Good and Bad Prophets (among the Norse and Us)

[@csrencz6942]

I consider myself a Jackson Crawford fundamentalist and will be compiling his wisdom in a book called “Cravamal”.

[@NH-rn3wz]

Wow...that’s awesome

[@MisterPjamas]

And I... I will read that book!

[@miniespeon158]

"I-I don't know what CBD is, but" that was honestly wholesome.

[@danbrauch4174]

He shrugged his shoulders. "I have known many gods. He who denies them is as blind as he who trusts them too deeply. I seek not beyond death. It may be the blackness averred by the Nemedian skeptics, or Crom's realm of ice and cloud, or the snowy plains and vaulted halls of the Nordheimer's Valhalla. I know not, nor do I care. Let me live deep while I live; let me know the rich juices of red meat and stinging wine on my palate, the hot embrace of white arms, the mad exultation of battle when the blue blades flame and crimson, and I am content. Let teachers and priests and philosophers brood over questions of reality and illusion. I know this: if life is illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content." -Conan the barbarian. By Robert e Howard. the Queen of the black coast. 1934

[@johnn8223]

I was not ready for the Old Norse/Wall Street Bets crossover.

[@tracieh215]

I wish I could take Dr. Crawford to lunch and just talk about this stuff all afternoon. My treat.

[@FromTheFens219]

Interesting. It reminds me of the attitude in a Buddhist community I was quite involved with at one point. Some of the particularly revered monks were widely believed to have what we would call "psychic" abilities, including predicting the future. However, it was also made clear that one couldn't practice with the goal of trying to gain these abilities.

[@thomaswillard6267]

"I don't know what CBD is" Dr Crawford, you live in Colorado

[@djdaddy8080]

“I don’t know what it’s called, I only know the smell of it when it makes a man high” Yes I know cbd is the non-psychoactive compound in cannabis, but it fits better in the bastardized quote.

[@Hobbypayday]

I can't help but smile at the contrast of a cowboy hat wearing dude speaking Norse (Icelandic?).

[@davidkellett4794]

It is reconstructed Old Norse, which is different from Modern Icelandic, though many institutions teach Old Norse with modern Icelandic pronunciation.

[@LooniJoose]

It's Old Norse, not Icelandic.

[@mnels5214]

I completely agree with the modern ideas of inevitability discussed here. It's actually one of the hardest things I found as a student of history, to remember how unforseeable everything was to the people experiencing the past as present, to realize that just because something happened in the past does not necessarily mean it was inevitable.

[@dylanlandry4996]

Heres how stock market orediction works in 3 steps: 1.) Buy my book 2.) Book tells you to invest in this stock 3.) Half a million customers listen to book

[@dracos4244]

H&K Christmas jumper is pretty awesome

[@homesoundsgood7211]

Beautiful!

[@HrodnandB]

Really loved the conclusion! Awesome and on point as always. Thanks, dr. Crawford!

[@scaldedape6213]

I see that Cheech and Chong guy CBD ad every time im on gunbroker lol. Edit: i just noticed the H&K sweater. Nice.

[@hallowacko]

I *LOVE* the TL;DR feature in the corner. If that's a new thing, please keep doing it (I say "if" because sometimes I listen to the videos instead of watching, and I'm not sure how long you've been doing it).

[@ignarskjolvjentski7809]

That gamestop reference aged interestingly

[@American_Heathen]

Love your videos. It has great insight

[@SirAxelGrimnir703]

I love you so much dude. You are a well read, intelligent person.

[@jasenward]

Thank you.

[@luizarraes1711]

Great video Dr. Jackson, even if a little unorthodox for the channel. It is important sometimes to look at our world through the eyes of history. Not to foresee inevitabilities, but to try and look at ourselves through a different set of lenses. We are so used to doing that with the wisdom of ancient romans and greeks, that we can forget how much we can gain from understanding other cultures and languages that are far removed from us in time and space. Cheers m8

[@BlackHermit]

Interesting, and the similarity between there-then and here-now is truly striking!

[@mandodelorian4668]

"The more things change, the more they stay the same!"

[@midshipman8654]

I think this is a very insightful topic and video, thank you. The want to pull hindsight into the present before an event occurs. To have that power before. And the insight to recognize that this is somewhat unreasonable in the winds of chance, and we should maybe instead focus on the present.

[@Fricker112]

Your videos make me happy.

