Dear Friends,
Here’s the latest episode of Paradoxically Speaking — a podcast with my good friend Brandon Tumblin (from The Strong Stoic Newsletter). For anyone new to Paradoxically Speaking, these are casual conversations attempting to explore the complexities and nuances of living our highest good in the modern world.
What is Paradoxically Speaking?
Paradoxes exist nearly everywhere — even in the area of self-improvement. In the classic On Becoming a Person, psychologist Carl Rogers wrote, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” When you encounter a paradox — there is potential and opportunity within the tension.
As the nineteenth-century Danish physicist Niels Bohr put it, “How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making progress.”
Paradoxically Speaking explores principles and practices from multiple sides. For example, we are interested in human goodness (virtue) and our capacity for evil (vice). The wisdom of connection and the power of solitude. The importance of structure and the need for flexibility. Although we intentionally explore life's complexities, we strive to keep things practical.
Here’s a short clip from the conversation:
Happiness, Hardships, and the Anxiety of Uncertainty
In our final episode of Season II, Brandon and I reflect on a few of the topics we covered. Specifically, we discuss the idea of finding happiness amidst suffering, the importance of character development and self-discovery, and the role of surrender in personal transformation. We also explore the concept of wisdom and the limits of achieving it on one's own, the anxiety of being human, and the need to accept and embrace the uncertainty of life.
