Conversation of Our Generation » Podcast

So sorry to miss the episode yesterday! Here's an update on what's going on with me, and an apology for not keeping my schedule. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

I've noticed a revival of pagan ideas and rituals that have caught on in numerous movements. The climate movement, racial movements (on both the right and the left), and other ostensibly secular movements have neo-pagan elements. In order to discuss this, I want to offer a definition for neo-paganism. I'd define neo-paganism is an explicit or implicit belief that misattributes spiritual significance. These beliefs, coupled with a set of rituals, are what I call neo-pagan movements, even if the practitioners may think they're merely secular. Merits of Neo-paganism While I do not find these new pagan ideas convincing, I do understand where they're coming from. So, I want to be fair and offer my thoughts about what they get right. Neo-pagans recognize the spiritual and moral Often, they speak and frame the world in moral terms They incorporate metaphysical realism into their worldview, even if implicitly And, they often include rituals Errors of Neo-paganism Although I understand the motivations and think they're a step in the right direction, I think many have missed the truth that they seek. With that in mind, here are some of the errors I find the neo-pagans of today falling into. Neo-pagans misattribute spiritual significance Often, they reject theism, or at least have mistaken understandings of God Like pagans of the past, they have different moralities for their group and outsiders Correcting Neo-paganism Now that I've discussed where neo-pagans go wrong, and where they get things right, I want to discuss how to fix their ideas to comport with reality. If we want to channel this neo-paganism and move it toward the truth, here are a few things we could do. First, we should acknowledge the religious impulse in those who partake in these things Theism should be the end goal, but we have to approach that differently with different groups. In order to reach those who think they're secular, we should point out their religiosity For those who acknowledge the spiritual, we should understand what they believe and direct them toward truth We should channel their passion for a cause by opening up the beauty and incredible truth of theism Previous Episodes: What is Objective Reality? What is Subjective Reality? Unity of Subject and Object The Golden Mean for Understanding Objective and Subjective Reality Naturalism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Materialism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Scientism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Postmodernism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

The postmodernist movement is a reaction to the ideas of the enlightenment, often referred to as modernity. Basically, it developed in the mid 20th century, largely due to the developments of the 19th and early 20th century. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about Postmodernism. Merits of Postmodernism While postmodernist thought is far from perfect, it does raise good points. Here are a few valid claims postmodernists make: There is social conditioning And, there are cultural customs that different societies hold to Art leads to different interpretations Errors of Postmodernism Even though they raise valid concerns, postmodernist thinkers make mistakes. These are a few places postmodernism goes wrong: It confuses tastes and preferences with claims and opinions on facts Social conditions aren't the only influence on our lives or means of improving them It over-emphasizes power Corrections In order to correct Postmodernism, we have to look at the core of it. The main issue I find is that it is concerned with things that exist, but they over-emphasize them or lend too much credence to those facets of their philosophy. For instance, there are power structures that influence our world. However, the way postmodernists look for these structures in every nook and cranny of human culture is disordered. It also holds contradicting ideas like the universal truths of power structures and hierarchies alongside ideas of radical self-referentiality. Lastly, I judge a philosophy by it's fruits, and the fields that have been influenced by postmodernism have been corrupted. Many are hardly intelligible at this point. Related Episodes in this Series What is Objective Reality? What is Subjective Reality? Unity of Subject and Object The Golden Mean for Understanding Objective and Subjective Reality Naturalism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Materialism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Scientism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Why Science is Good Science is a tremendous gift, and has led to incredible human flourishing. The advancements we've seen due to science allow us to live radically more comfortable lives than our ancestors. Because of scientific inquiry, very few people experience the tremendous hardships our ancestors did. Furthermore, that number is decreasing more and more each year. Additionally, science is a reliable method for learning the truth about the natural world. Through the scientific method, we can come to know more about the world around us, and we can do that with a common framework. One thing to remember, however, is that science is always tentative and prone to change due to new evidence. Errors of Scientism The problem with scientism is that it lifts science up, and in the process, ignores other fields of inquiry. The word "science" originates in the word for knowledge, but now only applies to a narrow field of knowledge. I would argue that a philosopher who completely disregards science, and only accepts ontological proofs, is misguided. But in our culture, ontological proofs are discounted, and we act as though anything that can't be proven by the natural sciences is unfounded. Scientism is wrong because it tries to use a tool for the wrong purposes. Instead of using science to inquire about the natural world, we try to apply it to other fields of study. Additionally, scientism poses a criteria for knowledge that is impossible to meet. We can never learn new things if we need hard, repeatable evidence for every claim we accept as true. Lastly, scientism forces us to have an ever-shifting understanding of truths. In logic and mathematics, we know the truths are true in all times and places. But, in science, truth is gradually uncovered, and theories are regularly revised. In science, that is ok, but we should not apply that to all fields of study. Scientism applies that understanding of truth to all forms of inquiry, which is wrong. Corrections What we can do to fix this is to keep in mind that science is a tool. Science is a method for learning about the world, and it isn't the supreme arbiter of truth. People who fall into this way of thinking over-emphasize the objective world. Often, they are materialists or naturalists, and they fail to take into account the spiritual part of the human condition. Instead, they act like we are merely chemistry sets or lab rats. Next, we must not think that an epistemology that works for science will work elsewhere. Philosophy and math come to find truth in very different ways than science. So, we shouldn't make the mistake of needing experiments to come to mathematical truths. In other words, you cannot find all truth in a lab. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Materialism is a common philosophy today, but does it make sense of the world around us? I explain where it falls short and how to correct it. The post Materialism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

According to Wikepedia, "Materialism is a form of philosophical monism that holds that matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and that all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. According to philosophical materialism, mind and consciousness are by-products or epiphenomena of material processes (such as the biochemistry of the human brain and nervous system), without which they cannot exist. This concept directly contrasts with idealism, where mind and consciousness are first-order realities to which matter is subject and material interactions are secondary." Valid Concerns and Good Points At first, it seems to make sense. Much of what we encounter is material. Our food, light, furniture, etc. is all material. It would be easy at first glance to think everything boils down to what is material. But, does that really comport with what we experience and know? Errors of Materialism Materialism leaves out a large chunk of the human experience. First, it fails, like naturalism, to fully account for the supernatural and the spiritual. And, in doing so, it denies free will and many other parts of our experience that are products of the spirit. Also, materialism doesn't allow for the abstract truths we know to be. Moral truths, natural laws, beauty, and even some mathematical truths can't exist if everything is material. So, materialism fails to explain all that we know about the world. Corrections There is more to the world than just the material. It doesn't fit with our understanding of the world. We experience more than just the material in art and music, as well as abstract concepts. We also experience the phenomenon of free will, which is impossible in a materialist world. In order to fully comport with reality, we need to take into account more than material things. In order to fully experience the world, we have to take account for the non-material parts of our lives. Related Episodes in this Series What is Objective Reality? What is Subjective Reality? Unity of Subject and Object The Golden Mean for Understanding Objective and Subjective Reality Naturalism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Naturalism has valid concerns and some major errors. In this podcast, I discuss where naturalists go right and where they go wrong. The post Naturalism & The Human Person | The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

According to Wikipedia, Naturalism is "the idea or belief that only natural laws and forces (as opposed to supernatural or spiritual ones) operate in the universe. Adherents of naturalism assert that natural laws are the only rules that govern the structure and behavior of the natural world, and that the changing universe is at every stage a product of these laws." In this episode, I'll take a look at some of the good points and valid concerns of Naturalism. Then, I'll discuss how it falls short, and what corrections it needs. Valid Concerns and Good Points One of the good points of naturalists is that we can attribute most things to natural laws and forces. Every little thing that happens doesn't have to be a supernatural intervention. And, we know it isn't random due to the consistency of events. There is a time in pagan cultures when everything was attributed to the supernatural. Even in the Judeo-Christian world much of the natural order was attributed to angel's intervention. I don't begin to say that I know how Heaven governs this world and it's laws. But it appears to me that there are natural laws and that God created the world with a discoverable order. When looking into that order, it is good to work within it's bounds, which is why we have science. Errors of Naturalism The cause of why I burn my tongue on hot coffee or the sun rises everyday can be naturally accounted for. But, the fact that all these beings exist as well as the laws that govern them, none of which fully account for the existence of the universe, has to have some other explanation. Naturalism cannot account for that. Instead, it seeks for a self-explaining cause that's within the natural order. Furthermore, there are well-attested events that do not fit into the natural world. Inexplicable miracles are one. But, there are phenomena like love and beauty that we do experience. However, the naturalist cannot explain these fully by neurons and brain chemistry. We need a deeper, spiritual explanation if we want to cohere with our universal experience. Corrections There is one major correction a naturalist needs to incorporate all truth into his worldview. That is a recognition of the spiritual. Miracles, religious experiences, emotions, and beauty aren't simply natural phenomena. Rather, they are true experiences of something outside of the natural order. To see this in art, read The Soul of the World, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, or Tolkien's Lord of the Rings to see how this plays out. They demonstrate that there is more to this world than the naturalist can explain. And, they do it both with philosophy and story-telling. Related Episodes in this Series What is Objective Reality? What is Subjective Reality? Unity of Subject and Object The Golden Mean for Understanding Objective and Subjective Reality --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

I've discussed the Golden Mean a number of times on the podcast and in various ways. Today, I want to reiterate what the Mean is and how we use practical wisdom to seek it. But, I'll be discussing that in reference to objective and subjective reality. Where are the excesses and defects in our understandings of these two ideas? That's what I'll dive into today. Here are some of the excesses and defects I think take us away from the mean. You can listen to the episode above to dive deeper into the why and how. Find out more: The Golden Mean for Understanding Objective and Subjective Reality Excesses in Understandings of Objective Reality Belief that only the physical world exists Believing only in what the senses observe Denial of abstract truths or moral truths Defects in Understandings of Objective Reality Doubting the external world Disbelief in natural law Lack of belief in truth Excesses in Understandings of Subjective Experience Radical relativism Critical theory Attacks on beauty and art Defects in Understandings of Subjective Experience Denial of free will Attributing human consciousness to natural phenomenon Not allowing for tastes, preferences, or opinions Other episodes in this series: What is Objective Reality? What is Subjective Reality? Unity of Subject and Object --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Today, I'd like to take a break from the series I've been rolling out to discuss patriotism in honor of Independence Day. We should always be grateful for our country and what it affords us, but I think the 4th of July is a great time to stop and reflect on that more deeply. So, I want to look at this topic generally, but also specifically in regards to my love of my country and my heritage. What is Patriotism? It can be hard to offer a patriotism definition, largely because it encompasses so much. Basically, I look at it as a love for one's own country and a recognition of and gratitude for what his country offers. That is not normally how I find people describing it. We often misconstrue American patriotism, for instance, by limiting it to assenting to the values our founders described. While I think a patriot is one who does love the founding of his country, I think there can be room for criticism or dissent. Also, it encompasses more than just that - especially since many nations have been founded on different grounds. Patriotism vs. Nationalism I do think there's a difference between patriotism and nationalism, but it's nuanced. To understand that, I'd like to point to the American founding. A nation is "a relatively large group of people organized under a single, usually independent government; a country." (via The American Heritage Dictionary) Justice demands us to love our country and be grateful to it. But, as we saw in early America, a unified people can fall apart. By the time of our founding, we were in many ways a separate nation, which is how our founders justified their separation. Related posts 132. Is America Worth Defending? 134. How to Defend America Political Division in America – What's Causing it, and How Do We Fix It? 184. Crazy Elections in America's Past 37. Restoring Civility In America 165. Book Review | Shocking Secrets of American History by Bill Coate 20. 4th of July Special, a look at Our Founding Documents --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

In today's episode, I want to talk more about the marriage of object and subject in the human person, and what that means. The post Unity of Subject and Object appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

