Unlimited Opinions - Philosophy, Theology, Linguistics, & More

What makes a hero a hero? In this episode, we look at Joseph Campbell's theory of the Hero's Journey as he discusses it with the journalist Bill Moyers. We look at what the Hero's Journey entails, why life is full of suffering, and how one becomes a hero in their own life. We also discuss theology, the ego, and J.R.R. Tolkien's thoughts on life and death. As always, there are r...

Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? What is the moral way to live your live? Who would order peas at a restaurant? These are the critical questions we are asking in this episode as we break down Joseph Campbell's thoughts on how spirituality should be practiced in your life. We discuss the importance of taking a break from the outside world, the idea of sacrifice, the issues with just lis...

What began humanity's mythological stories? Death or something else? In this episode, we break down the third chapter of  The Power of Myth , discussing Joseph Campbell's theories on how myths began, amongst other concepts, including whether or not humans make beautiful things instinctually and how the self relates to society.  As may be expected, we disagree with Campbell in some aspect...

Is this the first chapter that Adam does not particularly like? In this episode, we look at much of Joseph Campbell's personal philosophies and largely disagree with them. We discuss how humans now are the same as 30,000 years ago, how dreams and myths relate, transcendence, the use of allegory, and much more. We also return to our season-spanning debate over whether or not God is omniscient...

"I'm fed up! I'm about to start caring!" - Mark Bishop, 2022. What issues prompted this radical turn to caring? Find out in this episode as we discuss the first chapter of  The Power of Myth : "Myth and the Modern World." We discuss the importance to studying mythology, the experience of being alive, generalists vs. specialists, whether or not we should return to old...

Welcome to Season 3 of Unlimited Opinions! In this episode, we look at journalist Bill Moyers' introduction to The Power of Myth , a text edition of the conversations held between Moyers and mythologist Joseph Campbell. We look at many of the big topics that are to come in the rest of the book, including why mythology is relevant today, the use of rituals in our daily lives, the Hero's J...

In this finale for Season 2 of Unlimited Opinions, we look at Scottish legends for children and stories of Fionn mac Cumhaill. We discuss the Ainsel, the story of Ossian and the Crow, the legend of how Fionn got his sword Mac an Luinne, and much more! We also talk about the importance of mythology overall and why it's important today, and how this relates to the book that we will be covering...

Porridge: the cure-all food of Scotland, apparently! In this episode, we look at Scottish stories about ghosts, tales of how things came to be, and fables instructing you how to live your life. We discuss the Fiddler of Gord, Dubh u'Giubhais, Luran, the Three Questions of King James, and much more! We also somehow end up on many tangents, including one comparing the complexities of World War...

In this episode, Mark begins his descent into becoming a cartoon supervillain! Amidst many tangents and asides, we discuss the rather cheerful stories of Scottish fairies and sea-folk. We look at the legend of the Selkie, several stories about Changelings (including the story of Wee Johnnie in the Cradle), and the tale of how you should always accept mysterious buttermilk! We look at many of the m...

The beginning of Scottish mythology! In this episode, we cover various tales of witchcraft, including the legend of the brownie, the three knots, the daughter of Duart, and the cauldron. We also discuss what distinguishes Scottish mythology from other Celtic traditions in its role in primarily oral storytelling. As is par for the course, we ramble in various tangents, some of which aren't con...

In this epic conclusion to Norse mythology, we cover the entire story of Ragnarok, the Norse end of the world. We tell the whole story, from Balder's death to Loki's punishment, and the battle itself on the field of Vigrid, and the renewed world. We also discuss the dichotomies represented by each of the gods and their enemies, and discuss our thoughts on Norse mythology as a whole. As a...

Tangents, many connections to other writings, and rants! The quintessential Unlimited Opinions episode! We look at Freyja and Odur's love story, the tale of how Tyr lost his hand, the passing of the dwarfs, and much more! In this episode, Tolkien references abound and off-topic conversations run rampant. We're also looking for suggestions for a book to follow along with in the next seaso...

Thor: hero of Norse mythology or kinda just a jerk? In this episode, we look at various legends of Thor's exploits in the Norse myths, including how Thor's hammer was made and later stolen, his fishing adventure, and the page-turner that is the story of Thor's journey to the hall of Utgard-loki. As always, this episode is full of tangents and other discussions, including our thought...

