William Belden Noble Lecture Series: John Green
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- čas přidán 13. 10. 2022
- New York Times bestselling Author John Green will be the first speaker in the 2022-23 William Belden Noble Lectures. Green is author of "The Fault in Our Stars," "Turtles All the Way Down," and "The Anthropocene Reviewed," among others. He is also widely-known video blogger, podcaster, and philanthropist. The title of his lecture is "How the World Ends."
The lecture is the first of four this academic year. The four-part series will take a plunge into the moral and ethical questions surrounding the global climate crisis and the role of religious institutions, organization and members of the general public, outside the scientific community focused on saving the planet.
The second lecture of the fall term will feature Norman Wirzba, Gilbert T. Rowe Distinguished Professor of Theology, Senior Fellow, Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University’s Divinity School, on Nov. 10. In the spring, Dekila Chungyalpa, Director of the Loka Initiative at the University of Wisconsin - Madison will speak on March 22. Emmanuel Katongole, Ph.D., Professor of Theology and of Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, Extraordinary Professor of Theology and Ecclesiology, University of Stellenbosch, Keough School of Global Affairs will wrap up the lecture series in April.
About John Green
John Green is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars, and Turtles All the Way Down. He is also the coauthor, with David Levithan, of Will Grayson, Will Grayson. He was the 2006 recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award, a 2009 Edgar Award winner, and has twice been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Green’s books have been published in more than 55 languages and over 24 million copies are in print.
In June 2014, the movie adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars was released, directed by Josh Boone, produced by Fox 2000 and Temple Hill, and starring Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and Nat Wolff. The screenplay was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, who went on to adapt Paper Towns for film. Fox 2000 and Temple Hill released Paper Towns in the summer of 2015, starring Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Justice Smith, Austin Abrams, Halston Sage, and Jaz Sinclair. In the second half of 2015, John signed a first look production deal with Fox 2000. The limited series adaptation of Looking for Alaska was released on Hulu on October 18th, 2019 starring Kristine Froseth, Charlie Plummer, and Denny Love. A Netflix adaptation of Let It Snow was released on November 8th, 2019 starring Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Kiernan Shipka, Odeya Rush, Liv Hewson, Joan Cusack, Mitchell Hope and more.
In 2007, John and his brother Hank ceased textual communication and began to talk primarily through videoblogs posted to CZcams. The videos spawned a community of people called nerdfighters who fight for intellectualism and to decrease the overall worldwide level of suck. (Decreasing suck takes many forms: Nerdfighters have raised millions of dollars to fight poverty in the developing world; they also planted thousands of trees around the world in May of 2010 to celebrate Hank’s 30th birthday.) Although they have long since resumed textual communication, John and Hank continue to upload two videos a week to their CZcams channel, vlogbrothers. Their videos have been viewed more than 800 million times.
John and Hank launched educational CZcams channel Crash Course in late 2011 with funding from CZcams’s original channel initiative. John, Hank, and a range of other hosts teach humanities and science courses to viewers, with multiple new series launching each year. World History, Literature, Economics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Government are just some of the courses available to date. Crash Course has over 10.7 million subscribers and 1.2 billion views. John and Hank are involved with a myriad of other video projects, including The Art Assignment, Ours Poetica, SciShow, hankgames, Eons and Healthcare Triage.
John’s book reviews have appeared in The New York Times Book Review and Booklist, a wonderful book review journal where he worked as a publishing assistant and production editor while writing Looking for Alaska. John grew up in Orlando, Florida before attending Indian Springs School and then Kenyon College. He currently lives in Indianapolis with his family.
This is my favorite episode of The Anthropocene Reviewed
I give Jesus… 4 and a half stars
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@@daeotlyit I’m an atheist and I would agree
This speech felt like a culmination of John's work. I could hear references from Turtles All the Way Down, the Anthropocene Reviewed, and his most recent Vlogbrothers videos. I didn't realize this before but the minister was right; John was the perfect person to talk about the "apocalypse".
I just watched this through for the first time after getting to see it in person, and I cannot express the magnitude of this lecture's importance. It is moving and relatable and thought-provoking in the best of ways, and I feel so lucky to have gotten to be there, and so lucky to be living in an era where these speeches can be saved and replayed months and years later so we can feel the wonder and hope it elicits in moments when the apocalypse seems far too close at hand. Thank you to prof. Potts and John and everyone who helped to make it possible.
