2 | Reality is a Revelation

In this episode, Blaine and Anthony discuss a foundational
ability, an ability on which the rest of the Mount Vigil work
depends: seeing reality.


It’s never been easy to see reality well. But it’s especially
difficult in our time: the fallout of postmodernism and critical
theory, the rise of nihilism, the divisive strategies of social
media giants, and the advent of post-human and transhuman
ideologies have eroded our ability to hold on to a coherent
story. We’re taught to doubt our experience. We’re gaslit by the
knowledge brokers of our time.


Where to ConnectMount Vigil has come to an
end but you can still connect with Anthony and Blaine at their
respective blogs:


Anthony - Sun Tongue

Blaine - The Paradise King



Notes


In the first part of this conversation, Blaine and Anthony argue
that reality is fundamentally narrative, and that a person’s
ability to see reality is linked to the clarity of the story
they’re living.


In the second part of this conversation, Blaine and Anthony
explore some of the obstacles that stand in the way of a strong
sense of reality: an incomplete Gospel, everyday trauma, and
technological opposition.


In the third part of this conversation, Blaine and Anthony argue
that a true sense of reality is dependent on a vision of Jesus,
and then explore tactics to recover a strong sense of reality:
engaging the real world, living in the family of God, and leaning
on three effective discernment strategies. Those are the
testimony of the Bible, the consensus of the Church, and the
revelation of the Holy Spirit.



Additional Notes


The GPT-3 Algorithm

The Social Dilemma

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism

The Google Brain Team

The Center for Humane Technology

MIT Tech Review regarding troll farms

Designing For Behavior Change

Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products

The Race to the Bottom of the Brain Stem

Reality Privilege

Marc Andreessen’s work on the metaverse

The Wim Hoff Breathing Method