Nuclear Barbarians

Benton Arnett, Director of Markets and Policy at the Nuclear Energy Institute, joined me to talk about nuclear's prospects today and what makes it such a boon for energy security. Benton's a great guy with a deep knowledge base. I had a lot of fun chatting with him and learned things about the nuclear supply chain construction that surprised me!Nuclear Barbarians is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I are back with the first installment of our series on one of Galileo's masterworks in the history of philosophy and science: Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems. We dive into the historical context in which the work was published and then discuss the book's dedication to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Film critic and writer Andrew Plimpton returns to the pod to talk about one of the greatest American films of all time—Chinatown—which also happens to be a canonical film about the politics of energy. We dive into the film's themes, noir as a genre, Jack Nicholson as a writer, and much more. Nuclear Barbarians is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Klavan joined me to talk about his new book, Light of the Mind, Light of the World: Illuminating Science Through Faith. We talk about "Newtonian" Default Mode, the history of science, what innovations in physics mean for the faithful and secular alike, and much more!Check out Spencer's Substack, Rejoice Evermore. Check out The American Mind's Roundtable. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

One of my favorite things about running this podcast is getting to talk to people with way more experience than me. Dr. Scott Tinker, a geologist and energy expert with decades of experience, joined me to talk about the breadth of his career, how our understanding of energy has changed over time, energy realism, teaching people the energy basics, and more!Check out the Switch Energy Alliance!And Scott's show, Energy Switch! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I finish up our series on the esoteric origins of the Enlightenment by diving into romanticism, mesmerism, the forgotten aspects of Jung, American New Age stuff, and way more!Next up: Galileo's Dialogue Concerning Two Chief World Systems. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

In our penultimate Hanegraaff episode, John and I take a look at how “magic,” “superstition,” and the “occult” became epithets divorced from critical reasoning, the uncomfortable overlap between occult and scientific practices, and I deliver a brief monologue on how all of this shows up in the work of HP Lovecraft. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

In our second episode on Hanegraff's Esotericism and the Academy, John and I dive into the “history of error,” and how Protestantism and refinements in historical practices began to put pressure on the Renaissance conceptions of perennial philosophy and ancient wisdom. John also had some corrections for Hanegraff! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I are back with our new series. This time we're working through Wouter Hanegraaff's Esotericism and the Academy: Rejected Knowledge in Western Culture. Hanegraff's project looks at the debates over the recovery of ancient texts and their impact on Christian life and thought and what that means for us today, especially when it comes to our weird world of scientism on the one hand and woo-woo New Age-y stuff on the other. The material is dense and you might feel a little overwhelmed listening to the podcast—don't worry! After the first two episodes (the first half of the series) it gets way easier and more fun, but this episode in the next are necessary listening/reading (if you want to follow along in the book) to appreciate the second half. However, if you haven't listened to our series on Michael Gillespie's The Theological Origins of Modernity, don't listen to this one just yet. You can start the Gillespie series here, as it provides great and more accessible background for the Hanegraaff. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I finish up our series on Michael Gillespie's Theological Origins of Modernity—offering a break down of his final chapter and our closing thoughts. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I spend this, our penultimate episode in the series, discussing Hobbes—his anthropology, his physics, his politics—and the nature of modernity's “new science.”If you have questions for our final Q&A episode, please leave a comment! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I return to Gillespie's book to talk about Luther, Erasmus, and Descartes and to dig into the motivations behind the ideas that inspired the philosophies that brought about the scientific revolution. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Grant Dever joined me to talk about his recent work on the loss of Indian Point, lowering energy costs in America, the vitality of energy prosperity for America's future, and more.Autopsy of a Perfect Policy Failure: The Closure of Indian Point by Grant DeverLiberating America: Overcoming Energy Scarcity and Inflation by Grant Dever Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I continue our journey through Gillespie's Theological Origins of Modernity, this time we dig into Petrarch, Martin Luther, the underpinnings of enlightenment humanism, and more. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John returns for the first installment of another reading series. This time we're tackling Michael Gillespie's The Theological Origins of Modernity, a book that aims at getting to the root of some of the major questions we face today as products of both the Industrial Revolution and the Enlightenment. This is also the first in what John and I hope will be a longer project of delving into the history of the philosophy of science. After Gillespie we hope to explore works by Francis Bacon, Descartes, Galileo, Leibniz, Thomas Carlyle, David Hume, Edmund Husserl, and others. We aim to conclude each author with a Q&A episode. So, if you have any questions, please leave a comment on the Substack—we'll round them up and get to them at the end of each series. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Rachael Zisk just launched a nuclear energy newsletter — Ignition — which is great. I brought her on to talk about her new venture, the challenges of covering highly technical topics, how the media landscape is changing, and more!Subscribe to Ignition.Subscribe to Payload. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I finish up our discussion of the Machine in the Garden. We reflect on Leo Marx's contribution—both its successes and failures. And we consider what opportunities there are to think about the American relationship with the Machine. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Director Tyson Culver joined me to talk about his new docu-series with —Juice: Power, Politics, and the Grid. We talk about what Tyson learned while making documentaries with Robert about the grid and what's currently going around with America's electricity sector. Check it out!You can watch it on YouTube here:And you can watch their first documentary together here: Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I continue our series on Leo Marx's The Machine in the Garden. In this episode, we talk about Emerson, Thoreau, Melville, and Hawthorne. We recorded this one a bit before Christmas last year. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

