Metamodernism (Interview with Brendan Graham Dempsey)

For the 37th episode of the Integral Stage Authors Series, Layman meets again prolific metamodern author and friend of the channel, Brendan Graham Dempsey, to talk about his latest book, "Metamodernism: Or, The Cultural Logic of Cultural Logics." In this much needed work, Brendan surveys the variety of "metamodernisms" that have emerged in recent years and, using some integrative distinctions, argues for their deep kinship and complementarity.

Brendan Graham Dempsey is a writer whose work focuses on the meaning crisis and the nature of spirituality in metamodernity. He earned his BA in Religious Studies from the University of Vermont and his MA in Religion and the Arts from Yale University. He lives in Wolcott, Vermont.

Metamodernism: Or, The Cultural Logic of Cultural Logics

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Special thanks and big love to Shai Newman, the Limited Hangout guys, Brandon LaChance, Mike McElroy, Brandon Norgaard, Brendan Graham Dempsey, Francesca, and all of our other Patreon supporters!

[DamienWalter]

Dudes. Where is the puppet? I came for the puppet.

[throughhumaneyes]

Came for the hat
Stayed for the chat

Great stream guys!

[O.G.Rose.Michelle.and.Daniel]

This was a wonderful discussion, and I just ordered Brendan’s book to give it a read! I didn’t know intellectuals named the “double hermeneutic” phenomena, and I liked Brendan’s idea of “the triple hermeneutic, ” which makes it clear that being part of the conversation requires an awareness about the conversation itself, which requires an interesting conditioning to think and participate in without stepping too far out of the discussion. Metamodernism suggests that empathy is necessary for intellectual life, which is not merely “sympathy” but the capacity to step into the frameworks according to which people understand and participate in the world. I very much agree with this notion and look forward to Brendan’s book!

[levcimac]

"recursive self-reflection" as a synonym for (psychological) development. Thanks, Brendan!

[levcimac]

@27:30 Brendan says that he talks about Metamodern as a worldview that is linked to deeper structures. Alright, and what, according to meta-modernists, are those structures? In my view, this question requires metamodern thinkers to contend with a developmental maps because they have a ton of insights into deep structures. I think, by definition, a worldview is made up of particular archetypes, beliefs, values, attitudes and principles which, together, give rise to the lower-left quadrant cultural paradigms, shared understandings and metamodern cultural "rituals" and practices.

[mellonglass]

On a flat earth, things get modern, on an old round earth we can not see, nothing is either modern, nor otherworldly, humans have not yet evolved any new fingers, or extensions beyond thought as this ball slips through bumpy space time.
Pyramids are so modern, we don’t know what they are in ourselves, even though they are inside us.

[missh]

I use recursive all the time now. I think its a necessary skill requirement, especially if we want to look at the ancient past using techno modern life lens to extract the holistic meaning for application in future planning or goal setting.