it’s fun to just listen to two buddies have conversations about anything from hegelian dialectics to frameworks of temporal experience to the punk rock candidate to camus absurdism to basketball stars throwing fits and beating out his teammates despite not being in shape. i once emailed austin to tell him my story about absurdism and existential dread leading to suicidality and he was surprised someone so young would listen to his podcast. well to say to that: fellas if you think this podcast just reaches the grad student circlejerk, you’re wrong. your powerful intelligent witty voices can touch anyone’s mind, heart and soul as y’all have mine.

Oh no. I found a great argument I had written down from episode 145 and I wondered if this podcast was defunct- turns out I had accidentally unsubscribed and now there are months of super relevant backlog episodes I have to take more notes on! I love how the basis of each episode is organic, sometimes you’ll choose to focus a whole episode on a recent tweet or a personal life event and relate it to major texts, which is a great approach. Anyway, the previously mentioned impassioned insistence that it’s a good thing to engage with complex alien texts without looking for a thesis or a main ideas is helpful as I dive into Reza Negarestani and other theory fiction this week. Excellent work.

Love the content overall, but so many mouth noises. Lip smacking, lip licking - makes it impossible for me to listen. I listen to podcasts through headphones and having these sounds go straight into my ears makes them so much more intolerable. I couldn’t make it through the last episode (Ignoble Lie) even though it was a great, important conversation. I hope you can fix that. Maybe your new equipment is too good/ too sensitive haha

Love this podcast so much. As someone who doesn’t come from a religious background, I’ve just got to say this stuff is nourishment for my soul. I love that you guys come from a theological background, and while having grown away from that still approach those questions with curiosity and compassion. I’d love to know if you guys have ever come across the work of the theoretical biologist / systems theorist Robert Rosen. His work centers around a critique of mechanism in science. He touches on the limitations of the algorithmic, the universal vs the particular, and the role of contradictions in science. He makes some interesting claims, like that perhaps we can view biology as in fact more “general”, and physics more “special”. Or that maybe contradictions are a defining factor of life itself. Anyway I’d love to hear your thoughts if you are familiar with any of Rosen’s work, he’s a figure that’s influenced my political thinking in some weird and interesting ways. If not, try and check him out sometime. His thinking was summarized in his 1991 book Life Itself (not the Roger Ebert biography) if you ever have time to give it a looksy I highly recommend.

Love the podcast. Always a fun and engaging conversation. I did have a question… I am a newish listener so apologies if you have tackled this question before. You (Austin) mentioned in a recent podcast your return to reading some John Milbank. I just ordered a copy of “The Monstrosity of Christ” the book were Milbank and Zizek go back and forth on the idea of Christ. I was wondering 1)if you have a read it and if so any thoughts? 2)how does the idea of Christ fit or not fit into your current philosophical project? Keep up the work. Peace, Chaz

Hey A&T. I just want to let you know how much your podcast has helped me develop as a person this last 6 months. I owe you both a debt of thanks. If I had to ask a question, if you both could, if you both listened to the album demon days by the gorillaz, how would you analyze the themes, and how would you apply them to the contemporary cultural moment? Vode An, B

I love the show, it is eye opening and thought provacative. I don't know how to form good questions but I will try. The claim that the left is the party of fun, because of being able to have guns, and accumulate wealth without guilt. However liberals seem to be more openly gay, and more sex positive. So am I reading too much into it or are liberals more about carnal pleasures while the right are more at ease with material pleasures? and when I say this I don't mesn the centrists on both sides who do not practice what they preach. I hope this makes sense, love you all. And thanks.

Hey guys I recently discovered your podcast and I’ve enjoyed your deep, thought-provoking conversations and opinions. I would like to hear your opinions on gun law reform and the structure of the current system. I apologize if you’ve already touched on this subject, as I am fairly new, and I understand if you decide to dismiss this question, as it is a sensitive and controversial subject, but if you address it, I sincerely appreciate it.

Grifters

I really enjoy your show, as a former Christian and as someone interested in but not that well-read in philosophy. I'm a composer and classical concert pianist, so my 5-star review question for you is: have you ever done any work in the ideas/philosophies found in Wagner's operas, especially the Ring of the Niebelungs? On a purely musical level, Wagner is an essential though highly problematic figure in Western music, and I know that for a while, his (non-anti-Semitic) ideas were taken very seriously in European society and talked about a lot. From what I know of his works, it seems like a fascinating time to look at them again: the eschatological narrative arc of the Ring cycle, centered as it is on the debts and sins of the parents needing to be paid by their children due to the selfishness, hubris, and myopia of the parents, seems very relevant to today's world with such a powerful generational divide fomenting a resurgence of the right and a real threat of global conflict and violence. At the end of the Ring cycle, Valhalla burns as the Rhine overflows its banks to reclaim everything; in our time, the climate is heating rapidly and the oceans threaten to overflow their shores as a result. Anyway, I don't know if this would merit a brief answer on your part, or perhaps be an interesting topic to dive into. At the very least, the music of the Ring cycle is some of the best I've ever heard, and the second of the operas, The Valkyrie, is one of the very best operas in the entire repertoire, period. I also listen to Show Me the Meaning at Wisecrack, and I'd love to hear Austin's take on these operas sometime.