A reading of a piece I wrote for the American Mind.You can read the text here. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Author and mechanic of joined me to talk about the nature of progress, our over designed world, the limits of laissez faire, safetyism, the current golden age of hotrodding, and so much more.Here are the pieces we discussed:Misanthropic Use of the Nudge by Matthew B. CrawfordA $5,600 Taillight Repair? by Matthew B. Crawford For a way more thorough look into Chernobyl, which comes up towards the end, check out this thread from my friend which has tons of links to resources etc. if you want a way better explanation of what happened than what I give here. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

I got to sit down with Doug Sandridge, an oil and gas guy with decades of experience, to talk about his shocking new project: OIL AND GAS EXECS FOR NUCLEAR. This is the story of someone called to action to stand up for energy abundance for all—Doug's a great guy and I loved chatting with him. Check out the declaration of Oil and Gas Execs for Nuclear. Read Doug's op-ed for Grid Brief. Check out Doug's Substack: Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Isaiah Taylor, the founder of Valar Atomics, joined me to talk about his new venture, how he wants to turn the nuclear energy over on its head, how his Christian faith and Midwestern roots inform his work, and much more. Reach more about Valar here. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I are back with our third installment of our reading series on The Machine in the Garden by Leo Marx.This chapter is all about “the machine” as a symbol in American life and letters. We talk about obscure figures like the Pennsylvanian manufacturer Tench Coxe, Thomas Carlyle's “Signs of the Times,” the Newtonian reconciliation of art and nature, 19th century machine boosterism, and more! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Writer and film critic Andrew Plimpton returns to the pod to speak with me about Scorsese's latest film, which centers around oil rights and a covert assault on the Osage tribe. We discuss the merits and demerits of this epically long film, Scorsese's legacy, the American project, and more. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John and I continue our series on Leo Marx's The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America. This chapter delves deep into the symbol of the garden—we dive into Marx's reading of Jefferson, the nature of the pastoral ideal and how it evolved, the vision of Virginia, and more. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Hugo Kruger is a razor sharp engineer with a deep knowledge of energy systems. He came onto the show to talk to me about what's going on with South Africa's grid. I learned a ton from this episode—I hope you guys enjoy it!Check out Hugo's work on Substack.Connect with him on LinkedIn. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

