Podcasts about Uncommon Sense

EPISODE 751 - Jack Valerio - The Recipe to breaking down complex ideas into clear, practical steps - Uncommon Sense and Guaranteed GourmetIn this episode, Dave sits down with author and lifelong educator Jack Valerio for a lively, deeply personal conversation about growth, mindset, and the power of thinking differently. Speaking from his home in Florida, Jack brings his unmistakable New York voice and perspective to a discussion that blends storytelling, life lessons, and practical philosophy.Jack's journey is anything but conventional. From a struggling student who fell behind early in life to a career educator who taught across multiple disciplines, his path is defined by overcoming limitations. That same theme carries into his personal life, where he didn't begin dancing until his fifties, only to become a professional salsa dancer and instructor. Later, he discovered a passion for cooking in his sixties and is now writing multiple cookbooks. His message is clear: ability often follows belief, not the other way around.At the core of the conversation is the concept behind his book on uncommon sense. Jack challenges the idea that common sense is reliable, arguing that widely accepted beliefs are often flawed or misunderstood. Instead, he encourages listeners to pause, question assumptions, and think independently, especially in moments when everyone else seems to agree. Through vivid stories, he illustrates how simple shifts in thinking can unlock solutions that others overlook.Jack also shares his approach to writing and creating. Using AI as a collaborative tool, he describes a disciplined and highly iterative process built on constant refinement, feedback, and self-awareness. His background in education shapes his philosophy, emphasizing that learning never stops and that adapting to change is essential at any age.Beyond writing, Jack applies his principles to his cookbooks, aiming to remove confusion and guarantee results for readers. His focus is not just on what to do, but how and why, reinforcing his belief that clarity and understanding lead to confidence.Throughout the episode, Jack's energy and honesty shine through. Whether discussing personal transformation, creative work, or the importance of action, he consistently returns to one idea: people are not stuck, they are simply thinking like everyone else.Key Takeaway:Real change begins when you challenge what feels obvious. By choosing to think differently, act decisively, and stay open to learning, you can unlock abilities and opportunities that once felt out of reach.https://www.jackvalerio.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

Today on Uncommon Sense with Ginny Robinson, I'm addressing the divorcee community and I'm going straight to the Bible.Why does God say He hates divorce? What does Scripture actually teach about marriage, covenant, divorce, and the responsibilities of husbands and wives? And why have divorce rates become so incredibly high, particularly as wives increasingly initiate divorce over reasons that, from a biblical perspective, are trivial, selfish, or completely unbiblical?This is not a message designed to just shame people who have experienced divorce. It is a challenge to the culture that has normalized abandoning marriage whenever things become difficult, inconvenient, or uncomfortable. We need to be willing to distinguish between legitimate biblical grounds for divorce and the endless list of modern excuses we've created to justify walking away from a sacred covenant.And that's not all we're discussing.I'm also talking about Donald Trump's continued failures, the gap between political promises and political reality, and why Americans should be questioning the decisions being made in our name.Plus, we're talking about the Iran War and why I believe this conflict is unnecessary and why Americans should be asking whether another foreign war actually serves the interests of the United States.Marriage. Divorce. Biblical truth. Trump. Iran. War. Political accountability.I'm saying what I believe needs to be said, even when it isn't popular (as usual).--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

FFRF co-sponsored the Reason Reception in Washington, D.C., in honor of the Congressional Freethought Caucus. We hear remarks by Reps. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Sean Casten, D-Ill., and Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., capped off by the guest of honor Mary Trump.

