“Many manage to sell what they could never give away.” – Stendhal

In this episode of the Lightning Podcast, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, and Nicolas Sarian as we discuss Stendhal’s quote. We explore various perspectives on the themes of value, gifting, and exchange. From theology to memes to Soviets to markets, this conversation is a multi-faceted look into the reasons we give and sell and, sometimes, do both.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:21 Exploring the Quote of the Week

00:39 Unpacking the Meaning of the Quote

00:48 The Influence of Literature on the Quote

01:23 The Concept of Commodification

01:45 The Controversial Nature of the Book

02:15 The Value of Things We Would Never Sacrifice

03:19 The Concept of Profanation

03:53 The Right to Sell Our Organs

05:25 The Concept of Selling Out

05:55 The Power of Pricing

06:12 The Influence of Luxury Marketing

10:11 The Influence of Western Products on the Soviet Union

11:04 The Role of Art in Cultural Change

11:48 The Power of Memes in Shaping Public Opinion

12:18 The Role of Religion in Defining Value

24:35 The Concept of Sacrifice in Religion

38:59 The Role of Cognitive Dissonance and Hypocrisy

40:01 The Importance of Capturing Value

41:04 Conclusion

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