Category Archives: Perspective/Philosophy

Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator- What an Empathetic Emperor Should Sound Like

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I found this unbelievably amazing video today of Charlie Chaplin giving one of the most impressive monologues; I was left with my jaw agape, this was the first time i ever heard him produce any sort of sound- I feel obligated to watch the rest of his works. I nabbed a transcript of it and posted it below (With another bonus video!):

“I’m sorry but I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible; Jew, Gentile, black men, white. We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each others’ happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men’s souls; has barricaded the world with hate; has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in.

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Alan Watts- A Jungian Tribute

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I have my psychology exam coming up and along with the enormous amounts of cramming being done, is the rekindling of my passion for Jungian and Freudian thought. I decided today to spend some time building up my science category, to even out the site a bit; the artsy side of my mind has been subduing the more rationally oriented parts it seems. Here in this lecture we have Alan Watts (a legend) discussing Jung’s “enduring contributions toward the science of psychology”. In the first part of this three parter, he expands upon the influence Jungs’ work had on himself, and exposes the reality of good and evil as a part of the internal structure of an individuals psychology, which we unconsciously project outwardly- truly fascinating stuff!

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Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke of Insight

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This could very well be one of my favorite TED talks of all time; really makes you think about the existence of your own being. It reminded me of one of the most profound questions slamming scientists in the face today: How can something so unconscious as an atom become something so conscious as man (a whole bunch of atoms)? These are questions, that when asked can lead you down the rabbit hole and back out again with a fresh new take on life. Never be afraid of questioning anything, it will lead to deeper revelations about the nature of the world and even more importantly the fundamental characteristics of your Self. Hope you enjoy!

Matter of Heart

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The life and thinking of one of my favorite personal hero’s the great Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Gustav Jung, is examined on this video. Interviews are done with those who knew him, most of whom were analyzed by him and very often became analysts themselves. Jung’s own words appear on screen, and archive footage of Jung himself is shown. We learn aspects of his private life, including his relationship with his wife, Emma, and his mistress, Toni Wolff. But mostly we learn of his philosophy, sometimes mystical in nature, regarding the collective unconscious, the ego-personality, anima and animus.

The Feynman Series

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Richard Phillips Feynman is one of my favorite American physicists, he was known for his work in quantum mechanics, electrodynamics,  superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium and particle physics. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for the development of quantum electrodynamics. If your into physics you know him, if you don’t know physics but took a course on it you might have been shown Feynmans’ diagrams (Yes they were named after this guy) before. This man pioneered the field of quantum computing and introduced to us all the concept of nanotechnology. Feynman fed his infinite curiosity by delving into everything, especially biology which he loved dearly. He also worked on the Manhattan project, translated Mayan hieroglyphics, and uncovered the malfunctions of the Challenger spacecraft disaster. He was a scientist, a teacher, a joker and a musician- there couldn’t have been a more well rounded guy. Here is a short series of what he had to say about life and how a person should view it.

 Part one- Beauty

Part two- Honors

Part three- Curiosity 

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David Kudler on Joseph Campbell and Following Your Bliss

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In March 26th 1904, Joseph John Campbell came into existence and over a hundred years later his works on mythology still resonate throughout peoples lives, tuning them to the perfect frequency of happiness. He was the first child of a middle-class, Roman Catholic family who lived in White Plains, NY and lived out his childhood immersed in the rituals, symbols, and rich traditions of his Irish Catholic heritage. But, even though he was a devote Catholic who actively practiced the faith of his forefathers, he was consumed by his interest in Native American culture which arguably created this dynamic tension between the two mythologies which shaped Campbells’ worldview. Continue reading →

The Egg

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The Egg

By: Andy Weir

You were on your way home when you died.

It was a car accident. Nothing particularly remarkable, but fatal nonetheless. You left behind a wife and two children. It was a painless death. The EMTs tried their best to save you, but to no avail. Your body was so utterly shattered you were better off, trust me.

And that’s when you met me.

“What… what happened?” You asked. “Where am I?”

“You died,” I said, matter-of-factly. No point in mincing words.

“There was a… a truck and it was skidding…”

“Yup”

“I… I died?”

“Yup. But don’t feel bad about it. Everyone dies,”

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