Conversations and Meditations

In this episode, Virgil goes into the idea of wearing masks to hide our real feelings and our true selves. In this discussion, we will investigate the concept of masks and why we choose to wear them. Masks can hurt our relationships and, ultimately, our lives. Masking our emotions is a coping mechanism that stops us from genuinely processing them and integrating them into our character. People who wear masks are driven by trauma, and we all experience different types of trauma in our lives. A mask covers up wounds and doesn’t allow those wounds to heal. It hides the pain. In this episode, you'll learn how to take off the mask and better regulate and manage negative emotions and a negative self-image. If you want to be honest with others, you first have to be honest with yourself. Wounds need air to heal. Its time to take your mask off, will you join me?

In this episode, Vigil and his returning guests, Danny and Matt, discuss the topic of postmodernism. This episode focuses on the differences between modernism and postmodernism and why talking about this topic is essential. The show then goes into whether postmodernism exists only in the realm of art and literary theory, or is it also a social phenomenon. We then discuss if postmodernism leads to cultural and moral relativism and whether that point of view can lead to a generally skeptical view of the world. We also cover the concern if postmodernism can cause science denialism, because of the general belief that we can't know anything for sure, no matter the tools we use. We finally finish the episode on the costs and benefits of using a postmodern lens to view the world.

In this episode, Virgil goes over the concept of logical fallacies and the different types used in discourse. Logical fallacies work on people because they make messages feel more persuasive. Ultimately fallacies hurt the trust and credibility of a person making an argument; therefore, the truth isn't the focus. This episode focuses on what logical fallacies are, the negative aspects of using them, and their overall effect on the way we interact with others.

In this episode, Virgil and his previous guests Danny and Matt, discuss the concepts of High and Low culture. This episode will focus on discussing why these cultural forces and cultural divisions are important. Through these discussions, we can learn more about our culture, which gives us a more nuanced view of our society. High culture is a collection of cultural products, mainly in the arts, held in the highest esteem by a culture. Low culture is a collection of cultural products not held in the highest esteem by a culture. High culture is the culture of the elites within a society. Low culture is connected to popular/mass culture and is the culture of the everyman. Through this discussion, we hope to explore better these two cultures and how they interface with society and where or not these divisions have disappeared over time.

In this episode, Virgil goes over the tools and strategies that we need to build self-confidence in times of self-doubt. Self-confident individuals build trust in their abilities, have a sense of control of their lives. Self-confident people believe they will be able to do what they wish, plan, and expect. Self-confident individuals have realistic expectations, and even if those are not met, they continue to be positive. Individuals who lack self-confidence find it challenging to be successful and ultimately happy. When self-esteem is the norm for an individual, their talents and skills have the chance to shine and be noticed by their peers and community. We all live with self-doubt and second-guessing, but with these tools and strategies, we hope to be able to build up our confidence and remain positive in the face of our successes and failures.

In this episode, Virgil and his friends, Awkward Hermit, Matt, and Auguste discuss the concept of separating art from the artist. Is it ever possible for us to be able to separate a talented individual and their pieces of art from their harmful, immoral, and at times, criminal behavior? Should we banish all artwork created by individuals that may be talented but are evil people? Should we try to find nuance and look at the concept and issues case by case following the facts and victim testimony before canceling the artist's work entirely?

This discussion will cover everything from musicians, actors, directors, athletes, etc. We attempt to take a rational approach to the separation of art and the artists that create the artwork. We discuss the deification of artists and other public figures and how that might skew our perception of how good or bad these people might be. Just because these individuals may be talented, impactful, or famous, that doesn't mean they are good people and treat others with respect. The Me Too movement has been a catalyst for people that consume art to reevaluate the artists that they admire. The Me Too movement has driven people to investigate whether or not these public figures might be immoral and criminal people. We hope we can bring clarity to such a problematic, nuanced, and emotional topic.