In today's episode, I want to talk more about the marriage of object and subject in the human person, and what that means. Find out more here: Unity of Subject and Object We are Body & Soul Composites We experience the objective world and we have a subjective lens. In order to understand that, we must remember what I discussed in the last two episodes on objective reality and our subjective experience. We have bodies that are objects in the world, but we also have a mind and soul that allows us to relate to one another, think abstractly, communicate ideas, and create art. We can influence the world around us It is possible to influence the world around us. Here are some of the ways we do that. We can: create, destroy, move, and manipulate objects persuade people logically influence people's emotions have relationships with a whole person But we can't dictate reality This doesn't mean we can dictate everything around us. The laws of nature are beyond our control, although we can use them to our advantage. There are many things we cannot change or influence, and there are some that we have some sway over, but many are out of our control. That is something many subjectivists cannot admit: that our feelings about the world don't necessarily change it. Related episodes: 147. Book Review | Fools, Frauds, and Firebrands by Roger Scruton 124. Our Pornographic Culture What is Objective Reality? What is Subjective Reality? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Join me as I discuss subjective reality and how we encounter the world through personal experience, showing how it's not relativism. The post What is Subjective Reality? appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

Last week, I discussed objective reality and why we can trust our intuitions that the world around us is there. And, we can come to know things about the world, even if limited. Today, I want to discuss subjective reality, or personal experience. This will help us see why just looking at the world outside doesn't work for us as people. Before I get into subjective vs objective, I want to also define what I mean by subjective. This is part of my series diving into the issue our society has reconciling truth and experience. I recommend you go back and check out the first one if you're interested. Full show notes here: What is Subjective Reality? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Grab your copy of the Symposium, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo>> More info: The Death of Socrates And What It Teaches Us Of Courage and Nobility In his description of the imprisonment and death of Socrates, Plato gives us a look at who he was. In many of Plato's other works, Socrates is more of a character in the dialogue. However, in Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito, we see him for the man he was - his commitment to being virtuous in the most dire of circumstances Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito These three works detail the conversations of Socrates while he was imprisoned and awaiting his trial. The Apology details the trial of Socrates and the defense he put forward. Ultimately, his defense fell short and Socrates was sentenced to death by poison. However, it shows his incredible ability to get to truth and to make a defense for himself. Plus, it shows the injustice of his trial and his willingness to suffer in service of the truth. The other two works detail conversations of Socrates while in jail. In Euthyphro, he discusses whether the holy are loved by the gods because they are holy, or if they are holy because they are loved by the gods. The better of the two dialogues from prison is Crito, where Socrates explains why he's not going to flee and instead await trial. This dialogue shows his courage and nobility. He knew his fate was sealed if he went to trial, but he did so anyways. However, he didn't do it out of some suicidal mission, but out of love for truth and earnestness to do what is right. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Shownotes: What is Objective Reality? A major problem I see in our society is that we've divorced objective reality and subjective experience. Instead of recognizing the world around us as it is and trying to relate to it, we do one of two things. We either fall into a Newtonian idea that we're determined and only science is real, or we rebel against this idea and recognize only our subjective experience. I want to tackle this problem, so I'm going to walk through how I understand reality, as well as how I think we ought to relate to it. In today's episode, I start with what objective reality is. Does objective reality exist? My theory of truth holds that truth is based on objective reality. There is a world around us that actually exists. Our experience of the world is also real, and can be trusted, although it's not infallible. In this episode, I intend to demonstrate that we can trust our notions about the world. We see a world around us that is real - with which we can interact.Where do we see this most obviously? Here are a few areas of our lives that we can look to in order to understand objective reality: Simple things like setting a glass on a table Mathematics Courts of law Philosophy & logic What about when it's hard to know the truth? Does the fact that knowing the truth can be hard actually mean truth is changing or that it's relative? Not knowing it doesn't mean it isn't there Too much to know Truth is an asymptote Disagreements on moral law Objective reality vs subjective reality As I mentioned above, we often hold two opposing ideas. One is that science is real truth, and objectively true. But at the same time, we reject any notion of objective truth when it comes to questions of morality. How can objective reality exists sometimes, but not others? I think what happens is that we confuse our experience of the world with the world as it is. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

I wanted to start reading the Summa Theologiae by Thomas Aquinas - until I realized it was a multi-volume set. So, I despaired and looked for another option. And, I ran across A Shorter Summa, Peter Kreeft's work that helps introduce people to Aquinas. Buy your copy of A Shorter Summa by Peter Kreeft here>> Full episode: Peter Kreeft's Intro to the Summa Theologiae by St. Thomas Aquinas Who Was St. Thomas Aquinas? Thomas Aquinas is a Dominican friar, Catholic Saint, and a Doctor of the Church. He was philosopher who helped the Medieval Church incorporate Aristotle and the Greek philosophers into the Catholic tradition. He was a spectacular thinker and writer whose impact on the Church is still tremendous. While he's best known for the Summa Theologiae, he also wrote numerous commentaries, the Summa Contra Gentiles, and much more. What is the Summa Theologiae? Buy your copy of A Shorter Summa by Peter Kreeft here>> Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologiae is his largest work. Aquinas wrote the Summa to be a beginner's guide to the faith. Today, we would think it is rather comprehensive and hard to grapple with. It argues in favor of belief in God and the teachings of the Catholic Church as well as speculate on moral and theological questions. How Peter Kreeft helps read the Summa Theologiae What I found helpful about Kreeft's summary of the Summa Theologiae is how he broke down the questions. Kreeft's offered insight and background to questions, but didn't talk down to the reader. I found his notes helpful in understanding the context as well as the methods and jargon used in philosophy. His glossary of terms helped me grasp the concepts because Thomas didn't write in a way we'd be familiar with. Unless you've read and studied Aristotle (which I barely had at the time), much of what Aquinas wants to say is muddled. By leveraging Aristotle's system, he took on his terms and methods. Kreeft translates that in the notes, helping the layman like myself make better sense of it. Buy your copy of A Shorter Summa by Peter Kreeft here>> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

"You're not a monk." That was the reaction I got from a priest as I confessed that I'd slipped in my prayer life. And it struck me. He pointed out that my duty is not to spend X amount of time in prayer, but to be a good husband. That comes first, and my prayer life should aid me in that endeavor. This happened within a day or two of listening to Catholic Stuff You Should Know's episode titled GOD IS "BEING WITH". What I want to do with this episode is explore how we live a life of love and service in our world of distractions, without compromising on our faith. For the full show notes with verses, go here: You're Not A Monk | Unexpected Advice From a Priest Subscribe here >> Other Resources: Newsletter Library of Book Reviews Courses --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Because I'm not feeling great today, I'm posting class 2 from my course on the Nichomachean Ethics. I wanted to still have something for you today. So, tune in to hear more from the class. Class 1 of the Nichomachean Ethics>> Subscribe here for access to the full course and more>> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

