PH2T3R The Journal of Solar Culture

No, we're not trying to get on the naughty list or call out Santa (who is literally real). But Santa is a springboard for talking about "myths we live by" vs. the "myths we must believe are literal truth" frame of Christianity.Parents around the world bring the myth of Santa to life every year for their children in a ritual fashion. (I'm 50 years old and my mom still sends me packages marked "from the Elves")Santa shows how powerful and inspiring a myth that is (some people say) not "literally true" can impact and enrich our everyday lives. ⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

Curtis Yarvin has been a provocative thought leader in a number of dissident spaces, and co-host ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ has been following his work for years. In this week's show, we'll be discussing themes from Yarvin's new book, Gray Mirror: Fascicle I, Disturbance, from Passage Press.CB Robertson has cited statements by Yarvin in various shows. Some of Yarvin's ideas seem smart and extremely reasonable and some are a hard pass. Gray Mirror promises—in its title—to disturb us. So we both ordered copies from Passage Press, and we'll kick around some of the disturbing ideas in this new book from an influential contemporary philosopher. ⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

Some have called Trump's election a "bro-revolution." Football players and MMA fighters doing the Trump dance, Trump going on Rogan and walking into UFC to cheering crowds...After decades of tolerating a hen-pecked mainstream culture, there's been a palpable vibe shift toward a return of the bro. When I asked ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ what we should talk about this week, he thought I should explore what happened to the bros over the past several decades, what changed, and what is happening now. So that's what we're going to do. When I was writing The Way of Men in 2011, I started by reviewing the conflict between masculinity and feminism and the various attacks on masculinity and "bro" culture at that time. I decided to pull that section out of the final edit of the book, but I published it as a free e-book titled "No Man's Land" in 2012. You can read it for context on my website. No Man's Land - by ‪@JackDonovan‬ https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/2...I'll also be watching ‪@millerman‬ 's video on the bro-revolution before the show, so we may refer to it. I'm Witnessing America's BRO-REVOLUTION and It's Shocking! • I'm Witnessing America's BRO-REVOLUTI... You can post your questions in the comments via Instagram or YouTube. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - here)⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

This episode closes out our read-through of Homer's Odyssey with books 21-24, which include the climax and the aftermath of the tale. Jack will be in Tasmania with members of The First Men, so one of our top men, Mark, will be sitting down with CB Robertson to discuss the final chapters of the series and then talk about the works of Homer as a whole. Mark is part of CB's ongoing Homer study group, so the two of them have a well-established rapport and an in-depth knowledge of Homer.⚡Recommended supplementary reading: The Hero and the Man: Language, Truth, and the Homeric Origins of Western Idealismby our own C.B. Robertson ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ . https://amzn.to/4086Ol2You can post your questions in the comments via Instagram or YouTube. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - here)⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

In this short episode (recorded in advance as our normal time was Thanksgiving night in America), we go through Books 17-20 of the Odyssey. Most of these chapters, as CB Robertson says, are "one long string of dramatic irony." The real "bro" moment is in the "bum fights" chapter, where the suitors encourage two beggars (one secretly Odysseus) to duke it out for their amusement. Jack Donovan will be in Tasmania for next week's LIVE show, so CB Robertson will be having one of the other members of the First Men, Mark, on to discuss the final chapters of the Odyssey and the works of Homer in general. Mark is a leader in the First Men and he's involved in CB Robertson's masters level Homer study project, so they should have some deep takes. ⚡Recommended supplementary reading: The Hero and the Man: Language, Truth, and the Homeric Origins of Western Idealismby our own C.B. Robertson ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ . https://amzn.to/4086Ol2You can post your questions in the comments via Instagram or YouTube. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - here)⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

Finally! Asleep in ITHACA... After years of struggle, Odysseus has returned to his homeland, but the battle is far from over. Books 13-16 show that returning home is not just about arrival—it's about reclaiming order, forming alliances, and confronting chaos. Odysseus reminds us that patience and loyalty are as essential as strength.⚡Recommended supplementary reading: The Hero and the Man: Language, Truth, and the Homeric Origins of Western Idealismby our own C.B. Robertson ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ . https://amzn.to/4086Ol2You can post your questions in the comments via Instagram or YouTube. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - here)⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

