Who Is Jesus to You? Cecile Mentor Interviews the Christian Philosopher Andreas Saugstad

By Cecile Mentor in collaboration with Andreas Saugstad

Andreas Saugstad is a Norwegian thinker who connects Christian mysticism, everyday experience, and philosophy in a personal way. At the heart of his work is a deep trust in Jesus, who, he believes, brings calm, hope, and meaning into the struggles of life. He often writes about how philosophy can empower people, helping them to live a more authentic life and to find joy in thoughtful reflection. Saugstad also isn’t afraid to challenge postmodern ideas or hyper-capitalist culture, and he defends a social justice view of society that values dignity and compassion. This interview was conducted in Oslo, Norway, in January 2025, but the message is eternal and relevant to everyone, no matter where they live.

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Paris and the Superficial Memes of Selfieness Tragedy

Any tragic world event is an opportunity to convey meaning for profit — personally, politically, fiscally or morally — and the instant rise of the “Peace for Paris” logo designed by Jean Jullien “one minute” after the tragedy, and then immediately posting the image to Facebook and Twitter, begs a larger human question of “selfieness” and cynicism: Is an Artist trying to give hope against trafficking in evil, or is it all a rather cunning ploy to “make the meme” for a tragedy by propagating self-interest-as-a-logo over the perils of human interest?

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Feeling the Mallet of Ralph Lauren's Big Pony Line

My childhood years took place, if you consider that to mean toddler to teenager, mostly in the nineteen eighties. This was a big time for logo shirts — I so badly wanted to have a polo style shirt with either the classic tiny little Polo Pony from Ralph Lauren or the Lacoste alligator or even the tiger from the Le Tigre line. What I loved about the shirt was that the bulk of the shirt was focused on the design of the shirt and it took being up close to the shirt to actually recognize the logo.

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