Ep. 3 - Awakening from the Meaning Crisis - Continuous Cosmos and Modern World Grammar

New videos released every Friday.
Books in the Video:
•Carl Jung - Man and His Symbols
•Friedrich Nietzsche - Twilight of Idols and Anti-Christ
•Paul Tillich - Systematic Theology
Series Playlist: • Awakening from the Mea...
Facebook: / vervaeke.john
Twitter: / vervaeke_john
Third episode of Dr. John Vervaeke's Awakening from the Meaning Crisis.

[@thee_empowerer]

“They’re symbolic stories about perennial patters that are always with us” -Myths. Beautifully put.

[@a_l_e_k_sandra]

As JP puts it, those stories become myths BECAUSE they are true.

[@themomentpodcast]

Exactly this.

[@unme4728]

Joseph Campbell spoke about this first, and better. I refer viewers to the PBS series, "The Power of Myth".

[@Telescope1994]

This is Jung 101 is not like something new

[@badreddine.elfejer]

Thats a take home message, I liked it

[@tdottim]

This is the best use of internet technology ever. Thank you for this series.

[@leeroyescu]

No, the best use of internet technology would have been if this information was presented as an exocortex, a navigable knowledge graph others can use fluently. It's still splendid, presenting through video is quick and direct, gets the job done, gets the point across. We hear it, we understand, we review sections, but how much do we actually remember long-term? How much do we use and live with? Too little. It's not the right form for that. This stuff should be like a semantic wiki of flashcards, where you can ask a question of the oracle and dive into a topic from any end, get a spatial awareness of where it fits in, what it's connected to, how central or peripheral it is, supporting arguments, problems and so on. But authoring something like that is much harder.

[@jeoffreywortman]

@@leeroyescu This is part of you're you're asking for.

[@omarsajdi6472]

Te raio tat tet are u sarsari t tarred eid Tt t dioat the ioey Teta toutsit rye duteitaoeid is t ord dio rare t starter tyte Isaac ateipetot attracts 🌟 people Teta did teeters dipwtt saudades yOt are udety Rey tottettrippin Ted toutedi Tt totei

[@omarsajdi6472]

@@leeroyescu did iOS yp ya yeiei terra’s t strata te yer t ou to teeters is pt sarsari teit I t de it o tree t Stars ty grass attoritotdi out toy I o test qtsot I drfyeiseott you rarest teysotat yossitoottt t to sitting estates try I te a yp t ye is totitor starts I retreat tat OST’s o tat otti ot t o test ya see tyrotoyat ayat at totoe was peoo fa tat

[@patrickcompton1483]

@@leeroyescu invent that.

[@warwicklecoture3685]

I really appreciate Vervaeke's recap of the last lecture when he starts a new lecture. Its really helpful.

[@oskarbrenner13]

Usually I'm quite impatient and want to rush through every series in order to finish it, but now it feels quite good that there are so many more episodes left.

[@OdinComposer]

John "We're gonna talk about that" Vervaeke

[@Zackneu21]

Yes

[@jakevikoren]

gave me a good chuckle :)

[@reprogrammingmind]

Big fat markers may increase the cognitive fluency of this lecture.

[@MrDaniyuca]

Hate missing all these drawings!

[@bhfourtwoeight7343]

Yeah, you would need to be in the room within 10 feet given the size and color contrast.

[@hanskloss7726]

true. If you max your display and diagrams become visible. The fluency is still not as good as it can be of course.

[@zaneleadley5348]

Feeling like Tom

[@stairway11]

BLACK MARKER FOR A WHITE BOARD. BEST VISIBILITY

[@DanFreemanThee]

I'm so thankful that even with the vicious censorship that KZbin regularly engages in, and with the decimation higher education that has taken place over the past decade, there are still gems like Vervaeke this that synthesize so much wisdom in a single lecture.

[@travisholmes3751]

I've discovered you as a result of your recent discussion with JBP. I haven't been this consumed by a lecture series since the first time I watched the JP biblical lectures.

[@dianeobanion4847]

Me too. Exact same path.

[@DeonDSilva]

Me three! Same same!

[@philipbauer9200]

Me too

[@riccardorepetti]

@@dianeobanion4847 oliii

[@tnerb830]

I love this rabbit hole 💓😇🧘🏻🙌🏻

[@rengsn4655]

I finally understand “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”

[@jakubkowalczyk3310]

No, thank YOU for your time to explain this! This series is one of the best things I have seen on the Internet.

