On Nihilism

I have decided to quit social media...for the most part. In this episode, I refer to social media — and the internet, as a whole — as The Bug Light, because it has a way of bringing out the very worst in us.

There is something virtuous about ignorance in the modern world. And by peeling myself away from the digital world, I think I'm getting just a little bit closer to that virtue.

It is time to start living life without relying on social media and the digital dystopia we have created over the past two decades.

In this episode, I discuss the underlying ideas and consequences of nihilism. While the term is often used in relation to a rejection of objective meaning, there is much more to it than that. 

I suggest nihilism should not be something we proudly embrace. It is a transitory philosophical tool, not a destination.

As someone who has taken a special interest in absurdism and pessimism, I have found that nihilism is often misrepresented and generally misunderstood. But when it is put in its proper context, it can be a very useful tool. 

You can follow me on Instagram @TheLastSisyphus!  

This week, I discuss Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer - a film I've been super excited to see. It's Nolan's first film since Tenet, which, I have to admit, was not his best work. 

In fact, I watched the film twice in IMAX over the weekend! 

If your a fan of epic movies, you've got to see this one. 

Keep up with me on Instagram @TheLastSisyphus!

In this episode, I go into a bit of detail about my new favorite television series: Ted Lasso. It's a show I've recommended to several people already. I also happen to think it's one of the most important shows to come around in a long time—perhaps since The Office. 

I maintain that Ted Lasso is a show about leadership and human connection, and it's told through a metamodernist lens. (If you don't happen to know what metamodernism is, I define it in this episode.) Especially in these rough times—both politically and socially—we need people to come together. We need more human connection.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the show, if you've already watched it. I don't know a ton of people who have seen it...

If you enjoy the podcast and wish to help out, consider supporting me through the following links. Don't hesitate to reach out to me on Twitter or Instagram, @TheLastSisyphus!

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This week, I'm returning to the man who inspired this podcast: Albert Camus. I don't feel enough people are familiar with his work. And in this episode, I try to convince the listener that Camus is one of the most accessible and worthwhile writers and thinkers.

I address his writing style, his lyricism, and his most pivotal philosophical position. Even if you've already read Camus, perhaps I'm able to provide a perspective you haven't thought about before.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about Camus and his ideas. If you have something you'd like to say, get in touch with me!

If you enjoy the podcast and wish to help out, consider supporting me through the following links. Don't hesitate to reach out to me on Twitter or Instagram, @TheLastSisyphus!

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This is my first review of 2022, and it's a doozy! After taking some time away from the podcast, I decided I would kick off the new year with an independent author I have had the privilege of engaging with on Twitter.

House of Sleep is an intriguing work that heavily leans into the power and drawbacks of dreams, and the havoc that arises when we learn of our ability to penetrate another's sleeping state. I highly recommend this work.

You can find Brad Kelly on Twitter @BradKelly.  He will even read your tarot cards! If you are interested in what else he is doing, you can visit his site at www.bradkellyesque.com.

Book blurb:
“At an exquisite mansion perched on an edenic plateau, twenty-some guests are remembering their dreams as clearly as yesterday. All that’s required is to let an eccentric guru called the Diving Man work their subconscious like a snake-charmer. Parts Willy Wonka, Judge Holden, and Tim Leary, he seems to know what can’t be known, professes a bizarre philosophy, and spends his days leaping from the cliffs to hold his breath for minutes on end in the churning river below. He is also plotting against the dissolution of the world. The House draws Lynn, an anxious, earnest therapist who foresaw her fiancé’s death in a dream. . .or, just maybe, called it into being. This is her last chance to heal, but only if she can come to terms with her dark connection to another seeker—the young logophile Daniel, who is afflicted with a strange disease inextricable from an even stranger gift.”

If you enjoy the podcast and wish to help out, consider supporting me through the following links. I would also love to hear from you. Don't be afraid to reach out to me on Twitter or Instagram, @TheLastSisyphus!

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Writer's block is something that a lot of people experience—undoubtedly. One of the most common places writer's block happens is at the beginning of a writing project. When facing the blank page.

However, this hasn't been my experience. Writer's block—at least for me—tends to happen about halfway through a project, when there are so many different directions a story could go. It's not so much a lack of ideas or direction as it is about what direction to go in. This can be paralyzing (and often is), because, if you're a perfectionist like me, you don't want to screw it up.

My debut novel Project: Sleepless Dream is now available all around the world, via Amazon. You can also purchase from me directly (if you live in the U.S.). Just shoot me an email at CollinJones15@protonmail.com—I'll even sign it for you!

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The reason I finally decided to give Dick’s VALIS a try is due to my research into esotericism and the occult. Dick’s major contribution to the field of esotericism is his posthumously published work called The Exegesis. However, he addresses many of his ideas in his fiction.

VALIS  is one I could see myself reading again and again. There is so much to get from it, and it's certainly not a conventional science fiction story.

Have you read this book? If so, what are your thoughts?

My debut novel Project: Sleepless Dream will be available all around the world at the end of this month, via Amazon. You can pre-order the Kindle edition by clicking THIS LINK. All patrons will receive a signed copy of the book. Consider supporting the podcast with the links below!

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Though it goes without saying, one of the most unique factoids about dreams is that we all have experience(s) with them. In one way or another. According to scientists and researchers who specialize in neurology and dreams, everyone dreams. Even if you don’t remember what you dreamed the night prior, you did, in fact, dream.

I'm not completely sold on the idea mainstream science says about dreams—that they are essentially information dumps. In this episode, I discuss my thoughts on dreams.

I would like to hear from you! What are your thoughts on dreams? Have you had any unique experiences with them? Let me know on social media and/or through email!

My debut novel Project: Sleepless Dream will be available all around the world at the end of July, via Amazon. You can pre-order the Kindle edition by clicking THIS LINK. All patrons will receive a signed copy of the book. Consider supporting the podcast with the links below!

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I’ve received several messages and emails, asking me to explain how my writing process works. To learn that people would be interested in my experience is not only flattering for me, but it communicates to me that others are thinking of writing something of their own. And that’s perhaps the best news.

And then I’m sure there are several of you who have already published your first book...or second book...or even your third book. If that’s the case, you may find some of this information a bit redundant or contradictory to your own experience. And that’s all right. We all have different ways of going about the same thing.

My debut novel Project: Sleepless Dream will be available all around the world at the end of July, via Amazon. You can pre-order the Kindle edition by clicking THIS LINK.

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