The Symbolic World

Jonathan Pageau

Jonathan Pageau looks at symbolism in all its forms, from its source in sacred stories and images to contemporary culture and ultimately how it shapes the world we encounter.

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Friday · 40 min
486 - Encountering God in Stories (Archive)
The patterns in stories appear as their underlying order and also as a mode of human consciousness. We can encounter the Divine Logos in ancient stories and see how these patterns culminate in the story of Christ. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/S1y-jEYNRNcThis talk is a repost from the archive. It was given in Feb. 2017 at the Climacus Conference in Louisville Kentucky. The original audio was taken from Ancient Faith Radio: https://www.ancientfaith.com/-------------------------------GodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/-------------------------------Timestamps:00:00 – The world is made of stories01:23 – How the invisible holds the visible together03:49 – What makes something a story?06:15 – Ad starts: God's Dog 307:10 – Ad ends: The universal pattern of stories09:01 – How biblical stories hold the world together10:37 – Moses and the pattern of the Tabernacle13:13 – Christ as the Tabernacle encompassing the universe15:22 – Patterns within patterns18:03 – How the Old Testament points to Christ19:50 – Cain and Abel as patterns of Christ22:13 – The Eucharist reconciles opposing sacrifices24:35 – Christ as the fulfilment of all stories25:47 – The universal pattern of descent into the underworld28:08 – Why similar myths don't disprove Christianity30:33 – The Harrowing of Hades32:50 – How Christ transforms the ancient pattern35:29 – Seeing ancient myths through Christ36:17 – How we encounter God in stories37:51 – The danger of reducing Christ to our preferences38:46 – Letting go of our limited image of Christ40:13 – Encountering divine truth in unexpected places🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
Thursday · 15 min
485 - Why Modernity Loves Prometheus
In this video, I look at the story of Prometheus and why our modern admiration for him leaves out an important part of the myth. I explore his connection to Cain, Lucifer, technology, and the recurring temptation to grasp power as if it were our own. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/zvM1RkJ_D1EGodsDog: Monk is now officially in stock! You can also get volumes 1 and 2 on sale during October! Visit: https://godsdog.com/🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
October 1 · 15 min
484 - The Saint Who Killed an Emperor
In this episode, I look at the tradition of St. Mercurius: a warrior saint associated with St. Michael, the death of Emperor Julian the Apostate, and dog-headed men. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/_Qp3Xj153Ac Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://godsdog.com/ 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
September 22 · 1 hr 13 min
483 - R.R. Reno - The Return of the Strong Gods
I talk with Rusty Reno about the collapse of the postwar “open society” ideal and the return of people’s need for strong loyalties, meaning, and transcendence. We discuss how we got here after the world wars decimated Western civilization: emergent post-war social narratives and identities like nationalism, globalism, politics, “progress”, environmentalism, and transhumanism. Finally we discuss the crisis of masculinity and our ultimate hope in Christ. Rusty Reno is the editor of First Things, a journal aimed at "advancing a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". He is the editor of the Brazos Theological Commentary on Scripture series and the author of several books, most recently Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism and the Future of the West. For twenty years Reno taught theology at Creighton University. YouTube version of this interview: https://youtu.be/NwTYsZfU2ak Rusty’s book, Return of the Strong Gods: https://www.amazon.com/Return-Strong-Gods-Nationalism-Populism/dp/1621578003 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
September 18 · 24 min
482 - The Sword of St. Michael
Why is St. Michael often shown holding a flaming sword? I look at how this image developed, its connection to the expulsion from Paradise, the defeat of the dragon, and the emergent sacred geography known as the Sword of St. Michael. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/yE68F1pGPmQ Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe
September 16 · 1 hr 18 min
481 - Dr. Diana Pasulka - The New Religion
