Investor and writer Jim O'Shaughnessy came on The Hope Axis and shared his Theory of Life. We talked about…probably everything? The 80s on Wall Street, reputation and norms, patterns and emotions, financial markets and family, Shakespeare sonnets and journaling, Cold War and conformism, Girard and Jung, reality and instincts, 911 and altruism, the Internet and belief systems, books and obsessions, innovation and investment, culture and hope. And so much more…https://x.com/jposhaughnessyhttps://www.osv.llc/https://www.infiniteloopspodcast.com/https://www.infinitebooks.com/

The one and only Zena Hitz — Tutor at St. John's College and author of one of my favourite books 'Lost in Thought — joined me to talk about Plato and Christ, contemplation and service, wisdom and being lost, morality and dignity, end goals and anxieties — Agnes Callard and Irina Dumitrescu — Aquinas and Hildegard of Bingen, and happiness!Links:https://www.zenahitz.net/https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691178714/lost-in-thought

Medieval scholar Irina Dumitrescu and I talk about the medieval mindset, faith, doubt, sex, and suicide. And also Margery Kempe and fame, heretics and wives, Strauss and Glück, Girard and Hamlet, pilgrims, saints, madness, vegetarianism, secrets, the Inquisition, and much more. Oh and Monty Python, of course! Irina: https://www.the-tls.co.uk/authors/irina-dumitrescu https://x.com/irinibus https://irinadumitrescu.com/about-me/

Writer, podcaster, and activist Sarah Haider joined me to discuss New Atheism, neo-religion, spiritual journeys, Cultural Islam. We reminisced about the Four Horsemen era and explored vibe shifts, trads, fanatics, immigration, woke taboos, the lack of constructive dialogue. Can democracy function without religion? What do people do with their big feelings like love, hate, or fear in the age of secularism? Why do so many people return to faith these days — are their motivations valid? Follow Sarah: https://newsletter.sarahhaider.com/ Follow Anna: https://x.com/TheAnnaGat Follow The Hope Axis: https://x.com/thehopeaxis

Writer and community builder Paul Millerd joined me to discuss his two excellent self-published books The Pathless Path and Good Work, as well as: Scenes and tribes. The Intellectual Renaissance were living through. John Stuart Mill, Sartre, Havel. The end of the corporate default. Language, community, virtue. SF vs Austin, GenZ vs Millennials. Cold emailing and rejection. The implosions of the social and the parasocial. Starting a publishing house. And much more... https://pmillerd.com/

Co-founder and CEO of the GenZ media company Eternal, Reggie James joined me to talk about how technology could better serve people's spiritual - even religious - needs. We talked about his viral blogposts, his obsession with Marshall McLuhan, and why writing is the ultimate form of design.

The brilliant anonymous blogger Cartoons Hate Her joined me to explore dating and attraction, marriage and work, raising children and being in the media -- and cleared up a lot of misunderstandings around seduction, trads, fame, monogamy, domination and disappointments. https://www.cartoonshateher.com/

Novelist and essayist A. Natasha Joukovksy joined me to talk about status and attraction, mimesis and uniformity, Girard and Austen, Batuman and Kierkegaard, Tolstoy and main character energy, Natasha's first novel and her new one in the making, the positive side of the imitation game, and how individuals can live freely from it all.

Dwarkesh Patel, a prominent podcaster known for his engaging interviews with influential figures, shares insights into the art of podcasting. He discusses how his unique interests fuel his creative process and the necessity of optimistic narratives in media. Patel reveals effective strategies for reaching out to high-profile guests, maintaining authenticity during interviews, and the dynamics of storytelling. He emphasizes the importance of personalized communication in networking and reflects on his experiences with notable guests like Mark Zuckerberg and Tony Blair.

Professional end-of-life doula Emma Acker joined me to discuss the mystery of dying -- and the forgotten art of being there with the dying. Her job is just this, and we talked about the various stages of departure, how the family might react, what administrative things one needs to take care of. But also about dying when young versus old, when in pain versus no pain, when religious versus atheist. There is no one like Emma!