Episode Details

Stefan Molyneux looks at how mysticism, philosophy, and communication overlap, in response to a listener's question about higher powers, emphasizing the use of reason and precise definitions to cut through vagueness in talks about belief. The discussion covers ideas like consciousness, love, and attachment, with him arguing that genuine moral love goes beyond basic instincts. He points out the problems vague terms create in society and pushes for common definitions to improve how people communicate. On dreams, Molyneux sees them as straightforward experiences from life, not as sources of mystical insight. He wraps up by noting the role of clear thinking and rational talk in dealing with complicated aspects of life, and encourages people to express their thoughts with care.

Emails:

Hello Stefan,

Following your most recent, as of today, FDR podcast.(6292). I wanted to hopefully offer you some perspective that may or may not be helpful. As before, I understand that your time is valuable. I do think though that my perspective, linked to IQ and seeing things very differently to you, might be of aid.

The reason I have added this onto an existing email is just for familiarity because I will mildly use this backdrop for additional thoughts. I did talk to you briefly on podcast 6147. But I wanted to offer you my thought process here because it might offer you some insight into your value in a way you had not considered.

Firstly, what I believe is important background as to my perspective on this entire mysticism thing. I do believe in the existence of something higher and more powerful and that has communicated with us. Certainly, a little through the bible. But mostly not through the bible. There is channeling, including the human design chart, to back this up. So I do believe the new age at its core has some good concepts. BUT, I also believe that there is a huge, and incredibly powerful toxic element of the new age. There is a mix of non complete understandings and such. For this reason, I do think that your perspective and that of many who have similar perspectives is valuable. In that keeping things to objective reality. To challenge said toxicity. There is more to this understanding. But I think that explains the core of my thoughts. People that are truly inclined to the spiritual stuff I look at will find it. But people that don't really commit and use the bare minimum of it to justify madness. It is good that that is challenged.

it is similar in some ways, if you imagine a society that has innovators and Socrates following philosophers. The innovators want to do innovating and the Socrates people want nothing to exist or be real or whatever. Even though philosophy as a discipilne is extremely useful and powerful. Some of those innovators might be best served in dismissing it as the ravings of lunatics and just getting on with Innovating.

So I want to describe the dream I had that stopped me talking further about mysticism. I fully acknowledge none of this makes sense since I have no following. But it still might offer an interesting perspective. It is of course not likely that if I offered a genuine challenge to your view on that that evildoers would pick it up and run with it. But apparently the dreams thought it was a suitable fear to highlight. So I went with it.

My argument on mysticism would be as follows. This is not something I am committed to or care about but it was what I was thinking. It is now the story in something else I want to express. Firstly, your original statement is that mysticism is the gateway to mental illness. Firstly of course, I wrote to you on the definition of mysticism. Which I would use my own after having defined it due to the problems with yours that I highlighted. I would further refine that now by defining a primary and secondary faith. But anyway, per your argument, I would say, if mysticism is a gate