James Lindsay made a persuasive case for why "wokism" is a kind of gnostic Marxist religious movement, and we've incorporated his thinking into many of our discussions on and offline. Recently, Lindsay has been talking about the "woke right" and we had to go watch his video about it to see what he was talking about. He seems to see "woke right" as a descendant of the "alt-right." Lindsay warns that the "woke right" may undermine the progress of some of the good things that are happening in American politics right now—and some of his concerns are valid. You can watch Lindsay's on the Woke Right video here:https://youtu.be/IgneBMo1lxY?si=qa6AE...Since ‪@JackDonovan‬ wrote for alternativeright.com in its first year and knew many of the key players in the scene, and ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ has been tracking and interacting with related thinkers for more than a decade, we thought we could provide some relevant context based on our experiences. How did the alt-right start, how did it change, and what does it mean now? Is "woke right" a term that makes sense?

In this third episode of our read-through of Homer's Odyssey, we'll be exploring Books 9 through 12. Finally Odysseus begins telling the story of his ill-fated journey home from Troy. We'll discuss the city he and his crew sack like pirates for no good reason, the island of the Lotus-Eaters, and the story of Polyphemus the Cyclops. And that's just book 9. We'll have a lot to discuss in our 42nd LIVE show of the year. NO SLEEP TIL ITHACA!⚡Recommended supplementary reading: The Hero and the Man: Language, Truth, and the Homeric Origins of Western Idealismby our own C.B. Robertson ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ . https://amzn.to/4086Ol2You can post your questions in the comments via Instagram or YouTube. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - here)⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

In this second episode of our read-through of Homer's Odyssey, we'll be exploring Books 5 through 8. These chapters begin Odysseus' long-awaited journey home as he finally leaves Calypso's island. Battling storms sent by Poseidon, he washes ashore in the land of the Phaeacians, where Princess Nausicaa offers him help. At the court of King Alcinous, Odysseus reveals his identity and is honored as a hero.We'll examine key themes such as fate, divine will, and the evolving nature of heroism, with a special focus on how Odysseus balances his intellect with physical strength. Join us as we discuss the trials and transformations Odysseus faces, and how these books lay the groundwork for his eventual return to Ithaca.NO SLEEP TIL ITHACA!⚡Recommended supplementary reading: The Hero and the Man: Language, Truth, and the Homeric Origins of Western Idealismby our own C.B. Robertson ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ . https://amzn.to/4086Ol2You can post your questions in the comments via Instagram or YouTube. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - here)⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

I sat down with Dr. Dilanka during a recent Order of Fire event to talk about his recent trip to Gabon, where he participated in an Iboga ritual with the Bwiti. Watch the video here

This is the first in a series of discussions about Homer's Odyssey, meant both for a general audience and for new members of The Order of Fire's First Men. In this show, we'll introduce the Odyssey in context and discuss the first four books of this tale of a "man of twists and turns driven time and again off course."⚡Recommended supplementary reading: The Hero and the Man: Language, Truth, and the Homeric Origins of Western Idealismby our own C.B. Robertson ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ . https://amzn.to/4086Ol2You can post your questions in the comments via Instagram or YouTube. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - here)⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

The monster defines the hero, but to what extent is the Striker also defined by his weapon? In this LIVE show, ‪@caffeineandphilosophy‬ and ‪@JackDonovan‬ discuss the relationship between men and weapons. Fists, the vajra/keraunos, the mace, the club, the sword and the gun...You can post your questions in the comments via Instagram or Youtube. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - here)⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

A discussion about The Father archetype from the perspective of Solar Idealism, including a broader discussion about leadership, America's Founding Fathers, "book worship" and more. You can post your questions in the comments via Instagram or Youtube. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - here)⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

The Lord of the Earth is one of Solar Idealism's three god archetypes. Because he covers a wide territory, he is sometimes the most difficult or the most often forgotten archetype, even though he represents the majority of what man does every single day—the perpetuation of human life. The Father and the Striker are idealistic and ethereal, but the Lord is rooted in the earth and the body all of the joys and challenges of being a human animal. In preparation for October's upcoming Lord of the Earth event in South Carolina, this week, we'll be exploring all aspect's of The Lord's work, live on YouTube at 7PM PST on Thursday, September 26, 2024. You can post your questions in the comments or via Instagram. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - link below)https://theorderoffire.ck.page/96f964...⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

