The Problem with Reading

Friedrich Nietzsche stars in the classic Christmas story of "It's a Wonderful Life" and discovers the world without his contribution to philosophy would be a very different place. Our thanks to the anonymous (sorry) Facebook poster whose comment inspired (and wrote half of) this audio drama.

The gentlemen wrap up "Ideas have Consequences" with their takeaways and leave-behinds, and afterwards Stephen and Sam review the venerable MacIntyre's speech at the 2021 Notre Dame Ethics conference. Also, Brevin hates single people, Sam muses, and everyone has a good time.

The boys finish off the final chapters of Ideas have Consequences to mixed reviews. Stephen avoids getting cancelled again, while Sam and Brevin fall on different sides of a latter day Chinese Alexis de Tocqueville who's disappearing celebrities and banning video games. Also, Stephen complains about word limits, Sam avoids actually ranting in favor of inconclusive musing yet again, and Brevin possibly commits a hate crime against handless people.

Ideas Have Consequences continues with chapters 6 and 7, and Richard Weaver is one cranky fella! Also, Stephen discovers the horrors of navigating insurance labyrinths, Brevin learns family weddings aren't important, and everyone tries to work out whether God is our "Mother." Also, see the podcast feed for the outtakes that didn't make it into the episode--have a listen!

There's a new Batman movie, and it's edgy. Also 4:33 is not a thing. Stop it.

The boys discuss Christianity Today's excellent podcast, "The Fall of Mars Hill"

Ideas have Consequences Chapters 4 and 5 brings some folksy wisdom, but also some very bad opinions about Jazz, which Sam takes to task. In other news, Stephen shows off his brewing and poetry skills, Brevin endorses apartment gardening, and ebooks are an abomination. Have a listen!

The podcast kicks off a new reading series with Chapters 1-3 of Richard Weaver's "Ideas Have Consequences"! Listen to hear Sam talk about how marriage forces generality over overspecialization, Brevin declare the death of the Summer, and Stephen butcher a YA fantasy novel's name. Also, Anberlin's reunion tour, the pressure of being a sound technician, and all three chaps are drinking Evan Williams. Cut from this episode: an extended reverie about LEGO Bionicle's expansive lore. Enjoy! Articles: ~https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/09/were-the-only-plane-in-the-sky-214230/ ~https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/glenn-vogt-september-11/620030/

Kellen and Chris return and join Stephen and Brevin for a discussion of Space Future! Is space optimism justified or pure Cold War propaganda? Is our future to colonize the solar system and beyond, or to remain trapped on earth in a cloud of our own debris? And are we alone? Are there aliens, and if so, what does it matter? Will it wreck religion or geopolitics first? These questions, and more? Articles: ~https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/09/28/the-elusive-peril-of-space-junk ~https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/01/25/have-we-already-been-visited-by-aliens ~https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v43/n05/tom-stevenson/where-are-the-space-arks ~https://arxiv.org/abs/1806.02404 ~https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/religion-extraterrestrials-jesus-save-klingons/

The rest of the superlatives that went unasked.