John Goodson, my old co-host from the ex.haust podcast, joined me in the first of our series on Leo Marx's The Machine in the Garden: Technology and the Pastoral Ideal in America. There are a few audio problems in this episode, for which we apologize. Thankfully, they're brief. “Believing in America,” Leo Marx, Boston Review. The Elizabethan World Picture: A Study of the Idea of Order in the Age of Shakespeare, Donne and Milton by Eustace Tilyard Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Spencer Klavan (author, podcaster, and editor) joined me to talk about that horrible Apple clean energy/Mother Nature video, neo-paganism as social and ideological force, quantum physics, epistemology, THE LORD, and more. Watch the Apple video here.“Mother Nature Returns,” Spencer Klavan, Rejoice Evermore“Where Wind Meets Matter,” Spencer Klavan, Claremont Review of BooksListen to Young Heretics, The Round Table, and The Close ReadBuy Spencer's book: How to Save the West: Ancient Wisdom for 5 Modern Crises Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Nick O'Hara—writer, host of the Gridlocked podcast, and owner of an enviable speaking voice—joined me to talk about climate, energy, how to have a sane conversation in insane times, and much more. Listen to Gridlocked: Why the 21st Century is Broken and How to Fix It. Why Big Oil Loves the Renewable Energy Industry by Nick O'Hara, Salon.We abandoned nuclear power. Now the earth is paying the price. by Nick O'Hara, Salon.Abandoning nuclear power was a mistake. Germany must return to the future of energy. by Nick O'Hara, Salon. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Wireline worker Andrew De La Rosa came on to talk to me about the fracking process and how wireline works. I learned a ton from this conversation and had a great time. I hope you guys enjoy it!Follow Andrew on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tejanobrown Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Writer and film critic Andrew Plimpton joined me for a new running series we're doing: Energy Cinema. For our inaugural episode, we decided to talk about the new Oppenheimer movie. Hope you enjoy it! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Entergy's Chief Nuclear Officer Kimberly Cook-Nelson stopped by the pod to talk to me about Entergy's nuclear fleet, her experience working in the nuclear industry, how utilities plan on changing nuclear comms, and more. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Juan David Rojas returns to Nuclear Barbarians to talk to me about Brazilian industrial history. We touch on Eletrobas, Petrobras, Brazil's nuclear energy missteps, and a whole lot more. “The Center That Will Always Hold: Brazil's Lost Decades,” by Juan David Rojas, American Affairs Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Pat O'Brien, Holtec's Director of Government Affairs and Communications, sat down with me to talk about his background in nuclear energy, Holtec's attempts to save the Palisades plant in Michigan, its new SMR design, and more! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Jonah Messinger wrote a thoughtful piece on cold fusion for the Breakthrough Institute. I brought him on to talk about cold fusion, science as a process vs. science as an institution, and more!Fusion Runs Hot And Cold by Jonah Messinger Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Chris Keefer of Decouple came on the pod to talk about Canadians for Nuclear Energy's new report, The Case for CANDU: Why Ontario's Homegrown Nuclear Technology Is Its Best Option In A Time Of Rising Electricity Demand.The Report: https://www.canfornuclearenergy.org/Follow Chris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dr_KeeferCheck Out Decouple: https://www.decouplemedia.org/ Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Collin McClelland of Digital Wildcatters joined me to talk about oil and gas, telling better energy stories, and tons more. This is some of the most fun I've had hosting the show—hope you guys like it!DW Website: https://digitalwildcatters.com/EQT Documentary: Collin's Twitter: https://twitter.com/fracslapCollin's Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fracslapCollin's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collin-mclelland/ Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Cinematographer and documentarian Jesse Freeston joined me to talk about how he got nukepilled, his wonderful videos for Decouple Studios, the rat park, and how nuclear fits into his view of global flourishing. Check out Jesse's videos:Inside the World's BIGGEST Nuclear Plant (the one that got Ontario off coal)How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Nuclear Waste Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Alex Trembath, the Deputy Director of the Breakthrough Institute, joined me to talk about the deep contradictions in environmentalism, climate anxiety, the Jefferson/Hamilton divide, and much more!Some of Alex's work.Support Breakthrough.Subscribe to my energy newsletter, Grid Brief. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Earlier this year (February), Paul Diduch invited me to speak at the Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization at CU Boulder. It was my first time ever giving such a lecture and I'm grateful to both him and the Benson Center for the opportunity.This is strictly the audio and the Q&A portion has been edited out as the questions are really difficult to hear. If you'd like to watch it and hear the Q&A, where I whiff on a couple technical questions and Alex Priou of the New Thinkery podcast asks me pointed questions about Nietzsche and nihilism, you can click here. Some have asked me to publish the written version of this. I'm going to try to get to that, but after listening to it I feel there are defects in the argument that I need to fix. So, it may take me a while to get to it. But it will happen this year.Also: this is for Substack subscribers only, as all future bonus content will be. Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Noah Rettberg returns to the pod to talk to me about synthfuels derived from carbon. We also want Monster Energy to sponsor us. CALL ME MONSTER.Anyone else interested in advertising on the podcast can reach me here: emmet@nuclearbarbarians.com.Nuclear Now.Chicagoans! Get your ticket to see Nuclear Now at the Alamo Drafthouse in Wrigleyville on May 1. Say hey if you see me! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Juan David Rojas joined me to talk about AMLO, Pemex, and Mexican energy. AMLO and Mexico's Fourth Transformation by Juan David Rojas Follow Juan.Subscribe to my energy newsletter.Go see Nuclear Now! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Grant Dever, one of the brightest whippersnappers in the whole Lone Star state, joined me to talk about nuclear in Texas, but then the conversation ranged all over the place with a long meditation on hope.Texas Should Continue to Lead in Nuclear Power by Grant DeverSubscribe to Grid Brief.Check out Nuclear Now! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

