"The Genius of Beauty" (Patreon)

Joshua and Ryan discuss finding the appropriate balance between simplicity, function, and beauty with author, podcaster, and pastor Erwin Raphael McManus, and they answer the following questions:

What is genius? (00:00)

How does genius manifest? (07:30)

How have we suppressed genius as a society? (10:46)

What is the etymology of “genius”? (23:46)

What do we mean by empathy, sympathy, and compassion? (30:23)

How are we weaponizing words? (30:36)

What is true empathy? (33:22)

When you first started your minimalist journey, what hiccups did you encounter and how did you address them? (45:08)

How do we best explain the benefits of minimalism to a maximalist? (56:51)

What is the difference between hoarding and spartanism? (57:49)

How do we maintain our focus, momentum, and motivation throughout the minimalism cycle? (1:05:31)

How is your message similar to, or different from, Marie Kondo in looking for the joy and beauty in the things you own? (1:08:51)

LINKS

Book: Against Empathy

Book: Love People, Use Things

Book: Minimalist Rulebook

Book: The Genius of Jesus

Instagram: Jordan Moore

Instagram: Podcast Shawn

Instagram: Danny Unknwn

Podcast: Battle Ready

Podcast: Hoarders

Podcast: Spartanism

Podcast: The Genius Of

Resources: The Minimalists

Subscribe: The Minimalists

Text: 937-202-4654

Tour: The Minimalists

Website: Erwin McManus

Website: Mosaic

Website: Axel Vervoordt

MAXIMS

“Beauty is anything that provokes wonder.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“The more beauty within a society, the less violence within a society—it’s incredibly difficult to be violent when you’re overwhelmed by beauty.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“Beauty eliminates wrong and right.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“Great interior design leaves room for the human experience.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“To become a great communicator, you must understand not only the words, but the spaces between the words.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“Are you wearing that shirt, makeup, and jacket for you, or are you wearing it to meet someone’s else’s expectation?” —Joshua Fields Millburn

“The path to misery is paved with comparison.” —Ryan Nicodemus

“The facts are never for the future—the facts are always for the past.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“Much of our latent despair is the genius within that hasn’t been actualized.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“Geniuses make greatness look average.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“Today’s heresy is tomorrow’s orthodoxy.”  —Erwin Raphael McManus

“We lie to ourselves before we lie to the world.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“Don’t make an enemy of accomplishment to justify your apathy.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

“We're more generative when we're more generous.” —Erwin Raphael McManus

This Maximal episode corresponds with Minimal episode 305.