According to Charles Taylor, Christianity animates us in two ways: it calls us to accept high goals, but also to sanctify the ordinary.
Posts in Pop Culture
Marvel’s “Loki” and the Quest for Glorious Purpose
How do we respond when we don’t measure up to our own ideals or those placed on us by others? Tucker Redding, SJ, reflects on the latest Marvel TV series, Loki, and how we can find our own sense of glorious purpose.
Joe Rogan vs the New York Times
Corporate media’s traditional forms of distributing information are not keeping up with means and content that the next generation of media consumers are seeking, especially long-form interviews that podcasts make use of. The New York Times commentary on the phenomenon of Joe Rogan’s podcast success, published July 4th, 2021, takes a defensive position and admits a self-realization that their traditional form and control over information is not a model that is drawing new consumers.
How a video game is helping me re-examine mental health issues
The first time you play a game like Doki Doki Literature Club Plus, you think it’ll be superficial and light. Then stranger and horrible things begin happening throughout gameplay. In the end, what lingers is how well and realistically Doki Doki depicts the mental health of its characters.
Italy and Argentina Conquer Continental Soccer
Sometimes a win in soccer means more than just a win on the field. Ian Peoples reflects on the significance of Italy’s and Argentina’s victories in their respective championships.
“The Point” of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson was published 135 years ago and its big reveal is well-known. Why read something when we already know the ending – the overall message? This entry in “Fantasy, Fiction, and Faith” addresses this as well as what Jekyll and Hyde can teach us about recognizing friendship, responsibility, and the nature of God’s love.
Do the Oscars Matter Any More?
With movies and the theater experience vastly declining amid a global pandemic, Dan Dixon SJ considers whether the Oscars still matter to us.
See you down the road: Nomadland, Easter, and Finding a way through Grief
Oscar nominee “Nomadland” uses van-dwellers to give us an honest view of what it’s like to carry around grief and loss. It also provides a good reminder in this Easter season that grief and loss are not the end of the story.
Fact-Checking Netflix’s “Seaspiracy”
Netflix’s new documentary “Seaspiracy” has lots of problems. A Jesuit marine biologist offers his take.
Socrates, Ignatius of Loyola, and Social Media Etiquette
In this Holy Week, I remember Jesus’s words on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” I ask for forgiveness, for the damage that I have caused unknowingly, and I forgive those who have damaged me with their words and actions. Join me as I reflect how an ancient Greek philosopher and a late-medieval Spanish Basque Priest guide me on using social media for the greater good.