Welcome to The Lightning Podcast, where we discuss and explore our weekly Lightning Meditations. Want to continue the discussion? Join us for more learning and discussion in our Meditations and Chronicles WhatsApp groups! Meditations: https://chat.whatsapp.com/JIFXc06ABCPEsyfUBtvm1U Chronicles: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FD6M9a35KCE2XrnJrqaGLU Follow us on other platforms for more content! Twitter: https://x.com/lightinspires Instagram: https://instagram.com/lightning.inspiration?igshid=NzZlO ...
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Please leave a review - one index finger spasm for you, a day made for me. The emergent characteristics of crony capitalism have punished those inclined to go against the grain. My guests and I tackle existential questions, financial topics, current events - while celebrating those with the courage to be different.
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Empirical Importance w/ David H. Solomon (The Lightning Podcast S1 E44)
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"If what you are doing is not important, and if you don't think it is going to lead to something important, why are you at Bell Labs working on it?" – Richard Hamming This week, join Cyrus Palizban and new guest, David H. Solomon, professor of finance at Boston College, as we discuss David’s work on behavioral finance, media roles, and recent resea…
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Innovation & the Social Order: The Lightning Podcast S1 E43
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How can we navigate change? This week, join Cyrus Palizban in introducing the newest Lightning faculty member, Benjamin Hinrichs, who shares a sneak peek from his new course: 'Innovation and the Social Order'. The course will delve into the nature of societal change, understanding future uncertainties, and the necessity of preparing mentally for ch…
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Cleverness & Mistrust: The Lightning Podcast S1 E42
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"You start to mistrust very clever people when they get embarrassed." – Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Nicolas Sarian as we dive deep into the complexities and frustrations of academia. Using the above Nietzsche quote as a springboard, we explore and recount personal experiences of academic disappointme…
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The Power of Parable: The Lightning Podcast S1 E41
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“Go over.” – Franz Kafka This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Zohar Atkins as we delve into Kafka's 'Parable on Parables.' Establishing the dichotomy between tangible reality and the abstract world of parable we ask: how can one live in both realms? Appropriately, the conversation employs a variety of tales and stories to explore the personal and soc…
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What the Ancients Sought: The Lightning Podcast S1 E40
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“Seek not the paths of the ancients. Seek that which the ancients sought.” –Matsuo Basho, The Rustic Gate This week, host Cyrus Palizban introduces Hocwyn Tipwex, Harvard grad and co-founder of Uqbar. Our conversation delves into the philosophy behind ancient and modern learning, the value of pseudonymous intellectual discourse, and the impact of s…
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"Think. Say. Like.": The Lightning Podcast S1 E39
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"It is the rare fortune of these days that one may think what one likes and say what one thinks." -Tacitus, Histories This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Nico Sarian as we delve into the complex interplay between censorship, free speech, and authenticity. We explore how historical contexts from ancient Rome to modern-day America shape our understand…
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Seasons of Civilization: The Lightning Podcast S1 E38
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What is a Golden Age? This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Rainer Franz, the Business Development Director at Lightning, as we discuss Rainer’s lecture series on the Golden Ages, discussing the rise and fall of great civilizations like Greece, Persia, and Rome. We explore the concept of a 'Golden Age,' how the phases of civilizations are compared to …
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Evil Is Easy: The Lightning Podcast S1 E37
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“Evil happens without effort, naturally, inevitably; good is always the product of skill.” – Charles Baudelaire This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Nico Sarian as we dive deep into the timeless debate on the nature of good and evil, starting with the above quote by Baudelaire, then examining perspectives from Kant, Hume, Nietzsche, Spinoza, and othe…
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Love & Judgment: The Lightning Podcast S1 E36
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“The more man judges, the less he loves.” — Honoré de Balzac, Philosophy of Marriage This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Zohar Atkins as we delve into the ever-contentious relationship between love and judgment. Starting with a quote from Honoré de Balzac, we debate whether judgment and love can coexist and the implications of being judgmental versu…
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The Aim of Genius: The Lightning Podcast S1 E35
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“Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.” — Arthur Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Zohar Atkins as we delve into the nature of genius and talent, using the words of Arthur Schopenhauer as springboard. Are talent and genius the same? If not, what are th…
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Freud and Religion: The Lightning Podcast S1 E34
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“Immorality, no less than morality, has at all times found support in religion.” — Sigmund Freud, The Future of an Illusion This week on The Lightning Podcast, join Cyrus Palizban and guest Nicolas Sarian as we engage in a compelling discussion surrounding this controversial quote by Sigmund Freud. The conversation covers a range of topics, includi…
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The Prompting of Nature: The Lightning Podcast S1 E33
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“Man is the only one that knows nothing, that can learn nothing without being taught. He can neither speak nor walk nor eat, and in short he can do nothing at the prompting of nature only, but weep.” — Pliny the Elder, Natural History This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Alexander (Sasha) Kim, a Harvard PhD candidate in Anthropology, as we delve into…
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Do the Hard Thing - How to Deal with Complexity, and Jerry Parker’s ETF
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This episode NOTHING SAID ON THIS PODCAST IS INVESTMENT ADVICE.
