In this episode, Josh and Ian continue their ism-series by talking about the misconceptions of, formation of, and the political use of the progressive movement. They talk about political slants against progressives, the rise of the 'progressive era' during the industrial revolution in the late 19th/early 20th century, technological progress and it's cultural impact, the inevitable comparisons between progressivism and Marxism or socialism, the progressive movement's split from liberalism, the...

In this episode, Josh and Ian continue their ism-series by talking about the background of contemporary conservatism. They talk about the psychological influences of political temperaments, the most common themes found in conservative philosophy, the impact of power and hierarchy, the role of human nature in the structure of society, the inevitable link between religion and conservatism, the reach of moral quandaries, individual rights, the similarities between conservatives and liberals, how...

After a two-month hiatus, Josh and Ian are back in this episode to talk about Shakespeare. They talk about Josh's background in theater studies, the psychology of stageplays, famous Shakespeare plays and their widespread influence, acting as a craft, characters expressing empathy in plays and film, audience participation, Shakespeare's impact on the English language, the differences between comedy and tragedy, the culture of Broadway in the New York City Theater District, the medium in which ...

In this episode, Josh and Ian discuss the pro-Trump riots at the U.S. Capitol, during the attempt to confirm Biden's Electoral College win. They talk about social media dieting, the Georgia run-off elections, rioters breaking into the capitol building, comparisons between left-wing and right-wing protesting or rioting, justifying hypocrisy, what constitutes Americanism, the potential 'failure' of democracy, the potential of Vice President Mike Pence invoking the 25th amendment and the attempt...

In this episode, Josh and Ian talk about the historical origins of Santa Claus and the ritual of Christmas in the West. They talk about being raised in Christian households and belief in Santa Claus, the spirit of gratitude in conflict with guilt, the power of ritual, industrialization and the rise of Christmas' popularity, the roots of paganism in nature, the origins of Saint Nicholas, miracles and sainthood, Santa's parallels with the Christian god, Kantian deontology, Black Friday and the ...

In this special, two year anniversary episode, Josh and Ian sit down to revisit Flaws in American Democracy, to give an updated look at the U. S. political landscape. They talk about the possibility of a direct democracy leading to populism, the media influence on our democracy, how the U. S. compares to the United Kingdom, the purpose and goal of modern society, the global reach of economic value, allocation of taxpayer's money, political moderation, how the Republican and Democratic parties...

In this episode, Josh and Ian talk about revolutions of the past, and the prospect of a forthcoming revolution within the culture. In the opening segment, they talk about past revolutions from ancient history, all the way up to the early 20th century, and the possible reasons for why revolutions take place. In the main segment, they talk about Nietzsche's "transvaluation of all values", antifa and reporting on the Portland protests, Ibram X. Kendi, antiracism and its implementation into...

In this episode, Josh and Ian give their comments and analysis for the 2020 U.S. presidential election. They talk about the problems of social media and thought bubbles, the value of success and the pitfalls of meritocracy, equality vs. equity and opportunity vs. outcome, economic class and the problems of punching-up and down, how poor people are taken advantage of, work and taxes, the benefit of informed and responsible citizens, private vs. public education and how much money is spent on e...

In this episode, Josh and Ian continue their ongoing series of candid conversations. They discuss the future of the podcast, the final U.S. Presidential debate of the 2020 election cycle, our own political "identities" being mistaken by others, understanding the political process, the GOP and playing the game of politics, progressives and the Left having the power to sway culture, the ability to give an honest critique of another's values, the problem of fear, the use of the word "radical" fr...

In part two of this episode, Josh and Ian discuss the emotional and narrative components to the PlayStation exclusive video game, The Last of Us Pt. II. They talk about the relationship between Ellie and Dina, the controversy of Abby's character and the death of parental figures, the leaks of the game and Sony's peculiar marketing surrounding the game, the burden of revenge and the problem of empathy, the many thematic parallels between characters and factions, storytelling and narrativ...