Conversations and Meditations Conversations and Meditations

In this episode, Virgil goes into the idea of wearing masks to hide our real feelings and our true selves. In this discussion, we will investigate the concept of masks and why we choose to wear them. Masks can hurt our relationships and, ultimately, our lives. Masking our emotions is a coping mechanism that stops us from genuinely processing them and integrating them into our character. People who wear masks are driven by trauma, and we all experience different types of trauma in our lives. A mask covers up wounds and doesn’t allow those wounds to heal. It hides the pain. In this episode, you'll learn how to take off the mask and better regulate and manage negative emotions and a negative self-image. If you want to be honest with others, you first have to be honest with yourself. Wounds need air to heal. Its time to take your mask off, will you join me?

In this episode, Vigil and his returning guests, Danny and Matt, discuss the topic of postmodernism. This episode focuses on the differences between modernism and postmodernism and why talking about this topic is essential. The show then goes into whether postmodernism exists only in the realm of art and literary theory, or is it also a social phenomenon. We then discuss if postmodernism leads to cultural and moral relativism and whether that point of view can lead to a generally skeptical view of the world. We also cover the concern if postmodernism can cause science denialism, because of the general belief that we can't know anything for sure, no matter the tools we use. We finally finish the episode on the costs and benefits of using a postmodern lens to view the world.

In this episode, Virgil goes over the concept of logical fallacies and the different types used in discourse. Logical fallacies work on people because they make messages feel more persuasive. Ultimately fallacies hurt the trust and credibility of a person making an argument; therefore, the truth isn't the focus. This episode focuses on what logical fallacies are, the negative aspects of using them, and their overall effect on the way we interact with others.

In this episode, Virgil and his previous guests Danny and Matt, discuss the concepts of High and Low culture. This episode will focus on discussing why these cultural forces and cultural divisions are important. Through these discussions, we can learn more about our culture, which gives us a more nuanced view of our society. High culture is a collection of cultural products, mainly in the arts, held in the highest esteem by a culture. Low culture is a collection of cultural products not held in the highest esteem by a culture. High culture is the culture of the elites within a society. Low culture is connected to popular/mass culture and is the culture of the everyman. Through this discussion, we hope to explore better these two cultures and how they interface with society and where or not these divisions have disappeared over time.

In this episode, Virgil goes over the tools and strategies that we need to build self-confidence in times of self-doubt. Self-confident individuals build trust in their abilities, have a sense of control of their lives. Self-confident people believe they will be able to do what they wish, plan, and expect. Self-confident individuals have realistic expectations, and even if those are not met, they continue to be positive. Individuals who lack self-confidence find it challenging to be successful and ultimately happy. When self-esteem is the norm for an individual, their talents and skills have the chance to shine and be noticed by their peers and community. We all live with self-doubt and second-guessing, but with these tools and strategies, we hope to be able to build up our confidence and remain positive in the face of our successes and failures.

In this episode, Virgil and his friends, Awkward Hermit, Matt, and Auguste discuss the concept of separating art from the artist. Is it ever possible for us to be able to separate a talented individual and their pieces of art from their harmful, immoral, and at times, criminal behavior? Should we banish all artwork created by individuals that may be talented but are evil people? Should we try to find nuance and look at the concept and issues case by case following the facts and victim testimony before canceling the artist's work entirely?
This discussion will cover everything from musicians, actors, directors, athletes, etc. We attempt to take a rational approach to the separation of art and the artists that create the artwork. We discuss the deification of artists and other public figures and how that might skew our perception of how good or bad these people might be. Just because these individuals may be talented, impactful, or famous, that doesn't mean they are good people and treat others with respect. The Me Too movement has been a catalyst for people that consume art to reevaluate the artists that they admire. The Me Too movement has driven people to investigate whether or not these public figures might be immoral and criminal people. We hope we can bring clarity to such a problematic, nuanced, and emotional topic.