Very Bad Wizards

Episode 178: Borges' Obsession-Obsession ("The Zahir")


Listen Later

David and Tamler happen across Jorge Luis Borges’ “The Zahir” and now they can’t stop thinking about it. What is the ‘Zahir’ – this object that can take many forms and that consumes the people who find it? What does it represent? Is it the fanaticism of being in love? The ever-present threat (and temptation) of idealism? A subtle critique of Christian theology? Is the Zahir a microcosm of everything? Why is Borges so obsessed with obsession?

Plus, it’s the annual drunken end-of-the night Thanksgiving ‘debate’ between Tamler and IDW stepmother extraordinaire Christina Hoff Sommers. Topics raised and then quickly dropped include Bernie for President, Melinda Gates, critic reviews of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and more. Stay tuned for the end when Christina finds her “notes”. (And for special cameos from David Sommers and Eliza).

Sponsored By:

  • Blinkist: Fit reading into your life. Key takeaways from the world’s best nonfiction books in text and audio. Visit blinkist.com/verybadwizards for a special offer for our listeners. Promo Code: verybadwizards
  • GiveWell: This holiday season, open your heart to those in need, and consider donating through Givewell.org. Givewell.org is an organization that cares about finding the most effective charities in the world, so that you can make each charitable dollar work as hard as possible. And for our listeners who are first time donors, Givewell.org will match your donation (up to $1,000). Promo Code: Verybadwizards

Support Very Bad Wizards

Links:

  • The Zahir - Jorge Luis Borges (Full Text PDF)
  • El Zahir - Sufi theme in Jorge Luis Borges's writing | Technology of the Heart
  • The Most Famous Coin in Borges
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Very Bad WizardsBy Tamler Sommers & David Pizarro

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

2,612 ratings


More shows like Very Bad Wizards

View all
Philosophy Bites by Edmonds and Warburton

Philosophy Bites

1,532 Listeners

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast by Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

2,080 Listeners

Robert Wright's Nonzero by Nonzero

Robert Wright's Nonzero

587 Listeners

Philosophize This! by Stephen West

Philosophize This!

14,986 Listeners

Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

Making Sense with Sam Harris

26,416 Listeners

Conversations with Tyler by Mercatus Center at George Mason University

Conversations with Tyler

2,392 Listeners

Philosophy For Our Times by IAI

Philosophy For Our Times

305 Listeners

Weird Studies by SpectreVision Radio

Weird Studies

548 Listeners

Red Scare by Red Scare

Red Scare

4,058 Listeners

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas by Sean Carroll | Wondery

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

4,097 Listeners

Hermitix by Hermitix

Hermitix

324 Listeners

Within Reason by Alex J O'Connor

Within Reason

1,494 Listeners

Blocked and Reported by Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal

Blocked and Reported

3,744 Listeners

Acid Horizon by Acid Horizon

Acid Horizon

175 Listeners

Decoding the Gurus by Christopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne

Decoding the Gurus

925 Listeners