75 - Problems with Steven Pinker's Enlightenment Narrative

In this conversation, I sit down with storyteller and mythologist Martin Shaw to explore the Holy Grail. We talk about desire and longing, failure and mercy, chivalry and the feminine, and why the Grail stories continue to be relevant across centuries.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/3qDkPUsle3MCOURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grail Cost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM ESTLinks:-Pre-order Martin Shaw’s upcoming book, Liturgies of the Wild, to get an exclusive chapter: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/741189/liturgies-of-the-wild-by-martin-shaw/ -Martin’s other books, including Snowy Tower: https://drmartinshaw.com/books/ Events:-February 13-15, 2026, Orthodox Christian Arts Festival (Praise for the Beauty) in Texas, with speakers including Martin Shaw and Deacon Seraphim Richard Rohlin: https://www.orthodoxartsfestivaldfw.com/ -January 27, 2026, London, The Temenos Academy. Seeing the Patterned World: the Cosmos as Layered Microcosms, a talk by Jonathan Pageau with Dr. Martin Shaw in the chair. £10 General Admission. The Art Workers' Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AT. Doors open at 6.10 pm, lecture begins at 6.30 pm. https://www.temenosacademy.org/events-programme/seeing-the-patterned-world Some other links of things mentioned:-Jonathan and Dcn Seraphim’s recent course on Dante’s Paradiso: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso-Jonathan’s analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Part 1: https://youtu.be/Rg5RDZ7mMKo  and Part 2: https://youtu.be/1ch1T24-W7Q -The Monks and Pirates discussion with Andrew Gould: https://youtu.be/WjMadP6DScM -Universal History: The American Religion episode: https://youtu.be/0_RKBPaQAyk Timestamps:00:00 - Coming up00:32 - Intro music02:00 - The cost of conversion05:49 - What is the Grail10:05 - Other hints of the Grail15:30 - To remain veiled17:45 - Who the stories are for19:42 - The place of chivalry24:46 - The Holy Virgin29:31 - Longing34:12 - Weakness has a seat at the table36:48 - Liturgies of the wild43:42 - Christianity in publishing💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

1 Tammi 56min

In this video I discuss the persistence of the idea that Christmas was "stolen" by Christians from the pagans, or that it's secretly still pagan. Merry Christmas everyone. Christ is born!YouTube version: https://youtu.be/uh6rhiTrTnkChristmas symbolism playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVX4HUUPrIY9MeGP5IILeRzu62Q1NPT4CNEW COURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grail Cost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM EST💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

24 Joulu 202519min

In this conversation, I speak with British psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and author Dr. Iain McGilchrist about intelligence, mental illness, and AI.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/DRtpKyKJcssGet Dr. McGilchrist’s books: https://channelmcgilchrist.com/home/ APPLICATIONS OPEN: Ralston seeks 25 students with the curiosity and courage to find light in the darkness. Our one-year MA in the Humanities begins with two months learning Ancient and Modern Greek in Greece, before moving to beautiful Savannah, GA. Full and partial scholarships are available. The deadline for priority consideration is December 18, 2025. Visit https://www.ralston.ac/humanities-maNEW COURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Catch the early bird sale of 15% off if you register before midnight December 19: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grail Cost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM ESTTimestamps:00:00 Coming up00:43 Intro music01:07 Introduction to Ralston College and Its Mission10:57 The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Society21:02 Intelligence and Consciousness30:57 The Dangers of Alien Intelligence39:17 Understanding Addiction and Mental Illness46:04 Possession and Mental Health: A New Perspective52:11 The Left Hemisphere and Its Malign Influence01:03:37 AI: The Modern Sorcerer's Apprentice01:11:11 All We Can Do💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

18 Joulu 20251h 13min

In this conversation filmed (by Deacon Seraphim Rohlin) in the Florida Keys, I sit down with my friend Andrew Gould to finally revisit a surprising claim he made years ago—that pirates and Orthodox monks share deep symbolic parallels. We discuss ships and treasure, costumes, death imagery, life on the edge of empire, all converging on how these two seemingly opposite extremes strangely mirror each other. Let me know if you like the format of this video.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/WjMadP6DScMNEW COURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Catch the early bird sale of 15% off if you register before midnight December 19: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grailCost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM EST💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

11 Joulu 202539min

This is a repost of a patron video I made several years ago about decorating the Christmas tree as a family. Support us for access to more video like this.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/9y32OFyvskgNEW COURSE: The Quest for the Holy Grail with Dr. Martin ShawIn the dark heart of January, when the nights are long and the world draws close, Dr. Martin Shaw returns to Symbolic World Courses for an intensive week-long journey to tell one of the greatest stories of the Medieval imagination: Parzival and the Holy Grail.Catch the early bird sale of 15% off if you register before midnight December 19: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-quest-for-the-holy-grail Cost: $160 USDDates of live course: January 12-16, 2026Time: 12 PM-2 PM EST, except for Lecture 3 (January 14) which will be at 4PM-6PM EST🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau  Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

8 Joulu 202511min

"Americans who think they are Christians, truly are something else; intensely religious, but devout in the American Religion."In this episode of Universal History, I sit down again with Deacon Seraphim Rohlin to explore the roots and characteristics of the true "American religion". We trace how movements in American history shaped the spiritual landscape that eventually gave rise to Mormonism, Adventism, spiritualism, and perhaps even your own journey back to traditional Christianity.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/0_RKBPaQAykPrevious episode: https://youtu.be/o9rMy6lde0c?si=b8d-6tbkuIgAbl4KParadiso live course details:The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 10th, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD (Involved patrons get 10% off, apply discount code at checkout)-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

4 Joulu 202559min

This is a repost of an interview I did a few months ago on the Catholic Unscripted Podcast after the Charlie Kirk assassination. We discuss the topic of violence, the end of the World War 2 consensus, Israel, enchantment, science and technology, sex and gender, architecture, the structure of a normal vs a crumbling society, and more. Enjoy.YouTube version on my channel: https://youtu.be/TeCjedp6dJAOriginal interview on Catholic Unscripted YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/SSn_q-HQeFg?si=K7RkdByVEFDnoP4jThe Catholic Unscripted Podcast is a UK online apostolate founded by Katherine Bennett, and Mark Lambert. Subscribe at https://www.catholicunscripted.com/BLACK FRIDAY SALE. Get 30% off courses, 20% off books, and 25% off the Tales For Once & Ever bundle. Use code: BLACKFRIDAY2025 for courses, other discounts are applied automatically. Valid through Dec 3. Don't miss out: https://store.thesymbolicworld.comParadiso live course details:The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin this November in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 3rd, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD (Involved patrons get 10% off, apply discount code at checkout)-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

28 Marras 202556min

Given we're still in the fall season, I watched The Conjuring and it got me thinking about how real events can become exaggerated in story form. In this video, I look at how legends are created, and that exaggeration of certain elements of an event can help amplify the meaning and purpose of why we're paying attention to it in the first place.Original YouTube version: https://youtu.be/fA2cKrvYyTkParadiso live course details:The Symbolic World Enters ParadiseJoin me and Deacon Seraphim Rohlin this November in our course on Dante's Paradiso.-Course length: 5 weeks, 15 hours-Dates of live classes: Wednesdays, November 5th to December 3rd, 2025-Time: 2-5 pm Eastern Time-Cost: 190 USD (Involved patrons get 10% off, apply discount code at checkout)-Register today: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/dantes-paradiso💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🔒 BECOME A PATRON: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

18 Marras 202526min