Episode 69

full
Published on:

18th Jan 2022

From Certainty to Uncertainty with Ross Simonini: Part 1

Painter, musician, and writer (among many other things) Ross Simonini likes to get at the truth by subtraction. In this episode, we talk about the zen koan of "the finger and the moon" and how it relates to knowing the unknown. He introduces me to fun concepts like apophatic theology (the idea that God can never be known or described). And he describes the hell that is being trapped inside yourself. This episode is part one of two because there's a lot to chew on here, and I want to let the conversation breathe a bit. Stay tuned for Part 2 later this week!

Get my full convo with Ross (even more than Parts 1 and 2 combined!), every installment of the debrief podcast This Is Your Aftershow, and shoutouts in future episodes at patreon.com/davemaher. By joining, you're helping me realize my dream of making this show my living.

For both a foundation and a deeper exploration of some of the ideas we talk about, check out Ross' essay, "The All," in The Believer.

Follow Ross on Instagram: @rosssimonini, visit his website rosssimonini.com, and if you're in New York City, go see his art show "The All" at Anonymous Gallery until February 19, 2022! 

Subscribe to my weekly newsletter, Hella Immaculate! And follow me @thisisdavemaher on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.

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Transcript: This Is Your Afterlife on Podscribe

Music = Future: "Use Me" / Four Tet: "Two Thousand and Seventeen" / Johnnie Frierson: "Miracles"

Show artwork for This Is Your Afterlife

About the Podcast

This Is Your Afterlife
Comedian Dave Maher interviews artists and activists about death, their lives, and the afterlife.
What happens when we die? What if this is the afterlife? Comedian, coma survivor, and former Pitchfork writer Dave Maher ("This American Life") asks artists, entertainers, and activists for definite answers to these unanswerable questions.
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