That’s What I Meant To Say

James D. Newcomb
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This is a podcast for those who believe words still matter—words that shape us, steady us, and call us to something higher. Hosted by musician and scholar James D. Newcomb, this show explores the deeper currents beneath language, story, philosophy, and the human pursuit of meaning. Here you’ll find reflections, essays, and conversations that invite you to slow down, think deeply, and rediscover the wisdom woven into the world. www.jamesdnewcomb.com

  1. When the Truth Feels Like an Attack

    6D AGO

    When the Truth Feels Like an Attack

    Why do people cling to beliefs even after they’ve been proven wrong? In this episode, we explore what happens in the mind when deeply held beliefs are challenged, why facts alone often fail to persuade, and how emotional investment shapes what we accept as true. Drawing on decades of psychological research, this conversation unpacks why corrections sometimes backfire, why empathy matters more than argument, and how curiosity can open doors that confrontation slams shut. If you’ve ever wondered why misinformation spreads so easily, or why difficult conversations go nowhere, this episode offers clarity—and a more hopeful way forward. Key Themes * Why the brain treats belief challenges like physical threats * How emotional reactions precede logical reasoning * Why more evidence can sometimes make beliefs stronger * The difference between explaining a belief and defending it * Why timing matters when correcting misinformation * How and why detailed corrections can unintentionally backfire * The “truth sandwich” method and why it works * Age, emotion, and susceptibility to misinformation * Motivational interviewing as an alternative to confrontation * Why empathy changes minds more effectively than argument * Winning relationships versus winning debates #BeliefChange#Misinformation#CriticalThinking#Psychology#TruthAndMeaning#CognitiveBias#EmpathyMatters#That’sWhatIMeantToSay#fakenews Get full access to James D. Newcomb at www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe

    8 min
  2. Why Being Right Feels So Good (And Costs Us So Much)

    JAN 27

    Why Being Right Feels So Good (And Costs Us So Much)

    Why do intelligent, well-informed people so often talk past one another? Why do we cling to our beliefs, even when presented with overwhelming evidence that on the surface disproves them? In this episode, we explore a phenomenon known as “Confirmation Bias.” This is the tendency to favor information, even blatantly false, that supports what we already believe to be true. Drawing on research from Harvard University, MIT, and Stanford University, the conversation examines why false information spreads faster than truth, why being proven wrong can literally feel painful, and why facts alone rarely change minds. Rather than focusing on a single event, although it would be easy to do so, this episode looks at how we receive information itself, and why we might do well to question our own certainty in an increasingly polarized world. Get full access to James D. Newcomb at www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe

    8 min
  3. Protestants v. Catholics in America's Founding Era: When Certainty Becomes the Threat

    JAN 21

    Protestants v. Catholics in America's Founding Era: When Certainty Becomes the Threat

    The American Founders are often remembered as champions of reason, restraint, and religious liberty. But beneath that story lies a less examined assumption: a deep certainty about which forms of belief were acceptable—and which were dangerous. In this episode, we revisit some of the important documents of that era, namely Federalist Nos. 10 and 51 and explore how fear of factions, combined with cultural and religious certainty, may have planted seeds of the very instability the Founders hoped to prevent. Rather than treating certainty as a virtue, this conversation asks whether it can quietly become a liability, not just politically, but spiritually and culturally as well. Resources & References * The Federalist Papers– Federalist No. 10 (James Madison on factions)– Federalist No. 51 (Checks, balances, and human nature) * Gordon S. Wood, The Creation of the American Republic * Philip Hamburger, Separation of Church and State * John Courtney Murray, We Hold These Truths #FederalistPapers #AmericanFounding #ReligiousLiberty #PoliticalPhilosophy #ChurchAndState #Certainty #JamesMadison #ThatsWhatIMeantToSay Get full access to James D. Newcomb at www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe

    7 min
  4. The Non-Wall That Has Marginalized Christianity from the American Public Consciousness

    JAN 19

    The Non-Wall That Has Marginalized Christianity from the American Public Consciousness

