Political Philosophy (Dr Laurie M Johnson)

To start this series, I introduce the author Guy Standing and discuss a few prominent themes in his book The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class. Standing writes in the 2017 preface: "Those in the precariat have lives dominated by insecurity, uncertainty, debt and humiliation. They are denizens rather than citizens, losing cultural, civil, social, political and economic rights built upper generations. The precariat is the first class in history to labour and work at a lower level than the schooling it typically acquires." … More Intro to The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class by Guy Standing (Audio)

I discuss some of the many important points made in Ch. 2 of Guy Standing's The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class, entitled "Why the Precariat is Growing." Standing details what happened in OECD countries when emerging market countries started to out-compete them in terms of production and availability of low-cost labor. He shows how globalization, smoothed by government policies, led to the ultimate "flexible" labor force, with subsequent insecurity and strain on individuals, families and communities. Being ultimately flexible means not having any hope for a career, not identifying with an employer, and not being rewarded for the development of skills, among many other effects. People are most often blamed (and blame themselves) for their difficulty in finding a good job, but the deck is stacked against them like never before, and Standing does not think there is any way to turn back the clock. … More Why Can’t I Find a Good Job? (Guy Standing, The Precariat 3-Audio)

Guy Standing, author of The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class answers this question this way: because there just aren't enough stable, well paying jobs in the new economy. In this video I discuss some of the realities of university education today, especially the trend towards trying to sell education as a commodity with a promise of being qualified for specific jobs. The watering down of education is a serious concern of Standing. This education saddles students with debt, can't necessarily deliver the job they were trained for, and meantime has not encouraged them to think critically and creatively but to keep their heads down and do what's required, even if it's not at all what they wanted. The Precariat is therefore deprived of a key element in achieving some sort of political influence and the ability to push back--a good education. … More Why is My University Degree Not Enough? (4-Audio)

On March 27 I will begin an adventure with Heygo, a platform developed for live tours that is expanding into other content. My first topic will be What Would Machiavelli Do? Check out that and a lot of cool tours (which helps out tour guides who have been adversely impacted by the pandemic) by searching for Heygo! … More WWMD? New Talk

In this video, I discuss Ch. 4 of Guy Standing's The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class, which is on migration. Many in developed countries with large numbers of migrant laborers blame these laborers for taking jobs and reducing their economic prospects. Looking deeper, though, we see that they are there because globalized economic interests want the ultimate flexible and vulnerable labor pool and governments make sure they get them. Many leaders and parties talk about wanting their citizens to have good jobs but their actions and the results of their policies say otherwise. Ultimately no one wins in the current system, certainly not illegal migrants living in serfdom to survive. To get to the heart of the problem, we have to look at who/what benefits from large numbers of legal and illegal migrants. … More Migrants and Underemployment in Context: What’s Really Going On? (Precariat 5-Audio)

Guy Standing's chapter on "tertiary time" in his book The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class" deals with some important (and very recognizable) evils of our current work environment. The loss of control over our time is the main theme, and the harm that comes from this is sometimes very obvious and sometimes not at all. This video deals with the hidden cost of maintaining what it takes to work in the precariat, including time to maintain themselves and the personal equipment they use, and dealing with constantly changing schedules which means they have to constantly think about how to take care of children and elderly. Hidden traps having to do with taxes and contracts make it harder for the precariat to ever leave their condition. … More Multitasking Ourselves to Death (Precariat 6-Audio)

This episode deals with some of the ideas from the concluding chapters of Guy Standing's book The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class--A Politics of Inferno and A Politics of Paradise. He warns that without major changes we will be facing more and more interest in what he calls neofascism, or the populist and nationalist right. In the last chapter he outlines some solutions, the most discussed being a universal basic income. I spend time on that, but also on the guilt trip societies put on precariat workers, as though it is all their fault. A huge government apparatus exists to encourage the existence of a lot of precarious workers to provide cheap just in time labor, and a huge apparatus exists that employs thousands, if not millions, in administering paternalistic and judgmental programs to the "poor." When you think about it, that's sick, and a basic income sounds rational by comparison. … More Basic Income vs. Gaslighting the Precariat (Podcast)

This is a segment from the first session of the Summer Seminar on Distributism (2021), part of an hour and a half long session on the origins of Distributism in Aristotle's Politics and various Catholic encyclicals (the one mainly mentioned here is Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII, 1891, in the wake of the Industrial Revolution). Distributism is a line of thought that opposes both capitalism and socialism/communism as equally materialistic and destructive of freedom and proposes a third way--more widespread ownership of private property. It is separable from religion, because it is primarily a proposal about how to deal with property, but this session covers its roots in Ancient Greek and Christian thought. … More Can You Be Both Anti-Capitalist and Anti-Communist? (Seminar 1-Rerum Novarum)

