Thinking Class

Niall Gooch is a writer and has appeared in The Spectator, Unheard, and The Catholic Herald. In this episode, Niall and I think out loud about the unique aspects of British identity, the impact of political ideologies on historical narratives, and why we need to strike a balance between kindness and justice in public policy. We also talk about why each of us need a deeper understanding of the cultural values we hold, why we must preserve historical context when engaging in discussions about contemporary issues, the evolution of the Catholic Church, the tension between tradition and modernity, and much, much more. And in the exclusive Substack Q& A for paid subscribers, we discuss Niall's personal transformations, including his shift in perspective regarding war and intervention, the future of the monarchy in relation to its Christian roots.Enjoy the show, Classmates.You can find Niall’s work here:UnHerdThe SpectatorThe Catholic HeraldX/TwitterBookSubstackYou can follow and subscribe to Thinking Class on:X/TwitterYouTubeSubstackYou can watch the show on YouTube

Lorenzo Warby writes the Substack Lorenzo from Oz and he contributes regularly to Helen Dale's Substack, Not on your team, but always fair. He needs little introduction to long time classmates because this is the third time he has appeared on the show. Check out the archives for the other two. In this episode, Lorenzo and I think out loud about why the term capitalism is misleading and why we should speak about living in a mercantile society instead, the many complexities of commerce and the cultural influences on economic growth, the prevalence of activism in the modern world and its impact on social capital, the implications of bureaucratic moral projects, the challenges of accountability within bureaucracies, the impact of migration policies on democratic processes, the historical context of the fall of empires, particularly the Roman Empire, why effective institutions are more valuable than empires, the importance of local governance and trade in fostering prosperity, and much, much more.Enjoy the show, Classmates.You can also check Lorenzo out on:SubstackYou can follow and subscribe to Thinking Class on:X/TwitterYouTubeSubstackYou can watch the show on YouTube

Alan McFarlane is an anthropologist, historian, and Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at King’s College, Cambridge. He is the author or editor of 20 books and numerous articles covering the anthropology and history of England, Nepal, Japan, and China. A fellow of both the British Academy and the Royal Historical Society, Alan has dedicated much of his work to the comparative study of the origins and nature of the modern world. In this episode, Alan and I think out loud about how we don't understand what modernity actually is when we talk about it, how understanding modernity helps us understand capitalism and individualism, the unique trajectory of English capitalism, the influence of the Celtic nations on England, and the legacy of the British Empire in shaping national identity, the misunderstanding and reframing of historical narratives, particularly in relation to Marxist interpretations of history, the complexities of British identity, the challenges of cultural integration in an era of mass immigration, the historical significance of the English Reformation, what Alan thinks is the elusive nature of national character, the coexistence of multiple identities, whether Alan subscribes to the notion of a clash of civilizations, the importance of cultural rules and the historical context of Protestantism in shaping English society and much, much more.Let's grow Thinking Class together.Enjoy the show, Classmates.You can find Alan's work here:Alanmacfarlane.comAyabaya - YouTubeBooksYou can follow and subscribe to Thinking Class on:X/TwitterYouTubeSubstackYou can watch the show on YouTube 

Today, I’m speaking with Dr Anthony Daniels, better known by his pen name, Theodore Dalrymple. He is an English cultural critic, prison physician, and psychiatrist who has worked in several sub-Saharan African countries and London’s East End.**Please excuse the audio issues on my side. This problem was caused by my audio interface. Anthony's audio is clear and that is the main thing**Before retiring in 2005, he practised at City Hospital and Winson Green Prison in Birmingham. He is a contributing editor at City Journal, published by the Manhattan Institute, where he is the Dietrich Weismann Fellow. His writing has also appeared in The British Medical Journal, The Times, New Statesman, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, The Salisbury Review, National Review, The New English Review, and The Wall Street Journal. Theodore has authored numerous books, including Life at the Bottom, The Worldview That Makes the Underclass, Our Culture, What's Left of It, and Spoilt Rotten: The Toxic Cult of Sentimentality.In this episode, Theodore and I think out loud about the state of Britain, the influences that have led to increased crime and moral degradation in the country, the impact of widespread skepticism on our culture, why non-judgmentalism is not a worthy moral position to take and how it has become so prevalent, why we should beware of promoting pauperism in society, the importance of emphasizing moral agency in people's lives and why each of us needs to take responsibility for our actions and avoid adopting a victim mentality, why poverty is not an unbreakable state, and much, much more.To get access to the exclusive paid subscriber Q&A become a paid subscriber to Thinking Class on Substack in the links below.You can find Anthony’s work here:Theodore Dalrymple’s booksLaw & LibertyYou can follow and subscribe to Thinking Class on:X/TwitterYouTubeSubstackYou can watch the show on YouTube or you can watch it here:

Neema Parvini, a prolific author and director of Academic Agency, dives deep into elite theory and the cyclical nature of history. He questions the idea of progress and examines the rise and fall of civilizations, offering insights into modern Britain's decline. Parvini critiques contemporary ideologies, discussing the discontent generated by women’s liberation despite workforce gains. He warns against 'slop' in media, emphasizing the need for substantial discourse over fleeting trends while reflecting on his political evolution post-Brexit.