I too feel so grateful to live in a time where I, someone living hundreds of miles away from Cambridge and not aware of this lecture at the time it happened, could replay it from my apartment's bedroom. Its easy to be a pessimist about the internet, and I often am, but this is one of the reasons I have grateful for it.
8 years from now: "Good morning, Kate."
The Green brothers are a national gottamn treasure.
Your answer to the last question made me cry. This is a bizarre thing to say, but John, thank you for treating us like children. Not in the sense of treating us like we are not full humans and worthy of respect. But in the sense of seeing us as in need of love and care and as not being in full control of our attention or emotion. Of needing guidance if we are to be our better selves. And for being willing to give that guidance even if it you cannot have confidence that every word is strictly True. Thank you for being a calm, earnest, and loving presence.
I managed to hold back the tears listening to the last question's answer, but your comment opened the flood gates 😭😭
Intro starts at 4:24 Address starts at 9:25
Thank you
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I know he says he’s not a sophisticated theologian but John Green has been the spiritual leader I’ve needed since I was about 12. His faith inspires me so much.
Him and hank were and still are some of the largest influences of my life for the last 14 years. I’m glad to have grown up with their influence. I think it’s helped shape myself into someone I can be proud of
@@hobbi31t What I love about their dynamic is that Hank is, as I understand, an atheist, and John is a Christian. Unfortunately, for so many families, that would be a huge divide that makes them not even want to be in the same room. However, John and Hank can move past this difference and realize that both viewpoints are just ways of seeing the myriad problems in the world and thinking about how to solve them.
Wow, I grew up in the church and lost faith as a teenager (but still highly value strong morality and respect for others' faith), and I've been a nerdfighter since the Brotherhood 2.0 days, so I've always been super curious about John's personal theology and sad that he's never laid it out very explicitly. So when he mentioned this lecture in today's Vlogbrothers video I immediately came and watched the whole thing. I wouldn't say he laid it out super explicitly, but he said enough that I think my experience comingling with his words was pretty revelatory for me. Just the idea that it doesn't matter to him whether God exists, that's a novel concept and I think it will really help me.
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In case anyone wants to watch that part specifically it starts at 33:07 "I don't care if God is really real ...I do not need to know. What I need to know is what to do with this surreal miracle of consciousness, how to live and grieve and hope in a world where everything we're certain of will end. And for me the life of Jesus and the disciples offers a path."
I couldn't agree more. I am both profoundly atheist, in that I never once had faith, but also agnostic in that for me *whether* there are gods or not isn't the important question. I strive to do the most good I am able to right now, to be the best possible version of myself at this moment, and that isn't affected by whether a supernatural being exists.
As someone who's been following John and Hank for years, I loved this as well. John has such tremendous tenderness and empathy for humanity, for the problem of being human, and it makes a lot of sense that his theology retains that compassion.
it's the same with the question of "what if we're living in a simulation?' The answer is it doesn't matter. because we will liely never find out, nor be able to do anything about it even if we do. We have consciousness and we can create meaning for ourselves. Who cares if there is or isn't a god? I care about my family, my friends, my effect on the world, my community. That's the only thing I can do anything about.
What a joy to hear John speak. He models that vulnerability and huge compassion that might get us through this.
I dont get star struck by people. I can talk with mayors and pop stars and whatever, but I think that Id just faint if I saw this man in person. He has just shared so much of his internal personhood and given me SO MUCH to think about. As a progressive Christian myself I see so much connection with him without actually being in the same denomination. Hehe.
Same
John Green is one of my favourite humans. I am so proud to be a nerdfighter!
When he was talking about having kids during the Obama administration, it reminded me of a story Stanley Hauerwas told. There was a very visibly pregnant student in his class, and one of the students asked if it was right to bring another child into the world. So Hauerwas turned the question back and asked the class. After substantial back and forth that tended to focus on all the reasons not to have a kid, Hauerwas asked the student, "So why are you having a child?" She responded "I don't know. I just am."
He said that's the whole point. From an objective reason, there might not be any good reason to have kids. Have them anyway. Life yields life and love yields love. In midst of all that is wrong, a child is a radical expression of life, love and hope by their very existence.
I was a little late to the livestream, but thank you for posting this online. John, I was feeling lonely earlier, but now I feel accompanied. And Matt, your Diet Dr Pepper joke was great. dftba
Thank you John, for giving a wonderful and thoughtful and soul-nourishing and action-galvanizing lecture, and thank you William Belsen Noble series for making it available to viewers around the world!
4:07 Start
9:23 John Green emerges
A little Mr. Rogers: looking for helpers, a little Hope is the thing with feathers. Thank you elephant John.
I think if all Christians were like John Green, I might still be one.
I am moved and opened up by your speech, John. Thankyou.
Radical hope IS very punk rock. One of my favorite bands of all time (they’re called Godspeed You Black Emperor!) are a very apocalyptic sounding band with huge guitar, drum, and other string sounds, but you’ll probably never again catch them playing a show without the projector behind them scrawling real big, the word H O P E along its length.
Freedom from all types of oppressions!! And DFTBA!
You too, fellow nerdfighter
Or, in other words, decrease worldsuck!
I've reflected a lot on Kate's question, during periods where I felt very lost in my own journey, with no idea of "what to do with my life". My personal conclusion is that I think about, and try to answer questions whose answer **matter** to me. If a particular answer won't change how I act, then it's not relevant for me. There are already more things I want to change in the world than time I have to change them, so I try not to worry myself with what won't change my course.
This really reminds me of what John Vervaeke says on the question of “What is the Meaning of Life”?
It can be helpful to remember where the question comes from. Why are we asking that question? We are asking that question because we can see people around us (and often ourselves) who are living lives that are meaningless to them. And that can seem desperately Absurd. So we ask the question because we don’t want to be living meaningless lives.
It is important to appreciate the question, and the place the question comes from, whilst also acknowledging that it is a badly framed question.
John answers that “the question is useful for thinking about life, but you’ll get bad answers if you try to answer it directly, because it’s framed badly.” Asking “What is the Meaning of Life” is misleading because there is no Meaning ‘of’ Life, Meaning is a thing that is truly transjective, which is to say it is truly relational. There is only ‘Meaning In Life’, Meaning is the thing between your conscious experience and your life in the world. Meaning cannot exist without both.
He also talks a lot about relevance realization, which is relevant because it is the study of how things become relevant. Or in other words, the study of the questions that ‘*matter to you*’.
I’m not sure if that was of any value to anyone, but I found it insightful when I first heard it.
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@@ToriKo_oh wow, thank you for sharing that! I've always felt such a strong wave of frustration rising up whenever I heard "What's the meaning of life?", because it intuitionally felt like a nonsense/ poorly framed question designed to make people feel small and stupid. But it took me months to put words on what exactly it was that irritated me
I can answer the question he couldn’t via his words - you know what questions to answer and prioritise by paying attention to what you pay attention to. You should put effort into the things that interest you and make you feel alive - the things that give you a healthy fuel source. For John, that starts with a vague question like “how do we decrease world suck?” And then he thinks “Well, it needs to be systemic long term change and it has to rely on people that know better than me - partners in health.” But also for him it can simply be spending time with people that make him feel connected like family and friends. And from there I guess it’s just the questions that his mind wants answers to… “What is I? What is believe? Why does Diet Dr Pepper taste so good?” And not worrying about the questions that his brain doesn’t care about, no matter how seemly important, because attention and resources are finite and there will always be someone who does care about what you don’t.
Thank you for having this. I was transfixed for the whole time! I will happily listen to this man speak for 30minutes any day.
This was such a gift. I feel immensely privileged for hearing this. Thank you.
Just comment to acknowledge how brilliant Kate’s question was. Truly LOVE brilliant and thoughtful
Good golly, that was absolutely fucking amazing
I had so many favourite parts in this lecture, but my most favourite part was your answer to the final question. Your kindness, your ability to think deeply about seemingly simple things (which often turn out to be the most complex things), and your hope for the community of humanity ♡
John Green is the first person to show me that religion can be valuable and non-harmful for some people. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people don’t come close to this view of religion, which really sucks. But there is hope for a non-harmful version of religion that doesn’t cause division and pain. (And doesn’t contradict reality)
How old are you?
@@trying-to-learn I’m 19. And I haven’t met someone who knows that their religion probably isn’t real, but is instead just a story that they can use to bring purpose and be a guiding line in their life.
Which is something I can relate with, although I personally gravitate more towards stories that don’t pretend they’re real, and that haven’t caused a large amount of harm and death to countless people.