In Buenos Aires, psychoanalysis has “left the clinic”. Far from being for the elite alone, its core concepts and ideas abound in TV shows, the analyses offered by taxi drivers schooled in Lacan, and in intimate conversations among peers. Here Xochitl Marsilli-Vargas tells us about her brilliant study of what she calls “psychoanalytic listening” in the Argentine capital, where friends confidently say things to each other that often imply “when you say X, I hear Y”. Reflecting how such words act as an affront to elsewhere-dominant notions of selfhood and self-knowledge, Xochitl shows the importance of attending to listening - and describes how, rather like that of the analyst, the social scientist's role is to “go beyond what's evident”.Plus: what IS linguistic anthropology? What does it mean to be “Lacanian”? And what's the relationship between psychoanalysis and social science?Guest: Xochitl Marsilli-Vargas Hosts: Rosie Hancock, Alexis Hieu Truong; Executive Producer: Alice Bloch; Sound Engineer: David Crackles; Music: Joe Gardiner; Artwork: Erin AnikerFind out more about Uncommon SenseEpisode ResourcesBy Xochitl Marsilli-Vargas Genres of Listening: An Ethnography of Psychoanalysis in Buenos AiresFrom the Sociological Review FoundationListen to Nicky Falkof on Anxiety, Les Back on Listening, Hannah Proctor on Burnout and Billy Holzberg on EmotionFurther resources:Argentina: the therapy capital of the worldRoman Jacobson, who wrote on Functions of LanguageMikhail BakhtinFerdinand de SaussureFranz BoasThe Ethical Soundscape: Cassette Sermons and Islamic CounterpublicsJacques LacanEthical Loneliness: The Injustice of Not Being HeardThe Frankfurt School and Critical TheoryGrand Hotel Abyss: The Lives of the Frankfurt School** Complete our listener survey here! It helps us, a charity, learn who's listening to Uncommon Sense, and why. Thank you **Support our work. Make a one-off or regular donation to help fund future episodes of Uncommon Sense: donorbox.org/uncommon-senseInterested in podcasting with us? Read more here, and contact us at podcasts@thesociologicalreview.org Sign up to the Sociological Review Foundation newsletter

After taking some time away to help my family through my dad's open-heart surgery, I'm back with a new episode of Uncommon Sense with Ginny Robinson. Thank you to everyone who reached out and supported my family during this time.Today, I share my opinions on several current events. I discuss why I believe America must remain a sovereign nation and why I have concerns about the growing military relationship between the United States and Israel, including why I believe these actions raise real constitutional and legal questions.I also share my thoughts on the continued loss of American service members in the Iran War and explain why the United States should NOT be involved in another foreign war.Finally, I discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk and how it is connected to the Epstein files, and why I think Americans deserve greater transparency and accountability from those in power.--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

Sunday, July 5th,  2026

Sunday, June 28th, 2026

Today on Uncommon Sense, we're taking a deeper look at the Israel-Iran conflict, the continuing questions surrounding the Epstein files, and the assassination of Charlie Kirk. We'll discuss why these stories continue to dominate public conversation, explore the political and geopolitical questions people are asking, and examine why these events should be viewed together rather than in isolation.--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

Frantz Fanon, the radical psychiatrist and anti-colonial philosopher, was not a sociologist but has shaped so much critical sociological thought. Julian Go, Professor of Sociology, joins us to reflect on the life, work and significance of one the twentieth century's most important - and at times misunderstood - thinkers, who was born a French citizen in Martinique, went on to fight for France in WWII, and then against it in Algeria's struggle for independence.Julian tells us about encountering Fanon in gradschool, and the reward of sitting with his work. He talks us through the core ideas of Fanon's landmark books ‘Black Skin, White Masks' and ‘The Wretched of the Earth' and explains how, through Fanon, we can see concepts such as postcolonial and cosmopolitan differently. Reflecting on Fanon's time as a soldier fighting for France and his work as a psychiatrist in Algeria, Julian tells explains Fanon showed us about the ‘social logics' of colonialism, and explains why his life and thought deserve to be situated in a wider picture of twentieth century anticolonial struggle - and why we must place his work at the very centre of sociological thought and intellectual history. For, as Julian reminds us, to study colonialism and imperialism is far from “niche”; rather “it is to study one of the dominant socio-political formations of modernity”.Guest: Julian Go; Hosts: Rosie Hancock, Alexis Hieu Truon; Executive Producer: Alice Bloch; Sound Engineer: David Crackles; Music: Joe Gardiner; Artwork: Erin AnikerFind out more about Uncommon SenseEpisode ResourcesBy Julian GoPolicing Empires: Militarization, Race, and the Imperial Boomerang in Britain and the USFanon's Postcolonial CosmopolitanismPostcolonial Thought and Social TheoryThinking against empire: Anticolonial thought as social theoryFrom the Sociological Review FoundationListen to Hannah Proctor on Burnout, Angelique Nixon on Desire, Les Back on Listening and Brenda Herbert on Childhood - all engaging with Fanon's ideas. Listen to Manuela Boatca on Europeans, for a discussion of Martinique as an ‘outermost region' of the European UnionFurther resourcesFanon's Black Skin, White MasksFanon's The Wretched of the Earth The Rebel's Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz FanonFrantz FanonWEB Du BoisAimé CésaireMartinique** We want to hear from you! Please take two minutes to complete our listener survey here. It helps us, a charity, learn who's listening to Uncommon Sense, and why. Thank you **Support our work. Make a one-off or regular donation to help fund future episodes of Uncommon Sense: donorbox.org/uncommon-senseInterested in podcasting with us? Read more here, and contact us at podcasts@thesociologicalreview.org Sign up to the Sociological Review Foundation newsletter

