The Junto Podcast

This episode, Edgar Mills explores the role of government funding for the arts, tracing constitutional roots, controversies (like Mapplethorpe and "Piss Christ"), and arguments for and against National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) subsidies from a libertarian perspective.

Edgar weighs economic, educational, and community benefits against coercion, censorship risks, and market alternatives, and explores voluntary, private support for artistic freedom.

Edgar Mills welcomes listeners reflect on Team USA's recent Olympic hockey triumphs and the surge of national pride they inspired.

He then dives into the Canadian series "Shoresy," showing how its crude humor conceals deep themes of loyalty, accountability, mentorship, and authentic masculinity that build strong teams.

Mills pulls leadership lessons from the show, strongly recommends Season 5, Episode 1 (“Keep It Simple”), and invites listeners to visit thejuntopodcast.com for more on leadership. 

Host Edgar Mills compares Frederick Bastiat’s 1850 pamphlet 'The Law' to modern U.S. politics, arguing that government coercion and endless spending have turned modern law into "legal plunder." He explains Bastiat’s principles on natural rights, critiques federal overreach (taxes, the Fed, Social Security, public schooling), and proposes "clean bill" reforms like voluntary taxation, audits, and restoring enumerated powers. He encourages every listener to read 'The Law'. Find it here 'The Law' website or purchase your own copy.

Edgar Mills tackles the realities of alcoholism—its causes, its effects on young families and first responders, and his own experiences with alcohol-related harm.

He outlines how to spot problems, practical steps for intervention, and why honesty, empathy, and asking for help are essential to recovery.

The episode urges listeners to protect their families, set boundaries, and pursue freedom from addiction through support and commitment.

In episode 44, Edgar Mills examines classic dystopian stories and their parallels with today’s surveillance culture and social media, arguing that suppressing creativity crushes individuality and the soul.

He explains how literature, music, and fine art stir personal emotion and free thought, contrasts authentic creation with AI and disposable digital content, and warns that conformity—whether by a regime or by screens—threatens our liberties.

Edgar urges listeners to reclaim time for real art, nature, and personal creativity as practical ways to protect freedom, deepen meaning, and nurture the spirit.

Edgar Mills breaks down the non-aggression principle—its historical roots, connections to libertarian thought, and how it shapes views on taxes, law enforcement, privatized policing, and protests.

He emphasizes individual responsibility, consistent ethical standards for both citizens and authorities, and practical examples of applying non-aggression in business, community, and personal defense.

Host Edgar Mills examines today’s polarized public discourse and urges a return to critical thinking, empathy, and de‑escalation.

He analyzes recent ICE operations in Minneapolis and two shootings (Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti), discusses legal and tactical complexities, and evaluates unintended consequences of extreme tactics.

The episode argues for enforcing immigration law with accountability, engaging in civil debate using facts and active listening, and rebuilding local civic responsibility and community solutions.

Edgar Mills explores the rising trend of gun ownership among liberals and what it reveals about universal needs for safety, autonomy, and self-defense. He examines NPR interviews, personal anecdotes, and a libertarian perspective to argue the Second Amendment transcends partisan lines as a backstop against tyranny and individual threats.

The episode also touches on training, responsible ownership, hypocrisy in political reactions to violence, and local Libertarian Party activities and outreach in Georgia.

Edgar Mills explores the idea "don't expect hard things not to be hard," sharing personal stories from Special Forces Selection, Stoic wisdom, and the difference between motivation and discipline.

He applies those lessons to entrepreneurship—planning a firearms training range—covering realistic expectations, contingency (PACE) planning, compromise, and the need to persevere; the episode ends with practical calls to support and a Floyd County hearing, to approve or deny the range plan, on January 27.

In episode 39 Edgar Mills examines the book by Joost Meerloo, The Rape of the Mind, explaining menticide, interrogation and re‑education techniques, and how they scale from individual torture to mass propaganda.

He connects historical brainwashing methods to modern tools like media, technology, and institutional conditioning, and offers practical advice on building mental resilience, critical thinking, and guarding individual liberty.

'Rape of the Mind: The Psychology of Thought Control, Menticide, and Brainwashing'