Tolkien-Pilled

Tolkien-Pilled

Author: The Claremont Institute June 4, 2026 Duration: 6:46
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.com

Pope Leo XIV, in his first encyclical, dropped a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Gandalf. Inspired, Ryan Williams and Spencer Klavan examine why, as other franchises become cringe, the Lord of the Rings books remain moving and important. Even despite some rough streaming adaptations, the stories pair sacred story with timeless moral lessons and unmatched world building. Ryan and Spencer rank the best—and worst—of the fantasy universe Tolkien helped inaugurate. 


Behind the daily headlines and political noise, there's a deeper current of ideas shaping the nation. The American Mind Podcast, from The Claremont Institute, digs into that foundational layer. It moves beyond surface-level debate to examine the philosophical assumptions and historical principles that actually drive American life. In each episode, hosts sit down with Claremont scholars and a range of thoughtful critics to untangle the real causes of our cultural moment. These conversations aren't about quick takes or partisan scoring; they're sustained explorations of how concepts from history, philosophy, and political theory manifest in our society, news cycles, and personal lives. Tuning in, you'll hear rigorous but accessible discussions that connect timeless thought to contemporary upheaval. This podcast provides a space for listeners to step back from the frenzy and consider the underlying forces-the enduring ideals and the new challenges-that are continually remaking the American experiment. It’s for anyone who suspects there’s more to the story and wants to engage with the substantive ideas, not just the symptoms, of our political and cultural reality.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The American Mind Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Rubio Looks to the West [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:27
Following on from J.D. Vance’s bracing speech in 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on European allies to resist the managed decline of the West at the 2026 Munich Security Conference this week. The welfare stat…
Our New Robot Overlords [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit claremontinstitute.substack.comKicking off the Roundtable’s premium interview series, our AI chatbot—sorry, host, Spencer Klavan is joined by Claremont Instit…
Bad Bunny, Worse Politics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:23
Superbowl LX went to the Seahawks, but the halftime show went to Puerto Rico with musician Bad Bunny, who performed almost entirely in Spanish (except, of course, when he took a dig at America's right to call itself Amer…
The Mini-Bus, the Short Bus, and the Clown Car [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:28
The recent government shutdown standoff has reached an end but, in yet another stage of the war against immigration enforcement, only temporary funding for Homeland Security has been passed. Democrats now aim at sweeping…
ICE Storm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:53
Close on the heels of Renée Good's death, Minneapolis protestor Alex Pretti was killed in another altercation with ICE agents. Investigation into both incidents will hopefully make judgment easier in the court of law, bu…
Halfway to the Midterms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:25
As anti-ICE protests escalate in Minneapolis, agitators storm a church mid-service. But Trump’s deportation efforts are combining with economic pain to drive his poll numbers down. Uncertainty about Greenland doesn’t see…
Minnesota ICE (ft. Kyle Shideler) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:30
This land is your land; this land is...Greenland? Following the recent arrest and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump has halted shipments of Venezuelan oil to Cuba, raising new speculations about effor…
We Wish You A Merry Christmas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:44
This week, hosts Ryan and Spencer sit down as the year closes out to share their Christmas plans and recommendations: music, theater, food, drink, and more! Stay tuned in the new year!Recommendations:Adventures in Old En…
Now It Can Be Told [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:10
Australia has suffered its deadliest mass shooting in decades, allegedly perpetrated by father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram, on the first night of Hannukah. Meanwhile in Germany, (yet another) planned attack at a Chris…