Why We Need Religion In A Globalized World | Miroslav Volf | TEDxWilmingtonSalon

Summary

In this thought-provoking talk, the speaker reflects on the role of religion in answering the most important question of life: 'How do we succeed as human beings?' Through personal experiences, including the 9/11 attacks and the global financial crisis, the speaker explores how faith can both unite and divide. Drawing from Nietzsche’s ideas on nihilism, the speaker examines two forms of nihilism—religious and a-religious—and their cyclical struggle for meaning. Ultimately, the speaker suggests that the unity of meaning and pleasure is found in a relationship with God, who is Love, offering a path to overcome modern existential crises.

Takeaways

• 😀 The most important question in life is not about success in endeavors, but how we succeed as human beings and in the task of being human.
• 😀 Religion offers compelling ways to answer the question of human flourishing, with the world's major religions being repositories of such answers, though not always compatible with each other.
• 😀 The speaker's personal experience highlights the dual impact of faith—both as a source of unity and reconciliation, and as a catalyst for destructive violence, as seen in the 9/11 attacks.
• 😀 A key realization from the financial crisis was the role of unchecked human desire in societal collapse, which was not sufficiently addressed in global economic discussions.
• 😀 There is a significant void in contemporary discussions about human desire and flourishing, particularly regarding the 'dark force' or 'desire gone awry' in the modern world.
• 😀 Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy of nihilism is explored, with two types distinguished: religious nihilism (e.g., asceticism and religious imposition of meaning) and a-religious nihilism (e.g., pleasure-seeking or aggressive pursuit of personal gain).
• 😀 Religious nihilism often imposes rigid meaning on life, stifling the natural pulsations of existence, while a-religious nihilism, such as libertarianism, seeks to affirm life in arbitrary and destructive ways.
• 😀 Nietzsche's metaphor of the camel, lion, and child describes the cyclical transformation between oppressive rules (camel), rebellious freedom (lion), and playful, unburdened existence (child), which reflects a recurring struggle in human nature.
• 😀 The current global struggle between fundamentalism and pleasure-seeking libertarianism is seen as a battle of two types of nihilism, each feeding into and opposing the other in a vicious circle.
• 😀 The way out of this nihilistic struggle is to unify meaning and pleasure, as meaning without pleasure is crushing, and pleasure without meaning is empty. The unity can be found in a relationship with God, conceived as Love.

Q & A

What is the most important question of our lives, according to the speaker?

The most important question is 'How do we succeed as human beings?' or 'How do we succeed in the task of being human?'

Why does the speaker believe religion is necessary in the globalized world?

Religion, according to the speaker, provides compelling ways to answer the question of human existence and guides individuals in the task of being human. It offers a path for understanding meaning and purpose in life.

What were the two key experiences the speaker shared to highlight the complexity of faith?

The speaker shared two experiences: the first was giving a talk on reconciliation at the UN when the 9/11 attacks occurred, which demonstrated the destructive potential of faith; the second was being part of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council, where the impact of human desires and economic crises was discussed, but the spiritual aspect was largely ignored.

What role does human desire play in the global financial crisis, according to the speaker?

Desire gone awry played a significant role in the crisis. The speaker suggests that both the lenders' excessive desire for wealth and people's desire for better consumer goods contributed to the collapse, yet this issue was not addressed in the discussions at the World Economic Forum.

How does Nietzsche’s philosophy relate to the speaker’s discussion on nihilism?

Nietzsche's philosophy of nihilism helps the speaker frame two types of nihilism: religious nihilism, which imposes rigid structures of meaning that suffocate life, and a-religious nihilism, which can manifest in a superficial, pleasure-driven existence or aggressive exploitation of others.

What is religious nihilism according to Nietzsche, and how does the speaker interpret it?

Religious nihilism, according to Nietzsche, is an ascetic or rigid form of religion that imposes predefined rules on life, suppressing the natural energies of life itself. The speaker interprets it as a force that crushes life and meaning, leading to violent outcomes in some cases.

What is the 'last men' concept in Nietzsche’s philosophy, and how does it relate to a-religious nihilism?

The 'last men' are individuals who live for their own pleasure, avoiding larger causes or struggles. In the context of a-religious nihilism, the speaker connects this to a life of passivity and comfort, with no great purpose or meaning beyond self-satisfaction.

How does the speaker describe the recursive cycle between fundamentalism and pleasure-oriented libertarianism?

The speaker describes a cycle where individuals move from religious fundamentalism, which imposes strict rules and meaning, to libertarianism, which offers freedom and pleasure but lacks meaning. Over time, individuals may swing back and forth between these two extremes, seeking both meaning and pleasure but often failing to reconcile them.

What solution does the speaker propose to overcome the conflict between the two types of nihilism?

The speaker proposes the unity of meaning and pleasure, which can be found in God, understood as Love. This relationship with God allows individuals to experience both meaning and pleasure in harmony, addressing the limitations of both religious and a-religious nihilism.

How does the speaker explain the connection between pleasure and meaning in relation to God?

The speaker suggests that true pleasure is not derived from the things themselves, but from the relationships and essences attached to them. By recognizing the world as a gift from God, individuals can see everything in their lives as imbued with meaning, turning everyday experiences into sacred moments.