I finally sit down with Diana Pasulka to talk about UFOs, alien intelligence, AI, psychedelics, transhumanism, and the strange religious framework forming around all of them. We look at how these phenomena overlap with older spiritual categories, and why the promise of technological transcendence may be a counterfeit of something Christianity already understands. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/6TqYxG9gxwc Her books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/D.W.-Pasulka/author/B07NL6KZN5 Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout. Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Timestamps: 00:00 – Coming up 01:58 – Introduction 02:52 – How a Religious Studies Scholar Ended Up Studying UFOs 08:52 – UFOs as Religious and Spiritual Phenomena 13:25 – A Demonological History of the World 14:41 – The Mythology and Narrative of UFOs 16:38 – Why Governments Use UFO Disinformation 20:56 – Technology, Magic, and Non-Human Intelligence 24:22 – Aliens, Demons, and the Modern Image of the “Grey” 27:43 – Psychedelics and Encounters With Other Beings 30:19 – AI as an Alien Intelligence 32:02 – UFOs and the Promise of a New Revelation 34:29 – Spielberg and the Alien as Saviour 38:35 – Arthur C. Clarke, Demons, and Childhood’s End 40:50 – Transhumanism vs. Christian Transfiguration 45:42 – God’s Dog: Monk 46:42 – Aliens as Our Future, “Evolved” Selves 49:06 – How the Alien Narrative Collides With Christianity 52:36 – Project Stargate, Remote Viewing, and Psychic Espionage 56:18 – Why Is the AI Project Also Called “Stargate”? 57:30 – 2001: A Space Odyssey, AI, and UFO Disclosure 01:01:29 – AI Is Feeding on Us 01:03:00 – How Should Christians Respond? 01:06:26 – AI Cannot Give Us Transcendence 01:08:42 – Recovering the Spiritual Senses 01:10:39 – Isolation Makes Us Vulnerable to Propaganda 01:11:39 – Diana’s Next Book on Christianity 01:13:00 – The Noosphere, the Singularity, and an Apocalyptic Moment 01:17:06 – Christianity Makes Us More Human 01:18:20 – Conclusion
September 10 · 26 min
480 - Dr. Zac Porcu - The Pagan Gods Really Exist
Dr. Zac Porcu joins me to discuss his upcoming course on the demonological history of the world, looking at the pagan gods, fallen angels, magic, and technology. We explore what happens when you take seriously the early Christian claim that the gods were real, but fallen. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/WMKOzuhnib4 Learn more about Dr. Zac: https://zacharyporcu.com/Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hoursPrice: Only $120, and Involved patrons can get 10% off. Apply your discount code at checkout.Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe💻 Website, blog, courses: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com📚 Store: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
September 8 · 16 min
479 - The Horror of Getting What You Want - Obsession (2026)
This was July 2026's patron video that we decided to make public. If you want to support us and get extra symbolism videos, subscribe a a paying member to The Symbolic World: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribeIn this video, I analyzed the movie Obsession, which was released in May of this year. It had a low budget and was directed by a YouTuber, yet became a massive breakout box office and critical success. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/z09N5ErcoTEJoin Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hoursPrice: Only $120, and get 15% off through September 8, 2026 at 11:55PM ET! After the early bird sale, Involved patrons can still get 10% off. (Discounts can't be combined.)Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog============Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
September 4 · 59 min
478 - Christian Roy - Technological Madness: The Logic of Domination
Christian Roy and I discuss Jacques Ellul’s theology of technique (technology) and the way modern systems turn power, efficiency, and mediation into ends in themselves. AI brings this crisis into focus, especially in our speech and relationships, but the deeper question is whether technology still serves a meaningful purpose —or whether we have begun to serve it. We also explore the Christian idea of non-power as a way beyond the logic of domination. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/HH_vCnVDTdo Christian’s book: Theology and Technique: https://www.amazon.ca/Theology-Technique-Jacques-Ellul/dp/1725259788 Join Dr. Zac Porcu for his course, A Demonological History of the World: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/a-demonological-history-of-the-world 6 weeks, 12 hours Price: Only $120, and get 15% off through September 8, 2026 at 11:55PM ET! Live classes: Sep 15 - Oct 20 Pre-Order GodsDog: Monk now and/or get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/collections/godsdog 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
