The Global Catastrophe Machine: Why Can’t We Stop Thinking About the End of the World?

041 – C. Travis Webb, Seph Rodney, and Steven Fullwood discuss stories about the end of the world – in literature, film and religions. Where do end of the world fantasies come from? Why are they so appealing to us, and what can they tell us about being human?

Potlatch Sneakers: The Economics of Social Status

040 - C. Travis Webb, Seph Rodney, and Steven Fullwood discuss why human beings of limited economic means purchase luxury items--such as expensive sneakers. Who gets to ask the question, how does it manifest across culture, what do these items mean?

Triangulating #MeToo: Morality, Ideology, and Desire

039 - C. Travis Webb, Seph Rodney, and Steven Fullwood discuss the #MeToo movement and the way in which mainstream American culture over-simplifies sexual desire. Woody Allen, The Son's of Anarchy, and Brett Kavanaugh are dissected and analyzed.

Brett Kavanaugh Meets #MeToo

038 - C. Travis Webb, Seph Rodney, and Steven Fullwood discuss the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh in the light of the #MeToo movement. The conversation turns to issues of personal responsibility, power, integrity, and, as always, the history of civilization. This is part I of a multi-part discussion.

Fathers, Part II: How Do We Create Possibility from Pain?

037 - C. Travis Webb, Seph Rodney, and Steven Fullwood continue their discussion about fathers. Picking up from last time, they consider what is and isn’t possible in our intimate relationships. From fathers to history, we are born into dynamic contexts that both injure and inspire us. What tools do we have to manage these overwhelming forces?

Picking Your Battles: How to Fight with Principle

036 - C. Travis Webb talks about narrowing our critical targets to those who truly oppose progressive agendas. He argues against generalizations that describe Republicans as "racist," "greedy," "homophobes," and suggests these generalizations are the equivalent of indiscriminate machine gun fire. Only by committing ourselves to principles of empathy and courage can we hope to defeat those who oppose progressive politics.

Fathers

035 - C. Travis Webb, Seph Rodney, and Steven Fullwood discuss fatherhood. Being sons and having sons informs their exploration of masculinity, pride, misfortune, and the culture's ambivalence towards traditional masculine values.

The Noble Lie: The (Necessary)Mythology Called Progress, Part II

034 - C. Travis Webb, Seph Rodney, and Steven Fullwood continue their discussion of Plato's Noble Lie. The conversation moves to the possibility of progress within human history, and whether or not the human race has time to continue to iteratively improve itself.

The Noble Lie: Are Some Myths Necessary? Part I

033 - C. Travis Webb, Seph Rodney, and Steven Fullwood discuss Plato's "noble lie." Are some kinds of myths necessary to promote comity between strangers? Is the American Dream a worthwhile national story? How might we update it in the twenty-first century so that it remains relevant today?

Why Meme: What's a Meme and Why Do We Make Them?

032 - C. Travis Webb discusses memes. He argues that typical discussions about memes, from their silliness to the gene-meme theory of Richard Dawkins, miss something very important about their function. He explains why The American Age produces memes and how they're related to Buddhist prayer flags.