Sunday Supplement #161 (June 9th, 2024)
Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.
Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!
Quote of the Week:
“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.”
– Margaret Fuller
Book of the Week:
Dopamine Nation – Anna Lembke, MD
In Dopamine Nation, Stamford University professor of psychiatry Dr. Anna Lembke discusses our modern-day culture steeped in unprecedented access to high-dopamine stimuli.
Lembke shares stories from patients from her practice (provided with consent) that reflect the various pitfalls of addiction and paths to redemption and balance.
So much of society is geared toward seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. Lembke’s book shows the scientific studies of how the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain.
I found the book incredibly insightful on addiction and how prevalent it is in our lives. Left unchecked, we can move through our days on autopilot, trying to avoid pain and seek comfort without questioning our actions or understanding their consequences.
Movie of the Week:
The 2013 biographical film Dallas Buyers Club tells the story of Ron Woodroof, a cowboy who contracted AIDS in the mid-1980s.
Woodroof is told he has thirty days to live. He tries AZT, a drug approved for testing in the United States to combat the AIDS virus, but finds it doesn’t help.
The stigmatization of AIDS and those who contracted it during this time period resulted in Woodroof being ostracized by those he knew and developing friendships with people he ostracized himself.
Woodroof travels to Mexico in search of drugs to combat the AIDS virus. He finds success and makes trips to bring back the drugs to help others but faces pushback from the FDA.
Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, and Jared Leto star in the Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack written script directed by Jean-Marc Vallée. I highly recommend this Academy Award-winning film.
Brainfood of the Week:
Knowledge Explained | Philosophy Tube ft. Animalogic
Philosophy Tube is a YouTube Channel that dissects philosophical concepts with entertaining videos. Their channel has over 1.5 million subscribers and over 100 million views.
In this video, Philosophy Tube goes over two types of knowledge: knowledge – that and knowledge – how.
Knowledge – That is based on justified true beliefs. Knowledge – How is based on understanding the connection between results and your actions.
A part of the video I really enjoyed was learning about the Gettier Problem, which involves holding a justified true belief and later learning that it was wrong. Pluto is used as an example.
I thought this was a fun video that came across my YouTube feed. Check it out and check out Philosophy Tube’s channel if you are interested.
Closing Spiritual Passage:
“Those who seek knowledge, Collect something every day. Those who seek the Way, Let go of something every day.”
– Tao Te Ching (Verse 48)
The Tao Te Ching is a central Taoist text associated with the philosopher Lao Tzu. Taoism holds that humans and animals should live in balance with the universe (the Tao – The Way).
In this verse from the Tao Te Ching, I’m reminded to let go of beliefs (knowledge) that hold me back from being my best self or blind me from being open to seeing other perspectives.
I think knowledge can be good when used to better yourself or in service of others, but it can also be often used as a tool of belittling or control.
I featured Ursula K. Le Guin’s translation of the Tao Te Ching in Sunday Supplement #143. I highly recommend perusing this text if you are interested.
Think about how you use the knowledge you’ve obtained, and have a blessed week ahead!
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