Doomer Optimism

Ashley talks with Kevin Ryan, a Marine Corps veteran and public school teacher running for U.S. Senate in Illinois without corporate donors, consultants, or ad buys. Kevin describes his campaign from a converted school bus as he travels to all 102 counties, gathering signatures by hand and talking directly with voters about what they want from their government. The two discuss money in politics, disillusionment with both parties, and how cynicism erodes civic life. It’s a grounded look at whether a government of the people, by the people, for the people can still function and what it takes to test that idea in real time.

Against efficiency and isolation: learning humility from forgotten communities and the ancient art of the Georgian feastJohn Heers, founder of First Things Foundation, joins Ashley to discuss his unconventional approach to international development—sending people to live humbly in forgotten communities from Mozambique to Guatemala, learning local languages, and facilitating indigenous entrepreneurship rather than imposing Western solutions.The conversation weaves through the tyranny of "spreadsheet brain," the spiritual necessity of smallness over ego, and why efficiency isn't a virtue in itself. John introduces the Georgian supra—a traditional dinner built around ritualized toasting that creates communion without demanding psychological intimacy—and explains how this ancient social technology is resonating with Americans hungry for something beyond transactional relationships.John and Ashley explore how face-to-face gathering, shared meals, and acknowledging life's difficult realities (including death and sin) are essential acts of resistance against a machine culture that wants us isolated, autonomous, and always online.John and Ashley will be hosting a Georgian supra together at the next Doomer Optimism gathering in Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee, February 13-14, 2025. We hope that you're able to join us!

Dr. Chris Ellis interviews Tucker Max, who shares his transformative journey from bestselling author to homesteader, focusing on resiliency and self-sufficiency. Tucker discusses the impact of COVID-19 on his beliefs and actions, emphasizing the importance of family involvement in homesteading and the skills developed through this lifestyle. He emphasizes the importance of community and legacy, advocating for a nurturing relationship with the land and a focus on personal development. Tucker offers insights on the challenges and rewards of homesteading, encouraging others to embrace this path for a fulfilling life.

Generational Perspectives on Preparedness with Dr. Chris Ellis and Jonathan RawlesDr. Chris Ellis sits down with Jonathan Rawles, mechanical engineer, author, and co-founder of Survival Realty, to explore how different generations approach preparedness and community resilience in an era of cultural collapse. Unlike his father, James Wesley Rawles, known for his expertise on nuclear war bunkers and self-sufficiency, Jonathan focuses on what he calls the "slow collapse" already underway in American society.Growing up witnessing the erosion of social trust—where unsupervised children playing outside now prompt police calls despite lower crime rates—Jonathan sees preparedness as fundamentally about rebuilding community connections. Through his work in real estate, he observes how rising property costs challenge traditional preparedness, while older homesteaders struggle to pass on decades of work to appreciative buyers.Yet Jonathan remains optimistic, describing communities where young people eagerly embrace early marriage and family life, and multigenerational families return to their roots. He emphasizes that while full self-sufficiency has become economically daunting, basic resilience remains accessible on any budget through food storage, backup heating, and cooking skills.The conversation reveals how true resilience requires a "mindset of vitality and optimism," coupled with taking responsibility for fixing what we can in our own communities. Jonathan's insights show how preparedness-minded individuals are creating resilient futures through churches, homeschool co-ops, and intentional networks rather than waiting for collapse.

What does it mean to be truly prepared in an uncertain world? Dr. Chris Ellis is joined by Bradley Garrett to explore the evolving landscape of resilient citizens and prepping communities, from the "Noah archetype" of community-focused preparedness to bunker communities like Vivos xPoint.The discussion unpacks the psychology, demographics, and practicalities of modern preparedness culture. Younger generations are reshaping the prepping movement, while bunker building represents both rational strategy and potential obsession. International models of community resilience offer insights for American preparedness efforts, and current threats like AI and misinformation demand new approaches to national resiliency.Topics range from underground living and community resilience models to demographic shifts changing preparedness culture. The conversation also examines how gaming platforms serve as testing grounds for real-world preparedness strategies and explores the intersection of wealth, responsibility, and survival planning.

Dr. Chris Ellis, author of "Resilient Citizens," sits down with homesteader and author Roxanne Ahern to explore how sustainable living practices build both personal and community resilience. Ahern, who wrote "Holistic Homesteading" after her own transformation from health struggles to self-sufficiency, breaks down the practical and philosophical aspects of growing your own food, preserving traditional skills, and creating meaningful connections with neighbors.The conversation moves beyond typical homesteading advice to examine deeper questions: How does working with soil and seasons teach us about life's cycles? What role do farmers' markets play in rebuilding local food systems? And why might parenting and gardening share surprising parallels in developing patience and grace?Ahern addresses real concerns about modern agriculture—from chemical dependencies to disconnected food chains—while offering concrete steps listeners can take regardless of their living situation. Whether you're curious about starting a backyard garden or questioning how to prepare for an uncertain future, this episode provides both inspiration and actionable wisdom rooted in years of hands-on experience.

Joe Allen leads us on a journey through the Axial Age's profound wisdom traditions to uncover how ancient civilizations grappled with the same transhumanist dreams that captivate us today. From the bronze automaton Talos guarding Crete to the terrifying Brahmastra weapons of the Mahabharata, we trace humanity's eternal fascination with creating artificial life and wielding god-like power.This episode weaves through the Hindu concept of yugas—those vast cosmic cycles that see humanity descend from golden ages into our current Kali Yuga, the age of iron and spiritual darkness. We examine how the Golem tradition reflects both our creative aspirations and the dangers of "golemizing" sacred wisdom, turning living tradition into a lifeless mechanism.

What if everything we think we know about "natural" ecosystems is wrong?Peter Allen is a restoration ecologist and regenerative farmer, and learn how North America's pre-European landscapes weren't wild at all—they were sophisticated agricultural systems managed by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years.Speaking from his 220-acre farm in Wisconsin's unique Driftless region, Peter shares his journey from academic ecology to hands-on farming, revealing how the oak savannas that once stretched coast-to-coast were the most productive ecosystems on the continent. He explains why megafauna like mastodons and giant ground sloths were the original landscape architects, and how their extinction 12,000 years ago began the sixth mass extinction we're still experiencing today.Peter offers a practical roadmap for restoration, from understanding why our food has lost its ability to nourish us (spoiler: it's all about minerals) to how properly managed livestock can rebuild topsoil faster than nature ever could. He tackles controversial topics head-on, challenging the narrative that cows cause climate change and explaining why the war on beef might be about more than just the environment.

Ashley is joined by Grayson Quay, author of 'The Transhumanist Temptation' to explore the philosophical and ethical implications of transhumanism, its historical roots, and its intersection with modern ideologies. They cover the concept of natural law, the role of technology in shaping human identity, and the challenges parents face in a tech-driven world. They also discuss the future of humanity in relation to AI and consciousness, concluding with a call to embrace our humanity in an increasingly transhuman era.

The Shire We Call HomeJason sits down with Tom Ruby and Alan Cornett to explore the profound influence of Wendell Berry on modern agrarianism, the surprising revival of Catholicism in America, and why the future might belong to those willing to get their hands dirty.From the rolling hills of Kentucky, which echo Tolkien's Shire, to the intellectual journey from secular academia to Catholic agrarianism, Tom and Alan share their personal stories of finding meaning through land stewardship and community building. The conversation weaves together themes of localism, the "cultural debris" of forgotten traditions, and the practical wisdom needed to counter our age of disconnection.Whether you're drawn to Berry's vision of place-based living, curious about the Catholic Land Movement, or simply wondering how to build authentic community in fractured times, this conversation offers both philosophical depth and practical hope. As our guests remind us: good people are out there, working the land and building the kind of life that lasts.