[@Atlas-pn6jv]

"Ancient Iowan secrets." Odin's beard! He's on to us! 😬🏃‍♂️

[@AamonThorsson]

Dude, I think your profile picture is backwards

[@fariesz6786]

"yes, there's inevitability, but in the defiance of inevitability, that's where good character is found" - The Saga of Jean-Paul Sartre

[@daniellebryan3496]

I love how we can still draw parallels in the ideas of the old world with the ideas of today's world (maybe because we are not so far apart in a sense of time, and biology/psychology). This reminded me of Matthew 13:12, "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him" , and how this can be seen taking effect today.

[@gatornator8267]

Thank you Dr. Crawford, I’ve been a viewer for a long time but I have to say this is one of my favorite episodes.

[@sherrillknight6697]

Enjoyed thinking about the connection between the disconcerting events of 2020-2021 and Norse attitudes , Stay safe y'all

[@ericr2617]

Awesome video. I love how you used sources outside of old norse to help us understand the old norse example better. It was very interesting

[@danamaennchen]

Good video Dr.Crawford. Thanks.

[@Necrotoxin44]

One of your videos was recommended to me, but it was filmed inside, and watching your video now with the landscape and the bison I knew it had to be Wyoming or Colorado. Always love to see fine people living in the Rocky Mountains!

[@Jason-ng6iw]

I like that sweater.

[@ganthrithor]

I'm still just a few minutes into this video, but just realized: your shirt :D :D :D

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

I want that HK Christmas sweater look.

[@pukk9445]

He's flexing on us poors.

[@tracieh215]

I believe he is a competitive shooter.

[@stefanjasovic2311]

Great video, but what are those white things on top of pines behind you, right side of the screen? They remind of an insect that makes nests like those. I love your very subtle accent in words like "when" or "what" XD

[@HeriJoensen]

Very interesting, sir!

[@tracieh215]

HOLD THE LINE DR CRAWFORD! Don’t sell!!

[@erinbloom6733]

Thank you Viking cowboy!

[@epicsmileyguy2845]

Thanks doc

[@blakewinter1657]

Something I notice throughout Norse mythology is that, really, all the gods' major problems stem from the fact that Oðin looks into the future. It's because of this that he foresees Ragnarök and tries to prevent it, which seems, really, to only guarantee it comes about. Sometimes it almost seems like Oðin is more a cautionary tale than anything else!

[@melissahdawn]

I think you are on to something.

[@MrBrothasky]

That does happen in life. You will most likely experience what you most fear when you waste all of your thoughts, and actions to prevent it. Also, Odin had an overwhelming thirst for wisdom, but didn't do much to cultivate knowledge.

[@edenicchristian335]

Interesting about the Saidar. Robert Jordan in the Wheel of Time uses this term as the feminine aspect of "magic". So it would seem Norse mythology is one of the myths that Jordan drew from for inspiration.

[@misanthropicmalcontent9977]

Good books. A true modern classic. Heard there's a TV series in the making, but can't say I have high expectations....

[@melissahdawn]

I noticed that too. I always thought Robert Jordan must've been heavily Tolkien influenced. Perhaps they shared a Norse influence.

[@TCFamas]

Like usual I really enjoy your content but this time you got my upvote for the hk swag! 😎

[@swagmundfreud666]

I think back to a lot of scientific discoveries that were somewhat 'predicted' by earlier researchers. For example, Darwin predicted that there must be some physically existing mechanism that drives evolutionary adaptation, which turns out there is: DNA. People often point that out to show how much of a 'genius' Darwin was. Meanwhile, Sigmund Freud made a lot of predictions about psychology that turned out to just be flat out wrong, and we generally make fun of him ruthlessly for it.

[@melissahdawn]

I thought alot about wisdom and foresight and figure it is far more common than we realize. I cannot even count the times I have heard the phrase, "I saw that happening differently." And because things seldom unfold the way we predict or imagine then it is better the keep such assumptions to ourselves and this is commonly seen as wise even in America... I am going to avoid discussing political predictions, though they come to mind... Maybe the old Nordic "luck" was actually wisdom in many cases.

[@balisong46]

This is certainly the most underrated video here. I hope many people will look back over their last 6 years of strong beliefs and go "whoops."

[@christopherrobison6015]

I wish I was a student of yours brother, your awesome

[@tracieh215]

Further note: don't underestimate the power of suggestion

[@judassaturn5999]

Excellent video!! You have a doppelganger in NH- you and my brother are identical. Im not blowing smoke- its kinda spooky

[@KaptainViciorious]

Glad you got in on the Gamestop shares 😂😆

[@lazyturtle8415]

Makes a video about predicting the future and how it's weird,also buys GameStop stocks the day before they skyrocket

[@ratboy_]

Alg*rithm comment. Great work, doc.

[@sammcgill5324]

I love the shirt!

[@BibleStoriesandBeyond]

Wonderful!

[@Neyvermore]

Okay now I'd like you to appear in a baseball cap. Please.

[@oledavidostli]

"Time and chance". I'm looking at mortality rates in a North Norwegian parish, 18th century. My God. The stoicism it must have taken to start a family at all.

[@paulaunger3061]

Interesting point of view. I think there's a distinction to be drawn between the people claiming special, magical powers of seeing the future (astrology, tarot etc) and people who actually study trends and similar to extrapolate from what we're doing now to the consequences due in a few years' time. COVID, for example. That was completely predicted and predictable - but nobody listened to the experts who said this would happen and why - and now here we are. Likewise climate change. I'm fascinated by the the vast temperature changes in short spaces of time some areas are now getting - in Path of the Pole, Charles Hapgood described something similar and said it preceded an ice age. I think you;re right about not spending so much time trying to look ahead and more time looking at what we're doing now. That would be the surest way of reaching a future we actually want! And while I'm no fan of predestination, it certainly can't be denied that death is inevitable for all of us... On another subject, much better end cards this time! Could actually see your face and current hat! Obscured view of the bit where you tip your hat to the viewer though. Have to admit, I absolutely love that moment! What about finishing the videos with the rodeo Sleipnir graphic and putting all the end cards on that? :D

[@paulaunger3061]

@@coreyander286 no, but to be honest it wasn’t the pole shifts I was interested in. It was the description of global warming, decades before the rest of the world had any idea there was anything to worry about. Hapgood was a reputable scientist with a hot theory about pole shifts that turned out to be wrong - he wasn’t a crank.

[@GraemeMarkNI]

"...the proletarian struggle or whatever..."

[@blakewinter1657]

'With millions of people rolling dice, eventually someone rolls six sixes in a row.' Yup. Or as I like to tell my students, it is exceedingly probable that some very improbable things will happen!

[@balisong46]

We definitely need an update on the timing of those GME shares. Did you really buy on the 27th?

[@xtieburn]

Reminds me of absurdism. The philosophy that takes a look at the stark contrast between humans trying to see meaning in their lives and the reality of a universe that ostensibly has none. 'Bad' prophets in this case would be ones who attempt to evade this fact, while 'good' ones are prescient but accepting of their fate. - (The ideas were pulled together by a philosopher called Camus using the myth of Sysyphus. Assuming Sysyphus would or could not kill themselves, they have only two real options, delude themselves and torturously struggle against whats wholly out of their control, or embrace it and push that rock around like nobody else can.)

[@jeanalisson]

14:19 I literally stopped the video and went to check if you were in a baseball cap in the next one

[@andeve3]

fellas... is it argr to tell the future?

[@Corinnecy]

The CBD ad is with TOMMY CHONG lol

[@TuwinDiane]

a little late to the conversation, but very interesting. There are cultures that consider homosexual individuals extremely sacred. It makes total sense to me that these people would practice a specific way of 'seeing' or 'divining'. I wonder if the disdain could be attributed to Snorri's christian background...

[@AstridRohan]

I actually like the take the show "Barbaren" had on this topic. There's a character who is described as a Germanic seer, but she openly admits several times she is not. Yet there's a scene where people expect her to tell them their future, and so she does. But it wasn't a fortune-telling. She told them exactly what they needed to hear in order to motivate them to accomplish a common goal. I suspect most "prophesies" and prophets operate in this manner. Either they're saying what they think is obvious, or simply playing up to people's already existing expectations. This is also retroactive. It's certainly an Abrahamic thing to write "prophesies" about things that happened several hundred years prior (making it history, not prophesy), which will naturally then look impressive to anyone born after or to modern people who know nothing of archaeology and when said books were written. So, did Norse character A in a story accurately prophesize event B? Well, when and by who was the story written? :)

[@ilyasantonov212]

I find the idea of somebody being perverted for trying to see the future interesting. Sexuality seems wound up with a lot of other seemingly unrelated things. Maybe there could be some videos on Norse sexuality?

[@newworldlubbock]

Keep looking through Dr. Crawford's videos. He addresses that. Also, the Old Norse society is VERY hyper-masculine. There were very definite masculine and feminine roles in that society. As far as gender studies in Old Norse society, I'm not acquainted with any. happy hunting and learning.

[@ilyasantonov212]

@@newworldlubbock I've gone through tonnes of his stuff but I oh by clicking the next video. I'll do a search! Thanks

[@wenzelplot]

@@coreyander286 I think this belief is largely attributed to the idea of the Norns spinning fate, and it being a magical work that they undertake. I don't think there would have been much more to it other than gender roles though, although it is likely that both women and men took on semi-shamanistic practices in the Old North.