In this episode, Virgil continues the discussion about the left and right with his guests D and Matt. In this podcast, we go into more detail of what the term “right” is, particularly in respects to the cultural, moral, social, economic, psychological aspects of the various groups on the right and how they might or might not have something in common with the left. This episode includes a discussion on the Moral Foundations Theory and what the moral psychology of people traditionally on the right is. When then contrast the rights morals foundations to liberals and libertarians to better understand one another and the basis to our moral foundations. We then discuss the social and cultural aspects of the right in respects to movements and government action. Finally, we discuss what various groups on the right believes is right in terms of economics and how that translates to public policy. 

In this episode, Virgil and his two previous guests, Matt and Mischa, come on the show to discuss foreign policy. This podcast will focus on the general aspects of foreign policy, U.S. adventurism, the anti-war movement. The main element of this discussion will focus on whether or not Libertarians and Socialist can have an alliance against the current establishment foreign policy. With this potential alliance, can we move the nation towards a more peaceful and rational approach to engaging with other nations? The podcast starts out identifying what foreign policy is and why it's essential for us to discuss it and its consequences on our country and the world at large. We then move on to talk generally about diplomacy, war, and the tertiary option ( aka covert intervention). We then talk about how our different approaches to foreign policy and how it connects to our particular politics, morality, economics.

In this episode, Virgil and his friends discuss the topic of what is the left and right. This podcast is part one of two dive into the political spectrum and political philosophy. In this podcast, former guests D, Pseudo, Danny, and Matt join us to discuss the left and right in respects to their origins, present, and future. We discuss the ideological roots of the left and right and try to unpack its connection to government and society. We talk about the difference between authoritarianism and libertarianism and its connection to the political spectrum. We then talk a bit about the fringes and extremes of the far-left and far-right and how they cause damage to our world. We close the podcast discussing whether identifying on the left or right is valuable or if labels all together are antiquated and unuseful. Through understanding the political spectrum we can better understand others and ourselves.

In this episode, Virgil and his previous guests, Danny and Matt discuss the intersection of class and taste and how both connect to culture. We each give our ideas on what a social class is and how its represented in our world. We then discuss the concept of taste, its connections to aesthetics, and whether or not its something connected to our evolutionary history, social construction, or perhaps both. The conversation moves into whether or not a class system impacts and shapes our tastes. This episode is meant to explore who we are in a society and why we enjoy, and we participate in things we find tasteful whether or not because of our social class.

In this episode, Virgil and his two guests, Danny and Matt discuss the topic of knowledge, how we can attain it, and how we can, if possible, be sure of anything. This podcast features three different yet compelling theories of knowledge. We then apply our approaches to the world around us, especially concerning the nature of the universe, Truth, and morality.

In this episode, Virgil and his friend Matt delve into the concept of consciousness. This podcast will is about the origins, development, and future of consciousness. Throughout the podcast, we discuss consciousness and its connection to the world around us and the potential future of how we will alter our consciousness by directing our evolution whether through the integration of technology with our bodies or experimentation with chemical substances and meditation. This episode will feature two opposing viewpoints that offer a very different interpretation of what consciousness is and how we as humans interface with the world around us through it. Prepare to explore your mind.

In this episode, Virgil goes over the concept of stress management and building resilience to stress in general. This podcast will define what stress is and distinguish the types of stress and the triggers that induce and exacerbate the problem. We also cover the cognitive, behavioral, and physical symptoms of stress in order to better identify how stress is affecting our lives in the present and future. The podcast then goes into different methods and tactic of how to build resilience for the everyday stressors and the major stressors that influence our lives. Managing our stress is essential to our flourishing and happiness. We need to change our relationship with stress and build up our tolerance for the future.

In this episode, Virgil goes over the concepts of motivation and leadership. This podcast is about better understanding the relationship between leadership and motivation and its basis in psychology. This episode also goes into different types of motivational theories, leadership theories/styles, and the qualities of successful leaders. With this knowledge, we can learn to become better leaders and learn to motivate others and ourselves.

