The Cogitating Ceviché Week in Review (24-40)
Editorial Summary
This week’s offerings ranged from the theological to the technological, from mountain paths to urban chimneys. Calista Freiheit reflected on the power of laughter and joy as quiet resistance in turbulent times. Conrad Hannon gave us both sharp cultural critique — of algorithms that feed but do not nourish, of Dante’s visions reimagined through digital eternity, and of the odd way we museumify even the cereal bowl. Gio Marron provided narrative breadth: a rediscovered Fitzgerald short story of Appalachian grit and the unfolding intrigue of Mimi Delboise’s investigation. Together, these pieces reveal how humor, memory, and imagination continue to shape both faith and the digital present.
Articles
* The Christian Sense of Humor: Laughter as ResistanceCalista Freiheit — October 6, 2025On the overlooked Christian inheritance of joy: how laughter resists despair in an age of outrage.
* The Algorithm Has No Taste, Only HungerConrad Hannon — October 7, 2025Recommendation engines aren’t curators but conveyor belts, grinding art into consumable fodder.
* Jemina, The Mountain GirlGio Marron — October 8, 2025F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tale of Jemina and her rugged determination to navigate love and survival.
* Dante Alighieri in the Digital Afterlife: Virtual Visions, Moral AI, and the Architecture of EternityConrad Hannon — October 8, 2025Dante meets cyberspace: reflections on morality, eternity, and AI’s architecture of vision.
* The Museumification of Everyday Life: How We Turn Breakfast Cereal Into HistoryConrad Hannon — October 10, 2025On our habit of placing even the most mundane objects into the glass case of history.
* The Chimney Sweep’s Tale – PART THREE: “The Investigation”Gio Marron — October 11, 2025Mimi Delboise returns, navigating soot, secrets, and the tightening noose of mystery.
Quote of the Week
“The algorithm is not a curator but a conveyor belt with teeth.”— Conrad Hannon, The Algorithm Has No Taste, Only Hunger
Questions
The Christian Sense of Humor: Laughter as Resistance
* How does laughter function as an act of resistance in Christian history?
* Can joy be a more persuasive witness than anger in cultural debates?
The Algorithm Has No Taste, Only Hunger
* If algorithms aren’t taste-makers, what does this imply for cultural authority in the digital age?
* How might human curation reclaim space from algorithmic feeding?
Jemina, The Mountain Girl
* What does Jemina’s character reveal about Fitzgerald’s early views on class and gender?
* How does setting shape the moral struggles of the story?
Dante Alighieri in the Digital Afterlife
* Can virtual reality provide a new “Divine Comedy” for the 21st century?
* What ethical boundaries should guide the use of AI in spiritual or moral storytelling?
The Museumification of Everyday Life
* What risks arise when the ordinary becomes an artifact?
* Does nostalgia distort or preserve cultural memory?
The Chimney Sweep’s Tale – Part Three
* How does the investigation deepen Mimi Delboise’s character arc?
* What role does setting play in shaping the mystery’s tension?
Additional Resources
* Josef Pieper, In Tune with the World: A Theory of Festivity
* Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death
* Sherry Turkle, Alone Together
* Charles Taylor, A Secular Age
* Mark Fisher, Capitalist Realism
Calls to Action
* Calista Freiheit: Find one way this week to laugh in faith, not in scorn.
* Conrad Hannon: Question the machine — and choose a human recommender for your next book, song, or film.
* Gio Marron: Revisit forgotten short stories; sometimes they hold unexpected truths.
* General: Share this review with a friend who appreciates both mystery and meaning.
Thank you for your time today. Until next time, stay gruntled, curious, and God Bless.
