Conversations and Meditations

In this episode, Virgil and his two guests, Danny and Matt discuss the topic of knowledge, how we can attain it, and how we can, if possible, be sure of anything. This podcast features three different yet compelling theories of knowledge. We then apply our approaches to the world around us, especially concerning the nature of the universe, Truth, and morality.

In this episode, Virgil and his friend Matt delve into the concept of consciousness. This podcast will is about the origins, development, and future of consciousness. Throughout the podcast, we discuss consciousness and its connection to the world around us and the potential future of how we will alter our consciousness by directing our evolution whether through the integration of technology with our bodies or experimentation with chemical substances and meditation. This episode will feature two opposing viewpoints that offer a very different interpretation of what consciousness is and how we as humans interface with the world around us through it. Prepare to explore your mind.

In this episode, Virgil goes over the concept of stress management and building resilience to stress in general. This podcast will define what stress is and distinguish the types of stress and the triggers that induce and exacerbate the problem. We also cover the cognitive, behavioral, and physical symptoms of stress in order to better identify how stress is affecting our lives in the present and future. The podcast then goes into different methods and tactic of how to build resilience for the everyday stressors and the major stressors that influence our lives. Managing our stress is essential to our flourishing and happiness. We need to change our relationship with stress and build up our tolerance for the future.

In this episode, Virgil goes over the concepts of motivation and leadership. This podcast is about better understanding the relationship between leadership and motivation and its basis in psychology. This episode also goes into different types of motivational theories, leadership theories/styles, and the qualities of successful leaders. With this knowledge, we can learn to become better leaders and learn to motivate others and ourselves.

In this episode, Virgil and his friend Jay give a film review of Jordan Peele's new film Us. This episode focuses and the films central themes and symbolism that tell a much deeper tale that many people have overlooked. This podcast is about viewing films literally and metaphorically, which offers a deeper message by connecting the two. The episode then moves on to a discussion of the significance of film within our culture, our lives, and why viewing film makes for a fun and engaging experience. Films teach us about the world and the people in it, especially us.

In this episode, Virgil goes into detail about how government affects economic progress for individuals. The government ideally should be promoting economic progress by protecting the rights of individuals and supplying a few goods that are difficult to provide through markets. Government spending is now more than a third of our economy. This fact highlights why it is important to understand how the political process affects allocating resources effectively. As government spending, subsidies, income transfers, and regulatory favors grow, businesses and other well-organized groups will expend more rent-seeking to obtain government favors that will grow their organizations. This podcast is meant to inform and expose how the connection between state and economics has led us to this crony capitalist mess in where the allocation of resources is determined by political favors rather than by consumer preferences translated through the market profit and loss system.

In this episode, Virgil goes into the concept of self-criticism and how at times it prevents us from achieving our goals and taking the necessary risks to get there. Being our biggest critic is important insofar as the criticism is based in reality and it's used to make things better and not to put one's self-esteem down. With this rational approach to our failures, we can better learn to make the right choices that will lead to our flourishing. Through these right choices and flourishing, we can learn to truly love ourselves for all the bad and good that we indulge in. Through this self-acceptance, we can learn to be our own biggest fans and make our lives better.

In this podcast, Virgil goes into detail about the economics of progress in our society and how certain well-intentioned counterproductive economic policies that hurt those who are impoverished more than help. The desire to help the poor isn't enough for things to change in a meaningful way. We need a society that encourages and incentivizes the right behavior in a market in order for growth. The focus of this episode is to review the incentive structure that discourages an individual's ability to help themselves and others escape the cycle of poverty. The episode also spotlights how economic freedom, private property rights, and the rule of law increases a state's ability for economic progress. This prosperity has an overall effect that increases the standard of living and promotes human flourishing. Individuals flourish when their lives have meaning and purpose. Economic freedom is one of the main catalysts for this flourishing in us all, especially those who are struggling to make ends meet.

In this episode, Virgil and his friend and previous guest, Pseudo, talk about the concept of the phrase "New Year, New Me" and its importance in the zeitgeist of today's world. This show picks up where the last episode left off. On the previous episode, Past Year Review, Virgil described his method of how to go through the previous year and determine which people, activities, and commitments in the last year were positive and which were negative. This episode Psuedo and Virgil go over their methods of removing the negative the people, activities, and commitments for the new year and including more of the positives to make this year better than last. The whole point of life is your flourishing and the only way to achieve it is to fight for your happiness and better yourself.

In this episode, Virgil goes over the idea of a Past Year Review. A Past Year Review (PYR) is a tool used by many famous and successful people such as Oprah, Tim Ferris, and Bill and Melinda Gates. A PYR is an alternate way of achieving what you want in the next year contrary to New Years Resolution. Virgil builds upon Tim Ferris method of conducting a PYR and goes into detail on how to perform one and where our focus should be. PYR offers us a chance to evaluate what happened last year, pinpoint the lessons of last year, and regain our focus for the new year. Similar to Tim Ferris's approach, I try to look at the people, activities, and commitments that have wither brought me joy or made me feel negative. I then try to include more of the things that brought me happiness and growth into the new year. In regards to negative people, activities, and commitments, I try to either sort out my issues with them or move on and leave them in the last year. I believe a PYR will offer you a chance to investigate whether or not your year was good and what was the reason for it being that way. With this knowledge, you can be more objective on things that were and weren't in your control and learn to move forward. True reflection means we don't need some silly resolution to change things. We act accordingly.