Virtue in the Wasteland Podcast
325 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 230 ratingsCulture, religion and ideas that matter.
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Episodes
ViW 56 Culty
July 27, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 84.2 MBWhat is a cult? How do we balance tolerance and critical thinking when it comes to new religious movements? Are their authoritarian personalties in my own, established religious community? How are multilevel marketing and pyramid schemes like cults? Is cult a bad word or is it a concept we need to preserve for the good of a safe and healthy society? We wrestle with these questions and more. We mention Jim Jones, Swedenborgianism, the Guru Maharaji, Amway, Scientology, and the FLDS. We l...
ViW55 When Books Become Movies
July 20, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 83.1 MBWe discuss the promises and perils of making books into movies. We focus on Steinbeck's East of Eden and Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, but we also mention and/or discuss the following: Ian Flemming's James Bond stories, Michael Crighton and Jurassic Park, Carson McCullers, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, the Cohen Brothers and Huckleberry Finn, musicals, The Last Temptation of Christ, Jungian archetypes, the value of mythology, and the importance of fairy tales.
ViW54 The Good Life
July 13, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 69.3 MBWe freestyle chat about the nature of the good life and the ways in which we measure life's success. This is about vocational questions for young people looking to the future or folks who want to redirect their lives later in the game. We mention Daoism, LeBron James and The Decision, Stoicism, and whether you might want to rethink your current path.
ViW52wc Brothers Karamazov
July 06, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 82.2 MBWhether you've read this book before or thinking about giving it a shot, you can join in. We discuss important historical, religious, literary and philosophical themes in this important Russian Novel. We talk especially about the Grand Inquisitor, the novel's most famous chapter.
ViW 52 How To Throw A Party
June 30, 2014 18:41 - 1 hour - 106 MBThe 4th of July is upon us! Are you ready for the party? No, seriously. Are you ready? We've all been to parties with terrible hosts, terrible guests, poorly thought out games or ice breakers, etc... On today's summertime show we break from our recent heavier topics and talk about how to throw a party. As we were discussing this idea with our friends and colleagues we realized that there are some definite party do's and don'ts. And maybe this isn't as frivolous as we first thought. Hostin...
ViW51b Body and Mind with Dr. Betsi Little Van Fossen
June 25, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 86.2 MBThis one is just a bunch of fun conversation tossed together like your favorite salad. But it all revolves around emotional wellbeing and how external factors like the food we eat or our physiology affect our mood. We learn a bit too about what we are able to do to eat ourselves to a bit more happiness. Check out this conversation about psychology and happiness. We also check with her on the nature of addiction and prisons, following up on our last episode on the War on Drugs.
ViW51 The War on Drugs
June 22, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 87.7 MBThe history and ethical problems with the war on drugs. We discuss the nature of addiction and why private prisons are an unethical place to house those who have substance dependency. We argue that we should focus on actual data and seek to be virtuous toward our addict neighbors, rather than merely looking virtuous to our upstanding and "together" neighbors. Discussion topics include initiatives to legalize cannabis, the history of the penitentiary system, methodone, and other social issu...
ViW50 Fathers and Brotherhood
June 15, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 85.1 MBHappy Father's Day. Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, his son Ted Rosenbladt, Steve Byrnes, Dan Deen and other old friends try and capture the sort of conversation that has been happening for decades on the Rosenbladt deck. Dan was out for this one, but he's got a history of joining in these back yard conversations. What is it to be a good father? What is it to be a true brother--or friend? We discuss answers to all this and a kind of love called philia. Ted, of New Reformaion Press, also reveals some pl...
ViW49 The Way the World Ends
June 08, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 81.2 MBArmageddon. Apocalypse. Rapture. What do such words mean? This show is about the end of the world, what it will be like according to several ideologies, and why it matters. Even if you don't believe strongly in a particular religion or political ideology, you probably have an implicit theory of the end (eschatology), and your neighbors sure do. Sometimes, our views about the end of the world have serious consequences for our life in the world today. Even though we don't spend much time...
ViW48 Give it Away Now
June 01, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 74.9 MBIt feels good to give. But what we don't often realize is the uneven ways charities distribute our gifts. We talk about the best and worst nonprofit organizations as regards their stewardship of donor money. We talk about ways for young professionals to consider a career in the world of development aka fundraising. Philanthropy is best done with knowledge. This show gets us on the right track at least.
ViW47 Youth Gone Wild
May 25, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 88 MBThe Winriches are former Jesus Freaks. They are currently highly involved in youth work, music, and nonprofit organizations. We talk about the good, the, bad, and the musical as it relates to working with adolescent religious education.
