The topics are always on questions I myself have.
 
Well I feel really out of the loop! I've been working my way through the Gurdjieff playlist and your discussions and the interviews with Joseph Azize are so helpful for me both to review the material and deepen my understanding of it. I've watched a handful of the other shows and after reading through the thread I'm really looking forward to getting caught up. Really great work guys!
Thanks again guys for continuing to produce such informative episodes here week after week! The topics are always on questions I myself have.

We really appreciate the lovely feedback guys, thank you :-) And we hope to share many more relevant and interesting topics in the coming year.

The following description and link is for our 'end of the year' show:

MindMatters: End of Year Special: Living in Truth and Discerning the Lies


Science. Politics. Religion. Interpersonal relationships. There is no sphere of human study, thinking, belief or behavior that isn't affected in some way shape or form by what we believe to be true or false. That's what it all boils down to. And yet doing the work to understand ourselves and the world in which we live is no small task - as we are constantly being presented with policies, ideas and perspectives that present this challenge to us in increasingly, significant and meaningful ways. And made all the more important for their intensity and wide-spread ramifications.

Join us this week on MindMatters as we examine the ever-present struggle that each of us faces in mapping reality, finding the truth of things to the best of our ability, and then living and acting from that understanding. If humanity is collectively more than the sum of its parts, it is only through such a shared process that the best of all possible outcomes can be achieved. And yet this is exactly what each of us chooses to either take on, as a portion of beings residing on God's Good Earth, or not.


 
Thank you to the mind matters team for this year’s set of mind expanding discussions. They have been a knowledge packed oasis for the mind and soul this year.

It is the one philosophy podcast out there that not only has soul but does a huge service to others by bring accessibility to vitally important schools of thought, without become lost in arbitrary details.

On the rare occasions you are covering a subject I am reasonably familiar with, you always manage to bring a new perspective that makes listening worthwhile.

There may be some parallels in terms of recommending this show and Ertugrul to others. Both can seem overwhelming at first glance but once they have been sampled it becomes apparent that both provide valuable insights into the human search for truth within life.

Fingers crossed that you produce a similar volume of episodes :-)

Thank you to everyone involved in this wonderful show
 
On the rare occasions you are covering a subject I am reasonably familiar with, you always manage to bring a new perspective that makes listening worthwhile.

Agree exactly. Not only, the depth built upon from all their previous reading and discussions links so well together. The guests are great, too. There is also a lot of apparent respect for the guests and a bridging between ideas. The other week when Ehret came on the show, and just before, had said to myself would it not be interesting to hear him interviewed, and poof, there he was on MindMatters. And that was a fun show.

And speaking of that show and Ertugrul, took the plunge and have caught the first three episodes, and have to say I'm enjoying it. Viewed within the small box of a TV at home, the translations move fast so have had to really focus - most of the time you can figure out what is what, though.

Keep 'em coming guys, much appreciated!
 
Briefly from the MindMatters show above, including the one with Matt Ehret, the talks concerning the Resurrection: Ertugrul series has resulted in catching a number of them (a relative newbie at 16 of 76), and it has been a very interesting experience. Although the script is often simple, often even corny, there are some real pearls, such as Sheikh ul Arabi to even some of the Alp's (actually many of the characters have some good lines).

Further, there has been great landscape scenes, some dance (the shield and sword dance for one), costumes/fabrics are wonderful, and the characters are - well, like them a lot. There are spectacular horses (there is one scene in the first dozen or so episodes wherein Ertuğrul is presenting Halime with a white mare, which is rearing up in slow motion - another dance of sorts and a lovely scene), and a community tribe that has everything going against it, and yet the focus is to Do what is right at ever turn. On the opposite side of doing what is right, there is a lot of doing evil business by some real baddies.

Can't thank you guys enough for the Ertuğrul recommendation.

The below is just a list of the characters for future reference - there are a great many characters:
Ertuğrul Gazi​
Süleyman Şah​
Gündüz Bey​
Saru Batu Savcı Bey​
Rabi'a Bala Hatun​
Malhun Hatun​
Dündar Bey​
Aygül Hatun​
Batur Bey​
Bahadır Bey​
Bamsı Beyrek​
Boran Alp​
Akça Koca Alp​
Selcan Hatun​
Şeyh Edebali​
Kumral Abdal​
Sungurtekin Gazi​
Hazal Hatun​
Zöhre Hatun​
Lena Hatun​
Ayşe Hatun​
N/A[e]
Demirci Davud[f]
David​
Gonca Hatun​
Göktug Alp​
Abdurrahman Gazi​
Meliksah Gazi​
Samsa Çavuş​
Muzaffereddin Yavlak Arslan​
Tekfur Aya Nikola​
Geyhatu Han​
Komutan Flatyos​
Prensesi Sofia​
Komutan Balgay​
Efendi Yannis​
Alişar Bey​
Komutan Cerkutay​
Targun Hatun​
Komutan Subutay​
Möngke​
Komutan Kalanoz​
Komutan Böke​
Helen​
Megala​
Komutan Andreas​
Nizamettin​
Tekfur Alexis[g]
Theokoles​
Demirci Bey[h]
Şahin Bey​
Zorba​
Melek​
Kuzgun Bey​


[TR]
[TD]
Petrus​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Ahmet Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Saltuk Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Gence Bey​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Konur Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Baysungur Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Ayaz Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Dumrul Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Sıddık Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Kılıç Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Erkut Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Çetin Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Boğaç Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Demirbüken Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Kanturali Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Yaman Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Sancar Alp​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Eftalya​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Ariton Üsta​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Zülfikar Derviş​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Dursun Fakıh​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
N/A[k]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Burçin Hatun​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Bayhoca[33][34]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Akça Derviş​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Pehlivan Derviş​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Aybars Bey​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Tekfur Yorgopolos​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Prensesi Adelfa​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Şifacı Rabi'a Ana​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Komutan Toni​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
Aybüke Hatun​
[/TD]
[/TR]

 
A big thank you to the MindMatters team for beginning 2021 with a very interesting interview with Dr George Simon. Timely, too, as the epidemic of character disturbance seems so central to our world's (not so slow) descent into soft totalitarianism.
I was particularly interested to note Dr Simon's widening of the scope of his work to include a spiritual element - I will certainly be buying and reading his new book when it becomes available.

Thank you for all the great work you do.
 
A big thank you to the MindMatters team for beginning 2021 with a very interesting interview with Dr George Simon.
My thanks are included. Well done, it was a indeed a rich human talk that hit to the marrow of many issues of character - even to the point of character struggle that the Romance thread seems to address in those many books.

Here is a link to the show:


Following one impression from this talk with George, it also reminded me, near the end, of Bob Altemeyer's work when it came to character and guilt vs. shamelessness. It has been sometime since reading that work, and his work was based on a right/left (right-wing authoritarian - RWA) foundation, without the meaning necessarily being political (although it was there to see in those times when conducted). Bob brought up some examples of RWA, and these correlations where often backstopped by a religious background (as it happened to weigh more on the right-wing spectrum in his work). Now I may not have this correctly, yet Bob seemed to inform that some of those recognizing these RWA traits within could rectify them by admitting within to some type of sin committed, and yet because that they had had such strong (or where they?) religious beliefs, in their own minds having belief would fix it - a get out of jail free card was there for the taking and all was well - but there was no shame, only shamelessness. Thus, their core masked belief of self remained high under their own mask of shamelessness.

In the talk linked above, George spends a bit of time on this word as it relates to the many recent events in Washington.

Going back to Bob's RWA, for the last many years had wondered what findings would result as a measure if Bob had done these experiments again today, how would the RWA be redefined in these left hyper-progressive times? I mean, surly there would be many of the markers that were once attributed in Bob's original work of the right, easily moved as a lens to the left (politically and socially speaking), and if so, and without belief other than a muddled progressive belief, what picture would that make? It seems there would be a high degree of narcissism in its many forms, little to no religious or higher spiritual belief to backstop, no sense of community or family, false heart, and a complete divorce of any sense of shame? Again, as Mr. Simon disuses in terms of that latter word.

Anyway, a bit of a digression, yet this shared talk brought me back to these old studies and how it could looks in the present day, and if Bob could even account for it today behind this mask of shamelessness that is clearly there to see, as George points out.





 
I really enjoyed the latest show too. You did a great job conducting the interview and asking good questions, he really seemed to enjoy speaking with you.

I had a strong impression that Dr. Simon was speaking from the heart throughout the whole video, almost like he was smiling from the inside. There were several moments when he was speaking that I felt emotion welling up in me in response. There are too many people who think they can "fake it until they make it" as some kind of guru or "influencer" but George really seems to be working to truly embody his 10 Commandmants of Character and to "practice what he preaches". I hope you can get him on the show again to dig into psychopathy a bit more, and to talk about his new book when it comes out.

Here's a link to the video for anyone who might have missed it:

 
he really seemed to enjoy speaking with you.

I had a strong impression that Dr. Simon was speaking from the heart throughout the whole video

I think I would extend that to include most, if not all of the guests that have appeared on the MindMatters show. I'm always left with the impression that all involved have benefited greatly. I can't think of a better way of expressing it than to say that the noble art of discussion (and it's inherent, honest search for truth) is what's on display.
 
The latest MindMatters show is a part of our on-going discussion of Ponerology, and there sure has been a number of things to see and notice in recent developments that connect with it almost seamlessly.

MindMatters: Pseudo-realities, Psychopathy and the Origins of Totalitarianism


Fifteen years ago the world was introduced to the research of Polish psychologist Andrzej Łobaczewski in his seminal work Political Ponerology. In it, he outlined the danger of pathological revolutionary movements, the poisonous influence of psychopaths in positions of power, and the real origins of totalitarianism - as well as why relatively normal people are left woefully vulnerable to pathological thinking and psychological 'infection'. When the book was first published the "forever war on terror" Neocons were at the forefront in the United States, and the world is still reeling from their atrocious foreign policy, not to mention the Patriot Act. But times sure have changed since then, and with them, the rise of far-left pathologies whose scope and influence is nearly universal in Western society.

On Christmas Day of 2020, James Lindsay of "the grievance studies affair" fame published an important article on his website New Discourses: 'Psychopathy and the Origins of Totalitarianism.' Lindsay, a mathematician by training, is also an expert on the nonsense that is Critical Social Justice Theory (i.e. Wokeness). There's no one better to expose Woke ideology for what it actually is: psychopathic. So this week on MindMatters we discuss a range of topics stemming from Lindsay's article: Critical Race Theory, cancel culture, and the pipe dreams of revolution-induced utopia we're witnessing now in the West. Meet the new psychopathic fervors - same as the old ones. Using concepts from Ponerology like paralogic and paramorality, and Pieper's idea of pseudo-realities, Lindsay provides an indispensable account of what's really going on, peeling back the mask of the in-your-face thought virus threatening to sicken and destroy everything it touches.


 
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