Virtue In The Wasteland Podcast

Perhaps the greatest difficulty today is learning how to speak to one another without a shared canon, a shared set of values, or a shared way of seeking goodness truth and beauty. We discuss the nature of our postmodern context and how ethics and aesthetics might lead us out of the present cultural quagmire.  See the show notes for links to the various projects in Baja California, Mexico, overseen by Mauricio and Abigail Parra, who we discuss in the first part of the show.  www.virtueinthewasteland.com  

Micah is back! He's coming out with a new hip hop album that will rattle some cages. Where is the line between art, religion, politics, and freedom?  virtueinthewasteland.com http://micahbournes.com themasks.org 

Listener questions answered. What's burning, and what's at stake these days in the lives of Dan and Jeff as they return home from travels and speaking.  virtueinthewasteland.com themasks.org

As we approach the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, we address the many ways in which Martin Luther has been mischaracterized, by friends and foes alike. Dan and Jeff are joined by Dr. Uwe Siemon-Netto, author of The Fabricated Luther (Concordia Publishing) and founder and director emeritus of the League of Faithful Masks. They are also joined by 1517's own Dr. Scott Keith, who wrote his dissertation on Luther's successor, Melanchthon.   virtueinthewasteland.com themasks.org 1517legacy.com  

The historical importance of the concept of heresy. A discussion of Dan's odd travels and flight cancellations. Addiction as a sin but not as a moral failing. Gnosticism, Pelagianism, Donatism, and the importance of understanding that understanding heresy is a defense against the dark arts, not an excuse to poke people in the eye. virtueinthewasteland.com themasks.org  

This podcast discussion took place in France, where LFM founder, lay theologian, and renowned journalist, Dr. Uwe Siemon-Netto tends to spend his summers. He joined us to discuss the vocations of voters, the way we consume and sift through media, and what that says for Kurt Winrich's business--investment. He is on the board of 1517 but also a principle at WCM Investments. Note: no investment advice is given; rather we discuss the real world importance of getting the news right.   1517legacy.com virtueinethewasteland.com themasks.org  

At the end of a thoughtful and enriching week (Jeff was a speaker and MC of the weeklong experience at Concordia University Irvine), the guys brought the podcast to the live audience to reflect on issues related to transhumanism, the future economy, and careers that will remain in a world of increasing AI and automation.  We had a lot of fun. We play a game about robots, and interact with some very interesting young people, who got the chance to hear from some theologians, but also from Zoltan Istvan, California's upcoming Libertarian gubernatorial candidate and internationally known transhumanist.   For more information on the institute:https://www.cui.edu/academicprograms/christcollege/crosswise  www.virtueinthewasteland.com  www.themasks.org     

The world got you down? Freaked out? Nothing new under the sun. First half: a discussion of Jeff's experience traveling to Madrid to view Bosch's "Garden of Earthly Delights" and other pieces. What was he saying with this bizarre work? Second half: a discussion of how echo chambers cause us to beat down people of principle. The example we primarily use is the case of leftist hysteria at Evergreen State College, but it can apply to most other groups that get into their own loops without generously listening to others in the world.

The newest mask Blake Flattley joins the show to talk about liturgy, art, music, emotion, and the tricky music industry. http://www.virtueinthewasteland.com http://www.themasks.org  http://www.blakeflattley.com/  http://www.1517legacy.com  

Hold on to your hats kids! You might be in for some cognitive dissonance depending on where your sensibilities might be found. How about we talk about Trump, Jesus, and Reefer Madness. Listen up. Unless you are a sensitive type who can't abide by perplexing questions and evidence that we might all be wrong. Enjoy the Show!

