Humane Politics

Humane Politics

Author: frontporchrepublic January 17, 2024 Duration: 1:13:51
Adam Smith, a philosopher at the University of Dubuque, counterattacks the disenchanted War on Suffering.  FPR President Mark Mitchell goes biblical to bring down a heightened politics of insanity.  Brass Spittoon podcaster John Murdock looks at a key architect of religious politics and wonders what might happen if his blueprints were followed.  Gerald Ford groupie and FPR perfect attendance award winner Jeff Polet opens by reflecting on political goats.       Highlights Jeff Polet:  Introduction 1:30       Statistical sirens 3:00       Humane oxymorons 5:15       Dirty politics 6:15       Animal farm 9:45       Oh yeah, the intros! Adam Smith: “The Politics of Reenchantment” 10:15    A reading from St. Aldo’s almanac 11:45    Frontlines in the War on Suffering 20:00    Enchanting politics with fairies and green fire 24:00    Institutionalizing flatness 31:00    Supernaturally small Mark Mitchell: “Politics in Babel” 33:00    Towers trump? 38:00    Name callers 42:00    Crashing symbols 46:00    Abraham skips the bricks 47:15    Hope in failure John Murdock: “Back to the Future of the Religious Right” 51:45    “The Poll” and holy holes 57:00    Franciscan biography 62:00    White and wrongs 66:00    The limits of integrity 69:00    Polyface politics and ravines made for walking   Resources Speaker bios and conference videos FPR Books and bookshop Conference co-sponsor Plough Thanks to Wendell Kimbrough for our theme music

There’s a certain kind of conversation that happens best when you’re not in a hurry, when the topic can wander from the headlines of the day to the deeper questions that have always shaped how we live together. The Brass Spittoon is built for that kind of talk. Hosted by the folks at Front Porch Republic, this podcast serves as a gathering spot for discussions rooted in the tangible realities of our lives-our connections to a specific place, the practical limits we encounter, and what genuine liberty means within that framework. Each episode feels less like a lecture and more like joining a thoughtful, meandering dialogue among friends who aren’t afraid to chew over ideas from both the past and the present. You’ll hear explorations of culture, community, and the small-scale practices that build a durable society, all approached with a sense of curiosity and a lack of pretense. It’s for anyone weary of abstract debates and hungry for conversations grounded in the texture of everyday life. So, pull up a chair and settle in; this is where we consider how to live well, right where we are.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 32

The Brass Spittoon
Podcast Episodes
Russell Moore on how Wendell Berry Made the Cover of CT [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:07
The former editor in chief of Christianity Today stops by to talk about his love of Port William and the AI infused world to come. Highlights 1:00 Biloxi boy and Berry man 5:30 Unlikely CT choice? 11:00 Wendell at his mo…
Bill McKibben with Sunshine on his Shoulder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:56
The author, activist, and grandfather who once warned of The End of Nature has a brighter disposition these days. Highlights 1:15 Dirt roads and tricorne hats 3:15 Protesting with the life-changing Wendell Berry 6:45 Pan…
Marvin Olasky on the Press, Presidents, and Pivots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:21
The longtime editor-in-chief of World magazine discusses the Zenger Prize, his new gig at Christianity Today, the temptations of conservative politics (compassionate or otherwise), and his memoir Pivot Points. Highlights…
Tri Robinson Looks Back in Thanks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:18
After a life of physical and spiritual adventure, an innovative homesteading teacher and pastor turns green with gratitude. Highlights 1:00 California to Idaho (before everybody was doing it) 12:00 The plane, the plane!…
Jeff Bilbro's Convivial Quest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:43
The editor-in-chief of the FPR website discusses the recent conference in Grand Rapids and his latest book, Words for Conviviality. Highlights 1:00 Pacific Northwesterner in western PA 8:00 Prospects for localism and tra…
Yuval Levin on Our Constitution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:44
The AEI scholar and author of American Covenant joins John to talk about a document that he believes could unify we the people, again. Highlights 1:30 Second home 8:15 The national “we” 13:45 A dignified basis for unity…
Ghost Stories with Nancy French [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:35
Longtime ghostwriter Nancy French tells her own tale in the Ghosted: An American Life. French was raised in rural Tennessee and would later provide the words behind famous talking heads but found her own enchanting voice…
Family Time with Timothy Carney [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:07
Timothy Carney, an AEI senior fellow and the author of Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be, talks about the village it takes to raise a child and the metaphorical (and som…
Living Outside the Machine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:30
Ashley Colby, founder of the Rizoma Field School, digs up inspiring true stories of resistance and restoration (with references to donkeys, elephants, and our 49th state). Bill Kauffman, author and regular conference clo…
Brian Miller on Kayaking with Lambs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:31
Brian Miller visits the porch to talk about his new book chronicling life on a Tennessee farm. Highlights 1:30 Bayou Bengal Volunteer farmer 5:45 A monastic text 11:15 Man of letters 14:00 Pesto chango 15:30 Remote contr…