Think Hard Danielle LaSusa & José Muñiz

Danielle and José discuss having consistency in our ideas and beliefs. Why is consistency important? Should we have more allowance for nuance, evolution, or mushiness in our thoughts? What are the risks of remaining inconsistent or, conversely, of being too rigid in our thinking?

We welcome special guest Jeff Guenther LPC to defend the Law of Attraction, which we lambasted in #37 Vision Bored. Creator of Therapy Den and the Portland Therapy Center, Jeff claims that the law of attraction is the best model we have for how the universe works, and that there’s nothing problematic about it. José and Danielle are not so sure.

Danielle and José assess whether or not the Law of Attraction is total
bullshit. After careful consideration, we’ve determined that although there
are lots of ways in which the Law of Attraction might be helpful, it also
can be politically dangerous and, at times, utter nonsense.

What happens when the responsibility to have an open mind pushes against
the responsibility to protect people from hateful speech and ideology? José
argues that having an open mind is required for us all to develop into our
full selves, but cautions that this open-mindedness should happen primarily
in the intimacy of private spaces, not necessarily on the public stage.This
episode is the bookend to: “#11: Tolerating the Nazi Next Door,” so we
recommend you take a listen to that one from our archives here.

Are you the same person that you were when you were six years old? Does identity exist over time? Danielle suggests that there is no such thing as a permanent essential self or soul and argues for the Buddhist idea of “no-self.” José is skeptical, believing instead that we are essentially the same over time.

Is prostitution immoral? Danielle begins this episode thinking that prostitution is morally permissible, if it is between two consenting adults. José argues that prostitution is morally wrong because it objectifies and dehumanizes women in a physical and irredeemable way. By the end of their conversation, Danielle’s not sure what she thinks anymore.