Today we’re going to talk about, of all things, death…and the end of the world. I would encourage you right from the start to stay curious, as I’m almost certain this is not the podcast episode you’d expect from the title. There’s so much doom and gloom in the world already, I’m not going to add to it…I promise. But I do think this is an important, and very relevant topic for the world right now. In this episode I offer a fresh perspective - through the lens of my personal experience being raised by the maker of a mainstream apocalyptic film series, and the spiritual trauma that resulted- which re-contextualizes our understanding of death within the conceptual framework of a Universe who's deepest Truth is love (not fear). In the process we'll also reflect on the life and death of Christ, as well as the Christian notion of the Devil, and how they have (and can) shape our personal and cultural death narratives.

We end this episode with a poem from my recently published book, When The Gods Were Half Human, which can be found here. Thanks for listening!

In writing this episode I noticed that I wanted to contextualize my assertions with some ideas that, while incredibly relevant, also seemed fairly conceptual in nature, which felt like a slight deviation from my intention to keep each episode grounded in personal story or practical application. I think these ideas- philosophical as they may be- lay a foundation for anyone who wants to delve even deeper into inquiry concerning the nature and meaning of death, and to receive the core content of this episode more deeply, so I’m glad you’re here! The main body of the episode- Death & the Apocalypse: The Gospel According To A Dragonfly- will flesh out these concepts within a more personal and experiential context, as I delve into some of the universally relevant insights on death that I took away from being raised by the maker of a mainstream apocalyptic film series, the role this played in a mental breakdown early in my life, and the light I discovered at the other side of a very dark tunnel.

But before we get into that, I want to take a moment here to offer a critical reframe on our understanding of death that is pivotal in this episode. What I’d like to suggest is that…when we talk about death, what we’re really talking about is life as process. I’d like to suggest that we think about death not as the the end of life, but rather as one critical phase in the cyclical, iterative nature of consciousness and everything experienced within it.

This is part 2 of our deep dive into the economy of human need. In the last episode we took a look at the difference between having needs…and being needy. We considered whether it might not be the expression of a need that turns people off to helping us, but the hiding of our needs…and the tendency to try and get what we want from others without risking vulnerability. In today’s episode we’re going to zoom out and look at the bigger picture of our economic (and social) structure…and the ways in which it has depersonalized and dehumanized not only the economy of dollar bills, but the social economics that define the exchange of interpersonal resources.

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In this episode we’re going to talk about human need, the fear of being perceived as needy, and how this fear informs the messy, often manipulative economy in our exchange of interpersonal resources. We’re going to ask and answer a question that I think looms large for all of us in our own way, that question is- what’s the difference between having needs…and being needy?

I’m going to unpack this within the context of my own experience in trying to find the courage to ask for support- with naked vulnerability- in a time of need. In this episode we’ll also crack the door to the larger idea of how the exchange of resources- perhaps the most vital interpersonal dynamic defining the human experience- both informs and is informed by the diseased state of our fiscal economy.


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