Existentialism and Empowerment

0:00 - Introduction. Empowerment means...
1:13 - (1) learning to live authentically
6:35 - (2) assuming personal responsibility for the quality of our lives
9:21 - (3) wanting what we get, rather than getting what we want
12:06 - (4) improving ourselves, rather than blaming others
13:16 - (5) realizing that no one ever empowers us, other than ourselves
15:00 - (6) becoming a free thinker and a free agent
17:01 - (7) realizing that change happens as a function of acceptance and patience, rather than spiritual bypassing

[@joeflotta]

I really appreciate you taking the time to give us your take on this and other subjects. I enjoy riding my bike and listening to you. It allows me to simultaneously strengthen my mind and my body which is the key for me in the caretaking of my soul. Have a great day professor, wherever you are.

[@ericdodson2644]

Wow, Joe... I hadn't thought of that side of what you're doing... strengthening your mind and your body at the same time... which in turn helps you to take care of your soul. That sounds awesome! Usually, I just do one or the other. So, maybe I'll try your strategy. Anyhow, things are looking good this morning in Carrollton, Georgia (about 50 miles west of Atlanta). ♫ It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, it's a beautiful day for a neighbor... ♫... ha ha.

[@joeflotta]

@@ericdodson2644 it was a good morning in Apollo, Pennsylvania. Part of my ride took me through a little country cemetery that had a nice gazebo up at the top of the hill and I sat there and just followed my breath for a little while. It made me realize how lucky I am to be alive and to live the life I do.

[@JamieEHILLS]

Thanks professor! Sending love and peace from Australia

[@nicknorizadeh4336]

Wow Eric I can't thank you enough for this one. I've been following you for quite a while now, but this advice really hit home with me. The message of empowerment is exactly what I needed to hear as I'm currently struggling with an anxiety disorder. Once again thank you so much, and keep up the good work!

[@ericdodson2644]

You're welcome, Nick. Y'know, one of the under-rated things about anxiety is that it's sometimes life's way of calling us to change... basically, life's way of inviting us to transform ourselves and our lives in one way or another.... of calling us toward some higher plane of resolution before we can get on with the rest of our lives. Just a thought. Anyhow, much luck and real empowerment to you, as you make your way through one of life's labyrinths. Eric D.

[@mattelgin]

Eric, I sure do appreciate your approach in sharing a lifetime of learning and reflection. It has been valuable to see myself in your various videos. Take care out there.

[@redsparks2025]

A true mistake is not learning from mistakes. When one learns from a mistake it becomes a lesson. Life is full of lessons to be learnt. :)

[@stephenkelvin1220]

Not sure if you guys cares but if you are stoned like me during the covid times you can watch pretty much all of the latest movies on InstaFlixxer. Been binge watching with my gf during the lockdown :)

[@izaiahtyler3385]

@Stephen Kelvin Yea, I have been watching on instaflixxer for since november myself =)

[@docjohnson2874]

Well done, appropriate and timely.......somewhat provocative terminology for our present day but I'm sure the majority will not be offended or "triggered".....and the most daring move of all was the Dr. Seuss sweater!!!......BTW nice haircut.

[@sajadtorkamani9399]

Thanks, appreciate your videos!

[@dlloydy5356]

Fantastic video. Perhaps my favourite video of yours. I relate to all of these points and have been putting a similar blog together on the basis of being a free thinker and pulling wisdom from various thinkers your good self included.....I didn’t think about it in terms of Empowerment or maybe even Empowerment v Victimhood. Thank you very much as always.

[@brutexrp7207]

Thanks for sharing.

[@projectmalus]

This self empowerment is better than having values imposed, in my opinion. It's the difference between one's identity emerging from one's actions and perceptions, and having those ideas and precepts held up as something like a symbol to strive for (edit: the goal here is significant, the striving itself is okay). Education is a tool that can go both ways. One way I see this is field strength providing a stage in which various ideas and identities can be demonstrated, each person having a "mind field" which has a frequency and amplitude, and the planet having its field in which our civilization can exist, the universe being stronger yet and so on. The frequency is bounded by control and expression (the two extremes) and comprising of movement and complexity. The amplitude is decided by a fixing and relaxing, the will to power and the will to let go, and together the frequency and amplitude make up the strength of the person or ecosystem. An essential part of creation on any level is the not-doing. It's the not-doing that relaxes and so balances and expands, makes stronger the "field" in which those other elements of control and expression can be displayed. Perhaps that existentialism feeling is the expansion? One's identity needs more facets to expand to fit the new larger context, and the self constructed facets seem to shine more than imposed ones. Awesome thought provoking video, thanks!

[@varunpro1]

Thanks a ton 😊

[@reuben9548]

Thank you!

