Why You Need a Secular Church: Mindform and the Need for Philosophical Community

Summary

The transcript discusses the concept of Mind Form, a secular community platform designed as a 'gym for the mind' focused on virtue, self-mastery, and well-being. It aims to fill the void left by traditional religious communities, providing a space for personal and collective growth through online and future in-person gatherings. The speaker envisions Mind Form as a healthy social media platform, free from advertising, fostering a community that values mental health and personal development over mere engagement.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The speaker is discussing the need for a modern 'secular church' or community to remind individuals of their core values and what truly matters to them, especially in a society where traditional religious attendance has declined.
• 🧘 Mindform is introduced as a community platform aimed at fostering virtue, self-mastery, and well-being, serving as a 'training gym for the mind'.
• 🤝 The platform emphasizes the importance of community, suggesting that it can provide the psychological benefits traditionally associated with religion, such as a sense of belonging and support.
• 📈 The speaker highlights the evolution of religion as a technology that addresses fundamental human needs, such as fear of death and the desire for community, and how Mindform seeks to fulfill these needs in a secular context.
• 💡 Mindform is designed to be a membership-based platform, focusing on long-term value and well-being rather than short-term engagement, which is often driven by advertising in other platforms.
• 🌐 Currently, Mindform operates as an online community with various resources and programs, but there are plans to develop it into an in-person community, akin to psychological health and fitness centers.
• 🗓️ Regular community interactions are facilitated through monthly events hosted by the speaker and weekly informal conversations led by another member, indicating a commitment to consistent engagement.
• 🏫 The speaker expresses a vision for educational institutions that focus on personal development and philosophy, rather than just academic subjects, to prepare individuals for thriving in life.
• 🛑 The concept of 'psyit' is mentioned as a discipline that addresses the lack of mental fitness options, similar to how physical therapy and exercise cater to physical health.
• 🏢 The speaker critiques the modern education system for focusing on producing good employees rather than well-rounded, happy individuals.
• 🏘️ There is a future vision for Mindform to establish physical centers, which would serve as mental equivalents to fitness gyms, offering a space for personal and collective growth.

Q & A

What is the purpose of Mind Form according to the transcript?

Mind Form is a community platform designed as a secular space for personal development, virtue, and self-mastery, aiming to provide what traditional religious communities offer in terms of a place to connect with others around values and well-being.

How does the speaker describe the evolution of religion and its psychological functions?

The speaker describes religion as a technology that has evolved to serve psychological needs, such as easing fear of death through concepts like afterlife or rebirth, providing a sense of community, and offering a feeling of control by attributing life's events to a higher power.

What is the speaker's view on the role of modern society in addressing personal growth and well-being?

The speaker believes that modern society lacks a dedicated space for personal growth and well-being, suggesting that economic systems have not deeply integrated these aspects, unlike the communal and psychological functions of religion.

What are the speaker's thoughts on the concept of a 'mind gym'?

The speaker envisions a 'mind gym' as a membership-based community center focused on mental and emotional well-being, where individuals can engage in group therapy sessions, personal development, and wisdom cultivation.

How does the speaker differentiate Mind Form from traditional religious institutions?

Mind Form is presented as a secular alternative to religious institutions, focusing on self-mastery and community without the need for religious myths or beliefs, and is designed to address psychological needs in a modern, secular context.

What is the current state of Mind Form's community?

Mind Form is currently an online community with membership based on application. It includes resources, programs, and community interactions like Zoom calls and comments.

What are the speaker's future plans for Mind Form?

The speaker plans to develop Mind Form into an in-person community, creating physical 'mind gyms' or community centers focused on personal and collective growth, similar to secular churches or psychological health and fitness centers.

How does the speaker address the issue of mortality in the context of Mind Form?

The speaker aims to help people come to terms with mortality by providing tools and discussions within Mind Form that allow individuals to address and find peace with their own death without relying on religious afterlife concepts.

What is the speaker's view on the role of education in personal development?

The speaker criticizes the current educational system for focusing on producing good employees rather than good human beings capable of happiness and contributing positively to the world, which is why they built Mind Form.

How does the speaker describe the concept of a 'healthy social media platform' in relation to Mind Form?

The speaker describes Mind Form as a healthy social media platform that is subscription-based and not advertising-based, focusing on serving the values of its members rather than exploiting their strongest desires for engagement.

What is the speaker's vision for the software they are developing for Mind Form?

The speaker is working on a gamified training experience software for Mind Form that will teach users how to use the platform's tools for personal growth, similar to language learning apps like Duolingo.

Outlines

00:00

🏋️‍♂️ Mindfulness and Community in the Modern Age

The speaker discusses the evolution of traditional gathering places like churches to secular communities that focus on personal growth and well-being. Mindform, a community platform, is introduced as a modern alternative to these traditional spaces. It serves as a 'training gym for the mind' with an emphasis on virtue, self-mastery, and addressing psychological needs without religious connotations. The platform aims to provide a space for group therapy, personal development, and wisdom, much like a gym but for mental health. The speaker also touches on the communal functions of religion and how Mindform seeks to fulfill similar psychological needs in a secular manner.

05:01

🎓 Philosophy and Practical Living

The speaker expresses a desire for schools of philosophy that focus on practical living and personal growth rather than academic learning. They dream of workshops and institutions that help individuals overcome fears and improve their lives, akin to physical fitness centers but for mental health. The conversation turns to the vision of Mindform, which is inspired by ancient philosophical schools like Plato's Academy and the Epicurean Garden. The speaker aims to create physical Mindform centers that serve as community hubs for mental health and personal development, moving beyond online platforms to in-person gatherings.

10:02

🧠 Mental Fitness and the Future of Mindform

The speaker talks about the need for a community that focuses on the 'good life' and personal happiness, particularly for those who are not religious. They discuss the current state of Mindform as an online community with an application process to ensure quality and alignment with the community's values. The speaker's vision includes developing custom software for a gamified mental training experience and establishing physical Mindform centers akin to fitness gyms for the mind. The ultimate goal is to provide a comprehensive platform for mental health and personal growth that is accessible and engaging.

Keywords

💡Mind Form

Mind Form is a community platform that serves as a secular alternative to traditional religious communities. It is described as a 'training gym for your mind,' focusing on virtue, self-mastery, and well-being. In the video, the creator discusses the idea of Mind Form as a place where individuals can connect with others who share similar values and work on personal development, akin to a gym membership but for the mind. It is intended to fill the void left by the decline of religious participation in modern society.

💡Secular Community

A secular community is a group of people who come together based on shared interests or values, rather than religious beliefs. In the context of the video, the creator is building a secular community through Mind Form, which is designed to provide the psychological and communal benefits that traditional religious institutions have historically offered, but without the religious elements.

💡Self-Mastery

Self-mastery refers to the ability to control one's emotions, thoughts, and actions in a way that aligns with one's values and goals. The video emphasizes self-mastery as a core component of the Mind Form platform, suggesting that it is a skill that can be developed and practiced, much like physical fitness.

💡Virtue

Virtue, in the context of the video, refers to moral excellence or good character. The Mind Form platform is designed around the concept of virtue, suggesting that the community and its programs are focused on cultivating moral qualities and ethical behavior among its members.

💡Religion as Technology

The video discusses the concept of religion as a technology, meaning that it is a system or set of practices that serve specific psychological and communal functions. The creator breaks down religion into components such as the afterlife, community, and control, arguing that these elements have evolved to meet human needs.

💡Psychological Functions

Psychological functions refer to the ways in which religious practices or beliefs address emotional or mental needs, such as fear of death or the need for community. The video suggests that Mind Form aims to fulfill similar psychological functions in a secular context, providing comfort and a sense of belonging without religious beliefs.

💡Communal Functions

Communal functions are the social aspects of religious practices, such as gathering for worship or community support. The video discusses how Mind Form seeks to replicate these communal functions, providing a space for individuals to connect and engage with others who share their values and interests.

💡Personal Growth

Personal growth is a central theme in the video, referring to the process of self-improvement and development. The Mind Form platform is described as a space for individuals to work on their personal growth, with the aim of becoming better versions of themselves through practices like group therapy sessions and discussions.

💡Anxiety Algorithm

The Anxiety Algorithm is a specific program within Mind Form that is designed to help individuals overcome anxiety. It is mentioned as an example of how the platform addresses psychological needs in a practical, secular manner, similar to how physical therapy addresses physical injuries.

💡Mental Fitness Gym

A mental fitness gym is a concept introduced in the video, comparing the idea of a place for mental training and development to a physical gym. The creator envisions Mind Form centers as the mental equivalent of fitness gyms, where members can engage in activities that promote mental well-being and personal growth.

💡Philosophical Personal Growth Community

A philosophical personal growth community is a group that focuses on the application of philosophical principles to personal development. The video describes Mind Form as such a community, where members engage in discussions and activities that are designed to help them live better, more meaningful lives.

Highlights

Mind form is a secular community platform designed for virtue and self-mastery.

It serves as a modern alternative to traditional religious gatherings for those seeking a community focused on personal values and well-being.

The platform is likened to a 'training gym for your mind', offering a space for group therapy sessions and personal development.

Mind form aims to address psychological needs similar to those served by religion, such as easing fears of death and fostering a sense of community.

The platform is currently online but has plans to expand into in-person 'psychological health and fitness centers'.

Mind form hosts monthly events and weekly informal conversations, fostering a sense of community among its members.

The platform is subscription-based, avoiding the pitfalls of ad-driven social media and focusing on serving user values.

Mind form is seen as a 'mental health gym', providing tools for mental fitness and personal growth, similar to physical exercise.

The creator of Mind form discusses the lack of practical philosophy and the need for communities focused on living the best lives possible.

The platform is application-only to ensure a high-quality group of members with aligned values and focus.

Mind form is working on a gamified training experience to teach users how to apply its tools, similar to language learning apps.

The vision includes building physical Mind form centers, providing a mental equivalent to fitness gyms for community members.

The platform is influenced by ancient philosophical schools and aims to provide a modern space for deep conversations and personal growth.

Mind form is described as a healthy social media platform that prioritizes user well-being over engagement metrics.

The creator reflects on the medicalization of mental health and the need for a mental equivalent to physical therapy and exercise.

The platform provides resources and programs for self-mastery, aiming to be a comprehensive training center for the mind.

Mind form is intended to be a community for those who do not find fulfillment in traditional religious practices.

The platform's ultimate goal is to help users thrive in life by focusing on personal development and mental health, rather than academic specialization.

Transcripts

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we used to have a like church

essentially a place where we went to

remind us of the things we care about

and it matter but many of us aren't

religious today and we don't have this

thing that we go to every week that sort

of reminds us you know regardless of

what uh your work conditions into you or

what Society tells you like this is what

actually matters to you and so in some

ways uh mind form which is my sort of

community platform it's a kind of uh

secular Community or um you know you

could call it a training gym for your

mind it's a a membership platform

designed around virtue and self-mastery

and our values and our well-being and so

I think having a community like that a

place where you uh can connect with

other people around these things that

actually matter to you uh because

there's not really another good place in

modern society for doing that I think is

really important but I want there to be

a place that's almost like a a gym

membership only it's a a gym for your

mind where you can go and uh and connect

with other people and have almost like

uh group therapy sessions and and work

on your uh your personal development and

wisdom and these things that really

matter but that uh you know haven't been

built into our our economic systems as

deeply I recently read how religion

evolved um which makes an interesting

argument on uh the communal functions of

it and I've particularly focused when

I've talked about religion on the

psychological functions I I tend to

Define religion as a technology and I

think you can break up what that

technology does into a few different

components and you can see how uh it's

evolved in a similar way to Technologies

if you look at different sects and

different religions through time and

which ones have been preserved it's

essentially those that serve the most

psychological needs so you've got uh for

example an afterlife component we

naturally fear death we don't want to

die and so the religions that have stuck

around generally uh provide some

function for putting you at ease about

your own death whether it's because

you're going to uh live in an afterlife

or there's a karmic cycle of rebirth or

whatever it is uh so that's one of them

there's a community function of bringing

you together with others uh right

there's a like I can relax because it's

all in someone else's Control Function

and so there are a lot of a lot of it

you can view as uh a technology that

solves emotional problems that we

naturally have and makes it easier for

us uh kind of Comforts Us in some ways

and I think uh in my work I'm I'm in

some ways trying to address those same

needs in a secular way and saying uh

yeah we don't need that myth to address

this there are other ways to become at

peace with your own death we don't need

an afterlife function we just need to uh

address mortality and and help people

wrap their heads around it so um what

about the community element do you have

a so I know mind for is its own how how

much of a community is that or or what

where does the emphasis on community

come in uh I mean it is fundamentally a

community but currently it's an online

community in the future I would like to

make it an in-person community and have

uh essentially I like to think of them

as as psychological health and fitness

centers or community centers but you

could think of them as secular churches

as well they would be centered around

actually getting together with people in

person and working on personal growth

and and Collective growth but uh so the

so the community component I think does

have to be addressed and right now we've

got Zoom calls and uh comments and stuff

but uh so more more stuff coming is it

the same like how many people will be on

a zoom call is

there currently there's anywhere from

like uh three to 50 I mean we've had

some very small intimate ones we've had

some that are uh intended to just be you

know one-on-one conversations uh we've

had others that are more like bigger

events where uh there's one person kind

of hosting and asking questions and

discussion they both have pros and cons

but and is it weekly is there a

regularity to to meetings yeah I I host

monthly uh events but there is another

member who hosts weekly uh conversations

that are a little more informal and um I

always go when I can it's a ton of fun

just getting to talk uh kind of like you

and I are right now but in a group kind

of community setting that's awesome man

that's so cool and I've always like I've

had this dream since I think I

discovered philosophy at least since I

discovered the Ancients that like I was

like why are there not schools of

philosophy like why oh yeah where the

that go where where's the like because

universities is not what it is you know

what I mean this this this intellectual

level it's just like no no practical