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Lions & Horses & Cattle, Oh My! -- The Lightning Podcast S1 E32
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“If cattle and horses and lions had hands or could paint with their hands and create works such as men do, horses like horses and cattle like cattle would depict the gods' shapes and make their bodies of such a sort as the form they themselves have.” — Xenophanes, Fragments This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Nicolas Sarian as we delve into the phil…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E31: What a Disaster
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“Disaster ruins everything, while leaving everything intact.” — Maurice Blanchot, The Writing of Disaster This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Francis Pedraza, founder of Invisible Technologies, as we discuss the paradoxical nature of disaster. Francis reflects on his personal and professional setbacks, particularly those of Invisible, and relates th…
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The Lightning Podcast: S1 E30: Brimming Minds
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“When you wish to instruct, be brief; that men’s minds may take in quickly what you say, learn its lesson, and retain it faithfully. Every word that is unnecessary only pours over the side of a brimming mind.” – Horace, Ars Poetica This week, join Cyrus Palizban and Zohar Atkins as they discuss Horace's quote on brevity in instruction. Of course th…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E29: Traipsing Through Tragedy
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"The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities." – Sophocles, Oedipus Rex Change of format! This week, host Cyrus Palizban invites a single guest, Nico Sarian, to dive into the quote of the week and meander from there! Starting with the quote from Sophocles' “Oedipus Rex”, we take a deep dive into the nature …
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E28: Real Vengeance
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“Real vengeance has not yet concretely demonstrated its power upon our lives and it never will, in a sense, because if it did, there would be no more lives to be affected by anything.” — René Girard, Dionysus versus the Crucified This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, Rainer Franz, and Harry Jacobs as we delve into a discussion on Rene Girar…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E27: Emulation Instinct
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“With the exception of the instinct of self-preservation, the propensity for emulation is probably the strongest and most alert and persistent of the economic motives proper.” — Thorstein Veblen, Theory of the Leisure Class This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Nicolas Sarian, Zohar Atkins, and Harry Jacobs as we explore Thorstein Veblen's assertion. We …
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E26: Experiencing Phenomenology
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“I certainly have, thanks to time, an interlocking and taking up of previous experiences in later experiences, but I never have an absolute possession of myself by myself, since the hollow of the future is always filled by a new present.” – Maurice Merleau-Ponty This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, Nicolas Sarian, Harry Jacobs, and new tea…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E25: Poetry - Skill or Mania?
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“Poetry is the work of a gifted person, or of a manic: of these types, the former have versatile imaginations, the latter get carried away.” — By Aristotle From Poetics This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, Nicolas Sarian, Harry Jacobs, and Jake Kozloski as we delve into a multifaceted discussion on poetry, artistry, and philosophy, using A…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E24: The Religion of Love
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“To fall in love is to create a religion that has a fallible god.” – Jorge Luis Borges This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, Nicolas Sarian, Harry Jacobs, and Jake Kozloski (founder and CEO of Keeper, an AI-driven dating app) as we engage in a rich discussion about the complexities of love, marriage, and the evolving role of Artificial Inte…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E23: Show Them What They Want
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“A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.” –Steve Jobs This week on The Lightning Podcast, join Cyrus Palizban, Harry Jacobs, Zohar Atkins, Nicolas Sarian, and Francis Pedraza as we delve into the bold quote by Steve Jobs. We discuss innovation, entrepreneurship, and the challenge of creating something new that th…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E22: Labor for Value
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“The value of a commodity, or the quantity of any other commodity for which it will exchange, depends on the relative quantity of labour which is necessary for its production, and not on the greater or less compensation which is paid for that labour.” - David Ricardo This week on The Lightning Podcast, join Cyrus Palizban, Nico Sarian, Zohar Atkins…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E21: Giveaway or Sell?
