Episode 049 looks at choosing to protect your mental or physical health over choosing a higher paycheck; why being a good friend probably means holding your friends accountable for their poor decisions; some advice on dealing with difficult situations; and becoming comfortable in the face of uncomfortable truths.
Tag: class
David S. Returns, Ketosis and Severe COVID-19 (1h7m) – Episode 438
Episode 438 welcomes back David Scholes to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: the ketogenic diet and some exotic meats he’s eaten; ketone esters dietary supplement; he and his wife getting COVID-19, mild for him, much more sever for his wife (also diabetic); his wife’s experience in the hospital; his concern with what they were feeding her, while she was sedated; his last ditch effort to save his wife through ketosis, which showed very promising results, but he was too late; his wife’s passing; the potential of ketone esters and COVID-19 recovery; and more
John’s Journey, Rationality, Principles of Rational Living (59m) – Episode 437
Episode 437 welcomes John Vespasian to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: living all over Europe; the worldwide COVID-19 moment; the abundance of irrationality in the world today; the timeless commonplace of information manipulation; remaining rational in the face of extreme opposition; defining rationality (logical conclusions from relevant facts); developing a rational mentality; never accepting a single point of view or opinion; everyone has their blind spots and biases; the problem with positive thinking; among his many published books is 10 Principles of Rational Living, including: Think Like an Entrepreneur, not a Crusader, Accept the Inevitable Hassles of Life, and Acquire Effective Habits; the importance of keeping a lifetime perspective when making decisions; and more.
The Truly Educated & This is The Way (24m) – Episode 048
Episode 048 looks at two Stoic topics: the first from Epictetus who wrote, “The beautiful and good person neither fights with anyone nor, as much as they are able, permits others to fight . . . this is the meaning of getting an education—learning what is your own affair and what is not. If a person carries themselves so, where is there any room for fighting?”; and the second from artwork by mjhiblenart involving a character from The Mandalorian, a television series on Disney+. The episode begins with sad news about Carl Watner (RIP), the person who introduced Skyler to Stoicism.
Shepard Returns, Consequences, Positive and Negative (56m) – Episode 436
Episode 436 welcomes back Shepard the Voluntaryist to chat with Skyler on the following topics: his ongoing radio show and podcast; an exploration of positive and negative consequences; human interference in natural consequences; intended and unintended consequences in politics and economics; what people going along with monopolistic government means for the idea of people going along with competitive government (free society); never letting a crisis go to waste as a voluntaryism popularizer; the consequences of immortality and “The Good Place” television show; the negative consequences of world peace and the positive consequences of world conflict; and more.
Walter Williams: American Contempt for Liberty (56m)
This episode features a discussion with economics professor Walter Williams from 2015. Throughout history, personal liberty, free markets, and peaceable, voluntary exchanges have been roundly denounced by tyrants and often greeted with suspicion by the general public. Unfortunately, argues Dr. Williams, Americans have increasingly accepted the tyrannical ideas of reduced private property rights and reduced rights to profits, and have become enamored with restrictions on personal liberty and control by government.
Aaron W. Returns, Leaving California for Texas, & Child Protective Services Ordeal (57m) – Episode 435
Episode 435 welcomes back Aaron White to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: leaving California and the many reasons for doing so such as living expense, new Democrat Party supermajority in local politics, and the charter school crackdown; moving to Texas, specifically the Dallas / Ft. Worth metro area; social justice and woke ideology verse unschooling and free schooling principles; he and his family’s recent experience with California’s Child Protective Services; why every lawyer he talked to advised him to comply with CPS as thoroughly as possible, the opposite advice they give when dealing with police officers (ie. keep your mouth shut); how child protective services may exist in a free society and the question of “skin in the game” for these kinds of allegations; and more.
Denying the Antecedent & Cognitive Dissonance (20m) – Episode 047
Episode 047 looks at the logical fallacy Denying the Antecedent and the phenomenon of Cognitive Dissonance.
Homeschooling More Than Doubles During the Pandemic
State-level data show just how dramatic the surge in homeschooling has been.
Experts, Marijuana, Jesus Christ, Factory Farming, & Reconsidering Our System (29m) – Episode 434
Episode 434 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics from r/blackpeopletwitter and r/whitepeopletwitter: the dangerous stupidity of using experts (who always disagree) to make public policy; agreeing with Rep. Ilhan Omar that it’s time for the Feds to decriminalize marijuana; whether Jesus counseled people to take care of the poor or needy, or to outsource that to government; agreeing with Senator Cory Booker’s call to phase out factory farming; and the need to reconsider our entire economic system.