[@aspiceoflife]

I am looking forward to the shamanic ceremony at the end of this series

[@siachi3109]

I get in flowstate when I listen to you man.

[@tornasukiii745]

One of the most important videos on the internet.

[@quantumastrologer5599]

Listening to angry philosphers barking at me must be one of my top 10 favorite pastime activites.

[@simonsoldano]

John, I want to express my sincere gratitude for sharing all your sublime work on this platform. I feel 'blessed' to have known you (I met you just a few days ago). The dimension of the positive impact your work can have on people is immeasurable. I hope that many more people can get to know you. Because of you, I now feel compelled to learn English perfectly so I can listen to you without the need for subtitles... ha ha. From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much for the work you carry out.

[@user-dj7nl2ct3q]

Excellent video. I watched this episode 2 times. First time just watched through and realized how many different ideas are discussed. Then re watched, took notes, stopped at important points. I've tried to digest all ideas, discuss it with myself and argue with it. It took me quite lot of time. I've googled lot of stuff. Because I could not easily believe to what I've heard. I am astonishingly impressed. Also, this series are good advertisement for books for sure. I am convinced to buy all of that books. I read one from first episode and I am really want to read all of them.

[@ClassPunkOnRumbleAndSubstack]

I tried to read the katakana in your name and got ヒ("he") confused with と ("toe").

[@swimfan5428]

I am in 100% agreement, just where to start, so many good books and never enough time.

[@ramdanebenbouabdellah6597]

Where and how far up are you removed now in your epistemic quest, if I may ask?

[@user-dj7nl2ct3q]

@@ramdanebenbouabdellah6597 The Awakening from Meaning Crisis series are really good source for materials related problems of the cognitive science and I re-watch some of the videos time to time. Also, I have read the most of the books presented in the series and found books with opposing ideas. I do like ideas of John Vervaeke and he is definitely a wise man and he makes a lot of good points. However, to truly grasp the topic, it is important to see other ideas too. For example, I think the works of the Daniel Dennett are good contrast to what is presented in this channel. Nevertheless, these series had a powerful influence to me and the way I view the life. Must watch.

[@mitchell10394]

@@user-dj7nl2ct3q What about Dennett's work contradicts these lectures? I'm asking genuinely. I am wondering what the opposing ideas are that you are alluding to in relation to the meaning problem.

[@ivancampos6754]

28:45 A lightbulb went off in my head. When god reveals his name he says: ""I will be what I will be." - I am the god of the open future, and you can participate with me in this ongoing creation of the future because you can shape it. You can cause it to go to resolution but you can also cause it to go off course." This to me is why we should always be in the right moral position. Absolutely enlightening lecture, John. Thank you.

[@catleonard3107]

Saw the interview on Rebel Wisdom and now I'm binge watching these videos which have triggered a state of flow in me because they are so mindblowingly awesome! Thanks so much for sharing.

[@stephen-torrence]

John's often in Flow when lecturing, totally walking his talk. I reckon you're picking up on that. Resonating. Grooving. etc.

[@gabilurio4270]

@@stephen-torrence , grokking too 😉

[@dylantierney6407]

What interview?

[@rdrzalexa]

I love the passionate, dramatic John Vervaeke the best.

[@buki369]

Great series professor, thank you for lecturing us undereducated people from all over the world who are not lucky enough to attend worlds top universities so they spend their leisure learning useful things online

[@d.r.m.m.]

After watching three episodes, I feel changed-for the better. This integration of historic, cultural and cognitive information has an impactful and enlightening effect. I greatly appreciate the citations and the passion delivered during the lectures. Thank you again, John, for sharing your erudition and wisdom in such an engaging manner.

[@antoniobarbalau1107]

God this is so out of this world. It is so deep and brilliant it is a miracle someone actually touched on it and even more, presents it in a comprehensible manner for the large public. This is such a work of genius it takes effort to realize it actually exists. I did not even conceive it was passible to go so deep into these matters, but he did and he mastered it and teaches it to us. This is beyond everything I have imagined. Thank you for everything prof. Vervaeke ♥️

[@l.kumaran55]

This man be spitting bars like Eminem got nothing on him. Thank you for the lecture, sir.

[@squallada586]

This is one of the best lectures I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. Thank you very much for your work, John, this is absolutely gold material.

