Hey folks. A few days ago, I hopped on Skype again with my buddies Geoff, Jonny, and Kyle and recorded another episode of our so-called podcast, “Slouching Towards Bethlehem.” As usual, it’s mostly just us having a free-wheeling conversation about things we’re interested in, but this time we did structure it a little differently. Instead of focusing solely on news articles, we decided to share some of the works of art (loosely speaking) that have meant the most to us during the pandemic. I’m thus calling it the “abreaction” episode. Abreaction is a concept in psychoanalysis that means “the expression and consequent release of a previously repressed emotion, achieved through reliving the experience that caused it (typically through hypnosis or suggestion).” Essentially, abreaction is strong emotional response—whether in the form of tears or laughter or just a great swell of feeling—that we often have with a work of art when it connects with us on a deep subconscious level.
Anyway, we each picked two works of art and shared a little about what each has meant to us. Finally, we finished up our conversation with a discussion around one news article. All of these are listed below. Enjoy!
Kyle’s picks:
- “High Spirits” song by Pijn & Conjurer.
- Grandfather’s Journey, children’s book by Allen Say.
Geoff’s picks:
- “The Field of Waterloo,” painting by Joseph Mallord William Turner.
- Red Dead Redemption 2, video game developed by Rockstar Games.
Jonny’s picks:
- World War II in Colour, documentary series on Netflix.
- Imploding the Mirage, new album by The Killers, including the song “My Own Soul’s Warning“.
Ben’s picks:
- Soul, movie from Pixar Animation Studios.
- Till We Have Faces, novel by C.S. Lewis.
Ben’s bonus TV picks:
- Ted Lasso, comedy series on Apple TV.
- All Creatures Great and Small (new version), British drama series on Acorn/Masterpiece/PBS.
The article we discussed:
- “The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake,” by David Brooks, March 2020 issue of The Atlantic.
For anyone interested, you can take a listen below. Hope you have a great May. Cheers!
Grasping at Awes 