The Razor’s Edge, part 3: Climbing off the wheel of suffering

Our final session with W. Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge (chapters 5-7).

Elliot Templeton as the last relic of a dying age. Was he really happy? We consider his self-worship and clout-chasing Catholicism as a counterpoint to Larry's spirituality. Rest in power queen.

Sophie MacDonald attempts to climb off the wheel of suffering via more prosaic means. Did she get what she wanted? An argument over whether Isabel is a total psycho or only a minor-league bitch. 

Larry's spiritual journey as a synthesis of the best parts of the Eastern tradition. Was this whole book just a delivery mechanism for Vedic philosophy? On the transmigration of souls, God as a deadbeat dad, and whether it's bad for society to encourage serenity-maxxing.

CHAPTERS

• (00:00:00) tattoo discourse
• (00:02:18) The sad (?) saga of Elliott Templeton
• (00:16:31) The sad saga of Sophie MacDonald
• (00:29:25) Is this whole book just a delivery vehicle for vedic philosophy?
• (00:36:18) Larry’s struggle with the problem of evil
• (00:42:11) Oneness and universality of transcendent experience
• (00:47:03) Buddhism as a mind-killing philosophy
• (00:52:22) The boys experience with meditating