What is it about making things with our hands that provides so much satisfaction? Why are we so drawn to the archetype of the craftsman? In his insightful book, Why We Make Things and Why it Matters, furniture builder and woodworking instructor Peter Korn explores the philosophy of craftsmanship. In the podcast today I talk to Peter about the ethos of craftsmanship, what craft can teach us about living the good life, and why you should get out in the garage and try building something with your h...
Jun 04, 2015•34 min
If you've read the site for awhile, than you're likely familiar with Matt Moore-- AoM's resident chef. Matt recently published a book with Southern Living magazine entitled The Southern Gentleman's Kitchen. Today on the podcast I talk to Matt about cooking, chivalry, boar hunting, entreprenuership, and how to cook the perfect steak. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
May 28, 2015•39 min
We often take for granted society's current sleep schedule. If you're like most people, you sleep about 8 hours a day in one chunk between the hours 10 PM and 8AM or there abouts. But our guest today reminds us that sleep always wasn't like that. In fact, it wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that that idea of sleep became the norm. In his book The Slumbering Masses, Dr. Michael J. Wolf-Meyer takes a look at the anthropology of sleep and explores how modern conceptions of sleep drives a...
May 21, 2015•47 min
World record setting powerlifter Chris Duffin embodies what Teddy Roosevelt called the "strenuous life." Not only has he trained hard to lift superhuman amounts of weight, but he's strived to be the best man he can be in his family and professional life. His story of grit and drive to overcome obstacles and become a success is truly an inspiration. Chris and I discuss strength training and why men should be physically strong, but we also discuss how he has managed his time to balance family, wor...
May 14, 2015•1 hr 1 min
Today we refer to depression as a mental illness that needs to be cured as quickly as possible. But our guest today makes the nuanced case that human beings may have evolved to be depressed and that at one time in our prehistoric past it served an adaptive purpose. The problem is that our brain isn't made for this hectic and stressful modern world that we live in. Dr. Jonathan Rottenberg is psychologist specializing in moods and today we discuss the research from his book The Depths: The Evoluti...
May 08, 2015•36 min
How do we make decisions in complex environments? Can we trust our gut? How do we gain insights? In today's podcast I talk to Gary Klein to answer these questions. Dr. Klein pioneered the field of naturalistic decision-making and is an expert on the science of insights. If you've enjoyed our content on the OODA Loop or situational awareness, you're really going to enjoy this episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not...
Apr 30, 2015•45 min
Jonathan Gottschall was an associate professor of English whose career had stalled in mid-life. Then one day he looked out his office and saw an MMA gym and he decided he was going to train to become a fighter to prove something to himself and to write a book about the biology, anthropology, and sociology of male violence. In the process, many of his assumptions about violence and masculinity changed. What he once saw as something terrible and despicable, came to be seen with some nuance. Part m...
Apr 24, 2015•34 min
David Levien is a screenwriter, movie producer, novelist, and amateur boxer. He's worked with his writing partner Brian Koppelman on Rounders, Ocean's 13, and The Illusionist. On his own, he's published several novels, including the Frank Behr detective series. In this episode, I talk to David about writing, why detectives are an American archetype of masculinity, and boxing. This was a really fun and engaging conversation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy N...
Apr 16, 2015•37 min
For the past year or so I've had AoM readers emailing and tweeting me about a book called Underground Strength. Finally had a chance to check it out and I had to have the author on. Zach Even-Esh is a strength and conditioning coach and author. His philosophy towards fitness really resonates with me: tire flipping, sledgehammers, squats, and deadlifts-- among other things. In today's show, I ask Zach about the Underground Strength Philosophy, why you should strive to be an athlete, and what a gu...
Apr 10, 2015•37 min
You can't go anywhere these days without running into an article or a book on how to be more positive and upbeat. Pessimism and anger are seen as traits we should do all we can to avoid. But my guest today says that view might be a little too short-sighted. His name is Dr. Todd Kashdan and he's the co-author fo the book, The Upside of Your Darkside. Today on the podcast we talk about the benefits of getting in touch with your pessimism and anger and the potential downsides of too much positivity...
