Doomer Optimism

How have urban development patterns in California, particularly in LA, exacerbated wildfire risks? James Pogue and Leighton Woodhouse discuss the LA fires following Leighton’s piece in the Free Press “LA Was Built to Burn.” The conversation explores the ecological, political, and cultural factors contributing to the wi

How can localism serve as an alternative to large-scale governance and globalized economies? Ashley and Wally discuss small-scale, secular models for civic and economic organizing, and compare/contrast them with their Catholic equivalents (subsidiarity and distribution). We discuss practical ways to build community age

How will the overturning of Chevron deference reshape the regulatory landscape for environmental policy? Special guest investigative journalist Jimmy Tobias joins Ashley and James to discuss the complexities of environmental policy and regulation. They explore how the Chevron decision will reshape the regulatory landsc

Can AI rival human artistry? Is the potential of AI rivaling human creativity an opportunity to enhance artistic expression and reimagine authorship? Travis Logan, Charles, and A.R.X. Han discuss the complexities of consciousness, creativity, and the limits of AI, drawing on David Bentley Hart’s critique of materialism

In this episode, James and Ashley speak with a return guest and climate and disaster researcher Ilan Kelman. We discuss the state of climate activism, the eco-modernist approach to solving climate change, the uselessness of international climate summits, how the new Trump administration factors on the environment, and

Josh catches up with Tom for a second conversation (first interview here) about two new series on Tom’s excellent Do The Math blog. Tom has produced a “Metastatic Modernity” series of 18 short (~10 min) videos accompanied by write-ups providing a succinct but comprehensive explication of the poly crises of modernity, a