Real Clear Values

Growing up in Denver, Colorado, Benjamin Teitelbaum had a yearning to connect with deeper ancestral roots.

This yearning led Teitelbaum to explore his Swedish heritage and Swedish patriotism.

As he experienced it, however, celebrations of Swedish patriotism were largely confined to groups of Swedish nationalists, including the far-right, as mainstream Swedish society had jettisoned patriotism in favour of multiculturalism.

This led Teitelbaum into a complex and nuanced relationship with Swedish nationalism, and more particularly with those who call themselves Swedish nationalists, as an academic researcher.

This episode digs into some of the key issues facing the liberal west today, including the prominence of money, materialism and rationality as western values, the existential malaise faced by many young people growing up without a sense of roots or a connection to place, the ubiquity and dangers of cancel culture, and more.

Having already appeared on the Real Clear Values podcast to talk about the values that unite disparate nationalist thinkers such as Steve Bannon and Alexandr Dugin, in this episode Benjamin Teitelbaum gives further insight into his own values journey.

Tune in to learn more about some of the biggest values-related challenges facing western liberal societies today.

(Episode recorded on 29th April 2022.)

“That’s just rhetoric” is a common phrase used to dismiss the seriousness of what someone (usually an untrusted leader) has said.

But rhetoric is much more than “just rhetoric”.

As David Erland Isaksen, Associate Professor of Communication at USN School of Business, talks about in this episode of the Real Clear Values podcast, the art of rhetoric played an integral role in the foundations of democracy.

Suffice it to say that its reputation has fallen a long way since it was known as the Queen of the Humanities.

Far from serving the purposes of manipulation and demagoguery, however, Isaksen illustrates how a sound understanding of rhetoric, and strong rhetorical skills, can help individuals to guard against the deceitful manipulations of demagogues.

What’s more is that strong rhetorical skills are essential in communicating our values clearly and persuasively to others.

Tune in to learn more about why the art of rhetoric is so relevant to what’s happening in the world today (think: Zelensky versus Putin's Russia) and how you can develop your own rhetorical skills.

(Episode recorded on 22nd March 2022.)

Zoë Cross is a Coach and TEDx Speaker who works to empower professionals with a unique appearance to claim their confidence and create the career or business of their dreams.

Zoë was born with moebius syndrome – congenital facial paralysis – and has a powerful story to tell.

Throughout her journey, Zoë has developed deep resilience, overcome resentment, learned to be guided by the still small voice of conscience within, as well as a strong sense of honour, and, perhaps more than anything, learned to embrace her uniqueness.

Tune in to learn more about how to embrace your uniqueness and then use it to serve others.

Keep in touch with Zoë through the following platforms:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe.cross3

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/zoe-anthea-cross

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoe.cross3

Join Zoë's Facebook group: Claim your self-esteem and confidence with your host Zoë Cross  https://www.facebook.com/groups/317717242175055/?ref=share

Check out Zoë's TEDx Talk, Overcome rejection – by smiling with your heart: https://youtu.be/eWJ9X9gPiUk

(Episode recorded on 01/03/22.)

No serious consideration of values can ignore the ideas and philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, whose writing in the late nineteenth century had a seismic impact on the twentieth century, and continues its enduring influence today.

Dr. Martin Ruehl of Cambridge University grew up with the influence of Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, finding himself bewitched by a copy of the war edition of the book (kriegsausgabe) that was taken into WWI by his grandfather and then into WWII by his father.

But Ruehl didn’t recognise the version of Nietzsche that was presented to him in academia and has since made it his mission to bring the bloody, dangerous, anti-liberal Nietzsche back into consciousness.

Tune in for a masterclass on the philosophy and significance of Friedrich Nietzsche.

(Episode recorded on 16th February 2022.)

“If you are tired of being a doormat, get off the floor.”

Ore Ogungbayi is one of the best trainers I’ve ever learned from.

She also has one of the most extraordinary and empowering stories I’ve ever heard.

Being kidnapped as a child could have crushed Ore, made her resentful and suffocated her aspirations.

Instead, through her shift in mindset and application of timeless principles, she used her trials and challenges as fuel to learn, grow and contribute for the benefit of others.

I loved this conversation with Ore – what she has overcome and *how* she’s overcome is so relevant to the challenges that many of us face in our lives today.

My favourite piece of wisdom from the episode: "People need love more than culture."

Tune in, take note, and enjoy!

What Ore has to share is gold.

(Episode recorded on 16th February 2022.)

According to the CDC, a record 100,000 people in the US died from overdoses in 12 months of the pandemic. Opioids played a big part in those deaths, as did despair.

These deaths have lowered American life expectancy and are indicative of serious social issues in the country.

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Mark Gold, a world renowned expert on drugs of abuse, about the changing trends in drug abuse and drug-related deaths over time.

We also get into what’s driving increases in drug addiction and deaths of despair, how to avoid falling into addiction’s enslavement and how to help loved ones who have.

If you have any interest in the opioid crisis and the epidemic of deaths of despair then this episode is a must.

(Episode recorded on 15th November 2021.)

Addictive behaviours have increased across the board since the beginning of the pandemic.

The unintended consequences of lockdowns have had a significantly negative impact on those already struggling with addictions, and many more have fallen into addiction’s clutches.

In this episode, Dr Nicole Avena, Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, talks to me about addiction in the context of covid-19.

We cover everything from defining addiction (in a practical way), the factors that lead people into addictive behaviours, how to overcome addiction, how to guard against it in the first place, and how to support loved ones who are struggling within its grasp.

(Episode recorded on 27th September 2021.)

What's the problem with pursuing pleasure as an end in itself?

That's the question that I set about answering in my TEDx Talk, Escaping the Hedonism Trap, at TEDxMCPHS in 2020.

The story of how I sleepwalked my way into the hedonism trap, and escaped, has resonated with many who have heard it.

The world is simply too full of distractions, temptations and challenges, and our brains too malleable, to leave the governance of our lives to chance.

If what you hear in the talk resonates with you and you'd like more information on how to escape the ennui, or even misery, of the slavish pursuit of pleasure then drop me a line: [email protected].

Here's to creating a life of purpose, meaning and fulfilment in pursuing your unique version of sustainable success.

(This is a wee bonus episode between seasons 2 & 3...)