Doomer Optimism

Doomer Optimism
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Doomer Optimism is a podcast dedicated to discovering regenerative paths forward, highlighting the people working for a better world, and connecting seekers to doers. Beyond that, it's pretty much a $hitshow. Enjoy!

  1. 2d ago

    DO 314 - Southeastern Grasslands Institute with Dwayne Estes and Peter Allen

    I met Dwayne at a chance encounter at the Aspen Ideas festival in Chicago which my new buddy Samuel Kimbriel invited me to attend. I was feeling a little lonely and alienated there, lots of technocrats, and up to me walks Dwayne who saw my tag said optimism and he said “I am just about the most optimistic guy you’ll meet!” I saw his tag from the Southeastern Grasslands Institute and I instantly knew this was someone I’d need to have on the pod. Unsurprisingly I tapped Peter Allen to co-host with me and these two were fast friends! Oak savannah ecosystem nerds unite! Enjoy this episode! If you want to support Dwayne’s work, consider attending the Eastern Native Grasslands Symposium conference: https://www.engsymposium.org/home or finding their work here: https://www.segrasslands.org/

  2. Oct 6

    DO 313 - Stephen Adubato from Cracks in Postmodernity

    I met Stephen this summer at the Woodcrest Bruderhof + DO + Savage Collective event in NY. Alan from Plough suggested Stephen for a panel and he instantly agreed! He gave a fantastic talk about the wonderful characters in his neighborhood, and the very real sense of place that happens when you invite the colorful characters into your life. He had to run off to a family event after but he and I instantly hit it off and are slowly but surely planning a DO + Cracks in Pomo event in Manhattan, once we find the right format and speakers. In this episode we cover: Stephen’s background Postmodernism and the return of religion Suburban disenchantment Living tradition vs. traditionalism Civic life over culture war The Staten Island saint feast and MAGA Roots, immigration, and integration Humor, friction, and HR culture Subsidiarity and overcentralization The Catholic Worker and in-person events Follow Stephen's work at: https://cracksinpomo.substack.com/

  3. Sep 25

    DO 312 - Wendell Berry Retrospective with Jason, Ashley, Nate and Donald

    Jason initiated this get together of some of the original DO crew to discuss the life, work and legacy of Wendell Berry. It is no secret that Berry’s work has been an animating force for nearly everyone orbiting DO, especially those of us interested in food and ag systems. We discuss not only the legacy of Berry’s nonfiction work — how he suggested the agricultural system would collapse and so far it largely hasn’t, but also his fiction and poetry which actually has a great contribution on love, companionship, and romance.

  4. Sep 17

    DO 311 - Mike Healy Manufacturing Community

    Every once in a while someone comes into the DO world and it is so clear how well they fit in it’s amazing you hadn’t found them yet! This is true of Mike, Chicagoan, Northsider (boo!), who has a vision for how to make good things in the world and is working to do so. Right now that looks like a manufacturing business he started, but Mike talks through his whole trajectory from fancy universities, working in politics, Chicago river ship boat captain, to trying to revitalize middle side American cities (with the help of Nick Offerman). You can support Mike’s work here: www.wilmot-productions.com

  5. Sep 3

    DO 310 - Chapter House with Josh and Hannah Centers

    This episode explores how Josh and Hannah Centers built Chapter House, a publishing project designed to restore beautiful, culturally literate children’s books to homeschool families. From Homer and Shakespeare to Beowulf, Greek myth, and Our Island Story, they explain why classic literature still matters for forming attention, imagination, and virtue in a distracted age. They also share the homeschooling experiences that shaped their philosophy, including Hannah’s background as a public school teacher, their journey with a dyslexic child, and why Charlotte Mason’s ideas about habit training and whole-person education continue to guide their work. Josh makes the case that the liberal arts are even more important in the age of AI, while Hannah describes how the right book can open a reluctant reader’s world. If you care about education, great books, or raising kids with depth and resilience, this conversation offers a thoughtful and hopeful vision for what learning can be.

  6. Aug 29

    DO 309 - Bill Kauffman

    "But at Least They're Human: Face-to-Face Living -- With Joy and Without Illusions"From the conference: Another Life is Possible co-organized by the Woodcrest Bruderhof community, Doomer Optimism and Savage Collective, July 2026https://doomeroptimism.substack.com/p/do-308-bill-kauffman

  7. Aug 14

    DO 308 - Growing Pecans with Lenny Wells

    Tom and Jason talk to Lenny Wells - pecan farmer and extension agent - about growing pecans in Georgia, the cultural and ecological factors. Along the way we also discuss: -how he got into pecans -his book on pecans -consulting with a pecan farmer in Spain -his love for Wendell Berry, and -fly-fishing in Montana Enjoy!

  8. Aug 3

    DO 307 - Microcolleges with Jacob Hundt

    In this episode Ashley and Jacob discuss the concept of microcolleges, and examples of alternative educational models writ large. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro: Exploring education, community, and sustainability 02:27 - How a class on sustainable development shifted a life trajectory 04:02 - Higher education as transformative yet bureaucratic: a nuanced view 06:20 - The role of micro-colleges as laboratories for alternative education models 08:20 - Microcollege principles: human scale, place-based focus, holistic curriculum 10:12 - Experiential learning in agriculture and sustainability in Uruguay 13:19 - Moving to Uruguay: motivation, land, community, and self-sufficiency 16:26 - The influence of environmental sociology and fieldwork on education 18:13 - Rizoma and regenerative agriculture: connecting resources across bioregions 23:21 - Adapting the Uruguay model to local high schools and legislative advocacy 26:13 - The challenges of bureaucratic hurdles in US-based experiential programs 27:27 - The origins and evolution of Thoreau College in Wisconsin 28:05 - Deep roots in the Driftless region, organic farming, and educational experimentation 29:04 - Waldorf pedagogy, family-centered schooling, and youth leadership 31:51 - Deep Springs College: history, pillars, and self-governance 34:40 - The influence of Nicola Tesla and pioneering education in remote settings 36:27 - The unique, small scale, and community-centered design of Deep Springs and inspired schools 40:34 - Gender, environment, and community: reflections on co-ed versus single-sex models 41:26 - The importance of family and nurturing environments in education communities 43:11 - The role of place-based knowledge and historical understanding in cultivating belonging 45:27 - The holistic curriculum: arts, nature, and expedition-based experiential learning 48:45 - The ethics and profundity of slaughtering animals as a ritual of reverence 50:05 - Broadening perspectives: practical engagement over superficial debates 54:35 - The significance of embodied work, such as farming and outdoor survival skills 55:55 - Building agency through collective effort and sharing tangible skills 62:45 - The impact of experiential and community-based learning on resilience 65:05 - Ideals of subsidiarity and bioregional identity as anchors for local culture 66:39 - The cultural and environmental richness of bioregions like the Driftless 70:47 - The importance of place-based storytelling, native histories, and ecological literacy 75:34 - The power of local, tangible practices versus abstract ideologies 77:26 - The role of shared projects in dissolving superficial divisions 85:12 - Cultivating inner resilience and emotional strength through holistic education 87:11 - Moving from global scale despair to local scale action and empowerment 89:04 - The importance of facing difficulties together and growing through challenge 90:46 - The value of community hubs and bioregional identity in creating hope and agency

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4.7
out of 5
48 Ratings

About

Doomer Optimism is a podcast dedicated to discovering regenerative paths forward, highlighting the people working for a better world, and connecting seekers to doers. Beyond that, it's pretty much a $hitshow. Enjoy!

Information

  • Creator
    Doomer Optimism
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    314
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Doomer Optimism
  • Show Website
    Doomer Optimism

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