[@maghady2900]

you can't imagine how your lectures is changing the way i see things now... very insightful ❤️

[@jordanedgeley6601]

Bit emotional watching these again, will get through the course this time. It was calling me back. Ive been in the world you describe. Meaningless, dead and no purpose. This is helping me remember the real world.

[@pozorster]

Around 10 years ago I decided to no longer be bored. This triggered something and I spent a couple of weeks in a state where everyone was beautiful to me, even people I would usually consider ugly. That state still occasionally returns to me.

[@TCGill]

Thank you for sharing +pzorstar … I like this perspective. Taking curiosity to the next level.

[@ohnree4110]

What made you think of that experience? Something in the lecture?

[@Ykpaina988]

There are a lot of similarities and overlaps with Dr Vervaeke's content and Dr Peterson's content yet they contextualize the points they make with different psycho- technological language tools.(Heideggerian?) U of T psych department has some phenomenal conversations.

[@tribebuddha]

Yep. Who knew the University of Toronto's Psychology Departmenet would help millions across the world. Amazing.

[@brandonfisher2350]

Thank YOU very much for your time. I sincerely love and appreciate this academic journey we’re going on with you John.

[@manueljosefernandez9482]

This is continually blowing my mind and we are only on part 3 🤯

[@1993HBh]

This is amazing, so happy Jordan Peterson brought me here. Gonna finish this whole series!

[@davidcoates779]

Just thank you, thank you for pulling all of this together and putting it out into the world.

[@jamieyoung9392]

This is exactly the kind of stuff I love. Fabulous.

[@lianaschill6132]

„Living up to your promise“ involves reaching for the higher ideals we long to serve. This is what gives our lives meaning.

[@anoninii]

I love that there are so many timestamps! I often have to replay just the last part to make sure Ive grasped everything, and so many timestamps surely come in very handy. Thank you

[@s2a1ha1j2a]

Please keep going John, this synthesis is so helpful. I'll be here each week and share this stuff. Thanks for your book too.

[@stvbrsn]

I’m rewatching this many years later and your comment “please keep going” made me chuckle. He made 48 more since you left your comment. Be careful what you wish for… lol. Cheers!

[@johan8742]

Finally! I´ve been waiting whole day for this upload checking my phone. So excited about this video series! Thank you for all the work you put in making these. They are really well made and I am really appreciating the book recomendations for every video.

[@tensevo]

I like the idea that that progress, is bound to history, to prevent the cycle repeating. Unchecked progress, is to go "off course" and will lead us back into the Earth.

[@slaphappybullet]

Ah, faith being the word to describe an awareness of our participation with the unknowable. Knowing, not knowing, like folding layers with dough. I like that a lot.

[@charlescarpenter1291]

Ive been looking forward to this more than anything on youtube. I cannot wait for you to continue

[@kevinlucas54]

So happy episode 3 is up. Thank you so much for sharing these!

[@shawnruzek5378]

I love your lectures but we can't read the white board.

[@con_sci]

That hampers my cognition.

[@maudeeb]

Fatter pen, better lighting, better camera. So many options. Perhaps he's having trouble working out if it's a failure of cyborg-technology or psycho-technology.

[@RickWilliamTV]

@@con_sci Brilliant!

[@outoftheabyss5540]

Been looking forward to Friday all week for this. Ordered your book today and can't wait to read it!

[@brettalt]

I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for this. Thank you so much for sharing your incredibly thoughtful and important work.

[@DonalLeader]

This lecture series is an axial revolution in its own right. It integrates so much of our experience and knowledge.

[@jeffd7976]

The only critique I have on this is modern works on contributions of Egypt, starting with the named Greeks that went there to study and learn much of that they knew. Though a perrenialist, Dr. Algis Uzdavinys (in the vein of Hadot) argues powerfully regarding the similarities between Egyptian and Hindu thought, and it's impact on Greek culture. Likewise, a recent anthology "Universe and the Self in Early Indian and Greek Thought" edited by R Seaford collects academic works in this vein as well. I think you could safely push these revolutions in thought back to 400BCE-ish at the latest regarding the major Greeks and a bit further in the cases of India and Egypt. Other than that, brilliant lecture!

