Sweeny vs Bard #56 - Back in Black

Alexander Bard unveils Zuvism—blending Zen, Sufism, and Zoroastrianism from the Silk Road. A deep chat with Andrew Sweeny and Tim Pickerill. Esoteric truths, sex, violence—decentralized spirituality for nomads. The course starts April 2, 2025, at Parallax: https://www.parallax-media.com/courses/zufism-alexander-bard #Zuvism #Philosophy #Spirituality #SilkRoad #AlexanderBard #Parallax #EsotericWisdom #SweenyVsBard #TimPickerill #ZenSufism

The second part in a series with Bonnitta Roy, exploring metaphysics and transcendental emergentism—and other ideas circling around Alexander's new book Process and Event. With Special Guest Alexander Elung Subscribe to our Substack: https://parallax.substack.com/ Parallax Events: https://parallax-media.eu/parallax-academy-calendar Parallax Academy: https://parallax-media.eu/curriculum Membership: https://parallax-media.eu/parallax-academy-calendar Bonnitta is a visioneer, insight guide and horse whisperer. Her work is deeply embodied and grounded, and over the last several years, she's shown us how to trust the intelligence of life again. She is founder of Alderlore Insight Center and curates wickedly provocative and seriously surprising conversations at The Pop-UP School: https://bonnittaroy.substack.com/,; https://a.co/d/4ZLYDnuLinks: Alexander Bard's Books: Process and Event, (2023)The Futurica Trilogy (2012) Syntheism – Creating God in the Internet Age (2014) Digital Libido - Sex, power and violence in the network society (2017)"

The beginning of a series with Bonnitta Roy, exploring metaphysics and transcendental emergentism—and other ideas circling around Alexander's new book Process and Event. Subscribe to our Substack: https://parallax.substack.com/ Parallax Events: https://parallax-media.eu/parallax-academy-calendar Parallax Academy: https://parallax-media.eu/curriculum Membership: https://parallax-media.eu/parallax-academy-calendar Bonnitta is a visioneer, insight guide and horse whisperer. Her work is deeply embodied and grounded, and over the last several years, she's shown us how to trust the intelligence of life again. She is founder of Alderlore Insight Center and curates wickedly provocative and seriously surprising conversations at The Pop-UP School: https://bonnittaroy.substack.com/,; https://a.co/d/4ZLYDnuLinks: Alexander Bard's Books: Process and Event, (2023)The Futurica Trilogy (2012) Syntheism – Creating God in the Internet Age (2014) Digital Libido - Sex, power and violence in the network society (2017)

After a bit of a hiatus, Sweeny vs Bard are back to talk about core Bardism, Alexander’s new book Process and Event, Zoraster, Marx, Time, Space, and God. Please enjoy this feast. Links to courses at Parallax starting Sunday, September 10th:https://parallax-media.eu/courses/the-convivial-life-conversations-with-ivan-illich-friends

A new season of Sweeny vs Bard begins with a passionate lecture at the Maniphesto Media Academia by the Bardster about media, men and women, and so many other things. To sign up for the Maniphesto Media Academy: https://maniphestocore.com/maniphesto-media-academy/ Alexander Bard's Books; The Futurica Trilogy (2012) Syntheism – Creating God in the Internet Age (2014) Digital Libido - Sex, power and violence in the network society Intro music: Beautiful Machines, By Andrew Sweeny