The importance of integrity cannot be overstated. If we want to be good, honest people, we have to act out of integrity. We must find a way to uphold our beliefs and act in accord with what we claim to be true. That's what I discuss below in today's episode, so listen here to learn more: Get your copy of Thoreau's Civil Disobedience here >> https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2021/05/28/suffering-for-the-truth-the-importance-of-integrity/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Civil disobedience is a popular way of changing laws without violence. This is an option when we can no longer use the normal channels like legislation or petitions to update our laws. If an unjust law persists on the books after all the usual means have been tried, this is a great option for changing the law. Today, I'll discuss why that's the case, and how we go about doing it properly. Find out more: https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2021/05/25/when-civil-disobedience-is-justified/ Civil Disobedience by Thoreau: https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2020/04/17/109-book-review-walden-civil-disobedience/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

What can we really know about human nature? I think one of the best ways to understand it is through stories. Sure, biology can tell us how our body works. But, only narrative, philosophy, and theology can help us understand our souls. Grab your copy of Lord of the Flies here >> Was Rousseau right about human nature? Rousseau said that people were inherently good. I don't think that's the case. In The Lord of the Flies, we get a glimpse of what might happen if we were thrust back into nature. And, it doesn't look good. However, I think it is much more accurate than the naive hope Rousseau seemed to have. Are people inherently bad? However, I don't think people are inherently bad either. I think being itself is good, so in that respect we're all good. With regards to whether or not we're all morally good, I'd say we have a mixed bag. And, it depends on the day for each of us. I've had good and bad days (sometimes back to back). Does society dictate human nature? Society influences people, but society doesn't dictate our nature. Instead, I think a mixture of our temperament, societal influences, chance, and our choices influence it. We are in control of who we are and how we handle what's thrown our way. That, I think, is the only way to look at human nature honestly, pragmatically, and truthfully. Find out more - https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2021/05/21/human-nature-in-stories-lessons-from-the-lord-of-the-flies/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

The Supreme Court is taking up a case that could seriously limit abortion. Mississippi banned abortion after 15 weeks, and now the Supreme Court is considering the case. While I have fears this may not turn out how I'd like it to, I want to make the case for why America should ban abortion. So, I am going to take a look at the reasons why it should be banned as well as how to go about it. Hopefully, by looking at some other examples, we can see how this can be accomplished. What is abortion? This is the first question we must address if we want to decide whether or not it should be illegal. Until we know what an act is, we cannot judge whether it should be illegal or not. Abortion is the purposeful killing of a human being in the womb. If that is the case, then I would argue it ought to be illegal - just like murder. Basically, the difference between a procured abortion and murder is the location of the victim. This is the central issue for having a discussion about abortion Reasons to ban abortion There are many reasons why we should to ban abortion. But, as I discussed above, it is important that we don't allow people to murder others. If abortion was simply taking out a parasite or a part of the woman's body, we'd think differently. However, because it is the direct killing of a human being it should not be allowed. I see no reason why this should be allowed and murder be illegal States that have restricted abortion: What you'll find is that more conservative states have stricter abortion laws and more liberal states are more lax or even encourage it. Ballotpedia has a resource where you can dive in further. The problem is that the Supreme Court has shot down many restrictions on abortion over the decades since Roe vs. Wade. Because we are a republic and a union of sovereign states, America has many different abortion policies. And, I think our laboratories of liberty are generally good. However, when lives are at stake (in the hundreds of thousands per year) I don't want a diversity of policy. Instead, I want a unified front against this heinous crime. How we ban abortion While I'd like to see us ban abortion all at once, I doubt it'll happen that way. So, I think the best course of action is to take any step toward restricting abortion possible. Furthermore, we should find ways to restrict abortion completely. But, we have to change people's minds on the issue. In order to do that effectively, we have to find a way to make the reality of abortion plain. In addition, we have to do it within the law as it is. We should seek to overturn Roe v. Wade, but that can't be the only thing. We should fight in states where we can get laws passed to restrict abortion as hard as we can. By doing that, we could try many different policies to see what is effective as well as what is palatable to the public. In a nation like America, we have to convince people that our policies are right. It can't be forced on anyone, but has to be chosen by the voting public. https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2021/05/18/why-america-should-ban-abortion/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Libertarianism is a fractured and somewhat incoherent political camp if you look at libertarians as a whole. But, there are many sharp libertarians who know what they believe and why. Today's book review looks at some of the arguments in favor of liberty from a libertarian perspective, while exposing some of the problems with libertarianism. In this book, you get 9 different arguments for liberty from libertarian philosophers. Utilitarianism Natural Rights Kantianism Contractarianism Rawlsianism Virtue Ethics Objectivism Ethical Intuitionism Moral Pluralism Find out more here >> Related Articles: 166. Election Thoughts, Libertarianism, ACB and More with Sean Boston Is Libertarianism An Ideology? The Most Beautiful Place I've Ever Been & More Mailbag Questions Conservative Libertarianism: An Answer To Today's Political Problems Political Action and the Call to “Do Something” Politics – All About It Yoast SEO --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Today's episode will be a mailbag episode with 4 really good questions from people in the Conversation of Our Generation community. I really appreciate the feedback I've been getting and wanted to hear what's on people's minds, so I put a call out on Twitter for questions. If you want your question answered, you can submit your question here. Questions for Today's Mailbag: Which book would you advise for young men/women read that you wish you would have read? - @glass_zealot Which is the most beautiful place you've ever visited and why? - @glass_zealot If everything you said for the rest of your life had to come out of 1 book, which book would that be (cannot be the Bible)? - @FRANKCUNHAIII Is Libertarianism compatible with traditional Christianity? - @ManlyVirtue Find out more about what I had to say here: https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2021/05/11/the-most-beautiful-place-ive-ever-been--more-mailbag-questions/(opens in a new tab) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

