Podcast Summary
Exploring the concept of secularity in contemporary culture through Charles Taylor's work: Charles Taylor's 'A Secular Age' offers a philosophical history of modernity, helping us understand the nature of secularity and its impact on our lives, making complex ideas accessible to a wider audience.
We live in a "secular age" where uncertainty about truth pervades our culture, making all ideas contestable. This idea is explored in depth by philosopher Charles Taylor in his 900-page book "A Secular Age." Jamie Smith, a professor of philosophy at Calvin College, wrote a reader's guide to Taylor's work titled "How (Not) to Be Secular." Smith's students found Taylor's ideas relatable, as they resonated with the contemporary world. Taylor, a Catholic Christian, provides a philosophical history of modernity and helps us understand the nature of secularity. In "How (Not) to Be Secular," Smith breaks down Taylor's complex ideas, making them accessible to a wider audience. This discussion sheds light on the significance of Taylor's work and its relevance to our current cultural landscape. Whether you're a believer, agnostic, or atheist, this conversation offers valuable insights into the concept of secularity and its impact on our lives.
Challenging the Dominant Narrative of Secularization: Philosopher Charles Taylor argues that a secular age is not defined by unbelief or atheism, but by the contestability of all beliefs, allowing for the coexistence of various belief systems
According to philosopher Charles Taylor, a secular age is not synonymous with progressive unbelief or atheism. Instead, it's an age where everyone's beliefs are contested and contestable, allowing for the emergence of various belief systems. Taylor challenges the dominant narrative of secularization as the inevitable triumph of reason and science leading to the decline of religious belief. He argues that secularity is more complex and nuanced, and that not everyone in a secular age identifies as atheist or naturalist. Taylor's perspective provides a more nuanced understanding of secularity and the diverse beliefs that exist in contemporary society.
Understanding the Secular Age: The secular age fragilizes belief, leading to a sense of haunting, a hunger for transcendence, and a need to acknowledge the tentativeness of our beliefs.
We live in a secular age filled with cross pressures and contested ideas, making it essential for everyone, regardless of religious or non-religious beliefs, to understand this cultural moment. Taylor's work, aimed at Christians but also relevant to non-believers, offers a better account of our contemporary world and helps us make sense of why some people may not fully identify as atheists despite a lack of traditional religious belief. The secular age brings about a fragileization of belief, meaning that no one's stance is axiomatic, and we're all constantly challenged by alternative ways of understanding fundamental aspects of humanity and the cosmos. This leads to a sense of haunting, a hunger for transcendence, and a need to acknowledge the tentativeness of our beliefs.
Living in a Secular Age: Existential Pressure and Distractions: In the secular age, people may feel existential pressure due to conflicting beliefs and doubts, but consumer culture offers distractions. Honesty about deeper questions may lead to a more authentic way of living.
In the secular age, people experience a sense of existential pressure due to conflicting beliefs and doubts. This pressure can lead to a feeling of emptiness and malaise. According to philosopher Charles Taylor, this age offers numerous distractions through consumer culture, allowing individuals to avoid facing the cross pressures. However, Taylor argues that being honest about the presence of something "knocking at the door" and acknowledging the depth of the existential questions may help address the malaise. Writers like David Foster Wallace and movies like "American Beauty" provide insight into the human experience of living in a secular age. Ultimately, Taylor suggests that grappling with the cross pressures and acknowledging the presence of deeper questions may lead to a more meaningful and authentic way of living.
The struggle for transcendence in modern life: In modern times, the self is perceived as separate from the world, making it harder to believe in transcendence or a higher power. Works like American Beauty, Interstellar, and older media like Twilight Zone and X-Files explore this struggle.
The discussion revolves around the concept of transcendence and its relationship to modern life, specifically in relation to the works of authors like Wallace and films like American Beauty and Interstellar. The speaker argues that in the pre-modern world, the self was considered porous, open to the influences of external forces, including the divine. However, in modern times, the self has become buffered, creating a barrier that makes it harder to believe in transcendence or a higher power. This is exemplified in American Beauty, where the character Lester Burnham's attempts to find meaning through sex, drugs, and rock and roll ultimately fall short. Instead, it's the character Ricky Fitz, who sees beauty in the mundane and experiences a sense of transcendence, that provides a more profound example. Other examples of this idea can be found in works like Interstellar and even in older media like Twilight Zone and X-Files. Overall, the discussion highlights the struggle to find meaning and transcendence in a secular age where the self is perceived as separate from the world around it.
The emergence of the modern self and secular age: Charles Taylor argues that the modern self's shift towards individualism and secularism enabled atheism and exclusive humanism, but may lead to a sense of meaninglessness and malaise. The Protestant Reformation, despite its criticisms of superstition, unintentionally contributed to this disenchantment and paved the way for secularization.