ViW46 Gaming the Gaming
May 18, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBWhat does the average person NEED to know about video games? Jeff's son joins the show to share the top five things folks need to know (especially parents) about the world of video games. We find that it is a world that you are probably too worried about in some regards and not wary enough of in other regards.
ViW45 Freaks and Geeks
May 11, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 68.2 MBFreak out. Dr. Kristen Koenig joins us again, this time to discuss those who are outside the societal norm. I'm surprised we never got to mentioning Michel Foucault. But we did deal with important issues related to what it means to be normal and how we should respond to the other. We mix a little sociology with a bit of good old human decency. And some awkwardness.
ViW44 The Court of Public Opinion
May 04, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 84.4 MBWhen scandals strike, or big decisions need to be made, do we let the masses decide how to respond? Clippers owners, media stars, and your neighbor all are involved in this one. How helpful is the popular opinion? Do we seek an honor culture or a virtue culture?
ViW43 A Graduation Special
April 27, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 71.7 MBCommencement is about beginnings. We address those who graduate this spring and all those who are adults and out of school. We talk abou the importance of ongoing exploration of the world and ways to stay sharp. We share some of our favorite podcasts for learning as adults.
ViW42 The Birds and the Beans
April 20, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 74.7 MBWhat do amateur ornithology and coffee snobbery have to do with anything? We explain the personal and cultural value that avoocations bring. Dan explains some ways to enjoy a better coffee. Jeff explains why he loves birds so much and explains how to get started as an amateur bird watcher.
ViW41 Can Virtue Be Taught?
April 13, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 69.8 MBWhat is virtue anyway, and can it be taught? This is not our dissertation on the subject, just some friendly conversation with several colleagues who participated in a panel conversation on great texts. Dr. Scott Ashmon, Dr. John Lu, Dr. C.J. Armstrong, and Prof. Dan Deen gathered in Dr. Ashmon's Hilton suite for beverages and conversation. We talk about ethos, pathos, logos, virtue, habituation, Aristotle, Virgil, and love. This affects everything from parenting to pedagogy, so give it a...
ViW40b It's Epic
April 06, 2014 13:00 - 59 minutes - 65.3 MBWe explore the beauty of language, classic and contemporary with Dr. Stanley Lombardo, a translator of classics like the Illiad and Aeneid. Listen even if classic Latin and Greek epics aren't familiar to you. If nothing else, listen for the first twenty minutes to hear Dr. Lombardo recite poetry in classical Greek. The sound itself will demonstrate the importance of our topic. Topics include the art of translation, Homeric legends, Virgil, Zen Buddhism, and poetry in general. B-Sides ar...
ViW40wc The Iliad
April 06, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 67.6 MBClassicist C.J. Armstrong explains the importance and beauty of Homer's Iliad. This is the first of several Wasteland Companions, shows where we give you the important background and summary of a great book. Unfortunately, Jeff's mic wasn't working right. Fortunately, this is one of the few shows where he doesn't talk too much. Share with a high schooler or college student perhaps who is reading this in their studies, or a friend who likes to go back and pick up great works they missed in...
ViW39b A Journalist's Vocation
April 02, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 86.2 MBDr. Uwe Siemon-Netto has seen it all. The JFK assassination coverage, the rise of the Nazis, a famous drinking horse in Germany, the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, and of course the Vietnam War. Uwe talks about getting a doctorate after a not so good high school experience. We learn why our news media has gone so far away from its original calling or vocation today. Learn why you should not criticize a German town’s beer. Learn who can drink more beer and not slur: Catholic priests or ...
ViW39 Wrapped Up In Books
March 30, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 76 MBWe list great classical, early modern, and modern books and why they are worth reading.
ViW38 Art, Embroidery, Banksy and Whatever
March 23, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 96.5 MBArt prof Rachel Hays raps with Dan and Jeff about art, its history, and why Jeff is wrong to dig Banksy so much.
ViW37b Rethinking Vietnam
March 19, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 108 MBVeteran journalist, author of a new book on the Vietnam War, Triumph of the Absurd: A Reporter's Love for The Abandoned People of Vietnam shares a story from his travels, and explains how unethical journalism failed the people of Vietnam.
ViW37 Racist Holidays?
March 16, 2014 12:00 - 1 hour - 90.7 MBWe discuss holidays associated with American immigrant communities and ask whether they might be culturally inappropriate. Joe Laughon joins us once again. We discuss Public Enemy's "By the Time I Get To Arizona" video, St. Patrick's Day, and Cinco De Mayo.
ViW36 You Asked for It
March 09, 2014 13:00 - 1 hour - 79.5 MBDan and Jeff start by a list of regrets, clarifications and retractions from prior shows. Then they talk about MBTI (Meyers Briggs) profiles and what celebrities share them. Finally they answer listener questions. We talk Lana Del Ray, Putin, the Big Lebowski, nihilism, and narcissism.
