About this episode

David and Tamler discuss the concept of sacred spaces and the effects of cursing on strength.

David and Tamler consecrate their podcast with a discussion of "The Sacred and the Profane" by Mircea Eliade. We focus on the first chapter on sacred spaces, where the divine breaks through (or irrupts ) our homogenous and chaotic reality, creating a center that gives us meaning and allows us to orient our lives. Plus speaking of the profane, a new study shows that cursing makes you stronger – but why in god's living fuck do they always end up spewing nonsense about the "underlying psychological mechanisms"? Stephens, R., Dowber, H., Richardson, C., & Washmuth, N. B. (2025). " Don't hold back": Swearing improves strength through state disinhibition. American Psychologist . Eliade, M. (1959). The sacred and the profane: The nature of religion (Vol. 81). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

People in this episode

Hosts: Tamler Sommers, David Pizarro

Topics covered

• sacred spaces
• meaning
• cursing
• psychological mechanisms
• religion
• philosophy

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Sacred and the Profane, Don't hold back: Swearing improves strength through state disinhibition, The sacred and the profane: The nature of religion

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