Doomer Optimism

Tres and Simon delve into the urgent question: What are we going to do with the suburbs? As they discuss the repercussions of unrestrained suburban expansion and its impact on the environment, you'll gain insights into the challenges of unchecked growth, from encroaching wildlife to insurance woes. Join the conversation to explore alternative approaches to suburban living and sustainable urban development.

Ashley sits down with Andy and Keturah to talk about a future-oriented nomadic culture, drawing from the best of the past and the present. They also drop some exciting news at the beginning of the chat! Follow Andy and Keturah on twitter: https://twitter.com/shagbark_hick https://twitter.com/KeturahAbigail Read Andy’s substack at: https://shagbark.substack.com/

Ashley and Roland talk with Jonathan Rawles, son of famous survivalist James Wesley Rawles, about prepping, religion, localism in the inner mountain west, the state of the redoubt movement, and the importance of community and connections in building a resilient food system.

Ed Bourgeois, a leader in the regenerative agriculture movement, talks about holistic science and peer to peer networks among farmers. They discuss the importance of soil management, nutrient density in food, frustrations with the current food system, collaboration and creativity, behavior change in sustainable agriculture, and transitioning to a more meaningful approach to environmentalism.

Nate helps Ashley think through the idea of returning home from Uruguay to Chicago by reflecting on his own story of homecoming.

Will, GG, and Jason discuss Will’s eclectic background researching ‘urban renewal’, the cyclic nature of society, urban decline and polarization, as well as his ‘escape’ to the exurbs to become a low-tech, permacultural, self-sufficient homesteader and the reality checks he’s received in terms of producing enough food and battling invasive species. Will Caverly lives on a permaculture homestead in Southeastern Pennsylvania with his family. He writes at his substack, The Mercenary Pen, and most of his work can be found at www.willcaverly.com. His recent article for Front Porch Republic, "There's No More Room: Toward an Anarcho-Pastoralism", reflects on his ten years of homesteading in response to civilizational decay. He is currently working on a book on the intersection of eminent domain and environmentalism in mid-20th century Philadelphia.

Drake, Nate, and Jason talk about Silvopasture, Drake’s experience with it, and Nate’s plans for it. What it is, why it has so much potential for both food production and ecological restoration, the central role of water management, keyline design, carbon myopia, ecological prefiguration, and the numerous beings that are supporting our efforts.

Description: Tessa Carman and JC Scharl join Donald and Going Godward to talk about poetry, translation, and motherhood in the first-ever Doomer Optimism Literary Hour. Bios: Tessa Carman is a writer and teacher. You can find more of her work at TessaCarman.wordpress.com. Jane Clark Scharl is an American poet, playwright, and critic. Her poetry has appeared in many American and European outlets, including the BBC, The Hopkins Review, The New Ohio Review, The American Journal of Poetry, The Lamp, Measure Review, and others. Her criticism has appeared in Dappled Things, Fare Forward, Plough Quarterly, and others. Her first verse drama, Sonnez Les Matines, was published by Wiseblood Books in February 2023. The play had its theatrical debut in NYC on February 21st, 2023 at the Nubox Theatre.

Over the past several months Josh Kearns has been remote mentoring a small group of Stanford students working on biochar water treatment (mostly though one student contact). Two students just wrapped up a 10-week implementation trip in Malawi. He recorded the conversation the night before they were flying out to come back to Western Civilization. He wanted to talk to them while they were still fresh off the experience and in-context, before the mind-warp of readjusting to life in the US. In this conversation they talked about their project and what insights and experiences they gained, what they found surprising, challenging, etc. They discussed the utility of field-based hands-on experiential education versus formal university education. They had some interesting things to say, including that living in the campus environment (in campus housing where cleaning is all done for you, eating at the dining hall where you don't have to prepare your own food, etc.) many students don't feel like "adults." Managing their own housing upkeep and meals was a salient point for them it seems.

Evan and Jason talk about Narrative Exchange, a program of bringing people from very different backgrounds and sharing stories to foster greater empathy and compassion. They also talk about many related topics including the internet and polarization, the loss of community life, Dunbar’s number, building new communities across differences, public schooling vs. homeschooling, how to be a responsible newcomer to a region, and much more