John Selig joined me to discuss the unprecedented scale of Christopher Nolan's new film The Odyssey, and why the ancient hero Odysseus is returning to the center of our culture at this particular moment. What does the renewed fascination with Odysseus reveal about the quality of the time we are living through?

The Odyssey is more than the story of a man trying to find his way home. It reveals what happens when we become estranged from our own instincts, and the long journey required to recover them.

With Christopher Nolan bringing this myth to the largest cinematic canvas ever devoted to it, we explore not only what happens in Homer's epic, but why this story matters now.

In our conversation, we examine the dynamic tension between Athena and Poseidon, strategy and instinct, reason and feeling, and how that polarity unfolds through Odysseus, Penelope, Telemachus, the fatherless son searching for his place in the world, and the goddesses whose guidance shapes the entire journey. Along the way, we discuss trauma, xenia (sacred hospitality), kleos (glory and enduring reputation), and the profound symbolism of Odysseus finally carrying the oar inland, bringing the sea into relationship with the land and completing his long path home.

John's website, including how to order his guidebook for The Odyssey:

https://stolenfires.com/

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