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The Optimistic Curmudgeon is an interview podcast where Josh Herring interviews expert guests whose credentials and experience help listeners understand truth in a confusing world. We discuss issues under seven areas: economics, politics, education, philosophy, business, virtue, and leadership! May the best ideas win.
Episodes

Monday Apr 08, 2024
Ferenc Horcher - Drinking and Fox Hunting with Sir Roger Scruton (6x1)
Monday Apr 08, 2024
Monday Apr 08, 2024
Ferenc Horcher discusses the life, scholarship, and humanity of Sir Roger Scruton. Author of Art and Politics in Roger Scruton’s Conservative Philosophy, Horcher explains the connections between Scruton's life and the development of his philosophy. Along the way, Horcher explains Scruton's aesthetic, conservatism, and cultivation of the finer things in life. The conversation concludes with considerations of Sir Roger's theological landing place and an appreciation for the relevance of Sir Roger's thought for the present.

Monday Mar 18, 2024
Peter Forrest: Can AI Bring Happiness? (5x10 - Season Finale)
Monday Mar 18, 2024
Monday Mar 18, 2024
Between Elon Musk's Neuralink, Amazon's Upload, and the promises of both AI programs like Chat GPT and Google Gemini and investments into virtual reality (Meta), the potential for exchanging the material world for some other kind of existence has never been more clear. But can an alternate reality lead to happiness? Dr. Peter Forrest, Dean of Humanities at Thales College, considers these questions in light of a thought experiment called "The Experience Machine." What kind of pleasure can AI give, and would people choose to live in virtual reality even if they could? Join us and find out!

Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
Katy Faust and Stacy Manning: Raising Conservative Kids in a Woke City (5x9)
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
Katy Faust and Stacy Manning discuss the realities of raising conservative kids in a woke city. They offer realistic advice and solid analysis with a gentleness of spirit that will resonate with all parents. The book is Raising Conservative Kids in a Woke City - get your copy today!

Monday Feb 05, 2024
Josh Herring: C.S. Lewis, Gender, and Gratitude (5x8)
Monday Feb 05, 2024
Monday Feb 05, 2024
Josh delivered this talk at the 2023 Thales Press Classical Summit; it is a distillation of his dissertation which explores C.S. Lewis's theory of gender. Lewis believed that gender is a fundamental real relationship the governs reality; he wrote about this in both nonfiction and his fiction, and his theory prophetically solves the transgender malaise that has consumed modern culture. #gender #transgender #gratitude #Perelandra #RansomTrilogy #CSLewis

Monday Jan 15, 2024
Karen Elliott: The Rafiki Foundation and Classical Education in Africa (5x7)
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Karen Elliott, Executive Director of The Rafiki Foundation, shares about her organization's work in developing and practicing classical education in 10 different African countries. Karen shares about her background, why she loves classical education, and the unique possibility classical education offers to help African education leaders elevate their own communities. Check out the episode, and share it!

Monday Jan 01, 2024
Nathan Orlando: Aristotle’s Enduring Relevance (5x6)
Monday Jan 01, 2024
Monday Jan 01, 2024
Dr. Nathan Orlando of Benedictine College discusses International Relations and the influence of Aristotle's Politics on contemporary diplomacy. (This episode was recorded in September of 2023, so please pardon the lack of reference to Israel and Hamas's current war).

Monday Dec 11, 2023
Ben Crenshaw: Christian Nationalism as a Cure for Woke Ideology
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Monday Dec 11, 2023
Ben Crenshaw (PhD Cand., Hillsdale College) explains his view of Christian nationalism, the importance of Christian foundations for the American political order, and why this debate matters for accurate American historical scholarship. Ben is building on his paper presented at the 2023 ISI American Politics and Government. With shout outs to Stephen Wolfe's Case for Christian Nationalism and The American Reformer, Ben makes an articulate case for his position. Is Christian nationalism a viable alternative to woke ideology? Listen, and decide!

Monday Nov 13, 2023
Clifford Humphrey: Mere Classical Education (5x4)
Monday Nov 13, 2023
Monday Nov 13, 2023
Dr. Clifford Humphrey discusses his article in The American Reformer, "The Ends of Mere Classical Education: Which Way Western Man?" He defines classical education, and articulates the importance of classical schools clearly defining their aims if they want to remain distinct from other educational options.

Monday Oct 30, 2023
Keith Foskey: Humor in a Post-Christian Age (5x3)
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Monday Oct 30, 2023
Keith Foskey, @YourCalvinist,tells the origin of his denominations videos. Along the way, he explains theological liberalism, Calvinism, and progressive ideas that are creeping into the church world. Foskey sees his comedy as a form of ministry, and explains his inspiration from Dennis "The Swan" Swanberg. Foskey concludes with considering how laughter is like a medicine for the soul, and what principles of prudence should govern public comedy. Share this episode with a friend!

Monday Oct 16, 2023
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Daniel Pitt discusses his years studying with the late Sir Roger Scruton. Daniel is a scholar focusing on traditionalist conservatism, and his interview shares insights into the life of Roger Scruton, Russell Kirk, and Richard Weaver. Daniel is a scholar at the University of Sheffield, and brings a deep love of conservatism to the questions of piety, politics, and obligations.