Godward: A Lit-Wisdom Podcast

In this scandalous episode, hear all about the dalliances of Nero and Caligula, as well as the murderous antics of earlier emperors like Julius Caesar and Augustus. Seriously I wouldn't let your mom listen to this -- it's too controversial and graphic. Oh and, there are some visuals! Please take a look at my Patreon page -- the next secret stream meeting is tomorrow night!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Godward?fan_landing=true

In this Historiographic episode, learn about Greek Historian Polybius, who lived in Rome for most of his life after age 33 -- but more important, learn about his chief work, "The Histories." He tells mainly of the Carthaginian attempt to sack Rome, but he intersperses all sorts of interesting observations about human nature, political philosophy, women, and so on. It's a really good read, and it reinforces my view that life was harder and scarier before the Logos than it has been ever since -- and so we would do well to understand that, in and like, be thankful for it. Speaking of thankful, here's a link to the Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/Godward?fan_landing=true

In this extremely 20th-Century video, hear a summary of Camus's thinking on Nihilism, Absurdity, and political revolutions. What causes people to rebel against the status quo, and once they do, why does it always seem to lead to total meltdown until all narratives and shared values are destroyed? Can we live after the "death of God?" Is the state ever justified in squashing rebellion? Is deconstruction good when the institutions are bad? Are the secret police progressive and good and necessary in a way that rebellious people just can't understand? Is the state ever justified in murdering its opponents? If not, what "checks" it?

Here's the Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Godward?fan_landing=true

In this harrowing but visually stimulating video, get your quick summary of one of the great Ancient Greek dramas and a huge dose of art history. You'll hear about Agamemnon, the Libation Bearers, and the Eumenides, and hopefully you'll figure out a way to interpret the role of the furies as extremely annoying but maybe a little bit necessary, as long as we remember that God is God.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Godward?fan_landing=true

In this mostly medieval episode, hear from Victor Hugo's "Hunchback of Notre Dame" on the idea that the Printing Press killed-off the Cathedrals. If we follow his logic, and observe that books themselves seem to be dying in the present age, replaced by video and internet entertainment, we might catch a glimpse of a very different future -- can we manage to propel the precious old values and virtues into the era of new media? This video is basically the best I can do -- I hope it's good enough!

I need your support on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/Godward?fan_landing=true

This was a monologue with accompanying video that you can view on my YouTube channel -- search Godward Podcast

In this gothic episode, consider whether there's a difference between perversion and Perverseness. Make the connection between St. Paul in Romans 7 and Poe as he imagines things in "The Black Cat" and "The Imp of the Perverse." Part of the argument here is that any view of human nature (and mind) that neglects to take serious note of the impulse to sin must be recognized as shallower, and less realistic, than the optimistic and utopian descriptions of man as perfectible. That means no, I can't always be as optimistic as family and friends might like -- but I have a good reason: I want to stay attuned to reality, and not fall into idolatrous habits when it comes to thinking about ideal outcomes. The reality is, people screw things up -- it's only when you really understand and internalize that, and build system of organization with THAT as the fundamental insight (humankind is not perfectible)... it's only then that you might approach creating a tolerable civilization. Errr, something...

https://www.patreon.com/Godward?fan_landing=true

In this hyperreal episode, learn about Victor Pelevin, my favorite living Russian writer -- hear summaries of his novels and do a closer look at a novella called "The Yellow Arrow." We're talking postmodernism and literary form, humor, nihilism, manipulated media, and A.I. sex bots.

The Pelevin interview: https://youtu.be/sI8ScV1iqjo

The Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/Godward?fan_landing=true

In this Biblical episode, hear a short summary of the Book of Jonah and then do some deep diving to think about what it all means -- what did Ninevah do wrong? Why was Jonah so hesitant? Does righteousness mean the same thing in a non-Jewish city-state that it means in the Northern Kingdom? Was the fish a whale? What do the weeds wrapped about Jonah's head symbolize? Or was Jonah a real historical figure?

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Godward?fan_landing=true

In this natural follow-up to the Emerson episode from a couple videos back, we'll see what Henry David Thoreau thought about how and when it's appropriate to disagree with your government. On this show, we of course simply agree with whatever Jake Tapper says, and so this is absolutely not related to contemporary events in Washington D.C. -- but, Thoreau suggested that if a government gets bad enough, you might, sometimes, under certain circumstances, be justified in... telling it to shove it. There's also some good bits on Transcendentalism and nature, implications for Natural Law... and some visuals!

Here's the Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/Godward?fan_landing=true