You can support this work and join the Kind Mind community at https://patreon.com/kindmind
Culture, at its essence, is like a game, where the collective beliefs, practices, and values of any two or more people overlay the tangible world, shaping perceptions and bidirectionally influencing behaviors.
Like the sum of all dreams, these shared impressions become the social fabric and the drama of humanity that we all navigate - guiding norms, rules, and identities that will continue to evolve according to our collective imagination.
I like to think of cultures as constellations, portraying each individual as a star within the societal cosmos. The connections we draw between these stars—due to our angle of observation, common locations, traditions, rituals, or treatment—form patterns that emerge as the recognizable outline of cultures.
Like the constellations in the sky, these social conventions are not inherent but are instead the product of human perception and interpretation, emphasizing the subjective nature of cultural construction.
Expanding this model metaphysically introduces a contrast between dominant and non-dominant cultural forces. I see a prominent space-oriented theme and the rigid cultures around divided land such as nations with controlled and defended physical territories.
Another theme involves fluid, time-oriented perspectives and frameworks around cycles, renewal, and culture as a way of relating - where past, present, and future are deeply interconnected.
Spiritual texts offer profound insights on the correction of perception which facilitates the undoing of fear and the transformation of love. The concept of cultural humility, with its emphasis on openness, learning, and empathy, aligns with wisdom teachings which call for a shift from judgment to forgiveness, and from fear to love.
Spiritual growth involves recognizing our shared identity beyond the superficial divisions of the ego. This mirrors an understanding of culture as "true-ish"—a construct that can guide but not define our deepest truths and connections.
Metaphors such as the dream tapestry or social constellations can help us navigate the complex social landscape and honor a balance between the world of forms and our underlying unity of being.
(Music "A Blanket of Japanese Violets" by Bing Satellites and episode artwork on podcast website)
Vitaliy Katsenelson was born in Murmansk, Russia, and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1991. After joining Denver-based value investment firm IMA in 1997, Vitaliy became Chief Investment Officer in 2007, and CEO in 2012. Vitaliy is also an award-winning writer. Known for his uncommon common sense, Forbes Magazine called him "The New Benjamin Graham." He's written for publications including Financial Times, Barron's, Institutional Investor and Foreign Policy. Soul in the Game is his third book, and first non-investing book.
https://contrarianedge.com
https://soulinthegame.net
"Live Free or Dialogue" is a video conversation series within Michael Todd Fink's "Kind Mind" podcast platform and based on the etymology of the word dialogue: two individuals (di) communicating with openness, respect and mutual search for meaning (logos).
https://www.michaeltoddfink.com
You can support this podcast and access bonus content here: https://patreon.com/kindmind
Todd talks with Sandy Gibson.
Sandy Gibson is the Founder of Better Place Forests, America's first conservation memorial forest. Instead of graves, Better Places offers a sustainable alternative to cemeteries for families who choose cremation.
Launching in 2017, the 130+ acre woodland based in San Francisco has raised more than $75M in venture capital! Better Place Forests has also been featured in the New York Times, and on the Today Show.
https://www.betterplaceforests.com
"Live Free or Dialogue" is a video conversation series within Michael Todd Fink's "Kind Mind" podcast platform and based on the qualities of dialogue: two individuals (di) communicating with openness, respect and mutual search for meaning (logos).
Please consider directly supporting this podcast by becoming a patron and receiving exclusive bonus content at https://www.patreon.com/kindmind
Please also subscribe to the new youtube channel for Michael Todd Fink: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbMY1FFV6x7ooIpWApY0YBQ
This episode considers the role of synchronicity, or meaningful coincidences, in finding our way in the world and how they can help us design our life.
with “Music For Dreams” by The Lovely Moon produced by Bing Satellites and Brin Coleman. Episode artwork by Emily Dawn.