Goethe's novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther, was Napoleon Bonaparte's favorite novel. In recent years it has become the subject of memes, and the "sensitive young man" archetype. How are we to understand this puzzling development? What is the connection between the Caesarist strongman and the hopeless lover? In this episode, we'll consider the historical background of the work: its inspiration in the story of Karl Wilhelm Jerusalem, the "fever" that swept Europe following its publication, and its controversies. We'll analyze the novel and try to understand Goethe's character as something more than simply a victim of unrequited love. And we'll consider Napoleon's meeting with Goethe and their conversation about the story, as well as some of Goethe's comments about it in conversations with Eckermann.
--------
1:39:05
--------
1:39:05
Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin #1 : Imperiopathosis & the Political Stress Index
The first of a series of lectures examining Turchin's work in Ages of Discord, a structural-demographic analysis of American history.Topics in this episode- Imperiopathosis: the current situation, its underlying dynamics- Basics of secular cycles- Population-elites-state as fundamental factors- Political Stress Index (PSI) = Mass Mobilization Potential x Elite Mobilization Potential x State Fiscal Distress- Symptoms of political instability- Examining symptoms in a past "age of discord": The Gilded Age - The Violent Teens-Examining symptoms in our own "age of discord": The Turbulent 2020s
--------
1:16:33
--------
1:16:33
Untimely Reflections #39: Weltgeist - Schopenhauer on History, Love, Life & Death
Weltgeist's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@WeltgeistYTIn Untimely Reflections #39, we discuss Schopenhauer's view of history, love of fate, and the meaning of life.
--------
54:24
--------
54:24
125: Reviewing John Kaag's Hiking with Nietzsche
My review of Kaag's book about Nietzsche, the Swiss Alps, and the many other philosophers who have spent time in Sils Maria. Overall a good experience, but more of a beginner read. John Kaag provides a relatively faithful analysis of Nietzsche's philosophy in his book, which will not contain many new insights for the advanced Nietzsche reader. There are some interesting parallels he provides between thinkers, however, and some more obscure anecdotes from Nietzsche's life discussed. The work is primarily valuable as a character study of John Kaag himself, as a man who wishes to live dangerously, while married to a Kantian modern world.
--------
1:08:16
--------
1:08:16
Untimely Reflections #38:
The Will to Joy podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0iWF6YMMEriFZ0cE0xhnFN?si=e7ee705bb1814f89Jimmy's linktree: https://linktr.ee/willtojoyJimmy Burke just gave a presentation this past September at the Nietzschean Society, which met this year in Belfast. We discussed his lecture, entitled, "An Economy of Bodies", as well as his work in evidence-based behavior change. According to Burke, Nietzsche's insights have proven incredibly valuable in this field, and by drawing on Nietzsche's conceptions of drive, we can improve our chances in making transformative life changes. At the end of the episode we discussed his expansive, ontological view of will to power. Great conversation! I really enjoyed this one.
A podcast about Nietzsche's ideas, his influences, and those he influenced. Philosophy and cultural commentary through a Nietzschean lens.
Support the show at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/untimelyreflections
A few collected essays and thoughts: https://untimely-reflections.blogspot.com/