Is "Initiation" the solution to male depression and anxiety? In the early 1990s, the mythopoetic men's movement started telling men that what they were missing in their lives was "initiation" -- presumably into manhood. But what would these men be initiated INTO? Modern society completely lacks a consensus about what manhood is and what the rights and responsibilities of a man are.What is initiation from an anthropological perspective? Who is selling it to men these days, and what are they selling -- beyond "experiences?" What are some authentic contemporary forms of initiation? You can also post your questions in the comments or via Instagram. We've already started the discussion in our Telegram group, The Greater Mandala. (For access, sign up for our mailing list - link below)https://theorderoffire.ck.page/96f964...⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest stories in the world, if not the oldest. It's rarely read, but human and relatable. Ultimately, it's a story about an extremely masculine man struggling with the loss of his best friend and his own mortality. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the foundational stories in The Order of Fire, and all of the First Men are required to read it.⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

Many of the members of the First Men and followers of the Order of Fire are Warhammer 40K enthusiasts. This week, to coincide with the upcoming release of the Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 game, we'll be joined by Montana from the Order's First Men to discuss Warhammer 40K and some of the themes in the game and the associated mythos that overlap with concepts in Solar Idealism. ⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

After seeing Aliens - Romulus in the theater last week, it hit me. Xenomorphs are space dragons. They come from the void, and is no real sense that exist to do anything but bring death. They are matriarchal. Is a queen -- like the one in Resurrection -- a manifestation of Tiamat? And there's a Satanic connection -- Satanists love H.R. Giger who designed the xenomorphs and who also produced all kinds of Baphomets and occult imagery. Look up his Necronomicon. Join us as we discuss all things xenomorph and how they fit into the eternal archetype of the Dragon that must die.⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

In this week's live show, we'll explore the psychologies, philosophies, and methodologies behind various forms of weight training. We picked "weight training" specifically, because "weight lifting" and "strength training" can signal two different forms of training. So, with "weight training" we can talk about all of the modes of training that involve moving weight -- including body weight training.We'll delve into the various subcultures of weight training and the philosophies behind them, and ask "why train at all?" (Historically, most men did not strength train in any formal or regular way -- though one could say that even today, only a minority of the population engages in any regular weight training.) ⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

It's not just California. There's a lot of it in Austin these days, too, and you'll find a little bit of it all over the country and throughout the Western world (such as it is). It's not a creed—it's a vibe. It's "spiritual" but never "religious." It favors Eastern, exotic, and New Age ideas but acknowledges Jesus as a groovy cat who just wanted to bring people together in peace and love, man. If there is one central belief to California Spirituality, it is "nonjudgmentalism." It seems to have flourished in laid-back cities full of transplants like LA and San Francisco, and it greased the wheels of the Hollywood machine. It's nonconfrontational, a la carte, and good for business. It persists in the "life coaching" and "retreat" culture. However, California Spirituality is no match for the gnostic Marxism of woke intersectionality -- because that is ALL about judgment and generally BAD for business. ⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

Was Buddha a hipster? Buddha was born into the Kshatriya (warrior) caste -- a prince, likely destined to rule over a small area in Nepal. Because he saw suffering in the world, he renounced his title and wealth to pursue "enlightenment," leaving his wife and newborn son behind. Sounds like a spoiled rich kid move -- like the kids who live on the street and beg for change because they are "fighting the man" while their parents keep nice cars in the driveway waiting for them to get bored and come home. ⚡THE ADVENTURE COLLECTION⚡During this episode, we mentioned The Order of Fire's new Adventure collection, featuring a Stay Solar cap and stylish safari shirt designed by Jack Donovan. Check out the collection here.

What kind of relationship do you have with food? What does a good relationship with food look and feel like? To further explore "Zoological Humanism" and the Lord of the Earth archetype, we'll discuss the impact of food and diet on our lives, both positively and negatively. For this show, we will be joined by Ed Hamann -- our Vedic expert in the Order of Fire. Ed spent years studying and teaching people about food and cooking all over the world.If you feel like you or the people around you have a negative relationship with food, we encourage you to watch our friend Josh Wood's TEDx talk: "Eat Like An Adult."