This is a section of audio from the Summer 2021 Seminar on Distributism, an economic philosophy that isn't capitalist or socialist. Distributism advocates for a more even and equal distribution of private property. Hilaire Belloc was one of a few thinkers credited with founding 20th Century Distributism. In this video some of his ideas are discussed in the context of current application, particularly on the question of whether workfare would be recognized by Belloc as promoting the Servile State. … More Do We Live in a Servile State? ft. Hilaire Belloc’s Distributism (Seminar 2)

This is a selection from the seminar I'm teaching on Distributism. For months now, thousands of Indian farmers have been protesting in an occupy-style encampment near Delhi. They fear that they are in danger of losing not only their livelihoods but their way of life due to changes in the laws leading to deregulation of the agricultural sector in India. They are worried that these changes will make many small farms financially impossible and will lead to a great agricultural consolidation into the hands of big agriculture, changing Indian food security and leaving them without the support of the land and extended families they have relied upon. These farmers are in the situation GK Chesterton saw unfolding in England in the early part of the 20th Century. Chesterton called for something like the Indian farmers want back--government regulation and aid to help maintain numerous and plentiful small farmers in an economy of cooperation with subsistence farming with a market element. The farmer protests are a test case as to whether people now can demand a different economic arrangement that protects and preserves food security and their way of life. … More Indian Farmer Protests and Distributism (3)

This is a selection from the fourth part of a five part seminar on Distributism from Summer 2021. It covers Catholic Worker co-founder Dorothy Day's thoughts on the responsibility of Christians, true Christian community, and the correct attitude toward what we now recognize as capitalist realism. Day took very seriously the social teaching of the Catholic Church that emerged in the wake of the Industrial Revolution. This thought was critical of capitalism but also steered away from the emerging communist trends that were also materialist and concentrated power. Day's considerable contribution was to apply her own learning on socialism, communism, anarchism and Christianity to help create a vision for an alternative to the great "isms" of her day and ours. My apologies for some sound glitches due to internet connection! … More Dorothy Day vs Capitalist Realism (Distributism 4)

In this concluding segment from the 2021 Summer Seminar on Distributism, I discuss why it is so hard to imagine actually changing the economy in any meaningful way. Our capacity for collective action has been hollowed out and replaced by an expressive identity politics that cannot satisfy but works wonders to keep us all working and buying. It very effectively stops any real change from happening. The seemingly radical idea that contemporary protests are largely ineffectual and should be replaced by direct action is introduced. … More Culture War Futility, Why Self Expression Beats Action (Distributism 5-Audio)

t part of a conversation I had with Jeremy Cowan, who participated in my Summer 2021 Seminar on the economic theory of Distributism. Dr Cowan is a specialist in organic agriculture with a strong interest in its relationship to politics and economics. In this part of the conversation, we get into the polarizing character of current politics and how it gets in the way of imagining turning towards Distributism or any other alternative to our current corporate-dominated and state-supported capitalism. We discuss the strong agrarian strain in Distributism and whether that is still a relevant direction to change in today's world. … More Could Agrarian Distributism Ever Work? (Interview with Jeremy Cowan Pt. 1)

You know what they say... This is the third and final part of the interview I did with Dr Jeremy Cowan, an expert in organic and permaculture agriculture, we conclude our reflections on Distributism by breaking both taboos. In this one we deal with the role of religion and politics in changing the way we grow food, but we do more than that. We delve into questions such as why religion is often unhelpful and how it could be otherwise, why political divisions get in the way and what might solve that problem … More Religion and Politics–Whoops, We Talked About Both (Jeremy Cowan Interview Part 3)

This is an introduction/head's up to my next video series, which will start next week and will start with some thoughts on John Maynard Keynes' The Economic Consequences of the Peace. The central questions: why is it so hard to forgive--what would be required? How can we keep from turning into the monsters we are fighting against (very important for getting of the culture war hamster wheel)? I approach the topic through some reflections on Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, especially its TV adaptation. When June becomes a ferocious monster, we both admire her but also recognize that her transformation is not progress but regress. Such was the case with the allies' imposition on Germany in the wake of WWI. … More The Handmaid’s Tale and WWI: Is the Carthaginian Solution Inevitable? (Keynes/Versailles Treaty)

nterview with Jeremy Cowan, an expert in organic and permaculture agriculture, we discuss our society's prejudice against home, physical work, and native-grown food. We then discuss growing food nearby as a national security issue. … More Permaculture and National Security (Jeremy Cowan Pt. 2)

y's culture wars have in common? Power-hungry, intransigence, scapegoating, paranoia, fear, mass-mentality, technological eclipse, and more. We haven't progressed in over a century on our basic nature, but time is running out, as our technology continues to outstrip our ability to reason and cooperate by a lot. This is the first part of a series discussing the causes of intransigence, the consequences, and what it would take to stop that cycle so that we don't destroy ourselves. I'm starting out with a discussion of John Maynard Keynes' views on the Treaty of Versailles, which I will get into in more depth next week. … More Still as Stupid as 1914: WWI and the Culture Wars

