Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
“If you want to become something you’re not, the first step is imitation — the first step is being a poser. And that’s the only way to become the thing you want to be.”
Sponsor: exodus90.com/brian
Support the channel by visiting: brianholdsworth.ca/help
People love to throw around the word LARP - especially at Catholics drawn to beauty, tradition, or virtue. But what if “pretending” is actually the first step toward becoming who we are called to be? In this video, I share why imitation is essential to growth, why authenticity is an Enlightenment myth, and how everything from skateboarding to sanctification proves that “LARPing” can actually be a virtue.
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Why people say I “trad-LARP”
00:53 – What LARPing actually means
01:48 – When the accusation is legitimate
03:05 – Admiration vs. superficial aesthetic
03:26 – Skateboarding: my first identity
05:38 – The fear of being called a poser
08:09 – Becoming competent through imitation
08:58 – Sports and fitness as “LARPing”
10:58 – Aristotle and the imitation of virtue
11:30 – Modern life and the irony of proletarian LARPing
12:38 – The myth of “authenticity” (Rousseau)
13:50 – Christianity: transformation through imitation of Christ
14:30 – Why Christians should be careful using the word LARP
Music written and generously provided by Paul Jernberg. Find out more about his work as a composer here: pauljernberg.com
Podcast Version: brianholdsworth.libsyn.com
“If you want to become something you’re not, the first step is imitation — the first step is being a poser. And that’s the only way to become the thing you want to be.”
Sponsor: exodus90.com/brian
Support the channel by visiting: brianholdsworth.ca/help
People love to throw around the word LARP - especially at Catholics drawn to beauty, tradition, or virtue. But what if “pretending” is actually the first step toward becoming who we are called to be? In this video, I share why imitation is essential to growth, why authenticity is an Enlightenment myth, and how everything from skateboarding to sanctification proves that “LARPing” can actually be a virtue.
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Why people say I “trad-LARP”
00:53 – What LARPing actually means
01:48 – When the accusation is legitimate
03:05 – Admiration vs. superficial aesthetic
03:26 – Skateboarding: my first identity
05:38 – The fear of being called a poser
08:09 – Becoming competent through imitation
08:58 – Sports and fitness as “LARPing”
10:58 – Aristotle and the imitation of virtue
11:30 – Modern life and the irony of proletarian LARPing
12:38 – The myth of “authenticity” (Rousseau)
13:50 – Christianity: transformation through imitation of Christ
14:30 – Why Christians should be careful using the word LARP
Music written and generously provided by Paul Jernberg. Find out more about his work as a composer here: pauljernberg.com
Podcast Version: brianholdsworth.libsyn.com