philosophy like you demonia why are we

not gathering together and trying to

figure out how to live the best lives

possible and figuring out what the

is going on like that other stuff as

well but yeah just and I I I had this

dream of yeah just having fear workshops

of just like Hey we're gonna just you

freid of heights we'll put you up a

ladder we'll measure you know just

actually that matters and just

having a university where it's like hey

like at the end of this you won't come

out with a piece of paper that says

you're a specialist in this this

one subject but you will whatever you

apply yourself to in life after this you

will Thrive at because you've gone

through an education as a person rather

than education in a subject um so

learning how to swim rather than the

theory of swimology so yeah I love that

you're doing it um that is amazing um

and I love the idea of you setting up

physical things that's uh I just think

the world needs that and I might be too

lazy to do it so like I hope there's a I

hope there's a a mind form gym opening

up somewhere near me at some point

because that's that's really cool um

yeah well you you've very much described

the the vision of Mind form thinking

about Plato's Academy and that kind of

stuff as is a big part of what uh kind

of em this emerged from and and uh yeah

it's funny you talk about like

overcoming fear of heights because

that's that's kind of what we're doing

in the anxiety algorithm inside mind

form and so uh it is you know early

stages I'm hoping to be able to build

these inperson centers uh before too

long but yeah I mean the epicur and

Garden too is another major like uh

influence in my mind we need that we

need a community that gets together and

just has like great conversations with

friends and um yeah so you say the Lum

Academy element has been co-opted by

University but it's hard to see the

epicurian garden as being co-opted in

that way because communes are closer to

what the epicurian thing is than than

universities but it's still still yeah I

I just that IA it's funny we have all

these other institutions sort of

circling around it I feel like uh yeah

the formal education system is kind of

like adjacent to it Psychotherapy is

adjacent to it religious church is

adjacent to it a fitness gym is adjacent

to it but it's only really centered

around physical it's like where is the

combination uh right at the center of

all

this I'll say I've I've got a platform

called Mind form that in many ways is

meant to be like the healthy social

media platform and crucially it's it's

subscription based and not Advertising

based so it you know there's no

incentive to just you know boost

engagement and get people outraged and

all that the incentive is to keep them

happy and keep them wanting to renew and

uh really serve their values rather than

their strongest desires um but it will

never be as profitable to serve values

as it is desired

I've long reflected on the

medicalization of mental health I mean

just saying that phrase it sounds very

sterile and serious yeah and it's like

okay well let's look at the equivalent

in the physical health world right we've

got Physical Therapy obviously which if

you get injured you have you hurt a

muscle or something then yeah you need

to go to physical therapy right but you

also can go and exercise you can do

CrossFit and yoga or whatever uh even if

you're not hurt well where is the mental

equivalent of of CrossFit right or

whatever it is and it's kind of like

there's there's almost not one and so

that's what is is behind psyit and that

whole sort of discipline that I coined

in my first book and then you know mind

form is my version of a mental health

gym essentially yeah no I think that's a

great point I mean I love the idea of

the kind of the mental Fitness Gym you

know it's like it's you know you don't

just go to the gym because you you have

a a physical issue I mean usually

wouldn't go to the gym at that point so

it's kind of like let's let's let's be

good to to kind of go there in the first

place I think that's uh that's an

important

piece do you work oneon-one with people

or do you work with them through the

materials that you provide on your

website I don't do any one-on-one work

but I do have a private Community called

mine form that is uh it's got all the

programs it's got all these resources on

it it's a paid membership it's

application only um but the idea is to

kind of provide a a community and and

almost a mental Training Center like a

you know we all have memberships at gyms

for exercise of our bodies but we don't

really have a place uh like a membership

for our minds and so this is a community

and a training platform for self-mastery

and psych all kind of built into

one now uh philosophy becomes a much

more academic thing and school is

centered around you being good employees

versus being good human beings that are

capable of being happy and giving back

to the world so that's why I built you

know mind form which is kind of a

community centered around the good life

yeah I think we need a a community

particularly those who aren't

necessarily religious right those who um

yeah who who don't uh subscribe to a

view that would really make sense for

them to go to church and and something

like that I don't want just anyone

wandering in and and it's actually

application only to Ure that we have a

um a really high quality group who are

you know have the right values and and

focus and everything but um yeah there's

a video on there that'll show you about

it so well thank you so much for that I

just want to make sure that our audience

has all of the tools you know to to

access your resources and really

appreciate the work you're

doing oh yeah yeah so mind form is uh

it's currently an online community so

I've got you know you have to apply to

join but it's this really incredible

philosophical personal growth Community

uh but I want to do much bigger things

with my form I'm working on designing a

really custom software that will be

almost like a dualingo for the mind in

terms of like a a gamified training

experience that'll teach you how to use

these tools uh I want to build brick and

mortar mind form centers at some point

where you almost have like the mental

equivalent of a fitness gym you can be a

member of

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