In this episode packed full of information about the Norse myths, we cover some of the most famous stories of Norse mythology! We look at the halls of Asgard, Heimdall's visits to Midgard, several of Loki's trickster stories, the tales of the Norns, Idunn's apples of immortality, and a very abridged version of the Sigurd Saga. We also narrowly avoid several rants, talk extensively a...

Mark's Manifesto, an undocumented Berber language, and the plot of John Wick: our favorite trinity in Norse mythology! In this episode, we break down the Norse creation myths, including the creation of Ymir in Ginnungagap, the shaping of the earth by Odin, Vili, and Ve, the chariots of Nott and Dag, the first humans, and the founding of Asgard in Yggdrasil. We also talk about the phases that...

Don't we all just wish that we had a Cone of Buffalo Protection? It would definitely make my trips to Yellowstone a lot less hazardous. In this episode, we discuss legends from various Native American peoples, including how the sun was ensnared, how the Pawnee are able to hunt buffalo, and the Seminole account of the origin of the three races. We also look at the legend of Osseo, the Son of E...

If someone rejects you, it might just be a little overboard to make a sentient snowman to lead them to their doom. But what do I know, I'm no judge! On this episode, we look at Algonquian myths and legends, including the tale of Michabo and his role in the creation of the world, the journey to the Land of Souls, Moowis the Snow-husband, and the legend of Scar-face. We discuss comparative myth...

Rants, rants, and more Mark Bishop rants! In this episode, we begin looking at Native American mythology, starting with the Iroquois people. We talk about the creation myth of how Atahensic created the Good Mind and the Bad Mind, the origin of medicine, the legend of Hiawatha, the story of the stone giant Ganusquah, the mysterious tale of Great Head and the 10 Brothers, and Sayadio's sad atte...

What does your mind jump to when learning about various important tales from India? If your answer is the soundtrack to the 1978 movie  Convoy , you might be Mark Bishop! In this last episode focusing on Indian mythology, we look at various important tales from India, such as the Birth of Ganga, in which King Sagara's 60,000 sons are turned to ash and his great-grandson Bhagirath prays for Ga...

Back in person and with more rambling than ever! On this episode, we look at some legends about the Hindu god Shiva, and his role as destroyer in the triumvirate of Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva. We look at Shiva's birth, his wedding to Sati, and his dance of change. We also talk about the nature of destruction and preservation, the importance of a spouse, and a whole lot of off-topic nonsense! ...

Was the Empire in Star Wars on the right side? - and other topics that can be vaguely related to the Mahabharata, the longest epic poem ever written! On this episode, we break down some summaries of the stories of the origin of Arjuna, the warrior prince of the Pandavas. We look at how the Pandavas met their mentor Drona, how Arjuna and his rival Karna came to fight, and how Arjuna won the hand of...

Reincarnation: a wise philosophy or nonsense? We attempt to answer that question and more as we look at some legends about Buddha. We look at Guatama Buddha's conversion, life, and death, the story of how Sumedha became a disciple of Buddha, and the tale of the six-tusked elephant. We also look at the nature of desire as the root of all evil, the popularity of Buddhism, and how Buddhism relat...

Krishna's major accomplishments: battling a monstrous snake, lifting an entire mountain with the tip of his finger, and...stealing clothes? In this episode, we continue our look at Indian mythology, covering the legends of Krishna's early life, from his birth and prophesy to defeat Kansa, his mischievous and powerful adventures as a boy, his battle with Kaliya, and his love of Radha. We...

In this episode, we look at tales from the Ramayana, one of the epic Hindu poems. It tells the story of Rama and his brothers Bharata, Lakshman, Sutrughna, all embodiments of the great god Vishnu. We look at Rama's youth and exile, and how he rescued his wife Sita from the terrible evil of the rakshasa Ravana. We break down the morality tales and lessons that each episode of Rama's story...

Join us for a discussion of some of the most famous Greek myths, such as Eros and Psyche, Persephone and Hades, Orpheus and Eurydice, Echo and Narcissus, Perseus, Daedalus, and Icarus. We talk about how love and the mind work together, how myths develop from the values that a culture holds, and how power leads to corruption. Also included is a world-famous Mark Bishop Rant! Give us your opinions h...