    Most Americans assume the founders intended a rigid wall between church and state. In fact, many Christians even consider it a great blessing. Yet the historical record tells a more complicated and far more interesting story. In this episode, we examine how the Establishment Clause was originally understood, why the founders opposed state churches while wholesale embracing religion in public life, and how modern interpretations, notably from 20th Century Supreme Court decisions, diverged sharply from those assumptions. #ChurchAndState#FirstAmendment#EstablishmentClause#AmericanFounding#ReligiousFreedom#SupremeCourt#Constitution#PoliticalHistory#CivicVirtue#ThatsWhatIMeantToSay Get full access to James D. Newcomb at www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe

    10 min
  5. Errand Into the Wilderness: Puritans, Power, and the Roots of American Exceptionalism

    JAN 17

    Errand Into the Wilderness: Puritans, Power, and the Roots of American Exceptionalism

    In this episode, we explore how the theology of the New England Puritans shaped a distinctive political imagination—one that continues to echo through American culture, governance, and foreign policy. Drawing on historian Perry Miller’s concept of an “errand into the wilderness,” the conversation reframes the Puritans not as caricatured zealots, but as idealists who believed they were participating in a divine experiment with world-historical consequences. We examine how covenant theology produced a system of collective responsibility, why dissent was treated as an existential threat, and how the Puritan mission failed in practice but survived in secularized form as American exceptionalism. In This Episode * Why the Puritans saw themselves as more than religious refugees * What Perry Miller meant by an “errand into the wilderness” * The idea of America as a “city upon a hill” and the burden of being watched * Covenant theology and the logic of collective moral responsibility * How providence shaped Puritan interpretations of success, failure, and disaster * Why dissent was viewed as dangerous rather than merely disagreeable * The banishment of Roger Williams and the limits of Puritan governance * How the Puritan project failed—and how its moral logic endured * The transformation of religious mission into secular American exceptionalism * Echoes of Puritan moral certainty in modern politics, foreign policy, and corporate culture * The enduring tension between individual freedom and collective responsibility Quotable Moments * “They weren’t just fleeing persecution. They believed they were on a cosmic assignment.” * “Dissent wasn’t disagreement—it was endangering the entire community.” * “The Puritan errand failed as a system, but not as an idea.” * “When political identity fuses with absolute moral certainty, the results are rarely sustainable.” Why This Matters Understanding the Puritans helps explain why Americans so often frame political conflict in moral terms, why national failure feels existential, and why appeals to destiny and responsibility recur across centuries. This episode suggests that the unresolved tensions of the Puritan experiment—between freedom and order, humility and certainty—are still very much with us. Suggested Reading * Perry Miller, Errand into the Wilderness * Mark David Hall, Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land * Daniel Dreisbach and Mark David Hall, The Sacred Rights of Conscience * Francis Jennings, “Puritan Expansion and Indian Resistance” Closing Reflection If the Puritans were idealists whose convictions ultimately made their system unsustainable, what does that suggest about our own confidence in moral clarity today? Well… that’s what I meant to say. Get full access to James D. Newcomb at www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe

    6 min
  6. Interview Archive: Bernard Adelstein

    JAN 16

    Interview Archive: Bernard Adelstein

    In this archived interview, recorded in 2016, James Newcomb speaks with Bernard Adelstein, former principal trumpet of the Cleveland Orchestra, for a wide-ranging conversation on musicianship, discipline, and life inside one of the world’s most exacting orchestras. Mr. Adelstein reflects on his early start as a teenage professional during World War II, the harsh realities of auditions and daily life in American orchestras during the 1950’s and 60’s, and what it was like to perform under legendary conductors such as Fritz Reiner and George Szell. Along the way, he offers candid insights on leadership, precision, humility, and why music critics so often miss the point of that which they’re critiquing entirely. Topics Discussed * Entering the Pittsburgh Symphony at age sixteen * Learning musicianship during World War II * Performing under Fritz Reiner and George Szell * Life inside the Cleveland Orchestra during its golden era * Touring, recording, and winning major awards * The realities and absurdities of orchestral auditions * Why critics matter less than musicians think * Playing The Rite of Spring then and now Keywords: Bernard Adelstein, Cleveland Orchestra, principal trumpet, orchestral trumpet, George Szell, Fritz Reiner, classical music history, professional musicianship, orchestral life Hashtags:#ThatsWhatIMeantToSay#BernardAdelstein#ClevelandOrchestra#PrincipalTrumpet#ClassicalMusic#OrchestralLife#MusicHistory#Trumpet Get full access to James D. Newcomb at www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe

    56 min
  7. The Scroll Precedes the Sword

    JAN 14

    The Scroll Precedes the Sword

    This episode presents a dialogue exploring how religious rhetoric functioned as a form of political power in colonial New England. The conversation examines how Puritan clergy used biblical typology to justify political authority, shape collective identity, and frame historical events as divine confirmation. It also highlights dissenting voices such as Robert Cushman and Roger Williams, whose challenges to this system laid early foundations for religious liberty and the separation of church and state. The discussion traces how these colonial debates continue to echo in modern American political rhetoric. Topics Covered * Biblical typology and Puritan political authority * Religion as a legitimizing force in colonial governance * Robert Cushman’s critique of prophetic nationalism * Roger Williams and the origins of church–state separation * John Cotton and clerical authority * The persistence of “chosen nation” rhetoric in modern America * The enduring power of language to define collective identity Resources Madsen, D. L. (1992). The sword or the scroll: The power of rhetoric in colonial New England. American Studies, 33(1), 45–61. Referenced Figures * John Winthrop * Roger Williams * Robert Cushman * John Cotton * Ronald Reagan Rhetoric, Puritanism, Colonial New England, Roger Williams, Church and State, American Exceptionalism, Political Language, Power and Identity #RhetoricAndPower#ColonialAmerica#ChurchAndState#PoliticalLanguage#AmericanOrigins Get full access to James D. Newcomb at www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe

    7 min
  8. It's Not What It Was

    JAN 6

    It's Not What It Was

    I had a conversation with the founder of a pretty well-known American brass group yesterday. We were talking about a possible collaboration for an event here in Minnesota later this year. If anything comes of it, I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as there’s anything to report. But something this gentleman said to me stuck out from everything else we discussed. When he began his group in the 1980’s, things were very different from what they are today. For one thing, the attention span of audiences was considerably longer than they are today. I’m guilty as charged when it comes to that. It’s a struggle to not glance at that iPhone every 22.4 seconds to see if any new messages or “notifications” have come in. Of course, nothing ever does, but that doesn’t stop me from checking anyway. Another thing is the level of competition. Back in the 80’s there were a few brass groups that had sort of cornered the market when it came to that type of thing. By “that type of thing” I mean a particular style of music, i.e. classical with a touch of jazz. There’s actually a name for this weird combination. Jazzical. To true jazz musicians, “jazzical” is basically what Americans have done with Chinese food, what with General Tso’s chicken and the like. But I digress. The real competition was among these various brass groups within the American market of young musicians in school band programs. Today the competition is the couch. Why spend an evening to go to a concert, and deal with traffic and parking, when you can sit at home and watch a movie on Netflix? Nowadays, the few live groups that are still around are kind of in the same boat, facing the same realities that modern-day technologies and conveniences have brought. It’s not like rivalries don’t exist. It’s just that they’ve taken a back seat to the need to simply survive. So in some ways, this has encouraged a bit more collaboration and camaraderie between rivals. Which is a good thing if you ask me. But the one thing that has never changed with all this new technology and convenience is the basic human need for community. If anything, all this new tech has only magnified this need. What did the Covid era teach us? For one, never ever again take the word of a public health “expert” at face value. But more to my point, we crave connection with other people. Video calls are good, and they have their place. But there’s no real replacement for in-person connection, sharing pheromones and “vibes” with each other. That is what we musicians ought to aspire to. Not to wow anyone with technical precision, but to bring people together and appreciate this life we’ve been given together. So things aren’t the way they were “in the old days”. The days of sitting on stage behind music stands, playing a set list and calling it a day are over. People expect more than that. From the “professionals” anyway. Those with a bit of creativity and vision can see the opportunity and the goldmine in front of them. Get full access to James D. Newcomb at www.jamesdnewcomb.com/subscribe

    5 min
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About

This is a podcast for those who believe words still matter—words that shape us, steady us, and call us to something higher. Hosted by musician and scholar James D. Newcomb, this show explores the deeper currents beneath language, story, philosophy, and the human pursuit of meaning. Here you’ll find reflections, essays, and conversations that invite you to slow down, think deeply, and rediscover the wisdom woven into the world. www.jamesdnewcomb.com

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