Human Equals Paradox

I focus on understanding people through applied paradox - how it looks in real-world, real-human examples, from literary expressions to political behavior to relationship issues. I also talk about common misconceptions about how people work, and why we get high-centered when we try understanding people that way.This, hopefully, will illustrate why the lens of paradox is ALWAYS more effective, pragmatically speaking, for understanding and engaging with other people than pretty much any other approach!Yes, that's a big statement. :-) I'm entirely happy to hear people's takes on this once you've listened - come over to the Patreon and tell me where I'm wrong and we can have a good vigorous conversation about it!

In this episode we explore what "archetype" means, how this awareness of human nature is very very old, and how it looks (in a broad sense) in human experience.

I lay out my understanding of the qualities I describe as "down-and-in" and "up-and-out" as core parts of human nature. Two categories can seem very broad - but I've found these sets of qualities REALLY useful, and I hope my listeners will too. I talk about both the strengths and the shadows of each set of qualities.

Introducing the idea that we're made of so many different sets of needs, desires, and priorities. They're all real and none of them are automatically a "problem" - the trick is just to learn how to live life as an endless discussion-slash-squabble amongst our many selves. Fortunately that's a very doable thing!