[@magzc7842]

I saw your discussion on free will then found this series. I had a transformative psychedelic experience a few years ago. I used to drink heavily and took psychedelics regularly. After this last time in 2018 I had a complete personality change and quit drinking and haven’t taken psychedelics since. I’ve seen enough. I think of the experience constantly in the back of my mind. It was almost what people describe who have near death experiences. I had studied Buddhism and meditation before the experience and have always had an interest in theoretical physics and philosophy. So your channel is right up my alley and I’m thrilled to have discovered it. Thank you for sharing!

[@einsnull01]

Thanks a bunch, John! Phenomenal work consolidating these ideas.

[@jordannelson950]

Wow. I’m three lectures in and am so stoked to see that I have fourth-seven more to watch. This work is astounding and enlightening. Congratulations Dr. Vervaeke you have yourself a subscriber and a life-long student.

[@daniel0johnson]

I am so happy this lecture series exists! So enlightening, thank you very much!!

[@juan89801]

Another amazing lecture. Had some difficulty with processing the new (old) meaning of words but the amount of insights this lecture taught me are huge. I also like the recap of past lectures

[@Gggorm]

This series is fantastic. Thank you, John!

[@Patrbrid1]

Great job Prof. The lectures to this point have been outstanding. Really great work thank you so much for sharing them on KZbin.

[@antonyliberopoulos933]

This series is a gem. Thank you John.

[@alexhartan]

This series is pure gold, thank you for putting it together John

[@feruspriest]

31:43: Kairos was *not* developed by Tillich. He rehabbed it for modern audiences, but it's a presocratic concept. Our boy Gorgias. I felt compelled to write this before continuing to listen the rest of the way through cause I was so shocked to see one of my favorite words in the wilds beyond my scholarly readings.

[@timyork8642]

These are great, very helpful. Thank you.

[@CrazyAssDrumma]

I came here from your lex friedman podcast, blowing my mind, but I haven't fully had chance to internalise your ideas and apply them

[@dubsackken]

This is one of those videos that makes so much sense and connects so many dots you wonder why you didn’t realize it to begin with

[@TheSpaceInvaderer]

Love what you're doing John

[@isabelfryszberg8135]

A breath of fresh air. Love hearing your talks John. Thank you!! Isabel

[@trissvelvel8499]

Thank you for sharing this wisdom.

[@milliern]

Myth is neither fully scientific nor fully metaphor. Yes! I love this!!! Brilliant stuff.

[@spritecut]

A definition of wisdom that I like is knowledge plus experience.

[@wenzdayjane]

I am so interested in this series! Can't wait for the next one.

[@rinadror]

I watched your podcast with Dr. Jordan Peterson and was curious. In your first three episodes I watched twice. I'm thrilled with you. These are academic classes, free for everyone. Your contribution to humanity is tremendous. I am very interested in the subject. For the past year I have been practicing mindfulness. Thanks

[@JorgeMendez-ik6pv]

Thanks for your time & Lessons, Professor, Regards from Costa Rica.

[@leopoldjenkins]

That point about cognitive fluency was fascinating. Speaks to how much of an outsized influence a good story teller can be.

[@MrDaniyuca]

Absolute superb material thanks for the joy.

[@chrispercival9789]

Fabulous lectures John, thank you!

[@CharlesGorrie]

The discussion with JBP brought me here. I am a tai chi practitioner and teacher with a deep interest in Taoism and Buddhism. Recently economic interested in shamanism and western alchemical practices. These talks are so helpful. The counterbalance the spell of the sensuous and the philosopher’s secret fire

[@Mattsea]

This series is blowing my mind! Giving me hope In what’s personally and globally a tough time.

[@nisanvile5279]

Great lectures! Looking forward to more

[@HMALDANA]

Cosmetic, eh? Great talk John! Thanks for sharing!

[@lianaschill6132]

Covering a lot of ground in human evolution, Dr. Vervaeke! Cheers

[@conforzo]

26:00 I love Johns passion. He mediates what we all feel. There Is No Purpose to perpetuality.

[@apt3810]

I have just started to explore Vervaekes work and i feel he is the top intelligent human being.

[@aydnofastro-action1788]

If the Bronze Age gave us endless cycles, and the Axial Age gave us a lienear storyline, the combination of these two would be a Spiral, which is an accurate depiction of actual planetary motion, as the solar system is in motion around the galaxy etc. And as the great Humanist Astrologer, Dane Rhdyar said, a repeating cycle is the same “only in its structure but not its contents.” The contents would be subject to our free will, even as we are consciously aware of the cyclical nature of time. This lecture has given me the key. Astrology must be viewed as a pre-axial age technology. Later It was integrated with and in some ways contaminated with Platonic and Neoplatonic elements. In the modern west at least, it has been merged with an axial participatory approach. And this then means that it “covers all the bases.” It is a prime example of the “continuous cosmos”, and as you say, science is bringing us back to this truth. On another point, This Reconciliation this great tension is exactly what Neitszche was talking about at the beginning of Beyond Good and Evil when he spoke of the pulling back of a “great bow of tension” in the European mind. And how we “might have the strength and, who knows, even the goal to aim at.”....

[@1993HBh]

Amazing lecture, everyone needs to see these lectures from start to finish. Thank you for this brilliant content!

[@davidjoseph7185]

47:45 John claims that the Greeks invented mathematics, specifically geometry. This is quite a stretch. Even without the historical record of Pythagoras having received his education in Egypt, we'd have the art and architecture of that civilization as monuments to their deep understanding of geometry. I know John's point is that the Greeks brought mathematics to a new stage metacognitively, which is probably true, but this is an important point not to get wrong about human history.

[@peterrosqvist2480]

Thank you for the clarification. I also like your own thoughts that help clarify

[@thee_empowerer]

Wonderfully put.

[@emmashalliker6862]

He should watch/read John Anthony West.

[@sergiosatelite467]

A masterful series which involves a significant stretch of all of recorded human history is bound to paint in rather broad strokes.

[@not_emerald]

Yeah there was actually a lot going on before the Greeks. Egypt had already found out what would eventually become the Pythagoras theorem, Mesopotamia had developed some early algebra before the Greeks, India too... The difference is that the Greeks centered their worldview on that, in a way, by giving so much importance to abstract thought.

[@talkingthapelo]

Excellent lecture. Thank you Prof Vervaeke.

[@borislaviliev251]

The teacher I have been searching for all my life! Thank you very much sir! I deeply admire your work.

[@iamnoone705]

Thank-you so much for uploading this series.

[@OfCourseICan]

These lectures keep getting better and better. Thank you so much Sir.

[@gridcoregilry666]

The notion of "psychotechnologies" is really mindblowing

[@OfCourseICan]

I'm so grateful for this wonderful work. Second time round and just devouring it.

[@timothydeneffe249]

How on earth did this ever get made for KZbin, for free??? John, thank you, and also, what motivates you to do this and give it away?? "Freely you've been given, so freely give?" What state of consciousness makes you work this hard and still be able to give it away?

[@papercut7141]

Hope this was answered for you around ep16 👌

[@Merzui-kg8ds]

I had a world class undergraduate education (Jesuit), and these lectures are absolutely fanTAStic. These evoke the same sort of "Oh, Wow" in me that Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth did years ago.

[@tensevo]

Brilliant insights. The prophet is not somebody who predicts the future, but rather, somebody who can signal that you how you are off course in the present which will lead to a bad outcome.

[@mariaclaraparente5568]

thank you so much for this video series! amazing

[@bettyfleming5824]

Trying to catch all of these episodes helping me grow thank you so much

[@grrlgd3835]

total joy - thanks for this series

[@Dizzymonolizzy222]

I like how he puts these concepts into language I can understand

[@dcoburn88]

This was another great lecture. I really appreciated your analysis of the "continuous cosmos" in contrast with "two world" mythology. Can you recommend any books or resources that examine two world mythology?

[@TheLouissuper]

Thank you so much for these videos. May more people find benefit from it.

[@leedufour]

Thank you John.

[@grim524]

John said he has a tattoo that reads "meditate". That should tell you a lot. We ought to meditate and digest all this information so it becomes wisdom. This is practical rather than intellectual knowledge. Meditation is key.

[@aqualityexistence4842]

The ongoing creation that you can participate in...I love this, and it paralels what I believe to be one of the be one of the best aspects of JBP philosophy as well (probably because it is an expression of the Real world), that you have the power to skew the future toward the Good. This is Dynamic Quality in action, and it's also represented by the "Weeble" Japanese Bhodidharma doll - 7 times down, 8 times up. The Good snaps us back upright!

[@martinmosna2732]

This is a very high quality lecture. Beautiful use of language, music to my ears 🤗💛