In this episode, we reflect on a rare missed recording and share a series of listener stories that raise broader questions about compassion, responsibility, and civic duty. We examine claims surrounding illegal orders in the military and the role of oaths and institutional accountability before turning to the “foolishness of the week,” including the internet’s ability to amplify extremism and reward outrage. We then shift to why Americans consistently believe the economy is doing worse than the data suggests, exploring consumer sentiment, inflation, wages, housing costs, and the lingering psychological effects of pandemic-era stimulus. We close by discussing housing as both shelter and investment, the realities of rent and mortgage affordability, student loan debt, rising expectations, and why economic anxiety persists even in periods of growth.

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:31 Missing an Episode for the First Time

02:28 Listener Gift and Firefighter Calendar Story

03:52 A Belated Christmas Story of Compassion

07:13 Mark Kelly, Illegal Orders, and Military Oaths

12:40 Foolishness of the Week: Nazi Dating Sites

15:08 The “Village Idiot” Theory and the Internet

18:07 Why Americans Think the Economy Is Terrible

22:08 Consumer Sentiment vs. Economic Data

24:37 Inflation, Wages, and Why It Still Feels Worse

29:27 COVID Stimulus Effects and Income Perception

33:30 Housing Costs, Rent, and Homeownership Myths

37:10 Mortgage Rates, Rent Increases, and Risk

41:04 Housing as Shelter vs. Housing as Investment

45:29 Why People Still Can’t Afford Homes

48:33 Social Media, Expectations, and Lifestyle Inflation

51:02 Student Loan Debt and the Real Affordability Crisis

55:14 College Costs, Tradeoffs, and Financial Reality

57:44 Expectations, Advertising, and Economic Anxiety

01:00:40 Why Consumer Sentiment May Never Fully Recover

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices