Modern Contemplative

O'Connor takes the lead w/Jacob actually recording from inside a metaphorical trolley as we discuss some of the most pressing ethical dilemmas in theoretical terms. From lifeguarding to risk disclosures to organ farming, what is the best way to preserve human life and dignity? Please direct any disagreeable commentary to [email protected] and we will make sure you contribute to the quiet hum of 1200 petabytes of data, floating around on the gmail servers. 

Jacob and O'Connor finally talk about Albert Camus [1913-1960], a French absurdist philosopher and author of several topical novels including The Plague, Myth of Sisyphus, and The Stranger, today's topic of interest. Likely Jacob's most cited philosopher, Camus brings a refreshing groundedness and flair to existentialism (although he firmly rejected being called an existentialist during his lifetime). His novel "The Stranger" was very strange - Absurd, one might say. Please direct any disagreeable commentary to [email protected] and we will make sure you contribute to the quiet hum of 1200 petabytes of data, floating around on the gmail servers. 

Viktor Frankl (26 March 1905 – 2 September 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor. Jacob and O'Connor discuss his book "Man's Search for Meaning", an international bestseller and one of the greatest reflections on the meaning of life. They both read the book, with varying levels of intelligent discourse about this masterpiece. Check them out at @jbai.v3 and @oconnor_richardson_ on instagram. We are also happy to announce we have a new PR manager Ryan Shelly! Please direct any disagreeable commentary to [email protected] and we will make sure you contribute to the quiet hum of 1200 petabytes of data, floating around on the gmail servers. 

O'Connor Richardson and Jacob talk about Kafka's "A Hunger Artist" and "The Metamorphosis", as well as absurdism at large. Check them out at @jbai.v3 and @oconnor_richardson_ on instagram. 

High school buddies O'connor Richardson, a philosophy major from Georgetown, and Jacob talk about free will, intellectualism, living a good life, happiness, hunter-gatherers including the Hadza tribe of northern Tanzania, and existentialism. Check them out at https://www.linkedin.com/in/o-connor-richardson-51163719a/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-bai/ on linkedin, and @jbai.v3 and @oconnor_richardson_ on instagram. 

References include Baruch Spinoza, the Dutch philosopher. Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World and The Doors of Perception. Heraclitus, the  pre-Socratic Greek philosopher who said "You can never step in the same river twice". Albert Camus' "The Myth of Sisyphus", Friedrich Nietzsche's "Beyond Good and Evil". Jocko Willink and David Goggins. Jacob and O'Connor are high diamond/low champ in Rocket League. 

Join Jacob and Brendan as they talk about stoicism and how it fits into their semi-modern lives. Socials: @jbai.v3 and @bjubulis on instagram and @b_jubes on twitter.      

1:15 Jacob's introduction to Stoicism via Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy     
2:41 Diogenes, the Cynic Philosopher     
4:36 Brendan's introduction to Stoicism via literary osmosis     
5:16 Stoicism in the modern age     
6:29 What does Stoicism promote?      
7:40 Marcus Aurelius' Meditations     
9:29 Why Stoicism is popular     
14:45 Religious overlap with stoicism     
16:14 The power of stoicism     
21:06 Criticisms of stoicism     
25:23 Memento Mori and negative visualization     
28:32 Absurdity and antinomy     
29:46 Where should we ascribe meaning in our world today?     
32:30 Morality in an amoral world     
36:11 Don't let stoicism become your whole personality     
39:16 Takeaways from Stoicism     

Scuffed Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/tAt5OcmVj2z

Join Jacob and Brendan as they talk tips for productivity and how it fits into their lives. Socials: @jbai.v3 and @bjubulis on instagram and @b_jubes on twitter.     

 1:07 Jacob's view/model of productivity     
 1:48 Brendan's love/hate relationship with productivity     
 3:21 Jacob talks about Yoga (classic!)     
 4:14 How Brendan is most productive (tight deadlines)     
 5:26 James Clear's "Atomic Habits" (6:12 for habit hacking)     
 8:05 How do you define success?     
 9:19 Autotelic behavior - Being a means unto itself     
 12:00 The dignity of work     
 14:07 Target audiences and Deadpool     
 15:45 "Don't equate your productivity with self-worth"     
 17:34 Productivity shouldn't be the goal, it should be the means to a worthy end     

Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/aV6L9E8VkVk

Join Jacob and Brendan as they give an introduction to their philosophical backgrounds and share their identity and what they believe to be true. 
Socials: @jbai.v3 and @bjubulis on instagram and @b_jubes on twitter. 

0:00 Introduction/Jacob & Brendan at Notre Dame
1:41 Jacob's Elevator Pitch
2:42 Brendan's Elevator Pitch
5:03 Influential thinkers: Thomas Aquinas (Brendan) 
6:25 Jordan Peterson (Brendan) 
8:08 Proliferation on Jordan Peterson's controversiality
9:34 Existentialism and the absurd 
10:06 Albert Camus (Jacob) 
12:37 Michel Foucault/Friedrich Nietzsche (Jacob) 
17:43 Jacques Derrida (Jacob) 
20:48 Postmodernists and the Episteme of power
24:13 Where Brendan and Jacob diverge the most
26:17 Economic theories and libertarian paternalism (Thaler) 
28:34 The Yin and Yang of Jacob and Brendan (climate change, etc)
32:42 Final thoughts on identity for Jacob
33:18 Final thoughts on identity for Brendan

Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/98bnMr10FWg