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ICYMI: Edward Norton’s theory of mind, movies, and power

Nov 8, 2019

Guest

Edward Norton

Edward Norton, the acclaimed actor and director known for his roles in classics like 'Fight Club' and 'Birdman,' dives into a captivating conversation. He explores the mind's complexities and how they impact storytelling, especially in his film 'Motherless Brooklyn.' Norton and the host discuss modern narratives of heroism, mental health, and how societal pressures shape our views. They also touch on the power of film as a tool for social commentary and the balance between creativity and analytics in media today, making for a thought-provoking dialogue.

01:51:04

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ANECDOTE

Inspiration in Quiet Moments

Norton found inspiration for asking Thom Yorke to write the film's song during a state of half-sleep.
The song's emotional resonance later inspired a key cinematic decision about portraying power.

insights

INSIGHT

Reframing Quieting the Mind

Quieting the mind through meditation may not be about silencing thoughts, but amplifying other senses.
This shift allows for a more intense perception of reality.

insights

INSIGHT

Evolutionary Advantage of a Noisy Mind

A noisy mind might have offered an evolutionary advantage by stimulating alertness and problem-solving.
Our modern environment, lacking existential threats, might explain our antagonism towards it.

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Adaptation and the Mind's Journey

01:59 • 25min

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Navigating Adaptation: Blending Literary Themes and Visual Storytelling

27:26 • 3min

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Irony and Dissonance in Film

30:30 • 13min

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Navigating Mental Health and Modern Heroism

43:25 • 24min

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Philosophy, Politics, and Pop Culture

01:07:40 • 16min

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Exploring Societal Personalities and the Power of Film

01:23:41 • 4min

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Advanced Analytics Transforming TV Advertising

01:27:40 • 2min

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Navigating Data and Creativity in Media

01:29:43 • 16min

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Balancing Virtual Reality and Physical Movement

01:46:11 • 4min

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A Manifesto for a More Generous World

Yancey Strickler

In this book, Yancey Strickler argues that Western society is trapped by assumptions that prioritize self-interest and wealth. He suggests that these assumptions have led to environmental collapse, corruption, inequality, and widespread dissatisfaction. Strickler advocates for expanding the concept of value beyond financial gain to include values such as community, purpose, and sustainability. The book offers a vision for building a more generous, fair, and sustainable society and provides a framework called Bentoism for making these changes.

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In this book, Stephen Batchelor argues that the Buddha's teachings are not something to believe in but something to practice. He suggests that Buddhism should be stripped of its metaphysical and religious elements, such as reincarnation and karma, to reveal a more existential, therapeutic, and liberating agnosticism. Batchelor emphasizes that the Buddha's teachings are about understanding the nature of anguish, letting go of its origins, and creating a way of life that is available to everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. The book includes simple meditation exercises and encourages readers to engage with Buddhist principles in a practical and meaningful way.

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The Black Swan

The Impact of the Highly Improbable

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

David Chandler

Nassim Taleb

The Black Swan is a landmark book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb that investigates the phenomenon of highly improbable events with massive impacts. These events, termed Black Swans, are unpredictable, have a significant impact, and are rationalized after the fact to appear less random. Taleb argues that humans are hardwired to focus on specifics rather than generalities, leading to a failure to consider what we don’t know. The book delves into cognitive biases, the limitations of mathematical models, and the importance of robustness and antifragility in navigating a world filled with uncertainty. The second edition includes a new essay, 'On Robustness and Fragility,' offering tools to navigate and exploit a Black Swan world.

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The Power Broker

Robert Moses and the Fall of New York

Robert Caro

This book is a monumental biography of Robert Moses, who was the single most powerful man in New York City and State during his time. It explores how Moses accumulated and wielded power, shaping the city through his public works projects, including highways, bridges, and parks. The book delves into Moses's early life, his idealistic beginnings, and his transformation into a powerful figure who dominated New York's politics without ever being elected. It also highlights the social and environmental impacts of his projects and his eventual fall from power. The biography is renowned for its detailed and nuanced portrayal of power dynamics in urban politics.

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Catching the Big Fish

David Lynch

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Motherless Brooklyn

Professor of the History of Science Geoffrey Cantor

Jonathan Lethem

J. LETHEM

In 'Motherless Brooklyn', Jonathan Lethem tells the story of Lionel Essrog, a private investigator with Tourette's syndrome, who works for a small-time detective agency in Brooklyn. After his mentor, Frank Minna, is murdered, Lionel sets out to solve the crime, navigating through a complex web of gangsters, corruption, and personal relationships. The novel is praised for its unique protagonist, intricate plot, and Lethem's vivid portrayal of Brooklyn in the late 1990s. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction in 1999 and the 2000 Gold Dagger award for crime fiction.

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The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Katy Milkman

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Wind, sand, and stars

John O'Hara Cosgrave

Lewis Galantière

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Wind, Sand and Stars is a memoir by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry that explores themes of friendship, death, heroism, and the search for meaning in life. The book recounts his experiences as a pilot, including a dramatic plane crash in the Sahara Desert. It also reflects on the role of technology in expanding human understanding and connection with nature.

Due to a technical glitch this interview with Edward Norton did not find it’s way into most people’s feeds. If you were able to download the first one this is indeed the exact same interview, but if you missed it please give a listen and enjoy - we had a lot of fun with this one.

You’ve heard of Edward Norton. He’s starred in critically acclaimed films like American History X, Fight Club, and Birdman, been nominated for multiple Academy Awards, and, most recently, wrote, directed, and starred in Motherless Brooklyn, a film about a detective with Tourette’s syndrome who ends up taking on the most corrupt and powerful forces in New York City politics.

Motherless Brooklyn, as it happens, is one of my all-time favorite books.

And so this conversation was an unexpected pleasure. In addition to a joint love of Motherless Brooklyn, Norton and I share an unusual number of interests: Meditation, the uncontrollable nature of the mind, the difficulty of solving problems by thinking about them, the psychology of power, media analytics, cultural ideas of heroism, thwarted masculinity in politics, Ralph Nader, and more.

It’s rare that I think a conversation could’ve gone for hours more. But it’s true for this one.

References:

Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

This Could Be Our Future by Yancey Strickler

Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch

*The world according to Ralph Nader*

Book recommendations:

Barbarian Days by William Finnegan

Wind, Sand, and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Buddhism without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor

If you like this episode, check out:

What Buddhism got right about the human brain