In this engaging discussion, Lord Nigel Biggar, Emeritus Regis Professor of Moral Theology at Oxford, delves into the complex legacy of the British Empire. He explores its dual nature, acknowledging both its contributions to economic growth and its more troubling aspects. The conversation further examines the moral implications of colonialism, the role of religious influences in governance, and draws parallels between historical colonization and modern immigration. Biggar challenges listeners to reflect on patriotism and the cultural narratives shaping contemporary Britain.

David Starkey is a historian, broadcaster, and bestselling author. Known for The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Monarchy, David now runs the popular YouTube channel David Starkey Talks and has written extensively on the British monarchy, including Monarchy, Crown and Country, and Henry, a Virtuous Prince.In this episode David and I think out loud about why history, properly taught, is the basis of our civilisation, why we should be terrified of the current political class for their lack of historical awareness, his thoughts on what drover Axel Radakubana to commit the terrorist atrocities at Southport, what the decline of historical education means for governors and the governed, how the emergence of modernism saw the disintegration of cultural heritage, why any proper study of history requires cultivating a profound awareness of mortality, why David does not like revolutions, the future of the British monarchy and its diminishing role in British identity, David's political evolution from libertarianism to conservatism, why ritual is a necessity for proper governance, why we return to traditional values and much, much more.Enjoy the show, Classmates and don't forget to subscribe.You can find David’s work here:David’s WebsiteDavid’s BooksYou can follow and subscribe to Thinking Class on:X/TwitterYouTubeSubstackYou can watch the show on YouTube

Dr. Roy Baumeister is one of the world's most prolific and influential psychologists. He has published over 700 scientific works, including over 40 books. In 2013 he received the highest award given by the Association for Psychological Science, the William James Fellow Award in recognition of his lifetime achievements. As of 2023, Roy holds affiliations with Harvard University in the USA, Constructor University Bremen in Germany, Florida State University, also in the U. S., Better Up, Inc., U. S., and the University of Bamberg in Germany. His 2011 book, Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength with John Tierney, was a New York Times bestseller. He has appeared on television shows such as Dateline NBC and ABC's 2020, as well as on PBS, National Public Radio, and countless local news shows. His work has been covered or quoted in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the LA Times, The Economist, Newsweek, Times, Psychology Today, Self, Men's Health, Businessweek and many other outlets.In this episode, Roy and I think out loud about his book The Cultural Animal, why culture is a fundamental aspect of human existence, how it shapes individual identity, social structures, and helps our understanding of mortality, the role of language in culture, whether the cultural homogenization of the internet and the modern world is causing people to feel disoriented,  why self esteem is driven by cultural belonging, how culture provides a defence against death, and the shifting role of religion in contemporary society. We also talk about the evolution of self control, how technology impacts behaviour, how the academy has overseen a lowering of standards in education, how cultural shifts affect self regulation and the implications for future generations, and how Roy's own beliefs have changed over time, particularly regarding feminism, his faith, and universities and much, much more. Enjoy the show, Classmates, and don't forget to subscribe.You can find Roy's work here:Roy’s websiteFollow and subscribe to Thinking Class on:X/TwitterYouTubeSubstack

Dr. Mark Dooley is an Irish philosopher, author and journalist who has taught at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and at University College Dublin where he was John Henry Newman Scholar in Theology. He has been a columnist for both the Sunday Independent and the Irish Daily Mail, and is currently a Contributing Editor to The European Conservative magazine. His many books include The Roger Scruton Reader, Why Be a Catholic?, Moral Matters: A Philosophy of Homecoming, and Conversations with Roger Scruton, all published by Bloomsbury. In 2022, he edited and published Against the Tide: The Best of Roger Scruton's Columns, Commentaries and Criticism. He is Sir Roger Scruton's literary executor.In this episode, Mark & I think out loud about about the philosophical legacy of Roger Scruton, why it is truer to say that the culture war is a spiritual war, whether politicians in Western nations love or hate their nations, why home and belonging is important, and the impact of immigration on national identity, the future of British and Irish relations, the tension between traditional values and modern ideologies, whether there is a space for conservatism in revolutionary times, whether Roger Scruton would support r a counter-revolution against progressive ideologies, the significance of the West's cultural inheritance from Christian civilization, and its impact on modern society, why human life is sacred, the need for a connection to the past, and the dangers to societies that disregard their cultural heritage and much, much more.Enjoy the show, Classmates, and don't forget to subscribe.You can find Mark’s work here:Mark’s WebsiteMark’s BooksYou can follow and subscribe to Thinking Class on:X/TwitterYouTubeSubstackYou can watch the show on YouTube 

Warren Smith is the founder of YouTube channel The Secret Scholar Society (@SecretScholars ). He lives in Massachusetts, USA, where he is a volunteer firefighter. In this episode Warren and I discuss his transition from teaching to becoming a full time YouTuber with his channel and why that 'career-change' happened at all, and we think out loud about the importance of critical thinking, the nature of truth, how to navigate political discourse and media narratives, and why storytelling helps us understand reality and the impact of societal taboos on open discussions, how to recognise objective truths in a world filled with competing narratives, how fragile belief systems can be, the threats to freedom of expression, whether the USA is feeling different following Trump's victory in the presidential election, how to achieve personal growth, and find the courage to challenge one's own beliefs, and why we need to engage in difficult conversations to navigate the unknown, and much, much more. Enjoy the show, Classmates, and don't forget to subscribe.You can find Warren’s work here:Warren’s websiteSecret Scholar SocietyX/TwitterYou can follow and subscribe to Thinking Class on:X/TwitterYouTubeSubstackYou can watch the show on YouTube