These are two dudes with great personalities who talk passionately about philosophy. They explore topics thoughtfully and might even make you laugh. I definitely have to look up stuff that they bring up all the time, but I’ve learned a ton!

Love the show! Incredibly thoughtful and informative, but still listenable, accessible, and fun. My favorites are when the guys cover themes of Christianity and communities of faith... it’s really refreshing to hear a leftist/non-theistic perspective on Christianity that comes from a place of knowledge and empathy instead of scorn and shallow mockery. Question(s) on breadth vs. depth... with so much content out there, and not enough time to go around, it’s tough to “hunker down” and explore a single theme/writer. I’m wondering if you have any more tips for the casual connoisseurs: with so much fascinating work out there, how/when do you tend to choose to dive deep into a single work or theme? Is that something you’d recommend for people with more superficial exposure to philosophy? Keep up the great work!

Recent philosophy grad here, and new regular listener. I especially appreciated your metamodernism episode some time back- that’s how I found y’all. Any chance of trying to grab some more folks from that vein? I can’t stress enough how crucial it is to have thoughtful people (perhaps even cussing with impunity) reacting to this political moment. It’s so hard to get a considered, long-arching approach to current affairs and you guys are uniquely positioned there! Any podcasts you guys have been getting into lately?

The Peter Rollins episode is my personal favorite. Austin and Troy have great chemistry and have an ocean of knowledge. Each episode has a lot to chew on. Question: What are your thoughts on free will? (Compatibilism, Determinism, and Libertarian free will) Never heard your thoughts on that.

I love the discussions between Austin and Troy. I have a deep love for both politics and philosophy, and as a dude from San Diego who grew up in the Church, and is now a Marxist myself, the perspective you two come from speaks to me personally in a way that no other podcast I listen to does. There are only 3 podcasts I listen to devotedly- this one, Rev Left and CitationsNeeded, and I love everything y'all do. Also, Austin, I may or may not have a crush on you that my girlfriend disaproves of, and Troy, I wish for nothing more than to take one of your classes.

Love it guys. My favorite podcast to listen to. Austin you are my James Franco/Donald Glover. Troy, I wish you taught me everything. What are your thoughts on the NBA so far this season? Who you got winning it all?

This podcast is so good that it will convince you that even thinking about writing a review for it may trigger existential anxiety. If this even matters, at least someone except the algorithms is benefiting from my actions. I have been bribed though so... Here’s my question. What is the answer to life, the universe and everything? 42? Is this the right question? Is this too many questions? Tune in to Owls at Dawn for the answer(s)

Just started listening and love what I’m hearing. Gives me new perspectives to think about. Question: Not sure if you’ve discussed it yet, but a surface level understanding of eastern religions suggests they have a very different perspective on what religion is. Would you discuss this apparent difference or suggested text that helps my western mind bridge the gap to eastern religion?

This podcast is my sticky leaves for each week. Because of this podcast I have a burgeoning love of philosophy that when I attempt to talk to my friends and coworkers they specifically ask for no more philosophy. Then I use the insights I have received from this podcast about basketball to discuss a sport that I have neither the time nor interest to astound my coworkers. Keep up the great work!

I love the show. It is entertaining and easy to listen to while simultaneously intellectually stimulating. A brilliant balance achieved.

I found you guys from the Wisecrack podcast and I just have to say your content, along with wisecrack, is the absolute best. I rather support all of you guys than paying for: hulu, netflix or a horrific cable bill.

Haven’t watched an episode, but I know I will love it because Austin is in it. I have listened to him on show me the meaning and he always has comments that amaze me. I am looking forward to listening to this show and enjoying it as much as I enjoy his insights on show me the meaning.

My cats previously were massive centrists! I had been listening to this podcast with headphones until one of them ate the wire to the left one, now I listen on speakers. My cats can both hear it. They have become communists after hearing this. Now they share their cat tree and read Marx. I like this podcast, I have used my opinions to rate it. I am unaware of the opinions of my cats. They have only made it clear that they are now communists.

Listening to these two talk about a subject that they love and are well versed in is simply enjoyable.

I won't tell you what number one is.

I've been a fan of Troy and Austin since encountering their blog in the mid-aughts as a young English major who half-assedly dabbled in philosophy and theology. When they stopped updating the blog, I was bummed, but I was pleasantly surprised to stumble on to this podcast a few months back. It has all the formidable intelligence and wit of their blog in an eminently engaging podcast format. Keep it up, dudes; you're doing fine work.

Two professors dropping bombs on politics, philosophy and current events the network! Like and subscribe. Keep the episodes coming!

Relevant, informative and sincere! I look forward to listening every week!