September 2 · 1 hr 24 min
477 - Louise Perry - How Progressivism Took Over Our Stories
Louise Perry is a British journalist, author, and host of the Maiden Mother Matriarch Podcast. She’s a columnist for the Wall Street Journal and has been described as a leading reactionary feminist. She interviewed me for us to discuss why progressivism became such a powerful cultural force, how the postwar story shaped modern politics and storytelling, and why fairy tales still preserve patterns that our culture has tried to flatten or subvert. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/HVRY6WP4hFA Her website: https://www.louisemperry.co.uk/ Her X account: https://x.com/Louise_m_perry Register now for the Universal History Masterclass hosted by Dcn. Seraphim Rohlin: ⁠https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass⁠ Pre-order GodsDog 3 and get volumes 1 and 2 on sale! https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
August 28 · 44 min
476 - Matt Rhodes - The World Before the Flood Reimagined
In this conversation with artist Matt Rhodes, we explore Dead Gods, his epic comic set in the world before the biblical Flood. We talk about Nephilim, Watchers, ancient patriarchs, dragons, dinosaurs, and what civilization might look like when people live for centuries and Noah himself becomes a warrior at the end of the world. Matt’s website: https://www.mattrhodesart.com/ His YouTube channel where you can follow the creation process: https://www.youtube.com/@mattrhodesart Project trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP7ETbjN9yE Support this project directly: https://www.patreon.com/MattRhodesArt Register now for the Universal History Masterclass hosted by Dcn. Seraphim Rohlin: ⁠https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass⁠ 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
August 25 · 1 hr 18 min
475 - Jay Dyer - The Elites Are Doing Warfare on the Public
In this conversation with Jay Dyer, we look at predictive programming, propaganda, Hollywood, and the growing role of AI in shaping how we imagine the future. We also discuss technocracy, centralization, and why the most important response may be much closer to home: rebuilding strong families, parishes, and local communities. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/qdMVVyxEL3k Register now for the Universal History Masterclass hosted by Dcn. Seraphim Rohlin, taking place live this August and September. ⁠https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass⁠ Website: thesymbolicworld.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Coming up 01:31 – Introduction 03:32 – What Is Predictive Programming? 08:32 – Propaganda, Art, and Soft Power 14:48 – Hollywood and the Intelligence Agencies 18:03 – Preparing the Public for War 22:33 – Hollywood’s Revolutionary Narrative 28:58 – Globalism, Nationalism, and the Nation-State 31:50 – The Power of Invisible Institutions 36:39 – Why Dystopias Can Still Condition Us 43:07 – The Real Temptation of The Matrix 46:11 – Social Engineering Through Entertainment 49:01 – Why Promote Self-Destructive Narratives? 53:39 – Long-Term Planning and the Technocratic Vision 57:55 – Toward a Global Technocratic State 01:01:40 – Has AI Replaced the Old Narratives? 01:05:23 – AI and the Logic of Inevitability 01:10:47 – Technology, Power, and Centralization 01:13:11 – The Christian Alternative: Subsidiarity 01:17:35 – Conclusion
August 21 · 1 hr 2 min
474 - Josh Nadeau - The Return of a Christian Imagination
In this conversation with Josh Nadeau, we talk about art, beauty, symbolism, and the recovery of a Christian imagination. We explore why traditional art still speaks so powerfully, how beauty can reveal realities that arguments often cannot, and why the work of artists may matter more than ever in a fragmented world. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/mE1EMCxGuvI Check out Josh Nadeau’s work: Sword and Pencil Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swordandpencil/ Every Day Saints Substack: https://substack.com/@everydaysaints His books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0DNX73MZC Register now for the Universal History Masterclass hosted by Dcn. Seraphim Rohlin, taking place live this August and September. ⁠https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass⁠ Our website: thesymbolicworld.com
August 19 · 1 hr 29 min
473 - Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick - Paradise Is Already Breaking Into the World