[@ulrikebehrendt]

Thanks for still feeling inspired to part with your knowledge. Thanks for inspiring me. I agree with your points about self responsibility. However, outer circumstances can definitely be beneficial to empowerment or hindering it severly. Rights and chances can be taken away and often are.

[@patrickboylan5441]

Timely. Thanks. Hope all's good.

[@Wingedmagician]

Great video thank you.

[@ralphnisell5008]

Thanks professor Eric! Once again you have given at least me (and probably “us out there”) many life important and thoughtful thoughts to think of. Sending my best regards to you from a spring like Stockholm Sweden today, hoping for a universal spirit connection

[@triggerme2818]

A self-loathing misanthrope is the only identity that I have.

[@Wingedmagician]

Me too. Its not working.

[@triggerme2818]

@@Wingedmagician You too? I can only resent that. I was hoping I was only one. Hahaaha

[@idaloup6721]

@@triggerme2818 Welcome to the club

[@somethingyousaid5059]

Thank you for your excellent insights sir. 👍

[@sickjuicysjamshack3580]

This lecture was very helpful. Thank you

[@AbElsaied]

Great video as always. Did you you make any content about philosophy of process? If not It would be great if you cover that topic.

[@timhargrow]

Subscribed 💪

[@Vitnex]

Hi Eric, great video as always. Curious about your thoughts on cynicism - to me it feels like an intermediate stage on the path towards authenticity, perhaps akin to Nietzsche's lion phase. One needs to be familiar with darkness in order to begin to create one's own values, but it also seems that if one is not careful it can easily lead to the kind of "smug insularity" you warn against in this video: selfishness and egocentric nihilism... Do you think there is a path *through* darkness and negativity into a kind of authenticity which embraces and admits it? Or do we need to learn to avoid cynicism, at least to some degree, in order to effectively create values? Thanks, and best regards.

[@sshah82]

Thank you Prof. Dodson. I always find your videos thought-provoking and inspiring. On the topic of empowerment, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how this works in case of systemic racism or sexism. Also (a different angle) how could this work in case of deep trauma? How does one find any power from inside oneself in these cases? I'd really appreciate if you have any thoughts on this. Thank you again for all the fantastic videos you publish. Cheers!

[@grantgordon4378]

Hello Professor Dodson, I have a quick question. You mention in the video about wanting what we get. I am not sure if it was from one of your videos or another one I saw, but I remember seeing a video talking about how the slave mentality that more or less accepted the "downs" or "negatives" in life as positives and in doing so was actually weakness. How do you reconcile being happy with what you are dealt and creating a justification to be happy with the poor situation you are in? I guess it boils down to genuine acceptance and appreciation versus post hoc rationalization. Many thanks!

[@SharifKhan-lq7lo]

Love your lectures Prof. Dodson! On the philosophy of 'wanting what we get, rather than getting what we want' - is there a place for 'goals' and 'dreams' in living the good life?

[@carlwingard8241]

Interesting thoughts. Thank you for sharing them! I have given empowerment a lot of thought from the perspective of MI and SDT. I reacted to what you said in point 5. I agree that the power is within the person but may i suggest that empowering is about others (or one self) to some degree evoking that power? English is not my native language and I hope i made my self understandable ;) This would give room for the possibility of influence without being dependent.

[@iambacku]

Thanks for sharing. I was expecting more frequent videos after retirement. I guess something is keeping you busy :-D My personal guess is that a book is coming :-)

[@projectmalus]

Don't quote me but I heard that Eric has taken up fire breathing, and that's why he moved, to a less flammable location.

[@chrisgibson3521]

Hello Dr. Dodson, I posted this question on one of your lecture videos but did not receive a response. So, I wanted to repost it here because I am interested in your perspective on the question, Why does it seem that Irvin Yalom is ignored in discussions of Existential Psychology?

[@charmedprince]

Is it intentional this channel isn't monetized?

[@stufromoz8164]

Homer Simpson staring at a microwave oven......Dosnt this thing cook any faster......

[@shawnburnham1]

13:00

[@shawnburnham1]

18:00

[@assholejohn]

Eric, I haven't watched the video, yet, obviously, but can I ask you a question that is not on this topic and that you might think is merely trivial and certainly parochial yet it has the the whole world. I would like your thoughtful mind to address this as I ask do you think it's okay (regardless of how you think that black people have felt about themselves and other people) for them to charge others -as they rightfully say that non POC have en$ lavd them when they themselves have never stopped doing the exact same things and actually much much worse as they would just take whoever balked at their enslavements straight to the xtrmination fields and also percentage wise have done it even more (and continue to this very day) do you think it's right for them to be so egregiously hypocritical as to blame us for things that they have themselves never stopped doing?

[@mikejarrells431]

Doesn't capitalism & government exist to serve us? Doesn't society exist to serve citizens?