The Hopeful Humanist Cafe

Episode 6 - Standing up to Anxiety and Confronting the Absurd

This episode explores a philosophical explanation for anxiety as presented by the Absurdist philosopher, Albert Camus.  The resource highlighted is AnxietyBC at: https://www.anxietybc.com/. When we confront the absurd how can we not but become overwhelmed. During these moments, however, when we realize the stuff of life is paradox, irony, and contradiction, we are presented with an opportunity to wake up to our lived experience and accept responsibility to create meaningful and purposeful lives. The  listener is invited to put on one’s critically reflective lense to think about how the absurd might be playing itself out in one’s life.

 

Sources Referenced:

1. Article on homelessness in Canada https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/we-can-end-homelessness-in-canada/article33632029/
2. Article on Storage Boom http://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/canada-s-latest-business-boom-is-in-selling-storage-1.4585511
3. Book - The Myth of Sysyphus, by Albert Camus: https://www.amazon.ca/Myth-Sisyphus-Other-Essays/dp/0679733736/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1523579121&sr=8-2&keywords=camus
4. The resource for today is a three part lecture on Youtube by Gregory B. Sadler called Existentialism: Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus
   1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_js06RG0n3c&t=37s
   2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmtDirUpwAA
   3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsWU68r-VjI&t=476s

Episode 5 - Causes of Depression and Common Place Insanity - Part II

In Episode 5 entitled "Causes of Depression and Common Place Insanity - Part II," Steve, The Hopeful Humanist, revists the three resources presented in Episode 4.  These two episodes are merely the start of a larger discussion about depression.  The focus was on a narrow topic area - causes of depression with quick mention made about three approaches to treatment (pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and psychoeducation).  Below are links provided to other materials referenced in the discussion. 

Other resource links:

John Ralston Saul's "The Doubter's Companion: A dictionary of Aggressive Common Sense (https://www.amazon.ca/Doubters-Companion-Dictionary-Aggressive-2002-01-15/dp/B01K3PKZRE/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521917804&sr=1-2&keywords=The+doubters+companion+by+John+ralston+saul)

Jean-Paul Sartre's "Nausea (https://www.amazon.ca/Nausea-Jean-Paul-Sartre/dp/0811220303/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521917935&sr=1-1&keywords=nausea+jean+paul+sartre)

To access my other podcasts, you can go to my google website at https://sites.google.com/view/self-directedcurriculum/ or click this link to access via Google Play (https://playmusic.app.goo.gl/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https://play.google.com/music/m/I4ye35gszhjblc3lakesgoyejii?t%3DThe_Hopeful_Humanist_Cafe%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16)

Episode 4 - Causes of Depression and Common Place Insanity - Part I

In Episode 4 entitled "Causes of Depression and Common Place Insanity - Part I," Steve, The Hopeful Humanist, will explore three resources for your Spiritual Tool box.  We will look at the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) website, discuss some ideas presented in a book called "Lost Connections: Uncovering the real causes of depression-and the unexpected solutions" by Johann Hari (2018), and briefly talk about an online, six week free program avaialbe to residents of Ontario who are struggling with  chronic health conditions called Better Choice, Better Health based on a Standford University Workshop model.  Here I would like to provide a link to the cbc.ca website for an article about the relationship of money to happiness (http://www.cbc.ca/life/wellness/salary-sweet-spot-new-study-claims-that-this-specific-amount-of-money-actually-can-buy-happiness-1.4547201) and an article about NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozen's battle with depression ( http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/demar-raptors-fans-support-nba-star-depression-1.4573441).  

Other resource links:

Better Choice, Better Health Ontario: (https://selfmanagementontario.ca/)

CAMH:(http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/Pages/home.aspx)

Johann Hari, "Lost Connections: Uncovering the real causes of depression-and the unexpected solutions (https://www.amazon.ca/Lost-Connections-Uncovering-Depression-Unexpected/dp/163286830X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1521916184&sr=1-1&keywords=johann+hari)

To access my other podcasts, you can go to my google website at https://sites.google.com/view/self-directedcurriculum/ or click this link to access via Google Play (https://playmusic.app.goo.gl/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https://play.google.com/music/m/I4ye35gszhjblc3lakesgoyejii?t%3DThe_Hopeful_Humanist_Cafe%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16)

 

Episode 3 -Life Balance

Check out www.dolivewell.ca and go to the Tools and Resources section to complete the Life Balence Inventory.  While you will have to share some demographic informatioin no sign-up is required.  Here at the Hopeful Humanist Cafe, we will continue to explore resources for your spiritual tool box and assist you with your self-directed curriculum for wellness.  To read the full news article discussed in this episode, you can go to the following link at CBC.CA news network:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/south-korea-overwork-culture-jail-retreat-prison-inside-me-1.4527832.

 

Episode 2 - Knowing One's Self - Strengths

Welcome again to the Hopeful Humanist Cafe with your host Steve, the Hopeful Humanist.  During this 2nd episode we will explore the website Authentic Happiness at https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/.  Reflect upon the benefits of incorporating this resource into your self-directed wellness curriculum for happiness.  Take the VIA (Values in Action) Survey of Character Strengths and discover your top five strengths.    

Episode 1 - The Happier Quest

Welcome to spiritual blitherings, philisophical ponderings, and everything ramblings at the Hopeful Humanist Cafe.  Here you can explore resources for your spiritual toolbox.  Episode one, The Happier Quest, focuses on getting familiar with the website www.actionforhappiness.org . Additional resources suggested to explore include Tal Ben-Shahar's Harvard lecture series about Positive Psychology and June Gruber's Dark Side of Happiness Tedx Talk both on Youtube.  Books include "Start Here: A Groundbreaking, Science-Based Program for Emotional Fitness" by Eric Langshur and Nate Klemp, PhD; "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin; and "Happier" by Tal Ben-Shahar.