The Aidan Project

In this edition of The Aidan Project, Aidan welcomes back philosopher, Dr. Benedict Beckeld, for a conversation which explores the current political climate, and delves into intriguing questions regarding the self and personal agency. Why has the political climate become so polarised? What is causing this failure of communication? And how do we understand our own personal self - is the self an illusion and do we have the ability to have acted differently in a given situation? Could letting go of an illusory idea of ourselves liberate us to better live, love and learn? Aidan and Benedict discuss tribalism, free speech, political discourse, journalism, truth, relativism, and the deep questions of the self and free will. Aidan and Benedict also both share an example of an unwitting experience in less than honourable journalism - in Benedict's case, his comments on inner and outer beauty were used in an egregiously misrepresentative manner by an American tabloid newspaper. The episode begins with a summary of the theme from Aidan and Benedict's previous conversation, episode 12, Western Downfall: Why Trump Won. Benedict explains whether he feels the conditions which led to Donald Trump's presidency have begun to change or have continued unabated. Dr. Beckeld was born in Sweden to Brazilian and Jewish parents, but emigrated with his family to New York City as a teenager. Dr. Beckeld's philosophy has thus far focused primarily on matters of aesthetics, ethics, contemporary culture, political philosophy and the philosophy of history. For more information on Dr. Beckeld, you can find him online at www.benedictbeckeld.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/benedictbeckeld

"During the Spanish civil war", wrote George Orwell,  "I found myself feeling very strongly that a true history of this war never would or could be written." Included in this 'best of' history compilation, Aidan and Dave Ebsworth explicate the events in Spain and the historical context in which they occurred. Aidan also discusses the Irish Famine with Professor Liam Kennedy, the infamous Parisian Great Cat Massacre with Jared Miracle, the 2003 invasion of Iraq with Sami Ramadani, the Holocaust with Gerald and Trisha Posner, the nineteenth century reimagining of Atlantis with Christopher Hale, the Cold War with Ran Levi, and a great deal more. The Aidan Project remains intact after a year of podcasting – thank you so very much for your support.

In a tour de force of audio, Aidan presents highlights from previous episodes which have addressed Trump's ascendancy and rule. With contributions from a range of guests over the past 12 months, in addition to highlights from a number of Aidan's solo, 'Notes on…' episodes, this 'best of' presents discussions on the controversy, intrigue and leadership of the inimitable 45th president of the United States of America. To consult a list of the full line-up of guests and episodes featured in this collection, please refer to the expanded show notes available at www.TheAidanProject.org

In this edition of the Aidan Project, the podcast marks a year online with the first 'best of' episode. This episode features audio from Aidan's conversations with Dr. Paul Dean for the 'America's Great War' series of episodes. This special compilation is being released ahead of Armistice Day, 11 November. On November 11 1918, an armistice was signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France. It brought an end to the awful hostilities of what was thought to be at the time the war to end all wars. This episode looks at World War One from the battle of the Somme to the peace treaty at Versailles. Aidan's special guest, Dr. Dean, is a former instructor at, and alumni of, Washington State University, who is an expert on World War One and author of Courage: Roy Blanchard's Journey in America's Forgotten War. For more information on Paul, please visit his web site at www.paultdean.com.

In this edition of the Aidan Project, Aidan talks about the infamous Gunpowder Plot, Guy Fawkes in popular culture, and the definition of terrorism. In 1605, Catholic dissidents in England attempted to mount an insurrection by first murdering King James I of England and Scotland, along with other notables, in a planned explosion of the Houses of Parliament. Robert Catesby led the audacious scheme to topple the Protestant hierarchy, but it is Fawkes who is most associated with the events of that dramatic 5 November near-miss. Moreover, the subsequent adoption of an abstract idea of Guy Fawkes as somehow playfully representing anarchism and anti-fascism is deeply ironic. The Fawkes mask is a feature of modern popular culture that is far removed from the intention Parliament had when it sought to commemorate the uncovering of the plot with an officially sanctioned annual observance. Parliament desired to remember 5 November as a deliverance from evil, but this message has since been diluted, if not quite altogether lost. In the modern age, 'Bonfire Night', 'Guy Fawkes Night' or 'Fireworks Night' is more notable for theatrical pyrotechnic displays and sickly candy-floss than as a reminder of what would have been an appalling atrocity. Aidan also comments on the definition of 'terrorism' in the wake of the Islamist terrorist attack in Lower Manhattan on 31 October.

