#117- Monster Hunter International Part 1 Scott and Karl begin their discussion of Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International Book 1. Self-published in 2009, this novel kicks off what will soon be a ten-book series. Scott says, "He manages to write about this world exposing these hidden monsters that seems consonant with the world I see." Monster Hunter [...]

#27- Chanting: A Religious Experience Scott, Karl, and Trent discuss the history, ritual, and tradition of chanting. Karl walks listeners through the musical structure and rules of different chanting traditions in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church. Karl says, "For most people, chanting is an accompaniment for their yoga... it's something alien that we [...]

#116- Goethe's Faust Part 2 Scott and Karl finish their two-part discussion of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust. The legend of a man selling his soul to the devil seems to have particular resonance at times of moral crisis. Regarding modern Faustians and their insatiable appetite for expansion, Karl says, "It's the idea that this is [...]

#115- Goethe's Faust Part 1 Scott and Karl begin their two-part discussion of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust. Faust is highly successful and well-read yet dissatisfied with his life. As the now-legend goes, this leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads, exchanging his soul for forbidden knowledge. The duo talks about [...]

#26- Just Pleasures This week, Scott, Karl, and Trent each choose three "pleasure-only" songs to share on the show. From The Bangles to Lady Gaga, these picks are not guilty pleasures. These are the fun songs you listen to in your car, while you're lifting, or while drinking a Busch Light. What songs do you [...]

#114- Jordan B. Peterson's Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life This week, Scott and Karl discuss Jordan B. Peterson's Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life.  As the companion volume to 12 Rules for Life, Peterson's new book offers "further guidance on the perilous path of modern life." While Scott and Karl agree these are decent, sensible rules for life, [...]

#25 - Les Paul: The Father of Multitrack Recording Scott, Karl, and Trent introduce us to the genius of Les Paul. Best known for the solid-body electric guitar, Les Paul was a prolific inventor and tinkerer. He also developed many of the techniques that formed the backbone of modern music recording, including multitracking, overdubbing, and [...]

#113- Kierkegaard's The Sickness Unto Death Are we all in despair, whether we know it or not? Scott and Karl discuss S¢ren Kierkegaard’s cheerful little book, The Sickness Unto Death. Published in 1849, Kierkegaard outlines his theory of the self in relation to his categories of despair, wherein despair is a "disease" of the self. For Kierkegaard, [...]

#112- Mishima's Sun and Steel, with Matt Reynolds (Barbell Logic) This week, Scott and Karl are joined by special guest Matt Reynolds to discuss Yukio Mishima's book, Sun and Steel. Born into a samurai family, Mishima died by his own hand in 1970, committing seppuku or ritual suicide. While controversial, Mishima is considered one of the [...]

#24- Pop Pathos Have you ever thought about what makes a pop song tick? This week, Scott, Karl, and Trent analyze the lyrics in some of the biggest pop hits from different eras of American music. The trio discusses the various levels a pop song can operate on. Trent says, "There are songs that have a [...]