Marcos Ruiz introduces, then joins the show for the second live podcast of the Sexy/Monsters summer tour. There are few venues as cool for this sort of thing as Cubaocho, in Little Havana, Miami. Art, cocktails, music and dancing abound. So does good conversation. On this show, Jeff and Dan discuss the spiritual peace we call "blood orange" and explain how the best way to get there is to confront what Jung described as the shadow self, and what Dan calls monsters. Then there's an interview with Marcos Ruiz, founder of the El Lector feast, talking about Cuban Americans and changing relations with Cuba itself these days. Finally, we take questions about sex drugs and religion from the audience, using the new Virtue in the Wasteland wheel. http://www.exiledlector.com/ http://www.virtueinthewasteland.com/ 

Marcos Ruiz brought the guys out to Miami Florida, to a pig roast at Grenada Presbyterian Church for a live recording, to launch the books Sexy and Monsters. Audience Q&A. http://www.virtueinthewasteland.com  

What if we stopped focussing on abstractions and ideologies, and took a moment to consider virtue? Virtue is often defined literally as manliness--the Romans equated virtue with heroic human excellence. Since manliness means something a bit different, we discuss being humane, and consider how our culture could benefit from humanizing issues that are otherwise seen as abstractions. We go through an exercise where we consider several classic virtues and see whether Trump exhibits them. All in good fun. virtueinthewasteland.com themasks.org  

Factors related to whether you or someone you care about should go on to a formal BA or grad degree, now that you've graduated. What college alternatives exist? What about going to Europe? Should you take a gap year? Dan and Jeff won't answer these questions for you, but they will invite you to freely ask yourself who you really are and what that means for the next phase of life.   virtueinthewasteland.com

Dan and Jeff do a short introductory discussion about divorce and the difference between Pharisees and Jesus on this matter. Some follow up about Dan's relationship and the status of the books. Then they shift to a long form interview with the girlfriend of Jeff's son Auggie (who you heard back in the old days from time to time, and the bass player in the opening/closing music). Her name is Sydnie, was the child of divorce, and didn't tell us exactly how she would answer questions before we pushed "record." So check out what she says. This ain't theory, but rather an honest reflection on life after a broken marriage.

This is part two of a new focus, and this is where it gets a bit heavy. Don't give in to despair. Check out jeffmallinson.com for more information on Sexy: The Quest for Erotic Virtue in Perplexing Times and danvanvoorhis.com for more information on Monsters: Addiction, Hope, Ex-Girlfriends, and Other Dangerous Things.      

After four years, Virtue in the Wasteland reboots, starting a new focus on sex, drugs, and religion, with a conversation between Jeff and Stacie Mallinson and Dan and Beth Anne van Voorhis, in the Gramercy Park Hotel, in New York. The first part gives some of the back story and there's some playfulness. The second part may get a bit more uncomfortable. But despite the changes long time listeners might notice, the end should be familiar. Take heart. Check out virtueinthewasteland.com for show notes and cool links.

Sometimes, we feel the need to defend great artifacts and contributors to culture. But why not let them speak for themselves, whatever the critics may think? We return to some reflections on a Father John Misty concert, discuss the cultural significance of Saturday Night live, explore the importance of a sixteenth century painter who's wilder than Dali.  Enjoy.     virtueinthewasteland.com

Joel talks about the upcoming Crosswise Institute event in Irvine, transhumanism, robots, embodiment, and his trip to Iceland. virtueinthewasteland.com

Father John Misty (the moniker for Josh Tillman, former drummer of the Fleet Foxes) dropped his third album Pure Comedy, through Sub Pop records this last week. Dan and Jeff discuss the cultural significance of this album, which is a contribution to the conversation about religion, politics, and technological culture today. Tillman reportedly was reading Zizek's Living in the End Times during the recording of the album. That book was part of a Virtue in the Wasteland "class" Dan and Jeff taught last year. Thus, it brings together ViW's favorite themes: where we are going culturally, whether everything will indeed be ok in the end, religion, philosophy, ideology, politics, and well-written pop music. This may not be for everyone, but you may want to listen even if Father John Misty isn't your style. This is because he taps into a very real concern young people (but not just young people) are raising about why it seems so often that conservative religious people act "like godless animals." By the way, the album