Online Great Books Podcast

Scott and Karl begin discussing Philip Rieff's book The Triumph of the Therapeutic: Uses of Faith after Freud. Published in 1966, the problems that Rieff saw with an increasingly irreligious view of society have only expanded with time.  Rieff asks, "The question is no longer as Dostoevsky put it: “Can civilized man believe?” Rather: Can unbelieving man be civilized?” The duo talks about the elements that may have created a therapeutic culture in place of theology. Scott says, "He's kind of like Nietzsche. A keen observer who gets all of the problems right, and I don't like that."  Tune in for the beginning of this two-part discussion. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

Scott and Karl conclude their discussion of Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter International Book 1.  The duo talks about what it takes to write an urban fantasy novel with a coherent worldview.  There's great value in reading books that aren't "important." Karl says, "It's not high-brow, it's funny, it's a book you can enjoy because as far as I can tell Correia has good character, so it has good character in the story too." For one, the characters in Correia's novels operate with extraordinary will. Scott says, "There are certain arenas where the only thing that works is will." Tune in to hear more about what it takes to habituate genuine acts of the will when you need it the most. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

Scott and Karl begin their discussion of Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International Book 1. Self-published in 2009, this novel kicks off what will soon be a ten-book series.   Scott says, "He manages to write about this world exposing these hidden monsters that seems consonant with the world I see."  Monster Hunter International ends up being a cautionary tale akin to Huxley's Brave New World or Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.  Tune in for monsters, werewolves, vampires, trolls, and much more. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

Scott and Karl finish their two-part discussion of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust.  The legend of a man selling his soul to the devil seems to have particular resonance at times of moral crisis. Regarding modern Faustians and their insatiable appetite for expansion, Karl says, "It's the idea that this is where fulfillment lies that is the problem." Largely considered one of the Greats in German literature, you can hear echoes of Goethe's Faust in the works of later philosophers like Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, and Heidegger.  Tune in as the duo wraps up their discussion of this legendary battle between good and evil. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

Scott and Karl begin their two-part discussion of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust.  Faust is highly successful and well-read yet dissatisfied with his life. As the now-legend goes, this leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads, exchanging his soul for forbidden knowledge.  The duo talks about the relationship between good and evil, what function this tension serves, and what it implies about Faust and human nature. Scott says, "Evil does seem to be an active force that is personified." Scott and Karl are reading from Walter Kaufmann's translation which provides the original German text and its English counterpart on facing pages of the book. Tune in to learn more about the greatest work in German literature. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

This week, Scott and Karl discuss Jordan B. Peterson's Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life.  As the companion volume to 12 Rules for Life, Peterson's new book offers "further guidance on the perilous path of modern life." While Scott and Karl agree these are decent, sensible rules for life, they are not well-grounded and possibly even planted in sand.   "I've read books for this show that I don't agree with, written by people who I think are awful like Marcuse and Alinsky," Scott says, "But their books at least hang together to push their end. This doesn't do that."  Both a self-help manual and a bestseller, Beyond Order has already resonated so profoundly with so many. Karl later adds, "It's a shallow pond, but it's a good pond."  Tune in for more Peterson talk, brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

Delve into the depths of despair as Kierkegaard’s thoughts reveal a profound connection between identity and existential angst. Explore how modernity's distractions obscure our understanding of the self and the significance of moral dilemmas in a secular world. The conversation highlights the impact of literature and music on navigating personal struggles, while humorously tackling the challenge of finding authenticity amidst societal pressures. Reflect on the philosophical journey of self-awareness and the rich tapestry of despair that shapes the human experience.

This week, Scott and Karl are joined by special guest Matt Reynolds to discuss Yukio Mishima's book, Sun and Steel. Born into a samurai family, Mishima died by his own hand in 1970, committing seppuku or ritual suicide.  While controversial, Mishima is considered one of the most important Japanese authors of the 20th century. Sun and Steel is a memoir of the author's relationship to his body.  Karl says, "I think this book is an aesthetic project, so it's Nietzschean. Take your life and make it a project. To make it a beautiful life you're going to need sun and steel." Mishima's return to classical aesthetics is a revolt against the sedentary body modernity causes.  As the founder of Barbell Logic and a former Strongman himself, Reynolds brings a unique perspective to the conversation.  Tune in to learn more about the parallel between books and barbells. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

Small Is Beautiful is economist E. F. Schumacher’s classic call for the end of excessive consumption. Schumacher offers a crucial message for the modern world struggling to balance economic growth with the human costs of globalization. Scott says, "These problems are going to get a lot closer to our houses in the coming years than anyone is willing to recognize." This collection of essays also address the problems of production, especially with an economy that is premised on cheap energy.  Karl asks, "You have to look at the way you live. Is it a way that your great-grandkids could live? If not, there is probably something wrong." Tune in to learn more about this landmark statement against "bigger is better" industrialism.

In the second episode of this two-part series, Scott and Karl finish discussing The New World Order by H.G. Wells. Scott says, "There are people that write things that I don't agree with but they hang together and they are internally consistent. Wells is really not." The duo believes there are a huge number of people in the political class of the world that have read or been influenced by this small book. Do you agree?  Tune in to hear more about Wells's Declaration of the Rights of Man and Scott's disdain for it. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com.