The Will Spencer Podcast

Jack Donovan is a man who needs no introduction. He’s the author of the bestselling book “The Way of Men”, one of the canonical works of the Renaissance. It’s the origin of the Four Tactical Virtues — Strength, Courage, Mastery, and Honor — plus the vital distinction between being “a good man” and “good at being a man.” His follow-up books “Becoming A Barbarian” and “A More Complete Beast” expanded those themes into a larger sociological context, helping men understand the necessity of tribe and mindset. Now, he’s completed his groundbreaking fourth book “Fire In the Dark”, which helps connect authentic male spirituality to masculine themes in myths and legends from all time. It is a powerful work, and one that I believe men of any faith can see themselves and their beliefs reflected in. In our conversation we discussed: How surprised he is to be the guy who wrote "The Way of Men" and who writes about the things he does How masculinity is dying and why it’s worth saving How he saw the gender and culture war coming back in art school in the 90's The impossibility of being everything for everyone, and how "doing what you're told" and following the agenda is unsustainable The way that art has turned against men, and how we can begin producing art that speaks to us once again Like many men, I’m grateful for for Jack’s continuing and towering contributions to the philosophy, writing, and aesthetics that drive us all. I couldn’t imagine Providence giving me a better guest for the 20th episode of my podcast. To buy Jack Donovan's books on Amazon, click here To read "Wild at Heart" by John Eldredge, click here To visit James Lindsay's website New Discourses, click here To watch the "Cremaster Cycle" by Matthew Barney, click here To read "The Futurist Manifesto", click here To learn more about Sabin Howard, click here To read "The Wanting Seed" click here To learn more about John Lovell's Warrior Poet Society, click here To read Jack Donovan's "No Man's Land", click here Follow Jack Donovan on YouTube and Instagram To visit Jack Donovan's website, click here Check out my new website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

John Donne (1572-1631) was the foremost of the metaphysical poets and is one of the most famous and well-regarded poets of the English language. This week, in honor of Valentine’s Day, I read his timeless classic “The Ecstasy”, in which he recounts his profound metaphysical visions while lying beside a riverbank with his beloved. In my analysis I share who I think his beloved might be, and how this poem ties to the tragic story of his life. This is a poem I have a personal history with and is definitely one for the lovers. It’s also an ambitious piece and is an episode I’m very proud of. I sincerely hope you enjoy. To read “The Ecstasy” online, click here To learn more about John Donne, click here To learn about Christian Wiman, click here To order Christian Wiman’s book “The Long Home”, click here To order the current edition of The Norton Anthology of Poetry, click here Visit on the web at http://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

Jonathan West hosts the popular  podcast Being HUSBAND and runs the Instagram account of the same name. He’s a spiritually-facing man who grew up in the faith and earned a degree in theology, with a preacher for a father. His podcast also helps men become better husbands and leaders in their homes and communities. So naturally we became fast friends. In our conversation we discussed: The origins of the Being HUSBAND podcast in a dream Jonathan had How he maintains a strong and healthy marriage with his wife, aka "Smoke Show", and some advice for other men looking to get married to a woman who respects them The nature of the social justice movement, its viral ideology, and what we can do about it Jesus' nature as a man, and how we don't often think of him that way And finally, the impact of the Gnostic Heresy on Christianity, and why it might be the crime committed against masculinity within the Christian faith   One of the most exciting things about this Renaissance is the number of men who have walked such unique roads of life, but who are now finding their way together. This conversation between me and Jonathan just one example of something that's probably happened in your life. If not, I hope it happens soon. To follow Being Husband on Instagram, click here Listen to Being Husband on Apple — Spotify — Google To support Being HUSBAND on Patreon, click here To join the Alexander Cortes Inner Circle, click here To read my blog post “To Lose the World and Gain My Soul”, click here To visit “The Library” on the Renaissance of Men website, click here Check out my new website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter

Ben Howes runs the popular Instagram account Oaks and Oaths, and the podcast of the same name. Though born a Christian, his disillusionment with the faith and its faithful led him to abandon that path and discover Norse and Germanic Paganism. Now he leads and instructs others down that ancient road. Due to time constraints we had a shorter conversation than my recent episodes, but we think it’s just the first of many. We discussed:  Self-actualization, aesthetics, and masculinity. Why men need to reject consumerism. The pagan notion of "frith", and how it plays into the larger functional worldview of paganism. How hierarchy gives men a goal to strive for, a ladder to climb, and something to aspire towards. How a trip to Peru and an experience with psychedelics led him to discover the faith of paganism. I originally reached out to Ben because I feel that it’s time that, despite their historical differences, Christians and Pagans (and all spiritually-facing men) need to learn to come together it the face of a third thing, an anti-spirit that’s flooding across the globe. It’s time to start building bridges, and I think we made a good start of it. To follow Oaks and Oaths, click here Listen to the Oaks and Oaths podcast on Apple — Spotify — Google To read Neil Gaiman’s “Norse Mythology” click here To read Brett McKay’s “Muscular Christianity” click here Check out my new website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter

Brendan Schmidt runs the popular Instagram account MasculineRevival, on which he pairs a rich aesthetic and movingly honest words about masculinity, as he discovers for himself what it means to be a man. He’s also someone I share a lot in common with. We “speak the same language,” having been on similar journeys through the New Age and men’s inner healing world and arriving at a rediscovery of traditionalism. Over the course of our two-and-a-half hour conversation we discussed: The difference between functional and fulfilling Relationships  Cultivating traditional values in the dating world The narcissism of the New Age religion Men's work, why it's important, and why it's not "gay" to feel genuine love for other men And finally, his moving story of being abandoned in childhood by his father, when and how they met, and what happened after   This is one of the most important conversations I've had so far. I think many men will see themselves reflected in Brendan's story, and hear familiar themes in the discussion that we share. And for those men who don't recognize themselves in us, who perhaps come from different backgrounds, I hope you'll see more clearly some of the burdens carried by your brothers and the journeys that we've walked to stand beside you in this Renaissance of Men, and Masculine Revival. To follow MasculineRevival on Instagram, click here To follow his girlfriend EmbracingFemininity on Instagram, click here To watch the documentary "The Work", click here Check out my new website at https://renofmen.com Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

Andrew Marvell was an English Restoration poet who lived and wrote during his nation’s civil wars, and in its transition from monarchy to the beginnings of republicanism. He was a well-traveled, well-spoken, hard-partying bachelor. In his masterwork “To His Coy Mistress” he paints a vivid picture of a familiar and amorous scenario most men will be familiar with. But he presents his own unique spin on it, in a moving and timeless encouragement to seize the day. To read "To His Coy Mistress" click here To learn more about Andrew Marvell, click here To watch "Baby It's Cold Outside" click here To hear "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" click here To read AD Hope's "His Coy Mistress To Mr. Marvell" click here To order "The Best Poems of the English Language" click here Visit https://renofmen.com and follow us on twitter @will_renofmen and Instagram @renofmen.

John Sonmez, founder of Bulldog Mindset, is a men’s coach, entrepreneur, published author, public speaker, and ultra-marathon runner. We met at the 21Convention in Orlando, Florida, this past October. He’s the sort of high-energy, fit, and positive guy who makes that event so special. And while you wouldn’t know it to look at him today, he’s also a man who’s been on a remarkable journey of transformation from fat to fit, scared to brave, and sad to Chad. He’s built businesses, retired young, and traveled the world. And he’s still not done, which is a feeling I can relate to. Together, we also had what I think might have been one of the most important conversations I've yet hosted on my podcast. We discussed: John's transformation journey to become the man he is The need to cultivate courage in cold-approaching women How to confront our fears to live a little bit closer to freedom. Some of the key books of the Renaissance of Men, including works by David Deida and Jack Donovan   But then we got into a conversation about anger. It wasn't a conceptual conversation either. We talked about what place it has, if any, in the lives of men as it relates to our evolving and devolving environment today — a world of fear, controversy, division, and this creeping sense that something isn't right. The result was like two men rolling jiu-jitsu with our life philosophies. Getting a conversation like this on tape is a bit like catching lightning in a bottle. I felt exhilarated afterwards and more alive. Because that's what it means to be men today: to have our ideas and believe in them passionately, and then mutually put them to the test for the purpose of making us both better. To visit John and Bulldog Mindset, click the following links: YouTube — Instagram — Twitter — Website To purchase Jack Donovan, “The Way of Men” click here To purchase David Deida, “The Way of the Superior Man”, click here To purchase Robert Glover, “No More Mr. Nice Guy” click here To learn more about the 21Convention, click here Visit https://renofmen.com to sign up to be notified about exciting upcoming news. Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