Shaming is a form of social control. When a person violates the established norms of their community, the group may respond by condemning, avoiding and ostracizing the 'guilty' person. In this edition of the Aidan Project, Aidan examines public shaming in 18C London - where the guilty were placed in the pillory and pelted with various objects, including dead cats - and compares this to social media shaming. Is the treatment meted out on Twitter in 2017 little better than a 1717 stint in the pillory? Why do people join in to attack people they barely know or, more importantly, why do people attack others for 'offences' that are often spurious, subjective or not even understood? Aidan looks at one of the most famous cases of social media shaming, the only positive aspect of which was that no dead cats were hurled at the offender. The inherent danger in assisting with frantic social media shaming is that of potentially trivialising something real or exaggerating something trivial. There are, of course, many reasons to be genuinely outraged; Aidan is arguing that by rising up to engage in purely-reactionary shaming, the sphere of honest public discourse is suffering as a result.

In this edition of the Aidan Project, Aidan discusses a potential hint of progress in the battle against leftist confusion. The case of Maajid Nawaz and the Southern Poverty Law Centre has been discussed several times previously on the podcast; the case is an important one for the struggle it represents. The SPLC, to the horror of those who support the notion that cultural relativism is the death knell of honest discourse, labelled Nawaz an anti-Muslim extremist in October 2016. Nawaz is suing this organisation for libel. Aidan summarises the case for new listeners and provides an update that demonstrates a glimmer of hope and, tellingly, further demonstrates the fantastic degree to which the SPLC is irrefutably mistaken. Aidan also addresses why the terms 'leftists' and 'liberals' are unreliable synonyms. Indeed, leftists and liberals are often very different in terms of their outlook. Aidan explains why liberals should care about Nawaz's case, and why liberals must be proactive in tackling the moral confusion espoused by manic leftists. Aidan also explains legal exceptions to free speech in the United States of America under the First Amendment.

In the previous episode, Aidan talked about the British reverence for Monarchy. In this edition, Aidan moves across the pond to explore the US national identity. In recent weeks, we have been reminded of the importance of the US flag and national anthem to Americans, with Donald Trump on the offensive against sportsmen who have protested racial inequality and other related grievances by taking a knee for the US national anthem. Protesting can carry a political cost and can give ammunition to your opponent. David Frum wrote in Atlantic magazine, "Colin Kaepernick has better right to that flag and anthem than Donald Trump. Why concede that right? Assert it." This is an interesting debate. Aidan gives his take, and explains why he would refuse to sing the British national anthem. Aidan also addresses recent comments made by Trump about press freedom.  These comments follow those made in February, when - lest we forget - Trump outrageously stated that the press were "the enemy of the people." For further reading and links to references, head to the podcast's web site at www.TheAidanProject.org

"Why, when the subject of royalty or monarchy is mentioned, do the British bid adieu to every vestige of proportion, modesty, humour and restraint?"Christopher HitchensThe Monarchy: A Critique of Britain's Favourite Fetish

Why, after executing a King, did the British almost immediately experience a distinct feeling of buyer's remorse? What purpose do the British think the Royal Family serves? And how intrinsic is the yearning for monarchy within the British identity?In Rights of Man, Thomas Paine, wrote stridently that he thought the British monarchical system absurd. Indeed, he helped establish the United States of America in opposition to monarchy. Christopher Hitchens said the British have a 'fetish' for all-things Royal. George Orwell, a man who experienced, wrote and was fearful of autocracy, explained that the British see their monarchy as a safety-valve against tyranny. Orwell pointed to the dictatorships, in stark contrast to British constitutional monarchy, which had suffocated democracy in Germany and Italy in the prelude to World War 2.These questions of national identity are, of course, subjective. But by looking at past events (such as the Civil War and its regicidal aftermath), analysing the various arguments made over time (Paine, Orwell, Hitchens and others), and seeking to understand the continued reverence for monarchy, we can gain an insight into the British identity and its apparent obsession with Royalty.At the beginning of the podcast, Aidan briefly comments on the high emotions surrounding the Catalonia referendum, and the awful Las Vegas shooting, which both occurred on 1 October 2017. Bibliography at TheAidanProject.org

Kristallnacht, or 'Night of Broken Glass', was a notorious pogrom against German Jews throughout Nazi Germany on 9–10 November 1938. In this edition of the podcast, Aidan expands on the arguments presented in episode 49, 'Notes on Atheism, Hitler and Nazism', to provide a comprehensive afterword. In the original podcast, Aidan explored the classic argument of the faithful against atheism when discussing human history. This argument – especially prevalent whenever the issue of violence or hatred is discussed – is that Adolf Hitler was an atheist. The inferred claim is that this godlessness demonstrates the danger of turning away from the moral teachings of the church. Another aspect of the argument which is often thrown in as an addendum is a charge that the Third Reich was a secular movement. Aidan revisits these arguments, with particular attention to the Night of Broken Glass, to provide further insight and analysis. Aidan is on Twitter @AidanXCoughlan.