Talking to ... Alexander Douglas

Описание: From scapegoat to avatar - a philosophical journey

https://martinburckhardt.substack.com...

A fascinating philosophical deep dive into Alexander Douglas' provocative book "Against Identity" with Hopkins Stanley and Martin Burckhardt. This conversation explores how identity has transformed from natural self-understanding into strategic "self-branding" amplified by Silicon Valley technologies. Drawing from Spinoza, René Girard, and Taoist philosophy, the discussion reveals why our desperate search for fixed identity might be the very thing killing our authentic humanity. From scapegoat mechanisms to AI avatars, this thought-provoking dialogue challenges everything we think we know about who we are.


VIDEO CHAPTERS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:51 Identity Kills - The Taoist Story of Hundun
00:03:39 Silicon Valley and Strategic Self-Branding
00:06:36 Spinoza's Multiple Identities and Excommunication
00:09:32 Growing Up Between Cultures and Categories
00:13:59 The Mask vs The Self - Persona and Identity
00:17:54 From Self-Actualization to Self-Branding Generation
00:23:24 Germany's Self-Determination Act and Identity Currency
00:29:48 Gaming Identity - Avatars and Transformation
00:34:12 René Girard's Mimetic Desire and Scapegoating
00:46:53 Money, Writing, and the Logic of Identity
00:55:04 AI Avatars and the Commodification of Self
01:02:11 The Art of Failure and Post-Identity Future
01:06:44 Imagining a World Beyond Identity