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“Many manage to sell what they could never give away.” – Stendhal In this episode of the Lightning Podcast, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, and Nicolas Sarian as we discuss Stendhal’s quote. We explore various perspectives on the themes of value, gifting, and exchange. From theology to memes to Soviets to markets, this conversation is a multi-fa…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E20: The Benevolence of Self-Interest
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“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” - Adam Smith This week join Cyrus Palizban, Nico Sarian, and Zohar Atkins as we delve into the fundamental principles of the economic systems we live in through the lens of Adam Smith's quote from 'Wealth…
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Scripture, Philosophy, and Embracing Ambiguity with Zohar Atkins
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Scripture, Philosophy, and Embracing Ambiguity with Zohar AtkinsSummary: In this episode of Courage Over Convention, we dive into a fascinating conversation with Zohar Atkins, a renowned scholar and founder of Etz Hasadeh. Join us in exploring how Judaism illuminates guiding truths even in this age of disruption. We discuss the impact of technology…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E19: Everything's Godful
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“All things are full of gods.” - Thales of Miletus This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Nicolas Sarian, Zohar Atkins, and Genevieve Kim as we engage in a philosophical discussion centered on the above quote by Thales. We discuss varying interpretations of the statement, touching upon topics of Greek mythology, psychology, polytheism, Christian theology,…
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Juul Pods Ubiquitous While Psilocybin and Ketamine Therapy Are Broadly Illegal
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One Juul pod contains as much nic as 20 cigs. “So yea you can sell em in a four pack right next to the gummy worms.”Psilocybin and ketamine therapy are the best treatment options for complex PTSD - predominantly suffered by victims of sexual assault. But bc these non-addictive substances can’t be effectively monetized, they are impossible for peopl…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E18: The Rule of Exception
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“The rule proves nothing; the exception proves everything.” - Carl Schmitt. This week on The Lightning Podcast, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins and Nicolas Sarian as we take a deep dive into the philosophy of Carl Schmitt, a controversial 20th-century German legal philosopher, known for his theories on politics, law, and their relationship with t…
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A fun though perhaps controversial collaboration with Stewart Alsop III (host of the Crazy Wisdom Podcast). Subscribe to his podcast (Crazy Wisdom) - you’ll be glad you did. You can find him on Twitter @StewartalsopIIIYou can find me on Twitter @WoodyWiegmann(1) Woody's general perspective on free will, determinism, and the views of thought leaders…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E17: Valorous Arms
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“Valor increases with the quality of the arms, defensive as well as offensive.” - Giovanni Botero. This week on The Lightning Podcast, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, and Genevieve Kim as we discuss the concept of valor. What is valor? We try to answer: literally, metaphorically, and historically - using multiple analogies from matters of dress …
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E16: Knowledge or Action, Super Ego or Id
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“Right action is better than knowledge; but in order to do what is right, we must know what is right.” This week, Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, and Nicolas Sarian use King Charlemagne’s quote as a starting point into a discussion about thought vs action. What is the relationship between the two? Drawing from diverse references - Jewish tradition, B…
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“He who does not know how to use leisure has more of work than when there is work in work.” This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, Genevieve Kim, Nicolás Sarian, and Anne Dudek as we explore the philosophy of leisure and work, prompted by the quote from Ennius. What constitutes leisure? Is it bound by time or the actions we take? From ancien…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E14: To Like or Not to Like
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“A man who likes nobody is much more unhappy, than a man whom nobody likes.” This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Anne Dudek, and Zohar Atkins as we grapple with this statement from François de la Rochefoucauld’s “Maxims”. From political intrigue of European courts to the techniques actors employ to get into character, to the laws and rulesets we all se…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E13: Serious Play
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This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, and Nicolas Sarian as we discuss what it means to have seriousness towards play, prompted by a quote by Friedrich Nietzsche from "Beyond Good and Evil". Children immerse themselves into their play, often losing themselves in their imaginations. How do we lose this ability? How is regaining it a sign of …
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E12: By the Light of the Moon
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This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Anne Dudek, Zohar Atkins, Stewart Alsop III, and Nicolas Sarian as we discuss the mystical power of the Moon, prompted by a quote from the ancient Indian author, Kalidasa. We explore the dichotomy between the moon and the sun as considered by different cultures and religions. The conversation leads us to discuss the …
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E11: Where Thunder Rumbles
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This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, Stewart Alsop, Nicolas Sarian, and Anne Dudek as we discuss alchemy: its philosophical, psychological, and transformative concepts. Nicolas Sarian attempts to guide us through its stages: from dissolution to calcination to transformation, referencing the source of the episode’s chosen quote, Fulcanelli'…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E10: Started from the Filth, Now We Here...
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This week, join Cyrus Palizban, Zohar Atkins, Genevieve Kim, and Nicolas Sarian as they explore a profound, if esoteric, quote by Abraham Abulafia. We delve into the concept of 'filth' as a fundamental aspect of human life, tying it with existential pain, and deeply examining the role of 'blood', in both the physical and mystical sense. Our discuss…
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Daniel Boyarin: Talmud as Anti-Theology S2 E20
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This week, Zohar is joined by Talmud scholar Daniel Boyarin to discuss the intellectual and spiritual legacy of the rabbis, Talmud as the irresolvable pursuit of truth, Christianity, sophistry, antisemitism, Maimonides, the fact/value distinction, academic vs. religious methodology, and more. If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a rate and r…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E9: I Hope to Hope
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This week, join Zohar Atkins, Nicolas Sarian, Anne Dudek, Stewart Alsop III, and Cyrus Palizban as we contemplate a quote from Samuel Beckett, “Confusion too is company. Up to a point. Better hope deferred than none.” What are the paradoxes of confusion, hope, and their functions in our lives? Is confusion a companion? When or can it be beneficial?…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E8: Do You Think You Think?
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This week, join Zohar Atkins, Nicolas Sarian, Stewart Alsop III, and Cyrus Palizban as we discuss thinking. What is thinking? Do we think that we truly think? Join us as we discuss how the meaning of thinking has changed over the centuries and how AI changes the discussion. What do you think? Join us for more learning and discussion in our Meditati…
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Trae Stephens: Choosing Good Quests S2 E19
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This week, Zohar Atkins joins Trae Stephens, investor, serial entrepreneur, and faith-based public thinker, to talk about what makes for a good quest, the ethics and theology of doing things that scale and things that don't, political theology, why optimism is rational, and how to make life-altering decisions.…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E7: No Pain, No (Freedom) Gain
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This week, join Zohar Atkins, Anne Dudek, Genevieve Kim, and Cyrus Palizban as we talk about pain. We agree with this week's Meditation: that pain is universal and unavoidable. But how is it tied to our freedom? Is pain a blessing? From the joy of difficulty to the birth of compassion, join us as we have a heartfelt conversation about our own exper…
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Rohit Krishnan: Building God S2 E18
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This week Zohar joins Rohit Krishnan, investor, blogger at Strange Loop Canon, and author of Building God, to talk about Edge, AI, Sabbaticals, Mastery and Generalism, Investing, Creativity, P-Zombies, Techno-Optimism, Conviction, and Forgetting. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show to help us grow. You might also enjoy The …
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E6: Leveling the Individual
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This week, join Zohar Atkins, Francis Pedraza, Anne Dudek, Genevieve Kim, and Cyrus Palizban as we discuss how art, thought, and passion unite us all. How independent are our thoughts? How unique is our individual expression? Are we just repeating our predecessors through history? Are we part of some great unifying spirit, elevated to it by shared …
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E5: Creation - Order or Chaos?
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This week, join Zohar Atkins, Nicolas Sarian, Anne Dudek, and Cyrus Palizban as we discuss the nature of creation. Where does it arise from: order or chaos? What is chaos? What is creation, or art for that matter? Get comfortable, because this is a long one! Join us for more learning and discussion in our Meditations and Chronicles WhatsApp groups!…
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Seth Kaplan: Reviving the Neighborhood S2 E17
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This week Zohar is joined by public intellectual Seth Kaplan to discuss his new book Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code at a Time. Kaplan takes his analysis of Fragile States and applies the same lens to American neighborhoods. Zohar and Seth talk about what makes for good neighborhoods, why culture can't be reduced to …
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E4: Much Ado about Nothingness
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This week, join Zohar Atkins, Nicolas Sarian, Anne Dudek, Francis Pedraza, and Cyrus Palizban as we try to discuss literally nothing! Today's discussion is about nothingness, or perhaps, emptiness. From Buddhist lessons to luxury notebook prices to the nature venture capital, we attempt to puzzle out the nature of potentiality. Join us for more lea…
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The Lightning Podcast S1 E3: The Object of Hope
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This week, join Zohar Atkins, Nicolas Sarian, Anne Dudek, Francis Pedraza, and Cyrus Palizban as we try to discuss the meaning and necessity of hope and work. Can you work without hope? To what extent does setting goals help or hinder us? Is there any hope for us to stay on topic this episode? Listen and find out! Join us for more learning and disc…
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