Finding Heroic Meaning Like Stories Of Old - Tom Van Der Linden

Tom Van Der Linden is a YouTuber, video essayist and Creator of Like Stories of Old. Finding meaning in modern life is hard. What glory is there to achieve when all of your existence has been made ultimately convenient by technology? Heroic narratives still exist in movies and books, but can we apply these lessons to the real world? Expect to learn how to tell the difference between serving ourselves and serving others, why watching a heroic movie can skew our expectations of life, why it's difficult to ever truly know another person, what Albert Camus can teach us about enduring suffering, why David Foster-Wallace called adult life "the day to day trenches" and much more… Is Like Stories Of Old a good explanation for what’s going on? Sponsors: Join the Modern Wisdom Community to connect with me & other listeners - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/ Get 15% discount on Craftd London’s jewellery at https://bit.ly/cdwisdom (use code MW15) Get 20% discount on the best quality Kratom from Super Speciosa at https://getsuperleaf.com/modernwisdom (use code: MW20) Get 83% discount & 3 months free from Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/MODERNWISDOM (use code MODERNWISDOM) Extra Stuff: Subscribe to Tom's YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/LikeStoriesofOld Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom #likestoriesofold #philosophy #meaning - 00:00 Intro 03:49 The Problem with Hero Stories 12:50 Making a Difference or Inflating Ego? 20:42 Understanding Oneself Deeply 28:57 How to Develop True Empathy 40:49 Lessons from Albert Camus 51:53 Analysing ‘Don’t Look Up’ 59:31 The Convenience of Present Culture 1:08:23 Tom’s Recommended YouTubers 1:14:52 Where to Find Tom - Join the Modern Wisdom Community on Locals - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/ Listen to all episodes on audio: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Tom van der LindenguestChris Williamsonhost

May 14, 20221h 16mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: May 14, 2022
Duration: 1h 16m
Channel: Modern Wisdom
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Tom Van Der Linden is a YouTuber, video essayist and Creator of Like Stories of Old. Finding meaning in modern life is hard. What glory is there to achieve when all of your existence has been made ultimately convenient by technology? Heroic narratives still exist in movies and books, but can we apply these lessons to the real world? Expect to learn how to tell the difference between serving ourselves and serving others, why watching a heroic movie can skew our expectations of life, why it's difficult to ever truly know another person, what Albert Camus can teach us about enduring suffering, why David Foster-Wallace called adult life "the day to day trenches" and much more… Is Like Stories Of Old a good explanation for what’s going on? Sponsors: Join the Modern Wisdom Community to connect with me & other listeners - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/ Get 15% discount on Craftd London’s jewellery at https://bit.ly/cdwisdom (use code MW15) Get 20% discount on the best quality Kratom from Super Speciosa at https://getsuperleaf.com/modernwisdom (use code: MW20) Get 83% discount & 3 months free from Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/MODERNWISDOM (use code MODERNWISDOM) Extra Stuff: Subscribe to Tom's YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/LikeStoriesofOld Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom #likestoriesofold #philosophy #meaning - 00:00 Intro 03:49 The Problem with Hero Stories 12:50 Making a Difference or Inflating Ego? 20:42 Understanding Oneself Deeply 28:57 How to Develop True Empathy 40:49 Lessons from Albert Camus 51:53 Analysing ‘Don’t Look Up’ 59:31 The Convenience of Present Culture 1:08:23 Tom’s Recommended YouTubers 1:14:52 Where to Find Tom - Join the Modern Wisdom Community on Locals - https://modernwisdom.locals.com/ Listen to all episodes on audio: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

SPEAKERS

Tom van der Linden
guest
Chris Williamson
host

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Modern Wisdom, featuring Tom van der Linden and Chris Williamson, Finding Heroic Meaning Like Stories Of Old - Tom Van Der Linden explores finding Heroic Meaning Amid Absurdity, Ego, and Infinite Complexity Chris Williamson and Tom van der Linden (Like Stories of Old) explore how modern films, stories, and online culture reveal our search for meaning in an absurd, often overwhelming world. They examine heroic narratives, the fine line between genuine purpose and ego-driven grandiosity, and the pervasive performative nature of morality in the age of social media. Drawing on Camus, David Foster Wallace, Ernest Becker, and Interstellar, they discuss mortality, loneliness, rationalism’s limits, and whether a “true self” even exists. The conversation closes with reflections on media consumption, slowing down, and building more grounded lives and communities.

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