  G.K. Chesterton wrote that there are two ways of getting home—stay there, or walk around the entire world until you arrive from the other direction. For graphic novelist Ben Hatke, that line from The Everlasting Man wasn't simply a meditation on returning with fresh eyes: it became a commission. In this episode, Joe Grabowski sits down with Hatke—author of the forthcoming graphic memoir Home/World—to trace how one Chestertonian passage sent him east for 55 days across twelve countries, and how Chesterton's deepest convictions about man, story, and homecoming turned out to be more true the farther from home he traveled. In This Episode: How a single passage from G.K. Chesterton's The Everlasting Man—the two ways of getting home—became the animating vision behind a 55-day circumnavigation of the globe What Chesterton understood about encountering the world with fresh eyes: the generosity of strangers, the power of a story to cross any language barrier, and the world that waits beyond the screen How Ben Hatke wove historical figures—Ibn Battuta, Nellie Bly, Saint Francis—into the narrative as "ghosts," and why the Chestertonian idea of the communion of saints gives this technique its deepest meaning G.K. Chesterton's imagery of the circle and the line—from The Everlasting Man to Orthodoxy to The Man Who Was Thursday—and what it reveals about why a first encounter with any place is irrepeatable Why creating the book proved as life-changing as the journey itself and what Ben discovered about story, memory, and the difference between what is factual and what is true Chapters: 00:00: Welcome and Introduction 02:25: The Everlasting Man Quote Behind the Journey 06:01: Memory, Story, and How a Journey Becomes True 08:05: The Generosity of Strangers 13:37: Turkey and the Moment It Became an Adventure 22:33: Circumnavigating Post-COVID: The When and Why 31:02: "I Admire Your Life—It Looks Like Freedom" 35:03: Making the Book: Falling in Love with Storytelling Again 39:09: Historical Ghosts: Inviting the Past into the Journey 44:58: Circles and Lines: Chesterton's Vision of Coming Home Resources Mentioned: Home/World: A Circumnavigation of Our Shared Earth — Ben Hatke (forthcoming) Ben Hatke's website Ben Hatke on Patreon Ben Hatke on Instagram The Everlasting Man — G.K. Chesterton "Drawing Inspiration from Chesterton, with Ben Hatke" — previous Uncommon Sense appearance 2026 Chesterton Conference FOLLOW US: Instagram Facebook X SUPPORT: Donate Shop Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios

Sunday, June 21st, 2026

Today on Uncommon Sense, we're discussing the ongoing controversy surrounding the Epstein files, its blackmail, the political implications of Charlie Kirk's assassination, and the growing conflict between Israel and Iran. We'll also talk about the influence of powerful Israeli interests on American foreign policy and ask whether the United States is being drawn into another Middle Eastern war against the will of its own citizens (and at our cost, yet again).--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

Sunday, June 14th, 2026

Today on Uncommon Sense, we're discussing the tragic state of the modern world.From the protests in Ireland to growing frustration across Western nations, many people feel as though their voices are no longer being heard by the institutions that claim to represent them. I'll share why I support the right of people to protest and why I believe the demonstrations in Ireland have resonated with so many people around the world.We'll also discuss what I see as a deeper spiritual crisis affecting modern society. Many of the political, cultural, and social problems we face today are symptoms of a broader moral and spiritual decline, one that cannot be solved through politics alone.In this episode:My thoughts on the protests in IrelandWhy so many citizens now feel disconnected from their governmentsThe growing divide between ordinary people and powerful institutionsThe role of faith, morality, and personal responsibility in rebuilding societyWhy I believe many of today's crises point to a deeper spiritual battleWhether you agree or disagree, this episode is an invitation to think critically about the direction of our culture, our governments, and our future.--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

Sunday, June 7th, 2026

Today on Uncommon Sense, we're discussing what may be the most consequential political moment of Donald Trump's career. With Trump's approval ratings slipping, the Iran conflict escalating, renewed questions surrounding the Epstein files, and the assassination of Charlie Kirk continuing to reverberate through the conservative movement, many Americans are asking whether these events are isolated, or part of a much larger story.In this episode, I examine the connections I believe may exist between these developments, including my view that the Epstein files may have been used as leverage against powerful political figures and that foreign interests have exerted significant influence over American policy in the Middle East.We'll discuss:Trump's declining support among his baseThe growing controversy surrounding U.S. involvement with IranThe unanswered questions surrounding the Epstein filesThe political impact of Charlie Kirk's assassination and its aftermathWhy I believe these stories intersect in ways the mainstream media refuses to exploreMy goal is not to tell you what to think, but to encourage you to question narratives, follow incentives, and examine who benefits from the decisions being made in Washington.--https://www.bible.com/

