Why You Need a Secular Church: Mindform and the Need for Philosophical Community
Summary
TLDRThe 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
🏋️♂️ 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.
🎓 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.
🧠 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Mind Form
💡Secular Community
💡Self-Mastery
💡Virtue
💡Religion as Technology
💡Psychological Functions
💡Communal Functions
💡Personal Growth
💡Anxiety Algorithm
💡Mental Fitness Gym
💡Philosophical Personal Growth Community
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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