After listening to Alex Ebert’s fantastic presentation ‘Dead Cool’ at the Stoa we thought we would invite Alex, who like Alexander Bard, is a pop star turned philosopher for a discussion on ‘The Philosophy of Cool’.  What is cool in the age of attentionalism?  What is fake cool and what is real cool? How is cool related to Réne Girard’s theories of mimetic desire.  Originally part of the Sweeny vs Bard podcast, we thought it exemplified a lively round table and should be part of the Strange Attractor series.  After all ‘cool’ is a strange attractor and mysterious enough to merit a serious conversation. One of the coolest (in the sense of ‘most awesome’) conversations so far.  Part 2 coming soon. Alex Ebert is an erstwhile multiplatinum songwriter and Golden Globe-winning film composer now taking up philosophy in New Orleans.   He is currently finishing his first book, Dead Cool, an analysis of sociodynamics and status anxiety in the age of Cool. Alexander Bard: Alexander Bard is a Swedish author, lecturer, artist, songwriter, music producer, TV personality, philosopher and political activist, and one of the founders of the Syntheist movement along with his co-author Jan Söderqvist. His books include “The Futurica Trilogy”, “Digital Libido” & “Syntheism”. Thomas Hamelryck is a Lecturer and Researcher at the Bioinformatics Centre at the University of Copenhagen Biocenter. His academic research interests revolve around  Machine learning, Bayesian statistics, Protein Structure Prediction, Probabilistic Programming, Deep Learning.  He is also an enthusiast of Réne Girard, and denies all rumours that he was once the keyboard player for Depeche Mode. Andrew Sweeny:  Andrew Sweeny is a writer, editor, blogger, Youtuber, published poet, podcaster, musician, and teacher. He has worked as a touring musician and put out several albums, published a book of poetry, and animated two popular podcasts and a philosophical blog on Medium and now on Parallax. He Lectures at Sciences Po, in Paris, France.

A conversation where media artist and scholar Orsolya Bajusz tells her story about how as an activist she was attacked and scapegoated by a social justice lynch mob and how she won the war against mass psychosis and authoritarianism.  A critique of woke culture and political correctness and how to live in a post woke future. Orsolya Bajusz concludes by telling us: ‘Don’t be a doormat, don’t be a pillar saint!’. Here is the summary of Orsolya Bajusz’s story http://akulturharcontul.blogspot.com/2019/12/my-story-has-begun-in-enlightened-west.html Bio: Orsolya Bajusz is based in Budapest. Besides soon defending her  Ph.D at the Sociology Department of Corvinus University of Budapest and teaching there, she produces work across multiple platforms, preferring to work in collaboration, networked practices or anonymously. Her Ph.D explores the role of the affective and visual registers in contemporary public debates and controversies around biotechnology, and thus exploring how posthuman praxes clash with the existing cultural imaginary, and she is working on developing a methodological framework to analyse the intersection of science communication and contemporary art. Her first book (a theory fiction) is under publishing. Alexander Bard's Books; The Futurica Trilogy (2012) Syntheism – Creating God in the Internet Age (2014) Digital Libido - Sex, power and violence in the network society Intro music: Beautiful Machines, By Andrew Sweeny

Our third discussion of various Tantric traditions and Tantra’s place in the west.  What are the causes and conditions necessary for Tantra to flourish? What is the value of Neo Tantra?  How to preserve ‘The barred absolute’, or the secrecy necessary for genuine tantric practice? Links: Parallax Magazine Alexander Bard's Books; The Futurica Trilogy (2012) Syntheism – Creating God in the Internet Age (2014) Digital Libido - Sex, power and violence in the network society Intro music: Beautiful Machines, By Andrew Sweeny

The Tantric path gives us a Parallax or another view of reality. A description of the 9 vehicles of Buddhism including Tantra, comparing the Tantric approach with Western ‘eventological’ religion and Zoroastrianism. Note: This talk is shorter than usual because the depth of this topic requires at least 3 more talks, and this might be easier to digest. But it is still full of our usual mischievous fun and interruption of the banal. Links: Parallax Magazine Alexander Bard's Books; The Futurica Trilogy (2012) Syntheism – Creating God in the Internet Age (2014) Digital Libido - Sex, power and violence in the network society Intro music: Beautiful Machines, By Andrew Sweeny

Sweeny vs Bard S03E10: Western Tantra? - with Thomas Hamelryck Can Tantra flourish in western society that is predominantly Christian and Moslem?  What are the historical roots of Tantra? Is Tantra a religion?  Is Tantra sexual technique or a spiritual practice?  A wide ranging discussion on all things Tantra, from Vajrayana Buddhist tantra to neo Tantra.  A boisterous conversation that Alexander says is the best one we have had yet.  (And Thomas H assures us that he is pretty indifferent to the 80’s synth band Depeche Mode. You be the judge). Links: Parallax Magazine Alexander Bard's Books; The Futurica Trilogy (2012) Syntheism – Creating God in the Internet Age (2014) Digital Libido - Sex, power and violence in the network society Intro music: Beautiful Machines, By Andrew Sweeny