Aug 2, 2026
On episode 263, we welcome J. Aaron Simmons and Benjamin McGraw to discuss the philosophy of heavy metal, the satanic panic and the Judas Priest trial, metal as an expression of liberty and individuality, the intellectual diversity in metal, challenging racist and misogynistic ideologies in the sphere, music as an...
Jul 12, 2026
On episode 262, we welcome Mike McIntire to discuss American gun ownership, the Supreme Court’s misinterpretation of the second amendment of the bill of rights, the proliferation of guns for both defense and conquest throughout American history, gun ownership as a symbol of responsibility and masculinity, the...
Jun 28, 2026
On episode 261, we welcome Ilan Stavans to discuss the historical incarnations of god, god as a symbol of both oppression and liberty, Moses’s rebellion against god and how it symbolizes modern faith, god as an ineffable experience, why we continue to create god, militant atheism as a response to deep-seated hope...
Jun 14, 2026
On episode 260, we welcome David Ost to discuss the philosophy of the red pill movement, the similarities and differences between red pill and fascism, why people are drawn to authoritarian figures, the rise of Trump, populism as an ideological framework for fascism, Soviet communism as the extreme end of the left’s...
Jun 7, 2026
On episode 259, we welcome Ann Larson to discuss her experience working as a grocery cashier during the COVID-19 pandemic, the complex emotional and structural factors involved in professional success and failure, meritocracy as a simplification of economic outcomes, the multiple forms of labor involved in supermarket...