When facing complicated questions, it's easy to gravitate towards googling a commonsense answer.  But gospel friends have the opportunity to share uncommon sense, biblical wisdom that seems upside down in this culture. We enCourage you to invite a friend to coffee or take a walk to discuss some of these questions that listeners sent into the podcast.  You can listen to the rest of the series here: https://women.pcacdm.org/uncommon-sense/ Potluck Questions to share with Friends: What is one Bible verse Christians often misunderstand or take out of context? What is one theological truth that has most changed your everyday life? Which woman in the Bible would you most want to have coffee with and why? What Christian cliché would you retire forever? If you had to describe your current season of life as a hymn, which hymn would it be? How do you continue trusting God when prayers seem unanswered for years? What does it mean to be "content" without becoming passive or complacent? What do you do when you do not "feel" close to God? How do you know whether God is closing a door or whether you are just discouraged? Is there a difference between biblical rest and laziness? How do you keep your heart soft when life has made you cynical? What do you do when you are spiritually dry for a long period of time? How do you respond when God seems to answer everyone else's prayers but not yours? How do you deal with regret over past mistakes, parenting choices, or wasted years? What is the difference between being introverted and being selfish? Why do women often struggle with guilt, even when they have done nothing wrong? What do you do when you feel unseen or unappreciated? How do you know whether you are being discerning or simply judgmental? What is the difference between biblical accountability and gossip disguised as concern? How do you know if you are saying "yes" to too many good things? How do you know when it is time to step back from a ministry role? What is the most overused Christian phrase that needs to disappear? Which Bible story would you most want to witness in person? Which biblical woman do you think had the hardest assignment? Which hymn feels the most comforting in hard seasons? If you could remove one pressure women put on themselves, what would it be? Which Christian trend do you think is helpful, and which one is not? What is something women are often afraid to admit out loud?

Join us as we sit down with Darryl Turner, sharing his game-changing insights into sales strategies, the power of relationship building, and how to turn non-referring agents into valuable partners. Whether you're a title professional navigating today's challenging market or simply looking to refine your sales skills, this episode is packed with actionable advice, so dive in!   What you'll learn from this episode The concept of "Duplication Revelation" and how it can revolutionize your sales strategy Why non-referring agents (NDCs) represent a significant growth opportunity Strategies to handle objections and overcome client loyalty to competitors How to build stronger relationships with clients to improve retention Tips for thriving in a down market by shifting your mindset and goals   Resources mentioned in this episode  Uncommon Sense by Darryl Turner | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle  Time Traps by Todd Duncan | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle  The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle  Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne | Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle  The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber | Paperback and Kindle    Join industry leaders for two days of game-changing strategies, proven sales techniques, and powerful growth insights at the Title Sales Mastery 2025! Seats are limited—secure yours today at https://www.darrylturner.com/tsm25/  About Darryl Turner Darryl Turner left his corporate position to start The Darryl Turner Corporation in 1994. Passionate about training and helping people become their best selves, Darryl knew he could develop a larger footprint, and a successful sales force beyond the sector he currently served. Within his first year of operation, Darryl found success in the title industry and continued to develop his presence through the results and testimonies of some of the most influential within the industry.    Connect with Darryl Website: Darryl Turner Corporation LinkedIn: Darryl Turner Connect With Us Love what you're hearing? Don't miss an episode! Follow us on our social media channels and stay connected.    Explore more on our website: www.alltechnational.com/podcast Stay updated with our newsletter: www.mochoumil.com Follow Mo on LinkedIn: Mo Choumil  

Sunday, May 31st, 2026

When facing complicated questions, it's easy to gravitate towards googling a commonsense answer.  But gospel friends have the opportunity to share uncommon sense, biblical wisdom that seems upside down in this culture. We enCourage you to invite a friend to coffee or take a walk to discuss some of these questions that listeners sent into the podcast.  You can listen to the rest of the series here: https://women.pcacdm.org/uncommon-sense/ Questions about Marriage and Family: What are small habits that quietly strengthen a marriage over time? How do you keep bitterness from growing after years of disappointments or unmet expectations? What advice would you give newly married women that no one told you? What are some ways parents accidentally provoke their children instead of shepherding them? How do you maintain a marriage and friendships while raising children? Why do women often know biblical truth in their minds but struggle to believe it in their hearts?

Sunday, May 24th, 2026

On today's episode of Uncommon Sense with Ginny Robinson, we discuss the political attacks surrounding Thomas Massie, growing concerns over foreign lobbying influence in American politics, and why millions of Americans feel their government no longer represents them.We also discuss the continued secrecy surrounding the Epstein case and why the American people are demanding full transparency, the complete unredacted Epstein files, and lawful accountability for every individual involved regardless of status or political connections.As corruption, manipulation, and moral decay continue spreading through powerful institutions, Americans must hold tightly to their God-given Constitutional rights, speak truth boldly, and refuse to surrender their freedoms out of fear.Truth matters. Justice matters. And no one should be above the law.--https://www.bible.com/

When facing complicated questions, it's easy to gravitate towards googling a commonsense answer.  But gospel friends have the opportunity to share uncommon sense, biblical wisdom that seems upside down in this culture. We enCourage you to invite a friend to coffee or take a walk to discuss some of these questions that listeners sent into the podcast.  You can listen to the rest of the series here: https://women.pcacdm.org/uncommon-sense/ Questions About How We Relate to the Church:  How do you support your pastor's wife or ministry leaders well? Is it okay to disagree with your pastor or church leadership? If so, how? How do you keep from becoming cynical or critical in church life? What are some signs that a women's Bible study is drifting from Scripture toward self-help? What are some warning signs of burnout in ministry? How do you love people well without losing yourself in the process? What do you do when someone in your church wounds you deeply? How can churches create more meaningful intergenerational relationships between women?

Today on Uncommon Sense, we're talking about “law enforcement” and why so many people no longer feel like laws are actually being enforced equally or consistently, especially when it comes to powerful and well-connected individuals connected to the Epstein scandal.We discuss the growing public frustration surrounding the unreleased and heavily redacted Epstein files, the lack of visible accountability for elite predators, and why so many Americans feel the justice system has failed women, children, and vulnerable people. We also talk about why local police departments, sheriffs, prosecutors, and public officials should be demanding full transparency and supporting the release of the complete unredacted Epstein files so the public can see the truth plainly.This episode also goes into the broader leadership crisis facing America and much of the world: weak leadership, fear of confrontation, and silence in the face of corruption. We discuss the need for stronger moral leadership, stronger families, stronger communities, and men willing to stand up publicly against evil instead of shrinking back from difficult conversations.If laws are not enforced equally, trust in institutions collapses. If justice is selective, people stop believing justice exists at all.It's time for courage, accountability, truth, and leadership again.--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

When facing complicated questions, it's easy to gravitate towards googling a commonsense answer.  But gospel friends have the opportunity to share uncommon sense, biblical wisdom that seems upside down in this culture. We enCourage you to invite a friend to coffee or take a walk to discuss some of these questions that listeners sent into the podcast.  You can listen to the rest of the series here: https://women.pcacdm.org/uncommon-sense/   Questions About Intergenerational Friendships ·      In seasons of life where an older woman who has more perspective and experience how can we best use that season to intentionally disciple younger women in the church without coming across as overbearing or out of touch? ·      What are some of the blessings of intergenerational discipleship ·      What are some of the barriers in intergenerational discipleship? ·      How do you cultivate this kind of culture in your church? What are some creative ways you can do this? ·      Have you seen this strengthen the whole church? ·      How do you keep growing instead of becoming stagnant as you get older?

Sunday, ay 10th, 2026

When facing complicated questions, it's easy to gravitate towards googling a commonsense answer.  But gospel friends have the opportunity to share uncommon sense, biblical wisdom that seems upside down in this culture. We enCourage you to invite a friend to coffee or take a walk to discuss some of these questions that listeners sent into the podcast.  You can listen to the rest of the series here: https://women.pcacdm.org/uncommon-sense/   Questions About Friendships Among Women: What do you do when you feel left out or lonely at church? How do you maintain friendships when everyone is busy and in different seasons of life? What do you do when you realize you are the "difficult person" in a relationship? What makes a truly life-giving friendship? Why do women sometimes struggle more with comparison than with outright conflict? How do you build deeper relationships in women's ministry without it becoming cliquish? How do you encourage women who are single, widowed, divorced, or struggling with infertility to feel fully part of the church? How do you build friendships in a new town, church, or stage of life?  

“The current crisis was far from inevitable. Politicians made consistently bad choices. In doing so, they fostered a crisis of confidence in political institutions, empowered anti-system candidates, and produced a new Cold War as dangerous as the last.” — Ian Shapiro The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 was a moment of extraordinary euphoria. Fukuyama even described it as the end of history. But what seems to have really fallen in November '89 was the vitality of democracy. Almost forty years later, we have Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen, and, perhaps most worrying of all, Keir Starmer. Callous and inept politicians are breaking our democratic world. Our job is to put it back together. That's the thesis of a new book by Ian Shapiro — Sterling Professor of Political Science at Yale. In After the Fall, Shapiro argues that it's politicians who have created today's crisis of democracy. His pivotal moment is 2008 rather than 1989. The global financial crisis was the inflection point — the moment at which the corruption of the neoliberal order became self-evident, when elites bailed out the banks and we see the birth of left and right wing illiberal populism. The roots go back before 2008. Clinton's greatest failure, Shapiro argues, was not NAFTA or welfare reform. It was Russia. Yeltsin wanted to join NATO. Even Putin, in his early years in power, acknowledged that Russia considered itself European. George Kennan, Brent Scowcroft and Richard Nixon warned that expanding NATO eastward would create a new enemy. Clinton ignored them all. So history repeated itself in the form of Versailles rather than the Marshall Plan. So how to raise ourselves up after this fall? What road to take? Maps, Shapiro suggests, aren't always helpful. The New Deal had no GPS algorithm. FDR invented it on the fly. What democratic governments need now, he insists, is massive investment in physical, technological, and labor market infrastructure. Charismatic leaders matter. But the ideas matter more. We need politicians who take risks. Otherwise we'll be saddled with Keir Starmer and our current crisis of extraordinary dysphoria. Five Takeaways •       2008, Not 1989, Was the Inflection Point: The fall of the Wall in 1989 produced euphoria. The real break came nineteen years later. The 2008 financial crisis exposed the neoliberal model, undermined the supremacy of the US-led world system, and — crucially — left behind a large population that would subsequently be mobilizable by political entrepreneurs. Elites bailed out the banks and returned to business as usual. They didn't realize that business as usual was over. From 2008 you can draw a straight line to 2016, to Brexit, to Trump, to every anti-system surge that followed. •       We Repeated the Mistake of Versailles: After World War II, the Marshall Plan invested in the defeated powers — Germany, Japan — and folded them into the new security and economic architecture. After World War I, Versailles punished Germany, and Keynes predicted the results. After the Cold War, the victorious West chose Versailles over Marshall. Yeltsin wanted to join NATO and the EU. Even early Putin said Russia considered itself European. Kennan, Scowcroft, Nixon all warned that expanding NATO eastward would create a new enemy. Clinton ignored them. We created the enemy we warned ourselves about. •       Politicians Broke the World — Not Capitalism, Not Culture: Shapiro's subtitle is precise. The crisis of democracy was not caused by inevitable economic forces or cultural shifts. It was caused by specific bad decisions by specific politicians at specific moments of choice. Clinton on NATO expansion. Bush on the Iraq War and the refusal to build a genuine rules-based international order after 9/11. Obama on the financial crisis response. These were decisions, not fates. They could have been made differently. Which means the current situation is not irreversible — and that future decisions can be made better. •       Starmer as Exhibit A: Having Power Without Ideas: Shapiro's prescription for what democratic governments need: a policy agenda. His cautionary tale: Keir Starmer. Starmer came into office with a massive parliamentary majority — he could have passed legislation that attracted 50 or 60 backbench no votes and still won. He had nothing to pass. Tiny step left, tiny step right, reverse, repeat. His comparison: Trump's main policies came out of Project 2025 — put together not by Trump himself but by people who created the ramp he ran on. Without a ramp, even a charismatic leader stumbles. Without ideas, power is squandered. •       The New Deal Had No Blueprint: FDR Made It Up: The lesson for what comes next. The New Deal — the last great democratic reconstruction — was not designed in advance. Roosevelt made it up as he went along, trying things, abandoning what didn't work, building a coalition of extraordinarily unlikely bedfellows. What democratic governments need now, Shapiro argues, is massive infrastructure investment: physical infrastructure, tech infrastructure, labor market infrastructure. The CHIPS Act model. Incentivize business to retrain the workforce for the tech revolution and the green transition. Chancellor Merz in Germany has just borrowed half a trillion euros for this. Without it, there will be another Trump. And another. And another. About the Guest Ian Shapiro is Sterling Professor of Political Science and Global Affairs at Yale University and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the author of After the Fall: From the End of History to the Crisis of Democracy — How Politicians Broke Our World (Basic Books, May 5, 2026), Uncommon Sense, The Wolf at the Door (with Michael Graetz), and many other books. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut. References: •       After the Fall: From the End of History to the Crisis of Democracy — How Politicians Broke Our World by Ian Shapiro (Basic Books, May 5, 2026). •       Episode 2881: Adrian Wooldridge on The Revolutionary Center — the companion episode on the crisis of liberalism that Shapiro's book diagnoses. •       Episode 2895: Glyn Morgan on The Rise and Fall of American Europe — the international dimension of Shapiro's argument about the post-Cold War missed opportunities. •       Episode 2880: Gal Beckerman on How to Be a Dissident — on the tradition of resistance that Shapiro's “roads not taken” argument implicitly invokes. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than th...

Sunday, May 3rd, 2026

Today I'm speaking with William R. Brody about his book, Uncommon Sense: Rethinking Ordinary Problems in Extraordinary Ways (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026). Bill is an interventional radiologist who served as the President of Johns Hopkins University, from 1996 to 2009, and President of the Salk Institute from 2009 to 2015. When he became president of Johns Hopkins University, Bill set out to teach a course to juniors and seniors that would serve as a crash course for dealing with the messy realities of life. Through stories and anecdotes, Bill explores a variety of important concepts that regularly manifest in all aspects of life: from survivorship bias to why career-planning doesn't often go as planned. Uncommon Sense is one of those books that one can only write after a lifetime of learning, teaching, and doing. Caleb Zakarin is the CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today I'm speaking with William R. Brody about his book, Uncommon Sense: Rethinking Ordinary Problems in Extraordinary Ways (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026). Bill is an interventional radiologist who served as the President of Johns Hopkins University, from 1996 to 2009, and President of the Salk Institute from 2009 to 2015. When he became president of Johns Hopkins University, Bill set out to teach a course to juniors and seniors that would serve as a crash course for dealing with the messy realities of life. Through stories and anecdotes, Bill explores a variety of important concepts that regularly manifest in all aspects of life: from survivorship bias to why career-planning doesn't often go as planned. Uncommon Sense is one of those books that one can only write after a lifetime of learning, teaching, and doing. Caleb Zakarin is the CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/medicine

Today I'm speaking with William R. Brody about his book, Uncommon Sense: Rethinking Ordinary Problems in Extraordinary Ways (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026). Bill is an interventional radiologist who served as the President of Johns Hopkins University, from 1996 to 2009, and President of the Salk Institute from 2009 to 2015. When he became president of Johns Hopkins University, Bill set out to teach a course to juniors and seniors that would serve as a crash course for dealing with the messy realities of life. Through stories and anecdotes, Bill explores a variety of important concepts that regularly manifest in all aspects of life: from survivorship bias to why career-planning doesn't often go as planned. Uncommon Sense is one of those books that one can only write after a lifetime of learning, teaching, and doing. Caleb Zakarin is the CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Today I'm speaking with William R. Brody about his book, Uncommon Sense: Rethinking Ordinary Problems in Extraordinary Ways (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026). Bill is an interventional radiologist who served as the President of Johns Hopkins University, from 1996 to 2009, and President of the Salk Institute from 2009 to 2015. When he became president of Johns Hopkins University, Bill set out to teach a course to juniors and seniors that would serve as a crash course for dealing with the messy realities of life. Through stories and anecdotes, Bill explores a variety of important concepts that regularly manifest in all aspects of life: from survivorship bias to why career-planning doesn't often go as planned. Uncommon Sense is one of those books that one can only write after a lifetime of learning, teaching, and doing. Caleb Zakarin is the CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/education

Today I'm speaking with William R. Brody about his book, Uncommon Sense: Rethinking Ordinary Problems in Extraordinary Ways (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026). Bill is an interventional radiologist who served as the President of Johns Hopkins University, from 1996 to 2009, and President of the Salk Institute from 2009 to 2015. When he became president of Johns Hopkins University, Bill set out to teach a course to juniors and seniors that would serve as a crash course for dealing with the messy realities of life. Through stories and anecdotes, Bill explores a variety of important concepts that regularly manifest in all aspects of life: from survivorship bias to why career-planning doesn't often go as planned. Uncommon Sense is one of those books that one can only write after a lifetime of learning, teaching, and doing. Caleb Zakarin is the CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I'm speaking with William R. Brody about his book, Uncommon Sense: Rethinking Ordinary Problems in Extraordinary Ways (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026). Bill is an interventional radiologist who served as the President of Johns Hopkins University, from 1996 to 2009, and President of the Salk Institute from 2009 to 2015. When he became president of Johns Hopkins University, Bill set out to teach a course to juniors and seniors that would serve as a crash course for dealing with the messy realities of life. Through stories and anecdotes, Bill explores a variety of important concepts that regularly manifest in all aspects of life: from survivorship bias to why career-planning doesn't often go as planned. Uncommon Sense is one of those books that one can only write after a lifetime of learning, teaching, and doing. Caleb Zakarin is the CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Uncommon Sense, we break down the escalating feud between Donald Trump and Candace Owens—what sparked it, why it matters, and what it says about fractures inside the conservative movement.--https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/61885-friendship-with-jesus?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23549555710&gbraid=0AAAABCtc0fByoo8SMfaPbanQR0JUhEjG_&gclid=CjwKCAjwzLHPBhBTEiwABaLsSmehII2Js2AyaB3IlyzPpS4EdhvdHiA6IhiCYzOQA5o6EHaNww_h8BoCnIsQAvD_BwE

In today's episode of Uncommon Sense with Ginny Robinson, I'm sharing my thoughts on a range of current events, along with answering a few listener questions.We'll be discussing recent developments and conversations surrounding Donald Trump, the ongoing discussions around the Epstein files, and a widely talked-about moment involving Pete Hegseth and his public citation of a fake Bible verse from Pulp Fiction. CRINGE.I also take time to talk about something deeper than headlines: the importance of both men and women returning to a biblical worldview, embracing truth, and honoring God-ordained gender roles in a culture that often blurs or rejects them entirely.--https://www.bible.com/

Join Ashutosh Garg as he speaks with Mel Blackwell, author of Uncommon Sense: The Fight to Fix Your Workplace Culture in the Wild West of Business.In this engaging conversation, Mel shares his journey from humble beginnings to C-suite leadership and unpacks powerful insights on workplace culture, leadership, and organizational health.Why culture often trumps strategyEarly warning signs that your company's culture may be collapsingThe dangers of “culture bandits” and problem worshipPractical steps leaders can take to transform toxic workplacesHow to leverage staff, systems, and personal leadership for real change

9 Year Anniversary Live Show! April 24thhttps://shorturl.at/FhzCxKnock Knock Comedy April 18th @ Second City!https://shorturl.at/dzvVoPreorder your Toronto slang merch before April 16Limited run: extragravyshow.com(01:30) Being the bigger person(11:30) Kanye & Wireless Fest(22:40) Ebro Rosenberg Laura can't get guests(34:30) Write off people if they consume certain content?(47:35) Good gyal Zoie went to Jamaica(1:02:05) Akademiks still hasn't been touched(1:19:35) Jake Paul wants to do blackface(1:44:50) Not saying no to drugs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Uncommon Sense with Ginny Robinson, we're breaking down current events that should have everyone asking deeper questions and not just passively scrolling past them.Why are the Epstein files still not fully released? Why are there still no real Epstein trials? And why does it feel like the conversation keeps shifting right when accountability should be front and center?We're talking about Donald Trump, the ongoing silence surrounding Epstein files-related justice, and the growing tensions that are pushing us closer to global conflict. Is it all coincidence or is distraction the entire point?I'm discussing the idea that war, chaos, and constant petty headlines can be used to redirect public attention away from uncomfortable truths. And more importantly, I challenge the mindset that's keeping people passive:The obsession with “being nice.”Niceness is not a fruit of the Spirit.Kindness is, but kindness does not mean tolerating evil, ignoring corruption, or staying silent when truth is inconvenient for you.Our current culture rewards passivity and punishes boldness, but we have to ask:Are we ignoring evil to protect our image?Have we confused politeness with righteousness?And what happens to a society that refuses to confront what is wrong?Evil doesn't retreat when it's ignored.It advances when good people stay quiet and do nothing.Stop acting like nothing is different when everything has changed.--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

Today on Uncommon Sense, I'm joined by Stacy M. for a conversation that too many people are afraid (or unwilling) to have.We're discussing Freemasonry: what it is, what it claims to be, and the darker, more sinister elements that often get brushed aside or ignored entirely. From secrecy and symbolism to influence and power, we're asking the questions that rarely get real answers.Why has this secret society maintained such a strong presence for so long? Why does it seem to intersect so frequently with positions of power—including within our own government? And most importantly… why aren't more people talking about it?This episode isn't about blind accusations, it's about awareness. If something holds influence, operates behind closed doors, and shapes culture or leadership in any capacity, it deserves scrutiny.It's time to start paying attention and asking better questions.--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app