We continue Walking with Thoreau through the wild terrain of uncivilized thought — where genius shatters the temples of knowledge, exposing the unseen forces shaping our reality. Thoreau reminds us that it is the wild, uncultivated mind that truly delights, as free and swift as a mallard in flight.
In this episode of The Peripatetics, we explore the invisible connections that bind us — atomic thoughts dancing like pollen on a pond, elusive yet undeniable. From the rediscovery of an ancient poem, lost for a thousand years, to my own realization of the creative life's atomic nature, we delve into the tension between certainty and wildness. We examine how long-suppressed ideas, once freed, can spark revolutions in thought, science, and art.
Our journey turns toward the question of the untamed intellect's role in creativity and the quest for truth itself. Through poetry, philosophy, and personal revelation, we ask: What does it mean to make the darkness visible, and how can we reclaim the wildness within us all?
Transcripts of all episodes are available here. Find Trey on Instagram.
Episode Themes Include:
The Unseen Forces of Genius: This episode explores the invisible elements that drive creativity and knowledge. Through Thoreau's lens, we encounter the wild, uncultivated thought that shatters conventional understanding, revealing the unseen forces that shape our reality, much like atomic particles that move beneath the surface.
The Tension Between Certainty and Wildness: Drawing on the rediscovery of Lucretius' On the Nature of Things, this episode delves into the friction between structured knowledge and untamed intellect. It highlights how suppressed ideas, once unleashed, have the power to revolutionize science, philosophy, and art.
Creation as a Manifestation of the Wild: By reflecting on personal revelations about the creative process, the episode likens creation to the atomic nature of existence. Creativity is not about bringing something from nothing, but about connecting wild, seemingly invisible thoughts and making them visible.
Making the Darkness Visible: Inspired by Thoreau's words, the episode explores the act of illuminating what is hidden, both within ourselves and the world. This theme weaves through poetry, philosophy, and personal reflection, asking how we can uncover the truths buried in our subconscious and wild nature.
The Power of Untamed Thought: Through Thoreau's celebration of wild thinking, the episode questions the role of untamed intellect in the pursuit of truth. It challenges the listener to reclaim their wildness, to look beyond the domesticated structures of knowledge and rediscover the deeper truths that lie beyond civilization's grasp.
Wildness as a Catalyst for Creative Thought: The episode presents wild, uncivilized thinking as essential to artistic and intellectual breakthroughs. By embracing the unpredictability and spontaneity of wild thought, we open ourselves to new ways of seeing and understanding the world, much like the way atomic theories reshaped our view of the universe.
About The Show
Inspired by the ancient tradition of walking philosophers — from Aristotle and his followers to Thoreau and Nietzsche — who walked as a way to engage deeply with their thoughts and ideas, The Peripatetics wanders through th e thoughts of great thinkers in nature, art, literature, and philosophy as they intersect with the simple, transformative act of walking.
In season 1, we are discussing Henry David Thoreau's definitive essay on the subject of walking, connecting it with wisdom from a wide swath of philosophic tradtions which share his devotion to achieving clarity and peace through movement.
Whether you're a fellow walker, someone looking for a bit of tranquility, or just curious about how a good walk can change your perspective, you're in the right place.
May your path be smooth and your pace steady.
About The Host
Trey Hill is a filmmaker who cut his teeth as a photographer and one-man-band storyteller for non-profits and NGOs, work which carried him around the world as he sought to expose the inner light present in some of the planet's most overlooked people. He also spent 10 seasons in the NHL as team photographer for the Dallas Stars and has, for the better part of the last decade, directed TV commercials for global brands, working with household names, musicians, sports heroes, and politicians. In 2019, his feature-length debut, the documentary LOUD KRAZY LOVE about Korn's Brian "Head" Welch, premiered on Showtime.