Apr 03, 2015•51 min
Is success a skill that can be learned? Why are some people afraid of success? And what blind spots cause the successful to crash and burn? Well, my guest today has some ideas about these questions. His name is Dr. Jeff Spencer and he's spent his career helping top-performers-- athletes, CEOs, government leaders-- perform at their very best. We discuss his "Champion's Blueprint" and how the average Joe can apply it in his own life. Lots of great actionable steps in this podcast. Take notes! See ...
Mar 27, 2015•28 min
Robert Nickelsberg was a contract photographer for TIME magazine for 25 years. During that time he documented conflicts in Kashmir, Iraq, Sri Lanka, India and Afghanistan. His most recent book Afghanistan highlights his work from the Soviet retreat in Afghanistan in the 80s to the American conflict post 9-11. On the podcast Robert and I discuss what it's like working in such hostile environments, the importance of situational awareness, and what he learned about Afghan manhood. If you've thought...
Mar 19, 2015•32 min
Eric Greitens is a Rhodes Scholar that started out his career as a humanitarian but then became a Navy SEAL. His book The Heart and the Fist makes that case that in order to be a good man, you have to be strong enough to fight for those you’re trying to do good for. His book Resilience is based around a series of letters between him and a SEAL buddy that was going through a rough time in his life with alcoholism, job loss, and PTSD. Greitens calls upon his background in philosophy to provide ins...
Mar 13, 2015•31 min
I've quoted Dr. Waller Newell several times in my writing about masculinity on the Art of Manliness, and his approach towards manhood is very similar to the one that I take. So it was a pleasure to finally get to speak to him and have him on the podcast. Dr. Newell is a professor of political science at Carleton University and has written several books on manhood and honor including The Code of Man: Love, Courage, Pride, Family, Country and What Is a Man? 3,000 Years of Wisdom on the Art of Manl...
Mar 06, 2015•33 min
What do women find attractive in men? What should you be looking for in a partner if you want a long lasting relationship? Are there any red flags to be looking for in a relationship? Are married men miserable or happy? My guest today has spent her career researching these questions. Her name is Dr. Duana Welch and in her book "Love Factually" she highlights the research that's out there about dating and relationships. Whether you're single or married, you're definitely going to find some great ...
Feb 26, 2015•51 min
I talk to Antonio Centeno, owner of Real Men Real Style and our style writer at Art of Manliness, about the science and history of men's style. We discuss the martial origins of most menswear including the suit, tie, tench coat, and even t-shirt. We also discuss what science has to say about the effects a man's style and appearance has on their career and love life. For example, did you know that men with higher testosterone levels are on average more vain than men with lower testosterone levels...
Feb 19, 2015•41 min
John Boyd is one of the greatest military strategists that hardly anyone knows about. Unmatched in the cockpit during the Korean War, his mind was also without rival. He was not simply a warrior of combat, but a warrior-engineer and warrior-philosopher. When he was 33, he wrote “Aerial Attack Study,” which codified the best dogfighting tactics for the first time, became the “bible of air combat,” and revolutionized the methods of every air force in the world. His Energy-Maneuverability (E-M) The...
Feb 12, 2015•38 min
What does it mean to kill for your country? How do you learn how to do it? What does it feel like in the moment? Once the killing starts, how do you control it? And what happens when you kill the wrong person, or don’t kill someone you wish you had, or look back, years later, at the people you killed? In this jarring and thought provoking book, journalist Phil Zabriskie interviews combat veterans the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and asks them what it's like to kill and what it has done to them and ...
Feb 05, 2015•36 min
You've probably heard about mud and obstacle races like Tough Mudder or Spartan Race, but did you know there are small local and regional obstacle races going on all over the country? In today's podcast I talk to David and Stephen Mainprize, founders and owners of Conquer the Gauntlet, a regional obstacle race that takes place in Oklahoma. I did the race last year and as someone who's done a few of the big mud run, Conquer the Gauntlet is by far my favorite. I talk to the Mainprizes why they sta...
Jan 31, 2015•38 min
West Point's graduating class of 1915 produced some of America's greatest military leaders including Eisenhower and Omar Bradley. Author and historian Michael Haskew calls it "the class the stars fell on". In today's podcast I talk to Michael about his book West Point 1915 and the men who made up this class and what made them so special. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jan 24, 2015•37 min
I talk to the CEO of Sorinex, Bert Sorin about his family's strength training equipment company and they're mission to help people become physically cultured. We discuss why a man should be strong, the strength benchmarks every man should master and why grip strength should play an important role in your strength training. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jan 18, 2015•38 min
Our brains have a built-in negativity bias. While this bias served us well in our caveman days, in our soft and cooshy world it causes us to confuse daily stress with actual dangers leaving us feeling angry, agitated, and even depressed. But our guest today says we can overcome our brain's natural bias with a practice that just takes a few seconds each day. His name is Dr. Rick Hanson and he's the author of the book, Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidenc...
Jan 09, 2015•31 min
Brian Koppelman is a man of many hats- music executive, screenwriter, and now podcast host. I talk with Brian about career trajectories in the modern economy and how having a set career path at the beginning of your career just doesn't work very well. Instead of having a rigid plan, Brian argues that we should instead tenaciously follow our curiosity while developing skills that will open up new doors. Brian gives concrete examples from his own career of following his curiosity. We also discuss ...
Jan 03, 2015•50 min
On December 20, 1943 a badly damaged American bomber was flying over German airspace. Piloting the plane was a 21 year old on his first mission. Half his crew lay wounded or dead. Suddenly a German fighter flew in and lined up right behind the bomber. Flying that fighter was on the German air forces top aces. With just a pull of the trigger the German fighter could have sent the American bomber crashing to the ground. But he didn't do that. Instead he did something absolutely incredible. In toda...
Dec 19, 2014•43 min
I talk to the founder and CEO of Onnit Aubrey Marcus about what it means to strive for "total human optimization." We discuss cognitive boosters like nootropics, why we should look to the past for fitness inspiration, and what he's learned about masculinity working with the top MMA fighters in the world. Plus much more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Dec 13, 2014•35 min
When many people hear the word "networking" images of hotel conference rooms filled with strangers pressing flesh and handing out business cards while giving one minute elevator pitches come to mind. It's like a white collar purgatory. But according to my podcast guest, networking doesn't have to be like that. In fact, it can actually be pleasant and even fun. In today's show I talk to attorney, networking expert, and AoM contributor John Cororan about how to network like a pro. See Privacy Poli...
Dec 06, 2014•53 min
We all are familiar with Adam Smith's book, The Wealth of Nations. It gave us the "invisible hand" and basically created the field of economics. But did you know he wrote a book before the Wealth of Nations on how to live a virtuous and good life? It's called the Theory of Moral Sentiments and the insights Smith makes in it can change your life for the better. I talk to economist Russ Roberts, author of the book, How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life, about what we can learn from the Father of Eco...
Nov 29, 2014•31 min
I talk to famous motivational speaker Tony Robbins about his new book "Money: Master the Game." Tony and I talk about what he learned after interviewing the world's most successful investors and how average Joes can apply it in their own life. We discuss the myths that are preventing people from saving enough from retirement, why you should avoid actively managed mutual funds, why NOT losing money is one of the most important investment strategies, and how to create a portfolio that can withstan...
Nov 21, 2014•24 min
I talk with Vietnam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Paul Bucha about his military career, what Vietnam was like, the intense love he has for his fellow soldiers, and what it's like to receive the citation for the Medal of Honor. A fascinating discussion with a fascinating man. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Nov 14, 2014•51 min
Do you feel stuck in behaviors or mindsets that hold you back from the man you want to be? In today's podcast we're going to introduce you to a technique scientifically proven to help bring lasting change in people's lives. It's called "story editing" and our guest today wrote a book on the subject. His name is Dr. Tim Wilson and he's the author of the book, Redirect: The Surprising New Science of Psychological Change. Tim and I discuss how we can edit our stories to become better men and what G...
Nov 06, 2014•26 min