What is political philosophy, and why is political philosophy so important? I answer those questions with Lysander Spooner's Natural Law. The post Why a Political Philosophy Is Important | Natural Law by Lysander Spooner appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

Our society has a problem discussing politics and political ideas, and I think I know the issue. Our country has divided itself on many issues, but that's nothing new. However, nowadays few people have a political philosophy underpinning their beliefs. I think that is at the root of the issue. If we had firm foundations, it would be easier to hear opposing viewpoints. But, when we build our ideas on foundations of sand, we have to stop them from washing away. Read more here: https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2021/05/07/why-a-political-philosophy-is-important--natural-law-by-lysander-spooner/ What is Political Philosophy? Political philosophy is a grounding in how you view the world. Basically, it acts as a framework to which you can attach your ideas. From there, you can build an understanding of the world by attaching new information to the framework. It also gives you a set of first principles for discussing politics. Buy your copy of Natural Law by Lysander Spooner here>> What is Natural Law? Natural law is Aristotle's political philosophy, Locke's political philosophy, and the basis for many other great thinkers. Lysander Spooner's work, Natural Law, is a great way to learn more about how Natural Law operates in a political context. It's a short book, and I think anyone would benefit from reading it. People who do not understand Natural Law, would learn a lot about it, even if they don't believe it from this work. What is My Political Philosophy? I adhere to an understanding of Natural Law that the moral truths and political truths are discoverable like science. I also believe in a broad basis of liberty for all men, and think it should be a top priority in political discussions. Also, I have faith in the common people in many ways, as long as they aren't led to believe falsities by the powerful elites. I fall in line with thinkers like Aristotle, John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Roger Scruton, and others. Whose political philosophy is reflected in the Declaration of Independence? The ideas reflected in the Declaration of Independence are the ideas I discussed above. The Declaration of Independence includes ideas from Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, Thomas Paine, and others. It is a call to liberty and justice for all, and laid the groundwork for American self-governance. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Political division has become a serious problem in America. But what is causing this divide between right and left? I discuss that with Ross Benes The post Political Division in America – What’s Causing it, and How Do We Fix It? appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

Political division has become a serious problem in America. But what is causing this divide between right and left? I discuss that with Ross Benes, author of Rural Rebellion: How Nebraska Became a Republican Stronghold. In his book, Ross discusses what is causing the political division in the US, and what that means for real people. We'll discuss his views of what's dividing Americans and how we can address it. Full episode notes here: Political Division in America What is Political Division? A definition for political division that I use is "a situation in a country when people are incapable of coming together to discuss how the country should be run due to excessive partisanship or ideology." We can see this in America today with our inability to have a political discussion. Partisanship in America These partisan divides are nothing new, though. In fact, the first partisan political division in the united states occurred between the federalists and anti-federalists. Or, if you want to include our time as colonies, we had deep divides between the Loyalists and Patriots. Our fervent and lively political dialogue has been a good thing, helping us move forward as a nation. Sadly, in the last few years, we've lost our ability to discuss ideas and do so in a productive way. Ever since the first partisan political division, we've been fighting these battles, but the tactics recently have been a bit out of bounds. Why is Political Division so Bad? The issue with division is that we ought to have some semblance of unity as a nation. We should be able to see our neighbor as a fellow countryman, even if we disagree. The fever pitch in American politics today is largely due to a mistrust of our neighbor combined with economic and political trends that hurt some while helping others. We are not supposed to agree on everything, but we should be able to agree to respect each other and live in civil society together. Diving into the Problems and Solutions Benes' book looks at the data and the stories to understand why this is happening. And, I think that is the approach we need. Looking at the data helps us learn about the trends in society at large, but the anecdotes and stories give us a glimpse at the people that underly the statistics. To solve a big problem, we'll need both. Other Articles You May Enjoy Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Quotes 134. How to Defend America Antitrust and Big Tech | Why Conservatives Should Tread Carefully Fight With Words, Not Fists 119. Book Review | Don't Burn This Book by Dave Rubin --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors is a great example of how slapstick comedy in literature can bring life to a story and make it more enjoyable. "Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious." -Peter Ustinov Listen to or watch The Use of Comedy in Literature | Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors here: https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2021/04/29/comedy-in-literature--shakespeares-comedy-of-errors/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

I sat down with Julie Mastrine to discuss feminism, media bias, and culture through the lens of traditional values. Listen or watch here. The post Confronting Feminism and Media Bias with Traditional Values appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

I sat down with Julie Mastrine to discuss feminism, media bias, culture, and traditional values. She's a writer at @evie_magazine and director of marketing at @allsidesnow, as well as sister of Amy Mastrine, who I interviewed last year. Listen below to hear a great discussion about our culture today. You can find out more about Julie here. Feminism in our culture Feminist movements today​ are often very anti-woman. Many of the basic ideas of feminism​ try to make women into men, rather than celebrating women for being women. The history of feminism is very different than the examples of feminism today. However, they do have a lot in common as well. Julie writes a lot about relationships and issues confronting women today. So, we discussed her views on feminism and and why feminism doesn't work. Living by Traditional Values What are traditional American values? Well, there isn't a list of traditional values I can point to in order to explain what they are, but there are examples of traditional values that can help point you in the right direction. American values are not very traditional, but there are a lot of Americans pushing for a more old school morality. A return to tradition is what young people want, and Julie does a great job at presenting the argument for traditional values in relation to religion and the relationships between men and women. Addressing Media Bias There are many issues with our media and the biases they hold. If you looked at a media bias chart, you'd see the type of media bias that's most common is left-leaning. Allsides works to promote a fair and unbiased media. There's right-wing bias and left-wing bias, but the problem with media bias is huge in our culture. You can check out this news organization bias chart to learn more about how it's done. (Although, I don't wholly agree with it) Read more: Confronting Feminism and Media Bias with Traditional Values Related posts: Art from an Artist's point of view Saving the Family from Our Culture Building a More Virtuous Culture Problems with Feminism --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Today, we don't know how to tolerate injustice. By learning from the Martyrdom of Polycarp of Smyrna, I think we can discover how. The post How to Tolerate Injustice | Lesson from the Martyrdom of Polycarp appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

Our society is not perfectly just. There are many shortcomings and issues we face as we work toward a more just society. But, we do not know how to tolerate injustice and suffer injustice with grace and nobility. Instead, we focus on ourselves and how we feel about the injustice or unfairness we're suffering. But, is that the solution? In this episode, I'll discuss what we can learn about tolerating injustice from the martyrdom of Polycarp. Who was Polycarp of Smyrna? Polycarp was a bishop in the early second century who knew the Apostle John and was actually a disciple of his. He also knew Ireneaus, who would have met him when he was young and recorded some of Polycarp's teaching. Of the Church Fathers, Polycarp is one of the more well-documented figures. Read more about him here. Martyrdom of Polycarp The Martyrdom of Polycarp is actually a letter from the church at Philomelium to the church of Smyrna. In it, you'll find the account of Polycarp's death in a stadium and his arrest. It also details some miraculous events that mirror parts of the Crucifixion story. How to Tolerate Injustice The problem with injustice is that it doesn't help to worry about it, but to accept it. There are times where you can fight back, but you have to do that carefully. Our culture is filled with injustice and unfairness that is truly unique to us. Now, we have to learn how to cope with injustice in divorce proceedings, discrimination lawsuits, and much more. The psychological effects of injustice can be hard to cope with. Examples of unfairness in the world There are plenty of examples of life being unfair to people. You could point to things that are unfair in school or things that are unfair in the world. You might even think with all the unfair things happening in the world that we can't rectify these injustices. Things like the ones listed below Some people are smarter than you People may be richer than you Others may be better-looking than you People may have opportunities you don't But, all of these examples of fair and unfair situations don't matter as much as how you handle them. How do you let go of injustice? To let go of injustice, you have to forgive. Forgiveness is not only to help the other person, but to free you as well. In fact, letting go does more for your soul than the other person's. There is a feeling of injustice that you have to overcome and let go of. You have to know how to deal with injustice in the world. That starts at home where you learn to deal with injustice in the family by going through it with the people you love. What's good about that is you get to learn how to deal with this tough situation with people who care about you. But, I think we can learn best about tolerating injustice form people who suffered through severe injustice with grace and dignity. Why Polycarp is an example of how to tolerate injustice You may wonder "Why am I obsessed with fairness?" In all likelihood, it's because you grew up in a Christian culture. Athens and Rome shaped our ideas of fairness and justice. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

One of the biggest struggles for young men today is finding purpose. Josh Hatcher, author of Reignite shows men how to find purpose in life. The post Finding Purpose As A Man In A Culture Hostile To Masculinity appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

One of the biggest struggles for young men today is how to find their purpose. In a culture that is hostile to men, deeming almost everything "toxic masculinity," it is hard to pursue what's good. However, young men do need to discover their purpose and pursue it. That's why I brought on Josh Hatcher from Manlihood.com and author of Reignite. Josh helps young men with finding purpose and pursuing that. Finding Your Purpose in Life Finding your purpose and meaning isn't easy, but it really is simple. You have to ask yourself a few tough questions to find purpose and be honest about the answer. Ask yourself questions like: What do I care about most? Who or what could I not live without? What am I good at? Those are the sorts o things you need to know to discover your purpose. But, if you don't figure it out early in life, you'll have to do it later or be miserable. Josh tells his story in this interview of finally looking in the mirror and not liking who he was. So, he went on a journey of finding his purpose in midlife, and now shares what he learned through that process Many Men Can't Find Purpose in Life Many men are struggling to find purpose in life and don't know where to look. Our culture is hostile to them and their ambitions. Plus, our culture not only attacks men, but most anything that men enjoy too. So, where is a man to go for finding purpose? Maybe he can look at quotes on finding purpose or do a find your purpose worksheet. But that isn't what we want. Josh and I discussed this and how men are still needed in our culture - maybe more than ever. Now, that's not because men are better, but because we need both sexes to play an active role in society. Right now we lack a strong presence of good and virtuous men. Finding Purpose As A Man In A Culture Hostile To Masculinity --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Privacy is a major concern right now as big tech runs rampant, doing whatever it pleases. So, how do we protect our rights to privacy and property from the greedy and intrusive hands of big tech? That's what I'll discuss today, and why you should tune in. Privacy and Property Rights The right to privacy and the right to property are both crucial to liberty. And due to big tech, the ways we defend these rights has become more complex. It may have been harder to defend property when you really had to fight, but it was simple. Privacy was easy and simple to protect as well. But, due to all the innovations in technology, protecting each of these rights is harder. Despite the difficulty, we need to innovate and find ways to protect our property and our privacy in the digital age. Privacy and Big Tech Big tech is one of the biggest reasons why we need better protections. They constantly pull our data and sell that to third parties. I discussed some of the issues with big tech in my recent episodes on antitrust and property rights. The biggest issue with big tech is the lack of transparency. As you go about your business, you don't know what data they're collecting or how they're using it. That's why we need laws to help us protect our rights from the infringements of big tech. Privacy Laws The constitutional right to privacy exists because of the penumbras and emanations, as you can find out here. But, there is a right to privacy inasmuch as we are able to decide how much of ourselves we put forward into society. There are data privacy laws to help, but they need to be updated. Most of what we have to protect us is in need of improvement, and we need both political and technological solutions. How We Handle Big Tech in the Digital Age If we want to get ahead of the curve, we need to innovate. And, we need to fight on multiple fronts: both the political and the technological. Because big tech and government continue to infringe on our rights, we must take action to protect them. That's why I wrote my book, Property Rights in the Digital Age, which you can get a sneak peek here. We need to see the trends that led us here and how we go forward. Full Episode: How to Protect Privacy and Property from Big Tech Youtube: https://youtu.be/E_TCtywIqI8 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Antitrust and big tech are some of the hot topics in our culture today. But how should we approach these? I talked to an expert to find out. The post Antitrust and Big Tech | Why Conservatives Should Tread Carefully appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

I had the chance to sit down and speak with Ashley Baker, an expert in antitrust. We discussed antitrust and big tech, and how conservatives should fight back against tech. Ashley is the Policy Director for the Committee for Justice, Expert at the Regulatory Transparency Project, and works with the Alliance on Antitrust. So, she knows what she's talking about, and it shows. Dive into the conversation below to learn more about these issues and what Ashley recommends. What is Antitrust? Antitrust is basically a set of legal principles, laws, and precedents that inform us on how to handle anti-competition behaviors of companies. Big businesses may work with other organizations to undermine competition in the economic landscape, which is what antitrust seeks to prevent. Since businesses are built to beat their competition, they can hinder their competition's ability to succeed. However, they cannot work to destroy competition itself. And, that is where antitrust comes into play. There are many examples of antitrust violations we can point to, but the basics of antitrust is that we want to promote a competitive environment. Antitrust Laws and How They Relate to Big Tech You may be familiar with antitrust laws like the Federal Trade Commission Act, which gave us the FTC, or the Sherman Act. But, antitrust law is much more than a couple acts passed by Congress. In fact, much of what governs antitrust policy is precedent, and that's where conservatives have to be careful. If we are to regulate big tech companies through antitrust policy, we need to beware of how it'll effect other aspects of law. That's why I am so grateful to Ashley for coming on to discuss the antitrust efforts and big tech. She shows how antitrust cases inform our laws, and how we might apply that to Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon. Antitrust and Big Tech We must do something about big tech need, but what? First we must understand a few things. Are big tech companies monopolies? Does big tech violate antitrust law in the United States? What can we do to regulate big tech? We'll find the answers to each of these questions in the particulars. There's no simple answer. Rather, the devil is in the details. How Conservatives Should Fight Back Against Big Tech Our politics leans towards slogans and partisanship, rather than real solutions. The answer to this problem won't fit neatly in a 10-point plan or some ideology. Instead, we have to grapple with the principles at play and the particulars of the situation. Through prudence, we can find a solution. Check out this episode: Antitrust and Big Tech | Why Conservatives Should Tread Carefully Subscribe to the Conversation of Our Generationersation of Our Generation Podcast here Check out the YouTube video here --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

How does elitism change the way people think? A Nasty Story by Dostoevsky shows what happens when an elite falls prey to his pride. The post Elitism and Prideful Disdain appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

In Dostoevsky's Nasty Story, we follow the dreadful evening of a prideful bureaucrat. The story follows Ivan Ilyich Pralinsky, as he decides to crash his subordinate's wedding reception. His reason for doing so, whether he admits it or not, is his pride. And, that's what I want to discuss today: how elitism leads people to pride and a disdain for "common people." What is Elitism? Basically, elitism is the idea that a group of wealthy, powerful people deserve their wealth and power. Even if the elites are born into it, they still feel deserving. And, if they're deserving, then the common people they look down on did something to be undeserving. So, it turns out to create a sort of social, political, and financial caste system. The problem is, the self-proclaimed elites aren't always deserving of the praise they seek. So, it can go wrong for them. Humbling the Elites In the past, I've reviewed Dostoevsky's work, and discussed the neuroticism of his characters. Ivan Ilyich Pralinsky is no exception. Throughout this story, he has this inner dialogue where he'll be held up as a hero of the people. But, the story doesn't go the way he planned it. In the end, he is humbled terribly and it shows that the higher one holds himself up, the further he can fall. Pralinsky's elitist attitude blinded him from reality just as our elites are today. If you want to read it, you can find it for free here. For more book reviews and discussions like these, check out my library. For more on this, click here for the full episode and show notes to Elitism and Prideful Disdain. Subscribe to my podcast, wherever you listen, here>> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

After every tragic event, we hear calls to "do something." But, is reactive political action the best way to make policy? Find out here. The post Political Action and the Call to “Do Something” appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

Every time we have a tragedy or catastrophe happen, there are calls to "do something." Often, the "something" we're supposed to do isn't specified. In fact, politicians rarely get specific so we cannot hold them accountable. But, is reactive political action good? Should we continue to react to problems at the surface level or dig into the roots instead? Grayson Quay and I discussed this and much more in this episode. Here's what we discuss: Problems with the call to "do something" in reaction to a terrible event Politicians' perverse incentive to "do something" rather than nothing, even if the something is counterproductive Whether reacting to catastrophes or tragedies makes good policy Times that government action exacerbated problems Some of our favorite literature, including Notes From Underground and C.S. Lewis Reactive Political Action When we take political action after a tragedy, we are normally not thinking straight. If emotions are high, we act irrationally, which makes for policy that feels good in the moment, but doesn't fix the issue. Plus, acting quickly can mean we aren't taking into account all of the factors that lead to a problem. National issues rarely can be solved by policy, and can never be solved with a quick piece of legislation. Better Political Action Political action that makes sense is proactive. Instead of waiting for a tragedy to respond to, we ought to look for negative trends in our society and the causes. We know we have issues with mass shootings, drugs, mental illness and more, so why don't we respond? We ought to be able to take political action to prevent these problems from getting worse. Furthermore, each of us can play our part in fixing the issues. Don't wait for politicians in Washington D.C. to fix our issues, but solve your own problems as best you can. Politics should be a last resort. About Grayson Quay Grayson Quay is a freelance writer based in Arlington, VA. He earned his MA in English literature from Georgetown University in 2019. Grayson's work has been published in The American Conservative, Reason, The National Interest, and the Spectator US. You can find him on Twitter here. Here's the link to the article we discussed. Find out more here: https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2021/04/05/political-action-and-the-call-to-do-something/(opens in a new tab) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

I once heard a teacher tell his students, "If you want to be able to break the rules, you have to know them first." Basically, the point is something similar to Chesterton's fence. Rather than breaking the rules when you don't understand them, you should only remove barriers with a good cause. In Meditations on First Philosophy, Rene Descartes flips the rules of philosophy on their head in this experiment. The post Breaking the Rules of Philosophy appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

I once heard a teacher tell his students, "If you want to be able to break the rules, you have to know them first." Basically, the point is something similar to Chesterton's fence. Rather than breaking the rules when you don't understand them, you should only remove barriers with a good cause. In Meditations on First Philosophy, Rene Descartes flips the rules of philosophy on their head in this experiment. "If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things." Rene Descartes Know the Rules Philosophy operates on certain rules and conditions, and it takes a lot to learn them. While I'm no expert, I do think that I know what I don't know. I enjoy philosophy and walking through arguments, but I don't have all the terms and processes down. But, I do see why the rules are in place. They keep the conversation on track and help people know how to "play the game." If two people want to spar or square off, the rules must be established and agreed upon. The framework philosophers have created over the last couple thousand years help us do that in a much more productive way. Check out the full Library here >> Different Ways of Breaking the Rules Now that we know why we have the rules, I want to discuss the ways we break them. Rules can be broken out of ignorance, anger, spite, or for a good cause. So, it's important to know which reason you have to break a rule when you do it. Here are some different ways people go about it: Know the rules, and not care that you're breaking the rules Not know you're breaking the rules Know what the rules are and break them for a good reason Break rules in play or in an exercise, but still abide by them Watch or listen and find more content here --> Breaking the Rules of Philosophy show notes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

In this episode, I talked to John Timaeus of Modernity Has Fallen about epistemology, rationality, and the failures of modernity. John writes about these issues on his blog. As a software developer and mathematician, John understands problem solving, and is able to show how we've gone wrong. So, we discussed how in our modern world we don't know how we come to truth. Then, we looked back at how we came to know what is true in the past. Last, we discussed how our extreme problem solving can never run out of problems to solve - and might even create more. The post Modernity and the Failures of Pure Rationality appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

In this episode, I talked to John Timaeus of Modernity Has Fallen about epistemology, rationality, and the failures of modernity. John writes about these issues on his blog. As a software developer and mathematician, John understands problem solving, and is able to show how we've gone wrong. So, we discussed how in our modern world we don't know how we come to truth. Then, we looked back at how we came to know what is true in the past. Last, we discussed how our extreme problem solving can never run out of problems to solve - and might even create more. Modernity's Confused Epistomology Too many people today assert what is true without knowing how they came to know it. Although we can know many facts, we are not good at knowing how we learn or the basis for what is true. We offhandedly discount the supernatural and take materialist assumptions. Many modernists will say that science is the only source of truth, but at same time fail to defend why it should be. That's our problem: we know a lot of things, but don't know why. Knowing is not only the who, what, when, where, and how. There's a why behind what we know to be true and why we believe something to be true. That is what we use epistemology to understand, and that is something that modern man has lost that the ancient world knew. Failures of Modernity Modernity has promised us that we will solve all the world's ills with rationality. We can leave religion behind, trading it in for science. However, that has not come true. In fact, modernity has failed to solve our problems, even creating many more in the process. Because we are finite beings, we cannot know all that goes into our decisions, and so each solution will be ultimately insufficient. Just take the internet for example. It has given us tremendous ability to solve problems through communication, but it has also brought a host of issues with social media, porn, and more. Find out more about the Failures of Modernity and Pure Rationality here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

Many will argue that Abraham Lincoln was the best president we've had, or at least one of the best. What made Abraham Lincoln great in many people's eyes is the preservation of the union. But was Lincoln a good president? In The Real Lincoln, Thomas DiLorenzo shows the problems with Lincoln's presidency. By taking a look at this book, we'll ask if Lincoln was good or bad for our country by looking at the results of his presidency. You can find more book reviews in the Conversation of Our Generation Library. "This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it." -Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Adress Was Lincoln a Good President? Based on the evidence, I don't think Lincoln was a good president. Although, I'll grant that he came into power during crazy and tumultuous times. But, the greatness of leaders is based on how they rise to that occasion. In what I've seen, I don't think Lincoln was the great president people claim he is. His economic system was a failure that eroded liberty and needed to be forced on the people. Lincoln didn't free the slaves, even the slaves he was able to free. And, he condoned the mass rape, pillaging, and burning of the south, of people he claimed were his fellow countrymen. So no, I don't think Lincoln was our best president. I don't think Lincoln was even a good president. Want more great book reviews? Check out my library here. Check out the shownotes for Was Lincoln a Good President here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

I recently sat down with Michael Thomas of Sharon to discuss distributism, and how it's different as an economic system. He is a father, husband, homesteader, and traditional farmer. To find more of his work, you can check out the website for the Brickhouse Farm and Orchard. Michael is also an avid reader, which is how he came across distributism. And, as a Catholic who believes a distributist economic model is closest to Catholic social teaching, he's interested in sharing this idea more people. The post What Is Distributism? appeared first on Conversation of Our Generation.

What is distributism? I talked to a distributist about how to implement a distributist economic system and why it's best. I recently sat down with Michael Thomas of Sharon to discuss distributism, and how it's different as an economic system. He is a father, husband, homesteader, and traditional farmer. To find more of his work, you can check out the website for the Brickhouse Farm and Orchard. Michael is also an avid reader, which is how he came across distributism. Also, as a Catholic who believes a distributist economic model is closest to Catholic social teaching, he's interested in sharing this idea more people. Read more about distributism here --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support

John Locke was an influential Enlightenment thinker whose work inspired many of the Founding Fathers. Locke was a philosopher and is commonly regarded as the Father of Liberalism. Since his work has come up in other discussions, like the one I had with Dr. Yenor. Plus, Locke was a focal point of my conversation with Brooke Medina from the John Locke Foundation. Because he's top of mind, and because we're ready to tear apart anything anyone tries to build in our society, I wanted to discuss Two Treatises on Government to learn how to criticize government. "The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom." -John Locke First Treatise: Criticize Government As It Is In the first treatise, Locke responds to Robert Filmer's Patriarcha, a work in favor of the divine right of kings. During this time there was a lot of political turbulence in England, and a debate was bubbling up about the monarchy. Locke responded to Filmer because of his contention that all men are born slaves of the divinely ordained king. This idea repulsed Locke because he believed each person is capable of reason. Furthermore, each person is capable of understanding and following God's Law. Second Treatise: Offer a Viable Alternative The second treatise is a long description of what could replace the British system. He juxtaposes the state of nature and the state of war, saying that people enter into society to avoid a state of war. Then, Locke discusses property rights, explaining why they are a right and how to defend them. After laying out these main principles and observations, he goes on to discuss a suitable form of government. https://conversationofourgeneration.com/2021/03/18/how-to-criticize-government/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/conofourgen/support