If we believe that beauty is better than ugliness, it doesn't make sense to outsource the work of creating and curating beauty to men and women who may care more about shock value or destructive politics than creating beauty. Style and fashion both come from roots that imply creative agency. To fashion is to make, and style comes from a utensil used to write. However, many turn their noses up at "fashion" -- generally associated with airheads following the latest trends -- and style, which tends to be associated with a distinctive aesthetic and good taste. On this show, we're going to talk about approaching personal style and aesthetics from a masculine (and obviously, solar) perspective. Visual communication sends a message. What message are you sending?

We're told that sex and gender are different, but that wasn't always the case. When did this happen? Who does that distinction benefit, and why? Should we stop making that distinction and tacitly accepting their frame? What utility does that distinction have for normal men?

This week, Jack Donovan and C.B. Robertson discuss our relationship with violence as men, as humans, and in the context of human societies. We'll briefly discuss the concepts in "Violence is Golden" and Jack's recently released fable, "How the Tiger Opened His Third Eye," and then move through various related discussions. ⚡Check out Violence is Golden and The Third Eye of the Tiger merch here.

This week, we continue our series on Plato's Republic by discussing the topics covered in Book 10. In Book 10 of Plato's "Republic," Socrates critiques poetry and the arts for their ability to stir emotions and mislead people from the truth. He argues that poetry appeals to the irrational parts of the soul, promoting illusion over reality. The book also addresses the immortality of the soul, suggesting that the just person will be rewarded in the afterlife. Socrates concludes with the Myth of Er, a tale illustrating the soul's journey after death and the importance of living a just life. This final book emphasizes the philosophical quest for truth and the moral implications of art and justice.

This week, we continue our series on Plato's Republic by discussing the topics covered in Book 8 and 9. In Books 8 and 9 of Plato's "Republic," Socrates examines the decline of the ideal state through four degenerate regimes: timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. Each regime emerges from the corruption of its predecessor, driven by increasing greed and power struggles. Timocracy values honor and military prowess, oligarchy prioritizes wealth, democracy emphasizes freedom, and tyranny results in absolute rule by a despot. Socrates discusses how each form of government affects the individual's soul, highlighting the moral decay accompanying political degeneration. These books offer a profound critique of political systems and the ethical consequences of their evolution.

This week, we continue our series on Plato's Republic by discussing the topics covered in Book 7. Book 7 of Plato's Republic features the Allegory of the Cave, a profound metaphor for human ignorance and enlightenment. Plato describes prisoners in a cave, only able to see shadows on the wall, mistaking these illusions for reality. One prisoner escapes, discovering the outside world and the true form of objects, symbolizing the philosopher's journey from ignorance to knowledge. Upon returning to free the others, he's met with hostility and disbelief, highlighting resistance to enlightenment. This allegory illustrates the philosopher's role in society, emphasizing the importance of education and the pursuit of truth. Plato argues that only those who have achieved true understanding are fit to govern, as they can see beyond illusions and grasp the Forms, the ultimate truths underlying reality.

This week, we continue our series on Plato's Republic by discussing the topics covered in Book 6. Socrates discusses the nature of the philosopher-king, arguing that only those who truly grasp the Forms, especially the Form of the Good, are fit to rule. He criticizes the existing political systems for being led by individuals who lack true knowledge and are instead driven by opinion and ambition. Socrates also introduces the Allegory of the Ship to illustrate the difference between a true philosopher and those who merely claim to know, emphasizing that philosophers are often misunderstood and undervalued in society.

This week, we continue our series on Plato's Republic by discussing the topics covered in Book 5 -- the most feminist book of the Republic. Socrates suggests that women and men should both be guardians, training in and engaging in battle together. He also argues for a eugenic breeding program and communal child-rearing. But in the end, we are also returned to the original context of the discussion, and a brief apologia for idealism itself.

This week, we continue our series on Plato's Republic by discussing the topics covered in Book 3 and 4, which really capture the title of the book as Socrates and others talk about man using the metaphor of a city-state, or "republic." Republic is actually a Roman translation of Plato's title, which was "Politeia."