The emergence of the modern self, as described by Charles Taylor, marked a shift towards individualism and secularism. This new conception of the self, as contained and protected, made it possible for atheism and exclusive humanism to become viable options. However, Taylor argues that this secular age, which aims to find meaning without reference to eternity or transcendence, is not sustainable and may lead to a sense of malaise. Additionally, Taylor challenges the common notion that the secular age resulted from increased intelligence or enlightenment. Instead, he argues that even the Protestant Reformation, with its criticisms of superstition, unwittingly contributed to the disenchantment of the world and paved the way for secularization.
The Complexity of the Secular Age: The critique of religious reformers led to unintended consequences, resulting in the rise of secularism, but future generations might seek a more holistic understanding of the cosmos, potentially leading to re-enchantment
The critique of religious reformers against an enchanted version of Christianity led to unintended consequences, resulting in the forces of disenchantment and the rise of secularism. Taylor argues that this process, which he calls the "secular age," is complex and messy, with both deepening secularization and potential openings for re-enchantment. He suggests that the exclusive humanist perspective on being human may not be sustainable, and future generations might seek a more holistic understanding of the cosmos, potentially leading to a renewed appreciation for enchantment. This could manifest in various forms, including Christianity, Judaism, or even paganism. Ultimately, there's no going back to the past, but there might be a growing recognition of the inadequacy of flattened, immanent accounts of reality.
Exploring the unconscious forces shaping our deepest longings: Recognizing the unconscious influences on our deepest desires can lead to a more authentic and fulfilling life
Our deepest desires and longings are not solely driven by conscious thoughts or beliefs, but are also shaped by the practices and cultural influences that surround us. This idea is explored in both Taylor's book "A Secular Age" and the Russian film "Stalker." Taylor argues that human beings are not just thinkers or believers, but lovers, and our encounters with the world should be seen as opportunities to discover and fulfill our deepest longings. The film "Stalker" illustrates this idea through a magical room that grants people their deepest desires, but also highlights the potential gap between what we think we want and what we truly desire. By recognizing the unconscious forces shaping our longings, we can begin to question and reevaluate the practices and cultural influences that have primed us to love certain things, ultimately leading us towards a more authentic and fulfilling life.
Everyday experiences as secular liturgies shaping our loves: Our daily interactions with secular environments like malls can function as liturgies, influencing our desires and shaping our loves through experiential marketing and emotional connections.
Liturgy, defined as love-shaping practices, is not limited to religious contexts. It encompasses cultural rituals and routines that implicitly train us to love certain goods or visions of the good life. The mall, as an example of a secular liturgy, captures our imagination and co-opts our heart's longings through experiential marketing, which understands that we're not just thinking beings but lovers with hungers. The mall's "evangelism" is marketing, which holds up the invitation to a story where a product or service promises to fulfill our deepest desires. Even the response in our brains to purchasing an apple product is similar to religious worship. This broad understanding of liturgy highlights how our everyday experiences shape our loves and ultimately, the direction of our hearts.
The Human Center is in the Heart and Intellect: Ancient perspectives emphasize character training through habits and emphasize the importance of the heart in spiritual connection, contrasting consumer-driven modern approaches.
According to Jamie, the human person's center is not only in the intellect but also in the heart, which is the seat of our longings and hungers. This perspective, rooted in ancient thought like Aristotle's virtue ethics and Christian thought, emphasizes the importance of training character through habits, or virtues. Moreover, Jamie argues that for Christianity to thrive in a postmodern age, it should embrace ancient forms of liturgy and worship instead of trying to make it more like the mall, as the latter's consumer-driven approach risks commodifying Jesus rather than deepening spiritual connection.
Embracing ancient Christian practices for contemporary relevance: Inheriting traditional church practices while contextualizing them for modern times can attract men and provide a holistic understanding of the human person, while avoiding limiting stereotypes of masculinity.
The ancient Christian practices and thickness of worship can serve as a countermeasure to secular liturgies and provide a more holistic understanding of the human person. This approach, which could be described as a postmodern ancient Christianity, would involve inheriting the core of traditional church practices while contextualizing them for contemporary relevance. This approach could potentially appeal to men, who may be drawn to the vigor and embodiment of these practices. However, it's important to consider potential gendered questions and ensure that the practices do not reinforce limiting stereotypes of masculinity. The goal is to embrace the strangeness and richness of ancient practices to make transcendence relevant in a secular age.
Incorporating ancient spiritual practices into modern life: Engaging in communal expressions of faith and practicing spiritual disciplines can deepen faith and re-habituate the soul, taking time and repetition
Incorporating ancient spiritual practices into modern life can help individuals deepen their faith and re-habituate their souls, rather than just intellectually consuming information. This involves engaging in communal expressions of faith, such as attending a congregation, and practicing spiritual disciplines like fasting, morning and evening prayers, and following the liturgical calendar. These practices take time and repetition, and are not a one-time fix, but rather a continuous "workout for the soul." For more information on these ideas, check out Jamie Smith's books "How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor" and "You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit." You can find these books and more of Smith's work on his website, jamesksmith.com.
