Quasi-Religion

Public lecture at Tele2 Art Space, Yelagin Island, St. Petersburg, August 26, 2023. Video recording: YouTube Joan Rowling’s Harry Potter novels are not the primitive teenage fiction that certain intellectual circles like to dismiss them as. This is a major work that has generated a genuine subculture. I am firmly convinced that no hollow piece of writing can be elevated to cult status through advertising alone, however aggressive. Every genuinely good work contains multiple layers of meaning. ...

Based on a video lecture. Video lecture: YouTube After the World Cup in Qatar, the internet filled up with videos titled “Messi is God.” Lionel Messi scored twice in the final against France, scored his penalty in the shootout, had a genuinely brilliant tournament, led Argentina to victory, and permanently wrote his name into history as one of the greatest footballers of all time. Whether he has eclipsed Pelé and Maradona is a matter of debate, but that he has become an absolute expression of the game — that is beyond doubt. ...