This week, we continue our series on Plato's Republic by discussing the topics covered in Book 2. The examination of Justice continues with a discussion about the social contract and whether people behave justly on their own accord or simply to avoid punishment. The Ring of Gyges is introduced—a ring that grants invisibility and, therefore, freedom from punishment. The Ring of Gyges influenced J. R. R. Tolkien, and it inspired the Ring of Power from The Lord of the Rings.

This week we begin our series on Plato's Republic. Beginning with Book 1, we'll briefly revisit last week's discussion about aging and then delve into the primary question at hand: "What is Justice?" @ChristopherRobertson has done a few podcasts on Plato already for anyone who is interested. What is Plato's Republic About?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2-iAb2w7LECaffeine Stream 41: Defending Plato's Republichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWJxwu_C8I0 Also recommended: Great Minds - Part 1 - Plato's Republic I: Justice, Power, and Knowledgehttps://youtu.be/8rf3uqDj00A?si=j7MOlhc0VAJIJPrn

Last week CB Robertson and Jack Donovan fielded a bunch of questions from readers and followers and ended up having some fantastic discussions about a wide range of topics. This conversation was recorded live on YouTube at 7 PM PST on April 25, 2024.

Humans gossip. It's part of our nature. Men tend to want to minimize gossip and the importance of gossip in public life, and gossip is often regarded as trashy and vulgar. Today, people tend to prefer gossip to substance. Is there a place for gossip in a better society? Is an ad hominem attack always wrong? What would Washington do?In this week's show, C. B. Robertson and Jack Donovan discuss how much the man matters when considering the message.

Dragons EXIST. Heroes -- Strikers -- become what they are to fight dragons. Dragons and serpents are found in mythologies all around the world. Occasionally, especially in the far east and sometimes in the Americas, dragons are seen as "lucky," protective, or benevolent, and serpents are even harnessed by the forces of righteousness in some Western lore.However, Dragons are most often seen as the enemies of men and Order. In the syncretic mythic system of Solar Idealism, Dragons are agents of death and non-differentiation and enemies of Order, led by the nihilistic dragon, Negation.Referenced in the show:James Powell's lecture "Dragons are Real"https://discord.gg/yhVaTpPDIn this week's show, C. B. Robertson and Jack Donovan do a deep-dive on dragons and magic.

How do we reach an escape velocity that allows us to surpass cynicism and the dragon's wink and nod? How do we convince men that creation is part of the work of men -- as it has been discouraged and regarded as effeminate and communistic for decades?CB Robertson issues a creative challenge for men to engage with our time and find the beauty and inspiration in it. This show aired on YouTube at 7PM PST on April 4, 2024.

What is the solar path out of postmodernism? Co-host C.B. Robertson synthesized a new perspective in his tour-de-force essay "Descending Odin's Throne" written for the PH2T3R print journal, which is now finally available. We'll be discussing his essay and the rest of the contents of the book during this week's live show.

Isn't freedom just another word for nothing left to lose?How much freedom is enough? How much is too much? Solar Idealism holds that freedom is better than servitude, but where are the lines?

What is the appeal of ritual? And...what is the point? As The Order of Fire begins gathering to hike out into the mountains to perform our Spring Equinox Fire Ritual, we thought we'd sit down to talk about what we're doing, why we do it, and the point and process of ritual itself. C.B. Robertson and I were joined again by Dustin Lindsey.

What is the difference between optimism and foolishness? What are the benefits of optimism over pessimism?How can we avoid "dooming" -- while being realistic and making choices based on the world as it is and not as we would like to pretend it is? How do we avoid walking into traps if we are TOO optimistic?

What does it mean to be “authentic?” It's a question with many layers and aspects, and it seems to mean different things to different people. Is it merely a consistency between your public and private personae? Harmony between words and deeds? Even the word persona suggests a mask. How much of who we are is a performance for others? Is that “wrong,” or is that simply normal to our species as social animals? Don't we often become different people to interact successfully with others?Where is the line between reasonable social adaptation and sociopathic, manipulative behavior? What is the relationship between online anonymity and authenticity?

