What is going on with men? For that matter, what is going on with women? The war between the sexes has entered a new phase, as whatever wave of feminism we're currently surfing produces its own backlash. Helen Roy--mother, writer, and podcaster--joins Spencer to discuss how men and women alike can get past the narrative mill and come together again. Listen to Helen's podcast, Girlboss, Interrupted : https://girlbossinterrupted.podbean.com/ Read Helen's Substack, Ladies' Late Rome Journal : https...
Oct 20, 2023•39 min
It's been years since the days when we Young Heretics discussed Plato's Symposium . But now we've come back around a second time to that fundamental question: what is love? (Baby, don't hurt me.) This time, Spencer takes a thousand-year look at the question from the Hebrew angle while--GASP--actually saying something less than favorable about C.S. Lewis. As the series on virtue draws toward its close, it's time to discuss the most important one of all, and the hardest one to define. What, I ask ...
Oct 17, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 157
A revival in classical education is sweeping the nation. But where are we going to get good classical educators? In this interview, Josh Herring of Thales College discusses how he and his colleagues are equipping teachers to rise to that noble calling. From the humanities to the natural sciences, we need leaders who can do more than just pass on information. Josh and Spencer discusses who will shape the souls of the soul-shapers themselves, and how. Check out Thales College's degree in Classical...
Oct 13, 2023•39 min
If faith is the substance of things hoped for, what is hope? Reaching back into Jewish history and the Hebrew Bible, Spencer explains the gritty determination that saves us from despair in the valley of the shadow of death. As war rages in modern Israel after a savage terrorist attack by Hamas, it becomes as urgent as it's ever been to know where hope can reside securely in a darkened world. Sign up to be in the mailbag: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ Check out my book, How to Save the We...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 156
What does it look like when people who don't hate humanity build technology that doesn't suck? Emmet Penney is one of the most original thinkers when it comes to industry, energy, and the long history of human stewardship on earth. We discuss his departure from the left wing of the environmental movement, his search for a new aesthetics of nuclear energy, and the crisis of faith in the technological age. Check out Emmet's substack, Nuclear Barbarians : https://nuclearbarbarians.substack.com/ Sig...
Oct 06, 2023•49 min
A voice comes down from heaven--or was it thunder? Your answer will depend on what you believe, and what you beleive will change the way you see. In this episode, Spencer explores the twisted paradox of faith, and the Christian' Church's history of wrestling with it. From Heraclitus to Martin Luther, the question is who can possibly give sight to the blind. Sign up to be in the mailbag: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ Check out my book, How to Save the West : https://a.co/d/9S57cfh...
Oct 03, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 155
Today's guest is someone whose life has been transformed by classical literature. Erik Rostad has reorganized his life around reading, with remarkable effects. We discuss how he was called to seek truth and beauty in the canon, which books have shaped him most deeply, and how he manages to read, run a business, and take care of his family all at once. If you're looking for strategies to get you started reading great works, Erik's your guy. Check out Erik's project, Books of Titans: https://www.b...
Sep 29, 2023•47 min
"Man of the worldly mind, do you believe in me or not?" That's what Jacob Marley's ghost asks Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol . In this episode, Spencer points out that everyone believes in something they can't see--the question is, what? So begins the first episode on faith in our tour through the three theological virtues. Sign up to be in the mailbag: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ Check out my book, How to Save the West : https://a.co/d/9S57cfh...
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 154
Everyone wants to be happy--so why are so many people miserable? That's the simple question that the early Christian bishops posed to the canonical authors of the Greco-Roman world. It's also the question that kicks off Spencer's new series on the "theological virtues," or the Christian contribution to the classical philosophy of ethics. Using the basic experiences of everyday life, Spencer makes the practical case for--*gasp!*--going beyond Aristotle. Sign up to be in the mailbag: https://rejoi...
Sep 19, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 153
Today on Young Heretics, a minor topic: the origins of the universe. Very casual. New details and images from the James Webb Space Telescope have called into question the standard model of cosmology in Physics, leading Spencer into a series of reflections on the deeper histories of thought and of the universe (not so distinct as you might initially imagine). Plus, a cosmic mailbag question: what would you ask Satan if you met him? Sign up for my newsletter: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ ...
Sep 12, 2023•59 min
In the interval between finishing the cardinal virtues and starting on the Christian virtues, Spencer takes some listener questions in a special Office Hours episode of Young Heretics. Topics include: Getting kids interested in the classics, differences between Judaism and Christianity, Body Count Discourse, and naked women doing political protests. Plus: a close read of The 6th Sense . Sign up for my mailing list at rejoiceevermore.substack.com . Check out my book, How to Save the West: https:/...
Sep 05, 2023•59 min
There's a movement afoot--and its coming from the ground up. All around the internet and the real world, there's a spirit moving people to reconsider the nature and purpose of consciousness in creation. Drew Weatherhead is one of those people--a writer and pocaster red-pilled by COVID and moved to explore some of the themes that have also been of urgent importance to Young Heretics. We discuss his journey and the central role of humanity in the creation of the world. Check out Drew's book, Consc...
Sep 01, 2023•48 min
From the Ballad of Ye and the Kardashians to the Hatfields and the McCoys, there are a million ways to get justice wrong. Straight is the road and narrow is the gate: in this final installment of the cardinal virtues series, Spencer discusses justice at the macro level, not as a collection of prohibitions but as a law of love. Sign up for my mailing list: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ Check out my book, How to Save the West : https://a.co/d/2uukAV3...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Why isn't every book on philosophy like this one? Alex Priou, classicist and co-host of the New Thinkery podcast, has written an exploration of Plato's Symposium that is both readable and profound. It's a text we've talked a fair bit about on Young Heretics, and Alex has a great sense of what it can reveal to a modern reader. We discuss the true meaning of love, the nature and limitations of science, and the significance of prose style in philosohpy. Order Alex's book, Musings on Plato's Symposi...
Aug 25, 2023•53 min
We hear the word "justice" and immediately think "punishment." But justice in the truest sense isn't only a set of rules: it's also a virtue. From Plato to Dante by way of Stephen Sondheim, Spencer explains the last of the four cardinal virtues as both a source and a destination of love. Plus: an extended mailbag question about dealing with gender dysphoria. Sign up to be in the mailbag: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ Check out my book, How to Save the West : https://a.co/d/fisa1Kq...
Aug 22, 2023•59 min
For this week's interview, Spencer is joined by Faith Moore, relation, to discuss her upcoming novel Christmas Karol . The two siblings discuss the power of storytelling to change hearts, how to truly recognize the value of motherhood, and why Charles Dickens's tale of Christmas has become such an enduring classic. Plus: stories about how annoying it was to grow up with Spencer. Pre-order faith's book, Christmas Karol : https://a.co/d/9IDMq9C Find faith on Twitter @FaithKMoore...
Aug 18, 2023•46 min
How do you decide whether to start a side hustle? Who to vote for in 2024? When to pop the question? These moment-to-moment decisions, large and small, are the stuff character is made out of. Spencer discusses decision-making tactics in the modern and the ancient world, ranging from Brexit and the OODA loop to Aristotle and the virtue of practical wisdom. Mailing list and mailbag signup: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ Check out my book, How to Save the West : https://a.co/d/2rg35qD More o...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 5 min
How does a wandering mind find its way to the classics? How do you cultivate renewal in a world of ruin? Spencer interviews Shane Sorensen, author of Renaissance Wisdom , about his self-instructed entry into the great conversation, and the pursuit of eternal virtues at the end of an age. Much like Petrarch and the leaders of the Renaissance, we find ourselves today on the cusp of something altogether new. Check out Shane's book, Renaissance Wisdom : https://a.co/d/7mM4AD6 Discover Shane's podcas...
Aug 11, 2023•47 min
What's the point of all this obscure knowledge? Spencer turns from contemplative wisdom to phronēsis , practical wisdom or the knowledge of how to do what is good for you as a human being. Subjects covered include free will, determinism, and why what is good for you is not necessarily good for a fish. Spoiler: it's because you can't breathe underwater! Subscribe to my newsletter: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ Check out my book, How to Save the West : https://a.co/d/3OhqD3i "God in Transl...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 16 min
Welcome to Young Heretics: Conversations, a new series of specials devoted to living out high ideals in the modern day. Spencer talks with Peachy Keenan, author of Domestic Extremist , about how to break the spell of latter-day feminism, what it means to be extremely domestic, and why everyone's obsessed with the Barbie movie. Check out Peachy's book: https://a.co/d/3JRD8UL Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/KeenanPeachy Read her substack: https://peachykeenan.substack.com/...
Aug 04, 2023•48 min
This week on the show, Spencer takes the study of wisdom to the very foundations of the world, where existence came into being and human consciousness came online. This is the virtue of the soul that allows us to understand what we are, and why we're more than just accidents. It's trippy--so buckle up--but it's also the realest thing there is. Sign up for my mailing list: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ Check out my book: https://a.co/d/9Zq300Q...
Aug 01, 2023•1 hr 13 min
Some ideas are so stupid only an intellectual could believe them. But some wisdom is so profound only an old man can pass it on. In this new installment of his series on the virtues, Spencer introduces a form of moral excellence that is sorely lacking in the world: not intelligence or intellectual horsepower, but sophia , the wisdom that connects us to the order governing all time and space. Plus: an elaborate reference to the Matrix. Sign up to be in the mailbag: https://rejoiceevermore.substac...
Jul 25, 2023•1 hr 7 min
This one's for the girls. The ancient Greek word for courage is andreia --manliness. But whereas physical courage on the battlefield is a picture of something essential to manhood, there is also a womanly moral courage that no civilization can do without. In times of crisis and in the daily work of raising a family, womanly bravery is too often overlooked. Spencer concludes his series on the second canonical virtue with an episode dedicated to the women in our lives. Sign up for my newsletter to...
Jul 18, 2023•1 hr 9 min
It's the age of the anti-hero, and Machiavelli can help explain why. Talking through the life of Agathocles, tyrant of Syracuse, and discussing the portrayal of him in The Prince , Spencer probes deeper into the uneasy line between recklessness and courage, shamelessness and virtue. Can we find our way out of the war between the sexes to a real vision of what it means to tame the lion of the soul? Plus: a close reading of Taylor Swift. Sort of. Sign up for my newsletter to ask mailbag questions:...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 143
This 4th of July, it's hard to feel confident that everything is gonna be just fine. But that's the point: nobody said it was easy, and it may be you were born for such a day as this. Continuing a series on the cardinal virtues, Spencer pauses to consider the nature of courage in America now and at its founding. Plus: more tips from the build-a-soul workshop. Sign up for my newsletter: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/ Check out my book: https://a.co/d/bZKnihe...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 142
Gather round, one and all, and learn from Plato about how to get a date. Or start a workout routine. Or really...do anything good. Spencer embarks on a catalogue of the cardinal virtues--the principal forms of human moral excellence--beginning with moderation. It's not just some bland, middle-of-the-road stasis: it's a dynamic harmony among all the parts of you, and an antidote to the shallow philosophy of "following your heart." Sign up for my mailing list: https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/...
Jun 27, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 141
At long last, the people's cries have been heard--Young Heretics returns! Every day seems to bring some new catastrophe, and it's easy to see all the things that have gone wrong. But what would it mean to go right? You can't build a philosophy, or a life, on saying "no" to things. Somewhere you have to say "yes." In this new series, Spencer explores the nature of virtue and what it means to seek a truly good life (rather than just a not-bad one). Sign up for the mailing list: http://eepurl.com/d...
Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 140
For the penultimate episode of the show, Spencer Klavan is joined by friend and Dante expert Catherine Illingworth to approach the Commedia's beatific vision. Tying together threads from the whole series, and the whole podcast, Spencer and Catherine discuss the roles of flesh and spirit in love as the pilgrim makes his final approach to God in paradise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 03, 2023•48 min
In this middle portion of his series on Dante, Spencer Klavan outlines the lay of the divine "land" in Dante's Commedia. Traveling from the lust of the damned up to the longings of the saved, Dante the pilgrim meets Beatrice the redeemed soul, seeking a way to purify and channel his fleshly desires. -- Rocket Money is the new app that helps you identify and stop paying for subscriptions you don't need, want, or simply forgot about. Save thousands of dollars a year: https://rocketmoney.com/hereti...
Dec 27, 2022•58 min
In this final series of Young Heretics, Spencer Klavan charts a map of Dante's career and the structure of his greatest work, the Commedia. Walking through the politics, metaphysics, and artistic background of the poem, Spencer approaches the beginning of Dante's journey to discover the true nature of love. -- Public Goods is the one stop shop for sustainable, high quality everyday essentials made from clean ingredients. Receive $15 off your first Public Goods order at https://publicgoods.com/HE...
Dec 20, 2022•1 hr 2 min