Story time with Fr. Andrew! In this episode with Fr. Andrew Damick, we explore the symbolism of paradise through a fairy tale, a Norse saga, and the Christian tradition. We look at how the path to paradise is often revealed through humility, sacrifice, death, and transformation —and how these old stories can help us understand the relationship between heaven and earth. YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwp36RyLkPQ Join us this September in Oxford for a Symbolic World Summit (there are literally only 5 or so tickets remaining): https://symbolicworldsummit.com/ Register now for the Universal History Masterclass hosted by Dcn. Seraphim Rohlin, taking place live this August and September. https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass
August 14 · 1 hr 16 min
472 - Universal History: The Story Gets Stranger After the Flood
Part 4. Deacon Seraphim and I continue our journey through the strange world surrounding Noah, the Flood, and the ancient traditions that grew up around Genesis. We get into the Ark, Adam, Melchizedek, sacrifice, priesthood, and a few details I had genuinely never heard before. There’s a lot here that changes the way the story fits into the larger pattern of Scripture. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/-hjCU9Xp3-cJoin us September 24–26, 2026 for a summit, hosted by Symbolic World in St Giles’, Oxford, United Kingdom at Pusey House: https://symbolicworldsummit.com/Register now for the Universal History Masterclass: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass Price: $180 USD (Get 10% off if you're an Involved patron)Course Length: 6 weeks, 12 hoursLive classes are on Wednesdays at 3-5 pm Eastern Time, starting August 5th through September 9th, 2026🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.comOur website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
August 10 · 51 min
471 - Martin Shaw - The Odyssey, the Underworld, and Resurrection
I sat down with Martin Shaw to talk about the underworld and the deep pattern of descent and return. He also gave his own fresh perspective on Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey movie. We explored what it means to come home changed, how these ancient stories illuminate the Bible, and why resurrection is inseparable from the journey through death. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/vLHZ-IQzltA Join us September 24–26, 2026 for a summit, hosted by Symbolic World in St Giles’, Oxford, United Kingdom at Pusey House: https://symbolicworldsummit.com/ ===== Into the Underworld: Tales of Spiritual Initiation in Martin Shaw’s online course that launches in September. It's Martin's most ambitious course yet, venturing into entirely new territory: stories from the Bible and the lives of the Saints. The course includes more than 6 hours of recorded teaching from a live workshop, plus a limited number of seats for an intimate series of live lectures and interaction over Zoom. Enrollment will be open for a limited time, and space for live sessions is scarce - sign up for the waitlist at JAWBONESTORIES.COM to get early access to Enrollment. Also, get a special surprise from Martin just for joining the waitlist! https://www.jawbonestories.com/ In this course, Martin will tell and teach on: Joseph, Jacob and Esau, Ruth and Naomi, Blind Tobit, The Voyage of Brendan, St. Patrick's Bell. ===== Register now for the Universal History Masterclass: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass http://www.thesymbolicworld.com Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
August 6 · 21 min
470 - What Mockery of Masculinity Really Looks Like: Masters of the Universe VS The Odyssey
In this video, I compare The Odyssey and Masters of the Universe to explore two very different visions of masculinity and heroism. While one reduces masculine strength to fantasy, insecurity, and mockery, the other confronts its dangers while still moving toward repentance, reconciliation, and the return home. The difference is not simply political. It is the difference between a story that despises the hero and one that seeks to restore him. Join us September 24–26, 2026 for a summit, hosted by Symbolic World in St Giles’, Oxford, United Kingdom at Pusey House: https://symbolicworldsummit.com/ Register now for the Universal History Masterclass: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass Price: $180 USD (Get 10% off if you're an Involved patron) Course Length: 6 weeks, 12 hours Live classes are on Wednesdays at 3-5 pm Eastern Time, starting August 5th through September 9th, 2026 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
August 4 · 1 hr 5 min
469 - Luke Burgis - The One and the Many