What does it mean to hate? Some would insist that you should be "above" hate -- but are they truly "above" it, or do they just hate different things or different people? Is the idea that you should love everyone in some great "brotherhood of man" simply a secularized echo of Christianity?Solar Idealism was conceived as a response to ideologies which seems to offer nothing but anger and hatred -- with no viable positive vision for the future (except to be rid of their enemies).However, it is also true that men bond at a much higher speed if they are presented with a shared ordeal or a common enemy. Hate unites men (against other men or external threats). Co-host @ChristopherRobertson has done a lot of thinking about hate. He wrote a book titled In Defense of Hatred, which I never read, but we'll talk about that as well. https://amzn.to/4c02hoC. B. Robertson is the author of The Hero and the Man, Holy Nihilism, Letter to Anwei, and more. He writes for PH2T3R and his own blog, Caffeine and Philosophy. https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandphilosophy/Jack Donovan is the author of The Way of Men, Becoming a Barbarian, A More Complete Beast, and Fire in the Dark. He is the founder of The Order of Fire and the PH2T3R project. https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starttheworld/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ph2t3r

What is the Übermensch? Superman, Overman, Beyond-man, Beyond-human... It seems to be a mirror in which people see what they want to see, regardless of what Nietzsche actually meant or wrote. One could easily imagine it as being a cyborg or AI. Many want the Übermensch to be the "blonde beast" -- some kind of Dolph Lundgren character. What is the Übermensch, is it a goal worth overcoming man for, and how does it relate to Solar Idealism?C. B. Robertson is the author of The Hero and the Man, Holy Nihilism, Letter to Anwei, and more. He writes for PH2T3R and his own blog, Caffeine and Philosophy. https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/Instagram: / caffeineandphilosophy Jack Donovan is the author of The Way of Men, Becoming a Barbarian, A More Complete Beast, and Fire in the Dark. He is the founder of The Order of Fire and the PH2T3R project. https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/Instagram: / starttheworld Twitter:

Jonathan Smith is a former CIA agent with a special operations background who relocated his family to Russia to immerse himself in the ancient roots of shamanic traditions. In this interview, Jack Donovan delves into Jonathan's unique journey, unveiling the profound insights he gained from authentic shamans in the birthplace of shamanic culture.Discover the essence of shamanism as Jonathan shares his experiences and imparts valuable wisdom that promises to bring you closer to the shamanic path. By the end of this video, you'll not only be inspired but equipped with practical advice to kickstart or elevate your own spiritual journey.Connect with Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rogue_emissary/Explore the recommended book by Jack Donovan - 'Shamanism' by Mircea Eliade.Jack Donovan, is the author of 'The Way of Men,' 'Becoming a Barbarian,' 'A More Complete Beast,' and 'Fire in the Dark.' As the founder of The Order of Fire and the PH2T3R project, Jack invites you to explore more:Website: https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starttheworld/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ph2t3rFor details about the PH2T3R project, visit: https://ph2t3r.com/To learn about joining The Order of Fire, click here: https://ph2t3r.com/theorderoffire/Follow The Order of Fire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theorderoffire/

What happened to the Men's Movement? A few years ago, there seemed to be a "big tent" men's movement that advanced a wide range of ideologies, all in the interest of helping men and dealing with the crisis of masculinity. The crisis certainly hasn't disappeared, but the "men's movement" and "manosphere" seem to have broken into competing factions largely driven by commercial interests and petty gossip. I've been writing about men and masculinity for 15 years, and I've been watching all of this unfold for a long time. On our weekly live show on YouTube, C.B. Robertson and I asked what happened to the men's movement and wondered how it can be fixed --- or if it needs to be. C. B. Robertson is the author of The Hero and the Man, Holy Nihilism, Letter to Anwei, and more. He writes for PH2T3R and his own blog, Caffeine and Philosophy. https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/Instagram: / caffeineandphilosophy Jack Donovan is the author of The Way of Men, Becoming a Barbarian, A More Complete Beast, and Fire in the Dark. He is the founder of The Order of Fire and the PH2T3R project. https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/Instagram: / starttheworld Twitter:

Last month, The Order of Fire read the Oresteia, a series of three plays by Aeschylus. On this week's live show, C.B. Robertson and Jack Donovan go over the plays and talk about why we think they are so important.Many of our members were surprised at how engaging the plays were -- especially in some of the BBC audio performances available on Audible and even on YouTube for free. • Aeschylus' Oresteia - Agamemnon (BBC ... The Oresteia is the story of Orestes, who killed his mother after she killed his father -- Agamemnon from the Iliad. He is then chased and tormented by the grotesque and ghoulish Eumenides, and seeks sanctuary from Apollo. Apollo sends him to Athena, who conducts a trial to end the blood feud, establishing a mythic basis for trial by jury.https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/Instagram: / caffeineandphilosophy Jack Donovan is the author of The Way of Men, Becoming a Barbarian, A More Complete Beast, and Fire in the Dark. He is the founder of The Order of Fire and the PH2T3R project. https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/Instagram: / starttheworld Twitter:

Why bother writing? Is it worth doing if you have no aspirations as a (public) writer? Authors Jack Donovan and C.B. Robertson talk about the meaning and process and possibly some of the business of writing. In the second hour, they take questions from live viewers and answer questions submitted by newsletter and Instagram.C. B. Robertson is the author of The Hero and the Man, Holy Nihilism, Letter to Anwei, and more. He writes for PH2T3R and his own blog, Caffeine and Philosophy. https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineand...Jack Donovan is the author of The Way of Men, Becoming a Barbarian, A More Complete Beast, and Fire in the Dark. He is the founder of The Order of Fire and the PH2T3R project. https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starttheworld/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ph2t3rTo find out more about the PH2T3R project, visit PH2T3R.comhttps://ph2t3r.com/To learn more about joining The Order of Fire:

Join us for a thought-provoking live podcast featuring Jack Donovan and C.B. Robertson as they delve into the origins of the philosophy of humanism and inspect its ideological baggage. Then we'll throw all of that out with the "blank slate" it was scribbled on and talk about the need for an approach to living that acknowledges human nature as a product of our physiology and evolutionary history. What is the nature of the human animal - from a zoological perspective - and how do we live more harmoniously within the confines of that nature?A pro-human position is sorely needed as AI development accelerates and the transhumanist death cult cheers on our collective oblivion. ---C. B. Robertson is the author of The Hero and the Man, Holy Nihilism, Letter to Anwei, and more. He writes for PH2T3R and his own blog, Caffeine and Philosophy. https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/Instagram: / caffeineandphilosophy Jack Donovan is the author of The Way of Men, Becoming a Barbarian, A More Complete Beast, and Fire in the Dark. He is the founder of The Order of Fire and the PH2T3R project. https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/Instagram: / starttheworld Twitter:

In the absence of meaning, we must create it. In our last live broadcast, we discussed "The Meaning Crisis" -- what is perceived by many as an absence or loss of meaning. People say they want to "find meaning," but rarely seem to consider the possibility that they are capable of creating it. In this show, we'll discuss strategies for creating meaning and designing a more meaningful world. Specifically, we discuss four kinds of meaningful objects:Aesthetically Meaningful ObjectsSymbolically or Representationally Meaningful ObjectsObjects with Inherited NarrativeObjects with Loaded Narrative---C. B. Robertson is the author of The Hero and the Man, Holy Nihilism, Letter to Anwei, and more. He writes for PH2T3R and his own blog, Caffeine and Philosophy. https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/Instagram: / caffeineandphilosophy Jack Donovan is the author of The Way of Men, Becoming a Barbarian, A More Complete Beast, and Fire in the Dark. He is the founder of The Order of Fire and the PH2T3R project. https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/Instagram: / starttheworld Twitter:

This year PH2T3R will produce a LIVE show on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM PST. In our first episode, Jack Donovan and C.B. Robertson will discuss the first few episodes (1-3) of John Vervaeke's series "Awakening from the Meaning Crisis" from a Solar Idealist perspective. You can find the full playlist here: • Awakening from the Meaning Crisis ---C. B. Robertson is the author of The Hero and the Man, Holy Nihilism, Letter to Anwei, and more. He writes for PH2T3R and his own blog, Caffeine and Philosophy. https://caffeineandphilosophy.com/Instagram: / caffeineandphilosophy Jack Donovan is the author of The Way of Men, Becoming a Barbarian, A More Complete Beast, and Fire in the Dark. He is the founder of The Order of Fire and the PH2T3R project. https://www.jack-donovan.com/sowilo/Instagram: / starttheworld Twitter: