Many people, save for perhaps artists, lack the transcendent in their lives, which is precisely the reason they're depressed, anxious and lack direction
Very good post. For all the vaunted benefits of this new rational society it is hard to deny that things just seem to be worse than before. I am reminded of a quote I recently saw, something along the lines of man being enamored by the accomplishments of the old works, but despising the beliefs that built it.
What a beautiful epiphany you’ve had. I’ve read your work over the years and wondered how long you could endure not experiencing moments of transcendence. It’s true, we people follow the way of the chimp without these moments and sometimes with them. (Did you know chimpanzees war on each other?) So now you know your dual nature and mine and the truth which is God gives us the gift of a meaningful life simply by communing with us whenever we would like to become aware of God’s presence. I have visited AA meetings myself and find them extremely inspiring. I encourage anyone who hears that lost tinny echo to disconnect from it by putting their technology down and quietly say to their many thoughts, “I will think more about you later. Right now, I am going to spend time with God.”
Could not a agree more. Very much aligned from a faith and belief perspective. On the topic of mental health (also related to this) there is an excellent book titled “Lost Connections” by Johan Hari which puts forth that our modern disconnections from faith, nature, community, nutrition, etc. are all working together to keep us away from living deeply fulfilled lives. Great book if you have not read it.
If they’d get rid of the people involved in religion it would be better. I don’t trust most of the world’s 200 plus religions mainly because of authoritarianism. I don’t believe there is a god so screwed up he created a whole race of screwups. But this my own personal opinion. I’m not impressed, as an artist, by humanity. It does affect my work.
People who are successful at AA have recognized that they cannot overcome their addictions on their own, that they need a community of support group, but most importantly, that they need a "Higher Power" (as AA now euphemistically refers to God) to do what they cannot do -- help them survive going on the rest of their life still addicted, but no longer giving in to it.
The notion that "the quality of our goods is made worse without religious beliefs" is not talked about enough. It's sad how honor and morals are so cavalierly dismissed. We're left with the cancer and quality degradation of corporate short-termism. The tragedy then is that people radicalize and throw the baby out with the bathwater and dismiss the entire capitalist system as irredeemable. When in reality it is our best engine for innovation and progress.
I agree. In a similar way, it's also weird to me when Christians want to draw lines between things like "secular" and "religious" art. I think it's better understood that everything comes from people who are living out a mixed experience between the sacred and the profane, and art has the same mixture in it. Some Christian art and architecture is as mundane as anything else because it's fitted to the broader culture you write about. This is another thing that happens when our primary values are not as much about transcendence as they are about things like finance and commodification.
I don't buy into that entirely. I have not observed people who have found God to have any greater moral compass than those who don't. Doestaevsky's observation maybe his own, definitely not mind. I think of myself as a moral and caring person. Having 'gone to church' my entire growing up years I never found anything resembling closeness and Godliness there. Just petty tribalistic crap. Please spare me the notion I need God and religion to find meaning in life.
I have to respectfully disagree, Adam. I don’t believe this generation is lost, but rather evolving. They’re navigating a rapidly shifting landscape of knowledge and technology, driven by a desire for empirical evidence rather than faith in a higher power. Their faith is placed in progress, learning, and self-improvement. As Stephen Fry insightfully noted in his autobiography:
‘We humans are naturally disposed to worship gods and heroes, to build our pantheons and Valhallas. I would rather see that impulse directed into the adoration of daft singers, thicko footballers, and air-headed screen actors than into the veneration of dogmatic zealots, fanatical preachers, militant politicians, and rabid cultural commentators.’
In this sense, it’s not about a loss of faith, but a reorientation of where faith is placed.
Yeah I added that point, you can def find the transcendent in nature or other things that are dogmatic-free. God does not have to mean organized religion.
Very good post. For all the vaunted benefits of this new rational society it is hard to deny that things just seem to be worse than before. I am reminded of a quote I recently saw, something along the lines of man being enamored by the accomplishments of the old works, but despising the beliefs that built it.
What a beautiful epiphany you’ve had. I’ve read your work over the years and wondered how long you could endure not experiencing moments of transcendence. It’s true, we people follow the way of the chimp without these moments and sometimes with them. (Did you know chimpanzees war on each other?) So now you know your dual nature and mine and the truth which is God gives us the gift of a meaningful life simply by communing with us whenever we would like to become aware of God’s presence. I have visited AA meetings myself and find them extremely inspiring. I encourage anyone who hears that lost tinny echo to disconnect from it by putting their technology down and quietly say to their many thoughts, “I will think more about you later. Right now, I am going to spend time with God.”
Great post Adam. Really. I’ve loved watching hearing your journey these years. Thanks for being brave and open.
🙏
Could not a agree more. Very much aligned from a faith and belief perspective. On the topic of mental health (also related to this) there is an excellent book titled “Lost Connections” by Johan Hari which puts forth that our modern disconnections from faith, nature, community, nutrition, etc. are all working together to keep us away from living deeply fulfilled lives. Great book if you have not read it.
If they’d get rid of the people involved in religion it would be better. I don’t trust most of the world’s 200 plus religions mainly because of authoritarianism. I don’t believe there is a god so screwed up he created a whole race of screwups. But this my own personal opinion. I’m not impressed, as an artist, by humanity. It does affect my work.
People who are successful at AA have recognized that they cannot overcome their addictions on their own, that they need a community of support group, but most importantly, that they need a "Higher Power" (as AA now euphemistically refers to God) to do what they cannot do -- help them survive going on the rest of their life still addicted, but no longer giving in to it.
The notion that "the quality of our goods is made worse without religious beliefs" is not talked about enough. It's sad how honor and morals are so cavalierly dismissed. We're left with the cancer and quality degradation of corporate short-termism. The tragedy then is that people radicalize and throw the baby out with the bathwater and dismiss the entire capitalist system as irredeemable. When in reality it is our best engine for innovation and progress.
Excellent post, Adam
Is this the long-form iteration of “did you go to the gym today anon?”
lol no that is not the same thing (although gym can certainly be transcendental)
I agree. In a similar way, it's also weird to me when Christians want to draw lines between things like "secular" and "religious" art. I think it's better understood that everything comes from people who are living out a mixed experience between the sacred and the profane, and art has the same mixture in it. Some Christian art and architecture is as mundane as anything else because it's fitted to the broader culture you write about. This is another thing that happens when our primary values are not as much about transcendence as they are about things like finance and commodification.
I don't buy into that entirely. I have not observed people who have found God to have any greater moral compass than those who don't. Doestaevsky's observation maybe his own, definitely not mind. I think of myself as a moral and caring person. Having 'gone to church' my entire growing up years I never found anything resembling closeness and Godliness there. Just petty tribalistic crap. Please spare me the notion I need God and religion to find meaning in life.
I have to respectfully disagree, Adam. I don’t believe this generation is lost, but rather evolving. They’re navigating a rapidly shifting landscape of knowledge and technology, driven by a desire for empirical evidence rather than faith in a higher power. Their faith is placed in progress, learning, and self-improvement. As Stephen Fry insightfully noted in his autobiography:
‘We humans are naturally disposed to worship gods and heroes, to build our pantheons and Valhallas. I would rather see that impulse directed into the adoration of daft singers, thicko footballers, and air-headed screen actors than into the veneration of dogmatic zealots, fanatical preachers, militant politicians, and rabid cultural commentators.’
In this sense, it’s not about a loss of faith, but a reorientation of where faith is placed.
Yeah I added that point, you can def find the transcendent in nature or other things that are dogmatic-free. God does not have to mean organized religion.