Mothermouth Medicine

S01 E09 Mothermouth Musings 3 – Who shouts the loudest – wisdom & ‘abundance’ in the age of capitalism and social media

Feb 8, 2024 | musings, social issues

Podcast description

In this episode I will ponder about my worries and concerns about how wisdom is viewed these days and how the concept of abundance is experienced by people in the modern world. 

I am still trying to unpack this myself, and I would like to get to the bottom of it.

Wisdom and abundance – Two seemingly very different subjects. I feel they are interlinked though and I wonder how.

Who is seen as wise these days in our modern secular world? Who do people ‘follow’? Who do people chose for advice in spiritual, life and healing matters? How does the race for attention impact the depth and authenticity of the wisdom we encounter especially in social media platforms and the paths of engagement like ‘educational’ courses or communities we find online? Does this not foster egocentric or megalomaniac notion of people’s importance when most ancient spiritual traditions place great emphasis on the how not let the ego rule and on humility?

To me, in the modern secular western world the sharing and proclamation of knowledge appears to be vastly influenced by the structure of our economic system, namely capitalism, or maybe we could say that the ecosystem of our economic system has seeped into our experience and sources of wisdom to form the basic structure of knowledge exchange. Where wisdom or knowledge become a product or commodity and the marketplace dictates who is being listened to, promoted, consulted and rewarded. 

All of these developments and structures seem to be standing in stark contrast of how most established spiritual traditions describe and practice the exchange of knowledge and the conduct of wisdom keepers.

Hard to find our way through the jungle of offerings these days. Is it actually still possible for people brought up within these structures that are so pervasive to discern authentic sources of knowledge or ‘real’ wisdom out of all the marketplace shoutings with echoes of recycled insights, amalgamated systems, false gurus?

And furthermore, the allure of limitless prosperity is a strong force but I believe we need to question the existence of this notion as a concept that comes from a deep seated profusion of a capitalistic endless growth mentality into all our thinking and feeling and spiritual pursuits.

I feel we need to critically examine how far capitalistic economic structures have infiltrated and are informing our experience of ourselves, our relationships, philosophical concepts and understanding of the world.

People, ideas, links and podcast mentioned in this episode are:

Bayo Akomolafe https://www.bayoakomolafe.net

Much love, Stephx

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please write a quick review on one of the podcast platforms you use. Especially on apple podcast, spotify and youtube it helps to bring the podcast to more listeners.

Or support me on:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mothermouth

And come to the website:https://mothermouth.co.uk

A transcript of the podcast episode is available here: https://rss.com/podcasts/mothermouth/1335670/#transcript

Music by 12Volt, with great thanks to my friend Sascha Usison.

More podcasts

Subscribe to the podcast here

Podcast – Mothermouth Speaks

Journey with us as we explore and celebrate life's seasons and rites of passages, often overlooked, invisible, or unmarked in our modern societies.

At Mothermouth, we believe that reconnecting with life’s rhythms is key to reclaiming our connection to our bodies. Cultivating a sense of belonging is crucial, as it provides a safe space for navigating our inevitable growth, allowing us to return to our place in the world with a deep sense of purpose - a birthright we all deserve.

Mothermouth is dedicated to embarking on diverse and transformative journeys towards body connection, power, and pleasure. Our podcast series begins by delving into the realms of birth and its physiology - the profound act of bringing a child into the world. Giving birth signifies the embodiment of our existence, and becoming a mother marks a significant shift in our lives, both from a bodily and societal perspective. While the physical changes are noticeable and acknowledged, we also explore the subtle yet deeply transformative psychological changes of becoming a mother and the challenges we face.

But this is just the beginning. As we take our first steps on this journey we will traverse a multitude of subjects, guided by guest speakers and our ever-changing expansions of questions and interests. As the scout on this pilgrimage, I am simultaneously navigating my own path towards the imminent rite of passage that is menopause, while still grieving the recent loss of my own mother.

At Mothermouth, our passion lies in empowering each individual to stand in their power, purpose, and deep connection to their bodies, while experiencing the joy of sharing and witnessing the transformative journey within our community.

Bannbluete geometric line illustration mothermouth podcast