My good friend and all around nuclear energy badass Paris Ortiz-Wines of Stand Up for Nuclear swung by to talk about what's changed in the nuclear narrative and what we can and should do about it. It ended up being a far-ranging discussion about fear, hope, and how people change their minds. How can advocates amplify global shifts in the nuclear energy narrative? by Paris Ortiz-WinesCheck out my daily energy newsletter.Go see Nuclear Now! Get full access to Nuclear Barbarians at nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/subscribe

Alan Medsker, the one man nuclear revolution in Illinois, joined me to talk about convincing politicians in the Prairie state to protects its nuclear plants and repeal its moratorium. Read about Alan's efforts to bring pro-nuclearism to the Episcopal Church. Subscribe to my daily energy newsletter. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nuclearbarians.substack.com

Darius Mortazavi of the new chemical engineering Substack, Feedstockland, joined me to talk about the industrial chemical processes, the newsletter game, industry comms, energy realities, and more!“Visible Emissions and Invisible Problems” by Darius Mortazavi“Casino, Chemicals, and Kinetics!” by Darius MortazaviCheck out his other newsletter, The Column. Subscribe to my daily energy newsletter, Grid Brief. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nuclearbarians.substack.com

Doomberg, one of the best and most popular Substackers in the world, joined me to talk about the problems besetting the so-called energy transition, political decadence, and our quantum-pilled energy future.Thar She Blows by DoombergThe Streisand Effect by DoombergSubscribe to my daily energy newsletter, Grid Brief. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nuclearbarians.substack.com

Author and journalist William D. Cohan joined me to talk about his new book on the rise and fall of General Electric—Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon. Follow William on Twitter.Check out Puck News. Subscribe to my energy newsletter, Grid Brief. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nuclearbarians.substack.com

The climate scientist Roger Pielke Jr. joined me to talk about the origins of the 1.5c warming goals, its strange origins, and the troubled relationship between science, expertise, and politics. Check out Roger's Substack.Check out his book.Subscribe to my energy newsletter.Articles Discussed: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nuclearbarians.substack.com

Julius Krein, the editor of American Affairs, sat down to talk with me about the origins of ESG and how to fight it. Here's Julius's piece in Compact: https://www.compactmag.com/article/why-the-right-can-t-beat-esgFollow Julius on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuliusKreinSubscribe to American Affairs: https://americanaffairsjournal.org/Check out my newsletter: https://www.gridbrief.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nuclearbarians.substack.com