Hitchhiking and Philosophy

The final episode of the Friar Chris Series begins with a discussion about the differences between bicycle touring and backpacking then moves on to deeper topics, including (@ 15:45) my experience volunteering on the Gulf Coast in the immediate aftermath of Katrina and the corrosive and corrupting effects of tribalism and dogma in the Disaster Relief Industrial Complex. We then move on to (mostly) explore the fundamental ideas behind why he and I chose hitchhiking and what we learned and experienced while traveling the country as “disposable” vagabonds loitering out on the fringe. SPOILER ALERT: Sausage Party Hope lies within!

Cheat Sheet:

36:40 - Institutional incompetence, the loss of confidence leading to the rage that we found everywhere in 2008-9 which, ultimately, gave birth to Tea Party Extremism.

50:28 - The philosophy/theology of a guiding hand synchronicity operating system, audacity, and the (unresolvable?) conflict between unprovable theology and a commitment to truth.

1:04:10 - The driving fundamentals including freedom (and the resulting paradox), the search for purpose, the fear hump/internal narrative feedback loop.

1:38:50 - The re-humanizing effect of organic interaction and the authenticity one can witness when playing the role of the culturally invisible man.

1:49:55 - Hopping the freight train.

1:56:30 - The surprise of a pervasive, unexplained, and unsolicited, generosity.

2:04:40 - The folly of depending on distorting electronic eyes. (Internet/media)

2:15 - Egocentric Identity and the pain of re-birth

2:16 - The Return, The Call/Splinter, and how these ideas transcend mythology and religion

2:28:30 - On Chris McCandless 10-years later

 

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