VIW35 Are You Insane?
March 02, 2014 13:00 - 1 hour - 69.6 MBOn this, our 50th episode (enter fanfare) we discuss the nature of sanity and insanity. Wait, before you think that this is a highfalutin' philosophical show (well, it does have some philosophy) we came to this show by way of a question we asked ourselves: who is the sanest person we know?This lead us down a rabbit hole for a week as we tried to put together a composite of the "sanest person" we know. Perhaps, sanity is illusive. Perhaps we are all insane. Or, like most things... it's complic...
ViW34 I Want to Believe
February 23, 2014 13:00 - 56 minutes - 61.4 MBWe share things we wish were true but probably aren't. We share things we are pretty darn sure aren't true are not true. We discuss conspiracy theories, the Melanchthon Circle, Santiago Sam, kambucha, alchemy, neoplatonism, St. Augustine's Confessions, Masonry, Airborne, occult philosophy, esoterica, the JFK assasination, Ethiopia's claim to have the Ark of the Covenant, and postmodernity.
ViW33b Rethinking Immigration
February 19, 2014 13:00 - 1 hour - 66 MBWe discuss the history of immigration in the United States and converse with Joe Laughon, a contributor to Cafeconlecherepublicans.com. He helps to dispell some misunderstandings about immigration laws and attitudes past and present. We discuss the use of terms like "illegal immigrant" and "undocumented worker". What's the virtuous response to todays immigration debates? Listen in to hear a unique, and arguably sane, perspective.
ViW33 Scandal! Scandal?
February 16, 2014 13:00 - 1 hour - 88.3 MBWe talk about several recent scandals and leaders who have fallen from cultural grace. Then, we call Jeff's old friend Chris to talk about his experience with the movement led by Bill Gothard. We discuss authoritarianism, spiritual abuse, Woody Allen, Ted Haggard, Anthony Weiner, and Lance Armstrong.
ViW32 Water Water Everywhere, Without A Drop To Drink?
February 09, 2014 13:00 - 1 hour - 99.4 MBWith Jeff Macaré, a favorite Lutheran hippy. We talk about music, the nature of digital and analog sound, Dan's diet of caffeine, nicotine and prozac and more importantly: the ambiguity of the word "nature" and Jaff Macare on his vocation of filtering water (that's right! water filtering! Seriously, hear what he has to say about that bottled water you're drinking)
ViW 31 Narcissism and Sociology
February 02, 2014 13:00 - 1 hour - 80.3 MBWe move from individuals to society in our quest to understand narcissism. Sociologists, Dr. Kristen Koenig (B.A., Occidental College, M.Sc., University of Oxford, D.Phil., University of York) joins us to make sense of it all. This is one of our favorite conversations yet. We find out what the "i" in "iPhone" means. You are going to dig Dr. Koenig! Has narcissism as a trait (not the disorder per se), including vanity and selfishness been on the rise over the last several decades? Listen ...
ViW30 Defining Narcissism
January 26, 2014 13:00 - 1 hour - 73.2 MBDr. John Lu, social psychologist, joins us for a discussion of the nature of the DSM (a tool for diagnosing psychological disorders), the nature of narcissism, and the concept of an operational definition. This is the second of several episodes planned for spring on the topic of narcissism.
ViW29 Aesthetics -- First Thoughts on Art and Beauty
January 19, 2014 13:00 - 1 hour - 87.1 MBThe hosts play with some initial ideas related to art and why we like what we like. Dan explains some of the background behind conversations about art and beauty we will have over the coming months. Don't expect a full and comprehensive lecture. Expect the opening volley in a larger discussion about beauty (since we've talked a bit more about goodness and truth in our first six months). Dan gives some art history background. Jeff talks about beauty in the Bible. We share our top guilty ...
ViW28 Narcissism Classic & Contemporary
January 12, 2014 13:00 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBThe myth of Narcissus with classicist and Faithful Masks Fellow Dr. C. J. Armstrong. We each take an online narcissism test and share the results. Stories about Dan's kids.
ViW27 Vocation Fails
January 05, 2014 08:25 - 1 hour - 68.4 MBStories about snags over the winter vacation, things we learned from vocation fails in our own lives, and historical vocation fails. Thanks for checking out the first podcast of 2014. Topics include: Epic of Gilgamesh Householder Yogi Drinking your own urine for health benefits Upgrade to Garage Band The Big Lebowski One Week Wundermann Norton Motorcycles The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Sucker Punch Jerry Garcia Senior Bob Dylan Senior Young Life Paul Fairweather, Symbolic Regression Therapy...
