100 episodes

Is there any hope at all of building and maintaining a free society? If so, how? If you are among "the remnant", this might be the show for you. See blog & discussion at: https://bretigne.substack.com/

What Then Must We Do‪?‬ Bretigne

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.6 • 14 Ratings

Is there any hope at all of building and maintaining a free society? If so, how? If you are among "the remnant", this might be the show for you. See blog & discussion at: https://bretigne.substack.com/

    Fostering Virtue in Boys: A Tale of Ethics, Technology, and Publishing with Samuel Bornman

    Fostering Virtue in Boys: A Tale of Ethics, Technology, and Publishing with Samuel Bornman

    I speak with Samuel Bornman, author of "Of Wizards and Warriors", the first in a fantasy adventure series written from a Christian perspective, with boys in mind. We talk about what boys need from fiction that they're not getting, some of the problems with modern children's literature, transhumanism and our relationship with technology, and why Samuel has had trouble getting his book into Christian bookstores.

    You can find "Of Wizards and Warriors" on Amazon.

    Samuel writes on Substack, here.

    And if you sign up for his newsletter, here, Samuel will send you a free short story that he has written!

    • 54 min
    Are Libertarians Wrong to Favor Open Immigration?

    Are Libertarians Wrong to Favor Open Immigration?

    Like most libertarians, The Brownstone Institute's Jeff Tucker has long been a proponent of open borders. So have I. But we both feel that events of the past few years require a more thoughtful response than the standard anti-state-border rhetoric. Including, perhaps, admissions that we've been wrong all along.

    Have we?

    Jeff and I explore some of the complexities of the current crisis along the southern border of the US, the Texas standoff, and immigration more generally. What's happening at the border goes well beyond what we generally think of as "immigration", and Jeff and I talk about what's behind that, and the ways in which immigrants are being used to further political agendas and disrupt the democratic process. We also talk about ways in which the post-9-11 tightening of immigration restrictions have exacerbated the problem.

    I talk a little about my experience living in Japan – a country with strict immigration controls, and a strong, cohesive culture that I don't think many Americans can relate to. And as much as government management of immigration has created problems and allowed for immigration to be weaponized, it's not entirely clear that a stateless society would have the ability to produce or protect cultural cohesion in this way. (Although, to be fair, in most of the world, the state fails at this too.)

    SPOILER: We don't come away with any answers. But we both agree that these are questions that need to be wrestled with, and we will continue to wrestle.

    Related: My recent conversation with Bob Murphy has some insights on the stateless society that are relevant to this conversation.

    • 1 hr 7 min
    Doing Elder Care Right - with Hal Cranmer

    Doing Elder Care Right - with Hal Cranmer

    "A Paradise for Parents" is not your ordinary assisted-living facility. While the past four years have witnessed elder care descend to what can only be described as abusive levels of isolation and neglect, Hal Cranmer, who heads up "A Paradise for Parents'" five locations in Arizona, does things very differently.

    We talk about Hal's approach to giving his elderly residents their best possible lives, including a commitment to dietary and exercise regimes that have helped many to improve both physical and mental health. Hal says they've actually had seven residents go back to their own homes because their conditions improved to the point where they no longer needed supportive care.

    We talk about the remarkable effects of a low-carb diet and the promise it holds for those struggling with memory issues, and about Hal's partnership with "A Mind for All Seasons", an organization that is doing groundbreaking work to slow cognitive decline.

    We also talk about Hal's recent Twitter spat with former US Surgeon General Jerome Adams, who was not happy to hear that "A Paradise for Parents" was not locking down its residents out of fear of a virus.

    The elder-care industry could stand to learn a lot from Hal Cranmer.

    Links:

    A Paradise for Parents (with the Bohemian Rhapsody parody video).

    A Mind for All Seasons.

    Apollo Health.

    The Bredesen Protocol.

    • 54 min
    To Heal Healthcare, Get Government Out

    To Heal Healthcare, Get Government Out

    I speak with economist Bob Murphy about what needs to happen in order to heal the deep dysfunction that is healthcare in America. If you think we can "reform" our way out of this mess, you might need to listen to this interview. We unravel the complexities of regulation, the insurance industry, licensing, and what an alternative way might look like.

    Bob's book on "surviving the sick-care sinkhole" is here.

    The Bob Murphy show is here, and you can find Bob on Twitter here.

    My recent episode on medical licensing can be found here, and my September 2021 episode with Keith Smith, of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, is here.

    • 56 min
    What is Anarcho Capitalism? And What's So Good About it?

    What is Anarcho Capitalism? And What's So Good About it?

    When newly elected President of Argentina Javier Milei described his anarcho-capitalist position, he referenced economist Bob Murphy's Chaos Theory. So I asked Bob to come on the show and explain to everyone what anarcho capitalism IS.

    We cover a lot of ground in this one, discussing how a society could operate with privatized justice, law enforcement, and even defense, and taking on all of the usual objections, from the control of nuclear weaponry to preventing new states from arising. Bob even answers the age-old question: Why should anarcho capitalists move to Somalia?

    Prepare to have your perceptions of governance and societal organization challenged.

    Bob Murphy is a renowned Austrian economist. His podcast is The Bob Murphy Show, and he is on Twitter. His essays on anarcho-capitalist principles, "Chaos Theory", can be found here and here.

    He also speaks about anarcho capitalism here and here.

    Hayek's "Law, Legislation, and Liberty" is here.

    And the article by Benjamin Powell, "Somalia After State Collapse: Chaos or Improvement?" can be found here.

    • 1 hr 46 min
    Was Jesus an Anarchist?

    Was Jesus an Anarchist?

    "Good cops kill Jesus," says Dominic Scarcella, author of "Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen: Reflections on the core social conflict revealed by Jesus Christ's Way of the Cross."

    We cover a lot of ground in this interview: Can one be a good neighbor and also a "good citizen"? Or are the two fundamentally at odds? Should Christians put their faith in the authority of the Bible, or religious leaders? Or are they responsible for discerning truth for themselves? When and how did Jesus' church become more aligned with "good citizenship" than with good neighborliness? How does one find a spiritual community that is aligned with the true principles taught by Jesus? And of course... was Jesus an anarchist?

    Dom blogs here, and you can find him on Twitter here.

    You can find his book, "Good Neighbor, Bad Citizen" at Amazon (paperback), Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (paperback), Barnes & Noble (ebook), and Lulu (paperback).

    It's a fantastic little book, and will make a wonderful Christmas gift for some of the more thoughtful people in your life!

    • 1 hr 22 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
14 Ratings

14 Ratings

FireSign76 ,

Great info and well presented

I really appreciate this podcast. Not only is the subject matter relevant and informative, but the host has a wonderful speaking voice, great interviewing skills and I always finish an episode with more knowledge and understanding. Thank you!

rttrrttr ,

Felt secondhand embarrassment for the host

Looked interesting at first, but the first episode I tried had a guest talking absolute nonsense pseudoscience about earthquakes. A literal middle schooler could debunk him. I was actually embarrassed for the host who had to talk to him and pretend anything he said was reasonable.

Bgm79oh ,

Must listen!

A constant and steady voice in the darkness. I am happy to recommend this podcast to anyone seeking to expand their views on the world and how to best navigate it!

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