It's not hard to find your tribe. The real challenge today is not losing yourself within one. Luke Burgis and I discuss why we struggle as modern people to belong without losing ourselves, how technology fragments our desires, why family, friendship, and real communion are essential to becoming a person, and also the opposite, that to really connect with others you must be true to yourself. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/bZfRs9TWSIg Luke's book, The One and the Ninety-Nine: https://www.amazon.com/One-Ninety-Nine-Forging-Identity-Contagion-ebook/dp/B0FLYVP6WD Join us September 24–26, 2026 for a summit, hosted by Symbolic World in St Giles’, Oxford, United Kingdom at Pusey House: https://symbolicworldsummit.com/ Register now for the Universal History Masterclass: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass Price: $180 USD (Get 10% off if you're an Involved patron) Course Length: 6 weeks, 12 hours Live classes are on Wednesdays at 3-5 pm Eastern Time, starting August 5th through September 9th, 2026 Timestamps: 00:00 – Coming up 02:38 – Introduction 02:52 – Luke Burgess and The One and the Ninety-Nine 03:19 – The tension between individuality and belonging 04:10 – The lost sheep, the one, and the many 06:30 – Why the modern self has become fragile 08:57 – When celebrating difference turns into isolation 10:50 – Why “selling out” no longer carries the same stigma 12:01 – Differentiation, imitation, and false individuality 12:55 – Choosing a vocation beyond market niches 15:18 – Symbolic World Summit in Oxford 17:31 – How technology reshapes the human person 18:02 – Social media as a source of mimetic desire 20:02 – Why online models become so powerful 20:48 – Technology, distraction, and the loss of strong desire 23:09 – Parasocial relationships and vicarious participation 24:42 – Can religious identity become another performance? 25:22 – Thin religion, online faith, and performative belonging 27:39 – Receiving an identity rather than inventing one 29:22 – Suffering, friction, and the consequences of the Fall 31:56 – Is it acceptable to “fake it until you make it” spiritually? 33:38 – False piety and performative religion 34:51 – The danger of the online “Orthobro” 36:16 – The family as a school of communion 38:32 – Differentiating yourself from your family 40:57 – Homogenization versus communion 41:09 – Teenage rebellion as hostile individuation 42:00 – Rebellion as a substitute rite of passage 43:51 – Why identity must serve something higher 45:43 – The family should not become an isolated unit 47:26 – Does it take a village to raise a child? 48:47 – When political identity is built through opposition 49:34 – Internal family systems and the divided self 52:23 – How algorithms feed fragmented parts of ourselves 53:21 – Monetizing anger and online performance 54:56 – What hope is there for young people? 55:47 – Give young people a name, not a niche 58:05 – Communities we cannot easily abandon 01:00:04 – Choosing deliberately what previous generations inherited naturally 01:02:25 – Friendship, commitment, and cultural renewal 01:04:03 – Final thoughts on individuation and communion 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
July 30 · 1 hr 14 min
468 - Universal History: Rohlin vs Pageau: The Problems With Nolan’s Odyssey
Deacon Seraphim Rohlin joins me for an emergency Universal History episode to debate Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey. We discuss what the film gets right and where it misunderstands the ancient world. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/lKIxTvWNDNw Join us September 24–26, 2026 for a summit, hosted by Symbolic World in St Giles’, Oxford, United Kingdom at Pusey House: https://symbolicworldsummit.com/ Register now for the Universal History Masterclass: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass Price: $180 USD (Get 10% off if you're an Involved patron) Course Length: 6 weeks, 12 hours Live classes are on Wednesdays at 3-5 pm Eastern Time, starting August 5th through September 9th, 2026 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/
July 21 · 1 hr 9 min
467 - Nolan’s The Odyssey Full Breakdown: The Post World War 2 Consensus Movie We Need
Spoiler alert. In this video, I offer a full symbolic breakdown of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, going through the entire film sequence by sequence to examine its use of trickery, guilt, hospitality, memory, and the return of the father. I explain that I think Nolan is deliberately unsettling both the left and the right, and why the story he tells is definitely a contemporary retelling, but ultimately more traditional than many viewers realize – and that’s exactly why it’s needed in our world right now. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/ESIzQNfmAo4 Register for Universal History Masterclass during the month of July and get 15% off: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau 🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488 Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

Showing 1–20 of 37 episodes