luka

Well-known member
A way to check our perceptions and intuitions against those of other people. Are we frightened? And so on.
 

version

Well-known member
The podcast thing seems different, the five-a-day thing luka was on about. You don't log into Dissensus like you go to the gym, but you do get people listening to podcasts as though it's part of a gym routine. If Patrick Bateman were created today, he'd be listening to pop science podcasts and have shelves of self-help books.
 
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version

Well-known member
Listening to a podcast or audiobook at double-speed is a thing like power napping and micro dosing now. Everything as compressed as possible for 'maximum productivity'.
 
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luka

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Tate Modern and the Wellcome Collection fit into this as I'm sure a lot of other cultural insititutions do.
 

version

Well-known member
It's got a bit of an "eat your vegetables" thing about it. You have to power through all these subjects and get an overview for the sake of having one and being a well-rounded individual.
 

version

Well-known member
I'd be interested in hearing whether anyone's read or listened to any of this stuff and found it genuinely helpful etc. Danny mentioned a couple of How to... books on the first page. Corpsey, which have you read and enjoyed?
 

luka

Well-known member
I think one thing they can do and do do is nudge people from their ingrained fatalism and defeatism and give them some impetus to try and get something done. To make the changes they've known they should make for years but could never find the requisite energy and self belief.

Therapy is similar in this regard.
 

luka

Well-known member
They can inflame you, give you this electric charge that jolts you into life momentarily, wakes you from your stupor.
 

luka

Well-known member
I definitely suffer from that snobbishness toward The Guardian - despite reading some of their reporting myself - that you were on about with Mark, although not to the point that I'd read The Times out of spite. I just see anything with a Guardian, New York Times etc endorsement and roll my eyes. It reminds me of my aunt who's always reading whatever's currently being billed as the book you have to read by them.

The Guardian and Radio 4 manufacture a certain section of the middle class in the same way The Sun manufactures a certain section of the working class. You get a instantly identifiable standardised product.
 
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luka

Well-known member
There's no difference in the process. It's just the way ideas opinions assumptions are replicated throughout populations. People are made into their replicators mouthing words that are not their own.
 

kumar

Well-known member
On a related subject has anyone seen gwynth paltrows show , it’s really good. I asked my smart friend if they thought it was a net force for evil or good and they charitably said it was probably helpful for some people, and that there is a very healthy and subversive effect of having someone as disagreeable as gwynth Paltrow present a show on certain self help things which are often not terrible ideas to take up in your own life as it forces you to resist throwing the baby out with the bath water and draw your own conclusions on spiritual development in spite of the depraved weirdos it attracts. They said it was much better politically than having someone cool and charismatic teaching you why cold showers are a good idea.
 

luka

Well-known member
I have a cold shower everyday. Well, I'm exaggerating. First it's hot then I make it cold. It's nice. Invigorating. Manly. Martial. Virile. What does Paltrow talk about?
 

luka

Well-known member
Nah, William James. He said you should do something you don't want to do everyday to keep the martial virtues alive. Only now I want to do it cos I like it so it's not really keeping to the spirit of the thing.
 

kumar

Well-known member
Well you’ve got to watch it for the real effect I’d say but I saw the one where she goes with her troupe to meet mr wim hof, I mean it’s got the kind of benneton buddhism for business angle that you’d expect but I think it would be a shame to be cringed away from ever attempting throat muscle exercises or, so I think she is a good teacher in that sense .
 

kumar

Well-known member
There are some really good scenes of them sitting around on a rug in the arctic with a bloke playing a gong in the corner
 
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