[@dorteweber3682]

@@wenzelplot I think that in a highly gendered society like the Norse, women's work, which employs some knowledge of physics (spinning, weaving) and chemistry (brewing, baking, dyeing) however elementary and implicit, may be seen as magical by the dominant half of society whose work requires a very different skills and knowledge set (astronomy, geography, metereology, all just for navigating and sailing). Hence "we", meaning the male dominant research into a male dominant culture, comes to accept the association of magic with females and feminine characteristics without looking critically at why that view came into being. In modern times, we have talked of women having intuition , for example, and have only recently begun to explore what intuition really is -just a large set of facts and experiences being brought into play without conscious effort.

[@deathdeathington]

You never cross the same river twice.

[@andersbenke3596]

Depending on your definition of river.

[@TimothyDH]

Hi listened to what Crawford said about Njal and thought "he had a bit of wit about him" which is a dialect comment from round here. I suppose it's the same connotation as vitr

[@mesechabe]

I liked the version of Gripisspa that you recited better than the one that was in the sidebar. It seems like in the last couple of lines at very subtle wordplay about I think it involved “make” and “shape” was much more thought-provoking and striking. It has a bit of fatalism in it. Is that your own translation?

[@zacharybunker1135]

nice shirt

[@seanwelch71]

If Crawfordology taught us anything, it was in Old Norse, which I then did not know. -Future Me

[@shaynethechangingman322]

I'd like to know where you got that sweater!

[@mjinba07]

Wanting to predict the future is typically either a matter of anxiety or graft. There are other reasons but those are the most common. And, obviously, neither contribute to an assessment of good character. Having natural foresight, however, or having been gifted with an insight presumably by the gods, on the other hand...

[@paulhood7316]

its amazing how there is ALWAYS at least ONE person who has to THUMBS DOWN Dr. Crawford ..... Me thinks its probably one or more of those Tenured Reindeer that Rudolph had to deal with after that fated lighted sled ride ( Or a very human version of same tenured Ivory Tower tenants in Academia Land)

[@j.s.c.4355]

Njall is the Icelandic Sherlock Holmes.

[@mike_nolan]

That's the best h&k shirt ever

[@rollolainez8232]

Why us there a bloop when he says Odinn?

[@AlozarLorandul]

One of two things, it was either a noise to draw attention to the little tidbit that popped up about his next book, or he was receiving a notification. I'm pretty sure he films these on his phone and I feel like I heard a little bit of a vibration noise, so I think he probably just got a text or something and decided to ignore it and keep talking.

[@phillipr.mctear8962]

👍

[@yououitme3690]

enjoy your vids, have you ever thought about breaking down songs from artists like wardruna and heilung.

[@MClaudeW]

What about attachment to the past?

[@FaithfulHorrorhound]

Before Election Day, I just told people "No matter who's elected, expect anarchy and riots." Yeah, everyone knew that would happen, so I'm no prophet, just pointing out what was obvious.

[@user-dd6ng1wn1b]

People have been predicting as long as there have been people, and seldom with much accuracy. What I want to know is when and if you sold GME. If you bought it in the 3d week of January 2021, you probably paid mid to high forty's. It's at 215 today , so not a bad deal even if you still hold it.

[@joedale6496]

The Buddha in a cowboy hat. Speaking Old Norse. Gotta love it.

[@joetrimble7953]

People who see the future then protect and further themselves keep quiet. This activity makes them suspect to those who can't see trends let alone predict. Also they would be pestered by lazy/dull people who don't use common sense let alone foresight. I am disappointed by the good doctors view on this.

[@misanthropicmalcontent9977]

Some with foresight actually try to warn those around them... though they know it will often be ignored or ridiculed. Each to their own, I suppose....

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

Attitudes to knowing the future are similar in the Abrahamic religions, particularly where beliefs are more fatalistic. Those who know the future without trying are given that knowledge by God and are called prophets, those who make special effort to do so by astrology, tarot, etc., are guilty of forbidden acts for which have been severe punishments. In all these religions which have shaped so much of our world strength of character, moral goodness, and even saintliness come from living a good life despite what is in store. There must be other belief systems other than Norse and Abrahamic religions with similar attitudes. I find the contrast between accepted norms of behaviour in Norse society and the behaviour of Oðinn curious, he practices seiðr and does not accept the fate given by the Norns, indeed his involvement in the sagas is largely collecting the greatest warriors to prevent his death in Ragnarök. He does not seem to be held up as a role model despite his association with wisdom.