Derek Arellano is a former first-place pro bodybuilder and US Army veteran, and now is a professional trainer who’s passionate about the body, movement, and creating transformation in his clients. Derek and I also live in the same city. And the more time we’ve spent together, the more I’ve seen how much of value he has to share. He’s found his way into the Renaissance of Men, as well, and is discovering how all the streams of his life are feeding into a singular expression of who he is, and what he can create in his life and in the lives of men. In our three-hour conversation we discuss: The world of pro bodybuilding, how he got into it, what he got from it, and how he got out of it The world of personal training and the effort required to create transformation in people Brazilian jiu-jitsu and his love for competition His family background, and how it helped set him up for a life of success What it means to LARP, or live-action-role play your personal development (to borrow a phrase from Tanner Guzy) How fitness ties into spirituality The meaning behind the hashtag "post physique", why it works in communities of men today, and where it falls short. As you can tell, Derek and I enjoy talking about these topics and we hope that you enjoy our conversation — or at least that it’s better than dragging your dick across glass. Thanks to Rob at The Grounded Athlete, for bringing us together. To follow Derek on Instagram, click here To visit Derek’s website Volition Training, click here To follow The Grounded Athlete on Instagram, click here To follow the Holistic Psychologist on Instagram, click here To read “Conscious Coaching” by Brett Bartholomew, click here Visit https://renofmen.com to sign up to be notified about exciting upcoming news. Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

This week I interview clinical psychologist, coach, and author Shawn T. Smith, Psy.D.   Shawn is an outspoken critic of the “woke”  ideology spreading through the field of clinical psychology, and speaks up courageously against the American Psychological Association, the governing body propagating it. Because psychology and psychotherapy is one of my core interests, I felt having Shawn on the podcast was essential. I wanted to get his wisdom and insight into this rapidly changing field, and how men can best take advantage of its gifts, while protecting themselves from its growing anti-masculine dangers. In our conversation we discuss: • The manosphere, or as I call it "The Renaissance of Men", and how Shawn found his way into the rich world of male personal development  • The power of shame, and how it can help us in our social interactions, and hurt us when it goes too far • The difference between being men living in service to an ideal, versus men living in servitude • The dangerous ideology spreading through the APA and how it could be leading to an unchecked disaster down the line • His background growing up with a father who owned a truck stop bar, and how his childhood observations of human interactions helped propel him towards a career psychology I try to conduct my podcasts in an interview style, where I do minimal talking and lots of listening. But this turned out to be the most conversational podcast yet. And that makes sense, because Shawn is a listener too. So I hope you enjoy this episode with two men finding their way around some of their favorite and most familiar subjects. To watch Shawn’s popular 21Convention Speech, "How To Keep The Wrong Women Out of Your Life", click here To visit Shawn’s YouTube channel, where he discusses the APA, click here To purchase Shawn's book "The Tactical Guide to Women", click here To follow Shawn on Twitter, click here To visit Shawn’s website, click here To read Robert Bly’s classic “Iron John”, click here Visit https://renofmen.com to sign up to be notified about exciting upcoming news. Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.

This week I read "The Collar” by the English poet George Herbert, who lived during the 1600’s. This poem depicts one man’s struggle with his chosen calling of the priesthood versus his burning desire for freedom and adventure. I also discuss the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Counter-Reformation, and the flows of history that connect Herbert with our modern age. This poem is proof that we’re not disconnected from history, and that the more things change, the more some things stay the same. To read "The Collar", click here. To learn more about George Herbert, click here. To order "The Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart", click here To order “Poems That Make Grown Men Cry”, click here. To order “The Best Poems of the English Language”, click here Visit https://renofmen.com to sign up to be notified about exciting upcoming news. Follow The Renaissance of Men on Instagram and Twitter.