Discussion of Blog Article - "In Troubled Times, Young People Should Turn To Epicurus Rather than The Pope"

Quote from Cassius

It is worth pausing on Hawley’s implicit comparison — between our moment and the troubled times that preceded the triumph of Christianity in the Roman Empire.

Josh Hawley in my view is a typical guy like Plutarch, trying to frighten people with a "meaning crisis" and "decaying moral values" to make people believe in superstition and go back to the good ol' dark ages. All while ignoring that actual root that causes misery which Christianity cannot solve, our cowardice in making friends (which in modern society is not so much because it's hard to make friends but people simply don't want the effort put in), our own reckless desires, fear over things that are not to be feared, and ingratitude for what we have and instead always chasing something new.

From what I understand, the supposed religious revival among Gen Z's is mostly hype. There are some isolated pockets of mini revivals, but the Z's have the least interest in religion than any other generation in US history. Some 1/3 of them are 'nones'.

What they do have is more interest in the supernatural and in DIY 'spirituality' and that might be an opening for a philosophy like Epicureanism that offers coherence, structure and a secular view of life.

And it's a great alternative to Stoicism as many Epicureans come by that route. 😉