[@punchysonichu5395]

OK, but... what about the "bad" prophets? Maybe I'm not following the argument, but Prof Crawford seems to be pointing out that societies, past and present, have certain notions about "wise men" who "predict the future", and that the cultural archetypes associated with these "wise men" - intelligent, elderly, weird hair etc - are similar in both Old Norse society, and our own. Right? I think this is easy to agree with - I'm not well-read in cultural anthropology, but it's my understanding that _most_ societies associate things like intelligence and age with wisdom. Now, I'm tempted to _disagree_ with Prof Crawford's assesment of contemporary society, on the grounds that the society _I_ grew up in (Millennial American society) tended to operate according to the mantra "don't trust anyone over 30", which would make _our_ "wise man" cultural archetype quite different from the classic archetype Crawford puts forward. But... yeah, in general, if a person is smart and old, then I'm willing to accept that _most_ societies would view that person as a source of wisdom. Further, Prof Crawford proposes that predictions made by wise men about the future, when later found to be materially true, tend to be (or are always?) _accidentally_ true (not a Justified True Belief?) and are, at best, only _partially_ true. There's a lot to unpack about that idea, but I'd definitely disagree with the first proposition, and somewhat agree with the second, if indeed that is what Crawford is arguing here. (won't get into it right now, cuz it'd take too long...!) Then, Prof Crawford proposes that part of the wisdom of the Old Norse mindset is in not worrying too much about the future; don't dwell on trying to predict what's going to happen (because if you do, you're probably some argr weirdo). In the sense that this is a reading that is contained within the Norse sagas, I'll have to defer to Prof Crawford and agree; in the sense that this is sound ethics, or in the sense that these ethics are/should be applicable to us in our contemporary life, then... I guess I'd be on the fence? Could argue it either way, really. Would probably disagree, on the grounds that this kind of thinking can lead to unnecessary inaction and fatalism - but then, I tend to be a "fundamentalist", as Prof Crawford accurately put it. (side note: rather than drawing a hard distinction between "religion" and "belief systems other than religions", I think the term "belief system" should be replaced with "non-theistic religion". The analogies between "religion" e.g. paganism, Christianity, and "belief systems" e.g. MAGAism, scientism, are more than just metaphoric or tangential, and I think our tendency to use different words to describe these sets of beliefs gives us an unneccesarily muddled and compartmentalized perspective on our current "modern, enlightened" non-theistic systems of belief, versus the theistic systems of belief that came before) *But, what I'm really not clear on is this:* Is there a contemporary parallel for the "argr seidr-worker"/ "problematic prophet" archetype? That is to say, do we have a contemporary cultural archetype warning of us of the dangers of being too inquisitive, too smart, too focused on the future, etc? Particularly a _gendered_ archetype, but I guess any sufficiently negative archetype will do? If Prof Crawford proposed one, I guess I must have missed it.

[@punchysonichu5395]

*TL;DR who's the ergi nowadays?!*

[@VikingTokyo]

LOL!!! You need a gray beard. Crawford the Gray. LOL!!!

[@myNamesTakin]

I love the urdy gurdy intro 😂

[@Eulemunin]

Feeding the algorithm

[@Depipro]

"Skuld" suddenly reminded me of this train conductor in Germany. Out of the speakers first came: "Meine Damen und Herren, in wenigen Minuten werden wir Mainz erreichen", which was then followed by English: "Ladies and Gentlemen, in a few moments we should arrive in Mainz". Ironically, this train reached Mainz without any difficulty, but due to some signal malfunction, it was seriously delayed between Mainz and the next station, Mannheim.

[@donkeysaurusrex7881]

Incoming baseball cap video confirmed!

[@mew11two]

Among Us reference? 😳

[@iskanderaga-ali3353]

Among us?😳

[@agustvalfells8987]

Since you mentioned it. To the best of my knowledge CBD is a chemical compound found in cannabis and is the chemical that has medicinal properties. If I understand correctly CBD mitigates the effect of THC (which is the active ingredient in cannabis)

[@latifoljic]

Fellas is it gay to see the future?

[@mattiasthornkvist7141]

About Seidr and it being ragr. If I understand the reasoning in Prolonged Echoes by Clunies Ross she argues that since it originates from Freya who is Vanir it is by default emasculating since Vanir are below Aesir on the social stratum. Amongst other things obviously.

[@kogganator]

Long career What are you, 30?

[@johnny13x2]

Amogus

[@latifoljic]

Amogus

[@Duggaflug]

very absurdist!

[@thajuggala6]

Just a heads up, as a gamer, I can tell you that hard copy video games are dying, and everything is going digital I'd sell if I was you better off investing in space I'm a trucker as well I'm informed on the ground level lol

[@sgta101]

Do you believe in God?