But I don’t blame John for identifying with the Christian teachings that might have been made with bad intentions by not great people, just like I don’t blame people for enjoying the story of Harry Potter in spite of some of the bad intentions/ideas surrounding it’s creation. Even if I personally can’t bring myself to identify with either.
@@_Chelli_ I'm a bit older than you are, and I am not a person of faith. One of the things that I have learned in my time is that most people are not trying to do bad things. And that for many people, their faith is a source of comfort and community and a reminder to look for opportunities to be their best, rather than excuses to be their worst. But like many things in life, it is the people who often exhibit the worst takes on a situation that choose to be the loudest about them.
There are people out there who practice and express the principles of their faith in a way that makes them a better person. It could be hard to cut through the nose, and to see the best in people. But a lot of those people who use their faith as an excuse to be hurtful towards others are doing so because they are afraid, and because they are suffering. It's not an excuse. However an understanding of that mindset might put certain things into perspective. People don't hate as much when times are good. And it is a cruel irony that such hatred is typically what makes times worse. People are kinder to each other when they don't feel cornered by the cruelty and uncaring nature that is life. And reminding people that kindness is a reward in and of itself, is something that is hard to do with words and logical arguments, but easier to show by example and gentle reminders. The people who express their faith in a way that isn't exactly faithful to the teachings of love and tolerance aren't unsavable. They just need to be reminded that there are better reasons to believe in what they believe in.
Those are just some thoughts, and I hope that there is something in there of value
I find that most people actually have this view of religion, but unfortunately there is a loud, loud minority that spews harmful religious beliefs and drowns out everyone else.
I love this lecture so much! Thank you for uploading this and for john to have spun light around my perspective again.
"spun light around my perspective" what a beautiful and accurate description, thank you! 💖
Agreed, what a spot-on description!
@@kasterborouskitten Awww thank you ! You're so kind
Thank you for this John! Brings hope to my soul hearing you share your words on the topic!
Just starting this, hoping that he talks about Tuberculosis.
Update: he mentioned it at least once, but this amazing speech was better than 100 tuberculosis references.
37:26 "You were sick, but now you're well, and there's work to do." - Kilgore Trout
John I hope you see this comment. Thank you for sharing so much of your theological viewpoint, I have been interested in your spiritual views for a while. I came to you through your fiction, then devoured your work with Hank in education and science. I remember Henry's birth. I admire and respect your earnestness, philanthropy, and talent in expressing the ineffable. Which is God, you know. Anyway, I trust and admire your work, is my point, so I always wondered about your views on God, knowing you worked as a chaplain. Crisis of faith? I hear ya.
I greatly admire your openness about your mental health struggles. I too am quite mad. May I suggest you research madness and religious ecstasy? You may find some light to shine on old connections, to enlargen your map of the metaphysical, unseen realm.
You nail beautifully the limits of language. There is a deep dark well inside each of us, and due to the earth's immense psychic pain, it's difficult to connect to the wellspring, the source of those waters in each of us. But you can do it. Hence the story you related of Jesus and the well. Recognize the metaphor and find your place in it: some people have knowledge of how to find water and how to build a well (the serpents), some people do the physical construction of the well (the Adam), some people draw from it (the Eve), and some people drink from it (Jesus). And, some asshats pollute it or fill it with corpses (the four horsemen). Ask yourself which role you want to play.
IMO, as someone mainly in the serpent role? Your nonfiction is an incredible cup for others to drink from. But I know it extols a high cost. I pay it too. Thank you for helping me rekindle hope that it's worth ladling for others at the well. For us Samaritan women don't speak to the Jews, eh?
Appreciated the talk. Why do you not care if God is real or not, but do care why there is matter? What a great question
Thanks for posting this! Fantastic lecture.
Inspired and inspiring.
So great.
Just some more great stuff from Mr. Green. Great to see his maturing form take flight
To get to the introduction of the lecture you can skip to 4:00
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A great speech
DFTBA - thank you
TFIOS, Turtles, TAR among others. Put some respect on Alaska!
Tag urself I’m the contemporary human pickle
John, in your lecture you said "we will survive this" when talking about the present moment. But between covid and war, many people will not survive this.
What did you mean by that?
I mean we, the human enterprise, will survive this. Almost none of us as individuals will survive the 21st century, but the human enterprise will survive. -John
I was a little late to the livestream, but thank you for posting this online. John, I was feeling lonely earlier, but now I feel accompanied. And Matt, your Diet Dr Pepper joke was great. dftba