In this episode, Virgil and his friend Jay give a film review of Jordan Peele's new film Us. This episode focuses and the films central themes and symbolism that tell a much deeper tale that many people have overlooked. This podcast is about viewing films literally and metaphorically, which offers a deeper message by connecting the two. The episode then moves on to a discussion of the significance of film within our culture, our lives, and why viewing film makes for a fun and engaging experience. Films teach us about the world and the people in it, especially us.

In this episode, Virgil goes into detail about how government affects economic progress for individuals. The government ideally should be promoting economic progress by protecting the rights of individuals and supplying a few goods that are difficult to provide through markets. Government spending is now more than a third of our economy. This fact highlights why it is important to understand how the political process affects allocating resources effectively. As government spending, subsidies, income transfers, and regulatory favors grow, businesses and other well-organized groups will expend more rent-seeking to obtain government favors that will grow their organizations. This podcast is meant to inform and expose how the connection between state and economics has led us to this crony capitalist mess in where the allocation of resources is determined by political favors rather than by consumer preferences translated through the market profit and loss system.

In this episode, Virgil goes into the concept of self-criticism and how at times it prevents us from achieving our goals and taking the necessary risks to get there. Being our biggest critic is important insofar as the criticism is based in reality and it's used to make things better and not to put one's self-esteem down. With this rational approach to our failures, we can better learn to make the right choices that will lead to our flourishing.  Through these right choices and flourishing, we can learn to truly love ourselves for all the bad and good that we indulge in. Through this self-acceptance, we can learn to be our own biggest fans and make our lives better.

In this podcast, Virgil goes into detail about the economics of progress in our society and how certain well-intentioned counterproductive economic policies that hurt those who are impoverished more than help. The desire to help the poor isn't enough for things to change in a meaningful way. We need a society that encourages and incentivizes the right behavior in a market in order for growth. The focus of this episode is to review the incentive structure that discourages an individual's ability to help themselves and others escape the cycle of poverty. The episode also spotlights how economic freedom, private property rights, and the rule of law increases a state's ability for economic progress. This prosperity has an overall effect that increases the standard of living and promotes human flourishing. Individuals flourish when their lives have meaning and purpose. Economic freedom is one of the main catalysts for this flourishing in us all, especially those who are struggling to make ends meet.

In this episode, Virgil and his friend and previous guest, Pseudo, talk about the concept of the phrase "New Year, New Me" and its importance in the zeitgeist of today's world. This show picks up where the last episode left off. On the previous episode, Past Year Review, Virgil described his method of how to go through the previous year and determine which people, activities, and commitments in the last year were positive and which were negative. This episode Psuedo and Virgil go over their methods of removing the negative the people, activities, and commitments for the new year and including more of the positives to make this year better than last. The whole point of life is your flourishing and the only way to achieve it is to fight for your happiness and better yourself. 

In this episode, Virgil goes over the idea of a Past Year Review. A Past Year Review (PYR) is a tool used by many famous and successful people such as Oprah, Tim Ferris, and Bill and Melinda Gates. A PYR is an alternate way of achieving what you want in the next year contrary to New Years Resolution. Virgil builds upon Tim Ferris method of conducting a PYR and goes into detail on how to perform one and where our focus should be. PYR offers us a chance to evaluate what happened last year, pinpoint the lessons of last year,  and regain our focus for the new year. Similar to Tim Ferris's approach, I try to look at the people, activities, and commitments that have wither brought me joy or made me feel negative. I then try to include more of the things that brought me happiness and growth into the new year. In regards to negative people, activities, and commitments, I try to either sort out my issues with them or move on and leave them in the last year. I believe a PYR will offer you a chance to investigate whether or not your year was good and what was the reason for it being that way. With this knowledge, you can be more objective on things that were and weren't in your control and learn to move forward. True reflection means we don't need some silly resolution to change things. We act accordingly.