The first part of John Maynard Keynes’ 1919 book “The Economic Consequences of the Peace” attempts to remind the victors of WWI that the economies of Europe were deeply intertwined and especially driven by the economic powerhouse that was pre-War Germany. In doing so, he makes it clear that a “Carthaginian Peace” is unwise. He … More Interdependence is a Bitch: The WWI Lesson of Precarity Not Learned (Keynes 3)

options. They had the option to do nothing, or to do only a small action to rectify the wrong, as well as the option of attempted obliteration of their enemies.. It's hard to argue that the world not would be better off if they had chosen to do nothing, both at the beginning of the war and at the end, when they chose a punitive peace. Out of WWI came the Great Depression and WWII. What does that say to us--is there a lesson in this that we have not yet learned? I would argue that the biggest thing and the hardest thing, but the thing that shows real power, is to do nothing. … More The Option of Radical Forgiveness: Not Taken

In this final video on the series examining the lessons of the Versailles Treaty I venture back into US politics and ask the question of personal responsibility. Should people respond in vengeance against actual wrongs? If they don't want to, how do they resist this very (immediately) rational and biological urge? There is no doubt in my mind that we would all be better off if we did not act on the temptation for retribution, but easier said than done. The responsibility of Christians is particularly acute since their religion dictates no revenge. I challenge Christians to take their religion seriously and to imagine the strength it would take to walk away from disputes domestic and foreign. … More I Want to Be Liam Neeson (But I Should Resist). (Keynes 5)

discussing Brueggemann's view that US Christians who hew to the "City on the Hill" ideology are committing idolatry and are aligning with Empire and not with God, the two being ultimately opposed. This is not to establish a mere negative argument (as in, this is what a Christian is not), but rather to begin to point to a positive pronouncement (this is what a Christian or other person faithful to God is) . … More Empire and God: Do They Mix? (Out of Babylon, Brueggemann 1)

the second chapter of Walter Brueggemann's book Out of Babylon, the "local tradition" of the United States, as the "shining city on a hill," is explored in the context of prophetic calls for examination and repentance both in the Old Testament and in Walter Brueggemann's theology. People always design narratives to explain their situation and role in the world, and Brueggemann teaches that this is not only inevitable but good--or it can be, if the story we tell is not simply delusion but pushes us to act in according to the values we say we embrace. In this case, he's talking about Biblical Christian values and he is asking American Christians what (or who) they really stand for. I think this is a very worthy question, so this session is devoted to it. … More The Price of Hypocrisy (Out of Babylon: Brueggemann 2) ft. Nietzsche

God's will with the will of the nation and resolve morality into the aims of national power, or to choose the "local tradition" of adherence to God's priorities even when they clash with the priorities and values of empire. The latter involves first recognizing that there is a necessary and unresolvable conflict between any national will and Judeo-Christian morality. Brueggemann asks, will the Christian church be a national church or will it be governed only by God? … More Against the Ideology of Certainty Besetting US Christians (Out of Babylon 3)

Chapter 4 of Walter Brueggemann's Out of Babylon discusses the power of poetic imagination to create the conditions for change. Multiple views of God's position relative to humans, and the human response to God are entertained in poetic language. Brueggemann emphasizes the latter as a strength that shows a way beyond the sectarian infighting that characterizes most religious sects and keeps those within them from being able to act positively to create a better future. The idea of a mutable God is discussed--a God who is able to change his mood and mind in response to changes in relationship to his human fold. In dealing with this kind of God, having a fertile imagination about the future is particularly important, as it fosters hope and cancels despair that tends to occur as people bow down to imperial economics and politics. … More Divine Imagination & Futuring (Brueggemann: Out of Babylon 4)

Christian nationalism--the reasons it is wrong but also the possible reasons why it exists. Looking at the Old Testament as a source of iconic, archetypal and enduring truths is discussed as an alternative to the narrative of the US as the new Israel. If people remain captive to Empire, why? Is it partly because they truly have been displaced and are tempted by cooptation? Is it due to their fear of the wilderness and the freedom it represents? … More Christian Nationalism as Stockholm syndrome (Brueggemann 5)

ve all 12 steps, but it does give us at least two steps, and a "serenity prayer" for our particular addiction. In this penultimate episode dealing with Walter Brueggemann's Out of Babylon I discuss the themes that emerge in the last chapter dealing with accommodation and resistance to empire. Brueggemann is unflinching in his warning to US Christians that they have verged from accommodation, which is sometimes necessary, to capitulation, which is inexcusable and amounts to idolatry and rejection of "local identity" or strong community values. … More 12 Step Program for Christians Addicted to Empire (Out of Babylon 6 audio)

Why read Edmund Burke? In this introduction I explain that his classical conservatism is more of a way of thinking than it is an ideology, and as such it is flexible. It is also practical, and we need more of that in a time in which too many waste their efforts in theorizing for its own sake (or worse) just attacking the "other side." … More Introduction to Edmund Burke and Reflections on the Revolution in France

The first part of Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution of France takes on England's Revolution Society and Rev. Richard Price, whom Burke considered a dangerous and radical agitator. We begin to see that Burke does not like mixing religion and politics, and he dislikes politics practiced with religious zeal. He argues that there is a big difference between the Glorious Revolution in England in 1688 and the French Revolution of 1789. Is he right? … More Edmund Burke: Is Revolution Ever OK? (Reflections 2)

After defending the English Revolution of 1688 as a thing of a different and more respectable sort than the French Revolution of 1789, Burke goes on to argue against universal rights in favor of the particular rights of particular people. He believes that people receive their rights through inheritance from past practice, and that the … More Edmund Burke’s Noble Lie (Reflections 3)

I discuss Edmund Burke's views on the "Rights of Man" as advocated by the French Revolution, in contrast with what Burke thought of as the rights of human beings living in various nations and communities. Burke critiques the idea of universal natural rights in favor of inherited rights which can be modified and applied differently over time in response to changing conditions and needs. Burke does supply a list of things that people deserve as members of society and puts them forward as the real rights of men. … More Edmund Burke on “The Rights of Man” (Reflections 4)

Do you think being grateful while eating your turkey is the best thing you could be doing today? Here are some thoughts to agitate you (and maybe get you to drink one less beer) on this US holiday. Along the way we ponder the "Metaverse" of Mark Zuckerberg's dreams, why charity might not be the very best thing you could do, and why word vomiting on others is an activity to avoid--maybe particularly today. … More Ten Things to Consider (Thanksgiving Greetings ft. Zuckerberg’s Metaverse)

theory stream I tap into is Burkean conservatism. Because I'm doing a series on Burke right now, I thought I'd read the section from the draft introduction that has to do with classical conservatism. … More Edmund Burke vs. US Conservatives. Reading From My Latest Book Project: The Gap in God’s Country

all of them good for either the giver or receiver. This video focuses on how to be a good receiver, preferably not of Christmas largesse but of giving on a daily basis. To encourage generosity in others, being a positive receiver is necessary. Receiving without guilt and without giving a guilt trip is a way that you can move beyond the liberal capitalist transactional framework in your own life. This is not as easy as it sounds, as you will run very interesting feelings and resistances that will illuminate how messed up our world currently is when it comes to sharing and caring for each other. … More Consider: Receiving is Giving. Real Generosity is Rejecting Transactionalism

ell known for his critique of liberal ideology and his defense of the church as its own community that should be something different than "the world." His thought lends itself to communitarianism and challenges the growth of Christian Nationalism and Constantinianism in our day. This video introduces Hauerwas's life and some of his big ideas and is the beginning of a series derived from two of his books: A Community of Character: Toward a Constructive Christian Social Ethic, and Christian Existence Today: Essays on Church, World, and Living In-Between. … More Introduction to Stanley Hauerwas

In his book Christian Existence Today, "A Christian Critique of Christian America," Stanley Hauerwas takes on American civil religion. Understanding why most Christian positions toward the state aren't good enough will help us determine what Christianity might look like if we stopped pursuing it through the state, ideologies and politics. … More Why Not School Prayer? Hauerwas’s Christian Critique of Christian America

cussing different views of virtue that developed at different times in history but are still with us, either as ghosts or as confused and contradictory aspirations. I suggest a new view of virtue has taken over, hyper-bourgeois virtue. … More Virtue: Ancient, Christian, Bourgeois, Hyper-Bourgeois

auerwas deals skeptically with both political and religious virtue, but holds out hope for a type of political virtue within church. His treatment in Christian Existence Today is a bit cursory, but it's thought provoking. The second half of this video deals with the problems of community and political virtue in church. Hint: it doesn't mean joining team red or blue. … More Political and Religious Virtue: Really?

I'm going to change it up a little in the New Year. More to come on what to expect from Spencer Hess, an interviewee and a new contributor to this channel! https://pmaurin.org

On this video: Hauerwas writes about the state of universities and liberal arts colleges, particularly but not exclusively religious colleges. Many of the problems he sees and the aspirations he holds dear can be applied to any modern university or college. I trace key elements of Hauerwas's argument and sift them through my own perspective as an educator. Universities are not in good shape and do not seem to be poised for a positive turn. What is the point of higher education ideally and really? … More The State of University Address

New contributor.Spencer Hess introduces his take on Native: Identity, Belonging and Rediscovering God by Kaitlin Curtice. How did we get in our own way? SH's reaction to Kaitlyn Curtice's book Native begins to indicate the way. For more from us: https://pmaurin.org … More PMC Decadence: Going ‘Native,’ Radical Liberalism Gone to Seed 1 (Contributor: Spencer)

In this second part of his series on the decadence and detournement of the educated liberal professional managerial class, Spencer Hess gives us, among other things, a litany of evil systems (both Kaitlin Curtice's and his own). We also get a peak into the futility of thinking that the solution to all the problems humans create is to educate them. The cat also helps answer one of his questions. … More Softer, Better, Slower, Juster: Radical Liberalism Gone to Seed 2 (Contributor: Spencer)

e summer seminar, fill out this brief form: https://forms.gle/WxikMpNx1M64GeTEA … More Hatching Plans for a New Podcast, Seminar and Beyond

In this longer original cut, Spencer explores the distinction between wishes and results via the "Underpants Gnome" model of magical thinking made famous in the Southpark episode we all know and love. … More Rad-Lib’s Magical Thinking: Sterile Seeds–Longer Cut ft. South Park (Contributor: Spencer) 3

Spencer begins a discussion on the mercurial PMCs (professional managerial class). Ft. Matt Christman's wisdom. … More Boats ‘N Huevos Rancheros: Radical Liberalism Gone to Seed 4 (Contributor: Spencer, audio)

Permaculture is one area where there is some promise for agreement even in our politically polarized environment. This is a discussion from Environmental Political Thought of the ideas of Dave Holmgren, co-founder of the Permaculture movement, and Jack Spirko who, although from the other end of the political spectrum (seemingly) also likes permaculture ideas. … More Permaculture: Left and Right (Environmental Political Thought) ft. Holmgren and Spirko

right march, tweet and put flags on their pickup trucks. Their main accomplishment is to blame the other side for their favorite problems, expiate their responsibility and guilt, and eliminate the possibility of positive change on any of their issues. Spencer and Laurie focus in on the US left, because their disappointment in that group is more profound. … More Stop the Culture Wars: A Plea to the US Left (ft. Chris Cutrone, Matt Christman & Catherine Liu)

I'm having trouble with posting the podcast to iTunes, so I'm trying again with our latest conversation to see what happens! … More Stop the Culture Wars: A Plea to the US Left (ft. Chris Cutrone, Matt Christman, Catherine Liu)

Contributor Spencer Hess discusses excerpts from Christopher Lasch's The Culture of Narcissism characterizing Therapeutic "culture." … More Christopher Lasch’s Introduction to “The Therapeutic” (Audio)

earlier series on John Maynard Keynes's view of the aftermath of WWI and the failure of the Treaty of Versailles to create a lasting peace, the remarks of political scientist John Mearsheimer give a perspective on the Russia/Ukraine conflict that you won't hear on the news. … More The Realist View of Ukraine/Russia: John Mearsheimer on the “Thucydides View”

Contributor Spencer Hess showcases extensive excerpts from T.J. Jackson Lears' No Place of Grace, futher characterizing Therapeutic "culture." … More T.J. Jackson Lears on “Evasive Banality”

How do we respond to the Russia-Ukraine war? Do we use it as yet another opportunity to signal our feelings and positions, but without any real commitment other than to our own narcissism? If we aren't in the conflict, we have a certain luxury (or we think we have) to do so. But the existence of nuclear weapons should be a sobering factor that guides us as we try to find a resolution. In the shadow of the consecration of the world , and particularly Russia and Ukraine, to our Holy Mother Mary, Theotokos, Spencer and I dare to contemplate some enduring obstacles to peace-making. Consecration of Russia, Ukraine and the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. … More The Unreality of War and the Nuclear Threat

Contributor Spencer Hess ends his series on Kaitlin B. Curtice's Native, critiquing PMC smugness and inconsistency, concluding with a brief Marxian & Christian-Anarchist critique. Works Cited: Can the PMC Control Capitalism? (ft Catherine Liu (Diet Soap): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAQ1INh9MQw Klein Vs. Klein (The New Inquiry): https://thenewinquiry.com/klein-vs-klein/ Too Many Karens! (Matt Christman): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJBV9eTFsIs … More PMC Obscenity

in a series on the Ancient Greek historian Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, with an emphasis on using Thucydidean realism to understand events in International relations. Thucydides begins his work with an "archeology," a history of ancient times. Through it, we begin to see his take on human nature and the dynamics of power. I begin with a brief discussion of Hans Morgenthau's "old fashioned realism." … More Thucydidean Realism: The Emergence of Rivals (1)

This is always a hotly contested question, no matter the war. Thucydides teaches that the real cause was not the declaration of war by Sparta that officially started the Peloponnesian War, but the imbalance of power created by Athenian aggression over time relative to the Spartan reticence to act. Thucydides is teaching that wars are determined years in advance. It is the creation of the conditions of war that we need to look at to explain any given war. … More Who Started the War? Thucydidean Realism 2

At the beginning of the Peloponnesian War, Athenian leader Pericles took the helm as first general and leader. His first two speeches exhort the Athenians to stay strong in war and praise Athens in the context of a funeral for the first to die. In his funeral speech, Pericles almost forgets the dead soldiers in his love panegyric to Athenian glory. The implications are discussed from the point of view of the general problem of state worship. … More Pericles’ Funeral Oration and State Worship: Thucydidean Realism (3)

In the wake of the most recent pandemic, it's important to realize that the political effects of plague have been known and discussed for a long time. Thucydides has something to say about the political effects of the fear and suffering that come from disease. This episode in the history of the Peloponnesian War gives us plenty to think about regarding the destabilizing effects of pandemics, the pressures on and opportunities for politicians, and the fickle nature of the people--they'll bounce right back even from plague and recommit themselves to imperial domination and mayhem. … More Pandemic Strikes Politics: On the Plague of Athens (Thucydidean Realism 4)

A lot of pain and dehumanizing damage in the world takes place due to "technical rationality," which Hannah Arendt referred to as the "banality of evil." Here I discuss the baby formula shortage as an example of how "wicked problems" are caused by layers and layers of failures that can be traced back to a lack of fundamental responsibility. In our world, no one is responsible except for the discrete part they play in the overall machine whose inhuman, abstract, and often "CYA" formulations govern their responses and behavior. The evil of non-being comes through in the inertia of organizations and the inaction and conformity of lots of people over long periods of time. … More Baby Formula Shortage and Technocratic Evil

This is a section of my ongoing seminar on Christian Anarchism, Summer 2022. Why is it so hard for people to break free of the liberal world view and actually see and take up the challenge, and the life and action-altering depth of a religious commitment? With their insistence that Christianity and government are not friends but foes, Christian anarchists may help us recognize our own blockages and accept (at least a little) the challenge. … More Why Is It So Hard to Change Anything? Christian Anarchism 1, Clip (ft. the Radical Liberal Chomsky)

The second session of the Summer 2022 Christian Anarchism seminar went deeper into major themes in Christian Anarchism, including the importance of the Sermon on the Mount. The Jesus that emerges in that sermon is a revolutionary, but not the typical type. The ideas in the sermon and elsewhere in Jesus’ teaching reveal a God … More Why Religion and Politics Don’t Go Together (Christian Anarchism Clip 2)

In this segment from the third session in the ongoing Summer Seminar, I discuss the Just War reasoning that argues against the pacifism held by most Christian Anarchists. … More Just War Theory: The Argument for a Middle Path (Christian Anarchism Clip 3)

In this selection from the final session of Summer Seminar 2022 on Christian Anarchism, I discuss Dorothy Day's background and motivation for co-founding the Catholic Worker movement with Peter Maurin. Dorothy Day is currently being considered for sainthood by the Catholic Church, and there is a growing interest in her philosophy and work. The Maurin Academy's next short series, on Agricultural biotechnology and information technology, will start in late August. Sign up on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/agriculture-biotechnology-the-information-economy-tickets-373417821757 … More Who Was Dorothy Day? (Christian Anarchism Clip 5)

Abortion in the US is a part of the torn social fabric that pro-life Christians, along with everyone else, have created.Without taking real responsibility for that reality, the changes in state law will probably just make things worse. What would Christians have to do next to be truly pro-life and to abandon what Pope John Paul II called the culture of death? … More Why Overturning Roe is Not a Victory

In this segment from the fourth session of the Christian Anarchism Summer Seminar, I discuss the pros and cons of communities like the Amish and Bruderhof. The inherently exclusive nature of such communities is both heir strength and weakness. Is there any way to learn from them while doing something that includes more people and thus has more promise for solving social and environmental problems? The Maurin Academy's next short series, on Agricultural biotechnology and information technology will start in late August. Sign up on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/agriculture-biotechnology-the-information-economy-tickets-373417821757 … More The Amish and Bruderhof Are Partly Right (Christian Anarchism Clip 4)

Returning to my ongoing series on Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, I discuss the events and meaning of the Corcyrean Revolution, including proxy war, ideological conflict, irreligion and fanaticism. The Maurin Academy's next short series, on Agricultural biotechnology and information technology will start in late August. Sign up on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/agriculture-biotechnology-the-information-economy-tickets-373417821757 … More The Root Cause of Civil War (Thucydidean Realism 5)

I read the Melian Dialogue, a central episode in Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, and offer some commentary on the most significant parts. Thucydides' realism is not identical to the Athenians' realism, which is more deterministic and extreme. … More “The Strong Do What They Can and the Weak Suffer What They Must:” The Melian Dialogue (Thucydides 6)

Here's a brief overview of the values and purpose of the Maurin Academy. The Dustbowl Diatribes podcast can be found on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Audible. Spotify thought we were a music business... Help us spread the word: https://pmaurin.org/donate/ … More What’s the Maurin Academy

Launching from a discussion of the Melian Dialogue in Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, Laurie Johnson discusses how the extravagant figure Alcibiades factored in to Athens eventual demise. The Melians' warnings were not heard during the dialogue, but they were felt as Athens was lured into disaster by this most fascinating charismatic character. … More Love and Betrayal Brings Down Ancient Athens (Thucydides 7)

In this segment from the Maurin Academy's short series on Agricultural Biotechnology and the Information Economy, Jakob Hanschu introduces some of McKenzie Wark's ideas from The Hacker Manifesto that apply to the critique of modern corporate agricultural development supplied by Jack Kloppenberg's First the Seed. … More Hackers v. Vectoralists or Percy v. Goliath (Maurin Academy Short Series Pt 1: Jakob Hanshu)

This is a segment from Laurie Johnson's presentation in the first session of The Maurin Academy's Fall 2022 short series on Agricultural Biotechnology and the Information Economy. She is guided by information from the first part of Jack Kloppenberg's First the Seed. The short series with Laurie Johnson and Jakob Hanschu brings Kloppenberg's scholarship to bear on McKenzie Wark's The Hacker Manifesto, and vice versa. … More Should Seeds Be Mere Commodities?

Discussing how Mackenzie Wark's Hacker Manifesto applies to big Ag moves Laurie Johnson into some thoughts on information technology has not only not saved our world but made it worse? … More Meta-Morphed: Is There Any Reason for Techno-Utopian Optimism?

Laurie Johnson discusses McKenzie Wark's treatment of "envelope" politics and liberal accelerationism, and what politics Wark envisions if the hacker class gains a sense of their own power. Wark reveals the limits of the liberal representative state in an interesting way. … More A Hacker Manifesto: Wark on Envelope and Accelerationist Politics

In this clip from Laurie Johnson's presentation in the last session of the Maurin Academy's Agricultural Biotechnology series, the problem of automation for people who need jobs the world over is discussed. The impact on ideological movements, especially right-wing nationalism, is featured in the last half of the clip. … More Retool for What? The Dark Side of Automation (Maurin Academy)

Laurie discusses some of DC Schindler's main themes in his introduction and first chapter in The Politics of the Real: The Church Between Liberalism and Integralism. Among the arguments Schindler makes that are challenging to contemporary sensibilities: that the combination of Christianity with Roman Institutions was not a mistake but somehow an unfolding of Christianity's presence in the world, and that Liberalism is a "dis-incarnation" that strikes at the root of Christianity itself and is inherently atheistic. … More Liberalism vs. Christianity (DC Schindler’s The Politics of the Real–2)

Get ready for a series on DC Schindler's The Politics of the Real: The Church Between Liberalism and Integralism. This video introduces Schindler as a scholar. I discuss why I want to read his book, and something of the larger context of which it is a part. What do we make of a book written primarily for a Catholic audience, and an informed one at that? How do we approach it--and why should we do so? … More The Politics of the Real by DC Schindler: Intro to Series

Laurie discusses Chapters 1 and 2 of DC Schindler's The Politics of the Real: The Church Between Liberalism and Integralism, In this section, she concentrates on what Schindler thinks is the fallout of liberalism, what we've gained during the rise of liberalism, why "Nature's God" is a generic or empty God, and why the American founding was not a Christian event. … More Was the American Founding a Christian Event? (Politics of the Real, 3)

Laurie focuses on chapter 3 of DC Schindler's The Politics of the Real. In this chapter, Schindler argues that liberal structures cannot create real community, so even communitarian proposals for doing so fall short. Schindler also begins to hint at what he thinks would do so better. … More How Can Community Be Built? (Politics of the Real 4)

In this segment of Laurie's series on DC Schindler's The Politics of the Real, she focuses on Schindler's critique of liberal rights and his proposal for theorizing positive rights using teleological thinking. … More Redefining Rights: Positive, Teleological Right (Politics of the Real, 5)

Laurie discusses Ch. 5 of DC Schinder's The Politics of the Real having to do with property and extends the reasoning into corporate property and the environment. … More The Meaning of Ownership (Politics of the Real 6)

Laurie discusses DC Schindler's views on the limitations of liberal religious toleration and his argument for a better toleration that coincides with increased influence or even establishment of the Catholic Church. This subject allows Laurie to contrast Schindler's views with those of Christian anarchists and anti-empire theologians, and to explore whether or not Schindler's views are, in fact, utopian, or at least unconsciously still influenced by Enlightenment thinking. … More Should We Be More Tolerant–Or Will Our Brains Fall Out? (Politics of the Real 7)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events (no donation necessary): https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More The Private is Public (Politics of the Real 8)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More What’s Wrong With Democracy? (Politics of the Real 9)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More Why Read the Classics? Intro to Plato’s Gorgias: on Democratic Politics (ft. cat)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More Lies or “Rhetoric?” Socrates on Deceptive Democratic Speech (Gorgias 2)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ Maurin Academy Patreon: https://patreon.com/user?u=81568975&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/the-maurin-academy-311669 Dustbowl Diatribes podcast can be found on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Audible. Spotify thought we were a music business… For more from us: https://pmaurin.org https://lauriemjohnson.com/ https://politicalphilosophy.video.blog/ … More Should Speech and Debate Teachers Be Blamed for Bad Politicians? (Gorgias 3)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ Maurin Academy Patreon: https://patreon.com/user?u=81568975&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link … More Do Democracies Produce Tyrants? (Gorgias 4)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More Callicles, The Ancient Nietzsche, Rips Democracy (Gorgias 5)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ Maurin Academy Patreon: https://patreon.com/user?u=81568975&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/the-maurin-academy-311669 Dustbowl Diatribes podcast can be found on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Audible. Spotify thought we were a music business… For more from us: https://pmaurin.org https://lauriemjohnson.com/ https://politicalphilosophy.video.blog/ … More Who’s the Real Man? Socrates vs. Callicles II (Gorgias 5) ft. Hobbes

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More Does Democracy Demand Noble Lies? (Gorgias 6)

As we head into the weekend, contemplating the meaning of Good Friday and Easter event, Spencer and Laurie discuss the need for leadership from Christian pastors and others on the care for our common home and the building of fruitful community. Why do almost all of them not talk about it, or if anything at all, pass the buck to non-church leaders and organizations to try the liberal move of lobbying? What would solid, integral leadership on this issue really be like? Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for our free newsletter, which lists future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events. https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More Special Dustbowl Diatribes:  Lenten Murmurings on Capability and Culpability

Laurie is working on another book, following up on Ideological Possession and the Rise of the New Right with a book that more explicitly explains the religious dimensions of the current ideological divisions. This selection of the draft deals with, among other things, the difference between genuine conservatism and the radical liberalism of Milton Friedman. … More Ideological Strong-Arming: Milton Friedman’s “Free to Choose.” (A reading from my draft manuscript)

Spencer and Laurie interview Brian Zahnd, pastor of Word of Life Church, St. Joseph, MO. We discuss why some people decide to break from destructive ideas of faith, like Christian nationalism, and why many don't. We also have a conversation about the church's mission and what its role should be on grave issues like environmental destruction and war. … More What Lies Beyond Christian Nationalism? Interview w/ Brian Zahnd on Seemingly Simple Matters (Dustbowl Diatribes 2.12 cross post)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More Introduction to Eric Voegelin: Gnosticism and Ideological Mass Movements

Sign up for Spencer's series on Romano Guardini's The End of the Modern World by becoming a Patron, or by registering on Eventbrite.  Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events. … More Dustbowl Diatribes Season 3 Preview (ft. Spencer’s Class on Guardini’s The End of the Modern World)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More Eric Voegelin on the Search for Truth (2)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More Marx, Nietzsche and Eric Voegelin (Science, Politics & Gnosticism 3)

Please fill out this form to be put on the email list for future Maurin Academy seminars, short series and other events: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ … More The “Death of God”: Its Meaning and Significance (Voegelin 4) ft. Marx & Nietzsche

This is a short selection from Laurie's monthly political philosophy talk. This one was a reprise of a keynote talk she recently gave in Germany. In this section, the topic is the modern university and how faculty and students are impacted by neoliberal trends and management in higher education. If you like this, consider getting the entire talk, and a whole lot more, by becoming a patron of The Maurin Academy: Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/maurinacademy … More Higher Education at a Crossroads (From Monthly Political Philosophy Talk)

Laurie explains Eric Voegelin's concept of ideologies as "ersatz" or false religions. Follow the Maurin Academy on Twitter and Instagram for notifications about upcoming events, and get our free newsletter: https://pmaurin.org/newsletter/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/maurinacademy … More Eric Voegelin: Ideologies as “Ersatz Religions”

David Holmgren, one of the founders of the permaculture movement, has provided useful analysis by thinking through various scenarios involving descent from peak oil supply and how they interact with various climate change scenarios. … More Holmgren’s Energy Descent & Climate Change Scenarios: Are We in ‘Brown Tech?’

Why study the Liberal Arts and Sciences even if you aren't in college, or in college but studying something else? Laurie has a conversation with the Editor in Chief of The Front Porch Republic and an Associate Professor of English at Grove City College about a book that he has co-edited, entitled The Liberating Arts: Why We Need Liberal Arts Education. … More What’s Happened to the Liberating Arts? An Interview with Jeffrey Bilbro of the Front Porch Republic

Laurie finishes up her series on Eric Voegelin's short book with some observations about how Voegelin's idea might be useful for us. … More Take-Aways From Eric Voegelin’s Science, Politics & Gnosticism (6)