ViW25 Wasteland Awards 2013
December 21, 2013 22:30 - 1 hour - 53.1 MBThe best popular culture and heroic news artifacts and events of the year.
ViW24 Best Pop and Traditional Christmas Songs
December 15, 2013 13:00 - 1 hour - 93.7 MBWe break down the top songs that bring Christmas cheer.
ViW23 The Best Christmas Hymns
December 08, 2013 15:31 - 1 hour - 72 MBWe share the best Christmas hymns (sacred songs). We provide clips only of each; but listen all the way through and we share a classic: a hymn performed by Dr. Rod Rosenbladt in its entirety.
ViW22b Rethinking Housing with Ian Lodge and the Cal-Earth Institute
December 04, 2013 13:00 - 56 minutes - 44.4 MBWe discuss the ethics, aesthetics, and humanitarian possibilities for those who have the vocation of architecture. After some banter between our co-hosts, Jeff interviews Ian Lodge, who oversees the operation, in Hesperia, California. This is the result of the humanitarian vision of Nadir Khalili, a Persian architect who was influenced by the Sufi mystic Rumi and brought his spiritual values, scientific training, and concern for humanity together through teaching methods of creating susta...
ViW22 Nihilism
December 01, 2013 13:00 - 1 hour - 67.8 MBWe do our best to define what we mean by nihilism, the history of reductionism, meaninglessness, and the ways in which this leads to indifference and narcissism.
ViW21 Thanksgiving Part 2 - A Secular Feast Day?
November 24, 2013 13:00 - 47 minutes - 39.5 MBWe explain the true, modern origins of the American national holiday of Thanksgiving. Why do we get tired after eating the dinner? Why do presidents pardon a Turkey each year?
ViW21b Loose Ends [Bonus B-Side with former students as guests]
November 20, 2013 13:00 - 1 hour - 62.5 MBWe follow up on old emails, messages, and questions. We tell a story about loose ends, then conclude with two former students: Tim Olson, an ethnomusicology student and world traveler who sets the record straight on the Afghan national sport, and Lauren Yauk who traveled the world to find the best approach to global development. Her story is helpful for understanding how young adults think about the world these days, and the obstacles they face as they seek to do good in the world.
ViW20 Thanksgiving Part 1 - Historical Background
November 17, 2013 13:00 - 1 hour - 61 MBThe often untold history leading up to the first Thanksgiving. Jeff tells about one of his favorite topics in history: the Florida Holy Wars of the 1560s; this is the Thanksgiving that almost was. Dan gives the true story of the Pilgrims' first thanksgiving meal. We argue that Thanksgiving is a holiday with religious roots, but that the holiday as we have it today originates in the secular or "left hand" kingdom, and thus is of value to all people in the US. Foreign listeners should liste...
ViW19b Irvine the Model City
November 13, 2013 13:00 - 1 hour - 93.2 MBFilmmaker Lev Anderson joins us to talk about his move from city planning to directing documentaries, "Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone" and spend the bulk of our time discussing his upcoming project on the history and future of Irvine, CA the safest city in America, a model of urban planning that is copied around the world, and the epicenter for our podcast. We start by discussing his recent documentary We discuss the ethics and art of city planning, and the ways in which it affects...
ViW19 State and Church
November 10, 2013 13:00 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBThe second part of a two part conversation about the intersections of religion and politics. In this episode, we focus on US Supreme court cases related to the exercise of religion.
ViW18 Church and State
November 03, 2013 13:00 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBWhat is the distinction between the two kingdoms? Should faithful citizens want to merge the church and state? Is America a Christian nation? Where did James Madison get his ideas? We rely heavily on Dr. Dan van Voorhis' knowledge of American history to help address these questions and more.
ViW17 Are Ghosts Real?
October 27, 2013 12:00 - 1 hour - 76 MBRenaissance wizards, strange stuff in general, and the closest thing the hosts have to direct ghost experiences.
ViW16b The Cultural Importance of Cinema
October 23, 2013 12:00 - 1 hour - 61.4 MBThe history, cultural significance, and overall value of the movies. We are joined by Micah Luce, who earned his MAR in Theology and Cinema from . We also have with us Eleanor Pettus, Assistant Professor of History at Concordia University and Faculty in Residence for the , and Joel Oesch, , and director of . Several of us share our most memorable moviegoing moments. Micah shares a recipe for geekdom movie marathons. We ask whether moviegoing creates authentic community.
ViW16 The Walking Dead and Other Zombies
October 20, 2013 12:00 - 1 hour - 80 MBZombies in history and popular culture, the Walking Dead season premiere, and philosophical thoughts related to our time of technology and fragmentation. Dr. C.J. Armstrong joins in this episode.