# The Daily Eudemon > Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Frequently Asked Questions URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/529/ Last updated: 2005-04-05T00:13:16.000Z *What's this publication about?* Pop culture, religion, history, literature, philosophy, humor, and drinking--usually from a Catholic perspective, but in a manner that non-Catholics find inviting. *What is a eudemon?* A spirit of light. *How do you pronounce "eudemon"?* *Random House Dictionary* says, "you-dÄ“'mun." I like the hip hop pronunciation: "you-duh-MAN." *I see other Eudemon sites out there. Are they related?* Yes. There's The Weekly Eudemon, a weekly podcast. There's The Eudemon, which is the **[Medium.com](http://ericscheske.medium.com/follow?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)** "arm" of TDE. You can also follow TDE at Facebook and at Twitter. ### Favorite Quotes URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/531/ Last updated: 2005-04-05T00:13:39.000Z *These are by no means all of my favorite quotes. This is a work in process. It will be amended and updated periodically.* Note: Some of the quotes have been altered a bit to make them more aphoristic or to reflect current grammatical usage. **Miscellaneous** Man is an actor, playing a part in the drama of being and, through the brute fact of his existence, committed to play it without knowing what it is. Eric Voegelin laying down the crux of the matter The existence of a good society depends on the social predominance of a group of men in whom the excellences are actualized. When the predominance of such a group is endangered by the masses whose passions are not restrained, then the quality of the society will decline. Eric Voegelin on the Clinton and Nixon presidencies Far best is he who knows all things himself; Good, he that hearkens when men counsel right; But he who neither knows nor lays to heart Another's wisdom, is a useless wight. Hesiod on American individualism The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason. T.S. Eliot on attending church to get clients. *Related: The good is no longer good if it be not rightly done. Simeon the New Theologian* The wise man knows himself for debtor, and his actions will be inspired by a deep sense of obligation. Bertrand de Jouvenal Mr. Kirilov simply collects observations; he does not touch upon the essence of the matter or, as we might say, the moral aspect of it. Indeed, he denies there is any such thing as morality and he advocates the latest principle–total destruction in the name of the ultimate good. Mr. Kirilov has already demanded that more than one hundred heads roll so that reason may be introduced in Europe, and that considerably exceeds the figure proposed at the last peace conference. In that sense, Alexei Kirilov is ahead of everyone. Dostoyevsky (*The Possessed*) giving a little precursor to Stalin, Hitler, and even the scientific approach of Alfred Kinsey Barbarism is not a picturesque myth or a half-forgotten memory of a long-passed stage of history, but an ugly underlying reality that may erupt with shattering force whenever the moral authority of a civilization is lost. Christopher Dawson's slap at modern smugness I, the Captain of a Legion of Rome, serving in the desert of Libya, have learnt and pondered this truth: ‘There are in life but two things to be sought, Love and Power, and no one has both’. (One of Malcolm Muggeridge's favorites) The heart itself is but a small vessel, yet dragons are there, and there are also lions; there are poisonous beasts and all the treasures of evil. There also are rough and uneven roads; there are precipices. But there too is God, the angels, the life and the Kingdom, the light and the apostles, the heavenly cities and the treasures of grace–all things are there. The Pseudo-Macarius against self-assurance Only the good souls are in hell. Berdyaev speaking of *thanatos*. *Related: Crito, I owe a cock to Asclepios; will you remember to pay the debt? Socrates right before he died.* Being unable to cure death, wretchedness and ignorance, men have decided, in order to be happy, not to think about such things. Pascal on amusement parks and Arena Football Nothing is so insufferable to man as to be completely at rest, without passions, without business, without diversion, without study. He then feels his nothingness, his forlorness, his insufficiency, his dependence, his weakness, hsi emptiness. There will immediately arise from the depth of his heart weariness, gloom, sadness, fretfulness, vexation, despair. Pascal on blogging. **C.S. Lewis** God knows the end for which he has created us and knows that we will not ultimately be happy if we remain alienated from that end: fellowship with him and with other human beings. The characteristic of lost souls is their rejection of everything that is not simply themselves. There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' The ruthless, sleepless, unsmiling concentration upon self is the mark of Hell. The family offers us the first step beyond self-love. Nonsense draws evil after it. Lewis thought of Hell as a heavily bureaucratized state in which everyone is perpetually concerned about his own dignity and advancement. Gilbert Meilaender on Lewis. **G.K. Chesterton** My country, right or wrong, is like saying ‘my mother, drunk or sober’. The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried. There is not really any courage in attacking hoary or antiquated things, any more than in offering to fight one’s grandmother. How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman’s function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. Man must have just enough faith in himself to have adventures, and just enough doubt of himself to enjoy them. Moderate strength is shown in violence, supreme strength is shown in levity. Religious liberty might be supposed to mean that everybody is free to discuss religion. In practice it means that hardly anybody is allowed to mention it. Let all the babies be born. Then let us drown those we do not like. A citizen can hardly distinguish between a tax and a fine, except that the fine is generally much lighter. There are some desires that are not desirable. It's not that we don't have enough scoundrels to curse; it's that we don't have enough good men to curse them. The test of all happiness is gratitude. Children are grateful when Santa Claus puts in their stockings gifts of toys or sweets. Could I not be grateful to Santa Claus when he put in my stockings the gift of two miraculous legs? **Hilaire Belloc** We are all familiar with science's prodigious results. Not one of them has, as yet, added to human happiness: all have been misused to the misery of man. The modern mind is as averse to precision in ideas as it is enamored of precision in measurement. **An Assortment from *The Philokalia*** Thoughts gather about the soul according to its underlying quality. He who loves God lives the angelic life on earth, fasting and keeping vigils, praying and singing psalms and always thinking good of every man. Always keep the same measure of self-control; otherwise through irregularity you will go from one extreme to another. To give free reign to the senses is to shackle the soul, to shackle the senses is to liberate it. Contradiction and contentiousness come from deceit, a companion of unbelief and haughtiness. **Drinking** A few favorite quotes from *Modern Drunkard Magazine's* "Wino Wisdom" I was in Hollywood a long, long time. I was on the verge of making it too, but someone stole my shopping cart and I was back to square one. My wife never knew I drank until I made the mistake of coming home sober. Yes, and I have the solution right here. *Jake S., 29, responding to the comment that he might have a drinking problem at the Lion's Lair Lounge.* Give me another glass of wine, and pour it strong this time. Behind every good man, there’s a bartender in front of him. I just escaped from detox. Can you drive me to a liquor store? Will Drink For Food. *Sign held by a wino who wants it all, with minimum effort, at Speer and 8th.* Pour me a Guinness, and I’ll have a PBR while it’s settling. You know what the difference between a lounge and bar is? About a dollar a drink. I’d tip you, but I need that money to get drunk. *Unnamed patron vocalizing a very powerful subconscious desire for a very weak Jack and Coke at the Streets of London Pub.* That beer you’re drinking looks suspiciously similar to the one that was stolen from me two days ago. Oh, I’m not a drunk. I’m a drank. As in, I just drank all my beer. But I’m willing to be a drunk if you buy me a drink. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he’ll sit in the boat and drink all day. I love to drink and I love to sing. But most people like to hear me drink. ### TDE Lens URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/2674/ Last updated: 2023-07-09T15:37:25.000Z [**What is this?**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2675) *TDE* topics include the following (each link is a representative post): [Pop Culture](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2649) [Current Events](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2585) [Religion](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2472) [History](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2198) [Family](https://thedailyeudemon.com/761) [Literature](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2623) [Philosophy](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2331) [Law](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2532) [Humor](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2503) [Drinking](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2599) [Education](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2359) [Technology and Its Effects](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2535) [Idiosyncratic](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2259) *TDE* touches on all those topics (and more), but it concentrates on the general social and cultural milieu, including ways we entertain ourselves. *TDE's* general view about religion and pop culture might best be summarized in [this pithy passage](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2622). All topics are addressed from a Catholic perspective, but hopefully in a manner that non-Catholics find inviting. *TDE’s* perspective also tends to be from the conservative end of the political spectrum, but overt politics are generally avoided, since [both major parties discourage me](https://thedailyeudemon.com/1335). Young ghosts who influence *TDE*: [G.K. Chesterton](http://www.chesterton.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [C.S. Lewis](http://cslewis.drzeus.net/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Hilaire Belloc](http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRbelloc.htm?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Malcolm Muggeridge](http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ28.HTM?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Eric Voegelin](http://www.ericvoegelin.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Alexis de Tocqueville](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis%5Fde%5FTocqueville?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [E.F. Schumacher](http://www.schumacher.org.uk/about%5Fefschumacher.htm?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Josef Pieper](http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9804/opinion/meilaender.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Willmoore Kendall](http://www.ericscheske.com/articletwo/article%5FWILLMOORE20041966.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Marshall McLuhan](http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Albert Jay Nock](http://www.lewrockwell.com/tucker/tucker23.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Christopher Dawson](http://catholiceducation.org/articles/history/world/wh0087.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Orestes Brownson](http://www.acton.org/publicat/randl/liberal.php?id=69&ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [H.L. Mencken](http://www.mencken.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ### Endorsements URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/50923/ Last updated: 2022-05-21T20:19:48.000Z "The Daily Eudemon is the sort of thing that Chesterton or Mencken would be doing, if they were alive today. It's what, in saner times, was called journalism. In the writing and in the reading, it's exactly the sort of leisure we should want at the basis of culture." Mike Aquilina, Author of *The Fathers of the Church* and TV Talk Show Host. "Literate Catholicism-urbane, witty, engaged-is alive and well! If you can read, you should be reading The Daily Eudemon!" David Scott, author of *A Revolution of Love: The Meaning of Mother Teresa* "If you like your blogs pithy, nimble, pointed, high-spirited, and waggish, then bookmmark The Daily Eudemon. Ooops! You want prolixity, density, meandering, dull, and sober? Then run (do not walk!) to the blogs of the major news outlets. They have just what you want. Honestly they do." John Peterson, Editor, *G.K. Chesterton: Collected Works, Volumes 12 and 13*. "TDE is full of information and insight. Always worth a read." James V. Schall, Author of *Another Sort of Learning.* "TDE is one of the few indispensable sites in an overcrowded blogosphere." Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Ph.D., New York Times Bestselling Author and Author of *How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization*. ### Older Archives URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51978/ Last updated: 2023-07-09T15:34:59.000Z TDE migrated to a new platform in 2020\. Many of the older posts didn't transfer cleanly. If you're curious to browse the back fodder, you can check things out here. - [November 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202011) - [October 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202010) - [September 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202009) - [August 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202008) - [July 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202007) - [June 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202006) - [May 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202005) - [April 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202004) - [March 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202003) - [February 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202002) - [January 2020](https://thedailyeudemon.com/202001) - [December 2019](https://thedailyeudemon.com/201912) - [November 2019](https://thedailyeudemon.com/201911) - [October 2019](https://thedailyeudemon.com/201910) - [September 2019](https://thedailyeudemon.com/201909) - [August 2019](https://thedailyeudemon.com/201908) - [July 2019](https://thedailyeudemon.com/201907) - [June 2019](https://thedailyeudemon.com/201906) - 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As a general rule, all comments will be approved as long as they meet **either** of the following two criteria: (1) they're offered in goodwill, (2) they're not anonymous. Put another way, criticism from anonymous writers will not be approved. Criticism from non-anonymous writers will be approved (the TDE will also reject comments that are inappropriate for any obvious reason, such as obscenity, incivility, etc.). ### The One-Thing File URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/56172/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T17:00:43.000Z ## One thing I've learned from a chapter, an essay, a blog post, a documentary, a video, or a podcast episode [**Great Books Interview about "The Captive Mind"**](https://www.nationalreview.com/podcasts/the-great-books/episode-218-the-captive-mind-by-czeslaw-milosz/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Only Albert Camus befriended Czeslaw Milosz during his lonely Paris years (1950s). --- **"The Rejection of Scholasticism." Chapter I of Basil Willey's *The Seventeenth Century Background*** The scholastics were interested in Total Being. In the sciences, this means they were interested in how things were related to that Total Being: transcendental reality. The scientific revolution, by contrast, didn't care about Total Being. It abstracted from Total Being just those elements that are amenable to its methods. The scientific revolution was a "transference of interests," rather than the uncovering of a new truth. (Related: Page one of Etienne Gilson's *Being and Some Philosophers*. Related: Jacques Derrida's condemnation of modernity's love of logocentric ideas: by elevating scientific elements to quasi-Total Being levels, modernity created a series of logocentric ideas that have no "presentness" . . . reality beyond mere words.) --- **"Bacon and the Rehabilitation of Nature." Chapter II of Basil Willey's *The Seventeenth Century Background*.** Francis Bacon--despite the arrogance displayed in his personal life, the rhythm of his sentences, and the criticism of critics like Maritain and Dawson--humble in his own way. Indeed, Bacon accused the Scholastics of arrogance. To Bacon, it was arrogant to claim to know metaphysical truths, especially to the extent that you let those "truths" drive scientific results. Bacon claimed his new method was humble: it merely followed the results of the scientific method. --- From the Econtalk episode about [**Rowan Jacobsen’s *Truffle Hound***](https://www.econtalk.org/rowan-jacobsen-on-truffle-hound/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)***.*** The Chinese have even fraudulently manipulated the truffle market. Truffle, a fungus delicacy, can go for up to $3,000 a pound because they’re so difficult to find and harvest. A few years ago, the Chinese harvested a low-quality truffle in mass quantities. [**More details at the TDE Annex**](https://dailyeudemonannex.blogspot.com/2022/03/truffles.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). --- [**Huberman Lab, Episode 37**](https://podcastnotes.org/huberman-lab/episode-37-adhd-how-anyone-can-improve-their-focus-huberman-lab/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Seventeen minutes of meditation can permanently improve our ability to focus our attention. [**Huberman Lab, Episode September 5, 2022**](https://hubermanlab.com/focus-toolkit-tools-to-improve-your-focus-and-concentration/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Thirteen minutes of meditation every day improves your cognitive and focus abilities. --- [***The New Criterion's* "Critic's Notebook," March 15, 2022**](https://newcriterion.com/blogs/dispatch/the-critics-notebook-12422?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) By the nineteenth century, Edinburgh was known as the “Athens of the North." --- [**Ian Leslie on "Curiosity" at Econtalk, May 2022**](https://www.econtalk.org/ian-leslie-on-curiosity/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#audio-highlights) A great education doesn't teach you just how to think, but there's something even more important, which is it teaches you what to think *about*. It gives you the tools for you to *decide* what to think about. It gives you the whole, this incredible landscape, that it's up to you how you perceive the world. It's up to you, how you perceive your fellow human beings. Citing [David Foster Wallace's Kenyon College Commencement Address](https://people.math.harvard.edu/~ctm/links/culture/dfw%5Fkenyon%5Fcommencement.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). --- **"The Ninth Century." Chapter II of Henri Pirenne's *Medieval Cities*.** The Russians (the Viking conquerors of the [Dnieper watershed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dnieper?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#/media/File:Dnipro%5FBasin%5FRiver%5FTown%5FInternational.png) during the ninth century) were fascinated by Constantinople, which they called "**Czarograd**": City of the Emperors. --- [Episode 231: Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis | National ReviewJohn J. Miller is joined by Catherine Baab-Muguira to discuss Kingsley Amis’s book, Lucky Jim.![](https://www.nationalreview.com/wp-content/themes/national-review/static/images/favicons/android-icon-192x192.png)National ReviewRich Lowry![](https://www.nationalreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Lucky-Jim-by-Kingsley-Amis.jpg?fit=2057%2C1200)](https://www.nationalreview.com/podcasts/the-great-books/episode-231-lucky-jim-by-kingsley-amis/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Kingsley Amis wrote a James Bond novel. He was a big fan of the novels. --- [**Pints with Aquinas, Episode September 8, 2022**](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UJ9D7l93TysaBfIp8HGHB?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)(minute 51:00issh) Padre Pio believed in aliens. John Paul II apparently did, too. ### Endorsements URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/endorsements/ Last updated: 2022-05-21T20:27:22.000Z "The Daily Eudemon is the sort of thing that Chesterton or Mencken would be doing, if they were alive today. It's what, in saner times, was called journalism. In the writing and in the reading, it's exactly the sort of leisure we should want at the basis of culture." Mike Aquilina, Author of *The Fathers of the Church* and TV Talk Show Host. "Literate Catholicism-urbane, witty, engaged-is alive and well! If you can read, you should be reading The Daily Eudemon!" David Scott, author of *A Revolution of Love: The Meaning of Mother Teresa* "If you like your blogs pithy, nimble, pointed, high-spirited, and waggish, then bookmmark The Daily Eudemon. Ooops! You want prolixity, density, meandering, dull, and sober? Then run (do not walk!) to the blogs of the major news outlets. They have just what you want. Honestly they do." John Peterson, Editor, *G.K. Chesterton: Collected Works, Volumes 12 and 13*. "TDE is full of information and insight. Always worth a read." James V. Schall, Author of *Another Sort of Learning.* "TDE is one of the few indispensable sites in an overcrowded blogosphere." Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Ph.D., New York Times Bestselling Author and Author of *How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization*. ### About TDE/Contact Eric Scheske URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/contact/ Last updated: 2025-01-15T13:58:14.000Z ## The Daily Eudemon is one of the Internet's oldest blogs. It has been in continuous production since its founding in 2004\. **The Main Theme**: The Daily Eudemon primarily explores modernity and how to thrive (or, at least how to survive) in modernity, both by exploring how modernity arose and modernity's ongoing danger to human flourishing. **Idiosyncratic Themes**: TDE is also eclectic. Much of its **humor** is deadpan irony . . . and often sardonic. Friday is dedicated to a weekly **drinking** column (Brews You Can Use), primarily because long-time readers have come to expect it. There are often frequent excursions into prose **style** and **literature.** The idiosyncratic are often tied to the main theme (the problem of modernity), but sometimes, they're just offered because they are good (and thereby opposed to modernity, if only indirectly or obtusely). --- ### Eric Scheske is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in over a dozen print publications, including *Touchstone*, *Our Sunday Visitor*, *Columbia*, *Lay Witness*, *Envoy*, *Philosophy Now*, the *Detroit Free Press,* and the *Detroit News*. He is also the former editor of *Gilbert: The Magazine of G.K. Chesterton* and a former columnist for *National Catholic Register*. ### He is available to contribute to publications upon request. --- ### Scheske is also a public speaker, who has addressed gatherings in Fresno, Minneapolis, Lansing, and Kalamazoo. You can contact him directly (see below) or through the Catholic Speakers Organization. [Eric Scheske - Blogger, Convert, Social Issues Catholic SpeakerEric Scheske is a Blogger, Convert, Social Issues travelling from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Book now for free with CMG Booking.![](https://cdn.catholicspeakers.com/templates/rt_graffito/favicon.ico)Catholic Speakers OrganizationCMG Booking![](https://cdn.catholicspeakers.com/media/cmg/photos/original/eb/60/56/ericcmg3-31-1385954968.jpg)](https://catholicspeakers.com/profiles/eric-scheske?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Contact (269) 651-2445 (269) 290-8995 thedailyeudemon@proton.me ### Recurring TDE Topics URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/recurring-tde-topics/ Last updated: 2022-05-28T18:22:59.000Z _No content available._ ### Favorites URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/tde-favorites/ Last updated: 2023-04-12T12:28:08.000Z [Antigone](https://antigonejournal.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Catholicism for the Modern World](https://www.catholicismforthemodernworld.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [City Journal](https://www.city-journal.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Econtalk](https://www.econlib.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [First Things](https://www.firstthings.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Front Porch Republic](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [The Hedgehog Review](https://hedgehogreview.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [The Lamp](https://thelampmagazine.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Lew Rockwell](https://www.lewrockwell.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [National Catholic Register](https://www.ncregister.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [The New Criterion](https://newcriterion.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [St. Clare Heirloom Seeds](https://www.stclareseeds.com/garden-help/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Taki's Magazine](https://www.takimag.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [VoegelinView](https://voegelinview.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Tao URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-tao/ Last updated: 2022-07-16T12:00:26.000Z ### From John Wu's translation of the Tao Teh Ching Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. The highest excellence is like water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence is near to the Tao. It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full. If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness. Who can make the muddy water clear? Let it be still, and it will gradually become clear. Who can secure the condition of rest? Let movement go on, and the condition of rest will gradually arise. The sage is free from self-display, and therefore he shines; from self-assertion, and therefore he is distinguished; from self-boasting, and therefore his merit is acknowledged; from self-complacency, and therefore he acquires superiority. It is because he is thus free from striving that therefore no one in the world is able to strive with him. Gravity is the root of lightness; stillness, the ruler of movement. The kingdom is a spirit-like thing, and cannot be got by active doing. He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it. The sage puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence. He who is satisfied with his lot is rich. He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. The sage is able to accomplish his great achievements. It is through his not making himself great that he can accomplish them. Who is content needs fear no shame. Purity and stillness give the correct law to all under heaven. There is no guilt greater than to sanction ambition; no calamity greater than to be discontented with one’s lot; no fault greater than the wish to be getting. Therefore the sufficiency of contentment is an enduring and unchanging sufficiency. The farther that one goes out, the less he knows. Therefore the sages got their knowledge without traveling; gave their names to things without seeing them; and accomplished their ends without any purpose of doing so. He who gets as his own all under heaven does so by giving himself no trouble. The sage has in the world an appearance of indecision, and keeps his mind in a state of indifference to all. He who knows does not speak; he who speaks about it does not know it. For regulating the human and rendering the service to the heavenly, there is nothing like moderation. The sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things. The sage desires what (other men) do not desire, and does not prize things difficult to get; he learns what (other men) do not learn, and turns back to what the multitude of men have passed by. Thus he helps the natural development of all things, and does not dare to act (with an ulterior purpose of his own). But I have three precious things which I prize and hold fast. The first is gentleness; the second is economy; and the third is shrinking from taking precedence of others. With that gentleness I can be bold; with that economy I can be liberal; shrinking from taking precedence of others, I can become a vessel of the highest honor. Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. Those who are skilled do not dispute; the disputatious are not skilled in it. Those who know are not extensively learned; the extensively learned do not know it. The sage does not accumulate. The more that he expends for others, the more does he possess of his own; the more that he gives to others, the more does he have himself. [The Book](https://amzn.to/2JoJ2rC?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ### Newsletters URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/newsletters/ Last updated: 2023-07-10T16:30:23.000Z _This page is for subscribers only._ ### Members Only Area URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/members-only-area/ Last updated: 2024-03-25T00:29:53.000Z March 22, 2024: This area has just started. Check back soon for further developments. _This page is for subscribers only._ ### Primary Areas URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/primary-areas-still-under-construction/ Last updated: 2025-11-14T12:31:25.000Z Note to reader: Scroll to the bottom of each area. More posts will load, but there is a "delayed reaction" of about two seconds. ## [The ESB Project](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back/) [Existence Strikes Back Part One](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-i/) [Existence Strikes Back Part Two](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-ii/) [Existence Strikes Back Part Three](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-iii/) [Existence Strikes Back Part Four](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-iv/) [Existence Strikes Back Part Five](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-v/) --- ## [The Hemisphere Hypothesis](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/the-hemisphere-hypothesis/) --- ## Closely Connected to ESB and THH [Counter-Conduct](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/counter-conduct/) [Flourishing](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/flourishing/) (subset: [Focus](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/focus/)) [Localism](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/localism/) --- ## Other [Biography](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/biography/) [Economics](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/economics/) [Family](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/family/) [Gardening](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/gardening/) [History](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/history/) [Humor](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/humor/) [Philosophy](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/philosophy/) [Religion](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/religion/) [Technology](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/technology/) --- [**The Briefly Collection**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/briefly/) (250+ Short Posts . . . Topics Sundry) ## Posts ### Welcome to Labor Day Weekend URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/welcome-to-labor-day-weekend/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T14:50:36.000Z ### Ah, the melancholic long weekend. Life grabs you by the nape and forces you to look down the tunnel of death. Better grab a drink. [Labor Day WeekendSwing Low, Sweet Chariot of Melancholy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/OUTSIDE-MODERN-LIMITS-7.3.26-AVATAR-2fb4dc99-acf6-4dc2-8f3b-d67b9bab17df.png)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_31501-e8f34a5b-9929-4255-ad80-e7c9bc75aafd.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/50862/) Brutal, hot, muggy weather is kinda throwing off the vibe, though. If I go outside for more than ten minutes, I can't tell where my scrotum ends and my thigh begins. AI tells me these past five weeks probably rank in the top ten all-time for Devil's Crotch. So I'm about as sad about summer's close as Russia was when Napoleon left. "Ah gee, whatever will I do when I can't walk outside without getting assaulted by a fusilier who's ferociously annoyed that all the women were packed up and moved to the next town before he and his fellow Napoleonic rabble arrived?" Featured Reading *War and Peace* Leo Tolstoy · Penguin Classics Tolstoy’s monumental novel of war, family, history, love, and the strange movement of ordinary lives through great public events. [View the Penguin Classics edition on Amazon → ](https://www.amazon.com/War-Peace-Penguin-Classics-Tolstoy/dp/0140447938?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rldIeTM-zx2rgap8g6R9npewhkR1endPDOtu4kJINRbllaDLwKhd8JMhv2A0H2xRPMmjDl%5FlyfxFZkkuTv00Yy1Cmx7WneyM66NABaCRjKLbYkZcGRzECr8xXPjbYUkWH1kYgBHiGNt3MZ7MlrV7a4h9j7xaGN47Ld1ZNq9CPCY9He69lJbujB3%5F4ahDjHHuvxVu93WjHYkBtQPe2RTpIIGY%5F2nXEdaw6Fnt89jBqg0.vpx-5ckKoI7oyEJI%5FTuAL83kyIMIGkDpB5CoiN%5FbGrA&dib%5Ftag=se&keywords=war+and+peace+tolstoy&qid=1788518580&sr=8-8&linkCode=ll2&tag=thedailyeudem-20&linkId=72c5608147b5787695c05d44f9799f61&language=en%5FUS&gaOptInStatus=true&ref%5F=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. So today, I will stay inside (yet) again, with the AC cranked, giving thanks that I don't live in AC-thwarted Europe, which is green in its ideology and green in its underwear from all the humidity-loving moss. Fortunately, drinking is an indoor sport. Sure, if conditions are right, it can be even more enjoyable outside, but those conditions--no excessive heat or cold, no bugs, no strong wind, no precipitation--are more elusive than [Frank Abagnale Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank%5FAbagnale%5FJr.?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) wearing one of those Elven cloaks that Galadriel gave to Frodo and Sam. We'll see how the day (and weather) sorts itself out. I wish all of you a glorious end of summer. As always, I appreciate you stopping by TDE. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Give Me Waymo or Give Me an 8-Track Player URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/give-me-waymo-or-give-me-an-8-track-player/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T12:07:58.000Z Sometimes, the moderate road is the wrong road. [**GKC**](https://amzn.to/4ithFPJ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) said that somewhere. It's kinda how I feel about fornication. If you're going to forsake the sacramental bed, you might as well bang as many women as possible. Monogamous sex without marriage makes about as much sense as non-alcoholic beer. If I were a rich rake, I'd be Tiger Woods, not a shmo with a longtime girlfriend. Today's smart cars are the dumbest thing possible because they're straddling the center line between the driving lane and the riding lane, and hurtling down the center line ain't a good thing. I had no idea what intrusive sons-of-bitches these things had become until my wife got a new Honda Odyssey and the clever bastard locked her fob (short for "fock-off, bastard") in the car while we were on vacation (without the backup fob). I had already grown tired of her van constantly beeping at me on the drive. When my car beeps at me, I want it to be because my engine or my scrotum is about to explode, not because I'm merging lanes with only 14 feet distance instead of 15\. All the beeps and shimmies and phantom braking/steering sets my amygdala off repeatedly. It's like that time I got lost in downtown Detroit while walking to the parking garage after a Red Wings game. Every shadow and bump startled me as I walked in the middle of the street, trying to put distance between me and the alleys and doorways. I've always loathed the phrase "driving experience," but it's making more sense to me now. When I drive, I want to, you know, *experience* it. Feel it, make my own decisions, be responsible and responsive. All the smart features make me less responsible and, I'm guessing, less responsive. That's why I think these way stations on the road to self-driving cars are a scourge and I won't buy one. BUT: When we get to the point where we all have self-driving cars, that'll be great. I'll no longer be confused about whether I'm responsible for driving well. I won't be driving, period. I'll be reading, drinking a beer, whatever. But not driving. In the meantime, however, I'm driving my daughter's old 2013 Chevy Cobalt. It ain't much to look at, but it lets me drive. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Explore Chesterton Looking for more G. K. Chesterton? Browse editions of his essays, fiction, criticism, poetry, and theological writings. [Browse G. K. Chesterton books on Amazon → ](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=G.+K.+Chesterton&rh=n%3A283155&channelId=500&clpRedir=Y&plpRedirect=mhFallback&linkCode=ll2&tag=thedailyeudem-20&linkId=1d7929dc61176daa0989c1f744ce04c1&language=en%5FUS&ref%5F=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. ### Flying Saucers to UAPs: The Euphemism Treadmill URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/flying-saucers-to-uaps-the-euphemism-treadmill/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:09:26.000Z Econtalk hosted Adam Kirsch last week to talk about UFOs. Well, they're technically called "UAPs" now, a change that prompted Kirsch to explain "**euphemism treadmills**." UAPs, he explained, used to be "flying saucers," then became "Unidentified Flying Objects," then "Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon," and now "Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon." He said it's because there's a problem with the subject: > \[I\]t's what people sometimes call a euphemism treadmill, where the name keeps changing, but because there's a problem with the thing that's being named. Someone may want to remind him that blacks used to be called \[can't say it; it carries magical properties, literally "taboo," merely to utter it out loud brings Beetlejuice into your living room\], and then "negroes," then "colored," then "blacks," and then "African-Americans." I suspect Woke 2 will understandably disagree that such a semantic history is evidence of "a problem with the thing that's being named." Poor Adam Kirsch: He might have just signed his own Cancellation Warrant, as the Woke 2 movement picks up steam again. It'd be unfortunate. Kirsch strikes me as one of the most intellectually-honest writers today. That probably makes him a "conservative," but that's only because many liberals have gone so bat-s\*\*\* crazy, they can't be intellectually honest anymore than a paraplegic can crush the 40-yard dash. I seriously doubt Kirsch is "conservative" in any traditional sense. [Are We Alone? Cosmic Loneliness and the Longing to Believe (with Adam Kirsch) - EconlibHas the earth been visited by extraterrestrials? Are we alone? Despite no formal evidence for conscious life outside of earth, the belief that we are not alone has become more common among both scientists and everyday people. Listen as author Adam Kirsch talks to EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the urge to believe that there \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/android-chrome-512x512-35528234-c421-43a2-916a-0740ad6f82ba.png)EconlibAdam Kirsch![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/FlyingSaucerAgainstStarrySky_Depositphotos_7481584_S-529c6715-ca63-4483-9176-7485e56e2c69.jpg)](https://www.econtalk.org/are-we-alone-cosmic-loneliness-and-the-longing-to-believe-with-adam-kirsch/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Welcome to the Internet's Longest-Suffering Blog URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-daily-eudemon/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T11:59:30.000Z Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Your support is appreciated. ## I'm Kinda Buyin' Into the Idea that Great Britain is the Scourge of Modernity From Henry VIII through 1688 through James Bond: the home of Jane Austen and Samuel Johnson might be the source of all our ills. I don't want to believe it, but 💡 ****We don’t rape here, okay?** The UK released [new pamphlets](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a84555dc9205b515d421e22/COB%5Fsummary%5Fbooklet%5FFINAL%5Fweb.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) leveling expectations for [asylum seekers](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a7f0c161f783fe89daaa35f/COB%5FA5%5FLeaflet%5FFINAL%5Fweb%5Fchild%5Fabuse.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [warning about](https://www.nationalreview.com/news/u-k-government-issues-guidance-warning-asylum-seekers-not-to-rape-or-perform-female-genital-mutilation/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) British laws against rape and female genital mutilation. [Nellie Bowles](https://www.thefp.com/p/tgif-have-yall-never-heard-of-noblesse?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) 💡 On the surface, this US / Canada rift appears to be all about trade relations. Naw. It’s about Mark Carney being a tool for merry old England attempting to capture the resource base of northern North America to collateralize what little remains of the UK’s once-sprawling, now sinking, empire. England is not so merry these days. It has somehow managed to issue a **fatwa* on itself and entered a gruesome process of assisted economic and cultural suicide. [James Howard Kuntsler](https://www.kunstler.com/p/oh-canada?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## A Reader Wrote, Asking About the Full Brownson Essay You can find all five parts here. [Orestes Brownson - The Daily EudemonEssays for the restless mind in a crumbling age![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/OUTSIDE-MODERN-LIMITS-7.3.26-AVATAR-a4efe0a7-ded8-4864-82f4-005a34b62cd3.png)The Daily Eudemon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/OUTSIDE-MODERN-LIMITS-7.3.26-BANNER-FOR-SUBSTACK-2-8fcadbc4-27f5-45ab-a288-8eb9c66c41ba.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/orestes-brownson/) The piece was published in 2004 in *Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture* at the University of St. Thomas. --- ## Limited Time Kindle Deal [**$2.99 for Voegelin's *The New Science of Politics*.** ](https://amzn.to/3S6Trjn?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/image-7.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/image-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/image.png) --- [The Week in ReviewCarlson’s Ten Points![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/OUTSIDE-MODERN-LIMITS-7.3.26-AVATAR-349598bd-ad2e-4dc5-ad82-ed6dc236c0d9.png)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/The-Daily-Eudemon-7.5.26.-Pasting-into-Blog-Posts-1-ebfd818f-fbe6-4582-98e3-dade77fdba42.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-in-review-3/) > But whatcha gonna do? Worship Mao with Hasan Piker so we can kill millions of people because Communism has never, you know, really been tried, as evidenced by the fact that our kids can still open a lemonade stand without your hot wife needing to bed Comrade Jabba down at city hall to get the required permit? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/Comrade-Jabba-Meme-II-2.png) [“We’re Here To Destroy The White Race”: Democratic Socialist Of America Hero Declares War On West“We want more immigrants to come into your countries and then they’re gonna f\*\*k your sisters and then your daughters. We’re here to destroy the White Race, Bitch.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-ebe91f44-6c75-4675-9cdb-8c0d4a0086d7.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/homo-4e220e72-7047-471c-8768-baffacf633f1.png)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/inflection-point-arrives-dsas-unofficial-america-hating-communist-mascot?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Bill Maher on the Rising Socialists --- ## The Week My sputtering attempt to launch a weekly recap continues. We'll see if I can sustain it going forward. BTW: If I sustain it, that means TDE subscribers will get two emails from me when I send out a newsletter essay (like I did this past week). That, however, will be rare. Most new essays and posts will merely be posted here, not shoved in your in-boxes. [The WeekSupport Local Ag or Else! Else what? You’ll crap yourself. If explosive diarrhea doesn’t send people en masse to their local farmers market, I’m gonna stock up on rubber raincoats to protect myself from the splashing. A privately held, California-based produce company called Taylor Farms, which![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-f3bc90c8-7aca-4598-bfbf-d2f47f18a1f2.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-2545537c-dc9f-421c-bed6-afc0d88a8a75)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-2/) --- ## Substack Monday You can read the Monday column here or click over to Substack. [Why Political People Tend to be Intensely UnpleasantHere’s one reason. The other reasons are Legion.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F9c98a98b-0e0c-422d-8884-8c833dd553f9-2Ffavicon-48x48-3d20fbcb-c7a9-41c4-8ce0-8cdc2b382a19.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ff02af726-0444-469f-b459-b44c4ca2297a_1024x608-5bee5190-4f80-4469-b612-03cdcb8984e7.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/why-political-people-tend-to-be-intensely?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## The End of Audience Capture? The End of Subscriptions? The astute Ted Goia says Netflix's collapse is a canary: audience capture is over. Netflix tells the tech lords that they can't piss down people's back and tell them they're not getting hammer buggered. Does this also portend the end of the subscription model? Garsh, I hope so. You can't do anything anymore without a subscription. It's the most annoying development since Oprah. It's so bad, I now keep a file of subscription information so I can keep track of it all. I have better things to do– say, cleaning latrines in high humidity the day after a beer and brat festival--than try to keep in front of these bastards at Silicon Valley. [The Collapse at Netflix Signals the End of Audience CaptureThe most popular strategy in the tech world has stopped working. That’s good news for all of us.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa1fa1445-60df-4be2-981a-d798d4819ff0-2Ffavicon-32x32-071526ac-1cba-404b-aac6-b1e2bcc5a932.png)The Honest BrokerTed Gioia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F7c478fc8-7066-4d13-af5d-50a1be6fd1f4_946x634-52c952ad-93c2-47ee-8d08-f7200273d7ab.png)](https://substack.com/inbox/post/207450495?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## A Critic I Enjoy Says Nolan Has Crafted Another Masterpiece "\[I\]t’s so much better than anything else released so far this year that all objections fall away amidst the picture’s epic sweep and towering, indomitable spirit." [The Odyssey will take audiences by stormThe Odyssey is thrilling, of course, but it’s also deeply sad, poignant where it needs to be and even genuinely funny a couple of times![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-192x192-3575b232-d843-4a05-939b-4aa2bd699eeb.png)The SpectatorAlexander Larman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/odyssey-1cff2256-eac3-4090-9039-ea07ba12c06c.jpg)](https://spectator.com/article/the-odyssey-will-take-audiences-by-storm/?edition=us&%5Fgl=1%2Awwtmy%2A%5Fup%2AMQ..%2A%5Fga%2AMTkyOTQ4Nzc0OS4xNzg0MTk1ODMz%2A%5Fga%5F4HSLZY4B1Y%2AczE3ODQxOTU4MzIkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODQxOTU4MzIkajYwJGwwJGgw%2A%5Fga%5FDLZSDYRWEH%2AczE3ODQxOTU4MzIkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODQxOTU4MzIkajYwJGwwJGgw%2A%5Fga%5F62MNNVRTT1%2AczE3ODQxOTU4MzIkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODQxOTU4MzIkajYwJGwwJGgw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Funniest Thing I Heard this Weekend On the Hollywood-induced controversy about Christopher Nolan's *Odyssey.* Folks are referring to the lead female character as "Helen of Detroit." --- ### That William Blake was an Odd One > William Blake left his autograph in the album of his friend William Upcott: “William Blake,” he wrote, “Born 28 Nov. 1757 and has died several times since.” Found in [**this bio of Ivan Illich**](https://amzn.to/3QRbb1C?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Enshittification It's real. Everywhere. The digital world is breaking down and trapping all of us inside. I don't know if that's really true, but something is seriously amiss. Big Tech trapped us by making things easier and appealing. Now that they got us, they're torturing us. My most recent Exhibit: Dealing with Venmo. My email to them this morning, after spending, no exaggeration, 2-3 hours working on this mess over the course of the week: > I added and verified a new checking account via micro‑deposits. The bank shows as verified in Venmo, but every time I try to transfer or pay from it​, I get ‘Server Returned an Error’ and no transaction appears on Venmo or the bank. I would note that this follows on the heels of you losing contact with my previous bank (I have no idea if the problem was on your end or my bank's end) and my exhausting efforts to re-establish it, with no success. I tried to call Venmo but got put into tautological heck with your voicemail system . . . could not possibly get to a human. I tried to use the website but every time I hit "contact us," you asked me to log in and then returned me to the same page . . . over and over. ## Visit St. Joe's Cafe in Hillsdale, Michigan [St. Joe’s Café | Hillsdale, MIA European-style cafe in downtown Hillsdale, MI featuring freshly-roasted coffee and pastries, wood-fired pizza and cocktails, and organic fare.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-c6a79e5d-4e21-419f-8e6a-96651e68b231.ico)St. Joe's Café | Hillsdale, MI0![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/St.-Joe-27s-Pizza--2813-29-fb7836eb-6e83-4805-a7f6-5df45d988347.png)](https://www.stjoeshillsdale.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Serving up holy hospitalitySt. Joe’s Café in Hillsdale![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-01008e2c-90fd-4194-a0fb-7029df8d03c9.png)Faith MagazineMaria Servold![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/pizza_preview_maxwidth_1600_maxheight_1600-65b82838-9cbe-4d93-8078-b3ccd81f032b.jpg)](https://faithmag.com/serving-holy-hospitality?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Distribution of the First Issue of *Barstool Sports* It didn't go well. > My primary distribution method for the first issue of *Barstool* was homeless drunks contracted by a staffing agency I’d found. They were supposed to hand out the papers to commuters outside Boston’s train stations. I’d say 90 percent of these people didn’t show up to work that day. And those who did clock in didn’t seem overly interested in handing out the newspaper. Entire stacks were dumped onto the subway tracks. More than a few “workers” were still drunk and picking fights. And if anyone was wondering who might have been responsible for this mess, my company’s name was front and center on their chests in bright red. [Dave Portnoy: How I Built Barstool SportsI quit my cushy sales job, borrowed $20,000 from my dad, hauled news racks across Boston in a rented U-Haul with my mom, and hoped a free sports newspaper would catch on. Somehow, it did, writes Dave Portnoy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-f3afe4e9-dda4-4556-9efa-baa3cb574156.png)The Free PressDave Portnoy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F0c424082-f37c-4efb-98a8-5b5fcefe3956_1765x993-d1b64f8c-76e7-4903-8fec-4a17d0473ec0.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/dave-portnoy-how-i-built-barstool?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) It's an excerpt from [**Portnoy's forthcoming autobiography**](https://amzn.to/4xROYRx?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Judging a Book by Its Cover I know nothing about the show except this magazine cover, but I know it sucks. Everything about this cover and the TV show it features screams "awful," from the politically correct casting to the woman with the white spiked hair and oh-so-cool tilted sunglasses to the word "besties." It looks so bad, it scares me more than that shark in the corner would even if I were swimming naked off the Florida Keys. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/06/image-1.png) --- ## Tequila is Surging . . . and not Just Because Mexican-American are Drinking It Imports to England were up 22% last year. Tequila and grapefruit appear to be especially trendy. > [Gen Z ](http://spectator.com/tag/generation-z?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)are keen on the spirit, apparently, because it’s seen as a “clean” alcohol. A fellow Gen Xer tells me: “It’s all anyone drinks at the Farmhouse.” (She means the Soho House one, not the local pig penitentiary.) “The Paloma \[tequila and grapefruit juice\] is the most popular cocktail, and all the youngsters seem to drink tequila shots on the rare evenings I’m there after dark.” Due to a youthful indiscretion in Guadalajara when I was 17, I still can't touch the stuff, but I'm glad to see it's having its day across the pond. TIL: Only tequila manufactured in Mexico can be called "tequila." It's a trademark thing. And within Mexico, only a few locations are allowed to produce it. As a result, the state of Jalisco produces nearly 100% of the world's tequila. Jalisco's capital: Guadalajara. Which helps explains what the heck happened to me when I was 17. [Tequila slammers all around!“Tequila, it makes me happy, / Con Tequila it feels fine” goes the student anthem by Terrorvision. It is midnight![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-0f378bf2-adfb-4dc8-9720-b294f2d2a471.png)The SpectatorFlora Watkins![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/iStock-158769352-1765f837-9ba5-4459-a60f-5a3164e57e46.png)](https://spectator.com/article/tequila-slammers-all-round/?edition=us&homepage-tracking=magazine%5Fminor-article-2&%5Fgl=1%2A1u1ef8v%2A%5Fup%2AMQ..%2A%5Fga%2AMTc1NTEzNDE1MC4xNzgyNDcxODc0%2A%5Fga%5F62MNNVRTT1%2AczE3ODI0NzE4NzMkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODI0NzE4NzMkajYwJGwwJGgw%2A%5Fga%5F4HSLZY4B1Y%2AczE3ODI0NzE4NzQkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODI0NzE4NzQkajYwJGwwJGgw%2A%5Fga%5FDLZSDYRWEH%2AczE3ODI0NzE4NzQkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODI0NzE4NzQkajYwJGwwJGgw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## "Zip Me Up Before You Go Go" Newspaper headline over a story about George Michael getting arrested in 1998 for performing a lewd act in a public toilet in Will Rogers Memorial Park in Los Angeles. [Source](https://spectator.com/article/wham-how-george-michael-shot-to-stardom-straight-from-school/?edition=us&%5Fgl=1%2A1gicha8%2A%5Fup%2AMQ..%2A%5Fga%2AMTQwNzAwNDAzNS4xNzgyMzg5OTI4%2A%5Fga%5F62MNNVRTT1%2AczE3ODIzODk5MjgkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODIzOTAwNzgkajYkbDAkaDA.%2A%5Fga%5F4HSLZY4B1Y%2AczE3ODIzODk5MjgkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODIzOTAwNzgkajYkbDAkaDA.%2A%5Fga%5FDLZSDYRWEH%2AczE3ODIzODk5MjgkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODIzOTAwNzgkajYkbDAkaDA.&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) From the same book review about [the new George Michael bio](https://amzn.to/4xN6cQ5?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (which the reviewer praises with this conclusion: "Anyway, it all adds to the general delightful weirdness of this nerdy, passionate, extraordinary book"). > He refused to be apologetic. He admitted his behavior had been stupid, but “I won’t even say it was the first time it ever happened.” He even joked about it, writing on his 35th birthday invitations: “Go to the bathroom before you come as all conveniences will be locked to protect the host.” --- ## Which states brew the most craft beer? I was surprised to see Michigan clock in at 21\. I'd been led to believe we were leaders in this industry. But the article explains: Michigan's ranking fell quite a bit when Kalamazoo's Bell Brewery was acquired by a large corporation, which knocked Bell's out the definition of "craft brewer." [https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-states-brewing-most-craft-beer-2025/](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-states-brewing-most-craft-beer-2025/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Tech Enrages Me I'm not the only one. Tech rage is roaring. I suppose it won't be long until lunatics start shooting Silicon Valley lords and fellow-lunatics start praising them for it. I sympathize with the notion, of course, but violence is abhorrent. You're better off trying to laugh at the situation, which I realize, given the oppression served up by Microsoft and its brothers, is like chuckling at prison rape when you're the lowest bitch in the joint, but hey, it's worth trying. Even libtards can do it, like this guy who, by appearances, is a guy who has surrendered his mental faculties to the far left dogmas of the day. It's one of the best lists I've read this year. Spot on, but also very funny. It also provided me with a reality check: Yes, these things are happening to everyone. It's not just me . [The 40 Most Rage-Inducing Problems in TechThe bugs, broken apps, and nightmare customer-service bots we can’t escape, presented as a blessed and sacred addendum to Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical on AI![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-f13de404-8a55-4af8-8ffc-fca363329a59.ico)The Ringer![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/cropped-popeAI_getty_ringer-1-scaled-1-4446c86a-e7d2-46fa-a4ff-9109182ffe7d.jpg)](https://www.theringer.com/2026/05/28/tech/pope-leo-xiv-ai-encyclical-tech-industry-problems?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Parking apps claimed the Two Spot, btw, establishing that my ire isn't unusual. > **Do not make me scan a QR code and go through an 11-step account activation process just to park my car for seven minutes.** This entire transaction is going to cost $1.15\. Your kiosk made me download an app, and now the app wants to know my birthday. All I want is to run in and grab a latte. Have mercy on me, please. [Resist Tech Zeus!Technological Progress is the Zeus of our culture. One moment, William Blake was warning that Francis Bacon’s essays are for Satan’s kingdom. The next moment, your cell phone is buzzing against your genitals while you’re trying to get laid. (Essay)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-c92e2da7-f848-4ab4-a8c1-063b672a7b4c.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-621b2859-d731-4e96-a058-9184df79e5f2)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/resist-tech-zeus/) --- ## Today I Learned > \[P\]rofessed sports fans who have favorite teams are twice as likely to be “very happy” compared with nonfans, are far more likely to feel known, and are more grateful about life. I'm guessing those studies didn't interview many Detroit Lions fans. [Arthur Brooks: The Knicks Just Made the Case for Sports FandomNew Yorkers poured into the streets after the Knicks’ title run, embracing strangers in shared joy. Social science suggests that instinct is good for us—and for the country, writes Arthur Brooks.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-dbbc58a1-8337-45de-8508-6791fbf89470.png)The Free PressArthur Brooks![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F8f69464d-1e4c-4cbf-9585-c0bad3f01f16_1024x683-4ac1dae7-0b47-468d-8780-93b908be6101.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/arthur-brooks-the-knicks-just-made?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Very Young Children Need to Write by Hand. Probably Older Adults, Too. Heck, Maybe Everybody. > Writing by hand is not one motion but a sequence of thousands of tiny micro-movements coordinated with your eyes in real time, where each letter is a different shape that requires the brain to solve a slightly different spatial problem. > Your fingers, wrist, vision, and the parts of your brain that track position in space are all working together to produce one letter, then the next, then the next. > Typing throws all of that away. Every key on a keyboard requires the exact same finger motion regardless of which letter you are pressing, which means the brain has almost nothing to integrate and almost no problem to solve. And if your child is learning to read on a tablet, sign him up for a life of semi-literacy. > Children who learn to read and write on tablets often cannot tell letters like b and d apart, because they have never physically felt with their bodies what it takes to actually produce those letters on a page. [Justin Deschamps (@justindeschamps)A Norwegian neuroscientist spent 20 years proving that the act of writing by hand changes the human brain in ways typing physically cannot, and almost nobody outside her field has read the paper. Her name is Audrey van der Meer. She runs a brain research lab in Trondheim, and the paper that closed the argument was published in 2024 in a journal called Frontiers in Psychology. The finding is brutal enough that it should have changed every classroom on Earth. The experiment was simple. She recruited 36 university students and put each one in a cap with 256 sensors pressed against their scalp to record brain activity. Words flashed on a screen one at a time. Sometimes the students wrote the word by hand on a touchscreen using a digital pen, and sometimes they typed the same word on a keyboard. Every neural response was recorded for the full five seconds the word stayed on screen. Then her team looked at the part of the data most researchers had ignored for years, which is how different parts of the brain were communicating with each other during the task. When the students wrote by hand, the brain lit up everywhere at once. The regions responsible for memory, sensory integration, and the encoding of new information were all firing together in a coordinated pattern that spread across the entire cortex. The whole network was awake and connected. When the same students typed the same word, that pattern collapsed almost completely. Most of the brain went quiet, and the connections between regions that had been alive seconds earlier were nowhere to be found on the EEG. Same word, same brain, same person, and two completely different neurological events. The reason turned out to be something nobody had really paid attention to before her work. Writing by hand is not one motion but a sequence of thousands of tiny micro-movements coordinated with your eyes in real time, where each letter is a different shape that requires the brain to solve a slightly different spatial problem. Your fingers, wrist, vision, and the parts of your brain that track position in space are all working together to produce one letter, then the next, then the next. Typing throws all of that away. Every key on a keyboard requires the exact same finger motion regardless of which letter you are pressing, which means the brain has almost nothing to integrate and almost no problem to solve. Van der Meer said it plainly in her interviews. Pressing the same key with the same finger over and over does not stimulate the brain in any meaningful way, and she pointed out something that should scare every parent who handed their kid an iPad. Children who learn to read and write on tablets often cannot tell letters like b and d apart, because they have never physically felt with their bodies what it takes to actually produce those letters on a page. A decade before her, two researchers at Princeton ran the same fight using a completely different method and ended up at the same answer. Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer tested 327 students across three experiments, where half took notes on laptops with the internet disabled and half took notes by hand, before testing everyone on what they actually understood from the lectures they had watched. The handwriting group won by a wide margin on every question that required real understanding rather than surface recall. The reason was hiding in the transcripts of what the two groups had actually written down. The laptop students typed almost word for word, capturing more total content but processing almost none of it as they went, while the handwriting students physically could not write fast enough to transcribe a lecture in real time, which forced them to listen carefully, decide what actually mattered, and put it in their own words on the page. That single act of choosing what to keep was the learning itself, and the keyboard had quietly skipped the choosing and skipped the learning along with it. Two studies. Two countries. Same answer. Handwriting makes the brain work. Typing lets it coast. Every note you have ever typed instead of written went into your brain through a thinner pipe. Every meeting, every book highlight, every idea you captured on your phone instead of on paper was processed at half depth. You did not forget those things because your memory is bad. You forgot them because typing never woke the part of the brain that would have made them stick. The fix is the thing your grandmother already knew. Pick up a pen. Write the thing down. The slower road is the faster one.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-f52f522e-7d20-496e-902f-efe87cc3b8e2.svg)SubstackJustin Deschamps![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F7ea9670e-15fe-46d4-8877-443c6f5af8ed_477x277-4ce76da7-fdd6-4a44-a513-5d73d75e24f4.png)](https://substack.com/@justindeschamps/note/c-261265212?utmSource=%2Fsearch%2Fhandwriting&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Today I Learned ***Pistachios are an Iranian Staple.*** And the price has gone up about 50%. > Everyone knows about Iranian black gold, but the country is the world’s second-largest producer of green gold, as its pistachios are called. The nut is native to the region and in Iran they have pistachio trees that are more than 700 years old. [Who stands to gain in the pistachio wars?you’ve heard about the sardine that blocked the port. But that’s nothing compared to the pistachio that took over the world![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-b84050c8-636a-40b5-aefb-a3f32c6d421c.png)The SpectatorJane Stannus![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/er-h-sk-spectator-pistachios-2-5d2819df-c02c-4a19-89d0-ca1dcf3e6654.png)](https://spectator.com/article/stands-gain-pistachio-wars/?edition=us&homepage-tracking=magazine%5Fminor-article-1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) California growers hope to benefit from the sitation, though one of the larger California growers currently has millions of dollars worth of green gold stuck in the Straits of Hormuz. --- ## Back, Barely I've lived in this neighborhood 50 years and I've never seen storm devastation like this. And we had our five out-of-town grandkids (ages 6 to 1) here for it all. Throw in an out-of-town bridal shower, more out-of-town company, no power for three days and repeated trips to the gas station to fill my [**Honda 2200 generator**](https://amzn.to/3S8lQ8m?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and a ten-hour yard clean up that has left me in a looking-for-coins-on-the-ground stoop, and I'm just glad to be vertical enough to crank out this small TDE update. That Honda generator is recommended. A power line man came through our backyard yesterday and told Marie, "That's a great generator." I paid $1,250 in 2021, and the price has scarcely gone up since then (go figger). It really did the job in this ordeal. Regular blogging resumes now. --- ## Brendan O'Neill Can Flat-Out Write Here, writing about the immigrant who, for some unknown reason, tried to behead a partially-deaf Scotsman in the street: > Yes, only the blood-stained degenerate bears responsibility for the horrors inflicted on that innocent man. But we now know the piece of scum had an army of witless aiders and abetters. There lurks in the background of this abomination a whole regime of complicity. The wilfully oblivious technocrats who have overseen the withering of our borders. The spineless legal system that refuses to remove people who should not be here. The virtue-hoarding activist class that agitates for the right of every ‘asylum seeker’ to stay, because they cherish the spotlight of self-righteousness far more than they do the safety of working-class men and women. None of them wielded the knife, no; but all helped to pave the way for that reprobate’s presence in Belfast. [The barbarism in BelfastThat crazed, savage knifing was a bloody byproduct of state failure.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-08f6dd76-a9ad-4c6c-8095-30e02afd4747.png)spikedBrendan O’Neill![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Belfast-stabbing-1536x864-7114f469-5df9-47ec-b23c-a5c05ae84f69.jpg)](https://www.spiked-online.com/2026/06/09/the-barbarism-in-belfast/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Today I Learned Actually, Today I Confirmed: The MSM has always been shockingly dishonest. > Two US professional leagues were launched in 1967\. Fewer than one percent of the players in the larger of the two leagues were American. Teams sent their players and coaches to Berlitz classes to learn English, but their efforts were for naught. CBS actually broadcast several games, but the handful of fans were aghast when it was revealed that **players had been instructed to feign injuries in order to make time for commercials.** [Why America is still immune to the soccer virusIt’s World Cup time again, and Americans from Bangor to Batavia don’t even bother to stifle their quadrennial yawns, while more fervent patriots are praying to the God who adjudicates sporting events that the US team flames out early, as usual. ​It’s been 32 years since the World Cup first tainted American soil. The 1994 invasion was a colossal flop, despite the corporate subsidies![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-6cee3a17-2670-4ea3-b787-6fb96e4ebc63.png)The SpectatorBill Kauffman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-72392276-3f255ef4-e10c-4e95-9d06-cea3884c6008.jpg)](https://spectator.com/article/why-america-is-still-immune-to-the-soccer-virus/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Mind Boggles [HelloFresh’s stomach-churning Pride adSince posting the gratuitously sexual Pride advertisement on June 5, HelloFresh has elicited over 4,500 comments![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-d3345cfe-74cd-4718-80ad-eb05f46b29dd.png)The SpectatorCockburn![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/hellofresh-5165be49-4b2f-4d56-8a8a-8b9dda33cb93.jpg)](https://spectator.com/article/hellofresh-stomach-churning-pride-ad/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## New Study Contradicts Old Joke Q: Why do husbands die before their wives? A: They want to. Well, maybe not: [Marriage Benefits Men’s Life Expectancy More Than Women’sOne data point has recently caused much astonishment, confusion and also anger online…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-0a664455-ee98-4cd1-b390-4bef2369f720.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/2026-06-09_12-53-17-1fe0f844-25be-4eb2-bef6-12578c73cd18.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/marriage-benefits-mens-life-expectancy-more-womens?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Substack Monday It's pretty much the same essay I posted last week, but as always, I found a few small ways to improve it, like adding a link to the Garden Workout Playlist. [The Garden WorkouutCasual gardening provides the Cobblestone Effect, but there’s no reason you can’t do it like Rocky IV![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-745d3ce4-ce18-42f5-b30c-2fcc27ba095e.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F7fa966e0-1bd8-4cc1-96fb-48da09efbec5_1024x608-b72329ae-ce6b-4357-810d-044cfd0f2e18.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-garden-workouut?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/06/Kauffman-on-Abstraction.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/05/IMG_3820.jpeg) --- Random Quote of the Day > In 1897, a Scientific American reporter wrote that “mezcal is described as tasting like a mixture of gasoline, gin and electricity. Tequila is even worse, and is said to incite murder, riot and revolution.” [***The Drunken Botanist: The Plants that Create the World’s Great Drinks***](https://amzn.to/4uJgYVE?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Thank You I received a nice Amazon gift card this past week. Thanks for using [the affiliate links at TDE](https://amzn.to/4a38ksB?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I like to affiliate with Amazon about as much as I like to dance with Dylan Mulvaney, but for a small site like TDE, it's the only viable option. --- ## Today I Learned: BYCU Edition [There's a whisky called "Lady Chatterley's Other Lover." ](https://spectator.com/article/all-the-gossip-about-lady-chatterleys-lover/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## New Essay There's a lot more to say about the Pope's encyclical, but I'm pretty sure everyone else is saying it (my New Episode feed on Spotify is bloated with AI encyclical material . . . I'm almost stressing out at the pressure to listen to it all . . . how much 2x playback speed can a guy take?). I'm offering something different: Commentary on the encyclical with a Sam Kriss lacing. Leo's and Kriss' pieces came out on Monday. The coincidence made an impression on me. BTW: I strongly recommend Kriss' essay for a lot of reasons, but mostly because he provides a ton of examples of AI writing. I've read it twice now, focusing on the various examples. It has helped me develop an eye for this slop. The key, I think, is that the AI prose is disembodied, which makes sense: it's left-hemispheric, meaning it's non-tactile and abstract, so its metaphors are random and often nonsensical. They sound good, but when you squint, you see they're ridiculous, kinda like how that botoxed woman looks fine at first but when you squint . . . [Sam Kriss Will Come to Your House and Kill YouIf you use AI to do your writing. He’d be doing a public service. Pope Leo would agree.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHN1bmZsb3dlcnN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjU3NDY2ODAy&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/sam-kriss-will-come-to-your-house-and-kill-you/) --- ## The One-Thing Files There is a thing called the "Zoe Mafia." > The Zoe Mafia came to South Florida some thirty years ago, along with thousands of other Haitians fleeing violence and poverty after the 1991 Haitian coup d’état. America has seen this sort of thing before: a wave of migration, principally comprised of goodwilled and hardworking people escaping dire circumstances, that happens to have as side effect the importation of, say, La Cosa Nostra or the Irish mob. (Of course, this country has its own homegrown crime rings, too, like the Sacklers, but that is another story.) [Delray Beach, America’s Rehab Capital | Noah RawlingsAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)County HighwayNoah Rawlings![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/noah-1200x-5b0a7d7d94f0cbc9802a7aae18dcef59e0483a618c230e2ccfc36bec9696dee3.jpg)](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-6/delray-beach-americas-rehab-capital-rawlings?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Substack Monday [Free the Cheese from the Big CheeseUnder the Clintons, the Democratic Party took up dwarf throwing: seeing how far they can toss the little guy for votes. No one’s been protecting the little guy since. Consider the small dairy farmer.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-a4e0aeeb929d4d1d03c7bef6725b6ed0082638ad2bf2009ef97cf4149c5875b3.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ff273cb41-0e66-429b-8cba-4ee673ede82a_1024x608-63e065701f8dffb79e891aa58a4cc9af8164498f0218fde02aeafa18f93eb89a.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/free-the-cheese-from-the-big-cheese?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) *The full essay will be reproduced here later today or tomorrow. EJS* --- 💡 (1) The government gets so big it is **unable* to do the right thing. (2) Then it gets so big, it can't even **intend* to do the right thing. (3) Eventually, it gets so big, it doesn't even **pretend* to do the right thing. The U.S. is somewhere between (2) and (3) right now. --- ## The Students Booed This Statement > “What you pay attention to shapes what you care about. And what you care about shapes who you become.” Jonathan Haidt, speaking at the NYU commencement ceremony --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/05/In-my-daily-life-there-are-no-other-chores-than-Those-that-happen-to-fall-into-my-hands.-Nothing-I-choose--nothing-reject.-Nowhere-is-there-ado--nowhere-a-slip..png) --- ### We Live in Panem > The post-9/11 surveillance dragnet, established with the passage of the Patriot Act six weeks after the attacks, required vast amounts of computing power and digital storage. Iraq and Afghanistan were cash-spigots that stayed open for decades. Americans rapidly got used to the idea that in this new and more dangerous age, the CIA, the NSA, and the military required the assistance of a vast and unaccountable private sector apparatus. The DC region grew fat off the country’s complacency, and its fear. Today, 35 percent of the world’s hyperscale data centers are in northern Virginia, being the legacy of W.’s anti-terror extravaganza transforming the capitol into a seemingly limitless, taxpayer-funded surveillance industry. The election of Barack Obama then gave a sheen of cool to this paranoia state and drew a new generation of power-hungry dweebs to the nation’s capital. Even more important to regional prosperity was the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in *Citizens United vs. Federal Electoral Commission*, which removed most limits on political spending. > The dirty, obvious secret of the national capital region in the early 2000s is that it became more or less the richest place in the entire country because of its proximity to a crisis-era federal government from whose power and profligacy sprang a thousand lucrative industries, from cyber-warfare to risk consulting to strategic comms to influence laundering to nuisance lawsuits. . . . Ten of the 26 richest counties in America by median income are now in the Washington, DC metro. [No More Fun | Armin RosenAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)County HighwayArmin Rosen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/armin-1200x.jpg)](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-6/no-more-fun-rosen?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- > “Bluesky really is the weirdest social media site ever created. It’s like the most toxic liberals built themselves a prison and then locked themselves up in it and now have 10 riots a day. Why would you do that lol.” **Jay Caspian Kang**, after [his *New Yorker* piece](https://www.newyorker.com/news/fault-lines/will-ai-make-college-obsolete?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) made him a villain on Bluesky for a few days. --- > There’s an easy solution to all the ChatGPCheating, which is to make kids take tests in person, pen-to-paper, ass in seat. But colleges are now run by people who think that’s crazy, unfair, wrong. What about the kids with no hands? [Nellie Bowles](https://www.thefp.com/p/tgif-too-crazy-and-not-crazy-enough?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## PSA: Don't Get Gouged: Stay Off the Internet Companies are watching you and setting your prices based on what you pay online. It appears the only safe course is to buy all your stuff in a bricks-and-mortar store. Brick-and-mortar stores can't track your online spending and then adjust prices on the fly as you're walking through the store. Not yet anyway. I can imagine a future, though, when those price signs will be digitized and then the posted prices will change depending on who's walking up to them (or, more likely, change based on the general spending patterns of the store's collective customer base at any given moment . . . pushing all of us to shop at Walmart when the pajama people are there later at night so we get the poor-people prices). Farfetched? Yup, but all this s\*\*\* would've seemed far-fetched just ten years ago. Do all your business face-to-face. Banking, buying, imbibing. #**interactlikeits1999** [Price Gouging, Now Personalized Thanks to Surveillance Pricing and Collusion – The American Spectator | USA News and PoliticsWith Democrats becoming more assertive in their embrace of socialists such as Bernie Sanders and Zhoran Mamdani, the abundance and prosperity we enjoy in a free-market economy are under threat. (RELATED: At What Point Do We Stop Tolerating Bernie Sanders?) But free market capitalism is also threatened by the corporate embrace…![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)SpectatorBuck Throckmorton![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/ChatGPT-Image-May-5-2026-05_02_34-PM.png)](https://spectator.org/price-gouging-now-personalized-thanks-to-surveillance-pricing-and-collusion/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- [Elizabeth Warren Proudly Displays Scalp Of Spirit AirlinesWASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Elizabeth Warren was seen riding into town Monday morning bearing the scalp of her defeated enemy, Spirit Airlines.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The Babylon Bee![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/69f8d3a26b01069f8d3a26b011.jpg)](https://babylonbee.com/news/elizabeth-warren-proudly-displays-scalp-of-spirit-airlines?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU Britain's drunks (and there are a lot of them) are ready to turn harshly against the Iran War. From *The Kiplinger Letter*, April 23, 2026: > Concerns are brewing in Britain that the Iran War may cause a beer shortage. The war is disrupting supplies of carbon dioxide, an essential component in the beer-making process. Britain's CO2 supply was strained even before the war. . . . The government is drawing up contingency plans in case the war lingers." --- ## Substack Monday But on Wednesday. This essay's legs grew longer than a showgirl's, which delayed publication by two days. [You Will Worship Tech Zeus!Ivan Illich tried to show us a different way![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F50ae2ced-141a-4d74-88fb-fd0dd7c58292_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/you-will-worship-tech-zeus?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > Illich cogently outlines the ways in which tools that are too efficient, too powerful, or too dominant degrade nature, establish radical monopolies, overprogram the built environment, concentrate power, interrupt tradition, and increase frustration. David Cagley, [***Ivan Illich: An Intellectual Journey***](https://amzn.to/4egLTTV?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Quote > "It takes extraordinary wisdom and self-control to accept that many things have a logic we do not understand that is smarter than our own." Nassim Taleb **Related** [Amazon.com: Entangled Life: The Illustrated Edition: How Fungi Make Our Worlds: 9780593729984: Sheldrake, Merlin: BooksAmazon.com: Entangled Life: The Illustrated Edition: How Fungi Make Our Worlds: 9780593729984: Sheldrake, Merlin: Books![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Shop the Store on Amazon ›Follow![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/ATVPDKIKX0DER-132-5557086-0805056-SBM3C8FT44TM09JR5TX3-uedata-s--2Frd-2Fuedata-3Fstaticb-26id-3DSBM3C8FT44TM09JR5TX3-0)](https://www.amazon.com/Entangled-Life-Illustrated-Fungi-Worlds/dp/0593729986?crid=GXG4AHFYT163&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.p2LsZOqTp0PXX2PCV9QRcbnb9HtCSxEwf7PahTwwG17rrYbi6cStvAUphVBAzBaJQP6hXnZWzeDuLuzbJT0p0H1QdvIgLm5z6Bv0wkYqXgLM2UT8k1CBBWE%5FU5RFytDXouejPxQs6YLMqK1QEtMX-co%5Ff1DpkhdUjhQqjyHBThy3hryt4Le-3yhaCqFRb%5FCggbv55S1-iL0ZJTZl5hmC3%5Fd%5Ft-v7AvlZOZiYeANZT%5FY.fA%5Fy%5FEzMGWiQSbv%5FdxjghtrxD64FhjPIUNqwWgHVKxM&dib%5Ftag=se&keywords=entangled+life+by+merlin+sheldrake&qid=1776946561&sprefix=merlin+shel%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll2&tag=thedailyeudem-20&linkId=c3f760bcadec5868611f637f23754c32&language=en%5FUS&ref%5F=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Substack Monday You'll find a slightly-modified version on the main page of TDE as well. [Politicians are SuperstitiousThey put religious faith in their theories and use them to affect worldly affairs![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F2be53a8d-5d2e-43a4-84d8-43d3f1baa519_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/politicians-are-superstitious?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- > "The Overton window on Jew-hating has shifted so far that even the most extremist comments from people who have pictures of Adolf pinned up in their basements are now considered… well, I suppose kosher isn’t the word – halal, maybe." [Rod Liddle, delivering the funniest line from the April 13, 2026 issue of *The Spectator.*](https://spectator.com/article/the-real-reason-the-left-hates-israel/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Week in Review, without the Review If my bowels were as incontinent as my writing resolutions, I'd go broke buying Depends Underwear with Extra Absorbency and Odor Control for Big Men Who Eat and Defecate A Lot. But I did see this yesterday at *The Spectator*. I'd comment on it, but, well, I need to change my Depends. Besides, I'm not even sure what it means: > Grindr’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner party in Georgetown next Friday is at capacity. [Call Her EvieCall Her Daddy, a podcast for young women hosted by Alex Cooper, has found itself caught in the crosshairs of Evie magazine![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The SpectatorCockburn![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-2199538578.jpg)](https://spectator.com/article/call-her-evie-cockburn-diary-04-17-26/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### The Week in Review I'd love to make this a regular feature and about twice the length, but, well, there's this thing called "life." And there's the [Genital Clamp](https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-the-genital-clamp/). [The Week in ReviewI’m pleased that my alma mater won the NCAA basketball tournament, but I’m even more pleased that I didn’t hear a single commentator use the phrase “score the ball” this year, as in, “He’s a great player. He can score the ball!” Perhaps Robert Hartwell Fiske’s ghost taunted Clark Kellogg![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Ace-Tolkien.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-in-review/) --- ### My Favorite Immigrants I find few things as endearing as the immigrant who is delighted to be here, delighted to work hard, delighted to know he can keep the money he earns, and delighted to touch that rock that makes the free market work: giving people what they want. > "One seeking to make a living in a country must pay due regard to the needs and tastes of that country." H.L. Mencken --- ### From Raymond Chandler's *The Big Sleep*, a character describing his impecunious situation "I been shaking two nickels together for a month, trying to get them to mate." --- ## Checks Out > "Maryland was Catholic because the King had the happy thought of that way getting rid of some of his Catholic subjects." Garet Garrett, *The American Story* --- ### As a Child of the 1980s, Anything Brooke Shields-Related Interests Me, Even Something About Her Dad > "Frank Shields Sr., grandfather of Brooke, was a renowned drinker and womanizer, and recalled as the best-looking man of his or any generation." Taki --- ## Monday Substack [The Left Hemisphere has Ruined Our SoilIf your gut’s hurtin’ you, blame the Green Revolution.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-84.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F769ac33e-f885-4a36-bd94-5a73cefa29e9_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-left-hemisphere-has-ruined-our?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- --- Public Service Announcement I'm severing every person from my life who denounces Tucker Carlson as a "Jew hater," "nut-job," or any other disapprobious name. I'm enshrining in my permanent pantheon of friends anyone who can send me a link to an essay or podcast from a person on the Right that provides a substantive critique of Carlson (that doesn't include the phrase "Nick Fuentes").*\*\** thedailyeudemon @ proton.me This isn't a challenge. It's a confession: I'm totally confused by the phenomenon that is Tucker Carlson, and the incessant mocking and name-calling without substance merely heightens my suspicion that something afoul is afoot (as it always is when America behaves more like an empire than a republic). *\*\*I like Michael Knowles. I've heard that he thinks Tucker is a "clown," so I'll have to dismiss Knowles from my life (I'm not sure how he'll sleep at night). However, if anyone has a podcast episode or interview with Knowles that breaks down his problems with Tucker, I am one giant ear. Please send it.* --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/03/image-3.png) --- > “A mind that’s all logic is like a knife that’s all blade. It cuts the hand that wields it.” —Rabindranath Tagore --- [Gurwinder (@gurwinder)Ehrlich made one huge miscalculation and then spent much of his career contorting himself into a pretzel to justify it. He was a powerful case study of how the fear of looking stupid can make a smart man genuinely stupid.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-18.svg)SubstackGurwinder![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F87de54a2-fad0-4598-a219-d90f98815e57_1156x455.jpeg)](https://substack.com/@gurwinder/note/c-230353192?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fsource=notes-share-action&utm%5Fmedium=web) --- I'm not sure this is true, but maybe. I'll have to try it out the next time I'm able to squirrel a few minutes of freedom from my left hemisphere despot ruler. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/03/Shower-Test.jpg) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/03/image-2.png) --- ## Substack Monday For those loyal TDE readers: the goal is to post two or three essays here every week, then select the best one for posting at Substack. But sigh. Life got away from me again last week. I'm seemingly more impotent than a eunuch with his privates in a vice to penetrate through life's exigencies and to focus on writing. So this week's Substack essay is last week's sole essay. Read if you want, but other than a new conclusion and a few revisions, it's the same essay I posted here last week. [The Clown is the Best Response to Our Overweening Rationalist CultureIn a world of clowns and bores, I’ll take the clowns.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-83.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ffd8c5b34-0461-484e-a74d-3f070b1324be_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-clown-is-the-best-response-to?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Newest Essay Up next, if I can sober up enough after four days of couch surfing during the NCAA Tournament: Why we can't embrace the bore. [Bring in the ClownsEmbrace the clown. He’s the only effective response to our overweening rationalistic culture. (Essay)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-42.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-18)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bring-in-the-clowns/) --- ## Monday Substack Yesterday's essay, plus a new conclusion. [Claude Gets Stuck in Corners and Bombs GirlsAnd we celebrate this crap?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-82.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F3b11fc58-e591-4d2f-be6c-0566c7468ed9_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/claude-gets-stuck-in-corners-and?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/03/image.png) --- [Hillary Clinton Says She Only Recalls Meeting Epstein That One Time When She Murdered HimCHAPPAQUA, NY — While being questioned at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Hillary Clinton reportedly informed the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that she only recalled meeting Jeffrey Epstein that one time when she murdered him.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/bee-apple-touch-icon-3.png)The Babylon Bee![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/69a1ed654324969a1ed654324a.jpg)](https://babylonbee.com/news/hillary-clinton-says-she-only-recalls-meeting-epstein-that-one-time-when-she-murdered-him?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## First Person Who Says "Conspiracy Theory" Loses I'm proposing this rule in response to Huckabee's defense of his poor defense on the Tucker Carlson Show. By the 1980s, it was widely conceded that the first person to call the other person a "Commie" or "pinko" lost the debate. By the early 2010s, the same applied to "Fascist" or "Nazi." I'm now proposing it for folks who call the other side "conspiracy theorists." --- ## This Headline Slayed Me [“Do You See What Happens Larry...”: Summers Out At Harvard After Epstein Scandal...aaaand he’s gone.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-15.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/003653_1382413.jpg.1500x997_q95.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/do-you-see-what-happens-larry-summers-out-harvard-after-epstein-scandal?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## GKC on Paradox Paradox spiced Chesterton's essays like the word "f\*\*\*" did *The Wolf of Wall Street*. There's a lot of it. Arguably, too much of it, so much of it that Hugh Kenner wrote an entire book about it: [***Paradox in Chesterton***](https://amzn.to/4tKZ30q?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)(which, I learned while typing this blurb, is back in print as of 2025). I draw on GKC a lot here at TDE, sometimes even knowingly, like yesterday, when I appealed to paradox for this year's Lenten practices. I was pleased when I then stumbled across this line from GKC in Ahlquist's newest book, [***I Also Had My Hour***](https://amzn.to/4aH79ig?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which I started this morning: > Paradox lies at the very roots of existence; we are all born the children of paradox, just as we are all born the children of two isolated and irreconcilable sexes. --- ## The Return Eudemon Travel is the dangdest thing: It stimulates ideas then kills the time and energy to put them to paper. I returned yesterday evening from a four-day trip to South Carolina, where I walked my heels off and soaked up as much sun as an albino can without catching fire like a vampire at dawn. I came back, stuffed full with things to write about, then didn't have the energy or time to write about them. Tomorrow, TDE returns for real. I'll have an Ash Wednesday essay. I promise. Well, I kinda promise. Life's vicissitudes are such that I scarcely like to promise what I'll do in the next hour, much less 24 hours from now. --- ## Monday Substack [“Frank Rich and John Simon are the Syphilis and Gonorrhea of the Theater.”That’s a quote by the great David Mamet, back in the days when he was a “brain-dead liberal” (his words), in the late 1980s.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-81.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fericscheske.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D1867436623%26version%3D9)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/frank-rich-and-john-simon-are-the?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## Latest Kuntsler If Dorothy Parker's acidic bon mots were, as *Vanity Fair* once declared, the olives of the martini age, James Howard Kuntsler's essays are the nicotine of the digital age. His essays are worth reading for the style alone, but the substance also fascinates me: Has there ever been a man so aciduously pessimistic about the state of things yet so optimistic that things are about to change? [Blood in the Water“Subversion works by importing an inverted moral frame and getting the target population to install it as its own conscience.” — Yuri Bezmenov’s Ghost on X![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1a3faa16-7741-4630-8611-f4f27c734963-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-5.png)Clusterfuck NationJames Howard Kunstler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F746b7f55-8dc0-469b-acfe-ec0e26870b57_526x349.jpeg)](https://www.kunstler.com/p/blood-in-the-water?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > The circuses — last week’s Grammy Awards, the Winter Olympics tonight, Sunday’s looming Superbowl — give off an odor of utter cultural exhaustion. What will it finally take for Western Civ, and its avatar, the USA, to stop embarrassing itself before God and history, and find better things to do? --- ## Why Does Hollywood Cotton to China? > Even after the 1938 Kristallnact, during which Nazis destroyed Jewish property and sent tens of thousands of Jews to prison camps, "\[N\]early all of the Hollywood studios continued dealings with the Nazi regime until the start of World War II. In many cases, studios altered films that might offend the Nazis rather than risk losing the valuable German and Austrian markets." [***The Book of Unusual Knowledge***](https://amzn.to/4rAFK8g?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**,** p. 9. --- ## The (Almost) Weekly BYCU Column The 20-year tradition of writing about drinking on Fridays stumbles along. [The Roaring TwentiesThey roared with alcohol![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-41.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-17)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-roaring-twenties/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/01/image-5.png) --- ## NHL Star Trevor Zegras is Hilarious. Great Deadpan. --- ## Kerouac was Beaten to Death? ### For doing black face? I thought I knew pretty much every biographical detail about Kerouac’s life, but apparently not. Just read about his death: **Most biographers and his fellow Beats attributed it to an abdominal hemorrhage caused by cirrhosis. And no one disputes that alcoholism rotted Kerouac’s internal organs and immune system. But down here, another explanation took root.** **“About a month before he died, Kerouac went to the Cactus Bar, which was on the African-American side of St. Petersburg,” Burchenal says. “Somehow or another, Jack started speaking in the slang and voices of the characters from *Pic*. Understandably, the guys in there thought that he was mocking them, and took him out to the parking lot and beat him up so bad that he never recovered. That’s really what killed him.”** [Kerouac Dreams | Jeff WeissAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)County HighwayJeff Weiss![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/weiss-kerouac-1200x.jpg)](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-4/kerouac-dreams-weiss?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) \[“Pic” refers to Jack Kerouac’s short novel *Pic*, whose narrator is a young African-American boy named Pictorial Review “Pic” Jackson, written in Black vernacular/dialect.\] --- ## BYCU > The year 2026 is reportedly becoming the year of “soft partying,” which includes run clubs, cold-plunge meetups, morning “coffee raves,” bakery dance parties, and other low-booze social activities designed for young adults who want connection without the hangover. Apparently 22 percent of American adults planned to do Dry January in 2025, a new high, as “[sober-curious](https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/03/travel/sober-raves-cafe-bakery-parties?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)” goes mainstream. Wow. I do not relate. I just turned 25 and I only have about two more years to be “getting-obliterated-curious.” Sascha Seinfeld --- [Pentecostal Church Doesn’t Notice Riot Is OccurringST. PAUL, MN — According to sources, membership at a local pentecostal church failed to notice when protestors stormed the building and began screaming at everyone because it wasn’t at all dissimilar from a typical pentecostal service.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/bee-apple-touch-icon-2.png)The Babylon Bee![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/696e891298179696e89129817a.jpg)](https://babylonbee.com/news/pentecostal-church-doesnt-notice-riot-is-occurring?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/01/image-4.png) --- ## Quote > "Seeking internet fame is like being a drunk guy who streaks across a football field." Sascha Seinfeld --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/01/image-3.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/01/image-2.png) --- ## I'm Getting TDS And I've been mocking the TDSers for years. But now it's like he's been co-opted by the military-industrial complex and, not content to be a pawn like all his predecessors since Kennedy, is "one-upping" them. I honestly can't figure out what's going on, though, tbh, I pretty much stopped trying back in 2020. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/01/image-1.png) --- ## Quote "Human beings are the animals that have to do things they don't actually have to do. The name we use to describe these things is culture." [**Justin Smith-Ruiu, *On Drugs: Psychedelics, Philosophy, and the Nature of Reality***](https://amzn.to/4a1hjuH?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (Chp. "What are Drugs," p. 103). [Smith-Ruiu, On Drugs“Human beings are the animals that have to do things they don’t actually have to do. The name we use to describe these things is culture.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-40.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1621238986077-29ec5bafe661)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/smith-ruiu-on-drugs/) --- ## TDE is Supported Solely by Amazon Affiliate Commissions [**Thanks for entering Amazon from here**](https://amzn.to/4pDHAnr?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). --- ## I'm Not Alone ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/01/image.png) [How I Read NowRead Like an Easy Rider![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-37.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1495446815901-a7297e633e8d)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/50455/) --- ## I'm Back, I Think The Eighth Day is fraught with religious connotations. For me, today, it hopefully marks the end of a devilish virus that started small and picked up steam like the proverbial snowball until I was ready to tap out of life altogether. But I think it's over and, hopefully, brain activity can now resume. We'll see. --- ## Monday's Substack Essay My goal was to publish a handful of essays here every week, then pick out my favorite to email on Substack, but it hasn't quite worked out. We'll see how the year goes. Always: Thanks for reading and spreading TDE. [The Left Hemisphere Makes Us SleepwalkHallucinations are more plentiful than cocaine at a 1980s Malibu beachhouse party.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-78.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ffc269b50-dd83-43be-acf9-42c784a7fc63_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-left-hemisphere-makes-us-sleepwalk?utm%5Fcampaign=post-expanded-share&utm%5Fmedium=post%20viewer) --- ## Wodehouse in Vogue? I just got done shopping at Ann Arbor's Dawn Treader Used Bookstore. I asked for P.G. Wodehouse books. Not only did the youngish clerk know of whom I spoke, but she also said they have a dashedly difficult time keeping him in stock. Okay, she didn't say "dashedly," but the rest of my account plum accurate. There's hope for our Internet-addled age. --- ## An addendum to the essay about Ben Shapiro has been added (12/30/25). [A Basic Truth Denied is a Gaslight on FireSo when Candace Owens says, “I don’t know know, but I know,” that’s retarded, and we are all more retarded for having heard it. Ben Shapiro, speaking at Turning Point’s annual AmericaFest conference in Phoenix, Arizona on December 18, 2025 “Saber” and “Conocer.” Two ways of knowing. I![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-36.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-15)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-basic-truth-denied-is-a-gaslight-on-fire/) --- ## How I Focus Now ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/12/How-I-Focus-in-2026.jpeg) The cube is [**a pomodoro timer**](https://amzn.to/48VSUGy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). You set it for the desired time period, then do nothing during that time period except focus on the task at hand. The 2 mg nicotine pouches? Those are, my sons assure me, proof that I can't be their father because I obviously lack male genitalia, but I like the slight focus nudge they provide without over-stimulation. Besides, I'm still reeling from the 9 mg pouch my youngest son conned me into trying last summer after I'd had my fourth drink of the evening. --- ## Merry Christmas “After the magi had met the child, they were told in a dream togo home another way. To change course.” Martin Shaw [I Saw Christ on a HillWhen I decided to spend 101 days walking into a forest, it wasn’t God I was seeking. And yet he found me, writes Martin Shaw for The Free Press.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-2.png)The Free PressMartin Shaw![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F90752b7c-6258-470a-826b-33f48b9f8621_752x1024.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/i-saw-christ-on-a-hill?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Are You Scratching Your Head About Nick Fuentes' Popularity? Scratch no longer. Brett Cooper provides an explanation, at least a partial one. When you combine this episode with the last decade of incessant gaslighting and the totalitarian Covid response, most of the puzzle pieces fall into place. --- ## The NCAA Continues to Create Debacles The games last night couldn't have gotten worse if you slathered Tulane and James Madison with meat grease and set lions on them. I love a Cinderella story as much as the next guy, but come on. Cinderella can't be a crippled and blind girl with no teeth. The poor thing's gotta have a prayer, but the NCAA ain't no fairy godmother. It's just a wicked stepmother that embodies everything that makes America ungreat: cronyism, corruption, and incompetence. --- ## The Friday BYCU Column [The Finest Literary Publication Since the Edinburgh Review is on Life SupportI pray for Modern Drunkard Magazine’s recovery but I fear the worst.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-35.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-14)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-finest-literary-publication-since-the-edinburgh-review-is-on-life-support/) --- ## Happy Valley Forge Day [https://drunkard.com/todays-reason-to-drink-december-19/](https://drunkard.com/todays-reason-to-drink-december-19/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) One of the hardest winters in American history started on this day in 1777: > To stave off desertions and boost morale, Washington tried to provision his men with as much rum, spruce beer, rye whiskey, hard cider, wine and brandy as possible, but due to major supply problems they generally had to rely on a daily pint of locally-produced corn liquor, that is to say, moonshine. --- ## If You Got the Email Post Today . . . My apologies for the egregious clerical mistakes at the bottom of the post. It totally ruined the ending. Oh well, the running joke these days is that the surest way to catch clerical errors is to click "publish." Sigh. It's corrected here. [Cossacks Beat My GrandfatherThe Tsar lied to him. It gave him an innate sense of skepticism toward the Establishment. It’s a skepticism all peasants shared. Those peasants were a lot smarter than us.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-34.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-13)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/cossacks-beat-my-grandfather/) --- ### To the left hemisphere, any answer is better than no answer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/12/Cormac-Bad-Answer-Instead-of-No-Answer.png) --- ## Monday at TDE [A Peek Behind the Curtains at TDELong-time readers are confused by the new style, some have unsubscribed, and a few even seem concerned about this turn to ribaldry. Herewith, a classical apology of sorts.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-33.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-12)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-peek-behind-the-curtains-at-tde/) --- ## Monday at Substack A nearly-identical version of this essay appeared here (at TDE) last week. That is my current approach: I write essays here as often as possible, then select my favorite to run at Substack the following Monday. A new essay will run at TDE later today. I will be explaining my new "TDE philosophy" and why its essays have taken such an, ahem, *aggressive* turn. [Rationalism, Irrationalism, the Occult, Science: Whatever It Takes in Silicon Valley These DaysIt’s time for the rest of us to summon the ghost of Rabelais![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-77.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5a65395a-32bc-44e9-bbf1-468166e3073a_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/rationalism-irrationalism-the-occult?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Simple Santa Hack If your child is getting older and suspicious about all the Santas he's meeting, tell him, "They're not the real Santa." --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/12/image-3.png) --- ## BYCU [Join Me As We Drink Like PansiesThe gin and tonic is surging in the United States. That’s great, but the reasons for its surge are emasculating.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-24.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-3)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/join-me-as-we-drink-like-pansies/) --- ## Latest [The Conservative Civil War is DisconcertingBut they still have a common and enormous enemy that ain’t goin’ away soon. That should keep ’em together for awhile![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-23.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-2)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-conservative-civil-war-is-disconcerting/) --- 💡 ****A FOIA request to the CIA is like asking a Mafia don to move his car.** --- ### Just Discovered This Young Man [The Market Catholic | David Brady | Substack“Revolt against the modern world, not because it is modern but because it is evil.” Real Politick, Economics, and Cultural Commentary from an Austrian-Catholic point of view. Click to read The Market Catholic, by David Brady, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe6794c77-28d8-4b1e-9e57-0084d4828b6d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Market CatholicDavid Brady![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fdavidbrady.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D1098205760%26version%3D9)](https://davidbrady.substack.com/?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=subscribe-page-share-screen&utm%5Fmedium=web) --- ## The Dry Holdouts [Mapped: Where are America’s Dry Counties?](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/americas-dry-counties/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/12/image.png) --- ## Monday Essay Closely-related to my intro: That's why they say a good venue contains a big gathering area where the extroverts can metaphorically chest pump all that energy into one another, but also has small and semi-secluded areas where a guy can escape the whirl. [Five Ways to be a Good HostI’m an introvert, not a prick (probably).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-76.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F84bc033b-5bb2-4583-81ae-17ef787b90f0_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/five-ways-to-be-a-good-host?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-10.png) --- ## Happy Thanksgiving I don't know if this was a real ad. It's hard to believe, but the Ad Council is a coalition of Mad Men who volunteer their time to promote the government's narrative on social issues, so anything this fraudulent is believable. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-9.png) --- ## Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup Chicken from a 3D printer. [Campbell’s VP: It’s for “poor people” with meat “from a 3D printer”A VP from The Campbell Soup Company is in hot water for his horrifying comments about customers, colleagues, and the product itself.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-opfav-270x270.jpeg)The Organic PrepperDaisy Luther![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/soup-cans.jpg)](https://www.theorganicprepper.com/campbells-poor-people/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Viktor Frankl was Inmate 119,104 He got to Auschwitz late in the game. Don't tell the Groypers or they'll use it as proof that fewer than 200,000 Jews were sent there (smile). [Hey, Z: Stop Worrying about Your Life-Work BalanceI wasn’t thrilled about our town’s Mexican invasion back in the 1990s.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-75.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5a57bc7f-06b7-4620-908d-fb30312d98ee_1024x608.png)](https://ericscheske.substack.com/p/hey-z-stop-worrying-about-your-life) --- > This is one of the most unintentionally hilarious things I’ve ever seen > > [pic.twitter.com/rz5khySnfN](https://t.co/rz5khySnfN?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) [November 23, 2025](https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1992707248507007209?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-6.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-7.png) --- > WHY🤣 😭 [pic.twitter.com/mMetITMKpa](https://t.co/mMetITMKpa?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Sara Rose 🇺🇸🌹 (@saras76) [November 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/saras76/status/1990618855878898175?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-3.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-4.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-5.png) --- ## True? [Was Covid Always a CIA Plot? ⋆ Brownstone InstituteBaric must testify under oath about gain-of-function research, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and the cover-up that began in 2020.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-brownstone-institute-ico-270x270-1.png)Brownstone InstituteBrownstone Institute![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Shutterstock_2074436143.jpg)](https://brownstone.org/articles/was-covid-always-a-cia-plot/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The mere fact that it could be true should be enough to disband this LSD-pushing, Mafia-tied, file-destroying, torture machine that conducted "Operation Midnight Climax" on unsuspecting johns in San Francisco in pursuit of their mind-control games. I mean, it was fun when the CIA did such things to foreigners and hippies but . . . [Amazon.com: Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age (Audible Audio Edition): Joel Richards, Norman Ohler, Mariner Books: Audible Books & OriginalsAmazon.com: Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age (Audible Audio Edition): Joel Richards, Norman Ohler, Mariner Books: Audible Books & Originals![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-20.ico)Joel Richards![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/ATVPDKIKX0DER-131-7009932-6949846-9M53CDMBV6QP54BR8MSZ-uedata-s--2Frd-2Fuedata-3Fstaticb-26id-3D9M53CDMBV6QP54BR8MSZ-0)](https://amzn.to/3LJRuWt?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-1.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-2.png) --- ## The Return Eudemon My first trip behind the Iron Curtain. Budapest, Prague, Krakow . . with a Vienna kicker. I'm still gearing up new things for TDE but right now, I'm still stymied by tech problems. Stay tuned. TDE isn't dead, not by a long shot. Weak, ineffectual, and lame? I suppose, but I'm committed to changing that. For now, I'll just continue with the TDE way: brutal honesty to the point of self-deprecation, in hopes honest prose connects with readers. --- ## Mark Your Calendars > December 16 is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. Of all England’s great writers, she holds the most attention. The reason is simple. She invented the modern novel in order to answer fundamental questions about how to be good, happy, and flourishing in a commercial society. She reigns supreme because no-one else invented so much or had so much to say to readers about their lives. [Henry Oliver (@henryoliver)December 16 is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. Of all England’s great writers, she holds the most attention. The reason is simple. She invented the modern novel in order to answer fundamental questions about how to be good, happy, and flourishing in a commercial society. She reigns supreme because no-one else invented so much or had so much to say to readers about their lives. Long may she be read.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-16.svg)SubstackHenry Oliver![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F11b38f8d-b41e-4a3d-b537-2d7b811be2e5_750x750.jpeg)](https://substack.com/@henryoliver/note/c-176544809?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/10/image-3.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/10/image-2.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/10/image.png) --- ## Books are Tactile [Books are IrrationalThat’s why they’re better than online prose. Embrace the tactile even if (especially if!) you can’t understand why the tactile is better than the rational.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-74.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fab1ea808-7d06-4931-8a5d-b266a4700c9f_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/books-are-irrational?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## Monday Essay Could physical books have saved the Zizians? Beats me, but I think maybe, and no matter, they’re a cautionary tale for the rest of us about online reading. [Leather Yourself Against CultsRole models are great.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-72.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F870584f0-8abb-49dc-947b-173026474590_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/leather-yourself-against-cults?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### Eric Scheske's Outside Modern Limits Subscriber Chat This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers—kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I’ll post questions and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion. [Join chat](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/chat) --- ## How to get started 1. **Get the Substack app by clicking** [**this link**](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **or the button below.** New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat [on the web](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/chat). [Get app](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) 1. **Open the app and tap the Chat icon.** It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg) 1. **That’s it!** Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out [Substack’s FAQ](https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/sections/360007461791-Frequently-Asked-Questions). --- ## Monday Substack It's a riff off perhaps the best essay in the current issue of *County Highway*: ["Everyone is in a Cult."](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-2/everyone-is-in-a-cult-lehrer?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Subtitle: *Welcome to the schizophrenia factory*, which is significant: siloed left hemispheres and schizophrenia exhibit some serious Venn. One of McGilchrist's favorite reference points is Louis Sass' *Madness and Modernism*, which looks at mental illness and modern art. I'm halfway through it, and it's been great, but at the same time, it's one of those books that seems to make its point compellingly in the first 75 pages. After that, it feel like a case of "piling on," so it's back on my shelf for now. I have hopes of finishing it later, but alas, many bookmarks in similar books in my library stare at me every morning. [The Zizian Inside You“We’re all just one hyperlink away from a new cult.” Adam Lehrer![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-71.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5b5f3c57-ecf6-4937-a3e4-30a80657fd7c_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-zizian-inside-you?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## *County Highway* is a Freak-of-a-Classic Publication I'm on my third issue. It's a literary magazine disguised as a newspaper. The front page features a handful of articles that entice the reader enough to prompt him to accept the prompt at the bottom, "*Continued on page X*." You turn to page X . . . and see the first 700 words on page one was merely the iceberg tip, like [the essay I finished reading this morning about *Lord of the Barnyard*, which clocked in at nearly 8,000 words](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-2/the-lord-of-the-barnyard-bosc?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). But the prose is superb (as far as I can tell . . . I guess it's arrogant of me to think I'd recognize great prose . . . the "like knows like" phenomenon, quietly applied to pat myself on my (oh-so finely tuned) literary back). The subject matter is varied and interesting and always--freakin' always--totally alien to me, like I've been living under a rock for the past 30 years (maybe I have been, but the rock is called "earning a living to support a large family). Anyway, it's Friday, so here's a drinking excerpt from that "Barnard" essay, about the anguished author, Tristan Egolf, who wrote the great American classic that no one in America knows about, being told by his French publisher that he'd written one of the great novels. Vindication after years of tortured self-doubt. What's he do? He continues his anguish, burying it under more cigarettes and booze. > He was waiting for publication, he wanted to meet his French translator, but nothing was happening. He grew impatient. Illness stalked him, he became convinced he had lung cancer, complained of severe chest pains. He smoked two packs of cigarettes a day, drank more than he should have. He sometimes banged on James and Shelly’s door in the middle of the night, after walking down to Montparnasse from the heights of the eleventh arrondissement. His apartment was something of a pigsty, dead bottles littering the ground, ashtrays ringed with cigarette butts overturned on the bed. Gradually, abetted by alcohol, he slid into delirium. When Marie checked in from London, he raved over the telephone. He was agitated, thought he was being watched, followed, but by whom? Nightmares filled his head, he was trapped in gruesome imaginings. He later wrote a second acclaimed novel, then, unsurprisingly I suppose, killed himself before publishing his third. [Lord of the Barnyard: Killing the Fatted Calf and Arming the Aware in the Cornbelt: Egolf, Tristan: 9780802136725: Amazon.com: BooksLord of the Barnyard: Killing the Fatted Calf and Arming the Aware in the Cornbelt \[Egolf, Tristan\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Lord of the Barnyard: Killing the Fatted Calf and Arming the Aware in the Cornbelt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-16.ico)Follow![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/ATVPDKIKX0DER-140-9970783-0648444-EC1E6WP9AYNQX52Y1DW1-uedata-s--2Frd-2Fuedata-3Fstaticb-26id-3DEC1E6WP9AYNQX52Y1DW1-0)](https://amzn.to/4nK50Y4?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [County Highway | HomeAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-13.png)County HighwayChandler Fritz![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/placeholder.jpg)](https://www.countyhighway.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) That "essay," incidentally, is apparently an excerpt . . . from a "novel"? A nonfiction novel? I'm cornfused . . . the literary world keeping one (or twenty) steps ahead of me at all time. [The Invention of Tristan - Susanna Lea Associates“Once upon a time, a penniless American writer, whose manuscript has been rejected by every publisher in New York, finds himself living in a tiny attic room in Paris. One Sunday, on the Pont des Arts, he meets a woman and falls in love. What he doesn’t yet realize—as fate would have it—is that she... Read more »![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-sla-favicon-270x270.png)Susanna Lea AssociatesAdrien Bosc![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/BOSC_InventionTristant_Plat1-scaled.jpg)](https://www.susannalea.com/sla-title/invention-of-tristan/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### A Vivid Reminder of Why Amazon Shouldn't Modify Kindle Books Once They're Downloaded But of course, the Digital Elite don't much care what we all think. > I prefer to read books that are page-stoppers, that cause me to stop and contemplate a striking idea, an elegant phrase, an admirably constructed sentence. A serious reader reads with a pencil in hand, to sideline, underline, make a note. Joseph Epstein --- ## Peace Through Air Power From Peter Brown's *Journeys of the Mind* > In an interview with the Khartoum Times, Air Marshal Italo Balbo (1896–1940), the creator of the Italian air force, insisted that air power was the best guarantee of world peace. No nation would dare to go to war, knowing that its women and children, its wives and mothers, would face destruction from the air. --- ## Monday Column Readers will notice a theme these past few weeks: reading. It'll continue for a few more weeks. My hope is to assemble them into a Kindle book before the end of the year. We'll see. [The OG Reading App“Truth outside the control of the powerful”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-69.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F6f869f52-804a-4c95-873e-dada40507d59_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-og-reading-app?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ### And Just Like That, I Win the Debate with My Wife About Whether My 3,000 Books Take Up Too Much Room [The Glorious Future of the BookIt’s still the best data center of them all![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa1fa1445-60df-4be2-981a-d798d4819ff0-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-1.png)The Honest BrokerTed Gioia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F53e361b1-eb1f-4860-8d5d-8685d156922c_1920x1006.jpeg)](https://www.honest-broker.com/p/the-glorious-future-of-the-book?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Free Copy for TDE Subscribers If you subscribe to TDE newsletters, you will be receiving an email with a free PDF download of *Western Civilization: Ten Dates in Ten Minutes.* ### I have also changed the price of the book to 99 cents. I didn't understand the pricing policies when I selected "$2.99." So wait a few days and the price should adjust to 99 cents. --- ## New Book at Amazon [Amazon.com: Western Civilization: Ten Dates in Ten Minutes: Latching Onto Your Cultural Patrimony from Moses to Columbus eBook : Scheske, Eric: Kindle StoreBuy Western Civilization: Ten Dates in Ten Minutes: Latching Onto Your Cultural Patrimony from Moses to Columbus: Read Kindle Store Reviews - Amazon.com![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/faviconV2-1)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/ATVPDKIKX0DER-131-4594661-6225065-ZWPH6KR8ASRZ8NVFYSPB-uedata-s--2Frd-2Fuedata-3Fstaticb-26id-3DZWPH6KR8ASRZ8NVFYSPB-0)](https://a.co/d/9Qg6iXG?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### Musk slays me. I gotta go back and watch *Tropic Thunder*. I remember that I gave it a "5," but maybe it deserved better. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/09/image.png) --- ## From Civil Rights Tranny Terrorism The splendid stylist Kuntsler lays it out. [Dressed to Kill“You currently have one side willing to talk and extend a microphone to anyone, and one side that shoots to kill when they do.” —Aimee Terese on X![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1a3faa16-7741-4630-8611-f4f27c734963-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-4.png)Clusterfuck NationJames Howard Kunstler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fd6a1bfa6-643b-409e-88a5-1e7e1ec5c519_1200x900.heic)](https://www.kunstler.com/p/dressed-to-kill?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&triedRedirect=true&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- I'm back. Due to a death in the family and other vigors of life, TDE was nearly abandoned for two weeks. I still have plans to rejuvenate TDE, so patience is welcome even if not deserved. ### For today: ### I think my Substack essay is one of the more compelling things I've written this year. Low bar, that, but I offer herewith . . . ## Monday Substack Smooth is the enemy of body, soul, and mind. [The Cobblestone Cure: Micro-ExertionsSmooth is the enemy of body, soul, and mind.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-67.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F45c5c725-f000-40ce-940c-1e86d0d8365a_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-cobblestone-cure-micro-exertions?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ***Bonus observation for TDE readers: Micro-exertions irritate the hell out of the left hemisphere. That'll be the topic of a future post.*** --- ## Five Minutes Heaven help the time-conscious when the person they're waiting for says "five minutes." --- ## Why One Reads "One reads in order to asks questions," Kafka once said in a letter to a friend. Manguel, *A History of Reading*, p. 89. --- ## Save the Em Dash! It's being unfairly kicked and bully in the anti-AI mayhem. Poor guy never hurt nobody. [Stop AI-Shaming Our Precious, Kindly Em Dashes—PleaseHuman writers have always used the em dash. In fact, it’s the most human punctuation mark there is.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-15.ico)The Ringer![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/cropped-MDashAIAccusations_Getty-Ringer-1-scaled-1.jpg)](https://www.theringer.com/2025/08/20/pop-culture/em-dash-use-ai-artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-google-gemini?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### Falling Down Visitor: "What do you guys do in the monastery?" Monk: "We fall and get up again." That's meditation, according to Huberman and Majeres. Meditation **is** distraction and monastic life **is** falling down. Meditation is getting distracted, noticing it, and determining to get back to a distraction-less state. Monastic life is sinning, repenting, and deciding to sin no more. --- ## Monday Column [The Reading ParadoxThe Hemispheres Create Paradoxes. One is Brewing Right Now: We’re Reading More Than Ever But Reading Reading Less Than Ever![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-14.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-reading-paradox/) --- ## The Morally-Decayed People Attacking Big Balls They hate Trump so much, they can't even acknowlege an obvious heroic act. [Age of Ballspirate wires #145 // DOGE staffer fights off a mob and sparks a national conversation on![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/pw-favicon.ico)Mike Solana![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/cd471467-2ce4-498b-8fda-6aa801826a3a.png)](https://www.piratewires.com/p/age-of-balls?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU Old Mission Peninsula is one of the loveliest places in Michigan. Marie and I spent an evening going up and down it two years ago, hitting watering holes. But it's historically built on agriculture. And then the grapes came with their Dionysian charm. And then the agro-tourism came. And then the tension came: the newcomers who wanted to re-shape it to fit their money-making image and the oldtimers who wanted it to stay rural and agricultural. The old timers had the votes and their elected officials brought the clout. But then the newcomers invoked the U.S. Constitution to jam its image down the Peninsula's throat: and get a $50 million judgment. The U.S. Constitution ought not play a role in such matters. The selective incorporation doctrine has tried to make every locality in the U.S. the same and it's awful. But then again, it's nice to have some sort of legal recourse against petty local tyrants who act arbitrarily and capriciously, like I've seen happen so often at the local level. Anyway, the *Wall Street Journal* tells the story about the $50 million judgement here (subscription required): [https://www.wsj.com/business/old-mission-peninsula-michigan-winery-604fc216?mod=hp\_trendingnow\_article\_pos3](https://www.wsj.com/business/old-mission-peninsula-michigan-winery-604fc216?mod=hp%5Ftrendingnow%5Farticle%5Fpos3&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Excerpt: > Guest events had to be tied to agriculture. “My wife wanted to teach a Spanish class—just sit here and go over Spanish terms and talk about wine and stuff and yeah, like, ‘no, that’s not agricultural,’” so the plan was denied, he said. > > Chateau Chantal, a turreted, European-style vintner and bed-and-breakfast with spectacular vineyard and bay views, can host weddings only if all attendees sleep on-site—limiting the size to about 44 people. “That is just not the kind of number most of the clientele are looking for,” said Marie-Chantal Dalese, president and chief executive. > > O’Keefe is still baffled by some policies. “We’re allowed to have amplified music, but only ‘mood’ music, no louder than a whisper at the property line,” he said. “We’re allowed to have 75 people for an event, but I don’t know if that means an event outside, or does that include my entire winery?” --- ## A Note to Readers ### Please keep popping back in periodically TDE continues. In fact, TDE is undergoing a revamp. The thing is, I'm still working out what that revamp will look like. I've been assembling material to launch an "all out assault" on Substack, which I had planned for August, but instead of being ready to launch, I put on nearly ten pounds of gin, such are the demands of a large immediate and extended family, as well as a friend circle whose circumference is as wide as I can accommodate without bursting the seems of my pants. In any event, TDE is alive and, I think, well, even if it appears dormant or dying. In my mind, it holds promise, but that might just be my flawed left hemisphere talking (it leans toward optimism . . . especially when it's not warranted). We will see. Please stop back periodically and click on this scrolling blog. Announcements and new pieces will be announced here. Thanks for your patronage over these past 25 years. --- ## Monday Substack [Artificial Intelligence Will Make Us Stupid Like Machinery Made Us SoftWe better start pushing back now![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-65.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F3e9683b7-bcf5-454a-ad04-6cd71dd180c8_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/artificial-intelligence-will-make?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU [BYCU: Bands that Sell-Out to Beer5 Band Beers 1\. Dogfish Head Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale (5.3% ABV) 2\. Juice Runners Paloma Remix (5.9% ABV) 3\. Hanson Brothers Beer Mmmhops IPA (6.3% ABV) 4\. Short’s Brewing Thirst Mutilator Grape (0% ABV) 5\. 311 Stealing Hoppy Hours Hazy IPA (less than .5%![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-13.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1695868851838-ce62e87dab3b)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-bands-that-sell-out-to-beer/) ## ## [View Previous Scrolling Blog Entries](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### Facebook Will Now Time Out for Kids After Two Hours URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/facebook-will-now-time-out-for-kids-after-two-hours/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:12:38.000Z The well-publicized settlement with Meta requires it to make Facebook and Instagram time out for kids after two hours. Two freakin' hours? I kinda feel about that the way I felt when seeing those four-hour Viagra warnings. "Four hours like that?!?! What? Who would . . . Why?" Heck, I feel like a worthless piece of shit (as opposed to a valuable piece) after scrolling on my phone for just ten minutes. I realize we're talking about kids here, and I was a kid once who could easily watch two hours of *Gilligan's Island*, so I guess I shouldn't get self-righteous about it, but man: It's just another sign of our culture's broken family. When my dad walked in the door at 5:15, I knew that TV had better be turned off or the whole tube would land in the backyard, and if for some reason my dad was working late, my mom would come in at 5:30 (being merciful and not wanting to cut off my sixth viewing of that episode when the Mosquitos rock band landed on the island), click it off, and say, "Go outside." 💡 [****Nellie Bowles**](https://www.thefp.com/p/tgif-have-yall-never-heard-of-noblesse?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): "Meta [has agreed](https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cy5v0vrlp4xt?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to pay up to $18 billion to settle claims that it harmed children. And Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms will now time out for kids after two hours, along with [a slew of other reforms](https://abcnews.com/GMA/Family/meta-settlement-sparks-social-media-teens-parents/story?id=135976331&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to make it less intrusive and addicting (the default setting will be heavily restricted notifications during school hours, no access to most parts of the apps between midnight and 6 a.m., etc.)." ### The Week in Review URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-in-review-5/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T12:58:48.000Z It's not often you see the hemispheres square off like [Bob Probert and Troy Crowder at Joe Louis Arena](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xER5fuee8LE&ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It happened this week. The arena? Books. The left hemisphere is shredding 'em and the right hemisphere is cherishing 'em. The left hemisphere is dominating, making the fight look more like a [Joey Kocur and Jim Kyte fight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgSKEW0DjjE&ref=thedailyeudemon.com), but the right ain't giving up. ![](https://static.klipy.com/ii/35ccce3d852f7995dd2da910f2abd795/b9/bd/0n5ODZmH.gif) The act of reading engages both hemispheres. [**The skill of abstraction fostered by reading**](https://samkriss.substack.com/p/reading-is-magic) is a left-hemispheric thing, but the calm detachment required for reflective reading is a right-hemispheric thing. Maybe I'm a romantic, but I think that's what makes reading beautiful: the left hemisphere forms abstractions for the right hemisphere to reflect upon, and the R.H. then feeds its reflections back to the L.H. for more work, and on and on. But a rogue left hemisphere doesn't like to play nicely. For the L.H., reading is a tool and a weapon. It makes a person better, which allows him to succeed in life. The more books he can devour, the better his chances at success, unless maybe it's poetry, which is only good for quoting to chicks so he can get laid. So what do you get when you combine books with AI, [**that ultimate left-hemispheric machine**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/language-and-ai/)? Book shredding. [Book Sellers Alarmed as AI Giants Shred Millions of BooksOne book store owner noticed a sudden spike in book sales in April—between double and triple the weekly sales tally.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon.6341f3c4-762aefc9-b856-4df7-ad75-0d13307570d8.ico)The Epoch TimesAutumn Spredemann![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/id6078554-EpochImages-3681167447-xl-1080x720-7a49fa3a-9fb0-496a-8860-b5c7af25a726.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/book-sellers-alarmed-as-ai-giants-shred-millions-of-books-6070394?ea%5Fsrc=frontpage&ea%5Fmed=section-1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) AI giants are buying millions of books, ripping off the spines, scanning them, then discarding the remains. But don't worry, they aren't destroying old or collector editions. They're just ravishing young maidens and then returning them to us in a more broken-in, usable, medium. And they aren't ravishing babies. They want 'em at least five years old, born before 2022, because that's when AI started pissing in the literary water by cranking out AI prose. AI doesn't want to drink *that* nasty stuff. It wants pristine writing. [If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill youDid you think I wouldn’t be able to tell? I can tell.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F53cf7d04-ae95-43b9-8c0c-7a4a290c872b-2Ffavicon-48x48-3bb9ed61-e9ed-48b0-a8e1-9ab97f948f43.png)Numb at the LodgeSam Kriss![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa4850192-6d97-4046-b900-aeeb6643ecdd_1788x1481-5c9eeb76-ac23-4484-a396-2e1c2f33506d.jpeg)](https://samkriss.substack.com/p/if-you-let-ai-do-your-writing-i-will?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post-expanded-share&utm%5Fmedium=web) It's frustrating because no one can explain why it matters. [**The article this morning that told us what's happening** ](https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/book-sellers-alarmed-as-ai-giants-shred-millions-of-books-6070394?ea%5Fsrc=frontpage&ea%5Fmed=section-1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com)couldn't identify the problem. It just said the practice of destroying millions of books is "non-ethical," triggers something "visceral" in people, treats art as an expendable commodity, hits a "nerve," and "strikes at the heart of something sentimental in most people." Amen to all that. I'd also add that there's something "tactile" about reading that makes shredding books an act of violence against the sacramental reality of our existence. But all those nickel reasons won't buy you an $8 coffee at Starbucks. So I'll explain why it's wrong. There are some things you just don't do. You don't pull the mask off the Lone Ranger, bed your step-daughter no matter how mature or hot, or tear stuff apart for no good reason or, in AI's case, for sacrificing to Moloch. Such things land you in Hell, as [**Giacomo da Saint'Andrea**](https://dante.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/dante/DispToynbeeByTitOrId.pl?INP%5FID=212851&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) found out after Dante shoved him into the Seventh Circle. ## Guerrilla Resistance from the Right Hemisphere While the left hemisphere is riding AI to raze western civilization, right-hemispheric guerrilla operations are springing up and hunkering down to offer a measure of resistance. They're tiny efforts, inconsequential really, but quixotic in all the best ways and filled with hope. [Can This Little Bookstore Save a Rust-Belt Town?Steubenville once had steel mills, department stores, and packed downtown streets. Today, a tiny bookstore is trying to re-create some of what the city has lost, writes Will Bardenwerper.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Ffavicon-48x48-b25b89db-dfef-4af4-b2a3-dbc52132987a.png)The Free PressWill Bardenwerper![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F3b3565db-cac1-489c-b766-31a248615378_4032x3024-ce42a56b-80f4-4497-8f91-3f4ed93a5722.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/steubenville-bookstore-rust-belt-revival-ohio?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) Steubenville is awful. I've been to nicer dump sites. I was stunned to read that, as recently as the 1970s, its downtown was thriving with multiple furniture stores and movie theaters. I would've thought the decay that is downtown Steubenville took at least 500 years to achieve. But through the smoke and the dust of this left-hemisphere-made hell, Big John has arrived. [**John Kuhner**](https://johnbyronkuhner.substack.com/): Princeton grad, eccentric, husband of a trad wife (I'm guessing), devout Catholic, and owner of BookMarx. He's working with corpses (books) in a graveyard (Steubenville) and trying to revive both. Don Quixote beams and the left hemisphere scoffs, but this essay makes it clear: Big John is doing something illogical, and that's what makes the effort great. There are many such bookstores sprouting up or reviving. I stumbled into [**one**](https://thebooknookjavashop.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) last June, and it was the highlight of my summer. Catholic ones have popped up. [**Link**](https://newmansbookshoppe.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [**Link**](https://catholic.center/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). If you come across one, I beg you: patronize it. It doesn't take much. Big John says that, if every person in Steubenville's dwindled population spent just $5 downtown annually, every business owner could make a comfortable living. I have one quibble with that essay, though: It doesn't mention Franciscan University. That's like marveling at Indiana football's stunning rise and not mentioning Curt Cignetti. Most of the folks who are buying tickets to the annual Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice Regency Ball, attending author events, and joining hobbit circle dances at BookMarx aren't coming from Steubenville's housing projects. They're coming from Franciscan University and its satellites. It's those glorious nerds who might, just might, save us from this left-hemispheric swamp that AI wants to drown us in. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Week in Review: Lame Edition URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-in-review-genital-clamp-edition/ Last updated: 2026-08-23T19:04:42.000Z I'd catalogue the enormous time grenades that have been launched into my life over the past three weeks, but that'd be like throwing you, dear reader, in the path of the shrapnel. I asked Perplexity AI if I was "losing it" this week because I was dragging and depressed and despairing. It told me my reaction to such a heavy load of social and family commitments on top of a full-time job is normal and I'd be fine as long as I blocked off a week or two to decompress and didn't start entertaining thoughts of self-harm. *"Start"* entertaining thoughts of self-harm? Dude, that train left the station a long time ago, before the days when Tucker Carlson and Hunter Biden were great friends. Heck, I would've mutilated myself by now, except I didn't want all the hospital visitors. SPONSORED [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/The-Daily-Eudemon-Avatar-7.5.26.png)](https://t.me/thedailyeudemon?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The Daily Eudemon has a Telegram channel. It's not the greatest thing of all time, but it doesn't suck either. If you enjoy TDE's "Best of the Week's Digitalia," you can get sneak previews here. [TDE at Telegram ](https://t.me/thedailyeudemon?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) As of yesterday, I knew it'd be difficult to get this column done, but I was hoping my mainstay, Nellie Bowles, would bail me out with good script. Her [**T.G.I.F.**](https://www.thefp.com/w/nellie-bowles?hide%5Fintro%5Fpopup=true&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) has become my favorite weekly column. Alas, she played to her leftist side and all its technocratic eugenical proclivities. There were far too many distractions for me to get into it: references to her "wife," praising AOC for freezing her eggs, defending data centers. Don't get me wrong, it was still a good column and filled with the stuff sane people appreciate--mocking Cambridge, Amnesty International, and other bastions of idiocy; marveling at Lenin's DSA; giving the pandemic response yet another well-deserved kick (to wit, on an average day, 10% of young adults have zero in-person contact . . . the figure used to be under 4%); smirking at Karen Bass, LA, pretty much everything that is California today. But on the Bowles' scale, it was mediocre, and I'm out of time to get this column posted. So I'll wrap up this Genital Clamp edition with digitalia: ## Best of The Week's Digitalia ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/image-8.png) --- ## Middle Earth Goes Disco [https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db8w-TCKGpZ/](https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db8w-TCKGpZ/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- TIL: The University of Wisconsin in 2001 photoshopped a black guy into their student section so they could use it for a college catalog. (Not verified, but I trust the source.) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/image-9.png) --- ## Online Pundits are Calling This Woman "Hijabba the Hutt" [Woman’s alleged ISIS radicalization unfolded online before Capitol bomb plot: court docsJessica Bowie allegedly scouted the New York state Capitol five times and bought bomb-making materials before FBI informants helped end her plot.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-ee7d8c44-9c95-4de4-9205-120c9ce7f8d4.ico)Yahoo NewsMichael Ruiz![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fmedia.zenfs.com-2Fen-2Ffox_news_text_979-2F038d2800aad4ac43b77cc9f5268969a8-a8484a83-ad23-4072-a694-b3819389a0ee.jpg)](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/woman-alleged-isis-radicalization-unfolded-100007591.html?guccounter=1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [What we know about suspected Capital bomber, Jessica Bowie(ALBANY, NY) -- What we know about suspected New York state Capital bomber, Jessica Bowie![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-b6177137-cb3d-4713-b5db-6505c91ba2cc.png)WRGBTom Bosco![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/7125913c-1502-400a-9898-ff3ab9ee67bd-Screenshot20260821163515-9da3232b-f412-4ae6-889d-f60ff93ceca3.png)](https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/what-we-know-about-suspected-capital-bomber-jessica-bowie?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Week in Review URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-in-review-4/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T16:59:05.000Z ## [Woke 1 was Crazy](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/aoc-democrats-wokeness-republicans/688241/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Um, yeah, Alexandria. Every time ideologues get into power, they go crazy. Ask the folks who lost their heads to the guillotine; ask the Gulag zeks; ask the Jews in Auschwitz. If you had your way, every American would've been held down and vaccinated and every high school locker room would be co-ed and every gay joke would land you in a county jail. Craziness– and a dollop of evil--is in your left-hemisphere-hijacked DNA. The threat posed by ideologues is especially acute now. We have a pretty good country, but we also have an alarmingly powerful and intrusive central government—Foucault's Panopticon on Steroids. Someone could throw a switch and repress everything. Indeed, someone recently did. It was called the "pandemic response." Far too many totalitarianish governors got far too much enjoyment out of far too much responding. I think those mandate-slap-happy governors hated to see it all end and only reluctantly let go while tearfully tossing flowers on the pandemic's coffin. That 2020-2023 spectacle of caprice reminded me of FDR in 1933\. He enjoyed eating breakfast in bed and setting a new gold price . . . every freakin' day, thinking prices are better mandated by government than the laws of economics, which is like thinking happiness is better mandated by government than the natural laws of human nature. Sure, those natural laws are elusive and sloppy, and too many of us vacillate between exuberance and wanting to extinguish our existence in this vale of ennui, but at least we can slouch when we're sad. Once [**the Diocletians who led Woke 1**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/53211/) get in power, slouching won't be permitted. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/image-5.png) ## The WNBA Propaganda Machine is Working [**Brett Cooper laughs that the WNBA is completely falling apart**](https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bazEzZdbyldyEukDtpie3?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I trust Brett's cultural ear far more than mine, mostly because mine is full of hair that I refuse to trim because I'd rather hear that soft rustle than Cardi B talk about immigration policy. Still, I demur: I think the WNBA likes the chaos. In fact, I'm guessing it is orchestrating the entire thing. Maybe the two cock-bearing former NBA players who have declared for the WNBA draft were first drafted by dark forces at the (W)NBA. I mean, come on: All the controversy is putting the WNBA into the public's mental living room for the first time. For 30 years, Americans could unite on one thing: the WNBA is ridiculously irrelevant. But that's over. Even I recognize a few WNBA nicknames, which helps me immensely because I'm far less likely to unwittingly click on a WNBA game when looking for something to watch (my streaming services, I'm willing to wager all my underwear, intentionally omit "WNBA" from the click box; ignoramuses like me click on it, scream "Oh shit!" and click away immediately, but the (W)NBA got a potential boost to its ratings). I gotta believe it's all P.T. Barnum-esque. But perhaps I've slid into the epistemological dark side, where all knowledge becomes more slippery than Gavin Newsom with a fresh glaze of WD-40 on his way to a Black Face party. I trust nothing and no one that I can't see, hear, touch, or smell, doubting even whether it's really my wife on the other end of that message asking me to send all my Satoshis to Africa to free her from kidnappers. Maybe, in other words, I'm losing it. But then yesterday, Will Rahn came to the rescue. [He deftly substituted for Nellie Bowles at this week's TGIF column](https://www.thefp.com/p/for-now-we-polka-tgif-donald-trump-will-rahn?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and wrote: > **Speaking of lesbians:** I keep hearing that the WNBA is [falling apart](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/wnba-has-spiraled-into-a-rinse-and-repeat-drama-and-its-taking-a-mind-numbing-toll-094604345.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). But what I find odd about this is for the first time in my nearly two score years on this planet, people are actually talking about the WNBA. As Peter Thiel reminds us, the biggest leap is from zero to one, and now all of America can name at least one WNBA player: the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark. . . . But it seems a win that we’re talking about the WNBA at all. ## Speaking of Will Rahn This dude supposedly keeps his private life, you know, private. But he dropped his guard a bit yesterday and told readers he wrote the column while waiting for his sixth child to arrive. "Who," I thought, "has six children besides an Amish man, a Mormon man, a Catholic man, an Elon man, or an Inner-City man?" Turns out, he's behind door three: a Catholic man. And not just a Catholic man, a Catholic man with a pedigree of conservative Catholicism. His mom is the great Peggy Noonan, whom I used to venerate but, after her fawning appreciation of the most plastic presidential race in history (2008), I now only revere. Noonan, in turn, is the daughter of John Noonan, who was a conservative law professor and Catholic public intellectual until Reagan appointed him to the federal circuit court. He got quite a bit of ink in Patrick Allitt's under-appreciated [***Catholic Intellectuals & Conservative Politics in America 1950-1985***](https://amzn.to/3TTzYmR?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)(that's an Amazon affiliate link, btw; please click it and buy something . . . I don't need the money but I do need the dopamine hit). ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Quote of the Week ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/image-6.png) Full quote continued below ([****source**](https://www.kunstler.com/p/the-democrats-ghost-dance?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) > He’s doing what all good Jacobins do — what they live for! He has sentenced his old comrades of the DNC to death. He’s stuffing his old enemies into the tumbrel and carting them off to the public square for execution. They can see it coming and it’s giving them the heebie-jeebies. And finally, of course, the Mamdanis and El-Sayeds and their spawn will come for Bernie, too, leaving only AOC in the ensanguinated ruins to become America’s Eva Perón. Wait for that! ### The Week in Review URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-in-review-3/ Last updated: 2026-08-09T12:29:41.000Z 💡 ****"It's easy to spot propaganda you disagree with. It's not so easy to spot propaganda you agree with."** Mark Crispin Miller, professor of media studies at New York University, who was censored by his own department during Covid. His crime? "Excessive skepticism." Propaganda only works when the person doesn't know he's getting propagandized. If you, like me, find yourself pumping your fist while listening to Tucker, just remember: "they" are probably steering you like a parent steering his adult imbecilic child through a crowded train station. We've come to a point where everything in the news is either execrably loathsome like a Mamdani grocery store that defies the natural laws of economics or execrably fabulous that defies belief like Carlson's Ten Points. The populace is shattered, its back broken over the reality knee that was Covid: there is an Epstein class and it eats at the French Laundry while restricting everyone else to McDonald's drive-thru and it trades on the inside and bangs minors and leaps off the average man's back to give each other high fives because they're so smart and talented . . . and not because they do things to get ahead that the rest of us won't do because we're not, you know, becrusted pieces of shit. And for all we know, it's been doing so for a hundred-plus years, and it's so deep and insidious, anyone--like Tucker--who claims to plumb its depths must also be in its grasp. I don't believe anything that comes from a hugely popular platform like Carlson's or Rogan's or Taibbi's. I guess you might call this one of my Principles of Digital Epistemology: The bigger the platform, the less trustworthy. The rationale behind it: the Sith lords that control the internet won't let a platform get big if it tells the truth. Your newsletter will get flagged as junk, the algorithms will beat your site to electronic pulp, Sith allies in the press will lampoon and slander you, and if all that fails, your site will crash due to a digital wardrobe malfunction. Maybe not, but that's what my gut kinda tells me. But whatcha gonna do? Worship Mao with Hasan Piker so we can kill millions of people because Communism has never, you know, really been tried, as evidenced by the fact that our kids can still open a lemonade stand without your hot wife needing to bed Comrade Jabba down at city hall to get the required permit? No, those evil minions gotta be resisted. So here's the thing: even though my instinct tells me there's something dishonest and propagandistic about Tucker's Ten Points, I also think Tucker and Co. mean well and are trying to save us from something flat-out evil that sits in the bowels of today's Left. So I'm gonna do a little fist pumping, even if it makes me uncomfortable like watching my wife drive to city hall to get that lemonade stand permit. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/08/Comrade-Jabba-Meme-II-1.png) ## The Great Accomplishment of Modern Times was Just a Ploy to Make Us Susceptible to Psy-Ops That's what some say and have been saying for a hundred years: universal literacy was intended to make us universally susceptible to the government's propaganda. Was that the intent, or just a convenient byproduct, like a farmer who makes fertilizer from his horse's droppings? Beats me, but Albert Jay Nock saw it clearly, writing in his journal on May 18, 1934: > "The healthy college-bred half-wit, male and female, makes the best kind of serf-minded adult." [***Journal of Forgotten Days***](https://amzn.to/3SjGOBy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), p. 7 ## The Left Hates Small Ag Because It Loves Big Government The 1960s Leftist peace and love movement was filled with little communes that grew organic vegetables on little farms. Granola and anything healthier than a blood red streak became associated in the public mind with sandals and homosexuality. A few Lefties kept the faith but the rest abandoned it for what they really wanted: socialism and the destruction of intermediary institutions, like the Church and family [and even sports teams](https://thedailyeudemon.com/art/). Those institutions stand, Eowyn-like, between the State and Its prey. So today, the Left finds itself athwart homeschooling and homesteading. If it's out of the home, it's the Left's political enemy (unless, of course, both adults in the house have the same kind of genitalia). From trad wives to your backyard garden: it's political. The most recent example? [*WaPo* attacking J.D. Vance's political stunt of raising chickens, noting that he'll never recoup the cost of the elaborate chicken coop (never mind that it was donated to him](https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2026/07/07/vances-added-chicken-coop-vice-presidents-residence-we-had-questions/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Bogus Teetotalling Movement is About to Get Turbo-Charged URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-bogus-teetotalling-movement-is-about-to-get-turbo-charged/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:11:18.000Z I'm tired of seeing California Sober merit badges, especially on 70-year-old men who are too stoned to drive faster than 20 mph in a 30 mph zone. I passed one of them on the left yesterday, nearly wrecking my car. It's hard to wave two middle fingers and negotiate a narrow school zone. But maybe I should've held back some of that ire. If you unleash all your drones on something relatively harmless, you'll have nothing left for something truly terrifying. Like Big Pharma hijacking the neo-psychedelic movement. I've been considering micro-dosing for a few years, but I wanted to find an orthodox Catholic priest with just enough voodoo adventurism to approve it. After imploring priests, and getting ejected from more confessionals than a homeless dude looking for a place to defecate, I gave up. And now it's probably too late. Big Pharma is coming in, hell-bent to statin-ize the entire thing. We're probably a long way–November, at least–from getting micro-doses of LSD in our water systems, but I'm sure it's coming. First, smoking hot pharma reps will blow doctors away with the (financial) benefits of MDMA, and the stuff will start flying out of pharmacies like Sudafed after trailer-trash rednecks break into Walgreens at 3:00 AM. Then we'll get the flurry of commercials, showing people walking with their faces tilted toward the sun, enjoying the effects of synthetic psilocybin. Then maybe commercials for the benefits of combining psychedelic and dysfunction medications, featuring coysome older couples grinning and fawning because they're Aldousing and the guy got turgid. Eventually, the rest of us feel like dupes for being flaccid and sober, then everyone will be micro-dosing with prescriptions that are easier to get than hookers in Tijuana on Saturday night. The road to hell used to be paved with good intentions. Those were the halcyon days of FDR and LBJ and GWB and their massive federal programs that consolidated power, wealth, the best cocaine, and hottest hookers in our nation's capital, but arguably, they acted with good intentions. Those days are over. The road has been paved. And we're all being pushed along it, zombie-like, by Big Pharma. [Big Pharma wants to sell you psychedelic drugsThis year is set to be the year of psychedelics – Trump’s trip, you could call it. Since the President signed an executive order supporting![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-192x192-1557ef2e-5db1-4b93-910a-c10563c609b1.png)The SpectatorJules Evans![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/er-h-bp-spectator-psychedelics-e7f77417-051d-4ad5-831c-026832b94f71.jpg)](https://spectator.com/article/big-pharma-wants-to-sell-you-psychedelic-drugs/?edition=us&%5Fgl=1%2Av12p00%2A%5Fup%2AMQ..%2A%5Fga%2AMTExNTgzMTU5MS4xNzg1NTgzODAw%2A%5Fga%5FDLZSDYRWEH%2AczE3ODU1ODM4MDAkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODU1ODUwNTIkajU0JGwwJGgw%2A%5Fga%5F4HSLZY4B1Y%2AczE3ODU1ODM4MDAkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODU1ODUwNTIkajU0JGwwJGgw%2A%5Fga%5F62MNNVRTT1%2AczE3ODU1ODM4MDAkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODU1ODUwNTIkajU0JGwwJGgw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. 💡 Please spread the TDE word before you're too stoned to operate the email machine. ### The Week in Review URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-in-re/ Last updated: 2026-08-01T12:23:14.000Z ## Eli Lake Takes Apart St. Fauci An honest leftist is like an intellectually modest Jesuit: unicornish. But only “ish.” Occasionally, you find one, like Eli Lake. And Eli knows Fauci was the bandleader of our country's wicked and stupid Covid response. > This is a man who privately told colleagues that he had doubts about restrictions on everyday life during the pandemic, while assuring the public that the new rules that shut down schools, closed restaurants, and mandated an experimental vaccine were all based on the best available science. [Pleading the Fifth Won’t Spare Fauci from the TruthHe claims his Senate hearing was a witch hunt designed to entrap him. But his record convicts him on its own, writes Eli Lake.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Ffavicon-48x48-e170a0a1-a920-4660-a941-ebca539911a3.png)The Free PressEli Lake![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F449057a0-ebeb-4485-b6c5-d1442b695728_1024x683-c7e5bb4f-d43b-4109-9169-7cdf8f300701.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/anthony-fauci-senate-hearing?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Nellie Bowles piles on](https://www.thefp.com/p/tgif-i-am-the-most-famous-and-talked?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). She's no leftist, but I struggle to call the lesbian mom of two a "conservative." She ain't exactly Orestes Brownson, including, fortunately, in the humor arena where she excels: > \[W\]hen you see lockdowns in the context of a power-drunk elf getting turned on by the idea of canceling Easter—he’s typing so fast he can barely keep up—you can understand better what we all lived through. For him, the pleasure was canceling things, especially things he felt gave power to the right (sports, family gatherings, religious events). **We can never forget the freaks who gain power in a centrally controlled system.** That last line is worth a brain tattoo. Ink it on there: central government spawns freaks like Hollywood spawns perverts. ### The economics of keeping tribe members in their respective silos continues It's too bad none of this is going to reach the Left. They can't possibly trust radical fascists like Eli Lake and Nellie Bowles, right? > Fauci media blackout continues [https://t.co/fJ1nwoq2yJ](https://t.co/fJ1nwoq2yJ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [pic.twitter.com/A9QsdIY5MW](https://t.co/A9QsdIY5MW?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) [July 28, 2026](https://x.com/tomselliott/status/2082123924070928430?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Hudge and Gudge 2026 Please, repeat and repeat and repeat: **big government is for big people**. If you're rich and powerful, you can use big government to get more money and power. If you're not, well, then intrusive government becomes the biggest parasite in your life, the thing that should send you to [**your Fear Journal every evening**](https://www.tiktok.com/@arthurcbrooks/video/7525853159747620151?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) just so you can get to sleep without morphine. > It is not a coincidence that socialism is more popular among people with high social and educational capital and less popular among the working class––both cohorts understand who is best able to game centrally planned systems. > It is not a coincidence that socialism is more popular among people with high social and educational capital and less popular among the working class––both cohorts understand who is best able to game centrally planned systems. [https://t.co/C4wXirkVcD](https://t.co/C4wXirkVcD?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) [July 27, 2026](https://x.com/conor64/status/2081851506144264585?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Marijuana is Number One URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/marijuana-is-number-one/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:13:08.000Z [More Americans now use weed every day than drink or smoke cigarettesOnly 13% of monthly alcohol consumers drank daily, compared to between 40 and 50% of monthly cannabis users who admitted using the drug daily.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-92ecc864-c0d8-448a-a734-8b2bb49bc6ad.ico)New York PostAnthony Blair![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/135774492-e9184631-8706-44a0-a851-a4b7b9501603.jpg)](https://nypost.com/2026/07/28/us-news/more-americans-now-use-weed-every-day-than-drink-or-smoke-cigarettes/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > Approximately 21.4 million Americans age 12 or over used marijuana daily in 2025, according to newly released [data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration](https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt57152/2025-nsduh-detailed-tabs/2025-nsduh-detailed-tables-sect9pe.htm?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (SAMHSA). > In contrast, only 17.2 million Americans drank alcohol every day or most days, defined as 20 or more days in 30 days, the data from the federal National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found. Summary: Marijuana is now the number one substance used regularly. Far more people still drink alcohol, but that includes moderate drinkers. For the hard core users, like 12-year-olds, apparently, pot is the regular king. ### The Week URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-2/ Last updated: 2026-07-25T11:24:47.000Z ## Support Local Ag or Else! ### Else what? ### You'll crap yourself. If explosive diarrhea doesn't send people *en masse* to their local farmers market, I'm gonna stock up on rubber raincoats to protect myself from the splashing. > A privately held, California-based produce company called Taylor Farms, which has [over $7 billion](https://urldefense.com/v3/%5F%5Fhttps://newsroom.haas.berkeley.edu/magazine/spring-2026/taylor-farms/%5F%5F;!!CxwJSw!IYnyvNMAPg9ctXFEBACat25Y68oaLa4HiBI%5F2gKcn7ORW1JwZDRrXI3CzyZdY3%5F1l7mcRdeEd6H1wdWCr24QDVw$?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in annual sales and 25,000 workers, appears to be the center of the \[explosive diarrhea\] outbreak, which is suspected to have started with [lettuce imported from Mexico](https://urldefense.com/v3/%5F%5Fhttps://www.taylorfarms.com/newsroom/taylor-fresh-foods-statement-regarding-cyclospora-outbreak/%5F%5F;!!CxwJSw!IYnyvNMAPg9ctXFEBACat25Y68oaLa4HiBI%5F2gKcn7ORW1JwZDRrXI3CzyZdY3%5F1l7mcRdeEd6H1wdWCcg5Y9QI$?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). . . . > \[Outbreaks like these reflect\] the sheer complexity and vast scale of national and international food sourcing and industrialized agriculture . . . [The Lettuce That Launched a Thousand HeadlinesThe cyclosporiasis outbreak is the fourth this year the media has blamed on Trump and RFK Jr. None of them have killed a single person, writes Alex Berenson.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Ffavicon-48x48-d0e4303b-6c34-4cb1-916e-7012f7eeac32.png)The Free PressAlex Berenson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F240c4a84-f613-4293-b88f-c09750d118d1_910x512-fefb9a8c-5282-4d3d-9fd2-b8d54ba61219.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/cyclosporiasis-outbreak-lettuce-media?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## A Headline We Can All Get Behind [Please stop filming yourself urinating in JFK’s old apartment buildingIn the building’s groupchat, people have shared that they have seen a woman urinating in the stairs while recording herself with a Ring light![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-192x192-debed8d8-ed6b-46f3-a99b-8401f7d8ab4f.png)The SpectatorCockburn![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/image-36-6c73d84c-5fc5-4b48-93e5-096010cd8cb6.jpg)](https://spectator.com/article/filming-urinating-jfk-building-dorchester-house-cockburn-diary-07-17-26/?edition=us&%5Fgl=1%2Aogodcd%2A%5Fup%2AMQ..%2A%5Fga%2AMzE4ODAzODQ3LjE3ODQ4Mzg2NTA.%2A%5Fga%5F62MNNVRTT1%2AczE3ODQ4Mzg2NTAkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODQ4Mzg3NjkkajYwJGwwJGgw%2A%5Fga%5F4HSLZY4B1Y%2AczE3ODQ4Mzg2NTAkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODQ4Mzg3NjkkajYwJGwwJGgw%2A%5Fga%5FDLZSDYRWEH%2AczE3ODQ4Mzg2NTAkbzEkZzEkdDE3ODQ4Mzg3NjkkajYwJGwwJGgw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### Douglas Murray on Mamdani Murray jackhammers Mamdami, really puts the blocks to 'im . . . I suppose there's something wrong with me, but after Murray's performance on Joe Rogan, I don't respect anything he says, even though he's a columnist for two of my favorite publications (*Spectator* and *The Free Press*). [Douglas Murray: Why Mamdani Is Targeting NetanyahuThe mayor accused Israel’s leader of genocide and the maiming of children. And he wants to make an enemy of America’s closest ally, writes Douglas Murray.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Ffavicon-48x48-245ed6f8-72f4-42f0-b90b-e8c6eb384b35.png)The Free PressDouglas Murray![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1df8e2b2-50b7-4bac-beee-8ed2adff5c90_3840x2160-ec5ef01c-2237-40fb-9089-94878c184cb2.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/douglas-murray-mamdani-netanyahu?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Fear and Loathing in the Marital Bed We're contracepting ourselves into Mohammedanism. Young people say it's because they lack financial security. That's bunk. It's fear, and probably some sort of early onset dysfunction resulting from undue fondness of one's own right hand. But TBH, if it weren't for the Catholic teaching on artificial contraception, I woulda been pinching off after three or four children myself, so I don't want to get self-righteous on these little cowards. Chalk one up for the RCC going full-on medieval under Pius VI. When you look back at the 1960s zeitgeist and pillars of condoms nearly every 1960s theologian was aching to strap on, it's downright wild that Pius VI wrote that encyclical. Well, wild . . . or something else. [Deaths Now Outnumber Births In 17 US StatesThe number of states recording more deaths than births has more than quadrupled from much of the 2010s…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-c37cf3aa-4f9a-49f6-b231-435a9a92ae7a.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/BirthsvsDeaths_withFooter-1-1175-888740c0-8ee9-4c7f-966b-c7bdad4bf868.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/deaths-now-outnumber-births-17-us-states?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > “Entry into motherhood is falling across nearly every age,” write [@grantjbailey](https://x.com/grantjbailey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [@anne\_red\_head](https://x.com/Anne%5Fred%5Fhead?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com), pointing to a larger decline ahead. [pic.twitter.com/fqODV5YxYB](https://t.co/fqODV5YxYB?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — The Institute for Family Studies (@FamStudies) [July 20, 2026](https://x.com/FamStudies/status/2079234988000874789?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [The Left Hemisphere Makes You AfraidEssay![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-643f7657-e830-43cf-97b6-2158dcd2747e.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1516410529446-2c777cb7366d-001033d5-3f47-4d6b-9277-7e4d3ca74205)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-hemisphere-makes-you-afraid/) --- ## Then Again, Maybe the Lack of Children Isn't Just Fear Strong candidate here for scariest picture of the year. [Gay Cruise Debacle Proves Liberals Are Deluded About Alliance With MuslimsMuslims have learned to feign support for progressive ideology to gain entry into the west, but in Islamic countries, lefty lifestyles are not welcome…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-f128b621-3f40-43d3-ba8f-798fcc47e6fe.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GayCruise1-e762faa6-9d1a-43c8-90f2-41af38be20e1.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/gay-cruise-debacle-proves-liberals-are-deluded-about-alliance-muslims?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Summary: A ship of fags tried to dock in a few Muslim countries and were denied entry on grounds that the ship was carrying a virus called "degeneracy." It's pretty funny for the intersectional reasons explored in the article, but it's also ironic: If Christians don't start having more kids, the West will become Muslim, and once it becomes Muslim, homosexuals will be persecuted, yet homosexuals cheer Islam, condemn Christianity, and are naturally incapable of doing anything to improve their demographic reach, so they need Christians to produce more children to preserve their preferred form of recreation, and Christians, in the meantime, accommodate them. In the words of John Lennon: "Strange days, indeed. Most peculiar, mama." ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Substack Has Installed AI-Detection URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/substack-has-installed-ai-detection/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:12:20.000Z Risk of false positives? Sure . . . at the rate of 1 in 10,000, supposedly. I wildly applause it but it's internecine warfare, right? Aren't all things digital kinda in a nasty gay-orgy-like king-sized bed together in an attempt to destroy the human race? That's my understanding. Maybe Substack has gone rogue and is kicking against its colleagues. Substack, after all, is so fine and virtuous, the folks at deader-than-Stalin Medium.com say it's Fascist. Medium was the platform whose own algorithms impaled the site on a stake of woke, so when its president says "Substack has a Nazi problem," anyone with even the shittiest Rosetta Stone can translate that to, "Substack is pure, virginal, dedicated to freedom of expression, and the first digital platform with a legitimate shot at canonization by the Catholic Church." Also: Marc Andreesen financially backed Substack and praises it. To my knowledge, he's the only person to discuss the thought of [**Eric Voegelin**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/eric-voegelin/) on the *Joe Rogan Experienc*e. So yeah, I like Substack and wildly applaud this move, even if I can't haul myself to fully support any digital platform any more than I can haul myself to drink at a trough of urine. And if Substack were to introduce alternatives to the loathsome and increasingly loathed subscription model that sluices cash into its vaults, I'd consider it (giving full support, not the trough thing). 💡 Please forward this email to other folks who want AI to rot on the banks of the river Styx. ***What you see if you ask for AI detection:*** ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/07/IMG_4016.jpg) --- ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Why Political People Tend to be Intensely Unpleasant URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-political-activists-suc/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:13:32.000Z Imagine a mechanic working on a car that admitted of no mistakes. You put transmission fluid in the oil pan? The car runs fine. Remove the ground wire? Your dashboard doesn't light up like Mel Gibson's X account after a night of drunken Tweeting. Remove the tires? The car rolls like Hitler's tanks bypassing the Maginot Line. It'd be great. You might get Kenickie's souped-up rod in *Grease*. You might be stuck with your same sh\*\*\*y Plymouth. No matter. You had fun and nothing got hurt. It'd be a day in Disney World for the left hemisphere. It'd get to roam in areas of comfort like problem solving and applied physics with no risk. Success fuels the LH; setbacks hobble it. That car gives the opportunity of the former with none of the latter. ### Nassim Taleb: No Skin in the Game = Blow-Up Risks For the political class–and let's be honest, I'm talking mostly but not exclusively about folks on the left side of the political spectrum--legislation and decrees are their way of working on that imaginary car that admits of no mistakes. It's all fiddling and manipulation with no consequences, much less unintended consequences, fat tails, and invisible costs that pile up like forest duff. The Covid Era was like a powerful blue light cast on the inside of Will Ferrell's Prius after Dirty Mike and the Boys' soup kitchen. Anyone with a shred of mitochondria said "ew" when looking at what activist politicians were willing to do to our freedom shack: lockdowns, masks, vaccine mandates . . . you know the devil's litany. If they could've locked us in fleets of soup-kitchened Priuses, they would have. And they were as smug about it as Dirty Mike writing the thank you note. They were, after all, doing what their idols--experts, "science," safety above all else, belief in government, disbelief in unintended consequences--told them to do. ### The left hemispheric cherishes abstractions like a Viagra addict cherishes a harem. It's the moral justification that's the real problem here. Moral justifications derive from abstract notions of good and bad, and just as the French Revolution activists yielded the abstract notions of Liberty, Equality, and Liberty to conclude they were morally justified to use the newfangled guillotine on about 15,000 folks--reprobates, every one of them, of course, even the hundreds of canonized and blesseds–who were interfering with their application, today's politicians wield their abstractions. 💡 Abstractions are highly practical: they allow us to navigate through the complexities of life. Without abstractions to guide us, we'd suffer from "paralysis by analysis." Daily navigation is L.H. territory, so it is ineluctably drawn to the act of abstracting. It's a great thing . . . until it's not. [****More**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-the/) A fevered left hemisphere creates super-charged abstractions faster than Chinese kids make gift shop souvenirs. Scarce is a left-hemispheric notion that doesn't get relegated to something emanating from hell or elevated to something along the lines of a pagan god. The left hemisphere then uses these good and evil pantheons to work on the sedan of society. We properly rage at the Wall Street crooks who gamble trillions of dollars with no downside: if they win, they win big; if they lose, they get bailed out. It's awful. But all left-hemispherics implicitly adopt the same mindset when they push their abstractions and narratives on everyone else. If it f\*\*\*s things up? Oh well. The direct effects on the politician are pretty minimal and, damn, it was fun and satisfying to implement all that shit. ### The left-hemispheric is a busy body. A real dick. Almost all of us incline to dickdom to varying degrees. Our need to navigate the exigencies of daily life requires us to hand the zipper of control over to the left hemisphere repeatedly. There's a constant pull to whip out [**all those characteristics the left hemisphere nourishes**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/left-hemisphere-v-right-hemisphere-specific-differences-in-a-two-column-format/): opinions, control, assertion, power, competition, efficiency. Most of us have the decency not to push such things on others. Not the raging left-hemispheric. He can't keep to himself because the narratives he's put together from his abstractions make him feel like everything's his business. If a harridan barked at you on a Boston street corner in 2021 for not wearing a mask, you know what I'm talking about. (Perhaps the only time one of my verbal exchanges elicited a gasp from my wife, but I explained it to her: "I'm sorry, sweetheart, but sometimes 'f\*\*\* off' is the only response.") To the left hemispheric with a few abstractions tucked under its arm like a lawyer hauling trial briefs into the courtroom, everything is his business. These are the jackasses who ejaculate, "If one kid in this world goes to bed without dinner tonight, that's my business!" I give them the same advice I gave that harridan in Boston. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Left Hemisphere Makes You Afraid URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-hemisphere-makes-you-afraid/ Last updated: 2026-08-09T12:35:08.000Z The seven cardinal sins have shaken and shimmied ever since Evagrius—or maybe Origen, who knows—first jotted them down in some dusty desert hole. By the time Gregory the Great slapped his official stamp on the list, they’d already mutated like a bad batch of bathtub gin compared to the Hellenistic epoch's great catalogues of vice. Even now, the Catholics and the Orthodox don’t entirely agree on the lineup. Me, I figure the Cardinal Sin League is overdue for an expansion, like when the NHL doubled down in ’67 to chase the sprawl of North America’s puck-hungry rubes. Time’s ripe for a postmodern update, a fresh draft of depravity to match our jittery, overclocked age. My nominees? [Noise](https://scheske.substack.com/p/its-time-we-recognize-noise-as-the)—that relentless sonic sewage clogging our ears and minds. Rationalism—the cold, smug cult of the slide-rule brain. Hurriedness—the twitchy compulsion to outrun our own shadows. All of ‘em capital sins, in the old Latin sense: *caput*, the head, the fountainhead spewing tributaries of lesser mischief. But there’s one expansion league member that could skate in and hoist the Cup in year one. Fear. The whole Judeo-Christian playbook’s lousy with admonitions against fear. From Stoics to the Sermon on the Mount, you hear the same refrain: “Fear not; don’t worry; be not anxious.” John Paul II hammered that “Be not afraid” line like a scratched LP. None of it took. Everyone is still scared s\*\*\*less. Why? Because we’re a civilization of left-hemisphere junkies, strung out on the survivalist buzz of that predatory lobe. ### How the Left Hemisphere Turns Us Into Cowards The left hemisphere is the enforcer, the one handling the grubby details—hunting, hoarding, scheming, punching anything that moves. It’s got to be that way; it’s built to keep us from getting eaten. Trouble is, when it’s calling all the shots—unchecked by the right hemisphere’s big-picture mojo—it turns us into Grade-A bastards. Every left-hemisphere tyrant’s the same: a selfish prick fortifying his little fiefdom, stacking cannons, ready to blast anything that threatens his stash. More stash, more safety. More safety, more success. It’s a feedback loop that leaves the amygdala (poor, dumb bastard) twitching like a strung-out meth head. That little almond of gray matter, parked dead-center in your skull, is the early-warning system. Something pings it, it’s fight or flight. Real danger? Run like hell. Minor snag? Man up and deal. But when the left hemisphere’s running the show, every damn thing’s a five-alarm fire. A late bill, a traffic jam, a dentist’s drill—they’re all threats to the left hemisphere's precious control, its almighty efficiency. So the amygdala freaks, blares the klaxon, and we bolt. And that’s where the wheels really fly off. The more we run, the more the amygdala logs things as legit peril—etching them onto the neurological rap sheet. Next time the same trigger shows up, it screams louder, adds a few of the trigger’s associates to the watchlist—people, places, whatever. Pretty soon, you’ve got a web of dread so thick, Tolkien’s Shelob would envy it. ### The New Sin on the Block Pride’s always been the big daddy, the sin with the crown, strutting its stuff since its victory in the Garden of Eden. It’s the engine under every other vice’s hood. But this new contender, fear, could knock it off the throne and claim the Grey Matter Cup. Don’t call it heresy—[Thomas Aquinas sniffed this out eight centuries back in ](https://ajbarker.substack.com/p/vices-x-virtues)[*De Malo*](https://ajbarker.substack.com/p/vices-x-virtues)[.](https://ajbarker.substack.com/p/vices-x-virtues) Fear, he said, is the grease that slicks every capital sin, pride included. Every vice is just us dodging suffering, sidestepping pain. Toothache? That’s not just a twinge—it’s a raid on the left hemisphere’s twin arsenals: time and cash. So it’s a thing to worry about. And off we go, spinning silk and venom, weaving a web to shield ourselves, only to end up tangled, stuck, and dang near catatonic in our own trap. The left hemisphere is a spider gone rogue, choking on its own threads. It starts out building a fortress but ends up a prisoner: immobilized, institutionalized, drooling in a padded cell of its own frantic design. Fear’s the rookie sin with veteran moves, and it’s skating circles around the old guard. Watch out, pride. It’s coming for your title. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### California Sober URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/california-sober/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:14:22.000Z California sober is neither. It's not just for Californians and the practitioners aren't sober. The weed legalization wave is proving to be such a problem, even the diehard libertarian Tyler Cowen is saying it was a mistake, noting that pot is simply too potent and causing mental problems ("pot psychosis"), we're smelling it everywhere as users feel the need to smoke in public, and crime hasn't decreased because taxes make legal weed more expensive that street weed. He concludes that we should have merely made private use legal and decriminalized its use in public, but treating violations as civil infractions, like a parking violation or an Arab gang rape of a teenage girl in Britain. After all the rational analysis of weed, Cowen goes right-hemispheric and trusts his intuition a bit: > \[A\]n old-fashioned part of me feels that even if alcohol is worse for you than strong pot, the old-fashioned drink culture of socializing, with rough and tough macho figures such as Jack Kerouac and Jackson Pollock, was better and more creative than what we have been replacing it with (**NB**: I am myself a well-known teetotaler, and also have never tried marijuana). I'll admit it: I still laugh at Cheech and Chong's comedy, but given a choice between sitting down with them or Kerouac or Pollack to shoot the bull? I'm picking the Jacks. [Tyler Cowen: Legal Weed Is a Mistake We Had to MakeTyler Cowen: I supported legalization, and I didn’t expect such widespread addiction. Yet it’s still better than asking the state to thwart popular demand.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-14865562-e07d-4522-ba64-5fb19dd9c1d8.png)The Free PressTyler Cowen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F19c5864f-2263-425c-8d96-9c5e295ba852_1024x683-fa56e9ba-02df-4b99-9869-31caae7ab380.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/tyler-cowen-legal-weed-is-a-mistake-we-had-to-make?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Encyclopedia: Friend of Facts and Enemy of Truth URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/should-we-love-the-encyclopedia-even-if-it-doesnt-love-us/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:14:44.000Z Essay _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Left Hemisphere v. Right Hemisphere. Specific Differences in a Two-Column Format URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/left-hemisphere-v-right-hemisphere-specific-differences-in-a-two-column-format/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T11:45:41.000Z You can view this PDF in different ways. My preference: Right-click and "Open link in new tab." [Hemisphere Differences PDFHemisphere Differences for PDF.pdf177 KBdownload-circle](https://thedailyeudemon.com/content/files/2023/11/Hemisphere-Differences-for-PDF.pdf "Download") ### The Jesus Prayer and the Left Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-jesus-prayer-and-the-left-hemisphere/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T11:32:30.000Z That anonymous 19th-century Russian pilgrim said the Jesus Prayer made him drowsy. So an elder told him to say it 3,000 times every day. *Exactly* 3,000 times: not a jot more nor a jit less. And he had to say it with a prayer rope and orally– quietly, not barking 3,000 times a day like St. Homeless Dude verbally accosting anyone in the vicinity of his frenetic pacing. The Pilgrim tried it and told the elder it seemed to be working. His elder took it up a notch: 6,000 times every day. It went well. So the elder doubled it again: 12,000 times. Within five days, the Prayer had sci-fi-like descended into the Pilgrim's chest and was saying itself in calibration with his heartbeat. The elder then died, the Pilgrim finished his summer of farm labor, took his wages--two rubles and a rucksack of supplies--and wandered around Russia, talking peacefully and kindly with the people he met, the Prayer beating in his heart without effort. 💡 If you're going to try Jesus Prayer meditation, do it in the morning. That's the best time, according to St. Gregory of Sinai (the OG of the Jesus Prayer). I was so smitten with [*The Candid Narrations of a Pilgrim to His Spiritual Father* ](https://amzn.to/44tnPa2?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)back in the 1990s, I grabbed my rosary and gave it a shot: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." 3,000 times every day. Or maybe I jumped right in at 12,000\. I can't remember. The problem is, I'm a guy who can form an unhealthy fixation on just about anything--just ask my high school sweetheart, who decades later keeps renewing that restraining order even though we never even went out on a date. In retrospect, it's no surprise that, while driving through downtown Detroit traffic on my way to a deposition, I got the rosary chain wrapped in the crevice of my steering wheel and yanked it out with a furious "f\*\*\*!," snapping the cord and spraying beads all over. And I was already at prayer number 2,824, That killed my Russian Pilgrim phase. But the prospect of a good, mellow Jesus Prayer beating in my heart? That ideal– and sporadic practice--never left me. It takes me three seconds to say it. During Covid, I made myself wash my hands for five Jesus Prayers, per St. Fauci's instructions. At good moments, I say a Jesus Prayer before letting myself gnash against the scores of injustices that afflict poor, pitiful, oppressed me throughout the day. I once asked my own elder for advice about the Prayer. [Sharif Younes](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharifyounes/?isSelfProfile=false&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) at [OptimalWork](https://optimalwork.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) told me to incorporate it into mindfulness meditation. In-breath: *Lord Jesus Christ, son of God.* Out-breath: *Have mercy on me, a sinner.* I think it works. I can kinda feel the prayer synchronizing with my heart like the Pilgrim described, at least during the mindfulness session. And it ain't taking 12,000 ejaculations (easy there, guys: that's the technical term). Mother Natalia says she does a similar thing, but she *really* slows it down: In-breath: *Lord Jesus Christ.* Out-breath: *Son of God.* In-breath: *Have mercy on me.* Out-breath: *a sinner.* Mantra-like use of the Jesus Prayer is an act of *immersing the intellect in the heart,* said Lev Gillet, that strange cenobitic hybrid of Russian Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism who wrote under the name, "A Monk of the Eastern Church." "Immersing the intellect in the heart." I'm pretty sure that's another way of saying, "Hog-tying your left hemisphere and delivering it buck-naked on a spit to the right hemisphere." I've long maintained that mindfulness meditation is one of the most intense exercises available to fight against our rogue left hemispheres. The Jesus Prayer is mindfulness meditation with a Christian kicker, making it a great way for a Catholic to do hand-to-hand with the LH. This makes the Jesus Prayer a type of [**counter-conduct**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/counter-conduct/), which in turn helps a person [**flourish**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/flourishing/). 💡 Please email or text or carrier-pigeon this essay to others. Paul told the Thessalonians to pray without ceasing. *Never* stop. It was just inspirational hyperbole, right? Like telling a mathematically-challenged player to "give 110%"? It's hard to say. Aquinas said it depends on what you mean by "praying." If "prayer" means being on your knees or prostrate, Paul was engaged in inspirational hyperbole. We have shit to do. We can't beat that red light or beat someone's ass for headphone dodging if we're lying on our stomachs with our faces scrunched into the carpet all the time. But what if prayer means--or maybe just includes--keeping the left hemisphere in check? It then becomes possible--even necessary, as Paul's injunction implies. If St. Paul were here today, with the benefit of St. Iain, I'm sure he'd agree: "Pray without ceasing" means "keeping your left hemisphere from ruining your mental life . . . without ceasing." Given how robust the left hemisphere has become circa 2026, the advice to say 12,000 Jesus Prayers every day doesn't sound too extreme. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Arthur Brooks Serves Up a Wickedly-Delightful Anti-Statist Slant URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/art/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T12:45:55.000Z I'm pretty sure the dicks-in-girls'-bathrooms stunt was merely the most flagrant play to date from the Big-State and Ruling Class Playbook. > The more excited we all get about Team USA \[in the World Cup\] and the tournament overall, the more likely we are to see a reset in our polarized culture, at least temporarily. > Of course, such comity is not in everyone’s interests, so there will be plenty of pushback. Polarizing leaders from the worlds of politics, media, and activism aim to conquer people by dividing them. When you’re induced to hate others for ideological reasons, you have been turned into a commodity, and someone is profiting—just not *you*. Your joy and friendship are existentially dangerous to the Outrage Industrial Complex. Enjoy the NBA Finals or the World Cup together and, the next thing you know, we might actually figure out that we *like* one another, despite whatever *urgent political story* is being served up on cable TV to stir indignation. So, expect to see disparaging comments about teams and players from politicians, media stories that seek to politicize the tournament, and perhaps even some displays of narcissistic activism from a player or two. [Arthur Brooks: The Knicks Just Made the Case for Sports FandomNew Yorkers poured into the streets after the Knicks’ title run, embracing strangers in shared joy. Social science suggests that instinct is good for us—and for the country, writes Arthur Brooks.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-d471f367-3502-4d88-baee-54673afaceeb.png)The Free PressArthur Brooks![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F8f69464d-1e4c-4cbf-9585-c0bad3f01f16_1024x683-30a77fc7-dde7-4df0-888c-8f5d784b5df8.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/arthur-brooks-the-knicks-just-made?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Bill Kauffman, American, Excoriates the World Cup URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bill-kauffman-american-excoriates-the-world-cup/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T12:38:21.000Z It’s [World Cup](https://spectator.com/tag/2026-world-cup/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) time again, and Americans from Bangor to Batavia don’t even bother to stifle their quadrennial yawns, while more fervent patriots are praying to the God who adjudicates sporting events that the US team flames out early, as usual. ​It’s been 32 years since the World Cup first tainted American soil. The 1994 invasion was a colossal flop, despite the corporate subsidies lavished by Coca-Cola, Mastercard, and the usual suspects. The title game – oh, excuse me: *match* – a thrilling 0-0 tie in regulation between Brazil and Italy, did not win millions of new fans. ​The indifference of Americans to the World Cup will be ascribed to our provincialism and ignorance of the wider world, but in fact it owes more to good old-fashioned American stubbornness and the vestigial resistance to homogenization that produced, for instance, the popular rejection of the metric system. No doubt there are pockets of enthusiasm for the tournament: dweebs in what my friend Jason Peters calls Silly Con Valley are likely to be extra amorous with their AI girlfriends should the USA defeat Paraguay in the home team’s opener. [Why America is still immune to the soccer virusIt’s World Cup time again, and Americans from Bangor to Batavia don’t even bother to stifle their quadrennial yawns, while more fervent patriots are praying to the God who adjudicates sporting events that the US team flames out early, as usual. ​It’s been 32 years since the World Cup first tainted American soil. The 1994 invasion was a colossal flop, despite the corporate subsidies![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-37948a0f-90dd-4525-9161-1daa6c794ce8.png)The SpectatorBill Kauffman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-72392276-e0a63a47-918a-4eb9-ab0d-f9d01a168485.jpg)](https://spectator.com/article/why-america-is-still-immune-to-the-soccer-virus/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### QR Codes Aren't Evil URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/qr-codes-arent-evil/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T13:32:56.000Z The left hemisphere thinks that it objectively uses tools. Tools, the left hemisphere thinks, don't affect the brain: the brain simply yields the tools. Tools are the brain's b\*\*ch. Enter Marshall McLuhan, Jacques Ellul, Lewis Mumford, the Jesuit Walter Ong, Neil Postman, and many other thinkers who have begged modernity's left hemisphere to lift its foot off the cocksure accelerator and ask questions: What is lost when a new tool is employed? What becomes different? How does the tool affect us? Unfortunately, the questions can't be answered in left hemispheric terms (i.e., "analytically," "categorically," "in black and white"). We can only grope for answers at the beginning, using our intuition and vague impressions . . . our *feelings*. Later, after the damage is done, we can use the left hemisphere to pick through the rubble and analyze the pieces, but how much nicer it would've been to allow the right hemisphere to pre-empt the damage. [Bailey Sincox has written a lovely essay that tries to bring the right hemisphere to bear on QR Codes](https://www.publicbooks.org/tickets-are-for-remembering/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The essay proves nothing but it's not supposed to. It raises an important question and that's enough. --- It concludes with an experience that even the left hemisphere can appreciate: > Spotting an usher standing at the foot of an escalator, I pulled out my phone, opened my email inbox, and followed a link from The Shed. The link took me to a login page where I was asked to provide my username and password for The Shed’s website. Not remembering my account details, I returned to my inbox and searched for “TICKETS” in the hope of finding another email with an attached PDF or embedded information. The usher rang her bell, signaling five minutes until curtain. “Let’s just go to will call,” I said to my companion in exasperation. --- ## Related > Fadiman turns a gently skeptical eye toward the various technological “improvements” of the modern world. He begins an essay with an anecdote about finding it difficult to order just two scrambled eggs at a diner, without a dozen sides and accouterments. Fadiman’s somewhat irritable list of examples of this over-accessorization of things becomes a thoughtful reflection on man and his relationship to tools: > The car with the automatic shift is doubtless a better car. The question is whether the subnormal who can now drive an automobile is a better man. A super-speed highway is a better highway, but its users are slightly worse humans, because super-highway travel, with no scenery, few curves, no obstacles, is so dull as to be a kind of prison in motion. Better to watch a cow from a canal-boat than the Andes from the air. > Fadiman hits on the idea, expressed in more abstract terms by such writers as Heidegger, Wendell Berry, and C.S. Lewis, that the tools humans use to obtain mastery over nature end up altering human nature, sometimes for the worse. [The Lamp Magazine | The Lifetime Reading PlanOn the Great Books project.![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/favicons/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png?w=152&h=152&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1674591075&s=adf9080089d297b8ae3f5af7a13366a6)The Lamp MagazineRead![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/Screen-Shot-2023-12-20-at-2.42.19-PM.png?w=1200&h=630&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1703101349&s=df8e49731f7094c95c48bf0c9a98d1c6)](https://thelampmagazine.com/issues/issue-20/the-lifetime-reading-plan?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- [The 40 Most Rage-Inducing Problems in TechThe bugs, broken apps, and nightmare customer-service bots we can’t escape, presented as a blessed and sacred addendum to Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical on AI![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-3911fc6f-7d34-400b-a5a0-eca8a4c5164e.ico)The Ringer![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/cropped-popeAI_getty_ringer-1-scaled-1-3d80dc84-e968-4597-9491-7249443dea89.jpg)](https://www.theringer.com/2026/05/28/tech/pope-leo-xiv-ai-encyclical-tech-industry-problems?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **Don’t make me scan a QR code to read a menu.** For God’s sake, I am at dinner. I know the QR-code menu trend was a result of a good-faith effort during the early pandemic era to eliminate the leading vector of COVID-19 transmission (menus). But I look at my phone all day. Now I want some peace. Can I just have a nice book, maybe with a spiral binding and a few pictures of pasta, to browse through? Maybe with a nice burgundy fake-leather cover and a wine stain on one page? Doesn’t that sound so nice? **Maybe ban QR codes in general.** As far as I can tell, “QR” stands for “quite \[r\]annoying.” (I could be wrong about that. I looked it up on Google, but the top two answers it gave me were “Queen Christina of Sweden” and a link to Old Navy jorts.) Every time I see one of these pixelated black-and-white micro-bastards—they look like s’mores in the *Tron* universe—I assume I’m about to be taken to an unfathomably janky account-creation screen that will lose my information the second I hit submit. ### I'm Tellin' Ya, this Newest Teetotalling Movement is Bogus, Man URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/im-tellin-ya-this-newest-teetotalling-movement-is-bogus-man-bycu-blog-post/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T19:13:26.000Z 💡 The percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, the lowest by one percentage point in Gallup’s nearly 90-year trend. This coincides with a growing belief among Americans that moderate alcohol consumption is bad for one’s health, now the majority view for the first time. [****Gallup**](https://news.gallup.com/poll/693362/drinking-rate-new-low-alcohol-concerns-surge.aspx?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Ah, alcohol is bad for one's health. That argument has been around longer than my average pair of underwear. It's every closeted Prohibitionist's favorite argument. Mencken waged war against the idea many times. > The alcohol myth is such a bugaboo. The sort of man it scares is the sort of man whose chief mark is that he is scared all the time. It took science well over 50 years to catch up with Mencken's observation here. The left hemisphere is constantly vigilant for anything that could wrench its control. This constant vigilance enflames the amygdala, which is why we're a society of doofuses who get scared all the time. [The Left Hemisphere Makes You AfraidThe seven cardinal sins have shaken and shimmied ever since Evagrius—or maybe Origen, who knows—first jotted them down in some dusty desert hole.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-ddcb4e10-f0eb-41e1-90a7-8602b8810227.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe0fc95c6-9e1f-437a-9c34-0d1569e21748_1024x608-5a138f93-3527-41c6-8980-4084d0173071.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-left-hemisphere-makes-you-afraid?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) It's hardly surprising that the Left Hemispheric Empire (that's what America is, btw, if you haven't realized it yet) implemented Prohibition and is now undergoing a neo-Prohibitionist moment. Only half of American adults drink alcohol (down from a high of 71%). 💡 What's next in the news cycle? Half of American men sit down when they urinate? I have no problem with folks who quit drinking for the right reasons. Recovering alcoholics, for instance. Or aspiring mystics who want something more than the amateur mysticism served up on Friday after the work week. Or fourteen-year-olds getting in shape for their first year of high school football. All fine. Heck, I've considered giving up booze a few times myself, albeit always in the throes of the Nasty on Saturday morning. I've also grown moderate in my drinking. For young people, I think alcohol stimulates the mental life (by throttling back the young person's always-overactive left hemisphere), but for older adults? It hobbles. Of this, I have little doubt. A drunk old person has less memory than a three-year-old after smoking a joint, and it's kinda ugly, like when a drunk older woman tells the waitress the table is ready to place its order ten minutes after the table has placed its order. Me, I don't wanna be that retard, and I definitely don't wanna grease the skids of cognitive decline more than I haffta just to get through this vale of grind, so I moderate. But moderation ain't abstaining. In fact, they're opposites. Abstention is alcohol abuse's brother: they both take an immoderate approach. But now science is telling us abstention is the path. I don't believe it. [All Alcohol is Bad for You, Until It’s NotScientists can’t draw a circle any better than a retard using his left hand. In fact, they’re worse at it. He can at least make curves. Scientists? Their only tool is the straight line.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-2af98eef-7c78-4381-bba2-6a1dc6e34f14.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-75bb0fb8-c6d1-4195-be72-7995212f2ac5)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/all-alcohol-is-bad-for-you-until-its-not/) Just wait a few years. The science will change, and we'll end up where the Judeo-Christian tradition has long landed us when it comes to the topic of alcohol: It is healthy, it is the spice of life . . . if enjoyed in moderation. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Garden Workout URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-garden-workout/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T12:36:52.000Z You need nothing to exercise. N-o-t-h-i-n-g. You don't need a gym membership. You don't need junk-molding spandex. You don't even need a block of time. You just gotta opt for the harder route throughout the day. It's the Way of the Cobblestone. Stairs, not elevators. Parking in the first spot off the street, not the spot closest to the door. Taking a break with a stroll, not a scroll. Killing that cow with your bare hands and harvesting the meat and then running away before the farmer starts shooting, not buying hamburger at the meat market. Over the course of the day, you'll line up more exercise than Hunter Biden lines up cocaine and whores at Christmas. But I suppose there are times when you want to get some real exercise. Arnold stuff. Pushing your heart rate into the stratosphere. For those times, you need . . . nothing. A block of time, yes, but nothing else. Just ask Rocky Balboa. [The Way of the CobblestoneSmooth makes things rough. Ease makes life more difficult. Soft makes us brittle. We lost something when asphalt replaced cobblestone. Every step on those old, gnarled stones forced a man’s body to shift, recalibrate, and work. The more cobblestonish the surface, the more micro-exertions. The more asphaltish the surface,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-467b9feccbe0d278bd918d989b50c1b956a730dc2dbc7cf4b650840f031a326d.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-e99bba0bc5978d4473bd1f35de328be0233e05a9364ffa89f51a68138b667c31)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-way-of-the-cobblestone/) The Soviet Ivan Drago worked out ferociously in the gym, ran on indoor tracks, and used elaborate machines for weight training. Rocky worked out in a barn, trudged ferociously through snow, and chopped wood like a Russian Old Believer on speed. Rocky won the fight. Looking back now, it was probably because Drago was using the latest-and-greatest in Soviet technology, which is like using the latest-and-greatest in Amish sex toys, but Stallone's message was clear: Rocky's lumberjack-berserker routine gave him the edge. And everyone knows, if the Tulsa King says it, it's true. ## Rocky IV in the Garden Gardening provides whatever measure of exercise you want. You can take it slow and enjoy a cobblestone effect. You can shift into Zone 2 by moving a bit quicker. Or you can take it as hard as you can until you're panting on the ground like you just escaped a gang of Muslim groomers who'd mistaken you for a twelve-year-old boy. The rest of this piece is about that third option: the hardcore garden workout. ### The Garden Workout Routine in Three Steps 1. Warm-up by walking around the garden, planning out roughly the kinds of exercises you'll do. 2. Turn on your Garden Workout Playlist. 3. Go hard. That's it. There is no routine. Every workout will be different. That's a good thing. You think Rocky stepped in the same snow drift every morning during his run? Frick no. Keep in mind that, even though your primary purpose is exercise, you're still gardening. Think of it like playing basketball or racquetball. You tell yourself the main purpose is to play the sport, but it's a fiction. You're there for the exercise. The same goes for the garden workout. I've described a few of my favorite exercises below, but you'll come up with plenty of your own. Without fail, some other way to exercise occurs to me in the middle of every session. 💡 A Bonus Tip: Do the workout naked. The effect of wind whipping against your genitals increases testosterone levels, according to peer-reviewed studies. (Alright, I'm just joking. There are no such peer-reviewed studies: pharma can't make money from wind.) ### Slashing Furiously with the Wheel Hoe I'm starting with the best exercise. This one is so important, I dedicate Moonshine Bandit's "Dive Bar Beauty Queen" to wheel hoeing. When my Spotify shuffle rotates to that song, I stop whatever I'm doing and go as hard as I can with the wheel hoe for 3:39 minutes and then walk around with my hands on my head while catching my breath and muttering "f' me" before launching into the next exercise. Wheel hoeing is brutal, especially if you're using the stirrup hoe implement. The push. The pull. Arms, upper back, lower back, legs, vocals (whimpers and groans). Five hard minutes on the wheel hoe make the holiest man mutter, "Oh, shit. Shit." Warning: I'm guessing my stronger readers could break the wheel hoe (even I have). Sharpen the stirrup hoe blades (both sides) before your workout. Sharper slicing reduces strain on the frame. I use t[**he Earthway 6500**](https://amzn.to/4egYDcs?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), btw. I also have the more costly and touted Hoss wheel hoe, but I don't like it nearly as much as the cheaper Earthway. ### The Implement Sprint Create a track around your garden. Fairly wide. 💡 You should have such a thoroughfare anyway. (1) It's visually-pleasing. (2) It emits a subtle opulence: you're a guy who has so much land, you can dedicate a wide swath to nothing. (3) Visitors like to stroll without branches scraping against them. (4) It gives the first responders room to maneuver with the gurney after you collapse during your wheel hoe session. Grab an implement and sprint through it. A rake or shovel in one hand. Maybe the wheel hoe two-hand hoisted over your head. Doesn't matter. My track is only 1/10th of a mile, but when I do one of these toward the end of my workout, you can fork me. Do you need to be holding an implement? Yes. Ideally, you're transporting it from one area of the garden to another, just taking a loop-plus to do it. Remember: You're gardening, not working out. That's the fiction here that makes the workout relatively enjoyable But even if you're not moving the implement to another area of the garden for your next chore, the act of carrying something f's-up the exercise just enough to add a cobblestone effect. ### Shoveling A low-energy friend of mine once said, "Shoveling is the easiest job in the world. You just have to pace yourself." He's right. So don't pace yourself. Shovel like you're putting out a fire. Don't worry if the results are sloppy. ### Moving Things No matter what you're moving, make it difficult. Shovel the soil into buckets then move them as fast as you can. Maybe situate the buckets 20 feet away and run back and forth with the shovels of soil. If you're going to use a wheelbarrow, pack it full and push it like you're trying to move a house. ### Raking I learned long ago that raking is hard. Sure, you can take it lightly, but done at a brisk pace? You'll feel it the next day. Rake old leaves, the debris left over from your wheel hoe work out, soil that you're fashioning into a bed. Doesn't matter. Dig those prongs deep into the soil and pull like you're extracting a child from the jaws of an alligator. ### Squatting You could do an entire workout just squatting. Don't bend at the waist, don't kneel. Just squat until your buttocks are nearly scraping the ground, pull the weeds, or do whatever while you're down there, then thrust up like you're trying to bump your head against a cloud. I don't normally make squatting part of my workout, but whenever I'm forced to bend over during a workout for whatever reason, I always squat deeply and come out of it as forcefully as possible, often getting as much as a quarter-inch of air beneath my feet. ## It's Tricky My biggest problem with the garden workout? I can't quantify it. I have no idea how much exercise I'm getting, which leads to practical problems, like the time I went so hard on Monday that I didn't feel normal until Thursday. But that's part of the garden workout's effective charm. It escapes quantification and our obsession with checking off boxes. It liberates even if we feel like beaten slaves after it's over. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Same piece, over at Substack [The Garden WorkouutCasual gardening provides the Cobblestone Effect, but there’s no reason you can’t do it like Rocky IV![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-054e5224-6631-453f-a163-94c5e4f9c69f.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F7fa966e0-1bd8-4cc1-96fb-48da09efbec5_1024x608-abe289d2-6f90-4bc0-9b62-5ce8d22509d0.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-garden-workouut?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### This Will Bring Out the Teetotaller in Me URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/this-will-bring-out-the-teetotaller-in-me/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T18:36:08.000Z I just learned tomato gin is "a thing." I think I'd rather learn that scrotum-kicking contests are a thing (they probably are, at least in cutting-edge LGBTQetc bars). I guess it's been developing since at least 2010, when the Arabs started it with the "tomatini" at LPM Restaurant & Bar in Dubai. You see what happens when you try to civilize a tribal culture? These wealthy tribesmen concocted a "salad in a glass": a mix of Campari tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and vodka. It started a trend and it's picking up pace. Tomato-forward drinks are even considered "mainstream," at least among the elite, which gives us just one more reason to scorn them. I'd put "drinking tomatinis" as less harmful than Pizza Gate and more harmful than Trying to Establish a One-World Order Through Crushing Use of AI Where Everyone Will Own Nothing. I never believe in Pizza Gate, the Epstein files notwithstanding. The same with the One-World Order conspiracy, a thing so secretive that the Grand Wizard of the KKK would be impressed. I'm agnostic on both. But now that I've learned that there are tomato-based gins? I'll believe anything atrocious. ### From the One-Thing Files URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/from-the-one-thing-files/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T11:53:25.000Z [All the gossip about Lady Chatterley’s LoverNothing has been sillier, Guy Cuthbertson shows, than the promiscuous afterlife of ‘Lady C,’ as Lawrence called the book![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The SpectatorFrances Wilson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/1Lady-Chatterley-Getty-66ad9a7451fe427b2c60b073c74fd61f4e06ace7b0860e120afc67efa5bd3ee7.jpg)](https://spectator.com/article/all-the-gossip-about-lady-chatterleys-lover/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Wikipedia about the trial: > He led the [prosecution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosecution?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) of [Penguin Books](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penguin%5FBooks?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) for publishing *Lady Chatterley's Lover* in [paperback](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paperback?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) format in the [obscenity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscenity?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) trial held at the Old Bailey from 20 October to 2 November 1960\. The book was prosecuted under the [Obscene Publications Act 1959](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscene%5FPublications%5FAct%5F1959?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), a [private members bill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private%5Fmembers%5Fbill?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) introduced by [Roy Jenkins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy%5FJenkins?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), under which a work was considered in its entirety, and had a defence if it was justified by the public good. He asked jurors not to approach the novel "in any priggish, high-minded, super-correct mid-Victorian manner", but alleged that the novel induced "lustful thoughts in the minds of those who read it", and then asked, "...when you have read it through, would you approve of your young sons, young daughters – because girls can read as well as boys – reading this book? Is it a book that you would have lying around in your own house? Is it a book that you would even wish your wife or your servants to read?" The jury reportedly found this question amusing, and it has been described\[[*by whom?*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual%5Fof%5FStyle/Words%5Fto%5Fwatch?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#Unsupported%5Fattributions)\] as the "first nail in the prosecution's coffin". A procession of eminent defence witnesses attested to the worth of the novel, and Penguin Books was acquitted of obscenity on 2 November. ### Sam Kriss Will Come to Your House and Kill You URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/sam-kriss-will-come-to-your-house-and-kill-you/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T11:39:07.000Z When you bump into a friend on vacation, it's a coincidence. When the Jewish prose whiz Sam Kriss and the Catholic pontifical whiz Leo both publish lengthy exegeses about AI on the same day, it's a coincidence on steroids. And when Pope Leo then refers (repeatedly) to AI as the "Tower of Babel" and Kriss offers extensive examples of AI's incoherent prose, it's gotta be divine intervention. 💡 ****"AI writing all tends towards a very specific mood. Poignant, wistful, simpering, dickless."** Sam Kriss, "If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill you" (Substack, May 25, 2026) You thinkin' there's no way Leo would condone Kriss coming to your house and killing you for using AI to write your stuff? Well, you'd probably be right. But Leo and Kriss are fellow-travelers, make no doubt about it. They express themselves differently: Kriss, rabidly, to a fault; Leo, mildly, to a fault. Me, I prefer Kriss' rabid approach: I know he's going full-on screed to make a point, and I'm (pretty) sure he's not really going to kill half the "writers" on Substack. Leo's encyclical is good, but his style is too mild for what he clearly believes is an existential threat. When there's a fire, you scream it, not gently beseech the lambs. 💡 Leo refers to people who form relationships with AI as "****less discerning users.**" That's appropriate prose for a Pope, but it'd be more effective and clinically accurate to refer to such people as "freakin' morons." Leo takes aim at the digital oligarchy and even implicitly channels that Catholic convert and daily communicant Marshall McLuhan, who relentlessly pointed out that technology has effects regardless of its content. "The medium is the message," said McLuhan. If you said technology is neutral and just depends on its content, McLuhan would've come to your house and killed you, maybe even f'ing killed you. Leo nods: AI is not morally neutral. AI, he points out, cloaks itself in the characteristics of those who control and use it. The digital oligarchy wants us to think smartphones are neutral (you can use them to watch porn or to read papal encyclicals . . . you make the moral call), but the oligarchs know that's specious. The phones themselves are the message, and the message is, "We own you, you idiotic consumer." And the message of AI is even clearer: "We will destroy you, you idiotic consumer." 💡 ****"I’m literally the size of a dry martini—shaken, stirred, and nursing the burn of every sip."** **The Miniature Wife.* This nonsensical passage, Kriss assures us, is AI-generated. It understandably shakes, stirs, and nurses him to righteous rage. Leo pairs the Tower of Babel image with **the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls after the Babylonian Exile**. Nehemiah assigned each family a section of the wall to rebuild. Everyone had to do their part, and for the love of Yiddish, no one would be allowed to tear down the wall in their section, or Nehemiah would've come to their houses and f'ing killed them. Everyone needs to do their part and rebuild the walls of human intelligence. This starts with not tearing down our section of the creative world by using AI to do our work. And honestly, why would you? The act of creation is enjoyable. Delegating it to AI is like delegating sex to a robot (more on "robot dick" later). We're in Vichy France, and we need to resist the Nazi occupiers. Don't be [Philippe Pétain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe%5FP%C3%A9tain?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). That's what Kriss is saying and Leo agrees, telling everyone they need to do their part and use AI responsibly, starting with not passing off AI writing as their own. That, I think in retrospect, will be considered Basic Morality 101, right up there with not setting cats on fire and tossing them into a crowded theater. Do Kriss and Leo fear a robot apocalypse? The heck if I know. I just know Leo has made it pretty clear that over-reliance on AI might soon be cropping up in those booklets for the examination of conscience. Kriss? He's just fed up with the "dickless" prose AI spits out. To a man of Kriss' stylistic exactitude, AI prose is like all those times you're enjoying a Netflix series and then a homosexual storyline is introduced. AI prose is as jarring to Kriss' discerning reading habits as two dudes kissing on the screen is to a sane person. That's why Kriss will come to your house and kill you if you write with AI. His prose is (way) more strident than Pope Leo's, but the point is the same: If you use AI to do your writing and thinking, you're part of the problem. Maybe Kriss shouldn't come to your house and kill you, and Pope Leo isn't remotely close to excommunicating folks for writing with AI, but I wouldn't blame either if they did. [If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill youDid you think I wouldn’t be able to tell? I can tell.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F53cf7d04-ae95-43b9-8c0c-7a4a290c872b-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-a7a6ab122786e52eee449dd7043a331c8ca63eb3132690f6c6aa3583c42e4d0a.png)Numb at the LodgeSam Kriss![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa4850192-6d97-4046-b900-aeeb6643ecdd_1788x1481-cb0f54686c957cc8577f142845d6c1094d69b39fa97777c509d465f3847f089d.jpeg)](https://samkriss.substack.com/p/if-you-let-ai-do-your-writing-i-will) ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### So, the Libertarian Conservatives Were Right Again? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/so-the-libertarian-conservatives-were-right-again/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T11:54:32.000Z Since the start of the Iranian War, conservatives have lined up like playground boys choosing teams for Red Rover. Conservatism 1.0 has mocked allegations that the war was going badly. It was 1945, for them, and the Americans had just knocked out Germany, Italy, and Germany without missing a World Series. "FAFO Iran" was the slogan. This is the MAGA base, combined with pro-Israel forces like *The Daily Wire* (or so I've been led to believe . . . I don't much venture over to *TDW* anymore because I believe it's hopelessly compromised) Conservatism 2.0 has been saying that it's going badly. We immediately face-planted by taking out an all-girls elementary school and costing the world access to the Straits of Hormuz, then we found out our weapon arsenal is not bottomless and Iran had a lot more missiles than we thought. Conservatism 2.0 consists of libertarians and the podcast bros who came over to the Right because they realized it was crucial to kill the BiderHarris hologram before it and its army of NGOs destroyed the First Amendment. *The Free Press* lined up with Conservatism 1.0 on this issue (even though *TFP* was started by Bari Weiss, who was in the vanguard of Conservatism 2.0). But as of this morning, *TFP* appears to have conceded that Conservatism 2.0 has been telling the truth: *This War ain't going well.* Its very un-Memorial Day-like cover story: [The Real Reason Trump Needs a Deal with IranCritics say the president’s peace offering hands Iran victory. But they don’t acknowledge the biggest risk of restarting the war, writes Eli Lake.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-2f305bf9385d6001aaecfc74ee4572d562fa54a636bb782e6d5799a97ac6d89d.png)The Free PressEli Lake![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Feb4e3fa4-20c4-4eb6-a917-f772e49863cb_1024x683-1e6ec90fa62b85c67efb2b241f5c39d5b9e2ff51b8ff0b2214f76f6fb8f9aa3c.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-real-reason-trump-needs-a-deal-with-iran?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Thanks largely to this War, the world is facing a financial meltdown, the far left might seize control of both houses in November, the American military has lost its veneer of invincibility, and we've nearly exhausted our precision munitions and missile interceptors. Most significantly, the entire world knows we're Stretch Armstrong on the verge of snapping: > The drones, short-range missiles, and speedboats Iran uses to harass and threaten international shipping are all stored in underground bunkers. To get to those targets, the U.S. would need to use the penetrator bombs like the ones dropped on Iran’s nuclear facilities last June during Operation Midnight Hammer. The U.S. still has around a thousand of these munitions, according to a military source. But many of them are needed to deter North Korea and China. My point here? Simply this: The libertarians, for all their left-hemispheric prickish ways, are far more reliable than commentators on the Right or the Left. Why? That's the subject of a different post, but in a nutshell: The Right and Left spin "narratives," in the true post-modern sense of the term: Stories created to advance a narrative, not to tell the truth. And both Right and Left serve the Establishment or, more specifically, different segments of the Establishment, so neither can be trusted. Libertarians, meanwhile, don't serve the Establishment ([**which is why they always lose, btw**](https://substack.com/home/post/p-198490618?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) . . . not sure how to get around that one), so they're free to tell the truth. ### A Heavy Drinker Goes Sober URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-heavy-drinker-goes-sober/ Last updated: 2026-05-22T11:50:31.000Z Matthew Owens at *The Spectator* has gone sober, after years of hammering wine and rye whiskey, getting so bad that he opened fire on strangers at 5:00 AM with blanks from his Beretta and once "flung himself into bed and missed." He assures us, though, that he still loathes teetotallers: > Teetotallers are as bad as people who insist on whipping out their phones to film fellow guests when they’re dancing. They’re buzz-killing squares who should learn to live a little. It's a splendid little essay, though I fear you'll need a subscription to access it. Another excerpt: > Certain of my friends who have forsworn the demon drink claim that it was Alcoholics Anonymous that saved their lives. Good for them, but not for me. Famously, there is nothing more boring that listening to other people talk about their diets, their pets or their dreams. To this list I would add tales of other people’s sober journeys. To me, joining AA would be like being cursed to perform in a Sartre play that continues for eternity. [I gave up drinking. Don’t call me teetotalI have, despite my worse judgment, recently mounted the wagon. Yet I continue to see myself as the Falstaffian life of the party.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-4bc9ff2af7c537ec82aef8f32f12c2f469404346eae59b779e85d5aaebf58fea.png)The SpectatorOwen Matthews![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/og-image-e31f1e52d21bdc20e6ff0a5772fb0afb6cebb73c895a9a22734b3b1497cec181.jpeg)](https://spectator.com/article/i-gave-up-drinking-dont-call-me-teetotal/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### A Micro-Paean to County Highway URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-micro-paean-to-county-highway/ Last updated: 2026-05-21T12:17:06.000Z The May-June 2026 issue of [***County Highway***](https://www.countyhighway.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) arrived last week. Its slogan, "America's Only Newspaper" is apt, but is it even proper to call it a "newspaper"? The medium is newsprint . . . the old broadsheet format, which I greatly enjoy for some tactile reason that escapes the ravishes of my left hemisphere's rationality . . . but the content ain't the slop (AI-generated and leftist-generated) found in newspapers today. The content is literary, its writers channeling the style of New Journalism ghosts Tom Wolfe, Joan Didion, and Hunter S. Thompson. You can find that style in a handful of magazines like *The New Yorker* and *The Atlantic*, but I don't trust 'em. Their glossy covers reflect the content: glossy propaganda for the leftist establishment. I ascribe to the hazy opinion that truth succumbs to style. If every sentence is written beautifully, every sentence must be true, and if every paragraph is built of true sentences, the paragraph must be beautiful and true, and if an essay consists solely of beautiful and true paragraphs, it must be beautiful and true and good. (Yes, I've read my Balthasar.) So when I read stylistic essays in leftist magazines, I existentially recoil. I don't know whether it's the magazine's stylish prose cracking my ideology and making me uncomfortable or Satan cracking my soul and making me damned. I just know I recoil. There's none of that with *County Highway*. I've been worshiping at its inky altar for a year now and I have zero clue where it stands politically. Which is the way it should be. So please, go subscribe. Yes, it's $50 annually, for six issues. That's steep but it's worth the monetary climb. --- ## The One-Thing Files > So, on the off chance you think you can get rich off jade, it might be helpful to know that you can’t. **Jade is the toughest natural material, the Cadillac of Stone Age tools, so tough it was used for anvils before the advent of iron.** But if you consider Big Sur jade’s place in the broader world market, it hardly makes a blip. No one makes much of a living from it. Its true value lies in its potential to deepen your connection to the landscape, and to open the door to adventure. [Jade Divers of Big Sur | Valen LambertAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)County HighwayValen Lambert![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/valen-1200x-b55965ad291ebbee8031745d6339e08262cbc2d29c25f4a4d89ab7c487ee24d0.jpg)](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-6/jade-divers-of-big-sur-lambert?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) What does it mean to be free, when our every thought is smelted down into algorithmic refuse? When our attention is commodified to no end? O, postmodern life. Where have all the good Transcendentalists gone? They’re out in the woods, and they’re never coming out. ### We're Storing Over One Billion Pounds of Surplus Cheese URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/were-storing-over-one-billion-pounds-of-surplus-cheese/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T11:55:11.000Z Hilaire Belloc doxed before it was tox. It was 1912\. Belloc laid it out in *The Servile State*: Henry VIII raped the Catholic Church, its monasteries, and probably a few recalcitrant parishes in-between, then gave the land to his cronies, creating a powerfully rich landed aristocracy the world hadn’t seen since Adam owned Eden. Belloc named a few of the cronies: “The Howards, the Cavendishes, the Cecils, the Russels . . .”. You like *Pride and Prejudice* and dreamy Mr. Darcy? He doesn’t exist without that land grap. We don’t know who modeled Mr. Darcy for Ms. Austen, but the most likely candidates reflect family generational wealth that directly or indirectly came from that stripping of the Catholic patrimony that had accumulated over the course of 600 years since Alfred the Great carved out an Anglo-Saxon safe space against Viking bullying at the Battle of Edington in 878. F’ing Mr. Darcy. His ancestors screwed everyone with the help of Henry VIII, and then he got to screw Keira Knightley. And now *his* ancestors are screwing everyone. Probably even Keira Knightley, but I have no proof. Been lookin’ (and lookin’ and lookin’) for the videos, but no luck. If you want to create a gelatinous pile of shit and feed it to everyone at a huge profit, it’s pretty easy to do. Not as easy as shooting the bull while taking a naked steam with Henry VIII, but aesthetically more palatable: you play a lot of poker and golf, set up a pipeline of hookers and cocaine in DC, form a bogus nonprofit with a sanctimonious name to funnel all the money, then open that hose’s spigot and spray shit all over the nation and tell everyone it has electrolytes. That’s what Big Dairy’s Cavendishes have been doing for 30 years now as they relentlessly crush small dairy farmers, forcing them into stocking shelves at Walmart instead of husbanding cattle because over-production incentives from the federal government have crushed profit margins. It’s so bad, we now have at least 1.4 billion pounds of cheese stashed at underground storage facilities spread across our nation’s limestone innards. In all fairness, federal direct purchases of cheese from small dairy farmers had already resulted in over 500 million pounds of cave-stored cheese by the 1980s. The direct purchases were ill-advised, but they were at least intended to do the right thing and help the small dairy farmer. Perhaps it’s not the government’s fault that it has Hansen’s disease and contaminates everything it touches, even when it’s trying to do the right thing. But when the government gets really big, it can’t even intend to do the right thing, any more than Lizzo can stick a double-flip dismount from the uneven bars. It’s impossible, so big government quits even trying. It just rakes in the cocaine, hookers, and cash, then concocts schemes to let the Gudges of big business rape in more profits than a Hold ‘Em champ playing poker with mentally addled adults who’ve just received their monthly SSI stipend. That’s pretty much where the federal government landed when the Democratic Party, under the Clinton machine, embraced dwarf-throwing: caring about the little guy only to see how far they could throw him for votes. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZpEu!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff273cb41-0e66-429b-8cba-4ee673ede82a_1024x608.png) Among those dwarves were small dairy farmers. The direct purchase subsidies were eliminated and, instead, a Byzantine form of subsidy known as “profit-margin insurance” was put in place, along with a “checkoff” fee scheme that forced small producers to contribute to their own destruction, while an Ungoliant web of regulations squeezed small dairy farmers like a stranded sailor with one lemon trying to stave off scurvy. Between 2004 and 2014, the number of dairy farms halved. From 2014 to 2024, it halved again. It’s estimated that a dairy farm now needs 2,000 head of cattle just to break even. You’d think Big Dairy would be happy now, sitting on a heap of small dairy farmer skulls and grinning and shit. But no. It wants more. Its Dairy Management Incorporated promotes (”Got Milk?”) its Gudge members’ products like a smokin’ hot tiger mom using her diamond-level Hilton Honors Membership to get her son admitted to all eight Ivy League schools and Stanford. The average American now consumes 1.8 pounds of commodity milk *every day*. The figure has been rising continuously, even though Americans’ milk consumption has been falling continuously for 50 years. How? First, there’s that relentless propaganda with the public combined with industry efforts to put dairy into everything from Starbucks to stuffed pizza crust. There’s also a Dr. Moreau-esque laboratory effort that recombines, ultra-filters, and refines dairy until it’s less recognizable than your dinner the morning after. These labs are now putting dairy into bread, crackers, granola bars, potato chips, corn chips, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, even certain beers. > If it’s processed, you’ve Got Milk. And still, we can’t consume all the milk that Big Dairy is producing. And it keeps coming and coming . . . 1.4 billion pounds and molding. It’s so bizarre, conspiracy theories are popping up, trying to account for the insanity. “Free the Cheese” movements are on Facebook and nutty folks are trying to infiltrate those limestone caves where all the excess cheese sits, maybe fearing some “Release the Kraken” moment when the cheese will be melted and poured over our country in a dairy-molten apocalypse. I’m pretty sure the Free the Cheese conspiracy theorists are nutty, but can you blame them? A billion pounds of cheese and counting? Bankrupt dairy farms throughout the nation? Criminalization of unpasteurized milk? Forcing small dairy farmers to pay fees to further their own destruction to benefit their big dairy farm oppressors? And the only way to make sense of it all is to understand the economics of a complex product like profit-margin insurance and the dark history of big business and big government since Henry VIII got a johnson for Anne Boleyn. We can’t expect the little guy to make sense of it. And that, I suspect, suits the federal government just fine. [Big Cheese | Lazo GitchosAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)County HighwayLazo Gitchos![](https://www.countyhighway.com/media/pages/archive/volume-3/issue-6/big-cheese-gitchos/249d65de26-1777587820/lazo-1200x.jpg)](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-6/big-cheese-gitchos?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Soho in the Eighties URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/soho-in-the-eighties/ Last updated: 2026-05-08T16:35:22.000Z I've worked hard and accumulated modest savings. Others like me blow wads of cash on golf, fishing, and other hobbies. So I occasssionally figure, "Why don't I splurge and buy every book that sounds like it might offer me a few hours of enjoyment? Books are cheap." I think there's only one good negative response to that question: Storage. You could end up like that guy who had so many books, he had to store them in his refrigerator. That anecdote, for me, borders on the romantic, but for that (oh-so-unreasonable) harridan I live with? Not so much. And so I've been buying. Not on Kindle, mind you. I like the Kindle, but I don't want to read *Of Mice and People* when I want a little Steinbeck, and [it's now proven beyond an O.J. level of reasonable doubt that Amazon will do just that: reach into your Kindle and change the text without your request, consent, or even knowledge](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-og-of-reading-apps/). It is, at the reading level, a type of rape, which is a thing I like to avoid. I don't wear tight shorts in homosexual neighborhoods late at night; I don't buy many books on Kindle. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/05/Epstein.-Books-in-Fridge.png) One of the books I bought on a whim? Christopher Howse's [***Soho in the Eighties***](https://amzn.to/3RtEPJW?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I'm 5% of the way through it and I'm not sure what I'm reading, but I'm pretty sure it's an abject waste of time and delightful. Soho in the Eighties, at least to Mr. Howse, apparently means, "Hanging out with the famous literary drunk, Jeffrey Bernard, and his drunk friends at various imbiberies in London's Soho district during the 1980s." And that's fine with me. It's entertaining, even if it's just cataloguing the barroom escapades of a bunch of men past their prime who are greasing their slide downhill with copious amounts of alcohol. I'm pretty sure I'll finish the remaining 95% because, every time I go to select from my current bevy of reading, I grab this guilty pleasure. So, expect a few BYCUs from this book in the coming weeks. Like this one: > It was Sandy who had introduced me to the Kismet. The Kismet . . was an afternoon drinking club, bridging the hours from 3 to 5:30 p.m. when pubs were closed . . . The Kismet had two nicknames: Death in the Afternoon and the Iron Lung. Someone once asked: "What's the smell in here." The reply was: "Failure." . . . \[I\]t was like drinking in a badly run public lavatory. ### Nothing Gets My Bile Going Like a College Graduation Ceremony URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/nothing-gets-my-bile-going-like-a-college-graduation-ceremony/ Last updated: 2026-05-05T12:24:05.000Z You want to urinate all over a lovely day? Spend it in Ann Arbor, attending a graduation ceremony at the "Big House" (loathsome nickname . . . created *ex nihilo* by Keith Jackson in the 1980s . . . some reason, it stuck). I watched my youngest son graduate on Saturday. Well, I didn't "watch" him. Heck, I couldn't even find him, not even with birding binoculars when they called on him and everyone else in his school to stand to be recognized. Call his name? Absolutely not. That would interfere with the honorary doctorates that universities now hand out like a child molester hands out Smarties. In UM's defense, there were, like, 10,000 graduates. It would've taken at least four hours to read each of their names. So instead, UM gave us a parade of self-important educators who dropped platitudes, cliches, and vapidness on a captive audience. They brought less creativity and originality to their speeches than a Zerox machine. Their attempts at humor were more bland than an American suburb. 💡 I would love to assemble every speech from yesterday into a book and then start reading it over the grave of George Orwell, in hopes it would cause his wraith to rise up and smote every single educator for openly and repeatedly and nauseatingly defying his "[Politics and the English Language](https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/politics-and-the-english-language/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)" and its injunctions against dying metaphors. The highlight of the idiocy occurred when the UM President asked every person who "helped form the support network" for any of these graduates to stand up. In case people weren't sure what "support network" means (I wasn't), he clarified: "parents, siblings, friends." The obvious problem is, that network is broader than a fat chick's hips after giving birth. Every person among the 75,000 people in the stadium falls is covered by that net. It didn't stop him. Why? Because he simply wasn't trying or he's irredeemably stupid. I honestly don't know which, but for a guy who's paid over $1 million annually, I expect a little effort and intelligence. That was just Exhibit A. From being reminded (twice) that UM's campus is built on Indian land and that UM is academically the best public university in the world (plausible . . . tallest midget thing) to congratulating the students on their hard work and imploring them to go forth and do great things, the audience was flogged with whips of vacuity and pedestrian platitudes that only a moron or masochist could love. And these morons did love it. At least they seemed to, beaming at their cleverness like a six-year-old finishing her dance recital. They sure as heck had no sense of the shame that cloaks normal people when they've just wholly compromised their souls. [TDE Scrolling Blog](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-daily-eudemon/) If you read TDE, you know I'm a traditionalist. Tradition provides a buffer against the rabid rationalisms of the left hemisphere. But there's been one revolt against tradition that I applaud: Breaking the mold on awful, outdated, and boring ceremonies of youth. The dull junior prom has been transformed from tuxedo'd sticks dancing awkwardly with their dates to theme nights with lots of games and activities, meaning guys no longer need to shotgun a pint of Five O'Clock vodka to get through the evening. We need more of that innovation when it comes to graduation ceremonies. I don't know if they should put on a laser show or bring in dancing bears, but something, anything, that would allow the audience to avoid the verbal assaults of these self-important drones would be a pleasing shift. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### An Anti-Abortion Drunk URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-anti-abortion-drunk/ Last updated: 2026-05-01T11:41:59.000Z Jeffrey Bernard (long-stumbling literary drunk, long-standing author of *The Spectator's* "Low Life" column, subject of the long-running play [*Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey%5FBernard%5FIs%5FUnwell?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) dedicated a column to "the heroes of 1985." One of them, the "late lamented Michael Dempsey." > Last week a colleague told me that on the occasion of Michael’s last visit to Ireland he stayed in a town which boasted some thirty pubs. Within two days, Michael was considered to be a poet, gentleman and scholar in five of them and barred from four others. , . . > One of his last public appearances was made at the Lamb and Flag in Lamb’s Conduit Street. Faced by a bevy of the Right to Choose Party, he said, ‘I’m glad to see that you are all wearing your Right to Choose badges. This means that you are all opting to have abortions. In that case, you will not be producing children who are as hideous and revolting as yourselves.’ [**Jeffrey Bernard, *Low Life - Irreverent Reflections from the Bottom of a Glass***](https://amzn.to/4cTcy6Q?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Resist Tech Zeus! URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/resist-tech-zeus/ Last updated: 2026-04-29T12:36:31.000Z You need a phone to park your car in downtown Ypsilanti, Michigan. Yeah, Ypsi-f’ing-lanti, a town that can’t decide whether it wants to be a safe space for white rednecks or a sanctuary for black homeless people who so locust-swarm St. John the Baptist’s parking lot that its priest asks parishioners not to give them money, the ghost of Dorothy Day be hanged. Ypsilanti’s best hope is that leftist gentrification by mindless professionals brings shloads of cash and an increased standard of living, even if it means turning the town over to eco-fascists and transgender nut jobs whose tolerance for different opinions stops just left of a Kamala-voting soccer mom. Yeah*, that* junction of dysfunction now requires you to have a phone to park downtown. Hell, not just a phone . . . a *smart* one. 💡 Join the resistance. [Become a member](https://thedailyeudemon.com/#/portal/). It's free. I host TDE with the nonprofit Ghost platform, which I pay to use. I'm reasonably comfortable we don't steal your information (whatever exactly that means) or sell your email address. I also don't blitz your email box. You'll get, maybe, three or four emails a month. [Theories in a secular world grow into dogmas and get enshrined as pseudo-gods](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/politicians-are-superstitious?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). These gods then cascade injunctions back onto the earth. The injunctions include practices a person must observe if he wants to participate in society. Technological Progress is the Zeus of our culture’s pantheon of gods. No one knows exactly how it happened. One moment, William Blake was warning that Francis Bacon’s essays are for Satan’s kingdom. The next moment, your cell phone is buzzing against your genitals while you’re trying to get laid. You can Kingsnorth against it, grind your teeth and writhe, but you *will* practice the religion of Tech Zeus, mother-f\*\*\*’er, or you ain’t parking in Ypsilanti. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7oNb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F50ae2ced-141a-4d74-88fb-fd0dd7c58292_1024x608.png) We’ve always had people who balk at the practices, either because they find them disagreeable at some level or just to be dicks. From heretics to preppers, from Old Believers to Luddites, from Charlie Daniels’ Long Haired Country Boy to St. Francis of Assisi, we’ve always had people who refuse to pick up what the secular gods are laying down. Me? I refused to download the Ypsilanti parking app. Instead, I drove next door to Ann Arbor, where the love of free market money keeps its Stalinist impulses in check, and ate lunch. I don’t know if that makes me a rebel or a dick, but I’ve never gone back to downtown Ypsilanti. Russell Kirk wouldn’t have cared if he needed a smartphone to park a car. He refused to drive those “mechanical Jacobins.” He died in 1993, before cell phones burst onto society like a crate of Boone’s Farm opened at a high school freshman girl sleepover, but I can assure you with more confidence than Conor McGregor entering the ‘gon to fight Ronda Rousey: he wouldn’t have carried one of those technological Jacobins. > **Jac-o-bin** *n* the most radical group of the French Revolution, implemented vigorous use of the guillotine to deal with the Russell Kirks of the world who refused to participate in worship services at the Church of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. Kirk didn’t have long hair, he didn’t get stoned in the morning and get drunk in the afternoon, and he didn’t lie around in the shade like his blue tick hound. . . heck, I don’t even think he owned a dog, much less a blue tick one . . . but he was very much like Charlie Daniels’ Long Haired Country Boy. How do you know when a commodity has become more oppressive than Caligula on an off day? It’s when you can’t find an alternative or decently do without it. That’s when it has reached the level of “**radical monopoly**,” to borrow a term from the renegade Jesuit [Ivan Illich](https://amzn.to/42ykmWO?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), writing in [***Tools for Conviviality***](https://amzn.to/4cOGUr6?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (1973). At that point: \* the commodity is producing obvious harmful side effects but people continue to use it (to practice the religion behind it) anyway; \* the commodity’s use is directly undercutting the commodity’s declared purpose (and becomes, in Illich’s glossary, “counterproductive”); \* the commodity is paralyzing independent action and, instead, demanding conformity from everyone. I assume the cell phone’s position as a radical monopoly is more obvious than the painful sensation after getting kicked in the scrotal, so I won’t unpack it here. Did I mention you can’t park your car in downtown Ypsilanti without a smartphone? 💡 Spread the resistance. Send this essay to friends and family. Illich pointed out that Western society is chock-full of radical monopolies. He especially railed at cars and the asphalt whores who service them, but I think he would’ve agreed that they pale next to the dizzying heights of radical monopoly attained by the cell phone today and must be resisted. Whether he would’ve agreed that the cell phone’s radical monopoly is an existential threat along the lines of ten Godzillas invading Tokyo, I don’t know, but he would’ve urged resistance. For starters, he would’ve told readers they needed to change their mindsets. Let’s face it, the cell phone feeds our appetite for acquisition like Sydney Sweeney feeds lust. We’re always grasping and the cell phone always offers more . . . and more and more and more . . . to grasp. If the Sydney Sweeneys of the world were as promiscuous as an app store, men would need a Batman utility belt of johnsons to satisfy them. We need to stop, said Illich, and cultivate what his friend Wolfgang Sachs called “the virtue of enoughness.” And then we need to invert the whole technology thing. We need to urge society to put man on top of the tool, not the tool on top of the man. If the man can’t or won’t use his phone to park in Ypsilanti, society should respect it. But that, in turn, requires society to ask a primordial question: *What is good for man?* Once we figure that out, Illich said, we can adapt technology to foster the good for people and communities. *What’s good for us?* That’s obviously a loaded question. You have the reprobate who thinks it would be good to clone Sydney Sweeney in the bajillions so he can pick one up at Dollar Tree. You have bastards out there who think it’s good for people to own nothing. You have the long-haired country boy who thinks it’s the highest good to be left the f’ alone so he can smoke and drink all day . . . and mendicants who agree but for different reasons. But just because it’s highly unlikely society will ever be able to agree on what’s good for us, that doesn’t mean each of us can’t make that decision for ourselves. We need to opt for lifestyles of self-reliance and independence, and we need to vote for local and national leaders who allow us to pursue them. We can then use our freedom to support institutions and practices that don’t grab us by the back of our head and force us to kneel to Tech Zeus when we just want to grab a freakin’ burger and fries in downtown Ypsilanti. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Electric Vehicles Give Joy to the Left Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/electric-vehicles-give-joy-to-the-left-hemisphere/ Last updated: 2026-04-22T12:35:36.000Z I don't think the scientists have applied the Hemisphere Hypothesis to explain empirically the difference between the mental worlds of men and women empirically, but anecdotal evidence of an enormous difference has long been piling up. From cavemen using head-conking clubs as foreplay to Donald Trump's crotch-grabbing flirtations, men put a premium on the direct, efficient, and analytical, while women relegate such things to the second tier faster than a shitty team in the Premier League. The different hemispheric approaches of the sexes have become more evident since the Woke Years (2008-2024). Exhibit A: The rise of the trad wife. She's engaging the domestic arts with right-hemispheric flair and still looking hot after oodles of kids, irritating the hell out of lesbian-wannabes who remain convinced that a woman's place is in the left-hemispheric office. Exhibit B: Electric vehicle men who, like men for thousands of years, celebrate the rationalism of the left hemisphere, no matter how ridiculous the results. [Subscribe (I'll hassle your email inbox less than once a week)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/#/portal/) EVs are a pain to charge. A day trip in one of those contraptions now requires more planning and analysis than getting ready to transport a 500-pound Home Shopping Network fan from her couch to the bathroom. Men, according to observers, seem to relish the experience far more than women. These men are like those troglodytic beer drinkers huddled around an open car hood in the 1960s: they just enjoy the mechanics of it all. And just as those troglodytes often had a better chance of banging Marilyn Monroe than fixing the car and didn't much care, EV men have a better chance of banging Greta Thunberg than having a good trip and don't much care. You want to take a four-hour drive? Good luck. Such an EV trip requires a full day of logistics, which, for some men, is like a full day reaping dividends from mega-doses of Viagra. It requires two stops to recharge, each taking over an hour, which means you should plan your meals around them (great multi-tasking . . . always a potent crack cocaine hit for the LH). To locate the charging stations, he needs to download the Zapmap app, which is great (apps are micro-crack hits to the LH). Once he's at the charging station, he'll need an app to access it: Ionity, Applegreen, Gridserve, Evolt Network, Pod Point, ClusterFuckFuel. It's heaven to the left hemisphere. And when fights break out at the charging station because they're overcrowded? It's normal: few things prompt rage more than the LH foiled and nothing is more competitive (another LH propensity) than martial intercourse, which is probably why men tend to get in a lot more fights than women (and probably part of the reason catfights are so entertaining). And when that glorious full charge is realized? The EV can go from 0 to 30 mph in one second. Speed is everything to the LH. Speed allows the LH to get all its shit done, so the LH gravitates to it like a fat man to the ground after you trip him. A sane person is a person with a balanced hemisphere. His LH approaches the details and the RH applies them to the big picture. When it comes to EVs and all the hassles, not to mention the 38,000 percent electricity increases for EVs, the RH sees the obvious problem: these things suck. But not the LH. It's so caught up in the action, it scarcely notices the action is an exercise in the absurd. And if he is also sprinkled with a sense of sanctimony that makes him better than the gasoline-gobbling gorillas out there, it's really hard to make him notice. You might as well convince him to pull over and ask for directions when Zapmap fails him. [Do you have the patience to own an EV?There’s a distinctive glow of virtue that emanates from people recharging their electric cars in public places. I call it the Light of the Charge Brigade. In the run-up to Easter, I spent two hours observing the phenomenon at Fleet Services on the M3\. It was mostly men doing the charging. They’ve cracked the EV![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The SpectatorYsenda Maxtone Graham![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Ysenda-iStock-2164903368.png)](https://spectator.com/article/do-you-have-the-patience-to-own-an-ev/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Superstition of Politicians URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-superstition-of-politicians/ Last updated: 2026-04-21T10:27:18.000Z Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis made a novel observation: women die much less frequently in labor if doctors wash their hands before delivering the baby. But he couldn’t explain why (that would require Louis Pasteur). He just reported the factual findings and urged doctors to wash their hands after taking their pre-op bowel movement. The Austro-Hungarian medical establishment rejected his findings because he didn’t have a theory to explain the phenomenon. He was mocked and his findings ignored. He suffered a nervous breakdown, was institutionalized, and beaten by the guards, dying fourteen days later in the same medical institution (the one with the nasty-ass hands) that he railed against in his writing. 💡 ****Superstition** **n* . . . 2 : a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary. **Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary* The modern mindset cherishes ruminations of the left hemisphere like my burnout friend in high school cherished his dented and dinged ‘78 Camaro. Those left-hemispheric ruminations are called “theories.” Because the modern mind elevates them to the level of religious faith, it can scarcely function without them, which is why Semmelweis’ colleagues kept delivering babies with their nasty-ass hands. Thing is, theories tend to be more dented and dinged than my friend’s Camaro. And just as I couldn’t tell my proud friend that his Camaro was, you know, kind of a piece of shit, you can’t tell a politician that his theory reeks. And like my friend who terrorized the town with his car, contemptuous of anyone who didn’t appreciate the beauty of his roaring engine (muffler removed to better rattle the peaceful), the politician terrorizes society with his theories, contemptuous of anyone who doesn’t see the goodness of his legislation (humility removed to better rattle the peaceful). [Become a Member. Costs Nothing. ](https://thedailyeudemon.com/#/portal/) You shouldn’t start thinking that theories are the problem. They’re not. Theories aren’t any more harmful than daydreams. They’re just things our minds come up with, more ineffectual and inconsequential than a friend trying to have sex with his car. The problem is *intervention*. Intervention is to theory what prayers and devotions are to the Church. You can have all the store of grace in the heavens, but without prayer, they tend to sit there. You can have the best theories in the world, but without intervention, they never leave the rationalist mind. The politician intervenes in his effort to bring theories, with all their dents and dings that he doesn’t even notice, into society. The priest does a similar thing in his efforts to bring grace into the world through the sacraments and that peasant woman does too, through her devotions. The difference is, the priest and the peasant woman aren’t looking to force any worldly change. Sure, petitions and intentions are a big part of devotions and a peasant woman who starts lighting candles and throwing salt in hopes of smiting that big-racked bitch next door who her husband keeps leering at is veering into superstition, but intentions, properly practiced, are just that: petitions. . . requests. Not commands. It’s the difference between soliciting the divine with “please” and thundering, “do it now!” The latter is the essence of superstition: soliciting something divine (God or apotheosized theories) to bend the worldly to one’s will. It’s the sin of Simon Magus; it’s the sin of druid priests, voodoo doctors, and Jedi knights. And of most modern politicians. ### The Week in Review URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-week-in-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-11T13:31:38.000Z I'm pleased that my *alma mater* won the NCAA basketball tournament, but I'm even more pleased that I didn't hear a single commentator use the phrase "score the ball" this year, as in, "He's a great player. He can score the ball!" Perhaps [Robert Hartwell Fiske](https://amzn.to/4t5QqwM?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)'s ghost taunted Clark Kellogg with visions of the hell reserved for people who abuse intransitive verbs, I don't know, but I didn't once feel the temptation to hurl my remote at the TV and yell, "Intransitive verbs don't take an object!" \* \* \* \* \* \* \* *Is This Thing On?* is the cinematic flipside of *Schindler's List* if Spielberg had made it a comedy. The movie is about a man in a mid-life crisis who starts doing stand-up comedy. It features the hilarious Will Arnett. It should've been funnier than a feather in the armpits but watching it was more like having my armpit hair yanked out in clumps. I turned it off after about 45 minutes, befuddled at what kind of self-loathing director would intentionally make a depressing movie about comedy. \* \* \* \* \* \* \* [Andrew Cusack laments the decline of the mass market paperback](https://andrewcusack.substack.com/p/the-death-of-the-pocket-paperback?utm%5Fsource=profile&utm%5Fmedium=reader2). I would, too, but I've never bought one. Not once. I've long been gathering *used* mass market paperbacks like a homeless man gathering rags as the next blizzard rolls in, but I never bought one of those gluey contraptions new. Twenty-five cents was my limit at Ann Arbor bookstores in the late 1980s. Now I'll spend a buck or two. \* \* \* \* \* \* \* The feel-good fact of the week comes from the *New York Times*, explaining why drive-by shootings aren't so bad. “[Among shootings in New York City in which a person is struck by a stray bullet, babies are rarely the victims](https://www.thefp.com/p/tgif-mmiwg2slgbtqqia?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).” *Rarely*, as in, "Prison isn't so bad. I haven't been raped for a few weeks now." ### On the Genital Clamp URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-the-genital-clamp/ Last updated: 2026-04-11T12:27:48.000Z The young man writhes against it, the middle aged man gradually resigns to it, the old man comes to enjoy it. When life has you by the scrotalia and whimsically whips you about like a beautiful harridan after she breaks a teenage boy's virginity: that's the Genital Clamp. Everything you want to do--aye, *need* to do, like shoot that round of golf or fail to finish DFW's *Infinite Jest* for the fifth time--is treated with the respect reserved for a black man at a KKK rally. The left hemisphere is most robust in a young man and the G.C. foils its plans: he writhes under the its vice-like grip. The left hemisphere starts to mellow in a middle-aged man: he, like Canute walking away from the shore, becomes resigned to it. The left hemisphere downright starts to atrophy in an old man: he nestles into observing and enjoying wherever the G.C.leads it. ### "You're Not Wrong Walter" URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/youre-not-wrong-walter/ Last updated: 2026-04-09T13:54:24.000Z > "One of the reasons we are given the Saints is so that each of them, in his own way, may strike us, through the force of his own personality, with the reality and truth of Christ." Jonathan Robinson, In No Strange Land: The Embodied Mysticism of Saint Philip Neri Saints are a reality check, like friends offer a reality check. "Is it me, or are people driving like f'ing morons these days?" Your friend says, "It's not you. We got aging babyboomers, illegals who drive in a second language, arrogants who can't begin to fathom how a cell phone affects their driving, oversized SUVs designed to assure that only the other guy dies, and now stoners." It's helpful to know you're not wrong to blare the klaxon 15 times at that dolt with his cell phone to his ear. You might be an asshole, Lebowski would say, but you're not wrong. The saints move past the klaxon. They show you how not to be Walter, even though they, too, were often tempted to be Walter. ### The State Creates Conspiracy and Then Tells People to Stop Holding Conspiracy Theories URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-state-creates-conspiracy-and-then-tells-people-to-stop-holding-conspiracy-theories/ Last updated: 2026-04-09T13:57:15.000Z > "The state, \[Robert\] Nisbet explained, seeks to undermine the family, the church, and the local community and to absorb functions otherwise performed by these human-scale entities." Bill Kauffman, [Ain't My America](https://amzn.to/4tteoSG?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). "\[S\]ocial isolation [increases the likelihood](https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022103116304711?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) of holding \[conspiracy theories\]. [**Arthur Brooks**](https://www.thefp.com/p/arthur-brooks-why-your-neighbor-became-a-conspiracy-theorist?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Wow, that's quite the pickle. As the State grows, social isolation increases. As social isolation increases, the tendency to hold conspiracy increases.The pressure builds. It's the way things are. On top of that, as the State grows, really bizarre things start to happen. Exhibit A: [**The Man with the Pubic Hair Jacket**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/that-dudes-jacket-is-made-of-public-hair-hey-all-that-dead-guys-pubic-hair-is-gone-that-pube-jacket-guy-is-part-of-a-murderous-gang-that-was-hanging-around-there-that-night-the-authorit/). Exhibit B: MK Ultra. Exhibit C: Iran-Contra. Exhibit D: COVID lock downs. Exhibit E: [**Free speech censorship at the command of a former beloved president**](https://www.thefp.com/p/i-wrote-a-book-about-censorship-then?utm%5Fsource=publication-search). Exhibit F . . . F 'it. I need a much longer alphabet, but we eventually get to Epstein. ### 50 Literary Anecdotes from Joseph Epstein URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/move-over-new-oxford-book-of-literary-anecdotes/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T19:30:03.000Z Sit in Your Overstuffed Chair with a Good Pipe and Glimpse Incidents in Our Culture's Literary History _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Ozempicians Need Not Apply URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/oz/ Last updated: 2026-04-13T12:08:22.000Z If a picture is worth a thousand words, an anecdote is worth a thousand peer-reviewed studies. And if this anecdote is true, it could kill the GLP-1 surge without the need for a team of plaintiff attorneys to sift through 5,000 banker boxes ten years from now to assess the damage. > **They say hedge funds are banning their traders from using GLP-1s because the drugs obliterate their desire to make money.** When I read that, I was like, "Ozempic cripples greed?!" Can we lace the water supplies of NYC, DC, and Silicon Valley with the stuff before they destroy the world with AI? Can we drop it into the HVAC systems at the Pentagon, Lockheed, and Halliburton? And heck, while we're at it, maybe we can slip Wegovy to the masturbators so they take an interest in chicks again." The seven deadly sins, gone. Those ancient virtues of detachment and *apatheia* that take years of asceticism and meditation to attain: just one oblique injection away, like Aldous Huxley attaining a pure vision of existence after taking just four-tenths of a gram of mescalin. The world can then turn its attention to service and love. We'll build a golden age on a mountain of those syringes. But there's a problem. When the first GLP-1 results trickled in, podcasts like *All-In* slobbered praise. The drug doesn't just help people lose weight, they said. It helps on many fronts: compulsive eating, compulsive shopping, compulsive gambling. If something compels you, Ozempic puts it in a headlock. But there's a rub, and not just from the guys who decline to take Wegovy to stop their onanism: The GLP-1s don't just stop harmful desire. They eliminate all desire. The jerk-off isn't going to pick up a syringe, put down his sword, and bed a babe. He's gonna do the first two but not the third. Two out of three ain't bad, says Meat Loaf, but when number three is "engage life," it's a problem. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/04/image.png) Proto-Ozempic Users in China, 19th century GLP-1 (man, I hope there's not a 2, 3, and 4) is merely the latest in a parade of left-hemispheric solutions. The LH isolates a problem and then autistically focuses on eliminating it. It's like that nightmare AI hypothetical: you tell AI to rust-proof equipment, then it proceeds to remove all the oxygen from the Earth's atmosphere. The LH saw a problem: a shload of overweight people crippling our health care industry, clogging Disney World with motorized scooters, squishing passengers on airplanes, and killing everyone's sexual appetite. The solution: get the fat people to eat less. Eliminating the 'food noise' is how Oprah phrases it. The problem is, many users have become entirely deaf. [Become a Member. It's Free.](https://thedailyeudemon.com/#/portal/) Instead of taking Ozempic, Dostoyevsky wrote (and wrote and wrote) to pay off his gambling debts. One of his short pieces, *The Dream of a Ridiculous Man*, is about a man who travels to another solar system and encounters people just like us, but not tainted by Original Sin. The people don't even know what vice and virtue are, much less have names for them. The Ridiculous Man changes that. He infects them with sin. And then the people start categorizing. They invent morality because there is now immorality. They invent honor because there is dishonor. They know justice because they experience injustice. They invent brotherhood because there is now a thing called "hatred." That water buffalo-riding eccentric Lao-Tzu knew all this. If something is good, then something else is bad . . . and vice versa. The better course, says the Taoist: don't categorize anything and sure as hell don't judge anything. You'll attain *ataraxia*, the existential suspension of all judgment, and thereby enter into a kind of earthly nirvana. There's a lot to this. We could all use a larger measure of such detachment from our opinions and screeds (though you wouldn't know it from reading my blog). [They Went on Ozempic—and Gave Up on LifeWeight-loss drugs kill your desire to eat—but can they also stop you from wanting to do anything at all? Evan Gardner spoke to GLP-1 users to find out.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-4.png)The Free PressEvan Gardner![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fecd688e5-dc57-4ca6-9c6a-25d5f3ddcdb0_1376x774.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/they-went-on-ozempic-and-gave-up-on?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) Unfortunately, that Taoist/Zen insight is, as McGilchrist observes in his books, highly right-hemispheric, and the modern world, especially its technological/medicinal/pharmaceutical/bastardal elements, appreciates the right hemisphere about as much as a bar owner appreciates a Baptist preacher at his bar on Friday night. We aren't the unstained people on the Ridiculous Man's planet. We need categories to survive. We need to distinguish monsters from angels. The left hemisphere does a great job with this. But it needs the right hemisphere to temper it, to moderate it, to introduce a measure of, "Okay, I hear ya, now settle the f' down and let's assess this a bit more without all the adrenaline." The right hemisphere injects measure and patience, plus a wallop of humility that urges caution and detachment that fits the matter into the grand scheme of things. The left hemisphere wants none of that. It's balls to the wall until our scrotums burst. And now there's a segment of our population that doesn't much mind that popping sensation in their scrotalia. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Later Addendum > There are also worrying instances of changes to moods and behavior, which shouldn’t be surprising given how food is intimately related to desire (it’s why we talk about motivation in terms of “hunger” and “thirst”). There are rumors that top financial firms have banned their staff from using weight-loss drugs because they appear to blunt traders’ appetites more broadly – including the crucial appetite for risk. [The peptides market is exploding – but are they safe?There remain persistent questions about the safety of licensed peptides. Well-established side effects include vomiting and nausea![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The SpectatorCharles Cornish-Dale![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-457223398.jpg)](https://spectator.com/article/use-peptides-growing-rapidly-safe/?edition=us&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Left Hemisphere on the Farm URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-hemisphere-on-the-farm/ Last updated: 2026-03-30T12:43:35.000Z If your gut’s hurtin’ you, blame the Green Revolution. No, not the idiocy that has polluted every decent plot of land with solar panels that will be left to rust after the tenant tax-credit bandits leave them behind for the farmer to dispose of pursuant to an onerous double-hazmat process that is impossible to comply with unless the farmer hires his Senator’s brother-in-law’s company to do it at a fee greatly exceeding all the lease payments he received for f’ing up his fields in the first place. No, I’m not talking about that barrel of dung bequeathed to us by puppet Obama and hologram Biden. I’m talking about the Green Revolution in agriculture, that phenomenon of food production after WWII that made crop yields explode by abandoning traditional agricultural practices. Farmers moved to hybrid and GMO seeds, expanded use of irrigation, bought bigger-assed tractors with treads that crush the earth like a corpulent sorority girl’s high heels on her way to a social, and, of course, applied tons of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides to the ground. Experts estimate that the Green Revolution lifted approximately 1.294 bajillion people out of poverty. Great thing. Until it sucks. And it’s sucking right about now. [Have some guts: Subscribe. ](https://thedailyeudemon.com/#/portal/) When you read “NPK” levels on a fertilizer product, splatter the container on the floor, then run away before Walmart security realizes what happened. The soil is more than Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, just like the central government is more than the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary. If you focus only on those three things, your soil will die and the CIA will drug you with LSD while you try to bang a whore. Both those things happened late in the last century. I feel bad for the LSD-laced johns, but at least they got laid. The rest of us? We got nothin’ except food budgets that work only because Dollar General opens two stores in every village and stocks them with canola-infused muffins that your local white trash foodie labels as “health food.” The Green Revolution focused solely on NPK (capitalized because they’re secular gods) on one end of the binary and weeds and fungus on the other end of the binary. They promoted the former and killed the latter, applying more chemicals to 40 acres than the Germans piped into an Auschwitz shower building. In the process, they killed the soil’s microbiome. It no longer crawls with microbes, bugs, and worms. It’s become more sterile than a roid boy after a nasty accident with the Manscape Lawn Mower 3.0 Plus. Some say we’re looking at the next Oklahoma Dust Bowl, but this time, in Wisconsin, Peking, and all points in between. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JYgt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F769ac33e-f885-4a36-bd94-5a73cefa29e9_1024x608.png) When they sterilized the soil, they killed our guts. The bleeding-edge soil science tells us that our gut microbiomes are formed, fueled, and fed by the soil’s microbiome, and now that our soil’s microbiome is struggling along like an inebriated Stephen Hawking without his wheelchair, there’s evidence that it’s f’ing up our guts, which then is leading to allergies, autism, and autoimmune disorders. 💡 Please forward this essay to friends, families, and farmers. I used to think “non-binary” was a term used by dudes who tried to understand why they got their asses kicked in the locker room after taking a sneak peek. But now, despite being an ardent hater of other men’s buttocks, I find myself using it (the term “non-binary,” not the sneak peek). The left hemisphere loves binaries. It makes things simple, and if things are simple, the left hemisphere can get its jobs done quickly. White people who live on a continent, good; yellow people on an island, bad; nuke ‘em. Simple. Efficient. Finished. Tell Elizabeth Anscombe and her moralizing objections to shut the f’ up. Move on. So the left hemisphere apotheosizes good things and demonizes bad things. It’s why our culture converts every clever saying into a slogan and mercilessly says it over and over until we want to stab ourselves in the ears with pitchforks, while bad things are treated like Jeffrey Epstein after the security cameras go down. The problem is, there are, indeed, 50 shades of grey, and not just on Little Saint James after a robust happy hour. The left hemisphere loathes grey more than an aging supermodel, but it’s there. Always. Defying the binary. When we focus on the binal ends, all the grey--the subtlety and uncertainty in the guts of reality–gets neglected until everything turns black, or in the case of our soil, a pale, dusty brown. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Don't be an Ass: Laugh and Make Others Laugh URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-be-an-ass-laugh-and-make-others-laugh/ Last updated: 2026-03-29T14:50:49.000Z The bore is that guy at the dinner party who rips the wings off every conversation as soon as it starts to get off the ground. You're eventually left with no other choice but to stab him with your steak knife. But you gotta stab him on the left side of his skull, enough to disable the left hemisphere without killing him. Setting aside the permanent disfigurement of the kind celebrated by self-mutilating Zoomers, you'd be doing him a favor. An unbridled left hemisphere is a terrible master. And the bore is the most pitiful slave: he has no idea that a regular pre-breakfast bull-whipping ain't normal. He knows it sucks, but he doesn't rebel because, well, that's just the way things are. So the bore plods through life getting whipped by his left hemisphere, deprived of those things the right hemisphere enjoys. Like humor. Only the right hemisphere gets the point of a joke. Irony, indirection, sarcasm: all things that only the right hemisphere can appreciate. The bore's left hemisphere George-Floyds his right. He doesn't laugh, unless, perhaps, it's the sneer of disgust or disdain, two things the left hemisphere relishes. [Subscribe. Become a Member. Be Cool.](https://thedailyeudemon.com/#/portal/) Senator Thomas Corwin celebrated Manifest Destiny about as much as a pope (not counting the last one) celebrates paganism. "Manifest Destiny" was an aggressive and ambitious abstraction with overtly tactile implications: conquer the shit out of everything this side of the Pacific . . . and then some (cue the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani by the U.S. Sugar Trust). The problem is, when such feverish abstract rubber hits tactile road, it rarely goes well. A lot of things die, including young men. Corwin knew it. It's no surprise that he was more opposed to the Mexican-American War than Hollywood is opposed to a white man playing George Washington in its next blockbuster biopic. Corwin knew the Mexican-American War signalled the end of the Republic as envisioned by the Founders, and he fought the good fight against the fevered left-hemispheric imperial ambitions. [Come on, man. Be cool: Subscribe](https://thedailyeudemon.com/#/portal/) Corwin's principally known today for one of the most famous quotes of the 19th century: > “Never make people laugh. If you would succeed in life, you must be solemn, solemn as an ass. All the great monuments of earth have been built over solemn asses." The solemn ass with a great monument is the successful bore politician. All politics, all the time, applying the machinations of his robust left hemisphere in that most left-hemispheric institution of all time: centralized government. It's why people for years have observed that we need a president who doesn't want to be president. Only a person with a functioning right hemisphere would decline that job. ### A Trump Aside It's why Trump is refreshing. Sure, he's soaked to his elbows in blood at this point and it's awful, but the guy has a sense of humor, which indicates he has a functioning right hemisphere, even if it's often shunted aside by a robust left hemisphere and even if he's a puppet of left-hemispheric forces (bureaucracy and the deep state are exclusively left-hemispheric . . . rational machines that run on their own rules of logic). Can I prove Trump has a functioning, albeit hobbled, right hemisphere? Sure. There's the humor for one. And second: I can safely predict there ain't no way they're gonna build a great monument over him. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Bring in the Clowns URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bring-in-the-clowns/ Last updated: 2026-03-18T12:17:09.000Z In a world of clowns and bores, I'll take the clowns. Chesterton, that stout Englishman who managed to see the cosmic joke amid the Edwardian fog, put it plainly enough: the bore is the poor sod who finds nothing funny, while the clown finds everything funny. We gotta avoid both extremes like Odysseus threading the Straits of Messina, but if I gotta err, I'm erring on the side of the clown. He's closer to the existential mark. Nothing about life in this vale of tears is consistent. Nothing is rational. Nothing is predictable. Our own minds deceive us 15 times before breakfast, and our steeliest aims, goals, and resolutions deflate like an erection accosted by a picture of naked Janet Reno. Inconsistency is the only constant. Only unreliability is reliable. Always expect the unexpected. Humor is the proper response to all this. *Inconsistency is the soul of humor.* It juxtaposes inconsistent things. The more sudden and unexpected and harsh the juxtaposition, the funnier. It could be a man slipping on the ice (his inherent dignity slashed by his flailing efforts to regain his footing) or one of those harsh and unexpected twists that mark deadpan comic Anthony Jeselnik's style. > "I saw my favorite porn actress at the end of the bar. . . I told the bartender he shouldn't serve her because she's only 13." Jeselnik (paraphrased) I'd take the clown option one step further these days. In this zany vale of shit that Western culture has become, the clown has become the only effective option. We debate whether a penis belongs in a girls' locker room and whether people should show ID to vote when they're required to show ID in every other important area of life. People use terms like "grand-dogs" to celebrate their children's self-inflicted sterility, "safe space" to justify neuroticism, and "love language" (a term that no self-respecting American male can hear without biting his lower lip and grabbing his crotch) to describe the only thing that makes life bearable. A blanket of governmental regulations, like 2,000-page building codes, hobble human flourishing as effectively as that fat guy sitting on a prisoner's head in *Idiocracy*. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2026/03/image-1.png) Government regulation To all this, there are only two possible responses: violence or humor. Violence is abhorrent, so I'll take humor. The brain's left hemisphere is rationalistic. It only appreciates and pursues those things that the explicit reasoning process can understand. Because modern culture is so overwhelmingly left-hemispheric, rationalistic conclusions govern its operation, no matter how awful the results (cue the penis in the girls' locker room and building codes that fuel homelessness). We can't apply more rationalism to it any more than we can save a gunshot victim by stabbing him repeatedly with a kitchen knife. Enter humor. Summon the clowns. Celebrate the obscene fools at 4Chan. Embrace the absurd. Slap every building inspector with a Zen koan every time he requires an electrical outlet to be moved two-tenths of a centimeter to the left. Zeno of Elea concluded that movement wasn't possible. His argument was rationally ironclad. Diogenes didn't reply rationally. Instead, he stood up and walked around. Diogenes was pretty clownish. He took nothing seriously. If rationality said "checkmate," he flipped over the entire chessboard. Such is the necessary response today when a culture-wide left hemisphere approach to the world has produced a slew of rational yet ludicrous conclusions. You can't respond with rational arguments when rational arguments gave your opponent his conclusions in the first place. You can try, of course, but it'll be pointless until you somehow crack that rationalist cocoon that created his safe space in the first place. Humor is the most effective hammer. We can wait for grace to break open the cocoon or for the quiet influence of joyful lives well-lived to make an impression. Those are good things, no doubt, but they move slowly and unpredictably. If you really want to flail away at the rationalist cocoons, enjoy yourself, and preserve a measure of sanity all at the same time, embrace the clowns. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### AI Claude Can't Play Pokeman URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/ai-claude-cant-play-pokeman/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:04:10.000Z Few things tickle us more than watching a genius repeatedly push on a door with a "pull" sign. I chuckled for a long time when I read about the genius Claude repeatedly pushing on that pull door when trying to play *Pokémon Red* on a Game Boy emulator. Claude did alarmingly stupid things like trying to interact with enemies it had already defeated, walking into walls, and, most humorously, getting stuck in the same corners for hours. I guess it's a pleateauing glitch that currently has AI standing in front of a rock wall . . . a wall that, depending on who you ask, is a few feet high or a Matterhorn slathered in pig grease. After three days in Florence earlier this month, I hadn't established my sense of direction and couldn't reliably navigate beyond a 200-yard circumference of my hotel room. This is borderline-retard stuff, especially for a guy whose solid sense of direction is paralleled only by his exquisite fear of homosexual contact. The culprit was obvious: My phone. I relied on my GPS from the moment I left the train and never looked up, adopting a posture and ambling gate that, in pre-smartphone times, would've prompted a sensible policeman to detain me. It was a frustrating experience, and I have little doubt it robbed me of many aesthetically pleasing moments while walking around that gorgeous city. And for what? I didn't want to fire up a few strands of mitochondria when I first got off the train? I could've focused for the first day in Florence, then walked around virtually phone-free for the second and third days, but no. I opted to be led around by that (f'ing!!!!) blue arrow on Google Maps like a mongoloid being led by the hand after a few shots of vodka. But I find solace in that last refuge of scoundrels: comparing oneself to reprobates. My stumbling gate around Florence probably looked pretty good compared to the morons who need AI to scan a restaurant menu and tell them what to order. I'd rather stumble into the Arno and drown before I get to that stage. Contrast stumbling me and the menu-challenged with Claude. Claude always knows where to walk and what to order from a menu, but he can't play *Pokeman Red* without making ludicrous mistakes, like getting stuck in a corner for hours or days at a time. AI's resident philosopher, [Scott Alexander](https://www.astralcodexten.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), author of the compelling "[**Meditations on Moloch**](https://www.slatestarcodexabridged.com/Meditations-On-Moloch?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)," says it's an "agency problem." AI is great at book learning, he says, but terrible with agency. AI is built on large language models. It sifts through tens of trillions of words to build its entire framework. That's why it's great at book learning. But that means AI is exclusively left-hemispheric. The left hemisphere runs on words, the more explicit, the better, and it has no use for things like the *gestalt*, the poetic, and the intuitive, more oblivious to them than Helen Keller is to that ant on the other side of her room. So when AI Claude gets stuck in a corner, it'll stay there, bumping against the walls for hours, because its rationalist conclusions tell it that's the correct thing to do. It can't see a way out by looking at the larger, and often unspoken, contours of *Pokémon Red.* That's why the agency problem is huge and, I'm pretty sure, has AI looking up a pig-greased Matterhorn and not just a garden wall. *Agency* requires a principal. It's the first thing you learn in Business Law 101\. The agent works for the principal. If there's no principal, there's no agency. In the world of neurons, the left hemisphere is the right hemisphere's agent. It is, to use McGilchrist's formulation, the right hemisphere's *emissary.* The right hemisphere principal appreciates the non-explicit aspects of existence (*gestalt*, poetic, intuitive) and can see the big picture that always transcends what can be seen or grasped. That's why it's the principal and the left hemisphere ain't. But AI shuts out the right hemisphere, leaving the left hemisphere no principal to work for, and without that principal, there is no agency arrangement. The left hemisphere then just keeps doing its thing, whatever that thing is, without regard to big picture that the right hemisphere takes into account. As long as the left hemisphere just flails away like Claude in that corner, it's no big deal. The problem, of course, is that it won't just stay in that corner. It'll break containment eventually, and when it does, it'll rush into the next ridiculous situation. At one level, it's all quite humorous, until corner-bumping Claude gets enormous power in its hands. That's when the funny stuff gets scary. [Child’s Play, by Sam KrissTech’s new generation and the end of thinking![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-android-chrome-512x512-1-180x180.png)Harper's MagazineSam Kriss![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/CUT-12-scaled.jpg)](https://harpers.org/archive/2026/03/childs-play-sam-kriss-ai-startup-roy-lee/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Eudemon is Back URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-eudemon-is-back/ Last updated: 2026-03-14T13:06:59.000Z I've been traveling more than a pervert with an unlimited flight pass to Epstein Island. My apologies for the dearth of blog posts. I hope to remedy it soon. What's in stock? It's hard to say, but Samuel Johnson's words remain TDE's slogan: “The only end of writing is to enable readers better to enjoy life or better to endure it.” Long-readers may remember that quote adorned the TDE masthead from its earliest days. The only thing that has changed: TDE is now dedicated to the "enjoy" part more, which it aims to accomplish through humor. Sure, it hopes to edify as well, but solely through entertainment. If it ain't funny, it ain't worth reading, just like the purple deadnettle already infiltrating my garden is healthy to eat but it ain't edible (I'll use it to make fermented plant juice . . . more on that topic later, as soon as I figure out how to explain the process humorously). While I ambled through Italy last week, one thought kept recurring: In a world of driveling prose, is TDE like the dude who sets a cat on fire because he thinks the world needs more suffering? Readers have their plates piled high with creator-economy shit already. Do they need me to take a crap on them as well? TDE might have been refreshing back in 2008 when online readers only had Facebook updates from their friends ("Baking cookies!"), but now? That TDE refreshing drink from the garden hose quite possibly is just part of the brackish water that gets flushed from a fire hydrant in the spring. No matter. I'll continue to plug away and try to make your stops here worth the click. ## Addendum This video captures what TDE is trying to avoid becoming. I plan to write more about this video later. It's perfect, even if it does come out of Norway. ### Getting to Know H.L. Mencken URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/getting-to-know-h-l-mencken/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T12:30:19.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### An American Tradition: A Guy Can Never be Too Safe URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-american-tradition-a-guy-can-never-be-too-safe/ Last updated: 2026-03-14T13:07:14.000Z Trump may have sold out on Epstein, forsook DOGE, surrendered to the military-industrial complex, and bowed to Israel, but I'm still glad I voted for him. At least I can use the word "faggot" again without fear of government-supported recrimination. And I enjoy his throwback ways, like the quote above: "Oh, frick, I just said another man is handsome. I gotta be sure people know I'm not gay." Though he could've made it pithier by saying: > "Young, handsome guy." > Pause. > "No homo." It's a venerable American tradition. When I drafted the bylaws of a local men's club back in the 1990s, I added the following membership requirement: "Applicants must not have engaged in any homosexual activity within the past 200 years." And then, if any men declined to join, I pointed to that clause, nodded with sympathy (not empathy, btw), and thanked them for outing themselves. They'd then hurriedly scratch out an application. The problem with this great tradition is, well, it kinda alienates homos. And there are plenty of homos, including at high levels of government. So they feel like they need to stay in the closet, which is where the Mob or Mossad or M16 gets pictures of them blowing some dude, then the Diabolical Ms have 'em by the scrotal retention unit. So do we get rid of the societal construct that legitimizes heterosexual sex only? Naw, we just have to get rid of people who believe in things like "societal constructs." And then get rid of the high levels of government that make it worthwhile to blackmail its employees. That'd take care of it. But since that ain't gonna happen anytime soon, I think we need to strap ourselves in for a continued bumpy and corrupt ride. ### This Lent: Resolving without Resolving URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/im-resolving-not-to-resolve/ Last updated: 2026-03-14T13:08:34.000Z > Paradox lies at the very roots of existence; we are all born the children of paradox . . . G.K. Chesterton There, in the gate, before the bar raises to let those spiritual horses run, sits the left hemisphere: all grinning and shit, holding a pole at your horse's feet, ready to trip. You've been there, right? The season of grace arrives. You just have to welcome it, but instead, you try to grab it. Grace is what's given, and the left hemisphere is what sucks. It doesn't like to wait, so it jumps in. With your left hemisphere raging with good intentions, you pile on spiritual resolutions and renunciations like a little kid marking up a Christmas catalogue. And then Lent starts and reality hits your Lenten abstraction like a car splashes muck on your sweet-ass tux as soon as you step onto the sidewalk. You've given yourself more resolutions than hours in the day; you've resolved to do weekly 48-hour fasts when you can scarcely hurdle twelve. So you stumble. You fall. Like a good wannabe monk, you get back up and try again, but your left hemisphere is standing there with its stick, ready to trip you again. If you're like me, you get to Good Friday, thinking, "Man, I'm a piece of shit." Every year. Every freakin' year. This year, I'm taking a card from the Taoist deck: I'm resolving not to resolve. If *wu-wei* means "trying without trying," I'm doing *wu-resolutio*: resolving without resolving. Non-resolving. --- But wait, you hedonist, spying an escape hatch from the ardors of Lent: "Non-resolving" is not the same thing as "no resolution." You're still making resolutions, but just not resolving. It breaks my brain, too. It's supposed to: it's not logical, which is the left hemisphere's main tool, wielded within our rationalist cocoon of language. It's paradox, which laughs at logic and breaks apart rationality like a sadistic boy tearing open a fetal butterfly's chrysalis. What does non-resolving look like in application? I'm not sure. This is the first year I'm trying it, and you never "*know* know" how something works until you're into it and adapt as you go along, but here's what I'm thinking: The touchstone of the approach is *non-ado* (the definition of *wu-wei*)*.* Our Western tradition calls it "detachment." We resolve, yes, but we don't get attached to our resolutions. When we stumble, we scarcely notice. When we fall, we chuckle. When the resolution turns out to have been the idea of our (always) overly-optimistic left hemisphere, we modify it or maybe even chuck it and try something else. Adapting and adjusting to the flow of reality. Is it the heroic approach we envision for ourselves every Lent? Maybe not. Is it better? I think so. It's more real, anyway. It's not a dogged attachment to our left hemisphere's abstract idea of what Lent should be. That alone gives this approach a slice of merit. Resolutions, yes. Resolving to carry them out no matter what, with all the grimness such an approach entails? No. Again, it's a paradox. It's not supposed to "make sense." But paradox is instilled in the foundations of the world. Paradox is evil in a world created by a good God. Paradox is almighty God becoming a helpless baby in a manger. And paradox is the Cross, which is where the Lenten season concludes. ### "Frank Rich and John Simon are the Syphilis and Gonorrhea of the Theater." URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/frank-rich-and-john-simon-are-the-syphilis-and-gonorrhea-of-the-theater/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:01:47.000Z That’s a quote by the great David Mamet, back in the days when he was a “brain-dead liberal” (his words), in the late 1980s. I gotta believe his view of Simon has softened considerably since then. Simon was no red-hot conservative partisan, not remotely. He was merely a critic who expected beauty and culture from screen and stage in an era when beauty required pornography to get produced and culture was nearing the point of exhaustion. Our culture has since arrived at the exhaustation station and everyone except the abjectly moronic knows it. [**Mamet knows it.**](https://amzn.to/3Mvj1LZ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Observers like Chesterton and critics like Mencken were waving warning flags back in the 1920s. Simon was there--in the 1960s through 1990s--as the train flew off the tracks. Simon’s prose is delightful, which is no small thing when one’s job in life is to watch and describe, week after week, an unfolding catastrophe, like Don Henley’s bubble-headed bleached-blonde who comes on at five to tell you ‘bout the plane crash with a gleam in her eye. We could use more of Simon’s gleam these days. He once said an actress’ breasts looked like rotten vegetables. She complained. He said that if she didn’t want him to review them, she shouldn’t bare them. It was neither the first nor last time he’d criticize an actor’s physical qualities when they didn’t match up to artistic expectation. I can’t imagine what he’d do with the body positivity movement on the screen and stage, not to mention the ludicrousness of “blind casting.” Simon did his best work for [*New York magazine*](https://thedailyeudemon.com/r/eb1ce862?m=3a0bc487-7045-44c2-af30-1d8dd186203d). For 36 years, he wrote for the leftist rag, and they tolerated it (with difficulty, I’m led to believe). I doubt a person could even type the word “fat” between those covers today. The man was also funny, even off-color. Despite his high standards, he was no prude. When he heard Mamet’s criticism of his work, he [responded](https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2007/03/04/critic-john-simon-keeps-dishing-it-out/28532748007/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), “\[W\]hat would the theater be without a clap or two? ### The Roaring Twenties URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-roaring-twenties/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:02:55.000Z I like to use Fridays to prime readers' drinking pipes. Let the California sobers toke the road to existential relief, I'll resort to a few drinks. But dang it, those Medicine 2.0 neo-Prohibitionists are making it hard. Huberman: any alcohol is bad for you. Of course, Huberman's not really a neo-Prohibitionist. Ya have to be a prick to be a Prohibitionist, and Huberman aint no prick, at least not on his podcast. He cushions all his advice with the observation that he's just relaying summaries of what the current science shows, a cushion that comes with the implication that the current science will change (such non-dogmatism is the X-Generation Way, which contrasts sharply with the Boomer Way, but that's a different essay). For my health, I'm leaning on that implication: the current science that condemns all drinking will eventually surrender to new studies that show it's actually good for you, at least in moderation. I believe it's inevitable because I believe in Tradition, and Tradition--from the Wedding at Cana to the Roaring Twenties--celebrates alcohol, even excessive amounts occasionally. I guess it's no surprise that my favorite writers--Chesterton, Mencken, and increasingly Wodehouse--reached their apogee in the Twenties and under the influence. It was such an inebriated decade, Edmund Wilson recorded more than 100 synonyms for "drunk" in his *Lexicon of Prohibition* (1927). [**Wodehouse repeatedly used the era's mass drunkenness to get laughs**](https://drunkard.com/01-04-plum-brandy-2/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). His terms for hangovers included "the Broken Compass, the Sewing Machine, the Comet, the Atomic, the Cement Mixer, and the Gremlin Boogie." And his euphemisms for inebriation are seemingly endless: awash boiled fried to the tonsils full to the back teeth hooched illuminated lit up lathered off colour oiled ossified pie-eyed (this one would come back in the late twentieth-century to describe getting really stoned) polluted primed scrooched squiffy stewed to the gills stinko tanked tight as an owl under the sauce whiffled woozled. So, although I can't encourage that my TDE readers go out and get whiffled and woozled, I'm equally compelled to push back against the neo-Prohibitionists, which is one reason I continued this 20-year tradition of trying to post something drinking-related on Friday. Source: [**Robert McCrum, *Wodehouse: A Life***](https://amzn.to/4qoUxlJ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), pp. 166-167. ### Get Outside and Walk URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/get-outside-and-walk/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:05:38.000Z A local man told my son-in-law, "We call your father-in-law 'The Walker.'" He might as well have said they call me "The Well Hung," I was so pleased. When Wittgenstein quit Cambridge and moved to Ireland, he walked. And walked. Then walked some more. He carried a notebook with him and would stop periodically to jot down notes. A neighbor once saw him plopped in a ditch and writing furiously, oblivious to anything around him. Crazy shit goes down when you're walking. The stylistically steroidal Nietzsche might have said it best: > "Now I’ve got you, you nihilist! Sitting on your arse is precisely the sin against the Holy Ghost. Only those thoughts that come in walking have any value." Walking and valuable thinking go together like Hollywood casting parties and cocaine. Motorcycle mechanic [Robert Pirsig](https://amzn.to/4tkoLsG?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) didn't much care for driving in a car, saying that, by contrast, a motorcycle offers a sensory experience: "You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming." His description parallels the experience of walking: "the sense of presence is overwhelming." Bonus: the sense of presence isn't hitting the walker at 70 mph with no way of taking notes. That "sense of presence" is a tactile thing. It bombards the senses. The senses in turn feed the mind, which produces valuable thoughts. "Valuable" thoughts. That's the rub here. Thoughts are cheaper than crack whores, but *valuable* thoughts? They're the high-priced call girls of the mental life. The tactile experience of walking leads to valuable thoughts, the ones that drive you into the ditch so you can write them down. Contrast those thoughts with the ones that materialize out of nowhere and from nothing: those concoctions of your brain. They don't grow in soil. They grow in nothing and produce nothing, except worries, frustrations, fears, and more baseless fantasies than a George MacDonald story on peyote. This radical difference between thoughts grown from senses and thoughts grown from our brains itself debunks the whole modern mindset. We're all Cartesians these days. Rationalism is embedded in our mental landscape of presumptions, less movable than that 500-pound woman who had to be lifted from her living room with a crane. As a result, we believe our minds churn out gold *ex nihilo.* But that belief is more false than the town harlot you thought was your chaste maiden. Our minds need the body to produce valuable thoughts. It's because we're sacramental--body and soul intertwined--and the world is sacramental--spirit and material breathing together. Nothing brings them together better than the tactile experience of walking. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### We've All Become at Least a Bit Monstrous Because Our Culture is Very Monstrous URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/weve-all-become-at-least-a-bit-monstrous-because-our-culture-is-very-monstrous/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:06:33.000Z Abnormality pumped Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire's nads. The 19th-century French natural scientist was fascinated by things like a two-headed calf and a stillborn pig fetus with a single eye at the center of its face. They were "monsters" in the medievalist's Latin jargon: *monstrare*: to show, display. Saint-Hilaire said the development of these baby monsters showed how normal fetal development occurs. By seeing how monsters develop, we can better prevent monsters. It's like un-role models. If George Washington and St. Francis can show us how to live, that broken-down drunk at the bar and your uncle who can't go within 200 feet of an elementary school arguably do something even more valuable: they show us how *not* to live. We're celebrating the year of the saints right now, and it's a great thing. We should all cram a little more Butler's into our daily regimen. But don't discard those one-eyed pig fetuses in history. How did Andy Warhol become "Andy Warhol"? Did Nietzsche induce his own collapse into madness on the streets of Turin? Why did Michel Foucault repeatedly play rectal Russian roulette at the height of the AIDS culture until he caught the disease? They're good questions. By casting monsters into relief, we see good things better. Yeah, I know: Many of these biographies are darker than ink spots on ebony, and damn it, life's too hard and too short already. I doff my fleece-lined knit hat to the folks who stick with Butler's, I really do, even during this blasted cold stretch that has deprived me of all feeling in my testicles for the past two weeks. But here's the thing: We're kinda living in a world of one-eyed pigs right now. Monsters have become the norm. How else can you explain why we continue to celebrate the memory of Andy Warhol, who, Gore Vidal observed, is the only genius in history with an IQ of 60? It's worth figuring out how the frick we got here. It's helpful to learn about that broken-down drunk's first beer at age 14 and how your Registered uncle started clicking on porn sites at 12 while his parents were at work. The creepy biographies show these one-eyed pigs in development. I suspect the exercise will start showing us a lot of one-eyed pigs in the mirror. Modern culture infuses us with the habit of looking at the world and approaching life with only one eye: our right one, which is controlled by the left hemisphere. McGilchrist's three big volumes are snow globes of a culture blizzarded with left-hemispheric excess: a culture that sees with only one eye. Once you notice that you're approaching life with only one eye, you start seeing instances all over the place. In my case, most of those instances are in my own soul. Unsettling? Yes, very much so. I half-quip and half-quiver when I refer to myself as a recovering left-hemispheric. My consolation? The confessional primarily, but also Larry David. *Curb Your Enthusiasm* and *Seinfeld* made oodles of money by repeatedly showing the fragility of left-hemispheric rationalism crashing against the rock reality of the world (a reality that can only be appreciated by the right hemisphere). I figure if comedians like Larry and Jerry can joke at their own left-hemispherism, I'm not entirely lost. I'll give you my favorite example from my life, which could easily be adapted into a *Seinfeld* dialogue at Monk's Cafe. I've long practiced the fine art of ghosting. When I've had enough socializing, I just leave a social gathering without saying goodbye. My friends and family long ago just accepted it, and I've long defended or at least tried to explain it (earlier treatments: [link](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55870/) and [link](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-art-of-ghosting-second-take/)). My defense of ghosting is, as far as my left-hemispheric/rational mind can see, pretty solid. But here's a thing my left hemisphere doesn't appreciate: It's a dick thing to do. Now, we could fall down the abyss of rationalist argumentation about why it's a dick thing to do or not a dick thing to do, Dick and No-Dick flailing away at one another like Gandalf and the Balrog. Goodness knows, I've run the dick/not-dick arguments through my head for years, normally the morning after ghosting, but I never resolved it (partly because, to detour parenthetically into one of P.G. Wodehouse's descriptions of a hangover: > There were moments when he seemed on the verge of settling the matter, and then some invisible person would meanly insert a red-hot corkscrew in the top of his head and begin to twist it, and this would interfere with calm thought. [*Piccadilly Jim*](https://amzn.to/4q9E6Jy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).) Instead of Gandalf-Balrogging, I could just relax my mind and say, "You know what? It just doesn't *feel* right, so it's probably not right, even if my rationality says it's okay." And then instead of ghosting, I could simply announce I'm going to bed even though it's only 10:15, accept the derision with whatever grace my six gin-and-tonics can muster, and retire. It's liberating, in a way. It's not as immediately liberating as ghosting (damn, I loved doing that, especially in my era of youthful excess), but in the final un-analysis, it liberates like only a shrug can liberate. You cease to analyze, you cease quite frankly to care, and just submit to that intuition of what's right and what's wrong. It's the virtue of obedience, which is the virtue associated with the fourth decade of the Catholic joyful rosary. Maybe it's not the obedience of Joseph and Mary presenting Jesus to the Temple officials, and maybe not even the obedience to God or some other cosmic power. But it's obedience . . . to something, somewhere, and it makes life a helluva lot easier and expends far less mental energy. And if my intuition here is right, I suspect such an approach helps remove that left-hemispheric eye from the center of our existential face. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Federal Government is So Numb and Bloated, It Doesn't Even Know When It Gets Raped URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-federal-government-is-so-numb-and-bloated-it-doesnt-even-know-when-it-gets-raped/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:06:12.000Z Nellie Bowles nails it this morning when discussing ethnic groups' tendency to defraud the government: > In general, I appreciate all the grassroots efforts to eradicate public services fraud. I went all in on DOGE, guys. I was defending Big Balls till the shrinkage. We need a national anti-fraud movement. But now it’s become this weird game of whack-a-mole minority group finger-pointing—the Somalis! The Hasidics! The Armenians! I’m gonna make a wild bet that every minority and majority group in America is defrauding our big dumb government, since our big dumb government makes it ridiculously easy to be defrauded, and small ethnic groups are really good at coordinating with each other. How are we going to eliminate fraud in big government programs? Simple: Eliminate big government programs. It's like Frank Chodorov said when attacking McCarthyism in the 1950s. When someone asked him, "What are we going to do about Communists in high government offices?" he replied, "Eliminate the high government offices." Railing against fraud is like railing against Original Sin. This side of the looming heaven promised by AI, we're always going to have fraud. And theft. And all the other leprotic social symptoms. We can't stop it. But we can take away the target. Well, at least in theory. I mean, it's not like it's impossible within the schema of the Judeo-Christian tradition. As a practical matter, when you have a government that has grown so large that it doesn't even notice when it's getting raped, its elimination is just that: theoretical. But practical? Probably not. Just ask Big Balls. As for the ethnic groups who defraud the government? Perhaps they're doing us a favor. For every dollar they steal, there's one less dollar it can use to afflict us with another initiative. Of course, it doesn't work that way. For every dollar the ethnic groups steal, the government sells another dollar of Treasury Securities to finance it (i.e., for every dollar they steal, the government steals another dollar . . . the act of borrowing with no real intent of repaying it is theft). [TGIF: Wonderful, Gracious, CharmingPlus: Ted Cruz’s hot take, Tucker Carlson’s speaking gig, Bill de Blasio’s field trip, Usha’s destiny, Matt Gaetz’s new bag, and much, much more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-3.png)The Free PressNellie Bowles![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe9afb6f4-46b3-45e3-bb46-ec4a16b6dad6_1024x682.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/tgif-wonderful-gracious-charming?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Fighting for One's Soul in the Digital Age URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/fighting-for-ones-soul-in-the-digital-age/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:06:47.000Z When you're fighting for your soul, you don't negotiate, equivocate, or masturbate. You bangster and burn everything coming at you. A few numbers: **144**: The number of times an American is digitally distracted daily. (NB: it doesn't include that extrovert co-worker who circles the office like a turkey vulture). **6.67**: How many minutes, on average, pass between digital distractions (16 hours of waking time x 60 / 144). **20**: How many minutes it takes to get back on task after an interruption (some say, with practice, you can reach "[**flow**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/34669/) state" in ten minutes, but most of us require up to 25 minutes). **(1,920)**: How many focused minutes you have every day if you're an average American (total unfocused time (144 X 20) - total minutes in the waking day (960 minutes)). **47**: The normal attention span these days (in *seconds).* It's time to go [**Savonarola**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/savonarola-dominican-monk-1452-1498/) on this shit. Grab every distraction device and throw it in the bonfire. Every digital distraction is just gilded left-hemispheric vanity, a micro-temptation to prey and grasp, a bicep curl for the left hemisphere. That's why those digital devices are killing our souls. The stronger the rogue left hemisphere becomes, the more it suffocates the right hemisphere. This makes it a spiritual battle because the right hemisphere is [our transcendental router](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-metaphor/). But hey, if psycho-metaphysico propositions ain't your bag, look at it from a logico-scientifico perspective: *We need sustained attention to form memories.* Brain scans show that the hippocampus and other areas of our brain required for memory formation are far more active during times of sustained attention. *Memory is necessary for pretty much everything that separates us from the animals.* To solve problems, make connections, regulate emotions, form relationships. Memory is, in other words, necessary to nourish the rational soul, which is, as Aquinas pointed out, the thing that separates us from the animals. *The syllogism*: Memory nourishes the soul. Digital distractions cripple memory. Therefore, digital distractions cripple the soul. So, if you don't want your soul sucked out of your body like a UFO abducting you from that cornfield at 2:00 AM, you need to take radical steps. **Cal Newport's** deep work? I'm a fan, but does it really work? Can you take a shot of beer every 6.5 minutes for a few hours, then decide, "Okay, I'm not taking any more shots for the next 90 minutes so I can get some work done"? It's better than nothing, and I can't dispute the (impressive, in a warped way) abilities of functional drunks who somehow surf through life's everyday tasks, but overall, you might as well replace those shots of beer with coffee then decide to sleep peacefully for those 90 minutes. **Kevin Majeres'** "Golden Hour" prescription? That's getting closer. [Divide the day into focus sprints](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-i-sprint-a-lot-and-maybe-you-should-too/). 60 minutes . . . 45 minutes . . . 90 minutes. You decide (my sweet spot seems to 75 minutes). After each sprint, take a break: five minutes . . . 15 minutes . . . 30 minutes. You decide (my sweet spot: 15 minutes). During those sprints, your phone should be in the toilet, preferably defecated upon. If you then want to look at it during your break, go ahead, but I've been doing those sprints for two years now, and [I normally want to use those breaks for recreational reading](https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-whipping-it-out/) or walking outside. **Savonarola's** bonfire of the vanities approach? I think that's the only option, ultimately. Take that phone out of the toilet, wipe it off, then throw it in the metaphorical fire. So how do you maintain relationships with friends and family after you've bonfired your phone? I have no idea. I already lose out on a lot of communication with my children because my phone has been in that metaphorical bonfire for over two years. They don't even bother to text me with anything time-sensitive, and increasingly, anything at all. It's a bummer that this brother can't deny, but hey, when I do get the occasional text from them, I get sprung, so there's that: each text message is welcomed instead of feeling like another drop in a drowning deluge. IMHO, our Silicon overloads need to create a phone setting that allows trusted friends and loved ones to reach us if something is urgent. I have an analog app that does this. It's called "The Wife." She notifies me by dinging my phone or calling my secretary and saying, "Please get him. I don't care if he's in one of his work sprints or whatever the f\_\_\_\_ he calls it. Get him." It's a good workaround, though I estimate that the annual subscription cost is about $50,000\. For those without that option? You're just gonna have to figure it out for yourselves, but it can be done. Like anything, the first step is the hardest, but at least it's obvious: Build a bonfire. [Stop Interrupting! | Liel LeibovitzAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)County HighwayLiel Leibovitz![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/liel-stopinterrupting-1200x.jpg)](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-4/stop-interrupting-leibovitz?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Savonarola, Dominican Monk (1452-1498) URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/savonarola-dominican-monk-1452-1498/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:08:20.000Z Lorenzo the Magnificent ruled Florence. He was filthy rich and the most flamboyant of the Medici. If Harvey Weinstein is the poster child of Hollywood's decadence, Lorenzo was the poster boy of Florence's decadence: rich, flamboyant, licentious. Cue Savonarola. He started preaching fiery sermons from San Marcos, calling the Florentines to repent and to reform and calling out Lorenzo's excesses. Lorenzo tried to be conciliatory with the monk, but it didn't work, and when Lorenzo died in 1492, Savonarola led the ouster of the Medici family and became the *de facto* spiritual and political head of the city. He and his fierce supporters, the *Piagnoni*, roamed Florence and strong-armed people to surrender their ornaments of decadence: broaches, necklaces, fine scarves. People yielded up obscene art. It was all burned: the bonfire of the vanities. Was he just a proto-Puritan? Not really. Savonarola wasn't a gnostic like the Puritans, all epistemologically smug in their left-hemispheric-dominated worldview. He was just a hater: a hater of sin, and when he encountered a culture infused with it, he knew it needed to be burned down. > "He saw that the actual crimes were not the only evils: that stolen jewels and poisoned wine and obscene pictures were merely the symptoms; that the disease was a complete dependence upon jewels and wine and pictures." G.K. Chesterton, *Twelve Types*. Savonarola has become semi-synonymous with book burning and art hating. That's grossly inaccurate, as his friendships with Pico della Mirandola, Ficino, Michelangelo, and Botticelli shows. He didn't hate culture. He just hated shitty culture, and contrary to the testimony of decadent modern art, culture doesn't have to be shitty and, indeed, ought not be. Culture ought to make men good, honest, and just. A shitty culture does the exact opposite. Savonarola's experiment with radical democracy ended fairly quickly. That most corrupt of all popes, Alexander VI, excommunicated him. He was burned at the stake as a heretic in 1498. --- ## Postscript I'll let the last word about Savonarola come from Will Durant. That lapsed Catholic and skeptic's view supports this micro-bio and its assertion that, far from being a culture-hating Puritan, Savonarola was a great man: > The grandeur of Savonarola lay in his effort to achieve a moral revolution, to make men honest, good, and just. We know that this is the most difficult of all revolutions, and we cannot wonder that Savonarola failed where Christ succeeded with so pitiful a minority of men. But we know, too, that such a revolution is the only one that would mark a real advance in human affairs; and that beside it the bloody overturns of history are transient and ineffectual spectacles. Sources consulted: [*Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia* (Fourth Edition)](https://amzn.to/45uoZ6b?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church* Will Durant, *The Renaissance* (book 5 of his 11-volume series, *The Story of Civilization*, an audio version of which is free (as of January 2026) with a public library Hoopla subscription). [G.K. Chesterton, *Twelve Types*](https://amzn.to/4pVc5FG?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Whales are Fish URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/whales-are-fish/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:08:50.000Z What is a whale? It's a fish, at least until the mid-nineteenth century. That's when eggheads issued a decree: NO VIVIPAROUS, MILK-PRODUCING, WARM-BLOODED ANIMAL CAN ALSO BE A FISH. It caught on so well, it could be a two-hundred-dollar question on *Jeopardy.* But it was kinda bullshit. "Fish" is only a vaguely defined category, the decree wasn't a recognition of objective facts imposed by nature, and even today, we have the coelacanth and other lobe-finned species that we call "fish," even though they're closer to mammals (and whales) than, say, a tuna. Big deal? Yeah, kinda, because it's part of the big modernist picture, which is all dashed-up (to adapt Wodehouse's favorite versatile slang word). Look what happened: Everyone up to that point knew what a "fish" was, and it included whales. Just ask Jonah. And then eggheads decided that the category of "fish" excludes whales based on . . . what? Nothing more than their decree. Why did fish need to be taxonomically separated to exclude whales, especially when the taxonomy doesn't hold up (just ask the coelacanth)? Because the eggheads said so. Eggheads": fragile rationalized thinking machines. They're "fragile" in the Nassim Taleb sense: they look solid but they're fragile, and when they break, they make a f'ing mess. The Venn diagram of the "egghead" and "expert" is like the Venn diagram of "queer" and "gay": they don't entirely overlap but they might as well, and no sane person wants to look closely enough to see what exactly doesn't. The mid-nineteenth century celebrated the arrival of experts, which was kinda like celebrating the arrival of plague. They'd been around for centuries, but somewhere in the nineteenth century, they gained widespread acceptance, opening the door to snake oil salesmen and other frauds who hawked goods created by the experts. The thing is, all expert conclusions are, at some level, fraudulent. Their testimony is, in Marshall McLuhan's famous formulation, like a bright light aimed directly at one's eyes. I like the sun, but I don't want to look at it with binoculars. That's kinda how we ought to treat the testimony of experts: like the sun. Let it shed light, sure, but don't forget that it makes more shadows than it gives answers and always--always--eventually gives way to darkness, though normally not until their testimony has created a mess. ### This Short Satire Piece Savages the Left Hemisphere in Action URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/this-short-satire-piece-savages-the-left-hemisphere-in-action/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:09:14.000Z The left hemisphere loves knowledge like Silicon lords love ketamine. That high school hallway poster slogan, "Knowledge is power," turns knowledge into a two-bit whore: something to be used, maybe even abused, then tossed away when you're done with it. What does the left hemisphere do with knowledge? It builds things. Weapons, preferably, but also systems and structures, concepts, and pretty much everything we use to short-cut our way through life so our bodies can survive and thrive. The left hemisphere is so good at mushing up knowledge into usable substance that it comes to idolize those substances. But they're merely figments of the left hemispheric mind. They're not real. The result? Our culture gets populated with little idols, but they're all false or, rather, incomplete. Effective, yes, but not reflective of Reality. We then have a harsh juxtaposition between competing realities: the idols of the L.H. and Reality itself. The satirist exploits this juxtaposition, mocking the L.H. idols by casting them against Reality. This little piece at Herod's Herald mocks the L.H. idols at their most renegade, thuggish, and usurpatory: L.H. idols supplanting religious truth. It's an awful thing (especially when Church leaders become the prey of their left hemispheres and yield their little idols to throttle their flock). [Meet The Person Whose Politics Are Wholly In Line With The GospelHint: It’s You!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-17.svg)Herod’s HeraldHerod’s Herald![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1588689916531-7cc3bb7d6c60)](https://substack.com/home/post/p-184218519?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Related [Satire Can Save Us from the Left Hemisphere’s TyrannyModerns Latch onto Abstractions with a G.I. Joe Kung Fu Grip. It’s a Breeding Ground for Satire.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-79.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F69a990c3-afff-4afa-9f15-aee81bad02be_1152x640-1.jpeg)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/satire-can-save-us-from-the-left?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&ref=thedailyeudemon.com&triedRedirect=true) ### Wake Up and Slap that Left Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/wake-up-and-slap-that-left-hemisphere/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:09:34.000Z Hallucinations are more plentiful than cocaine at a 1980s Malibu beach house party. The psychic function has no direction. A wild throng carouses through the mind, brooding demons appear, then morph into reflections from the past, which suddenly dominate, then disappear. That’s not just me staring at the bottom of my sixth glass. It’s all of us while sleeping. After especially vigorous nights, we wake up and go, “Man, that was some wild shit.” ***Please forward this newsletter to the sleepwalkers in your life*** I heard awhile back that Muslims are converting to Catholicism because they keep having dreams of the Virgin Mary. I get the impression these aren’t “one-off” conversions. A trickle, a wave, a tsunami . . . beats me, but it happens. Mary, mother of Jesus, pointing the way to Jesus. If you’re Catholic, you believe that’s what she does, which lends a tubful of credibility that something real is appearing to those Muslims. If you’re a modernist, you dismiss dreams altogether. Sure, you can admit a little Sigmund into your worldview. Maybe that dream about defecating in plain view of everyone says something about your own fears, anxieties, and copro challenges. But as a pointer to anything real? That’s more inadmissible to the modern mind than a victim’s promiscuity in a rape trial. Moderns respect what we see during the day but dismiss what we see at night. The problem is, when we’re awake, we’re often asleep. That’s why many of the most profound noggins in history have described the mass of mankind as “sleepwalkers.” During the day, a Mardi Gras of thoughts parade through our minds, we cringe at our past antics, we concoct hallucinations about the present and the future; frick, we even hallucinate about the past: facts recede and anachronistic current presumptions morph them into something else entirely than what actually happened. For many of us, all that happens five times before breakfast. But it’s all sleepwalking, pointing to nothing real, except for the neuroses and ulcers that result from them. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AWXi!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffc269b50-dd83-43be-acf9-42c784a7fc63_1024x608.png) Now, if we’re asleep while we’re awake, maybe we’re awake while we sleep. Put another way, if we’re seeing less reality than we think while we’re awake, maybe we’re seeing more reality than we think while we’re asleep. Maybe we should give those nocturnal thoughts a little respect, like those Muslims who convert to Catholicism after seeing the Virgin Mother of God. And maybe we should give our daytime thoughts a little less respect. Good luck with that. The modern world is erected on Descartes’ “I think, therefore I am.” It’s the dumbest-ass thing ever, but the frick if our culture hasn’t adopted it as its starting point, its default mode, and its religion. We’re taught from toddlerhood to respect our thoughts as reliable guides to reality. But our thoughts aren’t reliable. How many times have you freaked out about something that wasn’t real, like when a friend doesn’t reply to your email only to find out that it went to his junk box, or entertaining a calamitous prediction about the future that never materializes? How many micro-strokes triggered by imaginary things do you need before you kick that deceitful whore called “your mind” to the curb? We’ve always given our brains too much credit. Those sages have been referring to men as “sleepwalkers” longer than a homeless guy’s been wearing the same pair of underwear. It’s natural. We give our brains too much credit because we need them to survive. If we don’t trust that our brains are providing at least a measure of reliable feedback, we won’t kill that mastodon to feed our family, and we won’t provide customer service to collect our weekly paycheck. Survival: It’s first. It’s what the left hemispheres of our brains do, and they do it well. But “first” doesn’t mean “only.” It doesn’t even mean “most important.” It’s just “first,” which, instead of being “only” or “most important,” probably is better associated with “preliminary,” as in, “Before we can get to the good stuff, we need to deal with this preliminary bullshit.” But the modern mindset, taking its cue from Descartes, elevated the left hemisphere past “first” to “only” and “most important.” The result? The left hemisphere dominates. And it’s damn awful at comprehending reality. It grasps fragments and pastes them together in a workable framework to get us through daily life, but that’s about it. Yet we think it’s telling us everything we need to know and everything it tells us is true. That’s a major hallucination. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Fortified Wines: Racism One Swig at a Time URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55019/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:09:56.000Z The tent city crisis continues. It was even the subject of a recent Econtalk episode, in which the guest explained that the tent cities result from fentanyl-laced meth, which makes users paranoid, so they want to be in an enclosed space (a tent), but when they’re not under the effects, want to be near other users who won’t judge them (the cities). So, get rid of the fentanyl, then you get rid of the homeless who now have tents. I have my doubts. Does anyone remember how fortified wines were supposedly fueling the homeless crisis in the 1980s? On the west coast, no less? Fortified wine was such a scourge, Portland banned the sale of fortified wines in certain neighborhoods in 1986\. Los Angeles asked winemakers to withdraw fortified wines from Skid Row. Those were days when such arrogant paternalism wasn’t recognized for what it is: Puritanism tinged with racism. The “crisis” was so bad, E & J Gallo pulled its classic, Night Train, from shelves across the country for six months, along with other fortified wines. The result? Olde English 800 malt liquor sales skyrocketed, along with sales of cheap vodka. But it was a savvy PR move for Gallo. --- Did anyone notice when Gallo discontinued Night Train in 2016? I didn’t. I read about it in *Modern Drunkard Magazine* (Issue 63), where I also learned that Night Train Express ran for less than 50 years. It was born in the early 1970s and died in 2016. It was one of the most popular “bum wines,” which E & J Gallo cranked out in many varieties in an effort to replicate the immense success of its Thunderbird, which put Gallo on the map as a major winery in the late 1950s. Night Train (or “the Ticket,” as it was known on the streets; pronounced “da Ticket,” with heavy emphasis on “ti”) was the red counterpart to Thunderbird’s white port base. Gallo has been criticized for its, ahem, "clumsy" advertising campaigns geared to the inner-cities. Some say Night Train was named after a famous James Brown song. Others say it was named after one of the first great black NFL stars, Dick “Night Train” Lane. Some say it was simply a promise: it’d hit you like a freight train. The advertising was so questionable, Gallo didn’t even put its name on the bottle, instead listing “Night Train Limited” as the producer. Night Train arguably got one of its biggest lifts in *The Blues Brothers* (1980), when Jake said, “That Night Train’s a mean wine.” Guns N’ Roses even sang about it. But now it’s dead. --- It, however, lasted longer than its older brother, Ripple, which was the first of the carbonated wines. It was produced from 1960 until 1984 (though I haven’t been able to nail down those years with certainty), making it just 24 years old when it was folded into another Gallo success, Boone’s Farm, which for a short time, was America’s top-selling wine. I don’t recall ever seeing a bottle of Ripple, much less drinking one, but I remember that Fred Sanford liked to drink it in *Sanford and Son*, which was, as far as 1970s sit coms go, pretty freakin’ funny, if wholly unacceptable in mainstream society today. ### On Whipping It Out URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-whipping-it-out/ Last updated: 2026-05-01T13:47:20.000Z While riding crowded subways in Central Europe last fall, I could immediately discern the handful of the Remnant from the hoard of the Reprobate. I'd say the ratio was 50:1. The Remnant One would be reading a book. The 50? All captured by their phones. (Essay) _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Trust in Authority has Vanished. Good. But Folks on the Right are Trying to Prop It Back Up. Why? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/that-dudes-jacket-is-made-of-public-hair-hey-all-that-dead-guys-pubic-hair-is-gone-that-pube-jacket-guy-is-part-of-a-murderous-gang-that-was-hanging-around-there-that-night-the-authorit/ Last updated: 2026-05-01T13:47:46.000Z That dude's jacket is made of pubic hair. That dead guy's pubic hair is gone. The pube jacket guy is part of a murderous gang that was in the area that night. The authorities failed to see a connection. (Essay) _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Welcome to Drynuary URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/welcome-to-drynuary/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:10:53.000Z The West gets sober this month. Sober January. Time to reset and to lose weight. It might feel ennobling, but dukes and earls disdain pop fads. The truly noble need to embrace fads about as much as the Pope needs a bowling trophy. Besides, the whole Drynuary thing is terribly outdated. Weight loss is what drives it. We're all fat and unhappy from weeks of sucking down processed food like a toddler set loose on a roomful of Skittles, so now we're ready get thin and happy. But we don't need to get sober to do that. We just need Ozempic. Me? I hate Ozempic. I know it's evil. I don't, to echo the conspiratorial Candace Owens, "know know" it's evil, but I know it. I know it because I keep seeing those commercials of fat women sticking needles in their fat stomachs. Those commercials paralyze me every time, my brain twitching between scrambling for the remote and tearing my eyes out. That's how I know Ozempic is evil. And the price is coming down. Fast. It was $499 a month. Now? You can get it for $25 a month. It won't be long until everyone has a constitutional right to it and the federal government must foot the bill. I gotta believe the legal team at Novo Nordisk is already preparing the test case. But if you don't want Ozempic, maybe Dry January is the ticket. Nothing crams on the poundage, in the words of Kingsley Amis, than liquor. ### The Strangulation of Lambda School URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-strangulation-of-lambda-school/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T12:11:31.000Z A scalene-shaped Bermuda Triangle runs from San Francisco to New York to Washington, D.C. It's wider than corruption at Tammany Hall and narrower than a line of coke. Everything that comes out of it is fascinating, mysterious, and dangerous. But it's mostly under control. If anyone threatens to get out of the Triangle, he's strangled. Austen Allred was one of those guys who threatened to get out of the Triangle. He created Lambda School in 2017 with a big yet simple goal: to solve the student loan problem. The bullet: income share agreements ("ISAs"). Students paid nothing for their degrees, but if they got good jobs, they had to give Lambda School a slice for five years, at which time all payment requirements expired. The incentives lined up better than rum-running for a gangster during Prohibition. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos enthused that income share agreements could replace the student loan system entirely. But then Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren, and other rulers got to work, churning out a disengenuous white paper every week about evil ISAs. The media followed like the obedient crows they are and cawed about evil Lambda School. Then the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau came in and put its hands around Allred's neck, threatening him with personal bankruptcy if he persisted. [You can read about it here (subscription required).](https://spectator.com/article/learning-the-hard-way/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The article doesn't refer to the outsized influence of colleges and universities within the Triangle, but you can feel their viperish presence, warping and churning under the page. You can envision college and university presidents dialing their friends in Washington, all saying the same thing, "You need to kill this shit now!" Higher education is the Wolf of Wall Street in ivy. Predatory, avaricious, brash. It cares about its students about as much as Jordan Belfort cared about his clients. It's all about money: getting it, spending it, and not giving a rat's ass about anyone else. It's an industry of pricks. But hey, it's still the Christmas season. Charity is required. Benefits of the doubt must be bestowed. So I want to provide a more charitable account. Here goes: The educational administrators mean well, but they're dominated by their left hemispheres. They have unbridled confidence in their intellects and assume anything that comes out of their brains and the institutions they run, no matter how shit-stained, are richly embroidered tapestries. Like all left-hemispherics, they also love abstractions and love to wield them on society like bulldozers razing poor ethnic neighborhoods to force those backward-ass foreigners to assimilate better and make room for freeways. "Education" is an abstract good, right up there with "Freedom," "Happiness," "Equality," and the other gods of the secular pantheon (like "Melting Pot"). Education, being a god, needs sacrifices so it can thrive. Colleges and universities are the greatest places of Education, so they understandably command the largest sacrifices. But goat blood doesn't buy much these days, so they demand taxpayer blood in the form of government funding and student blood in the form of loans that keep students in a financial genital clamp for decades. If anything comes along to staunch that flow of blood, the maenads of Education shred it apart. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### A Basic Truth Denied is a Gaslight on Fire URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-basic-truth-denied-is-a-gaslight-on-fire/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T18:21:07.000Z > So when Candace Owens says, “I don’t know know, but I know,” that’s retarded, and we are all more retarded for having heard it. Ben Shapiro, speaking at Turning Point's annual AmericaFest conference in Phoenix, Arizona on December 18, 2025 "Saber" and "Conocer." Two ways of knowing. I learned about them in my first year of high school Spanish. "Saber" is to know facts. "Conocer" is to be familiar. You can "know" facts but not really "know" them unless you have a more tactile and first-hand experience with them. This distinction came to Spanish from its Latin roots, which recognized many different types of knowing. I know my best friend. I can describe her to a stranger, omitting no detail and even showing him a picture, but he doesn't *know* know her. The theologian might know everything about Jesus, but he doesn't *know* know him like the peasant woman with a tear and rosary. This is a fundamental truth of knowledge: it's layered. Any two-bit philosopher at the bar after his third Schlitz knows it. The most obdurate eighth grader can comprehend it. Everyone knows you can know something without knowing it. Except Ben Shapiro. Which is absurd. You'd have to be a retard to think he doesn't know there are different ways of knowing. He knows damn well his statement is wrong at the most fundamental level of truth. But he said it. The most biting point of his speech was flat-out, fundamentally, untrue. But he said it. The gaslight is a totalitarian Establishment's preferred method of influence. If you doubt it, watch *The Death of Stalin*. If you don't want to spend the $3.99 to watch it on Prime Video, just think about the stream of gaslights that guided us through Covid. It's a miracle all the methane didn't kill us. The road to Hell might be paved with good intentions, but the road is illuminated by gaslights. I've long resisted the idea that Shapiro is merely a pole on the right side of the Establishment's circus tent. I like Shapiro. I thought "Benocide Shapiro" was funny but nothing more. I really like the team at *Daily Wire*. Knowles, Klavan, Walsh, and now Fradd. I can't believe those four gentlemen are shills for the Establishment. But Shapiro? I'm practically beginning to think those thugs who grabbed Rümeysa Öztürk from the street wore masks because Shapiro didn't want anyone to see his face. ### LATER ADDENDUM I don't know what Candace Owens "knows" and doesn't "know know." I've never heard one of her shows. It's unlikely she was hinting at the distinction between "saber" and "conocer." I was using those as examples of how language recognizes different types of knowing. But if I had to guess, she was using "know know" in the sense that Tom O'Neill "know knows" Charlie Manson was something else than what we were told for the first 50 years after the Tate murders. What exactly? O'Neill doesn't say. He just says he knows that the official story was false: > My goal isn’t to say what did happen—it’s to prove that the official story didn’t. But in the process, he has shown that he "knows" (at least his readers "know") that the government officials were involved in the murders. Either as catalysts who taught Manson how to use drugs to control other people's minds or as bungling idiots who botched the handling of Manson before the murders and who botched their investigations after the murders. And in either case, who have covered up their role ever since. If I had to guess what Candace Owens meant by "knows," she meant "I have a reasonable belief based on conjecture." It's not proof. It won't getcha a conviction in court. But damn, when conjecture evidence piles up and up and up, and the authorities light it on fire with their gaslights and tell us it's just the sun shining really, really bright, you're forced to rely on it. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### For Those Who Like Their Beer to Behave Like Cognac URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/for-those-who-like-their-beer-to-behave-like-cognac/ Last updated: 2025-12-26T13:19:42.000Z The line between artistry and madness has always been fuzzy because reality itself is fuzzy. When you add a dab of drunkeness, the line froths and foams. When a new high-powered beer eats through the side of an insulated paper cup, we don't know whether to applaud or to hide the wife and children. And we don't know whether to stock the shelves or lobby to get it banned. Fifteen states have outlawed the newest concoction from the beer industry's Jekylls: high-octane beer, clocking in at 30%+ alcohol. Folks in the other 35 states appear to be lapping it up like drunk dogs, paying $200+ a bottle. If you want to read more about beautiful abomination, [**click here**](https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/samuel-adams-boston-beer-utopias-c18a90a0?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), but you'll probably need a *Wall Street Journal* subscription. ### Addiction Literature Started with De Quincey's Confessions of an Opium-Eater URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/addiction-literature-started-with-de-quinceys-confessions-of-an-opium-eater/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T02:42:03.000Z [Before we get started: Email this post to a friend and tell him you're giving him a free subscription for Christmas. It's the gift that keeps giving, kinda like VD, but without the need for mercury treatments. ](mailto:?subject=Interesting%20read&body=I%20thought%20you%27d%20like%20this:%20https%3A%2F%2Fthedailyeudemon.com%2Fjoin-me-as-we-drink-like-pansies%2F) I started stockpiling books at age 20\. I'd ravage through used bookstores, looking for cheap classics, like the sexually slakeless Charlie Chaplin ravaging through an audition room. I accumulated so many books, people eventually started giving 'em to me like you might drop your half-eaten sandwich on the homeless guy outside the restaurant. I'm guessing I have around 4,000 volumes. It's beautiful . . . in appearance, mass, and effect . . . even when that Savonarolic scold I live with tells me I can't store my books in the fridge. (They're a fire hazard in the stove, so WTH, woman?) The volumes range from those ratty paperback classics I bought for the price of a used flossing stick to beautiful volumes my dad got, and I inherited, with his Folio Society subscription, including Steven Runciman's tryptych of the Crusades. I'm going to add [**this biography of Runciman**](https://amzn.to/4p09zgM?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to my library. I hear it's a wild read, plus I've determined that my library is, on a weighted average, light on biography, and I've come to conclude that few, if any genres, are as important as biography. I say this as a former young man who read a lot of those books, gathered a lot of facts, and cobbled up grand ideas like Buffalo Bill stitching together that woman's suit, while at the same time ignoring everyday social niceties that make a person pleasant to be around. I was, in other words, a first-rate prick. Today, I no longer have those grand ideas and put little stock in those facts. I'm still socially clumsy, but I now stand before you as a mere second-rate prick. That's why I fell short of my goal of becoming the definitive scholar about Albert Jay Nock (well, that, and a tenacity that parallels a newborn's grip). Nock strongly believed that biography was irrelevant. I've come to conclude nothing else is relevant. He strongly believed that the life of the mind is all that counts. I've concluded that a faculty liable to shift imperceptibly into erotic thoughts while saying the Rosary is about as trustworthy as a homeless guy with a bottomless bottle of [**Night Train**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55019/). But if I'm being honest, I don't think I ever really thought I'd finish my Nock studies. It was probably just a foil for that semi-conscious intent that surges like a dammed river through a sluice: the acquisition of more books. I also used my grand Nock project to try to get past the (troglodytic) harridan defiantly guarding the fridge as more and more books arrived from the world's largest drug dealer: Amazon. The most bizarre thing about this addiction? I don't even read the books these days and don't even plan to. I just like lookin' at 'em, like the man who'd been drunk for a week sat in Jay Gatsby's library, hoping the books would magically sober him up. I'm almost as pathetic as Hugh Hefner toward the end of his life who couldn't even bed any of those babes he liked looking at. The big difference between old Hef and me is, I still get an erection when I look at my books. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Finest Literary Publication Since the Edinburgh Review is on Life Support URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-finest-literary-publication-since-the-edinburgh-review-is-on-life-support/ Last updated: 2025-12-19T19:33:54.000Z Benedict Groeschel wrote to me once with a Chesterton quip. I spoke with James "Mississippi" Meredith and Russell "the Man" Kirk on the phone. I had lunch with James Schall and Ernest van den Haag. But if I were single and dropping names on luscious babes with intact genitalia at the bar, Frank Kelly Rich's name would be my bomb. In response to a pro-life post here at TDE, he dropped me a note (handwritten, if I recall) that merely said, "Drinking is the war against death." Yes, *that* Frank Kelly Rich: founder, editor, columnist of, at, and for [*Modern Drunkard Magazine*](https://drunkard.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)*,* the funniest and best-written magazine of the early 2000s and holder of the URL drunkard.com, which is the second most sought-after URL behind insurancecompaniessuck.com. Rich sent that note to me years before he pinned it to the top of *MDM's* X feed. In levels of pride, the note ranks somewhere below the birth of my first child and above the birth of my seventh. But I fear the magazine is dead, or nearly so, hanging on Twitter life-support. Its decline is a testament to a sad fact: fine prose, laced with humor and style, is gone. P.G. Wodehouse couldn't even earn beer money in today's world of scan-down-and-click readers. It's also a testament to the atrophy of the right hemisphere. Any form of speed reading is the left hemisphere urinating on prose. If you reflect on the words in front of you only when you're standing at a urinal, weep for your emaciated R.H., then blame your ilk for *MDM*'s decline. Of course, *MDM*'s maimed existence might merely be the way things are in this vale where all things pass away. Or maybe all the drinking just caught up with Rich (no liquor poseur, he). It's impossible for me to day. But I gotta believe that, if *MDM*'d had a million subscribers as it deserved, it'd be thriving today. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Essays for the restless mind in a crumbling age Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. . ### Cossacks Beat My Grandfather URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/cossacks-beat-my-grandfather/ Last updated: 2025-12-17T12:39:09.000Z Alvy Singer (Woody Allen's character in *Annie Hall*) said his grandma was too busy getting raped by Cossacks to make him any presents. At about the same time, my grandpa was busy getting beaten up by Cossacks. Those mongrels policed Russia's southern border for the Tsar and got away with pretty much anything. Fortunately, I think my grandpa only got beaten once, and I don't think it was too brutal. He had no scars and he lived to tell the tale. But he didn't tell too many tales. He didn't say much at all. Keeping your mouth shut was something you learned young in Tsarist Russia with its web of secret police. 💡 Fight the Tsar! Forward this email to men and women who want to resist our country's overlords. He never saw the Statue of Liberty. He came in through Baltimore, where he saw a black man on the dock, eating a meat sandwich. The sight crushed him. The Tsar told the German peasants along the Volga that they shouldn't come to America because they'd be second class citizens. The black man, the Tsar explained between punches from the Cossacks, ruled America. My grandpa didn't believe him. Then he saw that black man eating a sandwich with meat. Only the ruling class could afford meat in Russia. You understand my teenage grandpa's dot-connecting angst. When I was taking classes to convert to Catholicism, I challenged the traditional and devout priest: "I read that the rule against Catholics eating fish on Fridays came from the fishing lobby's pressure." He chuckled and said, "Could be." I thought I was landing a helluva punch. I'm not sure it even glanced. The good priest understood the difference between discipline and dogma. He also loved the Church but not the special interest groups who'd been causing it problems since at least the 9th century when thug lobbyists installed reprobates as pope and told everyone they were holy. The Tsar lied to my grandpa about pretty much everything. If pressed, the Tsar probably would've told my grandpa that the Cossacks didn't beat him. Dishonesty is inherent in any centralized government. If you can't see the guy with power, you can safely assume he's abusing it, just like you can assume a lecherous neighbor will try to bang your wife if you're not around. And if that lecherous neighbor has enough power over you, he'll be reckless about it. If he bumps into you while walking out of your bedroom buckling his pants, he'll tell you he was just helping your wife unjam a pipe. Authoritarianism and gaslighting go together like inebriation and liquor. If someone is slurring his words, he's been drinking, and if someone is gaslighting, he has power. My peasant grandfather dealt with it by not believing anything he read in the newspapers, figuring it was all gaslighting propaganda from the government and its special interest groups. When the Cossacks came around, they made boys take off their pants to see if they were Jewish. Jewish boys got really bad beatings while Alvey Singer's grandma got raped. That's why grandpa didn't have his sons circumcised. My father was born in 1933, in Detroit. My history tends to haze, but I don't think there were many Cossacks around. When dealing with the Establishment, one can never be too careful. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. [Email this post to a friend ](mailto:?subject=Interesting%20read&body=I%20thought%20you%27d%20like%20this:%20https%3A%2F%2Fthedailyeudemon.com%2Fjoin-me-as-we-drink-like-pansies%2F) ### Only a Severe Left-Hemispheric Rages in the Face of Tradition URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/only-a-severe-left-hemispheric-rages-in-the-face-of-tradition/ Last updated: 2025-12-16T12:56:43.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/12/image-4.png) Trump later said the murder was "bad for our country." Is that walking it back? Not really. I pull for this guy, I really do, but sumbitch, he makes it hard. I detested Rob Reiner as much as the next heterosexual male, but he's dead, killed by his own son. I wouldn't be shocked if Reiner's liberalism contributed to his son's derangement, but I know dick about the situation. I do know, however, that every tradition in the world tells us death is hallowed and whatever walk Mr. Reiner is taking right now, he needs prayers, not condemnation. [Mr. President, Don’t Mock the DeadAmericans have become inured to Trump’s social media taunts. Yet he still finds ways to shock us on occasion.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-1.png)The Free PressThe Editors![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F0cba0e5a-25ee-46ca-a461-582527729ff7_1336x752.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/mr-president-dont-mock-the-dead?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### A Peek Behind the Curtains at TDE URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-peek-behind-the-curtains-at-tde/ Last updated: 2025-12-17T01:05:34.000Z Flannery O'Connor suffered fools gladly, but only in her stories. When it came to the craft of writing, she suffered fools about as well as Stalin suffered kulaks. After reading a batch of short stories from aspiring writers, she told the students that their stories weren't stories. They were lectures or writing designed to make a point, but not stories. I gotta imagine her Georgia drawl sliced deep into those students. It reminds me of the professor who, after getting an especially stupid response from a student, said, "That's not even wrong." O'Connor then spiced her criticism by telling them the job of writing is pretty pedestrian, about as glamorous as digging a ditch and just as earthy: tactile and grubby. No point, no lecture, no layered meaning, and definitely no glamor: just the sweaty effort of telling a story. *That*, she said, was the craft of writing and if anyone comes to the craft with a different aim, he's little better than a whore who says she's doing it out of charity. Alright, she didn't really say that. She was too fine a Christian woman to say such things. But her characters damn well said such things. Her characters said and did a lot of things she wouldn't, so much so that T.S. Eliot stopped reading her stories. For a man like Eliot who cherished fine writing, that would've been like Hunter Biden walking away from a line of coke, but Eliot said the slashing realism of her stories was too unsettling for him. --- The dangdest thing happened in O'Connor's stories, though. Meanings emerged. Points were made. The grotesqueries of modern life were splayed out like fish on a cutting board. O'Connor's approach and results were a testament to the proper working of the brain's hemispheres. Based on her personal letters and every biographical anecdote told about her, O'Connor was a woman with a beautiful brain: one balanced like Elrond's, with a vigorous left hemisphere serving its right hemisphere master. Her left hemisphere dug those prose ditches. From placing the comma to figuring out how that road in the woods fit into the narrative, her left hemisphere performed the craft. Explicit effort, goal in mind, maybe even a wretched outline tooled out next to her. But the right hemisphere was in control, and it quietly put meaning into the left hemisphere's story, almost like the left hemisphere was building a giant wooden horse and didn't even notice the right hemisphere stocking it full of Greeks. And when Trojan readers brought the horse inside its walls, they didn't know it either, until the meaning unfolded in the dark. --- ### Scheske, How the Frick Are Flannery's Short Stories Relevant to the Aggressive Essay Style that Has Taken over TDE?!?!? I thought about stopping the apology there, leaving y'all to *WTF?* about it. After ginning it over, I decided to explain the point of the O'Connor anecdote, even though that's about as much fun as telling someone you've made a charitable donation in their name instead of getting them a Christmas present. Here goes: **In the arena of the essay, the lesson behind O'Connor's writing is the (non-)aim of the new TDE.** Essays aren't short stories and I'm no Flannery O'Connor. She died at age 39 with a brilliant corpus, so to speak, of writing. Me? I'm slow. It took me 39 years to appreciate that no writing is worth its pixels if it doesn't first tell a story or, in my case, entertain the reader. So even though I have points and agendas, I no longer push them. I sit down to entertain, using every tool at my disposal: anecdotes, analogies, absurdities, alliteration, atc. ***Is TDE still Catholic?*** Yes, very much so. Its Catholicism might be as submerged as an abused girlfriend in a double-quilted Dutch oven, but it's there: orthodox, traditional, straighter than Andrew Tate shotgunning Tlando-laced Red Bull. But I am finished writing sermons, lecturing, or giving advice. Those are jobs of a rogue left hemisphere that thinks its opinions need to get out there. Meanings will emerge and points will often be obvious. I write essays, after all, and an essay needs a leaping off point, but any point or meaning is first in service to humor. Humor, entertainment: all else be damned. Today is the day of comedy and satire. Laughter is crucial if we're going to restore mental health to our Kafkaesque culture of surreal idiocy. I'm stepping to the plate to take my comedy whacks at it. Perhaps that makes me a jester, maybe even a clown, but that's alright. Some men, Max Beerbohm noted, are only meant to juggle: > 'How many charming talents have been spoiled, he wrote, 'by the instilled desire to do "important" work! Some people are born to lift heavy weights. Some are born to juggle with golden balls.' Max Beerbohm was, obviously, among the jugglers. Joseph Epstein, Partial Payments: Essays on Writers and Their Lives. Me? I'm trying to juggle the shit out of those balls. Will I be everyone's cup of tea? Of course not. I'm not even my own cup of tea sometimes. Humor is quirky, idiosyncratic, and unpredictable. Why did I chuckle nonstop during *Napoleon Dynamite* but a close friend with a similar sense of humor loathed it? Beats me. But I ain't worried about it. I'm just gonna keep juggling and imagine readers are laughing. And if you're not, that's alright too. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Join Me As We Drink Like Pansies URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/join-me-as-we-drink-like-pansies/ Last updated: 2025-12-12T16:07:26.000Z Gin got a lot of bad press during the Great Gin Craze, which was kinda like Britain's 18th-century *Reefer Madness*, except the problems were real. It was the kind of crisis that the jerk-offs dream about: one that begs for government intervention [**even though government intervention created it in the first place**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/51800/) (cue Covid screed). But then tonic water came along and washed away the stain. The quinine in tonic treats malaria. British officers in India drank it like dehydrated camels at an oasis. The gin and tonic got popular in India and then back in Albion. Today, the gin and tonic is worshiped in Japan, it's trendy popular in Italy, and it seems to be taking hold everywhere. When I was behind the old Iron Curtain last month, I was pleased to find the G&T offered at every bar and shocked to realize those old Commie rubes make it better than anyone. And now, finally, nearly 200 years after its rise as a popular drink, it's catching hold of livers throughout the United States. [Email to friends and foes alike ](mailto:?subject=Interesting%20read&body=I%20thought%20you%27d%20like%20this:%20https%3A%2F%2Fthedailyeudemon.com%2Fjoin-me-as-we-drink-like-pansies%2F) Are alcohol sales in America plummeting as the health-conscious toke their self-medication? Yup. But not gin sales. Its American sales are clocking growth at 6% and forecasts don't see that changing. Pretty soon, I'll be able to order a gin and tonic without the bartender puzzling at me like I just asked him to piss in my drink . . . a too-frequent occurrence with a drink whose name is comprised entirely of the ingredients. But of course, America never merely adopts another's cultural artifact. We adopt . . . appropriate . . . misappropriate . . . and finally knock the shit out of it until it's unrecognizable. We're like those trans-loving Hollywoodites who adopt foreign boys then Frankenstein them until they have hair growing out of their vaginas (yeah, it's a thing). Exhibit A: Italian espresso to the American latte. Developing Exhibit B: British gin to craft gin, infused with everything from herbs to magnolia blossoms to watermelon rinds. It's a bad sign, but truth be told, I like those watermelon rinds. Gin infused with botanicals is called "western style" gin, and the heck if I don't feel like a cowboy when I drink it. The problem is, it's more like a Brokebackside Mountain cowboy. The entire gin and tonic rise in America is tainted with this effeminacy. One of the biggest reasons its popularity is rising? It allows guys to keep their hips slim. Other reasons: It allows for sipping, "mindful drinking," and "savoring the mouthfeel." It also looks good on Instagram. F' me, f' me, Brokeback me. It's like I contentedly went to bed after an evening with my gin and tonic then woke up the next morning with a dude sleeping next to me. But I won't let the namby-pambies take this away from me. I'm going full-on Plymouth and ordering a case of Navy Strength gin (57.15% alcohol). No taste except the juniper and no affectation: just a kick in the crotch and no regrets except the one Saturday morning. [How America fell in love with the G&TNostalgia for the aristocratic drawing room may have helped leaven the G&T moment. The real-life Downton Abbey makes its own gin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400-9.jpg)The Spectator WorldBertie Shah![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/er-h-bp-spectator-gt-ls.png)](https://thespectator.com/life/america-fell-love-gt/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [The World of GinFrom classic juniper-forward bottles to Greek- and Japanese-influenced craft creations, variations on the spirit are ever-expanding.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon.6341f3c4-1.ico)The Epoch TimesKevin Revolinski![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/id5540419-Gin_135_East_Martini-2-1080x720.jpeg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/bright/the-world-of-gin-5518831?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. [Be a dude and email this short essay to a friend. He'll buy you a drink. ](mailto:?subject=Interesting%20read&body=I%20thought%20you%27d%20like%20this:%20https%3A%2F%2Fthedailyeudemon.com%2Fjoin-me-as-we-drink-like-pansies%2F) ### Scrolling Blog Entries, Late 2025 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-entries-late-2025/ Last updated: 2026-02-19T13:00:44.000Z ## Wodehouse in Vogue? I just got done shopping at Ann Arbor's Dawn Treader Used Bookstore. I asked for P.G. Wodehouse books. Not only did the youngish clerk know of whom I spoke, but she also said they have a dashedly difficult time keeping him in stock. Okay, she didn't say "dashedly," but the rest of my account plum accurate. There's hope for our Internet-addled age. --- ## An addendum to the essay about Ben Shapiro has been added (12/30/25). [A Basic Truth Denied is a Gaslight on FireSo when Candace Owens says, “I don’t know know, but I know,” that’s retarded, and we are all more retarded for having heard it. Ben Shapiro, speaking at Turning Point’s annual AmericaFest conference in Phoenix, Arizona on December 18, 2025 “Saber” and “Conocer.” Two ways of knowing. I![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-36.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-15)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-basic-truth-denied-is-a-gaslight-on-fire/) --- ## How I Focus Now ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/12/How-I-Focus-in-2026.jpeg) The cube is [**a pomodoro timer**](https://amzn.to/48VSUGy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). You set it for the desired time period, then do nothing during that time period except focus on the task at hand. The 2 mg nicotine pouches? Those are, my sons assure me, proof that I can't be their father because I obviously lack male genitalia, but I like the slight focus nudge they provide without over-stimulation. Besides, I'm still reeling from the 9 mg pouch my youngest son conned me into trying last summer after I'd had my fourth drink of the evening. --- ## Merry Christmas “After the magi had met the child, they were told in a dream togo home another way. To change course.” Martin Shaw [I Saw Christ on a HillWhen I decided to spend 101 days walking into a forest, it wasn’t God I was seeking. And yet he found me, writes Martin Shaw for The Free Press.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-2.png)The Free PressMartin Shaw![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F90752b7c-6258-470a-826b-33f48b9f8621_752x1024.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/i-saw-christ-on-a-hill?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Are You Scratching Your Head About Nick Fuentes' Popularity? Scratch no longer. Brett Cooper provides an explanation, at least a partial one. When you combine this episode with the last decade of incessant gaslighting and the totalitarian Covid response, most of the puzzle pieces fall into place. --- ## The NCAA Continues to Create Debacles The games last night couldn't have gotten worse if you slathered Tulane and James Madison with meat grease and set lions on them. I love a Cinderella story as much as the next guy, but come on. Cinderella can't be a crippled and blind girl with no teeth. The poor thing's gotta have a prayer, but the NCAA ain't no fairy godmother. It's just a wicked stepmother that embodies everything that makes America ungreat: cronyism, corruption, and incompetence. --- ## The Friday BYCU Column [The Finest Literary Publication Since the Edinburgh Review is on Life SupportI pray for Modern Drunkard Magazine’s recovery but I fear the worst.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-35.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-14)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-finest-literary-publication-since-the-edinburgh-review-is-on-life-support/) --- ## Happy Valley Forge Day [https://drunkard.com/todays-reason-to-drink-december-19/](https://drunkard.com/todays-reason-to-drink-december-19/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) One of the hardest winters in American history started on this day in 1777: > To stave off desertions and boost morale, Washington tried to provision his men with as much rum, spruce beer, rye whiskey, hard cider, wine and brandy as possible, but due to major supply problems they generally had to rely on a daily pint of locally-produced corn liquor, that is to say, moonshine. --- ## If You Got the Email Post Today . . . My apologies for the egregious clerical mistakes at the bottom of the post. It totally ruined the ending. Oh well, the running joke these days is that the surest way to catch clerical errors is to click "publish." Sigh. It's corrected here. [Cossacks Beat My GrandfatherThe Tsar lied to him. It gave him an innate sense of skepticism toward the Establishment. It’s a skepticism all peasants shared. Those peasants were a lot smarter than us.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-34.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-13)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/cossacks-beat-my-grandfather/) --- ### To the left hemisphere, any answer is better than no answer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/12/Cormac-Bad-Answer-Instead-of-No-Answer.png) --- ## Monday at TDE [A Peek Behind the Curtains at TDELong-time readers are confused by the new style, some have unsubscribed, and a few even seem concerned about this turn to ribaldry. Herewith, a classical apology of sorts.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-33.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-12)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-peek-behind-the-curtains-at-tde/) --- ## Monday at Substack A nearly-identical version of this essay appeared here (at TDE) last week. That is my current approach: I write essays here as often as possible, then select my favorite to run at Substack the following Monday. A new essay will run at TDE later today. I will be explaining my new "TDE philosophy" and why its essays have taken such an, ahem, *aggressive* turn. [Rationalism, Irrationalism, the Occult, Science: Whatever It Takes in Silicon Valley These DaysIt’s time for the rest of us to summon the ghost of Rabelais![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-77.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5a65395a-32bc-44e9-bbf1-468166e3073a_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/rationalism-irrationalism-the-occult?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Simple Santa Hack If your child is getting older and suspicious about all the Santas he's meeting, tell him, "They're not the real Santa." --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/12/image-3.png) --- ## BYCU [Join Me As We Drink Like PansiesThe gin and tonic is surging in the United States. That’s great, but the reasons for its surge are emasculating.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-24.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-3)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/join-me-as-we-drink-like-pansies/) --- ## Latest [The Conservative Civil War is DisconcertingBut they still have a common and enormous enemy that ain’t goin’ away soon. That should keep ’em together for awhile![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-23.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02-2)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-conservative-civil-war-is-disconcerting/) --- 💡 ****A FOIA request to the CIA is like asking a Mafia don to move his car.** --- ### Just Discovered This Young Man [The Market Catholic | David Brady | Substack“Revolt against the modern world, not because it is modern but because it is evil.” Real Politick, Economics, and Cultural Commentary from an Austrian-Catholic point of view. Click to read The Market Catholic, by David Brady, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe6794c77-28d8-4b1e-9e57-0084d4828b6d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Market CatholicDavid Brady![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fdavidbrady.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D1098205760%26version%3D9)](https://davidbrady.substack.com/?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=subscribe-page-share-screen&utm%5Fmedium=web) --- ## The Dry Holdouts [Mapped: Where are America’s Dry Counties?](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/americas-dry-counties/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/12/image.png) --- ## Monday Essay Closely-related to my intro: That's why they say a good venue contains a big gathering area where the extroverts can metaphorically chest pump all that energy into one another, but also has small and semi-secluded areas where a guy can escape the whirl. [Five Ways to be a Good HostI’m an introvert, not a prick (probably).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-76.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F84bc033b-5bb2-4583-81ae-17ef787b90f0_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/five-ways-to-be-a-good-host?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-10.png) --- ## Happy Thanksgiving I don't know if this was a real ad. It's hard to believe, but the Ad Council is a coalition of Mad Men who volunteer their time to promote the government's narrative on social issues, so anything this fraudulent is believable. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-9.png) --- ## Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup Chicken from a 3D printer. [Campbell’s VP: It’s for “poor people” with meat “from a 3D printer”A VP from The Campbell Soup Company is in hot water for his horrifying comments about customers, colleagues, and the product itself.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-opfav-270x270.jpeg)The Organic PrepperDaisy Luther![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/soup-cans.jpg)](https://www.theorganicprepper.com/campbells-poor-people/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Viktor Frankl was Inmate 119,104 He got to Auschwitz late in the game. Don't tell the Groypers or they'll use it as proof that fewer than 200,000 Jews were sent there (smile). [Hey, Z: Stop Worrying about Your Life-Work BalanceI wasn’t thrilled about our town’s Mexican invasion back in the 1990s.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-75.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5a57bc7f-06b7-4620-908d-fb30312d98ee_1024x608.png)](https://ericscheske.substack.com/p/hey-z-stop-worrying-about-your-life) --- > This is one of the most unintentionally hilarious things I’ve ever seen > > [pic.twitter.com/rz5khySnfN](https://t.co/rz5khySnfN?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) [November 23, 2025](https://twitter.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1992707248507007209?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-6.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-7.png) --- > WHY🤣 😭 [pic.twitter.com/mMetITMKpa](https://t.co/mMetITMKpa?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Sara Rose 🇺🇸🌹 (@saras76) [November 18, 2025](https://twitter.com/saras76/status/1990618855878898175?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-3.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-4.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-5.png) --- ## True? [Was Covid Always a CIA Plot? ⋆ Brownstone InstituteBaric must testify under oath about gain-of-function research, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and the cover-up that began in 2020.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-brownstone-institute-ico-270x270-1.png)Brownstone InstituteBrownstone Institute![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Shutterstock_2074436143.jpg)](https://brownstone.org/articles/was-covid-always-a-cia-plot/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The mere fact that it could be true should be enough to disband this LSD-pushing, Mafia-tied, file-destroying, torture machine that conducted "Operation Midnight Climax" on unsuspecting johns in San Francisco in pursuit of their mind-control games. I mean, it was fun when the CIA did such things to foreigners and hippies but . . . [Amazon.com: Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age (Audible Audio Edition): Joel Richards, Norman Ohler, Mariner Books: Audible Books & OriginalsAmazon.com: Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age (Audible Audio Edition): Joel Richards, Norman Ohler, Mariner Books: Audible Books & Originals![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-20.ico)Joel Richards![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/ATVPDKIKX0DER-131-7009932-6949846-9M53CDMBV6QP54BR8MSZ-uedata-s--2Frd-2Fuedata-3Fstaticb-26id-3D9M53CDMBV6QP54BR8MSZ-0)](https://amzn.to/3LJRuWt?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-1.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image-2.png) --- ## The Return Eudemon My first trip behind the Iron Curtain. Budapest, Prague, Krakow . . with a Vienna kicker. I'm still gearing up new things for TDE but right now, I'm still stymied by tech problems. Stay tuned. TDE isn't dead, not by a long shot. Weak, ineffectual, and lame? I suppose, but I'm committed to changing that. For now, I'll just continue with the TDE way: brutal honesty to the point of self-deprecation, in hopes honest prose connects with readers. --- ## Mark Your Calendars > December 16 is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. Of all England’s great writers, she holds the most attention. The reason is simple. She invented the modern novel in order to answer fundamental questions about how to be good, happy, and flourishing in a commercial society. She reigns supreme because no-one else invented so much or had so much to say to readers about their lives. [Henry Oliver (@henryoliver)December 16 is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. Of all England’s great writers, she holds the most attention. The reason is simple. She invented the modern novel in order to answer fundamental questions about how to be good, happy, and flourishing in a commercial society. She reigns supreme because no-one else invented so much or had so much to say to readers about their lives. Long may she be read.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-16.svg)SubstackHenry Oliver![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F11b38f8d-b41e-4a3d-b537-2d7b811be2e5_750x750.jpeg)](https://substack.com/@henryoliver/note/c-176544809?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/10/image-3.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/10/image-2.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/10/image.png) --- ## Books are Tactile [Books are IrrationalThat’s why they’re better than online prose. Embrace the tactile even if (especially if!) you can’t understand why the tactile is better than the rational.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-74.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fab1ea808-7d06-4931-8a5d-b266a4700c9f_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/books-are-irrational?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## Monday Essay Could physical books have saved the Zizians? Beats me, but I think maybe, and no matter, they’re a cautionary tale for the rest of us about online reading. [Leather Yourself Against CultsRole models are great.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-72.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F870584f0-8abb-49dc-947b-173026474590_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/leather-yourself-against-cults?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### Eric Scheske's Outside Modern Limits Subscriber Chat This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers—kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I’ll post questions and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion. [Join chat](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/chat) --- ## How to get started 1. **Get the Substack app by clicking** [**this link**](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **or the button below.** New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat [on the web](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/chat). [Get app](https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) 1. **Open the app and tap the Chat icon.** It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KYZT!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe0f63c9a-2296-4c96-a2f9-52648999bb00_2000x1000.jpeg) 1. **That’s it!** Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out [Substack’s FAQ](https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/sections/360007461791-Frequently-Asked-Questions). --- ## Monday Substack It's a riff off perhaps the best essay in the current issue of *County Highway*: ["Everyone is in a Cult."](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-2/everyone-is-in-a-cult-lehrer?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Subtitle: *Welcome to the schizophrenia factory*, which is significant: siloed left hemispheres and schizophrenia exhibit some serious Venn. One of McGilchrist's favorite reference points is Louis Sass' *Madness and Modernism*, which looks at mental illness and modern art. I'm halfway through it, and it's been great, but at the same time, it's one of those books that seems to make its point compellingly in the first 75 pages. After that, it feel like a case of "piling on," so it's back on my shelf for now. I have hopes of finishing it later, but alas, many bookmarks in similar books in my library stare at me every morning. [The Zizian Inside You“We’re all just one hyperlink away from a new cult.” Adam Lehrer![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-71.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5b5f3c57-ecf6-4937-a3e4-30a80657fd7c_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-zizian-inside-you?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## *County Highway* is a Freak-of-a-Classic Publication I'm on my third issue. It's a literary magazine disguised as a newspaper. The front page features a handful of articles that entice the reader enough to prompt him to accept the prompt at the bottom, "*Continued on page X*." You turn to page X . . . and see the first 700 words on page one was merely the iceberg tip, like [the essay I finished reading this morning about *Lord of the Barnyard*, which clocked in at nearly 8,000 words](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-2/the-lord-of-the-barnyard-bosc?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). But the prose is superb (as far as I can tell . . . I guess it's arrogant of me to think I'd recognize great prose . . . the "like knows like" phenomenon, quietly applied to pat myself on my (oh-so finely tuned) literary back). The subject matter is varied and interesting and always--freakin' always--totally alien to me, like I've been living under a rock for the past 30 years (maybe I have been, but the rock is called "earning a living to support a large family). Anyway, it's Friday, so here's a drinking excerpt from that "Barnard" essay, about the anguished author, Tristan Egolf, who wrote the great American classic that no one in America knows about, being told by his French publisher that he'd written one of the great novels. Vindication after years of tortured self-doubt. What's he do? He continues his anguish, burying it under more cigarettes and booze. > He was waiting for publication, he wanted to meet his French translator, but nothing was happening. He grew impatient. Illness stalked him, he became convinced he had lung cancer, complained of severe chest pains. He smoked two packs of cigarettes a day, drank more than he should have. He sometimes banged on James and Shelly’s door in the middle of the night, after walking down to Montparnasse from the heights of the eleventh arrondissement. His apartment was something of a pigsty, dead bottles littering the ground, ashtrays ringed with cigarette butts overturned on the bed. Gradually, abetted by alcohol, he slid into delirium. When Marie checked in from London, he raved over the telephone. He was agitated, thought he was being watched, followed, but by whom? Nightmares filled his head, he was trapped in gruesome imaginings. He later wrote a second acclaimed novel, then, unsurprisingly I suppose, killed himself before publishing his third. [Lord of the Barnyard: Killing the Fatted Calf and Arming the Aware in the Cornbelt: Egolf, Tristan: 9780802136725: Amazon.com: BooksLord of the Barnyard: Killing the Fatted Calf and Arming the Aware in the Cornbelt \[Egolf, Tristan\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Lord of the Barnyard: Killing the Fatted Calf and Arming the Aware in the Cornbelt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-16.ico)Follow![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/ATVPDKIKX0DER-140-9970783-0648444-EC1E6WP9AYNQX52Y1DW1-uedata-s--2Frd-2Fuedata-3Fstaticb-26id-3DEC1E6WP9AYNQX52Y1DW1-0)](https://amzn.to/4nK50Y4?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [County Highway | HomeAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-13.png)County HighwayChandler Fritz![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/placeholder.jpg)](https://www.countyhighway.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) That "essay," incidentally, is apparently an excerpt . . . from a "novel"? A nonfiction novel? I'm cornfused . . . the literary world keeping one (or twenty) steps ahead of me at all time. [The Invention of Tristan - Susanna Lea Associates“Once upon a time, a penniless American writer, whose manuscript has been rejected by every publisher in New York, finds himself living in a tiny attic room in Paris. One Sunday, on the Pont des Arts, he meets a woman and falls in love. What he doesn’t yet realize—as fate would have it—is that she... Read more »![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-sla-favicon-270x270.png)Susanna Lea AssociatesAdrien Bosc![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/BOSC_InventionTristant_Plat1-scaled.jpg)](https://www.susannalea.com/sla-title/invention-of-tristan/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### A Vivid Reminder of Why Amazon Shouldn't Modify Kindle Books Once They're Downloaded But of course, the Digital Elite don't much care what we all think. > I prefer to read books that are page-stoppers, that cause me to stop and contemplate a striking idea, an elegant phrase, an admirably constructed sentence. A serious reader reads with a pencil in hand, to sideline, underline, make a note. Joseph Epstein --- ## Peace Through Air Power From Peter Brown's *Journeys of the Mind* > In an interview with the Khartoum Times, Air Marshal Italo Balbo (1896–1940), the creator of the Italian air force, insisted that air power was the best guarantee of world peace. No nation would dare to go to war, knowing that its women and children, its wives and mothers, would face destruction from the air. --- ## Monday Column Readers will notice a theme these past few weeks: reading. It'll continue for a few more weeks. My hope is to assemble them into a Kindle book before the end of the year. We'll see. [The OG Reading App“Truth outside the control of the powerful”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-69.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F6f869f52-804a-4c95-873e-dada40507d59_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-og-reading-app?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ### And Just Like That, I Win the Debate with My Wife About Whether My 3,000 Books Take Up Too Much Room [The Glorious Future of the BookIt’s still the best data center of them all![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa1fa1445-60df-4be2-981a-d798d4819ff0-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-1.png)The Honest BrokerTed Gioia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F53e361b1-eb1f-4860-8d5d-8685d156922c_1920x1006.jpeg)](https://www.honest-broker.com/p/the-glorious-future-of-the-book?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Free Copy for TDE Subscribers If you subscribe to TDE newsletters, you will be receiving an email with a free PDF download of *Western Civilization: Ten Dates in Ten Minutes.* ### I have also changed the price of the book to 99 cents. I didn't understand the pricing policies when I selected "$2.99." So wait a few days and the price should adjust to 99 cents. --- ## New Book at Amazon [Amazon.com: Western Civilization: Ten Dates in Ten Minutes: Latching Onto Your Cultural Patrimony from Moses to Columbus eBook : Scheske, Eric: Kindle StoreBuy Western Civilization: Ten Dates in Ten Minutes: Latching Onto Your Cultural Patrimony from Moses to Columbus: Read Kindle Store Reviews - Amazon.com![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/faviconV2-1)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/ATVPDKIKX0DER-131-4594661-6225065-ZWPH6KR8ASRZ8NVFYSPB-uedata-s--2Frd-2Fuedata-3Fstaticb-26id-3DZWPH6KR8ASRZ8NVFYSPB-0)](https://a.co/d/9Qg6iXG?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### Musk slays me. I gotta go back and watch *Tropic Thunder*. I remember that I gave it a "5," but maybe it deserved better. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/09/image.png) --- ## From Civil Rights Tranny Terrorism The splendid stylist Kuntsler lays it out. [Dressed to Kill“You currently have one side willing to talk and extend a microphone to anyone, and one side that shoots to kill when they do.” —Aimee Terese on X![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1a3faa16-7741-4630-8611-f4f27c734963-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-4.png)Clusterfuck NationJames Howard Kunstler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fd6a1bfa6-643b-409e-88a5-1e7e1ec5c519_1200x900.heic)](https://www.kunstler.com/p/dressed-to-kill?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&triedRedirect=true&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- I'm back. Due to a death in the family and other vigors of life, TDE was nearly abandoned for two weeks. I still have plans to rejuvenate TDE, so patience is welcome even if not deserved. ### For today: ### I think my Substack essay is one of the more compelling things I've written this year. Low bar, that, but I offer herewith . . . ## Monday Substack Smooth is the enemy of body, soul, and mind. [The Cobblestone Cure: Micro-ExertionsSmooth is the enemy of body, soul, and mind.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-67.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F45c5c725-f000-40ce-940c-1e86d0d8365a_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-cobblestone-cure-micro-exertions?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ***Bonus observation for TDE readers: Micro-exertions irritate the hell out of the left hemisphere. That'll be the topic of a future post.*** --- ## Five Minutes Heaven help the time-conscious when the person they're waiting for says "five minutes." --- ## Why One Reads "One reads in order to asks questions," Kafka once said in a letter to a friend. Manguel, *A History of Reading*, p. 89. --- ## Save the Em Dash! It's being unfairly kicked and bully in the anti-AI mayhem. Poor guy never hurt nobody. [Stop AI-Shaming Our Precious, Kindly Em Dashes—PleaseHuman writers have always used the em dash. In fact, it’s the most human punctuation mark there is.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-15.ico)The Ringer![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/cropped-MDashAIAccusations_Getty-Ringer-1-scaled-1.jpg)](https://www.theringer.com/2025/08/20/pop-culture/em-dash-use-ai-artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-google-gemini?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### Falling Down Visitor: "What do you guys do in the monastery?" Monk: "We fall and get up again." That's meditation, according to Huberman and Majeres. Meditation **is** distraction and monastic life **is** falling down. Meditation is getting distracted, noticing it, and determining to get back to a distraction-less state. Monastic life is sinning, repenting, and deciding to sin no more. --- ## Monday Column [The Reading ParadoxThe Hemispheres Create Paradoxes. One is Brewing Right Now: We’re Reading More Than Ever But Reading Reading Less Than Ever![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-14.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1599270606287-331b4f5d0e02)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-reading-paradox/) --- ## The Morally-Decayed People Attacking Big Balls They hate Trump so much, they can't even acknowlege an obvious heroic act. [Age of Ballspirate wires #145 // DOGE staffer fights off a mob and sparks a national conversation on![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/pw-favicon.ico)Mike Solana![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/cd471467-2ce4-498b-8fda-6aa801826a3a.png)](https://www.piratewires.com/p/age-of-balls?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU Old Mission Peninsula is one of the loveliest places in Michigan. Marie and I spent an evening going up and down it two years ago, hitting watering holes. But it's historically built on agriculture. And then the grapes came with their Dionysian charm. And then the agro-tourism came. And then the tension came: the newcomers who wanted to re-shape it to fit their money-making image and the oldtimers who wanted it to stay rural and agricultural. The old timers had the votes and their elected officials brought the clout. But then the newcomers invoked the U.S. Constitution to jam its image down the Peninsula's throat: and get a $50 million judgment. The U.S. Constitution ought not play a role in such matters. The selective incorporation doctrine has tried to make every locality in the U.S. the same and it's awful. But then again, it's nice to have some sort of legal recourse against petty local tyrants who act arbitrarily and capriciously, like I've seen happen so often at the local level. Anyway, the *Wall Street Journal* tells the story about the $50 million judgement here (subscription required): [https://www.wsj.com/business/old-mission-peninsula-michigan-winery-604fc216?mod=hp\_trendingnow\_article\_pos3](https://www.wsj.com/business/old-mission-peninsula-michigan-winery-604fc216?mod=hp%5Ftrendingnow%5Farticle%5Fpos3&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Excerpt: > Guest events had to be tied to agriculture. “My wife wanted to teach a Spanish class—just sit here and go over Spanish terms and talk about wine and stuff and yeah, like, ‘no, that’s not agricultural,’” so the plan was denied, he said. > > Chateau Chantal, a turreted, European-style vintner and bed-and-breakfast with spectacular vineyard and bay views, can host weddings only if all attendees sleep on-site—limiting the size to about 44 people. “That is just not the kind of number most of the clientele are looking for,” said Marie-Chantal Dalese, president and chief executive. > > O’Keefe is still baffled by some policies. “We’re allowed to have amplified music, but only ‘mood’ music, no louder than a whisper at the property line,” he said. “We’re allowed to have 75 people for an event, but I don’t know if that means an event outside, or does that include my entire winery?” --- ## A Note to Readers ### Please keep popping back in periodically TDE continues. In fact, TDE is undergoing a revamp. The thing is, I'm still working out what that revamp will look like. I've been assembling material to launch an "all out assault" on Substack, which I had planned for August, but instead of being ready to launch, I put on nearly ten pounds of gin, such are the demands of a large immediate and extended family, as well as a friend circle whose circumference is as wide as I can accommodate without bursting the seems of my pants. In any event, TDE is alive and, I think, well, even if it appears dormant or dying. In my mind, it holds promise, but that might just be my flawed left hemisphere talking (it leans toward optimism . . . especially when it's not warranted). We will see. Please stop back periodically and click on this scrolling blog. Announcements and new pieces will be announced here. Thanks for your patronage over these past 25 years. --- ## Monday Substack [Artificial Intelligence Will Make Us Stupid Like Machinery Made Us SoftWe better start pushing back now![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-65.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F3e9683b7-bcf5-454a-ad04-6cd71dd180c8_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/artificial-intelligence-will-make?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU [BYCU: Bands that Sell-Out to Beer5 Band Beers 1\. Dogfish Head Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale (5.3% ABV) 2\. Juice Runners Paloma Remix (5.9% ABV) 3\. Hanson Brothers Beer Mmmhops IPA (6.3% ABV) 4\. Short’s Brewing Thirst Mutilator Grape (0% ABV) 5\. 311 Stealing Hoppy Hours Hazy IPA (less than .5%![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-13.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1695868851838-ce62e87dab3b)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-bands-that-sell-out-to-beer/) --- ## Monday Essay We all need to break out of our rationalist cocoons. [The Cocooned MindWe’re all wrapped up in rationalist cocoons, spun not by our own hands but by the sticky threads of a world gone mad with reason.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-63.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa2396502-5c2f-498b-89f9-f66dc595592c_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-cocooned-mind?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I'm Dyin' Here Best lede in years. [WNBA Forced To Stop Game After Lime Green Dildo Thrown On CourtHow soon until the “Pay that dildo what it’s worth!” t-shirts come out?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-12.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-202025-07-31-20at-2009.48.26.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/wnba-forced-stop-game-after-lime-green-dildo-thrown-court?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Column [Third Way Mania: A Revolt Against the Binary Brain?This modern world’s got a fever, and it ain’t for more cowbell.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-62.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fae267cf5-b8fe-4903-9315-5e5963c5f228_1024x608-1.png)](https://ericscheske.substack.com/p/third-way-mania-a-revolt-against) --- ## Who is this Spokesman Guy That Gets Quoted After Every Big Event and Why is He Such an Idiot? > "A spokesman for Walmart said the violence at its store was 'unacceptable'" In response to a man entering a store in Traverse City and stabbing 11 people. --- ## The Saturday Meme Dump ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/07/image.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/07/image-1.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/07/image-2.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/07/image-3.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/07/image-4.png) --- ## Substack Monday [“Join or Die”: A ReviewAmerica’s crumbling civic soul gets a hard look in Join or Die, a documentary riffing on Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone (2000).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-60.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc368d0a9-2d39-4f18-8798-fd2d7f91a4d8_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/join-or-die-a-review?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## When You Let Your College Kids Pick the Wine without Proper Supervision ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/07/St-Julian-Wine.jpg) --- ## Monday Substack [The Epstein Case is Merely the Erotic Twin of the Pandemic ResponseThe floodlight cast by the pandemic showed the Big 3 (Government, Business, and Media) in a vigorous homosexual throe that would make a San Fran bathhouse manager wince. Epstein is more of the same.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-29.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4fb4e5db-fac6-4cb3-ae6c-a82951df329d_1024x608-1.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/the-epstein-case-is-merely-the-erotic) --- ## First COVID, now Epstein The ongoing Epstein cover-up is the sex room of the Establishment house. I'm reminded of these words from Paul Kingsnorth in 2023: > \[I\]was the pandemic — or rather, the response to it — that [changed everything for me](https://www.paulkingsnorth.net/vaccine?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I hadn’t been prepared see, in my allegedly free and democratic country, a merger of corporate power, state power and media power in the service of constructing a favoured narrative, of the kind which had previously only characterised totalitarian regimes. Yup, exactly. The Epstein case is the same thing. Corporate power, state power, and media power telling everyone "There's nothing to see here." --- ## Thursday Substack . . . or Not No Thursday essay today. I'm busy with . . . well, summer: gardening, family, and gin. But also, I am preparing my assault on the high towers of Substack: memes, short essays, longer essays. Rewriting script from the archives, writing new script from my notebooks. Accumulating material for a launch in August. My hope is to have enough material to last me a few months, regardless of how hectic life is. Such is that Substack beast, or such is my lack of skill at figuring out this attention economy, I don't expect much to come of it, but that's fine. If nothing else, it's helping me get my Existence Strikes Back/Hemisphere Hypothesis Catholic worldview figured out. I've also reconfigured TDE. I will host all the new essays I post at Substack: the complete pieces, not just excerpts. Stay tuned. --- ## Monday Substack Acts of resistance against the left hemisphere’s hegemony don’t have to be heroic or even particularly difficult. [Five Reasons to Drink at the Bar“The pub was the place where friendship was fostered over a shared drink and the shared cost of an evening conversation.” Carl Trueman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-57.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F37b676cd-f7cf-4893-bfa6-5f5fd038415e_1600x900.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/five-reasons-to-drink-at-the-bar?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## BYCU ### Fourth of July Cocktail: **Red, White, and Blue Layered Cocktail** A visually striking drink with distinct patriotic layers. - **Ingredients** (per drink): - 1 oz grenadine - 1 oz vodka - 1 oz lemonade - 1 oz blue curaçao - **Instructions**: 1. Fill a highball glass with ice. 2. Pour grenadine first (it’s heaviest and will sink). 3. Slowly pour vodka mixed with lemonade over the back of a spoon to create the white layer. 4. Gently add blue curaçao over the spoon for the blue layer. 5. Serve immediately to maintain layers. - **Tips**: Pour slowly over ice or an upside-down spoon to prevent mixing. Use high-quality grenadine for better flavor. --- > Some \[mezcal\] distillers are so particular about their process that they won’t let visitors near the still if they’ve used any perfumed soaps, fearing that even a few fragrance molecules will taint their product. Amy Stewart, *The Drunken Botanist* --- ## We're Number Three! We're Number Three! According to people all over the world, Switzerland is the best place to live. [https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-40-best-countries-in-the-world-according-to-people/](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-40-best-countries-in-the-world-according-to-people/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Substack [The Jolly Titan of Paradox: G.K. Chesterton’s Brain and the Modern MalaiseI ain’t got a shred of hard proof, but I’d wager that G.K.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-55.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fd0665a18-3495-4c71-bdfc-d5622fcfdcdd_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-jolly-titan-of-paradox-gk-chestertons?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## BYCU ### Why I gave up golf. It was killing my liver. [Marcel Siem’s Epic Drunken Golf Triumph: Throwing Up, Yet Nearly Breaking RecordsMarcel Siem reveals drunken golf triumph at PGA - Shocking yet record-breaking! Discover the wild story behind his almost legendary feat.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-512x512-1-180x180.png)M SportsEthan White![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/USATSI_23774608_168415192_lowres.webp)](https://motorcyclesports.net/marcel-siems-epic-drunken-golf-triumph-throwing-up-yet-nearly-breaking-records/?utm%5Fsource=dlvr.it&utm%5Fmedium=threads) --- ## Thursday Substack > The art of loafing has withered. We’re too busy, too wired, too chained to our screens and schedules to just *be* with one another. It’s no shock, really. Just more late-stage left-hemispherism, where every minute’s gotta be accounted for, every interaction optimized. [The Art of LoafingAmerica’s gone and lost its knack for wasting time, and we’re paying a butcher’s bill for it.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-53.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F45a4796b-2535-4797-9f87-de6dba997304_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-art-of-loafing?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Substack [The Great American Attention FamineWith an Art Museum Kicker![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-52.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F92bd3442-ab7c-4774-a05e-aa98c3594455_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-great-american-attention-famine?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I Would've Thought Baltimore had Bigger Crime Problems [A new sheriff’s unit is being created to enforce Baltimore’s liquor lawsA new unit in the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office aims to enforce the city’s liquor laws and crack down on unlicensed sellers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-12.ico)Baltimore BannerMatti Gellman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/YSSWJTBZLZBPPG5PEVY7FNWFFI.jpg)](https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/culture/food-drink/baltimore-sheriff-liquor-board-crime-D7C5CCZLLNG6VPCOMO73TFNQPI/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Supposedly, rogue liquor establishments (read: black dudes with coolers full of beer) are selling without the proper license, and it's causing an increase in crime, which is ridiculous. It is, however, undoubtedly hurting licensed liquor establishments who play by the rules and, by playing by the rules, incur significant costs. The government's answer? Increase government action to squash the rogue establishments. No one asks the obvious question: Why not just eliminate the rules for the other establishments, thereby leveling the playing field? It kinda reminds me of anti-Communist Frank Chodorov's opposition to McCarthy's Communist witch hunt (well, not really a "witch" hunt . . . there really were/are Communists in positions they ought not be). When asked, "What would you do about Communists in government offices?" he replied, "Eliminate the government offices." --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/06/Tolstoy-on-government-and-violence.png) --- ## I've Staged a Jailbreak I bought a new computer, wiped it clean of any Microsoft stain, and installed Linux. I'm free of the MS tyranny: its oppressive OneDrive drive, its relentless pushing of its Internet browsers, its default settings that reset every time they force you to do an upgrade. I'm free! Free, I tell you! Free! I'll let you know how it goes. There's going to be a pretty steep learning curve. I'm glad my son Max is home from college for the summer --- ## Monday Substack Thomas Sowell may or may not have a robust right hemisphere, but he keeps his left hemisphere reigned in. [The Hemispheres of Thomas SowellProfiles in Right-Hemispherism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-49.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fbaf625b1-0103-4570-93d3-7dff4f9bc123_940x788.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-hemispheres-of-thomas-sowell?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/06/Bolton-Erection.jpg) --- ## Thursday Substack Foucault rebelled by effectively committing suicide in the San Francisco bathhouses during the height of the AIDS crisis. You don’t have to go that far. Reading a good novel is an effective form of rebellion. [The Act of Reading is an Act of RebellionIt might one of the most enjoyable ways to kick against the left hemisphere’s hegemony![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-47.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fbb49032a-15c3-44cc-bfad-18e3c955fb2a_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-act-of-reading-is-an-act-of-rebellion?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/06/Attention.jpeg) --- ## Monday Substack Occultists, acid freaks, saints, drunks, scientists, Zen monks: all warring against the left hemisphere. [Masters of the Right-Hemisphere UniverseIn a left-hemispheric culture, the right-hemispherics are freaks![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-45.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F78013c43-77e4-4f17-b2a2-57f99e1040f1_940x788.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/masters-of-the-right-hemisphere-universe?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## BYCU Canadian provinces kill trade between themselves with barriers. Trump's tariffs are forcing them to re-think this arrangement. --- ## Thursday Substack [Edgar Cayce: The Sleeping ProphetProfiles in Right Hemispherism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-43.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F254b31e5-2cfb-4251-aaff-0c24a52415f4_1024x776.gif)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/edgar-cayce-the-sleeping-prophet?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## Birzer on Sci-Fi I’m a fan of dystopias, though that’s more of a reference to my life than the genre (deadpan irony background music), so I was pretty excited when I saw the series start. I glanced through the first essay where he listed the writers he’d be covering and I saw no reference to Philip K. Then I got really excited b/c I was going to chastise him with, “Birzer doesn’t know Dick!” but alas, after I read it more carefully, I saw that the High Castle author would get a good hearing. Anyway, it’s a splendid series. Like much else in this crowded stack of space, it didn’t get nearly enough traction but it’s there for y’all to enjoy. [Eric Scheske on SubstackFrom the conclusion of Professor Birzer’s nifty booklet on dystopias (which, if you missed it, he has been serially-publishing on his Substack). I’m a fan of dystopias, though that’s more of a reference to my life than the genre (deadpan irony background music), so I was pretty excited when I saw the series start. I glanced through the first essay where he listed the writers he’d be covering and I saw no reference to Philip K. Then I got really excited b/c I was going to chastise him with, “Birzer doesn’t know Dick!” but alas, after I read it more carefully, I saw that the High Castle author would get a good hearing. Anyway, it’s a splendid series. Like much else in this crowded stack of space, it didn’t get nearly enough traction but it’s there for y’all to enjoy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-15.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack.com-2Fnote-2Fc-122301223-2Fpreview.jpeg%3Fsize%3Dsm)](https://substack.com/profile/98950867-eric-scheske/note/c-122301223?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Substack > The Tao is everything the left hemisphere can’t stomach. The Taoist cranks out paradoxes like G.K. Chesterton on Benzedrine. The left brain gags on paradox. The Taoist rides the flow. The left brain spits on flow, demanding straight lines and checklists. The Taoist’s first move is no-move—wu wei, the art of doin’ nothin’. The left brain sneers at sittin’ still. [Language: Left Hemisphere StyleJosef Pieper’s Abuse of Language--Abuse of Power and the Hemisphere Hypothesis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-41.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa6cd67cc-4a2d-4b0a-8368-fd5f57d361d4_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/language-left-hemisphere-style?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## BYCU It has become an annual post: June 1st: Coptic Lemonade Day ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/05/Coptic-Lemonade.png) --- ## Thursday Substack > “These two were the kind of blokes you’d kill to share a pint with. Their letters crackle with wit sharp enough to slice through the fog of our current idiocy.” [Learned Discourse in the Pre-Screen AgeToday’s dispatch?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-26.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa08e721a-cf58-4e01-8e4e-40f2745f9009_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/scheske/p/learned-discourse-in-the-pre-screen?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/05/Lyttelton-on-Lavatory.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/05/Epstein-and-Gilson-on-Montaigne.png) [Montaigne: Smiling SkepticMontaigne spat on every dogma and system that strutted through the intellectual barnyard of his day. His motto: Que sais-je? (What do I know?) His answer, delivered with a smirk: Not a daggone thing. “There is a plague on man: his opinion that he knows something.” Montaigne Logic? Pfft. He’![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-10.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1455390582262-044cdead277a)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/montaigne-smiling-skeptic/) --- ## Monday Substack [Modern Knowledge: PornographicIf you can gaze upon the naked emperor and call him out with the serene indifference of a Zen master tossing a koan into the void, you’re free.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-40.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F25d13335-c1d6-4c7e-8d52-03c1e4e28cc9_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/modern-knowledge-pornographic?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Weather Apps I consult three weather apps, mostly because I'm a loser, but also because they often don't agree. I've been watching it carefully this year (also the year that I've noticed that they most diverge), and I've concluded: 1. The Weather Channel app is the best for accuracy, but it loads slowly and malfunctions frequently. 2. The Accuweather app is best for speed and detailed information (e.g., 15 day forecasts), but it's not quite as accurate as the Weather Channel app. 3. The weather app that comes pre-loaded with the iPhone is not accurate, but it loads fast and doesn't malfunction. Bonus: its easy-to-find UV index score is nice. --- ## Welcome to Summer It's been a long Winter and a grueling Spring. Are there any other types of seasons? I guess we'll find out, starting today. I'd be half-tempted to turn this three-day hustle hiatus into a lost weekend, but dang, I have too many good books to read. [Eric Scheske on SubstackFrank Kelly Rich, from the intro to “The Art of the Lost Weekend.” “Every tick and tock between the Friday exodus and Monday was consecrated ground, where a worker could roll down his sleeves, put up his feet and take a well-deserved breather between dances for the Man. “But that was before cell phones, beepers and email crept into our lives. The borders between work and play blurred. Suddenly our employers could reach out and touch us at any conceivable moment and in any conceivable place. Presently we are happy to carry our bosses’ voice in our pockets, we are all but a speed dial away from the very thing we spend our weekends drinking so hard to forget.” https://drunkard.com/06-04-lost-weekend/![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-14.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack.com-2Fnote-2Fc-119502647-2Fpreview.jpeg%3Fsize%3Dsm)](https://substack.com/profile/98950867-eric-scheske/note/c-119502647?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Thursday Substack [Snoring to SuccessThe Hemisphere Hypothesis won’t teach you how to wrench a lug nut off a busted tire and it won’t tell you how to deal with the beard in your daughter’s locker room.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-38.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F59774e64-6438-4b27-ab55-cb217ea2a4dd_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/snoring-to-success?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## This is Huge [USDA Approves Nebraska’s Banning Soda And Energy Drinks From Food Stamps“Prior to this waiver, SNAP recipients could buy anything except alcohol, tobacco, hot foods, and personal care products,”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-11.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/image-20-24-.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/usda-approves-nebraskas-banning-soda-and-energy-drinks-food-stamps?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) I might have to reconsider my position on this matter: [If You Can Successfully Get SNAP Out of KFC, I’ll ListenUntil that obvious and flagrant and massive fraud is remedied, I’m afraid any argument for more government action is laughably absurd![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-9.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1658696612519-901cc962f697)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/if-you-can-successfully-get-bridge-cards-out-of-kfc-ill-listen/) --- ## Monday Substack > Majeres wants his patients to kill orcs, but he’s begging them to put the blade down more often. If you’re always swinging, everything starts looking like an orc. Every moment is a project, every dream a checklist, every impulse a plan. The left hemisphere never stops scheming, plotting, gaming out the next move. It’s a machine that doesn’t know how to quit. [From McGilchrist’s Map to Majeres’ Tools: Overthrowing the Emissary’s ReignBack in 2009, Iain McGilchrist unleashed The Master and His Emissary upon a world too distracted to notice its own decay.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-35.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc71a34c5-97a0-4fb3-b4fe-5252892401d4_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/from-mcgilchrists-map-to-majeres?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/05/Stewart-on-Mezcal.png) --- ## Thursday Substack > Jones’ plan is dirt-simple: hand over a few abandoned parish buildings in Philly, Detroit, or Baltimore to a couple of Benedictine monks. Let them turn those crumbling shells into monasteries, oases where young Catholic couples could live cheap and lean, guided by a 21st-century take on Benedict’s Rule. [Benedict’s Rule and the Last Stand for America’s CitiesMy Kindle’s a cluttered attic, stuffed with a few books I pick at like a vulture when the mood strikes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-24.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fdc70dd4a-93ed-4f19-9021-b1316c98cc24_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/scheske/p/benedicts-rule-and-the-last-stand?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## San Francisco: Perverse for 150 Years ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/05/Bierce-on-San-Fran.png) --- ## Monday Substack I hope to make this a series: two-minute biographies of men and women with robust right hemispheres. Or, to be more precise, "of men and women who appear to have had robust right hemispheres." I believe every saint could be in this series, but a person doesn't need to be a saint to have a dominant right hemisphere, so this series won't focus on the saints (though a few are already in the queue). > Striving is the sound of your own defeat. Even straining for virtue or goodness is a fool’s errand, a pompous parade of self-aggrandizement. The man who aches to polish his soul is already sneering at what he is. [The Way of Chuang-TzuProfiles in Right-Hemispherism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-33.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5aaadb14-6650-479d-8571-834020c40e75_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-way-of-chuang-tzu?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/05/Stewart-on-Bourbon.png) ## Thursday Substack > I’d even argue that Montaigne couldn’t have done much more than teach us to unlearn. If he’d started to do anything more constructive, he would’ve cut against everything he was (un-)teaching. In this, he may have been the modern age’s first superfluous man, beating Albert Jay Nock to the skeptic’s modest punch by 400 years. [Montaigne’s Skeptical StrollMontaigne spat on every dogma and system that strutted through the intellectual barnyard of his day.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-22.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5dfa1b27-77d3-450f-905d-5f03930b0edc_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/scheske/p/montaignes-skeptical-stroll?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- [Eric Scheske on SubstackI’m looking for a response: Do you find it easier to read a book if it’s in your hands? Background: A while back, Huberman had a session on reading posture. He said the book should be positioned a foot or so in front of you, at eye level, maybe just a tiny bit below. To keep a book in that position, I needed to use a bookstand. I’ve been doing my serious reading for over a year like that. About that time, I started having difficulty with concentration while reading. No other areas of my life seemed to have focus/concentration problems, so I wasn’t too concerned about it, but the problem was definitely there. I just kinda assumed I was a mild casualty of the Internet age. And then last week, which was hectic at the office and left little time for serious morning reading, I didn’t bother setting up the book stand in the morning, preferring simply to grab my book and hold it in my hands while I read for ten minutes. It dawned on me last Saturday morning: my reading concentration had come back. Instantly. A vague notion: reading is tactile at some level, almost like the hands and arms form a bridge from the book to the brain. Without that bridge, reading is far more difficult . . . almost unnatural. Anywaaaaaay, I’m genuinely curious to know if anyone else has had this experience. Thanks. ADDENDUM Here’s what Grok says about my experience (but I had to tweak my prompt to get this response): Your experience suggests a deeper cognitive or sensory connection to physically holding a book. The tactile feedback—weight, texture, and the act of turning pages—can anchor attention and enhance focus by engaging multiple senses, creating a more immersive reading experience. This aligns with embodied cognition, where physical interaction with an object strengthens mental engagement. A book stand, by contrast, might feel detached, reducing sensory input and making your mind more prone to wandering. The stand’s fixed setup could also subtly disrupt your natural reading rhythm, breaking concentration. If you’re sensitive to these cues, holding the book likely grounds you in the moment, making focus feel effortless.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-13.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack.com-2Fnote-2Fc-114607069-2Fpreview.jpeg%3Fsize%3Dsm)](https://substack.com/@ericscheske/note/c-114607069?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Substack > I'm talking about more than silence, something more manifest--a presence, a thing with its own existence and merit. Just as the devil is the manifestation of that (otherwise philosophically-correct) notion that evil is merely the absence of being, this thing I'm describing is a presence, a thing with its own existence and merit. [Silence, the Basis of ExistenceIt’s more--a lot more--than the mere absence of noise![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-31.png)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F324cc019-c3f5-4830-a5b0-46fbfdaa3710_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/silence-the-basis-of-existence?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## BYCU Huberman is kinda spearheading the current neo-neo-neo-Prohibitionist crusade against alcohol, which, let’s face it, is crutched by legalized marijuana: “Look at me. I’m sober. More stoned than a groupie at a Grateful Dead concert, but alcohol-free.” Anyway, Huberman first said an average of one drink a day would rot your skull. I shrugged it off, my Friday-night benders clocking in at five or six drinks, neatly bundled, leaving my inner boozehound unbothered. Then he tightened the screws: four drinks a week, he declared, unless you’re sweating through workouts or chanting mantras to fend off the poison (which I do, thank you—call it my penance). My liver smirked, unscathed. But then he later dropped the hammer: two drinks, max, and—get this—any alcohol’s a ticket to ruin. That’s when I dug up this old Mencken quote and read it thirty times, each line a shot of defiance against this joyless, meddling age. [Eric Scheske on SubstackHuberman is kinda spearheading the current neo-neo-neo-Prohibitionist crusade against alcohol, which, let’s face it, is crutched by legalized marijuana: “Look at me. I’m sober. More stoned than a groupie at a Grateful Dead concert, but alcohol-free.” Anyway, Huberman first said an average of one drink a day would rot your skull. I shrugged it off, my Friday-night benders clocking in at five or six drinks, neatly bundled, leaving my inner boozehound unbothered. Then he tightened the screws: four drinks a week, he declared, unless you’re sweating through workouts or chanting mantras to fend off the poison (which I do, thank you—call it my penance). My liver smirked, unscathed. But then he later dropped the hammer: two drinks, max, and—get this—any alcohol’s a ticket to ruin. That’s when I dug up this old Mencken quote and read it thirty times, each line a shot of defiance against this joyless, meddling age.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-12.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/6cdd04f1-1ac9-4880-a932-faf5f056e4c6_1600x900.png)](https://substack.com/profile/98950867-eric-scheske/note/c-113845932?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Welcome to May Few places are prettier than Michigan in May. Tulips, blossoms (pink and white), approximately 100,398.78 hues of green, and crisp blue lakes. Bonus: the mosquitoes aren't bad yet. A wonderful place to be. --- ## Thursday Substack I've tightened and (hopefully) enlivened a feature essay from a few years ago. > Without Johnson’s Dictionary, Jane Austen’s quips, the Declaration of Independence’s fire, and Shakespeare’s tempests would be Beowulfed to us, almost entirely indecipherable, except to philologists and other masochists. [Johnson’s Dictionary: A Mini-AppreciationWithout it, we couldn’t communicate with the ghosts![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-21.png)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fde0bcf8b-45d4-4f70-a532-96c78c0e17f8_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/scheske/p/johnsons-dictionary-a-mini-appreciation?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### Related: [Eric Scheske on SubstackI suppose Dr. Johnson would consider much of Substack hopelessly macaronick.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-11.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/eb08f4d5-f41a-4c4d-932c-a6f033e9e2de_1600x900.png)](https://substack.com/@ericscheske/note/c-113183323?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## It's May Day For the Commies. For the rest of us laborers, it's the Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker. [Eric Scheske on SubstackThere’s a manner of craft (call it “work” if you must) that pours love into the bones of the thing: eye for detail, reverence for proportion, even an untamed flicker of the maker’s soul. It’s what the old painters and poets dubbed style. No human endeavor, no matter how humble, stands beyond the reach of this personal fire. Anything else, and we’re just piling more junk atop the ruins.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-10.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/409870a0-e117-4f05-bdbc-0607dc3ca15a_1600x900.png)](https://substack.com/@ericscheske/note/c-113547374?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Substack I was so excited by this find on Saturday morning that I worked on this essay on and off all weekend. [Dr. McGilchrist, Allow Me to Introduce Dr. VoegelinBeen waiting for this since 1952![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-29.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F8300ba48-2503-419f-b6da-7895240cca56_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/dr-mcgilchrist-allow-me-to-introduce?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- that I worked on this essay on and off ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/04/Cardinals-Pick-is-In.png) --- ## BYCU At some point, "craft" crosses into "art." This normally happens for me around the third drink. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/04/Amis.-Good-Drinks.png) --- ## Thursday Substack Wittgenstein, though, was another story. He was disgusted by the competitive uproar, like he’d just been forced to watch a Harvey Weinstein biopic and needed to scrub his soul with lye. [The Left Hemisphere Loves CompetitionIt’s not a good thing![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-27.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F8ea6e001-306b-450c-a366-8cf38b046a9e_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-left-hemisphere-loves-competition?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Amen to This The Pope of Mercy wasn't the Pope of Peacefulness. I long ago tired of squinting through the mess he loved to create. My parish's former priest would often guffaw and say he liked to shake things up and make people uncomfortable. I thought then, and think now, "Life's hard enough already. Why do you like making it harder?" Some people make life easier for others. Some make it harder. You can judge which bucket Pope Francis sat in. [May Pope Francis Rest in Peace. And May Peace Return to Mother Church.Good Catholics were often confused during the Francis pontificate.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-Crisis-avatar2-270x270-1.jpg)Crisis MagazineCrisis Editor![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/shutterstock_2448521983.jpg)](https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/may-pope-francis-rest-in-peace-and-may-peace-return-to-mother-church?utm%5Fsource=Crisis+Magazine&utm%5Fcampaign=6e0d7b0e68-Crisis%5FDAILYRSS%5FEMAIL&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Fa5a13625fd-6e0d7b0e68-28418891&mc%5Fcid=6e0d7b0e68&mc%5Feid=0d1dd27b48) Fradd offers a more compassionate take: [Matt Fradd on SubstackOur response to the death of Pope Francis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-9.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack.com-2Fnote-2Fc-111000494-2Fpreview.jpeg%3Fsize%3Dsm)](https://substack.com/@mattfradd/note/c-111000494?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&utm%5Fsource=notes-share-action) --- ## Substack Monday My apologies for not posting this on Monday. Such are the delays caused by the joyous holiday. [Albert Jay Nock’s Metaphorical HemlockMany people criticize Albert Jay Nock for not being a man of action, but he couldn’t have been a man of action any more than Socrates could have declined to drink the hemlock![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-20.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe0780a70-e52d-470e-89c8-934ca344941d_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/albert-jay-nocks-metaphorical-hemlock) --- ## Holy Thursday "\[I\]n the agony of Gethsemane the ultimate consequences of our sin had their hour. . . . God permitted his Son to taste the human agony of rejection and plunge towards the abyss. . . Gethsemane was the hour in which Jesus' human heart and mind experienced the ultimate odium of the sin he was to bear as his own . . .". Romano Guardini, *The Lord*. --- ## Thursday Substack [Sixto Rodriguez: A Mini-BiographyAnd offering perhaps a different lens on Holy Thursday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-18.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe7d6a145-3fc6-4744-8216-fcf3d89670d5_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/sixto-rodriguez-a-mini-biography) --- [Heather King on Substack“Books are not to teach us how to live (that is the sad task of lesson-givers), but to make us want to live, to live differently: to find in ourselves the possibility of life, its principle.” --Frédéric Gros, “A Philosophy of Walking”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-8.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/a94ddd07-feac-4329-8dac-ab66aa188071_1280x1957.png)](https://substack.com/@heatherking1/note/c-108799564?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Substack Post The left hemisphere craves the predictable, the tidy, the known. It’s why we’ve paved over half the planet and turned our cities into sterile grids of glass and concrete. Unusualness—a stranger’s accent, a wild idea, or just some guy in a tattered coat muttering to himself—throws a wrench in the works. It’s uncertainty, and the left hemisphere hates uncertainty like a cat hates a bath. [Left Hemisphere: ScoundrelThe left hemisphere of your brain is a miserable little tyrant, a penny-ante dictator strutting around in the gray matter.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-25.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fdb42cd48-4bc8-47c5-b58f-1f6710dfae01_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/left-hemisphere-scoundrel?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Even Better Stuff at *The University Bookman!* [Outlining Sanity in the Garden, by Eric Scheske](https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/outlining-sanity-in-the-garden/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). --- ## Good Stuff Over at Substack Notes Well, that's one man's opinion, anyway. [https://outsidemodernlimits.com/notes](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/notes?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU Intuition precedes rationality and implicit knowledge precedes explicit (McGilchrist). Beauty leads to truth (Balthasar). Emotion drives moral reasoning (Haidt). Reason is the slave of the passions (Hume). A few stiff drinks after the work week stifles my rationality, lets me see truth, and makes my reason the happy slave of passion. I don't think that's what the Latinists mean by *in vino veritas*, but it's close enough for me: It's Friday. [Eric Scheske on SubstackIntuition precedes rationality and implicit knowledge precedes explicit (McGilchrist). Beauty leads to truth (Balthasar). Emotion drives moral reasoning (Haidt). Reason is the slave of the passions (Hume). A few stiff drinks after the work week stifles my rationality, lets me see truth, and makes my reason the happy slave of passion. I don’t think that’s what the Latinists mean by in vino veritas, but it’s close enough for me: It’s Friday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-7.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/399fe026-d556-41bf-9956-374a376114c4_1600x900.png)](https://substack.com/@ericscheske/note/c-107863078?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Monday Substack [Mencken: StudEvery so often, I plunge headlong into a Mencken spree, a vice I’ve nursed since the early 1990s when I first stumbled into Ann Arbor’s Dawn Treader Bookstore and smelled those old books (that odd but pleasing scent, I’m told, comes from vanilla releasing from the aging paper).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-16.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F91a1b9fb-fd97-45ea-8812-aba3101c29e4_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/mencken-stud) --- ## BYCU I heard a story about a drunk guy trying to ride a kangaroo home from the bar, but I couldn't find it, so I'm guessing it's an urban legend. While searching for that story, I came across this video. I didn't know kangaroos were dangerous to man or animal. I also know that guy who threw the punch isn't, either. He broke his wrist while throwing the punch and dropped his left. In a related story about a kangaroo killing a man, the *People* headline says no one Australia had died in 100 years until a pet kangaroo killed its owner. Pretty astounding. ### [Kangaroo Kills Man, Blocks Paramedics from Saving His Life in Australia's First Fatality in Nearly 100 Years](https://people.com/human-interest/kangaroo-kills-man-blocks-paramedics-from-saving-him/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/04/Kingsley-Amis-on-Sociability-of-Drinking.png) ## Thursday Substack [Win the Battle of the HemispheresSo, fear’s the new punk squatting in the pantheon of mortal sins.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-24.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ffce6f86f-1e5c-4781-ad79-86fea24d67e8_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/win-the-battle-of-the-hemispheres?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## [View Previous Scrolling Blog Entries](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### The Conservative Civil War is Disconcerting URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-conservative-civil-war-is-disconcerting/ Last updated: 2025-12-11T14:30:49.000Z Arguments among conservatives have been around longer than a pair of Ted Kaczynski underwear. As long as liberals are around, there'll be a group of conservatives to oppose them. Every group has its factions. Frick, there are factions in my local Kiwanis Club over whether our fair food both should serve the pork burger with jalapeno or without jalapeno (it's WITH jalapeno, you sons-of-bitches!). But as long as the group has a mission, it'll stick together. That's crucial. You can be an introvert overdosing on Valium: you still want to be with people. Maybe you don't want them in your grill for three hours straight, but you want some level of human interaction. Everyone is a social animal, except maybe the Japanese senzuri ("a thousand rubs"), those freaks of (un)nature who prefer masturbation to sex with women. That's why centralized government is so evil. It eliminates the people by helping the people. By handling everything, Washington rubs out the need for local effort, which rubs out social cohesion, which rubs out social interaction to the point that culture develops a preference for isolation, and we get a bunch of young men who prefer to rub one out instead of taking the social effort to bang a woman. And then, whammo! We need to import 60,000 Somalis and give them keys to the Brinks truck to get the 7.65% from their paycheck to prop up our defective Social Security system that takes care of our elderly so our local groups don't haffta. Liberals want everyone masturbating. Isolated, alone, not forming socially cohesive units. They don't think that's what their programs do, but the guy who drinks at the bar until closing every night and then comes home and uses the clothes hamper for a urinal doesn't think he's trying to kill his marriage, either. And as long as liberals exist, as long as they're trying to lock every person into his own wanking room, there will be conservatives who coalesce to resist. Conservatives want to kill whatever gosh-awful machine of destruction gave us COVID lockdowns, federally-mandated dicks in girls locker rooms, and a hologram for a president. They might not agree on much, but they agree that Satan sucks. That's enough. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Mal- Dis- Mis- I'll Take It All URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/mal-dis-mis-ill-take-it-all-2/ Last updated: 2025-12-11T01:21:07.000Z I'll play with the bots and kneel before my algolords. In the big picture, they provide the clearest picture. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### The Silicon Valley Overlords are Jumping the Rationalist Shark URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-silicon-valley-overlords-are-jumping-the-rationalist-shark/ Last updated: 2025-12-15T12:30:17.000Z Talismans slap. Gotta hangover that won't stop? Carve the image of Elvis in a yellow cape sitting in front of the sun. Is Peter Attia's advice for living to 100 too arduous? That's alright. Make an image of Saturn on sapphire: you'll reach 103, easily. No matter what the ailment, no matter what the goal, the talisman's gotcha covered better than that afghan your grandma crocheted for Christmas with off-hue red and green yarn that she got from the bargain bin. Even better, you can supercharge your talisman and use it for grand things. Wielding it like a sledgehammer against your enemies, for instance, then wiping it off and using it to make Sydney Sweeney your love toy for the night. You just gotta lace your talisman with a god. That's it. You can find the god-trapping instructions in the Arabic *Picatrix*, a twelfth-century grimoire that described talismanic methods in great detail. The text was sacred script among the Renaissance magicians like Pico Mirandola, who kept a copy in his personal library. Don't feel like downloading Duolingo and learning Arabic? That's alright. You can read the Latin translation. Still too rigorous? You can read free English translations online. But if you want to bypass effort altogether, maybe you can ask Grok or Claude to short-cut it for you. That's what today's hermeticists are doing. Rumors seeping out of Silicon Valley say it's become a coven of psychonauts using and invoking supra-rational intelligence to give them technological power. Specifically, they seek artificial intelligence laced with a god. It's called "artificial super intelligence" or a machine with "consciousness." I'm not sure they care what supra-rational intelligence they trap in their talisman. They're open to anything. They buy psychedelics by the blotter. If UFOs show up with a manual, they'll buy a copy. Some are channeling the Egyptian god Thoth. I think they're even open to [the supra-rational knowledge provided by mushrooms](https://scheske.substack.com/p/will-the-mushroom-save-us) and their fungal underground . . . at least I know they're open to psilocybin. These minions of our Silicon Valley overlords– and maybe the overlords themselves--are grabbing at deities like those clowns in the glass money booth with greenbacks flying around, trying to grab as many pieces as possible before the clock stops. But with a crucial difference: When that clown walks out of the booth with $247 and sweaty armpits, he drinks off his degradation at the bar. Those Silicon Valley wizards aren't drinking off shit. They're relishing it and doubling down as AI grows, "the Singularity" gets closer, and they feel themselves mere inches from shoving those talismans up everyone else's ass: conquering the world, defeating mortality, and bedding every Sydney Sweeney (not necessarily in that order). Albert Jay Nock didn't have much use for such things. The former Episcopalian priest never rejected Christianity but neither did he have much respect for its organized forms. He became one of the most enigmatic popular writers of the 1920s and 1930s. A man with a mysterious past and even more mysterious present, his entire existence was dedicated to one thing: being left the f' alone. Well, that, and developing the finest American prose style since Henry Adams and using that prose to thrust spears into every sacred cow of the inter-war period. If the definition of a "dick" is someone who makes fun of things others take seriously, Nock and his contemporary, H.L. Mencken, were the big ones of their day. As near as I can tell, Nock revered only one thing: Francis Rabelais, the 16th-century author of the satirical masterpiece, *Gargantua and Pantagruel*. Nock revered Rabelais because Rabelais revered nothing. Like Nock, he was a Christian (and former cleric) who didn't take his era's religious forms very seriously. Like Nock, Rabelais mocked every excess . . . every artifice or idea that took on sacred form . . . every form of hubris. *Gargantua and Pantagruel* was the *South Park* of the 16th century. He wrote his masterpiece during the bubbliest era of Renaissance magic, and he ridiculed the practices like he did every sacred cow back then. But he seemed to have a special scorn for the magical pursuits. Nestled in book three of *GP*, Rabelais referred to *"the Reverend Father in Devil Picatris, rector of the diabolical faculty."* The Devil Picatris? Diabolical? Was it just part of Rabelais' rhetorical excess of hilarity and not to be taken seriously? Or did he see--sense--that those magicians weren't just jacking around with empty superstition but really were invoking something sinister? It beats me, but we probably need to start dropping copies of *Gargantua and Pantagruel* into Silicon Valley like we dropped bundles of food into West Berlin during the 1948 airlift. If nothing else, Rabelais' slashing satire might give those minions at least a little reprieve from their hubris . . . and save us from whatever hell on earth they're unleashing. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Give Me Waymo or Give Me . . . URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/give-me-waymo-or-give-me/ Last updated: 2025-12-07T11:16:54.000Z On my 16th birthday, I got to the Secretary of State office at 7:59 AM, traded my learner's permit for a real driver's license, then inadvertently terrorized my small town for two years until I left for college. I wanted that driver's license like Harvey Weinstein wanted that starlet, and that starlet, and that starlet, and that starlet. Every teenage boy wanted that license (and that starlet). I was also anxious to start shaving. A friend commented on my face fuzz, so I went home and slathered. I had more cream on me than a Dairy Queen at the off-ramp of the Fat Farm exit, more cream than a homosexual's medicine cabinet, more cream than the Greatest of Eric Clapton collection . . . Let's just say, I used so much shaving cream, I'm surprised I didn't slice my nethers in the cloudy confusion. Shaving quickly became a hassle and now driving has become a chore. But my driving days are nearing their end. I recently surrendered my keys to the Human Waymo: Marie, my long-suffering wife. That was something that used to occur only with my fifth beer, then my third beer, and now? I toss her the keys for every out-of-town trip. She drives all the time to visit her family and to shop, often going out of town 7/24 (that's not numerical dyslexia . . . 24 times a week). She drives so much more than me, she's gotta be better at it, right? She's not Asian or retarded or stoned. It'd be abject sexism for me to keep the keys at this point, which is probably why I should, but why? I can sleep in the back seat, I can read, I can talk with a client on the phone, and if I'm in a foul mood, I can criticize the shit out of her driving. I wanna drive these days about as much as Mel Gibson wants to host Rosh Hashanah. If I gotta jew it, I'll jew it, but otherwise? I'll crawl in that back seat. Every American will come to the same conclusion soon. The drumbeat is growing louder: Waymos are safer than human drivers. [**They're involved in 91 percent fewer serious crashes**](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/opinion/self-driving-cars.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&ref=thedailyeudemon.com), according to a study of 100 million miles of Waymo data. Waymos aren't retarded, phone-addicted, stoned, or Asian (well, they probably are Asian, but not in a behind-the-wheel menacing way). They also don't take three seconds (read: "eternity") to go at a four-way stop when it's clearly their f'ing turn! With data like this, our time at the wheel is running out faster than me at that rural diner when I realized I didn't have my wallet. There'll be resistance, of course. Men want to drive, damn it! I get it. Well, I used to. Maybe it's just my testosterone running lower than a drag queen's, but if you wipe away that testosteronic fog, you'll see: We're all going to have chauffers. It's just yet another instance of the free market allowing the average guy to live like a rich guy. The average guy has more luxury than every rich guy in previous eras, lacking only the harem, which, until I have more than one penis, is nothing I even want. Of course, the technology will take something away from us. Initially, it's going to take away our ability to drive: use it or lose it (did I mention low testosterone?). As our driving skills get worse and the Waymos' get better, the data is going to get even more compelling. At some point, human drivers will be outlawed. Would I push back at that point? Probably. Heck, I'm still grousing about seat belt laws even though I'm more diligent than a fastidious sex worker about strapping one on every time. In principle, outlawing human drivers would be a horrible thing: just another instance of state over-reach. But personally? I'll be fine sitting in that back seat like a tycoon sniffing lines off a mirror. I don't use drugs, but it'll be nice to have the option of gripping a straw instead of a wheel. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### How to Drink Like an Occultist URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/how-to-drink-like-an-occultist/ Last updated: 2025-12-11T00:12:23.000Z [Audio Version. Tech Problems? Please be Patient](https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ogIY6SvAixkBM0VNOhmiK?si=lL7lph1VSvqDDDghrLWQxw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Friday night is when I throttle my left hemisphere. I unleash on it like a life-timer on a sadistic guard during a prison riot. The army often rolls in Saturday morning and throttles me back in return, occasionally with horrific results, but for a few glorious hours on Friday, I had that bastard in a headlock. It's probably the closest the right hemisphere comes to violence. Violence is the left hemisphere's MO, though it's a spectrum thing and some forms of the violence are so mild (e.g., rushing about like you have anything of jack-shit importance in your life), you don't even recognize it. But when it comes to drinking, the right hemisphere can rise up violently, at least in my (too frequent) experience. Drinking is, you see, the most right-hemispheric thing in the world. Overstated? Probably, but no matter: It's hard-core right hemispheric, if for no other reason that it's hard-core anti-left hemispheric, kinda like mindfulness meditation: I don't know WTF I'm doing in that lotus position, and I know I look stupid as hell, but at least I know I'm putting a boot on Old LH's neck (which, let's face it, might be the neurological name of Old Scratch himself). That's also drinking. I often end up looking stupid as hell and then my wife has to rush me out of the public eye, but even at my, ahem, haziest, I at least know my jackboot is coming down hard where it's supposed to. But alas, the left hemisphere can f' up anything. Just read Aleister Crowley's Wikipedia entry. The dude was super religious, in all the f'ed up ways. He put religion in the service of his left hemisphere. So did Anton LaVey. All occultists do. They take the most sublime thing that radiates truth to the right hemisphere, then defecate on it and feed it to their left hemisphere as a delicacy. The same thing has happened to the cocktail, that glorious American tradition concocted by Jeremiah "the Professor" Thomas, who took that newfangled thing--the little ice cube--and gave the world its finest invention since trousers. The ice cube let the Professor serve cold, crisp cocktails, not the warm and sugar-filled concoctions the world had been limited to. Thomas wrote down the magic in his book *How to Mix Drinks*, dividing drinks into four types: Toddies, Smashes, Sours, and Slings, each containing basic ingredients to cater to basic human moods. And voila, the world had another glorious bridge over the corpus callosum. > Life is like a cocktail: it's only worth a damn if strong, traditional, and a little bit rowdy. Once you let in the swells, once you add a spritz of lavender, the end is nigh. Leil Leibovitz But today's "mixologists" (bite me) are jumping that shark altogether and left-hemisphering the crap out of the cocktail. Today's $20 cocktails combine an engineer's love of precision with the self-importance of an Oscar Wilde dandy. I refuse to worship like an occultist and I sure as hell ain't drinkin' like one. I'm so riled up about it, I'm seriously considering going totally medieval (a/k/a "Old West") on the mixologists' asses and start ordering a shot and a beer when I walk into the bar. I don't particularly care for either when compared to red wine or the gin and tonic, but damn it, sometimes a guy's gotta set an example, and if that means kneeling on a bare floor during the Eucharistic prayers, I'll damn well grimace and do it. [Keep Your Lavender Out of My Liquor | Liel LeibovitzAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)County HighwayLiel Leibovitz![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/liel-cocktails-credit-leslie-jones-comma-boston-public-library-1200x.png)](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-3/keep-your-lavender-out-of-my-liquor-liel?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Why Aren't the Neocons Pitbulling Over Venezuela? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-arent-the-neocons-pitbulling-over-venezuela/ Last updated: 2025-12-04T13:55:29.000Z The perma-hawks have been kinda quiet on this one. Not all of 'em, but the chest-thumping Ares worshippers aren't drooling. I can't find a single neocon quote like this one. > Every ten years or so, the United States needs to pick up some small crappy little country and throw it against the wall, just to show the world we mean business. That's always-neo Jonah Goldberg, writing about the need to beat some ass in Iraq in 2002\. But on Venezuela? He's opposed. So are other neocons, or they're at least muted. I feel like Trump just put a line of cocaine in front of Hunter Biden and he passed. Come on, neocons! Venezuela is a bleeding young girl in front of a pitbull. You oughtta be having troubles buttoning your trousers these days! But no. Why? It could just be TDS: If Trump says "yes," they say "no," more Pavlovian than a drunk's drool when he hears the *tshhh* of a beer getting opened. [4D Chess: Trump Says Chugging Windex May Be Harmful, Causing Millions Of Democrats To Chug WindexWASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump warned the public against chugging Windex and other off-brand window cleaners on Friday, causing millions of Democrats to chug Windex.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/bee-apple-touch-icon-1.png)The Babylon Bee![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/68d6d303aab3568d6d303aab36.jpg)](https://babylonbee.com/news/4d-chess-trump-says-chugging-windex-may-be-harmful-causing-millions-of-democrats-to-chug-windex?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Or maybe the neocons don't want to see innocent civilians die or they oppose regime change or they don't want cheap oil. Ha, just joking. I move on. Here's my real speculation: Maybe CIA ops in Venezuela are going to be exposed, and if they're exposed, the disturbingly miasmic reach of the deep state's toxicity will be smelled by everyone. Did voter fraud occur in 2020, and was it routed through Venezuelan servers? I honestly thought that allegation had been as thoroughly debunked as the idea that Covid originated in a lab. Fox paid hundreds of millions to settle a lawsuit by Dominion; Smartmatic's two billion dollar defamation suit is still going. So what is pushing the neocons' mute button . . . or actually prompting them to oppose the war? I sit befuddled, adjusting my tin foil hat as I sit and think. --- ## Bonus: Goldberg on Nock Goldberg, btw, apparently doesn't like the term "neoconservative." He says it's become a vague slur. So has "groomer." Goldberg also once wrote a feature-length essay about why Albert Jay Nock sucks. The gist? Nock wasn't interventionist enough: he just wanted people to leave one another alone (which was also Dorothy Day's ultimate philosophy . . . and, in your humble scribe's opinion, one of the few reliable touchstones we must use as we make our way in this vale of tears). Not obtrude on others? For neocons like Goldberg, that'd be like failing to rescue a two-year-old who's drowning in a shallow pond. The thing that the Goldbergs don't realize is, they ought not have pushed the two-year-old in the pond in the first place, which is what the United States has been doing repeatedly over the past 100 years in its foreign policy. [Was Albert Jay Nock Like Socrates?Nock’s Memoirs is the figurative equivalent of Socrates drinking the hemlock. But both are suicides that were necessary in light of their worldview. Nock’s Memoirs is his way of getting involved: the only way he could get involved and live true to his principles.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-22.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Nock-1.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/was-albert-jay-nock-like-socrates/) ### The Somalis are Raping the Norwegians URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-somalis-are-raping-the-norwegians/ Last updated: 2025-12-03T18:05:27.000Z Somali nonprofits billed Medicaid for 90 million children's meals during the COVID era. Minnesota's total population is 5.7 million. Somalis are seven times more likely to have autism than the average Minnesotan. Coincidentally, St. Paul funnels cash to nonprofits that treat autism like Tony Montana funneled cocaine up his nose. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has won every state-wide election since 2006\. I'm not saying Minnesota is as blue as California, but frick, blue isn't as blue as California. There are only about 65,000 Somalis in Minnesota, which means they only account for about 200,000 votes in the average election, but their party of choice, the DFL, keeps rolling. Norwegians, to the best of my knowledge, aren't retarded, even if they sound like it when they talk. But they keep voting for the DFL, the party that holds the reins of power in a one-party state that's more corrupt than Tammany Hall on election day. Why? I can't speak for what put the DFL into perma-frost control starting way back in 2006, but at this point, it looks like there's a massive network of nonprofits (the federal NGO parallel) that receives massive amounts of money from the state government, which then sends massive amounts to the corporate media in ad revenue to promote DFL candidates. But what shit-for-brains Norwegian lets an ad campaign sway his vote to the DFL when it's obvious the DFL is destroying the state? That's what I don't understand. Well, actually, I think I do. Democracy is the political form of Protestantism. It's based on the notion that each individual knows jack-shit about anything. In reality, each individual doesn't even know his own heart, and his brain has more forms of cognitive bias than a Tijuana whorehouse has strains of gonorrhea. When the average person casts a vote, he implicitly asserts that he knows something. His knowledge is more flawed than Sybil's on PCP, but he doesn't know that. The mere fact that he's holding a ballot in his hand tells him just the opposite: "You know what you're doing! Be the f'ing man and vote DFL!" So the shit-for-brains Norwegian keeps voting to get raped by the Somalis because the DFL's mass marketing tells him the discomfort he's feeling is just his own case of hemorrhoids sprouting from his bigoted racism and xenophobia. No one wants to feel that way about himself, so he votes accordingly. Minnesota, of course, is just a laboratory experiment in democracy. I'm not saying we need to jettison democracy. I am saying we should trust it about as far as we can throw a reality TV fat guy. After all, we can't even trust ourselves. How are we to trust the system put in place by ourselves? We can't. Which is why there shouldn't be a system in the first place, or at least a really, really freakin' small one. [The Shame of Our Cities | Armin RosenAmerica’s Only Newspaper![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)County HighwayArmin Rosen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/armin-minn-credit-cartoon-stock-1200x.jpg)](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-3/the-shame-of-our-cities-rosen?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Prima Nocta Is Medieval Myth but Modern Overlords Aren't URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/prima-nocta-is-medieval-myth-but-modern-overlords-arent/ Last updated: 2025-12-02T17:48:50.000Z *Jus primae noctis* (the right of the first night): It's when a medieval overlord demanded the first night with a vassal's bride. It was a right exercised when the bride was super hot or the overlord could use the threat to extort money from his vassal. Few things make the smug college boy giggle like learning about *prima nocta*. Such customs let him look down on those stupid Middle Ages while at the same time getting an erection and resting smugly in his modern world. But when one of his modern overlords comes along and sticks a dick in his face, he doesn't even notice. Our Silicon Valley overlords stick it in our faces every day. Exhibit BSD: Microsoft. Microsoft attained overlord status by giving the public what it wanted. Those were halcyon days of the free market. But then it started trying to change what the people wanted. That was irritating but bearable. Now? Microsoft just jams whatever it wants down our throats. The people howl, they beg William Wallace to rescue them, and Microsoft laughs as he walks into the tent with your bride. I tried to order a non-Windows/non-Mac laptop from Amazon last summer. *They didn't have a single option*. Every laptop was either a Mac or came with Windows pre-installed. I bought one then paid my IT guy to nuke Windows so I could hire that Braveheart of the PC world: Linux. You ever try to save anything on your Windows desktop these days? MS tells you to log into your MS account first or it defaults you to the world's most oppressive force since *Oprah*: OneDrive. Every freakin' time: dick in the face. People scream "Get it out of my face!" Microsoft giggles and wiggles his hips. All the Valley overlords do the same—required app updates, forced software updates, purposefully obsoleted hardware, password changes. We swat and swat and swat . . . we hate them. They don't care. Now fly back over the country to the Beltway, where another set of overlords sits. If Microsoft is Exhibit BSD of Silicon Valley's overlord status, the Epstein files are Exhibit PED of the Beltway's overlord status. Every person with a few strands of mitochondria knows with reasonable moral certainty that Epstein was a CIA asset, he didn't kill himself, and a lot of powerful men were banging teenage girls. But those Nabokovian files aren't coming out until they've been redacted like Stalin's photographs and ravished like a medieval Sydney Sweeney on her wedding night. And the thing is, the Beltway overlords know you know. But they don't care. Whatcha gonna do? Call Ghostbusters? It's pretty much the only option ya got. We thought Trump would be our William Wallace, but even he can't overcome the overlords. He doesn't want to end up getting disemboweled on that table like Wallace at the end of *Braveheart* and yelling "Grab 'em by the pussy!" *Prima nocta*, by the way, is a myth. If it did exist, it was rarer than a Christian in Redmond, Washington today. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### The Little Arts are Where It's At: Five Ways to be a Good Host URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-little-arts-are-where-its-at-five-ways-to-be-a-good-host/ Last updated: 2025-12-01T12:35:14.000Z I’m an introvert, not a prick (probably). Incessant small talk drains me like a deposed Nigerian prince drains your checking account after you click that link to help him in exchange for $500,000 that will be delivered to you five days after he lands in NYC. After my last dollar of energy is gone, I ghost, later texting my host an apology, saying I had to leave suddenly because my mom died again. The righteous host tries to get in front of all that. Righteous hosting is a small art: something worth doing for its own sake that requires the practitioner to shift focus from herself to the canvas in front of her: to the room, to her guests. If you want to be a good host, [**here are tips**](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/5-tips-for-being-a-good-host-the-art-and-science-of-making-people-feel-at-home-5947588?utm%5Fsource=telegram&utm%5Fmedium=Social&utm%5Fcampaign=ettelegram): 1. **Plan Ahead–But Stay Flexible** Three facts: (1) the left hemisphere plans, (2) things never go according to plan, (3) the left hemisphere then gets really irritated. Keep the left hemisphere on a short leash: enough to do its job but not enough to strangle your soul. This isn’t just a hosting tip, it’s a life lesson. 1. **Signal Small Ways to Tell the Guests They’re Welcomed** People are tactile. No one feels comfortable in a white box. Add decorations that fit the occasion, play appropriate background music (keep Frank Zappa in the cassette tape case). Even if you can’t understand how tactile additions enhance, they do. 1. **Welcome Each Person** Your “guests” are an abstraction. Each person is a reality. Focus on the reality. And if she’s super hot, don’t leer. 1. **Anticipate Needs Before They’re Voiced** Somewhere between the big box worker who assiduously avoids eye contact for fear you’ll ask where you can find the Cheerios and the neurotic host who pounces with an offer of assistance every time you adjust yourself, there’s Aristotle’s golden mean of helpfulness. Find it. 1. **Invite Guests to Join In** I’m including this tip because the linked article does, but I don’t get it. It suggests that the host give guests jobs to do, like “taste the sauce” (a request, to my sensory proclivities, that’s barely better than the pig frat boy sticking his hand in my face and saying, “Smell my fingers”). I don’t think it should be incumbent on the host to find work for you. As a decent guest, notice small things that need to be done and do them. I move on. 1. **Guide the Flow–And Stay Present** The unhelpfulness of this tip ranks right up there with a coach’s advice to “go out there and win the game,” but it is a decent reminder: everything, including a simple party, is flow, and flow can only be appreciated in the present. A good host works the room like a coach makes big and small adjustments every minute of the game. #### It’s All about Proper-Functioning Hemispheres The first tip isn’t the only one that requires proper interaction between your brain’s hemispheres. All of them do. The left hemisphere channeling Martha; the right hemisphere, Mary. We can snicker at dogged Martha doing all the work, but without her, the guests walk into a lousy party. And if Martha runs amok, the guests walk out of a lousy party. ### Prague Diocese Teams Up with Kraft Foods URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/prague-diocese-teams-up-with-kraft-foods/ Last updated: 2025-11-30T11:25:27.000Z St. James the Greater Basilica is getting an unexpected boost from Kraft Foods. “We are proud to announce,” read a recent press release from the Diocese of Prague, “our new partnership with Kraft Foods. As part of our new cooperative arrangement, St. James the Greater Basilica will now be known as ‘The Ore Ida Potato Classic Basilica.’” The Czech Republic, still suffering from a 600-year hangover of the proto-Protestant Hussite revolution, has seen Church attendance fall to all-time lows and its beautiful churches become increasingly empty. “This is a way” said the Diocese spokesperson, “to modernize the Church and bring it to where the people are. Our people love potatoes.” Anonymous sources within the Diocese say Kraft paid over $10,000,000 for the naming rights. ### Silicon Valley and the Nazi URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/silicon-valley-and-the-nazi/ Last updated: 2025-12-04T19:53:27.000Z The occult and UFOs: the religions of our overlords, slathered on with a thick slab of AI and spiced with psylocibin. Seeking solutions, seeking money, maybe even seeking immortality. It's Thomas Sowell's unconstrained vision on psychedelics. Grasping for certainty like a Nag Hammadi gnostic, scribbling out one of his maps of the universe, complete with layers, archons, the demiurge, and other reference points that give him a firm structure from which to master reality. The only problem is: the map is bullshit. It's worse than bullshit. At least people know bullshit is worthless. The gnostic thinks his maps are gold. It's more important to the left-hemispheric gnostic to have certainty than truth. Certainty is crisp; truth is messy. To the gnostic, truth is bullshit: worthless. But give the gnostic insight? Tools? A competitive advantage? Those are something else entirely. But are they *true*? Who gives a rat's ass? They give success, solutions, and sex. "The nerds can sit around and jack off about truth," says our gnostic overlords, "We're providing answers and snorting cocaine off a hot girl's ass. On top of that, I'm running rings around you with AI and, using your AI queries, I'll eventually tighten those rings until my ass is suffocating you." The occult gives answers. We're hearing more and more that Silicon Valley is deeper into the occult than a Trappist is into silence. UFOs seem to be delivering a new consciousness or inter-dimensional answers. Silicon Valley is putting on rabbit ear antennae. Psychedelics provide a glimpse at the other side of that door? Silicon Valley gets out the blotter paper and prepares to jot notes on a ledger. The Nazis were into the occult and psychedelics. They were also masters of gaining the competitive advantage and coming up with solutions, including one big Final Solution. After the smoke and dust of WWII and the Holocaust cleared away, philosophers asked how an entire nation could buy into evil like the Germans did. The best answer came from [Hannah Arendt](https://philosophynow.org/issues/158/Hannah%5FArendt%5Fand%5Fthe%5FBanality%5Fof%5FEvil?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), who reported on Adolf Eichmann's trail after Mossad ripped him off a Buenos Aires street corner in 1960 and shipped him back to Israel for a reckoning. Arendt was struck by the mediocrity of it all. In Eichmann, she didn't see evil incarnate. She saw a bland, mundane, unimaginative human being who, in her words, was “neither perverted nor sadistic… but terribly and terrifyingly normal” Eichmann defended himself by saying he was just a loyal official, serving a machine that had been lawfully established. Arendt portrayed Eichmann as a mere ‘joiner’ – a shallow and clueless bureaucrat who had drifted into the Nazi Party “as a leaf in the whirlwind of time.” Evil, in Arendt's formulation, was merely banal: the everyday in a culture that had become toxic. The tribunal hearing Eichmann's trial didn't care, rightly concluding that corroboration with evil is guilt. They hung him. So now here we sit, similar left-hemispheric tentacles coming across the land, creating a toxic culture that we whiff every day, wafting over the land from both sides, Silicon Valley and the Beltway. Will we be complicit, banally going along, enjoying AI and otherwise letting ourselves breathe in the foul air? If so, we're complicit. We might feel like we're doing nothing wrong, but neither did Eichmann. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Black Wednesday Arrives URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/black-wednesday-arrives-2/ Last updated: 2025-11-26T12:19:21.000Z That local bar later shut down, in 2021\. It hurt, to be honest. It didn't pit-bull-latched-onto-my-crotch hurt, but it hurt. Back in the 1990s, it was hopping and packed on Black Wednesday. My dad and I would get there at 2:30 so we could save a large table for family and friends. Great conversation with my dad, much of it just listening to songs from the jukebox, then evading questions from later arrivals about how much we had already drank. Fond memories, shuttered. But marijuana has ridden in and saved the day. Local pot entrepreneuers needed to put their revenue some place (banks can't let them deposit it), so they bought that local bar and renovated it. It re-opened last Friday. The community is buzzing. They expect a vigorous young crowd at that old renovated honky tonk tonight. Me? I ain't so vigorous anymore and I ain't young, but I am the same age as my dad when we started getting there at 2:30 to save a table, so that's what my sons and I are doing at 4:00 (the owner doesn't think they'll get busy until well after 5:00). All four are ready, willing, and able to man the tables with me. My liver quaketh. Have a great holiday weekend, everyone, and I hope you're enjoying the revitalized TDE. ### A Shout-Out to the Public Libraries URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-shout-out-to-the-public-libraries/ Last updated: 2025-11-25T13:59:28.000Z The people in my group brought up the unattractive co-ed's bisexuality. I tried to show compassion: "That poor thing needs as many lines in the water as possible." That's kinda how I feel about reading these days. Our minds are uglier than that co-ed's unshaven legs. We need lots of lines in the mental waters. Decades ago, I listened to a lecture about reading. The speaker said reading is the hardest thing we can do, then started suggesting ways to do it well: "First, fix your environment." I stopped listening. First, reading isn't the hardest thing to do, just ask that co-ed who no doubt found getting laid a lot harder. Second, I didn't need to fix my environment to read any more than a middle school boy needs to fix his environment to get an erection. I was the Sam-I-Am of reading. I read in a box, with a fox, in a house, and with a mouse. That all changed. Maybe it was my wicked bout with COVID that put my brain in a fog thicker than Jack the Ripper's East London. Maybe I'm just getting older. Or maybe it's the way modern life has handcuffed me to screens. I'm pretty sure it's the latter. Everyone appears to be having the same problem. So now I might agree with that teacher. Maybe reading is the hardest thing we can do, and when setting out to do it, we need to "fix" our environment and be "intentional" about it: telephone tossed into the toilet, quiet room, maybe even binaural reading beats. I gave up on public libraries a long time ago when they became hubs for the homeless who wanted free Internet access and a place to urinate next to the toilet, but I had to go to my local library a few years ago to track down a grocery cart. I walked in and marveled: It was a palace for reading. Sound-proof booths, sound-resistant cubicles, an entire room dedicated to reading physical books: "No electronic devices allowed" stamped at the entrance. I've since started visiting public libraries on my travels. I'm seeing this development repeatedly. So there's hope. At least one set of small institutions has shown up like that St. Bernard with a shot of whiskey tied around his neck to dig out snow-buried travelers. Our brains are buried in digital. Take a shot of whiskey at your public library. It'll clear your head. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Hey, Z: Stick that Life-Work Balance Up Your Down-Under URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hey-z-stick-that-life-work-balance-up-your-down-under/ Last updated: 2025-11-24T18:35:41.000Z I wasn’t thrilled about our town’s Mexican invasion back in the 1990s. I wanted my town to become a mini-Tijuana about as much as I wanted to become a prison wife. But it didn’t take me long to realize my co-religionists from across the border could drink me under the table, pray me under the table, and work me under the table. Especially work. Damn, can they work. Whenever the grim labor reaper shows up at their door, they spit in his eye and grab a shovel. It reminded me of my immigrant grandpa who worked 70 hours a week during World War II as a tool and die maker, then set up his own shop in his garage so he could work during his free time. My dad said he never saw his father so happy. If you’d asked my grandpa about his life-work balance, he probably would’ve replied that, at 90 hours a week, he had perfected it. But I can guarantee you he never thought about life-work balance. [Today, young workers obsess about it. They refuse to be bothered after 5:00, pickleball practice takes priority over their boss, they think elaborate vacations are crucial to avoid burnout.](https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/layoffs-arent-shaking-gen-zs-commitment-to-work-life-balance-e24949a1?mod=e2fb&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) “Burnout” to my grandpa was what happened when you fell asleep during a break with a lit cigarette in your hand, and worrying about work burnout would’ve been like worrying about getting laid too much. You know who else didn’t worry too much about his life-work balance during WWII? Number 119,104\. A/k/a Victor Frankl, working on Nazi railroads during the day and practicing his pickleball at Auschwitz during the evening. Yet from the smoke and the gas of that man-made hell Frankl found meaning. He developed an entire theory of psychology from the experience: logotherapy. In my grandpa’s micro-hell that he didn’t even recognize as hell, he found a shit-ton of money and bought a family vacation cottage on Lake Huron that my grandkids enjoy 80 years later. I’m not saying you should work 90 hours a week, and I’m not waiting for [Rod Dreher ](https://roddreher.substack.com/)to write *The Auchschwitz Option*. I am saying you need to *defocus* (Frankl’s word), like my grandpa as he yanked another chunk of metal onto his worktable and the survivors at Auschwitz did after being reduced to their naked existence (another Franklism). Defocus from what? From the vicious circle jerk formations and feedback mechanisms that make us neurotic, said Frankl. Instead of preserving our pleasures and freaking out whenever something might tread on them, we should just focus on something (defocus from ourselves), thereby breaking up the “self-centredness of the neurotic” (Frankl). For Frankl, the focus must be on meaning. For my grandpa, it was on surviving and thriving in America when he still could’ve been trapped in the Soviet Union (and probably living in the Gulag, which is where Stalin sent most of my grandpa’s relatives who didn’t flee the Germanic Volga region). When a major flood hit Topeka, Kansas in 1951, the authorities got men from the local asylum, some of whom had been hospitalized for over 20 years, to haul sandbags. Their supervising psychologist was “astonished” to see them “not only loading and placing sandbags with the rest of us, but effectively supervising us in the loading and placement of the bags.” This continued for several days. When the emergency was over, the patients passed back into their deteriorated state of mind. Meaning, work, focus. They have one thing in common: they swirl outside our f-ed up little heads. I’ve been watching those Mexicans in my town for 25 years now. You know where those Mexicans find meaning? In their families. Mexicans don’t just out-work, -play, and -pray gringos. They also out-family them. When they’re not working and praying, they’re drinking . . . with their families, with their kids running around. And when they’re doing none of those things, they’re out-hanging us with their families, sometimes contentedly lounging for hours in one another’s company. Family: It’s where tradition tells us we should find meaning. But in a modern landscape that is set up to tear apart the family, more and more people don’t have a family to occupy their focus. So they worry about their pickleball game. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Shocker, Shocker: Foreigners Steal from the United States URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/s/ Last updated: 2025-11-22T16:35:05.000Z You'd expect more from a governor who put tampon dispensers in men's rooms. But no: [corruption has ran rampant in Tim Walz's Minnesota, especially among their immigrant Somali community](https://www.city-journal.org/article/minnesota-welfare-fraud-somalia-al-shabaab?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). where money stolen from public coffers is sent to that place the Somalis love: home. Stupid Somalis. How can they love their home more than the home of George Floyd Square and the Say Their Names Memorial Garden? Here's the brutal truth: no immigrant wants to be here. He's only here because it's better than being "there." That's the thing about immigration that makes it both sad and scary. Those poor slobs didn't want to uproot and come here, but things suck so bad back home, they felt like they had to. And whenever they can, they'll send money to make things better for their loved ones at home. It's natural. It's also, in their eyes, justice. Most non-Americans think you're rich because you took the wealth from them. They have no moral qualms about stealing it back. And they're not wrong. For starters, ya got the whole world reserve currency racket: we create dollars and export them to the world in exchange for real stuff, like commodities. We get valuable resources in exchange for something we create by clicking a keyboard. This doesn't really bother me. In a world economy, someone's money's gotta be the common currency. It's not much different than the rest of the world speaking English. It's helpful to have a currency and language that everyone has in common, and Latin and the denarius ain't comin' back. Someone's gotta have the Big Swinging Dick. It might as well be the dollar. Now, I wish we didn't abuse the shit out of the arrangement by printing trillions for COVID freebies, 2009 Wall Street bailouts, and graft for all those governmental NGOs. I also think it's outrageous that, whenever a nation starts making noise about trying to make its money the reserve currency, the U.S. flexes hard. When the BRICS signaled they were developing their own currency to offer the world an alternative cock, Trump growled and made it clear: "No dicks for BRICS." We are, and will remain, the BSD because everyone loves it when we bash it against the side of their head. I move on. The second way we steal from other countries is, well, we steal from them. We use "soft" force to persuade countries to give us their shit at blowout prices. Foreign aid that leaders can siphon off is our favorite form of soft force. Propaganda is probably a close second. And if soft force doesn't work, we whack that BSD against the side of their heads: "regime change." St. Michael Benz has painstakingly tried to explain how soft force is necessary to sustain the American standard of living. By getting resources cheap, we get more of them. So instead of working 50 hours at the office to get that Skydio drone with God Mode, you just have to work 40 hours. If we didn't use soft force in the Congo to lock in low cobalt prices (Benz's favorite example), the batteries for that Skydio would force you to stay at the office until 5:30 sometimes. So yeah, those Somalis stole from America and sent the money back to Somalia. I fault the Somalians for the theft but I don't fault their motivation or their logic. Their hearts and heads are in the right place. It's only their bodies that are in the wrong place. ## Sign up for The Daily Eudemon Eric Scheske Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### All Alcohol is Bad for You, Until It's Not URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/all-alcohol-is-bad-for-you-until-its-not/ Last updated: 2025-11-21T14:43:30.000Z Dr. Lefty Hemifear has weighed the evidence and reached a conclusion: All alcohol is bad for you. The glass of red wine after dinner? Shill conclusions from Madison Avenue. A few belts of whiskey to unwind after a long work week? Redneck heroin. It's all science, so it's all fact. Until it's not. You know who'd really benefit from demonizing alcohol? The pharmaceutical companies. Satan. The Satans are already attacking alcohol. The GLP-1 drugs are killing people's impulsive behaviors, including the need to have a few whacks of the good stuff before the in-laws arrive. How many more drugs could the Satans develop and sell if they made everyone afraid of tradition's favorite way of making this vale of tears a little less sad! So I'm guessing the studies will continue to roll out. It started about ten years ago, it seems, when I heard that more than seven drinks per week is bad for you. Then that number came down to four per week. Then two. Now zero: more than zero drinks per week, and you're heading for Zombie Land without a double-pump shotgun. That's been Dr. Andrew Huberman's progression. He ain't no Establishment hack. He gives it straighter than Viagra after a large can of Red Bull. But Dr. Lefty Hemifear? He gives it even straighter. Too straight. So straight, it's crooked. He dials in the science more and more, taking one little line of fact and blockchaining it to another little line of fact, breaking the little lines down more and more, then he wraps them around and connects the ends to come up with something resembling a circle. But it ain't a circle. It's a shit-ton of tiny lines pasted together and wrapped around to look like a circle from a distance, but when you look close, you see it's all f'ed-up. That's because Dr. Left Hemifear can't draw a circle any more than a virgin can do high-grade work in a whorehouse. But damn, he wants to square that circle. He loves squares like squares love sobriety. Squares are easy, squares are efficient. But they're not circles. Individual facts are square. Full reality is circular. Everything is ultimately arc and curve. That's why the science will one day vindicate alcohol, at least in moderate amounts, which is what tradition has always celebrated. Right now, Dr. Lefty Hemifear is breaking down the facts into smaller and smaller units, trying to put together the full circle that he's already concocted in his mind: all alcohol is bad. He won't succeed. At some point, reality will catch up. It generally happens about 20 years after the science delivers one of its f'ed-up circles for mass consumption. That's when the next generation of scientists looks at the long-term effects of applying the f'ed-up circle to our lives, discovers that people who continued moderate consumption are actually healthier than those who went full-on Baptist, and starts writing papers that explain why the circle is f'ed up. That's when the previous generation of scientists excoriates them and tries, with the help of the Satan endowment money, to deny them tenure. It's all coming. Don't fall for Dr. Lefty Hemifear's straight-line conclusions. Get ahead of the curve with a drink after work tonight. ### Mark Epstein, Diehard Democrat, Says the Administration is Scrubbing the Files to Protect Republicans URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/mark-epstein-diehard-democrat-says-the-administration-is-scrubbing-the-files-to-protect-republicans/ Last updated: 2025-11-20T22:36:55.000Z > What exactly happened at the safe house remains shrouded in darkness to this day: All recordings and photographs made in the observation room were destroyed in 1973, when Richard Helms, Allen Dulles’s successor as head of the CIA, ordered the destruction of the MK-Ultra files. > Nevertheless, 16,000 pages survived the records massacre, having been filed incorrectly and thus overlooked. Via the Freedom of Information Act they found their way to the author John Marks, who studied them for his authoritative work *The Search for the "Manchurian Candidate."* Norman Ohler, *Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age* ### The Children are Getting Bold and Snickering at Their Parents URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-children-are-getting-bold-and-snickering-at-their-parents/ Last updated: 2025-11-20T22:41:15.000Z The Establishment has become like parents who don't know their children are snickering behind their backs. I realize this a few times every week. When talking with someone with unknown views on a subject, I take a position that, from the Establishment perspective presented by the MSM, would be like squatting down and defecating in front of him, and his response is, "Nice. I like it." Heck, he often joins and squats next to me. Sure, I live in a bubble. My everyday acquaintances, my workplace. We all live in a bubble, constrained by space and time (for those Heideggerians among us) or, for the Wendell Berries: location. We think we get fresh air into our bubble by tapping into the Internet. I suppose some Jews thought water was going to come out of those shower heads. But I'll take my anecdotal bubble evidence over contrary evidence offered by the mainstream media, where we only find Mark Twain's three lies: lies, damned lies, and the false narrative fed to us by our overlords in Silicon Valley and the Algorithm. If I live to be 300 years old, I'll never forget the Establishment told me guys with penises are chicks. Speaking of those Jews, my grandpa--a German immigrant--was convinced the Holocaust didn't happen. His people wouldn't do such a thing, he told my dad ("Germans like Jews; they're good with money"). It was just all Establishment propaganda. I'm proud of my grandpa. His intuition was spot-on, and when his cousin came back after liberating a concentration camp and described the horrors, my grandpa admitted he had been wrong. I'm not sure what my cousin could tell me about chicks with dicks that would make me change my mind, but I'm willing to listen as long as he doesn't show any pictures. Back to those snickering children. The parents know we're snickering and they're fuming. Brexit and Trump 2016 made it pretty obvious. They disciplined us with "Joe Biden" and censorship, while their siblings in Britain jailed their children for snickering. It didn't work here. It came damn close, though. The first four years of the 2020s were a Philip K. Dick novel. But now, you can snicker in the open. NFL players can snicker in the end zone after they score a touchdown. You know where I find the greatest amount of snickering? When I endorse the Medicine 2.0 movement that fuels the MAHA movement. Every person who has tried to eliminate toxins from their diet knows that everything RFK says about our food supply is true. Something is terribly, terribly wrong with it. And it's not just poor people using food stamps to buy Doritos (an abomination and assault on our poor . . . never tell me politicians give a shit about the poor beyond how far they can throw them for votes). It's in the soil. Hell, for all I know, it's even in the air, the glyphosate oozing out of the ground and floating up into our nostrils where it ravages our insides like Hollywood producers on a starlet. I ate like a pig and drank like a Charles Bukowski on my trip to central Europe earlier this month. I lost weight on the trip. I told a retired married couple client about it. They used to be conventional farmers: tractors crushing the earth, chemicals, all the things that tormented Catherine Doherty. I then cautiously said I think it's because there's something wrong with our food. They nodded and snickered with me. [He Defeated the Meat Inspectors. Now This Lawyer-Turned-Farmer Is Taking On Chemicals in Food.An attorney who had never baled hay or raised animals before leaving his law practice is now a regenerative farming advocate.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesJeff Louderback![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/id5946022-EpochImages-5634631733-xl-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/he-defeated-the-meat-inspectors-now-this-lawyer-turned-farmer-is-taking-on-chemicals-in-food-5941949?loginSuccess=1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### QAnon Got a Lot Right URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/qanon-got-a-lot-right/ Last updated: 2025-11-22T10:39:35.000Z > I believe it all now. Michelle Obama has a dick! All of it. > Joe Rogan This post is courtesy of *The Spectator*, not exactly a rogue publication of irresponsible journalism: > The list of Q’s predictions goes on. That lockdown was probably folly. That Joe Biden was senile and a fig leaf for others. That vaccine mandates were unjust. That underhanded and heavy-handed methods were used to sink Trump. That Covid-19 almost certainly gestated in a Chinese laboratory. That there were unsavory things on Hunter Biden’s laptop. And if nothing else, Q was far (far) more accurate than the MSM over the time period, but a person can still watch MSNBC without being maligned as a moron like QAnon followers were: > Throughout the past ten years Q has, in a quite objective sense, been good at predicting the course of events. It was certainly more accurate than, say, the idea that suburban GOP women would defect to the Harris-Walz ticket en masse. Or that an endorsement from Taylor Swift would end the presidential race. Almost everything that has happened since 2020 has served to vindicate the enchanted and conspiratorial worldview. All sorts of strange events were taking place; lurid and bizarre things were coming to light for reasons no one could guess. Well, almost no one. [Has QAnon been vindicated?Throughout the past ten years “Q” has, in a quite objective sense, been good at predicting the course of events.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400-8.jpg)The Spectator WorldTravis Aaroe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/QAnonCover_SE-ls.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/has-qanon-been-vindicated/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Slaying Goliath with Another Goliath URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/slaying-goliath-with-another-goliath/ Last updated: 2025-11-18T14:35:08.000Z ["Breaking Bureaucracy" from Cato's Free Society magazine](https://www.cato.org/free-society/fall-2025/breaking-bureaucracy-artificial-intelligence?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Artificial Intelligence Doesn’t Have a Right HemisphereLanguage is the prime material of logical constructions. Owen Barfield, Poetic Diction (1928) Large language models are trained on human data from the Internet. Lex Fridman, #370, Edward Frenkel (37:30) “AI Might Eliminate Us, but It Can’t Replace Us.” Anonymous![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-19.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1539606328118-80c679838702)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/language-and-ai/) --- The *Loper Bright* decision should help as well. [Loper Bright: Relentless War Against the Left HemisphereChevron is Dead: Audio0:00/429.2702041×💡Chevron deferred to rules and experts, two things cherished by the left hemisphere. The death of Chevron is a victory for the right hemisphere. Chevron is dead. Thank goodness. It might have been the biggest Supreme Court victory for the right hemisphere ever.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-18.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1621884342675-20e50d83c75a)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/right-hemisphere-victory-at-supreme-court/) ### Finally, a Rat Goes Down in This Epstein Saga URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/finally-a-rat-goes-down-in-this-epstein-saga/ Last updated: 2025-11-18T18:49:03.000Z Hope persists: The Epstein files will become public now! We're like the abused child who brightens when his sober dad apologizes and says he'll stop beating him. But then the dad gets drunk again and gets out the belt buckle. I'm pretty confident that's what will happen here and it's awful. Let's face it: People like us didn't vote for Trump because we like him. We voted for him because he's such an iconoclastic prick, we thought he'd stick the Swamp up the Establishment's ass and watch it dart about frantically like a freshly decapitated chicken. But no. The Epstein files weren't released, and without those, everything else is just a farce. The Epstein files are the *sine qua non* of anti-Establishment *bona fides*. No files, no legitimacy, just another Establishment hack. Although I rejoice at [Larry Summers going down](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cddr199d3z0o?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), that's nothing. He's a former official, a former Harvard President, a former everything. I honestly didn't even know he was in the public eye anymore. What comes next as the files get released? We know Epstein was an intelligence asset. We may not have precise facts but no other explanation of the phenom that was "Jeffrey Epstein," from his rise to his "suicide," makes sense. He was an intelligence asset or he didn't exist (which is probably what we'll be told in a few years). Now, is it Mossad? CIA? I have no idea. But I do know that, if Epstein was an intelligence asset, the likelihood of those Epstein files getting released in full is about as likely as [Britain allowing free speech](https://modernity.news/2025/11/17/britains-speech-gulag-exposed-10000-arrested-last-year-for-social-media-posts/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Intelligence agencies need to be exorcised. Only then can the West start to function properly. ## Related True? [Was Covid Always a CIA Plot? ⋆ Brownstone InstituteBaric must testify under oath about gain-of-function research, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and the cover-up that began in 2020.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-brownstone-institute-ico-270x270-1.png)Brownstone InstituteBrownstone Institute![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Shutterstock_2074436143.jpg)](https://brownstone.org/articles/was-covid-always-a-cia-plot/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The mere fact that it could be true should be enough to disband this LSD-pushing, Mafia-tied, file-destroying, torture machine that conducted "Operation Midnight Climax" on unsuspecting johns in San Francisco in pursuit of their mind-control games. I mean, it was fun when the CIA did such things to foreigners but . . . ### Emil Lunden: Blasphemer to Believer URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/emil-lunden-blasphemer-to-believer/ Last updated: 2025-11-17T13:41:06.000Z Before he knew it, he was sleeping on a concrete floor and praying. He was received into the Catholic Church around 2014\. Then other black metal performers followed suit: "Roman Catholic black metal" was born, a subgenre he describes not as satanic rebellion but as a Romantic yearning for a pre-industrial era of mystery, drama, and raw emotion. [Satanic verses: the origins of Roman Catholic black metalIn his youth in the early 2000s, Emil Lundin became obsessed with the idea of recording the world’s ‘most evil album’. The lanky, long-haired Swede formed a black metal band and set to work. He faced an immediate obstacle. In making history’s most nefarious musical creation, he could hardly use Swedish, with its sing-song tones.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-1.png)The SpectatorLuke Coppen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Luke-Coppen-Getty-85239182.png)](https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/satanic-verses-the-origins-of-roman-catholic-black-metal/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Ultimate Guide to Ancient Greek Philosophy URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-ancient-greek-philosophy/ Last updated: 2025-11-15T11:05:53.000Z Grok tells me that Philosophy *Now* is "the world's most widely-read philosophy magazine." It's published out of London and supposedly available in bookstores throughout the English-speaking world. It also occasionally publishes "Ultimate Guides." Grok: > Philosophy *Now*'s Ultimate Guides are a series of themed bookazines published by Philosophy Now, the world's most widely-read philosophy magazine (established in 1991). Each guide is a curated anthology of the best articles from the magazine's archives, organized around a central philosophical topic. They aim to provide accessible, engaging introductions to key ideas, thinkers, and debates, making complex concepts readable for both beginners and enthusiasts. The series features high-quality writing from philosophers, academics, and contributors, often with illustrations and a magazine-style layout. There are currently seven volumes in the series, released periodically since 2017. They just released [*The Ultimate Guide to Ancient Greek Philosophy*](https://philosophynow.org/shop?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#bookazine%5F7). You can find my essay about the Age of Too Much Information, Ataraxia (the existential suspense of judgement), and the pagan saint of dealing with information overload on page 109. ### Brews You Can Use: 11/14/2025 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/brews-you-can-use-11-14-2025/ Last updated: 2025-11-22T10:31:26.000Z I also managed to smuggle a few bottles into the States without using my rectum (particularly advantageous since I had a 9.5 hour flight home). I also sampled a dry red (the name escapes me) that was excellent as well. *Quick reference: Georgia sits on the east coast of the Black Sea, adjacent to Turkey. Its history is much like the Slavic peoples, who have struggled mightily over the past 1,000 years to carve out an identity despite the encroachments (often "ravages") of the Germans, the Russians, and the Ottomans. The Georgians have tried to preserve their national identity against the Mongols and the Russians. The Mongols were finally expelled by the Russians in 1829, at which time Georgia passed under the Russian yoke (first the Tsars, then in 1921 to the Soviets when the Red Army marched in), until it threw it off in 1991\. Source: The Oxford Dictionary of World History.* *The country is heavily Christian . . . Georgian orthodox.* [*Like, over 80%*](https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/religious-beliefs-in-georgia.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)*. It was converted by St. Nina, "the equal of the Apostles," in the 300s and was part of the Antioch Patriarch until it gained internal autonomy in the 700s then complete autocephaly around 1053\. Source: Kallistos (Timothy) Ware, The Orthodox Church.* ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/11/image.png) > Wine is a huge part of the domestic economy of Georgia, where > by ‘domestic’ I mean pertaining to the domus, the house. While there are > many small-production wineries in Georgia, most people at home drink the > wine they have made themselves. Generally, they follow something like the > method uncovered by those archaeologists from 10,000 years ago. > The fermenting grape juice is sealed in beeswax-lined, amphora-like clay > vessels called kvevris (well, that is the name of one common sort of pot), > which are buried in the ground for at least six months. The red is served at > ‘ground temperature’, which is just how claret ought to be served. The result > is wine that, to apalette brought up in France, Italy, California and Australia, > is full of unusual minerally tastes and complex aromas. [Georgians on my mindLast month at Chito Gritois, we had a little introduction to the Georgian table. It was then that I had my tutorial in Georgian wine![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400-7.jpg)The Spectator WorldRoger Kimball![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-489597040-1024x745.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/georgian-wine-mind/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Why Do I Reference Sources? Well, I don't always, but it's a reminder that TDE has no artificial intelligence. Heck, it scarcely has any intelligence, but what it does have, it acquires honestly. But it's still a blog. That means I only use respectable sources, but I don't verify and cross-reference to other respectable sources. One source is enough. ### Books Aren't Rational. They're Tactile. URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/books-arent-rational-theyre-tactile/ Last updated: 2025-10-20T12:10:14.000Z Back in the greasy, disco-lit haze of the 1970s and the dawn of the Reaganite ‘80s, the publishing world churned out a billion paperbacks. They were dirt cheap, some even free, handed out like girlie pamphlets on the Vegas strip. But there was a hook: they were riddled with ads, mostly from the cigarette barons who’d been booted off the TV and radio airwaves by the sanctimonious 1969 federal advertising ban that limited Joe Camel to lumbering along the printed page only. The public spat ‘em out like bad moonshine and the critics bayed. One critic prophesied a dystopian literary future where you’d be deep in the brooding currents of Hemingway’s *Old Man* or Wolfe’s electric prose, only to flip the page and confront: “Are Your Underarms Really With It?” On paper, it was a stroke of genius. Advertisements had for years been littering the pages of magazines, many of which were filled with some of the finest writing. Why not books? Indeed, fast-forward to today, and the whole scam’s a triumph in the digital carnival: online “reading” is just Times Square shrunk to your pocket, a blitz of blinking banners, vapid clickbait drivel. Rivers of cash sluice into the coffers of the cyber-billboard overlords. So here we sit, our reading experiences inundated with distraction and commercials, yet nobody has dusted off the idea to put advertisements into books. It’s a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enema, the kind of thing that ought to jam a crowbar in the spokes of the rational mind and send it somersaulting over the handlebars into the ditch. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gIb9!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab1ea808-7d06-4931-8a5d-b266a4700c9f_1024x608.png) Nassim Taleb, that prickly Levantine sage, thinks the idea flopped because authors are artisans with their souls in the game and advertising is anti-soul. Putting them together is like putting paper with fire. I don’t buy it. Magazine scribblers pour their guts into those monthly dispatches, yet we swallow the ads just fine. Online content creators, too: tons of sweat and soul, yet ads confetti the online world. On the flipside, there are a gazillion books with no soul but we won’t tolerate ads in them. There ain’t no romance hack who wouldn’t take a fiver to tweak “Her heaving bosom quivered in his callused hands” to “Her heaving bosom, snug in her Playtex bra, quivered in his Marlboro-Man like hands.” No, it ain’t the soul that was the snag. It’s the book experience itself that recoils from the marketer’s paws. There’s a sanctity to reading a book, a whiff of the communion chalice. That’s the thread the doomsayers are missing today in their endless keening about reading’s twilight in this pixelated perdition we call “the information age.” Take James Marriott, one of the chief mourners, who unlimbered [**his self-styled** ](https://jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-of-the-post-literate-society-aa1)[***magnum opus***](https://jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-of-the-post-literate-society-aa1)[ **on the subject**](https://jmarriott.substack.com/p/the-dawn-of-the-post-literate-society-aa1) just last month. Marriott strikes me as one of today’s leading men of reading and this essay held promise. He’s a fan of Iain McGilchrist’s hemisphere hypothesis, and his essay led with a quote by [**Marshall McLuhan**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/51766/) disciple Neil Postman. I was expecting something compelling. What a letdown. Marriott’s essay hoists the flag of the left-brain brigade: the cold calculus of rationality, the ledger-book logic of productivity, the shiny badges of success and salubrity. Books, he laments, were the great enablers of all that tidy virtue, and now, with screens gobbling our gaze, we’re adrift in entropy. Well, if it’s all left-hemisphere hoo-ha, those ad-riddled paperbacks should’ve been a slam-dunk success. But they weren’t. That Edselian idea was concocted in the left hemispheric abstraction cooker. Marriott’s not entirely off the beam, mind you. His jabs at the digital scrum are accurate at some level. The problem is, his jabs are like warning the cheerleader that bedding the whole varsity squad might leave her sore in the morning. True enough, that. But there’s deeper rot at work, the kind you can’t spell out to the girl, even though you might try and, in the process, merely stack up more left-hemispheric laments for her to consider before crawling into the back of the pickup truck: the clap, the twittering and giggling whispers in the girls locker room, the ghost that haunts the memory for the rest of one’s life. That’s Marriott’s essay: piling on the left-hemispheric laments, blind as driftwood to the McGilchrist-McLuhan undercurrents. In his windy exegesis, he misses the heart of the matter: *Reading a book is a deeply tactile experience.* The heft, the crinkle of pages, the ink on your fingertips, even the smell of decomposing vanilla if you’re blessed enough to be reading an old book. It’s an experience, and experiences are fleshly yet intellectual, woven into sinews and breath. Experiences like reading from a book defy the scalpel of words that the intellect wields like a butter knife against the *grund* of reality. The heart has reasons the head can’t understand. And the heart is in the body. There’s something about the book medium itself that transcends mental effort to understand. Put another way, there’s something the left hemisphere can’t appreciate about the book reading experience because it’s exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to articulate and quantify. The whole thing’s gotta be left vague. Marriott? He jumps in, articulating all the reasons . . . and all of them like the left hemisphere warnings to that cheerleader who’s gonna be walking funny the next morning. Online prose is everything Marriott celebrates about the book, but it’s everything on crack cocaine. Online prose is hyper-rational, hyper-logical, hyper-productive. Hyper-Cartesian. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!uNbh!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6a78eb83-bf22-407b-bd0e-0aef31c47f66_465x786.jpeg) Marriott oughtta crack open that McLuhan-Postman ledger again. [**“The medium is the message,”**](https://mcluhangalaxy.wordpress.com/2020/09/08/cell-phones-telephones-the-ideas-of-marshall-mcluhan/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) the old Toronto prof McLuhan growled. It’s not the piffle it peddles, but the way it changes your physical senses and kneads your nerves. “Media,” McLuhan explained, are tools that extend the individual’s *physical* senses which, in turn, affect him mentally. Similarly, Postman taught that every new physical tool comes with an idea embedded in it. In the McLuhan-Postman arena, it’s all about the intertwined physical and mental experience. The crux of the matter is in the experience itself, which starts with the body. Body, touch, soul, mind . . . all coming together in ways that we must explore slowly because our minds can’t readily grasp them. We need to recognize the physical effects that different forms of media have on us, which then affect us mentally . . . and eventually spiritually. It takes time, yes, but that’s why we oughtta embrace new technology slowly, even patiently and with caution, not like frat boys at an open bar. Speaking of which, if you see one of those frat boys injecting vodka into his rectum to get drunk faster, don’t caution him with left-hemispheric laments like intestinal disorders and colon problems down the road. Don’t tell him he can get just as drunk by drinking the stuff normally. No, criticize him on grounds that the rectum approach is rational: efficient, cost-effective, and logical. Hyper-so. Like online reading. In a sane world, that would be enough to shame him into pouring a decent Cabernet into a crystal snifter. And drinking it while holding a real book. It’s irrational, but that’s the entire point. ### Books Can Shield You From Cults URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/books-can-shield-you-from-cults/ Last updated: 2025-10-14T11:39:21.000Z Role models are great. We all oughtta have a few. But don’t underestimate the anti-role models. These cautionary wraiths of consequence are more often the true educators in this carnival of folly called “modernity,” whispering not “be like me” but “For God’s sake, be anything but.” That lean 60-year-old man playing robust basketball inspires, but that 60-year-old Marlboro Man wheezing up a half flight of stairs indicts. Self-immolation feels good when the consequences are 40 years down the road, but it don’t look so swift in real time. Or consider the demure lady on her park bench, peacefully lost in the hush of printed pages amid the twittering pigeons and distant snarl of traffic. Then contrast her with the Zizians, those spectral acolytes of deranged online oracles, their eyes glassy from marathon sessions of screen-glow, their minds sharpened to razors but unmoored from any ballast. These folks don’t merely warn us about the dangers of online reading: they embody the danger of dancing along the edge of the digital abyss. Ziz herself[1](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/leather-yourself-against-cults?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#footnote-1-175874789) read a lot, plucking her *nom de guerre* from the fever-dream bowels of *Worm*, that interminable 7,000-page web serial disgorged onto WordPress from 2011 to 2013 that the rationalist hordes lap up as holy fictional writ. Before she was 25—the age when the cranium finally seals its leaky hull against the tempests of youth—Ziz had also mainlined the output of Eliezer Yudkowsky’s endless blog, those screeds later bundled into the 2,100 page *Sequences* that became the online *summa* of super-rationality.[2](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/leather-yourself-against-cults?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#footnote-2-175874789) She devoured it, pixels and all. In [**the definitive account of the Zizians**](https://www.theguardian.com/global/ng-interactive/2025/mar/05/zizians-artificial-intelligence?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)[,](https://www.theguardian.com/global/ng-interactive/2025/mar/05/zizians-artificial-intelligence?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Oliver Conroy writes that the Zizians were “smart but not always wise” and they spent “dizzying amounts of time on the Internet” and reading massive amounts “by the glow of a computer screen.” They were idealists aflame with the riddles of rogue algorithms, says Conroy, and “too fired up solving the alignment problem to do dishes.”[3](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/leather-yourself-against-cults?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#footnote-3-175874789) ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6DoU!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F290cb573-8c8f-42c6-bb5f-bfc60e7a9c1d_320x238.webp) Dorothy Day quote We are all, [**Adam Lehrer pointed out**](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-2/everyone-is-in-a-cult-lehrer?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), just one errant hyperlink from another cult. Let’s be as blunt as possible without vulgarity: Online reading is the Cartesian curse incarnate. Mind yoked to mind across a sterile void, brain severed from the rude mechanics of body, information zipping from server-farm to synapse like a telegram from the void. No mediation. Heck, no mercy. Just the cold relay of ones and zeros. Impersonal as porn. Now, a physical book? That’s a different sort of leather. Your arms become bridges, your hands the anchors. You heft its spine, you touch the pages, you sometimes rest it on your chest like an infant. Try that with a laptop. Kinda possible, just like it’s kinda possible to have sex with a robot, but don’t porn yourself: the laptop, no matter how intimate you think you are with it, is a slab of alienation. The book, meanwhile, roots you in the soil of sensation, calms the interior mental gale, and throttles back the frantic tick of the second hand. The screen? All contrasts: It excites, it goads, it accelerates. Careful reading—what Albert Jay Nock referred to simply as “reading” and what our ADD-riddled age fumbles to recover with phrases like “deep literacy”—hones the discursive reason and the ability to make logical inferences and arguments, tools that equip you in the gritty areas of real life of production and survival beyond the page. Admittedly, online reading does the same thing. But it does it too well. It’s hyper-rational, hyper-logical, and hyper-productive. It’s rationality of the sort that revved [**Chesterton’s maniac**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/six-maniacal-observations-from-g-k-chesterton/), it’s logic to the land of lunacy, it’s as productive as a Ponzi scheme. Don’t mistake me, now. The Zizians likely arrived at the keyboard with their minds already bent, at least a little, just as the gym rat who eyes the steroid syringe for the first time is already unhealthy at some level. The screen, like the needle, merely fans the embers of instability into a bonfire; it doesn’t plant the dry tinder in the first place. Nor would a shelf of leather-bound tomes have rescued them from the plunge. Eric Voegelin, that sage dissector of gnostic fevers, reminded us that the cult’s hallmark is the *koran*—the one sacred text, the ur-document that binds the faithful in ecstatic delusion. Until recently, that totem was always a physical book, that thing I’ve been celebrating in these recent essays. And yet! There’s an alchemy in the physical book that no algorithm can ape. I swear it by the ink stains on my fingers. Try it yourself: sit with a book, feel its weight settle like an old friend’s hand on your shoulder, and mark how the pulse steadies, the breath deepens, the skull’s relentless static fades. Then plop your mangy selves before the screen and witness the inverse rite: the heart jackhammers, the lungs shallow out, thoughts start racing. The contrast is subtle as a fault line, but seismic in its verdict. Not every soul who mainlines online prose will spiral into the cultic, any more than every chain-smoker coughs up a tumor by forty. The roulette wheel spins unevenly; some dodge the bullet through sheer dumb luck or iron constitutions. But that doesn’t change a basic fact: they’re both arsenic in the well. They’re slow poisons guzzled under the guise of progress. Shun the Zizian path. Ditch the digital cigarette. And for the love of all that’s analog and alive, set down the glowing idol. Pick up a book. Let its pages remind you that the world still turns on hinges of paper and patience, not hyperlinks and hubris. Link to same essay at Substack [Leather Yourself Against CultsRole models are great.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-73.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F870584f0-8abb-49dc-947b-173026474590_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/leather-yourself-against-cults?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Don't be a Zizian URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-be-a-zizian/ Last updated: 2025-10-25T12:23:35.000Z **Everyday Neurology 101:** The right hemisphere receives sensory input, feeds it to the left hemisphere for processing, receives a report from the left hemisphere, synthesizes it, feeds its synthesis back to the left hemisphere for more processing, which reports back, and on and on until a decision is made. This “lateralization” occurs rapidly, but in a healthy brain, the final decision takes a considerable amount of time. When filmmaker Philip Gröning asked the Carthusian monks at the Grand Chartreuse if he could film a documentary about the monastery, they said “yes” . . . . 16 years later. A healthy mind moves quickly but finishes slowly. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MuVM!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b5f3c57-ecf6-4937-a3e4-30a80657fd7c_1024x608.png) An imbalanced mind moves and finishes quickly. Jack LaSota, a technically brilliant computer scientist, moved from Alaska to the Bay Area in 2013, changed his name to “Ziz” and switched his sexual identity. He joined the area’s rationalist clubs: effective altruism, Center for Applied Rationality, and other groups where big intellects feed massive amounts of information to hyper-siloed left hemispheres. By 2016, Ziz was writing a blog and attracting readers. By 2017, Ziz was the leader of the “rationalist fleet,” a group of people living on boats because they couldn’t afford Bay Area rent. By 2019, the Zizians were violently thrashing against the other rationalists in the Bay Area, at one point launching a protest at a rationalist retreat by donning black robes, wearing Guy Fawkes masks, and blocking access roads, prompting local law enforcement to send in a SWAT team. By 2022, the Zizians were murdering people. At least four, probably six, and they’re “persons of interest” in other killings. Blog to murder in nine years. It took the Carthusians 16 years to respond to a request to allow a documentary to be filmed at their monastery. Gnostics, Adamites, Marxists . . . now Zizians. They’re all freaks of left-hemisphere nature, their right hemispheres sealed off tighter than the Epstein files. Different approaches, different times, different flavors, but all one big Venn of jackoffs marinading their mental illness in a paradoxical sauce of intelligent ignorance, the recipe for which only the left hemisphere has. Ziz attracted followers with a blog. That’s why [**Adam Lehrer**](https://www.countyhighway.com/archive/volume-3/issue-2/everyone-is-in-a-cult-lehrer?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) says, “We’re all just one hyperlink away from a new cult.” Modernity is left-hemispheric. That’s its calling card, that’s its essence. A “normal” person today has a left hemisphere silo full of dry wood just waiting for a spark to ignite it. The Internet contains more sparks than a comet, it creates more flames than a Bay Area Pride Parade, and causes more fires than homeless meth addicts. Pew Research Center data from the late 2010s indicate that during the previous decade, people on the left shifted significantly more to the left than those on the right shifted to the right. It’s the left hemisphere at work. Semantically, “left hemisphere” and “leftist politics” are unrelated. In the real world, they’re fellow travelers. Rationalist reductionism is the left hemisphere’s *modus operandi*. The left hemisphere gets information from the right hemisphere and, instead of processing and returning it to the right hemisphere for further synthesis, keeps the information, ruminates on it, and spits out conclusions faster than a baseball dugout spits tobacco juice. The right hemisphere is the hemisphere of big-picture awareness, which brings caution and a measure of trepidation. If the left hemisphere took its findings back to the right hemisphere, it would just slow things down . . . and for no reason, as far as the left hemisphere is concerned. The left hemisphere by default deems its conclusions--spawned from its mighty IQ and rationality-- sufficient. That’s why an imbalanced mind moves and finishes quickly, while a balanced mind moves quickly but finishes slowly. The Left has been finishing quickly for hundreds of years, starting with the French Revolution, which was fueled by the mainstreaming of the French Enlightenment and its celebration of raw, naked rationalism: of a left hemisphere unbridled from the control of the right hemisphere and its seemingly endless hurdles like the ineffable, paradox, and the gestalt—sticks that tend to slow the spokes of progress. Empirically, I don’t know if left wing violence is more prevalent than right wing violence. Both political poles are marked by the dogmatism born of a rogue left hemisphere, so both are capable of violence, which is always the product of a brain that reaches conclusions quickly. But the left wing’s historical cornerstone--faith in rationality--makes it inherently left-hemispheric. Its cornerstone has no ground underneath it, detached from those things that tend to give right-wingers at least a little bit of pause, like tradition, religion, and family. Ziz and many Zizians are in jail as the investigation continues to unfold. So that’s good. But modern culture, combined with online culture, is cranking out more Zizians every day. ### The OG of Reading Apps URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-og-of-reading-apps/ Last updated: 2025-12-07T20:33:28.000Z Excuse me, while I rail against the gods while worshipping at their altar. I’ve bought five Kindles over the years, giving two to my daughters, a testament to my enthusiasm for these devices. Amazon’s Kindle license agreement allows it to “remotely manage, update, or remove Digital Content from your Kindle device or reading application at any time.” I mark up my books like I’m mad at them. I go back years later and reference them. Same with “my” books on Kindle. Those Kindle highlightings? At risk. My book markings? Not. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fv0p!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6f869f52-804a-4c95-873e-dada40507d59_1024x608.png) My favorite movie is *GoodFellas*. If it were a TikTok video, I would’ve watched it 10,000 times by now. One of my favorite scenes: A young Henry Hill holding an umbrella over a Mafia soldier in a hard rain as he delivers information to Capo Paulie Cicero on the porch of Paulie’s house. Paulie wouldn’t allow a phone in his house. I’m thinking I shouldn’t allow a Kindle in mine. Paulie didn’t trust the phone for good reasons. I don’t trust digital content for good reasons, starting with Amazon’s deletion, without notice, of *Animal Farm* from users’ Kindles in 2009\. It apologized . . . but didn’t change the terms of the license agreement. It has recently surreptitiously revised Agatha Christie, Ian Fleming, Roald Dahl, P.G. Wodehouse, and others to change passages that ~~snowflakes~~ readers might find offensive. No notice, no refund, just the implied “F’ you if you don’t like it. Read the license agreement.” Thanks for reading. This post is public so feel free to share it. Stalin altered photos to erase political inconveniences known as “former friends and allies.” Amazon removed Parler from its servers in 2020 because it wanted to swim with the politically powerful. The Kindle in the hands of our digital overlords is like a Grand Secretary with Photoshop. Politics wins the battles it pitches against truth. Politics might lose the war eventually . . . the USSR did . . . but it wins every battle, especially if it’s pitted against a weak opponent like digital prose and a one-sided license agreement. Digital content is, well, *digital*. It’s pixels and light and electricity. It’s more fragile than my mental state during a five-alarm hangover. The book? Not fragile. In fact, as far as anything in this vale of tears goes, dang near indestructible. They’re not even subject to theft (no one wants them). A book also doesn’t lie in real time. Sure, it might contain incorrect information, but it doesn’t con me while I’m reading it like the online algorithms that treat users worse than a bluegrass fiddler on crack treats a violin. At least the violin knows it’s getting played. How do you trust *anything* you see online? Malinformation, misinformation, disinformation, f’ed-upformation, propogandized information. You can’t be sure of any knowledge you get online. It’s Epistemology 101. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!e3c5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F95cf0599-8d6d-420d-9448-1e5f0c5b49f4_940x788.png) Do you get information online and find yourself unequivocally anti-Trump or pro-Trump? I’m afraid you didn’t learn a damn thing these past eight years. Retarded fiddle. A book doesn’t provide sycophantic feedback like the AI robots who, I’m pretty sure, provide users with whatever conclusion they want as long as they groove it with the correct string of questions. No thanks. I have enough confirmation bias to last me ‘til I’m 225 years old. A book also doesn’t manipulate dopamine, serotonin, and whatever else my brain oozes to make me feel good. It might draw me in, it might make me feel great and noble, but not because it’s using algorithims to manipulate my neurotransmitters to stay fixed on the page. The book’s prose is good, true, or beautiful, or it’s not. If not, I put the book down. If it’s online? I can barely put it down . . . I more often simply click on the next thing offered by the same device that is currently offering me the slop that isn’t good, true, or beautiful. They say social media companies will be held accountable someday for what they’ve done to our brains, like tobacco companies that knew for years they were killing their customers but lied about it. I hope so. You don’t need to wait 20 years to join yet another lawyers-get-rich class action so you can spend 35 minutes filling out a claim form to get $1.38 in damages. You can quit smoking now. Of course, I still have three Kindles in my posse. I read books and Substack essays on it. I wrote this post for digital distribution on Substack. I consulted Grok on a few matters while writing this essay (and my last essay), both railing against AI. Hypocrital? No. Weak and addicted? Possibly. A man in search of that Goldilocks space between Ludditism and mental hand puppet of the ruling elite? Definitely. [The OG Reading App“Truth outside the control of the powerful”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-70.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F6f869f52-804a-4c95-873e-dada40507d59_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-og-reading-app?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Scrolling Blog: Earlier Entries URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-scrolling-blog-earlier-entries/ Last updated: 2025-11-28T20:52:53.000Z ## Sucked into Twitter I clicked on my Twitter tab so I could navigate to Gmail to contact my IT guy. I got sucked into my Twitter feed. Every time; every freakin' time. There's just so much amusing stuff on social media. It really is the crack cocaine of the digital world. > This gotta be the slowest police chase ever 😭 > > [pic.twitter.com/jIvay28qPB](https://t.co/jIvay28qPB?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Trump Family \*PARODY\* (@Mai\_ASUR) [April 1, 2025](https://twitter.com/Mai%5FASUR/status/1907088132056531030?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Monday Substack > Rationalism or irrationalism, the left hemisphere runs the show either way in the modern world. Left-hemispheric logic sets the goal, and its preferred weapon is rationalism, but it’ll grab any piece of equipment to score. Even the irrational. [Four Utopian ReformersDogma is dogma, whether rational or irrational![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-21.png)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F7bd48fea-bb0a-46e8-a3a9-ee9f28f6fc8e_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/four-utopian-reformers?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## A Bookshop in Narnia One of the most unusual Substack publications. Two Californians flee the Left and move to Narni, Italy, where they open a bookshop in honor of C.S. Lewis, who apparently named "Narnia" after the town. I've just started going through the pages but it looks interesting . . . or it's at least a cool niche. [Escape to the Bookshop | Sarah Bringhurst Familia | SubstackOpening a bookshop in small-town Italy. Follow along and share the journey! Click to read Escape to the Bookshop, by Sarah Bringhurst Familia, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc1cb2936-427b-4754-9c9b-b6ab8ecf2ca2-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)SubstackSarah Bringhurst Familia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fescapetothebookshop.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D-1861865834%26version%3D9)](https://escapetothebookshop.substack.com/) --- ## BYCU ### These people oughtta be shot. ## **The People Who Never Get Hangovers** This *New York Times* piece says 25% of drinkers don't get hangovers. At all. The bastards! I suppose they also don't lose their hair, gain weight when they eat junk food, or have to repay bank loans. The injustice of it all. Researchers suspect it's a genetic thing that ties into an enzyme that helps these people metabolize alcohol quickly. Or maybe it's tied to the immune system: the stronger the system, the weaker the hangover. But the most fascinating possibility of all: it might be tied to stress. "People who are hangover resistant also usually report low levels of anxiety overall, Dr. Stock added, while those who are already stressed or depressed are more likely to suffer hangovers — and bad ones at that." Stress is increasingly popping up as the leading health risk indicator, but heck, if I could drink all the time without getting a hangover, I'd be pretty relaxed too. --- ## Thursday Substack [Vegas for the CatholicMy son lives in the monastery.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-14.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fd4f5c159-3296-4bd7-8d90-f36d1e22f144_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/vegas-for-the-catholic) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/03/image-4.png) --- ## One of the Niftiest Health Lists Ever Even better: the author isn't infatuated with his prose and doesn't expect us to be either. He just gets down on it. [52 Odd Health Interventions That Work InstantlyOver the years, I’ve collected various strange and odd “health” modalities that seem to work almost instantly.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F90ae9a3e-e1a5-4f55-b6fd-d3088692abcc-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)BreatheLessHyde![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fbc4d3ea3-adb9-4431-a7e2-964995ab9758_794x1123.png)](https://substack.com/home/post/p-140886131?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Kuntsler is Optimistic James Howard Kunstler is the leading curmudgeonly prose writer on the Internet, but the curmudgeon is unbelievably optimistic about Trump's prospect of stopping the lawfare and jailing of the biggest criminals of the Biden era. [The Last Resort“What is the alternative to presidential oversight and management of the agencies listed in this branch of government? They run themselves? That claim means nothing in practice.” —Jeffrey Tucker![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1a3faa16-7741-4630-8611-f4f27c734963-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-3.png)Clusterfuck NationJames Howard Kunstler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fd5c68d56-52ea-434c-8f9f-af1e71cacf05_2136x2136.jpeg)](https://substack.com/home/post/p-159741484?source=queue) --- ## Monday Substack > “AI gives us tiny conveniences but takes away our humanity in massive, unseen chunks. The tangible benefits blind us to the intangible costs. > “It's a classic hemispheric head game. > “That literal-minded left hemisphere laps up anything it can tally on a ledger. A perk it can see, it grabs with both mitts. A loss too fuzzy to quantify, it sniffs at and shoves aside . . . until the tab comes due and we’re screwed six ways to Sunday.” [Fight Back Against AIWhy I Now Use Notepad![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-19.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ff2e60e86-c14b-4963-a3cd-93728faa8fcf_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/fight-back-against-ai?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/03/image-2.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/03/image-3.png) --- ## This Trade War Thing Has Now Officially Gotten Out of Hand *On March 13, 2025, Reuters reported that U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a 200% tariff on European alcohol imports like wine and cognac.* [*Link*](https://www.reuters.com/markets/trump-threatens-200-wine-tariff-if-eu-does-not-remove-whiskey-tariff-2025-03-13/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Better stock up. Reminds me of a W.C. Fields anecdote. After Pearl Harbor, he was seen hauling twelve cases of gin to his apartment. Someone asked him why he bought twelve cases. He replied, "I'm expecting a short war." --- ## Thursday Substack Filing it shortly before bedtime. Such has been my hectic week, I barely got the Thursday edition published. Please let me know if you see any typos. I had to rush this one a bit. [Soviet America: Two Left Hemispheric Cultures of Dystopian UnrealityPlus an assortment of jokes from the old Soviet Union![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-18.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F3ee3f3fe-8770-4001-a519-d32f2a884f1d_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/soviet-america-two-left-hemispheric?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Elves and Dwarves in the Hemispheres I previously wrote about elves and orcs vis-a-vis the Hemisphere Hypothesis. Elves have a healthy balance between the hemispheres, with the right firmly in control. Orcs, on the other hand, have no or very little right hemisphere, with the result that they're severe left-hemispherics. This Substack note has me thinking I should add dwarves to the analysis: They have two functioning hemispheres (like elves) but their left hemispheres are unruly (like orcs . . . and like most of us in modernity). [The Emergent City on SubstackIf it looks like it was built by elves, it’s Art Nouveau. If it looks like it was built by dwarves, it’s Art Deco.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-6.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/78fb7c5c-8441-4970-a0c1-3914872c02a9_1170x667.jpeg)](https://substack.com/@theemergentcity/note/c-100397879?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&utm%5Fsource=notes-share-action) [Modern Life is Orc LifeSlay your inner-orc: act like an elf![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-17.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ffbb38090-0d1a-48de-a4bb-03b3b8c981f3_1152x640.jpeg)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/modern-life-is-orc-life?utm%5Fsource=publication-search) --- ## St. Patrick in a Punchy Nutshell St. Patrick’s a Romano-British kid, snatched in one of those Irish raids that got bolder once the last Roman legions bailed from Britain in 410—like wolves sniffing out a limp flock. He’s hauled off, spends years as a captive, then pulls a Houdini and breaks free. Here’s the kicker: he goes back to Ireland, this time with a Bible and a mission, and turns the place Christian. Fast-forward, and the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes swamp Britain, stomping out the cross and dragging it back to pagan muck. Christianity’s all but a ghost there—until after 600, when Irish monks, fired up by Patrick’s legacy, sail across the Irish Sea and start reconverting the joint. They nail it, too. It’s one of those quirky history boomerangs: Britain sends Patrick to baptize Ireland, Britain goes heathen, then Ireland’s monks bounce back to save Britain’s soul. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/03/image-1.png) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/03/image.png) --- ## Monday Substack [Sit Down and Meditate. Here’s Why, from the Hemisphere PerspectiveSo, you want to meditate?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-15.png)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa39db2df-750b-4983-9237-3de1e807f4af_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/sit-down-and-meditate-heres-why-from?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## Thursday Substack It's my birthday. Please give me a gift (I have no shame) and forward this Substack piece to anyone who might enjoy it. BTW: I suspect this analysis also helps explain why neuroses often don't develop until later in life. It takes years to spin that web of neuroses. [The Left Hemisphere Makes You AfraidThe seven cardinal sins have shaken and shimmied ever since Evagrius—or maybe Origen, who knows—first jotted them down in some dusty desert hole.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-13.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe0fc95c6-9e1f-437a-9c34-0d1569e21748_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-left-hemisphere-makes-you-afraid?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## In case you're craving a Ben and Jerry's > Monday, March 10 is [National Abortion Provider Appreciation Day(Opens in new window)](https://abortioncarenetwork.org/abortion-provider-appreciation-day/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), created to honor Dr. David Gunn, who was murdered by a white supremacist anti-abortion extremist on March 10, 1993\. From this tragedy sprang an annual commemoration, where we celebrate the compassionate, courageous abortion care providers around the country who are fighting for reproductive freedom. > But while we celebrate their care, it’s important to recognize that providers’ work is now harder than ever. From increasing legal attacks to even physical violence, abortion care providers are being targeted across the country—and they need our support. > Here are 5 reasons why we need to stand with them on Abortion Provider Appreciation Day—and every day. --- ## Monday Substack "The Buddhists probably didn’t even invent mindfulness. It’s more likely one of those notions that flared up like a brushfire across the globe during that wild stretch Charles Taylor dubbed “The Great Disembedding,” circa 500 BC. The Buddha was navel-gazing under his bodhi tree, Lao-Tse was scribbling cryptic one-liners, Jeremiah was raging at Jerusalem’s walls, Pythagoras was getting mystical about geometry—all in the same cosmic heartbeat." [Let’s Stop Dismissing Mindfulness Meditation Because It’s BuddhistCatholics keep flogging their tired old nag of a gripe about mindfulness meditation, even though heavyweights like Peter Kreeft and Kevin Majeres have given it their thumbs-up.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-12.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fb6fca2b1-819f-486b-880e-ea974f350b0c_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/lets-stop-dismissing-mindfulness) --- ## From Whence This Death Wish? Mapped: European Fertility Rates by Country [https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-european-fertility-rates-by-country/](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-european-fertility-rates-by-country/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## TDE is a Proud Member ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/03/Oxford-Comma.jpg) --- ## BYCU "Bill James, baseball’s philosopher-analyst, once estimated that 18 of the 25 greatest mangers were alcoholics." --- ## Thursday Column at Substack “Left hemisphericism is a problem for all modernity, but it’s especially problematical for the young. It makes them cocky, preachy, and ripe for the picking by every sanctimonious cause that oozes dogma like a sweaty chain-gang hero in a Southern prison flick. Maybe a little dirt under the nails, a dose of right-hemisphere redemption, is what they’re starving for.” [Zoomers in the GardenIt’s dang near Chinese coolie labor time again, that grand American spectacle where hordes of lunatics, armed with shovels, hoes, and a rabid gleam in their eyes, descend upon their garden patches like it’s a sacred calling.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-11.png)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa3544b9b-33f1-4d77-8651-44790a725f4a_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/zoomers-in-the-garden?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- [J.M. Robinson on Substack“It is a curious thing,” said Bilbo, settling into his chair with a contented sigh, “that Men have great halls for feasting, yet seem to forget the most important meals of the day. But in the South, I am told, there stands a house that never closes, where second breakfast is not only known but honored at any hour. A most Hobbit-like establishment, if ever there was one.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-5.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/f19c9114-f093-4770-933a-bf4671c46296_1128x830.jpeg)](https://substack.com/@revrobinson/note/c-96720469?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&utm%5Fsource=notes-share-action) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/03/Ortho-and-Cath-and-Bapt.webp) [Porn Free Millennial on SubstackBruh 😂😂😂![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-4.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/06b75a95-fcdb-4366-a2da-37f606b2e6ce_1061x1061.jpeg)](https://substack.com/@pornfreemillennial/note/c-90660709?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&utm%5Fsource=notes-share-action) --- ## Joe Sobran I second the motion. [The Great Joe Sobran - LewRockwellJoe Sobran was one of my greatest friends, and I often thought about him over this past week, because February 23 was the anniversary of his death. He was a man of courage and of the utmost integrity. He began writing about politics for National Review, but he broke with the editor, CIA agent William F. Buckley, Jr., over his refusal to support Israel. Additionally, his own penetrating intellect had led him to find attractive the thought of Murray Rothbard, and this too Buckley could not abide, as he hated Rothbard, a hatred that even Rothbard’s death did not end. … Continue reading →![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-favicon-500x500-180x180.jpg)LewRockwellLlewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Lew-Rockwell-Copy-300x300.png)](https://www.lewrockwell.com/2025/03/lew-rockwell/the-great-joe-sobran/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Substack ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/03/Kill-Your-Inner-Gnostic.jpg) [Kill Your Inner GnosticThe guy who demands that everyone be rational becomes the most irrational of all.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-9.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1bec6a59-1f42-46bf-aadf-9777a7fccbd5_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/kill-your-inner-gnostic?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Return Eudemon I just returned from a whirlwind trip to the Keys. I enjoyed the entire trip but was underwhelmed by Key Largo and the other keys. Key West, OTOH, was great. I'll write more about it later. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/03/Key-West.jpg) --- ## Thursday Substack [Will the Mushroom Save Us?A review of Merlin Sheldrake’s “Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-11.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fcb7501e0-5392-410c-b9bd-bef9ffb4aed4_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/will-the-mushroom-save-us) --- ## 81% Want Violent Illegals Deported I guess that's encouraging, but what goes through the head of that 19%? It's gotta be a self-loathing thing that grows into a hatred of one's own nation. Just graspin' here. [Poll finds overwhelming support for Trump admin’s policies on border, ‘trans’CV NEWS FEED // A recently-released Harvard CAPS – Harris Poll survey found that vast majorities of Americans support key priorities of the second Trump administration,…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-96x96.png)CatholicVote orgCV News Feed![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Trump-pronouns-thing.jpg)](https://catholicvote.org/poll-trump-admin-border-trans/?mkt%5Ftok=NDI3LUxFUS0wNjYAAAGY268tv1hDOyozsMaoDNuE6BDooT0xyaak7hBtFj87ePXeOohTcqJtQuoRdSqX9hPMXNVTvIfSLxlK5YcGoOSqOYpml3s9KxoanNipzzcGaw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Idealism and Fetishism Go Together The Nazis were a bunch of perverts, too. I think it's because the idealist and the pervert both reside in an abstract world of fantasy. Once they get into power, they can flex both . . . and it's not pretty. Christopher Rufo is Tweeting out the story. Bring a strong stomach. [https://x.com/realchrisrufo](https://x.com/realchrisrufo?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## [Monday Substack Essay](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-puritanical-plague-of-progressive?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/02/Puritanical-Plague.jpg) --- ## Give this Catholic Renegade a Little Love If you want a quick-paced watch that's free, check out "Blood Father" on Amazon Prime. 2016 Mel Gibson. 1 hour; 28 minutes. Pretty intense, with splashes of humor. I would give it a 6.5, but since the director showed such respect for the viewers' time and kept it short (reminds of "Taken"), I give it a 7.3. --- ## Give this Catholic Aggregator a Little Love He brings it day after day, to little fanfare. The publication deserves better. [Catholic Nutshell News | John Francis Pearring | SubstackDaily news, in a nutshell, gathered for Catholics from credible sources. Get Catholic news and articles in a daily (Monday-Saturday) email post. Click to read Catholic Nutshell News, by John Francis Pearring, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F92005d9d-ecee-4e5e-a31c-8da982e62e97-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)SubstackJohn Francis Pearring![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fpearring.substack.com-2Ftwitter-2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D403453512%26version%3D9)](https://www.catholicnutshellnews.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Asperger's is a Terrible Thing to Waste This kid-spawning freak will be known as the greatest man or greatest villain in history. Right now, I strongly lean "man." [Elon Musk wields chainsaw at impromptu CPAC appearanceElon Musk made a surprise appearance at CPAC Thursday afternoon, where Argentinian president Javier Milei presented him with a chainsaw![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400-6.jpg)The Spectator WorldMatt McDonald![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-2200059458.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/elon-musk-wields-chainsaw-cpac-javier-milei/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU Check out this hilarious collection of mock pulp fiction covers. Every one of them cracked me up. [I Was a Teenage Girly-Drink Junkie! and Other Shocking Booze Tales. | Modern Drunkard Magazine![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-2.png)Modern Drunkard MagazineFrank Kelly Rich![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/iwa-girlie-drink-addict.jpg)](https://drunkard.com/05-04-girlie-drink-01/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Come on. Don't Start with the Bread and Circus Pandering Every billion dollars saves every American about $3.33\. If I've done my math correctly, DOGE would need to shave $1.5 trillion from the budget to equal $5,000 for every American citizen. Of course, only half of Americans are taxpayers, so the necessary shavings to justify this expenditure is probably closer to $750 billion, but still. I think DOGE is still under $10 billion in savings so far. That's great, and I applaud, but come on. It doesn't justify a DOGE dividend like this, especially when you look at the federal debt. But hey, if they send the checks, I'll cash mine. [Trump, Musk To Discuss Sending US Taxpayers $5,000 Checks Using DOGE Savings...possibility of introducing a “DOGE Dividend.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-10.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/2025-02-19_16-40-23.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-musk-discuss-sending-us-taxpayers-5000-checks-using-doge-savings?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Thursday Substack Condorcet, that starry-eyed prophet of progress, once predicted that civilization would produce 37,000,000 poets like Homer and 37,000,000 philosophers like Newton when the common man's resources were plentiful and his work time limited. Instead, we got 16 seasons of A&E's *Hoarders*. [Is Your Left Hemisphere Pushing You to Hoard? To Minimalize?Few things feel better than disgust.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-6.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F80b74f38-c49e-4950-8337-94794d8d0604_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/is-your-left-hemisphere-pushing-you?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Moria Redux [Government Retirement Files Ruined After Miners Dig Too Deep And Unearth BalrogBOYERS, PA — The Iron Mountain Federal Records Center has reportedly lost access to all federal retirement files after miners dug too deep and awakened an ancient Balrog.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/bee-apple-touch-icon.png)The Babylon Bee![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/67acdffe624a067acdffe624a1.jpg)](https://babylonbee.com/news/government-retirement-files-ruined-after-miners-dig-too-deep-and-unearth-balrog?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## A Collection of Memes ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/02/Nuns.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/02/Slippery-Slope.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/02/Flannery.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/02/CS-Lewis.jpg) From **Mere Christianity*, "Charity" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/02/Narnia-Business.jpg) --- ## Monday Substack ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/02/Modernity-Jock-Itch.jpg) [Modernity’s Jock Itch: FundamentalismWhy are some people such jerks?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-4.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F509877f7-3e63-41be-8ae0-3c0447f95a65_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/modernitys-jock-itch-fundamentalism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Kuntsler Friday > The exorcism of the USA just keeps revving up. You can tell by the number of revolutions-per-minute Elizabeth Warren’s head spins while she spews pea soup at the cameras. Who knew what a demon-infested slough USA Management Central was? And yes, I would like some insight as to how humble civil servants like Liz Warren accrue a $12-million fortune . . . and $30-million for Samantha Power (ex-USAID-chief) . . . and more than a $150-million for Nancy Pelosi. Could it be as simple as just good stock-picking? (Is that how they spend their time?) He later asks, when speculating about who orchestrated the colossal Kafka cinema these past four years, "Who made mental illness aspirational?" Killed me. He kills me every Monday and Friday, and it's all free. [Darkness Dying“The nature of the NGO scams is to have a cause that sounds philanthropic, like ‘Save the Orphans of Sadville’ and then they pocket the money and zero actual orphans are helped.” — Elon Musk![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1a3faa16-7741-4630-8611-f4f27c734963-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-2.png)Clusterfuck NationJames Howard Kunstler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F810d7fce-4c35-4925-91ca-0eca78582628_640x454.jpeg)](https://www.kunstler.com/p/darkness-dying?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Now in Detroit A guy to the left of McElroy? [https://www.newsmax.com/us/edward-weisenburger-pope-francis-donald-trump/2025/02/12/id/1198915/](https://www.newsmax.com/us/edward-weisenburger-pope-francis-donald-trump/2025/02/12/id/1198915/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) It’s a fine state of affairs in the Bergoglio church! It reminds me of the title of Matt Fradd’s current episode on [*Pints with Aquinas*](https://pintswithaquinas.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): “Why would ANYONE want to be Catholic right now?” I was discussing Pope Francis with a potential Catholic convert. He asked how I could believe in a Church with a guy like that at the helm. I responded, “A guy like that at the helm is why I’m Catholic. You know he wants, with all his heart, to promote heresy, but he’s metaphysically constrained: it’s simply not possible. If even *he* can’t go heretical, the Church must be true.” --- ## Now at Substack > Antonio Gracias [recently said](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3q5TrwSek0&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) he was shocked during his first days with DOGE to realize that America had gone from a bloated bureaucratic state to a state of near-open thievery by our overlords and their minions. America, he believes, was teetering on the edge of becoming a kleptocracy, but our Tony Stark with a Twitter addiction showed up in the nick of time. His sidekick, Big Balls, then shot the culprit as he was killing his victim. [Get Ready to Re-Write HistoryThe Don is declassifying.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-9.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ff9392f39-7ffd-416c-b82b-96b132e6410d_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/get-ready-to-re-write-history) --- ## The Mind Boggles at the Cognitive Dissonance You cannot form your Conscience in a manner that equates illegal immigrant status with criminality. Was that the Pope's statement? [Vatican cracks down on illegal entry into its territoryNew Vatican law imposes stricter penalties for illegal entry into its territory. Learn more about the recent changes in Vatican City.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-8.ico)Catholicism.orgThe Philosopher![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/1024px-Walls_of_the_Vatican_in_the_early_morning_48759342101.jpg)](https://catholicism.org/vatican-cracks-down-on-illegal-entry-into-its-territory.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday's Substack Column [Northern California Liberal Meets Southern California ConservativeMichael Shellenberger on The Tucker Carlson Show![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-7.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F708aad7c-1c90-426a-a390-1daa8e5f7b61_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/northern-california-liberal-meets) --- ## Exactly It's plausible that America was on the cusp of becoming a Latin American kleptocracy. --- [Frequently Asked Questions About The Super BowlA primer for people who are not big sports fans.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe70694cc-2760-44a7-aa24-49dc486002ea-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Dave Barry’s SubstackDave Barry![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fdf638d34-188a-471b-a472-eeedca93acc3_640x480.jpeg)](https://davebarry.substack.com/p/frequently-asked-questions-about?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&triedRedirect=true) ## Newest at Substack A reader wrote to me this morning, expressing concern that this piece implies that we can remedy Original Sin by putting the right hemisphere back into its master position. That's not what I think. I think we can get closer to our "pre-apple Adam" brains if we put the right hemisphere into the master role, but I'm afraid Original Sin ain't goin' anywhere, no matter what the most ardent Trump optimists believe. [Self-Centeredness KillsA rogue left hemisphere drives self-centeredness, which leads to chronic stress, which exacerbates our health problems![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-3.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe994feca-c3b9-4200-9ee0-66c75f36649f_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/self-centeredness-kills?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/02/Zuby.jpg) --- ## Greenwich Village Falling [The Death and Life of Bohemia - First ThingsTalkin’ Greenwich Village:The Heady Rise and Slow Fall of America’s Bohemian Music Capitalby david brownehachette, 352 pages, $32.50 I moved to New York in 2011 and started hanging out in…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-300x300.png)First ThingsIzzi Considine![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/article_677ff173197e2-e1737148461898.jpg)](https://firstthings.com/the-death-and-life-of-bohemia/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > The Village had all the ingredients of a perfect urban ecosystem: charming old-world architecture, deep history, and a multiethnic character; affordable rent, a working-class Italian community that resisted rapid gentrification; ample public space (Washington Square Park), and a robust network of platforms for artistic expression. It resisted exploitation, mass demolition, and unchecked gentrification for much of the twentieth century. It had just enough charm and architectural dignity to be appealing, situated in Lower Manhattan, yet it remained a little too violent and working-class to draw the wealthiest mid-century elite. > The Village was rough and beautiful. It was jazz and folk, black and white, gay and straight. A pedestrian walking down MacDougal Street in the early 1960s would hear a cacophony of “strumming, coffee machines, and smatterings of applause” from coffeehouses and clubs. It was a place where a young Ornette Coleman could “dyna\[mite\] known boundaries,” and young folkies from out of town could enter a “more liberating world” just by knocking on the right door (often that of Village fixture, guitar teacher, and blues singer Dave Van Ronk). --- ## Hollywood Falling? [“The Infrastructure of the Recording Industry Is About to Fail”The entire Hollywood ecosystem is tottering on the brink![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa1fa1445-60df-4be2-981a-d798d4819ff0-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Honest BrokerTed Gioia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fae54f706-e465-40a9-9898-01ee1714dc02_1236x990.png)](https://substack.com/home/post/p-156037113?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > \[T\]he film industry is abandoning Hollywood. Huge new production facilities are getting built everywhere except California. > There’s a mad rush to build a [huge new studio in Las Vegas](https://www.honest-broker.com/p/whats-happening-to-entertainment?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). > Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, New Jersey and other states are also aggressively competing for projects. > Just last week Apple TV+ agreed to [film more projects in France](https://9to5mac.com/2025/01/25/apple-france-content-deal-production-quota/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). > Pressure for more “local content” are coming from all over the world. Netflix recently bragged that it has [40 projects underway](https://advanced-television.com/2024/06/19/netflixs-strategic-investment-in-european-content-amid-new-regulatory-landscapes/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in Europe, and may be even [more committed to Southeast Asia](https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3268524/battle-eyeballs-netflix-boosts-southeast-asian-content-bid-fend-local-rivals?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It kinda makes me nostalgically sad, but Hollywood has been a moral and ideological cesspool from the start (though a few early titans tried to keep it ideologically non-toxic). It's hard to muster remorse at the prospect of it fading away and becoming Homelesswood (when I went there in 2019, I was struck by all the riff-raff that crawled around Hollywood's tourism area, and it seems the problem has gotten far, far worse since then). --- ## \[Not\] BYCU This has gotta be the most ridiculous marketing scam since the Pet Rock. I doff my hat to the fellows who pulled it off. [It’s just water in a can. How did Liquid Death become a billion-dollar brand?For an increasing number of consumers, the brand represents a fun way to enjoy nonalcoholic beverages.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-icon-180x180.png)NBC NewsRob Wile![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/240312-liquid-death-vl-314p-025e70.jpg)](https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/liquid-death-became-billion-dollar-beverage-brand-rcna143037?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Thursday Column at Substack is Up For some reason, podcast episodes "drop," while columns go up. Oh, those crazy metaphors! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this piece. Please share. [Tucker Carlson and Matt Taibbi Search for an AnswerThey’re eagerly awaiting the results of the investigations—we all are—but the real culprit has no name.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-6.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ff4a10f4f-3093-4612-82a7-cb6beaf090ef_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/tucker-carlson-and-matt-taibbi-search) --- ## *The Michigan Review* I had no idea this rag even existed . . . and it was at UM when I was there. The shame I feel. [Michigan Review - Journal of Campus AffairsJournal of Campus Affairs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/MRev-Logo-300x300.jpeg)Michigan ReviewTyler Fioritto![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_1381-710x400.jpg)](https://www.michiganreview.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Welcome to Number 9 Grandchild IX arrived this morning. Jude Francis Scheske. --- ## And So Mexican-American War II Begins [Chaos On Border: Mexican Cartels Fire At US Border Patrol Agents“Where are our Marine snipers at?”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-9.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/2025-01-28_08-29-08.png)](https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/chaos-border-mexican-cartels-fire-us-border-patrol-agents?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## New at Substack A new era has dawned: Starting with this short essay, I will write now only for my own entertainment. No conceit is too great or too small: if something doesn't amuse me, I won't include it. It could be the turn of a phrase, it could be an off-color reference, it could be a rant that's over-the-top in its exaggerated prose, it could be an interesting fact. If I find it amusing, it meets my newly-minted publication litmus test. Last summer, I was talking with one of my former editors who, IMHO, is one of the finest Catholic writers out there. He told me he religiously reads [James Howard Kuntsler](https://www.kunstler.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), primarily for his stunning prose. I've read JHK for years, but since that conversation, I've been reading him religiously as well, and now I've started dissecting his essays to figure out what makes them so amusing. The secret, if I've accurately plumbed the secret of JHK's fevered prose: Never write a dry paragraph like this one. If the paragraph ain't clicking with its author, everyone else is clicking away. [Mel Gibson, Joe Rogan, and a Shroud of PerplexityMel Gibson is more perplexing than Elon Musk’s inauguration salute.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-5.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fdc4b1b5f-c493-4164-9dc5-d139e0ebbf9a_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/mel-gibson-joe-rogan-and-a-shroud) --- ## The First Four Days > Censorship, dead. . . Gain of function research, killed. . . CBDCs banned. . . CBP-app for aiding illegal migrants, discontinued. . . border fortified. . . homicidal alien mutts deported. . . World Health Organization, no thanks. . . Paris Climate Accords, fuggeddabowdit. . . DEI, vacated through all of government. . . Green New Deal, scrapped. . . “pride” in mental illness, cancelled. . . Ukraine War, headed for the negotiating table. . . all in four days and so much more coming. [The Great Sorting-Out Begins“The purpose of a pardon is to correct a miscarriage of justice, not to prevent future judicial action.” — Dr. Joseph Sansone![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1a3faa16-7741-4630-8611-f4f27c734963-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-1.png)Clusterfuck NationJames Howard Kunstler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fjameshowardkunstler.substack.com-2Fapi-2Fv1-2Fpost_selection_preview-2F155614747-2F76e2870d-6f42-4a24-8eb1-117e76f9f1d2.jpg%3Fversion%3D9)](https://www.kunstler.com/p/the-great-sorting-out-begins?selection=76e2870d-6f42-4a24-8eb1-117e76f9f1d2&r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&triedRedirect=true&ref=thedailyeudemon.com#:~:text=This%2C%20as%20they%20say%2C%20is%20one%20of%20those%20weeks%20when%20decades%20happen) --- ## Let's Hope This is Accurate and Davos is Dead ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/01/image.png) [It’s Over Lefties: Even the High-End Escorts Have Abandoned DavosBehold the slithering retreat of the beta-people![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F30b3f070-2b44-466c-9737-f9350d5b3b76-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Welcome to Absurdistanelizabeth nickson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F2a427899-2b7a-489e-ac30-6fb71804e965_1125x511.jpeg)](https://substack.com/home/post/p-155454571?source=queue) --- ## BYCU From late last month, sorry I'm late: [Passengers on Air India Express’s Surat to Bangkok flight finish alcohol worth 1.8 lakh before landingAn inaugural Air India Express flight from Surat to Bangkok ran out of its 15 liters of alcoholic beverages, worth INR 1.8 lakh, after 300 passengers consumed it all during the four-hour journey. Passengers shared videos of the festive atmosphere on social media, making the flight a viral sensation and a memorable experience for all.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/ttfavicon.ico)Times of India TravelTimes of India![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/116571200.jpg)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/travel-news/passengers-on-air-india-expresss-surat-to-bangkok-flight-finish-alcohol-worth-1-8-lakh-before-landing/articleshow/116571200.cms?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Bucc-ee's! http://pic.twitter.com/WJZm110H1t > Southern towns from Texas to Tennessee are attracting beautiful new Buc-ee’s locations, each of which will provide hundreds of entry-level jobs. The upcoming Memphis location is projecting a $2.5 billion economic impact, and the new Mississippi store will draw more visitors annually *than Yellowstone*. It’s impossible to capture the full majesty of Buc-ee’s on the page, but for the uninitiated, each location is kind of a spectacle: endless gas pumps, shining rows of porcelain urinals, beef jerky walls, kitschy beaver merch, road-tripping families… pure American spirit. Yes, a gas station chain that coastal elites have never heard of is making *billions of dollars* every year and reshaping middle America. --- ## Merely Getting This Fundamental Legal Issue Resolved Would Help Enormously [Birthright Citizenship Isn’t RealThere is a common misconception that the Constitution mandates that the US government grant citizenship to everyone born within the borders of the United![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-5.ico)Mises InstituteRyan McMaken![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/AdobeStock_755047455.jpeg)](https://mises.org/power-market/birthright-citizenship-isnt-real?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Ross is Free And federal government DEI and the El Paso immigration center are dead. I would hope even his most ardent haters appreciate his unabashed forthrightness, as well as his early follow-through with campaign promises. His term is early, but wow: The Don ain't screwing around. ### Addendum Steven A. Smith, hardly a Trump fan, apparently appreciates Trump's follow-through: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2025/01/image-1.png) --- ## The Day One Orders [Listed Here by Perplexity AI](https://www.perplexity.ai/page/trump-s-day-1-executive-orders-3RLCXVd3RcuEIGio1Z%5FPRg?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Inauguration Speech was Great With a few clunkers. Renaming the Gulf? And it's apparently a priority? Come on! Get Ross Ulbricht out. He said "Day One," but I'm willing to interpret that as "within the first 24 hours." Elon Tweeted this morning (Tuesday) that it's going to happen, though he didn't say when. [Elon Musk Assures Silk Road Founder Will Receive Trump’s Presidential PardonElon Musk has disclosed that Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road marketplace, will receive a pardon from President Donald Trump.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-The-Crypto-Basic-Logo-small-5-270x270.png)The Crypto Basic - Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, DeFi Topics And NewsOlivia Stephanie![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Elon-Musk-Slams-Wall-Street.png)](https://thecryptobasic.com/2025/01/21/elon-musk-assures-silk-road-founder-will-receive-trumps-presidential-pardon/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### First Asian Voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame [Ichiro Suzuki | Biography & Facts | BritannicaIchiro Suzuki is a Japanese baseball player who amassed the most total hits across all professional baseball leagues in the history of the sport. The first non-pitcher to shift from Japanese professional baseball to the American major leagues, he also set the major-league single-season record with 262 hits in 2004.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-1.png)Encyclopedia Britannica![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Ichiro-Suzuki.jpg)](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ichiro-Suzuki?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Consolation to Detroit Lions Fans [25 Most Affordable Cities: Detroit is #1](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-25-most-affordable-cities-in-america/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-25-most-affordable-cities-in-america/](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-25-most-affordable-cities-in-america/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## From White Guy for Kamala to Removing Tampon Dispensaries from the Men's Room [How Mark Zuckerberg became based... by Brazilian jiu-jitsuOur boy is based by Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Mark Zuckerberg has a long history of announcing quirky goals and new hobbies![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400-5.jpg)The Spectator WorldMary Katharine Ham![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/zuck.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/mark-zuckerberg-became-based-brazilian-jiu-jitsu/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > He started training in the Brazilian grappling martial art form during [Covid-19](http://thespectator.com/tag/coronavirus?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) lockdowns, and by 2023, was medaling in local competitions and boasting a blue belt. In 2024, he acted as an [enthusiastic if awkward corner man for a featherweight fighter in UFC 298\. The internet memed him](https://www.mensjournal.com/news/mark-zuckerberg-ufc-meme?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), but the league greeted him with open arms, with one fighter climbing the Octagon’s sides to give Zuck a high-five. He called the mixed martial arts community “very welcoming” in a [three-hour interview with Joe Rogan this week](https://open.spotify.com/episode/51gxrAActH18RGhKNza598?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), his second appearance on *The Joe Rogan Experience* in as many years. > Zuckerberg also invited UFC head Dana White to be on the board of Meta, calling him a “world-class entrepreneur with a strong backbone.” > The Zuckerberg of 2018 would not have publicly praised Trump, as he did this summer, for his reaction to his assassination attempt calling it “one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen in my life.” > The Zuck of the Covid era wouldn’t have talked to Rogan at all, much less marveled at Mike Tyson’s twenty-inch neck circumference in his prime. Pre-jiu-jitsu Zuckerberg wasn’t bow-hunting wild boar and harvesting meat to teach his children to “understand the circle of life” or saying corporate culture is too neutered in its current state and needs to balance that with more masculine energy and aggression. > It’s hard to think of a subculture that previewed the vibe shift more clearly than MMA — away from censorship and lockdowns, toward more messy freedom and fun. Here’s hoping all the time he’s practiced not getting choked out means fewer submissions in the future. --- [Gurwinder on Substack“15 years ago, the internet was an escape from the real world. Now, the real world is an escape from the internet.” — Noah Smith![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-3.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack.com-2Fnote-2Fc-86328613-2FpreviewSmall.jpg)](https://substack.com/@gurwinder/note/c-86328613?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- [The Hope of the American Republic: Local Coffee Shops - Front Porch RepublicBecause of coffee’s popularity, coffee shops can draw people together like very few other modern institutions.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300-1.jpg)Front Porch RepublicDennis Uhlman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/acoffee.jpeg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2025/01/the-hope-of-the-american-republic-local-coffee-shops/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) “Local coffee shops, like taverns in the past, provide a service that the masses desire. Because of coffee’s popularity, coffee shops can draw people together like very few other modern institutions. In my experience, coffee has become the new social lubricant that opens the door for important relationships and discussions. The best place to unite America is not national politics, but local businesses that bring people together.” --- [The Daily Eudemon“President-elect Donald Trump is preparing an executive order that could reshape U.S. cryptocurrency policy by establishing a Crypto Advisory Council, reviewing existing regulations and legal actions, and proposing a National Bitcoin Reserve. These initiatives aim to foster collaboration between the government and the crypto industry, create a more innovation-friendly regulatory framework, and position the United States as a global leader in digital asset adoption, sparking optimism among market participants and industry stakeholders.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-8.png)Telegram![](https://cdn1.cdn-telegram.org/file/kk5VP97VmM_q95KuKSKeVF8FjE3Bp5AEkUXzteY23CH7z-ZH8fusj65b26lMoL8WiWiwrmQf4pQKo4fO0_irxRHj2FFG8RQQBe76YtwJnsOhfx_pzoCrmvBi8aGdgulcuO1l8pbMNGJSxM2tMk9avYezbArb071y6qH-J3woqw_e6hbpJwZQ0P4c5JTuBHOoN9ErqsoR5T-OfwgFt7GqS3IF_pj2-VXTNK-N0UJa85Tu0y3RPrgPi0As1lbPLQE8QM5ofho_-dQtMgJNt4zCO_Sh_ZI9a5z90yKjYDj4M2J3WKFAGeVzESq-F89n0ftxa-Vq_JwIndAaG0u_Y09HKA.jpg)](https://t.me/thedailyeudemon/98?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > *"President-elect Donald Trump is preparing an executive order that could reshape U.S. cryptocurrency policy by establishing a Crypto Advisory Council, reviewing existing regulations and legal actions, and proposing a National Bitcoin Reserve. These initiatives aim to foster collaboration between the government and the crypto industry, create a more innovation-friendly regulatory framework, and position the United States as a global leader in digital asset adoption, sparking optimism among market participants and industry stakeholders."* --- ## BYCU: Hard Times Looming for Craft Beer? > After two decades of meteoric success, the craft brewing industry has hit an inflection point: More breweries closed than opened last year, the first time that has happened since 2005\. . . . > What we’re seeing now is a combination of factors. People’s 10-year leases are coming up, and their rent is going up in a way that’s not sustainable. Beer is a low-margin business. In the 2010s, when people were coming and buying four-packs of hazy I.P.A. for $16, $18, $20 directly from breweries, that was a very lucrative time. But what is happening now is I think people are a little bit tighter with their dollars. > > Now you have to make great beer just to have a seat at the table. What else can you do to endear yourself? If you’re a taproom business, you need to think about events. You need to think about what food you’re offering. You think about what nonalcoholic drinks you can have. What does it mean to be a brewery in 2025? --- ## Catholic Missionary Just Released a Fiction Book I'm only through the first chapter so far, but his brothers tell me that they are genuinely enjoying the story. [Amazon.com: The New King: Book 1 of The Commoners’ Rebellion: 9798306282961: Scheske, Michael, Laughlin, Emma Claire: BooksAmazon.com: The New King: Book 1 of The Commoners’ Rebellion: 9798306282961: Scheske, Michael, Laughlin, Emma Claire: Books![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/faviconV2)Michael Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/ATVPDKIKX0DER-136-1829713-9624418-9QF8KEHY33N1C87QKJD0-uedata-s--2Frd-2Fuedata-3Fstaticb-26id-3D9QF8KEHY33N1C87QKJD0-0)](https://a.co/d/4FLbsZr?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Lifetime Mystery Solved This must be why dogs bury their nose in my crotch. I guess I didn't appreciate that I was emanating paradise down there. [The Uncreated Light on SubstackSt. Isaac the Syrian says “animals smell paradise and go to the saints.” This is Elder Macarie of Romania feeding deer in the snow.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-2.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack.com-2Fnote-2Fc-85453759-2FpreviewSmall.jpg)](https://substack.com/@theuncreatedlight/note/c-85453759?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&utm%5Fsource=notes-share-action) --- ## New Page Published at TDE [Primary AreasNote to reader: Scroll to the bottom of each area. More posts will load, but there is a “delayed reaction” of about two seconds. The ESB Project Existence Strikes Back Part One Existence Strikes Back Part Two Existence Strikes Back Part Three Existence Strikes Back Part Four Existence Strikes Back![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-4.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1563714193017-5a5fb60bc02b)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/primary-areas-still-under-construction/) --- ## The Outrage of the LA Fires in Ten Minutes Just listen to the first part of this interview. --- ## Multiculturalism, DEI, Wokism: These Ivy League Mind Diseases Have Real Consequences As girls in Great Britain have learned over the past decades. Is Los Angeles learning it, too? [Muslim Rape Gangs As Religious WarfareThe Muslim rape gangs in the United Kingdom are acts of a religious war against a people whom the perpetrators consider to be conquered.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-Crisis-avatar2-270x270.jpg)Crisis MagazineCrisis Editor![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/f418245fe95b1b9b98cf4b2f2ba77b74.jpg)](https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/muslim-rape-gangs-as-religious-warfare?utm%5Fsource=Crisis+Magazine&utm%5Fcampaign=8b9f46d845-Crisis%5FDAILYRSS%5FEMAIL&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5Fa5a13625fd-8b9f46d845-28418891&mc%5Fcid=8b9f46d845&mc%5Feid=0d1dd27b48) --- ## America's Most Livable Cities Eat some salt with this list. It puts San Francisco at 18, but quite a few of the others (like Ann Arbor, Portland (Maine), and Des Moines) ring true. [https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-20-most-livable-cities-in-the-u-s/](https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-the-20-most-livable-cities-in-the-u-s/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- [Eric Scheske on Substack“On nights like that, every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands’ necks. Anything can happen.” Raymond Chandler on the Santa Ana (Id)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack.com-2Fnote-2Fc-85824046-2FpreviewSmall.jpg)](https://substack.com/@ericscheske/note/c-85824046?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Eric Scheske on Substack“I recall being told, when I first moved to Los Angeles and was living on an isolated beach, that the Indians would throw themselves into the sea when the bad wind blew.” Joan Didion, writing about the Santa Ana (“Los Angeles Notebook,” See We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live, 162).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/icon-1.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack.com-2Fnote-2Fc-85823857-2FpreviewSmall.jpg)](https://substack.com/@ericscheske/note/c-85823857?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Brews You Can Use **Drink like a Chicagoan**: Drink Jepsson's malört. [Jeppson's website](https://malort.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) says it's a traditional wormwood-based digest and a Chicago drinker's rite of passage. Ed Zotti writes about trying a Chicago Handshake ("a shot of malört plus an Old Style, a popular beer in Chicago, to serve as flame retardant") recently. He said it wasn't nearly as bad as he feared: > I thought I’d be spitting up blood. I glanced at Charlie, who also seemed unfazed, then at Jess, who’d been watching for adverse reactions. “Like grapefruit and dandelions,” she said. > Imagine my predicament. I’d been expecting to write another crazy-stuff-they-do-in-Chicago story. Now I faced the prospect of having to tell a baffled world that an obscure beverage even locals consider revolting actually has its points. > Well, so be it. In this era of fake news, one need to call ’em like one sees ’em. We ordered another round. I started a fresh page in my notebook. > The initial sensation is deceptive — honeylike, some say, owing to the coating of the tongue, but you can make the case for an oil slick. This erupts into an interval of alcohol-fueled turbulence, like sex during July when the AC is out, and over just as quickly, leaving behind a lingering acrid taste, blotted only partially by the beer. > This last phase figures prominently in descriptions of malört. Grapefruit? I’ll buy that. (My limited dandelion consumption didn’t permit judgment.) What you’re looking at experientially, though, is an extended period of melancholy contemplation. Once that passes — and all things pass — you’re left with a modest glow, fortifying you to step out into a cold night. > Not a priority in Miami Beach, maybe. But — acknowledging that even in Chicago some will argue the point — I can say it works here. [My thoughts on MalörtChances are you’ve never heard of malört, formally known as Jeppson’s Malört, Carl Jeppson being the Swedish immigrant who invented the![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400-4.jpg)The Spectator WorldEd Zotti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/malort-scene-hero_1_60e57db4-d2fa-4b62-b575-0412c58e3a60-copy.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/my-thoughts-malort-chicago/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Aside Drinking essays are consistently funny and stylistically rewarding. From Kingsley Amis to the artists at [*Modern Drunkard Magazine*](https://drunkard.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to Ed Zotti at *The Spectator*, they're great. --- ### BYCU [This Midwest State Is Making Some of the Most Refreshing, Crisp Wines You Need to KnowThough Michigan may not be a state many think of when looking for wine, the Great Lakes State has been growing fine wine grapes for more than a century, and producing crisp and inviting pours. Here’s everything you need to know about Michigan wines.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Food & WineMartin Sorge![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Michigan-Wine-Explainer-FT-BLOG0125-cf65b5060b1c4399afaa270a07981093.jpg)](https://www.foodandwine.com/michigan-wine-guide-8769822?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Pump.com That "Tales from the Crypto" essay below is great. Ross Anderson recounts and takes down the miscreants, frauds, and freaks (collectively, "gamblers") who have invaded the crypto market over the past years. His account of Pump.com, where people could launch their own "shitcoin" and then pump it in hopes that morons would buy it, is especially humorous. In their efforts to use Pump.com's livestream feature to pump the price of their shitcoins, > A man threatened to hang himself; another, to shoot up a school; another, to kill his dog. A woman had sex with a dog; a man punched himself repeatedly; another threatened to waterboard a person tied up in the background behind them. The sex shows were relatively tame compared to people streaming themselves playing Russian roulette (thankfully, never getting unlucky). Crypto was supposed to free us from the evils of traditional finance, I remind myself, as I hear of the armed teenager who said he’d kill his entire family with a shotgun unless his coin reaches a market cap of $60,000\. > After a few days of chaos, pump.fun turned off the livestreaming feature. Anderson, btw, isn't anti-crypto. He's just anti-fraud and anti-stupidity. He strikes me as fairly agnostic when it comes to prognosticating crypto's future. He even seems a bit excited about companies like **Jack Dorsey's company, Block** (ticker symbol: SQ . . it used to be called "Square"). I bought a few shares this morning, but just a few . . . I'm not a hardcore miscreant, fraud, and freak. --- ## Fun Fact > On the release of the *Access Hollywood* tape \["Grab 'em by the \*\*\*\*\*\], some European betting shops said that Hillary had 25:1, 35:1 odds of beating Trump. [Tales from the cryptoDuring the 2021-22 crypto boom, crypto conferences were all the rage. They were sweaty, passionate, pulsating, DJ’d hypefests, with celebrity![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400-3.jpg)The Spectator WorldRoss Anderson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/JAN-DIG-IMAGES20.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/tales-crypto/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## On Working without Working. Or Working While Walking the Little Way. Or Working Like a Zen Master > "There is no greater pleasure in ordinary life, so-called, than to see a bus-conductor, a teacher, anybody, really engrossed in his work, with no thought of its relative or absolute value, with no thought of its interest or profit to himself or others." R.H. Blyth, *Zen in English Literature and Oriental Classics* (1942, 2016 reprint by Angelico Press) --- ## Greenland: The 51st State In the Era of Crazy, Everything is Crazily Possible [http://pic.twitter.com/HoaRmab5NR](http://pic.twitter.com/HoaRmab5NR?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Quote "It is hard to imagine a more stupid or dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong." \-Thomas Sowell --- ## But I Believe Change is Coming [The American Food System’s Very Bad Legacy - Front Porch RepublicThere’s little appetite for a response that begins with taking up our axes to clear the land for something better.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicGarth Brown![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/food.webp)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2025/01/the-american-food-systems-very-bad-legacy/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The More Education, the Dumber the Result To be precise, the more education, the stronger the left hemisphere's grip on a person's existence, which results in more stupidity. [103 things higher ed declared racist in 2024 | The College FixHigher education found racism in more than 100 places in 2024.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png)The College FixCollege Fix Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Kali9.GettyImages.BrianFriedman.Shutterstock.Com_.TomMacDonald.YouTube.AnnaSubbottinia.DonaldTrump.X72.png)](https://www.thecollegefix.com/103-things-higher-ed-declared-racist-in-2024/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Happy New Year "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"? (I use both.) When do you stop saying "Merry Christmas" (technically, on January 6th, I suppose, but it starts feeling kinda weird to me by about December 28th). And now, when do you stop saying "Happy New Year"? I'm thinking by January 9th this year: first full week of work is Monday, the 8th: HNY is probably still appropriate. Come the 9th? It starts getting a smidegon awkward. Definitely by the 15th, though Elaine in *Seinfeld* noted with irritation that she once got "Happy New Yeared" in February. --- ## TDE at Telegram ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/12/image.png) The Daily Eudemon's Telegram Arm [The Daily EudemonEric Scheske Blog on Telegram![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-7.png)Telegram![](https://cdn1.cdn-telegram.org/file/UXPl4lsOLt2gQRXpPh1FIQG_R0ROmsQmQWd4MwTrC57hC4PBwZRT8mPHCXOCCe2QRZWmpPkKl-BNX2nUvf36xXR_AWHaKOcuUNzJhzEllzg7X4z4OWZmcrMI2raPuT04Az7sG2MlY9u9gAXRySnJttwoam2Ga6qjb1kuGatfUzjsGIDITv8RBDjuvWS4G5ykFNdfsdjir7uuL_gI8gpLQBct1IkSEhgyOku4D-CwQO6hU-8p2Y8cpGxxSf55-S6wYBPkRCIMWp21EqAHREEzELVm5uUi4LaHLRd86gyBcYAT3AvUOm-Tot3qSNfO8toTPLy-qFg9ICRW9JDwrji8Rw.jpg)](https://t.me/thedailyeudemon?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## [](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### Smith-Ruiu, On Drugs URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/smith-ruiu-on-drugs/ Last updated: 2026-01-18T15:51:57.000Z "Human beings are the animals that have to do things they don't actually have to do. The name we use to describe these things is culture." _This post is for subscribers only._ ### The Way of the Cobblestone URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-way-of-the-cobblestone/ Last updated: 2025-09-15T11:41:42.000Z Smooth makes things rough. Ease makes life more difficult. Soft makes us brittle. We lost something when asphalt replaced cobblestone. Every step on those old, gnarled stones forced a man’s body to shift, recalibrate, and work. The more cobblestonish the surface, the more micro-exertions. The more asphaltish the surface, the fewer micro-exertions. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QJkS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F45c5c725-f000-40ce-940c-1e86d0d8365a_1024x608.png) Our forebears didn’t need gyms or Fitbits. Their world was their workout. Every rutted road, every bend at the stream to wash clothes, every yank on the well rope was a cascade of micro-exertions that kept them hard and hale. We, on the other hand, slump in ergonomic chairs, staring at screens, our bodies atrophying as we fetishize efficiency. Sure, we’ve got our CrossFit cults and marathon maniacs, pounding their bodies into submission. That’s fine, even necessary. Lift the weights, sprint the hills, sweat it out. But it’s not enough. The real grit lies in the small, constant movements of the day—the walk across a gravel lot while carrying your laptop, the deliberate choice to park at the far end of the Walmart parking lot. Sitting is the new smoking, they say, and every desk jockey who’s reading the newest studies on health is swapping his ergonomic chair for a standing desk. The pre-moderns knew about the importance of micro-exertions, but they didn’t apply the wisdom to physical life (didn’t need to, given the ardor of everyday living). They applied the wisdom to the soul. The old monks and mystics, with their “abandonment to divine providence” and “sacrament of the present moment,” understood that a healthy spiritual life demands constant, tiny acts of resistance and awareness. The neptic fathers, ever watchful, practiced a kind of spiritual cobblestone-walking: each moment a chance to recalibrate, to pick up the micro-crosses of patience, humility, and presence. The devout peasant woman, recognizing every whine as a micro-defeat, didn’t complain about her hard life. We postmoderns are trying to wrangle back this lost cultural intuition by developing “mindfulness,” but the whole mindfulness movement—for all its goodness and potential—is merely working its way backwards to St. Paul’s Thessalonian “pray without ceasing.” The Rosary, the liturgy, the quiet hours with scripture—these are the heavy lifts of the spirit, the HIIT sessions of the soul. But they’re not enough. You need the little crosses, too—St. Therese’s “Little Way,” embracing every irritation, every small sacrifice, as a chance to grow stronger. It’s not easy. It’s not supposed to be. Smooth is the enemy. ### Artificial Intelligence is the New Asphalt And now, here comes the new asphalt: Artificial Intelligence. It’s paving over our minds the way blacktop smothered the cobblestones. Can’t find the right word? Grok’ll spit it out. Forgot the name of that gizmo you meant to buy? Leo’s got you covered. Curious about the tangle of alliances that sparked the Great War? Claude’ll lay it out. Every query answered, every effort spared. And every time—*every damned time*—your brain misses a chance to stretch, to strain, to step over the uneven ground of thought. It’s a micro-exertion lost, a micro-defeat, a tiny cross left on the ground, a softening of the mind that compounds with every swipe and click. Deep work, long reads, the grind of a crossword puzzle: these are the mental equivalents of deadlifts and sprints, of kneeled praying and liturgy. They’re essential. But the mind, like the body, needs constant, small challenges to stay sharp. Pull the dictionary off the shelf and hunt for that word. Let the name of that product simmer in the back of your skull until it surfaces hours later, unbidden. Crack open that dusty history text and wrestle with the messy causes of 1914\. Is it slower? Less efficient? Does it, in the moment, feel like a slog? Hell yes. But so does walking on cobblestone. The smooth path weakens you. The rough one, over time, makes you strong. Choose the cobblestones. **Link to Substack where this essay originally appeared:** [The Cobblestone Cure: Micro-ExertionsSmooth is the enemy of body, soul, and mind.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-68.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F45c5c725-f000-40ce-940c-1e86d0d8365a_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-cobblestone-cure-micro-exertions?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Albert Jay Nock, the Remnant, and Our Need to Read URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/albert-jay-nock-the-remnant-and-our-need-to-read/ Last updated: 2025-09-01T12:39:29.000Z Picture a man, tattered coat flapping, rummaging through a dumpster in an alley. You wince, don’t you? That flicker of disgust ripples through your gut. But hold on. Don’t judge him too harshly. He’s not much different from a stray dog, sniffing for scraps. That’s not my line; it’s Albert Jay Nock’s, that old curmudgeonly godfather of the modern libertarian movement. Nock used to gag at such sights himself, till one day it hit him: morally, that dumpster-diver is no better than a hound. No point in judging what’s just instinct wrapped in rags. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1j1s!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faa50e975-05f6-4203-a2ae-84b3ef65c1cf_1024x608.png) It’s a brutal thought, but Nock didn’t sugarcoat. He put humanity into two groups: the rare few who climb toward something higher—call them Sophocles, Saladin, Shakespeare, or their kin—and then the rest, the great unwashed, still largely Neolithic, scarcely improved from a Paleolithic hunter-gatherer. Nock pegged the first group, his “Remnant,” at maybe 10% of mankind. The rest? Stuck in 5000 BC, working with crude wooden implements and scratching in the soil. It’s a snob’s view, no question, and it stains the later pages of Nock’s thought like spilled ink. But he wasn’t entirely off the mark. We’re all sitting on a spectrum—Neolithic man at one end, delighting over his first plow, and at the other, Socrates or St. Francis, gazing into transcendence. The only question is: what drags a soul toward one pole or the other? It ain’t brains, that’s for sure. Nock tipped his hat to clever scientists and industrial tycoons like Edison and Ford, but placed them on the Neolithic side of the spectrum. Nor is it money, status, church membership, or a fancy degree. I’m pretty confident Nock never defined the Remnant. He simply said the Remnant aren’t the the masses. The Remnant don’t sway with the mob’s fever or swallow the propaganda that stokes it. They shun the herd’s groupthink, roll their eyes at party loyalty, and chase knowledge not for profit but for its own stubborn sake. Money, to them, is a tool, not a god. Beauty and goodness aren’t means to an end: they’re the end itself. And the Remnant can read. Nock’s Remnant aren’t just literate. Literacy is cheap. The masses can decode words and pass sentences through their skulls like ticker tape. But *reading*? That’s reflection and wrestling with ideas till they yield something true, good, beautiful or mysterious, paradoxical, humbling. Literacy’s a mixed bag, Nock warned. Mere literacy is a megaphone for mass manipulation, a tool for propagandists to herd the gullible. But true reading? That’s the spark of the Remnant . . . and almost certainly the spark of a healthy right hemisphere of our brains. History’s blunt: only about 10% of any society bothers to be literate. The Western world changed that throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, achieving near universal literacy, even giving rise to a middle class that devoured books like today’s eco-politico elite devours underage children. But now we’re sliding back to that grim 10% benchmark. Wessie du Toit, [scribbling in ](https://firstthings.com/the-future-of-reading/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)[*First Things*](https://firstthings.com/the-future-of-reading/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), says we’re losing “deep literacy”—Nock’s “reading”—fast. College professors are sounding alarms: their fresh-faced undergrads can’t get through the shortest of books. The vast bulk of us—90%?— are staring at screens, skimming snippets, and stripping down our synapses. We—you and I—need to claw our way toward that 10%, to inch our way along the spectrum from “the masses” to “the Remnant,” from mere “literacy” to “reading.” If enough of us do it, maybe by some miracle the Remnant, or at least those who are on the Remnant side of the spectrum, can swell to 25%, or hell, even 51%. [Maybe we can even stave off the new Moloch of literacy: AI](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/artificial-intelligence-will-make?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (which can’t even begin to read, in the Nockian sense, because [it has no right hemisphere](https://thedailyeudemon.com/language-and-ai/)). But don’t hold your breath. The world’s always been a mess of stragglers and a handful of strivers. Fortunately, the world isn’t our job. Our job is simpler: just make dang sure we’re part of the Remnant and fix the only thing we can—ourselves. The rest can root through the dumpster of Tweets, texts, and digital twaddle. We can’t worry about them. We have enough work to do, just getting ourselves out of that dumpster. ### Jeremy Clarke: A Great Reader URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/jeremy-clarke/ Last updated: 2025-09-29T11:59:06.000Z It's arguably the most popular column in Britain's oldest newspaper. The "Low Life" column of *The Spectator* has entertained readers since 1975, when Jeffrey Bernard provided readers with, to quote Johnathan Meades, "a suicide note in weekly installments." After Bernard's death, an assortment of men wrote the column but eventually, Jeremy Clarke took over. He wrote the column for 23 years. The thing about Jeremy is, he wasn't a drinker like Bernard. A drinker, yes, but not like Bernard, which few men are. But Jeremy was a reader. If Bernard was addicted to drinking, Clarke was addicted to reading. So says Catriona Olding, the woman Clarke married later in life. "He spent so much time in bed reading," Olding says, "that some weeks he had nothing to write about." He accumulated thousands of books. After his Mom died, Clarke brought 2,500 books from her house, which was already jammed full of books. He never wrote in his books, preferring to write out passages, which he put in his notebooks. Olding provides a few samples: *evanesce: fade out of sight* *adventitious: coming from outside* *accidental: casual* *The novel is a kind of discourse and a frame of mind. As a frame of mind, it questions and subverts all totalizing systems by the liberating power of laughter and the celebration of the body.* "Jeremy," Olding says, "described himself as a reader who writes." He could (and preferred) "to read all day, every day and most evenings." Clarke and Olding's life together revolved around reading. "It was," she says, "the mainstay" of their relationship. They would "read the funniest, cleverest, or most beautiful passages from books and newspapers aloud to each other." Clarke seemingly read everything, often plunging deep into a single author, but then ricocheting quickly to others. Curiously, Clarke was never much interested in the stories. He was interested in the authors themselves, as revealed in their works, and in their subtle mastery of the written word. > Plot interested Jeremy little. It was the quality of writing that mattered. His writers were masters of prose. They were outsiders; often destructive, sometimes tragic, and many struggled with mental illness or addiction. Pursued by furies they were, and, in his darkest moments, so was Jeremy. Jeremy died in May 2023, at age 66\. Let's hope the grace that no doubt oozed from those pages found him in the end. [Jeremy Clarke’s life as seen through his booksJeremy Clarke, my husband, spent so much time in bed reading that some weeks he had nothing to write about![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldCatriona Olding![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/JCSPECTATOR-e1702926806568.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/jeremy-clarke-life-seen-through-books-catriona-olding/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Twenty 20th-Century Books for Young Autodidacts URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51741/ Last updated: 2025-09-29T11:58:12.000Z ##### (Actually, there are 33, if you count the honorable mentions) Joseph Epstein is arguably the best essayist alive. He’s urbane, funny, self-deprecating. He’s a fine stylist, and he’s remarkably well-read. I remember William F. Buckley marveling at Epstein’s erudition and wondering how Epstein could have so many anecdotes and references at his disposal. Coming from a guy of Buckley’s learning, that’s high praise. So it was with great interest that I turned to his essay, “Joseph Epstein’s Lifetime Reading Plan” and his attempt to respond to a recent college graduate’s question: “What books should I read?” This question, Epstein said, was nothing less than asking, “How do I become an educated person?” Epstein used the question to launch his essay, but he didn’t provide a list of books. He suggested that a person always have a classic going: Cervantes, Tocqueville, Montaigne, Homer, Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Plato. That’s thumpingly good advice, especially for someone like Epstein (and me), who always has two or more books going at once. It keeps one’s reading life varied. But what about a list? Epstein said there is no dispositive list, and he’s right. The canon of Western civilization alone is neither settled nor static, there isn’t enough time to read everything in one lifetime, and everyone’s situation is different. One list won’t fit all. Still, I think a list is possible, and here’s mine. The list doesn’t include any classics (Epstein’s advice to keep a classic going at all times stands) and it ignores the Bible (which should be a mainstay if you’re Catholic). Every book was published after 1900. Although the list is geared toward young men and women, maturer adults would also benefit from them as well. I won’t argue that it’s the best list, and I don’t expect everyone to agree with the list, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve omitted a few that should’ve made it. But despite its potential shortcomings, I highly recommend every book on it. # The List ## James Schall, [*Another Sort of Learning*](https://amzn.to/3kV7N5d?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) This is my lead book because it’s full of reading lists. Indeed, Schall introduced me to many of the books listed here. It channels a person’s reading and one’s intellectual life (a crucial thing, since many youngsters have no idea where to start or how to proceed, and today’s lame college educations aren’t helping). Added bonus: I recently discovered that Ignatius Press has issued it on Kindle. ## Tomas Spidlik, [*The Spirituality of the Christian East*](https://amzn.to/3Dp7ki7?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) After reading this book a few years after it came out in 1986, I thought it would become a modern classic. It hasn’t. But it’s perfect for understanding our brothers in the Catholic/Orthodox east. In the process of gaining that understanding, you’ll also understand the western spiritual tradition in general. Related and also recommended: [**Kallistos Ware, *The Orthodox Way***](https://amzn.to/3kLapm9?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ## C.S. Lewis, [*Mere Christianity*](https://amzn.to/409k3zk?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Most of Lewis’ books should be read, but this one in particular helps a person think like an intelligent Christian. I also recommend [*The Screwtape Letters*](https://amzn.to/3HoEWhA?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). For commentaries on Lewis, try [Gilbert Meilaender’s *A Taste for the Other*](https://amzn.to/3wEralR?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and Peter K[reeft’s *C.S. Lewis: A Critical Essay*](https://amzn.to/3Rfcwea?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ## Montague Brown, [*The One-Minute Philosopher*](https://amzn.to/3DkVMwo?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) This book’s easy prose provides a coherent explanation of virtues and vices. There’s no need to read it front to back; just pick it up and read the entries that seem interesting. Highly recommended for high schoolers. ## [*The Human Wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas*](https://amzn.to/3wEIMOw?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Okay, technically, this isn't a 20th-century book, but Joseph Pieper (see below) put it together in the 20th century, plus it's stunning: I'm not sure I've ever seen so much wisdom packed into such a small volume and such short passages. Each aphorism can be pondered and pondered and pondered some more. It's just $2.99 on Kindle. A steal. ## Russell Kirk, [*The Conservative Mind*](https://amzn.to/3HF4g3T?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) This is not a handbook about becoming a good little Republican. It’s a parade of biographies that illustrate how to apply the highest truths to societal and cultural issues. Another great Kirk book: [*Enemies of the Permanent Things*](https://amzn.to/40a60JP?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *(*paperback just $7; collector edition just $1,470 . . . 1/28/23). [I just discovered you can get *TCM* on Kindle for just $4.99](https://amzn.to/3kHgnEE?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). That might be the steal of the decade. ## Robin Daniels, [*The Virgin Eye*](https://amzn.to/40a6pMl?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Catholicism laced into the practice of mindfulness, spiked with a bit of Jungian psychology. Parts of the book absolutely captivated me, prompting me to put it down and just ponder for minutes. I bought copies for my four oldest children. ## E.F. Schumacher, [*A Guide for the Perplexed*](https://amzn.to/3HFGe97?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) A great way to begin to understand some of the highest (and mystical) truths of our existence. This might be "number one" on my list. It was out of print for awhile, so I bought extra copies in case I ever loss my primairy copy. ## Thomas Woods, [*How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization*](https://amzn.to/3JlgrnN?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) There are a lot of good Catholic histories out there, but this one is probably my favorite. It doesn’t purport to be a survey of western civilization, but you’ll come away feeling like you’ve just taken such a course, with a whole new perspective. Another excellent Woods book: *The Church and the Market*. ## Henry Veatch, [*Aristotle, A Contemporary Appreciation*](https://amzn.to/3kTCAzC?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) This is an excellent introduction to Aristotle’s thought, and it will help a person learn how to think. Although it’s an introductory book, it’s not written at such an elementary level that it’s painful to read. ## Herbert A. Deane, [*The Political and Social Ideas of St. Augustine*](https://amzn.to/3RhDKkv?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) This book isn’t nearly as narrow as the title implies. The titles of the first two chapters (“The Theology of Fallen Man” and “The Psychology of Fallen Man”) signal its broad scope. ## Thomas Merton, [*Seven Storey Mountain*](https://amzn.to/40b2Y8c?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The questions with which Merton struggled and the answer he found (the monastic life) are relevant to any Christian in any age. ## Flannery O’Connor, [*The Habit of Being*](https://amzn.to/3X1XTMR?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) These are the collected letters of Flannery O’Connor. They will give insight into writing, religion, and how to live. ## G.K. Chesterton, [*Orthodoxy*](https://amzn.to/3DojHuW?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Chesterton is not easy to read, but the effort of getting used to him will be amply rewarded. He was a powerful thinker who grappled with the heaviest issues lightly. At least spend **sixty cents** to get a Kindle version. All of his other books are also highly recommended, especially [*The Dumb Ox*](https://amzn.to/3HHhPjE?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (Kindle: 99 cents) and [*The Thing: Why I Am A Catholic*](https://amzn.to/3WROhUC?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ## Josef Pieper, [*Leisure, The Basis of Culture*](https://amzn.to/3Y4i91c?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) This is a difficult book. It must be read slowly and carefully, but its message is indispensable: “Don’t be busy all the time. Take time to do nothing.” Pieper explains the reasons only as a first-rate philosopher can. Also highly recommended: *A Guide to Thomas Aquinas*, [*The Silence of St. Thomas*](https://amzn.to/3wFMPdg?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and the Pieper [*Anthology*](https://amzn.to/3RdFATx?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ## Joseph Pearce, [*Literary Converts*](https://amzn.to/3Y3BY8I?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) A fact-filled and curiously-inspiring book about a series of converts to the Catholic faith in twentieth-century England. ## John Senior, [*The Restoration of Christian Culture*](https://amzn.to/3XOgpJx?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) It shows how things could be and should be. Quixotic, but that’s the whole point. Beautifully written. Unfortunately, the book appears to be out of print and you can only get it for an exorbitant price. [Fortunately, there's a free PDF](http://christusliberat.org/journal/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/The-Restoration-of-Christian-Culture-John-Senior.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ## Etienne Gilson, [*Reason and Revelation in the Middle Ages*](https://amzn.to/3DqneJ7?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [*God and Philosophy*](https://amzn.to/3DpcPxz?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Great introductory books to metaphysics. Also, try Jacques Maritain’s [*Introduction to Philosophy*](https://amzn.to/3XOkXQ9?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ## Hilaire Belloc, [*Europe and the Faith*](https://amzn.to/3HF2RdG?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) I think so highly of this book, I’ve undertaken to translate it into English. Belloc was a superb stylist, I suppose, and widely read in his day, but he doesn’t translate well today, so I’m trying to bring this refutation of Whig history into the 21st century. Also recommended: [*The Servile State*](https://amzn.to/3HFIxJj?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Both Belloc books are just 99 cents on Kindle. ## Clare Booth Luce, editor, [*Saints for Now*](https://amzn.to/3XNrzOS?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) No Catholic reading list would be complete without a dose of saints, and this is one of the best doses you’ll find. Its contributors were some of the best writers of the mid-twentieth century. Its semi-intellectual approach makes the book a great fit for this list. I learned recently that Luce was, well, [*loose* in her mores](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55506/), even after converting, which certainly took a lot of shine off this splendid book, but the book itself is still a masterpiece of mini-biography. ### The Reading Paradox URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-reading-paradox/ Last updated: 2025-09-29T11:59:24.000Z Thomas Jefferson amassed the largest library in America. Fifteen thousand volumes, according to Paul Johnson. Books were expensive: expensive to produce and expensive to import from Europe. Jefferson paid for the books by accumulating massive debt, which he repaid with his slave’s labor and, upon his death, his slave’s bodies: his executor was unable to free the slaves like Jefferson wanted but, instead, had to sell them to pay the debts, in the process breaking up married slaves and their families. --- “A literate population is important.” That premise has soaked into our bones more thoroughly than blood at the grounds of Gettysburg. It’s so engrained, it’s criminal not to be literate, or at least not to make sure your kids are literate. But what does literacy gain us? Very little, if that second face on Mt. Rushmore (reading left to right) is any indication. --- Mao Zedong’s *Little Red Books* is the most printed book in history after the Bible. Uncle Joseph Stalin referred to authors as “engineers of the soul” and justified the Red Army’s mass rapes during WWII by invoking Dostoyevsky. Every reprobate at 4Chan is literate. The comments at social media torture literate teenage girls. AI uses its massive literacy—“large language models”—to threaten an upheaval the likes of which haven’t been seen since my corpulent uncle vomited Cold Duck all over the room on Christmas Eve that one time. America’s most literate man never did free those slaves; he f\*\*\*\*\* one of them, but that’s not quite the same thing. --- Americans are reading more than ever now, and like never before, we’re prompted to read constantly. Words are all around us and text messages, the crack cocaine of literacy, jitter our pockets. But at the same time, talking heads are ringing alarm bells about the decline of reading. Econtalk alone dedicated two consecutive episodes ([link](https://www.econtalk.org/james-marriott-on-reading/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [link](https://www.econtalk.org/read-like-a-champion-with-doug-lemov/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) to it last month. What gives? --- It’s the same old: [the left hemisphere’s illicit rebellion against the right hemisphere](https://thedailyeudemon.com/intros-and-summaries-of-the-hemisphere-hypothesis/). The right and left hemispheres of our brains do the same things, even though [they attend to the things differently](https://thedailyeudemon.com/left-hemisphere-v-right-hemisphere-specific-differences-in-a-two-column-format/). And both read. But they read differently. The left hemisphere attends to the written word to sift, sort, and stack (15,000 volumes worth). The right hemisphere to ponder, reflect, and absorb. The left hemisphere is content with being literate. The right hemisphere needs to read. “Being literate” and “being able to read” aren’t the same things. Literacy rates are at all time high levels, and our left hemispheres are taking in words faster than delegates and VIPs at national political conventions take in cocaine. Meanwhile, our right hemispheres—sitting there all retarded and shit—aren’t reading. And now AI is coming for our minds. That’s why the the alarm bells about the decline of reading are sounding even as we’re reading more than ever. --- I’ll be flushing all this out in a series about reading and how to put our right hemispheres back into the driver’s seat at the library. ### Link to same essay at Substack [Beyond LiteracyWe’re reading more than ever but we’re reading less than ever. What gives?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-66.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F43791e43-c689-4c3b-a5db-a4b0ab541c6f_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/beyond-literacy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### BYCU: Bands that Sell-Out to Beer URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-bands-that-sell-out-to-beer/ Last updated: 2025-08-08T12:15:35.000Z ### Later addendum: [John Densmore's excellent *The Doors Unhinged: Jim Morrison's Legacy Goes on Trial* is only $2.99 on Kindle. ](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-bands-that-sell-out-to-beer/) *5 Band Beers* *1\. Dogfish Head Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale (5.3% ABV)* *2\. Juice Runners Paloma Remix (5.9% ABV)* *3\. Hanson Brothers Beer Mmmhops IPA (6.3% ABV)* *4\. Short’s Brewing Thirst Mutilator Grape (0% ABV)* *5\. 311 Stealing Hoppy Hours Hazy IPA (less than .5% ABV)* The 1960s, that garish carnival of babyboomer delirium, had a certain raw charm. Even Jim Morrison, the era’s snake-charming poster boy for self-destruction, wielded a charisma so potent it lingers like cheap incense in the collective memory. His old bandmates, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger, thought they’d cash in on that mystique, itching to peddle “Break on Through” to Cadillac, but John Densmore stood firm in court, declaring, “This ain’t just about Jim’s memory, it’s about the pact we made, and hell, we’ve got enough coin already.” He won, so Led Zeppelin sold out to Cadillac instead. Those days, though, are as dead as a rusted-out Chevy in a junkyard. If you want a cinematic glimpse of that boomer idealism curdling into crass materialism, cue up *Almost Famous*, where rock-n-roll’s soul gets traded for a quick buck. Or, better yet, cast your eyes on Washington, DC, where the same boomers cling to power like barnacles on a sinking ship, wringing every last drop of graft from the rotting husk of the republic. I could rant till the cows come home about art’s slow surrender to commerce. Back in the day, artists had patrons, some Medici fat cat bankrolling their frescoes. Now, it’s the public, that fickle beast, who decides whether you starve. Same game, different players: the artist’s gotta eat, whether it’s Renaissance florins or Spotify streams. The muse don’t pay the rent. [Wall Street Journal: Bands That Happily Sell Out to Beer](5 Band Cans to Rock Out With Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale can. 1. Dogfish Head Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale %285.3% ABV%29 Fruity El Dorado and Azacca hops minimize bitterness in this hazy pale ale, for maximum appeal to drinkers %28Deadhead or not%29 who avoid more-aggressive IPAs. 6 %2812-ounce%29 cans, $12 Illustration of a can of Runners Paloma Remix, a grapefruit and mezcal cocktail. 2. Juice Runners Paloma Remix %285.9% ABV%29 Earlier this year, hip-hip duo Run the Jewels launched the Juice Runners line with this sparkling Paloma riff made with mezcal, grapefruit and lime juices, and smoked sea salt. 12 %2812-ounce%29 cans, $60 Hanson Brothers Mmmhops IPA beer in a pint glass and cans. 3. Hanson Brothers Beer Mmmhops IPA %286.3% ABV%29 The band Hanson’s brand now partners with Illinois brewery Destihl. The reformulated Mmmhops hits a tropical note with hops like Krush and Citra. 4 %2816-ounce%29 cans, $11 Illustration of a can of Short's Thirst Mutilator grape-flavored zero-alcohol beverage. 4. Short’s Brewing Thirst Mutilator Grape %280% ABV%29 Bluegrass star Billy Strings helped create the NA hop waters named for his song “Thirst Mutilator.” In the best way, this one’s like sparkling Kool-Aid. 6 %2812-ounce%29 cans, $9 Can of Drink Sip Stealing Hoppy Hours hazy IPA. 5. 311 Stealing Hoppy Hours Hazy IPA %28less than .5% ABV%29 311 bassist Aaron “P-Nut” Wills helped select the hops for this NA hazy IPA. The name references the song “Stealing Happy Hours.” 12 %2812-ounce%29 cans, $35 ) ### On Anarchism: A Micro-Essay URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-anarchism-a-micro-essay/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:10:34.000Z I'm no anarchist. I once tried to be, but I stopped because anarchism is impossible. We are relationship-driven, social animals, and we'll always group together, and not just to stop brigands from stealing our womenfolk. It's an innate need. So we form groups, and in any group, a gorilla is going to rise to the top, whether it's a tribal chieftain or a kulak-killing General Secretary of the Party or a mysterious machine that showers its own country with LSD, sponsors LGBTQ+ parades in hopes of searing the social fabric, and funnels money to the machine's handlers. ### Escaping the Cocooned Mind URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/escaping-the-cocooned-mind/ Last updated: 2025-08-04T12:19:47.000Z We’re all wrapped up in rationalist cocoons, spun not by our own hands but by the sticky threads of a world gone mad with reason. Our spit’s in the walls, sure, but we didn’t design the daggone things. We were born into them, raised in them, schooled in their claustrophobic embrace until we forgot what fresh air smells like. These cocoons feel like home but they’re prisons. They frame every thought and buffer every intuition until we can’t see the bars for the silk . . . and we come to mistake the silk for reality. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Lc7O!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2396502-5c2f-498b-89f9-f66dc595592c_1024x608.png) That’s why you can’t understand your own cocoon any more than a hammer can take a swing at itself. It’s the frame that holds your whole worldview together, and it’s as invisible to you as the air you breathe. To break free, you’d need something outside the cocoon: a different hammer, a sharper blade, something that ain’t already tangled in the same old threads. Where to start? Maybe with a hard look at the left half of your brain. It loves these cocoons. When we’re in our cocoons, everything is easy: everything is safe. Of course, everything is also false, but that doesn’t matter to the left hemisphere. The cocoon makes everyday life more certain and efficient, less stressful, at least on the surface. ### From Whence All This Silk? Psychologist Dan McAdams has provided a pretty decent description of how these cocoons develop in three stages. First, you’ve got your dispositional frame. These are the quirks and leanings you’re born with, etched in the womb, then hammered into place by adults who see you as a tiny conservative or a pint-sized liberal before you can even tie your shoes. Second come the characteristic adaptations, the ways you bend and twist as you stumble through childhood into the so-called real world. Finally, there’s the life narrative: the stories we tell ourselves to get through life with a semblance of sanity (Joan Didion: “We tell ourselves stories in order to live”). These stories aren’t true, mind you, but that’s alright. They’re not entirely false either. They’re merely, in the words of Jonathan Haidt “simplified and selective reconstructions of the past” tied to some dream of the future. They are, in other words, shortcuts: abstractions cooked up by the left hemisphere to keep us from tripping over our feet. These stories, these narratives, are nifty tools. Even necessary. Without them, we get nothing done, falling prey to that venom known as “paralysis by analysis.” But they’re also crutches, and just as a crutch is highly useful, if you don’t cast it aside and walk on your own, you’ll eventually develop a permanent limp: a worldview that never blossoms beyond high school or even 8th grade (I’ve met these beasts). ### (Yet Another) Shot at Descartes Ever since Descartes sauntered onto the scene, we’ve been taught to trust these rationalist crutches and shortcuts and to treat them like sacred blueprints instead of the rickety scaffolding they are. “I think, therefore I am” was Descartes’ starting point but it leads (quite quickly, btw) to an obvious and troubling ending point: “I think, there I’m right.” If everything true comes from our brain, then everything it cranks out—including those abstract narratives full of half-truths—is dogmatically reliable. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZbTn!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7a188496-5720-4dcc-a25a-2f90a1b5ce3d_1600x900.png) ### Fixing It So what’s the fix? First, ditch the trust in your brain: stop worshiping at the altar of your own reasoning. Lean on authority. I’m not talking about some guru you cherry-pick to flatter your biases, but the deep, gnarled roots of tradition and historical norms, of the sort Russell Kirk wrote about (“the permanent things”). Drink a dose of humility by reflecting on how many times your cocoon has proven wrong. My cocoon, for instance, presents a fouled-up set of facts three times every day before breakfast. Recognize it and stare down that rationalist smugness. Maybe try crowbarring your rationality with a few good books. There are tons out there. My all-time favorite: E.F. Schumacher’s [*A Guide for the Perplexed*](https://amzn.to/4oogAJw?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). A trendy pick that I’m enjoying: [Rod Dreher](https://roddreher.substack.com/)’s [*Living in Wonder*](https://amzn.to/4lcA8gW?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).[1](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-cocooned-mind?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#footnote-1-167581273) Drop some acid or take mushrooms or dive into the occult. Okay, I’m kidding. Those things are obviously dark and deadly, but their popularity at least shows people are intuitively realizing they need to punch holes in these cocoons. The bottom line is, it’s not about ramming through life like a Godzilla of rationality, stomping on everything that doesn’t fit your cocoon’s tidy little grid. It’s about stepping back, breathing deep, and admitting you might not have all the answers. Because, brother, you don’t. Footnote: [1](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-cocooned-mind?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#footnote-anchor-1-167581273) If you want something shorter (though both of those books are short), check out my feature essay: “[Breaking Through to the Other Side](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/breaking-through-to-the-other-side?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).” ### Link to Substack Platform: [The Cocooned MindWe’re all wrapped up in rationalist cocoons, spun not by our own hands but by the sticky threads of a world gone mad with reason.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-64.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa2396502-5c2f-498b-89f9-f66dc595592c_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-cocooned-mind?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Thrill of Competition Might be Vitamins for the Left Hemisphere of Your Brains URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-thrill-of-competition-might-be-vitamins-for-the-left-hemisphere-of-your-brains/ Last updated: 2025-08-28T12:03:50.000Z Three nerds went down to the River Cam. North Whitehead was in a rowing race. His dad, Alfred Whitehead, Bertrand Russell, and Ludwig Wittgenstein watched. It was a “passionate afternoon,” said Russell, who got really worked up and continued to be pissed into the afternoon because North had lost. Wittgenstein, though, was another story. He was disgusted by the competitive uproar, like he’d just been forced to watch a Harvey Weinstein biopic and needed to scrub his soul with lye. Russell tried to sell him on the “necessity” of competition, but Wittgenstein wasn’t buying. He flung the idea out the window, declaring the whole afternoon so vile it made life itself questionable. This, over a rowing race. I can’t imagine how he’d fare at a Glasgow soccer riot or an NFL game and its face-painted fans. Such was the man’s wiring. Wittgenstein bravely faced the horrors of World War I as an Austrian soldier, then shortly thereafter jettisoned his inherited wealth, convinced that money clouded clarity of thought. He later penned *Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus*, a book hailed as the pinnacle of 20th-century philosophy. Most people would’ve ridden that wave to fame, but not Ludwig. He turned his back and taught kids in Austria’s rural backwaters, chasing the simplicity Tolstoy preached. Later, he’d work as a hospital porter, live like a hermit, and dodge the spotlight. Even when Cambridge handed him a gilded chair, he bolted after two years, retreating to Ireland to scribble a rebuttal to his own *Tractatus*. The result, *Philosophical Investigations*, came out after he died. His last words? “Tell them I’ve had a wonderful life.” Gratitude, pure and unadorned. Then there’s Russell. “Bertie.” The man who stood on that riverbank, thrilled by the clash of wills, took a different road. After co-authoring *Principia Mathematica*, a tome that tried to nail the flowing water of truth to the wall with logic, he didn’t retreat to quiet contemplation. No, Bertie grabbed the megaphone and never let go. For over half a century, he preached to the masses, a secular Jonathan Edwards with a pipe,spreading his intellectual evangelism, telling the world what to think about everything—atoms, ethics, war, peace, even the proper way to pick a cigar or wear lipstick. You name it, he opined on it. And if facts didn’t fit his opinion, facts had to be omitted and the resulting gaps completed in a manner to fit his conclusions. **Read the rest** [The Left Hemisphere Loves CompetitionIt’s not a good thing![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-28.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F8ea6e001-306b-450c-a366-8cf38b046a9e_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-left-hemisphere-loves-competition?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Third Way Fever URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-third-way-fever/ Last updated: 2025-07-28T12:43:55.000Z This modern world’s got a fever, and it ain’t for more cowbell. It’s for third alternatives. Everybody’s itching for that elusive *other* option, like it’s the last ticket out of a burning city. Ray Oldenburg lit a fuse back in ’89 with *The Great Good Place*, preaching the gospel of “third spaces”: not the soul-crushing office, not the stifling classroom, but some blessed nowhere, a tavern or coffee shop where folks can loiter without a purpose. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MDSL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae267cf5-b8fe-4903-9315-5e5963c5f228_1024x608.png) Now the digital scroll’s got us jonesing for a third kind of prose. Not the eye-searing slog of academic journals nor the brain-dead drivel of tabloid rags like *The Sun*, where the distinction between sentences and paragraphs dissolve. No, we want something in between: literate but not lethal, engaging but not vapid. And of course, the third way has long been a subject in economics. The eternal cage match of Capitalism versus Socialism has spawned a circus of third-way dreamers: Distributism, Georgism, Mutualism, Economic Humanism, Swedish Democratic Socialism: each a shiny new blueprint for dodging the tired old duel. So what’s driving this relentless hunt for the third path? Why this obsession with triangulating our way out of every dilemma? I’ve got a hunch, and it’s not just the gin talking: it’s a rebellion against the hegemony of the left hemisphere of our brains. That left hemisphere’s a factory for binaries, churning them out faster than a Shenzhen sweatshop spits out knockoff sneakers. It’s got a simple playbook: pick an abstraction, call it “X,” and make it your North Star. X becomes the ideal, the guiding light, the pocket deity of your daily hustle. Everything not-X gets cast into the outer darkness: bad, wrong, the enemy. You’re either with X or you suck. That’s the binary trap. We live in a left-hemispheric world, a mental landscape littered with these either-or ultimatums and they’re all bogus (, man). Those abstract ideals? They’re just tools, shortcuts to get through the day, not divine commandments carved in stone. They’re supposed to be as serious as a goalpost in a pickup football game—useful for keeping score, but not worth building a church around. True enough for the moment, but not the eternal Truth. This third-way craze is our gut screaming back at the binary machine, demanding a way out of the black-and-white prison. It’s a plea for nuance, for a world that doesn’t force us to choose between two bad bets. Keep your guideposts, sure, but don’t mistake them for the map or the territory. They’re just markers, not gods. And the sooner we get that through our thick skulls, the better chance we’ve got of dodging the next great catastrophe built from our binary brains, those events that Nassim Taleb calls “Black Swans.” But more on that another time. **Link to Substack** [Third Way Mania: A Revolt Against the Binary Brain?This modern world’s got a fever, and it ain’t for more cowbell.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-61.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fae267cf5-b8fe-4903-9315-5e5963c5f228_1024x608.png)](https://ericscheske.substack.com/p/third-way-mania-a-revolt-against) ### Documentary Review. Join or Die URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/documentary-review-join-or-die/ Last updated: 2025-07-21T11:54:27.000Z America’s crumbling civic soul gets a hard look in *Join or Die*, a documentary riffing on Robert Putnam’s *Bowling Alone* (2000). It’s a 100-minute dirge for the death of social capital, that invisible glue of community that once held this nation together. But for all its otherwise-excellent hand-wringing, the film misses the real villain, and it’s not just folks choosing Netflix over the lodge hall (though that’s part of it). It’s the long, meddling arm of the State. Accounting for the disappearance of community without mentioning Washington, DC is like trying to account for all the undead without mentioning Dracula. The great sociologist, [Robert Nisbet](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/robert-nisbet-tacs-man/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), explained in the early 1950s that government and social capital stand athwart one another like Leonidas and Xerxes. When the reach of government swells, communities shrink. The federal government, with its distant alphabet-soup agencies and top-down fixes, particularly sucks the air out of local problem-solving. Why form a volunteer fire brigade when Uncle Sam’s got a grant for that? Why lean on your neighbors when a bureaucrat’s check is in the mail? Nisbet knew that communities—those voluntary, messy, face-to-face gangs of doers—thrive only when they’re needed. Carry a man’s load for 75 years, sure, but don’t be shocked when his legs forget how to work. There’s a reason Russia didn’t have a shred of social fabric left by the time the USSR collapsed, and it ain’t because everyone was streaming *Squid Game*. Nearly 50 years after Nisbet issued his warnings, after decades of explosive growth in the federal government’s reach (Ike’s expressways through LBJ’s (not so) Great Society to Obamacare) and a corresponding collapse in community involvement, Harvard’s Robert Putnam used an army of students, statistics, and spreadsheets to prove that the collapse was real. Putnam’s work is invaluable but it smacks of the lecherous husband who figures out after 50 years, and after he’s spread a lot of pain (and gonorrhea), that he should’ve just been loyal to his wife all along. We shouldn’t have needed someone like Putnam to prove what someone like Nisbet warned about before it happened. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!j9A3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc368d0a9-2d39-4f18-8798-fd2d7f91a4d8_1024x608.png) *Join or Die’s* filmmaker, Pete Davis, is a well-meaning sort. His [*Lost Prophets*](https://www.lostprophets.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) podcast is a gem, skewering the cult of “bigness”—big tech, big biz, big everything—yet I’ve never heard the podcast finger the biggest culprit: big government. It’s a blind spot wide enough to park the federal budget in. This documentary’s the same. It’s a love letter to bowling leagues and Rotary clubs, but it’s spiked with a dash of left-hemisphere poison: the impulse that worships efficiency and results, and dismisses the traditional and unquantifiable. Iain McGilchrist could’ve told Davis why social capital’s gone to seed: the left hemisphere can’t grasp the fuzzy math of community. The left hemisphere wants programs, not potlucks . . . national initiatives, not town halls. Instead of Nisbet’s pepper or McGilchrist’s salt, *Join or Die* serves up Beltway darlings like Hillary Clinton and Pete Buttigieg in a sustained paean to that damnable slogan, “Think globally, act locally,” ‘cept here, it’s “Think nationally, act locally.” At its core, the film is ironically a betrayal of the local and a perversion of the small. Why join the Elks? Not for the joy of a shared beer or a handshake, but because it might nudge the needle in the 2028 election. Why cherish your town? Because it’s a cog in the national machine. It’s like telling a man to cherish his wife so other women will see what a great guy he is and have sex with him. It’s T.S. Eliot’s greatest treason: doing the right thing for the wrong reason. Davis is so close to the truth, you want to grab him by the lapels and shake him. He’s knocking on the door of real, rooted, tactile life—Main Street, not K Street—but he can’t help dragging it all back to the abstract swamp of national politics. It’s like a drunk going to church because he heard they’re serving hooch at communion. Redemption so close, goes the cliché, yet so far. ## Original Link [“Join or Die”: A ReviewAmerica’s crumbling civic soul gets a hard look in Join or Die, a documentary riffing on Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone (2000).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-59.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc368d0a9-2d39-4f18-8798-fd2d7f91a4d8_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/join-or-die-a-review?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### And Now We See that Trump is a Gaslighter URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/and-now-we-see-that-trump-is-a-gaslighter/ Last updated: 2025-07-14T11:39:18.000Z Paul Kingsnorth nailed it [in 2023](https://unherd.com/2023/03/we-must-become-barbarians/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com&us) when he said [the pandemic response](https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/people-should-be-seething-mad-over-covid-and-much-more/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) rewired his brain. He saw the unholy trinity of power (Big Government, Big Business, Big Media) weave a narrative so tight it could choke a nation, the kind of thing you’d expect from a dictatorship, not the world’s beacon of liberty. The Epstein mess is cut from the same rancid cloth. Corporate honchos, state apparatchiks, and media lapdogs bark in unison: “Nothing to see here, folks! Just a dead perv and wild rumors!” But the stench of truth seeps through the cracks. We *know* there’s more: names, dates, dirty deals, and a Shelob web of complicity. We thought it was mostly the Democrats gaslighting and coercing us during the pandemic response and vaccination mobilization. But now it’s the Republicans and, worse, that Rogue Republican with the hot wife who promised he’d cut through the web. That promise was the only thing many voters liked about him. And now he’s gaslighting us: There’s no list. Nobody cares about Epstein. Just move on. --- The Establishment’s gaslighting has become so blatant it’s practically a neon sign. It might also be the last stop on the totalitarian train line. For decades, Establishment apparatchiks covered things up and tricked people like me into scoffing at claims that the CIA flooded the west coast with LSD and worked with Charlie Mansion, that the CIA poured drugs into black communities in order to fund the Contras, that Vietnam and Desert Storm were mere boondoggles to the military-industrial complex, that the U.S. government planted more false flags over the past 100 years than Wilt Chamberlain banged women. But now people like me aren’t falling for it. We didn’t fall for the vaccines; we aren’t falling for Clientless Epstein. The only thing the Establishment has left? The morons in our electorate who still don’t realize that “Joe Biden” was a hologram and Kamala Harris merely an extension of whatever cabal (still unidentified, btw) who ran the White House from 2020-2024, the dolts who voted for Harris with the “joy” her PR team slathered on her campaign with the deftness of a teenager using Rust-Oleum to paint his car. The cover-ups aren’t working. The gaslighting has gone from puzzling through shocking to where it sits today: a comedic cultural reference. Gaslighting has nowhere else to go. So what’s left? Maybe just raw, brute force: *“If the rabble figures out they’ve been getting raped and won’t go for it anymore, then we’ll just have to strap them down. If that’s what it takes to keep the graft going, then that’s what we’ll do.”* --- I was hoping Trump would be the wrench in their gears. That’s why they painted him as Satan incarnate, right? He was a disruptor threatening the Establishment’s cozy racket. It looks like I was wrong. The best I can say for Trump in light of his Epstein gaslighting is that maybe, just maybe, he is caught in a gilded circus act: juggling billionaire backers, Establishment weasels, and the 77 million voters who thought he might be different. He had to agree to play ball with bastards to win in ’24: no oligarchs, no victory . . . just a replay of 2020 when he had zero oligarchs in his corner. Now he’s trying to appease his oligarchs while tossing scraps to the plebeian base. It’s a grim balancing act. But it doesn’t really matter. Grim balancing act or complete sell-out, it still points to the same truth: the radiation we thought we were shooting into our national cancer known as “the Establishment” didn’t work. Heck, it’s proof that the gamma rays never even left the gun . . . and the Establishment is wearing one giant hazmat suit. **Link to Substack** [The Epstein Case is Merely the Erotic Twin of the Pandemic ResponseThe floodlight cast by the pandemic showed the Big 3 (Government, Business, and Media) in a vigorous homosexual throe that would make a San Fran bathhouse manager wince. Epstein is more of the same.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-28.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4fb4e5db-fac6-4cb3-ae6c-a82951df329d_1024x608.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/the-epstein-case-is-merely-the-erotic) ### Five Reasons to Drink at the Bar URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/five-reasons-to-drink-at-the-bar/ Last updated: 2025-07-07T11:34:23.000Z In the twilight of Western civilization, where the sterile grip of the left hemisphere has throttled the soul out of our culture, the pub stands as a defiant outpost of human connection against the gnostic tide. The churches once held the line too, but many—mainline Protestants, Jesuits, and their ilk—capitulated long ago, seduced by the siren song of abstraction and control. The pub, though, still holds out, a place where the world’s messiness is not just tolerated but celebrated. Here are five reasons you ought to drag your besotted self to this last bastion of the real: ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!C32g!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F37b676cd-f7cf-4893-bfa6-5f5fd038415e_1600x900.png) **It costs more, and that’s the point.** Forking over your cash for a pint at the pub ain’t just a transaction; it’s a middle finger to the left hemisphere’s bean-counting, acquisitive mania. Every overpriced ale you buy is a micro-rebellion against the machine that demands you hoard, optimize, and commodify your existence. You’re not just drinking; you’re spitting in the eye of a world obsessed with getting ahead. - **It’s a slow, meandering affair.** Getting to the pub takes time. You gotta walk, drive, or stumble your way there, then wait for the barkeep to pour your drink while some codger drones on about the weather. Then you gotta get home. It’s inefficient. But gloriously so: a poke in the ribs to the left hemisphere’s fetish for speed and productivity. The pub says, “Take your time. The world ain’t going anywhere.” - **It’s a roll of the dice.** You never know what you’re walking into. The service might be snappy, or it might crawl like a hungover snail. You might run into a kindred spirit who buys you a round, or some loudmouth who spills his opinionated lager on your shoes. That unpredictability, that lack of control, drives the left hemisphere nuts. - **It’s a doorway to the unquantifiable.** Why bother with the pub when you can crack a cold one on your couch, Netflix sputtering wittier lines than your friends could ever muster? Hell if I know. There’s something in the clink of glasses, the hum of half-drunk conversation, and the smell of stale beer (and, in those halcyon pre-2000 days, cigarette smoke) that can’t be measured or explained. It’s not data; it’s life. The pub invites you to lean into that mystery, and that alone is worth the trip. - **It roots you to the local.** The gnostics, those left-hemisphere zealots, despise the local unless they can bend it to serve their grand, abstract schemes ("Think globally, act locally” is to localism what prostitution is to romance). The pub, though, is the beating heart of your town (and if your town has a few hearts, so much the better). Every pint and every story weaves another thread into the community’s fraying fabric. It’s a quiet act of defiance against the homogenizing, centralizing forces that want to turn your neighborhood into another cog in the global machine. So go. Find your pub, your dive bar, your hole-in-the-wall. It’s not just a place to drink; it’s a place to be human, to thumb your nose at the sterile, the controlled, the efficient. In a world hell-bent on flattening everything real, the pub is where you plant your flag and say, “Not here, you bastards.” Not yet, anyhow. ## Original link: [Five Reasons to Drink at the Bar“The pub was the place where friendship was fostered over a shared drink and the shared cost of an evening conversation.” Carl Trueman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-58.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F37b676cd-f7cf-4893-bfa6-5f5fd038415e_1600x900-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/five-reasons-to-drink-at-the-bar?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### GKC and McGilchrist URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/gkc-and-mcgilchrist/ Last updated: 2025-06-30T12:38:27.000Z I ain’t got a shred of hard proof, but I’d wager that G.K. Chesterton’s noggin was rigged with a hulking, boisterous right hemisphere that steamrolled the left like a runaway freight train. That jovial giant’s right hemisphere didn’t just outmuscle its analytical counterpart. It hog-tied and stuffed it in a burlap sack, leaving it barely able to do its job of sorting and sifting daily life’s chaos. Biographical anecdotes of his life are littered with hilarious examples of his scarce ability to function in the everyday world.[1](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-jolly-titan-of-paradox-gk-chestertons?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#footnote-1-166966454) Chesterton’s right-hemispheric genius, I believe, gave him a hawk’s-eye view of the modern world’s left-hemispheric lunacy. He saw it clearly: civilization was jumping the tracks, driven by a rogue left hemisphere gone drunk on its own logic. McGilchrist’s scientific conclusions and GKC’s common sense ones have more parallels than Manhattan’s street grid. My favorite: McGilchrist’s *The Matter with Things*, “What Schizophrenia and Autism Can Tell Us,” and Chesterton’s *Orthodoxy*, “The Maniac.” Both chapters take a hard look at the mentally ill and reach the same conclusion: > “The madman’s explanation of a thing is always complete, and often in a purely rational sense satisfactory.” GKC, *Orthodoxy* McGilchrist nods fervently: > “The most deluded patients with schizophrenia tend to be those whose thinking is more logical.” --- If you’re fool enough to wrestle with Chesterton’s ideas, brace yourself. The man tipped the scales at over 300 pounds and so did his prose: dense, rollicking, and liable to crush the unwary. But it’s worth the sweat. If nothing else, it’ll make your left hemisphere sweat, so expect it to try to distract you when you find yourself fumbling along one of GKC’s (many) prose detours. ### Footnote *Sample from his early life:* Elementary schoolmates would often play jokes on him, but in a good-humored way (everyone except the Satanic always liked GKC). One day during recess, they stuffed his coat pockets with snow and he didn't notice. When they came back inside, the snow started to melt, causing water to puddle around GKC's desk. A schoolmate raised his hand and said to the teacher: > Please, Sir, I think the laboratory sink must be leaking again. The water is coming through and falling all over Chesterton. The teacher sent Chesterton to the custodian's office to report the problem. Chesterton, with water streaming from his pockets, went upstairs to the janitor, gave the message, and returned without discovering what had happened. **Substack Link** [The Jolly Titan of Paradox: G.K. Chesterton’s Brain and the Modern MalaiseI ain’t got a shred of hard proof, but I’d wager that G.K.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-56.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fd0665a18-3495-4c71-bdfc-d5622fcfdcdd_1024x608-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-jolly-titan-of-paradox-gk-chestertons?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### Hand Me that Loaf of Nothing URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hand-me-that-loaf-of-nothing/ Last updated: 2025-06-26T12:08:56.000Z America’s gone and lost its knack for wasting time, and we’re paying a butcher’s bill for it. Young folks, especially, ain’t lingering with each other, not in the aimless, sprawling way that used to stitch souls together. The fallout’s grim: depression’s up, suicide’s high, and a sour malaise hangs over the land like smog over a dying mill town. I used to ride my kids, my girls in particular, for making “hanging out” their religion. In my buttoned-up, left-hemispheric world, idleness was a sin, a pointless frittering of hours that could be spent climbing a ladder to nowhere. Purpose was king, and loafing was a pauper’s game. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lRKt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F45a4796b-2535-4797-9f87-de6dba997304_1024x608.png) I was dead wrong. It’s precisely *because* hanging out serves no purpose that it’s the lifeblood of being human. Deep down, I knew it all along. I’d read James Schall’s *The Unseriousness of Human Affairs* and nodded along with its praise of leisure, so I wasn’t a complete tyrant about my daughters’ social loafing. Still, I’d nudge my kids to shove socializing down the priority list, below chores, homework, and the endless hustle of our mechanized age. Mistake. In this left-hemispheric madhouse we call a culture, kicking back with friends ain’t just a luxury. It’s a rebellion. A glorious rebellion. Read the rest America’s gone and lost its knack for wasting time, and we’re paying a butcher’s bill for it. Young folks, especially, ain’t lingering with each other, not in the aimless, sprawling way that used to stitch souls together. The fallout’s grim: depression’s up, suicide’s high, and a sour malaise hangs over the land like smog over a dying mill town. I used to ride my kids, my girls in particular, for making “hanging out” their religion. In my buttoned-up, left-hemispheric world, idleness was a sin, a pointless frittering of hours that could be spent climbing a ladder to nowhere. Purpose was king, and loafing was a pauper’s game. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lRKt!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F45a4796b-2535-4797-9f87-de6dba997304_1024x608.png) I was dead wrong. It’s precisely *because* hanging out serves no purpose that it’s the lifeblood of being human. Deep down, I knew it all along. I’d read James Schall’s *The Unseriousness of Human Affairs* and nodded along with its praise of leisure, so I wasn’t a complete tyrant about my daughters’ social loafing. Still, I’d nudge my kids to shove socializing down the priority list, below chores, homework, and the endless hustle of our mechanized age. Mistake. In this left-hemispheric madhouse we call a culture, kicking back with friends ain’t just a luxury. It’s a rebellion. A glorious rebellion. **Read the rest** [The Art of LoafingAmerica’s gone and lost its knack for wasting time, and we’re paying a butcher’s bill for it.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-54.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F45a4796b-2535-4797-9f87-de6dba997304_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-art-of-loafing?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Twisting Your Mind Back to Health URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/twisting-your-mind-back-to-health/ Last updated: 2025-06-23T12:34:43.000Z You want to know why Cal Newport’s books sell faster than cheap whiskey at a NASCAR tailgate? Or why nicotine pouches are vanishing from gas station shelves like canned beans before a hurricane? It’s because we’re starving. Starving for focus, a kind of attention that doesn’t dissolve into a TikTok scroll or a dopamine hit from the all-mighty algorithm. Test yourself. Grab any book (doesn’t matter if it’s Thoreau or an owner’s manual for your manscaped lawn mower, you deviant). Read for fifteen minutes. No phone, no coffee run, no peeking at the clock. If your mind starts wandering to what’s for dinner or that email you forgot to send, congratulations: you’re as screwed as the rest of us. But don’t cry into your craft beer yet. You can claw your way back. Start simple. Lock yourself in a room, pop a nicotine pouch if you need the jolt, and read those fifteen minutes like your soul depends on it. Do it daily, preferably twice (once in the morning and once at night), and you’ll start to feel the fog lift. Some of you, though, are worse off. You’re not just distracted: you’re a mental vagrant, your default mode network shambling through life like a post-apocalyptic hermit jonesing for a signal from a dead satellite. For you, the gentle stuff won’t cut it. You need the hard medicine: crack open some poetry and wrestle with it like it’s a bar fight. Or try mindfulness meditation, sitting still and watching your thoughts scuttle by. Hell, even mindful listening’ll do: mentally repeat what someone’s saying, word for word, without chewing on what it means. Think of them as mental push-ups. There are tons of options, as varied as physical exercise. Scroll through your X feed long enough, and you’ll see every jackass with a kettlebell or a yoga mat preaching a new way to move. Every twitch, every twist, every grunt to failure is exercise if you do it right. Same with your brain. Take anything—reading, weeding the garden, shooting the bull or billiard balls—and do it with a pinch of wonder. Tell that nagging left brain of yours, the one whining about emails and errands, to STF-up. Lean into the moment with your right hemisphere’s quiet curiosity, and you’ve got yourself a focus workout. **Read the rest** [The Great American Attention FamineWith an Art Museum Kicker![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-51.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F92bd3442-ab7c-4774-a05e-aa98c3594455_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-great-american-attention-famine?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### A Local Bar is a Good Place to Be URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55604/ Last updated: 2025-06-27T10:57:54.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Marronis.jpg) The **[*Pittsburgh Post-Gazette* ran a splendid ode to local bars last week](https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/insight/2022/01/09/A-good-place-to-be-A-local-bar-can-be-more-than-a-place-to-get-a-drink/stories/202201090022?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**. Two people, neither from Pittsburgh, recommended it to me. It's the type of thing that could only be written by someone with a Catholic conscience, perhaps in the vein of GK Chesterton or, better, Hilaire Belloc, and their Distributist sentiments. It'd also have to be a guy with great prose style, a nerd of sorts, a guy with fond memories of Merry Ol' England because maybe he spent some time at Oxford, the kind of guy who doesn't mind whipping out his laptop while at a dive bar (which his favorite watering hole, **[Marroni's](http://pennsylvaniarestaurantinspections.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Marronis-Lounge-Leetsdale-restaurant-health-department-inspection-650x640.jpg?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**, appears to be . . . I mean no offense; I'm *highly* partial to dive bars). It could be a guy like **[David Mills](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David%5FMills%5F%28editor%29?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**, one of the finest stylists to grace **[*Touchstone's* ](https://touchstonemag.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**pages. He lives in the Pittsburgh area (last I knew) and had a big white beard (last I knew). I never thought of him as a big drinker, and I never really thought of him as a guy to hang out in dive bars, but his name is at the top article. His is a relatively common name, of course, but it's gotta be the same guy I knew a score of years ago. It's good to see him "still at it" (the writing game). I highly recommend it. --- "Marroni’s is a bar, all right, but also what the English call a public house. It’s like a community center with beer taps. And smoking. I don’t know why it works as a public house, except that the people who run the bar want it to work that way. They like people and like each other. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Marronis-sign.jpg) "When I first walked into the place with my eldest son, the evening bartender said hello and asked who we were. Politely, and in the course of telling us about the place. I didn’t go back for a few weeks, but when I did Sarah remembered me and asked about my son. "The place draws upon, and encourages, a culture of connections. People who feel welcomed bring friends, who bring friends. Some of those friends become friends with each other, at least bar friends. The owner, Linda, said some people think of the place as their living room, which she liked. This is one of the things that makes the place friendlier than the chains. In the chains, you’re a one-off customer. The person who goes to Marroni’s regularly eventually enters into a network. . . . "Unlike a chain restaurant, a townie bar/?public house pushes the average person into worlds we don’t know well. We live in small worlds, mostly people like us — family, old friends, people at church and work, maybe a few neighbors, other members of a club. Even places that claim to exist for everyone, like churches, tend to serve a specific group. It’s hard to get away from people like you. "In a real townie place, a real public house, you can’t help it." ### Thomas Sowell's Hemispheres URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/thomas-sowells-hemispheres-2/ Last updated: 2025-06-16T12:25:25.000Z Picture Thomas Sowell, that old warrior of the mind, sitting at his desk, sifting through the wreckage of human folly. **His right hemisphere?** Hell if I know how it hums. Does he commune with the Tao, feel the pulse of the cosmos in his bones? Not my place to say, but if you sift his work, you’ll be hard-pressed to spot the pricks of reality appreciated by a robust right hemisphere, like intuition, the mystical, or the glow of tradition. No, Sowell’s a man with a shovel, digging into the hardpan of reality, unearthing cold, hard facts like arrowheads from a lost civilization. Yet, if you squint at his *A Conflict of Visions*, you might catch a flicker of something deeper: a right-hemispheric nod to the constrained vision, that gritty sense of human limits, the kind of wisdom that comes from knowing we’re all stumbling around in the dark, no matter how bright we think our lanterns. Now, **his left hemisphere.** Facts, stats, math, logic. The left hemisphere is where Sowell’s mental action is, though you wouldn’t know it from the way he keeps it on a short leash. Sowell’s got no patience for the airy abstractions that clog the brains of our chattering left-hemispheric classes. He takes facts as they come, no matter how ugly. He’ll nod to religion, even if he’s not singing in the choir. He’ll admit prejudice is baked into the human condition, something to be wrestled and leveraged, not wished away. And—here’s the kicker—he’ll point out, without flinching, that black folks often fuel the stereotypes that dog them. He’s lived the sting of racial bias, grown up in its shadow, but he’s not blind to how white do-gooders, with their welfare traps and sanctimonious cheerleading, have kneecapped black initiative. Sowell’s a pragmatist, cut from the same rough cloth as William James, stitching together truth from the scraps of what *is*, not what we wish it to be. That ain’t an easy thing to do. The left hemisphere loves to spin fairy tales: grand ideas that promise to tidy up the world’s mess. Those ideas? They crystallize into opinions, then harden into judgments, then evolve into sacred Standards. **Read the rest** [The Hemispheres of Thomas SowellProfiles in Right-Hemispherism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-50.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fbaf625b1-0103-4570-93d3-7dff4f9bc123_940x788-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-hemispheres-of-thomas-sowell?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Reading: Kicking Against the Left Hemisphere's Hegemony URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/reading-kicking-against-the-left-hemispheres-hegemony/ Last updated: 2025-06-12T12:09:45.000Z Few things are more degrading than being a child of the modern age. “Prison wife” comes closest. It ain’t our fault we were born into this asphalt dystopia of algorithms and plastic. But we can claw our way out. We can break the chains. The trick is knowing what you’re escaping *from*, lest you just flail like some half-cocked jihadi spraying buckshot in a crowded room of Jews, blind to the real enemy. The modern age is a middle finger to everything that can’t be measured, quantified, or shrink-wrapped. I call it the Great Rejection—a civilization-wide lobotomy that’s hacked away half our humanity. Ever since Descartes and his ilk turned the world into a math problem, we’ve been barreling down a dead-end road paved with rationalism and empiricism. The left hemisphere’s in the driver’s seat, clutching its blueprints and opinions. And the right hemisphere, with its appreciation for mystery and beauty, is tied up in the trunk. If you want out, you’ve got to reject the Great Rejection. You’ve got to kick your way out of that trunk. Michel Foucault, that degenerate, had a phrase for it: “counter-conduct.” He was talking about something else, of course, but picking through Foucault’s work is like scavenging a dung heap: you grab what glints and shake off the filth. His own life was such a sordid circus that you can’t trust his words without a hazmat suit. Still, counter-conduct’s the ticket. It’s the act of spitting in the eye of the machine. Take Jack Kerouac, that beatnik saint, roaring across America’s blacktop veins, chasing kicks and thumbing his nose at the grey-flannel suits. Or J.D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield, smirking at the phonies, kicking over every sacred cow he could find. Hell, even Foucault himself practiced counter-conduct, in his own twisted way, diving headfirst into San Francisco’s bathhouse bacchanals until AIDS cashed his check. Extreme, sure. But they all said *no* to the machine in their own way. Fortunately, you don’t need to go that far. There are less, ahem, rigorousforms of rebellion. Like reading. I’m talkin’ real reading, not the kind where you’re skimming for bullet points or mining data for your next TED Talk. I’m talking about slow, aimless reading: cracking open a book and letting it hit you like a stray breeze. You read, something snags your soul, you pause, you ponder, you keep going. The content almost doesn’t matter. It’s the act itself that’s a raised fist against the ticking clock of modernity. **Read the rest** [The Act of Reading is an Act of RebellionIt might one of the most enjoyable ways to kick against the left hemisphere’s hegemony![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-48.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fbb49032a-15c3-44cc-bfad-18e3c955fb2a_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-act-of-reading-is-an-act-of-rebellion?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Introduction to Profiles in Right-Hemispherism URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/introduction-to-profiles-in-right-hemispherism/ Last updated: 2025-06-09T12:42:52.000Z In this left-brained madhouse we call western civilization, the right-brained are the outcasts, the oddballs, the glorious lunatics who refuse to salute the spreadsheet and the algorithm. They’re the ones who don’t fit in the cubicle, who won’t bow to the soul-crushing hum of the globalist machine. Their rebellion is as varied as the weeds busting through the cracks of a parking lot, shaped by whatever patch of dirt they sprouted from. The only thread binding them is a mutiny against the left hemisphere. Let’s play the left-brain’s game for a minute and organize these freaks on the shelf like pickled specimens: First, you’ve got the *scientific weirdos*, the eggheads who know the universe is bigger than their slide rules can measure. These are the ones who squint at the stars and suspect there’s more to life than Newton’s clockwork. **Einstein** ended up jawing with priests about the Eucharist, chasing mysteries his equations couldn’t touch. Michael **Polanyi**, with his talk of “personal knowledge,” and William **James**, that Ivy League mystic who wouldn’t dismiss the ineffable just because it didn’t fit in a test tube, belong here too. And of course Dr. Iain **McGilchrist**, the prophet of The Hemisphere Hypothesis. Then there’s the *reckless bunch*, the cultural Molotov-cocktail throwers who hack at modernity’s sacred cows with gleeful abandon. They might not know exactly what they’re fighting, but they’re fighting it. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F78013c43-77e4-4f17-b2a2-57f99e1040f1_940x788.png) Jack **Kerouac**, that road-raging poet, was their 20th-century king. Today, I tip my hat to the reprobates at **4Chan.** I’ve never ventured into that digital sewer, but their middle-finger antics make me chuckle from a safe distance. Next, the *self-destructive crew*, the ones who torch their own lives in a desperate bid to escape the left hemisphere’s straitjacket. Their bodies litter the landscape like rusted-out cars, some scrawling their misery into “addiction literature”: half suicide note, half poetry. Charles **Bukowski**, that booze-soaked bard of the barstool, ranks high on the list here. Then you’ve got the *deranged*, the ones who pushed so hard against the left hemisphere’s walls that their minds cracked like cheap drywall. **Nietzsche**, screaming about gods and supermen until the abyss swallowed him whole, is the OG. **Read the rest** [Masters of the Right-Hemisphere UniverseIn a left-hemispheric culture, the right-hemispherics are freaks![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-46.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F78013c43-77e4-4f17-b2a2-57f99e1040f1_940x788-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/masters-of-the-right-hemisphere-universe?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### Use a High-Wheel Hoe URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/use-a-high-wheel-hoe/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T12:43:08.000Z # [EarthWay 6500 High Wheel Tubular High Wheel Cultivator](https://amzn.to/4aeOH0Q?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) with Comfort Handle with 3- Position Adjustable, Quick Change Implements, and 24 Inch Steel Wheel ### Edgar Cayce: Sleeping Prophet URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/edgar-cayce-sleeping-prophet/ Last updated: 2025-06-05T12:22:51.000Z Edgar Cayce, the “Sleeping Prophet” (1877-1945), was a peculiar figure, a lanky Kentuckian who slipped into some kind of trance-like stupor and spouted answers to life’s mysteries like a backwoods oracle. Over 14,000 of his mutterings were scribbled down by diligent stenographers, responses to questions from 6,000 souls scattered from across the map, some hundreds, even thousands of miles away. He’d diagnose their ailments, prescribe remedies, and, more often than not, hit the mark with eerie precision, helping people who’d never laid eyes on him. A fraud? You could argue it, and plenty have, squinting suspiciously at the whole affair. But the grateful throngs who swore by his advice suggest there was something more than hucksterism at play. Sure, some of his cures leaned toward the snake-oil end of the spectrum. But strip away the oddities, and Cayce’s core prescriptions sound like they could’ve come from today’s “Medicine 2.0” gurus like Peter Attia or Casey Means. Eat fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, he said. Stick to organic meats, hydrate properly, stretch daily, meditate, get a good rubdown now and then. Simple, grounded stuff—less about miracle elixirs and more about not poisoning yourself with the processed slop of modern life. Cayce wasn’t out to fleece anyone. He lived lean, sometimes scraping by, his modest existence a rebuke to the prosperity gospel hucksters of today. His “gift” weighed on him like a sack of bricks; he didn’t flaunt it, didn’t turn it into a traveling circus. The man seemed to operate from some deeper well of knowing, as if his chattering, rational left hemisphere had been knocked out cold, letting the wild, intuitive right hemisphere roam free into realms of consciousness the rest of us can only squint at through the fog. In a world obsessed with reason’s cold machinery, Cayce was a glitch, a reminder that there’s more to this mess of existence than what fits neatly on a spreadsheet. **The Substack version is below, but it's identical to what's above** [Edgar Cayce: The Sleeping ProphetProfiles in Right Hemispherism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-44.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F254b31e5-2cfb-4251-aaff-0c24a52415f4_1024x776-1.gif)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/edgar-cayce-the-sleeping-prophet?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### A Hemisphere Hypothesis Meditation on Pieper's Abuse of Language URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-hemisphere-hypothesis-meditation-on-piepers-abuse-of-language/ Last updated: 2025-06-02T12:23:43.000Z Attempts to define the Tao are like a retard trying to stick his head out of a closed car window. Sad, pitiful, and comical. Until he gets so frustrated that he smashes the window with a hammer. Fresh air rushes in but so do shards of glass. Bust up the Tao and a breeze of clarity hits the brain but so do shards of limitations. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa6cd67cc-4a2d-4b0a-8368-fd5f57d361d4_1024x608.png) The Tao is everything the left hemisphere can’t stomach. The Taoist cranks out paradoxes like G.K. Chesterton on Benzedrine. The left brain gags on paradox. The Taoist rides the flow. The left brain spits on flow, demanding straight lines and checklists. The Taoist’s first move is no-move—*wu wei*, the art of doin’ nothin’. The left brain sneers at sittin’ still. The Taoist chases truth, slippery as a trout in a stream. The left brain gets frustrated with anything it can’t clutch. The left hemisphere despises paradox, flow, inactivity, and elusive truth. Unless it can twist them to its own ends. If it can use paradox to foil an opponent, it'll yield it like a sword stick. If it can use flow to get more work done, it'll channel its inner-Kahneman and focus like a movie director on a starlet. If no-action will recharge its batteries for more effective work later, it'll lounge like a hungover passenger on a cruise ship deck chair. To a man with the hammer, everything looks like a nail. To a man with an unbridled left hemisphere, everything looks like a lever. Language? That’s the granddaddy of levers. Trouble is, it’s got limits. It can’t lasso the Tao, it can’t bolt truth to the floor, and its ultimate attempts at truth leave it in tongue-tied paradoxes. But the left brain knows it needs words, flaws and all. So what’s it to do? You smash those limitations. Deny the Tao, scoff at truth, dismiss those paradoxes as mental masturbation. And then yammer on: opinions, arguments, gossip. **Read the rest** [Language: Left Hemisphere StyleJosef Pieper’s Abuse of Language--Abuse of Power and the Hemisphere Hypothesis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-42.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa6cd67cc-4a2d-4b0a-8368-fd5f57d361d4_1024x608-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/language-left-hemisphere-style?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ## Kinda Related Well, someone thought them closely enough related to include them both in the same (very) slender volume. [We Value Knowledge Like the Jerk-Off Values PornA mini-meditation on Josef Pieper’s “Knowledge and Freedom”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-11.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Knowledge-as-Porn.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/knowledge-as-porn/) ### Why June 1 is a Great Day to Honor the Copts URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54312/ Last updated: 2025-05-30T11:28:31.000Z ### > When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. 'Get up,' he said, 'take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.' So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. > Gospel of Matthew, Chp. 2 Our Christian brothers, the Copts, celebrate “The Entry of the Lord into Egypt” today. It's one of[ seven minor Coptic feasts that commemorate events in Christ's life](https://copticorphans.org/flight-to-egypt/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I'd think this one is exceptionally special to them. --- > **Copt, from the Arabic “Kibt,” which derives from the Greek word for “Egyptians.”** > ***The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church* (1998).** The Copts are one of the four or five Oriental Orthodox Churches: Syrian (which has two branches), Ethiopian, Armenian (of Kardashian fame), and Coptic. The term “Coptic” essentially means “Egyptian Christian.” They come into history after 451, when the Council of Chalcedon condemned the Monophysite heresy (which, broadly speaking, rejected Christ's two natures). The condemned Monophysites rejected the Council and continued their heretical stance. Unfortunately, the Council was emotional, with shouting and temper and passions continued to ride high for years after the Council. In 452, the main proponent of Monophysitism, Dioscorus, was deposed as the Patriarch of Alexandria and exiled to Paphlagonia, a wild region on the south coast of the Black Sea, and a man named Proterius was sent to be the new bishop. Proterius was met with so much rioting, the Byzantine Emperor had to send in the army to quell it. But the army couldn't quell the scholarly opposition. The exiled Dioscorus continued to work out his theological opposition to the Council of Chalcedon, better clarifying his position and trying to veer it away from the charge of “Monophysitism.” When he died in 454, leadership of the Monophysites passed to a man known as “Timothy the Cat” (no one knows where this odd nickname came from). Timothy the Cat threw gas on the smoldering fire. He had himself illicitly consecrated as Bishop of Alexandria then fomented a great riot in which the actual bishop, Proterius, was killed, his body dismembered, and parts of it eaten. Imperial troops were again sent in, the riot put down, people punished, and Timothy the Cat exiled to Paphlagonia. A new orthodox bishop was installed, but only ten Egyptian bishops joined in the consecration, with the rest continuing their opposition. At this point, the Coptic Church was well underway and would continue its separate existence to this day, although intense reconciliation efforts between the Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox Churches have brought the two considerably closer, with both sides recognizing that the (incredibly) nuanced distinctions between the two sides at Chalcedon didn't merit the breach among believers. --- When talking about the Monophysites, incidentally, you may not want to use that term. According to the Copts, a monk named “Eutyches” was the real “Monophysite.” Both sides at Chalcedonia eventually rejected Eutyches and Monophysitism, so they shouldn't be hung with that opprobrious term. They prefer to be called “*miaphysites:* [**“(from the Greek mia, 'single,' and physis, 'nature') to identify their shared view that both divinity and humanity are equally present within a single nature in the person of Christ.”**](https://www.britannica.com/topic/monophysite?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) For those keeping count, I believe we now have four terms that can't be used in polite discussion: the n-word, f\*g, re\*ard, and Monoph\*site. You can claim that “Monoph\*site” isn't as bad as those other three, but heck, I'll honor their wishes and not refer to them that way. After all, I have a lot of respect for the Copts. Scratch that. I have enormous respect for the Copts, so much so that, when I stumbled upon St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church in Monterey, California, I excitedly sneaked in so I could look around. At the time, I didn't realize an angel guards every Coptic Church. I'm glad I wasn't struck dead as I crossed the threshold (and to be honest, I felt an odd sensation/chill when I walked in the side door . . . the sensation didn't go away when I witnessed two men performing an elaborate incense ceremony around a coffin). --- Anyway, the Copts deserve our respect. They suffered persecution by orthodox Christians after Chalcedon, and have suffered immensely (albeit sporadically) for 1,300 years under the “Religion of Peace” (the only religion where adherents grow more peaceful, loving, and civilized as they get away from their religion's roots). The most recent vivid example is the videotaped beheading of the 21 Coptic martyrs in 2015, which prompted [**Martin Mosebach to write his book, *The 21*. Mosebach visited the hometown of the martyrs and discovered a poor, oppressed people who live intensely in what Eric Voegelin called “the metaxy”: that area between heaven and earth**](https://www.firstthings.com/article/2019/03/baptism-of-blood?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): > All the houses I visited shared one common feature: The household was not in mourning. Condolences and expressions of sympathy seemed out of place. They struck me as somehow elevated to another plane. A scorching flash of violence had fallen upon them, followed by a majestic clap of thunder that slowly faded yet never fully died out. The merciless video massacre, of course, was just the most recent Islamic outrage committed against the Copts. Jump back five more years to 2010 and you get the [**Nag Hammadi Massacre**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nag%5FHammadi%5Fmassacre?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Jump back another 1,000 years and you see Muslims destroy 3,000 Coptic churches ([**church buildings provoke more ire than usual from the Muslims**](https://www.meforum.org/3492/churches-under-islam?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). And when they weren't being killed or watching their churches get demolished, they were paying extra taxes, losing government posts due to their religion, and required not to spread their religion. And yet, there are still millions of Copts today. The 1993 edition of Timothy Ware's *The Orthodox Church* says there are 27 million Oriental Christians (which would include Copts, Syrians, Armenians, and Ethiopian). I don't know how many of them are Copts, and it appears no one knows. Google searches yield sources that say there are 1 million Copts in the world, while other sources claim as many as 20 million. --- There are apparently about 200,000 Copts in the United States (due to persecution in Egypt, there has been a Coptic diaspora). For the Copts in our midst, I offer this gift: #### Coptic Lemonade I Googled *lemonade cilantro mint* last week to see if there are any drinks with that combination. Google declared, “Yes, and it's called “Egyptian Lemonade.” It then provided links to a series of elaborate recipes that include a blender and froth, which was more than I was interested in. I just wanted to know if that combination was viable. I then added gin and declared in honor of our Coptic brethren, “Coptic Lemonade.” It was shockingly good. Herewith, the recipe: - Tall 12-ounce glass. - Hold small mint and cilantro branches (with leaves) against the inside of the glass. - Fill 2/3rds with ice. - Add one shot of New Amsterdam gin (or other western-style gin). - Fill almost to the top with lemonade. - Top with lime juice. That's it. No simple syrup. No squeezing lemons and limes (unless you want to make your lemonade or lime juice naturally). It's a very simple drink and very good. Bonus: **Coptic Lemonade 2.0** After you finish your first drink, repeat the same steps, but leave the mint and cilantro from the first batch at the bottom of the drink. Killer good. Bonus 2.0\. Omit the gin for the virgin version. My teenage daughter loves it. ### Two Learned Men; Six Volumes URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/two-learned-men-six-volumes/ Last updated: 2025-05-29T12:12:25.000Z Today’s dispatch? The letters of George Lyttelton and Rupert Hart-Davis, two names that might as well be scrawled on the back of a dusty pub coaster for all the recognition they get in our lobotomized age. Lyttelton’s name flickered faintly in my mind, like a half-remembered tavern sign, but I hadn’t a clue why anyone would bother printing his private scribblings with a friend. My first guess? Maybe they were a pair of buttoned-up Anglican conservatives, penning coded love notes in a clandestine romp that would’ve made the vicar blush. Wrong. These weren’t star-crossed gay lovers or political firebrands. They were just men of letters: Lyttelton, an Eton professor steeped in classics and English lit, and Hart-Davis, a publisher with ink in his veins. In these letters, they scratch out their thoughts in mid-twentieth-century England, back when erudite gents with a knack for words were as common as pigeons in Trafalgar Square. Politics? They gave it a wide berth, proving Russell Kirk’s point that only the quarter-educated bother with that circus. Religion? Not their bag. Marriage? Lyttelton was content with his wife, while Hart-Davis juggled. These two were the kind of blokes you’d kill to share a pint with. Their letters crackle with wit sharp enough to slice through the fog of our current idiocy. **Read the rest** [Learned Discourse in the Pre-Screen AgeToday’s dispatch?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-27.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa08e721a-cf58-4e01-8e4e-40f2745f9009_1024x608-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/scheske/p/learned-discourse-in-the-pre-screen?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### We Value Knowledge Like the Jerk-Off Values Porn URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/knowledge-as-porn/ Last updated: 2025-05-26T13:14:52.000Z If you can gaze upon the naked emperor and call him out with the serene indifference of a Zen master tossing a koan into the void, you’re free. Truly free. Not the fake freedom peddled by the digital hucksters, but the kind that doesn’t flinch at the mob’s jeers, the censor’s lash, or the executioner’s axe. You’re not shouting “The bastard’s naked!” to puff yourself up, to hawk a Substack screed, or to curry favor with the emperor’s rivals. You just say it and move on, with no agitation, like that holy monk who saw a beautiful woman riding naked on a horse. The other monks lowered their eyes. He stared, later telling the monks that he looked because she was beautiful: not “hot” or “bangable,” just beautiful. There's a big difference. Beauty is orans-like transcendent; hot is graspingly masturbatory. To see the emperor’s nakedness with no agenda, that’s the old, forgotten freedom of the liberal arts, what Newman called “gentlemen’s knowledge.” It’s knowledge chased for its own sake, not yoked to purpose or pimped for profit or power. **Read the rest** [Modern Knowledge: PornographicIf you can gaze upon the naked emperor and call him out with the serene indifference of a Zen master tossing a koan into the void, you’re free.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-39.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F25d13335-c1d6-4c7e-8d52-03c1e4e28cc9_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/modern-knowledge-pornographic?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Additional Thoughts You Won't Find at My Substack "Knowledge and Freedom" is the second essay contained in the slender volume, "Abuse of Language--Abuse of Power," which I've long meant to read but never did until this month. James Lindsay mentioned it on a podcast (with Jordan Peterson, I think), prompting me to read it. I'm glad I did. I'm planning another "mini-meditation" on the first essay in the slender volume. The working title of that mini-essay: "Language, Left-Hemisphere Style." "Abuse" is just like Pieper's other books: dense. Every sentence (every word?) is packed with meaning that needs to be unpacked before you read the next sentence. It's a unique reading experience, exhausting and exhilarating at the same time, productive but unproductive at the same time (tons of insights (productive) but little progress in terms of pages read (unproductive)). You need to get in an entirely different mindset when approaching him. Anyway, [**here's an Amazon Associate's link to Abuse**](https://amzn.to/3ZxCOO8?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), if you're interested. ### More Snoring, Less Beltway Whoring URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/more-snoring-less-beltway-whoring/ Last updated: 2025-05-25T12:27:04.000Z The Hemisphere Hypothesis won’t teach you how to wrench a lug nut off a busted tire and it won’t tell you how to deal with the beard in your daughter’s locker room. For all its highfalutin talk about brain wiring and reality, it’s about as useful as a paper towel in a hurricane when you’re staring down the barrel of practical problems. That’s the complaint, anyway . . . from the left hemisphere. But only a left-hemisphere drunk on its own logic could look at the mess we’re in—economic Ponzi schemes, cultural decay, trannies in the girls’ showers—and declare as irrelevant a theory about *how* we think. The Hemisphere Hypothesis ain’t about torque specs or locker room policies. It’s about *how* you carry yourself when the rubber’s flat and the world’s gone sideways. It’s about reframing the blown tire as something other than a personal affront from the universe. It’s about navigating the daily shitstorm of modernity—traffic jams, woke commissars, and all—without losing your mind. I scribble about this stuff at [*Flourishing Despite Modernity*](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/s/flourishing-despite-modernity?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), where I use the Hemisphere Hypothesis to make sense of how to live well in a world that’s forgotten how to live at all. Now, that locker room situation? The Hemisphere Hypothesis gets murkier there. It’s one thing to philosophize about right-hemipsheric calm in the face of chaos, but when you’ve got a cultural revolution strutting through the showers, backed by sanctimonious bureaucrats from here to D.C., you’re not exactly pondering hemispheric balance. You’re wondering how we got to a point where common sense got kicked to the curb and replaced with a clown show. ### **Snoring Through the Apocalypse** Let’s talk about Mikhail Kutuzov, the Russian general who sent Napoleon packing with his tail between his legs. How’d he do it? By napping, mostly. Snoring through strategy sessions, doodling on his personal whims while everyone else was screaming for action. In Tolstoy’s *War and Peace*, Kutuzov’s genius was in knowing something bigger than his own ego was at play, some deeper current of fate or nature or whatever you want to call it. He didn’t meddle. He didn’t micromanage. He let the world turn and trusted it would grind Napoleon’s grand army into dust. **Read the rest** [Snoring to SuccessThe Hemisphere Hypothesis won’t teach you how to wrench a lug nut off a busted tire and it won’t tell you how to deal with the beard in your daughter’s locker room.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-37.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F59774e64-6438-4b27-ab55-cb217ea2a4dd_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/snoring-to-success?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Are You Trapped in the World of Total Work? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52571/ Last updated: 2025-05-26T13:06:54.000Z #### Josef Pieper (with a G.K. Chesterton kicker) teaches us the importance of leisure It’s commonplace knowledge that many of our best ideas hit us in the middle of the night or in our first waking moments. While we are completely at rest, not obsessed with ourselves or our work, ideas come to us like a gift. The twentieth-century Thomistic philosopher Josef Pieper explains this phenomenon in his work, *Leisure, The Basis of Culture*. Like most of Pieper’s books, *Leisure* is short but thick (don’t be deceived and think you’ll finish it in two sittings). True to Pieper’s approach, *Leisure* tends to be filled with sweeping statements that compress ten pages of truth into one sentence. This makes his books short, but also makes it necessary to read them slowly and deliberately, with many pauses and breaks. ## Two parts *Leisure* consists of two essays: “Leisure, the Basis of Culture,” and “The Philosophical Act.” The first essay pushes the main thrust of his argument: Leisure, properly understood, is stillness — absence of pre-occupation and an ability to let things go. Leisure is also the end of all effort: We should work to leave time for leisure, not engage in leisure to refresh us for work. As we cultivate leisure, we increasingly hear the rustling of reality (“only the person who is still can hear, and whoever is not still, cannot hear”). This ability to hear produces a sense of wonder, and this then leads us to engage in the act of philosophy, which is the thrust of the second essay. As he proceeds with his analysis, he makes startling observations about leisure, the type of observations that tend to affect your thinking for the rest of your life. For instance, in response to the notion that all knowledge results exclusively from work, Pieper points out that, if this is true, the worker would have only “the fruit of his own, subjective activity, and nothing else.” And he leaves it at that, leaving the reader to marvel at the implications. At another point, he facilely ties together the transcendental ofgoodness and truth. Goodness comes easily for the truly good man, and so does truth. “Just as in the realm of the Good, the greatest virtue is *without* difficulty, so in knowing, the highest form would be the lightening-like insight, true contemplation, which comes to one like a gift; it’s effortless and not burdensome.” ## Do you abuse your leisure? Pieper also touches on an important point for today’s culture. Today’s culture is increasingly valuing leisure time, as evidenced by employees’ successful demand for more time-off, but it’s using its leisure time improperly. Work is not being replaced with leisure, but rather with intense play (serious golf, hard gardening, elaborate vacations, home improvement). Wage work, in other words, is replaced with play work. It’s like changing from a smelly shirt into the sweat-soaked shirt you jogged in a few hours earlier. *Leisure is the highest pursuit because it does nothing*, not because it permits us to run about wild. Leisure obsessed with activity is mere restlessness. At the turn of the millennium, we have regained the truth that man is made for more than work, but we haven’t grasped that man is made for true leisure, for stillness, so true leisure still isn’t there. And neither will be the grace. ## Support by GKC The early twentieth-century journalist/essayist/philosopher G.K. Chesterton recognized the same thing in one of his essays, in which he lauds “the most precious, the most-consoling, the most pure and holy, the noble habit of doing nothing at all.” He observed that such leisure “is being neglected in a degree which seems to me to threaten the degeneration of the whole race. It’s because artists do not practise, patrons do not patronize, crowds do not assemble to worship reverently the great work of Doing Nothing, that the world has lost its philosophy and even failed to invent a new religion.” It’s significant that Chesterton saw the value of leisure, for his huge basket of writings throws further light on Pieper’s *Leisure*, especially when juxtaposed against Pieper’s hero, St. Thomas Aquinas. In *The Silence of St. Thomas*, Pieper wrote about St. Thomas’ prodigious display of intellectual might in the *Summa Theologica*: “Were these sentences really set down by a living man or did not rather the objective current formulate itself undisturbed — neither blurred nor warmed — by the breath of a living thinker.” Pieper opts for the latter, saying the massive *Summa* “can only be the work of a heart fundamentally at peace” that permits grace to flow through the man onto the page. Chesterton’s writings give a similar impression. His writings are so prodigious that it almost seems that a man didn’t write them (where did he find the time to write so much so deeply?). Yet, the results of St. Thomas’ work and Chesterton’s work could hardly be more different — Aquinas’ systematic treatises, prayers, and hymns; Chesterton’s essays spanning a wild menagerie of topics, poems, and Father Brown stories. These men show that grace can touch all men, regardless of vocation or disposition, and that the fruits of grace are infinitely varied for the Source of Grace is infinite. But we must first invite grace through leisure. --- [Optimal Work on Josef Pieper’s Leisure, the Basis of CultureWell, two things: 1\. “Anything that is truly contemplation in Pieper’s mind, that is actually leisure. And so if you can contemplate while doing it, that’s true leisure. And so art, philosophy, worship, family, in some sense allow for this.” 2\. 13:50: If you read this book, “substitute leisure![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/06/One-Thing-Files.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/optimal-work-on-josef-piepers-leisure-the-basis-of-culture/) --- [Jacob Howland on the Hidden Human Costs of AI - EconlibIn the early 1900s, the philosopher Henry Adams expressed concern about the rapid rate of social change ushered in by new technologies, from the railways to the telegraph and ultimately airplanes. If we transpose Adams’s concerns onto the power of artificial intelligence–a power whose rate of accele…![](https://www.econtalk.org/favicon.ico)EconlibShalom Freedman![](https://www.econlib.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/lazy-tech.jpg)](https://www.econtalk.org/jacob-howland-on-the-hidden-human-costs-of-ai/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) 40:35: > "I'm very persuaded by Josef Pieper's famous essay, *Leisure, the Basis of Culture*. He explains what he means by 'leisure." It is fundamentally a religious and philosophical openness to the world and, in particular, to the gift of the world. It is a **receptivity** to what is outside of ourselves. And Pieper thinks that's the basis of culture because we are informed by, and given the necessary beginnings of a human life, by being open to the peace, order of the world. Jacob Howland Reference: Iain McGilchrist's *The Matter with Things*, Chp. 3, "Perception." > "Perception is the act whereby we reach out from our cage of mental constructs to taste, smell, touch, hear and see the living world." Loose reference: > "As a man is, so he sees." William Blake ### The Silence of St. Thomas, by Josef Pieper URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-silence-of-st-thomas/ Last updated: 2025-05-26T13:08:33.000Z ### > "What is self-evident is not discussed." Few things slap a person in the face like St. Thomas's silence. It's a stunning rebuke to everyone, everywhere. Do you, writer, hope to create something as great as The Summa? Do you, reader, think you'll gain any insight that Thomas didn't glean? Do you, newspaper reader, think that stuff isn't straw? Do you, modern man, think all this ephemeral stuff is real, much less important? Do you, dude typing right now, think this has any relevance anywhere? Bring on *Fahrenheit 451's* firemen!?!? They say John Fisher kept a picture of a dead man in front of him while he ate. I hear Theophan the Recluse kept a picture of a man in a coffin in his room. Both reminded them of death. Good practice. But I'd like to keep a picture of Thomas's silence in front of me. But there were no Polaroids back then, and even if there were, you can't capture silence in pictures. For that reason alone, his silence doesn't speak to us in today's world. But it ought to. Ours is a noisy world because everyone thinks he has something to say, to contribute. And, of course, they do: in their little world of the family and household and, if they're really great, in their community. But in the grand scheme of things, they have nothing to contribute. All is straw. ### Majeres Applies McGilchrist URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/maje/ Last updated: 2025-05-19T12:24:43.000Z Back in 2009, Iain McGilchrist unleashed *The Master and His Emissary* upon a world too distracted to notice its own decay. This bestseller was merely a prelude to his magnum opus, *The Matter with Things*—a sprawling, 1,500-page odyssey that starts with the *Master’s* Hemisphere Hypothesis and ends with an Iroquois myth. These tomes are a gut-punch, thrilling as a runaway freight train and exhausting as a week-long bender. Their point? It’s right there in the title of the first book: *The Master and His Emissary*. The phrase is a warning, a lament, and a map to what’s gone wrong with our lopsided brains in this lopsided world. The title comes from a Nietzsche yarn about a wise king whose realm prospered under his steady hand. But the kingdom grew vast, so he tapped a sharp-eyed emissary, a man of efficiency and expertise, to help run it. The emissary was a marvel, a machine of competence. Too good, in fact. He got cocky, sidelined the king, and ran the show solo. The result? The kingdom crumbled, not from malice but from the emissary’s blind arrogance to his limitations. In McGilchrist’s telling, the “master” is the right hemisphere of our brain, the seat of intuition, wonder, and the big picture. The “emissary” is the left hemisphere, the bean-counter, the schemer, the doer. The “kingdom” after the emissary’s coup is our modern world. McGilchrist’s “hemisphere hypothesis” starts with the hard stuff—neuroscience, brain lesions, and other nuts and bolts of gray matter—and ends with the mystical. It’s a prolonged meditation on something vast, like the burning bush that spoke to Moses: a presence that hums through existence without devouring it. He drags the reader to the edge of the known world and points beyond, then stops short and stares with a sort of Stoic serenity. It’s a heady trip, but it leaves you hanging, stranded on the cliff’s edge with two ropes: a strong one that assures you things are bad, and a frayed one that tells you there’s still hope. ## Introducing Kevin Majeres Enter [**Kevin Majeres**](https://optimalwork.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), a Harvard shrink who’s seen the left hemisphere’s carnage up close in his patients’ frayed lives. He’s not here to hand you another frayed rope. His gig is cognitive-behavioral therapy, but don’t let the jargon fool you: Majeres’ schtick is a rebellion against the emissary’s tyranny. Majeres hands out practical tools to shove the right hemisphere back into the driver’s seat and restore the master’s rule. The first step is to appreciate the left hemisphere. If it’s such a devious servant, why respect it at all, much less let it off the chain to work its mischief? Because if we don’t, we die. The left hemisphere is our survival kit. It hunts, it builds, it fights. It’s the part that snarls at traffic, clocks in at the job, and keeps the fridge stocked. It’s a predator, a manipulator, a planner. It gets shit done. But here’s the rub: we’re not just “human doings,” as the bumper stickers say. We’re “human beings.” Let the left hemisphere run the show unchecked, and you’re not a person anymore: you’re a meat robot grinding through days with no meaning. The left hemisphere knows how to survive but hasn’t a clue why you’d bother. Without the right hemisphere’s oversight, life turns into a blur of pointless hustle: a frenetic, hollow, treadmill that breaks you when it stops. The stronger the left hemisphere’s grip, the deeper the boredom and heavier the despair. **Read the rest** [From McGilchrist’s Map to Majeres’ Tools: Overthrowing the Emissary’s ReignBack in 2009, Iain McGilchrist unleashed The Master and His Emissary upon a world too distracted to notice its own decay.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-36.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc71a34c5-97a0-4fb3-b4fe-5252892401d4_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/from-mcgilchrists-map-to-majeres?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Pieper Primer URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/pieper-primer/ Last updated: 2025-05-26T13:07:36.000Z [Leisure, the Basis of Culture, by Josef Pieper“here cannot be unused space in the total world of work.”![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Leisure-Basis-of-Culture-rotated.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/56479/) No other author has so immediately affected my perspective on work as Josef Pieper. In my mind, work was separate from the rest of life. Working hours have always been a discrete part of my day since I took my first job as a teenager. Maybe this division is inherent to American culture and how I grew up, but in Pieper’s mind, work is part of our response to the gift of life. Though published decades ago, German philosopher Josef Pieper’s commentaries on work, leisure, and festivity bring to light two deficits within our culture today—true community relationship and conscious introspection. His works, [*Leisure: The Basis of Culture*](https://bookshop.org/a/2037/9781586172565?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (1948) and [*In Tune with the World: A Theory of Festivity*](https://bookshop.org/a/2037/9781890318338?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (1965), posit not a solution to our culture’s dis-perspective, but a call to return to a meaningful and fruitful life. If we can’t recognize leisure, then our culture is endangered. But *leisure* is a tricky word in the twenty-first century. Is it welcoming visitors at our leisure? Is it reclining on a couch in a leisure suit? Is it being free from work demands? Is it the opposite of work? What kind of leisure is this? ## Leisure Is For Work A weekend away, a vacation, a sick day when we’re not sick—these may be breaks from work but they are not leisure. These pauses or attempts to escape the drudgery of work may not be restful. Pieper describes this view of leisure-as-punctuation as a lack of genuine wealth, being “poor in spirit” without even realizing it. And this mindset can only be repaired by an act of worship that becomes “a store of real wealth that cannot be consumed by the workaday world.” Every day, in fact, can be a feast day, a concept I had never considered before reading Pieper. With true leisure, the worker is not only refreshed *from* work but *for* work. I am convinced that the busyness of our age detracts from our ability to see the worthy work we do, to see ourselves as whole persons. Filling our days does not necessarily lead to fulfillment. When asked what we do, we often respond with a recital of how busy we are, how many urgent tasks we accomplish. This state of mind resonates with Pieper’s perspective that we might be spiritually poor. There is no leisure that can provide an antidote to such busyness. Pausing from such activity won’t relieve the stress-filled worker. Hence leisure is not the ease of seeking distractions as soon as work is done. It is not restoring our working powers. Leisure begins, rather, from a different view of work. Business psychologist and Yale researcher Amy Wrzesniewski references this broader understanding of work as a life’s vocation in studies like “[Jobs, Careers, and Callings: People’s Relations to Their Work](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248742259%5FJobs%5FCareers%5Fand%5FCallings%5FPeople%27s%5FRelations%5Fto%5FTheir%5FWork?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)” (1997). When people see their work as calling, a broader perspective, they feel enthusiastic, purposeful, and willing to work harder and longer to make a contribution. **Read the rest** [Work and Leisure: A Pieper Primer - Front Porch RepublicI am convinced that the busyness of our age detracts from our ability to see the worthy work we do, to see ourselves as whole persons. Filling our days does not necessarily lead to fulfillment.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicChristine Norvell![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/large-ognxBl79oFrfC8BiNWtl1vHhySsz2t2x.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/05/work-and-leisure-a-pieper-primer/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Benedict in the City URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/benedict-in-the-city/ Last updated: 2025-05-15T11:09:54.000Z My Kindle’s a cluttered attic, stuffed with a few books I pick at like a vulture when the mood strikes. Nothing I’d sink into, just odds and ends for those moments when the world’s noise gets too shrill. One of them’s E. Michael Jones’ *Benedict’s Rule: The Rise of Ethnicity and the Fall of Rome*, a slim volume that’s less a book than a Molotov cocktail lobbed at the ruins of our so-called civilization. Jones argues that Benedict, that old monk, didn’t just save the West after Rome’s imperial carcass collapsed: he and his followers scooped up its soul as the toga-clad bureaucrats fled. There’s a twist, of course, something about “the rise of ethnicity,” but so far, it’s a tale of Rome’s rot and the monasteries that rose from its ashes like stubborn weeds. Jones kicks off with a gut-punch parallel: Rome’s fall mirrors America’s slow-motion implosion. Just as Rome hollowed itself out chasing far-flung provinces, America’s rotting from the inside while its overlords obsess over deserts and jungles half a world away from Akron. The proof’s in our urban wastelands—those inner cities where hope’s been paved over by neglect and the flickering neon of dollar stores. Jones has a knack for making you pause, even if his ideas sometimes skid close to the third rail. Is he an anti-Semite? I don’t know, and I haven’t dug into the evidence. If I swore off every book that might harbor a dangerous thought, I’d have to burn my own journals . . . and half my brain. Here’s the kicker: Jones thinks monks could save us again. Not in some misty-eyed medieval rerun, but right now, in the boarded-up heart of our cities. He points to Father Groeschel’s grey friars, those tough-as-nails Franciscans who brought a pulse back to the South Bronx. Jones’ plan is dirt-simple: hand over a few abandoned parish buildings in Philly, Detroit, or Baltimore to a couple of Benedictine monks. Let them turn those crumbling shells into monasteries, oases where young Catholic couples could live cheap and lean, guided by a 21st-century take on Benedict’s Rule. It’s a vision of life rooted in discipline and community, not the strip-mall sprawl of our consumerist fever dream. **Read the rest** [Benedict’s Rule and the Last Stand for America’s CitiesMy Kindle’s a cluttered attic, stuffed with a few books I pick at like a vulture when the mood strikes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-25.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fdc70dd4a-93ed-4f19-9021-b1316c98cc24_1024x608-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/scheske/p/benedicts-rule-and-the-last-stand?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### Way of the Right Brain: Chuang-Tzu’s Genius URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/way-of-the-right-brain-chuang-tzus-genius/ Last updated: 2025-05-12T12:19:12.000Z Seven and a half centuries before Bodhidharma started Zen by melding Buddhism to Taoism, Chuang-Tzu danced through the world. This sly jester is second only to the old sage Lao-Tzu in Tao greatness. Chuang-Tzu championed *wu-wei*—the art of non-doing, of letting the world spin without your sweaty grip on the wheel. His *wu-wei* sprang from a bone-deep humility, a refusal to claw for anything, not even the shiny bauble of self-betterment. This humility poured from his vision of the Tao, that shadowy, untouchable force that laughs at the puny nets of human understanding, especially the kind stitched from the brittle threads of logic, categories, and rules. The left hemisphere deifies those things like Polynesian primitives bowing before totem poles. Not Chuang-Tzu. He rejected all lures that require striving. Striving, he preached, is the sound of your own defeat. Even straining for virtue or goodness is a fool’s errand, a pompous parade of self-aggrandizement. The man who aches to polish his soul is already sneering at what he is, dreaming himself grander than the dirt under his feet. That’s pride, plain and ugly, the very poison Chuang-Tzu sought to purge. **Read the rest** [The Way of Chuang-TzuProfiles in Right-Hemispherism![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-34.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5aaadb14-6650-479d-8571-834020c40e75_1024x608-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/the-way-of-chuang-tzu?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### Montaigne: Smiling Skeptic URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/montaigne-smiling-skeptic/ Last updated: 2025-05-08T12:28:53.000Z Montaigne spat on every dogma and system that strutted through the intellectual barnyard of his day. His motto: *Que sais-je?* (What do I know?) His answer, delivered with a smirk: Not a daggone thing. > “There is a plague on man: his opinion that he knows something.” > Montaigne Logic? Pfft. He’d sooner trust a mule to cure his gout. The Catholic Scholasticism that was still hanging around? All Latin and no soul. The Protestant reformers yammering about their new-and-improved salvation? Just another gaggle of know-it-alls, peddling their own brand of hogwash. Systems were to Montaigne what a parade of strip malls is to us: a soul-crushing march of sameness, each one uglier than the last. Modernity’s logocentric circus—its Enlightenment hubris, its technocratic wet dreams—would’ve sent him retching into the nearest ditch. Yet, for all his sneering, Montaigne wasn’t a nihilist. He had a simple Catholic faith, unexamined, like a farmer’s trust in the seasons. He performed simple acts of devotion. He believed. But he didn’t foist his beliefs on others and definitely hawk them like a Reformation pamphlet-peddler. His skepticism was the quiet kind, the kind that doesn’t preach or plot or dream up utopian blueprints to fix a world that’s been broken since the (pre-)dawn of time and always will be, this side of the Second Coming. He was [**Pyrrho of Elis**](https://philosophynow.org/issues/104/Ataraxia%5Fin%5Fthe%5FAge%5Fof%5FToo%5FMuch%5FInformation?cpg=twtr&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) reborn, plucked from the dusty agora of 4th-century BC Greece and dropped into the muddy lanes of 16th-century France. He wandered that world with a pilgrim’s curiosity but none of the fanatic’s fire. As Etienne Gilson put it, > \[T\]he only thing we can learn from him is the art of unlearning. It is very important, and nowhere is it better learned than in the *Essays*. Such intellectual restraint was no small feat in the world of religious dogmatism that was Montaigne’s Reformation century, and it ain’t no small feat in the world of scientific dogmatism that is our era (though I maintain COVID was a blessing in this regard: the COVID experts accidentally shattered scentific dogmatism like a ball-peen hammer gaveled onto a glass figurine). **Read the rest** [Montaigne’s Skeptical StrollMontaigne spat on every dogma and system that strutted through the intellectual barnyard of his day.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-23.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F5dfa1b27-77d3-450f-905d-5f03930b0edc_1024x608-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/scheske/p/montaignes-skeptical-stroll?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### Gimme Silence or Give Me Death URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/gimme-silence-or-give-me-death/ Last updated: 2025-05-05T12:23:42.000Z You’re in your backyard, enjoying a book, a drink, or a conversation; heck, maybe all three at the same time if you're hanging with a mannequin. Everything seems fine, but then the leafblower next door stops and you're suddenly like, "Man, everything sucked a moment ago and I didn't even realize it." A calmness rinses your neurons, like you've just received news that your maniacally scorned ex-girlfriend with a castration obsession has moved to Australia. The relief you didn’t even know you needed feels great. Now, swap out that leaf blower for the tornado of thought that funnels through your head. You get the same sense of relief when that tornado evaporates. It’s that rush of silence you get when you sit with the first drink on Friday after work. Or maybe when you collapse into a lawn chair on a nice afternoon (without that jack-off with the leaf blower next door). I often get that rush when I plop into the pew for Mass, knowing that I can't go anywhere for the next hour, so I might as well relax and be resigned to whatever comes (endless announcements; bilingual detour; a rogue liturgist hijacking the Mass). This thing I'm describing--this thing everyone except the *American Psycho-ish* among us experiences--ain't just "silence." To call it "silence" is like coming out of the Sistine Chapel, nodding knowingly like Michaelangelo needs your approval, and saying, "It didn't suck." The word “silence” doesn’t cover it any better than a bikini covers that body positive woman at the beach. “Silence” implies the mere "absence of noise," like "evil" is merely the privation of being. I'm talking about more than silence, something more manifest--a presence, a thing with its own existence and merit. Just as the devil is the manifestation of that (otherwise philosophically-correct) notion that evil is merely the absence of being, this thing I'm describing is a presence, a thing with its own existence and merit. There is no word for it in English, which is shocking, given English’s versatility, depth, and spectrum—from sublime genius to hellish moronic (Shakespeare to Nicki Minaj). The Japanese call it *ma*, and someone lacking in *ma* is called a *manuke*, which loosely translates to “fool." My Uncle Lao-Tzu wrote about it in Book 11\. He says the spokes of a wheel don't matter as much as the hub of emptiness where they join, and the clay pot is worthless if there's no empty place to pour the liquid, and a house without empty space is unlivable. It’s from empty space and silence that all things emerge. Things and noise come out of space and silence, which means space and silence are generative: primordial for all other things that exist. To think of them as mere “privations” of matter and noise is a flip-flopped perversion that would make Aleister Crowley cackle with glee. It’s in space and silence that relations are formed, and from those relations comes the world of explicitness where we spend our everyday existence. "Relations are primary,” says McGilchrist, "and form the bedrock of our experience." It’s a truth that quantum physics has discovered. **Read the rest** [Silence, the Basis of ExistenceIt’s more--a lot more--than the mere absence of noise![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-32.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F324cc019-c3f5-4830-a5b0-46fbfdaa3710_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/silence-the-basis-of-existence?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### McGilchrist Finds Gnosticism . . . and the Thought of Eric Voegelin URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/mcgilchrist-finds-gnosticism-and-the-thought-of-eric-voegelin/ Last updated: 2025-04-28T11:48:29.000Z Woke up Saturday morning, wishing I’d stopped one drink sooner on Friday, and hazed through the digital wasteland. I stumbled on [Iain McGilchrist posting excerpts from dusty letters by Sir Richard Clough, a 16th-century Elizabethan fixer in Antwerp](https://iainmcgilchrist.substack.com/p/how-puritanism-works). Clough was tattling to his boss, Sir Thomas Gresham, about the Puritan wrecking crew that tore through Antwerp in August 1566, smashing altars, torching beauty, and desecrating anything that didn’t bow to their grim, literalist dogma. Puritans. Freakin’ Puritans. The OG cultural bulldozers. [I’ve been hollering about these joyless bastards for years](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-puritanical-plague-of-progressive?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). They’re the patron saints of the modern mind—rigid, self-righteous, and allergic to nuance. Eric Voegelin, that Viennese sage, nailed them in *The New Science of Politics* (1952), painting them as the poster children of gnosticism, a mental rot that’s been afflicting Western civilization for millennia. Puritanism is a clearer portrait of this mind-sickness than a wino passed out in a gutter is of alcoholism. Voegelin’s the real deal, a heavyweight from that *fin de siècle* Viennese intellectual crucible that spat out Menger, Wittgenstein, Freud, and Mises, a scene that produced more world-class thinkers than Swinging London produced groovy mods in the 1960s. Voegelin’s *New Science* hit pretty big, at least as far as nerd literature goes. It even landed on *Time* magazine’s radar in ’53, a rare crossover, like Dylan’s *Highway 61 Revisited* in reverse. The book was all about gnosticism. Voegelin had been tracing gnosticism throughout history with the doggedness of a cocaine-fueled Harvey Weinstein searching under tables for the actress to whom he’d just promised a co-starring role with DiCaprio in a Scorsese film. But then he hit the brakes. **Read the rest** [Dr. McGilchrist, Allow Me to Introduce Dr. VoegelinBeen waiting for this since 1952![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-30.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F8300ba48-2503-419f-b6da-7895240cca56_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/dr-mcgilchrist-allow-me-to-introduce?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### A Gardening Piece at The University Bookman URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-gardening-piece-at-the-university-bookman/ Last updated: 2025-05-08T12:32:16.000Z American gardening literature is a big thing. Amazon has an entire department dedicated to “Gardening & Horticultural Essays.” Yes, just “essays.” It has two dozen other departments dedicated to gardening and horticulture in general. The genre of American garden writing runs the gamut from technical to inspirational: garden bed blueprints to meditations on weeding. For instance, there are seed catalogs that merely list the price and seed specifications: days to maturity, spacing, and sun requirements. And then there are *literary* seed catalogs . . . those rare (and free) publications that are informational, occasionally witty, and serious about their prose. Among contemporary books, you have *The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible*, which is a standard “go-to” book but hardly qualifies as serious literature. And then you have *Inheriting Paradise: Meditations on Gardening,* by theologian-gardener Vigen Guroian, which is lovely and scarcely mentions gardening techniques. And then there are those books like *The Tao of Vegetable Gardening* by Carol Deppe, which is a beautiful hybrid: mostly how-to gardening advice, but laced with a meditational attitude that, though rarely overt, informs the book as a whole. **T*he Tao of Vegetable Gardening* is part of a rich bed of American gardening literature that, in the words of M.E. Bradford, mixes “practical agricultural advice and moral reflection.” In Western culture, gardening literature goes back over 2,500 years, at least to Hesiod’s *The Works and Days* in the 8th century BC. The Greeks later followed suit, as did the Romans (Cato the Elder’s *De Agri Cultura*, Virgil’s *Georgics*). Agricultural literature was firmly ensconced in the classical world. It’s no surprise that America followed suit. The early Americans loved ancient Rome, including its agrarian literature. In the words of Paul Meany, “Roman poets, such as Horace and Virgil, praised an agrarian lifestyle, and their work struck a chord with the self-sufficient, hardy farmers of early America.” Colonial Americans, such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, wrote about gardening and agriculture in general. French transplant Hector St. John de Crèvecœur wrote *Letters from an American Farmer* (1782), which became wildly popular with Europe’s reforming class and would later be sardonically savaged by D. H. Lawrence in *Studies in Classic American Literature* for its romantic intellectualizing, “This American Farmer tells of the joys of creating a home in the wilderness, and of cultivating virgin soil. Poor virgin, prostituted from the very start.” There’s John Taylor of Caroline, a wealthy lawyer and agriculturalist whose talents didn’t carry over to the printed word. The prose in his *Arator: Being a Series of Agricultural Essays, Practical and Political: In Sixty-Four Numbers* is denser than hardpan soil, prompting John Randolph of Roanoke to suggest that someone translate him into English. But if one can get past the prose, he’ll find perhaps the best early example of American gardening literature: agricultural advice meandering into short meditations. ## [Read the rest](https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/outlining-sanity-in-the-garden/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Everyday Problem That is the Left Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-everyday-problem-that-is-the-left-hemisphere/ Last updated: 2025-04-14T12:11:45.000Z The left hemisphere of your brain is a miserable little tyrant, a penny-ante dictator strutting around in the gray matter. Don’t believe me? Look at the everyday modern life that the left hemisphere has given us. It’s one big prick-fest, a carnival of impatience and irritation where every glitch in the machine sets us off like a pack of rabid Chihuahuas. Sure, most folks don’t go around screaming at baristas. They’re “nice.” They hold doors, tip well, and post heart emojis on X. But deep down, they instinctively think like pricks. Let’s get real for a minute, you and me, like we’re sitting on a sagging porch with a bottle of cheap bourbon. Ever been stuck behind an old codger shuffling along at a glacier pace? Maybe you’re late for a flight, dodging through the airport like it’s the last chopper out of Saigon, and there’s this guy, all tremors and orthopedic shoes, clogging up the works. You feel it, don’t you? That little spike of annoyance, sharp as a tack in your shoe. Oh, you shove it down quick, scold yourself for being a jerk, but it was there, wasn’t it? A flicker of disgust, like catching a whiff of sour milk. Or how about those motorized scooter brigades at the big-box stores, clogging the aisles like a parade of human landfills, too corpulent to traverse that Trail 1 Hike to the Doritos. You’re telling me you’ve never felt a twinge of scorn at such things? If you say no, you’re either a liar or a saint, and I ain’t betting on the latter. The rest of us, we’re stuck with it—this left-hemispheric reflex that turns every inconvenience into a personal affront. The left hemisphere is a bean-counter, a stopwatch-wielding bureaucrat obsessed with getting from Point A to Point B without any detours. It loves tasks, checklists, and the smug satisfaction of a job done fast. Efficiency is its god, and anything that gums up the gears—old folks, fatsos, the whole messy pageant of human frailty—is anathema. That old man in the crosswalk? He’s not just slowing you down; he’s a slow-gaited rebuke to the left hemisphere’s strong preference for a frictionless world. Your brain registers him as a bug in the system, and bugs need squashing. **Read the rest** [Left Hemisphere: ScoundrelThe left hemisphere of your brain is a miserable little tyrant, a penny-ante dictator strutting around in the gray matter.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-26.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fdb42cd48-4bc8-47c5-b58f-1f6710dfae01_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/left-hemisphere-scoundrel?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Why I Don't Stay Informed URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55813/ Last updated: 2025-05-08T12:30:45.000Z I'm glad the Establishment didn't succeed in destroying JRE during COVID. It’s pretty much the only way I stay informed to the extent I want to be informed. I agree with Nassim Taleb’s observation that there’s no reason to read the daily news, and it’s not good for you. If there’s anything truly worth knowing, it will reach your ears somehow. Those stray pieces of information are enough for me, though I admire those independents who write articles and essays chockful of links to information that paint a layered picture of a world event. I read them sometimes. But for the most part, I glance through Internet headlines on my way to things I really want to read, read one or two blogs regularly, read [***The Kiplinger Letter***](https://subscribe.kiplinger.com/pubs/KE/KWP/KWP%5F148%5F99.jsp?cds%5Fpage%5Fid=261524&cds%5Fmag%5Fcode=KWP&id=1644152711390&lsid=20370705113089104&vid=1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (invaluable in its pithiness and politically-informed non-partisanship) . . . and listen to the Joe Rogan Experience. I find it’s more than enough, especially since it leaves me room for stuff I’d rather read, like history. A broad base of historical knowledge is worth more than a quotidian reading of the *New York Times* for ten years. You can see what’s happening in Kazakhstan and intuitively realize, “It’s just a continuation of the Great Game, which has long been filled with secret ops. There’s more here than meets the eye.” You can read about Russian troops on the Ukraine border, remember Stalin’s eight-figure slaughter of its Kulaks and think, “Russia, haven’t you done enough to that poor country?” but then wonder why Ukraine is separate at all since it claims common ancestral lineage with Russia (the Kievan Rus). And then you realize that you have no freakin’ idea what to think and no matter how much you study and learn, you’ll never be able to aggregate enough facts to form a coherent opinion on . . . pretty much anything. At that point, a sense of epistemological skepticism sets in. You realize you really only know one thing: you don’t know anything. That’s just the way it is and it can’t be changed. And with that comes calm. “Epistemological serenity” I call it. But then the agitation sets in (no serenity lasts long, except for the saints and truly wise). “If I, despite my advanced degrees and lifetime of study and contemplation don’t know anything, how the frick does anyone else know anything? I mean, *really* know anything? You can be a specialist in an area, of course, but our entire existence is so intertwined with everything else, your expertise in one area doesn’t render you fit to make decisions about anything.” And then you see the public policy bungles . . . over and over and over again. You realize that the rulers have no answers either and, therefore, every decision merely results in a power grab of some sort, normally in the form of shifting massive amounts of money to comrades at the yacht club. No decision can be “informed,” after all, given our remarkable level of ignorance. The best our rulers can do is flail away at possible solutions, but since they really have zero clue whether a solution will work, we’d be better off if they desisted from doing anything. And then I settle into a sort of anarchism, but without the bomb-throwing. It’s more like an anarchism of arm-waving: arms in the air, moving back and forth, me shouting, “Stop, just stop it! You have no idea what’s best. Please, just stop.” And after I tire of doing that for a long time, I retire to my study and read with neither purpose nor aim. Maybe the collected letters of Evelyn Waugh. Maybe some famous person's notebooks. It doesn't matter. [Joel J Miller on Substack“To be up-to-date is an ambition with built-in panic.” —Wendell Berry![](https://substack.com/@joeljmiller/note/icons/substack/icon.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ec3e24cd-bfe7-4111-824e-bbae805f58ce_2135x1257.jpeg)](https://substack.com/@joeljmiller/note/c-58938822?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&utm%5Fsource=notes-share-action) > "If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you do read it, you're misinformed." Denzel Washington. Also popularly attributed to Mark Twain. ### The Stud that Was H.L. Mencken URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-stud-that-was-h-l-mencken/ Last updated: 2025-04-07T12:16:40.000Z Every so often, I plunge headlong into a Mencken spree, a vice I’ve nursed since the early 1990s when I first stumbled into Ann Arbor’s Dawn Treader Bookstore and smelled those old books (that odd but pleasing scent, I’m told, comes from vanilla releasing from the aging paper). I fished out three tattered paperback collections of Mencken’s essays. They were cheap but held a king’s ransom in wit. Lately, I’ve been slogging through the six-volume brick of *Prejudices*, that glorious heap of essays, articles, and reviews Mencken repackaged with a sneer, plus the *Second Mencken Chrestomathy*, cobbled together by Terry Teachout back in the early ’90s when the world still had a pulse. The Sage of Baltimore towered over the 1920s, that fleeting zenith of “peak literary culture” before the radio’s syrupy glow started our metamorphosis into a nation of passive receptor sedentaries. Print was the game then. And Mencken? He was the barker, the juggler, the lion-tamer all in one, dazzling readers with his pen. Few could match his relentless, cackling gusto. By his own tally, he had spewed out over five million words before the reaper called. He figured his stuff would wither fast, tied as it was to the “portentous” claptrap of his day. He wrote period pieces, so he figured they were destined for the future dustbin. But no, they’ve stuck around, stubborn as crabgrass. Why? Teachout calls it “baffling,” and I’ll drink to that. Maybe part of Mencken’s enduring appeal is how he swung his axe at that sanctimonious Puritan Progressivism, the same bilge that oozed from Plymouth Rock in 1620 and still fouls our air today. It’s a perennial American problem so a writer like Mencken who attacked it will have perennial appeal. **Read the rest** [Mencken: StudEvery so often, I plunge headlong into a Mencken spree, a vice I’ve nursed since the early 1990s when I first stumbled into Ann Arbor’s Dawn Treader Bookstore and smelled those old books (that odd but pleasing scent, I’m told, comes from vanilla releasing from the aging paper).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-17.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F91a1b9fb-fd97-45ea-8812-aba3101c29e4_1024x608-1.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/mencken-stud) ### The Battle of the Hemispheres URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-battle-of-the-hemispheres/ Last updated: 2025-04-03T11:45:18.000Z [So, fear’s the new punk squatting in the pantheon of mortal sins](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-left-hemisphere-makes-you-afraid?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). That oozing narcissism, born from the left hemisphere’s tyrannical stranglehold on our skulls, lights up our amygdalas like a cheap firecracker every time our little empire of self gets a scratch. It’s a meltdown, a psychic Fukushima, fears and anxieties piling up in our heads like illegals swarming the Rio Grande when the Border Patrol’s on strike. Pretty soon, we’re just a twitching heap of neurotic wreckage. Can we round up those fears and ship ’em back? Can we turn this clown show around? Yup. It’s just a matter of putting the right hemisphere in control. Yeah, I get it. That advice is about as useful as some yoga guru bleating “live in the now,” which ranks right up there with a coach yelling at a kid to “put the ball in the hoop.” So here’s my more detailed recommendation. We’ve got to treat our brains like a war zone, retaking turf from a dug-in enemy that’s been strip-mining our sanity. Picture a full-on counteroffensive: rockets to pound the left hemisphere into submission, paratroopers dropping behind the lines to bulk up the right hemisphere, the grunts marching in to lock it down in the day-to-day slog. #### The battle plan First, the rockets. That left hemisphere? It’s a smug, sadistic bastard, and we need to hammer it like a crooked warden getting jumped in the yard. Kick it, stomp it, mock it—hell, spit on its twitching body while you’re at it. In these unhinged times, there’s no such thing as overkill. How do you throttle that bastard? Do everything it hates. Dawdle. Give money away. Sit and stare at the sky. Play like a kid. Chuck your phone in a drawer (it’s a left-brain slot machine, and you’re the sucker). Just don’t do any of it with purpose. Aimlessness: that’s the rocket launcher. Second, the paratroopers. The right hemisphere’s been beaten down like a whipped dog. We’ve got to nurse it back to health, get it ready to rule. Meditation’s your commando-in-chief here—breathing slow, scanning your body, all that crap flooding the app marketplace. Call it “prayer” or “hippie mind tricks” if it makes you feel better, but channel those Nike schmucks and “just do it.” But there are other paratroopers in the squad, too: poetry, undistracted reading, nature strolls, staring at a painting till it means something, entire days without a to-do list. Third, the grunts. Mindfulness, all day, every day. Check out the cracked sidewalk on your lunch break. Notice your pulse quickening when that extrovert co-worker won’t leave your f\*\*\*ing office and is repeating the same story for the third time. Don’t judge. Don’t offer an opinion . .. . heck, don’t even form an opinion, much less offer it. Catch yourself when you’re rushing like a caffeinated hamster. Be aware that you’re ready to honk at the gum pedal in front you a nanosecond after the light turns green. **Read the conclusion** [Win the Battle of the HemispheresSo, fear’s the new punk squatting in the pantheon of mortal sins.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-23.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ffce6f86f-1e5c-4781-ad79-86fea24d67e8_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/win-the-battle-of-the-hemispheres?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Why Weak Fools Can Dominate URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53227/ Last updated: 2025-04-01T11:09:38.000Z #### Exploring the fool in Christ and the fool in Antichrist. Ivan the Terrible v. Nicholas of Pskov. Nietzsche v. Everyone --- # Ivan the Terrible [Czar Ivan IV](https://www.jstor.org/stable/24662950?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) was a psychologically unbalanced and cruel man: ambitious, unpredictable, frightening to be around. In the sixteenth century, Ivan strove furiously to expand Russia’s borders, bring her into modern commerce, and unify her under the authority of the Czar. [He waged ceaseless and unjust wars against neighbors](https://www.jstor.org/stable/24662950?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). He endorsed the aggressive merchant/Cossack conquest of sleeping Serbia. He instituted a ten-year reign of terror throughout his realm in an intense effort to crush opposition to his domestic policies. He mercilessly executed opponents, including their wives and children. He confiscated lands, forcing families to relocate to different countries. His ferocity climaxed against the city of Novgorod in 1570\. When he heard that a document was discovered in Novgorod which pledged the city’s cooperation with Poland to overthrow him, [he immediately pounced on the entire city](https://historycollection.com/day-history-ivan-terrible-orders-massacre-novgorod-1570/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (without even waiting to determine whether the questionable document was authentic). He racked vengeance on all, attacking even the innocent. The monasteries were sacked. Clerics were arrested and held for fifty rubles’ ransom — those who couldn’t pay were flogged to death. Thousands were massacred. All the shops were burned; merchants’ homes in the suburbs were torn down; farmhouses in the countryside were destroyed. No Russian dared oppose Ivan. No one rebuked him. You’d be a fool. *And a fool did*. [Nicholas of Pskov](https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2013/02/28/100616-blessed-nicholas-salos-of-pskov-the-fool-for-christ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) walked up to Ivan and rebuked him by slapping a piece of bloody raw meat in Ivan’s hands, vividly symbolizing Ivan’s bloody sins. # The *Yourodivyje* Nicholas of Pskov was one of those men known by the Russians as the *yourodivyje*, the fools in Christ (the word is derived from the word *yourod,* meaning “something strange”). [The fool in Christ](https://www.rbth.com/literature/2013/06/06/russian%5Fumberto%5Feco%5Fdemystifies%5Fthe%5Fholy%5Ffool%5F26401.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) was a frequent phenomenon in Ivan’s sixteenth-century Russia — the only time in history that the phenomenon was a common societal occurrence. But the phenomenon is well known throughout the wider Eastern Orthodox Church, which venerates six saints as fools in Christ going back at least to St. Simeon of Ernesa (d.550). The West, too, has had fools in Christ, like [St. Benedict Joseph Labre](https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-benedict-joseph-labre?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The fool in Christ was a person who carried the ideal of self-stripping and humiliation to the limit. He renounced all forms of intellectual gifts, voluntarily adopting the Cross of madness. The fool practiced absolute poverty: he had no possessions whatsoever, wearing rags even in the savage Russian winters, sleeping outdoors in random sheds and church porches. He was thoroughly detached: thoroughly humble and self-forgetting, he desired, expected, and anticipated nothing for himself. His was a thorough sacrifice — physically, emotionally, intellectually — for Christ. But because he sacrificed all, he gained all. He had no home, but was at home everywhere; he had no family, but was a brother to everyone. The fool was an imposing figure, as Ivan the Terrible experienced. A foreign visitor to sixteenth-century Russia wrote that the “fools, venerated as prophets, can take whatever they want from the stores, and the proprietors fall all over themselves in thanking them, without asking for any payment.” # The Fool’s Power In his modern classic, [*The Orthodox Way*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/242655.The%5FOrthodox%5FWay?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), Kallistos Ware described the fool in Christ’s powerful impact on society: > “The true fool in Christ, possessing purity of heart, has upon the community around him an effect that is life enhancing. From a practical point of view, no useful purpose is served by anything that the fool does. And yet, through some startling action or enigmatic word, often deliberately provocative and shocking, he awakens men from complacency and pharisaism. Remaining himself detached, he unleashes reactions in others making the subconscious mount to the surface, and so enabling it to be purged and sanctified. Because he has renounced everything, he is truly free. . . \[H\]e can rebuke the powerful of this world with a boldness that others lack.” The weak fool can rebuke the powerful. By giving up all power, the fool gains power. It’s paradoxical, but not absurd. The fool is humble, is detached from all worldly things, and, perhaps most importantly, sacrifices all. These are among the highest pursuits available to humans. It makes sense that they would yield powerful, even divine, results — results that awaken the community, unleash reactions with one word, instantly cleanse another’s subconscious with a simple action. # Dark Virtue There’s a dark flip-side to this. All traits, even traits that are objectively virtuous, can twist. The virtue of love, for instance, often warps into a twisted form that alternates between the object loved and self-interest, creating instances of neurosis, such as the overly-protective but abusive mother. Because love (the highest virtue) in the form of the mother-child relationship (a sacred link) is at work, the results can be devastating, as evidenced by the neurotic mother’s unhappy, perverse, and/or criminal adult children. And there’s been dark flip-sides to the fool in Christ. The most-celebrated, Nietzsche, could be called the fool in Antichrist. # Schopenhauer and Hindu Ascetics Young Friedrich Nietzsche’s first permanent intellectual jolt came from Arthur Schopenhauer. [Schopenhauer, drawing heavily from Hindu metaphysics](https://detechter.com/these-8-western-philosophers-were-influenced-by-hinduism/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), held a very pessimistic view of life and taught that renunciation, denial, and resignation — in short, complete suppression of the will — are the only answers to our horrible earthly existence. By completely suppressing the will, upon death a person’s individual existence is snuffed out, she attains *moksha* and her miserable existence on the wheel of life (*samsara*), and reincarnation are extinguished. Even though he disdained existence, Schopenhauer, like his Hindu mentors, opposed suicide on grounds that it represents an act of desire and will, instead of an act of complete resignation and suffocation of the will that is the proper response to our earthly predicament. But an extension of the Hindu-Schopehnauer philosophy could logically lead to suicide through starvation — complete suffocation of any will whatsoever, even the will to eat. This occurred in India in the fifth-century b.c., when the Mahavira, the greatest teacher of Jainism (an outgrowth of Hinduism), starved himself to death at age 72. Nietzsche was Schopenhauer’s Mahavira. Taking Schopenhauer’s pessimistic resignation and suppression of the will one step further, Nietzsche sacrificed his mind and health through a suicidal form of self-denial that made him deranged at an age when most men reach the prime of intellectual life. # The Self-Punisher Nietzsche’s life was full of self-punishing denial. He spurned physical comforts. He was sexually abstinent (having, at most, one or two sexual encounters in his early twenties). Periods of his life were spent in highly-regimented routines. He eschewed most friendships, choosing to live in loneliness. His diet was so severe that [one biographer](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1306109.Nietzsche?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) opined that it was partly motivated by masochistic self-discipline. He would restrict himself to 2–4 hours of sleep a day. He suffered from physical ailments all his life, so much so that one wonders how much of it was willed, either consciously or subconsciously, especially in light of his tendency to throw himself back into his work after an illness without giving himself time to recover. There is also good evidence that he intentionally inflicted himself with syphilis — a slow-torturing, incurable disease in the nineteenth century. Nietzsche implicitly explained the source of his physical ailments in his book, *Sunrise: Thoughts on Moral Prejudices*. In *Sunrise*, he asserted that the great creative intellects in history willingly suffered from mental agony and that they welcomed convulsions and delirium. These great creators, he wrote, must be mad or induce madness in order to empower themselves to think above society’s laws. Nietzsche biographer [Ronald Hayman](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1306109.Nietzsche?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) says the book has been called a distorted mirror on his life. # Deranged Nietzsche In 1889, at age 44, a deranged Nietzsche collapsed and spent the last decade of his life on the verge of being institutionalized (which he would have been, if it weren’t for the constant, caring efforts of his mother). Significantly, a few friends visited him after his collapse. And walked away questioning the ingenuousness of his madness. One friend had the impression that “his mental disturbance consists of no more than a heightening of the humorous antics he used to put on for an intimate circle of friends.” The same friend thought Nietzsche did not want to be cured and that he was perhaps merely feigning the madness. His long-time friend Franz Overbeck said ‘[I cannot escape this ghastly suspicion . . . that his madness is simulated](https://store.mepa.me/products/the-antichrist-barnes-noble-library-of-essential-reading-a-criticism-of-christianity?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).” But Nietzsche continued to weaken until an early death in 1900\. This (of course) is awfully good evidence that the madness was not faked. But that does not mean it was not self-induced. Like the madness of the *yourodivyje*, the madness might have been invited, but, once acquired, was not faked. In imitation of the great characters illustrated in *Sunrise*, Nietzsche sacrificed his mind, with the result of real madness. He was a nihilistic fool in Antichrist who finally collapsed. Like the *yourodivyje*, his sacrifice elevated him above normal standards. By all worldly estimates, Nietzsche was a weak man — weak in body, mentally headed for a breakdown, emotionally unbalanced. But he was not a weak man. He was a sacrificing man. He sacrificed all, and thereby obtained a powerful weapon. A weapon that brought divine jolts in the hands of a fool in Christ became, in Nietzsche’s hands, an evil weapon wielded potently and mercilessly on culture and God. # The Nietzsche Style Nietzsche wrote with an awesome, penetrating style — a style that can be possessed only by an intensely powerful man. [One scholar said Nietzsche wrote too well for his own good](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14824.Walter%5FKaufmann?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It was a style he earned from his life of self-sacrifice, a sacrifice that gave him the ability, in his words, to write with his blood. This style, once it caught on, joined with his novel and ferocious ideas to make him hugely popular. Though his books sold slowly at first, by the end of his life the chief benefactor of his books, his sister Elizabeth, was able to live well off the royalties — at times employing a cook, maid, coachman, gardener, and a personal secretary. Nietzsche used his terrific prose to hammer extraordinary doctrines into society. The doctrines would have been dismissed as dangerously mad ravings if they had come from a less-cogent thinker or writer, but they took root in a culture enraptured by this powerful man. He taught exultation of the will (the “will to power”) and the necessity to eliminate the conscience. He celebrated the carefree and orgiastic sex found in the Greek Dionysian festivals — and excoriated the life of reason’s murder of such excesses. He preached a distorted form of morality, the master/slave morality, which says the strong should be honored and the weak despised, a morality which could only appeal to a wicked person — or a person enamored with the preacher’s style. # The Nietzsche Legacy The effects of this fool in Antichrist’s writings have been debated, but, in one way or another, his writings have probably contributed to a host of modern problems. Indeed, the list of problems that he may have furthered is a virtual “what’s what of unfortunate things in the twentieth century”: Fascism, the Holocaust, sexual excesses, drug use, occultism, Satan worship, freakish acts (at least one pair of murderers in the early part of this century said [they killed a boy in order to prove they were Nietzschean Supermen who could commit the ultimate transgressive act without conscience or remorse](https://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=10-03-022-f&ref=thedailyeudemon.com)), crime (which is always a celebration of the criminal’s will), and, in general, society’s saturation with self-obsessed individuals who never shrink from trying to obtain their naked desires. Nietzsche’s life and effects are not merely interesting stories with an ironic parallel to medieval holy men. They are not material for dry, abstract speculation. They have real meaning in everyday life. # Nietzsche Madness v. Christian Madness Christianity calls its followers to a life of renunciation, self-sacrifice, and asceticism, in imitation of Christ’s life of self-denial that culminated on the Cross. The greatest saints, such as St. Anthony and St. Francis, brought self-sacrifice to new levels, with a flood of good effects on themselves, their neighborhoods, and future generations. All Christians are called to strive for similar virtue. But they must strive for the right reasons, combining the objectively virtuous with the subjectively virtuous. Nietzsche’s life was a life of austerity and self-sacrifice that few devout Christians could match. He even sacrificed his mind. But the results were terrible. After St. Anthony, thousands of people flocked to the desert in search of God and to pray for mankind. After Nietzsche, millions died in Nazi ovens.\* After St. Francis, thousands renounced worldly goods in order to preach the goodness of God. After Nietzsche, generations fell into the evil thought pattern that “might makes right.” Nothing is safe. Even virtue — especially virtue — can be used to his benefit. Each person who strives for a virtue strives for a sublime trait. As it is attained, a powerful weapon becomes available. It is then that the individual must most stand guard, for it is then that a powerful and evil spirit can play out in his soul. --- \*There has long been a robust debate about Nietzsche’s role in the rise of Fascism. Experts disagree on whether there is a nexus and, if so, how strong it is, but I think it’s safe to say Nietzsche himself probably would’ve opposed the Nazis. References: Kallistos Ware, *The Orthodox Way* (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1993), 132\. Ronald Hayman, *Nietzsche: A Critical Life* (Oxford University Press, 1980), 224”“225; 340”“341\. Walter Kaufmann. (*See* *The Portable Nietzsche* (Penguin Books, 1976), 1\. James Hitchcock, “Murder & the Modern Conscience,” *Touchstone*, Summer 1997, 25. ### Four Reformers URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/four-reforme/ Last updated: 2025-06-02T12:30:07.000Z I had a chance last month to booze it up at Sloppy Joe’s in Key West, but by the time I came across it, I’d already guzzled enough gin to fill a Prohibition-era bathtub, so I skipped it. Bad on me. Sloppy Joe’s was Hemingway’s haunt in the 1930s, back when he was a strutting, liquor-soaked peacock, high on daiquiris and his literary success, years removed from his time in Paris when he was a young journalist, carousing with the Lost Generation in the early 1920s. Hemingway, Pound, Stein, Fitzgerald—those tortured souls grew up in the rosy dawn of the early twentieth century, what the historians call “*la belle époque,*” the banquet years. The world in those years was more optimistic about its prospects than Harvey Weinstein at a cocaine-dusted casting call. Then came the Great War, that meat-grinder of English, French, and German youth, a blood-soaked mash-up of Lincoln’s “total war” and the shiny new toys of industrial slaughter. Ten corpses swapped for a muddy foot of ground, limbs rotting off in trench sludge. It’d be like growing up in a Norman Rockwell painting only to watch your dad ditch the family for a permanent Vegas bender, except every other dad did the same, leaving a generation of warped, hollow-eyed kids staring at the wreckage. That kind of trauma spawns some wild s\*\*\*, like the Lost Generation. But they were small-time neurotics compared to the real freak shows that followed the Great War. Like Weimar Germany’s orgiastic fever-dreams or, worse, the twisted fairy tales of Communism and Fascism and their pipe dreams with bayonets. And then there were the Utopians. **Read the rest** [Four Utopian ReformersDogma is dogma, whether rational or irrational![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-22.png)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F7bd48fea-bb0a-46e8-a3a9-ee9f28f6fc8e_1024x608-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/four-utopian-reformers?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ## Related > Scholars of esotericism identify three “models” of esoteric traditions: an “enchanted” worldview with ancient roots but flourishing in the early modern period; a wide array of “occult” currents and organizations that emerged after the Enlightenment as alternatives to traditional religion and rational science; a universal, “inner” spiritual dimension of religion as such. D. W. Pasulka, *Encounters: Experiences with Nonhuman Intelligences* ### I Want My Son to Visit Vegas URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/i-want-my-son-to-go-to-vegas/ Last updated: 2025-03-27T12:31:45.000Z My son lives in the monastery. It’s a house near the Ann Arbor campus that is known for housing devout Catholic UM students. Saint wannabes but not total nerds. God first, studies second, drinking third. At semester’s end, they’re bound for that neon-lit Gomorrah, Las Vegas . . . flying into McCarran (“Reid” be damned), a mere quarter-hour from the Strip’s pulsating debauchery. But instead of lingering, they’re immediately snagging a rental jalopy and peeling out for Utah’s state parks, the moral and geological antithesis of that desert Sodom. That’s unfortunate. Here’s my open letter to him. --- Son: You better appreciate beautiful women after you see a few ugly ones. You’ll better appreciate the grandeur of Utah’s state parks if you first see Vegas. Besides, Vegas isn’t ugly. In fact, it’s beautiful, but its beauty is the opposite of Utah’s beauty. Utah’s beauty is God-made, in its raw awesomeness. Vegas’ is man-made, in its rawness. Vegas is the closest mankind will come to creating like God: *ex nihilo*. Something from nothing. Its founding ghosts snatched the sorriest patch of North American nowhere—just a spit from Death Valley’s furnace, a piddling four inches of rain a year—and spun it from a dusty 1890s jerkwater into a two-million-soul metropolis boasting major pro sports squads. When gambling went nationwide in the 1990s and Vegas lost its wicked edge, the doomsayers crowed it’d flop. Wrong. Population’s doubled since tribal outposts started sprouting casinos like crabgrass. **Read the rest** [Vegas for the CatholicMy son lives in the monastery.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-15.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fd4f5c159-3296-4bd7-8d90-f36d1e22f144_1024x608-1.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/vegas-for-the-catholic) ### AI's Little Victories Add Up to Huge Defeat URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/ai-s/ Last updated: 2025-03-24T12:12:58.000Z A malign pincer grips our weary souls as I peck out these words in the bleak dawn of early 2025\. You feel it too. That dull ache in your ribcage ain't a cardiac event. It's the life force being throttled out of you by a twin-pronged assault from on high and below. At the societal level, governments today are squelching any search for truth that conflicts with their narratives, which means that the more boldly bogus their narratives (What grooming gains? What gain-of-function?), the more squelching they need to do, until we're back in Soviet Russia, wondering how we're in the Gulag merely for pointing out obvious things ("There's no food") or asking honest questions ("Why is Stalin such a dick?"). [I railed about this strangulation of truth last week](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/soviet-america-two-left-hemispheric?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Hopefully, this threat has abated for Americans. But the other threat hasn’t abated and is picking up pace like a cocaine addict’s straw moving across a mirror. Its claw is ripping into our existential vitals: the relentless advance of soulless artificial intelligence into every cranny of our days. AI slithered in all coy and helpful: keeping our cars from skidding with anti-lock brakes, rerouting us around pile-ups, buffing up our sloppy spelling, finishing sentences as we type emails. All quite handy and efficient, right? Until your tires hit black ice, or the GPS detours you through Chicago's worst neighborhood, or you’re fumbling for words mid-chat like a stroke victim, or your ability to spell deteriorates until you're like tough man author Mickey Spillane who said his character Mike Hammer drinks beer instead of cognac because he can't spell cognac. AI gives us tiny conveniences but takes away our humanity in massive, unseen chunks. The tangible benefits blind us to the intangible costs. It's a classic hemispheric head game. **Read the rest** [Fight Back Against AIWhy I Now Use Notepad![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-20.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ff2e60e86-c14b-4963-a3cd-93728faa8fcf_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/fight-back-against-ai?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Why We Need to Meditate URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-we-need-to-meditate/ Last updated: 2025-03-17T11:48:37.000Z So, you want to meditate? Here’s the raw deal, stripped down to the studs: 1. Plunk yourself in a chair—or on the floor if you’re one of those types—and shut your eyes. 2. Zero in on the air moving through your nose. Feel it, don’t think it. 3. When your brain starts yammering like a cable news pundit, tip your hat to the distraction and drag your focus back to the breath. 4. Keep at it ‘til the clock runs out. That’s the whole racket. No chanting, no om, no overpriced yoga pants. Five minutes’ll do if you’re a rookie or just lazy. An hour? That’s great (so I’m told . . . my rattled brain hasn’t gotten there yet). Word on the street is 12 minutes’ll sand down your jagged edges—less freakouts, more chill, maybe even keep your blood sugar from spiking like a Wall Street bubble. Could give you a jolt of juice. ### **Meditation: A Chokehold on Your Inner Bureaucrat** Me, I claw out 15 minutes a day to sit there and breathe, come hell or high water. It’s non-negotiable, even if it shoves the rosary, the Bible, and my dog-eared saints’ biographies right off the schedule. Even when the day ahead of me is a shitstorm and I’ve got no time for the fancy spiritual calisthenics, I still plant myself and do it. Used to irritate me. I’d be perched there, legs kinda pretzeled, muttering under my breath, “What the hell am I doing observing my nostrils when I could be cracking open Matthew or Luke?” Now? It doesn’t bother me. In this overcooked, left-hemisphere dystopia we’re stewing in—where every jackass with a smartphone thinks they’ve got the world figured out—watching your breath is a lifeline. It’s a sledgehammer to the skull of that chattering left hemisphere, the one that’s always measuring, judging, and filing everything into neat little boxes. Maybe that’s all meditation does—gags the inner bean counter. But that’s plenty. Read the rest [Sit Down and Meditate. Here’s Why, from the Hemisphere PerspectiveSo, you want to meditate?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-16.png)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa39db2df-750b-4983-9237-3de1e807f4af_1024x608-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/sit-down-and-meditate-heres-why-from?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### Freaking Out with the Left Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-hemisphere-freaks-us-out-2/ Last updated: 2025-03-13T11:20:36.000Z > **Editor's note: It's my birthday. Please forward the Substack or this post to friends and family.** The seven cardinal sins have shaken and shimmied ever since Evagrius—or maybe Origen, who knows—first jotted them down in some dusty desert hole. By the time Gregory the Great slapped his official stamp on the list, they’d already mutated like a bad batch of bathtub gin compared to the Hellenistic epoch's great catalogues of vice. Even now, the Catholics and the Orthodox don’t entirely agree on the lineup—same game, different rosters. Me, I figure the Cardinal Sin League is overdue for an expansion, like when the NHL doubled down in ’67 to chase the sprawl of North America’s puck-hungry rubes. Time’s ripe for a postmodern update, a fresh draft of depravity to match our jittery, overclocked age. My nominees? [Noise](https://scheske.substack.com/p/its-time-we-recognize-noise-as-the)—that relentless sonic sewage clogging our ears and minds. Rationalism—the cold, smug cult of the slide-rule brain. Hurriedness—the twitchy compulsion to outrun our own shadows. All of ‘em capital sins, in the old Latin sense: *caput*, the head, the fountainhead spewing tributaries of lesser mischief. ### Read the rest [The Left Hemisphere Makes You AfraidThe seven cardinal sins have shaken and shimmied ever since Evagrius—or maybe Origen, who knows—first jotted them down in some dusty desert hole.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-14.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe0fc95c6-9e1f-437a-9c34-0d1569e21748_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-left-hemisphere-makes-you-afraid?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Thank Samuel Johnson for the Jane Austen Revival URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51971/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T19:25:20.000Z Without his “Dictionary,” you probably wouldn't be able to make sense of “Sense and Sensibility” _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Maybe We Should Thank the Buddhists for Mindfulness Meditation URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/maybe-we-should-thank-the-buddhists-for-mindfulness-meditation/ Last updated: 2025-03-10T11:24:09.000Z Catholics keep flogging their tired old nag of a gripe about mindfulness meditation, even though heavyweights like Peter Kreeft and Kevin Majeres have given it their thumbs-up. Their big beef? “The Buddhists kicked it off!” Cue the pearl-clutching and incense-waving, as if that’s a knockout punch. It’s the same dim-witted jab they throw at Austrian economics: “The Jews started it!” Murray Rothbard and Ludwig von Mises—agnostic Jews, mind you—so naturally, the whole edifice of market logic must be a synagogue-stained sham. The reasoning’s as watertight as a rust-eaten trailer roof. Von Mises didn’t buy the God bit, so anyone who thinks economics runs on natural laws is obviously a heretic bound for the stake. Same deal with Galileo—greedy, vain little peacock that he was—so heliocentrism’s just a parade of jackasses chasing their own tails. It all hangs together like a drunk’s alibi. By that logic, since Buddhists cooked up mindfulness, every poor sap trying to quiet their rattled skull is a card-carrying nihilist. Never mind that the East—teeming with more bodies and older bones than our own crumbling West—might’ve coughed up something useful amid its sprawl of rice paddies and pagodas. Perish the thought! While we’re at it, let’s chuck silk shirts and paper books into the bonfire too—Eastern inventions, after all. This anti-mindfulness tripe is more worn out and threadbare than the last pair of shorts that look decent on a middle-aged housewife in August. **Read the rest** [Let’s Stop Dismissing Mindfulness Meditation Because It’s BuddhistCatholics keep flogging their tired old nag of a gripe about mindfulness meditation, even though heavyweights like Peter Kreeft and Kevin Majeres have given it their thumbs-up.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-13.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fb6fca2b1-819f-486b-880e-ea974f350b0c_1024x608-1.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/lets-stop-dismissing-mindfulness) ### Gen-Z Needs Community Gardens URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/gen-z-needs-community-gardens/ Last updated: 2025-03-06T10:49:57.000Z It’s dang near Chinese coolie labor time again, that grand American spectacle where hordes of lunatics, armed with shovels, hoes, and a rabid gleam in their eyes, descend upon their garden patches like it’s a sacred calling. Think of it as the nation’s biggest hobby—a manic, soil-stained frenzy with more determined enthusiasm than Harvey Weinstein at a casting party. Word on the street—or at least [some half-baked survey](https://substack.com/redirect/6e6c3d79-2a9d-456e-bd40-c2f8fc128a97?j=eyJ1IjoiMW13dXo3In0.%5F9odYZ9gNJ9pYN0ytflncKf8%5F0ySYSwDsDe6i9Krvt4&ref=thedailyeudemon.com)—claims that 70% of our Gen-Z kids are planning to claw their way out of their digital-addled madness by grubbing in the garden this year. Could be a cure, I suppose. Digging in the muck might jostle their lopsided brains back into some semblance of balance faster than a blue pill perks up Harvey (note: I'm allowed three Weinstein references per essay). I’d love to believe it, but I’m calling bulls\*\*\*. Are we supposed to believe these screen-drunk teenagers are suddenly storming their grannies’ backyard Edens like a TikTok flash mob? That's more dubious than a big boxed five dollar hoe \[insert third Weinstein reference\]. Still, there’s a trace of truth in it. [Gardens are a shot of raw, earthy sanity, a middle finger to the left-hemisphere](https://substack.com/redirect/5af645ab-ef4c-4baf-abd3-b00f99e7f59e?j=eyJ1IjoiMW13dXo3In0.%5F9odYZ9gNJ9pYN0ytflncKf8%5F0ySYSwDsDe6i9Krvt4&ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Left hemisphericism is a problem for all modernity, but it’s especially problematical for the young. It makes them cocky, preachy, and ripe for the picking by every sanctimonious cause that oozes dogma like a sweaty chain-gang hero in a Southern prison flick. Maybe a little dirt under the nails, a dose of right-hemisphere redemption, is what they’re starving for. But here’s the rub: they shouldn’t go it alone. It’s 2025, and these poor bastards have been pummeled by social media echo chambers, COVID lockdowns, and now—what’s next?—AI girlfriends whispering sweet nothings in their ears. Young people are natural extroverts, wired for the pack, not the hermit’s cave (that’s a game for us grizzled folk). Solo time’s the last thing they need. [They’re jonesing for connection](https://substack.com/redirect/2572d458-7a50-4f96-bda4-e9e682de8a4a?j=eyJ1IjoiMW13dXo3In0.%5F9odYZ9gNJ9pYN0ytflncKf8%5F0ySYSwDsDe6i9Krvt4&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) like a junkie actor chasing his next fix. Gardening is a loner’s game, a refuge for the misfits who’d rather talk to worms than people. But it doesn’t have to be. Many activities that are best done alone can be done in groups and vice-versa. Consider boozing. When pursued alone, it can be a Zen-like practice, an art praised by Bukowski souls throughout the history of addiction literature. Yet it’s better with a crew, a sloppy dance of jokesters and bent elbows. **Read the Rest** [Zoomers in the GardenIt’s dang near Chinese coolie labor time again, that grand American spectacle where hordes of lunatics, armed with shovels, hoes, and a rabid gleam in their eyes, descend upon their garden patches like it’s a sacred calling.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-12.png)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fa3544b9b-33f1-4d77-8651-44790a725f4a_1024x608-1.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/zoomers-in-the-garden?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### A Meditation on Gnosticism Over at Substack This Morning URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/over-at-substack-this-morning/ Last updated: 2025-03-03T12:41:15.000Z The guy who demands that everyone be rational becomes the most irrational of all. That’s an old Taoist zinger. It rang true when Lao-Tzu swayed atop his water buffalo to the misty hills of eternity; it’s true today as we clatter along in our mechanical Jacobins, guillotinely crisp in our rationality. Your run-of-the-mill rationalist—all puffed up with his TED Talks and *New York Times*—doesn’t even clock that he’s gone off the rails. He’s too busy weaving his tidy little webs of logic, spun from the moldy crumbs of academia and the glossy tripe of newsstands, to notice the lunatic staring back from the mirror. He’s snug and smug, cocooned in self-righteous certainty, a suburbanite Smaug hoarding his glittering pile of abstractions. Kick that cocoon open, and he’ll hiss and scamper like a roach caught in the kitchen light, desperate for the next dim safe space corner to hide in. But here’s the kicker: even if you leave him alone, that cocoon’s gonna split open anyway. Sometimes it’s a slow rot; sometimes it’s a full-on schizophrenic meltdown, like Louis Sass explores in his classic *Madness and Modernism*. Sometimes it’s a biblical switcheroo—Saul the know-it-all turned into Paul the Mystic. Or maybe it’s weirder still, like back in the Enlightenment, that golden age of rationality, when the culture paradoxically went nuts with ghost shows, severed hands clutching at shadows, and nightmare carnivals*.* The point is, the rationalist’s house of cards always tumbles. Two things you can bank on: nothing’s certain, and that smug rationalist’s swagger will switch to a stumble at some point. John Lennon knew it—“Instant Karma’s gonna knock you right on the head.” And yet some of these clowns persist like their knowledge is invincible. When Instant Karma invades, they double down in their cocoon saloon of rationality and refuse to come out or let anything else in. These are the real a\*\*holes, every last one of ‘em—or, if you’re feeling fancy, call ‘em “gnostics.” Gnosticism’s the old sin dressed up in new jargon: knowledge as a god, a shiny apple dangled by that serpent in Eden. Bite it, Eve, and you’ll run the show. That’s when the brain’s left half got uppity, decided it didn’t want to play second fiddle to the right anymore. Forget being the loyal deputy; it wanted the throne. Read the rest [Kill Your Inner GnosticThe guy who demands that everyone be rational becomes the most irrational of all.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-10.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1bec6a59-1f42-46bf-aadf-9777a7fccbd5_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/kill-your-inner-gnostic?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Pilgrim Plague URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-pilgrim-plague/ Last updated: 2025-02-24T12:47:55.000Z Ah, the elite progressive white people. Those insufferable, self-righteous bastards who've managed to infect the American psyche with their millenarian madness for centuries. It's a flippin’ disease, a gnostic virus that's been festering in our national bloodstream since the first Puritan set his sanctimonious foot on Plymouth Rock. ### **The Four Horsemen of American Settlement** Four types of soccer hooligans came here from Britain: **The Puritans**: New England's very own fun police **The Cavaliers**: Southern gents with a drawl **The Scots-Irish**: Appalachian rabble-rousers **The Quakers**: Commerce-loving pacifists Most of these folks weren't peddling the apocalyptic snake oil that's been America's favorite intoxicant. The Cavaliers were too busy playing plantation lord, the Scots-Irish only became messianic after a few swigs of moonshine, and the Quakers—well, they kept one foot on the mercantile ground while reaching for the heavens. ### **The Puritan Pox** But those damn Puritans. They're the ones who really left their mark, like a bad tattoo on America's collective consciousness. From Thanksgiving turkeys to witch trials, from Unitarian pulpits to Ivy League pretension, the Puritan brand is seared into our national DNA. The Brit G.K. Chesterton quipped that England should celebrate the American Thanksgiving Day holiday by giving thanks that the Pilgrims left England. He was right. When you're so full of spiritual hot air that you can't see the earth beneath your feet, you become a special kind of unbearable. ### **The Insufferable Inheritance** Richard Hooker, poor bastard, spent much of his life wrestling with the Puritans. He found them smugly devoted to their wrongheaded ideas, dividing the world into "us" (the chosen ones) and "them" (the unwashed masses). Sound familiar? It should, because we're still living with the deplorable legacy. ### **The Hippie-Puritan Connection** Here's a mind-bender for you: those flower-power hippies? Just Puritans with better drugs. Picture it: peace, love, and social transformation through free love and LSD. It's the City on a Hill, just with more nudity and a worse work ethic. **Read the rest** [The Puritanical Plague of Progressive Piety“I hate elite progressive white people.” Mike Baker on the Joe Rogan Experience, #2274 (2/19/25)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-8.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fedaebc61-cb15-4b36-b7d0-93f6f5dd402e_1024x608.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-puritanical-plague-of-progressive?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Minimalists are Hoarders but with Better Hygiene URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/minimalists-are-hoarders-but-with-better-hygiene/ Last updated: 2025-02-20T13:07:30.000Z Few things feel better than disgust. It's the rocket fuel of reality TV, propelling us to smirk and gape at the human wreckage on display: the obese, the addicted, the mentally ill, the hoarders, and that woman who won't eat anything except cheesy potatoes. It's a carnival sideshow for the masses, a freak parade for the age of digital voyeurism. On the flip side of our schizophrenic culture, we've got the righteous do-gooders encouraging and clapping for these dime museum exhibitions. They preach about "body positivity," lionize recovering addicts, and assure us that the Linda Blair cosplayer screaming at passersby in downtown Austin is simply "neuro-diverse." ## **The Hoarding Epidemic** But even in this cesspool of cultural decay, there's a line that few dare to cross. Nobody's rushing to defend the hoarders. Those dung-laced piles of old clothes, scrunched boxes, and dollar store knick-knacks scream "First World/White Trash Problem" louder than a MAGA rally in a trailer park. It's a sight that sparks universal disgust. Condorcet, that starry-eyed prophet of progress, once predicted that civilization would produce 37,000,000 poets like Homer and 37,000,000 philosophers like Newton when the common man's resources were plentiful and his work time limited. Instead, we got 16 seasons of A&E's *Hoarders*. ## **The Spectrum of Accumulation** Hoarding is a spectrum disorder, ranging from the mildly cluttered to the poor souls who use boxes for furniture. It's mostly an American affliction, born from the unholy union of excess wealth and left-hemispheric dominance. Before we became a-historically wealthy through the weapons of foreign intrigue and the reserve currency, nobody hoarded. They just got by, setting aside excess in good times and spending it in bad times. It was a simple, honest way of life that's as alien to today’s Americans as walking is to a fish. **Read the rest** [Is Your Left Hemisphere Pushing You to Hoard? To Minimalize?Few things feel better than disgust.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-7.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F80b74f38-c49e-4950-8337-94794d8d0604_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/is-your-left-hemisphere-pushing-you?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Scratching with Modernity URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scratching-with-modernity/ Last updated: 2025-02-17T12:40:10.000Z Why are some people such jerks? Or, to borrow from our British cousins, so *disagreeable*? I mean "disagreeable" in the most expansive way possible. I'm talking boors and bastards, cretins and creeps, every person labeled with a derogatory term derived from the nethers of the human anatomy. Why did early activists in the Protestant Reformation defecate in holy water fonts and urinate on beautiful altars? Why were the Puritans such savage jerk-offs that Roger Williams preferred to take his chances with the savage Indians? Why did the Soviets send people to the Gulag for making jokes? Why do extremist Muslims smash irreplaceable masterpieces of sculptures and architecture? Why are Q-Anoners, Antifa and BLM rioters, college professors in tweed jackets, and that guy with a strong opinion on everything so annoying? Why was Ayn Rand Ayn Rand? Answer: They're all fundamentalists. A balanced person can hold two contradictory thoughts in his mind, and if he can’t reconcile the contradiction, he accepts both truths anyway. Paradox doesn’t suck the wind out of his soul. Not fundamentalists. They don't acknowledge the contradictory truths, much less try to reconcile them, and they sure as heck don't accept them. Fundamentalists know there are good things and bad things, good guys and bad guys. Help the good things, help the good guys. Hurt the bad things, hurt the bad guys. It’s a left-hemisphere thing. Fundamentalism seeps from the left hemisphere like jock itch mosses on a football player who has only one change of underwear. ### Read the rest [Modernity’s Jock Itch: FundamentalismWhy are some people such jerks?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-5.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F509877f7-3e63-41be-8ae0-3c0447f95a65_1024x608-1.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/modernitys-jock-itch-fundamentalism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### 14 Funny Passages from David Foster Wallace’s Consider the Lobster URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/14-funny-passages-from-david-foster-wallaces-consider-the-lobster/ Last updated: 2025-05-01T11:33:03.000Z > 29 pages of his biography talk about his depression. 14 touch on his anger. And nestled in-between at 20: references to his humor. > > Page references in the index of D.T. Max’s *Every Love Story is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster Wallace*. I’ve long found DFW hilarious. Granted, I often find essayists humorous, taking delight in writers from Max Beerbohm to H.L. Mencken to Joseph Epstein, but DFW might be the funniest non-humorist essayist of our postmodern era. As proof, I offer these passages from his essay collection, *Consider the Lobster*. ### From “Big Red Son,” an essay about the Annual Adult Video News Awards (something I didn’t even know existed and a lesser person for learning it): > **Mr. Harold Hecuba is deep in conversation with a marginal porn producer about one of his performers’ being sidelined with something called a “prolapsed sphincter,” which condition yr. corresps. decline to follow up on in any way.** ### Writing about the porn starlets on the red carpet > **Several of the outfits defy very basic precepts of modern physics.** ### On John Updike > **Updike’s big preoccupations have always been with death and sex (not necessarily in that order)** > > **\[H\]is characters seemed to become more and more repellent, and without any corresponding sign that the author understood that they were repellent.** > > **It never once occurs to him, though, that the reason he’s so unhappy is that he’s an asshole.** ### Living in Bloomington, Indiana, on 9/11/01 > **\[H\]e’s out here on a stepladder polishing his \[flag\] pole with some kind of special ointment and a chamois cloth — I shit you not — although in the morning sun it’s true that his metal pole does shine like God’s own wrath.** > > **There’s a half-page photo of a student at Bloomington Central Catholic HS saying the rosary in response to the Horror, which means that some staff photographer came in and popped a flash in the face of a traumatized kid at prayer.** > > **Bloomington is a lot like a seaside community except here the ocean is corn . . .** > > **Mrs. Thompson’s is a tiny immaculate one-story home that on the West Coast would be called a bungalow and on the south side of Bloomington is called a house.** ### Regarding the September weather in Bloomington > **The air is clear and temperate and wonderfully dry after several weeks of what’s felt very much like living in someone’s armpit.** ### He inserts this before a series of newspaper headline quotes > **Everything to follow is sic.** ### On grammar snobs > **\[A\] certain irony attends the publication of any good new book on American usage. It is that the people who are going to be interested in such a book are also the people who are least going to need it** > > **The same sorts of people who watched The Story of English on PBS (twice) . . .The sorts of people who feel that special blend of wincing despair and sneering superiority when they see EXPRESS LANE — 10 ITEMS OR LESS or hear dialogue used as a verb or realize that the founders of the Super 8 Motel chain must surely have been ignorant of the meaning of suppurate.** ### And finally > **When a solipsist dies, after all, everything goes with him.** ### Get Ready to Re-Write History URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/get-ready-to-re-write-history/ Last updated: 2025-02-13T12:06:36.000Z The Don is declassifying. The Elon is dismantling. The Establishment is defecating. Can America handle the truth? We think we’re going to learn who shot JFK, but we better be prepared to learn that Oswald shot from the jealous apex of an Oswald-JFK-Marilyn Monroe love triangle. And Marilyn was a dude. We think we’re going to learn details about MKUltra’s acidification of America. Are we prepared to learn that Carter-Reagan-Bush suppressed studies of LSD’s beneficial health effects because they patronized the same midget-whores-only brothel and the brothel’s owner, Pfizer, took secret pics? The Trump team is opening the doors and windows. It’s letting in light and fresh air. Goblins are gonna tear out of that dank tower like a clown car of meth-addled circus performers. It’ll shake faith in the Establishment, which is a good thing. It’ll shake faith in historical narratives, which is also a good thing. History is less reliable than Wifi at the moment you really need it. In fact, it’s *inherently* unreliable. If you think you have a grip on history, you’re more naïve than a freshman asking out the smokin’ hot homecoming queen. **Read the rest** [Get Ready to Re-Write HistoryThe Don is declassifying.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-10.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ff9392f39-7ffd-416c-b82b-96b132e6410d_1024x608-1.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/get-ready-to-re-write-history) ### Shellenberger on Carlson URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/shellenberger-on-carlson/ Last updated: 2025-02-10T13:33:35.000Z You used to be able to draw a line across California. South of Santa Cruz, where those *Lost Boys* hung out, things started to stink of something right-wing. By the time you hit Orange County, you were in Oklahoma. San Francisco was Peter Coyote and sandal-wearing freaks. Los Angeles was Goldwater country, Reagan’s launching pad, and a [hotbed of libertarianism](https://thedailyeudemon.com/53060/). Tucker Carlson hails from SoCal and has the political disposition to prove it. Michael Shellenberger comes from the Harvey Milk part of the state, working as a socialist activist in 1990s San Francisco. If this clash of X-geners had taken place 25 years ago, Maury Povich would’ve begged to host it. But it’s not 1999\. It’s 2025\. If a conservative is someone who’s been mugged, then Michael Shellenberger must’ve been mugged, beaten, and left for dead in a Haight garbage bin of discarded syringes. --- Shellenberger is in the vanguard of a third wave of liberal emigration. When totalitarian ideologies threatened to swamp the West in the 1930s, a batch of thinkers dropped Leftism faster than Disney dropped Gina Carano. Whittaker Chambers escaped Communism and then suffered decades of derision from the Left who dismissed him as a homosexual (marking the last time the Left used that time-honored middle-school debate tactic). James Burnham switched lanes like a driver about to miss his exit, leaving Trotsky’s worldwide Communism in 1939 and publishing the Bible of today’s liberal emigration wave, *The Machiavellians*, in 1943. Another wave took place after the 1960s. Radicalism and neo-Marxism cattle-prodded a herd of thinkers to the Right. This wave included The Man.[1](https://scheske.substack.com/p/northern-california-liberal-meets#footnote-1-156813272) Many of these thinkers suffered from that mad cow disease called “neo-conservatism,” but it had a few good ideas before it became the marionette of a military-industrial complex that stages endless wars so military contractors can sniff cocaine off naked call girls. There’s now a third wave. The Left pulled out all the stops these past few years. Failing to abort populism in 2016, they tried to smother it in the crib: to destroy Donald Trump and silence dissent. They wore sandwich boards for Big Pharma and Fauci, nodded acquiescence during Drag Queen Story Hour, and gave everyone gaslights so they could read the news after all the normal lights had gone out. This Kafkaesque vaudeville show sent an army of Lefties for the exits: Taibbi, Andreessen, Zuckerberg . . . and Michael Shellenberger. --- Shellenberger’s not just thinking like a conservative. He *feels* like one. Go to 1:08:34 (as measured by the Spotify platform) of [his interview on Tucker](https://tuckercarlson.com/tucker-show-michael-shellenberger?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). You’ll hear them grope through a thing they call “physicalism.” Southern California is no longer a hotbed of any political thought besides airy Leftism. Shellenberger contrasts this airy and abstract approach of people living in the City of Angels with the “physical” approach required to survive. The Leftists want to live in their bubbles, away from the plebs, wrapped in their ideological abstractions that never require the metaphorical rubber to meet the road, and then they’re shocked when literal fire engulfs their neighborhoods. Shellenberger says these people need to detach their real lives from the fantasy lives that drive their work in the entertainment industry. **Read the rest (no subscription required . . . I make almost all my stuff free of monetary or hassle cost)** [Northern California Liberal Meets Southern California ConservativeMichael Shellenberger on The Tucker Carlson Show![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-8.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F708aad7c-1c90-426a-a390-1daa8e5f7b61_1024x608-1.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/northern-california-liberal-meets) ### The Hemispheres in the Garden URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-hemispheres-in-the-garden/ Last updated: 2025-02-01T19:33:29.000Z Ilost a lot of money in the 2008-2009 crisis. I was doing alright but lawyers throughout Michigan were shuttering their practices. I knew it could become difficult to sustain my homemaker wife and seven young children. An acquaintance asked me if I’d ever tried square-foot gardening. I hadn’t. He said it worked great for him, even though he’d had no gardening experience. I read a book about it. A gardener was born. --- **M**y mom tried vegetable gardening in the 1970s. She churned an area next to our house and planted tomatoes. I had to do the weeding, but she did everything else. After a few months, she brought in tomatoes. My accountant father observed that the same tomatoes could’ve been bought for $3.00 and my Mom had spent that much in supplies, plus a lot of time (I don’t recall that he expressed much concern about my time). He gently suggested that the whole thing wasn’t worth it, my mom agreed, and the plot went back to shrubs. It reminds me of a museum curator overhearing a tour guide telling a group that a dinosaur skeleton was nine million and six years old. The curator later asked the guide how he knew that. The guide replied, “Well, it was nine million years old when I started working here, and that was six years ago . . . “. The guide’s dinosaur account was precise but not accurate. My dad’s tomato accounting was also precise. My mom’s gardening efforts were a net loss, even with my serf labor. The lesson stuck with me. Until the financial crisis, then I started to mull it over and realized gardening can save a family money if done at a big enough scale to justify the upfront investment. I also began to read about rising pesticides in our food, soil depletion, and how produce loses a lot of nutrients before it reaches the shopping cart. I realized my father’s conclusion was precise but not accurate. --- **I**ain McGilchrist published his bestseller, *The Master and His Emissary*, in 2009\. He followed it with *The Matter with Things* in 2021\. These books explain “The Hemisphere Hypothesis” and explore its implications. The Hemisphere Hypothesis uses neurological evidence to examine differences between our brain’s left and right hemispheres. It has been referred to as a “[Copernican revolution in metaphysics](https://newcriterion.com/article/the-thing-about-things/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).” The Hemisphere Hypothesis can be boiled down to three points: 1\. The left hemispheres and right hemispheres of our brains *do* the same things. 2\. But [they ](https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-overview-of-each-hemispheres-vision-of-reality/)[*attend*](https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-overview-of-each-hemispheres-vision-of-reality/)[ to the world differently](https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-overview-of-each-hemispheres-vision-of-reality/). Their *dispositions* are different. The left hemisphere’s role is to get things done. It accordingly attends to the world with focus and purpose, which means it approaches things with dispositions of manipulation, control, and accomplishment. It cultivates tools that help it, like abstract ideas that give it principles for maneuvering and explicit knowledge that puts the ideas into action; plans, processes, and predictions for implementing action; precision for measuring effectiveness. Bureaucracy, McGilchrist likes to point out, is left-hemispheric. The right hemisphere attends to the world with broad attention, a degree of detachment, which gives rise to wonder and curiosity. It appreciates implicit knowledge. It knows truth can be paradoxical and elusive. It’s more concerned about the whole and appreciates that the flow of life eludes precision, process, and planning. McGilchrist calls the right hemisphere “a bureaucrat’s nightmare.”[1](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/getting-to-the-root-of-the-matter?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true&ref=thedailyeudemon.com&triedRedirect=true#footnote-1-145978738) 3\. The right hemisphere is the rightful master in the relationship. It appreciates the left hemisphere’s importance, while also knowing that the left hemisphere’s tools are limited. In the modern era, however, the left hemisphere has usurped the master’s role. The left hemisphere neither understands nor appreciates the right hemisphere’s importance. It values the right hemisphere as much as Lenin valued the Romanovs. This left-hemispheric hegemony has contributed greatly to the mess we call “modernity.” I believe left-hemispheric hegemony is the essence of modernity. I also believe postmodernity is the era of our attempt to recover from modernity: our attempt to subdue the left hemisphere and restore the right hemisphere’s master role. This attempt is often theoretical, like the philosophy of deconstructionism that attacks modern philosophy’s emphasis on linguistic and logical rigor (pursuits the left hemisphere loves). The attempt is also practical and has given rise to a number of “fads,” such as the neo-psychedelic movement, mindfulness meditation, and “dopamine detoxes.” **Read the rest** [Getting to the Root of the Matter: A Hemispheric Look at GardeningGardening is just a hobby, and it might not always be practical. But it is arguably the pursuit that postmodern man needs the most. A Copernican revolution in metaphysics explains why.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7986c863-c3cf-45dc-ac9d-caec479f5a0b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F01ca3816-f19e-4f10-8fae-a652dab6d584_2856x2142.jpeg)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/getting-to-the-root-of-the-matter?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Five Parts of Existence Strikes Back and The Hemisphere Hypothesis URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-five-parts-of-existence-strikes-back-and-the-hemisphere-hypothesis/ Last updated: 2025-02-01T19:32:27.000Z ## [Part I](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-i/) **What is the Tao?** The Tao, also called “the act of existence (*actus essendi*),” “the first principle of Zen,” and the region on the other side of Aldous Huxley’s doors of perception, is the nameless reality that is logically, conceptually, and in reality prior to everything else. This part of ESB emphasizes “The Reality Spectrum”: The Tao-->Essence-->Existence. The left hemispheres of our brains emphasize essence (traits, characteristics . . . things it can grasp). Our right hemispheres incline more toward the Tao. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/06/Metaphor-The-1.jpg) ## [**Part II**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-ii/) **What is the Great Rejection?** Modernity rejected the Tao portion of the Reality Spectrum and focused almost exclusively on the “essence” part of the Reality Spectrum: things we can count, measure, and understand through reason and logic. This rejection of the Tao is the "Great Rejection.” **Part II could be called "Modernity." It could also be called "The Rebellion of the Left Hemisphere and Rise of Its Resulting Gnostic Legions."** ## [**Part III**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-iii/) **What is the Rejection of the Great Rejection?** Reality can’t be denied so the Tao keeps bubbling to the surface, often in troubling, but occasionally good ways, as people, either purposefully or intuitively, reject the Great Rejection and the Tao reasserts itself. **Part III could be called "Post-Modernity." It could also be called "The Right Hemisphere Strikes Back."** The *Star Wars* wink is unfortunate, since the Empire, in our story, would be a left-hemispheric force, but so be it. ## [**Part IV**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-iv/) **How do I get the Tao back into my life?** This part could also be called, “How to flourish in modernity despite modernity.” It features a lot of advice for re-asserting one’s right hemisphere (our modem for the Tao and, therefore, “ground zero” for our fight against modernity). **Part IV could also be called "How to put your right hemisphere back into its rightful master role."** ## [**Part V**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/existence-strikes-back-part-v/) Those men and women with strong, but loyal, left hemispheres and equally strong right hemispheres: the saints. ### Edgar Cayce URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/edgar-cayce/ Last updated: 2025-06-09T12:46:38.000Z Edgar Cayce, the “Sleeping Prophet” (1877-1945), was a peculiar figure, a lanky Kentuckian who slipped into some kind of trance-like stupor and spouted answers to life’s mysteries like a backwoods oracle. Over 14,000 of his mutterings were scribbled down by diligent stenographers, responses to questions from 6,000 souls scattered from across the map, some hundreds, even thousands of miles away. He’d diagnose their ailments, prescribe remedies, and, more often than not, hit the mark with eerie precision, helping people who’d never laid eyes on him. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F254b31e5-2cfb-4251-aaff-0c24a52415f4_1024x776.gif) A fraud? You could argue it, and plenty have, squinting suspiciously at the whole affair. But the grateful throngs who swore by his advice suggest there was something more than hucksterism at play. Sure, some of his cures leaned toward the snake-oil end of the spectrum. But strip away the oddities, and Cayce’s core prescriptions sound like they could’ve come from today’s “Medicine 2.0” gurus like Peter Attia or Casey Means. Eat fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, he said. Stick to organic meats, hydrate properly, stretch daily, meditate, get a good rubdown now and then. Simple, grounded stuff—less about miracle elixirs and more about not poisoning yourself with the processed slop of modern life. Cayce wasn’t out to fleece anyone. He lived lean, sometimes scraping by, his modest existence a rebuke to the prosperity gospel hucksters of today. His “gift” weighed on him like a sack of bricks; he didn’t flaunt it, didn’t turn it into a traveling circus. The man seemed to operate from some deeper well of knowing, as if his chattering, rational left hemisphere had been knocked out cold, letting the wild, intuitive right hemisphere roam free into realms of consciousness the rest of us can only squint at through the fog. In a world obsessed with reason’s cold machinery, Cayce was a glitch, a reminder that there’s more to this mess of existence than what fits neatly on a spreadsheet. *Apparently, I am one of the few who can lay aside their own personalities* *\[set aside the grasping ambition of their left hemispheres\] sufficiently to allow their souls to make this attunement to the universal source of knowledge* *\[to free their right hemispheres to connect to transcendence\]—but I say this without any desire to brag about it. . . . I am certain all human beings have much greater powers than they are ever conscious of—if they would only be willing to pay the price of detachment from self-interest* *\[the price of subduing their left hemispheres\] that it takes to develop those abilities. Would you be willing, even once a year, to put aside, pass out entirely from, your own personality? Edgar Cayce* ### Why the Left Hemisphere is Ineluctably Drawn to Abstractions URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-the/ Last updated: 2025-01-17T15:38:06.000Z The left hemisphere’s primary goal is to allow its host to survive. Practical considerations drive the left hemisphere. You might think this means the left hemisphere isn’t much interested in abstractions or idealized notions. Such things, at first glance, aren’t practical. But the thing is, abstractions are *highly* practical. They allow people to function. Everyday life is filled with the need to break enormous complexity into a handful of principles that serve as guideposts, so the left hemisphere can better navigate life. They’re shortcuts, and the left hemisphere loves shortcuts (because it loves efficiency, which allows it to get more things done). The left hemisphere loves “black and white” principles, which make the course of action clear. All these things make the left hemisphere an “abstraction” machine. It relentlessly spins abstractions and uses them to weave through life. Those abstractions are necessary. They’re practical. But they’re incomplete and necessarily inaccurate. They aren’t true. They aren’t real. And if the abstractions aren’t acknowledged for their severe limitations, they cause severe problems. ### Introducing Blaise Pascal: The First Anti-Modern URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/introducing-blaise-pascal-anti-modern/ Last updated: 2025-01-15T13:17:26.000Z 💡 The modern thought process: reject God, unwittingly embrace a new god, rationalize truths from that new god. Pascal saw this process when it first got started with Descartes, and he rejected it. René Descartes was kind of a dick. His famous saying, “I think, therefore I am,” is nothing less than a wholesale rejection of all authority—even objective truth—in favor of a [defecated rationality](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2018/01/liberal-learning-moral-worth-defecated-rationality-russell-kirk.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and fierce subjectivism that belittles anything outside one’s own mind. The modern attitude created by Descartes does two things: 1\. It enshrines one’s own beliefs or preferences as the exclusive source of truth (fierce subjectivism). 2\. It elevates the logic that flows from that fierce subjectivism (defecated rationality) into *a truth* (my truth, your truth, his/her/its truth, etc.). If you draw a thick cocaine line from Descartes to today’s Trans Wars, you’d be drawing coke lines better than Hunter Thompson. Accused of being an atheist, Descartes claimed to be a “devout Catholic,”[\[i\]](#%5Fedn1)but he left his Catholic France to live among the Calvinists and Jews in the Netherlands. He espouses odd (and bizarre) theories about the soul. He spent his final days as the court philosopher for the Lutheran Queen Christina of Sweden and died without Last Rites. [One academic thinks that Descartes was such a poor Catholic that a priest thought his example would prevent Queen Christina from converting to Catholicism, so the priest poisoned the father of modernity by lacing a host with arsenic](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/14/rene-descartes-poisoned-catholic-priest?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The story doesn’t ring true—a priest who cares enough about Catholicism wouldn’t desecrate the host like that—but hey, the Queen converted after Descartes’ death so maybe. The Pope thought Descartes was kind of a dick. Urban VIII put Descartes’ writings on the *Index of Forbidden Books* about a dozen years after Descartes died. ### Pascal surpassed Descartes But most people thought Descartes was brilliant. He was the toast of Europe. But Descartes wasn’t the smartest guy in Europe. Heck, he wasn’t even the smartest guy in France. A young upstart was his intellectual superior. Descartes knew it and resented it (did I mention Descartes was kind of a dick?). When the 16-year-old Blaise Pascal published a mathematical paper on conic sections when Descartes was 43, Descartes knew he’d been eclipsed when he was at the height of his intellectual power and reputation. At first, he refused to believe someone as young as Pascal could’ve written something so impressive, but when he learned that it was true, Descartes turned to belittling him. When Pascal invented the syringe and the hydraulic press, Descartes mocked him and said Pascal had “too much vacuum in his head.” Pascal returned Descartes’ disdain, not out of petty jealousy (the better doesn’t envy the other), but rather because Pascal saw that Descartes’ “method” dispensed with God. Pascal, I suspect, saw where Descartes’ method of fierce subjectivism would lead. And even if Pascal couldn’t have imagined men with lipstick and counterfeit vaginas, he no doubt saw, if only vaguely, the ugly road modernity and its subjective rationality would lead. ### The heart has its reasons I’m intrigued that Pascal was thrown into Descartes’ path. Here was Descartes, the greatest mind in Europe, asserting one’s ideas and rationality as the basis of everything and launching that era that we call “modernity,” and then there was his clear intellectual superior coming along less than ten years later, making a name for himself and setting himself up as a better alternative to Descartes. Pascal is the proto-anti-modern. He was anti-modern before modern was. And what did this titan of anti-modernity (anti-Cartesian idealism) say? “The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of... We know the truth not only by the reason, but by the heart.” Don’t, Pascal was saying, trust your own reason as the exclusive arbiter of truth. ### Only an arrogant oaf thinks he’s above worship Modernity, as Jacques Derrida would show, was a series of little religions. The modern thought process goes like this: 1\. Reject God; 2\. Unwittingly embrace a new god (Derrida: “logocentric idea”); 3\. Rationalize truths from that new god. That’s it. That is the recipe followed by every modern thinker that was, is, and ever shall be. Heck, it’s not just the recipe followed by every modern “thinker.” Every modern person– the thinker and the dolt– follows that recipe. The moron at the honky-tonk bar with the flag bandana around his head and a scowl on his face; the woke idiot with a Ukraine flag bandana skateboarding people on the head: both moderns, though of limited intellectual gifts. The brilliant, if disturbed, David Foster Wallace said, “Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.”[\[ii\]](#%5Fedn2) A person can claim to reject God, but some other god will take His place in the heart. From that god, new ideas and conclusions will follow, no matter how boneheaded. Every person needs a starting point that can’t be reasoned to. That starting point is his or her god. Only an arrogant oaf thinks he’s above worship. For Descartes, that little god was one’s own mind. Once he elevated one’s thoughts to the divine, people could start trusting their thoughts, ideas, even passions as little slices of dogma, cut from that little god of their mind. Pascal wasn’t having it. ### Religious conversion The younger Pascal might not have much cared. He wasn’t particularly religious. By his late 20s, his father had died; his beloved sister was entering a convent against his wishes; he had a small inheritance that was enough to sustain him and that was about it; he only seemed to care about his scientific work. But then in November 1654, at age 31, he had an intense and direct encounter with the divine. He didn’t talk about it, but he wrote down [a description of it](https://inters.org/faith-reason-pascal-memorial?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and sewed it in the lining of his coat. He then shifted attention to this experience and started working on a thorough defense of the divine. He wrote passages as they came to him, then, after he had assembled a large collection, he started classifying them by cutting up each sheet into its component *pensees*, arranging them under twenty-eight headings and fastening the fragments within each bundle by threading string through them. Unfortunately, illness cut short his life and his great work. Only fragments 1-382 were classified; 383 through 829 weren’t, though their content is occasionally full enough to allow classification by scholars. They also found about 80 more fragments, resulting in 912 total *pensées*, which has since become a standard in the Western Canon (volume 33 in the Encyclopedia Britannica’s Great Books of the Western World). ### The "hidden God" and "astonishing contradictions" In the *Pensées*, Pascal frequently refers to the “hidden God.” The phrase has been the subject of a lot of scholarly commentaries, but my hunch is, he was referring to the Tao. After reason and logic run their course, something always remains. Paradox simultaneously points to that “something,” while at the same time mocking reason and logic, but paradox doesn’t show us what that something is. That something is the Tao. That something is, I think, what Pascal was referring to when he referred to the “hidden God.” But God exists so it’s reasonable to believe even if irrational. The *Pensées*, as a whole, show how it’s reasonable to embrace an irrational Christianity. For that matter, the *Pensées* defend the reasonably irrational in general. It’s a paradox, yes, but reality is laced with paradox. As I’ve explored previously ([here](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55644/), [here](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55996/), [here](https://thedailyeudemon.com/56073/), and [here](https://thedailyeudemon.com/56230/)), full reality can’t be reasoned to. We know all sorts of things that escape logic. We know them by intuition,[\[iii\]](#%5Fedn3) or what Hugh Kenner refers to as the “instinct for Being.”[\[iv\]](#%5Fedn4)When we reach the limits of our logic, but still see (feel, sense, intuit) there’s something else there, we’ve reach the Tao: paradox, absurdity, the tragedy of existence, the *grund* . . . whatever. “Pascal, the rationalist genius who devoted most of his life to unlocking the secrets of the material world,” says Yale historian Carlos Eire, “wrote the *Pensées* to convince his fellow diehard rationalists that human beings could never be ultimately satisfied by earthly life, or by reason alone.”[\[v\]](#%5Fedn5) Pascal makes that point poetically in *pensée* 199: > We float on a vast ocean, ever uncertain and adrift, blown this way or that. Whenever we think we have some point to which we can cling and fasten ourselves, it shakes free and leaves us behind. And if we follow it, it eludes our grasp, slides away, and escapes forever. Nothing stays still for us. This is our natural condition and yet the one farthest from our inclination. We burn with desire to find firm ground and an ultimate secure base on which to build a tower reaching up to the infinite. But our whole foundation cracks, and the earth opens up into abysses. Reality, Pascal said, full of “astonishing contradictions” and each person experiences them. Reality is a paradox machine. Each person is a little paradox machine. It’s all absurd. And Pascal knew it, prefiguring the existentialist Albert Camus and his *Myth of Sisyphus* by about 300 years. It’s so absurd, we need to be crazy (beyond the reasonable and logical) to appreciate it. Does that mean madness is the norm? Could be. > “Men are so inevitably mad that not to be mad would be to give a mad twist to madness.” *Pensee* 412. --- [\[i\]](#%5Fednref1) Eire, *Reformations: The Early Modern World, 1450-1650* (Yale, 2016), p. 660 [\[ii\]](#%5Fednref2)The full passage: There is no such thing as not worshiping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. If you worship money and things, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they’re evil or sinful, it’s that they’re unconscious. They are default settings. [\[iii\]](#%5Fednref3) Ben Rogers, *The Great Philosophers: Pascal*, citing *pensées* 110, 131, and 406. [\[iv\]](#%5Fednref4) *Paradox in Chesterton*, which might be one of the great unknown classics of the 20th century. Get the version with Marshall McLuhan’s introduction. It’s a threefer: Chesterton/Kenner/McLuhan. [\[v\]](#%5Fednref5) *Reformations*, 688. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/09/The-right-hemisphere-has-reasons-the-left-hemisphere-doesn-t-understand.png) ### Something Tells Me I’d Really Enjoy the Private Letters of Two Men I Didn’t Even Know Existed URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55419/ Last updated: 2025-04-25T11:09:52.000Z It helps to be aware of one’s ignorance. That’s one reason I like to read Joseph Epstein, who wrote [**a delightful essay for the current issue of the new Catholic journal, *The Lamp***](https://thelampmagazine.com/issues/issue-08/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that brought my level of awareness to the brim. The topic? The letters of George Lyttelton and Rupert Hart-Davis. I’d never heard of either man (though Lyttelton’s name at least rang a bell), and I definitely had no idea why anyone would publish their private letters, unless they were well-known conservatives from the Church of England who were engaged in a torrid and secret homosexual affair. But they weren’t. They were “merely” well-known men of letters (one a professor in classics and English literature at Eton, the other a publisher) in mid-twentieth-century England, when erudite and cultured men of letters were a dime a dozen. Neither was interested in politics, thereby bolstering Russell Kirk’s observation that politics is the pursuit of the quarter-educated. Neither was religious. Both were married, but only one happily and faithfully. The other led a double life with his legal wife’s (at least tacit) approval. Both men would’ve been delightful to drink with if the witticisms, opinions, and observations recounted by Epstein are indicative of their personalities and conversational abilities. Who wouldn’t want to have a drink with a guy who notices the paradox that all great womanizers are physically ugly, then backs it up with examples: Casanova, John Wilkes, H.G. Wells? Or a guy who has read broadly from, and admires, the works of Max Beerbohm and P.G. Wodehouse ([**long a *Modern Drunkard Magazine* favorite, btw**](https://drunkard.com/01-04-plum-brandy-2/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com))? Or who observed that *Lady Chatterley’s Lover* should be censored, not for obscenity, but because of dullness? Or who knew that King George V went to the opera only once a year and that *La Boheme* was his favorite because it was by far the shortest? My only quibble with the men (well, with Hart-Davis) is that he thought George Gissing’s work “dull.” That kind of hurt. I believe [***The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft***](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1463?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is a beautiful little book. But no matter, I’d love to have a drink with either of them. Heck, I’d be happy simply to have the booth next to them and eavesdrop for two hours, assuming I could penetrate the English accent, which I’m guessing was quite thick on both of them. Speaking of which, if anyone can put me in touch with Joseph Epstein, I’d love to share a drink with him and would happily make the trip to his Chicago. I suspect he could match Lyttelton and Hart-Davis anecdote-for-anecdote, plus I have long (for over 20 years) read him and thought I always perceived in him a generous and noble soul, as evidenced by this passage about T.S. Eliot (keep in mind, Epstein is Jewish): For all the attacks on T.S. Eliot for the anti-Semitic touches in his poems, I know of no one who knew him, including Jews, who did not find him personally considerate, kindly, winning. That’s a beautiful paragraph, and not just because he left out the conjunction “and” at the end. Photo above by Pixabay on [Pexels.com](https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-painted-papers-51343/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Golden Hour I plunged and bought the [**Optimal Work**](https://www.optimalwork.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) master class. It’s salty ($595), but I think it’ll be worth it. The class revolves around “the golden hour,” which is the practice of setting aside blocks of time (45-90 minutes) for focused attention on a single task. It can apply to the work day or to a student’s study life. You can get a glimpse at what it’s all about by registering at the site above and getting a few free lectures. I think the end goal is to quiet your mind, lead a happier life, and be more productive. It’s like you’re traveling the American train of busyness and productivity, with a Buddhist conductor. I’m told, incidentally, that the psychiatrist who set up the class is a devout and serious Catholic. If I had to guess, his real goal in this master class is to create saints in the workplace and school. I doubt you’ll notice it in me, but I think that’s what he’s doing. --- ## The Golden Month The Golden Hour? Heck, I’m looking forward to the Golden Month. Welcome to January. I’ve long maintained that each season—whether it’s a season in your life or a season of the year—brings its advantages and disadvantages. January is normally considered the loathsome month: the holidays are over; ten weeks of horrible weather stretch before us. Not for me. January is the golden month. Travel is over; company isn’t arriving; everyone is dieting; no one wants to drink; there are no temptations to spend excessive time on outdoor activities. The order of the day involves work, meditation, prayer, study, and writing. The order even leaves some time at the end of the day for a little HBO. It is the golden month. The process of taking a crappy month like January and looking at its good opportunities is known as “reframing.” It’s a crucial step in the Optimal Work class. I’ve long engaged in the process of reframing, but I didn’t know there was a word for it. Of course, I’ve also long engaged in the process of complaining (the opposite of reframing), but at least I’m now aware that reframing is “a thing” and I’m beginning to understand better why complaining is a bad thing. --- ## A Modest Joy There are little things that give me a ridiculous amount of modest joy. Like clearing snow or frost off areas of a car windshield or cement early in the morning then letting the winter sun warm it a bit and melt/clear the surrounding areas. It’s such a quiet source of joy that I find myself checking out the sun’s progress several times a day. I think it ties into man’s natural propensity to seek the greatest return with the least amount of work. It’s the same propensity that leads people to gamble and to seek out huge federal contracts, except in my case, I’m not wrecking my family’s finances or destroying the nation. ### Left Hemisphere Attack on Small Business? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/left-hemisphere-attack-on-small-business/ Last updated: 2025-01-07T12:50:18.000Z There was a highly conventional travel [piece](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/09/opinion/italy-tourists-bologna-mortadella.html?searchResultPosition=1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in The New York Times of the sort that such venues have been running for many years now, even decades. **It’s about a small resort town in Italy, namely Bologna, that is being wrecked by tourism and corporations moving in to promote it and take advantage of it, thereby changing the character of the place fundamentally.** You know the type of article. I’ve ignored them for years, dismissing such travelogs as nothing more than the kvetching of the elite rich toward the common man and his desire to see the world. There is nothing more conventional than journalists yammering about the evils of “commercialism.” However, for whatever reason, I read this one in full. Buried in the article was the following: > *“The slow eating of our city by mortadella \[meat\] shops started before COVID but accelerated when, as in many cities, lots of Bologna’s independent shops, cafes and restaurants went out of business during the pandemic. Many of those in the center of town were bought up by chains with deep pockets and a singular vision: to sell mortadella to foreigners.”* The article did not admit this, but any marketing person can immediately see the connection between mortadella and bologna; you guessed it, the American luncheon meat. **That’s right, international corporations seized on the town’s name to invent a fake tradition to sell to tourists. That’s cynical, even dark, but entirely expected.** The article continues. > *“Downtown has changed completely. In the streets around the historic main square there used to be many old stationery shops—a favorite sold fountain pens, inks in every color and all the hand-bound notebooks one could dream of. It had been there for as long as I can remember, but was recently turned into an ‘Ancient cold cuts butcher.’ It’s part of a chain. Just across from it, in what I think used to be a jewelry store, is a second self-styled ancient butcher from the same chain. When I asked the shop assistant how ancient they were, she replied that they had been open for three months.”* **Did you catch that passing mention of “went out of business during the pandemic?”** Yes, and, if you have been paying attention these past four years, you know precisely what that means. It’s not about a severe flu. It’s about the response to the flu, namely the brutal lockdowns that destroyed small businesses even as big businesses all over the world were allowed to function normally, provided the customers were masked up and vaccinated. **Read the rest** [The Global Attack On Small BusinessWhether it is Bologna or your hometown, it is the small merchants who have built the best of the modern world. They deserved far better…![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2024-08/image%20-%202024-08-15T162009.115.jpg?itok=GARAsq-o)](https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/global-attack-small-business?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### At Substack: McGilchrist Explains Huxley URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-58/ Last updated: 2025-01-07T13:30:24.000Z If the left hemisphere's grip on people's minds can be loosened, McGilchrist says, their perceptions will change. They will see "into the depth of things . . . all at once \[and\] recognize them for what they are, no longer overlaid by our projections." When this happens, the conventional notions and mental clichés we live by in our everyday world get shoved aside, and the "hall of mirrors" (a favorite McGilchrist phrase to describe our left-hemispheric perception and experience) will come crashing down as we see things in their naked--beautiful--existence. We then get a taste of Huxley's experience with mescalin. We get a glimpse of what Thoreau saw at Walden. We become like those patrons at Alice's Restaurant. We start to break through that door to the other side. Read the rest [Breaking Through to the Other SideIain McGilchrist is Explaining What Aldous Huxley was Trying to Experience![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7986c863-c3cf-45dc-ac9d-caec479f5a0b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fce0511b6-8638-493c-978e-52d97591eb38_1152x640.jpeg)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/breaking-through-to-the-other-side?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Scrolling Blog: Late 2024 Entries URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-late-2024-entries/ Last updated: 2025-04-17T11:48:31.000Z ## The True Christmas Story that Never Gets Old And the vile reality that is the State that makes it compelling [The Christmas Truce of World War INever forget the Christmas truce of World War I, when troops refused to be pawns of empire for one blessed day.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-3.ico)Mises InstituteJohn V. Denson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Christmas-Truce-1914.jpg)](https://mises.org/mises-daily/christmas-truce-world-war-i?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## When Do Americans Open Gifts? [Santa Comes Early For 1 In 6 American FamiliesIn the United States, most families unwrap their gifts on Christmas Day, with the majority not waiting until breakfast to get cracking or unpacking…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-6.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/2024-12-22_20-44-55.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/santa-comes-early-1-6-american-families?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- > Rather than the ghost story being about Christmas, Christmas is about ghosts; for it is that time of year when the ghosts of those we have lost crowd most thickly around us. [The History of Christmas Ghost Stories | Francis YoungTo tell dark stories at Christmas is to acknowledge the reality of the encompassing darkness into which the light of Christ is born.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-196.png)Institute on Religion and Public LifeFrancis Young![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/article_61ba25becf186.jpeg)](https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2021/12/the-history-of-christmas-ghost-stories?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU [Young people are ruining GuinnessIn light of the recent buzz, I gave Guinness another try and found it just as unappetizing as ever — filling when you want to feel light![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400-2.jpg)The Spectator WorldZoe Strimpel![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-81034782-e1734528488268.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/young-people-ruining-guinness/?utm%5Fsource=Spectator%20World%20Signup&utm%5Fcampaign=9a9c46a503-EMAIL%5FCAMPAIGN%5F2024%5F12%5F18%5F05%5F43&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5F-9a9c46a503-157174963) > If there’s one thing Generation Z can be relied on to do, it’s make things creepy and weird where they were previously straightforward and commonplace. Having weirded out romantic intimacy, they’ve come for Guinness. It has become so popular among Gen Z that pubs this December are experiencing a Guinness shortage. > Social media accounts like Shit London Guinness show drinkers criticizing imperfectly poured pints. In a trend that is almost too cringey to watch, Guinness-related Instagram and TikTok posters perform the “tilt test” to their presumably American tourist fans, excited to be unleashed on legal drinking after a twenty-one-year wait in their land. The tilt test involves holding the drink at an angle: if it has been poured correctly, it ought not to slosh out. Wow! Crazy, dude! > Then there is “splitting the G,” in which drinkers attempt a single first swig so the remaining liquid ends up intersecting the Guinness logo. It’s a trend that combines a lackluster approach to downing a pint with something that sounds vaguely sexualized. No doubt we’ll soon be told that “splitting the G” is problematic. --- ## BYCU [Charles Bukowski: A Mini-AppreciationA few words about The Bard of Booze![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-4.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F0b5e9e28-5409-49db-a9bb-299c0ad61e3d_1024x608.jpeg)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/charles-bukowski-a-mini-appreciation) --- ## Disney Finally Docking the Woke Ship? But man, you know they're just itching to bring it back. > Eight years ago progressives denied that such a conspiracy existed and attacked anyone pointing out the contrary. Then they admitted that the woke conspiracy existed but argued that anyone against it was a bigot and a fascist. Today, the agenda is so thoroughly exposed and opposed by the majority of the public that, finally, corporations are starting to reverse course and return to some semblance of normalcy. [Disney Cuts Transgender Storyline From New Pixar Children’s SeriesIs Disney finally realizing that Get Woke, Go Broke cannot be defeated...?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-5.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/WIN-OR-LOSE.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/disney-cuts-transgender-storyline-new-pixar-childrens-series?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Repackaged Micro-Essay at Substack [Partial Payments: Essays on Writers and Their Lives: A Micro-Review/EssayPaeans.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-3.png)Eric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F9205243e-3c8c-4237-97db-ebec8126a49b_1024x608.png)](https://open.substack.com/pub/scheske/p/partial-payments-essays-on-writers?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) --- ## Drinking Quote > "I could never see why a man who is not free to open his mouth to drink should be free to open it to talk. Talking does far more direct harm to other people." GKC, *Illustrated London News*, July 30, 1921. --- ## BYCU [Make the Perfect Holiday CocktailMountain Dew and Crystal Palace (“CRI-stay paLACHay”) vodka, splash of grenadine.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-2.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fdafefaf9-3c34-40b6-8654-00f484daf20d_1024x608.jpeg)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/make-the-perfect-holiday-cocktail?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Funny Quote > "There's one thing you can say for the people in charge of our government. They're running it like nobody's business." Joe Sullivan --- ## From Whence this Populist Revolution on the Right? This nifty piece lays out the history and the current situation. The writer concludes with, "This is the fight before us." And it will be a fight. If this is a revolution (and I think it is), it won't go as expected. No revolution does. But that doesn't mean it won't succeed. It just means we can't get complacent because of the November elections. We're still behind the eightball. I'm just grateful that, for the first time in 30 years, people in my fold are getting a chance to break. [Populist Conservatism and Constitutional OrderAmerican conservatism exists to serve the people and the nation through the Constitution. This includes defending them against enemies foreign and domestic. And the fact is, elite institutions have become the people’s and the nation’s enemies. They are openly waging cultural war on those they ostensibly serve. They cannot be negotiated with or accommodated. They must be defunded, disbanded, and disempowered. The rewards for doing so—for putting American families first again—will be greater than we can know.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-ChargerLogoH_RGB-270x270.png)ImprimisKevin D. Roberts![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_4998-scaled.jpg)](https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/populist-conservatism-and-constitutional-order/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) And BTW: The man who has been pounding this populist drum since the end of the Cold War is Pat Buchanan. He's been proven right . . . again and again. He's also a devoted son of the Church with a firm grasp of its social teachings. He retired from public life last year. I'm just glad he's lived long enough to see himself vindicated after decades of scorn from the MSM. [The Conservative Who Turned White Anxiety Into a MovementPat Buchanan made white Republicans fear becoming a racial minority. Now Donald Trump is reaping the benefits.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-152x152-aafde20dd981a38fcd549b29b2b3b785.png)The AtlanticAri Berman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/original.jpg)](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/pat-buchanan-trump-white-majority-minority/678130/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- > "The very definition of Hell must be energy without joy." G.K. Chesterton, *Introduction to Thackeray* --- ## Coffee Your Way to Good Health [Lowers Mortality Risk: 11 Key Health Benefits From Drinking Coffee The Right WayEnjoying coffee in moderation can thus be seen as part of a healthy lifestyle, offering more than just a moment of enjoyment but also a cup of health benefits…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-4.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/image-20--202024-12-07T132450.967.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/lowers-mortality-risk-11-key-health-benefits-drinking-coffee-right-way?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Deadly Sins at Deady Media ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/12/Seven-Deadly-SIns-on-Social-Media.JPG) --- ## The Military-Industrial Complex Gleefully Rubs Its Hands [Is World War III Already Here?The ‘Axis of Upheaval’ is on the march—and the U.S. must figure out how to respond.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Free PressJay Solomon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F9a13aebf-5cfe-4e63-944f-637e413a3631_1024x683.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/world-war-iii-syria-israel-south-korea-ukrains?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Bitcoin Hits $100,000 I'm "all about" alternatives to the dollar, and Bitcoin is the best alternative out there . . . maybe, I think . . . frick, I don't know, but I'm enjoying my handful of satoshis even though I'll never have remotely enough to retire off these gains. It's mostly just (for me, a guy who rarely bets more than $5) a high-stakes gamble but low enough that it doesn't cause me any stress. Interlocutor: "Eric, isn't crypto just a form of gambling?" Eric: "No. Gambling is for smart people." [Bitcoin Soars Above $100,000 For The First TimeNext stop, $200,000…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-3.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/bitcoin-20whoosh.jpg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/bitcoin-soars-above-100000-first-time?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Using DoorDash? ### You Might Want to Stop This funny essay is packed with interesting, disturbing, and funny observations. [Salmonella, Delivered!You need to start taking semen more seriously. As in, not wanting to ingest…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-2.png)Taki's MagazineDavid Cole![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/bigstock-montreal-canada-june-375175819-320x240.jpeg)](https://www.takimag.com/article/salmonella-delivered/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Interesting "In 2024, 50 percent of U.S. consumers used food delivery services like GrubHub, DoorDash, Instacart, and Uber Eats daily. 60 percent weekly. That number rises to 67 percent for Gen Z." ### Disturbing "This is a genuine [survey](https://www.retailbrew.com/stories/2023/02/15/many-delivery-drivers-admit-to-taking-food-from-orders-and-tamper-evident-packaging-could-keep-them-out-of-the-chicken-nuggets?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): In 2019, 28 percent of food delivery drivers admitted to in some way tampering with the order. In 2022 that number shot up to 79 percent." ### Funny "I’d like to say something smarmy like 'You people should tip better,' but \[the drivers\] aren’t feeding you semen because they’re upset about their pay; they do it because it’s a compulsion. A fetish. A bigger tip would just be seen as a five-star rating for their jizz." --- ## Read Books ### The Soul You Read May Be Your Own [In Praise of Print: Why Reading Remains Essential in an Era of Epistemological CollapseWhen the witty and wry English fantasy novelist Terry Pratchett interviewed Bill Gates for GQ in 1995, only 39% of Americans had access to a home computer. According to the Pew Research Center, the…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-2.ico)Literary HubEd Simon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/digital-books.jpg)](https://lithub.com/in-praise-of-print-why-reading-remains-essential-in-an-era-of-epistemological-collapse/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > Our digital lives are mediated through words, whether the tumult of Twitter or the doom-scrolling of Reddit, the ever-present ping of texts and the flux of Facebook. Yet this is an estimably different experience than the immersion in *Wuthering Heights* or *Moby-Dick, Mrs. Dalloway* and *Ulysses.* What’s been sacrificed is not reading in the most prosaic sense, but the particular experience of a certain type of reading, perilously endangered among all of us attracted to the alluring siren-call of the smartphone ping. > Readerly “flow” allows for a submersion in another way of being, an expansion of possibilities and consciousness. --- ## Moloch Again Eats Its Own Retailers need to keep Black Friday hyped, but if they don't spread Black Friday out on both ends, they'll lose to retailers who do, so everyone cannibalizes everyone. The loser: Black Friday. [Winners and losers of Black Friday 2024With deals all spread out and e-commerce surging even on Thanksgiving Day, the red-letter event seems to be losing its punch.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1.png)Retail DiveDaphne Howland![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy0yMTg2NzkyMDI1LmpwZw--.webp)](https://www.retaildive.com/news/winners-losers-black-friday-2024-online-store-sales/734236/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [**Meditations on Moloch**](https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## One of the Best JRE Episodes of All Time I knew we would have been screwed if the Democrats had won. And I sensed it was very, very bad. This (former) Democrat donor and Silicon Valley Prince provides inside facts about just how bad things would've been. A CCP Credit Score, for instance, but privatized through a handful of tech companies that the federal government would control. That's just one of a dozen or so jaw-dropping things explained here. [Marc Andreessen Describes “Alarming” Meeting With Biden Admin That Prompted His Trump Endorsement“We had meetings \[Biden officials\] this spring that were the most alarming meetings...”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/2024-11-27_09-24-28.png)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/marc-andreessen-tells-joe-rogan-why-he-backed-trump?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU ### Thanksgiving Eve [Back in Black“Yes, I’m back in black!”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-1.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1644130153449-be672c1cbff3)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/back-in-black/) --- ## Birth of the NHL From *Britannica's* 11/26/2024 entrythis morning: The [National Hockey League](https://www.britannica.com/topic/National-Hockey-League?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (NHL) [was formed on this day in 1917](https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-ice-hockey?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#ref360379), featuring just four teams: the [Montreal Canadiens](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Montreal-Canadiens?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), Montreal Wanderers, [Ottawa Senators](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ottawa-Senators?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [Toronto Arenas](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Toronto-Maple-Leafs?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The NHL added its first American club, the [Boston Bruins](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Boston-Bruins?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), in 1924\. --- ## Social Justice Warriors, Take Note of This Fundamental Economic Fact Government spending tends to hurt the poor, and inflation (resulting from deficit government spending) definitely hurts the poor. [Inflation: Savior of the RichWhenever someone puts forward an idea for shrinking the federal budget, one of the first objections is that it will harm the poorest citizens most. Welfare spending, and other means of support are a massive part of the government budget, yet it doesn’t take a lot of insight to see that the government gives even \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon.ico)Privacy Policy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/inflation-homes.jpg)](https://www.schiffgold.com/commentaries/inflation-savior-of-the-rich?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Schumacher and McGilchrist I've long wanted to tie *A Guide for the Perplexed* to the hemisphere hypothesis. I think the subject deserves a small book of exploration, but I've contented myself for now with this short treatment. BTW: I finished *The Matter with Things*. It "only" took me 22 months to get through 1,500 pages. I'm now going back through my Kindle highlights, which print out to 250 pages on MS Word (single-spaced, but with a lot of gaps, like: > **Highlight (yellow) - Page 53 · Location 789** > One way of looking at paradox is as an indicator that we are dealing with two apparently valid world-pictures which yet do not concur. > **Highlight (yellow) - Page 55 · Location 813** > The right hemisphere sees the nuances, as well as that we often must embrace two superficially incompatible truths in a ‘both/ and’ – one, moreover, that includes embracing both its own take and that of the left hemisphere: altogether a far harder, and more complex, view to articulate. ) [Schumacher’s “Perplexed” Meets McGilchrist’s “Master”“Does E.F.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4d462d4b-39ee-44da-8e49-cc22d208dc1d-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-1.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ffd05e308-be79-4ec3-aa79-4ae3afdbe23d_800x1200.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/schumachers-perplexed-meets-mcgilchrists?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## BYCU > Jeffrey Bernard was so forthright in his self-immolation that critic and filmmaker Jonathan Meades described the Low Life column as “a suicide note in weekly installments.” [Jeremy Clarke, Reader: A Mini-AppreciationWith a Jeffrey Bernard, Drinker, Micro-Kicker![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-2.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fed841be3-aa00-4351-be22-e70d98629d19_1024x608.jpeg)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/jeremy-clarke-reader-a-mini-appreciation) --- ## Kuntsler [Eyesore of the Month is Back (Nov. ’24)Commentary on architectural blunders in monthly serial.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F1a3faa16-7741-4630-8611-f4f27c734963-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Clusterfuck NationJames Howard Kunstler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4e8b0cf8-53f2-4ee3-a5c8-e85e345b8132_640x480.heic)](https://jameshowardkunstler.substack.com/p/eyesore-of-the-month-is-back-nov) --- ## Satire [Democrats Confused Why All That “Deplorable Garbage” Hates ThemSatire![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/10fd5c419ac61637245384e7099e131627900034828f4f386bdaa47a74eae156)MediumMichael Rodney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/0-1ykJBL-jyQwp-cJO)](https://medium.com/@michael.scheske/democrats-confused-why-all-that-deplorable-garbage-hates-them-59211faf90b1?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Hot War with the Cartels? [Let’s Not Start a Hot War with the Mexican Cartels“I do not think there was ever a more wicked war than that waged by the United States on Mexico.” Ulysses S. Grant![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-1.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Ff2eb444c-7a41-446f-ac69-ce18d139bc2c_1024x608.jpeg)](https://substack.com/home/post/p-151776665?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## This is the Most Insanely Optimistic Essay I've Ever Read ### I just hope this guy is reasonably close to being right. Summary: When these high-functioning Aspergerites with a grudge and hatred for DC arrive, they're going to smash the average swamp rats who lazy about there now. Kamala and Co. couldn't outwit Trump. You think they're going to outwit Elon? This might be the greatest theater since . . . well, since forever. Of course, it might be a catastrophe. I have no freakin' idea but I'm excited to see it play out. ***DC is about to experience something entirely new, something absolutely unprecedented in its experience. They think the barbarians are coming. And perhaps they are. But not the kinds of barbarians they suspect. Not this time.*** > DC is going to feel like it’s being invaded by an entire bestiary of mythical monsters with magical powers who can see through walls and huck immovable objects over the horizon. They will come from every side at once. They will replace thousands of federal employees right from the start. > You’ll be fighting against the outside and the inside. They’re going to transfer and move those permanent staters they cannot fire. Have fun in Topeka or Guam. They’re lovely this time of year. > They are not going to play nice or play fair. They are going to get things done. And they are going to clown you while doing it, clown you like “name their agency after a crypto shitcoin that muskrat ran “to the moon” just because they think it’s funny.” > And it will be. [Guess What’s Coming to DC? ⋆ Brownstone InstituteWe need results. Say goodbye to the Potomac Country Club. Things are about to change. If this is even 20% looks like, this is gonna be fun.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/cropped-brownstone-institute-ico-270x270.png)Brownstone Instituteel gato malo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Shutterstock_2290001155.jpg)](https://brownstone.org/articles/guess-whats-coming-to-dc/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Good-Bye Cheney and Bill Kristol [The end of NeverTrumpThe NeverTrump movement had no guiding principle other than “Orange Man Bad.” They were a collection of power-hungry individuals,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400-1.jpg)The Spectator WorldBen Domenech![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-2179173219.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/politics/end-nevertrump-liz-cheney-lincoln-project-2024/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## WaPo and the MSM Continue to Label People with Different Views as "Fringe" and "Contrarians" ### Taibbi says they need to check the election returns. [It’s Time to Redefine “Fringe”Critics of the rumored nomination of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as director of the National Institutes of Health need to check the election returns![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F41bee6ab-f8cd-4f54-9fa5-3c07426525f2-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Racket NewsMatt Taibbi![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe5799698-fbe6-46b9-86f1-05a7f7d61388_2898x1884.png)](https://substack.com/home/post/p-151841841?source=queue) It's time to wake up to late 2024\. The *ancien régime* is dead. Well, it has sustained a nasty and life-threatening blow. I guess it's up to people like you and me to make sure we drive a stake through its heart. --- ## More Expansive Treatment of My Trip to Lisbon [Lisbon is Rockin’But You Might Need to Get There Before 2025![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fd95b3ebb-500e-4a6a-8bfc-4cf0130549a0_1024x608.jpeg)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/lisbon-is-rockin) --- ## Something for Sunday Morning --- ## Bill Maher on the Elections I'm not a fan. He hates Trump and thinks Trump is a threat to Democracy. He buys into many other leftist tropes with a dogmatism that makes the left hemisphere of the brain proud, but he tries to be honest, and he is humorous. --- ### First, the Fascist Trump Came for Massively Obese, and No One Objected. Then He Came for the Morbidly Obese . . . and then He Came for the Overweight . . . and then He Came for Mothers Who Had Just Given Birth and Just Needed a Few Months to Take Off the Baby Fat . . . . ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/11/Fat-Camps.PNG) Let's hope RJK, Jr. can help. I can personally testify that the things he rails against were killing me. Since I started following Medicine 2.0, my weight and waist are down to my high school graduation weight, and a host of health problems, from eczema to lower back pain, have improved. I would get cocky and start preaching, but I've been led to believe I'm still mortal and life/fate are fickle things, so I just try to be content with my improvement and thank God for every day. ### BTW: I learned recently that nursing school students take turns wearing fat suits so their classmates can learn their nursing skills in a realistic environment (i.e., in an environment of fat patients). Our whole culture has turned obesely grotesque. Thank God for the based men under age 35 who are fiercely determined to take it back or, failing that, to turn their backs on it. ### And they don't give a damn what the namby-pambies think. --- ## TDE Reader Quips > Gretchen Whitmer is so concerned about the Republicans getting the Michigan house, she went to Nacho Adoration. BTW: If someone could mobilize the Amish vote in Michigan [like Scotty Presler did in Pennsylvania](https://lancasteronline.com/news/politics/republicans-are-urging-amish-in-lancaster-county-to-vote-again-will-it-pay-off/article%5F0728fbae-9897-11ef-af90-7f76d4ed328f.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), that would probably cement things against Whitmer in her next run. --- ## Candidate for Best Post-Election Metaphor [How the Democrats Bud Lighted their brandThe Democrats realized too late that they had Bud Lighted their brand. You can’t be openly hostile to men for two decades![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg)The Spectator WorldBridget Phetasy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-886426038.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/politics/democrats-bud-lighted-their-brand-2024/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > Men were demonized. Emasculated. Blamed for all society’s ills. Men were told to take a seat and shut up. It was socially acceptable and encouraged to be vicious to anyone with a penis — unless they were a “woman” with a “penis.” . . . > The Democrats realized too late that they had Bud Lighted their brand. You can’t be openly hostile to men for two decades and expect to retain the male vote. And judging by Trump’s gains with both genders, you also can’t be incapable of defining what a woman is and expect women to believe you care about them, either. > Whether the left realizes it or not, the Bud Light moment was the beginning of the end of their long-standing grip on the culture. It lost them 23 percent of their market share and still hasn’t recovered. Trump’s recent win is more evidence. He won decisively, a collective middle finger from an America tired of being lectured. --- ## The Tide Continues to Turn [FCC’s Brendan Carr Launches New Big Tech-NewsGuard Probe, Cites MRC StudyFederal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr utilized Media Research Center analysis to put Big Tech and so-called media ratings firm NewsGuard on notice.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/nbfavicon.png)NewsbustersJoseph Vazquez![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-202024-11-15-20132518.png)](https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/free-speech/joseph-vazquez/2024/11/15/fccs-brendan-carr-launches-new-big-tech-newsguard-probe?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Excerpt from his letter to Google, Apple, Et Al > I am confident that once the ongoing transition is complete, the Administration and Congress will take broad ranging actions to restore the First Amendment rights that the Constitution grants to all Americans—and those actions can include both a review of your companies’ activities as well as efforts by third-party organizations and groups that have acted to curtail those rights. > For now, I am writing to obtain information from you that can inform the FCC’s work to promote free speech and a diversity of viewpoints. As you know, Big Tech’s prized liability shield, Section 230, is codified in the Communications Act, which the FCC administers.2 As relevant here, Section 230 only confers benefits on Big Tech companies when they operate, in the words of the statute, “in good faith.” > It is in this context that I am writing to obtain information about your work with one specific organization—the Orwellian named NewsGuard. As exposed by the Twitter Files, NewsGuard is a for-profit company that operates as part of the broader censorship cartel. [FCC Commissioner's Letter](https://cdn.mrc.org/static/pdfuploads/Carr%5FLetter%5Fon%5FNewsGuard%5F-%5F11.13.24.pdf-1731687383053.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Return Eudemon: Lisbon I got back from Lisbon last night. I'm more jetlagged than Donald Trump after his last two days of campaigning (though according to [Walter Kirn](https://montanafreepress.org/2023/08/09/walter-kirn-talks-county-highway-magazine/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), who traveled with J.D. Vance for a short spell during the campaign, jet travel isn't bad when you don't have to deal with airports). Lisbon is wonderful—flat-out wonderful. We visited during a low tourist ebb, and the weather was spectacular (72 and sunny every day; upper 50s at night, no rain). Those things helped, but I'd recommend Lisbon to anyone, especially since it's only an 8-hour flight. The problem is, time is running out. **The first direct flights by U.S. airlines (United and American) promise a flood of American tourists starting in 2025**. That's why we went this year (I read in *The Spectator* that Lisbon would soon be ruined by tourism). I'm not sure I would've liked Lisbon if it was crowded. It was fairly crowded with just the light tourist load we experienced. I think it's because the Portuguese themselves like to enjoy their capital, and the "happening" area of Lisbon is very small (we were never more than one mile from where we wanted to walk next), with the result that there was almost always a healthy flow of traffic (foot and vehicular). I can't imagine how brutal it would be if the tourism traffic was exponentially higher. However, I think tourists will be able to find a place to eat even if they go in July 2025\. I've never seen such a high concentration of restaurants; they're *everywhere*, every few feet. Lisbon's eatery density far surpasses Manhattan, London, and Rome. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/11/Portugal-Castle.jpg) São Jorge Castle in Lisbon --- ## Dispatches from Academia A text I received from a student at a Michigan public university today, talking about the reaction to Trump's win: > The dance school is having a more traditional meltdown. Group cry sessions, therapy dogs, professors declaring today a "mental health day," and all the fun. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/11/Rodney.jpg) ## Trump! I am stunned. I am encouraged. Thoughts flow through my head like cocaine through Hunter Biden's nose. In no particular order: 1. Free Ross Ulbricht "on day one." He violated laws that probably shouldn't be laws (no firm opinion on that) and got FAR more time than the offenses warranted. I would've voted for Trump on this issue alone, though he should've freed Ross during his first term. 2. Hail Bitcoin! It is the future of freedom. I truly believe that. If the government doesn't start imprisoning people and chopping off their hands for using it, I think it will pave the way to avoid an Orwellian future. Maybe by 2028, it will be so ensconced that it can't be rooted out. 3. Speaking of which, Let's start making Orwell fiction again! Yeah, baby! 4. If it weren't for *Roe v. Wade* getting overturned and putting abortion on the ballot, I'm not sure Kamala would've gotten a single electoral vote (excuse my exaggeration). Trump may not be a "true blue" pro-lifer, but at least he'll let us debate and argue the point for four more years without censorship. 5. 25% of black men voted for Trump? I can almost feel my heart melting after getting stone cold after all the BLM and Harris b.s. Similar hat tips to my Latino brothers who crossed over. > Trump walking back into the White House on January 20, 2025! [pic.twitter.com/ghSYwysV7E](https://t.co/ghSYwysV7E?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) [November 6, 2024](https://twitter.com/ImMeme0/status/1854054724707680427?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/11/In-this-house.jpg) --- ## Now at Substack [Podcasts: 1374 (Oxford), 1974 (Kansas), 2024 (Austin)Why do we love listening to conversations?![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3601c388-9efd-43d0-9c7c-1017ae0eb021_1024x608.jpeg)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/podcasts-1374-oxford-1974-kansas) --- ### When Jennifer Lopez Speaks, Everyone Needs to Listen [Diddy’s Ex-Girlfriend Urges Americans To Trust Her JudgmentLAS VEGAS, NV — Voters on the fence about where to place their trust in the upcoming presidential election breathed a sigh of relief last night, as Diddy’s ex-girlfriend urged all Americans to trust her judgment.![](https://babylonbee.com/bee-apple-touch-icon.png)The Babylon Bee![](https://media.babylonbee.com/articles/672524142d6f3672524142d6f4.jpg)](https://babylonbee.com/news/diddys-ex-girlfriend-urges-americans-to-trust-her-judgment?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### Do You Need a Concrete Example of How the Left Hemisphere's Arrogant, Rational, and Language-Driven Presumptions Causes Terrible Harm? From page 1076 of Iain McGilchrist's *The Matter with Things*: > I was shocked to learn from an anaesthetist during my medical training that human infants were operated on well into the 1980s without anaesthetics, because, unable to verbalize their pain, they were clearly not capable of feeling it. Their screams and cries were like those of animals, creakings of a machine. --- ### All You Need to Know about Media Matters and Center for Countering Digital Hate > MMA was founded by self-described “[right-wing hit man](https://classic.esquire.com/confessions-of-a-right-wing-hit-man/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)” turned Clintonian convert David Brock and is funded by wealthy blue donors. While it once had a more down-the-line watchdog reputation, it now officially represents itself as an opponent specifically of “conservative misinformation.” From its [2021 tax disclosure](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/470928008/202233199349323883/full?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe9afd086-1eab-48c2-bad6-c88478bf4d15_2260x354.png) > CCDH, meanwhile, is intertwined both with Keir Starmer’s Labour Party and the Labour Together think-tank, which [since August](https://www.politico.eu/article/kamala-harris-us-elections-2024-politics-uk-prime-minister-keir-starmer/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) has been boasting about its aid to the Kamala Harris campaign. \[Which Labour denies . . . unconvincingly, according to Taibbi\] [Save Democracy From Informed Voters: Vote Censorship!The New York Times and Media Matters, along with the Washington Post and CCDH, align in a last-minute, tag-team blitz to silence Democratic Party critics.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5f7ec402-3343-48e8-a7c1-561229391010%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Racket NewsMatt Taibbi![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F14f3e031-7b75-4d63-83c4-18e6fa1c9b07_1500x1500.heic)](https://substack.com/home/post/p-151032060?source=queue) --- ## Stock Cash? [Buffett Calls The Top: Berkshire Dumps 100 Million Apple Shares As Unprecedented Selling Spree Boosts Cash To Record $325 Billion DollarsThe Omaha billionaire had been busy building cash and dumping his most iconic holding in an unprecedented selling spree.![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2024-11/berkshire%20cash%20Q3%202024.jpg?h=8b25bbbe&itok=BGFG4uAg)](https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/buffett-calls-top-berkshire-dumps-100-million-apple-shares-unprecedented-selling-spree?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## A Vote for Trump Isn't a Vote Against Kamala ### It's a vote against The Machine. It's a signal to The Machine that they can't get away with this crap any longer. [Ep. 2563 Dave Smith and Tom Woods on Voting Trump | Tom WoodsWhat makes the most sense in 2024? Sponsors CrowdHealth is a community of people who are tired of paying for a broken system. A place where you can get a simple![](https://tomwoods.com/wp-content/themes/tomwoods-studio1/images/fav.png)Tom WoodsTom Woods![](https://tomwoods.com/images/TWFB2.jpg?r=1)](https://tomwoods.com/ep-2563-dave-smith-and-tom-woods-on-voting-trump/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Trump Keeps Calling Things Correctly > While discussing Cheney with Tucker Carlson, Trump said: > "She's a radical war hawk. **Let's put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, ok?** Let's see how she feels about it, you know, when the guns are trained on her face. > "You know they're all war hawks when they're sitting in Washington in a nice building saying 'oh gee, let's send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy." [Execute Her? Fake News Invents New Outrage When Trump Suggests Liz Cheney Serve In Wars She PromotesMuH ‘VioLeNt RhEtoRiC’…![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2024-11/trump%20ea.jpg?h=dc4c7a80&itok=DRSFB36S)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/execute-her-fake-news-invents-new-outrage-when-trump-suggests-liz-cheney-serve-wars-she?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Drudge and other leftists are saying he's calling for her execution. Unbelievable. If that's what they think, then stop sending our youth to fight in foreign wars. Enough. --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/10/Tax-Dollars.jpg) --- ## Free Month of Eric Scheske's Substack or Outside Modern Limits ### Look for an email from Substack to get started If you become a paid subscriber to *ESS* or *OML* through a targeted email sent by Substack, I get the monthly subscription fee from Substack . . . it costs you nothing. If you get such a targeted email, please accept. I could use the dopamine hit. The offer is only good until November 4th. --- ## The Ultimate Black Swan > \[F\]or the atheist, an encounter with God in whatever happens after death might be seen as the ultimate Black Swan event . . . Iain McGilchrist, *The Matter with Things* --- ## Gosh, I Wish This Was an Onion Headline [Drug Trials Funded by Manufacturers Find 50 Percent Greater Drug EffectivenessNew economic analysis shows significant bias in clinical trials for psychiatric drugs, potentially influencing drug approvals.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesHuey Freeman![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/10/09/id5738718-shutterstock_2128302299_drug_pharmaceuticals_big_pharma_medicine_pharmaceutical-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/drug-trials-funded-by-manufacturers-find-50-percent-greater-drug-effectiveness-5737731?utm%5Fsource=partner&utm%5Fcampaign=ZeroHedge&src%5Fsrc=partner&src%5Fcmp=ZeroHedge) --- > Great hat [pic.twitter.com/SGLFiVTxos](https://t.co/SGLFiVTxos?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) [October 29, 2024](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1851139012146389330?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Halloween Meditation It seems like half of my local culture jumped the gun and celebrated last weekend, and the other half is eschewing the macabre side of Halloween, which, of course, is the only side there is. Unfortunate? Yes, but so is death unless there is everlasting life. The macabre throws this ultimate reality into stark relief. We ought not to celebrate the macabre, but we must not suppress it either. The macabre might also be, in part, a rejection of the Enlightenment and yet another route to re-energize the right hemisphere and its embrace of the trans-rational, much as the occult is a rejection of rationalism and its left hemispheric overlord. > The Gothic genre is particularly suited to depicting these elements. This genre emerged as a knee-jerk reaction to the Enlightenment, expressing a desire for something beyond that which is observable and scientifically quantifiable. [Sacramentals and Spooks | Eleanor Bourg NicholsonModern Halloween seems, however, to operate like anti-Catholicism of the British Victorian period, potentially leading to a backward proto-evangelization.![](https://d2201k5v4hmrsv.cloudfront.net/img/favicon-196.png)Institute on Religion and Public LifeEleanor Bourg Nicholson![](https://d2ipgh48lxx565.cloudfront.net/uploads/article_635ed9600e3e6.jpg?Expires=1732799404&Signature=WhSUH4IsEPll2x6ivCyFlQBXV1jEOwIzF0hIv4lqz2LzgMJLPYOTT00Sm6g753V3kYfP09cvjI-lPgF2s4zTYv0Uf13KNA0RQF3P1pcfApdg-166Ks5i6852mwEKdSS9lwhYsOVzhPnPchbbPTdX~habUr-~wBQg0UY0G43uW1kOWISnnVU6gyfXs4mWImx2nGBALIsZsVCppG9ZfQa36AZ213A6ZYAP9tuv4Xnj-aH2FPSnMAXPKQFAi9Mz7a70jjhfp0RwQaZwNJADQZzObdfhTJP6PdpIHjQP-ld1DXLkJBuD7qTFrsAJmmc25CXRf7naBJwmtx3uP29JK3eDtA__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIN7SVXNLPAOVDKZQ)](https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2022/10/sacramentals-and-spooks?utm%5Fsource=First+Things+Email+List&utm%5Fcampaign=55203a0f3f-Two%5FEssays%5FMother%5FTeresa%5FCOPY%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5F1fcb60f68e-55203a0f3f-181188166) --- ### The Internet is 55 Years Old? From *Britannica's* October 29, 2024 entry: > Fifty-five years ago today a message was sent from a computer at UCLA to one at [Stanford University](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Stanford-University?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) over a network that would become the [Internet](https://www.britannica.com/technology/Internet?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). --- ### A Member of That Based Z Generation Sends This Along **Based**, *adj.*, Willingness to express unpopular or controversial opinions, often associated with defiance of woke or politically correct dogmas. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/10/Tolkien.jpg) --- ## Welcome Matilda Joan The Ocho arrives. My daughter gave birth to a daughter on Thursday. Everyone is doing well. This is grandchild eight. The sexes are tied: 4-4\. My third son's first born is scheduled to arrive in February and another baby is scheduled for mid-2024, which will give me ten. I'm hoarding them like a miser does coins. "Matilda" is named after St. Margaret of Scotland. "Joan" after the Arc. A common derivation of Matilda is "Maude." The girl's father detests that diminutive. I suspect I'll be using it a lot (smile). --- [Cal Newport Thinks the Cell Phone is an Evil PhantomNever let the demon into your focus den.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdc279eb0-f855-48c1-80f4-2ed73192c935_1152x640.jpeg)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/cal-newport-thinks-the-cell-phone) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/09/image.png) [source ](https://x.com/SallyMayweather/status/1831230901344260341/photo/1?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I discovered this splendid writer before everyone else (insufferable smug emoji) [Eye for the AbsurdNellie Bowles’s chronicle of the mania that was 2020![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/CJ-300x300.png)City JournalTal Fortgang![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/nellie-bowless-chronicle-of-the-mania-that-was-2020.jpg)](https://www.city-journal.org/article/nellie-bowles-chronicle-of-the-mania-that-was-2020?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [The Dorothy Parker and Florence King ReincarnateBut she’s going on maternity leave![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Blue-Gradient.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-dorothy-parker-and-florence-king-reincarnate/) --- ## With free speech and free enterprise, hope springs eternal > In recent years, the *Yale Free Press*, [*Harvard Salient*](https://www.theharvardsalient.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and [*Columbia Sundial*](https://www.sundial-cu.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) have emerged to fulfill similar needs at their respective schools. Heterodox and conservative journalism is undergoing a [revival in the Ivy League](https://www.realclearpennsylvania.com/articles/2024/04/23/colleges%5Fmust%5Frevive%5Fthe%5Ffree%5Fpress%5Fon%5Ftheir%5Fown%5Fcampuses%5F1026988.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). [Heterodox Journalism in the Ivy LeagueMeet the people and papers reviving independent intellectual life at elite universities.![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/CJ-300x300.png)City JournalLexi Boccuzzi![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Heterodox-Journalism-in-the-Ivy-League.jpg)](https://www.city-journal.org/article/heterodox-journalism-in-the-ivy-league?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## The Seven Thinkers and Groups That Have Shaped JD Vance’s Unusual Worldview [https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/18/jd-vance-world-view-sources-00168984](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/18/jd-vance-world-view-sources-00168984?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## On Hiatus but Still Have a Few Essays in the Barrel [The Left Hemisphere Ruins LiteratureD.H. Lawrence might have had the John Thomas of a degenerate, but he had the soul of an artist. I guess it’s no surprise. His father was an illiterate, hard-drinking coal miner. His mother was educated and refined. It made him earthy but reflective. He appreciated cutting-edge ideas![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1631519952398-5b1d76b946e8?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGxpdGVyYXR1cmV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzIwOTU3MjI2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-55/) --- [The Five Parts of Existence Strikes Back and The Hemisphere HypothesisPart I What is the Tao? The Tao, also called “the act of existence (actus essendi),” “the first principle of Zen,” and the region on the other side of Aldous Huxley’s doors of perception, is the nameless reality that is logically, conceptually, and in reality prior to everything else.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/07/Briefly-Green-Burlap.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-five-parts-of-existence-strikes-back-and-the-hemisphere-hypothesis/) ### Eric Scheske's Substack Has Launched URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-59/ Last updated: 2024-09-08T12:35:15.000Z My writing is still on hiatus, but I continue to veer toward Substack. I have two channels now: [Outside the Modern Limits](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [Eric Scheske's Subtack](https://scheske.substack.com/). OtML is the Existence Strikes Back and the Hemisphere Hypothesis channel. If you like the egghead stuff, go there, though I hope to make the egghead stuff more "punchy" in its approach as time goes on. Eric Scheske's Substack (I'm so clever with my titles!) is more traditional TDE fare: eclectic and whimsical, lighter. It started with this piece: [The World War II Debate Has BegunIt only took 80 years![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b92cfce-2f23-498c-8170-c2f3d9535458%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1626321582868-6b938dcf0e68?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxN3x8d29ybGQlMjB3YXIlMjBpaXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MjU2MjM1NDV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=1080)](https://open.substack.com/pub/scheske/p/the-world-war-ii-debate-has-begun?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ### The Seven Deadly Sins are Dispositions of the Left Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-seven-deadly-sins-are-all-dispositions-of-the-left-hemisphere/ Last updated: 2025-01-07T13:58:30.000Z [Primer: Understanding the Hemisphere HypothesisMany smart people think Iain McGilchrist has effected a Copernican revolution in metaphysics. I tend to agree. Here’s a summary of the revolution.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/02/Hemisphere.-Each-Hemisphere-Governing-Principle.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/primer-understanding-the-hemisphere-hypothesis/) When you throw that vase against the wall and scream "f\*\*\*\*! (fudge), you're sinning. The temper tantrum is a sinful act. But the anger that prompted the tantrum isn't. Anger is just a sinful disposition. That's why it's deadly: By harboring a sinful disposition like anger, you leave the door open for a host of sinful acts, like temper tantrums. --- The left hemisphere's way of doing things, by itself, isn't sinful. Does it manipulate, divide, grasp, detachedly abstract, rationalize, dehumanize, and hold a lofty opinion of its abilities? Sure. But that's the way it operates . . . the way it *needs* to be and how it properly operates. The left hemisphere is no more sinful than a rock, knife, or gun. This is something Iain McGilchrist has emphasized as a "cautionary note" in his work. The left hemisphere isn't a problem: it's a phenomenal and necessary thing. "Of staggering importance," is how McGilchrist describes it. The problem is *how* it operates. Its operations naturally expand and, if not held in check, cause enormous problems. Analogize it to fire: in my cigar lighter, good; in Maui a few weeks ago, bad. **The left hemisphere becomes bad when we acquire a left-hemispheric disposition.** The left hemisphere tends toward the bad (to cause problems) because its methods (operations, the way it attends to things, and "how" it functions) affect how we view the world. To the man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. To an unmediated left hemisphere, the world looks like something to be manipulated, divided, grasped, and conquered; like something we can comprehend and control through our rationality. The more we look at the world like this, the more the world will behave like this: that fine hand-carved walking cane isn't a nail, but if I pound it with this hammer, it kind of responds like a nail. The more our left hemisphere controls our mental world, the more our mental world assumes a disposition that reflects how the left hemisphere attends to things. This is exactly what the Seven Deadly Sins do: By controlling our mental world, our disposition becomes gluttonous, lustful, greedy, angry, despondent, envious, and proud. Moreover, every deadly sin is a branch of a rogue left hemisphere. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/08/Predatory--Purpose.jpg) --- **Gluttony**: The left hemisphere's job is to provide for the necessities of life. it might be enjoyable to sing, write poetry, and appreciate flowers, but we have to eat. The left hemisphere is the emissary that the right hemisphere sends into the world to gather that most basic thing we need to survive: food. Left unhinged, the left hemisphere craves more and more food. **Lust**: The left hemisphere grasps and controls. It kills the bison so we can eat. It conquers the female so we can satiate our desires. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/08/Huntng-McGil-Quote.png) The left hemisphere's functions: "Manipulating the environment, hunting our quarry, getting what we need from it." McGilchrist, **The Matter with Things* **Greed**: You could argue that the left hemisphere's reason for existence is a prelude to greed: it is designed to acquire and possess. If left unchecked (unmediated/controlled by the right hemisphere), it's going to lapse into greed and come to value all things in terms of their usefulness for acquiring. **Anger**: The left hemisphere strives to acquire: it aims. When our aims are frustrated, anger arises. **Anger (with aggressiveness), says McGilchrist, is the "most highly characteristic" emotional characteristic of the left hemisphere**. *Master*, 432. **Sloth**: This one is tricky. "Sloth" here means *spiritual sloth*, or what classically was known as *ennui*. It brings a measure of melancholy, dejection, or sadness. If your life is dominated by the left hemisphere, you aren't connected to the deeper elements of reality (to the full Reality Spectrum), with the result that you're occasionally going to feel that life has no meaning and you're going to fall into a funk: into ennui. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/08/Ennui.png) **Envy**: The world is hard. The world is scary. Even the left hemisphere would like to take a break, to relax and enjoy its acquisitions. A vibrant right hemisphere knows it can take that break whenever it wants, that leisure doesn't depend on external circumstances. The left hemisphere doesn't understand that, so only it can become envious of other people's security and contentedness. **Pride**: Pride is a lack of humility. Humility is self-forgetfulness. The left hemisphere by its nature *can't* forget the self. Its whole existence is to serve the self: to get food, money, and sex. If you have a left hemisphere that doesn't serve the self, you're screwed. It's the best example of why no one should excoriate the left hemisphere for doing its job: of being selfish, but at the same time, insisting that it be tightly reined in. > Pride is "the root, the source, the mother of sin." John Chrysostom ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/08/Paradise-Lost.jpg) "What makes Satan evil is a disposition: pride, envy, resentment, anger and a delight in exercising power to assail the divine order. Satan seduces Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is said that the meaning of the Hebrew words translated as good and evil ‘mean precisely the useful and the useless, in other words, what is useful for survival and what is not’ – which happens to characterise the value structure of the left hemisphere (and of modern society): utility above all else. And, for us, utility has become the Good. It leads us onwards towards the abyss." McGilchrist, **The Matter with Things* ### AI and Our Need to Get Mentally Jacked URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/ai-and-our-need-to-get-mentally-jacked/ Last updated: 2025-08-11T12:08:33.000Z Picture this: Four Sikhs stride into a title office to close a deal to buy a convenience store. Two elders had beards flowing like an Old Testament prophet. Nothing new there. But the two young Sikhs? Their golf shirts were stretched taut over bulky biceps and pecs. I’ll confess, the sight tickled me, though I couldn’t pin down why. For millennia, the human body was a beast of burden, hauling loads and trudging miles under the sun’s indifferent glare. Then the machines came and removed those burdens. We then got soft. Flabby. Our muscles atrophied while we sat, slack-jawed, in the glow of screens and the hum of engines. By the 1970s, the pioneers of fitness—joggers pounding pavement, weightlifters grunting under iron—were freaks, eccentrics, vain weirdos in a world that hadn’t placed a single gym in my small town. Fast forward fifty years, and the tide’s turned. Folks are sprinting like they’re fleeing a predator, heaving barbells like they’re auditioning for a Viking saga, or thrashing through HIIT workouts like berserkers in a blood frenzy. My burg now has four weight gyms. Even the Sikhs are working out at the gym, even though they hail from cultures where everyday physical toil is still the norm (I suspect that’s why the sight tickled me). The West’s tech took the pressure off our flesh, and the consequences showed. We see the results all around us, ranging from folks who drive their cars to reach a destination 200 yards away to obese folks wheezing under the strain of traversing Wal-Mart. But the motivated among us? We’re fighting back, sweating and straining against the machines that made us doughy. We’re getting jacked. But now the same daggone thing’s happening to our minds. Artificial Intelligence is here, and it’s coming for our brains like a coked-up Wormwood coming for a soul. I used to spell like a lexicographer’s wet dream, nailing every word under Webster’s sun. Now? Spellcheck’s been my crutch for a decade, and my orthography’s gone to seed. The resoolts speak for themselves. It’s not just spelling. AI’s creeping into every corner of our digital lives. Run a search, and it’s AI-curated results. Ask a question, and Grok’s there, tempting you like a dog-eared Playboy under a teenager’s mattress. You can try to dodge it—ride your bike to work, walk the golf course, shun the wheelbarrow in the garden like some Luddite saint. I do some of that myself. But let’s be real: when I drive my daughter back to college in Kansas this month, I ain’t strapping her dorm junk to my back and hoofing it cross-country. And I’m not quitting AI either. Gotta use it, frankly. QR codes are already strangling daily life. Try buying a plane ticket without a smartphone. It’s only gonna get uglier. So what’s the play? Mindfulness, the gurus say, is a start. Watch yourself when you lean on AI. Notice your brain getting a little squishier, a little lazier. That awareness alone might keep you sharp. But I doubt it’s nearly enough. Just like a Sunday stroll won’t cut it in a world of easy transportation, your day job and a little awareness won’t keep your mind honed. You’ve gotta get mentally jacked. Mindfulness, sure. But also read books, real ones, with pages that smell of dust and ink. Fifteen minutes uninterrupted is a good start, but you better go a lot longer than that. Dive into the arts. Writing an essay is good, but you better try writing a book, even you just plan on putting it in a drawer like those great nineteenth-century Russian writers who never expected to be read. Wrestle with Wordl, Sudoku, Rubik’s Cube, or some other brain-teasing game. That’s good, but you better be prepared to grab *The Big-Ass Book of New York Times Saturday Crossword Puzzles* and finish it in a month. Pick a mental regimen, any regimen, maybe combining all the above. But whatever you choose, you’re gonna haffta go hard. This AI thing? It’s a death match against the left hemisphere ([it has no right hemisphere](https://thedailyeudemon.com/language-and-ai/)). You’d better approach it like those gym berserkers, veins popping, eyes wild, ready to fight for every ounce of your mind’s strength. Because if you don’t, the great softening will claim you, and you’ll be left as flabby upstairs as we all were downstairs before the fitness revolution kicked in. ### Six Maniacal Observations from G.K. Chesterton URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/six-maniacal-observations-from-g-k-chesterton/ Last updated: 2025-03-25T23:10:49.000Z G.K. Chesterton shook England in 1908 with *Orthodoxy*, a book that took him from “promising young writer” to “celebrity” in early 20th-century England, possibly the most truly literate culture in the history of the world. It laid out his worldview. He started that view in the neighborhood of the madhouse. Chapter II: “The Maniac.” The entire chapter is worth reading (and re-reading), but here are four observations that GKC makes about the Maniac. ### 1\. The Maniac Rejects Evil > “The strongest saints and the strongest sceptics alike took positive evil as the starting point of their argument.” Why do a few men feel exquisite happiness when they do something evil, like skinning a cat? It’s either because there is no God (the atheist conclusion) or because of Original Sin (the Christian conclusion). The maniac reasons it out and concludes that there is no cat. ### 2\. Life is Dull for the Maniac > “Oddities only strike ordinary people. Oddities do not strike odd people.” When you’re immersed in something, that something isn’t going to strike you. If you’re odd, oddities won’t strike you, but life’s quirks are what make things exciting. The maniac misses them. ### 3\. Reason Breeds Insanity > “Most of the very great poets have been not only sane, but extremely business-like. . . Poets do not go mad; chess-players do.” And when the poet does go mad, like Edgar Allen Poe did, it was because he has a weak spot of rationality on his brain. He was, GKC points out, “specially analytical.” GKC likes logic (it’s on display in all his work), but he also likes those things that transcend it. The maniac doesn’t. The maniac wants certitude — mathematically-precise certitude, preferably — and he’s willing to sacrifice common sense to get it, like the maniac who denies there is no cat (Observation 1 above). ### 4\. The Maniac Always Has a Purpose > “If the madman could for an instant become careless, he would become sane.” The maniac doesn’t chill and do stupid things, like mindlessly slashing grass with a stick or lingering among flowers. The maniac fills every moment with purpose. The happy person does useless things. ### 5\. The Maniac is Always Right and Always Wrong > “The madman’s explanation of a thing is always complete, and often in a purely rational sense satisfactory.” The maniac lives in a rational cocoon. He has his worldview and, within that world, everything has a place. You can never use reason to show him otherwise. The only option is to break open the cocoon somehow. If we can break open his cocoon, a flood of realities that defy his logical world would rush in and clean out the maniacal one, giving him a beautiful world instead of the logical one. ### 6\. The Maniac Puts Himself in the Middle of His Logical World > “Those seekers after the Superman \[are\] always looking for him in the looking-glass.” This is the primary thing that puts the maniac beyond our reach. His mistake is his whole life. That cocoon is, in reality, their own image. We need to break open the cocoon but without killing the person. That’s a delicately difficult thing to do, which is why alternate forces beyond our control (tragedy and grace) are often required. --- ### An Assist from Another Englishman “The Maniac” captures, it seems to me, the main thrust of Iain McGilchrist’s *The Master and His Emissary*, a scholarly work that has been hugely popular (selling 200,000 copies, which is enormous for such works). The left hemisphere of the brain is the hemisphere of *purpose*: cause, efficiency, and control. It is supposed to be subservient to the right hemisphere, which is the hemisphere of *being*. The right hemisphere takes into account everything, including those things that transcend logic. The left hemisphere works within narrow bounds that it can understand. Its role (as emissary) should be limited to the roles the right hemisphere (the proper master) gives it. Unfortunately, the left hemisphere in the modern world has usurped the right hemisphere’s master status. That, McGilchrist spends nearly 500 dense pages explaining, is a seriously bad development for our world. It’s no wonder everything looks increasingly maniacal. ### Scrolling Blog: June-July 2024 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-june-july-2025/ Last updated: 2025-01-10T12:36:30.000Z --- July 12, 2024 > People who still believe that the news media tell them the truth and that their nation and their world work pretty much the way they were taught in school are just as brainwashed and deluded as any QAnon cultist. Caitlin Johnson [Caitlin Johnstone on SubstackPeople who still believe that the news media tell them the truth and that their nation and their world work pretty much the way they were taught in school are just as brainwashed and deluded as any QAnon cultist.![](https://substackcdn.com/icons/substack/icon.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_680,h_680,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fnote%2Fc-61751040%2FpreviewSmall.jpg)](https://substack.com/@caitlinjohnstone/note/c-61751040?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) July 10, 2024 ## Ten Years to Remember: One Podcast to Listen to Of course, it's nearly 90 minutes long, but that's ideal if you're not going to be able to fiddle with your phone, like if you're on a drive or engaged in romance. Concerning the latter, I've assured myself that my velvet voice is an aphrodisiac, so there's that too, but I have laughably little lifetime evidence to support my assurance. [Ten Years to Remember if You Want to Gain a Broad Historical PerspectiveShow notes that link to more show notes.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7986c863-c3cf-45dc-ac9d-caec479f5a0b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6094f21d-5311-495c-b76c-3be8a5e46106_3000x3000.png)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/ten-years-to-remember-if-you-want?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- July 9, 2024 ## My First Substack Series This thing took a shockingly long time to produce, especially considering that I had written the substance of it a few years ago. Tons of revisions, work on the narration, etc. I started to add a handful of funny memes to each post, but finally determined I just needed to pull the trigger on it. I hope you enjoy it. As mentioned in the post below, TDE subscribers read free. Just take out a free subscription to *Eric Scheske's Outside the Modern Limits Substack* publication and I'll send you a one-year complimentary paid subscription. [History of Western Civilization in Just Ten MinutesMy first Substack project![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/07/History-of-Western-Civilization-in-Ten-Minutes-1.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/history-of-western-civilization-in-just-ten-minutes/) --- July 8, 2024 [Preparing for Catholicism’s Preeminent Role in the West after Democracy Collapses?Kevin Vallier’s analysis of Patrick Deneen’s newfound Statism in this podcast episode is really interesting. Deneen wrote Why Liberalism Failed. It got a lot of press, especially after Obama included it on his 2018 reading list. Obama liked his insights but disagreed with Deneen’s conservative conclusions. Enter Adrian Vermeule, an![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/07/Briefly-Yellow-Gradient.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/preparing-for-catholicisms-preeminent-role-in-the-west-after-democracy-collapses/) [Acton Line – The New Catholic IntegralismListen here: From the Acton website: Kevin Vallier, political philosopher and associate professor of philosophy at Bowling Green State University, joins Dan Hugger to discuss Catholic Integralism and his forthcoming book All the Kingdoms of the World: On Radical Religious Alternatives to Liberalism, which publishes with Oxford University Press in September. What is Catholic Integralism and what is its relation to Catholic Social Teaching? What \[…\]![](https://www.kevinvallier.com/favicon.ico)LogoKevin Vallier![](https://www.kevinvallier.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Acton-Line-podcast-logo.jpg)](https://www.kevinvallier.com/media/acton-line-the-new-catholic-integralism/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- July 6, 2024 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/07/MEN-IN-THE-WORKPLACE-NEW-1.png) --- ## Fifth of July A lot of people aren't working today. Good for them. Today's BYCU: People are brewing ancient beers. "Archival Brewing, a brewpub in Belmont, Mich., \[focuses\] on historical recreations like 19th-century Mexican lager . . . ". [Rare Figs + a Strain of Yeast from 850 B.C. = Ancient Egypt BeerThe idea came to Dylan McDonnell early in the pandemic, when a sourdough-baking craze took over a nation under lockdown. Mr. McDonnell, an amateur brewer who lives outside Salt Lake City, saw Seamus Blackley, a video game designer, boasting on social media about baking bread with 4,500-year-old Egyptian yeast.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1539650116574-8efeb43e2750?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGVneXB0fGVufDB8fHx8MTcyMDEyODg0M3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rare-figs-a-strain-of-yeast-from-850-b-c-ancient-egypt-beer/) --- ## Happy Fourth The three audio embeds from this week at TDE, combined into one Spotify podcast --- ## Cracked Me Up Probably because I like to think I have this level of detachment [Joel J Miller on SubstackDiscover and discuss great writing with the world’s smartest readers on Substack.![](https://substack.com/@joeljmiller/note/icons/substack/icon.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ae90cee9-ad67-4cd4-a003-65440edcad06_942x911.jpeg)](https://substack.com/@joeljmiller/note/c-60501249?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- July 3, 2024 [Thomas Sowell’s HemispheresMy first attempt to flush out the phenom that is Thomas Sowell![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/07/Briefly-Misc.-Blue-Field.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/thomas-sowells-hemispheres/) --- ### "Presidential hologram." Ho man. I couldn't stop laughing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/07/data-src-image-2ecd3727-8963-4688-915a-c360382c3f04.png) James Howard Kuntsler, who, IMHO, is establishing himself as the finest essayist on the web. He's not cultured like, say, Joseph Epstein, or urbane like Joan Didion, but he's funny, knowledgeable, and a fine stylist whose prose fits well with the online format. --- July 2, 2024 [Loper Bright: Relentless War Against the Left HemisphereChevron is dead. Thank goodness. It might have been the biggest Supreme Court victory for the right hemisphere ever. We can all read about the landmark decision last week. Chevron had ruled that, if a statute is ambiguous in any manner, the courts must defer to the regulators for interpretation.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1621884342675-20e50d83c75a?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGNoZXZyb258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE5OTI0NzY2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/right-hemisphere-victory-at-supreme-court/) [Why the death of Chevron mattersChevron was written in 1984 and championed by conservative Justice Antonin Scalia who joined the Supreme Court soon afterward![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldMorgan Marietta![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-1234362265.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/death-chevron-matters-fishing/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- July 1, 2024 ## On Fatty Bolger I appreciate any effort to rescue the neglected noble: those little things that are good but nobody notices. It could be a person, it could be a garden. [Celebrating the OverlookedI appreciate any effort to rescue the neglected noble: those little things that are good but nobody notices. It could be a person, it could be a garden. I walk a lot. Pirsig is probably right about the car, and he probably correctly praises the motorcycle with observations like this![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/07/Briefly-Lavender-Wall.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/celebrating-the-overlooked/) [Tolkien’s Little Hero: Fatty BolgerPaul Schweigl at Front Porch Republic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1618845072579-853968656c0e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fHRvbGtpZW58ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE5ODM1OTA2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tolkiens-little-hero-fatty-bolger/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/07/-Money-is-power-s-master-key.--Simone-Weil.png) Closley-related: “All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted.” Frank Herbert --- June 29, 2024 [The Dorothy Parker and Florence King ReincarnateBut she’s going on maternity leave![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Blue-Gradient.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-dorothy-parker-and-florence-king-reincarnate/) --- June 28, 2024 ## BYCU [The Anti-Drinking Picks Up SteamExcerpts from two recent articles![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Brick-Light-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-anti-drinking-picks-up-steam/) --- June 26, 2024 ### It's Out [Getting to the Root of the Matter: A Hemispheric Look at GardeningGardening is just a hobby, and it might not always be practical. But it is arguably the pursuit that postmodern man needs the most. A Copernican revolution in metaphysics explains why.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7986c863-c3cf-45dc-ac9d-caec479f5a0b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F01ca3816-f19e-4f10-8fae-a652dab6d584_2856x2142.jpeg)](https://open.substack.com/pub/ericscheske/p/getting-to-the-root-of-the-matter?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/Getting-to-the-Root-of-the-Matter-2.jpg) --- ## Huge, Mega-Announcement Two Reboots in One: The Substack page and the podcast are both poised to re-launch tonight. Details to follow. [Eric Scheske’s Outside Modern Limits | SubstackCounter-conduct and flourishing in a postmodern, left-hemispheric, world. Click to read Eric Scheske’s Outside Modern Limits, a Substack publication. Launched 2 years ago.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7986c863-c3cf-45dc-ac9d-caec479f5a0b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)SubstackEric Scheske![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:best,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fericscheske.substack.com%2Ftwitter%2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D155458880%26version%3D9)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- June 25, 2024 [Cells of PeaceI keep a handful of books on my Kindle that I read from sporadically. These aren’t books that I dive into, but rather books that I read at odd moments when I![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/Groeschel-208x300.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/cells-of-peace/) --- June 24, 2024 ### The Return Eudemon I'm just returning from a short vacation (extended weekend). Blogging is light and, I'm afraid, will remain light until late July due to a variety of family commitments. Today, I continue to experiment with Substack and the Apple Notes feature. I'm afraid it's not going very well. [Is Substack a Weapon to Preserve Truth?A Substack montage![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1667769950532-86759efb6320?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE3fHxzdWJzdGFjayUyMG1vbnRhZ2V8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE5MjM0OTM1fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/substack-montage/) --- June 21, 2024 ## BYCU [No Amount of Alcohol is Good for You?“No Amount of Alcohol is Good for You--That Much is Clear”The idea that moderate drinking is healthy has been debunked . . . currentlyThe Daily EudemonEric Scheske About a year ago, a friend of mine started evading my invitations to grab a drink. It was only when we caught up for a![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1551538827-9c037cb4f32a?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGNvY2t0YWlsfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxODk3NDI4MXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/no-amount-of-alcohol-is-good-for-you/) --- June 20, 2024 [Capitalism and Communism are Flipsides of the Same Coin?Rod Dreher calls Niall Ferguson’s first column for The Free Press a “banger” and he’s right. Ferguson highlights an alarming number of similarities between the last years of the Soviet Union and the United States today. Does it mean the United States is reaching the end? That’s the implication, obviously,![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Black-Blue-Speckles.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/capitalism-and-communism-are-flipsides-of-the-same-coin/) --- June 19, 2024 ## On LARPing This nascent essay needs work, but it's a decent blog post. The essay could take a few directions. E.g., Fantasy role-playing is fun, but now take your character into the real world. You're Kick-Ass, coming to beat that inner-city thug, only to find yourself on the cusp of getting throttled by him and his gang because, well, you're *not* a superhero. You're a white suburbanite who can't hang with hardened criminals from the hood. You're LARPing at playing a superhero, and you better leave that superhero where he belongs: in the fictional, play regions of your mind. E.g., Thomas Sowell might be the best living public intellectual who adamantly refuses to let abstract ideals beat reality. (I've been working on a Sowell-Hemisphere essay for a year now . . . just so much to condense/capture . . . some day, some day.) E.g., [The essayist of that *Atlantic* piece is a reincarnation of Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur waxing about Pristine Nature, and that Twitter respondent is D.H. Lawrence](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hector-st-john-de-crev/). [The Left Hemisphere LarpsThe response that I featured in yesterday’s post used the word “LARPing.” I’m embarrassed to admit: I didn’t know what it means. Fortunately, I have a Google machine (well, I’ve started using the Perplexity machine . . . an incredible AI tool recommended at my annual estate law conference last month). Per Perplexity:![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1628821759220-6062be946967?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGZpdmUlMjBwb2ludHN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE4ODAxNjUwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-hemisphere-larps/) --- June 18, 2024 [Rationalized Ideals of Silence Crashing Against the Rock of RealityA recent essay at The Atlantic deplores how wealthy people gentrify urban neighborhoods, making them sanctuaries of silence. Silence is a manifestation of class and racial privilege. How much better if those wealthy whites would just let the other side of the binary express itself in all its noise and![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Brick-Light.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rationalized-ideals-of-silence-crashing-against-the-rock-of-reality/) --- June 17, 2024 ## The Most Important War of Freedom Since 1776 Picks Up Steam [“It’s Just Not Right”: Major Venues Now Punishing People For Using Cash Vs. PlasticBring your plastic, or be prepared to pay up…![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2024-06/PA-21238753_9sUwpiQ.width-800_jpg_92.jpg?itok=APPT2-9S)](https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/its-just-not-right-cashless-venues-now-punishing-people-using-cash?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Neil Young is a Part-Time Conservative Bill Kauffman says we simply need to give Young a mulligan on his Covid tantrum against Joe Rogan and Spotify. [It conflicts with my idea of Neil Young](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55891/), but I don't know nearly as much about Neil Young--or North American history, including cultural history, over the past 75 years--as Bill Kauffman, so I defer. > Politically, Young is nothing if not Whitmanesque, containing multitudes. Elliot Roberts, his late manager, explained: “Neil is more American than anyone, even though he’s Canadian….Neil’s an isolationist. I mean, if it were up to him, we’d have no foreign aid, we’d talk to no one, we’d really deal with no one else—‘If they can’t cut it, f— ‘em.’ Neil is extreme….One minute he’s a leftist Democrat, and the next minute he’s a conservative.” [Bill Kauffman on the Subjugation of Canada and Neil Young’s SanityBill Kauffman at The American Conservative![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1578973615934-8d9cdb0792b4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGNhbmFkYXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTg2Mjg1OTh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bill-kauffman-on-the-subjugation-of-canada-and-neil-youngs-sanity/) --- ## The Most Wonderful Time of the Year ### Father's Day Weekend June 16, 2024 [Eric Scheske on SubstackJames Howard Kuntsler continues to channel Chesterton, Belloc, McNabb and the other Distributists, albeit in far more colorful language. “This is the most significant reality of the world picture now: the wishes of the manager class are going in one direction while the actual dynamics of economy and politics go in the opposite direction. The managers wish for their management of systems to become as centralized and top-down as possible; but the very systems they manage are breaking down and seeking to reorganize at smaller scale, distributed locally. The tension entailed is explosive.” https://jameshowardkunstler.substack.com/p/if-wishes-were-fishes-a-teachable![](https://substack.com/@ericscheske/note/icons/substack/icon.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_680,h_680,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fnote%2Fc-59173972%2FpreviewSmall.jpg)](https://substack.com/@ericscheske/note/c-59173972?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- June 15, 2024 ### Experimental Feature Bear with me as I figure out whether this is viable. [Slanting History Since 400 BCA Substack Montage![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1562448079-b5631888445f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGNvbGxhZ2V8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE4NDg0OTQ4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/slanting-history/) --- June 14, 2024 ## BYCU [Memories of Cleveland’s infamous 10-cent Beer Night, 50 years on: Ted DiadiunAs bottles, chairs and anything else the fans could get their hands on rained down on the field, the Texas Rangers pitcher got understandably rattled and the Indians tied the game at 5-5, before Nestor Chylak, the umpire crew chief, rightfully ended the infamous June 4, 1974, game -- 10-cent Beer Night at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium -- with a forfeit, writes Ted Diadiun in a column describing his firsthand experiences during the melee.![](https://www.cleveland.com/pf/resources/images/cleveland/favicon.ico?d=1319)clevelandTed Diadiun, cleveland.com![](https://www.cleveland.com/resizer/v2/4XAIWTSGLFHIZA6PEOTSRCNWHE.jpg?auth=367e3dfc0e2b30223f355fc7a3eabdad3770c20d16f074c8ee38caa377adbd2f&width=1280&quality=90)](https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2024/06/memories-of-clevelands-infamous-10-cent-beer-night-50-years-on-ted-diadiun.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Cocaine Beer Coming?If it were anywhere else in South America, the nondescript house with buckets of coca leaves soaking in liquid could be mistaken for a clandestine cocaine lab. But this is La Paz, Bolivia, and the fruity aroma of coca steeping in barrels signals that you’ve arrived at the government-authorized![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1622483767028-3f66f32aef97?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEyfHxjb2tlfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxODMyNjQ2Nnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/cocaine-beer/) --- June 13, 2024 ## Carlson on Ryan I got through the Tucker Carlson's interview on the Shawn Ryan Show. It was nothing momentous. I'm glad I got a lot of garden weeding done while listening to it. He didn't offer much more insight into aliens than he did on Joe Rogan: he thinks alien sightings are supernatural phenomenon that are here for dark purposes and there's possibly a supernatural war brewing. He seems to be saying, "the World War III being courted by poking Russia in the face is the manifestation on the natural level of the Supernatural World War that's taking place." That's kinda how I read him. In any event, he emphasizes that he doesn't know and it's just a gut feeling, but one emanating from very solid evidence that the government is covering up. I remain agnostic. The end of the interview, veers pretty strongly, if circumspectly, anti-Catholic. After a brief exchange about the priestly abuse scandal, Ryan left-hemispherically (dogmatically) insisted Christ's church isn't "brick and mortar," which I'm pretty sure is simply his metaphor for "an earthly institution." I suspect he used the metaphor instead of the literal because he didn't want to alienate any Catholic listeners. I hasten to add that I know *nothing* about Ryan except what I heard on this podcast, so it's entirely possibly I entirely misread him, but I doubt it. [SRS #115 Tucker Carlson - Tucker Carlson - Revolution, World War 3, WTTucker Carlson is an American journalist, commentator and host of the Tucker Carlson Network. He is most widely known for his 2016 - 2023 stint as host of Tucker Carlson Tonight, an extremely popular political Fox News show. Carlson’s long career in media is marked by both critical acclaim and criticism. His expressShawn Ryan ShowElijah VE![](https://shawnryanshow.com/cdn/shop/articles/REV-A-115-Tucker-cover.jpg?v=1717365971)](https://shawnryanshow.com/blogs/the-shawn-ryan-show/srs-115-tucker-carlson-revolution-world-war-3-and-hijacked-media?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Dreher at Substack Rod Dreher publishes a diary at Substack. I read it for the first time this morning. It's very good and, it appears, free. Keep in mind, Dreher left the Catholic Church, traumatized by the priestly abuse scandal (understandable) and justified by his conclusion that Catholic doctrine is wrong (I forget the specifics; I remember rolling my eyes and thinking he should've simply left off at the buggery . . . that woulda sufficed for me). Anyway, on display is a dose of the anti-Catholic serum that flows through every former Catholic's veins. I think the serum is unavoidable because there's a broken metaphysic involved, but I'm obviously just concocting that notion in my head (I also hunch the same when it comes to couples who divorce even though the original marriage was valid). Regardless, the animus in the diary entry seems fair, just, and on display for a reason. [Public Life, Private LifeAnd: Open Borders & Terrorism; Liberals & Migration; Ignatian Customer Service![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Rod Dreher's DiaryRod Dreher![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0220de5c-78b5-4aec-850e-e5029ed1d598_1688x1112.png)](https://roddreher.substack.com/p/public-life-private-life?utm%5Fsource=post-email-title&publication%5Fid=136360&post%5Fid=145562433&utm%5Fcampaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1mwuz7&triedRedirect=true&utm%5Fmedium=email) June 12, 2024 ### Abbreviated Blogging Continues My apologies for the abbreviated posts lately. Summer is tough on everyone's time. On top of that, I've been working on a few lengthy essays for submission to various magazines. [Existence Strikes Back Project GlossaryA work-in-process. Very early stages. I envision the final product will be ten times this long, if not longer. I haven’t even begun to include The Hemisphere Hypothesis, but I hope to start soon.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1451226428352-cf66bf8a0317?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGRpY3Rpb25hcnl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE4MTk3Nzc1fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/existence-strikes-back-project-glossary/) --- June 11, 2024 ### Members Only [Read Your Way Out of Left-Hemisphere HegemonyEric Scheske![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1519682577862-22b62b24e493?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fHJlYWRpbmd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAyMTMwNzg0fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/read-your-way-out-of-left-hemisphere-hegemony/) --- June 10, 2024 [Encourage Urban GardeningI have a client in Detroit who keeps a small stash of money at his son’s house, along with a few guns, on the west side of Michigan, in a rural farming community. The reason? “When things collapse and Detroit erupts, I’ll boogie out and live with my son, where![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1631195414013-85b70ff2c180?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGNvbW11bml0eSUyMGdhcmRlbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTc5NDE1NTJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/encourage-urban-gardening/) --- June 9, 2024 ## An Excerpt from the Second Substack I've Paid to Subscribe to I'll listen to the referenced podcast soon. [The Free Press on Tucker CarlsonBari Weiss’ Free Press says Tucker Carlson is a loon. Me? I’m not sure what to think.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Metallic-Orange.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-free-press-on-tucker-carlson/) --- # The Far Right is Not What Threatens Europe Most ***It is time that the European left grew up. Prattling on about Mussolini and Marshal Pétain is passé.*** > Voters have eyes and ears, they are aware of what has unfolded in Europe in recent months. It is not far-right students calling for the destruction of Israel; it was not members from Marine Le Pen’s party who were questioned by police on charges of “apology for \[Hamas\] terrorism;” it was not a right-wing Spanish member who tweeted soon after the [October 7 attack](https://thespectator.com/tag/october-7/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): “Today and always with Palestine;” it was not a right -wing mayor in Brussels trying to [prevent](https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-is-the-mayor-of-tehran-welcome-in-brussels-but-not-nigel-farage/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) democratically elected politicians speaking at a conference because he objected to their views; it was not a Swedish right-wing member who recently attended a conference linked with Hamas. [The far right is not what threatens Europe mostEurope does indeed feel like it might be returning to ‘the darkest pages of our history.’ But do not blame the ‘far right’ for it![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldGavin Mortimer![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2152345873.gif)](https://thespectator.com/topic/far-right-not-what-most-threatens-europe/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- June 7, 2024 ## BYCU ### There's Always Something New Under the Drinking Sun Today: artichoke liqueur. Yikes, but this writer adores the stuff. [Put Cynar In EverythingTwo cocktails that use Cynar as a base ingredient.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca335f59-61aa-4642-ae89-4b5d5062809b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Cocktails With SudermanPeter Suderman![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa8418388-dbfc-4d3c-a3b2-17c120761f45_3292x2668.jpeg)](https://cocktailswithsuderman.substack.com/p/put-cynar-in-everything) [Cynar and TonicPeter Suderman at Cocktails with Suderman (Substack)![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1617163303118-4b8efd441ed3?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDh8fHRvbmljfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNzcxODQ2Mnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/cynar-and-tonic/) --- June 6, 2024 ### Labor Costs Killing Asparagus in the Golden State [Fast-growing asparagus once flourished on California farms. Why is it disappearing?At the turn of the 21st century, California growers were farming more than 36,000 acres of asparagus. Now, fewer than 3,000 acres are in production in the state for commercial sale. These are the last three farms.![](https://www.latimes.com/apple-touch-icon.png)Los Angeles TimesCindy Carcamo![](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ea3a5cd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4022x2112+0+285/resize/1200x630!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F12%2F36%2F8defda2d40bdabed9f0f67c3675d%2F1422161-fo-ca-asparagus-farmers-17-ajs.jpg)](https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-05-08/asparagus-california-disappearing-farming-industry-delta-nafta-labor?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) June 5, 2024 [Knowledge Through Experience is Still KnowledgeEric Scheske![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/Attention.jpeg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-48/) --- June 4, 2024 ## Science is Magic's Brother Both toil in this valley of tears. One's just better at it than the other. [Magic in Everyday Renaissance EuropeLaura Miller at Slate![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1569852178898-9605dfd85b4a?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fG1hZ2ljfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNzUwNzA2NHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/magic-in-everyday-renaissance-europe/) --- June 3, 2024 ## Postmodern Man Needs the Garden It's for TDE members only. If you're not a member, consider it. My big project right now is to re-launch my Substack, with a short history series that will be available to paid subscribers only. TDE members will receive a free one-month subscription through the TDE newsletter (during that month, you can download the history series if you like them and cancel your subscription). [Why Gardening MattersThe right hemisphere is receptive to those things offered—demanded—by the garden: uncertainty, failure, surprise, patience, slowness, curiosity. The left hemisphere is also engaged by the garden: it plots, plans, and implements procedures. But gardening keeps the right hemisphere in the master position because gardening relentlessly pushes the right![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Brown.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-gardening-matters/) --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/-The-multiplicity-of-texts-is-a-continual-marytrom.--St.-Francis-de-Sales.png) ### Deadpool Doesn't Matter URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-57/ Last updated: 2024-08-01T19:20:32.000Z *Endgame* ended me. After that, I pledged never to watch another Marvel superhero film. And it wasn't because I barely survived the CGI waterboarding. And it wasn't because Brie Larson, adorable in *21 Jump Street*, was insufferable as Captain Marvel, giving us the biggest fall in entertainment since Jimmy Kimmel went woke and disingenuous. No, it wasn't the CGI and DEI trappings (and to be fair to Marvel Studios, DEI was kinda baked into its DNA by the progressive Stan Lee[1](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/deadpool-doesnt-matter?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#footnote-1-147234794)). It was the ranch dressing on the nacho cheese sauce that was poured over the pizza. Read the rest [Deadpool Doesn’t MatterEndgame ended me.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7986c863-c3cf-45dc-ac9d-caec479f5a0b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe24f588a-80fb-4f71-b514-74c308813635_1152x640.jpeg)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/deadpool-doesnt-matter?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### How Many Beers Does It Take to Find the Tao? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52105/ Last updated: 2024-10-30T12:15:14.000Z #### C.S. Lewis would’ve said “zero.” It’s the Tao that helps you find the beer. > It is Nature, it is the Way, the Road. It is the Way in which the universe goes on, the Way in which things everlastingly emerge, stilly and tranquilly, into space and time. It is also the Way which every man should tread in imitation of that cosmic and supercosmic progression, conforming all activities to that great exemplar. That’s C.S. Lewis writing about the Tao in his famous book, *The Abolition of Man*. Since the book’s publication in 1947, Lewis’s name has been associated with the Tao because of his love and respect for the natural law it embodies. But I associate Lewis with the Tao for a different reason: his beer drinking. You see, Lewis spent many Tuesday mornings at the Eagle and Child public house drinking beer with J.R.R. Tolkien and other friends. It’s vintage Lewis. Although he was at times melancholy, Lewis could find enjoyment almost anywhere doing almost anything: attending church, taking long country walks, living at his humble [Kilns](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FKilns?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), tutoring students, writing theology or children’s fiction, teaching. ## The difference between enjoying and enjoying the enjoying Lewis’s capacity for enjoyment stemmed at least partly from the early influence of a little-known Australian philosopher named Samuel Alexander. “Enjoyment and the contemplation of our inner activities are incompatible. You cannot hope and also think about hoping at the same moment. Of course, the two activities can and do alternate with great rapidity, but they are distinct and incompatible. . . The surest way of spoiling a pleasure \[is\] to start examining your satisfaction. . . \[N\]early everything that was going on a moment before is stopped by the very act of our turning to look at it.” In other words, we cannot enjoy a thing or person and think about ourselves at the same time. It is impossible to think about our enjoyment and simultaneously take joy in the other thing. ## The Taoist doesn’t enjoy the enjoying A similar truth pervades Taoism. Thomas Merton described the way of Tao as “the simple good with which one is endowed by the very fact of existence. Instead of self-conscious cultivation of this good (which vanishes when we look at it and becomes intangible when we try to grasp it), we grow quietly in the humility of a simple, ordinary life.” The true “man of Tao” grows “without watching himself grow, and without any appetite for self-improvement.” The man of Tao takes in his surroundings, but without thinking about taking them in, more concerned about the “outer and other” than about himself. Merton once recounted a famous Tao story by Chuang Tzu, called “The Woodcarver.” At the request of a prince, a master carver named Khing made a bell stand that was so beautiful that the people ascribed it to the work of spirits. When the prince asked how he accomplished such a feat, Khing replied: “I am only a workman: I have no secret. There is only this: When I began to think about the work you commanded I guarded my spirit, did not expend it on trifles, that were not to the point. I fasted in order to set my heart at rest. After three days fasting, I had forgotten gain and success. After five days I had forgotten praise or criticism. After seven days I had forgotten my body with all its limbs. . . I was collected in the single thought of the bell stand. Then I went to the forest to see the trees in their own natural state. When the right tree appeared before my eyes, the bell stand also appeared in it, clearly, beyond doubt. All I had to do was to put forth my hand and begin.” Khing’s thought centered only on the bell stand. He was completely absorbed in the object. To enhance his ability to see the object, he fasted, an ascetic practice that shrinks the self and leaves the individual free to see the other — the object — freed from the distortion of ego. It might be said that Khing accomplished a masterpiece because he took no thought about completing a masterpiece. He was concerned only with creating the bell stand. ## This Taoist insight in the West This Tao-like understanding of art and creation is not far different from the Western understanding of art and creation. By putting aside self, the goodness of creation comes forth and the artist is able to see it, appreciate it, and, without distorting it in a whirlwind ego, put it down on the canvas or page. In the words of philosopher Josef Pieper, the artist’s is a “purely receptive stance toward reality, undisturbed by any interruption by the will.” Lewis was an artist, and not just in his essays and fiction. He was an artist in all things, including tutoring, living at his humble Kilns, taking long walks, and attending church. He took things in, without thinking about himself taking it in. Like a real man of the Tao. This enabled him to drink beer at the Eagle and Child pub on Tuesday mornings. Not only is beer a Taoist-like drink that enables the drinker to obtain a small amount of inebriation that shrinks the self and enables the objective goodness of things to shine through the soul, but the Tuesday morning gatherings at the pub were good and Lewis, a man of the Tao, was able to see it and take it in. To the average person, Tuesday morning drinking sessions are outrageous. Tuesday, after all, is a far cry from the weekend, the “proper” time for drinking. Tuesday morning drinking interferes with one’s pursuits and ambitions; morning beer makes you drowsy; spending time in a tavern in the morning takes away some of the most productive hours of the day. But Lewis didn’t care because he didn’t care about ambition and the efficient use of time. The Tuesday morning beer sessions were good. His friends were good. The beer was good. And so he went. And drank. And had fun. ### The Left Hemisphere Deranges People Out of the Local, Driving Them Through Rationalism into the Clutches of Ideology, including Nationalism URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-hemisphere-deranges-people-out-of-the-local-driving-them-through-rationalism-into-the-clutches-of-ideology-including-nationalism/ Last updated: 2024-07-23T23:31:11.000Z > Human beings, when not deranged by ideology, do in fact find their purpose in and through a community that sees itself as holy. > Every premodern society was grounded in a sacred law that insisted, as Strauss explains, that “not everything is permitted.” (This sacred community could well be, by the way, a polity deriving its authority from “the laws of nature and nature’s god.”) It is the confrontation with these divine codes, which define all premodern regimes, that first made political philosophy possible. Strauss famously referred to this as “the theological-political problem.” > Modern liberalism’s attempt to create the rational state repudiated all such holy laws as superstition. Methodological science, it was presumed, would bring universal enlightenment and a global order of liberal democracies. But this conceit, as Strauss showed, has instead given us the nihilistic rage of the hollow self. To reverse this condition—to escape from the cave beneath the cave—it is not enough simply to wish for, or even work toward, a revival of Christianity. Virtually every Christian institution today operates within the horizon of modern liberalism; it preaches “humanitarian morality.” What is necessary, Strauss suggested in a famous response to Carl Schmitt, is to escape that horizon and undertake a “radical critique of liberalism.” Glenn Ellmers, *The New Criterion*, June 2024. [The soul of Strauss | The New CriterionOn Leo Strauss & the crisis of modern liberalism.![](https://newcriterion.com/favicon-jun.ico)The New CriterionGlenn Ellmers![](https://newcriterion.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/LS-LBI-e1716306098468.webp)](https://newcriterion.com/article/the-soul-of-strauss/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Left Hemisphere Ruins Literature URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-55/ Last updated: 2024-07-14T11:41:00.000Z **D.H. Lawrence** might have had the John Thomas of a degenerate, but he had the soul of an artist. I guess it’s no surprise. His father was an illiterate, hard-drinking coal miner. His mother was educated and refined. It made him earthy but reflective. He appreciated cutting-edge ideas but declined to let them ruin his art. **Nathaniel Hawthorne** hated the Transcendentalists, once greeting Ralph Waldo Emerson with a growling, “How is your oversoul this morning?” The Transcendentalists were phony. They were about ideas, not reality. It’s no surprise an earthy fiction writer like Hawthorne despised them. Fiction is reality dressed up as unreality. **Flannery O’Connor** was so real, she was surreal. Her first published story revolved around a potted geranium. “Gothic realism.” She told would-be fiction writers to ditch ideas and work on the earthy details. Those details provide the soil and pot where the story grows. --- ### Socialist Realism **Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov, and Turgenev.** The Russian realist masters. We still read them today, nearly 200 years later. And then a few decades later, in that same Russian soil and blood, we get Russian unrealism. “Socialist realism,” Stalin called it: literature (and art) in service to the Marxist ideal. Quick: Name a Soviet-era author who didn’t end up in exile or the Gulag? I couldn’t do it either. There was Maxim Gorky, of course. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize and said “Destroy homosexuality and fascism will disappear,” but no one reads him today and most critics say he wasn’t great. Soviet literature didn’t suffer because it was Marxist. It suffered because it started with the Marxist ideal. If Soviet literature worked with real details that naturally flowed into a Marxist denouement, that would’ve been fine, but that couldn’t happen anymore vodka can naturally flow into sobriety. The great critic Hugh Kenner showed that economic forces shape literature. It’s not surprising. Poverty is real and fiction writers have traditionally harvested it for more stories than immigrants have harvested grapes in central California. Few things are more real than finances. Soviet writers were required to produce a Socialist harvest, which means they were told to use real details to produce an unreal message. It’s impossible to do it well. Reality can’t lead to unreality. A fiction writer who works with real details is going to reach a real conclusion. Whatever that conclusion is, it won’t be Marxist, unless the writer swindles his prose. [The Left Hemisphere Ruins LiteratureD.H. Lawrence might have had the John Thomas of a degenerate, but he had the soul of an artist. I guess it’s no surprise. His father was an illiterate, hard-drinking coal miner. His mother was educated and refined. It made him earthy but reflective. He appreciated cutting-edge ideas but declined to let them ruin his art.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7986c863-c3cf-45dc-ac9d-caec479f5a0b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1631519952398-5b1d76b946e8?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1fHxsaXRlcmF0dXJlfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNzAxNTY5NXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=1080)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/the-left-hemisphere-ruins-literature?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### History of Western Civilization in Just Five Minutes URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/history-of-western-civilization-in-just-ten-minutes/ Last updated: 2024-07-09T13:25:05.000Z People find history hard. The jumble of names, events, dates. It's helpful to have a framework to hold pieces of the jumble. That's what I have tried to provide here: [A framework of Western civilization in five minutes . . . presented through the prism of ten years](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/you-can-know-the-historical-framework?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (not specific dates . . . just years). If you memorize these ten years, you'll have a workable structure to build upon. If you then read about each of the years, you'll have a solid structure to build upon. [That's this Substack series](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/t/history?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I was going to publish it as an e-book (it's about 14,000 words), but I've increasingly become enamored with Substack, especially its audio features. All 13 posts are narrated and accompanied by music from my righteous southern rocker nephew. ## TDE Subscribers Read Free I put all 13 episodes behind a paywall. They will be behind a paywall when I release the entire audio series as a single Substack podcast (a thing I hope to do later this week, but due to tech issues, it might not get released until August). But if you are subscribed to The Daily Eudemon (including its *Outside the Modern Limits* newsletter) I will comp you one year of the Substack publication. [**When I see that you have taken out a free subscription to Eric Scheske's Outside the Modern Limits (Substack), I will send you a complimentary paid one-year subscription.**](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) If you don't have it within 24 hours, email me at eric scheske @ g mail . com. ## Heard it Before? Many of you have seen this series before. I ran the introductory piece at TDE and I ran each of the years as part of The Weekly Eudemon podcast series (which is still in Spotify/Apple archives). The entire thing, however, has been revised and re-worked into a single project, geared specifically for Substack. The intro piece is linked to each of the ten years. Every piece has separate audio. It's a far better product and, like I said, contained in one spot. As always, word-of-digital-mouth is necessary for any online project's success. If you can forward this email or recommend the series to friends, family, students, or parishioners (I'm grateful for all my readers, but especially humbled by the handful of priests and professors who subscribe), I'd appreciate it. [You Can Know the Historical Framework of Western Civilization in Just Five MinutesIt’s all in this post.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7986c863-c3cf-45dc-ac9d-caec479f5a0b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Eric Scheske's Outside Modern LimitsEric Scheske![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73510ac3-cdf9-43df-9345-d5de209988bb_2016x1512.jpeg)](https://outsidemodernlimits.com/p/you-can-know-the-historical-framework?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Preparing for Catholicism's Preeminent Role in the West after Democracy Collapses? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/preparing-for-catholicisms-preeminent-role-in-the-west-after-democracy-collapses/ Last updated: 2024-07-08T13:10:26.000Z Kevin Vallier's analysis of Patrick Deneen's newfound Statism in [this podcast episode](https://www.kevinvallier.com/media/acton-line-the-new-catholic-integralism/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is really interesting. Deneen wrote *Why Liberalism Failed*. It got a lot of press, especially after Obama included it on his 2018 reading list. Obama liked his insights but disagreed with Deneen's conservative conclusions. Enter Adrian Vermeule, an official from the Obama White House, who converted to Catholicism in 2016 and joined the Catholic integralist movement. And apparently converted Deneen to the idea that the Deep State is fine and bureaucracy, noble, as well as convinced Deneen of the goodness of economic planning. That's apparently the gist of his book, *Regime Change: Toward a Postliberal Future*, in which he puts forth his "[overall project to commandeer the administrative state for leftist economic and social conservative ends](https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2023/05/89023/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)." But is that what's really driving Deneen: a facile faith in soft Socialism and the coercive governing apparatus required to support it? Professor Vallier doubts it. He believes Deneen and Vermeule are true believers, twice: sincere Catholics and sincerely convinced that western democracy is going to fail. They think Catholicism is the only non-terrifying thing that will be capable of filling the resulting void and they're trying to mold public discourse in that direction. But does Catholicism support Socialism? No, in fact, it strongly condemns it. But it also doesn't support capitalism and, in fact, has strongly condemned it for its excesses. So does Catholicism condemn Socialism outright and capitalism only for its excesses? I'm not sure, but I don't think so. Catholicism supports social welfare programs, which, I believe, ineluctably slide a society toward Socialism and the Big State, so I think it's safe to say that Catholicism only condemns Socialism for its excesses, hence Deneen and Vermeule can believe in the State and remain Catholics in good standing. But are Deneen and Vermeule right? As a man who has stood in line at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for hours, I can most assuredly confirm that they are wrong: the administrative state is evil and can't be joined with Catholicism any more than a virgin can be joined with a whorehouse: one of them are going to get tainted. I say the above half-jokingly. It represents my gut impression and my intellectual biases, but I remain intrigued by Deneen, Vermeule, and the whole integralist project. [Acton Line – The New Catholic IntegralismListen here: From the Acton website: Kevin Vallier, political philosopher and associate professor of philosophy at Bowling Green State University, joins Dan Hugger to discuss Catholic Integralism and his forthcoming book All the Kingdoms of the World: On Radical Religious Alternatives to Liberalism, which publishes with Oxford University Press in September. What is Catholic Integralism and what is its relation to Catholic Social Teaching? What \[…\]![](https://www.kevinvallier.com/favicon.ico)LogoKevin Vallier![](https://www.kevinvallier.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Acton-Line-podcast-logo.jpg)](https://www.kevinvallier.com/media/acton-line-the-new-catholic-integralism/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Thomas Sowell's Hemispheres URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/thomas-sowells-hemispheres/ Last updated: 2024-07-04T00:31:36.000Z ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F19b8efc7-63ac-4666-9761-12ef856f6091_553x309.jpeg) Sowell's Hemispheres 0:00 /255.033469 1× 💡 ****Thomas Sowell in a hemispheric nutshell: He doesn't seem to be a man with robust right-hemispheric qualities, but he's a man who refuses to let his left hemisphere control him.** **Thomas Sowell's right hemisphere**: First, I have no idea how robust his right hemisphere is. Does he connect strongly with the Tao? I don't know and it is, quite frankly, none of my business, but his writings don't seem to display or use any right-hemispheric propensities. He simply digs into facts. He doesn't appeal much to tradition or intuitive knowledge, though I like to think his thinly veiled preference for the constrained vision in his classic, *A Conflict of Visions*, effuses a right-hemispheric sense of things. **Thomas Sowell's left hemisphere**: He keeps it bridled as much as possible. He accepts any fact and incorporates it into his analysis. He accepts that people are religious even if he's not. He acknowledges that prejudices are unavoidable so they need to be respected. He understands blacks themselves cause the negative stereotyping, even though he's black, suffered from racial bias while growing up, and appreciates that whites have contributed to black culture today (by celebrating its excesses and killing initiative through welfare programs). Sowell is one of the best practitioners of American Pragmatism in the vein of William James. It's not easy to do. The left hemisphere *loves* abstractions: ideals that it sets up so it can better conduct its affairs. These ideals quickly morph into opinions, which can turn into judgments, and then turn into Standards against which other things must be measured, kinda like the way a Christian Fundamentalist measures everything against the Bible. (The Gnostic, Voegelin pointed out, tends to embrace a "koran" to help provide these Standard: the Puritans embraced the Calvin's *Institutes* for such purposes; the Marxist embraces *Das Kapital*; the Muslim embraces the Koran.) Intelligent people tend to have more robust left hemispheres, with the result that they produce these intellectual abstractions at a faster rate than the less intelligent. On top of that, intelligent people know they're intelligent, so they're more cocky, with the result that they tend to be less aware that they're obeying abstractions more than reality. As a result of all that: Intellectuals are the most likely to embrace and defend the stupidest and most dangerous things in the teeth of reality. Their left hemispheres have erected a Standard (a logocentric idea, a mini-god, etc.), and everything else must be subservient to it, including the facts, and if the facts contradict it, the facts either haven't been fully flushed out yet or we just need further facts to undo the contradictions, hence a hundred million people killed by Marxism doesn't deter the Marxist because, after another hundred million are killed, the blessedness of Socialism will finally become known and the intellectuals' god realized. --- ## McGilchrist on Smart People and Their Biases > "\[I\]ntelligent people are every bit as likely to have biases as less intelligent people – and to deny their own prejudices. . . . Being a scientist doesn’t help, either, by the way . . . \[S\]ome evidence shows that people with more education are more likely to cling to ideological beliefs in the teeth of evidence. . . \[T\]hese are the dangerous ones: those that think they lack prejudice. . . . ‘If anything, a larger bias blind spot was associated with higher cognitive ability’, conclude Richard West and colleagues, leading researchers in this area." *The Matter with Things*, Chp. 18 --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/07/Foster-Wallace.jpg) ****"There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship." David Foster Wallace. "And if you're not aware you're worshipping, you're likely to worship Moloch and think you're doing a good thing." Eric Joseph Scheske** ### Loper Bright Slashes the Left Hemisphere's Reach URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/right-hemisphere-victory-at-supreme-court/ Last updated: 2025-11-22T10:36:32.000Z Chevron is Dead: Audio 0:00 /429.270204 1× 💡 **Chevron* deferred to rules and experts, two things cherished by the left hemisphere. The death of **Chevron* is a victory for the right hemisphere. *Chevron* is dead. Thank goodness. It might have been the biggest Supreme Court victory for the right hemisphere ever. *Chevron* said that, if a statute is ambiguous, the courts must defer to the regulators for interpretation and application, and the regulators could be reversed only if their rules were unreasonable. Regulators and bureaucrats became kings because, as deconstructionism taught us, words are *always* ambiguous, and showing that something is "unreasonable" is a hard burden of proof to meet if you're a plaintiff. *Chevron* assumed that regulators are experts and that experts need to be listened to, as if regulators act only with a high level of intelligence that knows no bias. Boy, those were heady and naive days, when a Court could believe such nonsense. And it wasn't that long ago: 1984\. Fortunately, COVID has disabused most people of the notions that experts are reliable, regulators are unbiased, and neither is corrupt. Experts are often the least reliable (because they don't realize they're unreliable). Regulators are extremely biased (because they refuse to acknowledge their bias). And both are among the most corrupt (because power corrupts and *Chevron* power corrupts absolutely). > The claims to expertise made by the administrative state are simply no longer tenable. The dissent endorsed by the three liberal justices concludes with a quote from the original *Chevron* ruling that “judges are not experts in the field.” In more innocent times, the public trusted the professionals in administrative agencies to be honest experts, who would not misrepresent evidence, or hide data, or agree among themselves to lie for political goals. Recent events have shown that trust to be misplaced. The pandemic destroyed that faith, and we no longer trust when we can’t verify. --- How is this a victory for the right hemisphere? Because it's a slash against the left hemisphere. A weaker left hemisphere helps promote the right hemisphere. I wish it weren't such a zero-summish game, but in these postmodern times, I'm afraid it is. Bureaucracy, McGilchrist frequently points out, is left-hemispheric. It likes rules that provide clear-cut answers to problems, even when those answers yield absurd results. That, we've all experienced, is everyday bureaucracy: organizations that operate on rules that some jackass formed in his head, without due regard to their real-world application (which is, or should be, the only application that matters). It's not the jackass's fault, of course, except to the extent that he actually believes he (or anyone) is capable of drafting such rules. No one can draft rules that cover a large swatch of human action in a way that will make sense in everyday applications. That's a big reason why big sucks. Big corporations implement procedures to control thousands of employees and millions of customers . . . and they rarely make sense in everyday application, but the desk clerk says, "Sorry, that's our policy." Fortunately, big corporations have a pricing mechanism to obey, so they must adjust policies eventually. Not so bureaucrats. There is no free market to check their excesses. There's just the law, and under *Chevron*, there wasn't even that. The left hemisphere under *Chevron* was free to pontificate and enforce with virtually no check on its power. That's why I say its reversal is arguably the biggest victory ever for the right hemisphere in Supreme Court history. [Why the death of Chevron mattersChevron was written in 1984 and championed by conservative Justice Antonin Scalia who joined the Supreme Court soon afterward![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldMorgan Marietta![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-1234362265.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/death-chevron-matters-fishing/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## McGilchrist on Experts ### Just a few samples from Chapter 18 of *The Matter with Things* "\[I\]ntelligent people are every bit as likely to have biases as less intelligent people – and to deny their own prejudices." "Indeed, some evidence shows that people with more education are more likely to cling to ideological beliefs in the teeth of evidence." "'\[I\]solated reasoning is impossible, because reasoning depends on a prior setting-up of a system of concepts, percepts, classes, categories – call them what you will – in terms of which all situations are understood. It is there that biases and selection enter the picture.’" Quoting Douglas Hofstadter ### Celebrating the Overlooked URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/celebrating-the-overlooked/ Last updated: 2024-07-02T01:09:58.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/07/Pirsig-Bike-v-Car.png) Robert Pirsig, **Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance*, extolling the virtue of the motorcycle over the car. I tend to agree with him, though I've never ridden a motorcycle. Fatty Bolger 0:00 /271.098776 1× I walk a lot. Pirsig is probably right about the car, and he probably correctly praises the motorcycle with observations like this one: "You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming." But I gotta believe walking is the motorcycle experience on steroids, or maybe a steroidal valium of some sort. In or on a vehicle, the world whirls by. Not so on foot. In a car, it's natural not to notice things. On foot, it's unnatural not to notice things. Awhile back, I started a website dedicated to pictures of lovely places around my small town. It was going to be a natural extension of my quotidian peripatetic. I routinely walk around my hometown of 10,000 people and come across small houses with unique, quirky, or pretty front yards and porches. I figured I would take pictures of them and start posting them online anonymously. Regrettably, I started the website and took the pictures, but the two never wed. In retrospect, it strikes me that the pictures I took--and the houses that still appeal to me--were well-ordered houses in the poorer areas of town. My town has a lot of wealthy people with magnificent yards, but I tend to overlook them. I like the little houses that, instead of looking like the meth dens that tend to migrate to those areas, are decorated and well-ordered in some manner. It doesn't even matter to me whether the presentation is to my taste. I remember one little house with a front-yard filled with Dollar Tree yard ornaments. It was tacky, quite frankly, but dang, those ornaments were new, well-spaced, and working hard. It was nice, in its garish way. The little (and cheap and neglected and condescended) but good. I should probably try to find one such thing every day and celebrate it. It'd be my symbolic middle finger to the darkening clouds of bigness that seem to be enveloping our country. My celebration today? This celebration of Tolkien's smallest character: Fatty Bolger. Sam Gamgee isn't the unsung hero of *The Lord of the Rings*. Hero, yes, but not unsung. In fact, I've grown tired of hearing Sam's praises. Fatty Bolger, OTOH, was everything: little, heroic, and unsung. [Fatty Bolger, a Local Hero - Front Porch RepublicPerhaps Pippin is right, but none of the friends call Fredegar Fatty anymore, and those chaps know something about heroics.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicPaul Schweigl![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/nen-hithoel-north-mavora-lake-1200.webp)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/06/fatty-bolger-a-local-hero/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Tolkien's Little Hero: Fatty Bolger URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/tolkiens-little-hero-fatty-bolger/ Last updated: 2024-07-01T13:03:14.000Z [Celebrating the OverlookedI appreciate any effort to rescue the neglected noble: those little things that are good but nobody notices. It could be a person, it could be a garden. I walk a lot. Pirsig is probably right about the car, and he probably correctly praises the motorcycle with observations like this![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/07/Briefly-Lavender-Wall.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/celebrating-the-overlooked/) I should very much like to buy Fatty Bolger an ale. For all people who hold down posts that are unglamorous, or fight the good fight in a small town, or generally fail to make much social progress, Fredegar (“Fatty no longer”) Bolger is a literary saint for our time. If Fredegar is mentioned on a dozen pages of *The Lord of the Rings*, I would be surprised. He is among Frodo’s inner circle of friends, though not quite as inner as Merry and Pippin. He helped Frodo pack when he made the difficult decision to sell Bag End and went ahead to warm the house in Crickhollow where Frodo never truly intended to live. Tolkien gives us few glimpses of his personality in this early stage of the epic; it is far more important to the grand narrative to learn something about the hobbits who will be a part of the Fellowship of the Ring. Fredegar’s loyalty to friends is a clear feature of his character, but this positive impression is offset somewhat by the ridiculousness of his nickname. *Fatty* is clearly the handle for the friend in the circle least likely to be taken seriously, and Tolkien, perhaps hinting at the superficiality of Bolger’s outlook, tells us that “even Fatty” was content after a shared meal in Crickhollow. **Read the rest** [Fatty Bolger, a Local Hero - Front Porch RepublicPerhaps Pippin is right, but none of the friends call Fredegar Fatty anymore, and those chaps know something about heroics.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicPaul Schweigl![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/nen-hithoel-north-mavora-lake-1200.webp)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/06/fatty-bolger-a-local-hero/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Dorothy Parker and Florence King Reincarnate URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-dorothy-parker-and-florence-king-reincarnate/ Last updated: 2024-07-23T18:48:41.000Z I rarely find women funny. I tweaked Perplexity's AI nose this morning and asked it, "Why aren't women funny?" It replied, "I don't agree with or promote the premise that women aren't funny." It then lectured me about outdated cultural biases and, to prove its point, named a handful of funny women (I recognized half of the names, none of whom are funny). It's unfortunate that the best AI engine has been laced with political correctness, but my question was obnoxious and, like Perplexity, I didn't even agree with its premise. The women in the early *Saturday Night Live days* were hilarious. Going back a bit further, Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball were funny. And going back even further, Dorothy Parker was one of the finest literary wits of the twentieth century. Florence King was her literary offspring. I've never found any other female writers who crack me up, though I admittedly haven't spent much time searching. But I found one last month at *The Free Press* (Substack). [**Nellie Bowles**](https://www.thefp.com/t/nellie-bowles?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). We're a lot alike: \*We both like women (so did Florence King, if memory serves); \*We both procreate too much; \*She writes well and I write goodly; \*She's funny and I claim to be; \*We're both converts, albeit she went Jewish, which is easier for uncircumcised women than men; \*We're both young, albeit in my case, only when compared to Joe Biden. Her T.G.I.F. column is the most entertaining weekly on the web. Yesterday's installment (she's going on maternity leave) is the best I've seen. My four favorites from this week's column: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/Bowles-I.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/Bowles-II.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/Bowles-III.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/Bowles-IV.png) [TGIF: The President Has a ColdJamaal Bowman runs in the wrong district—and loses. Boeing strands astronauts in space. Hot lawyers for Hezbollah. UBI doesn’t work. And much more.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Free PressNellie Bowles![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf96e0e7-6065-4269-963c-e0dc6be8cb9c_1024x683.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/tgif-the-president-has-a-cold?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Nellie Bowles critiques progressivism and the media that covers itOne of many fascinating things to be learned from Morning After the Revolution: Dispatches from the Wrong Side of History, by Nellie Bowles,![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldEd Zotti![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/JUNE-24-DIG-IMAGES8.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/book-and-art/nellie-bowles-critiques-progressivism-media-covers-it/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Anti-Drinking Campaign Picks Up Steam URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-anti-drinking-picks-up-steam/ Last updated: 2024-06-28T12:45:30.000Z They must learn it in college, while taking out student loans so they can vote for the candidate who promises to forgive them: > Alcohol use is most prevalent among people in their early-to-mid-20s, and tends to decrease slightly as people age. Underage drinking has greatly declined through the years, but heavy drinking in the 20s and 30s is a lingering problem. Over 60% of 26-to-44-year-olds drink, and 55% percent of adults 45 to 64 years old drink. **Rates of alcohol use generally go up with income and educational attainment.** --- > Research suggests nearly half of people who drink engage in binge drinking, defined as having four or more drinks in the span of a couple hours for women, or five or more drinks in two hours for men. It reminds me of my time in college, when drinking surveys revealed that 95% of the guys in my fraternity had a drinking problem. I rarely drink five or more drinks in two hours, but when I do, I don't consider myself "binging." I mean, "binging" is such a harsh word. It's like charging someone with "tax evasion" because they didn't declare the $50 they won on a scratch-off lottery ticket. Should he declare it and should he stop short of five drinks? Sure, but come on, "evading" and "binging"? [By the numbers: America’s alcohol-related health problems are rising fastAs data builds about alcohol’s harms, experts are becoming increasingly concerned about Americans’ drinking patterns, and how best to talk to the public about its potential risks.![](https://www.statnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/cropped-STAT-Favicon-Round-270x270.png)STATIsabella Cueto, J. Emory Parker![](https://www.statnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-2026354269-1024x576.jpg)](https://www.statnews.com/2024/06/27/alcohol-related-health-problems-rise/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- --- Politicians in the drinking regions are fighting back against "the Science." It's kind of odd. Kentucky is firing up a counter-offensive to protect its bourbon industry. I'm pretty, pretty, pretty sure the DC elites and the Coasts assume Kentucky is filled with uneducated troglodytes, but the previous article says that drinking increases with education and income. > Alcohol-industry officials and lobbyists have sent materials to government officials questioning the research methods of scientists drafting the recommendations. Alcohol companies have spent millions of dollars lobbying lawmakers, more than a dozen of whom wrote to HHS and USDA on May 30 demanding more information on the process. > > “We don’t want arbitrary decision-making by these agencies that’s not rooted in real science,” said Rep. Andy Barr (R., Ky.), who is co-chair of the Bourbon Caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers. The group was founded in 2009 by a lawmaker from Kentucky, which considers itself the birthplace of bourbon, and now has around 40 members. > > Guiding Americans to drink less would be a blow to an industry that is already losing some customers. Younger generations have moved away from alcohol over health concerns. For the first time, the U.S. has more daily cannabis users than alcohol users. > > “If they want us to drink two beers a week, frankly they can kiss my ass,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) said on Newsmax in August of the potential for lower alcohol-consumption guidelines. [The War on Booze Gets Political](https://www.wsj.com/health/alcohol-health-risks-lobbying-3bc78fed?mod=search%5Ftrending%5Fnow%5Farticle%5Fpos1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Cells of Peace URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/cells-of-peace/ Last updated: 2024-06-25T12:05:26.000Z I keep a handful of books on my Kindle that I read from sporadically. These aren't books that I dive into, but rather books that I read at odd moments when I don't feel like reading anything else. One of them is E. Michael Jones' little book, *Benedict's Rule: The Rise of Ethnicity and the Fall of Rome*. From what I can tell, it's about how Benedict saved western civilization after Rome's fall (or, how I would be more inclined to phrase it, "how Benedict and his successors inherited the soul of western civilization from Rome as its imperial apparatus shrunk away"). There's undoubtedly going to be a twist in Jones' account ("the rise of ethnicity"), but so far, it's about the fall of Rome and the rise of monasteries. The Introduction drew comparisons to the fall of the Roman Empire and the fall of the American Empire. His basic point is that, just as Rome rotted internally as it concentrated on regions far removed from Rome, American is rotting internally as it concentrates on regions far removed from, say, Ohio. The American rot is embodied in its inner cities. He might have a point, which isn't surprising because Jones always has a point that makes you stop and think, even though those points sometimes veer too closely to uncomfortable subjects (is he an anti-Semite? I doubt it, but I haven't looked at the evidence either way; if I declined to read everything that might contain inappropriate thoughts, I couldn't even read my own TDE archives . . . or my own soul, for that matter). Just as the monks saved western civilization, Jones thinks the monks could help revitalize our innter cities. If you read [accounts of Groeschel's grey friars in the South Bronx](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/nyregion/25friars.html?pagewanted=all&%5Fr=0&ref=thedailyeudemon.com), you know Jones has a point. I especially liked this proposal from his Introduction: > What I'm proposing is very simple. Let one or two or three Benedictine monks take over one or two or three abandoned parish buildings in cities like Philadelphia, Detroit, New York, or Boston and turn them into monasteries which could provide affordable housing for young Catholic couples who want to live according to the 21st century version of the rule of St. Benedict. Such a project, of course, comes with a lot of economic and regulatory hurdles. If the Church owns the buildings, they could simply convey them to the Order for $1.00, but the rehab costs would be astronomical in light of the Americans with Disabilities Act and ordinary housing codes. And if there are any environmental concerns . . . well, good bye. The project ain't gonna happen. You'd hope there would be no environmental concerns in an old church building, but in light of ground water migration and other potential pollutants, you never know. But the project isn't quixotic. It deserves consideration. And who knows, it might just save a few inner-city neighborhoods . . . and maybe America. Hope springs eternal. ### Is Substack a Weapon to Preserve Truth? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/substack-montage/ Last updated: 2024-07-01T13:04:13.000Z ### This author gropes to explain the same sense I have about Substack. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/data-src-image-e176cf76-cd31-452d-bff5-3084fca8cb4a.png) --- ### From Bari Weiss' "The Free Press," a weekly columnist explains the marvel that is El Salvador. If you get a chance, check out Tucker Carlson's interview with the country's President. The man is a shock-and-awe weapon against the gnosticism that has been enveloping western politics since WWII. The United States defeated the gnostic Nazis, then immediately embraced a gnosticism of its own, which is reaching the grotesque dimensions we witness today . . . and are in display in the next Substack excerpt below. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/data-src-image-76c9ca14-c5b6-4c3e-9c79-986c4b0f7fbf.png) --- ### James Kuntsler might be the best columnist today: great prose, funny, erudite. Vulgar, I'm afraid, but hey, those are the times we live in. ### BTW: I long have thought he is the son of William Kuntsler, the radical lawyer, but he's not. My apologies if I misled anyone in this regard. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/data-src-image-74aa6f9f-8ce2-4fea-82f3-01ffd4608eac.png) --- --- [Philosophors on Substack“Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for.” — Viktor Frankl![](https://substack.com/@philosophors/note/icons/substack/icon.svg)SubstackSubstack![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ff8a2a2c-3c4f-420f-83e8-e9706120c22b_1080x1080.png)](https://substack.com/@philosophors/note/c-59838605?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### "No Amount of Alcohol is Good for You--That Much is Clear" URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/no-amount-of-alcohol-is-good-for-you-that-much-is-clear/ Last updated: 2024-06-21T13:14:19.000Z My hunch? Alcohol is under attack from the left hemisphere, which sees parts (studies, surveys, stats) but is blind to the whole. A culture without drink is a culture without celebration. A culture without celebration is dead, and there's nothing more unhealthy than that. The problem with celebration is, it can't be measured so the left hemisphere dismisses it as irrelevant. A healthy left hemisphere (one subordinate to the right hemisphere) would dismiss celebration as beyond its specialty, but it wouldn't deem it "irrelevant." It'd deem it mysterious, perhaps, but such a label at least affords it respect. It seems obvious to me that our right hemispheres need to process these health warnings that the left hemisphere is bringing. That, after all, is what the left hemisphere does. Just because it tends to go rogue, doesn't mean we should dismiss it altogether. So what do we do with these new studies? I'd say, take them seriously but with a dose of skepticism about science (a skepticism virtually unheard of 20 years ago, but that is far more widespread in the wake of Covid (one of Covid's blessings). Here, I'd take the money shot from the article serious: > How much time does a certain amount of drinking shave off your life? For those who have two drinks a week, that choice amounts to less than one week of lost life on average, he said. Consume seven alcoholic beverages a week, and that amount goes up to about two and a half months. Those who push five drinks a day or more face the risk of losing, on average, upward of two years, said Stockwell. He emphasized that all those numbers were averages — and that it was impossible to predict the level of impact an individual person would experience. Based on that, try to keep your beverage consumption under seven. The researcher who is spearheading the research (from Canada, btw, which is vying with Australia for the most paternalistic governments in the world), says three to six drinks every week is low risk. That strikes me as a good touchstone, at least if you're over, say, 45 and concerned about what alcohol does to your brain (Huberman says more than two a week can hurt you cognitively in the long run) in the long run. If you limit yourself to three drinks per session, twice a week, you're respecting the left hemisphere's efforts while putting it in a greater context that there's more to life than adhering to the science of health. It's a tough balance but that's why we have two hemispheres. ### No Amount of Alcohol is Good for You? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/no-amount-of-alcohol-is-good-for-you/ Last updated: 2024-06-21T13:14:57.000Z [“No Amount of Alcohol is Good for You--That Much is Clear”The idea that moderate drinking is healthy has been debunked . . . currently![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Dark-Green-Gradient.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/no-amount-of-alcohol-is-good-for-you-that-much-is-clear/) About a year ago, a friend of mine started evading my invitations to grab a drink. It was only when we caught up for a walk that she explained she wasn’t putting me off for any personal reason — it was just that she had stopped drinking. She wasn’t a heavy drinker — she had a glass of wine with dinner, the occasional Aperol spritz — but she’d been hearing on podcasts and reading in the news that even a small amount of alcohol was much worse for her health than had previously been understood. My friend was picking up on a swing in the public-health messaging around alcohol. For many years, she might have felt that she was making a healthy choice in having a glass of wine or a beer with dinner. Right around the time when she came of legal age to drink, the early 1990s, some prominent researchers were promoting, and the media helped popularize, the idea that moderate drinking — for women, a drink a night; for men, two — was linked to greater longevity. The cause of that association was not clear, but red wine, researchers theorized, might have anti-inflammatory properties that extended life and protected cardiovascular health. Major health organizations and some doctors always warned that alcohol consumption was linked to higher cancer risk, but the dominant message moderate drinkers heard was one of not just reassurance but encouragement. More recently, though, research has piled up debunking the idea that moderate drinking is good for you. Last year, a major meta-analysis that re-examined 107 studies over 40 years came to the conclusion that no amount of alcohol improves health; and in 2022, a well-designed study found that consuming even a small amount brought some risk to heart health. That same year, Nature published research stating that consuming as little as one or two drinks a day (even less for women) was associated with shrinkage in the brain — a phenomenon normally associated with aging. **Read the rest** ### Capitalism and Communism are Flipsides of the Same Coin? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/capitalism-and-communism-are-flipsides-of-the-same-coin/ Last updated: 2024-06-20T13:39:45.000Z [Rod Dreher calls Niall Ferguson's first column for *The Free Press* a "banger"](https://roddreher.substack.com/p/america-the-chernenko-years?utm%5Fsource=post-email-title&publication%5Fid=136360&post%5Fid=145785078&utm%5Fcampaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1mwuz7&triedRedirect=true&utm%5Fmedium=email) and he's right. Ferguson highlights an alarming number of similarities between the last years of the Soviet Union and the United States today. Does it mean the United States is reaching the end? That's the implication, obviously, and when you consider the parallels, it's hard to reject the implication. What I find even more surprising (or disturbing) is that the parallels are so comical. If the stakes weren't so high, the parallels would offer the best comedy since Eddie Murphy's zenith. [Niall Ferguson: We’re All Soviets NowA government with a permanent deficit and a bloated military. A bogus ideology pushed by elites. Poor health among ordinary people. Senescent leaders. Sound familiar?![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Free PressNiall Ferguson![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F51775663-18e0-4ba8-9cb7-6102daca31b6_1024x691.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/were-all-soviets-now?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) It reminds me of the Distributist assertions (backed by encyclicals, though tempered by *Centesimus Annus*) that Capitalism and Communism are merely flipsides of the same coin. Both focus on material improvement to the exclusion of the spiritual. I've never accepted that positions for a variety of reasons, including the concession by Distributists (and the same Popes who inveigh against Capitalism) that free markets are good. I can't analytically distinguish "Capitalism" from "free markets." Though I intuitively believe there is a distinction, it's so nebulous, I don't think it's a helpful distinction. Does Ferguson's stunning essay show that Capitalism and Communism are, indeed, flipsides of the same coin, and the coin is now lavishly obvious by their late stages? I don't think so. For starters, the parallels emanate from big government, not from markets. Even the parallels that tie back to big corporations are linked to big government: the pharmaceutical companies that control politicians and the airwaves and the health insurance industry that became bloated when insurance premiums became tax deductible. I think the essay points to a more fundamental problem: Gnosticism. Communism and Progressivism, Voegelin pointed out, are both Gnostic systems. They differ in their approaches, but their underlying and fundamental assumptions are all the same. I'd further submit that they're all the same because both systems sprout from an overweening left hemisphere. More on that later. ### The Left Hemisphere Larps URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-hemisphere-larps/ Last updated: 2024-06-19T14:35:02.000Z [LARPing, Reality, and FraudThis nascent essay needs work, but it’s a decent blog post. The essay could take a few directions. E.g., Fantasy role-playing is fun, but now take your character into the real world. You’re Kick-Ass, coming to beat that inner-city thug, only to find yourself on the cusp of getting![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Metallic-Orange-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/larping-reality-and-fraud/) The response that I featured in [yesterday's post](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rationalized-ideals-of-silence-crashing-against-the-rock-of-reality/) used the word "LARPing." I'm embarrassed to admit: I didn't know what it means. Fortunately, I have a Google machine (well, I've started using the Perplexity machine . . . an incredible AI tool recommended at my annual estate law conference last month). Per Perplexity: > **LARP stands for Live Action Role-Playing**, which is an interactive form of role-playing game where participants physically portray their characters and act out scenarios in a fictional setting.[](https://larpadventureprogram.com/history-of-lap/what-is-larp-1/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live%5Faction%5Frole-playing%5Fgame?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) It involves dressing up in costumes, using props, and enacting the roles through physical actions and interactions with other players.[](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/larp?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)LARPs can take place in various genres like fantasy, science fiction, historical settings, or modern-day scenarios.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live%5Faction%5Frole-playing%5Fgame?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The participants pursue goals and objectives within the game's narrative while adhering to predetermined rules or reaching consensus on outcomes.[](https://larpadventureprogram.com/history-of-lap/what-is-larp-1/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live%5Faction%5Frole-playing%5Fgame?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) LARPs can range from small private events lasting a few hours to large public events with thousands of players spanning multiple days.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live%5Faction%5Frole-playing%5Fgame?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) LARP is a fun fantasy thing: participants adopt a fake persona and play it out. [Now shift back to yesterday's criticism](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rationalized-ideals-of-silence-crashing-against-the-rock-of-reality/). "Shitlibs" in their secluded lives (Ivy towers) romanticize aspects of poverty (here, noisy neighborhoods) that the people who live in those neighborhoods want to escape. No matter to the shitlibs: they have idealized notion and they'll write narrative to fit that notion. It's a characteristic of the left hemisphere. Subscribers to [*Outside the Modern Limits*](https://thedailyeudemon.com/#/portal/signup) and others might remember my admonition last December: don't let your left hemisphere ruin Christmas, which I summarize here, > You have this idealized Rockwell notion of what Christmas will be like. Your left hemisphere loves such ideals (they make navigation in life a lot simpler, if far more ham-handed, clumsy, inartful, and ugly). It erects them and follows them. But then things don't turn out the way they've been idealized, and we get frustrated and angry (two left-hemispheric traits . . . McGilchrist calls anger the "most highly characteristic" emotional trait of the L.H.). If you do that with Christmas, you ruin it because you get frustrated or angry when things don't go that way . . . and they never do. Reality always intervenes. When you're sitting there on December 15th, envisioning yourself standing in your Norman Rockwellesque family room, chatting (oh so) charmingly while sipping a cup of mulled wine while the toddlers chirp happily in the next room, you're LARPing. And then it doesn't work out. You spill the mulled wine on your white carpet. The person you're talking with has the attention span of a toddler. The toddlers aren't chirping: they're screaming, hitting, not staying in the next room, and despoiling your white carpet in every imaginable way. Reality beats the hell out of the Norman Rockwell ideal every time, and if your left hemisphere stays committed to the Rockwell, things get ugly . . . fast. It's like that with all left-hemispheric notions that get elevated. The left hemisphere needs broad principles to guide its everyday actions, but it needs to keep them in check: it needs to make sure they remain expedients for action, not get elevated to ideals or, worse, get apotheosized into logocentric ideas that trump everything else. Joe Rogan likes to observe, "Hold your opinions. Don't let your opinions hold you." That's what I'm talking about. The left hemisphere strongly inclines toward opinions because it *needs* to make a lot of decisions. Decisions are merely opinions writ small: micro-opinions. We constantly form micro-opinions throughout the day. Micro-opinions (decisions) are like principles: they guide day-to-day actions. We need decisions (micro-opinions) and we need principles. "Hold principles. Don't let your principles hold you." Put another way, "Hold principles, but don't elevate them into ideals." And how do you know you've elevated a principle into an ideal? I'd say it's when you write an essay that celebrates your ideal even though it clashes with reality. An essay like the one celebrating noise in poverty-stricken neighborhoods is the intellectual or civilized parallel of throwing your cup of mulled wine against the wall when everything about Christmas gets shat upon by reality. When you spend hours writing an essay based wholly on a fiction, or when you throw a tantrum at Christmas, you're showing clear signs that you've elevated a principle or notion into an ideal abstraction that prevails, for you, over reality. The essay is a fraud; the angry person is an ass. Both are products of the left hemisphere. The thing is (possibly the most troubling thing), the essay doesn't feel fraudulent to the essayist and fans of *The Atlantic* because it fits the ideal they have in their heads, just as the foiled Norman-Rockwellite is completely serious when he storms out of the room and announces he'll be spending next year's holiday on a Caribbean cruise. [Don’t Let Your Left Hemisphere Ruin Christmas“I wouldn’t upset my plan for anything. I’d rather upset life than the plan.” The Anonymous Schoizoid The left hemisphere doesn’t live. It thinks. It plans: “How to do this?” “How to tackle that?” The best way to develop a plan is to break it down into smaller![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Rockwell_Christmas-1.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-let-your-left-hemisphere-ruin-christmas-2/) [Rationalized Ideals of Silence Crashing Against the Rock of RealityOr rather, “Rationalized Ideals AGAINST Silence Crashing . . . ”.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Brick-Light.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rationalized-ideals-of-silence-crashing-against-the-rock-of-reality/) ### Rationalized Ideals of Silence Crashing Against the Rock of Reality URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/rationalized-ideals-of-silence-crashing-against-the-rock-of-reality/ Last updated: 2024-06-18T13:40:35.000Z [A recent essay at *The Atlantic* deplores how wealthy people gentrify urban neighborhoods, making them sanctuaries of silence](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/09/let-brooklyn-be-loud/670600/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Silence is a manifestation of class and racial privilege. How much better if those wealthy whites would just let the other side of the binary express itself in all its noise and craziness. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/Why-Do-Rich-People-Love-Quiet.jpg) ## One reader responds: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/Why-Do-Rich-People-Love-Quiet-Response.jpg) I live in a semi-rural area, so I don't know who's right, but based on my (many) excursions into urbania, I suspect the reader is. The essayist's, incidentally, is an exercise in the left hemisphere: a narrative written to fit a logocentric idea. The story is written from a rationalized ideal. It's an exercise in Russell Kirk's "defecated rationality." (And no, I'm not being a moron for putting Kirk and Derrida on the same side of an argument . . . I've explored this and will continue to do so), The reader's response is more right-hemispheric: reality ("real reality," embodied, earthy, etc.) giving rise to a reflection on what is. "Narrative": a bogus story written from an ideal. "Reflection": an honest attempt to come to grips with what actually is. --- ### BTW: "LARPing." Life action role-playing. ### Bill Kauffman on the Subjugation of Canada and Neil Young's Sanity URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bill-kauffman-on-the-subjugation-of-canada-and-neil-youngs-sanity/ Last updated: 2024-06-17T12:50:55.000Z Prepping for a molasses-slow crawl up the Queen Elizabeth Way to Toronto in hopes of seeing 78-year-old Neil Young bash out “Powderfinger” and caterwaul “Like a Hurricane,” I reread two essential texts of Canadiana: Jimmy McDonough’s Young biography *Shakey* (2002), the best rock’n’roll bio I have ever read (admittedly, the field is fallow), and the philosopher George Grant’s *Lament for a Nation* (1965), the meditation of a “Red Tory” on the absorption of Canada into the economic and military sphere and “homogenized culture of the American Empire.” Grant’s 92-page masterpiece was occasioned by the defeat of the progressive conservative prime minister (1957-1963) John Diefenbaker, a small-town Saskatchewan attorney who had defied Kennedy administration Cold Warriors by rejecting the placement of nuclear-tipped missiles in Canada. His advocacy of a “kind of neutralism, a simple refusal to accept any demand from the present imperialism” brought “the full weight of the North American establishment” down upon poor Diefenbaker. Sophisticated Canadian liberals played the role of Uncle Sam’s lapdog in these debates while the hayseed Diefenbaker, with his rural and provincial base of support, stood manfully against the colossus. “The election of 1963 was the first time in our history,” marveled Grant, that “a government was brought down for standing up to the Americans.” **Read the rest** [I Heard Ol’ NeilPolitically, Young is nothing if not Whitmanesque, containing multitudes.![](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/wp-content/themes/tac/dist/img/favicon.ico)The American ConservativeBill Kauffman![](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/shutterstock_1460857706-scaled.jpg)](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/i-heard-ol-neil/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Slanting History Since 400 BC URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/slanting-history/ Last updated: 2024-06-15T20:59:50.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/data-src-image-868bfda5-d7c0-4316-9ed2-6488fec6360c.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/data-src-image-43bcbbe2-2890-4302-a2f7-3960e300e022.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/data-src-image-1b20cabd-881c-4dfb-8b9e-0fb5a56f1e25.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/06/data-src-image-72f3bba1-4639-4624-8b5c-1bb030563ce8.png) ### Cocaine Beer Coming? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/cocaine-beer/ Last updated: 2024-06-14T10:23:02.000Z If it were anywhere else in South America, the nondescript house with buckets of coca leaves soaking in liquid could be mistaken for a clandestine cocaine lab. But this is La Paz, Bolivia, and the fruity aroma of coca steeping in barrels signals that you’ve arrived at the government-authorized El Viejo Roble distillery, which for years has been making liquor from coca leaves and is now gearing up to launch a new coca-infused beer. It remains questionable whether [Bolivia](https://apnews.com/hub/bolivia?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) can persuade the world to accept the hardy green leaf best known beyond its borders as the main ingredient of cocaine. But a recent landmark decision by the World Health Organization to study coca’s non-narcotic benefits has rekindled the old hopes of Bolivian farmers, makers and sellers. “Exporting is a desire that my people and I have had since I was a child,” said Lizzette Torrez, leader of one of Bolivia’s main coca-grower unions. Within Bolivia, the world’s third-biggest producer of the coca leaf, and of cocaine, the ancient leaf has inspired spiritual rituals among [Indigenous communities](https://apnews.com/article/lithium-water-mining-indigenous-cb2f5b1580c12f8ba1b19223648069b7?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) for generations — and more recently, among the well-heeled, a deluge of coca-related products, including El Viejo Roble’s new star $2 brew. “Beer can be bitter, but with the sweet touch that we give it with coca makes it is more palatable,” manager Adrián Álvarez said from the distillery, where workers bottled the brew that will soon join El Viejo Roble’s coca-flavored vodka and rum, old classics they sell to the government and visitors. [A brew of ancient coca is Bolivia’s buzzy new beer. But it’s unclear if the world will buy in.But a recent landmark decision by the World Health Organization to study coca’s non-narcotic benefits has rekindled the old hopes of Bolivian farmers, makers and sellers.![](https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/ramen/favicon/nbcnews/all-other-sizes-PNG.ico/apple-icon-180x180.png)NBC NewsThe Associated Press![](https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_nbcnews-fp-1200-630,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2024-06/240611-coca-beer-bolivia-vl-948a-ff98c3.jpg)](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/bolivia-coca-infused-beer-rcna156513?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Existence Strikes Back Project Glossary URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/existence-strikes-back-project-glossary/ Last updated: 2024-06-12T13:13:50.000Z **Ancient Gnosticism**: The Gnosticism of the early common era, in the centuries immediately following Christ: Complete faith in the *transcendent*, to the denial of the *immanent*, leads to a lopsided existence. It’s a form of *nosos* (spiritual disease). It rejects the *sacramental* nature of reality. [**Bacon, Francis**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-francis-bacon-is-a-founding-father-of-modernity/): With Descartes, one of the two principle founders of Modernity. **Binary**: A set of two related terms in which the first term is privileged over the second. The first is privileged because it's deemed to be closer to the *logos*. In *post-modernist* thought, binaries are mere social constructs put in place by the power structure to justify their logocentric-driven grand narratives. The *Taoist* looks past binaries. The *Structuralist* seeks to invert binaries. The *Derridean* seeks to smash binaries. Examples of binaries that are relevant to the post-modernist (the first is the privileged term and, therefore, the one to be attacked by the post-modernist): being/becoming, essence/existence, conscious/unconscious, rational/emotional, unchanging/changing. Also: male/female, white/non-white, western/nonwestern. **Bodhidharma**: The 28th patriarch of Buddhism, but the first patriarch of Zen Buddhism. He brought Buddhism to China, where it mixed with Taoism to create Zen Buddhism. Probably lived in the 400s. **Deconstructionism**: The assertion that language (words) carry no inherent meaning. Therefore, meaning cannot be articulated by others. Therefore, all truth must be subjective . . . strictly what you define it to be for yourself. This school of thought is also called "post-structuralism" because it used many of the insights of structuralism but moves past it in an attempt to smash, not merely invert, binaries. See *Derrida*. **Derrida, Jacques** (1930-2004): One of the two primary post-modernist thinkers (the other: *Michel Foucault)*. The father of *deconstructionism*. He used relentless logic to war against modernist thinkers who thought they had moved beyond all religious motivations in their thought. Derrida pointed out that they were still logocentric (metaphysical) in their thinking, just like their religiously-inclined predecessors. He is the arch enemy of all who believe in the importance of metaphysics, but overall, an honest thinker and an ally of those who fight against modernity. **Derridean**: A follower of *Jacques Derrida*. [**Descartes, Rene**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/when-western-civilization-submitted-itself-to-a-lobotomy/): With Francis Bacon, one of the two principle founders of Modernity. [**The Great Rejection**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/when-western-civilization-submitted-itself-to-a-lobotomy/): Western civilization's rejection of the Tao. It gave us the Enlightenment, Gnosticism, and Modernity in general. **Hui Neng**: A simple kitchen worker who was elevated to patriarch. Generally accredited with giving Zen its unique approach. Semi-legendary personage. Late 600s. **Humility**: Self-forgetfulness. **Immance**: The earthly/mundane plane of existence. Its binary opposite: *transcendence*. **Lao Tzu**: Founder of Taoism. Wrote the [*Tao Teh Ching*](https://amzn.to/2OGPY7H?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (link to translation by John Wu). Lao Tzu recognized the problem with binaries 2,500 before de Saussure and Derrida. Probably lived in the 500s BC. **Modernity**: The era of left hemisphere hegemony. Rejection of the Tao and subjugation of [the Tao's router, the right hemisphere](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-metaphor/). **Modern Gnosticism**: The Gnosticism of modern times: Complete faith in the *immanent*, to the denial of the *transcendent*, leads to a lopsided existence. It’s a form of nosos (spiritual disease). It rejects the *sacramental* nature of reality **The Northern School**: The Zen school of Shen Hsiu, the man who lost the competition to become the sixth Zen patriarch. His followers were known derogatorily as “mirror wipers.” The point: Too much emphasis on the self defeats pursuit of proper spirituality . . . of the true practice of Zen. Contrast to The Southern School. **Object**: Other. It can be most anything: one's spouse or children, a friend, a pet, a work of art, charity toward the poor. **The Reality Spectrum**: The Tao-->Essence-->Existence. The Tao is logically (though not conceptually) [prior to](https://thedailyeudemon.com/modern-existentialism-is-the-rejection-of-extreme-essentialism/) Essence, which is prior to Existence. **Sacramental** (view of reality): *Transcendence* and *immanence* are intertwined, mixed together. To deny one is to warp the other. They are opposites but not binary opposites. The sacramental view of reality smashes the binary more effectively than deconstructionism. **Semiotics**: The study of signs: language. **The Southern School**: The Zen school of Hui Neng, the man who won the competition to become the sixth Zen patriarch. The emphasis is not on spiritual advancement, but rather, to “just be.” No subject. No object. Just look. Just exist. **Structuralism**: A school of semiotics. Words only have meaning within a web of other words. They're all related, forming a "structure of words" the envelop culture. Man cannot think outside the structure, since his entire intellectual existence must express itself in words, so his thought is a captive of the structure. The structure then determines cultural norms, but because the structure is merely a construct of words, the norms have no importance and are merely arbitrary . . . or they are norms posited by a power elite that relies on the logocentric binaries embedded in the structure to preserve their position in society. For this reason, the structuralist seeks to invert the binaries in order to disrupt the power system. **Subject**: Yourself. Ego. It is natural to further the subject's happiness, both now and eternally. Man cannot help but desire his own happiness, but original sin causes this natural disposition to inflate grotesquely (St. Paul's "the flesh"). [**The Tao**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55536/): The unnameable. The first principle of Zen. Thomas Aquinas' *actus essendi* (act of existence). The first part of The Reality Spectrum that sits behind [Aldous Huxley’s door](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55927/). The Act of Existence **DOOR** Accidents/Substance. The Tao **DOOR** Attributes/Being. The First Principle of Zen **DOOR** Essence/Existence. **Taoism**: Playful, easy-going school of Chinese philosophy. Its major representatives: Lao-Tzu and Chuang-Tzu. Taoism’s emphasis is on no emphasis. It strives not to strive. It only judges judging. Remember: There is no beauty, unless there is ugly. The true man of the Tao recognizes neither one. **Transcendence**: The divine/spiritual plane of existence. Its binary opposite: *immanence*. **Voegelin, Eric**: (1901-1985): Philosopher/historian. He drew strong parallels between *ancient Gnosticism* and *modern Gnosticism*, showing that both emerged from spiritual disorder. Most significantly: The modern Gnostics who deny any religious impulse are, indeed, engaged in a religious act . . . gripped by a religious impulse. In this, Voegelin has strong parallels to Derrida’s condemnation of logocentric thinking in modern thought. Voegelin’s condemnation of modern Gnosticism is closely related to Derrida’s condemnation of modern *logocentrism*. **Zen**: A philosophy? A religion? A school of psychology? It’s hard to say. It’s the love child of Taoism and Buddhism, with an emphasis on the relentless pursuit of the unnameable. It represents the highest attainment of natural thought in history and, therefore, worthy of immense respect, even if it suffers from a lack of divine revelation. ### We're on Information Overload. Here's One Solution URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51733/ Last updated: 2025-08-19T10:19:00.000Z #### When reading, I numb. When surfing the Internet, my eyes glaze. When thinking about all the things to be thought, all the books to be read, all the websites to frequent, I freeze. Not always of course, but occasionally. Everyone knows about the mammoth caverns of information at everyone's door: two billion websites; thousands of must-read new books every year; piles of magazines and newspapers; cable television; streaming services and their docuseries; AM, FM, and satellite radio; podcasts; entire libraries digitalized and online. It's gotten so bad that a group at Kings College in London studied the effects of "informational overload" and concluded that it harms concentration more than marijuana. And that was about ten years ago, when we had only 100 million websites to choose from. We now speak of "information literacy," a branch of knowledge dedicated to searching and deciphering information. Efforts to increase information literacy are spearheaded by the American Library Association and funded with federal and private grants. Everyone calls it the "Information Age," but that doesn't do just to the endless proliferation of data. It's better called the "Too Much Information Age." # **Enter a Pagan Saint** If the TMI Age has a pagan saint, it might be Pyrrho of Ellis. Historians of philosophy refer to this younger contemporary of Aristotle as an early skeptic, but he wasn't. The skeptic claims there's nothing to know. Pyrrho was more radical. He said we can't even know if we can't know. He was skeptical about skepticism. He was neither dogmatic like Aristotle nor a debating skeptic like the later Carneades. He was rather like the agnostic who stands between dogmatic believers and atheists, refuting neither but agreeing with neither. Pyrrho didn't assert that truth is knowable or unknowable. He just shrugged, adopting what Austrian philosopher [**Eric Voegelin called "an existential suspense of judgment."**](https://amzn.to/35dotJF?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) What prompted it? It's impossible to know for sure. Consistent with his existential suspension, he neither wrote nor founded a school or religion. He left few pupils. His words have come down to us in mere fragments. But we know this: He lived in the age of Alexander the Great, whose conquests in the Middle East and Asia swept the Greek polis into nearly every corner of the known civilized world and brought a rush of new phenomena back across the Aegean. Before Alexander, the Greek wielded a formidable mind, inquiring and open, but steady and sure. With Alexander's conquests, new cultures and information flooded the Greek mental landscape, knocking over many shrubs and trees. Some grew anxious or excited. But not Pyrrho. He had accompanied Alexander on his expedition to India, where he met "naked wise men" (yogis). When he returned to Greece, he wasn't agitated by all the new things people were talking about. He had seen it all first-hand. And he was calm. Diogenes Laertius tells us that Pyrrho "withdrew from the world and lived in solitude, rarely showing himself even to his relatives." His disciple Timon wrote that he was "unconceited and unbroken by all the pressures" that attack most people, and that he wasn't weighed down "with passions and opinion." Pyrrho's was a serene mind, untroubled by searching, questioning, opinions, and judgments. He had attained *ataraxia* (*a* means "not" and *taraktos* "disturbed"), the ideal state of mind according to Democritus, Epicurus, and Lucretius. # **Pyrrho and Three Fundamental Modern Truths** I suspect Pyrrho would've smirked at the whole idea of "information literacy." He knew the mind's limits. But what' s really interesting is that millions of people today are Pyrrho-like perceiving the mind's limits. The mainstream media's army of trolling reporters, the Internet's orc-like hordes of web pages, and the dragon of online libraries have helped people intuitively realize a few fundamental truths about knowledge and information that many people just 25 years ago didn't appreciate: (1) You never have all the facts. (2) Whenever you trust a source of information, you are undertaking a leap of faith in the source's authority. (3) No authority on factual matters is definitive. As a younger man, I once wrote, "The redneck substitutes blanket skepticism for wisdom." Now that I'm getting older, I'm beginning to think the redneck ain't so dumb. In fact, the real wise man understands that he knows very little when contrasted with everything there is to know. I suspect today's suffocating avalanche of information makes every person a bit wiser in this respect, a bit more like Pyrrho. But is that all Pyrrho has to offer? An "existential suspense of judgment"? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/aquinas.jpg) # **The Skeptic Meets the Dogmatist** Toward the end of his life, Thomas Aquinas became silent. It was 1273 and he had just returned from Mass. He put aside his unfinished [***Summa Theologica***](https://amzn.to/3jeX2nL?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), right in the middle of his treatment of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and stopped writing. His friend Reginald asked him why. Aquinas simply said, "I can write no more. All that I have hitherto written seems to me nothing but straw." Straw? Aquinas? A man consistently ranked in the top ten of history's best thinkers? What happened? Nobody knows for sure, but most think he had a mystical experience. The German philosopher Josef Pieper said it was because Aquinas had been "allowed a glimpse into the inexpressible depths of that mystery that is not reached by any human thought or speech." After that awesome glimpse, Aquinas figured there was nothing to say. Sometimes I fancy that the overwhelming glut of information and potential knowledge gives all of us a glimpse of whatever Aquinas saw: What's the point of trying to capture all, or even some, of it? I realize it's ridiculous to compare one's zombie trance after hours of Internet surfing to Aquinas' mystical calm. Still, I think there's something there. Aquinas had overloaded with Too Much Information, albeit of the divine radiance kind. Switch back to Pyrrho. To Timon's question: "Why is it that you alone among men stand forth in the manner of a God?" Pyrrho responded, "For the right rule of truth do I have in this saying: That the nature of God as of Good exists in eternity, and from there proceeds for man the most just and equitable." God and the Good, not all the statistics and assertions and opinions and dogmas and Indian yogis that swirl around American or Achaean society. But God. That, Voegelin said, was the "enigmatic force that let Pyrrho appear as a saintly, semidivine figure to his contemporaries." Pyrrho's, like Aquinas', was the silence of the mystic. Information literacy or God? A federal grant to learn whether Wikipedia is reliable or Pyrrho and Aquinas? A textbook on efficient web surfing or mystic calm? Are those our only options? I'm not willing to say. And you can read into that whatever you want. --- (A previous version of this essay appeared in [*Philosophy Now*](https://philosophynow.org/issues/104/Ataraxia%5Fin%5Fthe%5FAge%5Fof%5FToo%5FMuch%5FInformation?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)*.)* ### Encourage Urban Gardening URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/encourage-urban-gardening/ Last updated: 2024-06-10T13:32:13.000Z I have a client in Detroit who keeps a small stash of money at his son's house, along with a few guns, on the west side of Michigan, in a rural farming community. The reason? "When things collapse and Detroit erupts, I'll boogie out and live with my son, where the food is." He lived only a few miles from the Blind Pig speakeasy, where the 1967 Detroit riot started, and the riot's destruction came close to his neighborhood. He saw the 2020 BLM riots damage dozens of cities. He's also aware that pretty much all unrest in American history has started in the cities, at least by the mid-1800s. Urban areas are geared for unrest. We can discuss, debate, and argue about the causes, but one thing is clear: **unrest is fueled by dogma**. If a person is acting with such firm conviction that he feels violence is justified, he's holding a firm conviction. It might be a correct or incorrect conviction, understandable or irrational blind passion, but it is a firm conviction that brooks no disagreement. It is, in other words, dogmatic. [The left hemisphere of the brain leans dogmatic](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-gnosticism-is-left-hemispheric/). The hallmark of modernity is left-hemispheric domination. Modernity is left-hemispheric and left-hemisphere hegemony is modernity. We are all raised in a culture that values, asserts, and pushes the left hemisphere. We all need to re-engage our right hemispheres. We can do it in many ways. Poetry, true leisure, mindfulness meditation, recreational reading, maybe even psychedelics. But gardening is a hobby uniquely geared toward the restoration of equilibrium among the hemispheres. The right hemisphere is receptive to those things demanded by the garden: uncertainty, failure, surprise, patience, slowness, curiosity. The garden also engages the left hemisphere: it plots, plans, and implements procedures, often with impressive precision. But gardening keeps the right hemisphere in the master position because gardening, due to setbacks and surprises and the inherent uncertainty built into dealing with nature, relentlessly pushes the right hemisphere to the front by slapping down the left hemisphere. We're experiencing a massive renewal in urban gardening. Detroit itself has several community gardens and expansive gardening operations, bordering on farms, with some raising chickens and other small animals (I've never been sure where "gardening" crosses into "farming" . . . it's not just growing for profit; if that were the case, the small plot with roadside stand would be a "farm"). It's a promising sign. Few things are more equanimous than the gardener's mind, and few things are less receptive to dogma than equanimity. The more dogma is squished, the less likely urban unrest. ### We Either Flee Devils or Fight Them URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53127/ Last updated: 2024-07-09T13:02:02.000Z #### Toward the end of *The Catcher in the Rye*, Holden Caulfield tells himself he will move out West and shut himself off from everyone and everything, possibly by posing as a deaf-mute. If he pretends to be a deaf-mute, he reasons, people would have to write messages to him on a piece of paper, and then, after they got tired of it, he'd be finished with conversations for the rest of his life. Holden, a radically-disaffected youngster, thought his move out West would contain the seeds of his salvation because it would take him away from a world that held scant meaning for him and from a world that quietly tormented him with a parade of everyday things that irritated him. Holden's dream of fleeing to a remote area is not unique. The allure of leaving everything behind has enticed men and women throughout history. Unfortunately, like Holden's contemplated flight, many flee for all wrong reasons. But that doesn't mean the flight is always wrong. Although some flights are the retirement of cranks, others are the fodder for saints–like the flight of the desert monks in the fourth century. ### The Desert Exodus Tradition and Eusebius' *Ecclesiastical History* tell us the desert exodus started in 250, when Christians fled to the desert to save their lives from the Decian persecution. Approximately twenty years later, another man went to the desert for a different reason: St. Antony wanted to fight the devil on a more equal playing field. So he gave away all his possessions, found a deserted fort in the desert, blocked the entrance, and stayed there for twenty years in solitary contemplation, coming out only after his friends smashed down the entrance and insisted he come out. When they saw Antony, they recognized the holiness he had attained. Word about the desert holy man spread quickly, and disciples flocked to live near him in the desert. Desert monasticism was thus officially born, but the overall numbers in the desert remained relatively small until after 313, when Emperor Constantine began to make Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, thereby making the decadent and corrupt fruits of late Roman society available to Christians. In the words of historian Warren Carroll: “Rarely in history has there been a society so good to flee from as that of the later Roman empire. No Christian could feel at home in it." As a result, many Christians, in imitation of St. Antony, fled the empire's physical comforts for the hardships of the desert. At the start of the fourth century there were only a handful of desert monks; by the end of the fourth century, there were tens of thousands. This exodus to the desert was the beginning of the Christian monastic tradition that would play a crucial role in Christianity's development. The major desert communities were in southern Egypt (St. Antony's area, consisting mostly of hermits), Syria (with its “stylite” ascetics, like St. Simeon Sylites), Palestine (who followed the footsteps of John the Baptist and Christ's forty days in the wilderness), and the area known as Scetis, a region west of the Nile delta, approximately equidistant from Alexandria to the north and Cairo to the east. The asceticism of the desert communities was remarkably harsh, with many stories told of monks going long periods of time with little or no food (one story recounts how a monk broke open dried camel dung to pick out a few grains to eat). They spent long hours in prayer, often standing for days. They deprived themselves of sleep (one of the most learned of the desert monks, Arsenius, said, “one hour's sleep a night is enough for a monk if he is a fighter"). And they grappled with devils. As with St. Antony, this was often the reason they went to the desert. And, once there, the battle was waged continuously and didn't end until death. One mortally-weak desert father on his deathbed, for instance, saw a devil sitting by his window, so he told his disciples to bring him his stick, saying he needed to thrash the devil to show him he wasn't too old and weak to fight. ### St. Macarius' Early Life and Exodus This was the world of St. Macarius the Great. Indeed, it was to this world that St. Macarius was a spiritual hero. Born in approximately 300 in a village in Upper Egypt, as a young man he pursued sanctity in a village, where his simple existence earned him the label, the “anchorite.” But one day, the villagers discovered that the village virgin was pregnant. She blamed Macarius. The villagers seized Macarius, hung pots with soot around his neck, and paraded him around the village, beating him almost to death, saying, “This monk has defiled our virgin!” The villagers wouldn't let him go until he pledged to keep her (the villagers apparently hadn't heard Santana's “One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)”). Macarius agreed and sold all his baskets to buy food for his wife. He then retired to his cell and said to himself, “Macarius, you have yourself a wife; you must work a little more in order to keep her.” He worked night and day and sent the proceeds to her. When it came time to deliver the baby, the baby wouldn't come out. After a lot of pain, she confessed that she had lied about Macarius. Upon hearing this, the villagers started to visit Macarius and do penance before him. *That* freaked him out. The false accusation and the resulting bondage was acceptable, but people prostrating themselves before him? He fled to Scetis. ### **Macarius in the Desert** Once in Scetis, Macarius was quickly surrounded by disciples who recognized his excellent judgment and unusual capacity for discernment. In a time and place that treasured elderly wisdom, the young Macarius received the honorable nickname, “the aged youth,” and became the confidant to many souls. After approximately ten years at Scetis, he received the gift of healing and forecasting the future and worked many miracles. He was eventually ordained a priest. He gained repute as a great orator, preaching at various locations in Egypt. At one point, Macarius, preaching in loyalty to the Catholic Church, incurred the disfavor of the Arian bishop, Lucius of Alexandria, who exiled the elderly Macarius to an island in the Nile. After returning from his exile, he died in the desert, at approximately 90 years of age. ### **The Macarius Legend** Although he left no writings and was largely lost in the anonymity of the blazing desert, we have numerous stories about Macarius and the other desert fathers. These stories were passed down for years orally among the desert faithful, and were eventually reduced to writing. Under such circumstances, it is possible that some of the stories became confused or improperly attributed to the wrong monk (this is especially possible with Macarius because he is often confused with his younger namesake, Macarius of Alexandria), but the stories are reasonably reliable and, in any event, accurately convey the personality of the monks. The stories about Macarius are numerous. They attest to an intense humility and kindness, and to a life full of charitable works–though, typical of holy men, few knew about Macarius' acts of charity (in the words of G.K. Chesterton, “The holy man always conceals his holiness; that is the one invariable rule." When a monk grew ill, for instance, he asked Macarius to get him some sherbet, so Macarius walked over a hundred miles to Alexandria to get the sherbet, but concealed his journey from the other monks. In another story, we're told Macarius didn't want to drink wine, but he accepted it when offered to him by his brethren for their sake (how many times similar circumstances confront Christians today). But he took a silent pledge to himself: For every cup of wine he took, he would deprive himself of water for a day. This continued until one of his disciples noticed what was happening and feared he might die from dehydration. Word spread, and the brethren stopped offering him wine. ### Macarius and the Devils The stories about Macarius, as with other desert fathers, are full of references to devils. Macarius spoke with them and fought with them. In one story, Macarius ran into a devil on the road, who repeatedly, and unsuccessfully, tried to slash Macarius with a scythe. The frustrated devil then told Macarius that his great humility protected him from the blows. In another story, Macarius saw Satan walking with a jacket full of temptations for some brothers down the road. Macarius asked Satan whether he had much success at that community, and Satan told him of one monk who always fell prey to the temptations. Macarius went and spoke to the monk and offered some simple advice. The next time Satan appeared to the monk, his efforts failed. The stories about Macarius' confrontations with the devils generally are not spectacular: They do not involve violent exorcisms and they do not feature feats of glory in the battleground of the supernatural. In fact, the stories are quite ordinary. And they should be. Battles with devils are an everyday affair, and they are waged over the little, ordinary things in life. ### **Macarius and Holden Caulfield** Modern-day cynics discount the existence of active devils, but they were real to Macarius and the other desert fathers, whose virtue of discernment allowed them to see the devils–like a man sees the intricacies of a leaf under a microscope, whereas another man sees just another leaf. Through a quiet life of contemplation, they saw the roots and sprouts of the sins that course through the human heart. As they grew to understand their sins, they came to see their enormity and complexity, and eventually saw the evil presence–Satan and his legion–that made the sins so active and vigorous. And here lies the vivid difference between the escapism of a modern like Holden Caulfield and the flight of an ancient like St. Macarius. The modern doesn't believe in devils, so he intuitively–fearfully–flees from an invisible enemy that attacks him but that he can't see. ### The Spirit of Medieval Philosophy: A Micro-Review URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/29144/ Last updated: 2024-07-08T13:11:53.000Z If I had to come up with a list of books whose title makes the book sound far drier than it is, I'd nominate Gilson's [*The Spirit of Mediaeval Philosophy*](https://amzn.to/3QZrlDi?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Merton fans may recall that he bought the book in his pre-Catholic days, then nearly hurled it out the window when he saw it contained the *Imprimatur*: "\[I\]t only offended Merton more to think a fine scholar had been censored--worse, that he had allowed himself to be censored." Michael Mott, *The Seven Mountains of Thomas Merton*, 109. Censored or not, *The Spirit* is a great book. When you start it, you need to sit at a desk with blinders on, determined to focus on it until you get into the groove. Once you do, you won't be disappointed. Gilson writes about a difficult subject--one separated from us chronologically by nearly a thousand years and intellectually by an eviternity--with ease. The book is packed with intellectual history and, in the course of unpacking it, Catholic philosophy itself. Some day, I will go back through it and type of scores of choice quotes. There's not much more I can do with a book like *Spirit*. Gilson's quotes are self-sufficient, requiring little or no elaboration . . . and making a commentator feel wholly inadequate trying to do so (this is the third Gilson post I've attempted to write since starting the new TDE, and all three have struck me as lame). For now, I merely offer this fine quote from page 271: > \[T\]he great fact on which rests the whole Christian conception of love is this: that all human pleasure is desirable but none ever suffices. ### Cynar and Tonic URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/cynar-and-tonic/ Last updated: 2024-06-07T00:02:06.000Z Tonic, of course, goes famously well with gin. But it plays nicely with a variety of other bottles as well, including some you might not expect — like Cynar. (Say it with me now:[*Put Cynar in everything!*](https://cocktailswithsuderman.substack.com/p/put-cynar-in-everything)) There’s no trick to this drink, no fancy technique or structural hack. [I use the same 10:3 ratio as I employ for a Gin & Tonic](https://cocktailswithsuderman.substack.com/p/its-not-a-gin-and-tonic-its-a-gin), and I’m even less fussy about the preparation. If you want to dress it up, garnish the drink with a lemon wedge, then squeeze a little bit of citrus juice into the mix to brighten it up. (This works a lot like the small hit of lemon juice in [the Cynar-forward Bitter Guiseppe](https://cocktailswithsuderman.substack.com/p/put-cynar-in-everything).) Pour the tonic first and the Cynar second, on top. This allows the Cynar to float down through the drink rather than resting at the bottom. **Read the rest** [Cocktails With Suderman | Peter Suderman | SubstackThe home bartender’s guide. Tips, tricks, techniques, and recipes. A new edition most every Friday, and sometimes in between. Click to read Cocktails With Suderman, by Peter Suderman, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca335f59-61aa-4642-ae89-4b5d5062809b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)SubstackPeter Suderman![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:best,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fcocktailswithsuderman.substack.com%2Ftwitter%2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D216621246%26version%3D9)](https://cocktailswithsuderman.substack.com/) ### Disappearing Asparagus URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/disappearing-asparagus/ Last updated: 2024-06-06T23:48:22.000Z It was a late March morning and dozens of women and men descended on a San Joaquin Valley asparagus farm — one of the last in the state. The workers walked along the furrows, cutting the newly sprouted spears at precisely nine inches, a market standard. Later that day, farmer Aaron Barcellos surveyed the land peppered with the perennial that for many announces the arrival of spring. He is one of the last producers standing in California, a fourth-generation farmer who co-owns A-Bar Ag Enterprises in Firebaugh. The 59-year-old picked a firm stalk from the ground. He pointed to its tightly braided tips and beefy stem. “This is beautiful ‘grass,’” Barcellos said, a nickname growers often use for asparagus, although it’s not considered a true grass. “Every spear of asparagus you see in the store is hand cut by an individual,” he said, referring to his own 120 workers. The labor required to harvest the crop is partly why Barcellos fears for the future of asparagus. Once considered the king of vegetables in California agriculture and a seasonal delicacy exported worldwide, asparagus is on the decline here — the industry succumbing to the pressures of the global market, largely because of labor costs. At its most recent peak in 2000, California farmers harvested 37,000 acres of asparagus, according to the state [Department of Food and Agriculture](https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/statistics/PDFs/AgResourceDirectory2008/6%5F2008%5FVegetableAndMelonCrops.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). About 10% of that acreage has been lost every year since. Now there are fewer than [3,000](https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/v6/serp.html?q=2022%5FAg%5FStats%5FReview&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) acres of asparagus left in the Golden State, according to the latest available data. **Read the rest** [Fast-growing asparagus once flourished on California farms. Why is it disappearing?At the turn of the 21st century, California growers were farming more than 36,000 acres of asparagus. Now, fewer than 3,000 acres are in production in the state for commercial sale. These are the last three farms.![](https://www.latimes.com/apple-touch-icon.png)Los Angeles TimesCindy Carcamo![](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ea3a5cd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4022x2112+0+285/resize/1200x630!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F12%2F36%2F8defda2d40bdabed9f0f67c3675d%2F1422161-fo-ca-asparagus-farmers-17-ajs.jpg)](https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2024-05-08/asparagus-california-disappearing-farming-industry-delta-nafta-labor?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Knowledge Through Experience is Still Knowledge URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-48/ Last updated: 2024-06-05T16:33:58.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Nassim Taleb's Assault on the Left Hemisphere's Pretensions: Samples URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/nassim-talebs-assault-on-the-left-hemispheres-pretensions-samples/ Last updated: 2025-05-25T12:26:43.000Z A work-in-process _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Magic in Everyday Renaissance Europe URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/magic-in-everyday-renaissance-europe/ Last updated: 2024-06-04T13:19:34.000Z [Black Magic and ScientismMagic has fascinated me since I learned that the high watermark of magic was the Renaissance. The cutting-edge Renaissance thinkers were magicians. Magic and science were intertwined, its practitioners flitting between the two practices (arts) in their attempt to understand and, ultimately, control/manipulate the world, unaware that they are![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/06/Briefly-Purple-Black.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/black-magic-and-scientism/) In 1637, a Londoner named Mabel Gray lost her spoons. After looking everywhere, she set off to consult a wizard. That wizard directed her to a second, who sent her to a third, and she wound up taking a lengthy trek around the city, paying for ferries across the Thames and tromping through livestock yards and sketchy neighborhoods. According to Tabitha Stanmore—who opens her charming book [*Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic*](https://bookshop.org/a/2181/9781639730537?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) with this account—the whole process would have cost Mabel the equivalent of a skilled tradesman’s pay for a week. And as much as Mabel’s quest sounds like the premise of a fairy tale, Stanmore insists that there was nothing especially unusual about it. *Cunning Folk* is packed with anecdotes about “service magicians”—people who offered a range of everyday magical help for a fee—in late medieval and early modern Europe (roughly the 14th to late 17th centuries). Stanmore’s sources are court records from the time, which provide fascinating windows into what people fought about, and therefore what they cared about, during the Middle Ages, even if the piquant little stories they tell don’t always come with a satisfying ending. Did Mabel get her spoons back? We’ll never know. **Read the rest** [An Entertaining New Book Will Tell You Something You Never Knew About WitchcraftThe medieval service magicians who would find missing spoons, identify a thief, or help you win at cards.![](https://slate.com/media/sites/slate-com/icon.180x180.png)SlateLaura Miller![](https://compote.slate.com/images/3ad9cd0d-f30b-4f5b-a4eb-46518548ffce.jpeg?crop=1560%2C1040%2Cx0%2Cy0&width=1560)](https://slate.com/culture/2024/05/witches-wizards-magic-middle-ages-cunning-folk-book.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Black Magic and Scientism URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/black-magic-and-scientism/ Last updated: 2024-06-09T19:37:24.000Z Magic has fascinated me since I learned that the high watermark of magic was the Renaissance. The cutting-edge Renaissance thinkers were magicians. Magic and science were intertwined, its practitioners flitting between the two practices (arts) in their attempt to understand and, ultimately, control/manipulate the world, unaware that they are two entirely different things. Magic was discredited when Isaac Casaubon killed Hermes Trismegistus in 1614, then science took over. [The story is told here](https://thedailyeudemon.com/magic-fueled-the-european-renaissance/). Both science and magic are left-hemispheric tools. The left hemisphere, I like to say, is "tasked with tasks." It gets things done and helps us, in Jordan Peterson's phrase, "keep soul and body together." Both science and magic are, *conceptually*, equally valid (and identical) pursuits. Both, in other words, are rational. The *practical* difference is, one of them works and the other doesn't, which is one reason science soared after Europe stopped squandering energy on magic and channeled all that left-hemispheric efforts into science. Both science and magic, being left-hemispheric tools, have a natural tendency to go too far. This is the lesson behind [the fable of *The Master and His Emissary*](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-fable-behind-the-master-and-his-emissary/). In science, this is known as "scientism": the belief that science alone can provide a complete and authoritative understanding of reality. Its magical counterpart is "black magic": the belief that anything is permissible, even the complete rejection of reality, if it accomplishes one's ambitions. They're both perennial risks because the undue eruption of (usurpation by) the left hemisphere is a perennial risk. Left-hemisphere eruption is, I've concluded (but am open to discuss further), the "event of consciousness" that Voegelin struggled to understand and labeled "gnosticism." The idea that it's a perennial risk is on display in [this nifty review-essay](https://slate.com/culture/2024/05/witches-wizards-magic-middle-ages-cunning-folk-book.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) of Barbara Stanmore's new book, [*Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic*](https://amzn.to/3Ksb2uv?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Excerpt: > Stanmore recounts the 1371 arrest of a man named John Crok on the streets of Southwark. Crok was found carrying a severed head which he said he’d obtained in Toledo, Spain. He planned—with the help of a book of “experiments” also found on his person—to trap a “spirit” inside the head and compel the spirit to answer questions. The court found that Crok had not “done any deceit or evil to the king’s people with the aforesaid head,” and let him go after he swore not to do it again. The head and the book were burned. [An Entertaining New Book Will Tell You Something You Never Knew About WitchcraftThe medieval service magicians who would find missing spoons, identify a thief, or help you win at cards.![](https://slate.com/media/sites/slate-com/icon.180x180.png)SlateLaura Miller![](https://compote.slate.com/images/3ad9cd0d-f30b-4f5b-a4eb-46518548ffce.jpeg?crop=1560%2C1040%2Cx0%2Cy0&width=1560)](https://slate.com/culture/2024/05/witches-wizards-magic-middle-ages-cunning-folk-book.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Why Gardening Matters URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-gardening-matters/ Last updated: 2024-06-03T13:03:55.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Do You Like Being a Chump? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52337/ Last updated: 2024-07-02T13:20:31.000Z #### Politicians are turning the United States into a nation of chumps. It won't end well. > In progressive circles, “justice” doesn't mean fairness or evenhandedness; it describes a world in which every problem is the fault of some entrenched power group. Therefore, every solution should involve both special aid for the victims and some sort of punishment for those who created the problem. > James B. Meigs What happens when folks are rewarded for not playing by the rules or following the social norms that keep society functioning? It turns the rest of us into chumps. What happens when it happens too often? Well, people get really angry. More people start cheating the system. People just come to the conclusion that the system isn't fair and it isn't worth participating. Those are things pointed out in this splendid essay at *City Journal*: “[The Chump Effect](https://www.city-journal.org/chump-effect-of-progressive-policies?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).” The one effect that it doesn't address, though, is the possibility that a society could suddenly tilt from a law-abiding one where it's the norm to pay your taxes and fees, to one where only a chump pays his taxes and fees. That side of the Chump Effect was touched upon in this Econtalk podcast episode: “[Michael Munger on Crony Capitalism](https://www.econtalk.org/michael-munger-on-crony-capitalism/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)," in the context of Chile and Argentina. “If you don't pay your taxes in Chile, other people think, 'Well, you're a terrible person.' And if you *do* pay your taxes in Argentina, people think, 'Well, you're an idiot. You're a chump. Nobody does that.' Argentina hired soccer players and actresses to go on TV and do ads about how you should pay your taxes. They had to pull the ads within two weeks, because all of the actors had not paid their taxes. "There's two different equilibria. One is, everybody does the right thing, and if you don't do the right thing you are a bad person. The second equilibrium is: Nobody does the right thing, and if you do the right thing, you are an idiot. *I worry that the second one is the one that we're tending towards.*" “Equilibria.” That's a crucial concept. It implies, properly, that once you tilt to one side, it's very hard to tilt back to the other. In the world of outrageous political proposals and actions described in the *City Journal* piece–from allowing riots and turnstile jumping, to forgiving student loans and other debts, to bailing out Wall Street firms–I fear the United States is quickly veering to the Argentina equilibrium. When that happens, we will have a very, very different culture and economic system. One that may look like Argentina and produces men with the world outlook of Pope Francis. We don't need that. ### If You Want to Write, Learn to Walk URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/if-you-want-to-write-learn-to-walk/ Last updated: 2024-07-01T13:04:59.000Z I remember reading a column by Florence King. I forget the topic, but in it she wrote that she does the same thing every morning: sits in her kitchen, smoking a cigarette, staring blankly into space, waiting for an article idea to hit her. It’s not the first time I’ve heard writers mention the important role that leisure—the act of doing nothing—plays in their writing. When we’re focused on nothing, we get something. Kinda. It’s more precise to say, “When you’re not trying to think of something in particular, something hits you.” The “something in particular” is, I think, yourself. If you’re intent on finding an article topic for yourself, your attention is drawn inward: “What can *I* write about; *I* need an idea; *I* want an article that will knock the socks off publishers.” When your attention is drawn inward, ideas don’t come to you. It seems analogous to “choking” in sports: The person who chokes, who botches an easy putt or a pass or a shot, is the person who’s thinking about the heroism or humiliation that will be his in a few moments. --- ## The Muses Ignore the Self-Obsessed The key is to forget yourself and to concentrate on something outside yourself. If you want to make that putt, concentrate on the act of putting and don’t ever, ever, think about the consequences of the putt. If you want a good article idea, concentrate on anything, or nothing, but don’t ever, ever, think about the potential fame and fortune coming your way from your writing. I think this rule is borne out by the experience of many writers when they’re engaged in the actual art of writing a piece. While I’m writing, I often get deluged with so many new ideas that I have a hard time concentrating on the piece at hand, finding myself spacing down the page to type in some notes or starting a whole new article, or scratching down thoughts on scrap paper—all the while trying to keep my mind on the piece in front of me. While writing intently, one’s attention is drawn to the reality outside oneself—the topic, the words, the style, the beckoning final product. As a result, new ideas tend to flow in because the writer isn’t concentrated on himself. In short, the muses don’t talk to the self-obsessed. --- ## Walking and Creativity Have Long Been Linked Many writers and artists, like Beethoven, Coleridge, Wordsworth, and C.S. Lewis (to name a tiny fraction), went for walks. Consider these words by Barbara Ueland, from her excellent little book, [*If You Want to Write*](https://amzn.to/42sj66f?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): > “And how do these creative thoughts come? They come in a slow way. It is the little bomb of revelation bursting inside you. I found I never took a long, solitary walk without some of these silent, little inward bombs bursting quietly.” Walking has a knack for taking self-regard out of our heads. The mere act of walking requires us to direct at least a little attention away from ourselves and put them toward the effort of stepping and choosing a path. In addition, as we walk, we move from one scene to another. There is constantly something new to see. The constant change of scenery that accompanies the walker tends to shift his attention out of himself to something else, whether he realizes it or not. The mere fact that we’re outside helps us to shift outside our heads. There’s something about the sky and trees and grass that brings us out of ourselves. Any person who has experienced the simple flood of grace that momentarily enraptures the soul at certain moments while sitting outside realizes this. There’s also something “sacramental” about walking. The fluid motion of the body lubricating the fluid movement of the mind. These recent observations by [Iain McGilchrist](https://amzn.to/3yPf4r7?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) aren’t surprising (though it is nice to learn that the current science bears them out): > "Walking has been long considered an aid to fluent thinking – the philosophical school founded by Aristotle was known as ‘peripatetic’, from the habit of walking while discussing philosophy. There is an observable and reciprocal relation between objectively fluid movement on the one hand, and subjectively fluid cognition and creativity on the other." --- ## A Few Caveats The walker/writer must be careful to enjoy nature’s scenery, *not* his enjoyment of the scenario. This is a complicated thought, but basically there’s a serious difference between enjoying something and being aware that we’re enjoying something. The first is centered on the something; the latter is centered on yourself. If I’m just looking at the blue sky and enjoying it, I’m drawn to something outside myself. If I’m looking at the blue sky and thinking, “I’m really enjoying this,” I’m drawn inside myself. The former is conducive to the creative mindset; the latter is anathema to it. The walker/writer must also resist the temptation to scrunch a bunch of activities into one. The creative benefits of walking, for instance, won’t be there if you’re also using the time to chat with a friend. The benefits will also elude you if you’re undertaking the walk for exercise. The act of exercising has a tendency to cripple the creative faculties for two reasons: (1) It’s draining, and we find ourselves gasping for breaths more than breathing in nature’s goodness; (2) The exerciser tends to be plagued with self-obsessing thoughts: Am I making good time? How many calories will this burn off my body? I’m going to look good in that new outfit. Finally, you can’t approach the walk with the intent of getting good ideas. You should just set out for a walk. Nothing more. Even if the walking will bring us the ideas and stories, they can’t be our conscious intent or else we’ll never get them because, as pointed out at the beginning of this article, such intent tends to be filled with self-obsession (*I* need an idea, etc.). So step outside, take a deep breath and look at the blue sky, then start walking, with no thought to anything except God’s creation. And then welcome the resulting creations that form in your mind. ### Learn to Love Your Region URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53742/ Last updated: 2024-07-01T13:06:28.000Z ### It might be the only effective answer to Leviathan . . . and it arguably saves lives Socialist? Liberal? Conservative? Libertarian? Anarchist? I'm none of those things. I'm a Subsidiarist. I believe in the Catholic bedrock of political philosophy, which holds the smallest units of government ought to handle whatever they can possibly handle with interference from larger units of government. The household ought to handle what it can, and if a problem is too big for the household, the extended family should handle it. If the extended family can't, go to local charities, friends, and neighbors. If it's too big for that, city government. Then county government. Then state government. Then (gulp) national government. It's simple in concept, difficult to apply. Indeed, it's Quixotic to apply it to today's political scene, DC and the state capitals have grown so powerful and overwhelming that advocacy of the principle of subsidiarity is like advocating abstinence in a whorehouse. But there is a movement of sorts that is akin to subsidiarity. It's called “regionalism.” It's not political, though. It's cultural, but if politics follows culture, a regionalist cultural movement could be huge. --- Regionalism, in the words of Bill Kauffman, is “'a revolt against cultural nationalism–that is, the tendency of artists to ignore or deny the fact that there are important differences, psychologically and otherwise, between the various regions of America' . . . When the different regions develop characteristics of their own, they will come into competition with each other; and out of this competition a rich American culture will grow.” I used to read a lot of Richard Weaver and the Southern Agrarians. They were big fans of regionalism (along with Flannery O'Connor), but their analysis focused on the South. Kauffman, drawing on Grant Wood and his love for Iowa (Iowa!), helped me see that regionalism isn't mostly a Southern thing with a few regionally-strong outposts in New England, Indiana, Fargo, and Michigan's upper peninsula. I was really struck by the realization, so much so that I dedicated one of my *National Catholic Register* blogging columns to it, writing in one spot: > Passionate Catholic convert Orestes Brownson is considered one of the greatest thinkers of nineteenth-century America. In his greatest work, *The American Republic*, Brownson preached the necessity of territorial democracy: politics and issues tied to particular soil. > The genius of the American system, he said, is that it erects barriers between the federal government and the people. This allows democracy to work more effectively because democracy works best in small territories. In townships, the governed and the governors meet in the streets and talk; in counties, the issues are tangible, not abstract. That's where the battles should be fought whenever possible. > That's where the discussions ought to take place whenever possible. Unfortunately, we live in an age of an expansive federal government that dashes regionalism. We live in the age of a world wide web that dashes intimate conversation. At the time, I wasn't aware of [a 1993 essay by Marion Montgomery that touches on the regionalism theme](http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id%5Farticle=5112&ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Montgomery is not easy to read, but he makes a point that totally escaped me for years: The attack on regionalism in our culture is nothing less than the attack on the Christian understanding of the preciousness of each individual life. Check out the essay in full, but I think this is the most representative paragraph from it: > In discussing the loss of culture, manners, belief–once associated with the American South as stereotypical, in contrast to the North as the “land of industry”–Percy remarks the dissolving of those differences, though in some degree they once obtained in our history. He says, however, that now his grandchildren are “like the kids in Dubuque, Iowa.” > That this sea change has occurred, I believe, is an effect of “liberal” sentimentality, by which I mean to suggest at once that the Iowa children suffer as well as the Louisiana Percy children. The “Christian scandal,” Percy says in this interview, is its “emphasis on individual human life.” Without that scandalous emphasis, anything goes, including the gas chambers. The importance of encounter of person with immediate existence, the accommodation to *this* place and *this* time, which is so heavy a theme in recent literature of the American South, is exactly the issue, though reduced in its implications whenever frozen in our accounting for it by a reduction to mere history or geography. That is, the concern requires a metaphysical perspective beyond the account of history or naturalistic geography. ### On Vermentino URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-vermentino/ Last updated: 2024-05-31T10:11:59.000Z Is Vermentino the New Chardonnay? Inside Sonoma Wines’ Italian Renaissance Drought-resistant, heat-tolerant Italian varieties are moving in on acreage once planted to French grapes. Sonoma grape growers and winemakers alike are particularly bullish on light, bright Vermentino. The grapes most often associated with California’s Sonoma Valley are French—from Cabernet Sauvignon to Chardonnay—despite the fact that many of the region’s winemaking families have Italian roots. But thanks to the efforts of a new generation of producers, Italian varieties like Falanghina, Arneis, Ribolla Gialla and Vermentino are showing up more and more often on the labels of sought-after Sonoma wines. [**Read the rest**](https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/food-cooking/is-vermentino-the-new-chardonnay-inside-sonoma-wines-italian-renaissance-15f789c4?mod=wsjhp%5Fcolumnists%5Fpos3&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **(subscription required)** ### Zuby's Twitter Thread: 20 Things I've Learned (Or Had Confirmed) About Humanity During The 'Pandemic' URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54561/ Last updated: 2024-06-29T12:43:00.000Z I don't know a lot about [**Zuby**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuby?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Oxford-educated rapper that was on Joe Rogan. That's all I really know. I also remember enjoying his interview, then this morning, I heard about [**this Tweet by Zuby about the pandemic**](https://twitter.com/zubymusic/status/1412012537986568193?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). All 20 points are worth reading. I've just pasted below the ones that resonate with me the most. 1\. Most people would rather be in the majority, than be right. 2\. [**At least 20% of the population has strong authoritarian tendencies**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/53211/), which will emerge under the right conditions. 4\. Propaganda is just as effective in the modern day as it was 100 years ago. Access to limitless information has not made the average person any wiser. 5\. Anything and everything can and will be politicised by the media, government, and those who trust them. 7\. Most people believe the government acts in the best interests of the people. Even many who are vocal critics of the government. 8\. Once they have made up their mind, most people would rather to commit to being wrong, than admit they were wrong. 10\. When sufficiently frightened, most people will not only accept authoritarianism, but demand it. 11\. People who are dismissed as 'conspiracy theorists' are often well researched and simply ahead of the mainstream narrative. 14\. A significant % of people thoroughly enjoy being subjugated. 15\. 'The Science' has evolved into a secular pseudo-religion for millions of people in the West. This religion has little to do with science itself. 16\. Most people care more about looking like they are doing the right thing, rather than actually doing the right thing. 17\. Politics, the media, science, and the healthcare industries are all corrupt, to varying degrees. Scientists and doctors can be bought as easily as politicians. 19\. Modern people are overly complacent and lack vigilance when it comes to defending their own freedoms from government overreach. ### Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur (1735-1813): Left-Hemispheric URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hector-st-john-de-crev/ Last updated: 2024-05-28T12:50:33.000Z McGilchrist writes about the left hemisphere's love for abstraction. Because it is the hemisphere of action ("it's tasked with tasks," is my (oh-so-clever) way of putting it), it prefers abstract ideas that give it guideposts for action. It keeps things simple, which makes things more efficient. A simple example: If you own a business and set up the principle that all minorities are worthless, you don't need to waste time interviewing, hiring, and training them (civil rights laws notwithstanding . . . I'm just giving an example here . . . don't call your local Attorney General). It streamlines the hiring process so you can get onto more profitable activities. And if your principle is correct, it works out better in the long term as well. The problem is, your principles are *never* true. They might be more or less true, and they might be truer in some circumstances and less true in others. There are nuances that every principle misses, so even though they might makes things more efficient, which is good, they come at the cost of accuracy . . . of truth. --- ## Phony Essays > "Hector St. John, you have lied to me. You lied even more scurrilously to yourself. Hector St. John, you are an emotional liar." D.H. Lawrence Enter Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur. He was a French-American writer, diplomat, and farmer who migrated to America, became a naturalized citizen, married an American, and worked as a farmer and surveyor. He is best known for his literary work *Letters from an American Farmer*, which was published in 1782, to the acclaim of Europe's romantic and reforming classes. Hazlitt, Godwin, Shelley, Godwin, and the English romantics in general loved the Letters. Two hundred years later, D.H. Lawrence savaged Crèvecoeur's work in [*Studies in Classic Literature*](https://amzn.to/4aINgp2?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which remains the most entertaining literary criticism ever written. Why did he savage Crèvecoeur? Because Crèvecoeur didn't write honestly. He wrote from abstract notions and ideals instead of the reality of living the agricultural life, which isn't, and never has been, primrose. "Intellectualize" is how Lawrence refers to Crèvecoeur's literary sin. He said Crèvecoeur intellectualized the concept of "Nature-Sweet-and-Pure," reduced it to a few mental laws, then applied them. Instead of trying to convey reality, Crèvecoeur was conveying abstract ideals. > Crèvecoeur was an artist as well as a liar, otherwise we would not have bothered with him. He wanted to put NATURE in his pocket, as Benjamin put the Human Being. Between them, they wanted the whole scheme of things in their pockets, and the things themselves as well. Once you’ve got the scheme of things in your pocket, you can do as you like with it, even make money out of it, if you can’t find in your heart to destroy it, as was your first intention. So. H. St. J. de C. tried to put Nature-Sweet-and-Pure in his pocket. But nature wasn’t having any, she poked her head out and baa-ed. > This Nature-sweet-and-pure business is only another effort at intellectualizing. Just an attempt to make all nature succumb to a few laws of the human mind. The sweet-and-pure sort of laws. Nature seemed to be behaving quite nicely, for a while. She has left off. > That’s why you get the purest intellectuals in a Garden Suburb or a Brook Farm experiment. You bet, Robinson Crusoe was a high-brow of high-brows. --- ## Phony Fiction This tendency in writers is the first literary sin. Too often, writers set out to make a point. They have an idea and they write an essay or even a short story to promote or justify it, instead of writing an essay or story to explore reality. It's a sin in non-fiction. I think Flannery O'Connor might have argued that it's an even bigger sin in fiction. Consider this passage from [*Mysteries and Manners*](https://amzn.to/4bTWsrk?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (one of the best books ever about the art of writing and a steal at $6.99). > \[I\]n the best stories it is something organic, something that grows out of the material . . . > It is a good deal easier for most people to state an abstract idea than to describe and thus re-create some object that they actually see. But the world of the fiction writer is full of matter, and this is what the beginning fiction writers are very loathe to create. They are concerned primarily with unfleshed ideas and emotions. They are apt to be reformers and to want to write because they are possessed not by a story but by the bare bones of some abstract notion. . . . > It is always necessary to remember that the fiction writer is much less immediately concerned with grand ideas and bristling emotions than he is with putting list slippers on the clerks. ### Dorothy Parker's Brilliance and Other Sundries to Fascinate Your Friends at the Bar Tonight URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52672/ Last updated: 2024-06-28T12:46:15.000Z The godfather of modern libertarianism, Albert Nock, was in his prime during Prohibition. Needless to say, he railed against it, noting once that it's absurd to regulate something that, in nature, flows as freely as water. He's right, of course. And the fact that it flows as freely as water has made it a form of recreation and escape for nearly 10,000 years. (Okay, we don't know for sure why the Chinese in the Yellow River Valley (where 9,000-year-old pottery (with alcohol residue) was found) were drinking alcohol, but they weren't Neanderthals, so presumably, there was a large measure of recreation involved.) It's no surprise that there's a ton of interesting and fun alcohol trivia. I'm working on a definitive list of such, but for now, I offer this handful: ### 1\. Go Extreme Are you tired of the beer snobs? I know I am. I realize I probably have an unsophisticated palate, but when I read beer aficionados talk about hints of malt from the Euphrates Valley, I roll my eyes. But if you want to try to understand a little of what they're talking about, you should taste and contrast beers from the two extremes: double boch (extreme malt) and bitter ales (very hoppy). ### 2\. Government Created the Great London Gin Craze [The Great London Gin Craze](https://thedailyeudemon.com/51800/) was a pretty scary things: kids getting soused, women selling themselves for a gin and tonic with lemon spritzer (okay, I embellish). It resulted from government interference. William of Orange and his allies in Parliament wanted to punish the French for, among other things, their ongoing support of deposed King James, so they banned the importation of French brandy. Parliament pushed through the Distillation Act of 1690 to promote the interests of powerful landowners. Parliament then increased the tax on beer, making gin the cheapest alcoholic drink in the land. And then, for the cherry on top, Parliament exempted distillers from the requirement to accept billeted troops (in other words: "you either make gin or soldiers are going to bang your daughter in your own home"). By 1730, London was flooded with gin and all the horrifying problems associated with it. ### 3\. How Slavs Took Over the World Prior to the 1930s, vodka was confined to areas of Russia, Poland, and Scandinavia. Today, it is the number one alcohol in the world. Some estimates say it is used in 25% of all alcoholic drinks. ### 4\. Dorothy Parker was Liberal, Slutty, and a Drunk . . . but I Love Her Dorothy Parker was, by all moral accounts, low. But man, she was brilliant and funny. Her humor was so biting, *Vanity Fair* fired her when she refused to curb her sarcastic excess. She was also a drunk and had a wicked sense of humor to go with it. She was the only female member of the notoriously drunken Algonquin Round Table, which included notables like James Thurber, Ring Lardner, and (the otherwise laconic) Harpo Marx. One of Dorothy's best quotes: "If you laid all the girls at Vassar end to end, I wouldn't be surprised." Also: While on her honeymoon, responding to a persistent editor about a looming deadline: "Look. I'm too f\_\_\_\_ing busy. . . . And vice-versa." ## 5\. A Toast for Every Day of the Week English sailors used to toast a different thing every day of the week. It varied among sailors, but this is a common list: Sunday: Absent friends Monday: Queen and country Tuesday: Health and wealth (not sure where scurvy fits in) Wednesday: Ourselves Thursday: The King Friday: A willing foe Saturday: Wives and sweethearts (may they never meet) ### 50-Year Anniversary of The Gulag URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-45/ Last updated: 2024-05-26T19:36:44.000Z When Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s *The Gulag Archipelago: An Experiment in Literary Investigation* appeared in 1973, its impact, the author recalled, was immediate: “Like matter enveloped by antimatter, it exploded instantaneously!” The first translations into Western languages in 1974—just fifty years ago—proved almost as sensational. No longer was it so easy to cherish a sentimental attachment to communism and the ussr. In France, where Marxism had remained fashionable, the book changed the course of intellectual life, and in America it helped counter the New Left celebration of Mao, Castro, and other disciples of Marx, Lenin, and Stalin. What was it that made this book so effective? And what did Solzhenitsyn mean by calling it “literary,” even though everything in it was factual? To answer these questions is to grasp why *Gulag* towers over all other works of the Soviet period and, indeed, over all literature since the middle of the twentieth century. Before Solzhenitsyn, Western intellectuals of course knew that the Soviet regime had been “repressive,” but for the most part they imagined that all that had ended decades ago. So it was shocking when the book described how it had to be written secretly, with parts scattered so that not everything could be seized in a single raid. Solzhenitsyn offered an apology for the work’s lack of polish: “I must explain that *never once* did this whole book . . . lie on the same desk at the same time!” “The jerkiness of the book, its imperfections, are the true mark of our persecuted literature.” Since this persecution is itself one of the work’s themes, its imperfections are strangely appropriate and so, perhaps, not imperfections at all. In 1965, Solzhenitsyn explains, “my archive was raided \[by the secret police\] and a novel impounded,” and thus he had to be especially careful with *Gulag*, since his notes for it mentioned the real names of his informants. In Russia, literature was not only persecuted but also dangerous, and not just to the writers. The fact that the book could not be published in the ussr and had to be smuggled abroad also marked the difference between the Russian and Western experiences. Russian literature was morally serious in a way American, British, and French literatures were not. The preening of Western intellectuals about social injustice began to look almost ridiculous by comparison. Western intellectuals usually supposed that Russian dissidents might suffer the sort of punishment that in their own countries is reserved for dangerous criminals. At worst, Westerners pictured conditions like those in tsarist Russia, long considered the model of an oppressive state. That is why Solzhenitsyn devotes so many passages to contrasting what passed for tyranny in nineteenth-century Russia with ordinary Soviet conditions. Begin with numbers. Solzhenitsyn instructs: from 1876 to 1904—a period of mass strikes, peasant revolts, and terrorism claiming the lives of Tsar Alexander II and other top officials—“486 people were executed; in other words, about seventeen people per year for the whole country,” a figure that includes “ordinary, nonpolitical criminals!” During the 1905 revolution and its suppression, “executions rocketed upward, astounding Russian imaginations, calling forth tears from Tolstoy and indignation from \[the writer Vladimir\] Korolenko, and many, many others: from 1905 through 1908 2,200 persons were executed,” a number contemporaries described as an “*epidemic of* executions.” Read the rest [The masterpiece of our time | The New CriterionOn The Gulag Archipelago at fifty.![](https://newcriterion.com/favicon-may.ico)Current IssueArchiveDispatchMediaEventsSubscribeDonateGary Saul Morson![](https://newcriterion.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/21-The-Preacher-e1716309876920.png)](https://newcriterion.com/article/the-masterpiece-of-our-time/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Day Drinking URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/day-drinking/ Last updated: 2024-05-25T12:47:16.000Z [Day DrinkingThis NYT piece had great potential, none of it actualized. It was just the same palaver: empty stomach increases effect of alcohol, the sun further dehydrates you, yada and yads. I think the cue (“Why do we like to drink in the afternoon?”) could’ve led to a nice reflection on![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/05/Briefly-Grey-Bricks.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/day-drinking-2/) A poolside margarita, a frosty beer at a Memorial Day barbecue — summer, you could argue, is made for a cold drink on a hot day. But why does a daytime buzz feel different from after-dinner drinks? And is there any way to ward off the evening hangover? Perhaps unsurprisingly, there have not been robust clinical trials evaluating the health effects of day drinking. But psychiatrists and alcohol experts said there are a few unique factors that influence how daytime drinking can differ from nighttime consumption. At night, you might be more attuned to the signs it’s time to stop — after your dinner winds down, for example. But the novelty of an afternoon alcoholic beverage means people don’t always keep tabs on how much they’re consuming, said Dr. Akhil Anand, a psychiatrist at the Cleveland Clinic. If you’re drinking throughout the day, and not necessarily keeping tabs on where to get your next snack, it also stands to reason that you wouldn’t have food in your stomach to help slow down the rate at which your body absorbs alcohol — which means you’re likely to get more intoxicated over a shorter period of time. Drinking while the sun is out — particularly in the summer — makes you more likely to become dehydrated, and dehydration can intensify the effects of intoxication: You may feel fatigued, lightheaded, woozy or just generally out of it, said Dr. Sarah Andrews, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins Medicine. **Read the rest** ### A Dominican, a Neuroscientist, and Computer Scientist Walk into a Bar . . . or Maybe a Library URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54960/ Last updated: 2024-06-25T12:10:00.000Z ### I had a Sertillanges sighting recently. As in, “A.G. Sertillanges, O.P.,” author of that classic work, [***The Intellectual Life***](https://amzn.to/3DrcmuK?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). My last sighting was about 15 years ago when I was reading Merton’s journals. If memory serves, he was mocking the book. If not mocking, criticizing. If I had to guess, the journal entry was from the 1960s. I distinctly remember that the prose had none of the humility that marked Merton’s earlier works, so it was probably written after Merton entered his smug leftist stage in the early sixties. Fast forward 50 years: 2016 and [**Cal Newport’s *Deep Work***](https://amzn.to/3JozHkk?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I’m reading it for the third time, the first two times having abandoned it around page 25 because it contains too much fluff and is written at a fifth-grade level. But based on Andrew Huberman’s very strong endorsement of Cal Newport in general and *Deep Work* specifically, I’m trying again. --- I was rewarded with a spate of Sertillanges sightings on pages 33 through 37. Newport doesn’t mock Sertillanges. In fact, just the opposite. He practically casts him as a proto-cognitive therapist, saying that **Sertillanges pointed out things about the intellectual life that we now know are crucial to the focused life in general**, saying Sertillanges is “useful in our quest to better understand how people quickly master hard (cognitive) skills.” So what all did Sertillanges say? Well, a lot. Newport cites him for Sertillanges’ counsel to focus all the rays of one’s attention on one subject. Good counsel, that, but there’s a lot more in that classic work. “Have you two hours a day?” Sertillanges asks his ghost reader, noting that, if the reader has just two hours a day and is willing to “keep them jealously” and “use them ardently,” the reader can “rest in quiet certainty” that the intellectual life can be his. You know who else says that? Uber-modern scientist Andrew Huberman, [**who counsels listeners to set aside 90 minutes every morning for focused work or study**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXvDEmo6uS4&t=2910s&ref=thedailyeudemon.com). By “focused work or study,” he means seriously heavy mental focus, counseling his listeners not even to urinate during those 90 minutes and, for the love of everything good in creation, to keep their cell phones in the next room. Huberman channels Sertillanges: **Keep those (90–120) minutes “jealously.” “Use them ardently.”** Ninety minutes, Huberman says, is probably the optimal time, based on what science currently knows. He later says that, if the day permits, you can do another focused period. It ain’t Sertillanges’ two hours, but it’s dang close. --- What else did Sertillanges the proto-cognitive therapist recommend? He told his readers that they need a “unity of life.” Perhaps surprisingly, he said the source of unity is love. Now, when I think “love,” I think “other.” To love someone, Aquinas said, is to will the good of another. Such a definition presumes “other.” Therefore, love is, by definition, “other” directed. But if you’re directed toward other people, you’re not focused on your work. Indeed, as I’ve experienced repeatedly in my life, if you leave yourself open to other people, you won’t have any time for directed attention, whether it’s Sertillanges’ two hours, Huberman’s 90 minutes, or even 15 minutes to read something halfway serious, leaving yourself praying for bowel constipation, knowing it’s the only time you’ll be allowed to focus that day. So why did Sertillanges counsel “love”? Precisely because he’s not talking about “love of other.” He’s talking about love of truth. “Truth,” he says, “visits those who love her” and “surrender to her.” --- ### “Big men have little beds.” Henri Lavedo In fact, I think it’s safe to say that Sertillanges, looking at my press of social, family, and business commitments, would gently recommend that I sell all my books and devote myself to mastering Netflix. His chapter, “The Organization of Life,” rails against the frenzied life. This was in the 1920s. I can’t imagine what he would think if he saw life in the 2020s. He tells his readers they “*must* simply” their lives and that “society life is fatal to study.” He tells them to eschew a comfortable life in favor of a bit of spartanship, saying that no contemplation, whether religious or secular, artistic or scientific, is compatible with the “complications and burdens of an excessively comfortable life.” Hence the Lavedon quote above. He pulls in St. Thomas’s sixteen counsels to the intellectual, pointing out that seven of them counsel a retiring life that limits external contacts, such as: > § “Do not inquire at all about the actions of others” > § “Be polite to everyone” but “be familiar with none, for too much familiarity breeds contempt and gives matter for many distractions” > § “Do not busy yourself about the words and actions of those in the world” > § “Avoid useless outings above everything” > § “Love your cell, if you desire to be admitted to the wine-cellar” Sertillanges, it’s safe to say, hardly recommended the life of the social butterfly. --- Now, you might object, saying, “Sertillanges was writing about the *intellectual* life, not a life for the ordinary guy.” That’s correct. But here’s the thing: *We all need a lot more intellectual activity in our day*. I believe this for a variety of reasons, ranging from the ubiquity of screen life, including cell phones, to the continuing domination of television in our lives. I also say it because, to be honest, I’m a bit concerned that COVID may have hurt us mentally. COVID inflammation of the brain brought mental fog to a lot of us. Mine persisted for at least three months, albeit diminishing consistently every day until it was barely perceptible, but still: 90 days of brain fog? That’s a concern. Might I and others have suffered permanent brain damage that will manifest itself in early dementia or other mental disorders? It’s definitely a possibility, and older people don’t grow many new brain neurons. But I also know the brain is far more resilient than we previously thought. Intellectual quotients are not something you’re born with, at least not entirely. You can improve or hurt or IQ. You can improve or hurt your brain. It’s flexible and has great “plasticity.” Even if you’re older, you can develop new synapses in the brain. \[[**See Huberman about how younger people are less affected by brain injury but how older people aren’t totally screwed, either**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG53Vxum0as&t=1260s&ref=thedailyeudemon.com).\] If some of us are now at greater risk for mental problems, I think all of us can *greatly* stave off those mental problems by working on our brains now: plenty of sleep, meditation, water . . . and *deep work*. Such things are good for the brain. And, I believe, good for us in general. Sertillanges’ intellectual life is no longer a counsel for the smartest among us. It’s crucial advice we all need to get through this postmodern, COVID world. And if you still want to disregard a neo-Scholastic like Sertillanges and won’t devote those two hours. Maybe you can listen to the modern scientist Huberman and set aside those 90 minutes. ### Hemispheres in the Garden URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hemispheres-in-the-garden/ Last updated: 2024-05-23T13:14:13.000Z The left hemisphere plans, incidentally. The right hemisphere flows. Carol Deppe draws an autobiographical distinction in [*The Tao of Vegetable Gardening*](https://amzn.to/3WSWYSh?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) between "Planning Carol" and "Doing Carol." PC lays out elaborate plans that DC later disregards as she gardens. I can relate . . . big-time. Deppe's solution is to plan in ways that she won't disregard when the time comes for gardening. It strikes me as a reasonable approach to respect the different ways the hemispheres operate, but of course, I think gardening itself is the best way to bring the hemispheres together harmoniously. My approach? I try not to plan at all, even though it's not possible. I look at garden planning like a look at eating: it's nearly impossible to fast too much. In the modern world, we can eat all the time and are programmed to do so. Likewise, in the modern world (since it's dominated by our left hemispheres), we are programmed to plan all the time. But when my brain won't turn off and stop planning (i.e., 24/7 at the height of gardening season)? I keep a 3"x5" notecard and just jot down the things I need to do that day: the absolute minimums, then I try to focus on more important things, like gin. [Late Winter is a Great Time to Let Your Right Hemisphere Out in the GardenPlus: Seven Things I Did in the Garden this February![](https://cdn-static-1.medium.com/_/fp/icons/Medium-Avatar-500x500.svg)The Gardening HemisphereEric Scheske![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1200/1*ewPhlLpDmlq7hVB1RZ0Y6A.jpeg)](https://medium.com/the-gardening-hemisphere/late-winter-is-a-great-time-to-let-your-right-hemisphere-out-in-the-garden-3a7009c62442?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [My Failed Wild Garden and Inner Utopian - Front Porch RepublicRational ideas create hell on earth. Just ask a kulak. Or just ask the lettuce plants in my garden.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicEric Scheske![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/5501875_adf99604.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/05/my-failed-wild-garden-and-inner-utopian/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Utopian Gardener: An Autobiographical Incident URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-utopian-gardener-an-autobiographical-incident/ Last updated: 2024-05-23T12:32:13.000Z Rational ideas create hell on earth. Just ask a kulak. Or just ask the lettuce plants in my garden. I had a great gardening idea a few years ago. I called it “wild gardening.” The idea was simple and based on U.S. foreign policy over the past 75 years. There’s a war in every garden: good plants versus weeds. I figured I just needed to let the two battle it out, with me getting involved as little as possible. So, even though I wanted the good plants to win, I’d let them fight the weeds, with me offering minimal help, mostly behind the actual battle lines. I’d fight a proxy war. I would let the good plants (lettuces, cilantro, basil, mustards, and kale) reach full maturation: sprouting fluffy heads of seeds, which would then float all over the garden like parachuters. I kept areas of ground uncovered to receive the vegetable seed parachuters. Meanwhile, I used a diamond hoe to slice weeds before they had much chance to fight back (before they sprouted seeds). Eventually, I figured I’d have a lawn-like spread of good green vegetables, with the weeds choked out. No mulching. No rows. No spacing. No planting by hand. No buying new seeds every year. No need to harvest seeds every fall (because they’d be reseeding themselves and growing the following spring). It’d be paradise on my little plot of earth. It was among the best-laid plans. **Read the rest** [My Failed Wild Garden and Inner Utopian - Front Porch RepublicRational ideas create hell on earth. Just ask a kulak. Or just ask the lettuce plants in my garden.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicEric Scheske![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/5501875_adf99604.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/05/my-failed-wild-garden-and-inner-utopian/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Misshapen Creatures that Live in the Earth Can Give Us Sage Advice? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52370/ Last updated: 2024-06-24T13:19:36.000Z ### Well, no. But: Don't Fear the Gnome > The first philosophical event in the Greek world, the selection of their seven sages, gives the first distinctive and unforgettable characteristic of Greek civilization. Other people have saints, while the Greeks have philosophers. They are right when some state that a people is not defined by its great men it has but by the way it recognizes and honors them. > Friedrich Nietzsche When you hear “gnome,” you probably think of a scary little creature. That's because of the Rosicrucians, a 17th-century mystical movement in Europe that said gnomes are little misshapen creatures that live in the bowels of the earth. But well before the Rosicrucians, the word “gnome” meant something different. It meant a short statement that expresses a general truth, like a proverb or maxim. There were seven men in ancient Greece who were well-known for the particularly-insightful gnomes attributed to them. These men were called “The Gnomics.” Today, we refer to them as the “Seven Sages of Ancient Greece.” They were philosophers, poets, rulers, statesmen and lawmakers who were renowned for their wisdom. Actually, there were a lot more than seven. One ancient writer (Hermippus) said there were 17 of them. That's probably because ancient Greece was an amalgamation of city-states and different city-states had different lists. But all the Greeks agreed that wisdom is a great thing. The ancient Greeks' veneration of the Gnomics was, in the words of Nietzsche quoted above, the “first philosophical event in the Greek world.” In any event, although there were various lists of Gnomics, the following seven were most often agreed upon: Thales, Solon, Bias, Pittacus of Mytilene, Periander of Corinth, Chilon of Sparta, and Cleobolus of Lindus. The following is a short summary of each Gnomic, along with one of his more compelling gnomes that I think are often ignored in today's world #### A word of caution to my cultural anthropologist/critical theorist friends All of these guys were white (albeit presumably in a swarthy Greek way). I suppose the Gnomics could even be accused of adding the first words and concepts to the superstructure web that keeps the rich and powerful in control, and, therefore, ought to be despised. If that bothers you, there's no need to read further. There's nothing here for you. But on the flip side, if the Gnomics speak to you, you need to ask yourself: How? Their words might be part of the western civilization superstructure where the means of production dictate how we think, but their words are 2,500 years and many cultures removed from us. How can they resonate with us today, if our minds are merely constructed, controlled, and dictated by today's superstructure? Anyway . . . # Thales Thales is considered the father of western philosophy, living in the sixth century (about the time of the start of the Babylonian Captivity of Israel (589 BC). He taught a form of “materialistic monism” that held all things are ultimately water. ##### Three gnomes attributed to him: “Regulate your life according to a standard.” “Do not accept bad things.” “Not being able to control yourself is a hurtful thing.” # Solon Athens voluntarily put a dictator named “Draco” in charge. He passed a series of really harsh reforms and rules in about 620 BC. Shortly after him, Athens appointed Solon to create a more reasonable set of law, which he did. He became known as the Father of Democracy. ##### Three gnomes attributed to him: “Do not associate with bad people.” “Even if you know, keep silent.” “Never exaggerate.” # Bias We don't know a lot about Bias of Priene. He was apparently a very good attorney with a charitable bent: he once ransomed girls who had been taken as slaves, educated them, then sent them back to his father. He is one of the most esteemed Gnomics and one of four to make every list (the other three: Thales, Solon, and Pittacus). ##### Three gnomes attributed to him: “Do not be in a hurry to undertake something. When, however, you start, stay fixed to that until the end.” “Love practical wisdom.” “You will be more self-controlled, by working hard.” # Pittacus of Mytilene The oldest of the Gnomics, born 650 BC. He was a political and military leader on the Island of Lesbos (easy now, my prurient readers). Legend says his son was murdered and the culprit captured and brought to him. Pittacus declined to take revenge, saying “Pardon is better than punishment.” ##### Three gnomes attributed to him: “Don't say what you intend to do.” “Show tolerance to small damages inflicted upon you by your neighbors.” “Learn to judge the right moment.” # Periander of Corinth He's arguably the least-favored among the Gnomics, falling off both Plato's and Plutarch's lists. But we know a fair amount about him. He was the king (or tyrant) of Corinth, which flourished economically under his leadership. He patronized learning and the arts. He was a friend (at least patron) of Aesop. In my opinion, his gnomes are the lamest of the bunch. Maybe he deserved to be left off the list, especially since the ancients recount a few highly disturbing episodes from his life (I refer you to his Wikipedia entry). I found only two gnomes from him worth repeating: “When you are happy, be modest, when you are unhappy, be sensible.” “Take care to make yourself worthy of your parents.” # Chilon of Sparta The Spartans weren't known for their love of learning, so it's particularly impressive that one of them makes the list. They weren't known for their poetry, either, but Chilon was a poet as well. He was also a Spartan politician and ardent fan of the Olympic games: When his son won one of the events, they say Chilon died of joy. ##### Three gnomes attributed to him: “When you drink alcohol, do not talk too much, you will make mistakes.” “Hate the person who gets involved in the affairs of others.” “Do not allow your tongue to run ahead of your intellect.” (And one bonus gnome, for those of us who struggle with road rage: “Do not try to overpass people on the road nor make all kinds of hand gestures, this is done by the crazy people.”) # Cleobolus of Lindus Ruler of Lindos, on the island of Rhodes. He studied philosophy and liked to write poems. Not much is known about him, but he was supposedly a real stud, both handsome and muscular. ##### Three gnomes attributed to him: “Never do anything with violence.” “Like to listen and not to say too much.” “The measure in all things is the best.” (i.e., “moderation is best”) ## The Gnomes Weren't Unusual I don't want to leave without mentioning something that gets overlooked: Such gnomic sayings weren't unusual. The ancients revered short nuggets of knowledge. Maxims of the Delphi Oracle, the Old Testament's Proverbs and Book of Wisdom, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, much of the Stoic writings. And for my money, I'll take the Book of Proverbs. The Greek gnomes above are good, but compared to those Jewish gnomes in Proverbs? They pale. ### Six Potential Apparition Conclusions URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/six-potential-apparition-rulings/ Last updated: 2024-05-25T11:01:46.000Z **16.** The discernment of alleged supernatural phenomena may reach conclusions that are usually expressed in one of the terms listed below. **17.** *Nihil obstat* – Without expressing any certainty about the supernatural authenticity of the phenomenon itself, many signs of the action of the Holy Spirit are acknowledged “in the midst”\[18\] of a given spiritual experience, and no aspects that are particularly critical or risky have been detected, at least so far. For this reason, the Diocesan Bishop is encouraged to appreciate the pastoral value of this spiritual proposal, and even to promote its spread, including possibly through pilgrimages to a sacred site. **18.** *Prae oculis habeatur* – Although important positive signs are recognized, some aspects of confusion or potential risks are also perceived that require the Diocesan Bishop to engage in a careful discernment and dialogue with the recipients of a given spiritual experience. If there were writings or messages, doctrinal clarification might be necessary. **19.** *Curatur* – While various or significant critical elements arenoted, at the same time, the phenomenon has already spread widely, and there are verifiable spiritual fruits connected to it. In this situation, a ban that could upset the People of God is not recommended. Nevertheless, the Diocesan Bishop is asked not to encourage this phenomenon but to seek out alternative expressions of devotion and possibly reorient its spiritual and pastoral aspects. **20.** *Sub mandato* – In this category, the critical issues are not connected to the phenomenon itself, which is rich in positive elements, but to a person, a family, or a group of people who are misusing it. For instance, the spiritual experience may be exploited for particular and undue financial gain, committing immoral acts, or carrying out a pastoral activity apart from the one already present in the ecclesiastical territory without accepting the instructions of the Diocesan Bishop. In this situation, the pastoral leadership of the specific place where the phenomenon is occurring is entrusted to the Diocesan Bishop (or to another person delegated by the Holy See), who, if unable to intervene directly, will try to reach a reasonable agreement. **21.** *Prohibetur et obstruatur* – While there are legitimate requests and some positive elements, the critical issues and risks associated with this phenomenon appear to be very serious. Therefore, to prevent further confusion or even scandal that could erode the faith of ordinary people, the Dicastery asks the Diocesan Bishop to declare publicly that adherence to this phenomenon is not allowed. At the same time, the Diocesan Bishop is asked to offer a catechesis that can help the faithful understand the reasons for the decision and reorient the legitimate spiritual concerns of that part of the People of God. **22.** *Declaratio de non supernaturalitate* – In this situation, the Dicastery authorizes the Diocesan Bishop to declare that the phenomenon is found to be not supernatural. This decision must be based on facts and evidence that are concrete and proven. For instance, if an alleged visionary admits to having lied or if credible witnesses provide elements of proof that allow one to discover that the phenomenon was based on fabrication, an erroneous intention, or mythomania. **23\.** In light of the aforementioned points, it is reaffirmed that, as a rule, neither the Diocesan Bishop, nor the Episcopal Conferences, nor the Dicastery will declare that these phenomena are of supernatural origin, even if a *Nihil obstat* is granted (cf. Par. 11, above). It remains true, however, that the Holy Father can authorize a special procedure in this regard. [Norme del Dicastero per la Dottrina della Fede per procedere nel discernimento di presunti fenomeni soprannaturali![](https://press.vatican.va/etc/designs/salastampa/favicon.ico)![](https://press.vatican.va/etc/designs/salastampa/library/images/banner-stampa.png)](https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2024/05/17/0403/00842.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#en) [Vatican releases new norms on alleged supernatural phenomenaNote: This article was originally published by The Vatican news at VaticanNews.va. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith releases a document detailing new norms regarding cases of reported supernatural phenomena. As a rule, neither the local bishop nor the Holy See will declare that these phenomena are of supernatural origin, but will only authorize and promote devotion and pilgrimages. A new document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published on Friday, May 17, has updated the norms for discerning alleged supernatural phenomena. The norms come into force on Sunday, May 19, the feast of Pentecost. The![](https://relevantradio.com/favicon.ico)Relevant RadioJohn Hanretty![](https://relevantradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/vatican-st-peters.jpg)](https://relevantradio.com/2024/05/vatican-releases-new-norms-on-alleged-supernatural-phenomena/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### It’s Time We Recognize Noise as the Eighth Capital Sin URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/its-time-we-recognize-noise-as-the-eighth-capital-sin/ Last updated: 2024-06-20T13:46:32.000Z I’m thinking the list of seven capital sins — Pride, Envy, Avarice, Anger, Sloth, Gluttony, Lust — ought to be expanded to eight. This may be audacious of me, and I’m not sure what type of campaign I’d need in order to obtain official recognition for an eighth sin, but I don’t think I’m out of line. The list is due for a change (it has scarcely been revised since the late sixth century when St. Gregory the Great wrote his *Morals on the Book of Job*), and expansion would get the list back to its original dimensions: the first list, devised by a desert monk named Evagrius in the fourth century, consisted of eight. I’m proposing to add Noise, or Noisiness, to the list. # The three stages of noise I’m not talking about the tendency to make noise, though that tendency is part of Noisiness, just as a temper tantrum is often part of Anger. I’m talking about the disposition toward Noisiness that is found in the soul. A capital sin is not an act, but rather an attitude, or disposition, that leads to other sins. Envy, for instance, is an attitude that tends to lead us to brood over our perceived misfortunes and show ill-will toward our wealthy neighbors. Anger extinguishes charity (love) from the heart, thus leading to other sins such as blasphemy and cruelty. Lust leads to one-handed workouts and other staples of modern living. The disposition toward Noisiness can be broken down into three levels, just as I’ve seen Gluttony broken down into eating more than we need, eating to satiation, and eating far past satiation. First, there’s the tendency that afflicts all of us: The tendency to fill the heart and mind with a stream of self-occupied thoughts and imaginations. Inner chatter. Often applauded by pop culture (“daydreaming,” “lost in our thoughts”), it’s rarely recognized for what it really is: A state of mental existence where we are incessantly accosted by an involuntary stream of thoughts. Wise men have repeatedly pointed out for thousands of years that these thoughts and dreams are not “ours.” Unless we undertake great effort, we have little or no control over them — virtually no ability to stop them and only a little ability to direct them. Even if we initially invite or direct them, they eventually take their own course. This tendency of inner chatter to go where it wants leads to the second stage of Noisiness: Loud inner chatter. The stream, if not checked, eventually grows into a rushing river of chatter, characterized by things like extravagant dreaming (visions of vast earthly wealth or fame), cruel or violent thoughts, and lustful imaginations. From the second stage, Noisiness goes to the third stage, which is the stage where it becomes visible to the outside world. Just as Avarice eventually becomes noticeable in the cheater, or Anger in the temper tantrum, or Pride in the person who can’t suffer an affront without indignation, Noisiness eventually produces external noise. Examples include the person who talks constantly or loudly, the family that keeps a blaring television on at all times, teenagers who churn out loud music from car windows, a general societal tendency to be obsessed with, or oblivious to, loud objects, like lawnmowers, jet skis, motorcycles. # Noise is tied to the other capital sins I have a couple of reasons to campaign for Noise’s enrollment among the capital sins. First of all, Noise has a natural place among the capital sins. It smoothly intertwines with them, just like Envy is often found in Lust and Gluttony cohabitates with Sloth. For instance, the inner chatter of the first stage of Noise often flows into the second stage of Noise where it produces seriously sinful thoughts. Relatively innocent and wandering thoughts tend to find themselves at the doorstep of some lusty, naked blonde who craves our sexual favors for some inexplicable reason. Or they find themselves imagining that someone has wronged them and producing visions of the revenge they’ll take. Noise also tends to produce the type of Pride known as vainglory. The talker, for instance, is a person who wants another person to hear his inner chatter. The loud talker is a person who wants anyone within earshot to hear him. The person with a loud stereo wants others to hear what he’s listening to. They’re all attempts to draw attention to oneself. Some forms of Noise also seem to be closely related to Gluttony. The teenager absorbed in loud music, shoveling it into his soul, displays parallels to a drunk man shoveling food down his throat. # Manifestations and Max Picard In order to be considered a capital sin, I suppose manifestations of the disposition must be reasonably pervasive. I like to think that’s the reason Noise didn’t make the earliest list of capital sins by Evagrius, John Cassian, and Gregory the Great. Though these men were no doubt acquainted with noise in the great metropolitan areas of the late Roman Empire and the dawn of the Dark Ages, those times didn’t know the pervasive sense of noise that contaminates modern life. Max Picard, a twentieth-century philosopher and hater of noise, observed the historical uniqueness of the modern world’s artificial and non-stop noise, which, for him, was exemplified by the radio: > *“Radio has occupied the whole space of silence. There is no silence any longer. Even when the radio is turned off, the radio-noise is so amorphous that it seems to have no beginning and no end; it is limitless.”* As many are beginning to realize, Noise today has become a non-stop nuisance. You can’t go or be anywhere without hearing the roar of music or machinery. In this, incidentally, Noise reveals that it’s a particularly-twisted type of capital sin. It’s the only sin that can be foisted on the innocent. No other capital sin can be forced on you — Anger comes closest, but even this sin is avoided by the holiest people, regardless of provocation. Noise in today’s world is analogous to forced gluttony. If you can imagine getting food crammed down your throat, with the result that you feel sluggish and dull, then you can imagine the havoc pervasive noise wreaks on the person who seeks the quiet life. # Does God talk to us in the quiet? Although there are occasions when God uses loud or bright means of communicating — as when he spoke to Moses to the accompaniment of thunder and lightening — He seems to prefer the quiet, inauspicious route, as seen in His approach to Elijah at Mt. Sinai and in His nativity. If God speaks in the quiet, quiet people are more likely to hear Him. Conversely, noisy people are less likely to hear Him. This is probably the most important reason I think of Noisiness as a capital sin. Noise tends to create a sinful disposition because it extinguishes God from the heart. If God speaks to the quiet heart and mind, the noisy person is ill-disposed to hear His whispering, thereby preventing God from entering his soul. The result is a soul disposed toward sin because it simply isn’t inclined to follow the Word it can’t hear. Noisiness also tends to block out all things outside one’s self, not just God. People, the chirping of birds, the rustle of leaves — all things that might nudge a person out of his self-occupation, which could in turn lead him back to God, are walled away. # Silence: The eighth capital virtue The Church has always been quick to point out the remedies for capital sins, usually by pointing to the virtuous dispositions that defeat each of the sins. Meekness combats Anger, Diligence thwarts Sloth, Temperance defeats Gluttony, and, of course, Humility, the queen of the virtues, is the opposite of Pride, the king of vice. Noisiness, too, has a virtuous disposition that defeats it. It’s called Silence. Just as Noisiness refers to the inner disposition toward noise, and not primarily to its outer manifestations that plague modern life, Silence refers to an inner disposition. In this regard, the best description I’ve ever read of Silence was provided by University of Kansas professor John Senior in [*The Restoration of Christian Culture*](https://amzn.to/3QaMybn?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): > Silence is not just the absence of noise any more than peace is the absence of war. It is rather a positive and difficult accomplishment, a state of justice in the soul in which according to the classical formulation stretching back to Plato, each part receives its due in the performance of its proper function—the passions to give affective force in accomplishing the dictates of the will, the will to execute the commands of reason and reason to receive the truth; truth from without in abstracting essences from sense-particulars, truth from within in recognizing principles, and truth from above in obedience to grace. All that in the single word, *ausculta--"hear."* These words not only describe Silence. They magnify the reasons I’m campaigning to make Noisiness a capital sin. In Silence, the heart and mind are put in order, and are “returned to their proper function.” In Silence, the passions are put to the service of the will, which in turn serves reason, which in turn serves truth, which is ultimately found in God. Noisiness is the opposite of Silence, and the important virtues of Silence are extinguished in the Noisy man. With this in mind, I guess I’d be tempted to make my campaign goal a little loftier. Instead of characterizing Noise as merely another capital sin, I’ll campaign to have it recognized as the worst of the capital sins in the modern world, second only to Pride. Narcissism and Noise: The Consuls of Contemporary Culture. The alliteration rings nicely. # I think the campaign has already started Fishing, hunting, and golf have become hugely popular in the past few years. I’ve been told that other activities customarily performed in the quiet — such as mushrooming, hiking, and bird watching — are also on the rise. Why? There are lots of possible answers, but all these things have one thing in common: They offer a sanctuary from noise. Whether we realize it or not, we are God’s creatures and are therefore called to hear God. If God speaks in the quiet, His creatures naturally tend to desire the quiet. Because it doesn’t occur to most people that they have an existential need to be in quietness, I suspect they’re unwittingly inclining toward activities that provide a reason to get themselves there. This throng of people unwittingly clamoring for the quiet are a natural contingency for my campaign. They just need to understand why they’re yearning for quiet spots. I also think I have allies in the scientists who are showing that modern society’s constant stream of noise is having adverse effects on our health. A buzz phrase has even developed to capture this problem: “noise pollution.” I think the time is ripe for my campaign. All I need is a little funding and some air time. But: Can I advertise over the radio without turning Mr. Picard over in his grave? ### Cormac's Border Trilogy URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/cormacs-border-trilogy/ Last updated: 2024-05-20T11:18:20.000Z A man holds a gun to my head. “Summarize Cormac McCarthy’s Border Trilogy in a single sentence,” he says. I jolt. “You want me to,” I say, voice cracking, “distill more than a thousand pages, stretching across three novels into a solitary sentence?” He answers, nonverbally. I hear the clack of his cocked hammer next to my ear, fully aware no edition of the *Chicago Manual of Style* permits the punctuation he next intends. “John Grady Cole,” I start with a catch and warble in my voice, “has”—it suddenly comes to me—“the worst luck with Mexican women, and”—I sustain the connective syllable as I mentally hunt for the handgrip on the next passing train of thought—“Billy Parham can’t win south of the border.” I await the loudest exclamation point I’ll ever hear. Instead, I register the clean, clear mechanical click of the hammer vacating its ready position of impending violence. The man holsters his pistol, turns, and walks. Wait, that worked? Sure, my single sentence described the doings of the three books, but . . . “Are you kidding me?” I yell, spinning to face the disappointing gunman’s retreating shape. “There’s more! Don’t you want to know the rest?” --- At the start of *All the Pretty Horses*, John Grady Cole is just sixteen but, faced with grim prospects at home, decides to hire on as a ranch hand in Mexico with his friend Lacey Rawlins. It’s several years after World War II, and the Old West is vanishing fast. Still, he saddles up his horse, Redbo. With Lacey astride Junior, they point South and ride. Modern-day developmental psychologists would say John Grady’s executive function hasn’t yet fully come on line. It shows. He’s likable but every bit as overconfident in his abilities as he is ignorant of the world’s unwritten rules.[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f%5Fauto,q%5Fauto:good,fl%5Fprogressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F65f210eb-46b3-4f03-982f-23959fb17229%5F1280x839.jpeg?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **Read the rest** [Cormac McCarthy’s Border TrilogyReviewing ‘All the Pretty Horses,’ ‘The Crossing,’ and ‘Cities of the Plain’![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1a3818bd-6994-425e-ad5e-846891377ae8%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)MILLER’S BOOK REVIEW 📚Joel J Miller![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F65f210eb-46b3-4f03-982f-23959fb17229_1280x839.jpeg)](https://www.millersbookreview.com/p/cormac-mccarthys-border-trilogy?utm%5Fsource=substack&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcontent=share) --- ## Related ### Recommended? Get Frustrated with Your Cell Phone URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/recommended-get-frustrated-with-your-cell-phone/ Last updated: 2024-05-18T13:47:13.000Z The best way to help smartphone users manage their screen time may be to make phones progressively more annoying to use, according to new University of Michigan research. The study shows that interfering with swiping and tapping functions is around 16% more effective at reducing screen time and the number of times an app is opened than forcibly locking users out of their phones. The lockout strategy is used by many screen-time management apps today, and such apps also send users a notification offering more time before locking. Researchers planned to discuss the findings Monday at the Association for Computing Machinery’s Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Honolulu. “Lockout apps are pretty disruptive, so if someone is in the middle of an important task or a game, they’ll scramble to skip through the screen timer. Then, they can forget about the time limit and spend more time on the phone than they wanted to,” said [Anhong Guo](https://eecs.engin.umich.edu/people/guo-anhong/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), U-M assistant professor of computer science and engineering and the corresponding author of the study. The researchers’ InteractOut app is more effective at limiting screen time because it is less restrictive and harder to ignore than hard lockouts. Once the user’s designated screen limit has been reached, InteractOut can delay the phone’s response to a user’s gesture, shift where tapping motions are registered or slow the screen scrolling speed. The strength of the delays and shifts continues to increase each time the user touches the phone, up to a pre-set maximum, and the user can decide how the app interferes with their phone use. The app’s gradual interference allows users to continue using their phone, but with a little extra difficulty. “If we just continuously add a little bit of friction to the interaction with the phone, eventually the user becomes more aware of what they are doing because there’s a mismatch between what they expect to happen and what actually happens. That makes using smartphones a more deliberate process . . . ". **Read the rest** [Managing screen time by making phones slightly more annoying to useDelaying a phone’s swiping and tapping functions forces users to think harder, making it easier for them to consider whether to keep scrolling.![](https://news.engin.umich.edu/wp-content/plugins/umcoecm-favicon/public/images/apple-touch-icon.png)Michigan Engineering NewsDerek Smith![](https://news.engin.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Phone-App-Timer_featured-e1715370334951.jpg)](https://news.engin.umich.edu/2024/05/managing-screen-time-by-making-phones-slightly-more-annoying-to-use/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### This Might Be the Best Book of the 21st Century URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53674/ Last updated: 2025-06-15T12:31:30.000Z #### [*Look Homeward, America*](https://amzn.to/37nlFMa?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Bill Kauffman. ISI Books, 2006. Strong, deep, readable, desperate, fun. All those adjectives–even those that trip over one another–fit this book. It's such a good book, it made me want to quit writing. “If someone like Kauffman, with his erudition and talent, isn't a household name, what makes me think I can scratch together enough publishable words to cover my underwear budget?” I'm not saying it's the best book ever, not even the best book of the past 15 years. Indeed, when I went back through it for this piece, I almost put it back on the shelf: it simply doesn't have the drunken chimp-like markings of other books I love. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because it's such a pretty book, with good binding, that I felt bad marking it up. Regardless, Kauffman's is a real message. Partially Quixotic, partially crucial . . . and there's considerable overlap between those. I don't know if the passages reproduced here will convey the deep current under Kauffman's light-skipping prose, but I hope they do. If not, buy the book. You won't be disappointed. Kauffman's display of his prodigious vocabulary alone is worth the price. --- I'm pretty sure Kauffman has the biggest vocabulary since Samuel Johnson. Unique words found in *Look Homeward, America*: - mottle - pavid - bumptious - martinet - scarify - nonce - terrene - descant - manque - phiz - clochard --- ## Select Passages Here are choice passages from the books, with my commentary where I think it might be entertaining and/or useful. I'm not sure I've ever seen such a pithy and fun biography. It's packed with entertaining facts that paint a vivid picture: *“The guru of the libertarian paleos, the combative economist and joyful iconoclast Murray Rothbard, was a gnomic 5'3” nonbelieving Jew who adored cathedrals; championed the Black Panthers while also boasting that he had been founder, president, and pretty much the only member of Columbia University Students for Strom Thurmond in the 1948 presidential election; and once woke his wife JoAnn out of a sound sleep to declare, in his gleeful squawk, 'That bastard Eli Whitney didn't invent the cotton gin!'”* A rumination from the fifties: *“So what, you ask, should the civil libertarian do about communists in government jobs? 'Abolish the jobs,” replied anarchist Frank Chodorov. But who listens to anarchists?*" Perhaps the most bizarre quote I've ever seen, and it's an oldie (surprised I'd never seen it before): *“The Virgin and St. Thomas are my vehicles of anarchism. Nobody knows enough to see what they mean, so the Judges will probably not be able to burn me.” Henry Adams.* *“Dorothy Day, and humane anarchists in general, befuddle ideologues.”* For those who still think Dorothy Day was a communist: *“An anarchistic distrust of the state, even in its putatively benevolent role as giver of alms, pervaded the Catholic Workers.”* And: *“The greatest enemy of the church today is the state.* *Dorothy Day*. Interesting: *“Peter Maurin's anarchism was on one level based on this principle of subsidiarity, and on a higher level on that scene at the Last Supper where Christ washed the feet of his apostles. He came to serve, to show the new Way, the way of the powerless.”* A great snapshot of the condescending attitude of the Coasts toward the rest of our country's regions: *“\[W\]hen George Plimpton \[through the NEA\] paid Aram Saroyan $1,500 for a poem consisting of the single misspelled word 'lighght,' an Iowa congressional aide dared ask the dilettantish Plimpton what the poem meant. 'You are from the Midwest. You are culturally deprived, so you would not understand it anyway,' replied the New Yorker Plimpton.”* *“Grant Wood . . . never much liked automobiles, the primary instrument of dislocation.”* Amen to that. I dream of the day my family can have only one car. I don't see it ever happening, but it has forced me to walk more, and it'd be a lot cheaper. Of course, the insurance savings wouldn't be that much. Insurance company actuaries long ago figured out that married people are safer drivers than single people, so they started giving reduced rates to married people. The federal government stepped in and said such rates were discriminatory, so they had to stop. Their way around it: Give two-car household discounts. If there are two cars, after all, there's a much better chance that there's a married couple in the house. Absolutely ridiculous, but such is life in these United States. *“\[H\]ypermobility . . . is the great undiagnosed sickness of our age.”* *"Today we know Mother Jones primarily as the name of a magazine for consumerist liberals whose idea of a radical act is selling their R.J. Reynolds stock and buying Starbucks. The real Mother Jones–Irish-born Mary Harris Jones (1830-1930), the coal miners' angel and raiser of holy hell who said, 'I would fight God Almighty himself if he didn't play square with me'–was to her namesake magazine as Thomas Jefferson is to* The Jeffersons.*"* *“The most dangerous people–the ones who will kill you for your own good–are those who subordinate the individual to abstractions: the class, the master race, the efficient economy.”* Kauffman is full of witty criticism, but does he have any solutions? Yup, and though they're presently quixotic (everything today is quixotic, if you want to bluntly honest, except the pursuit of individual virtue), they're simple: *“My solution is no more 'practical' than a Dorothy Day prayer or Henry Thoreau spade. It is this: No statesman's coercive power should ever extend over people he does not know.”* ### Is the Netflix Documentary a Paean to Catholic Convert and Daily Communicant Marshall McLuhan? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52157/ Last updated: 2024-06-17T13:03:30.000Z ##### The Social Dilemma uses the intellectual framework built by McLuhan, but the similarities stop there *The Social Dilemma* documentary has broken records. According to its main star, Tristan Harris, 38 million households in the first 28 days saw it on Netflix. That’s incredible. What’s even more incredible? The whole documentary is a salute to Marshall McLuhan. Well, it’s a tribute to Neil Postman, who was a loyal McLuhan disciple. Harris, who is largely responsible for sounding the alarm bell about what the social media industry is up to, appeared on “The Joe Rogan Experience” last week. He concluded the interview with these glowing words about Postman’s classic work, *Amusing Ourselves to Death*: *It literally predicts everything that is going on now. I frankly think that I’m adding nothing . . . Neil Postman called it all in 1982.* I appreciate it when contemporaries admit that they are standing on the shoulders of giants — and McLuhan/Postman were giants — but I think Harris’ comment is a little too generous. # The theme of the documentary *The Social Dilemma* addresses the attention economy. The social media companies’ entire business model is to capture attention. They do this through algorithms that engage us by giving us what we want . . . without us asking for it. And even without us knowing we want it. The social media companies gather our information — what we’ve viewed, what we’ve purchased — and feed it into an algorithm with billions of other pieces of information to determine what we want to see, then feed it to us so we don’t leave their network. At one point in the interview, Harris says you can practically feel the algorithms pulling on you. It’s compelling stuff. # The Social Dilemma and McLuhan/Postman But it’s dealing with issues and a media force that I’m pretty sure neither McLuhan nor Postman appreciated. The basic truth applied by *The Social Dilemma* is vintage McLuhan/Postman: The medium is the message, which means, “The content conveyed by a medium (TV, radio, newspaper) doesn’t matter. The medium and its effects on us is what matters. Media affect us, regardless of their content. To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. The mere carrying of a hammer affects how a person thinks, even if he doesn’t notice it.” Likewise, the Internet affects us, regardless of what we’re using it for. And it affects us in ways we don’t notice or appreciate. If we think we’re floating higher than everyone else because we don’t use the Internet to troll or view porn, we’re just kidding ourselves. We’re being affected in the same way as the porning idiots. All that is vintage McLuhan/Postman. Harris is right to give them credit. But there’s a lot more to *The Social Dilemma*. McLuhan didn’t see this coming or if he did, he thought it might, at a certain level, be a good thing. At one point, Harris mentions that it’s almost like the algorithms are accessing our central nervous system. He obviously doesn’t consider that a good thing. McLuhan, however, praised electronic technology because it had “outered the central nervous system itself” and had the potential of making us whole again. At other points, McLuhan expressed grave concerns, but for the most part, he was optimistic about our electronic future. Not Postman. Postman didn’t share McLuhan’s enthusiasm, to say the least. *Amusing Ourselves to Death* is a dire warning about the effects of the main electronic medium of his era: the television. Postman’s main point in *Amusing* is that television can’t reach higher. It doesn’t matter what you watch: TV dumbs us down because it simply doesn’t engage us — our attention, our concentration — the way print does. The printed word requires us to engage: to participate in the printed word by exercising our faculties of focus and thought, of stopping and re-reading, of thinking about what we’ve read. Television takes away such engagement. Social media bring back engagement and participation, but it’s not voluntary and, therefore, the participation is illusory. We click and think we choose; we read and think we chose to read. But the algorithm knew before we clicked and read that we would click and read. I think McLuhan and Postman would’ve both been sounding the alarm bells if they were alive today. And that’s what *The Social Dilemma* has done and in that, it walks in McLuhan’s and Postman’s shoes. ### On Phoebe Bridgers URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-phoebe-bridgers/ Last updated: 2024-05-16T12:20:41.000Z Is [Phoebe Bridgers](https://phoebefuckingbridgers.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) the new [Bob Dylan](https://medium.com/music-voices/how-bob-dylan-is-teaching-humility-3d6b233aa3e9?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), writing more profound songs to wake up her generation? While we joke about Taylor Swift writing her next song about her next ex, Bridgers (like Dylan in the early 1960s) finds a way to meld her music with deeper calls to question society and the meaning of life itself. Dylan and the folk singers of the early 1960s sang about war and changing times, but Bridgers, 29, is at the cusp of late Millennials and Gen Z ([Zoomers](https://medium.com/music-voices/new-meanings-whos-zoomin-who-moves-from-old-song-to-way-of-life-e56b1112e7cc?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) who have spent their lives staring at screens, driven to distraction (constantly) by devices. ## She rips at the hearts of everyone who stared too long at a smartphone “Garden Song” from her 2020 album Punisher, describes being 17 and falling from walls and hopping fences before she “knew what I wanted,” and then grabs the heart of everyone who ever stared too much at a phone: > “And when I grow up, I’m gonna look up from my phone and see my life > And it’s gonna be just like my recurring dream.” Are social media and smartphones the new big tobacco? Thirty years ago, the government (both federal and state attorneys general) said our children were addicted to smoking and went after the industry, demanding monetary settlements. Today, we are addicted to smartphones and social media. She describes being at the movies and remembering “what I’m seeing. The screen turns into a tidal wave. Then it’s a dorm room like a hedge maze And when I find you, you touch my leg, and I insist.” But then she wakes up before anything meaningful happens. ## The new book detailing the data behind her music: The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s new bestseller, [The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness](https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/research/the-evidence?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), warns this device addiction means “we are forever elsewhere.” Americans became “techno-optimists” in the 20th century, thinking that new technology would keep boosting productivity and improving lives. But somewhere between 2010 and 2015, Haidt’s research shows “The Great Rewiring” began with kids replacing play-based childhoods with a new phone-based culture. Above: Phoebe Bridgers warns about slavery to our devices in “Garden Song.” Haidt writes that parents and teachers became overprotective in the “real world” while becoming “under-protective about the virtual world,” where far more dangerous predators lurked. The great rewiring that has had many Americans staring at screens up to [13 hours](https://medium.com/the-partnered-pen/the-time-peak-the-real-reason-all-writing-earnings-are-down-now-9e489735ae88?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) per day changed all relationships, especially among Generation Z (born from about 1997 to 2012). Heavy use of phones and social media shows cumulative effects, hurting students’ ability to focus. [Nearly half](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) of U.S. teens say that they are online “almost constantly.” And psychology research shows we learn far less when we are distracted by competing priorities. ## From Demi Moore to ‘The end is near,’ she digs deeper into the heart of her Millennial and Gen Z generations In “Demi Moore,” she writes about the empty loneliness of sexting and digital technology communications: “Take a dirty picture, babe. I can’t sleep, and I miss your face. In my hands and in my knees. Tell me what you wanna do to me.” But she gets to the agony of living life alone, staring at screens looking for digital satisfaction: “I don’t wanna be alone. Don’t wanna be alone anymore.” Above: Phoebe Bridgers singing “Demi Moore.” In “City Limits,” Bridgers writes about not even knowing exactly where we are, somewhere in Germany (a spot she can’t place) or in a “part of Texas.” So she sits back and: > “Close my eyes, fantasize. Three clicks, and I’m home.” But what happens if you reach your destination without knowing your purpose? “When I get back, I’ll lay around then I’ll get up and lay back down — romanticize a quiet life. There’s no place like my room. But you had to go.” Above: Phoebe Bridgers singing, “I know the end.” She describes “a wave that crashed and melted on the shore — not even the burnouts are out here anymore.” “After a while, you went quiet, and I got mean,” she laments. “I’m always pushing you away from me. But you come back with gravity, and when I call, you come home: A bird in your teeth.” She’s fighting for something new, singing, “I’m not gonna go down with my hometown in a tornado. I’m gonna chase it.” Seeing the young’s search for meaning and purpose, she writes that she “went looking for a creation myth — ended up with a pair of cracked lips.” We debate whether the unknown is “a government drone or an alien spaceship. Either way, we’re not alone.” ![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/1*-xJBTKPLGjthCE0Y_NiJ8A.jpeg) Image by [Mircea Iancu](https://pixabay.com/users/surprising%5Fsnapshots-11873433/?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=7813708) from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com//?utm%5Fsource=link-attribution&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=image&utm%5Fcontent=7813708). > “And when I grow up, I’m gonna look up from my phone and see my life — And it’s gonna be just like my recurring dream.” **This essay originally appeared on *Pop Off*.** [When She Grows Up, She’ll Look up From Her Phone and See a New LifeThe music of Phoebe Bridgers makes us ask: Are social media companies the new big tobacco?![](https://cdn-static-1.medium.com/_/fp/icons/Medium-Avatar-500x500.svg)Pop OffJoseph Serwach![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fill:1200:632/g:fp:0.66:0.22/1*YWGRVMhIofYvZWcFeBQN2A.jpeg)](https://popoff.us/when-she-grows-up-shell-look-up-from-her-phone-and-see-a-new-life-400d9517cc8a?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#cd6e-c9db9fc3de1b) ### How Not to Sacrifice if You're a Father URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54465/ Last updated: 2024-06-15T01:02:14.000Z ## Hint: Don't be Rousseau I’ve been reading some Nock. Albert Jay Nock, one of the premier American essayists of the early twentieth century and one of the founders of modern conservative/libertarian thought. A weighty man, that Nock. But also a disturbing man. In [a 1964 biography](https://www.nytimes.com/1964/11/29/archives/aristocratic-dogma-the-mind-and-art-of-albert-jay-nock-by-robert-m.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), Robert M. Crunden said Nock was greatly fond of the ladies. Nock was also greatly fond of being absent from his wife. He apparently deserted her after she bore him two children. Let me qualify this: I don’t know any details about the abandonment. Nock was an extremely private man who took secrecy to new levels. He would, for instance, occasionally bundle up his outgoing mail and ship it from another state, so people wouldn’t know where he was living. Was the abandonment wholesale or more like a divorce with child visitation rights? Nobody seems to know. We know he left his job as an Episcopal minister and family, but we also know his sons knew their father well enough to assist later biographers. But what I’ve always found fascinating about Nock is this: Only after leaving his wife, children, and conventional job did he climb up the ladder as an intellectual man of letters, joining the staff of the popular magazine, *American Magazine*, at age 39. It kind of reminds me of Jean Rousseau, who orphaned five children so he could continue as Europe’s leading man of innovative letters. Or Marx, who loved his family but let them live in grinding poverty so he could work on *Capital*. It also reminds me of this little poem by the philosopher George Santayana: *I cannot part from what I prize* *For all I prize is in my head;* *My fancies are the fields and skies* *I will not change till I am dead,* *Unless indeed I lose my wits* *Or (what is much the same thing) wed.* I like Santayana. He knew he couldn’t have a family and philosophize, so he didn’t get married. Good man. Rousseau, on the other hand, was a scoundrel. Nock? It looks like he was a scoundrel, but it’s hard to say. At this point, I should ask, “What does this mean for you, dear reader?” But I’m not. I’m going to ask, “What does this mean for me, self-absorbed writer?” It’s a question that my craft forces on me. “The essayist,” Joseph Epstein once wrote, “investigates the world by looking first into his own heart.” By looking into my heart, I might find something that interests readers. And in this case, I have to confess: My heart is a little envious of Santayana, Nock, and even Rousseau. You see, I’m married. And I have seven children, aged 13 to 1\. I also have social and community service commitments. And most disturbing of all, I have a room equipped with everything an intellectually excitable guy could want: over 3,000 books, a computer, cable Internet connection, two upholstered chairs with bright lights over them, a big L-shaped desk, a $750 office chair with lumbar support (a warehousing friend sold it to me for 10% of retail), serene pictures of wine bottles and pastoral scenes on the wall. And it’s tucked away in the corner of my basement, so secluded that a person might successfully hide a Jew from the Nazis in it. But I spend very little time there. Because I’m not Santayana, Nock, or Rousseau. About three years ago, as the babies were arriving like passengers at LAX, I despaired of ever writing anything really good. I now no longer despair. I’ve grown to enjoy my role as father and husband, even to the exclusion of finer mental pursuits. I’m a Catholic man with God-given commitments. I owe God thanks for my fancy office, but I also owe Him thanks for my commitments. It took me a little while, but once I grew to embrace those commitments, I started to see that they weren’t just commitments. They’re a bigger source of grace than my study could ever be. Have I settled for second-rate literary and cognitive skills in exchange for family life? Probably. Am I merely rationalizing it now? No. Happiness can’t be rationalized. You’re either happy or you’re not. Most days, I’m happy. I couldn’t honestly say that about myself 14 years ago before all those children started to arrive. I loved my books and study, but they encouraged no small amount of self-absorption. True happiness, C.S. Lewis liked to observe, is only found by looking outward. These days, I look outward all the time, forced to do so by eight dependents on whom I’ve grown dependent for my mental well-being. As for Santayana, Nock, and Rousseau, I’ve concluded that they’re sad paradoxes: In their selfishness, they made extremely short-sighted sacrifices. At least they made the sacrifice for the noble pursuit of art. For that, they can be commended. It’s much more difficult to commend the “selfish sacrifices” of the millions of Americans today who decline the gift of childbirth in order to pursue fancier things and more exciting activities. They don’t seek art or music or literary graces. They simply want more stuff and stimulation. Of Nock, I’m a little envious. Of the Americans who opt out of child-rearing so they can have an SUV, I’m not envious at all. *This essay was first published c. 2010.* ### You're Not a Lunatic? Thank Your Daddy. URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52482/ Last updated: 2024-06-15T01:03:11.000Z What do the violent extremes on the Left and the Right have in common? They tend to come from fatherless or divorced homes. That's Mary Eberstadt's observation in “[The Fury of the Fatherless](https://www.firstthings.com/article/2020/12/the-fury-of-the-fatherless?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)” in *First Things*. She recites the well-known statistical facts about fatherlessness in the inner-cities (65% of blacks are born into fatherless homes) and that “absent fathers predict higher rates of truancy, psychiatric problems, criminality, promiscuity, drug use, rape, domestic violence, and other less-than-optimal outcomes.” She then points out that the BLM movement itself seems almost intuitively drawn to promote a society without fathers. The BLM website at one point declared: “We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and 'villages' that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.” Eberstadt: > "Note the missing noun: *fathers*. It is as if fathers–as distinct from “parents”–had ceased to exist. And indeed, for at least some of the people drawn to BLM's ideology, fathers *have* ceased to exist. In this sense, BLM is a direct heir of the founding document of identity politics, the Cohambee River Collective Statement put forward by black feminists in 1977\. That manifesto spoke of women and children only–never of fathers, brothers, or sons." ### Alt-Right Daddy Problems She also points to anecdotal evidence that it's not just a Leftist problem, though her instances are all pointed at divorce only, which can be, but isn't normally, the same thing as being born entirely out-of-wedlock or with no father in the picture: “The founder of the white nationalist group Identity Evropa is a child of divorce. The neo-Nazi who founded the alt-right media network The Right Stuff is a child of divorce. George Lincoln Rockwell, founder of the American Nazi Party, was a child of divorce. Timothy McVeigh, the poster boy and prototype for today's violent far-right aspirants, was a child of divorce who was raised largely by his father. This list, too, could go on.” ### Portland And then there's the peculiar case of fatherlessness in Portland. I'm a little embarrassed to say that this situation was entirely unknown to me: > “For more than thirty years, abandoned children and runaways have been a unique part of the city's culture. And, for thirty years, documentaries and other reports on these lost children have abounded. It was Portland's permissive approach to runaways that created the nation's best-known subculture of “teen hobos,” “teen homeless,” and “street teens.” In Portland, the link between dysfunctional kids and absent authority figures has been clear for a long time now. As one researcher summarized: “The inability to emotionally connect with parents is a thread of commonality linking the narrative of street kids and travelers in Portland.” > “Lacking family ties, Portland's feral children have bonded since the 1980s in “street families,” complete with “street moms” and “street dads.” Some of the most grotesque crimes in the city's history have ensued thanks to “laws” about “family” loyalty–including last year, when a group of three boys from such a “family” shot and killed a man as he was collecting cans, then took his car on a joyride. “Street families” are an especially toxic variant of the current voguish phrase, “chosen families.” Street families are like gangs: poor and desperate substitutes for the real thing, called into being by the absence of the real thing.” ### Is There an Answer in this Mess? Pretty much everyone is distraught over the divide between red and blue America, between people of color and whites, between Christians and all others. No one sees any answers. The answer is pretty obvious: return fathers to kids' lives. They might be liberal fathers, they might be conservative fathers. They might be black, white, atheist, Muslim, or Christian fathers. But get the fathers back into the homes, preferably married to the kids' mothers. That will, like a magic elixir, quell the madness. I wish I had details about how to make this happen. I have a few half-baked ideas. But all of that will have to wait until another time. --- ## Related [Why All of America Could See a San Francisco-Style Homelessness CrisisOverwhelmed with homeless people, cities and towns seek relief from the trap of having to either provide housing or leave encampments alone.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesMichael Washburn![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/02/02/id5579413-Homeless-4-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/why-all-of-america-could-see-a-san-francisco-style-homeless-crisis-5574858?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Can Science Recover Lost Trust? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/can-science-recover-lost-trust/ Last updated: 2024-05-14T13:01:58.000Z [Medical StudiesDalrymple here just looks at one problem with scientific research: the results are very hard to replicate. The scientific community is jammed with competition and the need to produce papers and studies . . . results. Scientists can’t take the time to replicate to confirm what others have done. And that’s just one![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/05/Briefly-Black-Blue-Speckles-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/medical-studies/) Until quite recently—I cannot put an exact date on it—I assumed that everything published in scientific journals was, if not true, at least not deliberately untrue. Scientists might make mistakes, but they did not cheat, plagiarise, falsify, or make up their results. For many years as I opened a medical journal, the possibility simply that it contained fraud did not occur to me. Cases such as those of the Piltdown Man, a hoax in which bone fragments found in the Piltdown gravel pit were claimed to be those of the missing link between ape and man, were famous because they were dramatic but above all because they were rare, or assumed to be such. Such naivety is no longer possible: instances of dishonesty have become much more frequent, or at least much more publicised. Whether the real incidence of scientific fraud has increased is difficult to say. There is probably no way to estimate the incidence of such fraud in the past by which a proper comparison can be made. There are, of course, good reasons why scientific fraud should have increased. The number of practising scientists has exploded; they are in fierce competition with one another; their careers depend to a large extent on their productivity as measured by publication. The difference between what is ethical and unethical has blurred. They cite themselves, they recycle their work, they pay for publication, they attach their names to pieces of work they have played no part in performing and whose reports they have not even read, and so forth. As new algorithms are developed to measure their performance, they find new ways to play the game or to deceive. And all this is not even counting commercial pressures. Furthermore, the general level of trust in society has declined. Are our politicians worse than they used to be, as it seems to everyone above a certain age, or is it that we simply know more about them because the channels of communication are so much wider? At any rate, trust in authority of most kinds has declined. Where once we were inclined to say, “It must be true because I read it in a newspaper,” we are now inclined to say, “It must be untrue because I read it in a newspaper.” **Read the rest** [The Replication Conundrum – Theodore DalrympleRebuilding the scientific establishment’s credibility is a noble goal, but the obstacles are formidable.![](https://lawliberty.org/app/uploads/2020/03/180x180.png)Law & LibertyTheodore Dalrymple![](https://lawliberty.org/app/uploads/2024/05/shock-generator_AP_FX7M5M.jpg)](https://lawliberty.org/in-science-we-trust-2/?mc%5Fcid=1f0e1070b6&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Loneliness and Activism URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/loneliness-and-activism/ Last updated: 2024-05-13T10:33:30.000Z A few notes _This post is for subscribers only._ ### A Sports Cliché that Can Improve Your Daily Life URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54906/ Last updated: 2024-06-13T13:44:48.000Z ### "Take what the defense gives you." Our local high school basketball coach was working with his talented but very young (8?) son. The father guarded his son. The son made the wrong move and turned the ball over. His father said, "Take what the defense gives you." By this, he meant that his son needs to drive to the basket, pass, or shoot . . . all depending on what the defense is doing. I guess it's pretty common advice, at least if your player has all three skills. Although I normally find sports cliches about as insightful as cologne commercials, I think that cliché, with slight modification, offers a solid piece of advice for living. The cliché modified: "Take what the day gives you." --- I woke up with a migraine yesterday. It wasn't the type of debilitating migraine that results in sequestering oneself in the dark for hours, vomiting, and whimpering (migraines and hangovers are often scarcely distinguishable), but it was bad enough that I knew I'd be brain-dead the rest of the day (did I mention migraines are like hangovers?). But I didn't really care. I just kind of shut down, content to zombie the day, kind of like a person can find a certain amount of contentment from having the flu, assuming he has a robe and a good TV. --- I suspect it's because the migraine [**shrinks the prefrontal cortex, which is where our planning, calculating, analyzing takes place**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/54344/). Such mental activities bring cares. If the prefrontal cortex shrinks, it takes its activities with it, taking the cares with it. The result: a sense of calm, even contentment, at the prospect of a wasted day. It was, I realized, a good example of taking what the day gives you. I'm a planner. I like to know what the day is going to bring. It lets me be ready, to be efficient, to be successful. It also makes me into a jackass when the day presents something I didn't expect or, worse, something I don't like *and* didn't expect. My approach also suffers from a debilitating paradox: the practical approach is impractical. I like to know what the day will bring because it lets me be more practical, but as a practical matter, I never know what the day is going to bring so the entire approach is impractical. I suppose some people have the luxury of knowing better than others what the day will bring, but is that really a good thing? Nassim Taleb says that those who know what the day will bring are the most dead. > If you know, in the morning, what your day looks like with any precision, you are a little bit dead – the more precision, the more dead you are. *The Bed of Procrustes*. For the fully alive, it would seem Taleb believes, every day is unpredictable. If he's right, I'm pretty freaking alive. I never know what the day will bring. But instead of letting it demoralize me, I ought to embrace it. I should be happy I'm alive. I should take what the day gives me. A flurry of phone calls from clients that prevent me from getting my projects done? Okay. I might have to work a little later or tell the clients waiting for the projects what happened. Big deal. I'm making money. The phone dies, making me wonder if anyone wants my help anymore, which will mean my family will starve? Well, that's hardly likely and such mental ruminating is bad for the heart, mind, and soul. An acquaintance stops me in the middle of the day to ask "just a quick legal question" that, though it's quick to ask, takes a long time to answer? Maybe it's an opportunity to model Christ . . . or maybe he's delaying me just long enough that I won't be in my office when a terrorist attack hits it. Stuck in a traffic jam? Good time for that podcast. Rainy? Great day for that book. Sunny? Great day for the garden. Out-of-town company? A prolonged opportunity to come out of my self-absorption and introverted ways, no matter how awkward and energy-depleting. Every day, every minute of every day, has its advantages, if we'll only take what the day, or the moment, gives us. Not only would Nassim Taleb seem to agree, but there's a host of spiritual advisers that recommend the same thing: live in the present moment (Brother Lawrence), abandonment to divine providence (de Caussade), surrender to God (Jacques Philippe). It's part of those virtues that spiritual writers from all backgrounds counsel: self-denial, detachment, resignation. --- Of course, it could all get to be too much. My wife and I come from large families, with many extroverts. I have a professional skill set that, by its very nature, is meant to provide useful advice. The combined result of those two things: a lot of people want a piece of my time. If I were to accommodate everyone all the time, I'd be like John Vianney, sitting in the confessional for 16 hours straight. I possess neither the fortitude nor holiness nor bowel control skills to do such a thing with even a modicum of equanimity. But still, the cliché is there and, for the most part, works: Take what the day gives you. It's better than trying to tell the day what to give you. The former can be a path to grace. The latter is an impossible path of frustration. ### Read on the Run URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/6254/ Last updated: 2024-06-12T13:06:46.000Z For years, I've wanted to start the "On-the-Run Reader." It would be a *Reader's Digest*\-type publication, but weightier and lighter. The subject matter would be more serious than *RD*, but the length of the "articles" (more like blurbs, quotes, summaries, and essays) would be briefer. It would feature a mix of old material (from philosophers and theologians whose copyright has expired) and current material: my writing, submissions, and recent stuff in the public domain. It would be the kind of thing that people could read in odd moments, when they have 45 (but not 46) seconds to kill. Of course, I never got the project off the ground, but I have assembled a small group of books that do the job fairly well. They're books that can be consulted profitably in short snatches. To date, here are my top ten: 10\. [*Josef Pieper, An Anthology*](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0898702267/thedailyeudem-20?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Flip open, read five words, answer kid question, read three words, respond to kid screech? No. You'll need more than 45 seconds per sitting. It arguably shouldn't even be on this list, but it's great stuff and has a very encouraging digestable-to-length ratio. Recommended to me by Fr. James Schall over lunch. Won't disappoint. 9\. Montague Brown, *The One-Minute Philosopher*. Is this baby out of print? Too bad. Great stuff, especially if you're trying to get your philosophical sea legs. 8\. Epictetus, *Enchiridion*. Available cheap from Dover, take lessons on being cool from a cripple. ![Marcus.jpg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/Marcus.jpg) 7\. Marcus Aurelius, *Meditations.* Also available from Dover, take lessons on being morosely cool from an emperor. 6\. *The Quotable Chesterton.* This gem is out of print. A crime, but if you can find it, snag it. ![Gilbert_Keith_Chesterton21.jpg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/Gilbert_Keith_Chesterton21.jpg) 5\. *Chesterton Day by Day.* Published by Inkling Books out of Seattle. It's a one-man publishing company, I think, but it puts out quality product. Funny email story: I wrote the owner (Michael Perry) a few times, with lengthy Chesterton references and such. After a few emails, a different Mike Perry (now my neighbor) emailed me, asking "Why are you bouncing all this bizarre stuff off me?" 4\. *Johnson's Dictionary, A Modern Selection.* Just sit back and party like it's 1699. 3\. Volume II of *The Philokalia* (English edition from Faber & Faber), consisting mostly of hundreds of aphorisms by St. Maximos the Confessor. You're stuffed after three sayings, like eating high-calorie energy bars. 2\. *The Imitation of Christ.* The number one devotional book of all time. I don't want to look like a freak, so I brown-paper it while reading in public and tell acquaintances that I'm looking at porn. ![Human Wisdom of St. T homas.jpg](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/Human-20Wisdom-20of-20St.-20T-20homas.jpg) 1\. *The Human Wisdom of St. Thomas: A Breviary of Philosophy*. The ultimate breviary book. High octane, extremely small doses, like drinking an ounce of Red Bull with an ounce of Vodka . . . over and over again, but you come away feeling elated for entirely different reasons. ### The Most Cashless Country on Earth Says We Shouldn't Go Cashless URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-most-cashless-country-on-earth-says-we-shouldnt-go-cashless/ Last updated: 2024-05-18T21:18:41.000Z [Cash ManMy wife and I drove Michigan’s beautiful Leelanau peninsula the other day. We stopped in Sutton’s Bay and had too many drinks. At the last bar, the manager at a busy bar finally got us a table on the roof, but at that point, we’d had quite a bit to![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/05/Briefly-Yellow-Fade.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/cash-is-counter-conduct/) **At a time when the dominant narrative around cash is that its demise is all but inevitable, as well as broadly desirable, the 2024 payment report by Sweden’s Riksbank may offer a cautionary tale.** In October last year, in [More Good News for Cash in Europe, More Bad News for Digital Dollar in US](https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2023/10/good-news-for-cash-in-eu-bad-news-for-digital-dollar-in-us.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), we reported that recent developments suggest that the trend away from cash and toward purely digital-only payment systems may not be quite as smooth or as seamless as some may have wished or expected. One of the developments we highlighted in that report was growing concern among central bankers and politicians in Sweden, one of Europe’s most cashless economies, about the unintended consequences of driving cash out of the economy: > Even by late 2020, Sweden had less cash in circulation than just about anywhere else in the world, at around 1% of gross domestic product, according to the latest available data. That compares with 8% in the U.S. and more than 10% in the euro area. As a recent piece in Interesting Engineering [notes](https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/sweden-how-to-live-in-the-worlds-first-cashless-society?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), Sweden is already “officially cashless”: > > Cash is never needed, not even for small purchases like hot chocolate at a Christmas market in Stockholm. All vendors have a mobile payment chip-and-PIN card reader like the one offered by Stockholm-based mobile payments company [iZettle, ](https://www.izettle.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)or they accept payments through the mobile application Swish. Swishing is perhaps the easiest way of payment for everyone. **The Risks of Going Fully Cashless** But now the country is beginning to realise that an almost exclusively digital payments system comes with significant risks, especially at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions. In time-honoured fashion, the article in the UK Telegraph began with a spot of fearmongering about Vladimir Putin. “People started to realise that it is very easy for Vladimir Putin to switch everything off,” Björn Eriksson, a retired police chief, former head of Interpol and leading cash advocate, told the Telegraph. “At first we were arguing for vulnerable people, the elderly, women in abusive relationships who rely on cash… Now we are talking about national security. And it’s not only Putin, it could also be organised crime.” In 2021, the Riksbank, Sweden’s central bank (and the world’s oldest), introduced a [new directive](https://www.riksbank.se/en-gb/payments--cash/notes--coins/obligation-for-major-banks-to-provide-certain-cash-services/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#:~:text=This%20requirement%20means%20that%20certain,services%20for%20consumers%20and%20companies.) obliging the country’s six largest credit institutions to continue providing their customers with certain basic cash services. But while that may have meant that people in Sweden can continue to access cash from their local branch, it is becoming increasingly difficult to use it as fewer and fewer retail businesses accept notes and coins. This is partly due to the greater convenience of handling digital payments while the card processing fees are substantially lower than the US. But it is also because most Swedes, including many pensioners, prefer to use cards or mobile payments. As a baker in Stockholm told the *Telegraph*, “the only people who bring cash to the shop are tourists. I feel bad for them because they just take the krona home, where it is useless.” But even that trend may be reversing. According to Eriksson, a growing number of young people are joining the pro-cash movement — and mainly over privacy concerns. **Rediscovering the Benefits of Cash** Earlier this week, *Heise Online*, a German online news service that covers IT, telecommunications, and technology sectors, published a long, in-depth [report](https://www.heise.de/hintergrund/Missing-Link-Karten-Pionier-Schweden-entdeckt-die-Bedeutung-von-Bargeld-neu-9708325.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) about the Riksbank’s apparent rediscovery of some of the benefits of cash. The article also explores some of the Riksbank’s concerns about the potential fragility of a fully cashless payment system, as outlined in its 2024 Payments Report, published in March. **Read the rest** [World’s Oldest Central Bank Keeps Sounding Alarm on Fragility of Cashless Economies. Are Other Central Banks Listening? | naked capitalismAt a time when the dominant narrative around cash is that its demise is all but inevitable, as well as broadly desirable, the 2024 payment report by Sweden’s Riksbank may offer a cautionary tale.![](https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/favicon.ico)naked capitalismNick Corbishley![](https://cdn.printfriendly.com/buttons/print-button-gray.png)](https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2024/05/swedens-riksbank-is-sounding-the-alarm-on-fragility-of-cashless-payment-systems.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Five Things You Didn't Know About Your Community URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52975/ Last updated: 2024-06-10T13:34:15.000Z There’s a localism movement afoot. The Saturday after Black Friday is now recognized as “Small Business Saturday,” an effort to remind people that it’s important to support their local stores. There has been a corresponding harsh backlash against Amazon and its disturbing gains on the back of COVID. The phrase “Bowling Alone” from Robert Putnam’s 2000 book about America’s alarming reduction in “social capital” has gained currency. More people seem to understand the importance of buying and eating locally-grown food. The [American Chesterton Society](https://www.chesterton.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), that flagship organization for the oft-forgotten but persistent economic school of Distributism, recently declared that “Distributism” ought now to be called “Localism.” The examples could go on and on. If you’re interested in the localism movement, here are five things about the importance of your community that you should keep in mind. ## 1\. Communities are organic > “\[Man\] combines with other men because isolation endangers him.” Will Durant, *Our Oriental Heritage*.** The earliest communities came together for safety. The world has bad people who will beat and rob you unless you have protection. If you belong to a group, you have a layer of protection, hence the rise of the earliest communities. They are, in other words, organic. No one told the first people, “Go live in that village together, so the marauders can’t get you.” People did it naturally. The communities formed organically, from the bottom up, with no direction required or sought from the top. When you get involved in your community, you are living organically. ## 2\. Communities solve problems > “ . . . and because there are many things that can be done better together than alone.” *Id.* After the community came together for safety, it then needed to figure out how to exist, which meant providing basic necessities, like food, clothing, and shelter. The communities had to figure it out for the good of everyone in the community or else people would leave, thereby decreasing the safety offered by numbers. Communities to this day exist for the same purpose. Humans tend to come together for the simple reason that we are social animals. Communities exist *to do something* together. The stronger your community, the better it is at solving problems. The better it is at solving problems, the better community you live in. Conversely, the worse your community is at solving problems, the worse community you live in. It’s one of the reasons Communism was so devastating in eastern Europe. By taking away all local control in favor of central government, Communism killed the ability of communities to solve their own problems. ## 3\. Communities allow the best to get on top > “Wherever two or more people associate, there is bound to be some form of hierarchy.” Robert Nisbet, *Twilight of Authority* We need leaders. Use your imagination and think about one of those earliest groups coming together for safety. At some point, someone had to say, “How are we going to feed all of us? We need to grow food. In order to do that, we need to dig a well. Let’s go do it.” That person is a leader. Every community has leaders. They’re often the strongest, or smartest, or most energetic. Granted, many “leaders” are just self-congratulatory busybodies or rich guys who throw their money around, but the true leader is a person that others want to work with. The true leader, in other words, has *authority*. And it’s in a community that true authority rises to the top and guides the community through voluntary action of others. Authority is the opposite of *power*, which is coerced action from others: forcing them to follow the “leader’s” plans or face unpleasant consequences. In a community, good people tend to get on top because people recognize their authority and voluntarily work with them. In a culture without community, the worst people tend to get on top because they want power and use the threat of violence to coerce people to work with them. ## 4\. Communities are the first extension of the family If the family is the building block of society, the community is its frame. The family is the most crucial unit of society. In the family, the child learns that there are other people besides herself and that sometimes those other people’s needs or wants take priority over her needs or wants. In the family, in other words, the child learns the first rule of cultured existence: you can’t live just for yourself. The community expands the family’s role and teaches the child the second rule of cultured existence: the world is a big place. Community yanks a person out of what Tolstoy called “family narcissism.” No matter how important family is, there’s a whole lot more beyond one’s family room and backyard. The community is the child’s introduction to what’s beyond her yard. And just as it’s important for one’s family to be good, it’s important for the child’s community to be good so the child can develop properly. > “For the family to perform its vital functions, the church, the school, the local community, and voluntary associations must all be aligned in mutual support.” Brad Lowell Stone, *Robert Nisbet*. ## 5\. Communities provide a grounding Alienation has been a buzzword for quite a while now. Modern man finds himself alienated by mass society. He is thrown into existence with nothing: no norms of behavior to embrace, no essential truths to hold onto. That is the truth that informs the modern philosophical school of existentialism. Communities reduce that modern sense of alienation. A person in community is no longer a person cut adrift. It’s not just him and the world wide web, or just him against a foe that exerts power over him in the form of regulation and taxation that he can’t see, or just him and a sea of humanity on the sidewalks. A person in community has a place. A person in community has a function. A person in community has fixed reference points called “friends,” “co-workers,” or “club members.” A person in community, in short, isn’t alienated. He’s not adrift. He has reference points. They’re not perfect by any means, but they are reference points. I think of it like monasteries. Traditionally, monks have gardened. The act of literally sticking one’s hands into the ground metaphorically grounds a person. It’s a reflection of the sacramental nature of reality. The monk is still a sinner and might do some terrible things, but the fundamental importance of grounding is there. The same with community. A person grounded in community is grounded metaphysically . . . on the sidewalks of his New York neighborhood or the backyards of suburbia or the shopping districts of small towns. Does the alienation, confusion, and unhappiness end because a person is involved in his community? No. The modern world is a vacuous and confusing place. One’s community isn’t going to eliminate it or, if it does eliminate it for awhile, the person becomes aware of it again as soon as he gets on the Internet. But if he belongs to a community, he at least knows he’s not alone. That sometimes makes all the difference. ### Google and the Hemispheres URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/google-and-the-hemispheres/ Last updated: 2024-05-09T13:21:22.000Z The Industrial Revolution had been churning for a hundred years. Results were impressive. Standards of living were climbing. Sure, urban slums were miserable, but many historians believe they beat the squalor in rural villages. But industrialization was messy and not just from a pollution standpoint. Labor itself was messy. There was no good way to measure labor efficiency, so workers “soldiered” (expended the minimum effort required to avoid getting fired). Because labor was plentiful and cheap, factory owners didn’t much worry about it. They accepted that’s “just how things are” and threw a lot of labor hours at projects that probably could’ve taken a lot less time. Then Frederick Winslow Taylor brought a stopwatch to work at the Midvale Steel plant in 1881\. He started timing the workers’ every movement, breaking down each job into smaller steps and timing them, then re-assembling the movements in different ways to see which combinations were fastest. Productivity at the Philadelphia plant soared. Scientific management was born. Twenty years later, at age 45, after he had made millions through consulting fees and patents, he retired and focused on spreading the good news about scientific management. He assured readers and listeners that scientific management would, in the words of Nicholas Carr, bring “a utopia of perfect efficiency.” It would bring “maximum speed, maximum efficiency, and maximum output.” Whereas the Industrial Revolution previously bellowed, now it would hum. The same principles of scientific management would be applied to business in the Electronic Age. Today, [they govern business in the Digital Age](https://thedailyeudemon.com/footnotes/). **Read the rest** [On the Need to Reactivate Our Right Hemispheres - Front Porch RepublicIn our daily lives, we need activities that aren’t driven by our left hemispheres. We need leisure (as understood by Josef Pieper). We need to waste time. We need to do nothing . . . a thing that rankles the left hemisphere’s productive disposition.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicEric Scheske![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/8527933591_97cdc62b28_b.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/05/on-the-need-to-reactivate-our-right-hemispheres/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Should You Try Writing Poetry? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/should-you-try-writing-poetry/ Last updated: 2024-05-08T12:32:00.000Z Twice in my teaching career, I have asked students to write a poem as one of the requirements for a writing course. I asked for a Petrarchan sonnet, which meant that it should be fourteen lines of iambic pentameter, divided into the octave (eight lines) with an *abbaabba* rhyme scheme, and the sestet (six lines) with a different rhyme scheme, preferably *cdecde*. The octave should set up a problem or situation (for example, Wordsworth’s complaint that “the world is too much with us”) that the sestet would answer or address. For some students, though it was not easy, it was a welcome and pleasant exercise. Several of them wrote vivid sonnets and demonstrated a talent they had perhaps not fully recognized. What if young Will Shakespeare had never been required to compose in Latin verse? Would he ever have realized his talent or explored the possibilities of English? Thomas Gray imagines a “mute inglorious Milton” buried in a [country churchyard](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44299/elegy-written-in-a-country-churchyard?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Others of my students were probably like Shakespeare’s schoolmates in Stratford: it was torment. How could they force the living intensity of their thought into the shackles of iambic pentameter in lines that not only had to rhyme but also had to make sense and even be emotionally engaging? Squeezing out a sonnet took weeks of effort and revision; it was painful to witness. I remember one older student who confessed to me that he simply couldn’t get the idea of meter, and his sonnet proved it. As with math for some, he had a mental block. It’s as though he had received instructions to move forward across the room by starting to fall forward and advancing one foot at the last split-second to keep himself upright and then repeating the movement with the other foot and then reenacting the sequence, which sounds awkward, unnatural, lurching. But how else do you describe walking? The description of meter seemed just as unnatural to him (counting syllables, paying attention to lighter and heavier stresses, etc.), but later that same year I heard him singing songs that he had written—beautiful, moving ballads. He never suspected that he had written them in traditional English meter. Writing poetry helps a reader understand excellence. Reading poetry without ever having tried to write in verse is like watching baseball without ever having felt the seams of a ball or pounded your fist into the web of a glove or swung a bat and felt the sweet, solid contact. How do you really appreciate a great shortstop or third baseman if you’ve never seen a ground ball come screaming at you so fast that everything is reflex? Or a great outfielder if you’ve never run across the grass, gauging the trajectory of a fly ball? We’re embodied creatures. It takes experience to feel both our capacities and our limits, and that same experience enables us to recognize and judge real excellence that exceeds our own. Our outdoor program is hands-on. I’m thinking now that the same should be true of what we ask of our students in writing. “True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,” writes Alexander Pope, “As those move easiest who have learn’d to dance.” Maritain would agree—and so would James Matthew Wilson. Students of poetry need to get their bodies into the language to get the measure of the game. **Read the rest** [Who Should Write Poetry?Writing poetry helps a reader understand excellence. Reading poetry without ever having tried to write in verse is like watching baseball without ever having felt the seams of a ball or pounded your fist into the web of a glove or swung a bat and felt the sweet, solid contact. (essay by Glenn Arbery)![](https://eadn-wc04-4478098.nxedge.io/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/TIC_Shield-01.png)The Imaginative ConservativeGlenn Arbery![](https://eadn-wc04-4478098.nxedge.io/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Screen-Shot-2024-05-05-at-5.12.24-PM-e1714947195436.png)](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2024/05/who-should-write-poetry-james-matthew-wilson-glenn-arbery.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The RCIA Haunting URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-rcia-haunting/ Last updated: 2024-05-13T11:14:47.000Z After months of prayer, study and preparation, my husband and I joyfully received the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Eucharist at this year’s Easter Vigil. As a newly initiated Catholic, I am grateful to fully participate in the faith and experience God’s graces in a welcoming parish community. But the journey to the Easter Vigil Mass was also filled with spiritual challenges that I did not anticipate. **Before our conversion, my family belonged** to a contemporary non-denominational church, where we packed into an auditorium with large video screens, theologically weak music and a feel-good “prosperity gospel” preacher. Our two young children looked forward to the crafts at Sunday school, while we enjoyed fellowship with other young families, but ambivalence eventually crept in. Church became more like a social club than a source of spiritual nourishment and worship. In an attempt to invigorate my faith, I began to study the history of the early Church and discovered that the beliefs and practices closely aligned with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Intrigued, I reported my findings to my husband and asked if he would be willing to attend Mass with me, and he agreed. We were both instantly drawn to the tradition, liturgy and sacraments of the Church. After several more visits, we concluded that the Catholic Church held the fullness of Christian faith, and our next step was to become Catholic. Days later, we enrolled in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) classes to begin our conversion. **Almost as soon as we began the RCIA process,** we were inundated with strange occurrences in our home. Lights turned on in rooms where no one had entered. A large arched windowpane inexplicably shattered, sending thousands of shards of glass all over the floor. Our kitchen sink pipe leaked water. Our toilets overflowed. Our septic system overflowed. Our washing machine leaked water, so we replaced it. Then the brand-new machine leaked water, but the technician found no issues. Our refrigerator mysteriously stopped cooling, so we replaced it. Our air conditioner broke, so we replaced that as well. Then our new thermostat dramatically changed temperatures without being touched, and the technician could offer no explanation. Water slowly dripped from a wooden door frame. The television screen changed colors — or stopped working altogether — when we tried to stream daily Mass. [Read the rest](https://www.ncregister.com/features/jayme-conversion-testimony?utm%5Fcampaign=NCR&utm%5Fmedium=email&%5Fhsmi=306004911&utm%5Fcontent=306004911&utm%5Fsource=hs%5Femail) ### Preserving Affirmative Action at All Costs, including Honesty URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-is-never-honest/ Last updated: 2024-05-13T11:15:06.000Z In 1996, Californians voted, 55 to 45 percent, to ban the use of affirmative action in admissions to state schools and in state employment. In 2020, Californians voted to maintain the ban by an even wider margin, 57 to 43 percent. Last year, the United States Supreme Court struck down college affirmative action policies on the grounds they violate the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The clear message from the people and the Court is that admission should be based upon merit. But those running the University of California (UC) maintain their obsession with race and “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI). They are undeterred in their mission to enforce equity via affirmative action. Rather than complying with the law and the will of the people, they search for loopholes to achieve the racial balancing they deem ideal for the shaping of society. The most recent example comes from its San Diego campus (UCSD) which implemented a rule that discriminates against students whose parents make more than a certain amount of money or who went to college. It just so happens that this rule greatly advantages black and Latino students. In a nice side benefit for the administrators, it hurts Asians, who are already overrepresented at the UCs (as well as most universities, as addressed in the Supreme Court case, [Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard](https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/20-1199%5Fhgdj.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which specifically addressed discrimination against Asian students.) **Read the rest (subscription required)** [University of California Now Discriminates Based on Parental Income, Education![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesJames Breslo![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2022/01/20/DSC_0057-UCSD-signage-students-700x420.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/university-of-california-now-discriminates-based-on-parental-income-education-5643271?utm%5Fsource=partner&utm%5Fcampaign=ZeroHedge) ### The Minotaur: Five Short Lessons About the Modern State URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53195/ Last updated: 2024-06-05T16:38:40.000Z #### Revisiting de Jouvenel's 1945 classic, *On Power* > “the spirit of domination never slumbers” ### Bertrand de Jouvenel was born in 1903 to an aristocratic family that embraced the “progressive” mores of the day. His parents divorced. His father married the famous novelist Colette in 1912\. In 1920, de Jouvenel and Colette started an affair (de Jouvenel was just 16), which became a public scandal and (understandably) ended his father's marriage. In de Jouvenel, we aren't dealing with a stodgy member of the bourgeois. De Jouvenel was taught to view progress as inevitable, which was the accepted paradigm in those halcyon days of the early 1900s. World War I shattered that paradigm. No longer was history viewed as constant progress. De Jouvenel struggled with different political philosophies. In his twenties, he embraced a modified concept of laissez-faire political economy. In his thirties (which coincided with the 1930s and the Great Depression), he concluded that the market economy had failed miserably, but didn't embrace the Communism or Fascism that became the fashionable theories of the day. When the Germans occupied France, de Jouvenel pretended to support the Vichy government but secretly joined the Resistance. When he learned that the Nazis had become aware of it, he and his wife fled to Switzerland. In Switzerland, he researched and wrote [***On Power***](https://amzn.to/3UeC1ha?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which was his attempt to explain the rise of the modern state. By understanding how the modern state arose, he hoped readers would understand why the modern state is a problem. He would later use *On Power* as a launching point to explore how government could work better for the common good. He published *Sovereignty: An Inquiry into the Political Good* (1955) and *The Pure Theory of Politics* (1963), which were meant to complete a trilogy started with On Power. De Jouvenel is difficult to characterize as “liberal,” “conservative,” or “libertarian.” His *On Power* is a historical masterpiece and required reading for the thoughtful libertarian. His latter two books? Not so much. The latter two books, though, do not contradict *On Power*. *On Power* is primarily a historical account of how the modern centralized state arose, reaching back to the Middle Ages. There's nothing in it to “contradict,” unless one rejects its history (which few do . . . it's an honest work). The latter two books built off the historical lessons of *On Power*. I think it's safe to say the latter two books have never gained much of a following. The lessons of *On Power*, on the other hand, continue to be relevant because . . . Well, watch these next 100 days and figure it out yourself. ## Five Short Lessons About the Modern State #### 1\. The Minotaur lives The Minotaur was a mythical half-bull, half-human creature in Crete that devoured everything that entered its labyrinth*.* The modern democratic state, de Jouvenel said, is the Minotaur. It is potentially the most dangerous regime that has ever existed for the reasons in the next four lessons. #### 2\. Democratic governments are far more powerful than kings Democracies in the modern world possess powers that the most despotic kings of the 17th\-century could only dream about. Whereas kings frequently had to go begging for money and men to support their ventures, democratic regimes possess virtually unlimited powers of taxation as well as the capacity to raise enormous armies through conscription. > “A man of our time cannot conceive the lack of real power which characterized the medieval king, from which it naturally followed that in order to secure the execution of a decision he needed to involve other leaders whose say-so reinforced his own.” *The Nature of Politics* #### 3\. “Us and Them” is an innate check that doesn't exist in democracies In democracies, unlike monarchical or aristocratic regimes, there is no “he” or “they” commanding “us.” As a result, in democracies the skepticism, suspicion, and even resistance that often accompany the exercise of power by the one or few over the many are absent. Even worse, since the government supposedly represents the will of the people and everyone (by a fictional notion) presumably shares in government, there is a general sense that unlimited force can be safely lodged with the state. That general complacent sense didn't exist in earlier ages, not at all. The average person was intuitively suspicious when the king or the local lord acted. > Under the *ancient regime*, society's moving spirits, who had, as they knew, no chance of a share of Power, were quick to denounce its smallest encroachment. Now, on the other hand, when everyone is potentially a minister, no one is concerned to cut down an office to which he aspires one day himself, or to put sand in a machine which he means to use himself when his turn comes." *On Power* #### 4\. Power is a living, breathing thing Power is a thing with a distinct identity and its own interests and pursuits: it's a living thing that preserves itself, seeks to better itself, seeks to enlarge itself. It's an entity, and it doesn't matter if it was put into existence by Dr. Frankenstein or a million voters. Once it gets put into existence, it starts to grow. Just as power in the soul of individuals turns us all into metaphysically two-hearted persons”“possessing a heart of love and a heart for power–the soul of governmental power bifurcates the state into a composite creature of altruism and power: the altruism is what makes its handlers think they're using power to do good (all people seek to do what they think is good, even if it's in reality evil), like Tolkien's Boromir thinking he would bring goodness out of Sauron's Ring of Power. > "Power in its pure state \[is\] command that lives for its sake and for its fruits." *On Power* #### 5\. Altruism just makes matters worse Altruism increases the Power. The state cannot undertake any action unless it has the Power, so when Power's handler says it wants to do something for the good of the people, it might be sincere, but it's also feeding itself at the same time. It literally cannot do anything without increasing the problem: its power. > “The more one considers the matter, the clearer it becomes that redistribution is in effect far less a redistribution of free income from the richer to the poorer, as we imagined, than a redistribution of power from the individual to the State.” *The Ethics of Redistribution* --- ### “\[T\]here are no institutions on earth that enable each separate person to have a hand in the exercise of Power, for Power is command, and everyone cannot command. Sovereignty of the people is, therefore, nothing but a fiction, and one which must in the long run prove destructive of individual liberties.” ### Saturday Morning BYCU: White Coffee URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/white-coffee-at-tde/ Last updated: 2024-05-04T10:59:06.000Z Even if you’re a well-informed coffee lover, you may not have heard of white coffee—unless you live on the West Coast of the United States, where the brew has plenty of fans—and its popularity is spreading. Not to be confused with a “flat white,” a beverage made with espresso and steamed milk popular in Australia, white coffee is brewed differently than its darker cousin, resulting in a less bitter and more caffeinated drink. With a taste more like a nutty strong tea than coffee, it’s an interesting alternative for coffee and tea lovers looking to try something new. White coffee is especially popular in the Seattle area, according to Daniel Olmstead, president of Poverty Bay Coffee in Washington State. It’s gaining traction nationally “as the health benefits and the higher caffeine levels have become known,” Mr. Olmstead told The Epoch Times. “The market for it is likely to grow as the word gets out there more.” **Read the rest (subscription may be required)** [White Coffee: Sweeter, Smoother, SuperchargedEven many coffee aficionados may not have heard of white coffee, which tastes nothing like its darker cousin and packs in more beneficial antioxidants.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesSusan C. Olmstead![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/04/24/id5635884-Shutterstock_145972004-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/white-coffee-sweeter-smoother-supercharged-5629855?ea%5Fsrc=frontpage&ea%5Fmed=lead-special-health-title-0&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### On Yuengling URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-yuengling/ Last updated: 2024-05-03T10:17:07.000Z When I was a college student in Texas, I told someone at a bar that I was from Pennsylvania. The guy’s eyes lit up. “Pennsylvania?!” the man exclaimed. “That means you get to drink Yuengling whenever you want!” Yes, I mused, with a shrug and a swig of my Shiner Bock. So what? The barfly informed me he was such a big fan of America’s Oldest Brewery — established 1829 — that he and his family would haul cases of the traditional lager, *Smokey and the Bandit* style, back to the Lone Star State any time they traveled east of the Mississippi. Fast-forward (just!) a few years, and Yuengling is now available in twenty-six states. Texas, my old friend would be tickled to know, was the first western state to get a taste of Yuengling back in 2021\. Yuengling has been steadily expanding its footprint since 2020, when the company formed a 50-50 partnership with Molson Coors. Yet 2023 was its real red-letter year. As sales of Budweiser products [tanked](https://www.newsweek.com/bud-light-sales-dive-rival-beer-brand-surge-1815153?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in the wake of the company’s partnership with trans activist Dylan Mulvaney, Yuengling saw its sales surge by 25 percent; that was compared to Coors Light’s 21.6 percent boost and Miller Light’s 16.9 percent bump. So what is it about this beer that’s made it stand the test of time — a time that included both Prohibition and the Great Gay Bar Boycott of 2016, when Dick Yuengling Jr. endorsed Donald Trump for president and Eric Trump visited the company’s Pottsville brewery, causing gay bars to lose their collective mind? **Read the rest (subscription required)** [In praise of YuenglingThe Yuengling brewery itself is an impressive hunk of brick antiquity, built into the side of a hill in the style of an old firehall. To tour![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldTeresa Mull![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GettyImages-467650191-2.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/praise-yuengling/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Playboy Taki, the Riviera, and an Elegant Culture of Excess URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51725/ Last updated: 2024-06-02T14:12:14.000Z #### I have a romantic nostalgia for something I'm nearly clueless about I tend to loathe the rich, especially those who have money because of Hollywood or, worst of the worse, government. But there's something about the elegant rich I admire, almost in a nostalgic or romantic sense, almost like the world needs elegance to elevate it. Yeah, I know: *I don't know what I'm talking about.* The world needs the spiritual strength of the sacraments and the simple example of saints, not the lavish luxury of the elegant rich. Still, there's always been “something there” for me in the elegant rich: about the way they held themselves above vulgar ways, about the way they disdained boorishness, about the way they intuitively realized high manners are an art form of consideration for others, about their retreating and demure public persona. It's all on display in this splendid article at *Gentleman's Journal*: [The Last Playboy of the Riviera – Taki Theodoracopulos](https://www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/last-playboy-riviera-taki-theodoracopulos/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I'm not even sure it's properly called an “article.” It's a piece of writing, I suppose, but after the introductory paragraph, it's all a bunch of quotes from [**Taki**](https://amzn.to/2IJ7Luk?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) about hanging out on the Riviera in the 1950s. It's one of the most delightful things I've read lately. A handful of excerpts will, I think, illustrate my general nostalgia and vague romanticism. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/09/Ferrari.jpg) ### The Riviera in the 1950s. In the words of [Taki](https://spectator.us/author/taki/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > “\[T\]here was no real drug use. We were young, people drank. Debauchery then was a private affair. Of course, you had a lot of women looking for a rich man, but it was all done in a very discreet way. You didn't have the hookers in the hotels, the slobs in t-shirts in the casinos. At the very least, everyone was very well dressed.” > “Philippe Washer was the number one \[tennis\] player in Europe in the fifties, and a friend of mine. Our routine was pretty simple. He and I would wake up in the morning with a tremendous hangover and go down to the courts to hit a set or two for an hour. Then we'd go to La Boheme, the old beach hotel in Monte Carlo. The waiters knew us there, so we'd go there to recover, have a swim, maybe in the afternoon have a hit or two, and then in the evening we'd get back into black tie and go around hunting for women.” > “I can't go back any more. It's too painful. \[I visited the place in 2003.\] The place looked like a brothel on a Sunday morning. Fat people, slobs, nobody paying any attention to anyone else, everything over crowded.” > “The great actress Bella Darvi lost all her money in '71 and went back to her hotel room and committed suicide. That finished the Riviera once and for all. She was a girlfriend of Daryl Zanuck, and Zanuck dropped her, and she was getting old and losing her looks. Certain things happen, and after that nothing works anymore; nothing's the same. It wasn't the cause, but it was the signal. The party was over.” > “High Society today is the Kardashians. It's not the same.” > “When Onassis ran Monaco it was Ruritania on the sea. If you see pictures of it in the 1950s it looks straight out of the 18th century. Then all these big glass buildings went up. They keep the lights on at night to show residency. But there's no one there.” > “There are no more playboys, as far as I'm concerned. Take the top playboy Porfirio Rubirosa, or Dado Ruspoli. In those days, if you wanted to be a playboy you had to be a tough guy, because if you were in pursuit of their women you'd have a fight on your hands. They were tremendous athletes, too.” > “Charm was everything. You couldn't not have charm and be a playboy. It was very social. People had extraordinarily good manners. I never heard anybody say the F-word. I never heard Rubi or anyone say fuck. Now that's all you hear.” > “I have the last memories of the Riviera. The terrible thing is, in those days, taking photographs was not the done thing. You didn't say: “Oh can you take a picture of us?” – that was for American tourists. In those days, Gianni and I, sitting on our boats, would never have dreamed of taking a photograph. I regret that I don't have any shots, but perhaps it's better than looking like a show off.” Oh! That last quote! Taki would hang out with the President of Fiat, “The Rake of the Riviera,” and it never crossed his mind to take a picture, much less to send it to a publicist. And the idea of posting it to a thing like Facebook? I believe Taki's response would've been, "Why would I care that other people know I'm hangin' with the Rake?" That's detachment. The first rule of the spiritual life, albeit in secular form. *And that, my friend, is what I'm talkin' about.* ### The Cell Phone is a Monkey Trap for the Left Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-cell-phone-is-a-monkey-trap-for-the-left-hemisphere/ Last updated: 2024-05-01T12:54:21.000Z And Eight Other Short Observations about the Hemispheres _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Scrolling Blog: May 2024 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-entries-may-2024/ Last updated: 2024-06-19T13:33:38.000Z May 31, 2024 ## BYCU ### A Newcomer in the Grape Industry It's Vermentino. It resists drought and is cheap and California growers are lovin' it. It currently costs $4,000 a ton (whereas Napa Cabernet costs over $8,000), but as more use it, the cost will go up and the cost of Cab might come down. [On VermentinoLettie Teague at the Wall Street Journal![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1590229926879-d18865f99541?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fHdoaXRlJTIwd2luZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTcxNTAzMDd8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-vermentino/) --- May 30, 2024 ## My Infatuation with Substack Grows One of my old editors asked me awhile back why I wasn't publishing on Substack. He said my material is a natural fit for the platform. I said, "I started a Substack, but then admitted to myself, 'I wouldn't pay $50 a year to read this,' so figured I should suspend work on it." His response was, "But you don't need the money. Your stuff is interesting. You just need to get it out there, and Substack will do that for you." I considered his advice for a few days, concluded he's 100% right, and kicked myself for not realizing it a few years ago. I've since been spending a lot of time on Substack, trying to learn its features (it's black-holish). In the process, I'm finding a lot of great writers, like Gurwinder, who is featured today. [23 TruthsGurwinder at The Prism (Substack)![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1529503260202-4cb2b1677f0a?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE1fHx0cnV0aHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTcwNzAyMTV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/23-truths/) --- May 29, 2024 ## [Psychedelia](https://thedailyeudemon.com/psychedlic-movement/) I didn't realize the City of San Francisco canceled its 4/20 celebration this year due to lack of funding (its budget blown on free booze and needles for the homeless, I suppose) and a lack of corporate sponsorships. Corporate sponsorships? In the heart of the Haight? Nonetheless, the Church of Ambrosia rescued the celebration. Ambrosia is inevitably nondenominational and promotes “all entheogenic plants, with a focus on Cannabis and Magic Mushrooms." That's from the introduction to this delightful piece in the June edition of *Spectator World* that focuses on the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and psychedelic art. Here's one excerpt, which tells me pretty much everything I've ever cared to know about psychedelic art. > \[M\]ost psychedelic artists didn’t seek to profit from their creations. The major poster artists of the period — Alton Kelley, Victor Moscoso, Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse and Wes Wilson, known colloquially as the “Big Five” — created their elaborate visuals predominantly for events: concerts, sit-ins and parties where one might be subject to an electric-Kool-Aid-acid test (which is a fun way of saying LSD spiking). People would rip the posters off the wall and take them home with them simply because they looked cool, with Wes Wilson popularizing the hallucinogenic font which gave the appearance of melting in real time. [Was the psychedelic art movement worth it?Why not leave psychedelic art in its naive and slightly unsophisticated aesthetic cocoon? Its goofiness and ephemerality are what made it![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldAmelia Butler-Gallie![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/JUNE-24-DIG-IMAGES7.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/book-and-art/was-the-psychedelic-art-movement-worth-it/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- May 28, 2024 ## Monday Column Well, it's not Monday (but it *is* the first day of the work week) and it's not really a column. It's more of a set of notes, but they're interesting. [Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur (1735-1813): Left-HemisphericMcGilchrist writes about the left hemisphere’s love for abstraction. Because it is the hemisphere of action (“it’s tasked with tasks,” is my (oh-so-clever) way of putting it), it prefers abstract ideas that give it guideposts for action. It keeps things simple, which makes things more efficient. A simple example: If![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/05/D_H_Lawrence_passport_photograph-1.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hector-st-john-de-crev/) --- May 26, 2024 # Much Appreciated, but . . . why didn't he pardon Ross during his first term? "Pirate Wires" says it's one of many "no-lose" promises Trump is making and will make. They're a great gambit: The promises have virtually no opposition but are supported by a large block of voters (here, the libertarians). [Trump Announces He Will Commute Sentence of Silk Road Founder on ‘Day One’The former president made the announcement Saturday.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesJack Phillips![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/04/15/id5629558-Trump-trial-GettyImages-2147827832-1080x720.jpeg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-announces-he-will-commute-sentence-of-silk-road-founder-on-day-one-5657439?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- May 25, 2024 ## Day Drinking This *NYT* piece had great potential, none of it actualized. It was just the same palaver: empty stomach increases effect of alcohol, the sun further dehydrates you, yada and yads. I think the cue ("Why do we like to drink in the afternoon?") could've led to a nice reflection on our need to shift our customary attitudes, to remove cares, to buck against the left hemisphere's relentless (and merciless) driving tendencies . . . and thereby to open oneself to the Tao. Those, anyway, are themes I think I would've pursued. But no, the article opted for the neanderthal route: quote a few doctors to come up with a material cause for the sensation. If you're not a *NYT* subscriber, I wouldn't burn one of your free articles on this one. [Day DrinkingDani Blum at the New York Times![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1564345403487-d76ca58242ae?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDl8fG91dGRvb3IlMjBiZWVyfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNjY0MDU0Mnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/day-drinking/) --- May 24, 2024 ## Welcome to Summer I love the way summer rolls out in stages: last day of school, Memorial Day, June 21st. Now that my kids are out of high school, I'm scarcely aware of the first one anymore, though I enjoyed listening to the graduation ceremony at my neighboring stadium last night while I planted the last of my garden. And yes, my garden is now "in." I'm at that blessed stage of gardening: an hour after dinner of patrolling with weeding hoe and neem oil bottle in hand should keep things under control. The hour is pleasant Zone 2 exercise, it's relaxing, and I get two audiobooks "read" every month. I celebrate the start of summer, and the end of arduous gardening, tonight with a few gins . . . or maybe mojitos, made with the piles of cilantro that have volunteered this year, as well as the mint that relentlessly expands in my garden and gives a great aroma when I flame weed it back to its proper boundaries. > Every great drink starts with a plant. If you’re a gardener, I hope this book inspires a cocktail party. If you’re a bartender, I hope you’re persuaded to put up a greenhouse or at least plant a window box. I want everyone who walks through a botanical garden or hikes a mountain ridge to see not just greenery but the very elixir of life—the aqua vitae—that the plant world has given us. I’ve always found horticulture to be an agreeably intoxicating subject; I hope you will, too. Cheers! [Amy Stewart, The Drunken Botanist](https://amzn.to/3yzH8C3?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). --- ## Why French Wine Barrels Cost So Much > A foudre is a massive wooden vat that impacts and preserves the overall taste of the wine. Making a foudre starts with French oak, a tightly grained wood that adds unique flavoring to the wine. . . The wood is so precious — and so expensive — that the French government heavily regulates its sales through annual auctions of oak forest plots. [Why giant oak barrels are key to making some of the world’s most expensive wineLuxury winemakers producing some of the most expensive wine in the world will pay up to $50,000 for a single barrel to age their wine.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)InsiderChris Snyder![](https://i.insider.com/664cce5420abc1efe8fc0c9c?width=1200&format=jpeg)](https://www.businessinsider.com/why-french-oak-barrels-are-so-expensive-2024-5?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) May 23, 2024 ## Front Porch Republic Continues to Run the Greatest Essays Since Mencken! The left hemisphere plans, incidentally. The right hemisphere flows. Carol Deppe draws an autobiographical distinction in *The Tao of Vegetable Gardening* between "Planning Carol" and "Doing Carol." PC lays out elaborate plans that DC later disregards as she gardens. I can relate . . . big-time. Deppe's solution is to plan in ways that she won't disregard when the time comes for gardening. It strikes me as a reasonable approach to respect the different ways the hemispheres operate, but of course, I think gardening itself is the best way to bring the hemispheres together harmoniously. My approach? I try not to plan at all, even though it's not possible. I look at garden planning like a look at eating: it's nearly impossible to fast too much. In the modern world, we can eat all the time and are programmed to do so. Likewise, in the modern world (since it's dominated by our left hemispheres), we are programmed to plan all the time. But when my brain won't turn off and stop planning (i.e., 24/7 at the height of gardening season)? I keep a 3"x5" notecard and just jot down the things I need to do that day: the absolute minimums, then I try to focus on more important things, like gin. [Late Winter is a Great Time to Let Your Right Hemisphere Out in the GardenPlus: Seven Things I Did in the Garden this February![](https://cdn-static-1.medium.com/_/fp/icons/Medium-Avatar-500x500.svg)The Gardening HemisphereEric Scheske![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1200/1*ewPhlLpDmlq7hVB1RZ0Y6A.jpeg)](https://medium.com/the-gardening-hemisphere/late-winter-is-a-great-time-to-let-your-right-hemisphere-out-in-the-garden-3a7009c62442?sk=673fd3d9378b16a79aba7072e418f09d&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [My Failed Wild Garden and Inner Utopian - Front Porch RepublicRational ideas create hell on earth. Just ask a kulak. Or just ask the lettuce plants in my garden.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicEric Scheske![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/5501875_adf99604.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/05/my-failed-wild-garden-and-inner-utopian/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- May 21, 2024 ## Apparitions The guidelines are short and interesting. I have no opinion, either on the guidelines nor apparitions in general. Diana Pasulka has me questioning all sorts of things in this realm, though. I can't say I recommend her books, but I kinda do, at least [***American Cosmic***](https://amzn.to/3UPnUzM?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). She's trying to make sense of Catholic religious phenomena, UFOs, and a new way of knowing. The books are kind of a jumble, but not a jumbled mess. Just "jumbled": stories and facts tossed out there, without a driving narrative. It's more like they have a "driving curiosity." Pasulka is a Catholic convert, incidentally, and her protagonist in *American Cosmic* converts at the end (sorry for the spoiler alert). [Six Potential Apparition RulingsFrom the conclusion of the Vatican’s new norms for discerning apparitions![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1529260830199-42c24126f198?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEwfHx2YXRpY2FufGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNjMwNzg5MHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/six-potential-apparition-rulings/) ## Russell If someone wrote a biography of Russell Brand, I'd buy it (I'll read [this 2018 *Guardian* biopic later](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/sep/02/russell-brand-needy-person-less-mad-now?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). I thought he was silly but funny in the aughts, clever a year ago, and now, brilliant. I was struck by the clown-genius juxtaposition that is Russell Brand while listening to this interview with Bret Weinstein. --- May 20, 2024 ## Freedom Month I have started 33 days without any travel obligations. It feels great, but it'll take a bit to get the writing machine up and running again. Today, just this great essay from Substack about [Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy](https://amzn.to/4bJCTBZ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (which I've just started). [Cormac’s Border TrilogyJoel J. Miller at Miller’s Book Review (Substack)![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/05/Cormac_McCarthy_-Child_of_God_author_portrait_-_high-res-.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/cormacs-border-trilogy/) --- ## Gardening and Sleeping [Gardening Improves Sleep Quality in Adults: StudyGardeners and exercisers had fewer sleep complaints than non-exercisers, and those who spent more time in the garden had increasingly fewer complaints.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesAmie Dahnke![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/01/13/id5564581-GettyImages-1337028776-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/gardening-improves-sleep-quality-in-adults-study-5649613?utm%5Fsource=Health&src%5Fsrc=Health&utm%5Fcampaign=health-2024-05-20&src%5Fcmp=health-2024-05-20&utm%5Fmedium=email&est=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZPAidgAPwcTb57YuuWhYArg0yEwDwI4BlqZnqCWYRbG2G2H7bA%3D%3D) --- May 18, 2024 ## Overcoming Cell Phone Addiction, Episode 1,989,021 [Recommended? Get Frustrated with Your Cell PhoneDerek Smith at Michigan Engineering![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1584438784894-089d6a62b8fa?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fGNlbGwlMjBwaG9uZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTYwNDAwMTV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/recommended-get-frustrated-with-your-cell-phone/) --- ## American Tipping Culture is Out of Control ### A Brit takes it apart > If you’re still not convinced that the rest of the world should resist the spread of American tipping culture (which polls show is massively unpopular in America) then let me give you one last argument: the roots of this lunacy. > Like so many ills of American society, it comes from slavery: the original sin of the western superpower. When slaves were emancipated by Lincoln, a lot came North. But the only jobs they could get were in hotels, bars and restaurants, and the racist owners said: “I’m not giving you a decent wage, you’ll have to make it up with tips.” > Thus the Great American Tipping Madness was born. Tipping is yet another toxic byproduct of America’s tragic past and we should therefore treat it like any other nasty invasive species: whenever you see an example of silly tipping, crush it. Just say No. If you’re in a pub, click the 0 percent and do it with a smile. [American tipping culture is out of controlTipping is yet another toxic byproduct of America’s tragic past and we should therefore treat it like any other nasty invasive species![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldSean Thomas![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Heath_sean-Thomas.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/american-tipping-culture-control-service-industry/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- May 17, 2024 ## Ode to Vegas I used to sniff, "Vegas takes an IQ point for every day you spend there." That was before I visited it. Now that I've spent a few weeks there (cumulatively)? I've changed my mind. I think it's a fascinating place, even though I've had a hard time articulating why. My hunch is, it's a testament to human endeavor, which is a beautiful and noble thing, albeit a thing that creates a lot of problems (like water shortages, in Vegas' case). Anyway, a recent piece at *The Specatator* captures a few of my sentiments in this passage: > Vegas is a mirror, or prism, that changes depending on what you want from it. It’s a jackpot for gamblers, a theater for couples, a theme park for families, a watering hole for boozers, an endless buffet for foodies. Writing about it is like trying to summarize Instagram by reviewing your own feed. As a local put it, “Everyone who visits Vegas is the protagonist.” I ended that first night sipping Champagne on the Circa’s rooftop bar. There’s an astonishing view through the glass railing. Fremont Street, or Glitter Gulch, the birthplace of Vegas neon, glows below. Trailing headlights snake along Interstate 15\. Surrounding us is a sea of orange and blue lights; ahead is the bold, strange outline of the Strip. [Loving Las VegasIt was my first time in Las Vegas — my first time in the States — and I was hoping to write a meaningful story about a too-much written about![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldRoss Anderson![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/JUNE-24-DIG-IMAGES15.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/loving-las-vegas/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Captain Morgan > In the late seventeenth century, the British and Spanish empires traded blows frequently in the Caribbean, in no small part because of constant British privateering of Spanish merchantmen. In one of the more celebrated episodes, Thomas Modyford, the British governor of Jamaica, commissioned the Welsh pirate Captain Henry Morgan in March 1670 “to do and perform all manner of exploits” to ensure the preservation of British interests in the Caribbean. By December, Morgan had amassed the greatest pirate armada ever seen in the Caribbean. His prize was Panamá City, the second-largest city in the Western Hemisphere, and a critical entrepôt for Spain. Though Morgan knew that the two European kingdoms had reached a peace agreement months before, he and his buccaneers invaded Panamá anyway, and by late January the notorious pirate and about twelve hundred men had reached the city. [The Lamp Magazine | Captain Morgan’s AltarOn the churches of Panamá City.![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/favicons/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png?w=152&h=152&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1674591075&s=adf9080089d297b8ae3f5af7a13366a6)The Lamp MagazineRead![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/Screen-Shot-2024-04-04-at-11.04.37-AM.png?w=1200&h=630&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1712243085&s=f50ea788edee268cffeb85e63ca54b82)](https://thelampmagazine.com/issues/issue-22/captain-morgans-altar?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- May 16, 2024 Francis de Sales said something like, "The commitments of everyday life are a continuing martyrdom." Amen to that . . . I'm dying here. Family out-of-town travel all last week; medical out-of-town Monday; business out-of-town now. Whew. On top of that, TDE's website host partially crashed yesterday, killing my ability to update this (oh so) esteemed blog. Life rolls on! And thankfully, the talented Joe Serwach has provided this essay about a singer that, quite frankly, I doubt I'd enjoy but am now going to try. [On Phoebe BridgersAre social media companies the new big tobacco?![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJ. Serwach![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1584624715155-997db3f3cf64?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHBob2ViZSUyMGJyaWRnZXJzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNTg2MjAyNXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-phoebe-bridgers/) --- May 14, 2024 ## Another Great Mike Benz Interview I checked out recent Russell Brand shows, hoping to hear about his baptism, but instead, I found yesterday's interview with Michael Benz. The story he tells is remarkable: lucid, believable, concise. And scary. I enjoyed his interview on Tucker Carlson so much, [I summarized it here](https://thedailyeudemon.com/this-is-so-outrageous-i-wont-believe-it-until-this-guy-shows-up-wearing-a-toe-tag/). His interview on Brand's show is just as good, and it addresses entire other areas (the rise of Google, Soros, etc.). If you want to understand why we're in our current fixes, it appears Benz is the man. [This is So Outrageous, I Won’t Believe It Unless This Guy Shows Up Wearing a Toe TagAnd Introducing “the Murder Paradox”![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Briefly-machines.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/this-is-so-outrageous-i-wont-believe-it-until-this-guy-shows-up-wearing-a-toe-tag/) --- ## Dalrymple on Replication He just looks at one problem with scientific research: the results are very hard to replicate. The scientific community is jammed with competition and the need to produce papers and studies . . . results. Scientists can't take the time to replicate to confirm what others have done. And that's just one problem. **I'd add that, in the medical industry, scientists are bought by the pharmaceutical companies to produce results that promote sales of their drugs, then tell their PR departments (a/k/a "the legacy media," like *NYT*, *WaPo*, *USA Today*, etc.) to promote the results.** I have little proof, but little doubt, that's what happened when a study earlier this year said people who fast intermittently have a 91% increased chance of heart disease. Google searches for "intermittent fasting" brought pages of stories, blaring the results . . . and then we learned that the study hadn't even been released, but rather, only a synopsis was available, almost as though the folks who published the paper didn't want the details to emerge. An identical Google search this morning brought up none of the stories on the first page. It's like the pharmaceutical companies said, "Let's make a big splash with this synopsis, then let the story disappear because it's all bulls\*\*\*." But the heck if I know. I wish I could trust the medical establishment. I like my doctor. I think he's an honest guy who keeps up with the professional literature. The problem is, the literature is filled with bulls\*\*\*, so even though I think he's trying his best, I never take his advice "straight." I put it in a blender with other factors and try to decide what's best for me . . . a dubious proposition, I'm afraid, but the only one available. ### Aside: GLP-1 Ozepic appears to use GLP-1, a peptide found in Yerba Matte tea. Huberman for years has been promoting Yerba Matte for this reason. I drink it, though not as often as I should. I have found that it helps suppress my appetite. The first time I drank it, I was stunned at how much my appetite that day shrank. I haven't been able to, ahem, replicate the robust results of that first use, but overall, it definitely seems to help. Don't, incidentally, get the smoked Yerba Matte. I guess it's carcinogenic. [**Here's the kind I use (Amazon).**](https://amzn.to/3K17mzG?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Can Science Recover Lost Trust?Theodore Dalrymple at Law & Liberty![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1715610864584-691f309f7e1c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8YWxsfDIwfHx8fHx8Mnx8MTcxNTY4OTMwMXw&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/can-science-recover-lost-trust/) May 13, 2024 ## Russell Brand Becoming Catholic? He, and quite a few others. A lot of "unorthodox folks" are converting to Christianity and many specifically to Catholicism. They're realizing that Christianity is the only thing keeping western civilization from falling into the abyss. I hate to brag, but I came to that conclusion about Catholicism back in 1991, following a conversation with my highly intelligent, erudite, and conservative Lutheran father, who pretty much conceded that Protestantism played a huge role in the devolution of our civilization. What I found especially charming about this piece: It's a paean to Mary (maybe it's no coincidence that the piece appeared in May, the month of Mary). From the conclusion: > "\[I\]n turning away from Catholicism, freethinkers and reformers together cut western culture off from the life-giving inspiration of the Blessed Virgin. And we’re surprised our civilization is running out of steam? The only surprise is that it’s lasted so long." **Aside**: According to the article, St. Bartholomew the Great is "the only place in London where the Blessed Virgin is said to have appeared." --- ## A Few Notes about the Discontent that Helps Fuel Gnosticism "Member's Only" because it scarcely rises above the level of a notebook entry. [Loneliness and ActivismA few notes![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/05/Briefly-Green.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/loneliness-and-activism/) May 11, 2024 ## Iain has called this list of 30 books, “Works that were particularly important to me during the writing of my new book – some old friends and some new discoveries" [My essay at *FPR*](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/05/on-the-need-to-reactivate-our-right-hemispheres/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)generated a few comments and new TDE subscribers. It also generated a snarky comment, but I guess that's to be expected. The comment: > “Front Porch Republic is, in my opinion, the leading resistance movement on the web.” > Good grief, the average article here gets zero comments, let’s not lose our grip on reality. I was picking up my daughter from Benedictine College and then touring the Ozarks, so my hands were cyber-tied for the week. I was finally able to respond this morning: > *With respect to “leading.” Perhaps I should’ve used a different adjective, but I didn’t mean “biggest” or “most influential.” I meant that FPR is, by disposition, the leading resistance movement. I find its attitude, its approach, its worldview . . . whatever . . . to stand athwart everything our modern left-hemispheric culture pushes on us.* > *One slice of support for my belief: McGilchrist doesn’t make a lot of references to Wendell Berry, but he’s a fan. ‘Life is a Miracle” is included in “Iain’s Top 30 Books for ‘The Matter with Things.'” Given that The Matter with Things’ bibliography runs over 180 pages and contains over 4,000 entries, it’s a high honor. I’ve provided the link to the list below, but I’m afraid you must be a paid McGilchrist Channel subscriber to see the list.* > [https://members.channelmcgilchrist.com/iains-top-30-books/](https://members.channelmcgilchrist.com/iains-top-30-books/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Sweden Says, "Slow Down, Everyone!" [The Most Cashless Country on Earth Says We Shouldn’t Go CashlessNick Corbishley at Naked Capitalism![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1613919517761-0d9e719d3244?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDMyfHxiaXRjb2luJTIwbW9uZXl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE1NDMzODE0fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-most-cashless-country-on-earth-says-we-shouldnt-go-cashless/) --- May 9, 2024 ## Man! Front Porch Republic is Publishing the Best Essays on the Internet These Days! [Google and the HemispheresThe Industrial Revolution had been churning for a hundred years. Results were impressive. Standards of living were climbing. Sure, urban slums were miserable, but many historians believe they beat the squalor in rural villages. But industrialization was messy and not just from a pollution standpoint. Labor itself was messy. There![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1577894947058-cfdae4276bef?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGluZHVzdHJpYWwlMjByZXZvbHV0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNTI2MDgwOXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/google-and-the-hemispheres/) --- May 8, 2024 ## I'm Reminded that Borges Used to Re-Write Shakespeare as a Writing Exercise [Should You Try Writing Poetry?Glenn Arbery at The Imaginative Conservative![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1515104882246-521e5ba18f5e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fHBvZXRyeXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTUxNzE1MDB8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/should-you-try-writing-poetry/) --- ## Why Are Germans So Prone to Ideological Hell? [AfD Politician Convicted for Warning About Gang Rapes“Are you saying the penalty was imposed for repeating accurate government statistics?” Elon Musk asks.![](https://europeanconservative.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cropped-EC-FAVICON-520x520-1-180x180.png)The European Conservativeeuconedit![](https://europeanconservative.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Marie-Therese-Kaiser-e1715077904968.webp)](https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/afd-politician-convicted-for-warning-about-gang-rapes/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- May 7, 2024 **Slow blogging winds ahead.** --- May 6, 2024 ## First-Time College Student! First-Time College Student! Two years ago, my daughter mentioned that a friend was excited about her sister's upcoming college graduation from the University of Michigan. It wasn't just an ordinary college graduation, the friend said (a few times). Her sister was a "first-time college student." I then started hearing that drum getting pounded constantly. I then realized it was just a ploy by the University of Michigan to get around the end of affirmative action. Sure enough, it is, and other people are beginning to realize it. [Preserving Affirmative Action at All Costs, including HonestyJames Breslo at Epoch Times![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1527891751199-7225231a68dd?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fGNvbGxlZ2VzJTIwYW5kJTIwdW5pdmVyc2l0aWVzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNDk5NjM4MXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-is-never-honest/) The thing I hate the most about people getting giddy about a "first time college student"? They're just showing themselves to be pawns of propaganda. Of course, propaganda only works on those who are pawns (if you're aware that it's propaganda, the propaganda isn't working, at least on you). Still, **every person at least needs to be aware that they're susceptible to propaganda.** The awareness ought to curb your enthusiasm at every turn, especially if large institutions share and promote your enthusiasm. --- May 4, 2024 ## Saturday Morning BYCU A different sort of brews you can use. [Saturday Morning BYCU: White CoffeeSusan C. Olmstead at Epoch Times![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1557772611-722dabe20327?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHdoaXRlJTIwY29mZmVlfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNDczNDYxN3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/white-coffee-at-tde/) --- May 3, 2024 ## BYCU: Yuengling I don't often drink beer, but when I do, I think I'll have to make it Yuengling. The company clings to tradition. Its workers were allowed to drink beer on shift until the 1990s. The oil lamps that lit the tunnels that led to the spring water needed to brew the beer weren't replaced with electricity until 2004\. And the Yuengling family, despite being billionaires, try to stay humble > The business has always been family-owned and operated, and our tour guide tells us the billionaire Yuenglings are humble people. They all still live in Pottsville and Dick Yuengling Jr. (fifth generation), in particular, is known for trying to learn all his employees’ names and generally trying to make everyone feel welcome. It’s a testament to the company that their brewmaster has held his position for forty years . . . [On YuenglingWhen I was a college student in Texas, I told someone at a bar that I was from Pennsylvania. The guy’s eyes lit up. “Pennsylvania?!” the man exclaimed. “That means you get to drink Yuengling whenever you want!” Yes, I mused, with a shrug and a swig of my![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1645846950584-47050580b41a?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fHl1ZW5nbGluZyUyMGJlZXJ8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE0MzI2NjAyfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-yuengling/) --- May 2, 2024 ## Pieper Sighting I always smile when I see someone appreciate the great German neo-Thomist. [Pieper PrimerChristine Norvell at Front Porch Republic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/05/Pieper-Full.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/pieper-primer/) --- May 1, 2024 ## Brawl at UCLA I was pro-Palestinian a few months ago. I'm not now. If violent morons like this support 'em, I can't. > Leftists have a tendency to hijack the causes of other movements as a way to elevate their own agendas, and this is exactly what is happening in the west with the Gaza issue. It is rather revealing that these protesters aren't amassing on Joe Biden's doorstep or the halls of Congress. The people most directly responsible for the funding of Israel for some reason get a pass while US colleges with no power to change anything in the Middle East are overrun. [Chaos Erupts At UCLA After Pro-Gaza Activists Refuse Entry To Non-Allied StudentsVarious groups are now engaging protesters and have triggered what can only be described as an all out brawl…![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2024-05/UCLAclash1.jpg?itok=fY1Yq4la)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/chaos-erupts-ucla-after-pro-gaza-activists-refuse-entry-non-allied-students?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## [View Previous Monthly Scrolling Blog Entries](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### The Left Hemisphere Thwarts Focus: On Art Appreciation URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-hemisphere-thrwarts-focus/ Last updated: 2024-04-30T13:15:53.000Z Attention, attention, attention. Everyone is starved for it . . . their own, not others. People want to be able to focus again. Madison Avenue purposefully kills it: > The legal scholar Tim Wu, in his book “The Attention Merchants,” notes, “Without express consent, most of us have passively opened ourselves up to the commercial exploitation of our attention just about anywhere and any time.” No wonder young people struggle. Burnett, in an opinion piece that he co-wrote in the *Times* last fall, argued that schools, rather than just expecting students to pay attention, should teach them how. Madison Avenue only feeds off what's already there. It advertises in English because that's what we speak. It doesn't use words like "faggot" and "retard" because they're words people hate. And it capitalizes on our inability to focus because we can't. Modernity brought us the inability to focus. Modernity is the Era of the Left Hemisphere. The left hemisphere naturally opposes focus on the thing in front of us now. The left hemisphere is tasked with tasks. It wants to get things done. To get things done, it always needs to think about the next task. The result? It can't focus on the present task. Kevin Majeres points out at Optimal Work that, if you can't read for fifteen minutes without thinking about what you're going to do when you're done reading, you have an attention deficiency. You, in other words, are a slave to your left hemisphere. If that's the case, develop your ability to read recreationally. It's an easy and enjoyable way to stick a knife in the left hemisphere's ribs. You may also want to try poetry. That's like recreational reading on steroids: you learn nothing, you don't get another book under your belt: you do nothing but ponder the page. It's a waste. It's a great thing. Or maybe you can try art appreciation, which is the point of this monster essay at *The New Yorker*. [The Battle for AttentionHow do we hold on to what matters in a distracted age?![](https://www.newyorker.com/verso/static/the-new-yorker/assets/favicon.ico)The New YorkerCondé Nast![](https://media.newyorker.com/photos/6627e915045e0d7761486fa7/16:9/w_1280,c_limit/r44164web-site.jpg)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/06/the-battle-for-attention?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### One Group's Four-Step Process of Art Appreciation Four parts: seven minutes each. First: **Encounter**:Wander around the art museum, taking in the scene Second: **Attending**:Silently give a work of art your full attention Third: **Negation**: Clear the work of art from your mind Fourth: **Realizing**: Ask yourself, "What does that work of art need?" Then sit in a corner and write down your thoughts from each session. A little later, meet in a cafe to talk about the experience. It all strikes you as faggotry ([in the Bill Burr sense](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTmKs6s7kDM&ref=thedailyeudemon.com))? Me too, but these are desperate times that call for desperate measures, maybe even a little faggotry. ## Related [The Picture Book: Foe of the Left Hemisphere?A Medieval Christmas Dollar-for-word, this book is a terrible deal. It’s 28 pages long and, except for a short appendix, every word is merely a paste job from the 2003 Revised Standard Edition (Catholic Edition) of the Bible. And the book costs $44! These publishers oughtta be locked up. But![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-teal-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-picture-book-foe-of-the-left-hemisphere/) ### Art Appreciation: One Way to Reclaim Your Attention? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/art-appreciation-one-way-to-reclaim-your-attention/ Last updated: 2024-04-30T13:00:34.000Z [The Left Hemisphere Thwarts FocusAttention, attention, attention. Everyone is starved for it . . . their own, not others. People want to be able to focus again. Madison Avenue purposefully kills it: The legal scholar Tim Wu, in his book “The Attention Merchants,” notes, “Without express consent, most of us have passively opened ourselves up to the![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Bluish-Reddish-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-left-hemisphere-thrwarts-focus/) Years earlier, I had heard of something called the Order of the Third Bird—supposedly a secret international fellowship, going back centuries, of artists, authors, booksellers, professors, and avant-gardists. Participants in the Order would converge, flash-mob style, at museums, stare intensely at a work of art for half an hour, and vanish, their twee-seeming feat of attention complete. (The Order’s name alluded to a piece of lore about three birds confronting a painting by the ancient artist Zeuxis: the first was frightened away, the second approached to try to eat painted fruit, and the third just looked.) I had tried then to get in touch with the Order. My efforts had led nowhere. “It’s a Fight Club thing,” someone later explained to me, with a degree of earnestness that, like much about the Order of the Third Bird, I struggled to gauge. “The first rule of the Birds is you don’t talk about the Birds.” I’d wondered whether Burnett might be involved. Burnett was a longtime Bird, he admitted. The Order’s work was more complex than it sounded, he said, and some of the Birds, concerned about widespread loss of attention, were more willing to discuss their practice than they’d been in the past. For years, the Order had devoted itself to its subject: what attention was, how to channel it, what it could do. With Burnett’s help, I sent up a new flare in Birdland, expecting to hear nothing. That wasn’t what happened at all. One Sunday morning, I received a cryptic text from a performance artist named Stevie Knauss, whom I had never met. “Let’s tentatively plan on meeting in the zone indicated on this map,” the message read. A Google satellite image of the neighborhood around 155th Street and Broadway was attached, with a red arrow pointing to the Hispanic Society Museum & Library. Later, as the train that I was on travelled uptown, Knauss sent me a Find My iPhone request. I followed it across Audubon Terrace, a plaza named for the nineteenth-century artist and ornithologist, and into the Hispanic Society’s gallery. My eyes took a moment to adjust. At the place where my phone told me Knauss was stationed, a young woman in a black T-shirt sat on a bench with her back to me, staring at a painting. I sat beside her. “Stevie?” I said. She was wearing wide-legged green Dickies, high-laced leather work boots, and dangly asymmetrical earrings. She turned to regard me, then looked back at the painting. Knauss identified herself as an emissary affiliated with the Birds, and began to describe the way their actions worked. “The practice lasts twenty-eight minutes—four parts of seven minutes each,” she said. “The movement from one part to another is announced by a bell.” Knauss told me that the Birds who were about to convene might not have met before. Actions were called in e-mails from alias accounts—she had heard about this one from “Wrybill Wrybillius”—with invitees’ names hidden. Any Bird could call an action; the Order was decentralized and ungoverned. Existing Birds invited new participants at their discretion, and, in this way, the Order slowly brought additional people into local chapters, known as *volées*. Nobody was sure how many Birds were in the world—New York City alone was home to several *volées*, overlapping to some degree—but there were believed to be hundreds. Actions had taken place as far afield as Korea, the Galápagos, and Kansas. Knauss eyed some passersby. “The first seven-minute phase is known as Encounter,” she said. “I think of it as entering a party. First, you take a look around the scene.” On arriving at the action site, the Birds wander. The subject of an action is rarely, if ever, identified in advance, but usually it is the most desperate-looking work in sight. (“In a museum, it will be, like, the painting next to the bathroom or on the wall opposite the ‘Mona Lisa,’ ” Burnett told me.) The work is unnamed because the Birds are supposed to find it by paying attention. Those who don’t can follow the flock. Next comes Attending, announced by the first bell. “At the party, that’s when you maybe settle into conversation with someone,” Knauss explained. The Birds line up before the work, side by side, in what is known as the phalanx. For seven minutes, they silently give the work their full attention. Three things are discouraged during this period, Knauss told me. “One is what we call studium”—analysis from study. Another is interpretation, and the third is judgment. If Birds find a work offensive (or simply bad), they’re meant to put aside that response. Alyssa Loh, Burnett’s partner, who is also a Bird, told me that she understands the injunctions as a guard against the ways that people shut down their attention. “There’s a question you often hear in relation to art objects: What is it for and what do you do with it?” she said. “In the Bird practice, we mostly answer that in negatives—you can’t ‘solve’ it, can’t decide if it’s good, can’t victoriously declare that you have correctly identified its origins or that it’s an example of an eighteenth-century whatever.” You just keep attending. The second bell heralds the start of Negation, a phase in which Birds try to clear the object from their minds. Some lie down; some close their eyes. At the third bell, seven minutes later, the group reconvenes in the phalanx for Realizing. Knauss said, “A good way to think of Realizing is the question: What does the work *need* ?” In some cases, the answer may be concrete—to be moved to a nearby wall—but it is often abstract. Perhaps a sculpture needs children climbing on it. “It might need you to hear its song,” Knauss somewhat mysteriously noted. At the final bell, the Birds disperse. “Leave the scene, find somewhere quiet to sit, and write down your experience of the four phases,” Knauss said. A short while later, they meet up, usually in a café, for Colloquy, in which they take turns describing what they went through, distractions and all. Some Birds consider Colloquy the most important stage; it distinguishes their approach from “mindfulness” and other solo pursuits. The discussion can take on an uncanny charge. **Read the rest (subscription required . . . unless you have a free article left)** [The Battle for AttentionHow do we hold on to what matters in a distracted age?![](https://www.newyorker.com/verso/static/the-new-yorker/assets/favicon.ico)The New YorkerCondé Nast![](https://media.newyorker.com/photos/6627e915045e0d7761486fa7/16:9/w_1280,c_limit/r44164web-site.jpg)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/05/06/the-battle-for-attention?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Substack Frustrates Me URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/substack-stuns-me/ Last updated: 2024-05-19T14:02:50.000Z Substack frustrates me like only a lover can get frustrated with his beloved. **It Suffocates**. I get frustrated when I can't breathe. Substack frustrates me. It buries me with unknown authors who I want to read, but I can't possibly get to all of them. **Access Isn't Intuitive**. I get frustrated when I can't figure out a site's interface. Substack frustrates me. I recently read [a great essay about Penelope Fitzgerald](https://www.commonreader.co.uk/p/how-penelope-fitzgerald-became-a?utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&ref=thedailyeudemon.com), who is a great-niece or something to the great Catholic convert Ronald Knox. The piece is published at The Common Reader . . . or is it published at Substack? Are they the same thing? Why can I find the essay on the web but not on my Substack app? **It's a Maze**. I get frustrated when I can't find stuff. Substack frustrates me. After I finished the breathtaking 30-hour analysis of the first 50 years of the Jewish conquest of Palestine at the beginning of the twentieth century ([here's a link . . . or not . . . it's the page where the series can be found, but I couldn't find the series . . . keep reading this paragraph](https://martyrmade.substack.com/archive?sort=new)), I decided to subscribe to the Martyrmade Substack so I could hear all Darryl Cooper's podcasts. I gave up after a few weeks. It was a jumbled mess and I couldn't figure out what was free on Spotify and what wasn't, what I'd listened to and what I hadn't. I dropped the subscription immediately. **Its Unfortunate Pricing**. I get frustrated when I want to show appreciation but the only option is exorbitant. Substack frustrates me. It's like those automatic tip options on credit card charges. I wouldn't mind dropping in a few coins after I get my food, but $4.50 is the only option? Screw that. I'd love to patronize two dozen creators at Substack and get access to all their content, but the only option is $50 (or is it now $55?) a year. That's as much or more than annual subscription for dozens of high-quality publications that have decades of archives. **My Narcissism**. I get frustrated when I see dozens (scores? hundreds? thousands?) of creators better than me and . . . Well, I guess that's all there is to say about that. Substack frustrates my narcissism. --- ## But I Love Substack But oh, do I love it. I am in awe of it. For starters, see "My Narcissism" above. It never occurred to me that there are so many uber-talented and uber-knowledgeable people, who are great stylists who don't use fad prefixes like "uber-." It seems like they're all going to Substack. And how do I know they're uber-talented? Because other talented people are constantly referring to the Substack essays. Just this month, I've seen or heard *Econtalk*, *Cultural Debris*, *Arts & Letters Daily*, and a few other podcasts or websites link to or build an episode around a Substack essay. Contrast that with Medium, where no one I respect has ever (not once) recommended a Medium.com essay. And for good reason. Medium is filled with folks who are hacking away for pennies (your TDE scribe included). They're kids playing to a leftist algorithm (your TDE scribe excluded). Substack doesn't play to a partisan crowd. As far as I know and as far as I've been able to discern, Substack doesn't care about politics. It just allows people to create. The site is a blank slate. Contrast that with Medium, which sits on the far left of the political spectrum and relentlessly algorithms its leftist agenda (remind me to tell you the story once of how my Medium publication's receipts dropped to zero when one of my articles merely referred to "Matt Taibbi" . . . I'm guessing Medium programmed its algorithm to throttle down traffic to any site that even mentioned his name). --- ## Three Substack Recommendations No, this isn't my list of recommended Substack publications. It's my list of recommendations to the Substack management. The biggest recommendation: **Provide pricing options**. A few ideas: 1. If it's Matt Taibbi, allow him to demand $55 a year. A lot of people are paying it, so let him demand it, but lesser-known writers? Would it kill the financing model to provide an option for $10 a year? 2. Let writers opt into a bundle option. A reader could agree to pay $55 a year, but he would get, say, ten subscriptions for that price, then each publication would get $5.50 (after Substack's cut). (Maybe this is possible already, if a group of writers were to form a co-op on Substack and start writing for it . . . I'll have to consider that option: **LATER ADDENDUM: This is an option. *The Free Press*, for instance, has a stable of writers.)** 3. Allow readers to buy individual essays. My second recommendation: Come up with a way to **make the interface more accessible**. Maybe an index? Or maybe a way to sort things alphabetically? The heck if I know. And third, **allow writers to add footnotes**. I don't know why the online publishing world fears footnotes. Nassim Taleb has observed that the best stuff is in the footnotes. David Foster Wallace valued footnotes. Footnotes allow readers to delve more deeply and to validate what the author is saying, without gumming up the text. **LATER ADDENDUM: Substack allows footnotes.** --- ## Conclusion Substack: You're the man. I have, literally, shaken my head when I survey the avalanche of quality literature you're allowing people to publish. But the experience could be a lot better. I'm pulling for ya. ### The Gin and Tonic is Coming Back in its Birthplace: India URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/gin-and-tonic-india/ Last updated: 2024-04-27T12:17:50.000Z “Quinine was so bitter, though, that British officials stationed in India and other tropical posts took to mixing the powder with soda and sugar,” writes Raustiala. This led to the creation of the first commercial quinine tonics. And where there’s a mixer, there’s a cocktail. Coinciding with a rise in the popularity of gin, overseas Brits began mixing tonic with imported British gin to further improve its taste (and get a buzz). Perhaps such a symbol of British rule would now be seen as an unwelcome vestige of oppression in India. But bartenders are experimenting with this remnant of the colonial past, making the Gin & Tonic more popular than ever. Across India, the drink has held on in colonial-era clubs, and now, it is seeing a resurgence in popularity in modern cocktail bars. “It has been only recently that most consumers have come to know about the origins of the Gin & Tonic, and the fact that it was born in India,” says Yangdup Lama, co-founder of the New Delhi bars [Sidecar](https://www.instagram.com/sidecarindia/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and Cocktails & Dreams Speakeasy. “So quite a lot of them take pride in that and pick this as their choice of drink.” Beginning in the late 19th century, Gin & Tonic became a staple of British gymkhana clubs across the British Raj, exclusive clubs built so officers could play sports and drink, and which often explicitly excluded Indians. After Indian independence, the clubs became places for a “new class of monied, upper-caste Indian members, with their Raj-era nostalgia,” write Sneha Mehta and Mallika Chandra for [Condé Nast Traveller](https://www.cntraveller.in/story/gymkhana-menus-the-keepers-of-old-bombay-culture/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and “\[t\]heir centuries-long history has seen a fascinating tug-of-war between tradition and evolution play out in the food, conventions, and customs.” The menus have typically remained a mixture of classic British cuisine and Anglo-Indian fusion, with Welsh rabbit served next to prawn curry. The Gin & Tonic was a menu mainstay throughout, a strangely romantic reminder of the Raj. ### **Read the rest** [https://punchdrink.com/articles/india-gin-tonic-cocktail-history/](https://punchdrink.com/articles/india-gin-tonic-cocktail-history/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### NPR is in Fine Hands, Indeed URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/npr-is-in-fine-hands-indeed/ Last updated: 2024-04-25T13:18:09.000Z The Color Revolution is restless. Beginning in the former Soviet republics in the early 2000s, it moved along the coast of North Africa with the so-called Arab Spring in the 2010s, and, into the current decade, has spread further. The ostensible purpose of Color Revolutions—named after the Rose Revolution, Orange Revolution, and Tulip Revolution in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan, respectively—is to replace authoritarian regimes with Western liberal democracies. American and European intelligence services are often heavily involved in these revolutions, with ambitions not only to spread modern ideologies but also to undermine geopolitical opponents. The West’s favored methods of supporting Color Revolutions include fomenting dissent, organizing activists through social media, promoting student movements, and unleashing domestic unrest on the streets. Americans hold varying opinions on such efforts, but what many don’t realize is that they occur not only overseas but also here in the United States. The summer of rioting following the death of George Floyd, which ushered in the new DEI [regime](https://www.amazon.com/Americas-Cultural-Revolution-Conquered-Everything/dp/0063227533?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), was in many ways a domestic Color Revolution, advanced by progressive NGOs, media entities, and political actors. A minor figure in these movements, a woman named Katherine Maher, has recently come to greater prominence. Maher was involved in the wave of Color Revolutions that took place in North Africa in the 2010s, and she supported the post-George Floyd upheavals in the United States in the 2020s. She was also the CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, which runs the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, and was just recently named the new CEO of National Public Radio. At NPR, Maher has already been embroiled in controversy. Longtime editor Uri Berliner, who has now resigned, accused her of left-wing bias and suppressing dissent. Following these accusations, I did extensive reporting demonstrating that Maher has a troubling history of arguing against the notion of objective truth and supporting censorship in the name of democracy. Now I have gathered additional facts that raise new questions about Maher’s role as a regime-change agent, both foreign and domestic. She has brought the Color Revolution home to America. **Read the rest** [Katherine Maher’s Color RevolutionThe NPR boss is a symbol of regime change—foreign and domestic.![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/CJ-300x300.png)City JournalChristopher F. Rufo![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Katherine-Maher-Color-Revolution.jpg)](https://www.city-journal.org/article/katherine-mahers-color-revolution?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Tucker Carlson's Interview on Joe Rogan URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/tucker-carlsons-interview-on-joe-rogan/ Last updated: 2024-04-27T12:43:44.000Z Tucker Carlson appeared on Joe Rogan earlier this month. For three hours, I found myself struck by numerous things. First, we are the same age (he would've been a Freshman when I was a Senior in high school), we both underachieved in high school, and we both held conventional, conservative views our young adult lives: Republican party is good and the Democrats bad, the military (and, by extension, the CIA) is good, corporations are good and hippies bad. But here we are, in our fifties, and we don't hold those views anymore. We've turned cold skeptics when it comes to anything the Republicans or military offer, though we still both loathe the Democratic party, but not because it's liberal, but because it has become downright insidious. I think we'd both agree with [a recent statement by Matt Taibbi about why he attacks Democrats](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/matt-taibbi-why-republican-trump-left-wing.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): > The Republicans have very little institutional power nationally. It’s not their point of view prevailing in schools, on campuses, in newsrooms (where over 90% of working reporters vote blue), and especially in the intelligence and military apparatus, which has openly aligned itself with Democrats. Even if Donald Trump were a “threat to Democracy” he lacks the institutional pull to do much damage, which can’t be said of Democrats. And here we are, in our fifties, joined by our former enemies on the Left. The Joe Rogans and Matt Taibbis and scores of others who have grown disgusted with the rabid new Leftism. The vast bulk of us are in our fifties. We're all old enough to compare the "facts" presented to us back then with the truth, but we're all still young enough to have the energy to care. And we're all Generation X. I think we all share a quiet disdain for the Baby Boomers who suppressed us while they kept the reigns of power (a frequent complaint by Bret Weinstein) and now seem perfectly content with the morass of shit they've left behind, from a bloated central government with unmanageable welfare obligations to the "Y Generation" . . . offspring of the Boomers, whereas X generation were mostly offspring of Depression babies). --- ## Carlson on UFOs But what really struck me? Carlson's speculations on UFOs. I've long been agnostic on everything "supernatural," from the occult to UFOs to ghosts. I leaned strongly skeptic until my early twenties, but Russell Kirk's respect for ghosts shifted me to agnosticism about such things in my late twenties. Carlson was a stone-cold skeptic about UFOs. Until 2017 (when an insider at the Department of Defense told him a lot of these reports were real). At this point, he believes in them. Well, kinda. And that's the thing that struck me the most in the entire interview. It was the first subject they talked about. They only stayed on the topic for about 30 minutes. I wish they had stayed on it for the entire three hours. Carlson said that he doesn't know anything, but there are a few things everyone knows at this point. 1. Enough is going on in the skies and underwater that the U.S. military has been forced to respond to it. 2. The U.S. government doesn't want people to know about it. 3. The U.S. military can't control the objects because the objects' movements defy everything we know about physics. People have been killed by them, as evidenced by court cases working their way through the Veterans Affairs courts. 4. Every society before 1945 believed that the supernatural could invade everyday life (the "[unseen battle that goes on around us](https://thedailyeudemon.com/on-the-unseen-battle-that-goes-on-around-us/)"). Carlson has concluded that these are spiritual phenomena, which appears to parallel the tentative position of Diana Pasulka (who also appeared on *JRE* and whose current book, *Encounters*, is very odd . . . jumping from UFO artificial intelligence to Fulton Sheen's mystical impact to the Vatican and back to the Invisible College). He seems pretty convinced that these objects are not from another planet. If they were, we'd see them coming into our atmosphere ("space is well-monitored"). Tucker: > So, they're from here, and they've been here for thousands of years, whatever 'they' are, and it's pretty clear to me that they're spiritual entities, whatever that means, they're supernatural, which is to say 'above the natural' and 'above the observable' . . . and they don't behave according to the laws of science, as measured by people, and they've been here for a long time. There's a ton of evidence that they're under the ocean and under the ground. (8:00) After 2017, he jumped into journalism mode and investigated it. He interviewed tons of people and gathered information. And then he stopped. Why? Because, he said, the conclusions were all very dark and weren't helping him be a better person. On top of that, the conclusions he was coming to weren't pragmatic: There's nothing he could do to change the conclusions or the effects of the conclusions. He concludes that these spiritual entities are demonic (he says "some of them are bad"). He points out that, in the spiritual world, everything is a binary: good or bad (something I hadn't thought about, but I guess it makes sense: angels don't contend with bodies and Original Sin, which are what makes us this amalgam of good and bad). He also points out that "*there's evidence that there is a relationship between"* these spiritual entities and the U.S. government (16:01). ### Gulf Princes, Safaris, and Conservation Groups are Destroying the Maasai URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/gulf-princes-safaries-and-conservation-groups-are-destroying-the-maasai-from-the-last-of-their-serengeti-homeland/ Last updated: 2024-04-23T13:29:51.000Z [The Defecated Rationality of the Left Hemisphere in Action. Right Before Our Eyes.The question: How can people who make the smallest carbon footprint be responsible for making the largest carbon footprint? The answer: They can’t. Except in the mental world of our brain’s left hemisphere. This is a real-life (real-time) example from Tanzania and the plight of the Massai people, who are![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1633119206412-9d579ee27a26?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fG1hc3NhaXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTM4NzQyNDJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-defecated-rationality-of-the-left-hemisphere-in-action-right-before-our-eyes/) The forces arrayed against Songoyo \[a Massai man displaced by globalist and corporate conservation efforts\], whom I met in the course of two long trips to Tanzania late last year, include some of the world’s most powerful people and interests. (I have not used Songoyo’s last name out of concern for his safety.) What these people and interests want is what the Maasai are trying to keep: the land they live on. Global leaders are seeking what they consider to be undeveloped land to meet a stated goal of [conserving 30 percent of the planet’s surface by 2030](https://www.whitehouse.gov/ceq/news-updates/2022/12/19/countries-follow-u-s-lead-and-set-global-goal-to-protect-at-least-30-of-lands-and-waters-by-2030/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Corporations want undisturbed forests in order to offset pollution. Western conservation groups, which refer to the Maasai as “stakeholders” on their own land, exert great influence, as does a booming safari industry that sells an old and destructive myth—casting the Serengeti as some primordial wilderness, with the Maasai as cultural relics obstructing a perfect view. The reality is that the Maasai have been stewards, integral to creating that very ecosystem. The same can be said of Indigenous groups around the world, to whom conservation often feels like a land grab. In the past two decades, [more than a quarter million Indigenous people have been evicted](https://rightsandresources.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cornered-by-PAs-Brief%5FRRI%5FJune-2018.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to make way for ecotourism, carbon-offset schemes, and other activities that fall under the banner of conservation. That figure is expected to soar. For all its accomplishments, the cause of saving the planet has become a trillion-dollar business, a global scramble in which wealthy nations are looking to the developing world not just for natural resources, but for nature itself. The wealthy players include not only Europeans and Americans but Arabs and Chinese and others. On the African continent, political leaders are enthusiastic about what so-called green foreign investment might mean for their own economies (and, maybe, their bank accounts). Such are the pressures being brought to bear on northern Tanzania, where the Maasai migrated with their cattle 400 years ago, settling in an area encompassing hundreds of thousands of square miles of grassy plains, acacia woodlands, rivers, lakes, snowcapped mountains, salt flats, forests, and some of the most spectacular wildlife on the planet. They called it Siringet, which in the Maa language means “the place where the land runs on forever.” The Maasai see their recent history as a struggle to save that land from those who claimed it needed saving. **Read the rest (subscription might be required)** [‘This Will Finish Us’How Gulf princes, the safari industry, and conservation groups are displacing the Maasai from the last of their Serengeti homeland![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/_next/static/images/apple-touch-icon-152x152-aafde20dd981a38fcd549b29b2b3b785.png)The AtlanticStephanie McCrummen![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/thumbor/DfdrracQNRr9_-ttYSe5cPuZKmE=/4x766:3672x2676/1200x625/media/img/2024/04/NZTZA_240307_Maasai216_/original.jpg)](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/05/maasai-tribe-tanzania-forced-land-evictions-serengeti/677835/?gift=Vldr1EADnz3JyUKZd1CUWUs1WwLy6LMc0XnluDf9euw&utm%5Fsource=copy-link&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fcampaign=share) ### The Defecated Rationality of the Left Hemisphere in Action. Right Before Our Eyes. URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-defecated-rationality-of-the-left-hemisphere-in-action-right-before-our-eyes/ Last updated: 2024-04-23T13:28:55.000Z The question: How can people who make the smallest carbon footprint be responsible for making the largest carbon footprint? The answer: They can't. Except in the mental world of our brain's left hemisphere. --- This is a real-life (real-time) example from Tanzania and the plight of the Massai people, who are the subject of [this splendid feature essay at *The Atlantic*](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/05/maasai-tribe-tanzania-forced-land-evictions-serengeti/677835/?gift=Vldr1EADnz3JyUKZd1CUWUs1WwLy6LMc0XnluDf9euw&utm%5Fsource=copy-link&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fcampaign=share) (I used to subscribe, but I dropped it when it, alas, became yet another shill for the Establishment, or so I thought . . . I might re-subscribe in light of this essay). The Massai are nomadic cowherders. They are the African archetype: dancing pagans with multiple wives and colorful clothing. They have lived for hundreds of years by tending their cattle, roaming throughout East Africa, their cows grazing one spot, then rotating to another, in an organic and highly-responsible form of agriculture that nourished the Serengeti. But now the Massai are being eliminated. Often ruthlessly, with death and violence, with overt intentions of eliminating their tribal character (which is deemed inconsistent with merely being "Tanzanians"). Why? Because even though they are "among the lightest-living people on the planet," they are being told they are "the biggest threat to conservation and national progress was them." So their whole way of life must be eliminated. Here's a snapshot of how this evil road of good intentions came together. First, a myth was created. *The Serengeti is a wild playground of beasts, virtually untouched by humans. Just the Lion King and his subjects. Nothing as mundane as cows, despite the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of them.* Second, before it pulled out of Tanzania after World War II, the British government arranged to set aside a huge swath of Massai territory to establish the Serengeti National Park. This curtailed the Massai's ability to rotate their grazing areas, putting greater ecological pressure on their remaining areas, but they were still able to continue their way of life. Third, western (and then Saudi) money poured in through tourism and safaris. The Massai were great features from a tourism standpoint, but their damn cows kinda detracted from the myth, so huge hunting lodges continued to buy up the Massai land and evict the cows so they could better preserve the myth, thereby further shrinking the ability of the Massai to rotate grazing areas, putting more ecological pressure on the region. Fourth, globalist elites told their corporate elite cousins that they need to buy carbon offsets. If I understand the arrangement correctly: Corporations are allowed to buy a bunch of undeveloped land, which they preserve, and then they're allowed to take a shit in a different area of the planet. The Serengeti has a lot of undeveloped land, plus it's great for safaris and tourism, so the globalists buy even more land, resulting in yet more ecological pressure. Fifth, the ecological pressure grow so bad, the Massai are, indeed, arguably overgazing and causing ecological problems. On top of that, their refusal to give up their way of life is interfering with the Tanzania government's nationalist economic development program, which revolves around selling carbon offsets, tourism, and huge hunting preserves for the world's uber-rich (like the Saudis). And now? And now the Tanzania government is driving off (killing off) the Massai. They try the carrot (free house in the suburbs) and when that doesn't work, they bring the stick (soldiers). --- Iain McGilchrist published his bestseller, *The Master and His Emissary*, in 2009\. He followed it with his massive two-volume *The Matter with Things*, in 2021. They're daunting and nuanced works, but they can be boiled down to four points: 1. The left hemispheres and right hemispheres of our brains do the same things. 2. But they approach things differently: [they attend to the world differently](https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-overview-of-each-hemispheres-vision-of-reality/). The left hemisphere is "tasked with tasks." It's practical. Its primary function is to get things done. As part of this function, it tends to categorize and come up with ideals: clean "either-or" solutions that give it clear direction so it can maneuver efficiently. 3. The problem is, all those left-hemispheric shortcuts, though magnificent in their ability to help us get through life, *are* shortcuts. They're not nuanced. They don't (and can't) take into account everything that needs to be taken into account. That's why the left hemisphere is ultimately meant to serve the right hemisphere. It brings information to the right hemisphere, which then mulls it over and presents it back to the left hemisphere for further consideration and processing. The process takes time ("sleep on it" is how our ancestors phrase this process). 4. Even though the two hemispheres work best when they work together, with the right hemisphere playing the master role, the left hemisphere has usurped the master role. Modern culture is a left-hemispheric culture and it's creating all sorts of problems. --- The Massai are real-life victims of the unbridled left hemisphere. Left hemispheric elites have come up with little ideals (the mythical African plain), medium ideals (African nations without colonialism), and big ideals (saving the planet). Those are the starting points: the "logocentric ideals," the philosophy professors would call them. All rationality flows from these logocentric ideals, giving rise to what Russell Kirk called "defecated rationality": the reasoning process flowing from ideals that are detached from history, tradition, and custom. Such ideals are what led the French Revolutionaries to invent the guillotine. The ideals come together, often with a big measure of government corruption and corporate greed, to concoct a plan that is so ludicrous on its face, that only a person blinded by the rational centric machinations of his left hemisphere can't see it. And that's what we have here. The people who are, by their very lifestyles, among the most responsible ecological citizens in the world are vilified and persecuted for being ecologically irresponsible. And like all ludicrous conclusions, they aren't held as an "opinion." They are held as self-evident truths. So self-evident, in fact, that anyone who defies the conclusions is morally deficient in some manner. And so it is with the Massai. They stand in the way of progress. They stand in the way of saving the planet. They must be eliminated. ### The Beatniks Were a Bunch of Consumerists URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54622/ Last updated: 2024-05-23T13:11:39.000Z ## Well, kinda William Burroughs liked opium, a lot. He liked its derivatives, morphine, and heroin. He liked other types of dope. He liked women. He liked men and boys. He wrote recklessly. He lived recklessly. He loved his common-law wife. He shot her dead in a drunken game of William Tell in a Mexico City bar. William Burroughs was a member of the Beatniks, that dope- and jazz- and danger-loving generation that dazzled and unnerved America during the decades following World War II and gave rise to the peace, love, and hippie movements of the late 1960s. If a person compiled a list of history’s Most Hip, Beats would litter the top 20: Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady. They’d be right up there with James Dean, Miles Davis, Lou Reed, Dennis Hopper, Jackson Pollack, and Lenny Bruce. And Nike, McDonald’s, Madison Avenue, and the army of men in grey flannel suits that have marked American business for the past 100 years. That’s right: Kerouac and McDonald’s, Miles Davis on Madison Avenue, Burroughs donning Nikes, James Dean in a grey flannel suit. They’re related: they’re all hip. Every manifestation of hip — from Walt Whitman to the Harlem Renaissance to the Beatniks to Kurt Cobain — has this in common: it lives for now. That’s what makes it so cool, whether it’s a heroin junkie playing saxophone (see Charlie Parker) or a speed junkie who dies walking outside on a cold, wet night wearing nothing but a t-shirt (see Neal Cassady). Compare that to the American marketplace. What does it want? It wants people to live in the present, preferably with no thoughts about the past and definitely no worries about the future, including second mortgages and 18% APR credit cards. Simply compile advertising slogans: “Just Do It,” “It’s Time for U,” “No Limits,” “Get More,” “Is This a Great Time or What?” “It’s All within Your Reach,” “Expand your Playground,” “Keep Going,” “Challenge Everything,” “Live Your Life,” “I Am What I Am.” They scatter misty mental images in our heads, difficult to nail down, but at bottom, they all say, “Gratify Yourself. Buy Now.” It’s a hip message and it’s working. In his 2004 book [Hip: The History](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54753.Hip?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), John Leland writes, “The squarest of American institutions, from gardening manuals to Army recruitment ads, now market themselves in two strengths: hip and hipper.” What does America’s hip culture do? It buys and goes into debt. The United States is “awash in debt,” to quote Merrill Lynch chief North American economist Dave Rosenberg. U.S. household debt is at an all-time high ($14.64 trillion in the first-quarter 2021). Hip and debt have risen together because the marketplace feeds off that central element of hip: concern for nothing but immediate satisfaction. In Leland’s words, hip “is well suited to the values of the market, which has always had a place for wild yea-saying.” But the marketplace doesn’t emphasize another aspect of hip; namely, that of Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” It’s an important element in the hip formula. Hip originated among poor blacks who didn’t have much wealth or prospects to distract them. It was a central element of the Beatnik phenomenon: “Better to live simply, be poor and have the time to wander,” is how Pulitzer Prize poet Gary Snyder explained the Beats. Heresies, G.K. Chesterton observed, aren’t errors. They’re simply exaggerations of one truth to the detriment or suppression of other truths. Hip’s emphasis on *Now* is good. Perhaps the *Now’s* highest praise came from C.S. Lewis, who wrote, “The Present is the point at which time touches eternity. Of the present moment, and of it only, humans have an experience which \[God\] has of reality as a whole; in it alone freedom and actuality are offered them.” The free market’s ability to meet our needs and wants is also good. Market prices provide information that, properly sifted and responded to, allow buyers and sellers to conduct their affairs in the most advantageous manner. Since every person acts for a good (to move from a less satisfactory state to a more satisfactory one, said the commonsensical Thomas Aquinas), the market’s ability to meet our needs is a great good. But hip’s emphasis on immediate living through things like reckless sex and the market’s promotion of it through frenzied buying are exaggerations of the *Now’s* goodness. Debt-racked and video game-playing adults with the mental horizon of kindergartners are merely one example of the heretics produced by the exaggeration. They are the existential offspring of heroin junkie jazz musicians in the mid-twentieth century. James Dean died young when he lost control of a racing car. Lenny Bruce overdosed at 41\. Charlie Parker died of alcohol abuse at 34 and Kerouac at age 47\. Cassady died along the train track at age 41\. Early death, says Leland, is the ultimate renunciation of the future tense. Years after their deaths, Jack Kerouac and James Dean appeared in ads for the Gap. It was fitting. Consumerist spending is also a renunciation of the future tense. ### Against Human Flourishing? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/against-human-flourishing/ Last updated: 2024-04-22T13:09:54.000Z The accomplished Paul J. Griffiths criticized the notion of human flourishing in Issue 21 of *The Lamp*. He's an erudite and impressive man, but I found the essay surprisingly dense and redundant. *If* I understand his point correctly, he doesn't like the notion of "flourishing" because it sets up a binary: a dualism, a type of [Manicheaism](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Manichaeism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in human affairs. I think this excerpt captures his point: > \[T\]his way of talking about what is good for us brings with it unanticipated, unintended, and often invisible damage. It malforms our imaginations by leading us to see what we do and what is done to us in terms of a dualism which is often crude: a sharp division between damage, which detracts from our flourishing, and repair, which supports it. The many particular patterns, events, and undertakings apparent in human lives are then allotted to just one of the two categories. If the former, they are to be removed or minimized wherever possible. If the latter, they are to be sought and nurtured wherever possible. More repair, more flourishing; more damage, less flourishing. The task is to place what we do and what is done to us in one category or the other, and act accordingly. Paul J. Griffiths I agree with all that. If we say some things help us "flourish," we, by implication, say some things don't help us flourish: some activities are conducive to flourishing and others are conducive to non-flourishing. I don't understand why the point needed a few thousand words of elucidation. Much of the essay focuses on death. The valid point: If flourishing is the focus, death becomes a great evil. Fair enough. Our culture is far too afraid of death, and such inordinate fear is no doubt related to its burgeoning infatuation with flourishing. But I still don't see a profound point. ### The Hemisphere Hypothesis Explains the Point Better I do, however, see another instance of the hemisphere hypothesis in action ([to the man with a hammer . . .](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-hemisphere-hypothesis-changes-everything/) ). Modern culture is left-hemispheric culture. The left hemisphere craves certainty. It therefore likes categories: clear divisions among things, so it can count, quantify, and calculate. The clearest categorization? The binary. Everything is either-or. Modern culture, therefore, is binary culture. Which means it's dualistic. Which means it's Manichaeistic. These are bad things. But they're still things. Categories exist. They're just not precise. There's a lot of Venn--overlapping, blurred lines, things that shift from one category to the next and then out again. But that doesn't mean there's nothing discernible within the binaries. Just because knowledge can't be divided into binaries, doesn't mean there's nothing to know, and just because it's not always clear what helps us flourish and what doesn't, that doesn't mean we can't flourish and ought not to try. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/04/McGilchrist-Books.jpg) "Knowledge of something that is by its nature not precise will itself have to be imprecise, if it is to be accurate." Iain McGilchrist ## Postmodernism and the Hemispheres The problem with many forms of postmodernism (e.g., Derrida's deconstructionism) is that, once they deconstruct the modern world of binaries, they conclude that there is no world, period. They use rationality to destroy rationality, then say there is no reason. To frame it in the words of the hemisphere hypothesis: Postmodernists show that the left hemisphere is ridiculously wrongheaded when it acts by itself and then conclude that reality is ridiculous (non-existent). They never cross the corpus callosum to the right hemisphere and see what insight it might add. [The Lamp Magazine | Against Human FlourishingOn a dualistic mode of thought.![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/favicons/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png?w=152&h=152&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1674591075&s=adf9080089d297b8ae3f5af7a13366a6)The Lamp MagazineRead![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/Screen-Shot-2024-01-30-at-1.24.02-PM.png?w=1200&h=630&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1706639053&s=0e3d1dd327d16658478ce497d3922891)](https://thelampmagazine.com/issues/issue-21/against-human-flourishing?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Nine Helpful Micro-Habits URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/nine-helpful-micro-habits/ Last updated: 2024-05-21T13:00:07.000Z I've long eschewed self-improvement books of the secular sort for the simple reason that, if they have any merit, they are merely rehashings of lessons you can learn from the saints, who not only teach and embody the lessons but tie them into a coherent worldview that reflects Ultimate Reality. My explorations of self-help articles at Medium.com has reaffirmed this view, but still, there's something "efficient" about getting nuggets of secular self-help, even if they're presented in a manner that rips them from their sacramental base and fails to recognize that they are merely rehashing lessons that can be found, even if nascent form, in the New Testament and developed over the past 2,000 years in the lives and words of saints, monks, and fathers. One of my recent favorites in this regard is [this article about "micro-habits."](https://medium.com/live-your-life-on-purpose/9-micro-habits-that-will-completely-change-your-life-in-a-year-6bd291aee5c1?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) These are small things you do every day that aren't hard but, cumulatively, make a huge difference. It is the truth embodied in Christ's observation that you need to handle the small things faithfully before you can be trusted with big things, but still, it's useful to see the Gospel truth embodied in such a concrete format. The author suggests nine micro-habits: Delay your reactions. Push yourself to complete tasks even if you don't feel like it. Spend a day away from social media. Prepare your next day the night before. Eat mindfully. Use a timer for your tasks. Place your phone on the opposite side of the room. Set a spending waiting period. Write down every idea. That last one is pretty important, I think. Many of us suffer from a quiet, often not noticed, fear that we'll forget something. Just carry around notecards and a pen, jot down ideas throughout the day, and move on. It'll allow you to focus on the task at hand, which is crucial for living in the present moment. > “In the intellectual order, the virtue of humility is nothing more nor less than the power of attention.” Simone Weil ### Easter URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/49869/ Last updated: 2025-05-08T12:29:27.000Z "When the disciples saw the risen Christ, they beheld him as a reality in the world, though no longer of it, respecting the order of the world, but Lord of its laws. To behold such reality was different and more than to see a tree or watch a man step through a doorway. To behold the risen Christ was an experience that burst the bounds of the ordinary. This explains the extraordinary wording of the texts: the strangeness of Christ's 'appearing,' 'vanishing,' suddenly standing in the middle of a room or at someone's side. Hence the abruptness, fragmentariness, oscillation, contradictoriness of the writing”“the only true form for content so dynamic that no existing form can contain it.” Romano Guardini ### Wine Collecting: Billionaire Frenzy URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/wine-collecting-billionaire-frenzy/ Last updated: 2024-04-19T11:49:51.000Z [The World of Wine CollectingIt’s a combination of pretension, mystery, investment, viticulture, vinification, historical appreciation, and fraud. The world of wine collecting. The world of the 1%. Scratch that. The 1/10th of one percent. It sounds like oenophiles work with vintners to create a buzz about a new wine, one that will have![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Fire-Orange.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-world-of-wine-collecting/) Are the rich different from you and me as F. Scott Fitzgerald posited in 1926? Or do they just have more money, as Ernest Hemingway allegedly retorted? Whatever the answer, they’ve certainly become wealthier. While many of us normies have been sweating fallout from inflation and skyrocketing interest rates — buying a dozen eggs, never mind a new home, requires major budget adjustments — we can take comfort that at least the 0.001 percent are doing fine. According to the [latest](https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/wealth-five-richest-men-doubles-2020-five-billion-people-made-poorer-decade-division?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#:~:text=The%20world's%20five%20richest%20men,inequality%20and%20global%20corporate%20power.) Oxfam International Inequality Report, the five richest men in the world have doubled their fortunes since 2020 — from a measly $405 billion to $869 billion. What do they sip as they stroke their fat white purebred cats atop piles of gold? It’s wine you won’t find at a store. “A lot of the billionaire clients I have approach wine collecting as almost an obligation,” says Melissa Smith, founder of wine appraisal service Enotrias, alluding to the broadly accepted notion that of course the ultra-rich must, if not drink, at the very least collect the very finest. “They hoard it and get tied up in the frenzy of an allocation as soon as it’s offered. But here’s the thing: a lot of the wines they’re buying won’t even be in proper drinking range until these people are in their nineties.” The world of wine collecting is deliberately opaque. It’s not just about owning the right bottles, and enough of them, but knowing who to buy them from and convincing them that you’re worthy of their vino. “In the end, the wine business has always been a relationship business,” Smith says. “The most collectible wines never hit retail shelves. Some are sold from the producer directly to individual collectors, while others go through a very small circle of importers, distributors and retail shops.” Gaining access to the best, ultra-expensive cuvées is often a matter of long-term effort, in addition to raw spending power, in part because finding this wine at all is no easy feat either. Fine wine distributors and retailers often make large purchases of ultra-rarities on the gray market — typically from Asia or the UK. “Then salespeople at places like J.J. Buckley or K&L Wine Merchants go through their rolodexes and figure out how many bottles or cases they can offer the select collectors they work with,” Smith explains. “And that sense of scarcity and the mystery of not knowing how many bottles are available is part of the thing that drives the frenzy.” Mannie Berk, founder of The Rare Wine Co., has watched the frenzy build over decades. “I have been working in wine since 1982,” Berk says — widely considered to have been one of the greatest modern years for wine. The climate had been kind on terroirs across the world, and during the same year, Americans clued in to the glorious bounty of Bordeaux. Prior to 1982, he says, buying a case of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti or Pétrus upon release was possible, even if you weren’t a member of a major royal family, A-list celeb or a business titan. Read the rest (subscription probably required) [The grapes of wealthThe world of wine collecting is deliberately opaque. It’s not just about owning the right bottles, and enough of them, but knowing who to buy![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldKathleen Willcox![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MAY-24-DIG-IMAGES5.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/grapes-wealth-wine-collecting/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The World of Wine Collecting URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-world-of-wine-collecting/ Last updated: 2024-04-19T11:49:22.000Z It's a combination of pretension, mystery, investment, viticulture, vinification, historical appreciation, and fraud. The world of wine collecting. The world of the 1%. Scratch that. The 1/10th of one percent. It sounds like oenophiles work with vintners to create a buzz about a new wine, one that will have extremely limited production. How limited? No one says. That's part of the mystery that feeds the resulting billionaire FOMO bid war. The wine is often not purchased for consumption. Indeed, many of them won't age properly until after the buyer is dead. It's about the pretension of owning it, as well as finding a place to park one's (incredible pile of) excessive cash for investment, and it's an investment that has apparently been paying off well recently. It's disgusting and fascinating at the same time. ### Pragmatism and the Saints URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/pragmatism-and-the-saints/ Last updated: 2024-04-17T13:54:28.000Z "Pragmatism" and "practicality" aren't the same things. When a person says, "I'm just being practical," he's probably being highly impractical. It normally means he's just thinking rationally: with the certitude of his left hemisphere, which excludes everything that the right hemisphere can teach him, which includes a massive and mysterious mound of truth that is filled with holes and quicksand, like subtlety and paradox. "Being practical," therefore, is just "taking a mental shortcut to get the solution sought by the left hemisphere to deal with the project in front of it." As I've repeatedly emphasized (because McGilchrist repeatedly emphasizes), it's not a bad thing. But it is an incomplete thing. An untruthful thing. It's like flying from Detroit to Los Angeles and telling people that your trip took you through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, and Nevada. It's complete bulls\*\*\*. It's perfectly fine to travel to Los Angeles and might be a very good thing indeed, but it doesn't mean you hit all points in between. Such it is with the left hemisphere and its efforts to be practical. It gets us to L.A., which is great, but when it turns around and congratulates us on traversing the United States, we must scoff. When a person says, "I'm just being practical," we can likewise scoff if, by "practical," he means he has taken into account everything that needs to be taken account of. Pragmatism, on the other hand, tries to take into account everything that needs to be taken account of. And what "needs to be taken account of"? Everything that affects what we're trying to figure out. This includes modes of consciousness that exist in the vast bulk of mankind. This is the approach of William James, whose classic, *The Varieties of Religious Experience*, says, "Look, I'm not saying the claimed metaphysics underlying religion are accurate or true, but the fact is, the religious experience is widespread and has a tremendous impact. We can't ignore it or, worse, ridicule it. We need to accept it as a fact and see how it affects our approach to the world, even if it means that approach cannot be governed solely by the practical concerns of the hard sciences." It's an approach that the left hemisphere doesn't appreciate. It muddies the practical waters of hard science. It also muddies the practical waters of every academic discipline. When it comes to history, there are a large number of facts that are inconvenient to the "Whig interpretation of history," which sees history as a relentless march of progress informed by the designs of the left hemisphere. Exhibit A: The Resurrection. It is a historical fact. If, for instance, we had empirical evidence that, once every couple hundred years, a person rose from the dead and it has happened about ten times in recorded history, no historian would doubt that Christ rose from the dead. The historical evidence is pretty solid that he rose from the dead, but it's rejected by most historians because it is also a metaphysical truth that muddies the historian's presumptions (narrative) and thereby hinders his progress on whatever projects he's working on. Exhibit B: Miracles attributed to the saints, like levitation. They did fly, and it baffles historians who prefer to reject that fact because it doesn't fit their narrative. It is an "inconvenient" truth . . . an "*impractical* truth" that hinders the left hemisphere's mental historical shortcuts. Such a rejection is practical, but it's not pragmatic. The most excellent and pragmatic historian, Carlos Eire, has apparently attempted to redress it. [They Flew?: Making Sense of Levitating SaintsCarlos Eire’s book is a worthy consideration of how historians should interpret historical reports of the miraculous.![](https://mereorthodoxy.com/hubfs/mere-assets/logo/mere-orthodoxy-favicon.png)The CrossingDaniel K. Williams![](https://mereorthodoxy.com/hubfs/They%20Flew%20by%20Carlos%20M.%20N.%20Eire%3B.jpg#keepProtocol)](https://mereorthodoxy.com/they-flew-making-sense-of-levitating-saints?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Fact Is, Saints Have Levitated URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-fact-is-saints-have-levitated/ Last updated: 2024-04-17T13:06:59.000Z **Carlos Eire, *They Flew: A History of the Impossible* (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2023). xviii + 492 pp. $35.00 cloth.** In a few graduate seminars I’ve taught, I have assigned a [debate between two contemporary historians](https://www.jstor.org/stable/25478791?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) over how the historical profession should treat accounts of the miraculous. As a test case, the two historians in the debate – Brad Gregory and Tor Forland – looked at a seventeenth-century account describing what is purported to be a miraculous growth of plants whose fortuitous timing saved a small group from starvation. Gregory argued that it’s not necessarily historians’ job to provide alternative non-supernatural explanations for phenomena that their sources attribute to the supernatural. If a primary source says that a plant sprouted miraculously overnight, historians can report what the sources said and readers can then draw their own conclusions, unencumbered by the historian’s own pro- or anti-supernaturalistic bias. Forland, on the other hand, argued that historians do have a job to provide rational, scientific explanations for such phenomena, since historical accounts cannot present miraculous claims as credible explanations for past events. Miracles are not compatible with modern science, he seemed to think. There has to be a scientific explanation for everything, and it’s historians’ job to find it. I thought of Forland as I read Carlos Eire’s *They Flew: A History of the Impossible* and wondered what he would make of the phenomena that Eire described. If Forland was bothered by Gregory’s willingness to let the purported miraculous growth of a few small plants go unquestioned, what would he think about Eire’s accounts of early modern saints miraculously levitating and flying through the air across great distances? As the subtitle of Eire’s book suggests, his book is a history of phenomena that we “know” are impossible – especially unaided human levitation in sixteenth and seventeenth-century Europe. Contemporaries of the time were not quite sure what to make of these human flights either, which makes them all the more interesting from a historical perspective. In an early modern European society on the cusp of the scientific revolution, there were plenty of skeptics who wanted to see such miracles with their own eyes before they would believe – and they did. Some of the human flights were conducted outdoors in front of numerous witnesses, a phenomenon that Eire says was probably impossible to fake with any of the technology available at the time. What’s more, many of the levitators claimed that they went to great lengths to try to avoid levitating and did so only because God compelled them – a claim that made sense at a time when levitation would likely attract a charge of witchcraft, which was a capital offense. And yet, Eire said, “they flew.” Somehow historians have to reckon with these claims, regardless of their own presuppositions about what is possible. Eire refuses to provide alternative explanations of what “really” happened, because, as he suggests, there are no credible alternative explanations available. And as it turns out, in the early modern era Catholics and Protestants disagreed about what “really” happened anyway. **Read the rest** [They Flew?: Making Sense of Levitating SaintsCarlos Eire’s book is a worthy consideration of how historians should interpret historical reports of the miraculous.![](https://mereorthodoxy.com/hubfs/mere-assets/logo/mere-orthodoxy-favicon.png)The CrossingDaniel K. Williams![](https://mereorthodoxy.com/hubfs/They%20Flew%20by%20Carlos%20M.%20N.%20Eire%3B.jpg#keepProtocol)](https://mereorthodoxy.com/they-flew-making-sense-of-levitating-saints?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### How I Found Great Used Books . . . and a Dose of Grace URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54945/ Last updated: 2024-05-17T15:32:19.000Z Except for my garden, which is a blend of hobby and post-apocalyptic planning, I don’t have any hobbies. I have a lot of things I do occasionally, like travel, watch football, and drink at a bar. I also exercise and pray regularly. I don’t think the former rise to the level of hobby, and the latter don’t fall to it. I have one thing that could be a hobby for me, if I were able to do it more often: Shopping at used bookstores. I live in a small town, away from the great metropolitan centers and at least an hour away from any university libraries. In order to do any research, I must rely on my own library, which I have been building since my early twenties. As a guy with a zillion kids, I can’t spend a lot of money on books, so I’ve built my library largely with used bookstore finds. The used bookstore is like a slice of magic for me (this is nauseatingly exaggerated, of course, but I’m trying to make a point). First off, they’re usually in cruddy sections of a city; not the crime-ridden or seedy sections, but usually off the beaten track and in poorer neighborhoods. So finding one is usually like stumbling across a treasure island. Second, the bookstore itself could be good or bad: Some bookstores are those horrible Harlequin romance stores with mounds of trashy fiction; others are full of comic books, train books, and other crap. But there are some that have the trashy/crappy stuff, but also have sections of history, philosophy, religion, and literature. And there are others that have almost nothing but books on those subjects. Within these categories, there are also high-priced and low-priced used bookstores. When you find a good used bookstore with reasonable prices, you’ve found a gem. When I walk into a used bookstore, I quickly take in my surroundings, looking for indications that it offers more than trashy romances. If I see it does, I plunge into a serene sense of urgency: I want to find some out-of-print or normally-expensive books (the urgency), nothing else matters (the serenity). I smell the musty bindings and the only question is how long can my feet and knees take the standing. But that’s just the start of it. The third part of the magic is finding the books you want, or maybe stumbling across books that you didn’t even know existed, but, upon glancing through it, want. And if you see it’s reasonably priced, well, it’s excitement time. I call this experience “magical,” but that’s just a cliché—and an inaccurate one. The right word is “grace,” which is the opposite of magic. Magic is the attempt to control mundane affairs with use of the spiritual. It’s an attempt to gain power. Grace is just the opposite: Grace is unsought and unearned; it just falls on you, and you accept it, graciously. You put yourself in position to receive grace—like by praying, or going to church, or receiving sacraments—but you don’t earn it or even look for it. You just put yourself in a position where it can come . . . wait. It’s kind of like the motherly advice that girls used to receive: Don’t marry for money; rather, hang out where money is, and marry for love. That’s why so many women went to nursing school. A good used bookstore offers pockets of tangible mundane grace. You go into a used bookstore and see what it offers. You ramble over its shelves until you see a heretofore elusive title; utter “I can’t believe I found this!”; see a reasonable price; and put it under your arm, heart-pace quickened. It’s just the opposite of a new bookstore or, worse yet, shopping on the Internet. New bookstores and the Internet offer efficiency, but they offer no grace. You go into the new bookstore or Internet, make your demand for a book, and, boing, it’s there and you can grab it for a price. It’s much more like a magical/power effort than shopping in a used bookstore because it involves a precise desire (“I want this book; Where is it?”) and an immense exercise of control—through the computer or sales personnel and excess money. I’m not condemning the purchase of new books. I buy new ones frequently, both in bookstores and over the Internet. Sometimes you want a particular book and you don’t have time to browse through ten used bookstores on the long-shot chance you’ll find it (and, quite frankly, pushing through a used bookstore with a set purpose would violate the spirit of the act). But I am saying that used bookstores offer us something intangible, something that can’t be measured by the standards of efficiency, that the new bookstores and Internet stores can’t. If someone tells me, “You saved $2.00 on that book by finding it in a used bookstore, but how much time did you waste?” he’s missing the point entirely. The enjoyment is in the grace, in the not-taking-control. The person who can’t see that is a spiritual cripple. I often fear that most people can’t see it anymore. We intuitively look at the efficiency, even if a deeper intuition tells us to seek something more, and warp our souls on it. The resulting warp makes us disinclined to look for things we should simply accept—like grace. Opting instead for the things we can grab—like money. ### Six Challenging Assertions from D. H. Lawrence's Studies in Classic American Literature URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/29184/ Last updated: 2024-05-17T15:30:35.000Z In his [*Student's Guide to U.S. History*](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1882926455/thedailyeudem-20?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), Wilfred M. McClay assembled a list of 26 books and called them “An American Canon.” I was acquainted with most of them (*The Federalist*, *Moby Dick*, etc.), but four were new to me, including D.H. Lawrence's *Studies in Classic American Literature*. “What,” I wondered, "does that British pornographer have to say about American literature?” For decades I've subscribed to an important corollary of the principle of [connaturality](http://maritain.nd.edu/jmc/ti04/budz.htm?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): distorted living creates distorted thinking. If a person's life is ruled by passion, his thinking will be distorted by passion. It's no coincidence that sexually-illicit heterosexuals are more likely to support homosexual marriage. For the sexually illicit, sex is king . . . or at least a queen (and maybe a bishop, if you're Episcopalian). They don't think clearly about sex because they're ruled by sex. People think college professors make students into liberals. Maybe, but the students' distorted living plays a heavy role, too. So I didn't think the Chatterley dude would have a whole lot to say about the United States, especially since he was from Britain. I was wrong. His book is strong, filled with wise and novel (and funny . . . bonus) observations, like this: “But to try to know any living being is to try to suck the life out of that being. . . It is the temptation of a vampire fiend.” He says some stupid things, too, but he makes many observations about American life that rank with de Tocqueville's *Democracy in America*, Chesterton's *What I Saw in America*, and Santayana's *Character and Opinion in the United States*. --- ### Natural superiority, natural inferiority > When America set out to destroy Kings and Lords and Masters, and the whole paraphernalia of European superiority, it pushed a pin right through its own body, and on that pin it still flaps and buzzes and twists in misery. The pin of democratic equality. Freedom. > There'll never be any life in America till you pull the pin out and admit natural inequality. Natural superiority, natural inferiority. Till such time, Americans just buzz around like various sorts of propellers, pinned down by their freedom and equality. Political equality, yes. Divine equality, yes. Social, intellectual, physical equality, no. Yet in America, all things–pursuits and interests, opinions and choices–are deemed equal and deserving of respect. The results are often grotesque (NASCAR nation comes immediately to mind). --- ### Disintegration brings death . . . and life Lawrence isn't beyond the metaphysical, even when he expresses it in the biological: > The central law of all organic life is that each organism is intrinsically isolate and single in itself. > The moment is isolation breaks down . . . death sets in. > This is true of every individual organism, from man to amoeba. > But the secondary law of all organic life is that each organism only lives through contact with other matter, assimilation, and contact with other life, which means assimilation of new vibrations, non-material. Each individual organism is vivified by intimate contact with fellow organisms: up to a certain point. In order to have contact with another, we must break down a little, we must lessen our isolation. But if we break down too much, I think Lawrence is saying, we die. Death results from termination of isolation, yes, but the termination of isolation is necessary for ultimate communion, which, it seems to me, is the logical extension of what Lawrence is saying: A breakdown of isolation is necessary for important communion with others to take place. Likewise, a complete breakdown of isolation is necessary for final communion with The Other to take place. --- ### The root of all evil is . . . the spirit? Lawrence believes in the spirit. He even understands it, albeit in a warped way: > The root of all evil is that we want this spiritual gratification, this flow, this apparent heightening of life, this knowledge, this valley of many-coloured grass, even grass and light prismatically decomposed, giving ecstasy. We want all this without resistance. We want it continually. And this is the root of all evil in us. Well, yes, but that yearning is also the root of all good. That desire for spiritual gratification is nothing less than the *summum bonum*, the final call, our ultimate destiny. When that divine signal gets distorted, troubles arise. Men seek that spiritual gratification in warped ways, from drugs to love of the malevolent. The desire to seek itself, though, is not the root of all evil. It's the desire when distorted by Original–and subsequent Actual–Sin that brings about the evil. --- ### Living without souls > “\[P\]eople may go on, keep on, and rush on, without souls. They have their ego and their will; that is enough to keep them going.” Go to any mass sporting event for confirmation of this observation. On a more serious note: Spiritual darkness doesn't kill a person's ability to think and act. A person can move forward and regress at the same time. But as he improves his faculties for thought and action, but doesn't elevate his spiritual nature as well, his capacity–and potential–for doing horrible things increases. Because Society is Man writ large (Plato), the same truth applies to civilization. Eric Voeglin liked to point out that a civilization can progress and regress at the same time. --- ### Art is moral > The essential function of art is moral. Not aesthetic, not decorative, not pastime and recreation. But moral. . . . But a passionate, implicit morality, not didactic. A morality which changes the blood, rather than the mind. Changes the blood first. The mind follows later, in the wake. “Art,” Maritain said, “is a virtue of the practical intellect.” The artist must possess the virtue proper to his activity. In this, it is aesthetic. Art is concerned with morality, but I think morality is secondary. The artist paints–writes, sculpts . . . conveys–what is true/real. Morality is nothing less than living in accordance with truth. If an artist sets out to be moral, it's hard to imagine how his art won't be didactic. You sculpt the piece first. The meaning comes later. --- ### The American greats attacked the old morality? > Hawthorne, Poe, Longfellow, Emerson, Melville: it is the moral issue which engages them. They all feel uneasy about the old morality. Sensuously, passionally, they all attack the old morality. But they know nothing better, mentally. Therefore they give tight mental allegiance to a morality which all their passion goes to destroy. Hence the duplicity which is the fatal flaw in them, most fatal in the most perfect American work of art, *The Scarlet Letter*. Really? I'm no Hawthorne expert, but the witness of his daughter Rose implies that he had a mental and emotional allegiance to traditional morality (whether that's the same morality Lawrence is referring to, I don't know). From Flannery O'Connor's [*The Habit of Being*](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0374521042/thedailyeudem-20?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): > You know \[St. Rose's Free Home for Incurable Cancer\] was founded by Hawthorne's daughter? My evil imagination tells me that this was God's way of rewarding Hawthorne for hating the Transcendentalists. One of my Nashville friends was telling me that Hawthorne couldn't stand Emerson or any of that crowd. When one of them came in the front door, Hawthorne went out the back. He met one of them one morning and snarled, “Good morning Mr. G., how is your oversoul this morning?” ### Rodriguez and Maundy Thursday URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/rodriguez-and-maundy-thursday/ Last updated: 2025-05-08T12:29:50.000Z Rodriguez stayed. He didn’t run from Detroit’s rot, its danger, its slow-motion collapse. He walked those streets, finding something worth loving in that post-industrial armpit. It reminds me of Mother Teresa, wading through Calcutta’s filth, embracing the kind of suffering that’d send the rest of us screaming for a hot shower and a gated suburb. The average person can learn to accept that he’ll have neither fame nor fortune ([though many of us resent it](https://substack.com/@ericscheske/note/c-108996324?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). It’s a sort of detachment, or at least resignation, that comes with age. But to shrug off comfort, health, and safety? That’s a rarer breed of detached madness. And then here we are, staring down Holy Thursday, the cusp of the Triduum, when we’re forced to reckon with the ultimate act of detachment: God himself, stripped bare, broken, and bleeding for a world that barely noticed. Rodriguez, in his own small way, seemed to have walked a shadow of that path. Read the beginning [Sixto Rodriguez: A Mini-BiographyAnd offering perhaps a different lens on Holy Thursday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fc315bb6b-5fa8-4df7-91ee-a59bfcb565b7-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180-19.png)Eric Scheske's SubstackEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2Fe7d6a145-3fc6-4744-8216-fcf3d89670d5_1024x608-1.png)](https://scheske.substack.com/p/sixto-rodriguez-a-mini-biography) ### Drug-Fueled Travelogue of the Post-Soviet Iron Curtain Region URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/drug-fueled-travelogue-of-the-post-soviet-iron-curtain-region/ Last updated: 2024-04-16T12:36:39.000Z [Sam Kriss: Drug Aficionado and Master EssayistI don’t know whether I’m impressed or appalled, and I can’t tell if the writer is confessing or bragging. But boy, Sam Kriss, a “British writer and dilettante,” has written the most enjoyable essay of the year. The agnostic Kriss (”\[m\]y girlfriend believes in the Christian God and I’![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Black-Blue-Speckles-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/sam-kriss-drug-afficionado-and-master-essayist/) When I was a student, we used to play a boasting game. The rules were simple: all you had to do was list every drug you’d ever taken. The person who’d snuffled up the second-highest number of mind-altering substances would then, unofficially, win. Taking drugs is, after all, cool. Taking drugs makes you an adventurer. It means you’re open to the world, both the geographical outer world and the neurochemical inner world, in all its shades of weirdness. Lightly, sexily contemptuous of danger. A good person to know. But there is a limit. The person with the *longest* list would usually get some slightly concerned looks. There are other ways of taking drugs that aren’t so sexy. There are futures waiting for you. The hunched-over people under bridges with their frantic eyes. I’m pretty sure the person with the longest list was, more often than not, me. That didn’t stop me running through the whole thing; I suppose I was secretly proud of myself. Maybe I still am. My list went something like this: - The boring, legal, socially acceptable drugs, which everyone would list very quickly to get them out of the way: *Caffeine, Alcohol, Tobacco* - The illegal but more or less socially acceptable drugs for having fun on weekends: *Marijuana, M.D.M.A., Psilocybin, Cocaine* - The drugs that were perfectly legal with a prescription, just not when I did them: *Valium, Xanax, Amphetamines, Oxycontin* - As above, but legal use was, at the time, mostly limited to horses: *Ketamine* - The drugs that were legal only because nobody had gotten around to banning them yet (or at least not when I first took them), which had awkward uncomfortable names and awkward uncomfortable effects, and which were sold online in small plastic sachets as “fish food,” or “plant fertilizer,” or most notoriously as “bath salts,” but sometimes simply as “research chemicals,” supposedly so independent chemists could play around with their methyls and ethers in test tubes and flasks, but really for the scientific experiments I was conducting inside my own body: *Mephedrone, Dextromethorphan, Desoxypipradrol, Salvia, 2C-B, MT-45, K2* - The drug whose name, when mentioned, would make everyone suddenly go ashen-faced and serious as they contemplated for a moment the wider oceans of human misery and desperation and utter all-silencing numbness that stretched far outside the fun pharmacological kiddie pool in which we were happy to play: *Heroin* - Unknown but worth mentioning: *Whatever shavings and filings of psychoactive trash—rat poison, prescription opiates, bashed-up speed, benzocaine to make you bleary, phenacetin to numb your gums—actually accounted for most of the volume of the pills and powders I took* - The drug that might have actually come closest to killing me: *S.S.R.I. antidepressants*. There’s a story behind that last one. One summer when I was twenty years old, an old school friend and I decided to tour the disputed territories of Europe. So on one trip, we backpacked through Bosnia, Serbia, and Kosovo. For another, we flew to Ukraine, made our way through Moldova and the tiny self-declared ribbon of Transnistria, then Bucharest, then home to London. (Back then, Ukraine was just a mildly interesting place to visit; nobody contested Crimea, and Donetsk was about to host the Euros.) We had vague plans for what to do after that—Northern Cyprus, obviously, with its creepy abandoned beach resorts, stuck in an eternal, decaying 1970s; maybe Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh; maybe Palestine. Maybe, if we were feeling brave, Chechnya. And then finally, when we had exhausted every conceivable alternative, we would go to Gibraltar. Anyway, we very swiftly made one important discovery about the post-Soviet world that had absolutely nothing to do with its geopolitics, which was that pharmacies in eastern Europe were much more lax when it came to handing out prescription medications than the ones back in the U.K. were. You could go into a tidy little shop on Khreschatyk Street, ask for speed or benzos, and they would simply *give them to you*. No prescription, no obligatory small talk in some drug dealer’s Fiat Punto with its smell of instant noodles and sour sweat—you just hand over a piddling sum of money and the deal is done. Read the rest (subscription required) [The Lamp Magazine | Manky StuffQuick Fixes: Drugs in America from Prohibition to the 21st Century Binge, Benjamin Yen-Yi Fong, Verso Books, pp. 272, $24.95![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/favicons/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png?w=152&h=152&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1674591075&s=adf9080089d297b8ae3f5af7a13366a6)The Lamp MagazineRead![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/Screen-Shot-2024-02-01-at-1.11.24-PM.png?w=1200&h=630&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1706811093&s=ee4b2fed008344631c7a6392e55b3e45)](https://thelampmagazine.com/issues/issue-21/manky-stuff?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Sam Kriss: Drug Aficionado and Master Essayist URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/sam-kriss-drug-afficionado-and-master-essayist/ Last updated: 2024-04-16T12:34:03.000Z I don't know whether I'm impressed or appalled, and I can't tell if the writer is confessing or bragging. But boy, Sam Kriss, a "British writer and dilettante," has written the most enjoyable essay of the year. The agnostic Kriss ("\[m\]y girlfriend believes in the Christian God and I’m agnostic about the Jewish one") published it in that most enjoyable of all journals, *The Lamp*. The essay has everything: humor ([two samples](https://thedailyeudemon.com/excerpts-from-sam-kriss-essay-about-drugs-in-the-lent-issue-of-the-lamp/)), stories, self-reflection autobiography, relevant observations. And great style. When I find myself grumbling that more people aren't worshipping my prose, I think about essays like this and realize how far I have to go. Compared to the schlock at Medium.com? Yes, I'm not afraid to assert that I'm a master stylist, but compared to Kriss? I'm afraid my superiority at Medium parallels my superiority when wrestling toddlers. Unfortunately, you'll need a subscription to read Kriss' fascinating and funny drug-fueled travelogue of the post-Soviet Iron Curtain region, but I'll say again: *The Lamp's* $10-per-issue price tag is worth it. With [one exception](https://thelampmagazine.com/issues/issue-12?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), every issue has stunned me with its level of literary accomplishment. It's obviously a very well-funded enterprise, but such things need the public's support . . . or at least the Catholic public's support, though, quite frankly, I'm not sure why anyone who likes fine reading wouldn't subscribe. --- ### Kriss at Substack Kriss, btw, appears to write almost exclusively on Substack, which is where, I believe, the talent goes. Medium is mostly for writers with training wheels: a site of sophomoric prose, high school ideological rants, and the left-hemispheric dogmatist beliefs that you'd find on most college campuses these days. Substack is where real literature is being written. And yes, I say that as a guy who still publishes on Medium. I have my toe in the water at Substack but I won't jump in until I can devote serious time and effort to it. [Numb at the Lodge | Sam Kriss | SubstackThese heavy sands are language tide and wind have silted here. Click to read Numb at the Lodge, by Sam Kriss, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F53cf7d04-ae95-43b9-8c0c-7a4a290c872b%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)SubstackSam Kriss![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:best,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsamkriss.substack.com%2Ftwitter%2Fsubscribe-card.jpg%3Fv%3D-374356608%26version%3D9)](https://samkriss.substack.com/) ### Read Your Way Out of Left Hemispheric Hegemony URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/read-your-way-out-of-left-hemispheric-hegemony/ Last updated: 2026-07-26T19:27:23.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Did Video Bring Us BLM, Riots, and COVID Hysteria? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51756/ Last updated: 2024-05-14T13:04:28.000Z ### A new essay about the Marshall McLuhan disciple, Neil Postman You like dead white guys? How about a dead white guy who was the disciple of a dead white guy? I do. I also like DWG Marshall McLuhan and his disciple, DWG Neil Postman, whose [***Amusing Ourselves to Death***](https://amzn.to/3kgH5Pw?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is a classic (his [***Technolopy***](https://amzn.to/3dIMCvD?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is also very good). [Postman is the subject of a recent essay at the Witherspoon Institute's Public Discourses](https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2020/10/72174/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (a publication that has increasingly been catching my attention). If you're interested in how the media of television, smartphones, and social media, I believe it's a “must-read.” Postman called television a propagator of “irrelevance, impotence, and incoherence.” > That seems an apt description of the first presidential debate, as well as of broader trends we have witnessed this year. Indeed, it's pretty obvious that our digital age, in innumerable ways, aggravates our social and political distemper. In order to understand Postman, it's necessary to understand McLuhan's iconic saying, “The medium is the message,” which means that extensions of ourselves (e.g., a hammer extends our muscles) alter us in fundamental ways, regardless of the message loaded onto the medium. So, for instance, TV alters us fundamentally, regardless of whether we're using it to watch *Masked Singer* or the *MacNeil/Lehrer Report*. The mere fact that we are viewing TV changes us. The content doesn't matter nearly as much as the fact that we are using TV at all. And it's TV where Postman parted with McLuhan. McLuhan was excited at the possibilities of electronic media. He saw it returning us to our “whole self,” which was ripped apart with the advent of print. In Postman's words about McLuhan's vision: > Electronic communication contains in its structure, that is, its speed, its volume, its multi-directionality, and its forms, the possibility of making us whole again, of retrieving the oral tradition of reclaiming the richness of multiple perspectives . . . Once again, sight, sound, touch, and taste will blend graciously and healthfully. > Marchand, [*Marshall McLuhan: The Medium and the Messenger*](https://amzn.to/3jaTu61?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), ix. Postman didn't share this enthusiasm. He's more in the vein of other media theorists like Lewis Mumford, Harold Innis, and Jacques Ellul. To be honest, I don't know where I stand. I think it changes with my moods. When I'm optimistic, I'm with McLuhan. When I'm pessimistic, I'm with Postman. As of this writing, after thinking about electronics in the age of BLM and COVID hysteria, I'm more Postman, but give me a few drinks, and I might veer more into McLuhan's camp. Either way, it's a crucial perspective to keep in mind as we all try to sort through these postmodern times. ### In Related News, Alcoholics Tend to Have Other Behavioral Disorders URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/in-related-news-alcoholics-tend-to-have-other-behavioral-disorders/ Last updated: 2024-04-13T13:39:26.000Z *Our bankrupt culture needed a "landmark study" to reveal that transgender kids have mental health disorders.* The new study from British [pediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13288675/Dr-Hilary-Cass-world-renowned-paediatrician-damning-review-NHS-gender-care-children-no-stranger-toxic-debates-loves-Snickers.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) confirms what we’ve always known: Children presenting with [sudden onset gender dysphoria](https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/02/07/transgender-series-part-1-rapid-onset-gender-dysphoria/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) are actually suffering from other mental health diagnoses—not true gender dysphoria. Her research debunks the gender ideologues’ frequent talking point: that the imposition of medical “[gender-affirming care](https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/07/27/constitution-gender-affirming-care-dont-mix/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)” on mentally ill children is not only necessary, but life-saving. Cass’ research instead reveals that children who think they are transgender disproportionately have mental health issues stemming from a difficult family situation or domestic abuse. They are also more likely to be neurodiverse and have a co-morbid [autism spectrum disorder](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/14/tavistock-clinic-ignored-link-autism-transgender-children/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Cass reveals that “[gender affirming](https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/04/11/exclusive-doctors-expose-experimental-gender-affirming-care-truly-florida-medicaid-case/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)” medical interventions would not remedy any of these psychological issues. Effectively using such interventions would mean turning a blind eye to the real underlying psychological distress with which gender-confused children often struggle. Cass’ groundbreaking report reveals that mental health therapy is the best approach for gender-dysphoric children, rather than rushing to put them on hormones or puberty blockers or performing mutilating and irreversible surgeries. Her report also warns that if children are permitted to make choices to physically and socially conform with their gender of choice, rather than receiving the necessary treatment for their underlying mental health issues, they will experience significant negative psychological repercussions. Yes, you read that right. Securing medical “gender affirming” care creates the negative psychological repercussions gender identitarians warn us about. And the failure to receive it does not. At last, the narrative about adolescent gender dysphoria has started to crumble. **Read the rest** [Study: Transgender Kids Have Other Mental Health DiagnosesA new study reveals that children with rapid onset gender dysphoria are generally suffering from other mental health issues.![](https://first-heritage-foundation.s3.amazonaws.com/live_files/cropped-favicon-270x270.png)The Daily SignalSarah Parshall Perry![](https://first-heritage-foundation.s3.amazonaws.com/live_files/2024/04/240410_transgender-scaled.jpg)](https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/04/10/study-transgender-kids-have-other-mental-health-diagnoses/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Encounters: Experiences with Nonhuman Intelligences by Diana Pasulka URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/encounters-experiences-with-nonhuman-intelligences-by-diana-pasulka/ Last updated: 2024-04-17T13:57:22.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### How to Rebel Against the New Barbarism URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54476/ Last updated: 2024-05-13T11:16:12.000Z ### We might be entering a new Middle Ages. The Middle Ages were a contest between the Catholic Church and barbarism. The Church won. That's not what's happening in the new Middle Ages. Here's how to deal with the new barbarism. Russian mystic and philosopher Nicholas Berdyaev (1874–1948) spoke about our world entering a new kind of Middle Ages. Two elements battled for supremacy in the Middle Ages: barbarism and the Catholic Church. The Church won. In the new Middle Ages, will the Chuch reassert itself . . . or will barbarism come back? If barbarism, it will be much worse than the old barbarism. The post-modern barbarism will be, in the words of Berdyaev’s younger contemporary Henri de Lubac, “**centralized, technically efficient and inhuman**.” De Lubac wrote those words in 1944\. Since that time, it has become pretty clear that our world is reverting to barbarism, not the Church. The Church has lost a lot of ground over the past 75 years, fighting waves of enemies from within and without, losing credibility with anyone who finds it unsettling for erstwhile celibates to sodomize emotionally vulnerable 14-year-olds, plus suffering the lowest of plights — getting kicked while down — as western institutions, from the *New York Times* to the universities to Hollywood, gleefully kick at the Body. So, barbarism it is. And it’s a “centralized, technically efficient and inhuman” one at that, as the federal government takes every American under its protective arm with trillions in stimulus and EBT cards and Wall Street bailouts, books are eschewed for the Internet, and our ability to concentrate erodes under waves of Tweets and Tic-Toc videos, thereby taking away that thing that Pascal said gives us dignity as men: the power of thought. Do you want to slice against it? To fight against the new barbarism? To exist in the new Middle Ages on the side of the Church? Then be Catholic. Or at least a traditional Christian who believes the Nicene Creed is true and not the concoction of the favored pole of a (very) Logocentric fourth century. And then, after you do that, you can start doing everything that the new barbarism isn’t. **Is the new barbarism centralized?** Then do everything possible not to be centralized. How the frick is it possible for one guy not to be centralized? Isn’t that like one guy blotting out the sun (or, a better analogy here, eliminating the night)? Kinda. There’s not much you can do, but you can at least *hate* the federal government. That’s a start. But don’t let it be a consuming hatred. That’s not healthy. Merely note, “I wish the Potomac River would open up into a vast cavern and suck everything within one mile of K Street into the burning bowels of Hell,” then go about your cheery business. You can also do things that don’t land on the centralized government’s radar. Growing vegetables, for instance, and killing your own meat (either domesticated meat or wild). Homesteading, in other words. You can create your own food and pay no tax. You don’t even have to report it. That’s a great place to start in your battle against centralization. You can also distrust anything that smacks of centralization. Google, for instance. If Google isn’t the demon child of the federal government whore and a semen-soaked Silicon Valley, I’ll walk down the aisle naked at my next daughter’s wedding. Hate the Google; distrust it. Finally, be eccentric. “Eccentric” comes from the Greek *ekkentros*, “out of center.” Be outside of the centralized. If there’s a strong central government, you can bet that it’s shaping popular and conventional ideas. If it’s a conventional idea, especially a new one embraced by *The Washington Post*, I recommend that a person fighting against the new barbarism label it “Intellectual Spawn of Satan” and kneejerk reject it unless evidence of its truthfulness is simply overwhelming. **Is the new barbarism technically efficient?** Don’t be technical or efficient, much less both. Cultivate the fine art of snoring, as Albert Jay Nock called it. Nock himself has been portrayed and vilified as a lazy person, and maybe he was, but [his essay on snoring](https://mises.org/library/snoring-fine-art-and-twelve-other-essays?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is a work of art and one that any Taoist (the least technical and efficient person in history) would appreciate. The gist of Nock’s article? Don’t do today what might take care of itself tomorrow. Also: put away your cell phone. Yeah, yeah, I know: that advice is more worn than a hot female lobbyist on the Beltway. But do it. Take a concrete step. I am acquiring a non-cell cell phone, for instance, so I can listen to (my beloved) podcasts and lectures and audiobooks while I walk and garden (a “demon” of efficiency, I fear I am), but without getting tempted by texts, notifications, alarms, or bells. I’ll carry around my dumb smartphone all day, then only check my smart smartphone once or twice a day. I’m highly optimistic. **Is the new barbarism inhumane?** Then be human. Cultivate the power of thought . . . by renewing your power of concentration. Read books, not Tweets. Meditate, don’t surf. Do nothing, not anything. Our culture is anxious and tired, worn out by a scattered attention that tries to capture everything and comprehends nothing. We are anxious, not composed. Stretched, like Bilbo Baggins by the Ring, not peaceful. Easily rattled, not dignified. We are, in other words, becoming more like the nine wraiths that Tolkien described than the true men God meant for us to be. Fight against the new barbarism by becoming human. Become human by regaining the power of thought. The more you can think on your own, the less barbarian you’ll become. ### Fyodor, Flannery, and GoodFellas Reveal Something Ironic about Our Modern World URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51658/ Last updated: 2024-05-13T11:16:45.000Z 💡 Modernity was the age of "extreme essence." The Tao was forgotten; existence, neglected. Modernity was "all essence, all the time." But essences can't exist by themselves. With no base (nothing to latch onto and give them a point of reference) the essences become meaningless words. In one of his last works before his masterpiece, *The Brothers Karamazov*, Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote *The Dream of a Ridiculous Man*. ### The Dream In this story, the narrator goes to another solar system and lands on a planet where the inhabitants are people just like us, but untainted by the Fall in the Garden of Eden. They live, the narrator tells us: > “In the same paradise as that in which . . . our parents lived before they sinned.” But the narrator, being a fallen man, corrupts the inhabitants: > “Like the germ of a plague infecting whole kingdoms, I corrupted them all.” They then begin to act like us on earth. In the words of Russian literature professor Arthur Trace: > “They invent morality because now there was immorality; they make a virtue of shame, whereas before they had no need for shame; they invent the concept of honor because now there is such a thing as dishonor; they invent justice because now there is injustice; and they invent brotherhood and friendship because there is hatred.” Arthur Trace, *Furnace of Doubt* (1988), 24. In short, on the unfallen planet, there was no virtue or morality because there was no vice or immorality in contrast. There was no distinction between bad and good. It was a morally-existentialist world: no essences; just existence. --- I fear we’ve reached a similar point in our culture, where the moral essences, like bad and good, no longer carry meaning. But it’s not because we’re the perfect planet of the Ridiculous Man. I fear it’s because we’ve deviated so far from that perfect planet that we’ve come full circle to a similar situation. This is the point of Flannery O’Connor’s fiction. --- ### Flannery Flannery O’Connor is to modern literature what Marilyn Monroe is to the movie industry: A quick, shooting-star streak of brilliance in the 1950s that died out prematurely in the early 1960s, not yet forty years old. Although O’Connor snagged the public’s attention with her fiction’s intense violence, it was her deep and perplexing characters that caught the attention of the literary establishment. --- #### The Misfit Her most-celebrated story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” tells the story about a vacationing family that is murdered by an escaped convict who calls himself “the Misfit.” The story revolves around the family’s Grandmother, a shallow and talkative woman, whose inability to keep quiet gets the family killed. As the Misfit’s crew takes one family member after another into the woods and shoots them, the Grandmother chatters away at the Misfit in hopes of saving her life, throwing all sorts of Christian clichés at him, which the Misfit (a smart man) bats away with intellectual ease. The misshapen form of the characters’ souls—the Grandmother’s self-obsession and the Misfit’s nihilistic detachment—are apparent, in their words and actions. The story ends when the Grandmother finally puts aside all her chattering clichés and speaks to the Misfit openly, authentically, and prepares to embrace him as one of her own children. The Misfit responds by pulling out his revolver and shooting her in the chest. --- ### The Meaning of the Misfit O’Connor later said the story’s violence is merely a means of showing the hearts of the characters. The violence shakes the Grandmother and breaks open her chattering cover to expose her interior, like an earthquake breaks open a building. The action, O’Connor explained, is in the Grandmother’s soul, not in the violence: > “Now the lines of motion that interest the writer are usually invisible. They are lines of spiritual motion. And in this story you should be on the lookout for such things as the action of grace in the Grandmother’s soul, and not for the dead bodies.” Flannery O’Connor, *Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose* (The Noonday Press, 1999), 113 As I read her fiction at first, I asked myself, “Did she entertain thoughts like those? She must have, or else she couldn’t have come up with all the twisting and turning that goes on in her characters’ dwarfed souls.” But I don’t think she entertained those thoughts as much as she visited those thoughts by plunging herself into her character’s soul until she could look from the inside at the essences swarming around the existential core. In order to do this, she would have had to put aside her own self and inner thoughts, so she could look deep into her characters’ self and inner thoughts—just like any artist must do. She touched on this in her essay, “The Nature and Aim of Fiction,” when she wrote: > “Usually the artist has to suffer certain deprivations in order to use his gift with integrity. Art is a virtue of the practical intellect, and the practice of any virtue demands a certain asceticism and a very definite leaving-behind of the niggardly part of the ego.” O’Connor’s art was a self-emptying, self-forgetting, leaving-behind of the self. Through this self-emptying, she was able to see into the souls of others and produce characters whose psychological twistings are captivating because they’re hollow inside. Their external qualities (like the grandmother’s chattering) cover-up a Tin Man interior. --- ### GoodFellas > “I think of it like hauling a big empty box into the street and telling one person that there’s a luxury car in it and another person that it’s full of shit. You’re equally close to the truth either way.” In my favorite mob movie, *GoodFellas*, the main character and narrator, Henry Hill, explains the term “goodfella.” He says if you’re one of “them,” you’re a goodfella. A goodfella knows the ropes, understands to keep quiet, is willing to conduct a heist, likes to gamble, and drink. The term “good” obviously lacks any real meaning in the mob’s usage, but its use of the term isn’t necessarily wrong. As many philosophers have pointed out, evil is nothing but the absence of reality. By this they mean: If an omnipotent and good God created the Earth, then everything on it must be good. If he is a truly good God, he wouldn’t create evil, and, because he created all things, evil must just be an absence of the goodness and full being bestowed by God. That’s why the philosophers often refer to evil as “privation of being.” Now, the Mafia is evil: It exists to carry out crimes; it has no other reason to exist, and therefore, perhaps more than any other group I can think of, is properly labeled “evil.” In an evil thing like the Mafia, you aren’t dealing with reality. You’re dealing with a privation. As a result, words—the symbols that point to underlying reality—become nearly meaningless when describing it. I think of it like hauling a big empty box into the street and telling one person that there’s a luxury car in it and another person that it’s full of shit. You’re equally close to the truth either way. #### GoodFellas meet the Misfit The use of the term “good” to describe an evil privation like the Mafia is, in a warped way, alright. It’s basically the same that happens in O’Connor’s fiction. Thomas Merton observed of O’Connor’s fiction: > “The ‘good,’ the ‘right,’ the ‘kind’ do all the harm. ‘Love’ is a force for destruction, and ‘truth’ is the best way to tell a lie.” Essences normally have meaning, but O’Connor’s characters are individuals whose existential cores have shrunk to minimal proportions and who live on a conglomeration of essences that substitute for, and over-run, any substantive existence. But existence takes revenge on the essences because, by shrinking to nothing, it gives the essence nothing to work with. As a result, the essences themselves become meaningless because they are multiplied against an existential privation, and the product of anything multiplied by nothing equals nothing. --- ### GoodFellas and the Misfit run into the Ridiculous Man Ironically, the resulting linguistic situation is similar to the Ridiculous Man’s perfect planet. In both worlds, distinctions between virtue and vice aren’t meaningful. The Ridiculous Man visits a perfect world of simple, unfallen existence. The essences are in complete harmony with existence. They’re not even named. In a fallen world whose fall has been exacerbated by more and more sin, there are only essences, but the terms describing them have become meaningless. In the perfect world, the essences multiply against a unified existence, resulting in a product of one. In the badly marred world, the essences multiply against an existence that is, for all practical purposes, zero, resulting in a product of zero. All is nothing. ### When Virtue Becomes Vice URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/when-virtue-becomes-vice/ Last updated: 2024-04-12T10:54:05.000Z We can't pursue virtue without vice. Every pursuit of virtue, after all, requires us to strive to advance our happiness. Every such pursuit, in other words, is selfish, which is the root of all vice. It's a paradox. [Paradox, The Hemispheres, and the TaoA basic tension mars the intellectual framework of the spiritual life. Pole 1: The first virtue of the spiritual life is humility, and humility is first and foremost selflessness. Pole 2: We cannot be so selfless that we don’t desire our own happiness. “The rational creature . . . cannot wish not to![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Brown.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/when-virtue-is-a-vice/) It kinda sucks. We can't think our way out of it and, if we allow the paradox to seize hold of us, we'll sink into a sense of pointless despair. Instead, we need to accept the paradox and move on the best we can (de Caussade points out the method, btw, as does St. There's Little Way . . . if only we took the time to implement them thoroughly . . . something I lamentably haven't done, so I type here as a mere theorist who has merely gotten glimpses of "what could be"). Still, we need to keep that fundamental tension in mind: Every virtue can be a vice. Whenever we pursue something virtuous, it can develop into a selfish vice and, even worse, it might stem in the first place from selfishness, or perhaps even narcissism. Such, it seems to me, is the problem that afflicts [the newest trend to eschew the "boozy bachelorette" parties](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/30/style/brides-wellness-bachelorette.html?ref=oembed). Now, I grimace a bit at the excessive bachelorette parties. I remember seeing bridesmaids surround the bachelorette on the Las Vegas strip as she hurled . . . at 11:30 in the morning. I've grown tired of hearing the girls scream on the streets of Austin, Fort Lauderdale, Nashville, and Chicago. Part of me smiles and thinks it's kinda neat, but another part of me says, "You look like a cliche. Enough already." That part of me applauds young women who "think outside the box" and opt for a different way to celebrate their upcoming wedding. But then I see quotes like this, and I think to myself, "I think I'd rather see that girl hurling on the Vegas strip." > “I’m not one to gravitate toward the bachelorette drinking and party scene because I like to prioritize my mental and physical well-being, so it was the perfect setting to allow me to indulge in that.” ### No More Boozy Bachelorette Parties? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/no-more-boozy-bachelorette-parties/ Last updated: 2024-04-12T10:54:41.000Z [When Virtue Becomes ViceWe can’t pursue virtue without vice. Every pursuit of virtue, after all, requires us to strive to advance our happiness. Every such pursuit, in other words, is selfish, which is the root of all vice. It’s a paradox. Paradox, The Hemispheres, and the TaoA basic tension mars the intellectual framework![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Pink.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/when-virtue-becomes-vice/) Instead of a raucous weekend of late-night dancing and drinking at clubs or bars, Margaret Wilson chose a healthier setting for her bachelorette party last year. Ms. Wilson, her sister and four close friends spent four days in February 2023 at a wellness spa in Sedona, Ariz., where they hiked through Boynton Canyon, meditated, enjoyed a healing sound bath and lounged around the pool. “I had been through a lot of life changes the year leading up to my wedding, and I was looking for a low-stress, meaningful experience with my dearest friends,” said Ms. Wilson, 32, a dermatology physician assistant in Milwaukee. “This trip was meant to enrich my relationship with my loved ones and myself, and it did exactly that.” Ms. Wilson decided on Sedona, she said, because it was “an interesting part of the country that offered nature and a unique experience that wasn’t solely dependent on partying.” Wellness travel is now one of the biggest travel trends of 2024, and more and more brides-to-be are choosing locations that they say might help them better prepare both mind and body for their wedding day. . . . In a January survey, Greenback Expat Tax Services, which provides tax services for U.S. citizens living abroad, asked 1,000 men and women attending bachelor and bachelorette parties (including brides and grooms) about their location preferences for those parties. Three out of five respondents chose “a tranquil wellness retreat.” Teeona Breon, 28, picked Rush Creek Lodge & Spa in Groveland, Calif., to celebrate her bachelorette party in July 2022 with her five bridesmaids. She was drawn to both the look of the lodge and the access to nearby Yosemite National Park. “I’m not one to gravitate toward the bachelorette drinking and party scene because I like to prioritize my mental and physical well-being, so it was the perfect setting to allow me to indulge in that,” said Ms. Breon, a landscaping and design plant technician based in State College, Pa. **Read the rest (subscription required)** ### Another Defection from the Left URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/another-defection-from-the-left/ Last updated: 2024-04-11T13:16:02.000Z Here's the thing that strikes me about Uri Berliner's essay on Tuesday about National Public Radio's leftist agenda: **The guy is still working there**. He now has whistleblower status, which offers social and legal protections, but it makes him *persona non gratia* at the workplace. That's gotta be uncomfortable, though I suspect it signals that he knows others at NPR share his concerns about its exclusively-leftist agenda over the past eight years. It also signals that he's simply fed up with the bad-faith bias. Here's the thing. A person can hold dogmatic views but still object when co-religionists engage in violence, which is what the legacy media has been doing over the past eight years. A Nazi guard might sneak food to a prisoner; a Klan member might refuse to participate in more lynchings. At some point, people within a deformed movement refuse to participate in the deformity. I think that's what we're seeing with the growing spate of leftists who are tired of seeing non-leftists vilified and their views suppressed or distorted. "Look, I don't like conservatives or libertarians, either, but do we have treat them as sub-human?" That appears to be what's happening with these defections from the left. They're not even defections: Joe Rogan is still liberal; I'm sure Berliner is still on the far left. They're just people who see a gross deformity and refuse to participate in it anymore. ### From whence this gross deformity? Everyone knows the deformity became gross after Brexit and Trump 2016\. When that happened, the Establishment knew it had to get things under control . . . and fast. The suppression campaign was thorough. But what I find most interesting is that the Establishment brought into its efforts the furthest reaches of the left. The Marxists. Leftism as asserted by outlets like NPR, *WaPo*, *NYT*, and most universities is now Marxism. Or at least more "Marxist" than "liberal." It's not "liberal" any more than today's Unitarianism is Christian. Marxism has an exclusive worldview: all institutions rise from the mud, are built from the mud, and reflect the mud. The mud is "economics." The institutions are part of the superstructure. If a person thinks otherwise, his opinion is valued as much as a Catholic's opinion would be valued in a mosque. The opinion is simply wrong. It can be discarded, ignored, and righteously suppressed if the opinion starts to interfere with the Leftist's program to change the economics and superstructure of society. 💡 **In the social production that men carry on, they enter into definite relations that are indispensable and independent of their will, relations of production which correspond to a definite stage of development of their material forces of production. The sum total of these relations of production* [constitutes](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constitutes?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **the economic structure of society, the real foundation, on which rises a legal and political superstructure, and to which correspond definite forms of social* [consciousness](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consciousness?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**. The mode of production in material life determines the general character of the social, political, and* [intellectual](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intellectual?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **processes of life. It is not the consciousness of men which determines their existence; it is on the contrary their social* [existence](https://www.britannica.com/topic/existence?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **which determines their consciousness.* Karl Marx, [**Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy*](https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-Contribution-to-the-Critique-of-Political-Economy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The uncompromising worldview fit well with the Establishment's uncompromising opinion that Brexit and Trump must be stopped at all costs. ### NPR Shuts Down Conversation URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/npr-shuts-down-conversation/ Last updated: 2024-04-11T13:17:23.000Z [Another Defection from the LeftHere’s the thing that strikes me about Uri Berliner’s essay on Tuesday about National Public Radio’s leftist agenda: The guy is still working there. He now has whistleblower status, which offers social and legal protections, but it makes him persona non gratia at the workplace. That’s gotta be uncomfortable, though![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1615427393402-8dec5c104760?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIzfHxuYXRpb25hbCUyMHB1YmxpYyUyMHJhZGlvfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMjgzOTA4OHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/another-defection-from-the-left/) You know the stereotype of the NPR listener: an EV-driving, Wordle-playing, tote bag–carrying coastal elite. It doesn’t precisely describe me, but it’s not far off. I’m Sarah Lawrence–educated, was raised by a [lesbian peace activist mother](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/20/us/eva-kollisch-dead.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), I drive a Subaru, and Spotify says my listening habits are most similar to people in Berkeley. I fit the NPR mold. I’ll cop to that. So when I got a job here 25 years ago, I never looked back. As a senior editor on the business desk where news is always breaking, we’ve covered upheavals in the workplace, supermarket prices, social media, and AI. It’s true NPR has always had a liberal bent, but during most of my tenure here, an open-minded, curious culture prevailed. We were nerdy, but not knee-jerk, activist, or scolding. In recent years, however, that has changed. Today, those who listen to NPR or read its coverage online find something different: the distilled worldview of a very small segment of the U.S. population. If you are conservative, you will read this and say, duh, it’s always been this way. But it hasn’t. For decades, since its founding in 1970, a wide swath of America tuned in to NPR for reliable journalism and gorgeous audio pieces with birds singing in the Amazon. Millions came to us for conversations that exposed us to voices around the country and the world radically different from our own—engaging precisely because they were unguarded and unpredictable. No image generated more pride within NPR than the farmer listening to *Morning Edition* from his or her tractor at sunrise. Back in 2011, although NPR’s audience tilted a bit to the left, it still bore a [resemblance to America at large](https://www.npr.org/sections/ombudsman/2011/04/28/135775694/views-of-nprs-credibility-tend-to-be-partisan-based?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Twenty-six percent of listeners described themselves as conservative, 23 percent as middle of the road, and 37 percent as liberal. By 2023, the picture was completely different: only 11 percent described themselves as very or somewhat conservative, 21 percent as middle of the road, and 67 percent of listeners said they were very or somewhat liberal. We weren’t just losing conservatives; we were also losing moderates and traditional liberals. An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don’t have an audience that reflects America. That wouldn’t be a problem for an openly polemical news outlet serving a niche audience. But for NPR, which purports to consider all things, it’s devastating both for its journalism and its business model. ![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F59f96c24-5f66-4329-a4a9-71e00339a477_720x13.png) Like many unfortunate things, the rise of advocacy took off with Donald Trump. As in many newsrooms, his election in 2016 was greeted at NPR with a mixture of disbelief, anger, and despair. (Just to note, I eagerly voted against Trump twice but felt we were obliged to cover him fairly.) But what began as tough, straightforward coverage of a belligerent, truth-impaired president veered toward efforts to damage or topple Trump’s presidency. Persistent rumors that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia over the election became the catnip that drove reporting. At NPR, we hitched our wagon to Trump’s most visible antagonist, Representative Adam Schiff. Schiff, who was the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, became NPR’s guiding hand, its ever-present muse. By my count, NPR hosts [interviewed Schiff](https://www.npr.org/2017/03/09/519382847/rep-adam-schiff-on-trumps-wiretapping-claims-and-russia?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) 25 times about Trump and Russia. During many of those conversations, Schiff alluded to purported evidence of collusion. The Schiff talking points became the drumbeat of NPR news reports. But when the [Mueller report](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/robert-mueller-report-public/index.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) found no credible evidence of collusion, NPR’s coverage was notably sparse. Russiagate quietly faded from our programming. It is one thing to swing and miss on a major story. Unfortunately, it happens. You follow the wrong leads, you get misled by sources you trusted, you’re emotionally invested in a narrative, and bits of circumstantial evidence never add up. It’s bad to blow a big story. What’s worse is to pretend it never happened, to move on with no mea culpas, no self-reflection. Especially when you expect high standards of transparency from public figures and institutions, but don’t practice those standards yourself. That’s what shatters trust and engenders cynicism about the media. Russiagate was not NPR’s only miscue. In October 2020, the *New York Post* published the [explosive report](https://nypost.com/2020/10/21/hunter-biden-laptop-linked-to-fbi-money-laundering-probe-report/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) about the laptop Hunter Biden abandoned at a Delaware computer shop containing emails about his sordid business dealings. With the election only weeks away, NPR turned a blind eye. Here’s how NPR’s managing editor for news at the time [explained the thinking](https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/599245-hunter-biden-the-protected-third-rail-of-journalism/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): “We don’t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions.” But it wasn’t a pure distraction, or a product of Russian disinformation, as dozens of former and current intelligence officials suggested. The laptop did belong to Hunter Biden. Its contents revealed his connection to the corrupt world of multimillion-dollar influence peddling and its possible implications for his father. The laptop was newsworthy. But the timeless journalistic instinct of following a hot story lead was being squelched. During a meeting with colleagues, I listened as one of NPR’s best and most fair-minded journalists said it was good we weren’t following the laptop story because it could help Trump. When the essential facts of the *Post*’s reporting [were confirmed and the emails verified](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/30/hunter-biden-laptop-data-examined/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) independently about a year and a half later, we could have fessed up to our misjudgment. But, like Russia collusion, we didn’t make the hard choice of transparency. Politics also intruded into NPR’s Covid coverage, most notably in reporting on the origin of the pandemic. One of the most dismal aspects of Covid journalism is how quickly it defaulted to ideological story lines. For example, there was Team Natural Origin—supporting the hypothesis that the virus came from a wild animal market in Wuhan, China. And on the other side, Team Lab Leak, leaning into the idea that the virus escaped from a Wuhan lab. **Read the rest** [I’ve Been at NPR for 25 Years. Here’s How We Lost America’s Trust.Uri Berliner, a veteran at the public radio institution, says the network lost its way when it started telling listeners how to think.![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Free PressUri Berliner![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9289507d-61ea-4462-a3ed-59dfeb02d7fe_1800x1200.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/npr-editor-how-npr-lost-americas-trust?utm%5Fsource=substack&publication%5Fid=260347&post%5Fid=143402874&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcontent=share&utm%5Fcampaign=email-share&action=share&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=false&r=12tad&triedRedirect=true) ### Scrolling Blog: April 2024 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-april-2024/ Last updated: 2024-05-11T13:33:43.000Z ## [The Cell Phone is a Monkey Trap for the Left HemisphereAnd Eight Other Short Observations about the Hemispheres![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/05/Briefly-Black-Blue-Speckles.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-cell-phone-is-a-monkey-trap-for-the-left-hemisphere/) --- April 30, 2024 [Art Appreciation: One Way to Reclaim Your Attention?Nathan Heller at The New Yorker (“The Battle for Attention”)![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1570393080660-de4e4a15a247?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE4fHxhcnR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzE0NDgwOTIzfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/art-appreciation-one-way-to-reclaim-your-attention/) --- April 29, 2024 ## Monday Column [Substack Frustrates MeSubstack frustrates me like only a lover can get frustrated with his beloved. It Suffocates. I get frustrated when I can’t breathe. Substack frustrates me. It buries me with unknown authors who I want to read, but I can’t possibly get to all of them. Access Isn’t Intuitive. I get![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1544185310-0b3cf501672b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDQxfHxyZWFkaW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNDM5NzE4Nnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/substack-stuns-me/) --- ## A TDE Reader Writes > "Starting on May 3, the bird-watching event will bring an estimated 90,000 visitors to the area." > TDE Reader Responds: "With so many visitors, we should be alerted to the possibility of human trafficking! Middle-aged men will stand around asking, "So where are the birds, eh?" \[reference: 4/26/24 entry below\] [https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/whats-new-at-this-year-at-the-biggest-week-in-american-birding/512-da3e0a97-25a3-4be1-9f1a-279099cc1bc2](https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/whats-new-at-this-year-at-the-biggest-week-in-american-birding/512-da3e0a97-25a3-4be1-9f1a-279099cc1bc2?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- April 27, 2024 ## At Catholic365 [American Catholic: OxymoronOn being an oxymoron: The American Catholic![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1617723275536-7a2937f017bc?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxjYXRob2xpYyUyMGNodXJjaHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTQyMjI0NDR8MA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1200&h=630&crop=focalpoint&mark=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.imgix.net%2F~text%3Ftxt%3DAmerican+Catholic%3a+Oxymoron%26bg%3Ddd0AAFE2%26txtclr%3Dfff%26txtsize%3D34%26w%3D1100%26txtpad%3D20%26txtfont%3Davenir%26txtalign%3Dcenter%0A&mark-align=center%2Cbottom&mark-pad=20)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/38637/american-catholic-oxymoron.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU: Saturday Edition [The Gin and Tonic: Getting Popular in its Birthplace](https://thedailyeudemon.com/gin-and-tonic-india/) --- April 26, 2024 ## BYCU A Brit writes about bar hopping in Venice. Based on what I've heard about Venetian prices, this Brit must have money to burn. [Bar-hopping, Venetian styleThe word ombra apparently became attached to Venetian bar culture because medieval winemakers used to sell their wares beneath San Marco’s![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldEstella Shardlow![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MAY-24-DIG-IMAGES8.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/bar-hopping-venetian-style/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > The word *ombra* apparently became attached to Venetian bar culture because medieval winemakers used to sell their wares beneath San Marco’s bell tower, its long shadow keeping their barrels cool. To go tavern-hopping then, is referred to as *giro d’ombra*, or “shadow tour.” Sounds a little more seductive than “bar crawl,” doesn’t it? > As for the word *bàcari*, this may derive from *far bàcara* — an old Venetian dialect phrase meaning “to celebrate” — or the Roman god of wine, Bacchus. By the 1300s, there were more than twenty *bàcari* surrounding the Rialto Bridge. The oldest still in existence is Cantina Do Mori, which dates back to 1462\. It’s a long, dark slip of a bar just across the calle from All’Arco, and once a favorite date-night spot of Casanova’s, so they say. --- ### C-Nats [The *Washington Post* takes an objective look at Christian Nationalism](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/24/trump-tyranny-christian-nationalist-democracy/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [this is what it finds](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/3GJJUSMFCFDWVOLJSMXHX3YDIU.jpg&w=1440&impolicy=high%5Fres&ref=thedailyeudemon.com). --- ### From a TDE Reader > Human trafficking is a crime that often preys on large gatherings, so Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging those attending the NFL Draft, and residents, to be aware of the warning signs. > \[WJR's Frank Beckmann (God rest his soul) used to call her "Frau Nessel"\] TDE adds: My gosh, this press release ranks in the top three inane things ever put into print, and I'm including presidential autobiographies. I've long excoriated the Establishment for covering up human trafficking (like it has with Jeffrey Epstein's connections), but now I'm beginning to think they're getting ready to ramp human trafficking up into a new major crisis so they can use it to do something devious, like centralize the digital currency. [AG urging NFL Draft attendees to be aware of human trafficking warning signsHuman trafficking is a crime that often preys on large gatherings, so Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging those attending the NFL Draft, and residents, to be aware of the warning signs.![](https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wtvg/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png?d=404)WTVGEmily Keinath![](https://gray-wtvg-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MMJEIXWYTFC3DNTZ4TNIN4NOT4.png?auth=ab0aea1f59ef69fc78897741e0e84e871e2991047b8034174304f2c24a0a857c&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)](https://www.13abc.com/2024/04/24/ag-urging-nfl-draft-attendees-be-aware-human-trafficking-warning-signs/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### At Medium: a previous OtML newsletter [Feeling Hurried? Blame NetflixModern life is hectic because we’re wealthy. We have so much to do. Lean into that hurried feeling and make time your servant, not your…![](https://cdn-static-1.medium.com/_/fp/icons/Medium-Avatar-500x500.svg)Word GardenEric Scheske![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/da:true/resize:fit:1200/0*gl3LgaA_XcLDfhya)](https://medium.com/word-garden/feeling-hurried-blame-netflix-431291f36bb3?sk=8086ade1f684e397bac4ed43806924d2&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- April 25, 2024 [NPR is in Fine Hands, IndeedChristopher Rufo at City Journal![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1645391986480-7c13dde82793?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE3fHxuYXRpb25hbCUyMHB1YmxpYyUyMHJhZGlvfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxNDA1MTA2M3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/npr-is-in-fine-hands-indeed/) --- April 24, 2024 ## Carlson on Rogan [Tucker Carlson’s Interview on Joe RoganA Few Notes about Episode #2138![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Austin.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tucker-carlsons-interview-on-joe-rogan/) --- April 23, 2024 ## The Massai This is probably the best essay of the month. It's a monster, though: 55 minutes to listen to. 10,000 words or so. [**Here's my commentary**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-defecated-rationality-of-the-left-hemisphere-in-action-right-before-our-eyes/). I'm trying to apply the hemisphere hypothesis to, well, everything: faith, history, current affairs. This is one such effort. [Gulf Princes, Safaris, and Conservation Groups are Destroying the MaasaiStephanie McCrummen at The Atlantic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1623743423833-b00dcd1e1f4e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIyfHxtYXNzYWl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzEzODc0MjQyfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/gulf-princes-safaries-and-conservation-groups-are-destroying-the-maasai-from-the-last-of-their-serengeti-homeland/) --- April 22, 2024 [Against Human Flourishing?A few notes about a difficult essay.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1594150478758-119a5081de85?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGdyYXZleWFyZHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTM3MDgwMTJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/against-human-flourishing/) --- April 21, 2024 ## Sunday Blogging Sorry for the slow blogging. Major Internet problems have plagued production. (Curse you, Charter Spectrum! May a swarm of hornets hive in your nethers!) I'm now back online, thanks to a nifty function that I've been trying to get installed on my phone for six months: a personal hotspot. I had to spend three hours at, and two trips to, the local AT&T store to get my phone plan all sorted out, which isn't exactly how I like to spend my Saturdays, but such inefficiency is the cost of efficiency. [The Technology ParadoxThe more efficient technology makes us, the less efficient we become. Of course, information technology saves time by doing things quickly. Or does it? Bosses save wages, but we become their new, unwilling wage slaves. Meanwhile, with the automation of more and more processes that used to take a five-minute![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/Briefly-Blue-Gradient.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-technology-paradox/) --- ## Accept Your Celebrations Where You Can Find Them [2024: 800-Year Anniversary of the Franciscans’ Arrival in EnglandThe year 2024 marks the eight-hundredth anniversary of the arrival in England of the Friars Minor, sent personally by Saint Francis of Assisi, and the establishment of England’s first Franciscan friary in Canterbury in 1224\. The Franciscans followed the Dominicans, who had already arrived in England in 1221, and![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Misc.-Blue-Field.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/2024-800-year-anniversary-of-the-franciscans-arrival-in-england/) --- April 20, 2024 ## Something New: TDE at Telegram Tucker Carlson sold me on Telegram. If he sold you too, or if you're already on Telegram, consider subscribing to TDE: [https://t.me/thedailyeudemon](https://t.me/thedailyeudemon?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [The Daily EudemonTelegram arm of TDE![](https://telegram.org/img/apple-touch-icon.png)Telegram![](https://cdn1.cdn-telegram.org/file/ukWSG0HTu6h8awik8FpLsQOzfX1LN6DJ1Fa5GzZNe7iHsOBdjkrsSEnNB6v9ezHn-MGXS5wj5YuApUnIK_YmrlrTSBnrbrHpu0MWp5I6I3q0Od8K_smcHl8q81BUnYT69Wyypj0Yuo2hWK9snpoFUrcXcozh0cKmBsgvZxSuieRlhkhoXr_wsvPDQgphUYSx5tF_AoePyw-1dTvNAmlK_KnPnDOppT-q7mK-i-VBeAFPNGVwrcJwDhf6oVnXXj0PWrLbhHWzx3KYrCIqL5je4DcfXQw4tmeGxTcJd2aE7hf_srva1LjU2QaikMXXCiK7BaRH_v0qjdLt2h2LUhV1iQ.jpg)](https://t.me/thedailyeudemon?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- April 19, 2024 ## BYCU ## Buying wine with the .001 percent. [Wine Collecting: Billionaire FrenzyKathleen Willcox at The Spectator![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1626364700645-13f3cebdadc4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fHdpbmUlMjBjb2xsZWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMzUyNzE4M3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/wine-collecting-billionaire-frenzy/) ### Buying wine with the flipside of the .001 percent. [Night Train: An American LegendThe tent city crisis continues. It was even the subject of a recent Econtalk episode, in which the guest explained that the tent cities result from![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/train.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55019/) --- April 17, 2024 ## Pragmatism and the Saints [Pragmatism and the Saints“Pragmatism” and “practicality” aren’t the same things. When a person says, “I’m just being practical,” he’s probably being highly impractical. It normally means he’s just thinking rationally: with the certitude of his left hemisphere, which excludes everything that the right hemisphere can teach him, which includes a massive and mysterious![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Kelly-Green-Gradient-Supposedly.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/pragmatism-and-the-saints/) [The Fact Is, Saints Have LevitatedDaniel K. Williams at Mere Orthodoxy![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1600877920364-6d2e2d110ebf?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHNhaW50c3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTMzMTYwMDR8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-fact-is-saints-have-levitated/) --- April 16, 2024 ### [Pirate Wires](https://www.piratewires.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) on Yesterday's Hamas Activism that Shut Down Traffic > The purpose of activism like this is not to persuade the masses so much as to harvest attention, and I hate to break it to you but it works, which is why the shutdowns are increasing in frequency. So, how do we end the cycle? Obviously, everyone wants way more of these idiots in jail, but that would only martyr these people, and further spread the meme. The better thing to do is invert the implicit story here — that these are fearless soldiers willing to serve time for their political beliefs — by publicly mortifying them. **Long story short, it’s time to bring back flogging.** Let’s televise these people crying while they’re literally spanked in front of giant, cheering crowds and see how long the protests last. --- ## The Lamp Continues to Impress I'm just now getting to Issue 21, and Issue 22 is arriving soon. An embarrassing wealth of enjoyable prose. The Kriss post, incidentally, uses the "drill down" approach I've been developing at TDE. It works like this: Main essay, with a "Briefly" or other micro-essay linked into it, which in turn contains a footnote or blog post. I think it's a slick feature, assuming the reader has good Internet that allows him to drill quickly. [Sam Kriss: Drug Aficionado and Master EssayistI don’t know whether I’m impressed or appalled, and I can’t tell if the writer is confessing or bragging. But boy, Sam Kriss, a “British writer and dilettante,” has written the most enjoyable essay of the year. The agnostic Kriss (”\[m\]y girlfriend believes in the Christian God and I’![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Black-Blue-Speckles-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/sam-kriss-drug-afficionado-and-master-essayist/) [Drug-Fueled Travelogue of the Post-Soviet Iron Curtain RegionSam Kriss at The Lamp![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1611590467286-6d87b2908ebe?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHNvdmlldCUyMHVuaW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMzI3MDkwNXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/drug-fueled-travelogue-of-the-post-soviet-iron-curtain-region/) --- April 15, 2024 ## An Expanded Version of Our Earlier Post [Cal Newport Never Allows His Cell Phone in this RoomNo Cell Phones in the Focus Sanctuary![](https://cdn-static-1.medium.com/_/fp/icons/Medium-Avatar-500x500.svg)Dialogue & DiscourseEric Scheske![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1200/1*fodd3lyx-Ijv-UXfDjvsYA.jpeg)](https://medium.com/discourse/cal-newport-never-allows-his-cell-phone-in-this-room-127d8acd5db1?sk=4860de3eb2ab73931ce0574b325ea92f&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Weekly Column [Read Your Way Out of Left Hemispheric HegemonyWe’re human beings, not human doings. I don’t like cute slogans that punch above their weight (try to carry more meaning than their pithiness allows), but that one is great. The left hemisphere is the hemisphere of doing. It is tasked with the nitty-gritty of everyday life. It’s in its![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1495640388908-05fa85288e61?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIwfHxSZWFkaW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMzE4MzEwNXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/read-your-way-out-of-left-hemispheric-hegemony/) --- April 13, 2024 ## It's Impossible to Pile on Too Much Sarcasm [In Related News, Alcoholics Tend to Have Other Behavioral DisordersSarah Parshall Perry at The Heritage Foundation’s “Daily Signal”![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEditors![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1511174511562-5f7f18b874f8?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fHNjaWVudGlmaWMlMjByZXNlYXJjaHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTMwMTU1MzZ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/in-related-news-alcoholics-tend-to-have-other-behavioral-disorders/) --- April 12, 2024 ## The Masters I offer, with no comment and a few snickers, this picture from the debacle National Council of Women’s Organization protest against Augusta National back in 2004, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/04/Iron-My-Shirt.JPEG) --- ## BYCU [No More Boozy Bachelorette Parties?By Ivy Manners at the New York Times![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1518102885802-e869dcb9da8b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDY1fHxiYWNoZWxvcmV0dGUlMjBwYXJ0eXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTI5MTYwMDF8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/no-more-boozy-bachelorette-parties/) --- April 11, 2024 ## Another Defection from the Left Here's the thing that strikes me about Uri Berliner's essay on Tuesday about NPR's: **The guy is still working there**. He now has whistleblower status, which offers social and legal protections, but it makes him *persona non gratia* at the workplace. That's gotta be uncomfortable, though I suspect it signals that he knows others at NPR share his concerns about its exclusively-leftist agenda over the past eight years. It also signals that he's simply fed up with the bad-faith bias. Here's the thing. A person can hold dogmatic views but still object when co-religionists engage in violence, which is what the legacy media has been doing over the past eight years. A Nazi guard might sneak food to a prisoner; a Klan member might refuse to participate in more lynchings. At some point, people within a deformed movement refuse to participate in the deformity. I think that's what we're seeing with the growing spate of leftists who are tired of seeing non-leftists vilified and their views suppressed or distorted. "Look, I don't like conservatives or libertarians, either, but do we have treat them as sub-human?" That appears to be what's happening with these defections from the left. They're not even defections: Joe Rogan is still liberal; I'm sure Berliner is still on the far left. They're just people who see a gross deformity and refuse to participate in it anymore. ### From whence this gross deformity? Everyone knows the deformity became gross after Brexit and Trump 2016\. When that happened, the Establishment knew it had to get things under control . . . and fast. The suppression campaign was thorough. But what I find most interesting is that the Establishment brought into its efforts the furthest reaches of the left. The Marxists. Leftism as asserted by outlets like NPR, *WaPo*, *NYT*, and most universities is now Marxism. Or at least more "Marxist" than "liberal." It's not "liberal" any more than today's Unitarianism is Christian. Marxism has an exclusive worldview: all institutions rise from the mud, are built from the mud, and reflect the mud. The mud is "economics." The institutions are part of the superstructure. If a person thinks otherwise, his opinion is valued as much as a Catholic's opinion would be valued in a mosque. The opinion is simply wrong. It can be discarded, ignored, and righteously suppressed if the opinion starts to interfere with the Leftist's program to change the economics and superstructure of society. 💡 **In the social production that men carry on, they enter into definite relations that are indispensable and independent of their will, relations of production which correspond to a definite stage of development of their material forces of production. The sum total of these relations of production* [constitutes](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constitutes?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **the economic structure of society, the real foundation, on which rises a legal and political superstructure, and to which correspond definite forms of social* [consciousness](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consciousness?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**. The mode of production in material life determines the general character of the social, political, and* [intellectual](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intellectual?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **processes of life. It is not the consciousness of men which determines their existence; it is on the contrary their social* [existence](https://www.britannica.com/topic/existence?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **which determines their consciousness.* Karl Marx, [**Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy*](https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-Contribution-to-the-Critique-of-Political-Economy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The uncompromising worldview fit well with the Establishment's uncompromising opinion that Brexit and Trump must be stopped at all costs. --- April 10, 2024 ## Three Micro-Book Reviews I never could "get into" Bell's *Crowd Culture.* This [micro review](https://voegelinview.com/what-were-reading-march-2024/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) kinda makes me want to try again, but only "kinda." The book falls into "snobbish conservatism," which I've never much cared for. We tend to think of liberalism as **elitist**. Liberalism, after all, dominates higher academics. Its attitude pervades the wealthiest, whether evidenced by the scary idiocy of Melinda Gates' donations or the general mindset of "country club Republicans" who embrace degenerate moral norms and eschew all religious pursuits, except the most banally ritualistic ("Christmas and Easter Christians"). Liberalism controls all the levers of power. Liberalism is elitism. If you want to rise above the rabble, then think like a liberal. If you don't think like a liberal, you are a dolt and/or reprobate, deserving, at best, pity for your innate idiocy. The problem is, conservatism has a deep (very deep) **snobbish** streak. I could give a dozen examples, but Henry Adams' *Education* is a good candidate for "Exhibit A." The snobbishness figures heavily into conservative libertarianism and its disdain for the common man. Mencken's coverage of the Snopes trial is this strain's "Exhibit A," but perhaps the most shocking is Albert Jay Nock's bizarro-anthropomorphization of beggars who dig in the garbage. Such men, he explained, used to disgust him, but didn't anymore because it suddenly occurred to him that they morally aren't any better than dogs and ought to be judged accordingly: not at all. Although I dislike liberalism's elitism and conservative snobbery, they're not the same thing and, in particular, have a crucial difference. Liberal elites want to control society because it's filled with scum-sucking rabble. Conservative snobs want to hold themselves aloof from society because it's filled with scum-sucking rabble. And though both miss the larger point of Christianity that the likes of Mother Teresa and Dorothy Day emphasized (all people are made in God's image), conservative snobbery is preferable because it respects the image or at least gives it room to develop. Liberal elitism neither respects the image nor gives it room to develop, but rather, expects the image to serve its mental construct of how things should be. [What We’re Reading - VoegelinViewLee Durkee, Stalking Shakespeare. Lee Durkee’s memoir and exposé in the art history of painting Shakespeare is a fun, intoxicating, and, at times, shocking read. We all know what Shakespeare looked like, right? Not so fast! Stalking Shakespeare reveals the memoir of a funny and, at times, tortured soul, moving from Mississippi to Vermont to…![](https://voegelinview.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/120-1.png)VoegelinViewThe Editors![](https://voegelinview.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/books.jpg)](https://voegelinview.com/what-were-reading-march-2024/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- April 9, 2024 ## Curbed is Permanently Parked The last *Curb Your Enthusiasm* aired Sunday. It will be sorely missed, even if I think this last season hasn't been as good as the previous ones. *Britannica* has a great entry about *Curb* basics. I don't think you'll need a subscription to access it. Two excerpts: 1. *Curb is unscripted, with actors given just outlines for the plots and improvising the dialogue. “You have to be so in the moment and listen to what everybody’s saying and respond because it’s improvised, and it’s just pure play,”* [*Essman told Vulture*](https://www.vulture.com/2018/03/susie-essman-always-knew-there-would-be-more-curb.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *in 2018\. In an echo of Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm pokes fun at the everyday irritations of life, from David’s aversion to the* [*stop and chat*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbmPpxoNQ-k&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *to his view that toasts are meaningless. David often shocks characters on the show by speaking his mind freely. . . .* 2. *The real Larry David said that the Curb Your Enthusiasm version isn’t him, but it’s close. “I’m a total fraud,” David said in a* [*trailer*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4DvKqyB%5FzQ&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *for The Larry David Story, an HBO documentary. “And the Curb outlet for me is this guy I wanna be. He’s completely honest, just the opposite of who I am, and it’s a thrill.” “The reason people respond to Larry’s character is that he’s saying what everybody’s thinking but is afraid to say—and that’s basically the role of comedians,” Essman told Saval in Variety in 2022.* [A Brief and Cringe-Inducing History of Curb Your EnthusiasmHow a show people couldn’t bear to watch became a must-see.![](https://www.britannica.com/favicon.png)Encyclopedia Britannica![](https://cdn.britannica.com/97/240097-050-9F629D9F/Curb-Your-Enthusiasm-publicity-still-Larry-David-JB-Smoove-Jeff-Garlin.jpg)](https://www.britannica.com/story/a-brief-and-cringe-inducing-history-of-curb-your-enthusiasm?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Why Curb Your Enthusiasm is FunnyMake no doubt about it: Humor is like a frog. Once you dissect it, it’s dead. But if you want to be a funny guy, it helps to understand how humor works. It works from incongruity. A drunk man is funny because it’s incongruous with his rational existence.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1610964199131-5e29387e6267?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDh8fHN0YW5kJTIwdXB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzEyNjY1NTAxfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-curb-your-enthusiasm-is-funny/) --- April 8, 2024 ## Tolkien Letters I guess an expanded edition came out last year. I enjoyed original, which is reasonably thick. I wish they had come out with "Volume II" instead of a comprehensive volume. Oh well. If that's my biggest disappointment today, I'm a blessed guy. [Tolkien’s Letters: Revised and ExpandedIsaiah Flair at University Bookman![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Tolkien.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tolkiens-letters/) --- ## Happy Total Eclipse Day > The Greek historian [Herodotus](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herodotus-Greek-historian?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) mentions that in a battle during a five-year war between the [Lydians](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lydian-language?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and the [Medes](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mede?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), “suddenly day became night” on May 28, 585 BCE. The astronomer [Thales](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thales-of-Miletus?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) had already predicted that an eclipse would happen that year, and informed the people of the [Ionian Islands](https://www.britannica.com/place/Ionian-Islands?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). But the Lydians and the Medes never got the news and “when they saw night instead of day before their eyes, gave over the fight.” Britannica.com --- April 7, 2024 ## Religion Rising? That's what one writer thinks. He has even released a podcast series about it, which I'll start listening to later today. In this article, he references a lot of my favorite personalities, from yesterday (GKC and Lewis) and today (Rogan, Bret Weinstein, Jonathan Haidt, and Peterson). > Influencers such as Joe Rogan and Douglas Murray are increasingly talking about the value of Christian faith and the dangers of casting it off. That's a huge improvement for Rogan since his pre-Covid days, [when he would obliviously let his left hemisphere dogmatize all dogma](https://thedailyeudemon.com/joe-rogans-rant-against-christianity/). [More Skeptics are at Least Scratching Their Heads about God These DaysJustin Brierley at Spectator World![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJohn Bender![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1548625149-fc4a29cf7092?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGNodXJjaHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTI0OTM2NDd8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/more-skeptics-are-at-least-scratching-their-heads-about-god-these-days/) --- April 6, 2024 ## The Weekend I don't have Covid but I feel bad.**\*\*** I'm guessing it's just allergies, but it's pretty vicious. So, no "OtML" this morning. My apologies. I had one started, but I didn't have enough octane to push it out. I did, however, have the octane to revamp TDE. I've started a "Trending" and "Recent" feature. These will get flushed out as time goes on. I hope you enjoy this tweak. **Footnote** \*\*I don't "feel badly." Just as I don't "feel well." If you're talking about your general sense of well-being, you use the adjective, not the adverb. When someone says, "I feel well," my (internal) response is, "It must be nice to have such tactile sensation in your fingertips." The thing is, if you say, "I feel good," the self-righteous ignorant will think you're the ignorant one. I just say, "I'm doing well." That works for everyone. [Dunning-Kruger effect | Definition, Examples, & FactsDunning-Kruger effect, in psychology, a cognitive bias whereby people with limited knowledge or competence in a given intellectual or social domain greatly overestimate their own knowledge or competence in that domain relative to objective criteria or to the performance of their peers or of people in general.![](https://www.britannica.com/favicon.png)Encyclopedia Britannica![](https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-114/images/social/eb-thistle-social-image.jpg?v=3.114.4)](https://www.britannica.com/science/Dunning-Kruger-effect?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- April 5, 2024 ## Free Society I've never been a big Cato Institute fan. For awhile, it became the LBGT arm of the libertarian movement. I think that has calmed down a bit, but it's still more in the Chicago School of economics rather than the Austrian School. Empiricists, not natural law theorists. Still, I agree with most of its positions, and I'm on its mailing list for some reason. It recently sent me a complimentary copy of its new flagship publication, *Free Society*. It's pretty good. [https://www.cato.org/free-society/home](https://www.cato.org/free-society/home?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU It seems alcohol is reeling. Every week, I see stories about another industry that's hurting, but few stories point to the culprit: legal marijuana. In my generation, I see many adults who drink far less but smoke far more (or eat edibles). I've known at least one guy (and there are probably more) who is no longer an alcoholic, but he's smoking a lot of weed (I'm guessing this isn't a technique approved by AA). This story out of California, though, mentions that marijuana is cutting into wine sales, thereby exacerbating California's current wine industry crisis. The crisis would exist anyway, due to wildfire smoke that damaged the grapes, drought, rising labor and equipment costs, ongoing COVID mandates, and a glut of cheap foreign grapes that are surreptitiously "blended" into the California wine. All those things will presumably level out. The drought will end; the COVID mandates will cease (well, maybe not). But "a tectonic shift in generational drinking habits" is the one that probably isn't going to change. The thing is, alcohol is bad for us, at least on the surface. I tend to think that a moderate amount is good for us, especially on the spiritual level. At a minimum, it shows a level of detachment from obsession about health. But it also fosters a measure of detachment; specifically, detaching our left hemisphere from its jackboot stance on our mental necks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/04/Mencken-on-Alcohol-Health.png) [California Wine StrugglesLouis Sahagún at Los Angeles Times![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1523741543316-beb7fc7023d8?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGdyYXBlcyUyMGZpZWxkc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTIzMTI4ODR8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/california-wine-struggles/) --- April 4, 2024 ## The Ukrainians Can't Even Figure Out How to Have Kids If Russia hadn't invaded, the Ukraine would've imploded anyway. They seem to realize that now. Their solution to a problem caused by ignoring *Humanae Vitae*? Veer even further from *Humanae Vitae*. And when your culture no longer has a healthy relationship with sex? You need the State to afflict the culture with a ham-handed substitute. > Dr. Khmil believes that cryoconservation should not be voluntary but obligatory, with every enlisted soldier freezing their gametes before going to war. [How Ukrainians are reviving their birth rateFor Ukrainians, the falling birth rate is not just a side issue but is fundamental to the battle now being fought![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldSvitlana Morenets![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Svitlana-Getty-e1711994059378.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/ukrainians-revive-birth-rate-death/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Staycation on Steroids I'm still waiting to take my first staycation. I've been wanting one for over 20 years but it never works out. But now I want a staycation on steroids: shutting off my electricity for a week. It sounds wonderful. The thing is, I'm not even sure I know how to turn off my breaker. I also don't know if it'd affect my water supply or toilet. And what about the freezer and fridge? Such things are addressed in this nifty article. I seriously doubt I'll do a S-squared, but ya never know. [The Grid-less VacationPower Down Week is April 21-27, 2024![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1535649900424-c09963c4fd8e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE5fHxmYXJtfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMjIzNzY2Mnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-grid-less-vacation/) --- April 3, 2024 ## Why Taibbi Doesn't Waste Time on the Republicans > **The Republicans have very little institutional power nationally. It’s not their point of view prevailing in schools, on campuses, in newsrooms (where over 90% of working reporters vote blue), and especially in the intelligence and military apparatus, which has openly aligned itself with Democrats. Even if Donald Trump were a “threat to Democracy” he lacks the institutional pull to do much damage, which can’t be said of Democrats.** [Matt Taibbi on Threats From the Left vs. Right - LewRockwellWrites Ginny Garner: Matt Taibbi on Threats From the Left vs. Right Lew, Journalist Matt Taibbi was asked “why doesn’t he pay much attention to the sins (or threats) from “the right”?” He gave a great answer: Why I don’t spend a lot of time on the Republicans: 1) There is a enormous army of MSM reporters already going after them from every angle, with most major news organizations little more than proxies for the DNC, to the point where stations hire Biden spokespeople as anchors; 2) The Republicans have very little institutional power nationally. It’s not their point of … Continue reading →![](https://lrc-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/2017/09/cropped-favicon-500x500-180x180.jpg)LewRockwellastanimirovic![](https://lrc-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/2021/02/LRC-share.jpg)](https://www.lewrockwell.com/political-theatre/matt-taibbi-on-threats-from-the-left-vs-right/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) April 2, 2024 ## Joe Serwach on the New Shroud Movie [New Movie about The ShroudThe Shroud: Face to Face moves audiences. Robert Orlando crosses boundaries to show scientific and historical evidence that “He is risen, indeed.” The new film documentary, which debuted on Good Friday, is about the Shroud of Turin, “but the Shroud is a significant symbol pointing to something bigger: I want![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJ. Serwach![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/04/Shroud.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/new-movie-about-the-shroud/) --- April 1, 2024 ## Toni Morrison To my knowledge, I've never read anything by Toni Morrison. I've never even *wanted* to read anything by her. Not out of animosity. She simply rarely crossed my mental radar screen, except when there was a reference to Oprah, and that was enough to shoot it off my radar screen. But then I saw this nifty review-essay about a book of her rejection letters. I deeply respect anyone who does anything well, especially if it's something that most people consider beneath them. Here, a woman who was (I assume) a first-rate stylist with a lot of worthy literary projects of her own, took enormous efforts to compose thoughtful rejection letters to budding authors while she was an editor at Random House. And now someone took the time to anthologize the rejection letters. Wendell Berry writes occasionally about the little art of making something out of nothing. It's an activity I've long admired. If someone takes refuse, cleans it up, and organizes it into something beautiful in a dilapidated area of their backyard, I appreciate it a lot more than someone who pays a landscape designer. I don't know why. I plan on exploring it at some point, but for now, I'll simply appreciate things like this, a work of art, produced from mini works of art that were built from the refuse of literary ambition. [Toni Morrison’s Rejection LettersMelina Moe at the Los Angeles Review of Books![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1576838240759-7c6d550263d7?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fGhhcmxlbXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTE5NzcwNDZ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/toni-morrisons-rejection-letters/) --- ## [View Previous Monthly Scrolling Blog Entries](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### Elitism v. Snobbery URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/elitism-v-snobbery/ Last updated: 2024-04-11T12:14:25.000Z I never could "get into" Bell's *Crowd Culture.* This [micro review](https://voegelinview.com/what-were-reading-march-2024/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) kinda makes me want to try again, but only "kinda." The book falls into "snobbish conservatism," which I've never much cared for. We tend to think of liberalism as **elitist**. Liberalism, after all, dominates higher academics. Its attitude pervades the wealthiest, whether evidenced by the scary idiocy of Melinda Gates' donations or the general mindset of "country club Republicans" who embrace degenerate moral norms and eschew all religious pursuits, except the most banally ritualistic ("Christmas and Easter Christians"). Liberalism controls all the levers of power. Liberalism is elitism. If you want to rise above the rabble, then think like a liberal. If you don't think like a liberal, you are a dolt and/or reprobate, deserving, at best, pity for your innate idiocy. But conservatism has a deep (very deep) **snobbish** streak. I could give a dozen examples, but Henry Adams' *Education* is a good candidate for "Exhibit A." The snobbishness figures heavily into conservative libertarianism and its disdain for the common man. Mencken's coverage of the Snopes trial is this strain's "Exhibit A," but perhaps the most shocking is Albert Jay Nock's bizarro-anthropomorphization of beggars who dig in the garbage. Such men, he explained, used to disgust him, but didn't anymore because it suddenly occurred to him that they morally aren't any better than dogs and ought to be judged accordingly: not at all. Although I dislike liberalism's elitism and conservative snobbery, they're not the same thing and, in particular, have a crucial difference. Liberal elites want to control society because it's filled with scum-sucking rabble. Conservative snobs want to hold themselves aloof from society because it's filled with scum-sucking rabble. Both liberal elitism and conservative snobbery miss the larger point of Christianity that the likes of Mother Teresa and Dorothy Day emphasized: all people are made in God's image. But conservative snobbery is preferable because it respects the image or at least gives it room to develop. Liberal elitism neither respects the image nor gives it room to develop, but rather, expects the image to serve its mental construct of how things should be. > Conservative Snobs on the Rabble: "Fug 'em. Let 'em wallow or figure it out for themselves." > Liberal Elites on the Rabble: "Fug 'em. They'll do what we tell them." ### Small Talk: How to Cultivate the True Disposition of the Artist URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/how-to-cultivate-the-true-disposition-of-the-artist/ Last updated: 2024-05-11T13:18:16.000Z During a walk, Ludwig van Beethoven explained to Johann Goethe that the artist is a great man who deserves reverence. To illustrate his point and to Goethe’s flabbergasted astonishment, Beethoven crossed his arms and rudely walked through a group of nobility. Beethoven’s impolite walk through the nobility mirrored his walk through life: Seeing himself as one of the greatest artists, he thought he deserved deep reverence, which made him think he stood above the conventional kindness and politeness of everyday life. It’s not surprising that he was an extremely difficult person: He tyrannized his family to the point of pushing one member to attempt suicide; many doctors refused him as a patient; he abused servants so fearsomely that few would work for him; no woman would marry him. He led much of his life as a lonely artistic genius, a genius that has been called the first modern artist because he gave birth to the modern notion that the great artist must be irritable and self-obsessed. In fairness to Beethoven, it must be admitted that much of his crankiness stemmed from his wretched health (colic, diarrhea, fevers, septic abscesses, and the otosclerosis that gradually took away his hearing). --- But his cranky specter still hovers over modernity’s mental landscape. Many people, especially the young, think they’re destined for some sort of greatness — in art, business, sports, politics, whatever. And, following Beethoven’s example, many of them tend to disdain the ordinary things of everyday life, thinking such things must be eccentrically scorned, as though they’re beneath their looming greatness. That’s unfortunate. Not only should a physically ill and terribly-unique genius like Beethoven be imitated only with caution, but, in such a mental climate, the “little arts” (to use the words of [Richard Weaver](https://www.libertyfund.org/books/the-southern-essays-of-richard-m-weaver/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)), like conversation, hospitality, and manners, vanish. Conversation is dismissed as small talk; hospitality is dodged whenever possible. Most significantly, many artists (or those who imagine they’re artists) disdain these little arts. Socializing, for instance, is often dismissed as a waste of time that detracts from greater pursuits, like painting or writing. It’s a wrongheaded notion. A little art like conversation presents an opportunity to create, just like a blank canvass presents an opportunity to the painter. Good conversation requires skill — use of an opening line, use of entertaining information, patience, and (sometimes most importantly) ability to close a conversation gracefully. Good conversation also requires a fruitful — not to mention quick — imagination. If you doubt this, listen to a great podcast host hold a conversation. The art oozes into your earbuds. By practicing the small art of conversation throughout the day, an artist practices art, thereby making herself better at art in general. --- Good conversation also requires concern for the other person in the conversation, which first requires a lack of self-regard. This might be the most significant thing of all for the artist. Lack of self-regard, you see, is the hallmark of the artist. William Blake (arguably the greatest poet of all) once observed, > *“I should be sorry if I had any earthly fame, for whatever natural glory a man has is so much detracted from his spiritual glory. I wish to do nothing for profit. I wish to live for art. I want nothing whatever. I am quite happy.”* As evidenced by Blake’s words, the true artist is detached from himself. Because he tends to be the sort of person who doesn’t care too much about himself, he is drawn to realities outside himself. In the words of philosopher [Josef Pieper](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/419151.An%5FAnthology?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), the artist’s is a “purely receptive stance toward reality, undisturbed by any interruption by the will.” This receptive stance leaves the artist free to see reality, to bring it together in his mind, then to put it on the canvass, page, or stage, without the distorting refraction of will and ego. Just like the artist, the good conversationalist must also be detached from himself. The self-obsessed person is a bad conversationalist (anyone who doubts this doesn’t get out much) and for good reason: He has no ability to create because he is too self-centered to appreciate reality outside himself. He is a poor artist, and it shows in his conversation. And his inability to carry on a conversation bleeds into his painting and writing. The little arts like conversation develop the trait of rising above self-regard. If a person is self-absorbed throughout the day, he develops a mental pattern of self-absorption that must be broken before a session of creativity takes place. The other-regarding person, on the other hand, is always ready for a session of creativity because his mind has been artistically inclined throughout the day. For this reason, the artist is apt to be a good conversationalist (even Beethoven laughed and joked with his acquaintances and could be kind, his violent outbursts notwithstanding). The little art of conversation comes from the same source as painting and writing, so the artist can do both, like the myriad of artists who conquered more than one “big” art, like Blake (poet and painter), Leonardo da Vinci (painter and inventor), T.S. Eliot (poet and essayist), and Michelangelo (poet and painter). --- ## Related > *Party of One* is my favorite of Fadiman’s books. [Fadiman](https://amzn.to/3uwaK1s?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) was a great talker on the radio—smooth, polite, and agile to coax the wit of co-hosts such as Oscar Levant and John Kieran on *Information Please*—and these qualities show up in the conversational style of his essays. In an essay on the art of conversation, Fadiman calls it the “translation of one’s personality into evanescent words intended to reach a few persons at most.” This is a good description of the appeal of *Party of One*, which is now unfortunately out of print. [The Lamp Magazine | The Lifetime Reading PlanOn the Great Books project.![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/favicons/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png?w=152&h=152&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1674591075&s=adf9080089d297b8ae3f5af7a13366a6)The Lamp MagazineRead![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/Screen-Shot-2023-12-20-at-2.42.19-PM.png?w=1200&h=630&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1703101349&s=df8e49731f7094c95c48bf0c9a98d1c6)](https://thelampmagazine.com/issues/issue-20/the-lifetime-reading-plan?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Why Curb Your Enthusiasm is Funny URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-curb-your-enthusiasm-is-funny/ Last updated: 2024-04-16T13:02:40.000Z [Good-Bye, CurbThe last Curb Your Enthusiasm aired Sunday. It will be sorely missed, even if I think this last season hasn’t been as good as the previous ones. Britannica has a great entry about Curb basics. I don’t think you’ll need a subscription to access it. Two excerpts: 1\. Curb is![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Yellowish.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/good-bye-curbed/) Make no doubt about it: Humor is like a frog. Once you dissect it, it’s dead. But if you want to be a funny guy, it helps to understand how humor works. It works from **incongruity**. A drunk man is funny because it’s incongruous with his rational existence. A woman slipping on the ice is funny because it’s incongruous with grace. A misdirection at the end of a joke is hilarious because it’s incongruous with the lead-up. Sometimes the incongruity isn’t obvious. I think a lot of humor over the past 30 years falls into that category. ![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1400/0*k-tdddJHeJnB5TLC.png) Ben Stiller invited Larry David to his birthday party. Ben told Larry “no gifts.” The invitation to other invitees said “no gifts.” Everyone brought a gift, except Larry. Ben was irritated. Larry: *You said “no gifts.”* Ben: *Everyone knows “no gifts” doesn’t mean, “no gifts,” Larry.* A lot of the humor in *Curb Your Enthusiasm* is like that. Larry approaches something rationally, logically, taking things at their face value, and he acts accordingly (often with vigor and persistence). **He’s 100% right and he’s 100% wrong at the same time**. It’s funny. ![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:996/0*cDd9vSqy3KE0Q90l.gif) # Contemporary Humor: Hemispheres Colliding What’s happening in those *Curb* skits? It’s hemispheres colliding. The left hemisphere of the brain measures, divides, and gets things done. It’s logical. It’s efficient. The right hemisphere is holistic. It values relationships, music, and other inefficient things. It looks at the big picture. The left hemisphere is supposed to work for the right hemisphere for the same reason English royalty didn’t dress themselves: their minds and existence are for greater things. It’s best to leave mundane things like picking one’s trousers to a subordinate. But sometimes the subordinate revolts. The left hemisphere wants to wear the trousers itself. It then exerts its own understanding by using its tools. It reaches conclusions that are logical and efficient. It’s why Larry didn’t bring a gift. It was the logical thing to do. It was the right thing to do. But it was also the wrong thing to do. Hemispheres colliding. It’s hilarious. --- ## Related This video isn't about hemispheres colliding, but it is an entertaining account of humor and creativity. ### Tolkien's Letters: Revised and Expanded URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/tolkiens-letters/ Last updated: 2024-04-08T13:54:31.000Z It is always a privilege to travel through the articulate mind of the man who crafted the mythology of Middle-Earth. In his lifetime, that man wrote a prodigious proliferation of letters, many of which are included in the book aptly called *The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien*. Some of the letters address the topic that Tolkien fans care about most: his fantasy fiction books, particularly *The Lord of the Rings* and *The Silmarillion*. In a letter to publisher Milton Waldman in 1951, Tolkien provided a look behind the scenes of his writing processes: “Many children make up imaginary languages. I have been at it since I could write.” Tolkien’s passion for languages, including those that he created for his books, is well-known. Yet, in this letter, he focused on a different passion, one that was based on a love for myth and fairy story, and “above all for heroic legend on the brink of fairytale and history, of which there is far too little in the world.” Tolkien was describing the kinds of books that he wanted to read, but couldn’t find enough to suit him. He lamented the lack of English books, in particular, that combined myth and fairytale in the way that he wanted. So, he decided to write the books that he wanted to read, which is what many of the best authors do. In the part of the letter that sounds a lot like his blueprint for *The Lord of the Rings*, Tolkien writes, “I had a mind to make a body of more or less connected legend, ranging from the large and cosmogonic, to the level of romantic fairy story—the larger founded on the lesser in contact with the earth, and the lesser drawing splendor from the vast backcloths.” He wanted his story to “possess the tone and quality that \[he\] desired” (represented by the rustic ways of the hobbits), while having “the fair elusive beauty that some call Celtic” (represented by the mystical magic of the elves). That plan came to glorious fruition, and was even made into a movie trilogy by Peter Jackson. Intriguingly, Tolkien also delved into a storytelling mechanism that he referred to as the Machine. Essentially, the Machine is the way that power is wielded in a story to get what is wanted. In many books and movies, the Machine is some sort of personal power. For example, in superhero movies, supervillains usually find some way to give themselves superpowers, which they then use to get what they want. However, Tolkien wanted a substantial focus on using external devices “instead of development of inner powers or talents.” The external devices that he chose included magic rings. Read the rest [The Mind Of Middle-Earth: Exploring The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien“The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien is a treasure trove of insights from the mind of Tolkien that we can read and then revisit from time to time…”![](https://kirkcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KRC-Favicon.png)The Russell Kirk Center“ubookman”![](https://kirkcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/81q1NtZtEtL._SY466_.jpg)](https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/the-mind-of-middle-earth-exploring-the-letters-of-j-r-r-tolkien/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### More Skeptics are at Least Scratching Their Heads about God These Days URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/more-skeptics-are-at-least-scratching-their-heads-about-god-these-days/ Last updated: 2024-04-07T13:19:49.000Z [Religion Rising and RoganThat’s what one writer thinks. He has even released a podcast series about it, which I’ll start listening to later today. In this article, he references a lot of my favorite personalities, from yesterday (GKC and Lewis) and today (Rogan, Bret Weinstein, Jonathan Haidt, and Peterson). Influencers such as Joe![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Reddish.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/religion-rising-and-rogan/) Tom Holland recently invited me to attend a service of Evensong with him at London’s oldest church, St. Bartholomew the Great. Holland, who co-hosts the phenomenally popular [*The Rest is History* podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rest-is-history/id1537788786?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), has been a regular congregant for a few years. He began attending while researching [*Dominion*](https://bookshop.org/a/3057/9781541675599?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), his bestselling book which outlined the way the first century Christian revolution has irrevocably shaped the twenty-first century West’s moral imagination. It also recounts how Holland, a secular liberal westerner who had lost any vestige of faith by his teenage years, came to realize he was still essentially Christian in terms of his beliefs about human rights, equality and freedom. Holland is not alone as an agnostic trying out church again. In contrast to the usual ageing demographic of many Anglican churches, the congregation of St. Bart’s seems to mainly consist of young professionals, both male and female. I noticed a famous politician among the gathered faithful, and was told that a well-known melancholy rock star has also been frequenting the church of late. Despite the fact that “smells and bells” aren’t part of my own church tradition, I found the blend of sacred choral music, candlelit arches and incense-infused worship to be an intoxicating experience. I imagine that many people in the pews are likewise turning up for a mystical encounter as much as the preaching and prayers. I also believe Holland’s journey reflects a wider turning of the secular tide in the West, a phenomenon I document in my book [*The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God*](https://bookshop.org/a/3057/9781496466778?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The New Atheists of the early 2000s — led by Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Daniel Dennett — predicted a utopia founded upon science and reason once we had abandoned religion. But their bestselling books proved to be full of empty promises. All that our post-Christian society has delivered so far is confusion, a mental health crisis in the young and the culture wars. It’s not surprising then that a movement of New Theists has sprung up. Influencers such as Joe Rogan and Douglas Murray are increasingly talking about the value of Christian faith and the dangers of casting it off. The former new atheist Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been praising the virtues of our Judeo-Christian heritage, after becoming convinced that secular humanism cannot save the West. The women’s rights campaigner Louise Perry has been advocating for a return to traditional Christian morality since writing her book [*The Case Against The Sexual Revolution*](https://bookshop.org/a/3057/9781509549993?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein often describes religion as “metaphorically true.” Secular psychologists such as Jonathan Haidt and John Vervaeke have written extensively about the value of faith in the midst of a “meaning crisis” in the West. Another significant voice speaking about the value of Christianity is the psychologist Jordan Peterson. In November I attended a lecture by him at London’s O2 Arena. As he often does, he pointed his vast audience of mainly young men back to the Bible as a source of deep wisdom about the human condition. It was clear, though, that while Peterson thinks of Christianity as useful, he struggles to believe that it is true. He applies his Jungian eye to the Bible and detects “deep patterns of symbolism and meaning.” Yet, as is also the case with Weinstein, Haidt and Vervaeke, such an appraisal of faith still only amounts to regarding religion as a “useful fiction” for making sense of life. Read the rest (subscription required) [Is a Christian revival underway?As a Christian, I see signs that he is moving in the minds and hearts of secular intellectuals. Many are recognizing that humanism failed![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldJustin Brierley![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Prayer-large-crop-less-whiteDB_3003-e1711731495447.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/christian-revival-underway/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Big Oil: Desecrating the Sacred? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/big-oil-desecrating-the-sacred/ Last updated: 2024-04-06T13:34:21.000Z When we moved to Grove City almost three years ago, we noticed yard signs expressing opposition to a “radioactive trash mountain” in the area. It was hard to find good information online about the proposed reopening of a local landfill, and from what I could tell, the permitting process was bogged down. (I wrote a [brief op-ed](https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/insight/2024/03/10/bilbro-grove-city-landfill-oil-gas-waste-epa-health-newspaper-investigation/stories/202403100020?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) for the Pittsburgh *Post-*Gazette on the way that the decline of local news contributes to an information vacuum in which projects like this can more easily move forward.) Recently, however, the landfill won approval from the state permitting agency, and while the original plans for a veritable “mountain” of refuse have been limited by local zoning requirements, the landfill seems likely to open in the coming years. Still, I wondered how bad it could be and whether it would in fact be radioactive. When the[ local nonprofit](https://www.ceasrapa.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that’s coordinating opposition to the landfill announced an informational meeting, I decided to go and see what I could learn. The overall tone of the[ meeting](https://www.wfmj.com/story/50404947/people-against-grove-city-landfill-turn-to-commonwealth-court?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) was quite grim: the legal options are running out, and while they’ve appealed to the state Commonwealth Court, the ongoing litigation has proved very costly. The folks opposing the landfill are quite committed, so there is still some hope that the appeal will be successful. The case now mostly hinges on whether the landfill violates FAA regulations as it is only a mile from the town airport and lies in the flight path of planes taking off and landing. Birds tend to cluster over landfills, and given the danger of bird strikes, there are regulations about the proximity of landfills to airports. But the most serious concerns that residents have about the landfill relate to the waste it intends to take from fracking operations in the region. I’ve read some about fracking since moving to western PA, but as I did more research into how the waste gets handled, the picture only seemed more dire. Fracking generates massive quantities of flowback, which contains a proprietary blend of potent chemicals. Even during normal flow, the gas or oil comes out mixed together with “brine,” a liquid that contains salts, heavy metals, and various radioactive materials such as radium-226, radium-228, and radon. The mix varies from well to well and formation to formation, but the basic problem of how to deal with this toxic waste confronts all oil producers. Much of the liquid waste is pumped back down other wells, known as injection wells, but drill cuttings and other solids are often taken to local landfills. After reading one particularly[ disturbing essay](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/oil-gas-fracking-radioactive-investigation-937389/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in *Rolling Stone* about this waste, I saw that the author, Justin Nobel, has a new book coming out this spring, and I requested an advance copy from the publisher. After reading[ *Petroleum-238: Big Oil’s Dangerous Secret and the Grassroots Fight to Stop It*](https://bookshop.org/a/2037/9798989546237?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), I’m still not sure how bad the problem of oil waste is or how concerned I should be about our local landfill, but I at least have a better understanding of why America is littered with radioactive sludge that infiltrates ground and drinking water. **Read the rest** [Is a Radioactive Trash Mountain Coming to Town? - Front Porch RepublicRather than seeking the elusive mirage of purity, we ought to undertake the contested work of breaking the body of creation respectfully and responsibly. As Nobel demonstrates, the oil industry too often does this work ignorantly, greedily, clumsily, and destructively, and as the customers of this industry, we have an obligation to demand better.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicJeffrey Bilbro![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1712516612_760ee3bd32_b.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/04/is-a-radioactive-trash-mountain-coming-to-town/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### "Disparate Impact" is a Mind Disease. If Blacks Can't Pass the Test, It's a Racist Test URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/disparate-impact-is-a-mind-disease-if-blacks-cant-pass-the-test-its-a-racist-test/ Last updated: 2024-04-06T11:51:40.000Z The most consequential falsehood in American public policy today is the idea that any racial disparity in any institution is by definition the result of racial discrimination. If a cancer research lab, for example, does not have 13 percent black oncologists—the black share of the national population—it is by definition a racist lab that discriminates against competitively qualified black oncologists; if an airline company doesn’t have 13 percent black pilots, it is by definition a racist airline company that discriminates against competitively qualified black pilots; and if a prison population contains *more* than 13 percent black prisoners, our law enforcement system is racist. The claim that racial disparities are proof of racial discrimination has been percolating in academia and the media for a long time. After the George Floyd race riots of 2020, however, it was adopted by America’s most elite institutions, from big law and big business to big finance. Even museums and orchestras took up the cry. Many thought that STEM—the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—would escape the diversity sledgehammer. They were wrong. The American Medical Association today insists that medicine is characterized by white supremacy. *Nature* magazine declares that science manifests one of “humankind’s worst excesses”: racism. The Smithsonian Institution announces that “emphasis on the scientific method” and an interest in “cause and effect relationships” are part of totalitarian whiteness. As a result of this falsehood, we are eviscerating meritocratic and behavioral standards in accordance with what is known as “disparate impact analysis.” Consider medicine. Step One of the medical licensing exam, taken during or after the second year of medical school, tests medical students’ knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology. On average, black students score lower on the grading curve, making it harder for them to land their preferred residencies. Step One, in other words, has a “disparate impact” on black medical students. The solution, implemented last year, was to eliminate the Step One grading disparity by instituting a pass–fail system. Hospitals choosing residents can no longer distinguish between high and low achieving students—and that is precisely the point! The average Medical College Achievement Test (MCAT) score for black applicants is a standard deviation below the average score of white applicants. Some medical schools have waived the submission of MCAT scores altogether for black applicants. The tests were already redesigned to try to eliminate the disparity. A quarter of the questions now focus on social issues and psychology. The medical school curriculum is being revised to offer more classes in white privilege and focus less on clinical practice. The American Association of Medical Colleges will soon require that medical faculty demonstrate knowledge of “intersectionality”—a theory about the cumulative burdens of discrimination. Heads of medical schools and chairmen of departments like pediatric surgery are being selected on the basis of identity, not knowledge. The federal government is shifting medical research funding from pure science to studies on racial disparities and social justice. Why? Not because of any assessment of scientific need, but simply because black researchers do more racism research and less pure science. The National Institutes of Health has broadened the criteria for receiving neurology grants to include things like childhood welfare receipt because considering scientific accomplishment alone results in a disparate impact. What is at stake in these changes? Future medical progress and, ultimately, lives. **Read the rest** [Disparate Impact Thinking Is Destroying Our CivilizationIt is urgent that we fight back against disparate impact thinking. As long as racism remains the only allowable explanation for racial disparities, the Left wins, and our civilization will continue to crumble.![](https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cropped-ChargerLogoH_RGB-270x270.png)ImprimisHeather Mac Donald![](https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20157661373794-scaled.jpg)](https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/disparate-impact-thinking-is-destroying-our-civilization/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Partial Payments: Essays on Writers and Their Lives, by Joseph Epstein URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/partial-payments-essays-on-writers-and-their-lives-by-joseph-epstein/ Last updated: 2024-05-06T18:31:03.000Z ### A Micro-Review/Essay “I am indebted to these writers.” Paean. Nineteen of them. An essayist removes his hat, lowers his head, and says “thanks.” The essayist convinces us these subjects are great. We then understand that the essayist is great. Like recognizes like. Max Beerbohm’s prose is difficult to read 100 years later but you want to read him merely to get close to this beautiful man: equanimous temperament; close to his parents and siblings; never struggled with life; didn’t feel the need to dominate; alien to envy. Many today would refuse to believe such a man could exist. Unlike doesn’t recognize unlike. But he did. Meditate on the life of St. Max; WWMD; become Max. Such is Epstein’s convincing portrait. And George Santayana, a man who never missed an opportunity to insult the Jews. Epstein (guess his tribe) loves him and makes us want to love him and to read *Persons and Places*, one of “the really splendid autobiographies of the twentieth century.” Evelyn Waugh? Hardly St. Max, but Epstein admires his razor wit and tries to understand the amalgam of Catholicism and wretchedness that was Waugh, who refused to be in the same room with the small, portly, drunken, checkered suit, parody-producing, and fantastical Dylan Thomas because he saw in him a caricature of himself: “He’s exactly what I would’ve been if I had not become a Catholic.” The book is packed with great anecdotes . . . and great prose . . . and great respect, even affection. ### Are We Really Supposed to Believe Psychedelics Gave Us Our Souls? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54686/ Last updated: 2024-05-05T11:35:11.000Z A mushroom? Or God? I didn’t fully appreciate the implication of The Stoned Ape theory until listening to **[Lex Fridman’s interview with Brian Muraresku](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYQh1ZNkC70&ref=thedailyeudemon.com).** Muraresku recently published [*The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51174256-the-immortality-key?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)*,* which claims psychedelics, in particular psilocybin, has made huge, possibly catalytic, contributions to religious experience for thousands of years. I’d been following the discussion for over a year. It is a favorite topic on *The Joe Rogan Experience*, among other venues. But it wasn’t until the Fridman interview did I appreciate one incredible claim by the psychedelic crowd: it was psilocybin that took man from apehood to personhood. Go to minute 31:00 to hear the discussion. --- I’ve long envisioned the moment God created humans in his image. I imagine a group of Neanderthals sitting around a killed carcass, eating, and grunting. And then they suddenly start laughing. That’s when the immortal soul entered the body. It’s the whole question that drives the Missing Link problem. Our (oh-so artistically accurate charts) show the apes evolve closer and closer to manhood, but then there’s suddenly a man, not an ape. But there’s a crucial step missing: the ensoulment. The soul, being immortal and spiritual, can’t have a mundane origin. The origin must be divine. Therefore, there must be a God. Unless it was a mushroom. The ape goes from being sober to being stoned, and it’s the act of being stoned that is the real ensoulment, so the soul *does* have a mundane origin and, voila!, God doesn’t exist. [Jordan Peterson says this whole line of thought was thoroughly discredited after it peaked in the 1970s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c-bWymbT04&ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It’s now rearing its head again due to university studies that observe people on psychedelics and document their religious-like experiences. The new field of “bioarchaeology” is also providing evidence that ancient and classical people used psychedelics in their beer and wine. --- Such a theory, even if true, wouldn’t discredit Catholicism. That, of course, is the spin Joe Rogan mildly puts on it (Rogan has articulated dislike for Catholicism and libertarianism), but it’s not accurate. Muraresku himself identifies as Catholic. During his interview with Jordan Peterson, he mentions at least twice that he was educated in high school by the Jesuits order (which is Catholic in its own way) and at one point refers to “my Catholicism.” He’s also Romanian, and Romanians are fiercely proud of their (albeit spotty) ancestry with Rome, and with that, I suppose, comes a flair for the Roman Church. So, I get the impression he doesn’t think the Eucharist is just a pale remnant of a classical rave party. Like every new theory, it won’t discredit Catholicism or the Eucharist. At most, if the theory, in general, holds up (and it probably won’t), we’ll have to modify our understanding of historical development. “Yes, early adherents near Eleusis showed up to Mass while tripping.” Or maybe psilocybin nourished the early mystical experience for some worshippers. And the idea that the mushroom replaces God? I love it. I’m just waiting for the debates about Traducianism: How did the psilocybin spark get transmitted through the generations? I’m a descendant of Russian peasants. I’m reasonably certain there was no psilocybin in my family genes for at least 20 generations, if not 200\. Is the psilocybin in my genes less than it was in my great grandfather’s? Is that why religion is on the decline these days: the psilocybin in our genes is down to its last drops? Is that why art today sucks and we’re increasingly uncivil and don’t know the first thing about faith, hope, and charity? You’d have to be a stoned ape to believe such a thing. For everyone else, such a proposition is absurd. It won’t take long for such a theory to be relegated to the dustbin of stupid theories that would supposedly eliminate God or the Church. --- But it should stand for centuries for this proposition: There must be a God. There must be a soul. Even those who disagree know it. They’re so aware of it, they’ll strain for a theory, any theory, to explain how mankind came to exist without acknowledging that it must be God. They’ll even speculate that a mushroom brought about our art, language, humor, philosophy, and religion. Photo by [engin akyurt](https://unsplash.com/@enginakyurt?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) ### California Wine Struggles URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/california-wine-struggles/ Last updated: 2024-04-05T10:56:33.000Z [Shift in Drinking HabitsIt seems alcohol is reeling. Every week, I see stories about another industry that’s hurting, but few stories point to the culprit: legal marijuana. In my generation, I see many adults who drink far less but smoke far more (or eat edibles). I’ve known at least one guy (and there![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Dark-Green-Gradient.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/shift-in-drinking-habits/) Times are getting increasingly tough for many of California’s wine grape growers. Wine-souring smoke from wildfires, grape-shriveling drought and global warming have all been playing an increasingly detrimental role in state vineyards for at least the last decade. But those aren’t the only headaches. More recently, a tectonic shift in generational drinking habits has led to a global glut of wine. Now, struggling California growers have found themselves having to compete with bargain-basement wine prices from overseas growers eager to rid themselves of aging supplies. “What’s aggravating is that we have grapes that didn’t get picked or sold while the biggest wineries in the state are bringing in cheap bulk wine from overseas,” lamented Lodi Winegrape Commissioner Stuart Spencer. Here in the heart of San Joaquin County’s prized wine country, thousands of tons of unpicked grapes cling to abandoned vines, and piles of gnarled wood and wire mark vast, uprooted vineyards. Much of the reason for this, according to Spencer, is that giant California-based wineries have been increasing their purchases of cheap foreign bulk wine, then blending it with vintages produced on either side of Highway 99, about 35 miles south of Sacramento. Under Federal Tax & Trade Bureau regulations, the resulting blend can be labeled “American wine” if it contains no more than 25% foreign wine. While the blending of foreign wine with California wine is nothing new, few growers have wanted to complain publicly for fear of losing business from large winemakers. Now however, as the plight of vineyard owners grows, Spencer and others are speaking openly about it. In March, Spencer shocked the industry by publishing a report entitled, “Imported foreign bulk wine: the dirty secret no one in California wine is talking about.” “I felt I had to say something about a disturbing aspect of our industry that has been left out of the conversation,” Spencer said. It is a searing criticism of the industry that has made Spencer, 54, something of a local hero at a time when many wine grape growers are grappling with the impacts of massive wildfires, unprecedented drought, rising labor and equipment costs, COVID-19 mandates and a brutal demographic disconnect around the world that has slowed the market for Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Merlot. Wine, once the height of boomer culture and conspicuous consumption, has lost its cool among young, more frugal and health-conscious potential customers, many of whom prefer cannabis over Cabernet, experts say. In France, the government is spending more than $200 million to destroy excess wine amid plummeting demand. In Australia, vineyards have been forced to stockpile two years’ worth of production due to lack of buyers. Now, growers in Lodi — the most diverse wine growing region in the U.S., with 125 varieties in production — and across much of the state are being urged by industry representatives to remove tens of thousands of acres of vineyards to balance supply with demand. **Read the rest (subscription probably required)** [Global wine glut compounds headaches for struggling California vineyardsStruggling California vineyards are having to compete with bargain-basement wine prices from overseas growers, due to global oversupply.![](https://www.latimes.com/apple-touch-icon.png)Los Angeles TimesLouis Sahagún![](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d3d77e4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5156x2707+0+295/resize/1200x630!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F78%2Fdc%2Fcf753ea74147846549778483a747%2F1426527-me-calif-vineyards-struggling-09-gmf.jpg)](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-04-01/troubles-mount-for-california-wine-grape-growers?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Mint Julep: The Percy Battle? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/mint-julep-battle-of-the-percy/ Last updated: 2024-05-05T11:34:41.000Z ### Poet Will Percy provided this recipe for the Mint Julep in his autobiography, Lanterns on the Levee: > First you needed excellent bourbon whisky; rye or Scotch would not do at all. Then you put half an inch of sugar in the bottom of the glass and merely dampened it with water. Next, very quickly—and here was the trick in the procedure—you crushed your ice, actually powdered it, preferably in a towel with a wooden mallet, so quickly that it remained dry, and, slipping two sprigs of fresh mint against the inside of the glass, you crammed the ice in right to the brim, packing it with your hand. Last you filled the glass, which apparently had no room left for anything else, with bourbon, the older the better, and grated a bit of nutmeg on the top. ### It sounds like his cousin and ward, Walker, followed a similar, but not identical, method: > *Southern writer Walker Percy insisted that a good julep should hold at least 5 ounces of bourbon: 5 ounces bourbon/Several sprigs fresh spearmint/4 to 5 tablespoons superfine sugar/Crushed ice . . . Into a silver julep cup, a highball glass, or a Mason jar, press 2 or 3 tablespoons of superfine sugar together with a very small quantity of water, just enough to make a sugary paste. Add a layer of fresh spearmint leaves. Press them gently with a muddler or wooden spoon, but do not smash them. Pile on a layer of fresh finely crushed ice. Mr. Percy prefers that you reduce the ice to powder by wrapping it in a dry towel and banging it with a wooden mallet. To that layer, add a fine sprinkling of sugar and a few more mint leaves that you have spanked, but not crushed, by clapping them loudly between your hands.* Amy Stewart, *The Drunken Botanist*. A few simple Google searches reveal that there is also a thing known as a "gin julep." Some heretics actually make the mint julep with vodka. I might have to try it next spring when my mint pops back up (which it assuredly will, even though I eradicated 80% of it last fall to make room for my fall kale planting). ### The Grid-less Vacation URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-grid-less-vacation/ Last updated: 2024-04-08T13:55:16.000Z Two years ago we ran our first “power down” experiment at the Grovestead. After years of pursuing a simpler, more sustainable life, we wondered what it might be like to go without electricity altogether. We also wondered how prepared we actually were should the power ever go off for a prolonged period. So one Sunday afternoon we flipped the breakers, put away the screens, cooked by campfire, read by candlelight, and focused fully on our farm and each other for a full seven days. It was the best vacation we ever had. We’ve repeated the experiment several times since and each time found it to be profoundly fulfilling, grounding, and family-bonding. Powering down has a way of recentering and refocusing our busy, distracted, lives in a way no other activity can, which is why we keep returning to it year after year. We’ve heard from several readers who wanted to power down at the same time. So this year we are inviting you to join along. The last full week in April (21st through 27th) we will get rid of the distractions and live deliberately. Whether you can power down for just a few days or the whole week, we encourage everyone to give it a try. Just keep a journal and write your reflections. Then share them with us when we meet again. Godspeed, Rory *P.S. I’ve posted some suggestions below. You may also want to read* [*Reflections from our first power down*](https://www.thegrovestead.com/reflections-from-our-first-power-down/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *(especially worth reading what our kids had to say).* ## Tips for a Successful Power Down by Becca Groves (*Reprinted from* [*The Grovestead Newsletter*](https://www.thegrovestead.com/newsletter/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *Winter 2023*) What I will say from the start is that a week without power takes effort. But like all things that take some effort, there is a satisfaction and goodness that is hard to put into words. The entirety of our first power down, I kept reflecting on how my mom raised her kids with only a land line, and only much later, a message machine. That means that all of my mom’s child rearing days were without texts, emails, voice messages, social media and scrolling of any kind. So much has changed in just one generation, and I think this practice is just a great opportunity to step back and assess: what have we gained and what have we lost? **Read the rest** [Power Down: Quiet Focus on Your Real Life – The Grovestead![](https://www.thegrovestead.com/favicon.ico)The GrovesteadRory![](https://www.thegrovestead.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_0243-1-1160x870.jpg)](https://www.thegrovestead.com/powerdown/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Jimmy Buffet: Hymnographer URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53786/ Last updated: 2024-05-03T11:12:51.000Z ### How Jimmy Buffet can help cultivate the virtue of detachment I started listening to Jimmy Buffet songs when I was in law school. Though I was ambitiously studying hard so I could get a job with a powerful law firm, I was drawn to Buffet's music because it celebrates a radically carefree lifestyle. As I later settled into my career as a lawyer, I increasingly enjoyed Buffet's music as I was increasingly wrapped in the world's snares. This irony has puzzled me, even as I walked around my house humming his tunes. I've concluded that it stems from the need for detachment, a need that Buffet counsels in his music. Music that, for this reason, resembles hymns. --- ### Detachment 101: St. Francis of Assisi The virtue of detachment is the rejection of the self-regarding cares that bounce us through life like a ball in a pinball machine. If a person is detached, the cares and concerns of the world don't affect–attach to–him because he doesn't care about himself. The detached person doesn't care about the things that drive most people–worldly status, money, security in the earth's riches. As a result, the detached person is often poorer in monetary riches, but, in compensation, he receives an ample appreciation of the earth's beauty as he sees the goodness of God's creation without distorting it through the lens of his ego. St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Blessed is he who expecteth nothing, for he shall enjoy everything.” G.K. Chesterton expounded on these words in his biography of St. Francis, writing, “It is not only true that the less a man thinks of himself, the more he thinks of his good luck and of all the gifts of God. It is also true that he sees more of the things themselves when he sees more of their origin . . .” These words, and St. Francis' life, are lessons in detachment. Chesterton's analysis (unsurprisingly) continues far past this and explains how St. Francis' detachment blossomed into something yet richer and holier. But St. Francis' first step, as Chesterton recognized, was detachment. Detachment is the lesson of Buffet's songs. His songs say, “Ignore the cares of the world so you can enjoy the world.” It's the message that makes Buffet's songs loved by everyone who hears them (except perhaps the seriously damned, the seriously holy, and the seriously musical). The songs speak to our nature, to our soul, like religious communication must. Buffet's signature song, Margaritaville, recounts the daily life of the singer, a man whose day revolves around margaritas (a strong, tequila-based drink). The song rings with intense detachment, starting with its opening lines, “Nibblin' on sponge cake, watchin' the sun bake . . . Strummin' my six-string on my front porch swing.” The entire song echoes a similar, devil-may-care attitude. “Don't know the reason/Stayed here all season/With nothing to show but this brand new tattoo.” Appreciating the song requires hearing the laid-back tune (Buffet started his career as a country singer, and his songs still have that easy twang). The tune brings home the attitude behind the lyrics. Together, the lyrics and tune resound in the soul, making the listener say, “That would be a better life. That's better than working fifty hours a week and trying to earn yet more money.” --- ### St. Buffet v. Peale Even though Buffet's counsels are steeped in sloth and fleshly desires (and such things are poison to the true religious virtue of detachment–the detached man doesn't care for those things), he's still better to hear than many preachers. Many preachers are as wrapped in the world's lures as a stockbroker, banker, or other businessman. Norman Vincent Peale, for instance, told the story about Miss Lou, a widow with no skills who started a home-based candy business and became so successful that she was named Mississippi's Woman of the Year. Peale asked rhetorically whether this great woman was “in” her all along, and replied: “Certainly! It just hadn't been awakened. Who awakened it? She prayed, she worked, she believed. And Jesus brought forth the great woman who was in her all the time.'” For Peale, the religious life translates into business success. Buffet once sang about an old man who was whiling away his final days: “Now he lives in the islands, fishes the pilin's and drinks his green label each day. He's writing his memoirs and losing his hearing, but he don't care what most people say. . . If he likes you he'll smile then he'll say, 'Jimmy, some of it's magic, some of it's tragic, but I had a good life all the way.” You tell me which one, Peale or Buffet, is closer to the religious life. --- ### Spiritual Solace in Margaritaville I graduated from law school, took that job with a powerful law firm but quickly reverted to the small-town practice of law. I worked hard, raised children, carried lots of cares, shouldered lots of worries. I'm not in my fifties. Financial concerns aren't nearly as pressing. Most of the kids are out of the house. But I still carry too many cares and shoulder too many worries. Even though I understand the need for detachment and strive for it, every week brings another flood of concerns. At times I pray. Sometimes I sit quietly or read a religious seer's counsel. And sometimes I grab a beer and turn on Buffet. They all help me to recollect and step away from this jungle called the flesh and world. Jimmy Buffet is no saint and his songs really ought not be called hymns. But he speaks to this struggling, half-baked sinner better than many preachers. --- ## Obit It's not a flattering portrait. Lapsed, mocking Catholic, but he was educated by Jesuits, so he can be forgiven. [Appreciation: Jimmy Buffett, in his own words: ‘What I see at my shows might look like Sodom and Gomorrah’The singer-songwriter and billionaire entrepreneur died Friday after a four-year cancer battle. ‘I’m not a great singer, and I’m not a great guitar player,’ he said. ‘But I’m a good entertainer.’![](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/apple-touch-icon.png)San Diego Union-TribuneGeorge Varga![](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0c8052c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3115x1635+0+0/resize/1200x630!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fzbk%2Fdamlat_images%2FLA%2FLA_PHOTO_SELECTS%2F2016_10%2F2486818_sd_et_buffett_humphreys_HP_25.JPG)](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/story/2023-09-02/appreciation-jimmy-buffett-dead-at-76-what-i-see-out-there-at-my-shows-might-look-like-sodom-and-gomorrah?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### How to be a Good Agrarian URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53392/ Last updated: 2024-05-02T12:33:42.000Z I hung out with Michael Jordan outside Chicago about twenty years ago. No, not basketball Michael Jordan. I'm talking about Michael Jordan, the English professor from [Hillsdale College](https://www.hillsdale.edu/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). We met at a [*Touchstone* ](https://www.touchstonemag.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)conference at [Mundelein Seminary](https://usml.edu/mundelein-seminary/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). He saw my name tag and said he enjoyed my articles. Being a narcissist, I was smitten, and we talked a bit and took a few meals together. Because we only lived an hour apart, we kept in touch for awhile and met for lunch once, but then drifted away into life. I bumped into him a few months ago at a Hillsdale cross-country meet. He had just retired due to some health problems. We caught up a bit and I haven't seen him since. And then yesterday, I read (what I think is) a farewell essay to Hillsdale alumni. It's a pithy, fast-paced piece: beautiful in its simplicity, wise in its advice. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a link. Maybe he'll see this post and send me a link or the entire article. For today, though, here are a few of my favorites from his “How to be a Good Agrarian in the 21st Century.” - Be a member of your community, not a mere consumer in the global economy. - Be as self-resilient you can be in terms of home economics and home culture. - The food you raise yourself will be better tasting, more nutritious, and healthier than what you find at the supermarket. - Try to avoid specialization and the division of labor: When you can, be your own doctor, plumber, carpenter, painter, etc. - “Throw out the radio and take down the fiddle from the wall.” Quoting Andrew Lytle from the excellent [*I'll Take My Stand*](https://amzn.to/3czuXIs?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). - Settle in a particular place, ideally the place where you were born and where your extended family lives. - Every few years read [*The Memory of Old Jack*](https://amzn.to/2MNXUoU?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [*Hard Times*](https://amzn.to/3tmLWmY?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and other agrarian writings to remind yourself how you ought to live and work, and how you ought not to live and work. --- ## The Full Agrarian Letter ### After I published the foregoing, Professor Jordan saw it and see me his full agrarian letter for publication here: While it is unlikely that you will take up the plow after you graduate, you can still be a good Agrarian. Here are a few Agrarian admonitions that direct us toward what is called the American Dream, what we might also call the Good Life. Whenever possible, show loyalty and solidarity with your community by shopping at the small shops: at locally owned and locally managed businesses, places where you might encounter the same face behind the counter over a period of years. Be a member of your community, not homo economicus, a mere consumer in the global economy. In G. K. Chesterton’s [*The Outline of Sanity*](https://amzn.to/3EPOUIe?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (section two on “Some Aspects of Big Business”), Chesterton argues (and demonstrates) that the small shops are often better than the large stores from both the moral and the mercantile points of view. Remember Wordsworth’s sonnet; avoid the fate of men devoted to utility and consumerism: The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and Spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! Put the interest of God, community, and family before self-interest. This is perhaps more a Christian admonition than an Agrarian, though it is implicit (and sometimes explicit) in some of the “Agrarian” writings we’ve examined. The admonition has bearing on your life in this world and, if Jesus is correct, in the life to come. Be as self-reliant as you can be in terms of home economics and home culture. Whenever you can, be your own farmer. Keep bees and make maple syrup; raise vegetables, flowers, fruit trees and vines. Live where you will be permitted to raise fowl — for eggs and meat. If you get especially “agrarianous,” you could raise larger animals: pigs, goats, and beef and milk cows. Remember Hesiod’s advice to his lazy brother Perses: “First of all, get yourself an ox for plowing, and a woman– / For work, not to marry — one who can plow with the oxen.” My own advice is that you find a spouse (a wife or husband) for marriage and for work, someone who loves you and who likes to be economically and culturally self-reliant. Remember Jack Beechum’s tragic fate in Berry’s [*The Memory of Old Jack*](https://amzn.to/3ZawRo8?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): while he did enjoy “the yeoman’s tradition of sufficiency to himself, of faithfulness to his place,” he did “not unite farm and household and marriage bed.” The food you raise for yourself and your family will be better tasting, more nutritious, and healthier than what you find at your local supermarket. If you don’t raise your own vegetables and grow your own meat, endeavor to get them from a local source. Extend this self-reliance to other areas of the home economy: when you can, be your own doctor (practice home medicine), your own plumber, carpenter, painter, etc. In other words, endeavor to avoid specialization, the division of labor, by being well-rounded. Teach your children (if you are blessed with them) at home; teach them both religion and academics at home, by precept and by example. Do this even if you send your children to Sunday school and public or private schools. As for self-reliance and home culture, take to heart Andrew Lytle’s admonition in the Agrarian Manifesto [*I’ll Take My Stand*](https://amzn.to/3mg4g2b?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): “Throw out the radio and take down the fiddle from the wall. Forsake the movies for the play-parties and the square dances.” Let your home culture be a way of life and not a commodity, not a commercial enterprise or expense. Ideally, this home culture should grow out of the traditions of a particular people living in a particular place; it should be both traditional and organic, not imported from outside the region. As John Crowe Ransom observes in the Agrarian Manifesto, cultural poverty cannot be cured “by pouring in soft materials from the top.” Here we’re talking about folk arts and crafts, which thrive best in traditional agrarian communities. But if the folk arts are not to your liking, and you prefer instead “highbrow” art, well and good. But endeavor to enjoy this highbrow art as a participant, not as a mere spectator. In other words, take the violin out of its case, and play Mozart and Vivaldi. Settle in a particular place, ideally the place you were born and where your extended family lives. There immerse yourself in both family and community life. If you can, avoid the large cities. Think of Jefferson’s denunciation of cities and mobs; think of Luke in Wordsworth’s “Michael.” Cultivate good stewardship of natural resources and practice piety toward Creation. Virgil’s *Georgics* and Ruskin’s essays, among other semester readings, stress these points. Remember that utility, beauty, and morality can and should be combined in life and work, in culture and art. Pope’s “Epistle IV. To Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington” and Ruskin’s essays remind us of this. If you do become the CEO of a large corporation, or a banker, don’t be a Bounderby. In whatever career you make for yourself, remember the Golden Rule and the second Great Commandment. Remember the first Great Commandment as well. If you become a teacher, don’t be a Gradgrind. Cultivate both the hearts and the minds of your students. And don’t forget the body, either. Every few years read *The Memory of Old Jack*, *Hard Times*, and some of the other “Agrarian” writings we examined this semester–to remind yourself how you ought to live and work, and how you ought not to live and work. This will help you to be a good Agrarian, or better yet, a worthy steward, a humane person. Have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful life. ### New Movie about The Shroud URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/new-movie-about-the-shroud/ Last updated: 2024-04-02T10:37:06.000Z [*The Shroud: Face to Face*](https://www.theshroudfilm.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)moves audiences. Robert Orlando crosses boundaries to show scientific and historical evidence that “He is risen, indeed.” The new film documentary, which debuted on Good Friday, is about the [Shroud of Turin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud%5Fof%5FTurin?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), “but the Shroud is a significant symbol pointing to something bigger: I want to *see* Jesus. I want to go where it happened, step into his shoes.” [Orlando](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert%5FOrlando?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), a Princeton, N.J.-based author and filmmaker, began his investigation into the Shroud as a skeptic. Like many Catholics, he was a believer but kind of “rolled his eyes” at stories about the Shroud. Picture the original Christians present at the founding of the Church: Their founder was arrested, publicly humiliated, and executed—many who believed lost faith. But then, he returned. And that first clue: His tomb was empty. Was his body stolen? If so, why did the grave robbers not take his valuable burial cloths along with his body? Why leave the expensive woven material behind? The Bible makes clear Jesus wasn’t there, but the cloth remained. Is the Shroud of Turin objective physical evidence of a man scourged, crucified, and then miraculously resurrected? Blood and a host of clues, including traces of his image, were somehow seared directly into the cloth. Orlando’s investigation, combining all the significant sources, including science, shows that the Shroud is physical evidence that Jesus and his story are real. New studies [show](https://catholicherald.co.uk/new-evidence-indicates-turin-shroud-not-a-european-forgery/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) the Shroud wasn’t a forgery. Believers are even [offering](https://catholicreview.org/supporters-offer-million-dollar-prize-to-replicate-shroud-of-turin/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) $1 million to anyone who thinks they can replicate the Shroud. Bishop [Robert Barron](https://medium.com/catholic-way-home/bishop-barron-god-is-an-actor-in-history-bfea23ccaea5?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) read and endorsed Orlando's book, saying it offered a “compelling and convincing account of the single most fascinating relic in the Christian world.” For Easter Sunday, Barron devoted his entire homily to the Shroud and its “evidence for the resurrection,” recalling the moment the tomb was found empty: “These strange and beautiful burial cloths opened the door to their belief in the resurrection… I think the same burial cloth that opened the door to faith long ago could perhaps do the same thing today.” Above: Bishop Robert Barron describes how the Shroud of Turin can “open the door to faith.” Historian and author [Paul Kengor](https://www.gcc.edu/Home/Academics/Faculty-Directory/Faculty-Detail/paul-kengor?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) praised the film, [writing](https://spectator.org/face-to-face-with-the-shroud-of-christ/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), “This film really is a must-see at Easter. Imagine: Christ may well have left behind physical evidence of his resurrected body — the very material that his body passed through as he rose again. Think about that. Is that worth considering for an hour and 10 minutes of your time this Easter weekend? Yeah, I’d think so.” Orlando was one of those skeptics. For years, he avoided requests to investigate the Shroud. Then fate jumped in: his father’s unexpected death moved him to search for evidence. “There’s really no distance between me and this film,” Orlando said. “I felt the most transparent in this film. Do I know him? Do I know that encounter?” When the Bible describes the first Easter, “They saw, and they believed?” (John 20:29), could they have discussed finding the Shroud in the burial tomb where Jesus was placed on the first Good Friday? “I was reading today how many times the Shroud was used for Good Friday,” Orlando said. “You couldn’t use paint to make this. The conclusion from STURP (Shroud of Turin Research Project) confirms not an artist but a real scourged and crucified person.” Orlando adds: “At least in the case of Jesus and the Shroud, a blast of light passed through the linen and did not burn it, leaving a hair’s width of a detailed, 3D image encoded and configured as a crucified man.” The film connects all the dots: “Welcome to the realm where reality meets imagination, where perception and storytelling converge,” Orlando tells us as the documentary opens. ## Did photography’s science — and new art — provide us with the seeds to transform our lives, our culture — and history itself? It’s incredible how much story and information — and how many audiences come together in a one-hour and 15-minute documentary. Above: The trailer for The Shroud: Face to Face. The Shroud has a history of converting skeptics who study it. The story goes back to 33 AD. Soon after, the apostle Thasseus brought a cloth to King Abgar, the king of Edesa, and healed the king from leprosy. In 544 AD, the Shroud was found “hidden in a wall of Edesa.” Soon after, artistic images of Jesus started to look similar, resembling the face we see in the Shroud. But as it was from the Bible through today, “some doubted.” “When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted” (Matthew 28:17, NIV) But leave it to new technology to change perceptions. [Secondo Pia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondo%5FPia?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), in 1898, took the first photo of the Shroud, pioneering the use of then-new technology like flash bulbs. ![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:700/1*jkv0Qe1wZK3-F-aSvW2O5A.jpeg) [Secondo ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondo%5FPia?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)Pia’s 1898 negative of the image on the Shroud of Turin has an appearance suggesting a positive image. It is part of the devotion to the [Holy Face of Jesus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy%5FFace%5Fof%5FJesus?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Image from [Musée de l’Élysée](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e%5Fde%5Fl%27%C3%89lys%C3%A9e?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [Lausanne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lausanne?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Image via [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Secundo%5FPia%5FTurinske%5Fplatno%5F1898.jpg?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Similarly, Orlando spent his whole career using film tools to search for the most accurate, compelling picture. He knows — and shows — how changing a lens alters perspectives and priorities. He’s also a scholar immersed in Biblical studies at the Princeton Theological Seminary. Orlando, an Italian-American, returns to Italy — and the Holy Land — and takes up a cross, retracing a journey, walking in another man’s shoes. Could Jesus have left a selfie on the Shroud, marking his resurrection? Proof of life after life and 68 billion watts of power burned into a piece of cloth when no one had any technological power? Watch the film to learn more. **To watch the film or order the book, please visit** [**www.theshroudflm.com**](http://www.theshroudflm.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**.** [This story originally appeared at Catholic Way Home (a Medium.com publication)](https://medium.com/catholic-way-home/the-shroud-face-to-face-a-film-that-moves-us-63a7dd11c816?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#2caa-40c4a181151d) ### Toni Morrison's Rejection Letters URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/toni-morrisons-rejection-letters/ Last updated: 2024-04-01T13:25:26.000Z [Toni Morrison’s Rejection LettersTo my knowledge, I’ve never read anything by Toni Morrison. I’ve never even wanted to read anything by her. Not out of animosity. She simply rarely crossed my mental radar screen, except when there was a reference to Oprah, and that was enough to shoot it off my radar screen.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/04/Briefly-Lavender-Wall.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/toni-morrisons-rejection-letters-2/) “I FOUND IT extremely honest, forthright, and moving in ways I had not expected it to be,” Toni Morrison wrote to an aspiring novelist in 1977, “but it is a shuddering book and one that offers no escape for any reader whatsoever.” Still, Morrison, then a senior editor at Random House, liked the manuscript so much that, before responding, she passed it around the office to drum up support. The verdict was “intelligent,” but also “very ‘down,’ depressing, spiritually abrasive.” Whatever the merits of the writing, Morrison’s colleagues predicted, the potent mix of dissatisfaction, anger, and mournfulness would limit the book’s commercial appeal—and Morrison reluctantly agreed. “You don’t want to escape and I don’t want to escape,” her letter concludes, “but perhaps the public does and perhaps we are in the business of helping them do that.” During her 16 years at Random House, Morrison wrote hundreds of rejection letters. Usually typed on pink, yellow, or white carbonless copy paper, and occasionally bearing Random House’s old logo and letterhead, these are now filed among her correspondence in the Random House archives at Columbia University’s Rare Book & Manuscript Library. While many of the letters were mailed to New York, Boston, and even Rome, others were sent to writers in more obscure places; some are addressed to “general delivery” in various small towns across the United States. Regardless of destination, Morrison’s rejections tend to be long, generous in their suggestions, and direct in their criticism. The letters themselves—generally one, two at most, exchanged with a given writer—constitute an asymmetrical archive. On one end of each communiqué is the ghost of a submitted manuscript (absent from the archive after being returned to the sender, although in some cases survived by a cover letter). On the other is a rejection from Morrison, sometimes brusque yet typically offering something more than an expression of disinterest—notes on craft, character development, the need for more (or less) drama. But also: Autopsies of a changing, and in many ways diminishing, publishing industry; frustrations with the tastes of a reading public; and sympathies for poets, short story writers, and other authors drawn to commercially hopeless genres. Most of Morrison’s surviving rejection letters date to the 1970s, a period that saw rapid changes in New York book publishing. This was especially true at Random House: a decade after going public in 1959, the company used the influx of cash to fuel a wave of acquisitions and two mergers, purchasing Alfred A. Knopf and Then, in 1965, Random House itself was acquired by RCA, an electronics company, only to be sold a few years later to a media conglomerate owned by the Newhouse family. Under this aegis, Random House went on to acquire a slew of imprints that expanded the company’s global footprint and generic range. In short, like Pangaea breaking up in reverse, the publishing industry underwent the dramatic, global consolidation that produced today’s “Big Five”: Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group, and Macmillan. Recently, this would have shrunk to the Big Four had [an attempt by the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/85004-bertelsmann-to-buy-s-s-for-2-2-billion.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (owner of Penguin Random House, the largest US publisher) to buy Simon & Schuster from its parent company, ViacomCBS, not been blocked by a US federal judge on antitrust grounds. Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter [celebrated the collapse of the deal,](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/31/books/penguin-random-house-simon-schuster.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) claiming: “The proposed merger would have reduced competition, decreased author compensation, diminished the breadth, depth, and diversity of our stories and ideas, and ultimately impoverished our democracy.” **Read the rest** [There Is No Point in My Being Other Than Honest with You: On Toni Morrison’s Rejection Letters | Los Angeles Review of BooksMelina Moe writes about the rejection letters Toni Morrison sent as an editor at Random House.…![](https://lareviewofbooks.org/icons/favicon/apple-touch-icon.png)Los Angeles Review of BooksJasmine Liu![](https://lareviewofbooks-media.azureedge.net/unsafe/1920x0/filters:format(jpeg):quality(75)/https%3A%2F%2Fdev.lareviewofbooks.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F03%2FWandtoepfe_A-exp11_Alfio_Giuffrida-AG_Sinnwerke.jpg)](https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/there-is-no-point-in-my-being-other-than-honest-with-you-on-toni-morrisons-rejection-letters/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Russia’s Freaky History with the Cult of Mother Earth URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth/ Last updated: 2024-04-30T13:07:00.000Z The Russian digs Mother Earth. This has been the case from Russia’s earliest years when dark and brutal paganism soaked her culture in blood.[\[1\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn1) The Russian venerates Mother Earth for her black depths, for the crops of life she provides, and for the resting home she gives at death. She is the Russian’s “embodiment of kindness and mercy”[\[2\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn2) in a land that has seen too much cruelty and vengeance. # Dostoyevsky’s Father Zossima Loved the Earth The Russian’s fervor for Mother Earth is vividly illustrated in Dostoyevsky’s Father Zossima, the *Starets* of Alyosha Karamozov’s monastery in [*The Brothers Karamazov*](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/4934.The%5FBrothers%5FKaramazov?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Father Zossima was graphic in his love for Mother Earth. He urged his disciples to prostrate themselves and kiss the earth: > “Kiss it tirelessly, love it insatiably, love all men and all things, seek that fervor and ecstasy of love. Water the earth with tears of joy and love those tears.”[\[3\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn3) This devotion to the earth in the Russian’s religious mind led to Zossima’s belief in the unbreakable bond[\[4\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn4) between the divine world, man, and creation: a bond that creates an intimate existence between each person and other creatures. In the words of Fr. Zossima: > A “dying youth asked the birds to forgive him. That may sound absurd, but when you think of it, it makes sense. For everything is like the ocean, all things flow and are indirectly linked together, and if you push here, something will move at the other end of the world. . . Understand that everything is like the ocean. Then, consumed by eternal love, you will pray to the birds, too. In a state of fervor you will pray to them to forgive you your sins.”[\[5\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn5) The bond, Zossima said, makes each person responsible for each other. > “Every one of us is responsible for all men and for everything on earth, not only responsible through universal responsibility of mankind, but responsible personally — every man for all people and for each individual man who lives on earth. Such awareness is the crown of a monk’s life and, indeed, the crown of any human life on earth.”[\[6\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn6) Zossima also urged his disciples to make themselves “answerable for all men’s sins. . . For as soon as a man sincerely accepts the idea that he is answerable for the sins of all men, he will recognize that that is, indeed, the truth, that he is answerable for everybody and everything.”[\[7\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn7) ![](https://miro.medium.com/max/700/0*mjpfH5SrO4CHaonC) Photo by [Boris Smokrovic](https://unsplash.com/fr/@borisworkshop?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) # It’s Beautiful and Almost Heretical . . . Almost This Cult of Mother Earth is unique to the Russian religious mind, and, though it is beautiful, it can lead to heterodox beliefs because it tends to foster pantheistic notions of God. It’s not surprising that Russia’s first “authentically original Russian philosopher,”[\[8\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn8) **Gregory Skovoroda** (1722–1794), dipped into pantheism, though he was a Christian. At the age of 43, Skovoroda, the self-proclaimed “Russian Socrates,” became a [*strannik*](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1587793?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), a wanderer, who spent the rest of his life wandering Ukraine with a knapsack, living with friends and the poor, giving spiritual lessons. Although his lessons were infused with Christian notions, his name for God was “Nature,” and he gave her praise normally reserved only for God: > “Nature is good to every creature that breathes . . . In her sedulous providence she has prepared all those things without which the happiness of the least worm cannot be accomplished.”[\[9\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn9) But the Cult of Mother Earth’s uniqueness and potential risk really rests more in its passionate emotional fervor, as seen in Fr. Zossima’s counsel (to be taken literally) to kiss the earth tirelessly and to water it with tears and to preach to the birds. Intellectually, it’s not much of a heretical risk. # The Cult is Arguably Just the Sacramental . . . on Steroids Western philosophy, especially Scholasticism, reached staid, orthodox, intellectual conclusions that parallel the emotional poetic conclusions of Fr. Zossima. Although the earth is not God and is separate from Him, it is God’s creation and therefore it resembles God. In the West, philosophers (such as Etienne Gilson) say the world is “analogous” to God. It is a “universe in which all things bear the traces of the divinity.”[\[10\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn10) This gives the world, to echo the words of John Henry Newman, a sacramental character,[\[11\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn11) “a sacred world with a relation to God inscribed in its very being and in every law that rules its functioning.”[\[12\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn12) As a result, holy men like Sts. Francis and Bonaventure found a high and unique joy in contemplating God as mirrored in His universe. Moreover, the earth is imbued with finality, in the Aristotelian sense of having a final cause, a goal. Although we can never know exactly why God created, all knowledge we have of God shows that **He could have created for no other reason than love**. He wanted to create beings that rejoice in His glory, like (analogous to) parents who, in unadulterated love, prepare a birthday party for their child solely to see the joy on the child’s face. All things are directed toward the final cause of glorying in God — and the glory starts by appreciating His creation. Each human, the being made in God’s image, plays a particularly important role in this appreciation. Imbued with the faculty of reason, he is equipped with free will to choose to find God’s glory and participate in it. In this way, he is like the angels but unlike any other earthly creature. But, unlike the angels but like other earthly creatures, he participates in creation as a bodily being — a being that walks on, struggles with, pounces upon, and gets buried in, the earth. As a creature with reason but also a body, he alone is equipped to participate in God’s creation, to increase the manifestation of God’s glory on earth through his actions. The Pseudo-Dionysius taught that there is nothing more divine in this world than to become a cooperator with God in His creation.[\[13\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn13) And he cooperates with God in His creation by imitating God’s motive for creating in the first place: Love. Love — the concern for another person or thing that detaches the individual from self-regard — is the cornerstone of religion because it is the cornerstone of creation. **We love the animals and rocks because God made them; we particularly love other men because they are made by God in His image; we ultimately love God because He first loved us and there is, ultimately, nothing else for us to do.** It’s a ternary structure — earth, man, God — all tied together. Just like the Russian Cult of Mother Earth, tied together in an “unbreakable bond.” ![](https://miro.medium.com/max/700/0*A0PKe6i7ONEqE8C2) Photo by [Angelo Casto](https://unsplash.com/@jddartphotographer?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) Seen in this light, Father Zossima’s words should be understood literally, and, depending on our emotional fervor, followed in imitation of St. Francis of Assisi, who preached to the birds, who had a loving “relationship to everything, to man, beasts of the fields and forests, the birds, the fish, trees, flowers, even stones, the sun, the moon, the wind and the stars, fire and water, rain and snow, storms, the earth, summer, winter, and the tender elegy of springtime.”[\[14\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn14) We should water the earth with our tears in sorrow for our fellow man’s sins, thereby returning to the earth water from our God-created body in an act of love for the creature made in God’s image. Water the earth in joy, in celebration of the earth’s existence. Condemn yourself when you sin — for your sin must reverberate throughout creation. Do not judge a person when she sins, for your earlier sins contributed to her sin. Even if the cause and effect cannot be seen, the link is there just as, when you hit a chainlink fence, you cause links twenty yards away to rattle, although nothing immediately next to a rattling link would be able to see the cause. All the while, of course, avoiding any pantheistic confusion. The emotional fervor that accompanies the understanding of Mother Earth often leads to a tendency to collapse God into His creation, to eliminate His transcendence, which leads to the confusing words of Gregory Skovoroda. Erich Przywara, the twentieth-century theologian who heavily influenced Edith Stein and Hans Urs von Balthasar (perhaps the greatest of all modern theologians), taught that the history of modern thought “may be interpreted as the inability to hold together the polarity between God’s transcendence and immanence; that is, of running aground either in the pathos of stressing God’s omnipotence, thereby robbing the world of its own reality or by overwhelming it with God’s transcendence . . . or by the world absorbing God into itself through pantheistic identification with him . . .”.[\[15\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn15) > In other words, most, if not all, errors in modern thought result from the inability to maintain the balance that exists in a proper understanding of the Cult of Mother Earth. ![](https://miro.medium.com/max/700/0*Y3RlDQGq_wS_vBBa) Photo by [Nikolay Vorobyev](https://unsplash.com/@nikolayv?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) # Communism: A Heresy that Raped the Cult Numerous examples could be cited, but, from the standpoint of Russia’s Cult of Mother Earth, perhaps the most important is the example offered by Communism. As an uncompromisingly atheistic system, Communism robs the world of all sacramental character, effectively ejecting God from the earth and denying any relevance to transcendence, just as Karl Marx’s master, Ludwig Feuerbach, attempted to do with his doctrine of alienation, which taught that God is nothing but a mental fabrication created by the projection of man’s best qualities into transcendence.[\[16\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn16) Marx, in his early writings, expressly prohibited any discussion of first things, realizing that they ineluctably lead to God. In order to squelch them, Marx taught that such questions are mere abstractions and, accordingly, for the socialist (worthy) man, impractical and therefore irrelevant.[\[17\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn17) Marx, fearing that such questions would disrupt his immanent system, was so fearful of questions about transcendence that Eric Voegelin described him as a “spiritually diseased” man who suffered from “logophobia.”[\[18\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn18) Lenin similarly detested religion.[\[19\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn19) Thus Communism seems to stand at the polar opposite of Gregory Skovoroda and a Russian tradition that sometimes veered too closely to pantheism. It therefore may seem surprising that Russia became the testing ground for Communism. But opposites are often closer together than commonly supposed because they stand equidistant from the truth. From this standpoint, Russia was a predictable victim of Communism (and perhaps it is not surprising that Skovoroda was one of the few religious thinkers admired by Lenin — so much so that Lenin wanted to erect a monument to him[\[20\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn20)). After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the Bolsheviks carried out Marx’s fear and hatred of transcendence. In 1918, legislation excluded the Orthodox Church from all participation in the educational system and confiscated all Church property — making the Church, from a legal perspective, a non-entity. In the following years, huge numbers of bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and Orthodox laity were sent to prison or concentration camps and tens of thousands were martyred. The clergy were prohibited from engaging in charitable or social work. They were not permitted to hold catechism classes or Sunday school for children. Church youth groups were prohibited. Clergy and church-goers were watched, harassed, and persecuted. Churches were closed on a massive scale. At the same time, the Communist Party carried out an elaborate anti-religion campaign, forming the “League of Militant Atheists,” holding offensive anti-religious processions in the streets (especially at Easter and Christmas), opening the Museums of Religion and Atheism, often in former churches such as Kazan Cathedral of St. Petersburg.[\[21\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn21) The persecution continued into the late 1980s, possibly into the early 1990s.[\[22\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn22) # Russia Will Rise Again . . . In Some Freaky Form that Borrows from Its Neighbors Communism’s collapse left a vacuum that still isn’t filled, 30 years later. Russia has always been a country that takes ideas and practices from the outside, then twists and turns them into something uniquely Russian. This tendency seems endemic to Russia, perhaps ingrained from its inception when its Slavic peoples continually expanded from the western side of the great east European plain into the north and east, resulting in no fixed boundaries between them and their neighbors, with the consequence that they relentlessly assimilated other cultures — an assimilation that influenced Russia’s pre-historic language and customs.[\[23\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn23) The earliest years of Russian history show an influence from Finnish races, steppe peoples, the Greek colonies on the northern coasts of the Black Sea, Persia, Vikings, and possibly even Israel through the dominance of the mysterious Khazars, a proselytized Jewish nation, in the area north of the Black and Caspian Seas.[\[24\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn24) After Prince Vladimir’s baptism, Russia was so influenced by the Byzantine Empire — in its alphabet, literature, legal system, and art — that Russian culture for the next few centuries has been referred to as “tributary” or “received” culture of Byzantium, albeit a culture transformed by its “pre-historic customs, beliefs, and spirit of the Russian people and their land.”[\[25\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn25) After two hundred years of cultural stagnation under Mongol rule in the 13th and 14th centuries, a new outside force — hesychasm from Mt. Athos — deeply and permanently impressed itself on Russian spirituality, contributing to a monastic surge that single-handedly peopled Russia’s great northern forests.[\[26\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn26) The Russian’s tendency to twist outside ideas or practices into something uniquely Russian is especially illustrated here. From the spirituality of Mt. Athos, arose in Russia the institution of the *starets*. In this institution, the Elder (the *Starets*) of the monastery is sought by younger monks, surrounding laymen, even ministers of state, for advice. He also develops remarkably close ties with his disciples — a *starets*, said Dostoyevsky, “is one who takes your soul, your will, into his soul and his will.”[\[27\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn27) Dostoyevsky illustrated this institution in the personage of *Starets* Zossima. The spirituality of Mt. Athos was the last significant eastern force to penetrate Russia. The future outside forces were from the West. In 1631 Peter Mogila founded a school of humanistic studies based on the Jesuit college in Poland and Western Europe, which became known as the Academy of Kiev.[\[28\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn28) Later that century and in the early years of the next century, Peter the Great started the process of forcibly westernizing Russia, contributing to an intellectual and art renaissance imitative of Europe’s Renaissance two hundred years earlier. Perhaps more significantly, later in the eighteenth century Catherine the Great became enamored with the Enlightenment, so much so that Voltaire and Diderot recognized her as a fellow *philosophe*,[\[29\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn29) thereby fathering the movement known as “Russian Voltairism” and moving Russia toward secularized western tendencies. It was a tendency that culminated in the conquest of Germany’s Karl Marx in 1917, which is well symbolized by Lenin’s return — accomplished with the help of the German military who hoped Lenin would foment revolution in Russia, thereby crippling her war efforts — from Zurich to Petrograd,[\[30\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn30) where he took charge of the revolution. Like his Russian forebears, Lenin took a western idea, Marxism, gave it a twist — rejection of the historical determinism that is the core of Marxism[\[31\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn31) but which did not fit Russia’s state of development — and created a new political philosophy, widely-known as Marxism-Leninism in order to distinguish it from orthodox Marxism, a philosophy that is purposefully atheistic, a philosophy that leaves no room for the Cult of Mother Earth, a philosophy that, put into practice, resulted in the murderous persecution against the Church described above. # **Solzhenitsyn Didn’t Want Russia to Turn West** Shortly after arriving as an exile in the United States in 1974, **Alexander Solzhenitsyn** offended his American guests by bemoaning the weakness and spiritual torpor of the West. Although he had previously admired the West and looked to it for salvation from Communism, upon arriving here he immediately knew the West could offer no cultural guidance. He was disappointed by its moral relativism, lack of self-restraint, hastiness, superficiality, and unbridled capitalism that had worked its way from the pocketbook to the heart. He was dismayed by the grabbing materialism of the consumer, widespread television stupor, and love for intolerable music.[\[33\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn33) In 1978, he told the Harvard graduating class: > “But should someone ask me whether I would indicate the West such as it is today as a model to my country, frankly I would have to answer negatively. No, I could not recommend your society in its present state as an ideal for the transformation of ours. Through intense suffering our country has now achieved a spiritual development of such intensity that the western system in its present state of spiritual exhaustion does not look attractive.” Not surprisingly, Solzhenitsyn found the source of western stultification in the Enlightenment. He hates the Enlightenment; it is “his great enemy.”[\[34\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn34) Solzhenitsyn realized that, as the Enlightenment took hold, “limitations were eroded everywhere in the West” and “a total emancipation occurred from the moral heritage of Christian centuries. . .”.[\[35\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fedn35) That emancipation included a lack of respect (and, needless to say, worship) for Mother Earth, for the sacramental nature of creation, as evidenced by the pollution of Mother Earth in the name of progress — from Chernobyl to the fire on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland (the city that now houses the hall of fame for “intolerable music”). It’s an unhealthy disrespect: it cuts against our nature as the middle link in the ternary structure of God-man-earth. It is not surprising that it has resulted in the backlash of the extremist elements in the environmental movement. These elements exhibit a hysteria and fanaticism that are best explained as the unleashing of the dark forces gathered by a long-lasting and thorough act of repression — here, a repression that denied the sacramental nature of our world. If Russia turns again to the West, hopefully it will adopt the West’s good traits, and, by leaving behind the West’s secularized filth, twist them into something spiritually edifying, perhaps becoming a *Starets* to the whole world, a *Starets* that returns us to an understanding of the sacred nature of the earth, a mother to be loved, because she is the offspring of a God who loves — a mother to be awed because she is the offspring of a God otherwise to be feared. # Notes [\[1\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref1) For an example of its brutality, see the description of a Russian pagan funeral rite in the tenth century set forth in Warren H. Carroll, *The Building of Christendom* (Christendom College Press, 1987), 431\. In the rite, six men raped a slave girl, then strangled her as an old woman, “the angel of death,” repeatedly plunged a dagger between her ribs. Her corpse was then burned on her master’s funeral pyre. [\[2\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref2) George Fedotov, *The Russian Religious Mind* (Nordland Publishing Company, 1975), 13. [\[3\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref3) Fyodor Dostoyevsky, *The Brothers Karamazov* (Bantam Books, 1981), 390. [\[4\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref4) *See* Tomas Splidik, *The Spirituality of the Christian East* (Cistercian Publications, 1986), 188. [\[5\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref5) *The Brothers Karamazov*, *supra*, at 387. [\[6\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref6) *Id.* at 196. [\[7\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref7) *Id.* at 387. [\[8\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref8) *The Beginnings of Russian Philosophy, the Slavophiles, the Westernizers*, vol. 1 *Russian Philosophy* (University of Tennessee Press, 1994), 8. [\[9\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref9) *Id*. at 15–16. [\[10\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref10) Etienne Gilson, *The Spirit of Mediaeval Philosophy* (University of Notre Dame Press, 1991), 99. [\[11\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref11) *Id*. [\[12\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref12) *Id*. at 100. [\[13\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref13) *Id*. at 144. [\[14\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref14) Paul Gallico. *See* *Saints for Now*, ed. Clare Booth Luce (Ignatius Press, 1993), 129\. When this ternary structure of existence is understood, the legends about St. Francis’ relationship with the animals — such as the fish that received mercy from St. Francis and then followed his boat and waited for him to return from shore — become intuitively believable. Perhaps the people in the Middle Ages who believed these legends were not so much simpleminded as they were existentially aware — and it’s not surprising that a modern culture that has lost this awareness would view them with contempt. [\[15\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref15) Edward T. Oakes, *Pattern of Redemption: The Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar* (Continuum Publishing Company, 1994), 36. [\[16\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref16) It can be argued that Feuerbach, and subsequently Marx, were pantheistic because they taught that mankind will thrive once it recaptures the Godly characteristics and brings them back to earth (where they can be used to create the perfect society). [\[17\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref17) *See* Eric Voegelin, *Science, Politics and Gnosticism* (Gateway Editions, 1990), 23–25. [\[18\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref18) Eric Voegelin, *From Enlightenment to Revolution* (Duke University Press, 1975), 259. [\[19\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref19) According to Lenin, “There can be nothing more abominable than religion.” *See* Paul Johnson, *Modern Times* (Harper & Row, 1985), 50–51. [\[20\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref20) James Billington, *The Icon and The Axe: An Interpretive History of Russian Culture* (Vintage Books, 1970), 242. [\[21\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref21) *See* Timothy Ware, *The Orthodox Church* (Penguin Books, 1993), 145–148. [\[22\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref22) *Id*. at 157–163. [\[23\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref23) Fedotov, *supra*, 4. [\[24\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref24) *Id*. at 5. [\[25\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref25) *The Beginnings of Russian Philosophy*, *supra*, 3. [\[26\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref26) Monks, in search of God, would abandon the distraction of civilization, but the people, in search of guidance, would follow, thereby expanding civilization to surround the monks, who would again take off to find God in the isolated wilderness. Eventually they reached the Arctic Ocean. *See* Sergius Bolshakoff, *Russian Mystics* (Cistercian Publications, 1980), 17. [\[27\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref27) *See* Kallistos Ware, *The Orthodox Way* (St. Vladimir’ Seminary Press, 1993), 127. [\[28\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref28) *The Beginnings of Russian Philosophy*, *supra*, 7–8. [\[29\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref29) *Id*. at 9. [\[30\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref30) Johnson, *supra*, 49. [\[31\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref31) Johnson, *supra*, 54. [\[32\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref32) The development is traced in Eric Voegelin’s *From Enlightenment to Revolution*, *supra*. [\[33\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref33) *See* Edward Ericson, *Solzhenitsyn and the Modern World* (Regnery Gateway, 1993), 132–138\. *See also* the text of the Harvard Commencement Address. Re-printed in *Imprimis*, August 1978. [\[34\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref34) Ericson, *supra*, 145. [\[35\]](https://medium.com/@ericscheske/russias-freaky-history-with-the-cult-of-mother-earth-b12609173498?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fednref35) Ericson, *supra*, 146. ### Listening to Podcasts at Oxford in 1374 and Kansas in 1974 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52905/ Last updated: 2024-04-30T13:07:30.000Z ### Why do we love those conversational podcasts? If you were a student at a medieval university, you listened to lectures. And listened and listened and listened to lectures, often more than ten hours a day. But they weren’t like lectures at today’s universities, where hundreds of students sit in a hall and listen to a professor deliver a monologue. The medieval morning lectures were like that, but come afternoon, the lectures morphed into dialogue. The professor would assert a position, a graduate assistant would field questions or objections posed by undergraduates, and discussion ensued. At the end, the professor would summarize that afternoon’s conversation. It was the “Scholastic disputation.” Each session was meant to unfold knowledge gradually, as informed and inquisitive minds rubbed against one another, sharpening each other in the process, like knives rubbing against a whetstone. # Kansas: Early 1970s The disputation, like everything else Scholastic, evaporated over the centuries and gave way to the mass lecture hall, with one professor doing all the talking. In the 1970s, three professors at the University of Kansas brought back the disputation. The three professors were John Senior, Frank Nelick, and Dennis Quinn, and they led the Integrated Humanities Program, a program dedicated to the wild notion of restoring a sense of beauty and poetic knowledge in its students. The Program had a lot of facets (e.g., waltzes, star-gazing, great books), but its centerpiece may have been conversations among the three professors with the students watching. The following description of these highly-popular sessions is taken from Fr. Francis Bethel’s [*John Senior and the Restoration of Realism*](https://amzn.to/3w1P4Yf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The 80-minute classes were neither planned nor rehearsed. They weren’t even mentally prepared beforehand. Said Quinn in an interview: > *We didn’t plan the lectures. We had lunch together before class started and on the way over to class I’d say, ‘Well, what are we going to talk about?’ and they’d say, ‘I don’t know. What book are we reading?”* The conversational style captivated the students. The professors had a solid command of the subjects and could easily speak extemporaneously about them. When one spoke, the other two were stimulated to respond: back and forth for eighty minutes. > *The harmony was remarkable, with never a false note — no interruption, no impatience, not even noticeable disagreements. Here were three friends who enjoyed looking at beautiful things together and helping students discover them. The class was something like a Socratic dialogue in that it rose from the sensible to the spiritual, with each of the three men contributing his insights.* Another faculty member called it an “intellectual drama.” Students weren’t allowed to take notes (it would hamper listening). Students left the classes “enthralled” and often lingered and mused among themselves: continuing the conversation about the great subjects. The conversations on weighty subjects were always accompanied by a lot of laughter. One former student recalled, “merriment could suddenly turn into the deeply profound; a vision of things where sadness and joy lay down together in meaning.” # The postmodern rise of conversation Unfortunately, the Integrated Humanities Program (which was Catholic to the core, albeit only impliedly) ran into conflict with the secularists at the University of Kansas and it was choked out of existence. But its conversational mode of learning made a comeback in March 2006. That’s when Russ Roberts launched [the Econtalk podcast](https://www.econtalk.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It wasn’t the first podcast to feature a guest format, but it was one of the first (podcasts didn’t catch hold until late 2004) and the only one I know of from 2006 that featured learned professors chatting about weighty subjects in a light-hearted atmosphere. It proved remarkably successful. Today, many podcasts feature long, free-wheeling conversations. The Joe Rogan Experience is the most notable example. And just like the Scholastic disputation and the Integrated Humanities Program, the conversational podcast has become remarkably popular. It turns out that there’s “something about” the conversational approach to learning. # Four possible reasons we love conversational podcasts ## They’re genuine The podcast conversation is rarely an interview. Interviews are boring: they’re fabricated. The interviewer often sends the guests the questions ahead of time or they agree on what questions, in general, will be asked. It’s all planned out. The only time it gets interesting is if one of the participants goes off-script. It’s also one-sided: Only the guest is supposed to provide information. A conversation isn’t any of that. It’s mostly spontaneous, with genuine give-and-take, with both parties providing their opinions and information. The conversational podcast is more “authentic.” I loathe that word (there’s nothing more inauthentic than being concerned about what is authentic), but it’s apt. The conversational podcast is genuine. It normally features amicable acquaintances discussing various topics, just like two friends might in a coffee shop. It’s pleasant: “joy tainted,” even, often giving way to mirth, like the Integrated Humanities Program classes. ## We think in dialogue I also think the conversational approach better captures how we think. Discursive reasoning is dialogic. When we think about a problem, it often takes the form of imaginary discourse: arguments, debates, discussions in our head with a “phantom other.” How much better when the phantom other is an actual, live, unpredictable person? ## Conversations are integrated Something happened in the fifteenth century that changed our entire mental landscape: the printing press was invented. The effects were enormous, but perhaps the biggest effect still isn’t fully understood: it changed how we perceived knowledge and it is attained. With the printing press, Marshall McLuhan pointed out, sight came to dominate our learning. We started to view learning as a solitary affair, one of “me and the book: subject-object.” Prior to the printing press, we didn’t think of learning in that manner. The great Jesuit modern philosopher, Walter Ong, dedicated his doctoral dissertation to explaining how, prior to the printing press, thinking was understood as something that takes place in connection with talking: discourse and disputation. (See John Peterson, [*Pop Goes the Culture*](https://amzn.to/34yDiHh?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), 119.) Walter Ong, Marshall McLuhan, and others have spent a lot of ink and analysis, explaining how the printing press’ emphasis on sight stilted and warped our development. You can read their weighty works. Or you can just notice the popularity of the Integrated Humanities Program, Russ Roberts, and The Joe Rogan Experience and realize that they’re popular for a reason: reliance on books alone starved us for a more integrated approach to learning, which the conversational podcasts feed. ## It’s Postmodern . . . ish I’d also submit there is something vaguely postmodern about the conversational approach. Jacques Derrida proved that words are simply not adequate to capture full reality. No word, in Derrida’s terminology, has “presentness”: No word perfectly captures an underlying reality. Words fit into a web where they have reference points to other words to tell us what they mean, but they have no underlying reality. To make it even more elusive, the web of words itself is constantly shifting, providing no fixed points. Derrida concluded from this that there is no objective reality or truth. That’s absurd, but his fundamental insight isn’t: objective reality or truth can’t be captured by words. There’s always “more” than can be articulated. The conversational approach better captures truth in this way. The participants bat words back and forth, like the web they exist in bats them back and forth, forcing them to constantly shift and refine their statements like reality does. Me? I still enjoy books. I’ve always been a reader and I will continue to be a reader. But I also devour podcasts, especially conversational ones. There is something undeniable about them, something that feeds us in a way that books and other forms of monologic learning can’t. Some day, maybe Joe Rogan will bring on a guest and flush it out for us further. ### Protect Your Children from Moloch URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/protect-your-children-from-moloch/ Last updated: 2024-03-27T14:48:09.000Z The evidence is in: Social media kills children. Well, it at least seriously wounds them. Or at least many of them. And no matter what, there ain't no adult with an ounce of sense who claims it's *good* for them. You know who else thinks it's not good for them? The children themselves. Surveys show that youth consistently say they'd be fine with getting banned from social media . . . as long as everyone similarly situated to them is banned too. It's FOMO. But worse. It's MO. If today's kids aren't on social media, they *will* miss out. They won't know what's happening in their social circles. High school hallways used to be fun and loud. You picked up a cacophony of data just by switching classes. You'd see a boy and girl "talking." You'd snicker about the stoner trying not to look stoned. You'd hear gossip. You'd hear about a party. You'd hear about people gathering at McDonald's after school. Not now. The hallways are quiet. The kids are staring into their phones. If they don't keep staring, they'll miss out. It's fear. But worse. It's fact. And even worse: It's Moloch. --- ## Ginsberg's Moloch James Franco played Allen Ginsberg in the 2010 movie, "Howl." It's about the obscenity trial surrounding [Ginbserg's famous poem *Howl*](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/49303/howl?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which he published in 1956\. It's the most famous poem of the Beat Generation. Part II of the poem deals with Moloch. Here's an excerpt (but feel free to skip): > What sphinx of cement and aluminum bashed open their skulls and ate up their brains and imagination? > Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars! Children screaming under the stairways! Boys sobbing in armies! Old men weeping in the parks! > Moloch! Moloch! Nightmare of Moloch! Moloch the loveless! Mental Moloch! Moloch the heavy judger of men! > Moloch the incomprehensible prison! Moloch the crossbone soulless jailhouse and Congress of sorrows! Moloch whose buildings are judgment! Moloch the vast stone of war! Moloch the stunned governments! > Moloch whose mind is pure machinery! Moloch whose blood is running money! Moloch whose fingers are ten armies! Moloch whose breast is a cannibal dynamo! Moloch whose ear is a smoking tomb! > Moloch whose eyes are a thousand blind windows! Moloch whose skyscrapers stand in the long streets like endless Jehovahs! Moloch whose factories dream and croak in the fog! Moloch whose smoke-stacks and antennae crown the cities! > Moloch whose love is endless oil and stone! Moloch whose soul is electricity and banks! Moloch whose poverty is the specter of genius! Moloch whose fate is a cloud of sexless hydrogen! Moloch whose name is the Mind! In 2014, Scott Alexander published an online manifesto of sorts, based on Ginsberg's poem. It's called ["Meditations on Moloch."](https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) He says Ginsberg's "Moloch" answers the question that plagues every person and every society, especially modern ones: If everyone hates the current system, who perpetuates it? Why is it rational to act in a manner that is ultimately irrational . . . and everyone knows it and does it anyway? The answer: Moloch. Why would a fishing community exhaust the local fish supply, thereby assuring their mutual starvation? Moloch. Why would an industrialist drive human labor to inhumane conditions even though he knows it's cruel? Moloch. Why would countries spend ridiculous amounts of their GDP on weapons of destruction? Moloch. Alexander gives 14 such examples. The point is the same in every one of them: No one person can buck the system--one fisher can't moderate his catch, one industrialist can't spend more on overhead to improve labor conditions, one country can't unilaterally disarm. If a person bucks the system, the system bucks him. Moloch. --- ## Moloch is Stronger Than Ever Modern life is Molochian life. Modern life is highly Carthaginian. It's obsessed with economic advancement. It values productivity and efficiency and the wealth such things bring. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/03/Chesterton.webp) "\[T\]he god who got things done bore the name of Moloch." GKC, **The Everlasting Man* Moloch has always eaten children. That's one reason the Romans hated the Carthaginians, who sacrificed their children for commercial gain. Many thinkers believe it explains why God allowed the wholesale slaughter of populations during the Israelite conquest of Canaan. Moloch is coming for our children again. This time, he's using the smartphone. We need groups like the Israelites and Romans to put him back in his cage again. Moloch, by its nature, can only be defeated by a group effort like the ones led by Joshua and Scipio. No one parent can tell their kid, "You can't have a smartphone." That would socially ostracize the kid at a time of life when he needs to socialize. It'd be bogue . . . arguably cruel and developmentally-challenging. We need to develop new social norms that frown on the smartphones. We at least need a plurality of parents to ban together and stop it among their children. In the meantime, local school boards can take the lead simply by banning phones during the school day. They can use yonder bags: kids lock their phones in the bags when they arrive; the bags get unlocked when they leave. A few high schools have started using them, and they're proving popular with the kids. The hallways are getting loud again. Kids are talking. There's still FOMO, of course. It can't be avoided. High school is a furnace of social pressures, but at least in those high schools with yonder bags, we don't have Moloch stoking the flames during the school day. ### Lady, You Have One Ugly Kid URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55826/ Last updated: 2024-04-27T12:46:27.000Z If you haven't heard, you haven't been listening: Europe is grossly under-birthed, and the United States isn't far behind. For a society to replace its population, demographers say each woman needs to average 2.1 children. The last time I looked, Germany was at 1.3, Italy 1.2, Spain 1.1, and France 1.7\. The rest of Europe might be a little better or a little worse (I don't have the stat in front of me, but I believe the Netherlands is at .9). Blue states in the U.S. are slightly below 2.1, and red states are just a little above it, if memory serves. So am I concerned about the lack of workers to pay for my social security? The collapsing infrastructure? Muslim immigration taking over traditional Christian countries? Naw. Those are all legitimate concerns, of course. But I'm worried about the dogs. --- G.K. Chesterton said every person ought to have a dog. I disagree. I don't like dogs, don't want one, and resent being accosted by them on my walks. Unfortunately, based on what I see around my city and in the news, people are having more and more of them. It seems like the fewer children we have, the more dogs I see. I've harbored this suspicion for years, but I've never run across any statistics or studies to show a direct correlation. But a while back, I found something better: Julius Caesar. From [**Plutarch’s *Parallel Lives***](https://www.britannica.com/topic/Parallel-Lives?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): > “Caesar once, seeing some wealthy strangers at Rome, carrying up and down with them in their arms and bosoms young puppy-dogs and monkeys, embracing and making much of them, took occasion not unnaturally to ask whether the women in their country were not used to bear children; by that prince-like reprimand gravely reflecting upon persons who spend and lavish upon brute beasts that affection and kindness which nature has implanted in us to be bestowed on those of our own kind.” > "Pericles" Ah, perfect! Not only are all the dogs understandable, but now I could also understand some crazy pet news I've seen over the past few years: \*[**Pets are now more common than kids in many U.S. cities**](https://www.city-journal.org/pet-ownership-over-children-cities?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). There are more dogs than children in [**San Francisco**](https://www.kqed.org/news/11669269/are-there-really-more-dogs-than-children-in-s-f?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [**Denver**](https://denverite.com/2019/12/16/denver-has-more-dogs-than-children-and-everything-else-we-learned-about-denvers-dog-parks/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and [**Seattle**](https://seattlemag.com/article/seattles-dog-obsession?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). \*[**Companies are giving “pawternity leave”: time off to care for sick pets**](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pawternity-leave-companies-giving-time-off-care-sick-pets-mike-ford?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). \*California at one point had four bills pending at the same time, all dealing with dogs, from prohibiting pet cloning to criminalizing the clipping of a dog's ears for cosmetic reasons. \*In London (pre-COVID), dog-lovers took over “[**2.7 million working days off to care for their sick pets over two years**](https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna7668164?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). . . Ten percent of owners missed five days of work, with half of these taking up to two weeks off to look after their pets. Dog owners are so concerned about their pooches’ well-being that 55 percent admitted they paid more attention to sick pets than an ill partner." \*[**Dog owners in Turin can be fined 500 euros if they don’t walk their pets at least three times a day**](https://www.livitaly.com/weird-laws-funny-italian-laws/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). People will also be banned from dyeing their pets’ fur or “any form of animal mutilation” for merely aesthetic motives. And from my catalog of personal anecdotes: Last weekend, my wife saw a woman using a baby-nursing wrap to hold and cuddle her dog in a restaurant. And if I see one more dog in a baby-stroller, I fear I'm going to do something rash. --- Contrary to the childless cultures of the West, the Church teaches that couples should have children. From the [***Catechism of the Catholic Church***](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/%5FINDEX.HTM?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): "Fecundity is a gift, an end of marriage, for conjugal love naturally tends to be fruitful." (2366) "Married couples should regard it as their proper mission to transmit human life. . ." (2367) "Sacred Scripture and the Church's traditional practice see in *large families* a sign of God's blessing . . .". (2373) Whenever we look at the Church's teaching, especially when it comes to morals, we need to understand that the teaching is always consistent with man's nature. F.J. Sheed in [***Theology and Sanity***](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/666640.Theology%5Fand%5FSanity?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) wrote, > "Religion is a relation of man to God, and a true religion must be true to both. God will treat man as man is, and man will react to God's act as man is." The "supernatural does not ignore the natural or substitute something else for it." When it comes to children, fecundity is natural. People are "hard-wired" to have children, and often lots of them, and the Catholic Church's teaching reflects this natural trait. But when something natural is suppressed, something odd erupts to take its place. In today's world where the natural inclination to have children has been suppressed, I believe an unnatural affection for pets has erupted. And as a result, the Western world is going to the dogs. Photo by Pixabay on [Pexels.com](https://www.pexels.com/photo/portrait-of-happy-young-woman-with-puppy-326602/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Parliament Created the 18th-Century’s Great Gin Craze URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52853/ Last updated: 2024-04-27T12:45:19.000Z > *“\[N\]oe sort of Brandy Aqua vite or other Spirits or distilled Waters of any Kingdome Country or place whatsoever shall after the said foure and twentyeth day of August be imported into the Kingdoms of England or Ireland . . .”.* If you read the Wikipedia entries about England’s Great Gin Craze, you see descriptions about how bad it was and how Parliament passed a series of acts to stop it. But you see scarcely any references to the series of Parliamentary Acts that caused it in the first place. Let’s look at England at the end of the 17th century. It had a new royal family in the form of William of Orange, who usurped James II’s throne in the 1688 Glorious Revolution. William was not universally liked, especially among the Jacobites, who never stopped scheming to get James Stuart II back on the throne. William was also not liked by the French, whom he bitterly fought in the War of the Grand Alliance and who worked with the Jacobites to get the Stuarts back on the throne. William, in turn, hated the French and so did his supporters in Parliament. What better way to strike at the French than to ban trade with them, including a prohibition on its brandy? And so that’s what happened, almost immediately after taking the throne by the passage of the Trade with France Act of 1688, which took specific aim at French brandy (the most popular liquor in England at the time). --- > *“The Howards . . . the Cavendishes, the Cecils, the Russells, and fifty other new families . . . rose upon the ruins of religion.” Hilaire Belloc,* The Servile State*.* At the same time, Parliament passed the Distilling Act of 1690 which authorized anybody to distill spirits. This created a heavy demand for grain, which drove up the price and assured that the farmers would never be stuck with a surplus. As a result, the Distilling Act greatly increased the value of farmland, which was controlled by the great families that received huge swaths of land in Henry VIII’s attack on the Roman Catholic Church and, especially, its monasteries. Parliament then passed the 1694 Tonnage Act, which imposed a heavy tax on beer. The result? Gin became the cheapest alcoholic drink in England. And then, in 1720, Parliament passed the Mutiny Act, which exempted distillers from the requirement to accept billeted troops. Every father who didn’t want soldiers living in his house with his wife and daughters became keenly motivated to start making gin. --- Here’s the thing: England was ripe for a “geneva” revolution no matter what. Prior to 1688, gin was primarily considered medicinal. But with William and Mary’s ascension, the juniper drink from the Protestant Lowlands became the drink of royalty. It quickly became fashionable, especially since, due to ongoing hostilities with the French, it was no longer fashionable to drink brandy. Gin was also cheap to produce. Gin didn’t need parliamentary encouragement anymore than today’s marijuana industry needs legislation to encourage the cultivation and enjoyment of marijuana. Yet that’s what Parliament did. And the result was one of the worse self-induced public health spectacles in English history. --- The Great Gin Craze that racked England after 1720 was awful. Gin was everywhere. Much of it was “cut” with turpentine or sulfuric acid to dampen the juniper taste and was sold out of wheelbarrows, alleys, backrooms, and cheap lodging houses. There were 8,659 gin shops in London alone, according to William Maitland. Men and women died in the gutters after drinking too much, which was better than others who simply dropped dead on the spot where they were drinking. Londoners saw people staggering blindly day and night. Fights were frequent. Fire outbreaks from neglect were common. Children gathered in the gin shops and would drink until they couldn’t move. Drunk mothers neglected their babies. Girls as young as 13 sold themselves for gin. The hospitals were seeing increasing numbers of gin-related illnesses, including malnourished babies. Parliament responded, passing the 1736 Gin Act, which imposed a duty of 20 shillings per gallon of gin and required retailers to purchase an annual license. The Act proved impossible to enforce. Parliament would then introduce additional legislation with similar lackluster effect, until 1751’s Gin Act, after which the problem started to subside. So perhaps we can give Parliament a little bit of applause for fixing a problem it caused in the first place? Probably not. Many historians think the rise of tea and the revival of Methodism that took hold of England at this time is far more responsible than any of the Gin Acts. ### How to be a Holy Drunk URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54093/ Last updated: 2026-01-04T20:50:21.000Z #### A few notes on Sebastian Flyte The early pages of Evelyn Waugh's *Brideshead Revisited* describe the drunken antics of students Lord Sebastian Flyte and Charles Ryder (the narrator). Ryder makes the later observation that he “got drunk often, but through an excess of high spirits, in the love of the moment, and the wish to prolong and enhance it; Sebastian drank to escape.” This difference is the same difference G.K. Chesterton touched on in his early book *Heretics*: > “If a man drinks wine in order to obtain pleasure, he is trying to obtain something exceptional, something he does not expect every hour of the day, something which, unless he is a little insane, he will not try to get every hour of the day.” As alcohol works through a person's system, the drinker loses his sense of suffocating self-regard and its accompanying worries, with the result that he decreasingly sees existence through the distorting prism of self-regard. As the prism breaks apart, he becomes re-acquainted with the fact that earthly life is a gift–a good gift that is the gift of God, Who is Full Goodness. After enough drinks, everything seems good. Rather, everything *is* good (for all is created by God), and the drinker becomes acutely aware of this. This awareness gives him a joy that he has difficulty finding in the everyday world as he walks about with his constant sense of self-regard. --- This was the plight of Sebastian, a young man who suffered under the oppressive air of dignity that nobility forced upon him. But he also had an acute sense of holiness, which created an intense desire for joy–a supernatural trait–and he wrongly tried to capture it with drink. After Sebastian had destroyed his sense of holiness through debauchery, calls from the divine didn't stop coming to him. This becomes clear in Waugh's final words about Sebastian. Sebastian's drinking worsened until he ended-up living with a shiftless German named Kurt, a pitiful and despicable man who took advantage of Sebastian, living off the small allowance that Sebastian continued to receive from his family. Sebastian provided for the man, for no apparent reason. But Waugh tells us, “As long as Sebastian had him to look after, he was happy.” Sebastian's call to holiness that he had translated as the call to drunkenness was becoming transformed in his soul and erupting in a proper form–the call to service. During WWII, Kurt was forcibly conscripted by the Nazis and made to serve as a stormtrooper. He escaped, was caught, and hung himself in a concentration camp. Sebastian spent a year looking for him in Europe, learned that Kurt was dead, then went to Morocco. Eventually, Sebastian landed in a monastery near Carthage, not as a monk, but as a drunken porter. He was fit for neither the secular world nor the religious world, pathetic by both worlds' standards. But Waugh leaves us with the impression that Sebastian obtained a good life. The portrait painted of Sebastian's future is touching, in an odd sort of way. In response to Charles Ryder's question about how Sebastian will end, Sebastian's sister responds: > I think I can tell you exactly, Charles. I've seen others like him, and I believe they are very near and dear to God. He'll live on, half in, half out of the \[monastic\] community, a familiar figure pottering round with his broom and his bunch of keys. He'll be a great favourite with the old fathers, something of a joke to the novices. Everyone will know about his drinking; he'll disappear for two or three days every month or so, and they'll all nod and smile and say in their various accents, 'Old Sebastian's on the spree again,' and then he'll come back disheveled and shamefaced and be more devout for a day or two in the chapel. He'll probably have little hiding places about the garden where he keeps a bottle and takes a swig now and then on the sly. . . If he lives long enough, generations of missionaries in all kinds of remote places will think of him as a queer old character who was somehow part of the Hope of their student days, and remember him in their masses. He'll develop little eccentricities of devotion, intense personal cults of his own; he'll be found in the chapel at odd times and missed when he's expected. Then one morning, after one of his drinking bouts, he'll be picked up at the gate dying, and show by a mere flicker of the eyelid that he is conscious when they give him the last sacraments. It's not such a bad way of getting through one's life. Sebastian was fit for neither the secular world nor the religious world. He was still pulled in two opposite directions and pathetic by both worlds' standards. But Waugh leaves us with the impression that Sebastian obtained a good life–all ambition thrown aside, still drinking, but at least ashamed of it. He became a man whose vice was permanently affixed to his back, but a man who was becoming holy by carrying it as nobly as possible. ### Taoing Around in the Garden URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53466/ Last updated: 2024-04-26T11:47:04.000Z #### There's a great gardening book called “[*The Tao of Vegetable Gardening*](https://amzn.to/3rsEWDA?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).” The author, Carol Deppe, applies Taoist principles (especially that of *wu-wei*, “not doing”) to the soil, but the book isn't about Taoism. It's all about gardening. The Taoism is rarely explicit, but rather merely laces, or informs, the book as a whole. I like the book because it cuts against “intensive gardening” (my phrase). When I read about gardening, authors often talks about plotting out the land, keeping planting journals, etc. I don't do that. During idle moments, I often think about gardening, but I rarely resort to writing things down, except for reminders. I rarely plan and when I do, I don't follow the plans. Which really cuts against my nature. I plan, scheme, think about the future . . . worry . . . to an embarrassing extent. I am an affront to Matthew 6:27. But not in the gardening at this point (in my early years of gardening, when I was just learning, I had to figure things out and plan). When I enter the garden, I go on auto-mode. I just go: make potting mix, haul forest humus from the woods, pull weeds, put down seeds. It doesn't really matter. I just do whatever I want from moment-to-moment, just as long as it's furthering the garden somehow. And it all comes together in ways that I couldn't have possibly imagined, much less planned, during the previous winter. When people come by and see it, they're like, “This is quite the operation. You must've put in a lot of hard work.” I normally shrug. And think to myself, “I'm just out here f'ing around, quite frankly.” The effort never strikes me as work (except for watering . . . the only gardening thing I consider “work”). --- I think my approach to gardening should be applied to every other area of life. *Put time into the activity, but don't put the activity into your time.* When you're involved in the activity, let it take you over and “go with it” in whatever direction it leads you, like I do when I enter the garden. But when you're not engaged in the activity, don't let it take you over. I'm not very good at this, mind you, but the garden is informing me and molding my development in this area. --- I also believe this approach to gardening can be applied to prayer. Now, let me be clear: I haven't had nearly as much success in prayer as I've had in the garden, but I still think there's a connection between the two approaches. As a Catholic, I'm always frustrated by the overwhelming number of prayer injunctions. Here are things that spiritual experts have said a devout Catholic should do every day: go to Mass (if your station in life permits), say the Rosary or do the Liturgy of the Hours, examine your conscience, and meditate. On top of that, there are many other recommended practices: scripture reading, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, spiritual reading, the Jesus Prayer, studying the Catechism, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, etc. You simply can't do it all. But you can put the time in to do some of it. I think that might be a good approach. Just set aside the time . . . walk into your quiet corner like I walk into the garden. Then let it take you over. Do whatever prayer practice you think best at that time, just like I do whatever gardening “chore” I think best at the time. Go on auto-mode to your prayer session and do whatever you want from moment-to-moment, just as long as it's a type of prayer. Just put the time in, without worrying about *how* to put the time in or what you want to get done during the time. Maybe at the end, an angel will look at your soul and say, “You must've put in a lot of hard work,” then you can shrug and say, “I was just screwing around.” ### Assault on Huberman URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/assault-on-huberman/ Last updated: 2024-04-06T10:23:21.000Z [Neutrality Isn’t AllowedHuberman is a non-member of that non-group, The Intellectual Dark Web. He runs with Rogan and the like. He, therefore, is outside the Establishment and, therefore, an enemy, even though I’ve never discerned a political position in the many hours I’ve listened to him. But that’s the thing, right? Among![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/Briefly-Burlap-5.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/neutrality-isnt-allowed/) For the past three years, one of the biggest podcasters on the planet has told a story to millions of listeners across half a dozen shows: There was a little boy, and the boy’s family was happy, until one day, the boy’s family fell apart. The boy was sent away. He foundered, he found therapy, he found science, he found exercise. And he became strong. Today, Andrew Huberman is a stiff, jacked 48-year-old associate professor of neurology and ophthalmology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He is given to delivering three-hour lectures on subjects such as “the health of our dopaminergic neurons.” His podcast is revelatory largely because it does not condescend, which has not been the way of public-health information in our time. He does not give the impression of someone diluting science to universally applicable sound bites for the slobbering masses. “Dopamine is vomited out into the synapse or it’s released volumetrically, but then it has to bind someplace and trigger those G-protein-coupled receptors, and caffeine increases the number, the density of those G-protein-coupled receptors,” is how he explains the effect of coffee before exercise in a two-hour-and-16-minute deep dive that has, as of this writing, nearly 8.9 million views on YouTube. Millions of people feel compelled to hear him draw distinctions between neuromodulators and classical neurotransmitters. Many of those people will then adopt an associated “protocol.” They will follow his elaborate morning routine. They will model the most basic functions of human life — sleeping, eating, seeing — on his sober advice. They will tell their friends to do the same. “He’s not like other bro podcasters,” they will say, and they will be correct; he is a tenured Stanford professor associated with a Stanford lab; he knows the difference between a neuromodulator and a neurotransmitter. He is just back from a sold-out tour in Australia, where he filled the Sydney Opera House. Stanford, at one point, hung signs (AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY) apparently to deter fans in search of the lab. With this power comes the power to lift other scientists out of their narrow silos and turn them, too, into celebrities, but these scientists will not be Huberman, whose personal appeal is distinct. Here we have a broad-minded professor puppyishly enamored with the wonders of biological function, generous to interviewees (“I love to be wrong”), engaged in endearing attempts to sound like a normal person (“Now, we all have to eat, and it’s nice to eat foods that we enjoy. I certainly do that. I love food, in fact”). This is a world in which the soft art of self-care is made concrete, in which Goop-adjacent platitudes find solidity in peer review. “People go, ‘Oh, that feels kind of like weenie stuff,’” Huberman tells Joe Rogan. “The *data* show that gratitude, and avoiding toxic people and focusing on good-quality social interactions … huge increases in serotonin.” “Hmmm,” Rogan says. There is a kindness to the way Huberman reminds his audience always of the possibilities of neuroplasticity: They can change. He has changed. As an adolescent, he says, he endured the difficult divorce of his parents, a Stanford professor who worked in the tech industry and a children’s-book author. The period after the separation was, he says, one of “pure neglect.” His father was gone, his mother “totally checked out.” He was forced, around age 14, to endure a month of “youth detention,” a situation that was “not a jail,” but harrowing in its own right. “The thing that really saved me,” Huberman tells Peter Attia, “was this therapy thing … I was like, *Oh, shit* … I do have to choke back a little bit here. It’s a crazy thing to have somebody say, ‘Listen,’ like, to give you the confidence, like, ‘We’re gonna figure this out. *We’re gonna figure this out.*’ There’s something very powerful about that. It wasn’t like, you know, ‘Everything will be okay.’ It was like, *We’re gonna figure this out.*” The wayward son would devote himself to therapy and also to science. He would turn Rancid all the way up and study all night long. He would be tenured at Stanford with his own lab, severing optic nerves in mice and noting what grew back. Huberman has been in therapy, he says, since high school. He has, in fact, several therapists, and psychiatrist Paul Conti appears on his podcast frequently to discuss mental health. Therapy is “hard work … like going to the gym and doing an effective workout.” The brain is a machine that needs tending. Our cells will benefit from the careful management of stress. “I love *mechanism,*” says Huberman; our feelings are integral to the apparatus. There are Huberman Husbands (men who optimize), a phenomenon not to be confused with #DaddyHuberman (used by women on TikTok in the man’s thrall). A prophet must constrain his self-revelation. He must give his story a shape that ultimately tends toward inner strength, weakness overcome. For Andrew Huberman to become your teacher and mine, as he very much was for a period this fall — a period in which I diligently absorbed sun upon waking, drank no more than once a week, practiced physiological sighs in traffic, and said to myself, out loud in my living room, “I *also* love mechanism”; a period during which I began to think seriously, for the first time in my life, about reducing stress, and during which both my husband and my young child saw tangible benefit from repeatedly immersing themselves in frigid water; a period in which I realized that I not only liked this podcast but liked other women who liked this podcast — he must be, in some way, better than the rest of us. Huberman sells a dream of control down to the cellular level. But something has gone wrong. In the midst of immense fame, a chasm has opened between the podcaster preaching dopaminergic restraint and a man, with newfound wealth, with access to a world unseen by most professors. The problem with a man always working on himself is that he may also be working on you. Some of Andrew’s earliest Instagram posts are of his lab. We see smiling undergraduates “slicing, staining, and prepping brains” and a wall of framed science publications in which Huberman-authored papers appear: *Nature,* *Cell Reports, The Journal of Neuroscience.* In 2019, under the handle @hubermanlab, Andrew began posting straightforward educational videos in which he talks directly into the camera about subjects such as the organizational logic of the brain stem. Sometimes he would talk over a simple anatomical sketch on lined paper; the impression was, as it is now, of a fast-talking teacher in conversation with an intelligent student. The videos amassed a fan base, and Andrew was, in 2020, invited on some of the biggest podcasts in the world. On *Lex Fridman Podcast,* he talked about experiments his lab was conducting by inducing fear in people. On *The* *Rich Roll Podcast,* the relationship between breathing and motivation. On *The* *Joe Rogan Experience,* experiments his lab was conducting on mice. He was a fluid, engaging conversationalist, rich with insight and informed advice. In a year of death and disease, when many felt a sense of agency slipping away, Huberman had a gentle plan. The subtext was always the same: We may live in chaos, but there are mechanisms of control. By then he had a partner, Sarah, which is not her real name. Sarah was someone who could talk to anyone about anything. She was dewy and strong and in her mid-40s, though she looked a decade younger, with two small kids from a previous relationship. She had old friends who adored her and no trouble making new ones. She came across as scattered in the way she jumped readily from topic to topic in conversation, losing the thread before returning to it, but she was in fact extremely organized. She was a woman who kept track of things. She was an entrepreneur who could organize a meeting, a skill she would need later for reasons she could not possibly have predicted. When I asked her a question in her home recently, she said the answer would be on an old phone; she stood up, left for only a moment, and returned with a box labeled OLD PHONES. Sarah’s relationship with Andrew began in February 2018 in the Bay Area, where they both lived. He messaged her on Instagram and said he owned a home in Piedmont, a wealthy city separate from Oakland. That turned out not to be precisely true; he lived off Piedmont Avenue, which was in Oakland. He was courtly and a bit formal, as he would later be on the podcast. In July, in her garden, Sarah says she asked to clarify the depth of their relationship. They decided, she says, to be exclusive. Both had devoted their lives to healthy living: exercise, good food, good information. They cared immoderately about what went into their bodies. Andrew could command a room and clearly took pleasure in doing so. He was busy and handsome, healthy and extremely ambitious. He gave the impression of working on himself; throughout their relationship, he would talk about “repair” and “healthy merging.” He was devoted to his bullmastiff, Costello, whom he worried over constantly: *Was Costello comfortable? Sleeping properly?* Andrew liked to dote on the dog, she says, and he liked to be doted on by Sarah. “I was never sitting around him,” she says. She cooked for him and felt glad when he relished what she had made. Sarah was willing to have unprotected sex because she believed they were monogamous. On Thanksgiving in 2018, Sarah planned to introduce Andrew to her parents and close friends. She was cooking. Andrew texted repeatedly to say he would be late, then later. According to a friend, “he was just, ‘Oh yeah, I’ll be there. Oh, I’m going to be running hours late.’ And then of course, all of these things were planned around his arrival and he just kept going, ‘Oh, I’m going to be late.’ And then it’s the end of the night and he’s like, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry this and this happened.’” **Read the rest (the site says it's free for a limited time only . . . 3/26/2024)** [Andrew Huberman’s Mechanisms of ControlThe private and public seductions of the world’s biggest pop neuroscientist.![](https://assets.nymag.com/media/sites/intelligencer/icon.180x180.png)IntelligencerKerry Howley![](https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/9d0/e48/a65cd5fe6ab8ff7856bfed3f033273ad94-Andrew-Huberman.1x.rsocial.w1200.jpg)](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/andrew-huberman-podcast-stanford-joe-rogan.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## More Coverage on this (Borderline) Non-Story [Who’s Afraid of Andrew Huberman?Why did New York Magazine just run 8,000 words on the podcaster’s sex life?![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Free PressSuzy Weiss![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3ff5ebba-4629-4a40-948c-08999c1a67b3_1024x744.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/whos-afraid-of-andrew-huberman?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > The death of Hugh Hefner and the dawn of the #MeToo era, coinciding in the autumn of 2017, seemed to mark a turning point in the history of social liberalism in America. > > Out, at last, went Hefner’s sex-positive utopianism, the no-prudes-here giddiness and aspirational promiscuity that linked his “Playboy philosophy” to 1980s sex comedies, 1990s lad magazines, liberal excuses for Bill Clinton’s priapism and the sweeping cultural triumph of pornography. > > In came #MeToo feminism, founded on outrage over rape and sexual assault, but inclined more broadly to regard hookup culture as a zone of danger, male desire as a force in need of correction and control, and bare consent as an insufficient criterion for sexual morality. > > From the start the #MeToo movement was criticized, usually from a libertarian or classical liberal perspective, for reviving socially conservative or even Victorian impulses under a feminist and progressive guise. But it was precisely that remix that made the movement interesting: #MeToo took what had often been a conservative-coded critique of the sexual revolution — one that emphasized the ways that Hefnerism made life easy for pigs and libertines, forcing young women to accept male sexual expectations in the name of liberation — and promised to make it serve a more progressive and egalitarian vision. > > The question seven years later is whether that vision actually exists — whether social liberalism can find a standard for sexual morality that’s better for human flourishing than bare consent, and a mechanism to constrain sexual misbehavior that’s more effective than the traditional emphasis on monogamy and chastity. > > **The first is a profile of Andrew Huberman**, a pop neuroscientist, podcaster and all-around male influencer. The author, Kerry Howley, does a lot of work excavating Huberman’s manifold limitations — as a lifestyle coach and medical guru (don’t trust the effectiveness of the supplements he endorses!), a friend and colleague (don’t expect him to make good on his promises!), and especially as a boyfriend and lover (he controls, he lies, he cheats on six women at once). > > The portrait of a figure like Huberman would be interesting under any circumstances. But the special focus on his sex life, the detailed testimony from allegedly mistreated girlfriends, marks this as very much a post-#MeToo profile. Huberman is not accused of any sexual crime; he’s seemingly just a creep, cheat and control freak. But that kind of misbehavior is treated as essential to any judgment of his public career. Whatever the new rules of sex might be, it’s clear that we’re supposed to judge the cad’s lifestyle as regressive, deplorable and wicked. > > So what kind of lifestyle might be preferable? Well, here we can turn back a few issues to a New York magazine January cover story on polyamory, featuring both a profile of a specific polycule and an extensive guide to “opening” your relationship or marriage. ### No Cell Phones in This Room URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/cal-newport-never-allows-a-cell-phone-in-this-room/ Last updated: 2024-04-15T23:49:10.000Z The room: A room in his house that he has dedicated strictly to deep work. I think it's a den: a study or small library. He never takes his cell phone into it. [Dr. Cal Newport: How to Enhance Focus and Improve ProductivityIn this episode, my guest is Dr. Cal Newport, Ph.D., a professor of computer science at Georgetown University and bestselling author of numerous books on focus and productivity and how to access the deepest possible layers of your cognitive abilities in order to do quality work and lead a more balanced life.![](https://assets-global.website-files.com/64416928859cbdd1716d79ce/650e40e40d853f8ef52c05ac_Huberman-Lab-Podcast-Thumbnail-2000x2000.jpg)Home![](https://assets-global.website-files.com/64751ad903a904b42aa4adc1/65ee7849ca92833855ab0b38_65ee782b6b0dcf9469b34bb1_Episode-Card-167-Cal-Newport.webp)](https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-cal-newport-how-to-enhance-focus-and-improve-productivity?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) I really like Newport. The Dartmouth/MIT grad oozes a common sense humility when it comes to mental habits. Consider the cell phone. He has one, and it's not one of those "dumbphones" or "wisephones" or whatever they're called. He has a smartphone and he uses it, but he doesn't use it for social media. Social media on a smartphone is too tempting or addictive, so he doesn't even load the apps onto his phone. Me? If I wanted social media on my phone, my first mental stride would be, "I'm aware of the potential problems, so I'll be fine." My approach is just a quiet form of arrogance, and it's one, I submit, none of us should entertain in this era of the algorithm. I like to think that, within my mental sphere, I'm stronger than social media, but Newport doesn't think he's mentally stronger than the algorithms. He seems afraid of them, so he won't try to engage in battle. But Newport is a mental giant and aware of the dangers. Surely he could vanquish them, but no: he doesn't think he can. Perhaps the rest of us ought to follow his example. --- ### Two More Things Yes, I am putting this entry under my "One-Thing" files, but I have three things. The two other things from this excellent podcast episode: 1. **Switching costs are huge**. Don't forget about them. It takes approximately 15 minutes to get focused on a project. Every time you get interrupted (or allow yourself to get interrupted . . . by your phone), it takes 15 minutes to get back into "it." If you check your phone every fifteen minutes, you *never* enter an optimal focus state, and that's a huge problem for your mental world (and, though Newport doesn't say this, probably your physical world . . . we're sacramental creatures, with the spiritual and physical (the brain and body) wrapped together). 2. Children are far more vulnerable to screen problems than adults. Newport points out that, when screens first became ubiquitous, there were a few Cassandras screaming about the risks on children, and then a few doctors and researchers started pointing out the risks, and then a lot of doctors and researchers joined. Now, he says, pretty much everyone agrees that it's either a huge problem or a huge risk that we still don't understand. Bottom line: **Get your kids off the screens**. Qualification: Newport is fine with video games, as long as they're not online and not "free." He said the online and "free" video games are purposefully designed to be crack cocaine for the brain. The designers are focused on keeping your attention than providing a cool game. The video game designers, on the other hand, don't care as much about keeping your attention. They just want to sell you the game. They're not primarily concerned about how much you play it after you pay for it. ### Hypocrite, Me: Netflixing My Own Aesthetic Prison URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hypocrite-me-netflixing-my-own-aesthetic-prison/ Last updated: 2024-03-25T13:04:56.000Z It is the age of signing open letters, then issuing apologies for signing them a few days later; of fretting about the effect of AI on human creativity, then boring anyone who will listen with “hilarious” responses generated from ChatGPT prompts; of whining about binge TV, then blasting through a whole season of *The White Lotus* in one night; of quitting Twitter with a melodramatic flourish, then slithering back a few months later to promote a new job or book or cause or spouse; of decrying IP’s corrosion of cinema while maintaining that *Rogue One* was “probably the best Star Wars film ever”; of ironizing about the pretentiousness of café culture while obsessing over the barista’s imperfect manipulation of the steam wand; of ritual complaints about the commodification of everything that reach their natural conclusion in the purchase of a new Eames chair for the living room. Contradictions abound; those of us who consume and participate in culture today—with our wallets, our words, our eyeballs, and our sneers—are all, at some level, hypocrites, complicit in the fortification of our own aesthetic prison. Grousing about the state of culture in this poutily attentive mode has become something of a specialty in recent years for the nation’s critics. The professional critic takes the signature posture of the age—that curious mixture of derision and addiction, indifference and engagement, nausea and engorgement before the buffet of contemporary culture—and turns it into a career. “The present state of culture feels directionless,” [wrote](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/10/magazine/stale-culture.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *The New York Times*’s critic at large Jason Farago in a recent piece. “When I was younger, I looked at cultural works as if they were posts on a timeline, moving forward from Manet year by year. Now I find myself adrift in an eddy of cultural signs, where everything just floats, and I can only tell time on my phone.” Stagnation is said to have spread to every corner of culture: music, film, literature, even clothing. *New York* magazine fashion critic Cathy Horyn [recently wrote](https://www.thecut.com/article/fashion-world-talent-problem.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) of a “sharp slowdown in both risk and innovators” throughout the world of haute couture: “All this accounts for a feeling of sameness, that things are stuck in place.” Farago’s *Times* colleague, columnist Ross Douthat, has gone even further, publishing [an entire book](https://newrepublic.com/article/156637/modern-world-disappoints-ross-douthat?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) on the subject of cultural sclerosis. “From the academic heights to popular bestsellers, from Christian theology to secular fashion, from political theory to pop music, a range of cultural forms and intellectual pursuits have been stuck for decades in a pattern of recurrence,” he writes in *The Decadent Society.* From the streaky heights of media tenure, the culture has been assessed and found wanting. Cast your eyes across this burgeoning literature of cultural stagnation—now so voluminous it counts as an authentic subgenre in its own right—and you won’t find much acknowledgment of the critic’s role in all this. Is the critic’s job simply to diagnose and decry, or to point toward a more invigorating alternative? Stagnation criticism has become every bit as repetitive—in its themes and obliviousness—as the very culture it’s critiquing, reproducing some version of the same complaint from piece to piece and book to book: that today’s movies, songs, haircuts, fonts, tables, and chairs are somehow a disappointment, that everyone now is living in some jumped-up version of an aesthetic 1993 or 1983 or 1973 or 1963, only with more trips to Portugal thrown in, a bunch of unbundled streaming subscriptions to maintain, and the need to develop an opinion on Harry Styles for some reason. We are stuck, progress has stopped, culture is bad, and it’s someone else’s fault. But whose? **Read the rest** [The Age of Cultural StagnationHas tech plunged culture into an era devoid of originality and surprise?![](https://assets.newrepublic.com/assets/favicons/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The New RepublicAaron Timms![](https://images.newrepublic.com/6ea1c94e3ea656b1992d151750c1c8fa643c65f0.jpeg?w=1200&h=630&crop=faces&fit=crop&fm=jpg)](https://newrepublic.com/article/179432/age-cultural-stagnation?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Who Exactly is Trying to Take Down Joe Rogan? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55782/ Last updated: 2024-04-24T13:41:17.000Z > “We must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.” > Dwight Eisenhower ([**Farewell Address, 1961**](https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/dwightdeisenhowerfarewell.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). The full-court breakdown of Joe Rogan has begun. Neil Young started it when he demanded Spotify remove his music because Rogan permits a compelling COVID narrative to exist that violates the official narrative. The compelling COVID narrative is supposedly wrong and because we’re in a pandemic (which is waning, according to my most-recent issue of [***The Kiplinger Letter***](https://www.kiplinger.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)), it’s dangerous. Because it’s dangerous, it must be stopped. https://twitter.com/lexfridman/status/1490088366783844352 That’s how the Neil Young logic runs. And now we’re learning that he has significant financial ties to Pfizer. I guess Pfizer owns his music catalog, which presumably means there’s a financial symbiosis between Neil Young and Pfizer, but the heck if I know. All I know is, Spotify and Rogan both blinked: Rogan apologized, in his own way; Spotify started taking down old Joe Rogan episodes. Then an old video about Joe Rogan using the N-word re-surfaced and is being pushed to the public (a video that a friend tells me is “a fifth-grade level hit piece": it apparently just takes a bunch of N-word references out of context and pastes them together). If you haven’t been paying attention, that is the bogeyman. It’s the new Pinko Fascist. If you wanted to discredit someone from, say, 1920 to 1960, you called him a “Pinko Commie” If you wanted to discredit someone from about 1960 through 1990, you called him a “Fascist.” From 1990 through 2022, you call him a “racist” (its replacement hasn’t arrived yet; “climate-change denier” didn’t stick, probably because it’s more than three syllables). And nothing proves a person is a racist like the N-word. You’re caught using the N-word? That’s like someone finding a Communist Party card in your desk drawer in the 1940s. The circumstances don’t matter. --- ## Is this McCarthyism Redux? I honestly don’t care if you like Joe Rogan or not. The take-down ought to disturb you, just as honest people on both sides of the political aisle were disturbed by McCarthyism in the 1950s. But this McCarthyism isn’t the government. Even if this is a coordinated campaign against Joe Rogan in favor of the official COVID narrative, it’s private citizens like Neil Young and private corporations like Pfizer and Facebook and Google that are promoting it. It’s an important difference. The problem is, there’s not much difference in the results. McCarthyism wasn’t about putting people in jail (though a few Soviet agents like Alger Hiss did time). It was about putting public persons on **the *blacklist*** so they could no longer earn a living. To this day, “McCarthyism” and “blacklist” go together like “salt and pepper.” That’s exactly what is happening today. There are coordinated efforts *among private corporations and rich individuals* *who discredit public persons who promote a narrative that conflicts with the official government narrative*. It can’t be denied, and it ought to be carefully considered. *Powerful private interests promote the official narrative*. You ought to find that unsettling. Very unsettling. --- ## Big Business-Big Government: Clandestine Here’s the thing: Big business and big government have been working together for years. It goes back at least to the Glorious Revolution of 1688 when the English Parliament wrested complete government control from the King and immediately started to use it to promote mercantile interests and create problems (like [**the Great Gin Craze**](https://medium.com/the-weekly-eudemon/parliament-created-the-18th-centurys-great-gin-craze-58edcd61468c?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). Back then, it was just the way things were. I’m not sure anyone thought much about it. Tariffs, public-private loans, government charters: it was just the early days of capitalism, fueled by the government. By the turn of the century, the U.S. government was fully on board with the arrangement. Exhibit A: the U.S. military propping up banana republics in Central America to protect private corporate interests. But the disturbing thing by 1900 was: the whole arrangement wasn’t talked about anymore. It was “clandestine.” There’s a reason writers like G.K. Chesterton wrote about the dangerous collaboration between big business and big government: people needed to be reminded. --- ## Is Google the Historical Clandestine Efforts on Steroids? Here’s my concern: the big government/big business arrangement is now even more clandestine. So clandestine, in fact, that I’m wearing my tin-foil cap as I write this. Maybe Google is directly controlled by the federal government. I think it’s possible, though absolutely unprovable since we rely on the Internet for our information and Google search results control virtually every web browser out there (something I didn’t realize until recently . . . [**Brave**](https://brave.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is the one exception). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Rick-Harrison-725x1024.jpg) Pause a moment and think: If the federal government is controlling the Google search results, and burying or [**removing sites from its search results altogether**](https://blog.google/products/search/when-and-why-we-remove-content-google-search-results/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), the federal government has pulled off a coup that would impress the most successful totalitarian. That might be happening. There’s evidence that it is (e.g., Google’s meteoric rise; [**Eric Schmidt’s “remarkably-close” relationship to the Obama administration**](https://theintercept.com/2016/04/22/googles-remarkably-close-relationship-with-the-obama-white-house-in-two-charts/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)), but nothing remotely provable. Heck, I don’t even believe it. I just think it’s possible. Such a claim would be extraordinary, and extraordinary claims, [**Carl Sagan liked to say**](https://craigpartain.medium.com/extraordinary-claims-require-extraordinary-evidence-4a23dc758e4e?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), require extraordinary evidence. We have virtually none. And in the most problematic paradox of all: we aren’t going to be able to get much evidence because the nature of the claim presupposes that the evidence wouldn’t be available: Google, at the government’s direction, is burying it. Fortunately, the claim doesn’t have to be extraordinary. It’s not necessary to show that Google is effectively a wholly-owned subsidiary of the federal government. There are all sorts of looser forms of control or relationship that can accomplish similar things, many of which aren’t extraordinary and, indeed, are natural. Maybe Google execs just hang out with politicians, along with folks from Wall Street, Amazon, and the media conglomerates. They walk in the same social circles; they belong to the same clubs; they text each other funny memes. . . . And like any group of friends, when one talks, the others listen. When one needs help, the others pitch in. They're cronies, in other words. Then combine that natural scenario with the cozy relationship between the federal government and American businesses in Central America in the first half of the 1900s. Combine that with the government's history of cronyism. Surely, you find that unsettling. --- ## Just Keep All This in Mind. That’s All I’m Saying Maybe you don’t find it unsettling. Maybe the logical response is, “By your own admission, this has been going on for over 300 years and everything is doing fine.” Maybe. But for 300 years we’ve been aware of it, at least at some level. Increasingly, we’re not aware of it. Increasingly, there’s not a column in society to make us aware of it. And when a column starts to get erected, it gets torn down by an effort that certainly appears coordinated. Yet many of us don’t notice or don’t care, just as long as our own narrative is the one being preserved. I’m not claiming Google is the Federal government. I’m not saying Joe Rogan is being persecuted by government action behind the scenes. But we know such things have happened in the past. In fact, such things have often been the norm. We need to be aware of it. That’s all I’m saying. https://twitter.com/michaelmalice/status/1489815954032926721 ### Four Levels of Literature to Form a Healthy Worldview URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/four-levels-of-literature-to-form-a-healthy-worldview/ Last updated: 2024-04-23T14:48:43.000Z Intellectual impulses are sublogical. We might believe we’re thinking logically and just grasping facts, but we rarely are. Our ideas more often reflect our moods or wishes than objective calculations based on the facts.[\[1\]](#%5Fedn1) In his *Grammar of Ascent*, John Henry Newman explored the unconscious process of the mind. He coined the term “illative sense” to describe the memory and creation, sense impressions and abstractions, little facts accumulated over the years, proofs we’ve deduced since childhood, an army of illustrations and inferences . . . all coming together somehow to give us an implicit worldview that is sublogical. I can’t explain it any more than I can explain how my vermicompost makes my zinnias bloom like mad. I am here, however, to suggest how your reading can help frame your illative sense in a good way, to give it a sense of norms that makes your sublogical soil healthy, so then maybe you can lead a healthier life and, if you’re lucky, contribute healthy ideas and art to those around you. And if you’re a parent, I’m here to suggest the kind of reading you might want to give your children. --- ## Four Levels of Literature In *Enemies of the Permanent Things*, Russell Kirk lists four types of literature that help form a good illative sense. I might quibble with this categories, but given Kirk’s credentials, including friendship with some of the greatest literary minds of the twentieth century, I suspect my quibbles come from a faulty illative sense so I’m wholly deferring to him: 1\. Fantasy 2\. Narrative History and Biography 3\. Reflective Prose and Poetic Fiction 4\. Philosophy and Theology ## Fantasy > “Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It's a way of understanding it.” Lloyd Alexander This is where you can help your children the most. *Aesop’s Fables*, The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen. Consider getting an anthology like the *Treasury of Classic Children’s Literature* or William Bennet’s *The Book of Virtue*. When they get older, *The Chronicles of Narnia*, then *The Hobbit*. As they near the teens, *Lord of the Rings*. If they’re twisted kids like I was, *The Silmarillion*. ## Narrative History and Biography > “Reading of grand lives does something to form decent lives.” Russell Kirk I’d put **Boswell**’s *Life of Johnson* here. I think I’ve read every **G.K. Chesterton** biography out there and endorse them all, plus I’d recommend GKC’s biographies of Thomas Aquinas and Francis of Assisi. I’d think pretty much any biography of **George Washington** (a man so great that [even the Catholics claim him](https://catholicism.org/george-washington-died-a-catholic.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) fits here. For narrative history, Kirk recommends Dickens’ *Child’s House of England* and Hawthorne’s *Grandfather’s Chair*. I’d recommend GKC’s *Everlasting Man*. If you want narrative intellectual history, **Henri de Lubac’s** *The Drama of Atheist Humanism* is difficult but riveting . . . if you can get into it (no small feat). ## Reflective Prose and Poetic Fiction > “You did not come back from Hell with empty hands.” Andre Malraux Frustratingly, Kirk defines neither “reflective prose” nor “poetic fiction.” If it’s “reflective,” then the prose would have an autobiographical element, so should it go under “biography”? Beats me, but if you’re looking for reflective essays, **Joseph Epstein** is the best. His essays combine reflections from his life and learning, almost like reading a highly-organized [commonplace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonplace%5Fbook?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) book on a single subject. I’d also consider David Foster Wallace essays. He published only 17 of them and I’m not sure how much they’ll help shape one’s illative sense, but they are reflective. If nothing else, the reader will learn the importance of honesty, including self-deprecating humor. For autobiography, I suppose I’m supposed to recommend **Ben Franklin’s**, but I’m not sure how normative I find a book of pre-fab moral automation[\[2\]](#%5Fedn2)by a [serial lecher](https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1990-05-06-9002070774-story.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Instead, try **Whittaker Chambers’** *Witness*. Ascent from Communism to Quakerism, the Alger Hiss case. It’s not a period piece. Chambers was a first-rate writer and he set out to write a work of permanence. And succeeded. “**You did not come back from Hell with empty hands**,” the French novelist Andre Malraux wrote to Chambers after reading an advance copy. And if you want to start at the very beginning of autobiography, **St. Augustine’s** *Confessions*. It’s not only the first autobiography, it might be the best. If you like it Catholic but more modern, try **Thomas Merton’s** *Seven Storey Mountain*. And for poetic fiction? I’m not sure what Kirk means, but **George Gissing’s** *The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft* has long resonated with me, as does **George Bernanos’** *The Diary of a Country Priest*. I haven’t gotten around to her yet, but a trendy pick here is **Sigrid Undset**. I gotta believe the **Brontes**, **Henry James**, and **Jane Austen** all fit here as well. ## Philosophy and Theology > “The desire of man is to know something whole and perfect.” St. Thomas Aquinas Pull a chair to the table and just start picking. There are tons to choose from. Kirk recommends the Stoics. So do I. So does everybody these days, so I’ll just leave the suggestion there. The trick is to pick philosophers who speak to the conscience. The jumblings of the postmodernists and metaphysics may not help much (though my old spiritual adviser said he prefers Thomas Aquinas to Thomas a ’Kempis for meditation). Me? I like my philosophy and theology with a spoonful of sugar (it makes the medicine go dooooown). That sugar for me is history, so any history of philosophy is great. **Etienne Gilson**—both an expert on Descartes and Thomas Aquinas—has a half-dozen great books here, including [*The Unity of Philosophical Experience*](https://amzn.to/3N48Dbc?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and *The Spirit of Medieval Philosophy*. Also recommended: **Basil Willey’s** [*Background* books](https://amzn.to/3QUTbzg?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (warning: thick prose) and Kirk’s *The Conservative Mind*, which isn’t remotely a book about conservatism, as that term is used in today’s troubled political times. --- [\[1\]](#%5Fednref1)Basil Willey explores this phenomenon in *The Seventeenth Century Background*, in his attempt to understand Thomas Hobbes’ abrasive philosophy and his relentless hatred and contempt for the Scholastics. “The Philosophical Quest—Hobbes,” Chp. VI. [\[2\]](#%5Fednref2)D.H. said of Franklin’s *Autobiography*: “I am a moral animal. But I am not a moral machine.” *Studies in Classic American Literature* ### If You Can Successfully Get SNAP Out of KFC, I'll Listen URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/if-you-can-successfully-get-bridge-cards-out-of-kfc-ill-listen/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T11:31:25.000Z ### 💡 ****Synopsis**: **Tyranny, Inc.* apparently calls for greater regulation so we can stop the corporate tyranny in America. But more regulation means more federal government, and the federal government (just like Great Britain's central government since 1688) has always been beholden to business interests. More regulation of big business is like sending prostitutes into your husband's bedroom to stop the philandering. It could work, I suppose, but in all likelihood, it just means more money for big business and more sex for your husband. It's hard to say whether Sohrab Ahmari is a distributist or whether he ignores the problem of Hudge and Gudge, but based on [this laudatory essay](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2023/08/private-tyrants-public-remedies-a-review-of-sohrab-ahmaris-tyranny-inc/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), he seems ignorant that the biggest problem with big government is that big business will use it to enrich both. If government is big and centralized, it presents a ready pot of money and power that the unscrupulous, like the corporations rightly demonized in *Tyranny, Inc.*, can raid for their own enrichment and desires. It appears Ahmari wants more regulation to deal with the corporate tyranny that has become a plague in our country. That's fine, but it assumes the corporate tyrants aren't tyrants in the first place because they have access to the true tyrants in the Beltway. **If we take away access to big government, big business can't become tyrannical**. The best way to take away access to big government: Shrink it. The bolded sentence above is, obviously, the point of argument here. I strongly believe that businesses are, by the vortextual and unsteady nature of the marketplace, unstable: if left alone and not aided by government, every business will eventually fail. And it's a good thing. Ahmari would call me a "market utopian." I used to call people like myself "market mystics": they don't know how the market works, but they trust it will. I long ago abandoned my dislike of market utopians/mystics and became one, but I still hold onto hope that someone will be able to show me a third way. My heart tells me the distributists are right, but I just can't see it with my head. And the reason I can't see it is because no one can show me how you can regulate a sector of our society that controls the regulators . . . and always has. It goes back to the conquest of the mercantile classes in the Glorious Revolution in 1688\. Commercial interests have controlled centralized governments for over 300 years. It can't be reversed or stopped. We can only stop feeding the arrangement. But Ahmari appears to want to feed it more by yet more regulations. Based on that essay-review, he doesn't realize that, if you give more power to the federal government, more power and money just end up in the hands of the corporate tyrants that Ahmari wants to regulate. Of course, I haven't read Ahmari's book. This blurb is merely a "review of a review," but I've seen this blind spot before by distributists or others who would posit the (oh-so-desirable) third way. And what I find stunning is, it's a blind spot they don't see. I know I have a blind spot in my rearview as I drive. That's why I account for it when I switch lanes. I'd like the distributists to do the same thing: before positing more government to control business, account for the problem that government is already controlled by business. Business and government are hideously and complexly-connected Siamese twins: feed one, and you feed the other. And kill one, and you kill the other. --- > If you're going to read the Marxist historians, that's good, but it's like an American soldier banging a Vietcong prostitute: he can try to get something out of it, but he needs to keep so vigilant, it kinda ruins the fun. Now, how can I **prove that business captured government over 300 years ago?** That, I'm afraid, would take a very detailed historical account that surpasses my current knowledge or current allocation of time to parse through, but historians have done a lot to piece it together, starting with Karl Marx. So, if you want to explore the hideous Siamese twin nature of business and government, you're going to want to spend time with Marxist historians, like Charles Beard. The problem is, Marxists aren't honest. They're enthralled by their gnosticism, so they'll do or say anything to advance that workers' paradise. Charles Beard's ground-breaking *An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States* is boring as hell but compelling in its conclusions: the Constitution was designed to further the property interests of its proponents. There were no "higher truths" involved in the Constitution, like the reality of Original Sin and the goodness of a healthy polity that keeps power divided as much as possible so one class of persons (or their corporations) can't exert too much power. It was all just a power and money grab by rich colonialists. The problem is, Beard's conclusions were wrong. In the words of Robert Crunden: "Two generations of modern scholars and the invention of the computer have been required to prove definitively that most of Beard's conclusions were wrong." *Ministers of Reform*, p. 79. So, if you're going to read the Marxist historians, that's good, but it's like an American soldier banging a Vietcong prostitute: he can try to get something out of it, but he needs to keep so vigilant, it kinda ruins the fun. --- ## Kentucky Fried Chicken Proves Me Right A better option? Just look at the food stamp program. The huge inequality of wealth is a huge problem. One way to mitigate it: redistribute some of the wealth. Enter food stamps. The "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" allows poor people to use electronic cards to buy . . . Kentucky Fried Chicken, energy drinks, and other scourges of the American diet. Why? Precisely because the Crap Food Industry is a massive lobbying presence in Washington. It doesn't matter that fast food and soda are poison. What matters is, big business controls Washington. It's a perfect *snap*shot of the problem: By redistributing wealth, the biggest chunk of wealth goes into the pockets of the tyrannical corporations. It's flagrant, shocking, and disturbing: but no one scarcely notices or cares. But now, somehow, we're supposed to pass regulations, most of which won't be nearly as flagrant or obvious as the food stamp fraud, that will stop big business? And people like me are the utopians? ### A Tip to the Right Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/tipping-culture/ Last updated: 2024-04-06T10:26:29.000Z I agree with *Modern Drunkard Magazine's* observation that, if you can't afford to tip the bartender, you can't afford to drink in a bar. Just buy a six-pack and stay home. Me? I prefer to stay home with the six-pack, but I love bars. When I gained access with my brother's fake ID when I was 14 (just kidding . . . I was 18), I felt like I had sneaked into hallowed grounds. I walked in and drank frequently but with deference. When I became legal at 21, I walked in and drank with confidence. As I aged, I walked in and drank with comfort. At all stages, I left the bartender a tip. When I was 18, it was probably partly because I appreciated him not questioning how I could be 22 when I looked like I was 15\. Once I became older, I probably did it because that's what you do. You could stiff the bartender (and the slow ones, I did, especially if they were slow because they were chatting with co-workers . . . a thing that still strains my limited supplies of holiness), but that's a sign of barbarism. But to haphazardly toss a dollar or two on the bar as you walk away with your drink? That shows *savoir-faire*. It also shows a level of detachment from your money, which means you're wealthy: you have plenty of money compared to your wants. You might, relative to other people, have a lot of money or very little, but compared to your wants, you must have plenty, so you toss the dollar or two on the bar with barely a nod and walk away. Few things ennoble like tossing a dollar or two on the bar as you walk away with your drink. Also worth pointing out: Few things are more right-hemispheric. Economists and sociologists have studied the habit of tipping, especially in America where tipping has gotten out of hand, both in quantity (25% is now the norm?!) and in situations (the convenience store checkout?!). The bottom line is, no one can figure out why we tip. It's not to get better service. Studies, for instance, show we tip when there's virtually no chance we'll see the bartender or waitress again. We tip *for no apparent reason* and that's what drives the academics insane. There is simply "something about" tipping that transcends analysis. It transcends the left hemisphere's arena of preying and grasping. It therefore transcends academia, foiling economists, sociologists, and all other reductionists. So when you go to the bar, leave a dollar or two for the bartender with every drink. The alcohol flips the left hemisphere over your mental shoulder, onto the ground, freeing your right hemisphere to consider things above the quotidian. The pointless tipping is a kick to the left hemisphere's ribs. [Anthony Gill on Tipping - EconlibWhy does tipping persist? Despite the efforts of some restaurants to stop tipping, it remains a healthy institution and has recently spread to Uber. Political scientist Anthony Gill of the University of Washington talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about why tipping persists and what it achieves despite there being no formal way of enforcing \[…\]![](https://www.econtalk.org/favicon.ico)EconlibAnthony Gill![](https://www.econtalk.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/tipping.jpg)](https://www.econtalk.org/anthony-gill-on-tipping/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [To Tip or Not to Tip - EconlibIs tipping a relic of the past that has outlived its usefulness? Should restaurant servers work for tips or a living wage? This episode, EconTalk host Russ Roberts welcomed back political scientist Anthony Gill to discuss his recent piece on teaching about tipping. 1\. Did your parents teach you to tip for service? If so, \[…\]![](https://www.econtalk.org/favicon.ico)EconlibAmy Willis![](https://www.econtalk.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/kids20tip.jpg)](https://www.econtalk.org/extra/to-tip-or-not-to-tip/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Happy Birthday, Front Porch Republic URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/happy-birthday-front-porch-republic/ Last updated: 2024-03-21T12:48:07.000Z In the beginning there was Wendell Berry. The seed—well, a seed—from which Front Porch Republic sprouted was an October 2003 Liberty Fund conference in Savannah, Georgia, dedicated to the thought of the Kentucky poet-farmer-novelist-essayist-prophet. All was collegial and bibulous—with Jeremy Beer and Jason Peters on hand how could it be otherwise?—until one of the final sessions, when a pleasant woman, an academic who was, shall we say, not in complete alignment with the Berry-lovers around the table, opined that Berry Road led straight to the Khmer Rouge. Talk about a trigger! Many things, among them friendship and a few books—but no replay of the Cambodian genocide, thank God–grew from that weekend in Savannah. One offshoot was a March 2007 conference on “Liberty, Community, and Place” held in Charlottesville, Virginia, and sponsored by ISI, which is to say the independent-minded Jeremy Beer. The ghost of the late-onset radical decentralist Thomas Jefferson, he of the ward republics, perfused the air, as new friendships formed and existing ones deepened. **Read the rest** [It Started with a Dis... - Front Porch RepublicThe Empire did not fall the day Front Porch Republic rose. But in 15 years FPR has done much more than simply add weight to the human scale. It has revivified the most humane and practical traditions in American social, cultural, economic, and political life and thought.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicBill Kauffman![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/eustache-le-sueur-a-gathering-of-friends-wga12608-7e4ecd-1024.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/03/it-started-with-a-dis/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Why I Subscribed to Encylopedia Britannica URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/splurging-personally-and-stepping-up-tdes-game/ Last updated: 2024-04-06T10:27:21.000Z I subscribed to the *Encyclopedia Britannica*. It was difficult. I didn't much mind the $75 annual subscription price, but I've spent early 2024 weeding subscriptions out of my wallet—about $1,000 worth annually. Last week, I discovered I could watch March Madness this year for just $32, instead of $72--I was delighted for days. "Finally," I started thinking, "I'm getting a handle on the online spending game. I'm no longer a slave to their algorithmic skullduggery. I'm no longer a digital victim. I am now the master. *I* sliced YouTube TV and took $72 from them. *I* axed away nearly $1,000 annually in online subscriptions. *I* am the man." And then I was researching a man known as "Frederick Winslow Taylor," the father of Scientific Management. I went to Wikipedia and got information to supplement the facts from information in my home library. Wikipedia didn't have quite enough, so I used the Google machine . . . and the *Encylopedia Britannica* entry appeared. I read it and was struck by the "crisper" facts. For instance: (1) Wikipedia said Taylor conducted his time experiments in the 1880s. *Britannica* said he started in "1881." (2) Wikipedia said he retired in the early 1900s to write about scientific management. *Britannica* said he retired at age 45. Minor things, but semi-relevant to my research. I was impressed and again started to weigh whether I should buy a subscription, something I've considered for a long time. --- ### Wikipedia Might be Accurate but It's Not Reliable Studies have long shown that Wikipedia is as **accurate** as *Britannica*. But it's not as **reliable** as *Britannica*. It's not a paradox. It's simply true, for three reasons. 1. *"Accuracy" and "reliability" aren't the same thing*. If asked if the weather outside is nice, I can reply, with 100% accuracy, "It's sunny," without mentioning the wind gusts and 20-degree temperature. The information is accurate, but it conveys nothing reliable. The studies that show Wikipedia is accurate look at the facts . . . they don't look at the omitted facts. \[NOTE: This is my impression more than a fact, based on "the fact" that it's much harder to see what's missing than it is to judge what's there.\] 2. *Whoppers*. Anyone can edit a Wikipedia entry, so it's prone to big lies and wild inaccuracies. Yes, other Wikipedia users will correct it, but when? In two minutes? Two years? How do you know when you're wading in the remains of a troll or moron? You don't. 3. *Trump*. Trump broke Wikipedia's brain. It joined the establishment media and sacrificed neutrality in the establishment's fevered desire to destroy Trumpism and then enshrine the COVID narrative, and now it has become simply another woke outlet of leftwing politics. Its founder, Larry Sanger, has long criticized Wikipedia for being biased, and the bias went off the rails in 2020\. If you doubt this, spend some time (12 seconds ought to suffice) doing online searches about Wikipedia's bias. You'll get more hits than a boxer's heavy bag. --- ### My Children are My Imaginary Readers Regular TDE readers know that I try to present honest information. I have a large home library (3,000+ books) and subscribe to four journals that give me access to, collectively, over 100 years of their articles and essays. The fact is, my kids read TDE (well, the ones who love me, anyway). When I write here, my children are my imaginary readers. I don't want to mislead them. I want to be as honest as possible. But the fact is, this is a blog, first and foremost. It's not investigative journalism, plus it will, like all writing, carry the author's bias. All writing, especially a blog, has its accuracy and reliability limits. I don't need to compound those limits by citing an unreliable source like Wikipedia and I'm tired of cross-referencing Wikipedia against other sources, like the (relative to Wikipedia) reliable and accurate [Citizendium ](https://citizendium.org/wiki/Welcome%5Fto%5FCitizendium?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)and the Wikipedia counterpoise [Conservapedia](https://www.conservapedia.com/Main%5FPage?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I'll now just refer to the *Encyclopedia Britannica*. It's a trusted source. I'm sure it has its academic bias, but at least each entry is written by multiple experts (sigh . . . the expert . . . more on that later), curated by editors, and updated by experts and editors. It's deemed sufficiently accurate and reliable to be cited in college and university papers. It's now deemed sufficient for TDE. ### Why Are We So Metaphysically Beleaguered? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55860/ Last updated: 2024-04-20T13:48:24.000Z ## A review of Bradley Lowell Stone’s *Robert Nisbet: Communitarian Traditionalist* (ISI Books, 2000) [Episode 262: The Quest for Community by Robert Nisbet | National ReviewJohn J. Miller is joined by Luke Sheahan of Duquesne University to discuss Robert Nisbet’s book, The Quest for Community.![](https://www.nationalreview.com/wp-content/themes/national-review/static/images/favicons/apple-icon-180x180.png)National Review![](https://i0.wp.com/www.nationalreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Nisbet-Cover.jpg?fit=1200%2C700&ssl=1)](https://www.nationalreview.com/podcasts/the-great-books/episode-262-the-quest-for-community-by-robert-nisbet/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) G.K. Chesterton’s economics parallels Robert Nisbet’s sociology. I think that’s a fair statement, and it’s borne out in [**this debut volume**](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Robert%5FNisbet/H6XZAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) of The Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s Library of Modern Thinkers, a series of books meant to distill the essential thought of twentieth-century thinkers in short and highly-readable books (a goal accomplished admirably by Mr. Stone in this book). [**Robert Nisbet**](https://kirkcenter.org/best/robert-nisbet-and-the-idea-of-community/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (1913–1996) was a sociologist at California Berkeley whose lifework resolved around one grand theme: the importance of communities, those human groups that spring up to fill perennial human needs and solve problems,” such as families, voluntary associations, and churches. People need community. Community, Nisbet once wrote, “springs from some of the powerful needs of human nature.” If communities are attacked or undermined, individuals will be harmed. This firmly-held belief animated one of the main “sub-themes” of Nisbet’s work: To the extent the centralized state becomes more powerful, communities atrophy. This, of course, makes sense, if we keep in mind Nisbet’s primary definition of “community” as groups that solve problems. To the extent the omnicompetent state attempts to solve our problems, the role of community diminishes, weakens and eventually disappears: to the detriment of individuals. This has been the readily-discernible path in America’s recent past, as the national government’s attempt to solve problems on a national scale has crippled families (e.g., by providing economic incentives for women not to marry) and charitable organizations (e.g., by national-scale welfare programs replacing the need for local organizations and churches to care for their poor). ## More State = More Emphasis on Money The rise of the powerful state has resulted in harm to individuals, Nisbet believed. He said the contemporary individual is “metaphysically beleaguered.” He said the modern man is alienated. Instead of being connected to others and higher realities through communities, he is tossed about in “vast institutions and organizations” that fragment him and leave him “existentially missing in action.” In this situation, it is not surprising that money has assumed a major role in contemporary society. Without community and the higher functions it embodies, money becomes the common denominator, with the result that every “act of service, responsibility, protection and aid to others is an act presupposing or calling for monetary exchange, for cash payment.” Nisbet called this, citing Thomas Carlyle, “the cash nexus.” ## Political Monism v. Social Pluralism For those interested in the history of ideas, especially when connected to contemporary issues, Stone’s recount of Nisbet’s sociology is engaging. Nisbet emphasized two great traditions in Western political thought: **political monism** and **social pluralism**. Political monism emphasizes the supremacy and pervasiveness of the state and believes all intermediary institutions must be subordinated to it. This tradition blends “social nihilism and political affirmation.” Its modern proponents include Hobbes, Rousseau, Bentham, and Lenin. Social pluralism, on the other hand, emphasizes intermediary institutions. It sees true freedom deriving from strong communities, rather than from the national government: “According to this tradition, no state is deemed free if the government rules over the social, economic, and intellectual spheres. Conversely, a government monarchical or oligarchical in structure can be a free government if — as has been the case many times in history — it respects the other institutions of society and permits autonomies accordingly in the social and economic spheres.” This tradition's modern proponents include Burke, Tocqueville, Acton, and Proudhon (and Nisbet). Stone concludes this quick-to-read little book with a chapter that cites empirical evidence and studies showing that the dominance of political monism is destroying communities, especially the family. The studies are remarkable, such as one Canadian study that found that children in step-families are forty times more likely to suffer physical and sexual abuse than children living with both biological parents. Stone has little patience for the political monists (in particular, the sociologist Robert Bellah) who ignore such findings and continue to insist that modern society just needs more national political remedies to right such problems. ## In Praise of Small I opened this review with the statement that Chesterton’s economics parallels Nisbet’s sociology. That was a bit trite . . . and inaccurate. They aren’t really *parallel:* the need for smallness in economics and smallness in sociology *converge*, as Chesterton showed in [**What’s Wrong with the World**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/184565.What%5Fs%5FWrong%5Fwith%5Fthe%5FWorld?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Small economic units and small social units overlap, especially in the family. Smallness makes the family strong (and, paradoxically, an emphasis on smallness often makes the family big). But big-infatuated Hudge and Gudge Monists don’t see it. They emphasize largeness, to the detriment of small communities . . . especially the families. Photo by [Bermix Studio](https://unsplash.com/@bermixstudio?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=medium&utm%5Fmedium=referral) ### George MacDonald: Grandfather of Middle Earth? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53292/ Last updated: 2024-04-18T13:33:31.000Z #### Fantasy literature wasn't even "a thing" until George MacDonald came along. [Timothy Larsen flushes it out](https://marginalia.lareviewofbooks.org/why-george-macdonald-matters/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). One of my favorite "browsing books" is C.S. Lewis' [*Anthology: 365 Reading*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34097202-george-macdonald?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)[*s*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34097202-george-macdonald?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) of George MacDonald writings. I've also long believed that the fiction of George MacDonald is worthy. Alas, I've never been able to "get into" his fiction. A small collection of his books sit on my shelf: *Phantases, Back of the North Wind, The Princess and the Goblin*. The only thing of his I've read: "The Golden Key" short story, which is probably his most famous short story but still, just a short story. A lot of it is no doubt the prose. It's simply from a different era. But part of it might be that MacDonald wrote like a 19th-century version of a psychedelic trip. Indeed, that's how it seemed to contemporary readers. Timothy Larsen flushes all this out in this splendid essay: [Why George MacDonald Matters](https://marginalia.lareviewofbooks.org/why-george-macdonald-matters/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). "To this day, readers often find *Phantastes* to be a deeply strange novel. Nevertheless, we are steadied and orientated by all the fantasy literature that has grown out of it like realist novels suddenly animated by magic. We have Tolkien, but Tolkien only had MacDonald and his followers. To put the point bluntly, no MacDonald, no Tolkien. It is still a curious book, but as it was the starting point of something new, *Phantastes* was immeasurably weirder for its original readers. In fact, MacDonald had gotten ahead of the market." The whole essay is splendid and points out that, without MacDonald, no Narnia, no *A Wrinkle in Time*, and probably no GKC's *The Man Who was Thursday* . . . or even Harry Potter. > "George MacDonald is the fairy godfather of the Inklings. None more so than C. S. Lewis, who referred to MacDonald as his "Master," and who credited his first reading of *Phantastes* as a life-changing event. . . No *Phantastes*, no Narnia. In Lewis' novel, *The Great Divorce* (1945), MacDonald himself is a character who acts as a guide to the spiritual realm much as Virgil does for Dante in *The Divine Comedy*. Madeleine L'Engle, who was a generation younger than Lewis, also credited the Scottish pioneer of fantasy fiction, and she never outgrew his works, testifying: 'George MacDonald gives me renewed strength during times of trouble.' No MacDonald, no *A* *Wrinkle in Time*." ### The CCP and Me: Once Upon A Time in Today's Hollywood URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-ccp-and-me-once-upon-time-in-todays-hollywood/ Last updated: 2024-03-18T13:02:54.000Z [China Controls Hollywood?I haven’t finished the documentary yet, but I’ve watched enough to understand the paradoxical threat: China is using the free market to eliminate the free market. Do American companies, including film studios, want access to the massive Chinese market? Then they need to do what the Chinese Communist Party says.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1594663805807-29a7cc1847c0?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGhvbGx5d29vZHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTA3NjU1Mjh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/china-controls-hollywood/) During the opening title sequence of “[Hollywood Takeover: China’s Control in the Film Industry](https://www.theepochtimes.com/epochtv/hollywood-takeover-5595342?utm%5Fsource=article)” (“Takeover”), a title card includes a quote from Mao Zedong, the sixth through 10th chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It reads “There is in fact no such thing as art for art’s sake,” an obvious slam against the text “ars gratia artis” (Latin for “art for art’s sake”) surrounding the “Leo the Lion” logo at the start of all MGM studio productions. What Mao meant (I think) was that while art, particularly film, is primarily an entertainment vehicle, it could and should also be used as a vessel for political and social propaganda, something not lost on each of his successors. While China began banning foreign films in the early 20th century, with the increase in foreign trade, it began to allow some films to be shown. The CCP didn’t begin wielding its considerable “global exhibition muscle” in earnest until 1997 (more on that below). In 2008, just after the first Beijing Olympics and under the supervision of then-Chinese leader Hu Jintao, the CCP stepped up its game to full-blown censorship and manipulation of foreign films, particularly those produced in the United States. ## It’s Never Going to Stop Hosted by NTD news anchor Tiffany Meier, “Takeover” expertly examines the CCP’s ever-increasing influence over the U.S. film industry, and how and why that’s never likely to stop. The CCP’s principal concern is content that goes against, in the slightest manner, its social and political directives. For instance, the 2012 movie “Looper” met resistance because of its time travel subplot, which, in the opinion of the CCP, could change events in the past and future, a big no-no. The CCP overlooked the time travel component and gave the film its “blessing” only after the film made clear that living in China in the future was better than living in France, and if a role for rising Chinese actress Xu Qing was added to the story. This was done, as was the inclusion of Ms. Xu’s image on the Chinese advertising poster and not on the American versions. There are many other examples of other CCP demands presented in “Takeover,” but three are worth noting here; two are in Tom Cruise movies. ## CCP Control . . . In the trailer for “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022), there is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it image of the back of Maverick’s bomber jacket as seen in the first film where flag patches of Taiwan and Japan appeared. They were removed at the request of the CCP-controlled Tencent Pictures. After Tencent backed out of the production, the images were reinstated. **Read the rest (subscription may be required)** [‘Hollywood Takeover: China’s Control in the Film Industry’This eye-opening documentary exposes the CCP’s influence on American entertainment.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesMichael Clark![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/03/06/id5601824-HT_thumbail_1920x1080-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/bright/hollywood-takeover-chinas-control-in-the-film-industry-5599551?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### China Controls Hollywood? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/china-controls-hollywood/ Last updated: 2024-04-06T10:28:33.000Z I haven't finished the documentary yet, but I've watched enough to understand the paradoxical threat: **China is using the free market to eliminate the free market**. Do American companies, including film studios, want access to the massive Chinese market? Then they need to do what the Chinese Communist Party says. Otherwise, the product loses a billion potential consumers, profits suffer, shareholders get mad, the stock's market cap falls, and studio heads get fired. Heck, even if an individual product runs afoul the CCP, an entire studio can get punished ("movies like *Red Corner, Kundun* and *Seven Years in Tibet* so angered the CCP that, for a time, it wouldn't allow other movies from the studios behind them into the Chinese market"). The effects trickle down. The actors do what they do best: they act like nothing is wrong. Screenwriters don't even bother drafting scripts criticizing China, much less the CCP. Technicians digitally change images that the CCP tells them to change . . . or that their American bosses tell them to change because they fear the irritating the Chinese censors. And the overall gist of the documentary: Films mold American life. They mold American opinions. If those films relentlessly portray a worldview favored by the CCP, they relentlessly undermine the things that make America great and free. This *Newsweek* article highlights that it's not just the film industry. The CCP is having a chilling effect on freedom (the market and speech) in other areas, like YouTube, which has de-monetized the documentary narrator's anti-CCP YouTube channel. > "There's a history: Whenever you say something critical of the CCP, things disappear from various platforms," Meier said. > YouTube confirmed it removed the channel from its Partner Program, meaning uploads are allowed but monetization is not, but declined to say why. The *Newsweek* article says Hollywood is starting to push back against the CCP censors, sometimes successfully. But we all know what's happening: The CCP knows its clandestine censorship of the U.S. entertainment industry is over, so at this point, they must engage in negotiated censorship. But it's still censorship. What can we do? We need to ban the studios. Shut them down and tell them to move to China. Does that violate freedom of expression? Yup. But, as Justice Jackson observed in his *Terminiello* dissent, the Bill of Rights is not a suicide pact. We can't let Gnostics, whether Communist or Fascist or Islamic [or other fundamentalists](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-common-denominator/), use our freedoms to kill our freedoms. The problem, of course, is that we'd need the Federal government to implement the ban, and it's only marginally less-Gnostic these days than the Marxists. I don't even trust the pending relatively "soft" (not the right word) TikTok measures. So what do we do? I'm afraid I don't have the answer, but I, taking Albert Jay Nock's recommendation, just worry about doing the right thing in my life. Goodness knows, it's hard just to do that, but I'll try. If I hear about CCP censorship or U.S. corporation's kowtowing to the CCP, I'll try not to spend my money with them. It's all any of us can do, I'm afraid. [New documentary criticizes Hollywood’s relationship with Communist ChinaA new documentary dubbed “Hollywood Takeover” is so sensitive that YouTube removed its trailer for two days.![](https://g.newsweek.com/themes/newsweek/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)NewsweekPaul Bond![](https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/2355987/tiffany-meier-chris-fenton.jpg)](https://www.newsweek.com/new-documentary-criticizes-hollywood-relationship-communist-china-1874889?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Related ### China Controls English Universities? [The Chinese students policing Britain’s universitiesthink again![](https://unherd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cropped-favicon-270x270.jpg)UnHerdSam Dunning![](https://unherd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-493920766.jpg)](https://unherd.com/2024/03/the-chinese-students-policing-britains-universities/?tl%5Finbound=1&tl%5Fgroups%5B0%5D=18743&tl%5Fperiod%5Ftype=3&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Re: Lenin's quote about capitalists selling Russia the rope to hang capitalism. Oxford Reference.](https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780191843730.001.0001/q-oro-ed5-00006613?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Vermont is the New Texas? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/vermont-is-the-new-texas/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:00:28.000Z [Ice BacksThe folks fly into Canada then trudge into Vermont and North Dakota. In 2023, compared to 2020, it’s up five-fold and is on pace in 2024 to crush the 2023 numbers. Graph. And like the new immigrants coming across the southern border, these folks appear to be well-funded. They’re not![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/Briefly-Misc.-Blue-Field.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/ice-backs/) At dawn or dusk, Kristy Brow used to enjoy alone time walking in the woods on her 21-acre property in Highgate, Vermont, a small rural town near the U.S.–Canada border. Lately, however, she’s cautious—she’s worried about potential encounters with illegal immigrants along the remote logging trail. “I don’t go out by myself anymore—especially at night,” said Mrs. Brow, who runs a dog obedience business from her home. “It’s unsettling. You can’t feel relaxed anymore,” she said. “You want to be safe in your own house and on your property. “It’s getting bad. Sometimes, you see them on the interstate, looking for a ride.” Mrs. Brow and her husband are both avid hunters and have deer stands set up on their property. Their game cameras often record illegal immigrants passing through. The illegal immigrants travel alone or in small groups, discarding unwanted belongings as they trudge further south into Vermont, headed for destinations unknown. “We find clothes out here. We found shoes and a bicycle. We see Border Patrol out there on snow dogs following footprints,” Mrs. Brow told The Epoch Times. Once a place of peace and solitude, she said the woods behind her house are now a shortcut for illegal immigrants. And it’s only gotten worse since President Joe Biden took office, she said. In fiscal year 2023, border officials encountered 189,401 illegal and inadmissible immigrants along the U.S.–Canada border, including at the ports of entry. Of those, 10,021 were caught crossing illegally between ports of entry. In fiscal 2021, that number was 916. Mrs. Brow’s property falls within the Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Swanton Sector, a 295-mile stretch of largely unguarded border with Canada. Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia [wrote](https://twitter.com/USBPChiefSWB/status/1764268771793945012?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) on social media earlier this month that border agents in his sector apprehended more illegal immigrants in fiscal year 2023 than “the prior 11 fiscal years combined.” The Swanton Sector encompasses 24,000 square miles and includes all of Vermont and several counties in New Hampshire and New York State. **Read the rest (subscription required)** [‘We’re So Sick of It’: Northern Border Crisis Gets WorseBorder Patrol apprehensions of illegal immigrants at the northern U.S. border have jumped from 916 in fiscal year 2021 to 10,021 in fiscal 2023.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesAllan Stein![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/03/16/id5608456-Northern-border-story-v2-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/were-so-sick-of-it-northern-border-crisis-gets-worse-5607148?ea%5Fsrc=frontpage&ea%5Fmed=premium-carousel-0&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Debasement Fundamentals: Bitcoin Has No Top Because Fiat Has No Bottom URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/debasement-fundamentals-bitcoin-has-no-top-because-fiat-has-no-bottom/ Last updated: 2024-04-06T10:29:22.000Z Debasement refers to the action or process of reducing the quality or value of something. When talking about fiat currencies, debasement traditionally refers to the practice of reducing the precious metal content in coins while keeping their nominal value the same, thereby diluting the coin’s intrinsic worth. In a modern context, debasement has evolved to mean the reduction in the value or purchasing power of a currency — such as when central banks increase the supply of money, in the process lowering the nominal value of each unit. ## UNDERSTANDING DEBASEMENT Before paper money and coins made of cheap metals like nickel, currency consisted of coins made of precious metals like gold and silver. These were the most sought after metals of the time, giving them value beyond government decree. Debasement was a common practice to save on precious metals and use them in a mix of lower-value metals instead. This practice of mixing the precious metals with a lower-quality metal means authorities could create additional coins with the same face value, expanding the money supply for a fraction of the cost compared to coins with more gold and silver content. Today, coins and notes don't have inherent worth, they are simply tokens that represent value. This means debasement relies on supply: i.e. how many coins or notes the issuing body allows to circulate. Debasement went through different processes and methods over time; therefore, we can define old and new methods. ### TRADITIONAL METHOD Coin clipping, sweating, and plugging were the most common debasement processes used until the introduction of paper money. Such methods were employed both by malicious actors that counterfeited coins and by authorities that increased the number of coins in circulation. Clipping involves “shaving” the coins’ edges to remove some of the metal. As with sweating, the resulting clipped bits would be collected and used to make new counterfeit coins. Sweating involves shaking coins vigorously in a bag until the edges of the coins come off and lay at the bottom. The pieces are then collected and used to create new coins. Plugging was a way of punching a hole out of the coin’s middle area with the rest of the coin hammered together to close the gap. It could also be sawn in half with a plug of metal extracted from the interior. After filling the hole with a cheaper metal, the two halves would be fused again. ### MODERN-DAY METHODS Money supply increase is the modern method used by governments to debase the currency. By printing more money, governments get more funds to spend but it results in inflation for its citizens. Currency can be debased by increasing the money supply, lowering interest rates, or implementing other measures that encourage inflation; they’re all “good” ways of reducing the value of a currency. ## WHY IS MONEY DEBASED? Governments debase their currency so that they can spend without raising further taxes. Debasing money to fund wars was an effective way of increasing the money supply to engage in expensive conflicts without affecting people’s finances — or so it is believed. Whether by traditional debasement or modern money printing, money supply increases have short-sighted benefits in boosting the economy. But in the long term, it leads to inflation and financial crises. The effects of this are felt most acutely by those in society who do not own hard assets that might counter the loss in the currency’s value. Currency debasement could also occur by malicious actors who introduce counterfeit coins to an economy, but the consequence of being caught can in some countries lead to a death sentence. *“Inflation is legal counterfeiting, Counterfeiting is illegal inflation.”* \- Robert Breedlove Governments can take some measures to mitigate risks associated with money debasement and prevent unstable and weak economies, for example by controlling the money supply and interest rates within a specific range, managing spending, and avoiding excessive borrowing. Any economic reform that promotes productivity and attracts foreign investments helps maintain confidence in the currency and prevent money debasement. ## REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES ### THE ROMAN EMPIRE The first example of currency debasement dates back to the Roman Empire under emperor Nero around 60 A.D. Nero reduced the silver content in the denarius coins from 100% to 90% during his tenure. Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus had enormous expenditures via post-civil war reconstruction projects like the building of the Colosseum, compensation to the victims of the Vesuvius eruption, and the Great Fire of Rome in 64 A.D. The chosen means to survive the financial crisis was to reduce the silver content of the “denarius” from 94% to 90%. Titus’ brother and successor, Domitian, saw enough value in “hard money” and the stability of a credible money supply that he increased the silver content of the denarius back to 98% — a decision he had to revert when another war broke out, and inflation was looming again across the empire. This process gradually continued until the silver content measured just 5% in the following centuries. The Empire began to experience severe financial crises and inflation as the money continued to be devalued — particularly during the 3rd century A.D., sometimes referred to as the “Crisis of the Third Century.” During this period, spanning from about A.D. 235 to A.D. 284, Romans demanded higher wages and an increase in the price of the goods they were selling to face currency depreciation. The era was marked by political instability, external pressures from barbarian invasions, and internal issues such as economic decline and plague. It was only when Emperor Diocletian and later Constantine took various measures, including introducing new coinage and implementing price controls, that the Roman economy began to stabilize. However, these events highlighted the vulnerabilities of the once-mighty Roman economic system. Read More >> [Hard To Soft Money: The Hyperinflation Of The Roman Empire](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/hard-money-hyperinflation-roman-empire?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **Read the Rest** [Understanding Monetary Debasement](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/sponsored/bitcoin-has-no-top-because-fiat-has-no-bottom-understanding-monetary-debasement?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### St. Patrick and Sundry URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-47/ Last updated: 2025-03-18T11:37:29.000Z ## Black St. Patrick's Day ### According to the *Spectator*, St. Patrick's Day is the biggest bar night of the year, surpassing even my favorite holiday, Black Wednesday. For a country like Ireland, as devoted to its faith as to a good party, the fact that St. Patrick’s Day falls during Lent poses a problem. The saint himself is said to have broken his fast during Lent, eating meat instead of fish, for which he was so apologetic that an angel came to give him comfort. Put your meat into a dish of water, the angel said, and it will turn to fish. This Patrick did and was very pleased to see that the angel was right. The meat had turned to fish, and he could partake of it without guilt. The Irish call this miracle “St. Patrick’s Fish,” and feel no qualms about eating a pork roast to celebrate the day. You can also keep a holy day and [drink](https://thespectator.com/category/life/drink/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to excess, if you’re drinking for the right reasons. St. Patrick’s feast day is not just any other day of drinking — it is a solemn duty to toast the health and prosperity of Ireland. In the late eighteenth century a toast was a solemn occasion, and often served as an opportunity to draw attention to one political cause or another. A formal toast called for the removal of the tablecloth — there was no need for it since food would not feature prominently. Drink certainly would. According to nineteenth-century Irish-American John D. Crimmins, who chronicled St. Patrick’s Day in America, the first celebrations took place in New York in 1737\. They would begin in the customary way with a toast “To the King of Great Britain and Ireland,” but the respectful tone might be followed by a subversive caveat: “May he use the power granted him by the people to redress their grievances, and do justice to the suffering sons of Erin.” An American audience trying to wrest free of the British monarchy would appreciate the insinuation that the king’s power is given to him by his people. Once the Americans had rid themselves of the monarchy, the Irish had hopes of doing the same. To that end, toasts on St. Patrick’s Day made sure to align the Irish interests with the new American republic’s: “Hail, Columbia — the land we live in. Erin go Bragh — the land we left.” Irish Americans are still passionately patriotic — and consider their own family histories inseparable from Ireland’s. This can be seen even in the comments of the current American president — arriving in Ireland last year Joe Biden [said](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65240668?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#:~:text=He%20recounted%20one%20of%20his,lucky%20enough%2C%22%20he%20said.), “I’m home.” He made good use of the toast as well — quoting a well-loved American phrase: “If you’re lucky enough to be Irish you’re lucky enough.” Like President Biden, Americans of Irish descent view their visits to Ireland as a kind of pilgrimage. In 2019, 2 million North Americans visited Ireland. In 2021 there were roughly 2.1 visitors to every one resident, and $5.2 million spent. In Northern Europe, Ireland ranks first in tourist numbers per capita, and fifteenth in the world. You needn’t travel to Ireland to celebrate its saint’s day, however — parties in New York, Boston and Chicago far exceed those in Ireland or anywhere else in the world. [How to do St. Patrick’s Day like an Irish AmericanFor a country like Ireland, as devoted to its faith as to a good party, the fact that St. Patrick’s Day falls during Lent poses a problem.![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldHannah Moore![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MARCH-IMAGES6.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/how-to-do-st-patricks-day-like-an-irish-american/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## St. Patrick was Romano. Maybe We Can Drink Like Him this Sunday. [This Is What Ancient Roman Wine Tasted LikeNew research shows that clay vessels known as dolia were essential to the drink’s distinctive taste, flavor and texture![](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/static/smithsonianmag/img/Smithsonianmagazine_favicons.44e60f3d34e8.svg)Smithsonian MagazineSmithsonian Magazine![](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/SRcaaFWxVbjNC18_4tjkD-7ic-w=/fit-in/1600x0/filters:focal(2304x1733:2305x1734)/https%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2Fbe%2F07%2Fbe07dc0d-7d3d-4cbf-a4f8-0927c2de0cc6%2Fp8180106.jpg)](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-is-what-ancient-roman-wine-tasted-like-180983869/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Decanters I really gotta get me a decanter set. I dig the cut-glass look, plus it'll allow me to put just a few bottles on top of the bar (the other bottles can be stashed away in a nearby hiding spot). Added bonus: I can put rot gut in them and no one will know unless they're drinking neat, which virtually no one does. The problem is, it appears I will greatly reduce the shelf life of the bourbon: to about three months. On top of that, I'd also have to splurge on [those little dog tags to drape around the bottles' necks](https://amzn.to/49TfrSq?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Anyway, I have my eyes set on two sets of [these mini-decanters](https://amzn.to/3IzLDye?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), so no set of booze sits in them for too long. [Here’s How Long Your Whiskey Will Last In A DecanterPouring your whiskey into a decanter can sure make for a classy experience, but it does impact the spirit’s shelf life. So, how long does decanted whiskey last?![](https://s.yimg.com/rz/l/favicon.ico)Yahoo LifeBrian Udall![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/112PFOp_9reaibvvedgw6g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD02NzU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/tasting_table_543/7b21f1f317d24c6e13f500d921af94f0)](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/heres-long-whiskey-last-decanter-000049077.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [How to Choose and Use a Vodka Decanter for Optimal Spirit Storage - Definitive Drinking GuideVodka decanters, those elegant and stylish vessels seen in bars, restaurants, or online, are more than just decorative items.![](https://definitivedrinkingguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cropped-cropped-definative_drinking_guide_log-removebg-preview-3-1-270x270.png)Definitive Drinking GuideDefinitive Drinking Guide![](https://definitivedrinkingguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/vodka-decanter.jpg)](https://definitivedrinkingguide.com/vodka-decanter/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Podcast Episode Dedicated to Gin The intro music and the guest are pleasant, but the acoustics are rough. I haven't finished listening to it yet, but I will push through later today. [Podcast: Getting a Grasp on Gin | Beverage DynamicsIn our first podcast devoted to gin, we talk with Brendan Bartley, head bartender and beverage director at the renowned speakeasy Bathtub Gin![](https://beveragedynamics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/favicon.png)Beverage DynamicsKyle Swartz![](https://beveragedynamics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/podcast-bathtub-gin-brendan-bartley.jpg)](https://beveragedynamics.com/2024/03/14/podcast-getting-a-grasp-on-gin/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## ### Happy St. Patrick's Day URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu/ Last updated: 2025-03-18T11:37:42.000Z > *For the great Gaels of Ireland* > *Are the men that God made mad,* > *For all their wars are merry,* > *And all their songs are sad.* *G.K. Chesterton* ### ### You Can't See Their Faces on Route 66 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55944/ Last updated: 2024-04-15T12:16:33.000Z ## The Blurry Allure of the Open Road Years ago, I was eating lunch with one of my oldest friends, Tom, at Kiwanis Club. The Travelogue Chairman was passing out packets to all the members. We took ours and looked at the cheap brochure that described the 2000-2001 “Travel and Adventure Series,” a series of six shows featuring speakers who come to our local auditorium and show us a video of a particular geographical area while offering live narration. Most of the programs looked pretty lame: The British Isles, Ontario, BFE. But there was the fourth show, “Route 66: The Path West.” I saw that and looked up at Tom, pointing to it with my eyebrows raised. Tom immediately nodded. “Wanna check it out?” I asked. “Heck yeah, Route 66? I’m not really into travelogues, but hey, you can’t pass that up.” “Maybe we’ll grab a few beers after work, then stumble over to it,” I said. “Yeah, that’s worth a buzz.” --- ## Those Misty Images I’ll give 10-to-1 odds that many guys our age—then, mid-thirties; now, mid-fifties—would’ve had that same reaction: Route 66? Oh yeah! But why? Neither Tom nor I have ever traveled Route 66\. Its easternmost point is three hours from our hometown in Michigan. It was largely replaced by interstates by the time Tom and I were five years old. To the best of my recollection, we had never discussed Route 66. But our reactions were the same: Route 66 is very, very cool. Both reactions were based on nothing tangible whatsoever. And that’s odd. I doubt I can explain this phenomenon fully, but it’s like the words “Route 66” explode in a guy’s soul. In my case, they magically invoke an array of misty images, probably bits of pictures I’ve picked up over the years. When I read the words “Route 66,” I saw no “concrete” images, like of Cadillac Ranch or the Grand Canyon; the images were vague. Carl Jung might say these misty images are pops of the collective unconscious (the combined memory of society as a whole) in my individual psyche. So what were those misty images? I saw a gray road with brown dust and occasional brown shrubbery on both sides. A long lonely road that seems like it could go on forever, with diners and bars plopped here and there along it. Diners with jukeboxes where you can buy a beer. Bars where you do nothing but drink and play a jukebox. And hot weather. Perhaps the mistiest images are the people on Route 66\. People are always misty. It’s easy to hate or love someone who’s not there. It’s the person in your presence that is always a let-down—hard to hate, even harder to love. My image is Beatnik; not Oakie, though their ghosts are in the culverts, watching. Young men and kicks, not work. Fun, not food. Jazz, not silence. Voluntary, not driven. Johnny from [***The Wild One***](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047677/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), but without the violence. We’re dealing with rebels who take to the road because anything and anyone can go on the road. It’s funny; the Oakies were rebels, too, albeit involuntary ones, brave souls who refused to let home ties keep them tied to barren land. Whether Oakie or Brando, the lesson is the same: The road lays down its welcoming mat for anyone who’s willing to leave it all behind. (Which may be the reason I hate mobile homes; it’s like climbing those phony rocks with three harnesses around you or hiring someone to decorate your Christmas tree—you’re missing the best part. It’s better to stay home and watch TV; at least you’re not gutting something’s essence.) The people on my misty Route 66 have no discernible faces. But they’re all accepting faces. That’s the crucial part. There’s no judging on Route 66; there’s just looking: At the stretching landscape, at mountains, at the sultry hick waitress in a diner or the old man on a street-side bench, at the cup of coffee or the longneck beer. --- ## A Special Type of Freedom I guess my misty images of Route 66 add up to freedom. That’s the attraction. I realize this isn’t a stunning or novel assertion: The image of the road has always been synonymous with freedom. Pundits and historians tell us Americans love their cars because they love freedom. But I’m talking about a special type of freedom on Route 66\. It’s not a freedom to get drunk and get laid. My misty image of Route 66 offers licentious possibilities—those are the kicks, I suppose. But that’s not the point of Route 66\. The licentiousness is the frosting on the asphalt cake, so to speak, an extra possibility around the Route 66 corner, but never a possibility that’s pursued. It’s something you fall into, and you only fall into something by letting go. And it’s the letting go that is the source of the Route 66 freedom that causes the words “Route 66” to explode in my soul. Whatever happens on Route 66 happens. Storm or sun; alone or hitched; drunk or sober. It doesn’t matter because nothing’s being pursued—except, maybe, the Santa Monica pier. And it’s when all criteria are shoved aside that true freedom is found. If you have no preferences, all things are equally pleasing. That’s the charm of Route 66. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Route-66-768x1024.jpeg) --- ## Cue Kerouac If I have any concrete image of Route 66, it’s the image implanted by [**Jack Kerouac’s *On the Road***](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70401.On%5Fthe%5FRoad?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). One scene is particularly instructive on the freedom of Route 66\. Sal and Dean (the Beat adventurers) pick up an “incredibly filthy” hitchhiker at Dean’s insistence. The man is covered with scabs and is reading a muddy paperback he found in a ditch. They sit close to him and dig him the whole time, genuinely getting a kick out of talking to him, but without any hint of malice. They really like the guy and are totally absorbed by him. After dropping him off, Dean excitedly says about picking up the hitchhiker: “I told you it was kicks. Everybody’s kicks, man!” His attitude resembles St. Francis’ affection for lepers and Mother Theresa’s love for the diseased downtrodden in Calcutta. As all the saints realize, as Sal and Dean experience, even the most filthy and diseased people are God’s creatures and therefore lovable—if only a person has a sufficient dose of detachment to accept them. And that’s what the freedom of Route 66 connotes: Detachment, from the care and worries of conventional life, from our own ambitions and preferences. With the result that we come to see all things—things created by God—as enjoyable. I suspect that’s the misty lure of Route 66. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Santa-Monica-Pier-1024x768.jpeg) [Ultimate Route 66 Road Trip Planning Guide - Independent Travel CatsA Route 66 road trip is a 2,400 mile driving adventure along what is probably the most famous road in the world. Our Route 66 planning guide will help you plan your American road trip adventure including, when to go, how many days you need, how to rent a car, what to see, where to stay, etc.![](https://independenttravelcats.com/wp-content/icons/android-chrome-192x192.png)Independent Travel CatsJessica & Laurence Norah![](https://independenttravelcats.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Route-66-road-marker_by_Laurence-Norah.jpg)](https://independenttravelcats.com/guide-planning-a-route-66-road-trip/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Hating Rural Whites URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hating-rural-whites/ Last updated: 2024-03-14T12:49:16.000Z [Leftists Trying Not to be GnosticsCurrent Affairs seems like a worthwhile magazine. It describes itself as “the left magazine for people skeptical of leftism.” Based on this essay, it seems pretty far left . . . Bernie Sanders-left . . . but intellectually honest left. In the perspective of the Hemisphere Hypothesis, an “intellectually honest” leftist is a person who thinks![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/03/Briefly-Note-Card-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/leftists-not-gnostics/) I have a basic hostility to analyses of politics that blame voters for making bad, stupid choices. This is in part because I don’t think voters in the United States *have* many choices. They are barraged by propaganda. It’s very hard to figure out what’s true. I’m not surprised that people believe deranged things in this country, where most of us are barely taught any critical thinking skills and more than half of those between 16 and 74[ read below a sixth grade level](https://www.apmresearchlab.org/10x-adult-literacy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Take the pandemic, for instance. People were told that they should wear masks and take vaccines. They were also told, sometimes by people who had impressive academic credentials and came armed with a bunch of charts and statistics, that masks and vaccines were useless and harmful. How was someone with little time and without any specialized training supposed to figure out the truth? Yesterday, I flipped on the radio, and the first thing I heard was the Sean Hannity show. He was talking to two guests from an organization called “[Border 911,](https://border911.com/data/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)” which tries to whip up panic over immigrants, warning that murderers and child traffickers and terrorists are pouring into the United States from Mexico. When I turned on the show, the guest was explaining that China was sending people en masse to sneak across the border and spy on Americans. What’s anyone supposed to make of this? You turn it on the radio, you hear it, you don’t hear any counter-argument or anything disproving it. If you try to “do your own research,” by googling “are Chinese people coming across the border to spy on Americans,” you’ll get some fairly neutral news stories about Chinese migrants seeking asylum in the U.S., and then [a report ](https://americafirstpolicy.com/issues/the-trojan-horse-at-the-southern-border-malign-ccp-infiltration?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)by the “America First Policy Institute” arguing that these migrants are a “trojan horse” and coming as part of “malign CCP infiltration.” You’ll see a story in which [Dr. Phil speculates](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13056189/Dr-Phil-Dr-Phil-migrants-Chinese-migrants-border-Chinese-migrants-southern-border.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that Chinese migrants are sending “seeds” and “plans” back to the Chinese government. Another [reports that Chinese migration](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13118117/Border-spike-Chinese-migrants-Republican-military-men-spies-war-Taiwan.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to the U.S. has increased 7,000 percent and “military-age men” and “spies” may be coming here to “wreak havoc.” Now, if you know that [Dr. Phil](https://www.currentaffairs.org/2023/04/dr-phil-will-not-be-missed?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) has turned into an idealogue in recent years, and was never as trustworthy as his gentle public image, or if you know that the *Daily Mail* is a trashy tabloid that will print almost anything, or if you know that the [America First Policy Institute ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%5FFirst%5FPolicy%5FInstitute?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)was founded specifically to boost Donald Trump’s agenda, you might be skeptical of what you read. But you still might not know how to refute it. (Try it. Try proving that Chinese immigrants *aren’t* all spies controlled by the CCP. Even though the claim is ridiculous, conclusively exposing it as false is not easy, and it’s better to say that there’s no evidence *for* it beyond things like Dr. Phil’s wild speculation.) So I’m always pretty sympathetic to people who believe even quite delusional things, because it’s hard *not* to, given the informational ecosystems we inhabit. That might explain my revulsion at a lot of what is said in the new book [*White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/734507/white-rural-rage-by-tom-schaller-and-paul-waldman/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)by Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman, which casts American rural white voters as the #1 source of the country’s problems. “More than at any point in modern history, the survival of the United States as a modern, stable, multi-ethnic democracy is threatened by a White rural minority that wields outsize electoral power.” The problems with rural white people are many, Schaller explained: > *“They are the most racist, xenophobic, anti-immigrant, anti-gay, geodemographic group in the country… Second, they’re the most conspiracist group. QAnon support and subscribers, election denialism, COVID denialism instead of scientific skepticism, Obama birtherism… They don’t believe in an independent press, free speech. They’re most likely to say the president should be able to act unilaterally without any checks from Congress, or the courts or the bureaucracy. They’re also the most strongly White nationalist and White Christian nationalist… Fourth, they’re most likely to excuse or justify violence as an acceptable alternative to peaceful public discourse.”* Michael Cohen of *The Daily Beast* [characterizes](https://www.thedailybeast.com/white-rural-trump-supporters-are-a-threat-to-democracy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) the book’s thesis as: images of rural white people as a bunch of Trump-loving, homophobic, gun-toting, violent bigots aren’t “hurtful, elitist stereotypes by Acela Corridor denizens and bubble-dwelling liberals… they’re facts” and “most of the negative stereotypes liberals hold about rural Americans are actually true.” These truths are backed by “reams of data” such as the fact that “support for Donald Trump’s Muslim travel ban ran 15 points higher than in urban areas” and “rural whites are 13 points more likely to view LGBTQ+ Americans in a negative light, and express fear and anger toward immigrants.” Now, the first thing to point out here is that this kind of data doesn’t prove that the stereotypes and caricatures are “true.” There are plenty of rural people who don’t support Donald Trump, and one of the dangers of stereotypes is that they treat demographic groups as hive-mind monoliths. In the book, Schaller and Waldman are careful to say that they’re not saying *all* rural white people are like this, but by talking about “rural white people” as a group that possesses these qualities, it’s hard *not* to reduce everyone in that category to a cartoon. **Read the rest** [Are Rural White People The Problem? ❧ Current Affairs

A new book argues that the basic threat to the U.S. comes from rural America’s bigotry and anti-democratic tendencies. This is the wrong way to think about it.

![](https://www.currentaffairs.org/static/images/favicon.ico?v=3)Current AffairsCurrent Affairs![](https://images.currentaffairs.org/2024/03/Rage-CA-Online-Article-gray-1024x646.jpg)](https://www.currentaffairs.org/2024/03/are-rural-white-people-the-problem?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Cabrini Movie Review URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/cabrini-movie-review/ Last updated: 2024-03-13T12:57:58.000Z If other movie studios had made *Cabrini,* I'd conclude that the writers were ignorant of Christianity. But given that it was made by “Angel Studios,” a Christian studio that produced *The Chosen,* I conclude that they are merely ignorant of Catholicism. Which is a notable shortcoming in a movie about a Catholic saint. I admit that I knew little about Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini before I watched this movie. I knew she was a religious sister who founded many Catholic institutions and was one of the first American saints canonized. But even my little bit of knowledge was enough to debunk the Cabrini portrayed. No saint would say, “We must believe in ourselves,” as she did in this film. The Cabrini in this movie was more Pelagian, with a dash of feminism, than Catholic. She invoked her woman status far more than she invoked God. She uttered the name “Jesus” one time . . . in Italian. The movie showed her praying just once, and that was before a meal. It seemed that every sentence she spoke began with “I” and she was quick to glorify her actions with no due credit to God. My criticism might come off as ironic to readers given [how critical I have been in the past about Christian movies being too “on the nose.”](https://medium.com/catholicism-for-the-modern-world/nefarious-movie-review-33ce154ce150?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) But if you are going to make a movie based on a religious sister, it's okay to portray her as she really was, and if that sister is a saint, it's pretty important to portray *why* she's a saint. My complaints about Christian movies’ heavy-handedness in their message is as much a theological criticism as it is artistic. The role of grace in the Christian life is perpetually debated, but many Christian movies use grace as a cure-all for life’s hardships. *Cabrini* did the opposite: it removed the role of grace altogether. For Christian storytelling, human action versus divine will should not be difficult. If there is a disparity between the two, then it’s the job of the Christian to unite them. There would be no contradiction if *Cabrini* focused on Saint Frances Cabrini’s faith as well as her works, and it would not be an artistic sacrifice to seek to glorify God above the saint, as I have no doubt Saint Frances Cabrini would have wanted. The Apostle James tells us “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:20). But as Romans 4 makes clear, no great act of God was achieved without faith. Overall, this movie is poisoned by the Protestant's ill-formed idea that Catholics think they are saved by good works. I do believe that the writers were attempting to be charitable in their portrayal of Catholics, but it was a charity rooted in ignorance of Catholic teaching. Aside from the theology, the writing of *Cabrini* was not good. Even if I had not been watching a movie ostensibly about a Catholic saint, I would've tired of hearing the repeated phrase, “Because I’m a woman?” At one point, in two minutes, the line “Rats have it better than children” is repeated four times, word for word, only to be repeated at the end of the movie as well. There were also jumpy, inconsistent, and unfinished character arcs for every character, except for Cabrini who had no character arc at all. Besides the writing, the movie was excellent. It was well-acted and beautifully shot, and the score was enough to make me feel for certain characters when the writing gave me little of them to grab hold of. But cinema is a storytelling art, and stories live or die by the writing. In *Cabrini’s* case, it died. Score: 4/10 ### Twelve Aquinas Aphorisms URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51677/ Last updated: 2024-04-12T10:13:22.000Z 💡 One of the finest handbooks of practical Thomistic philosophy ever published: [The Human Wisdom of St. Thomas](https://amzn.to/43YWpIk?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The famous historian Will Durant ranked Thomas Aquinas as the fourth greatest thinker of all time. When I saw that, I was shocked. Aquinas is the Catholic thinker extraordinaire. He is a canonized saint. His nickname is “The Angelic Doctor.” Durant wasn’t impressed by such things, to say the least. ## **An Aside: Will Durant** A quick detour about Will Durant might be helpful to explain why it’s significant that he respected Aquinas so much. Durant is best known for his monumental 11-volume *The Story of Civilization*, but he first made his name with the publication of *The Story of Philosophy*, which became an unlikely bestseller, selling 2,000,000 copies in the 1920s. The book doesn’t have much Aquinas, and that’s an understatement. Its chapters jump from Aristotle (d. 322 BCE) to Francis Bacon (d. 1626 CE). The 2,000 years in-between receive only nine pages (out of 540). Thinkers like Epictetus, Augustine, Boethius, and Aquinas are mentioned only once or not at all. It’s not surprising. Most of those missed years are conventionally known as the “Middle Ages” and they were in thorough disrepute during much of the twentieth century. If you told someone in the 1920s that you were studying the Middle Ages, she would’ve looked at you like someone would look at you today if you told her you’re studying VHS tapes. Durant was raised Catholic. As a teenager, he planned on becoming a priest and enrolled at the Seton Hall University seminary in 1909\. He spent a lot of time at the seminary library, diving into the likes of Darwin and Huxley, and lost his faith. Like many youngsters who lose their naïve faith, he embraced radical politics and atheism, turning against Catholicism. (Legend says the Seton Hall president was so shaken by Durant’s turn that he locked the seminary library so no other seminarians would “read themselves” out of the Church.) So when I saw that Will Durant said Aquinas was the fourth greatest thinker of all time, I was shocked. You might as well have told me that Nancy Pelosi thinks Rush Limbaugh is the fourth greatest political commentator of all time. ## **Worthy of that Four Spot** Don’t get me wrong. Will Durant was far more intellectually honest than a politician. By all indications, he was intellectually honest, probing, and diligent. Durant knew Aquinas deserved that ranking. A list of the top *thinkers* of all time is subjective in more than one application of the word, but if you look at sheer output, not to mention coherency and cogency, Aquinas deserves to be on anyone’s list. It’s not surprising that, if you Google “top thinkers of all time” and similar queries, you’ll see him repeatedly pop up, sometimes at number one. The guy was a philosophical titan in every sense of the word, and to this day, his systems and ideas haven’t been refuted. Questioned and ignored and their Catholicism ridiculed, yes. But not refuted. The key thing for our purpose here is that The Angelic Doctor wasn’t concerned only with heavenly things. Far from it. In fact, during his lifetime, he was something of a scandal. He embraced the Aristotelianism that Muslim philosophers had saved and promoted. Unlike the lofty ideas of Plato that were favored at that time, Aristotle was “earthy,” much more concerned with tangible things, from which loftier ideas could emerge. As a result, Aquinas’ teachings reverberate at all levels, from the natural to the divine . . . and all points in-between. And all his teachings are ensconced in a fierce logic that yields a ton of simple, common-sense observations. Below are a dozen of my favorites, but I’ll warn you: Although these aphorisms can be read quickly, they can’t be absorbed quickly. You don’t need to contemplate each of them like a piece of fine poetry, but a minute’s worth of consideration helps. **Aquinas Aphorisms** > *”A brave man is also patient.”* This is an uncomfortable truth in our modern world. Why are we rushing, always in a hurry, often impatient? Something is chasing us. It’s fear. The brave person controls her fear, resulting in calm and patience. > *“All fear arises from the love of something.”* The best observations are often paradoxical. This quote flips something negative (fear) into a positive (love). And it’s not just a clever cliché. It’s profoundly true. > *“Fear is never without hope in a happy result.”* When you find yourself fearful, you might want to try focusing on the result you hope for more than the result you fear. > “*There is no desire which is not directed towards a good*.” Deep tolerance is embedded in this aphorism. No matter how stupid, debased, or wicked someone’s desires might seem, he is reaching for something good. > “*Nobody can strive after evil for its own sake*.” Even the devil worshipper isn’t seeking evil. He sees something good in the devil. It’s like that for everything. *It’s not even possible* to strive for evil . . . on purpose. > “*The rational creature . . . cannot wish not to be happy*.” It’s not possible not to want happiness. Even if you wallow in self-loathsomeness, it’s only because, at some level, you believe it’s what will make you happy. > “*Wonder is the desire for knowledge*.” This brings out the kid in us . . . in a mature way. Wonder isn’t juvenile and learning isn’t just for school students. > “*The greatest kindness one can render to any man consists in leading hi*m from error to truth.” Discussion and debate should be acts of kindness, not aggression. If the person you’re interacting with just doesn’t get it, let it go . . . without anger or frustration. You try your best when you try with kindness. > “*The virtues perfect us so that we follow our natural inclinations i*n a fitting manner.” When people start to strive for a higher plane of moral development, they tend to think they leave their natural selves behind. That’s not the case, and such a perception can lead to a lot of frustration as the “old you” continues to exist. As you develop, your natural dispositions are still there, but they’re molded and improved. You’re still you . . . just better. > “*In so far as it is loved, everything becomes a source of pleasure*.” Pleasures are fleeting, pleasures are shallow, pleasures are plentiful and free. You might be inclined to take them for granted. But when you realize that they give pleasure only because they trigger a point of love in you, you appreciate them more. > “*Inordinate love of self is the cause of all sin*.” The concept of “sin” isn’t in favor these days, but that shouldn’t prevent you from seeing the fundamental truth: When you behave like an ass, it’s because you’re acting in a self-centered fashion. And you act in a self-centered fashion because you hold yourself in too high regard (i.e., you inordinately love yourself). > “*Inordinate fear is included in every sin; the miser fears the loss of money, the intemperate man the loss of pleasure*.” We all have one or more forms of ugliness in us. What’s driving them? In every case, it’s a fear. Identify it and you remove a bit of ugliness from yourself ### Hey Dude, Let's Inherit the Kingdom URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hey-dude-lets-inherit-the-kingdom/ Last updated: 2024-04-17T13:04:29.000Z If you want to inherit the kingdom, look with the eyes of the little child. Or maybe drink a few cocktails. Here's the thing about kids: Their prefrontal cortexes aren't developed. Their PFCs don't fully develop until their early twenties. PFCs control analytical thinking. It is often said that they perform "executive functions" (see below). So even though the PFC exists in both hemispheres, I'm guessing it leans left, so to speak, with the result that patients with focal strikes in the left prefrontal cortex outperform normal people in creative problem-solving tasks that require breaking away from rule-based thinking. *The Matter with Things*, 259 If we weaken the PFC, we weaken the left hemisphere's grip. We can weaken the PFC by cultivating the mind of the child. By doing so, we keep ourselves young, which means we keep ourselves flexible and creative. These are good things. I can see why Cosmo Landesman admires people who are like that. [From bohemian to bourgeoiseI had a very bohemian druggy adolescence. My parents were old bohemians. For Christmas they regularly gave my brother and me hashish![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldCosmo Landesman![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Owen-iStock-e1709794038308.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/from-bohemian-to-bourgeoise/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The problem is, he equates it with "drunks and stoners." There's a lot of truth there, but we don't have to be a drunk or stoner to keep our PFC in service to the right hemisphere instead of letting it become a foot soldier in the left hemisphere's efforts to usurp the right hemisphere's rightful reign. We can cultivate the eyes of the child in all sorts of ways. Christ, after all, wasn't suggesting his followers drop acid in order to inherit the kingdom. Any efforts to weaken the PFC's left-hemispheric sway over our brains help us cultivate the eyes of the child. [Do nothing](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-importance-of-being-is-the-flipside-of-the-importance-of-doing-nothing/). [Do pointless things](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-you-should-do-stupid-things/). [Read a book for pleasure](https://thedailyeudemon.com/read-your-way-out-of-left-hemisphere-hegemony/). [Go Zen](https://thedailyeudemon.com/53065/). Mindfulness meditation (see McGilchrist video below). [Flourishing - The Daily EudemonIf you want to flourish, you need to be connected to full reality. If you want to be connected to full reality, you need to be connected to the Tao. If you want to be connected to the Tao, you need your right hemisphere to reclaim its rightful role as the master.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2023/09/Warren-Dunes.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/flourishing/) I'm bummed this video didn't expand into any explanation McGilchrist may have provided about psychedelics. The questioner asked the question but he limited his response just to the mindfulness part of the question (or the video cut off before he got to psychedelics). --- ## Related [Neuroscientist argues the left side of our brains have taken over our minds | CBC RadioNeuroscientist Iain McGilchrist argues that Western society has become too dominated by the left hemisphere of our brains — obsessed with data and sorting things into categories. Meanwhile, the right hemisphere of our brains which understand relationships and context has been sidelined.![](https://www.cbc.ca/a/apple-touch-icon.png)CBC![](https://i.cbc.ca/1.6219777.1634840267!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/dr-iain-mcgilchrist-and-the-divided-brain-poster-image.jpg)](https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/neuroscientist-argues-the-left-side-of-our-brains-have-taken-over-our-minds-1.6219688?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Includes audio. Go to 32:00 to hear quoted material below. > In their earliest years, children are dominated by the right hemisphere. "As children get older, the left hemisphere matures. It starts showing its talent for spoken and written language, and school curricula move away from areas where the right hemisphere is really in its element. 'There is a kind of westernization, or left hemispherization, of the way we approach the world.' . . . 'The development of a kind of technical, problem-solving attitude to our lives, certainly in education. Almost everybody on the planet now goes to the same kind of school, and your life trajectory is determined by how good you are at that kind of learning. . . . \[A left hemispheric imbalance\] is institutionalized, it's in the bone marrow, of our eduction.'" ### Drunks and Stoners are Bright, Creative, and Talented, But I Don't Want to be One URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/drunks-and-stoners-are-bright-creative-and-talented-but-i-donw-want-to-be-one/ Last updated: 2024-03-11T12:57:29.000Z [Hey Dude, Let’s Inherit the KingdomIf you want to inherit the kingdom, look with the eyes of the little child. Or maybe drink a few cocktails. Here’s the thing about kids: Their prefrontal cortexes aren’t developed. Their PFCs don’t fully develop until their early twenties. PFCs control analytical thinking. It is often said that they![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1664776788635-99efd50afacb?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIxfHxsc2R8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzEwMTYxNjk5fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hey-dude-lets-inherit-the-kingdom/) Recently, I got very stoned. I haven’t been that stoned since I was at Woodstock. Or was it the first Glastonbury festival? Or maybe Bob Dylan at the Isle of Wight? I can’t remember, but that’s dope for you. The curious thing is, I don’t take drugs any more. I hate getting high. It’s like your brain is seasick. But there I was at a party and the hostess offered me an apple-flavored, cannabis-infused gummie. Without thinking, I swallowed it — just as if I’d been offered a canapé. As soon as I did so, however, I started to panic. What had I done? Why had I done it? Any minute I was going to start hallucinating and then take off all my clothes and do frenzied nude hippie dancing before falling to my knees and weeping and crying out: “Mother, where are you?” (Something like this once actually happened to me.) People at the party would be frightened. They would call an ambulance or maybe the police. Then the men in white coats would come and take me away — ha-haaa! I was freaking out even before the drugs took effect. Then the voice of my young bohemian self said: “For heaven’s sake, relax! Can’t you just let your hair down and have a little fun for once, you old square? You’ve become so uptight and boring. Go wild! You’re such a puritanical wuss. Do you think Keith Richards goes, ‘Oh dear me I’ve done a gummie! Mick, help me please!’ Cosmo, what harm can one little gummie do?” I found out about forty minutes later when a friend who had also eaten one passed out and fell to the floor, head first. She was unconscious for a few minutes. I discovered another gummie guy sitting on his own in a dark room staring intensely at his feet, quivering with paranoia. By now the stoned hostess had gone to bed, unable to string a coherent sentence together. And me? I felt as if I was about to pass out too. Someone later told me I ran out of the party yelling: “Help! I’m going to die!” I had a very bohemian druggy adolescence. My parents were old bohemians. For Christmas they regularly gave my brother and me a lump of hashish, cigarette papers and a packet of cigarettes. As a family we’d get stoned and watch the Christmas edition of *Top of the Pops*. **Read the rest (subscription may be required)** [From bohemian to bourgeoiseI had a very bohemian druggy adolescence. My parents were old bohemians. For Christmas they regularly gave my brother and me hashish![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldCosmo Landesman![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Owen-iStock-e1709794038308.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/from-bohemian-to-bourgeoise/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Albert Jay Nock, Our Enemy, the State: Summary URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/albert-jay-nock-our-enemy-the-state-summary/ Last updated: 2024-04-10T13:36:42.000Z I think this minor classic boils down to a handful of points: 1\. State power comes at the price of social power. If the state will take care of something, then people won't. As social power collapses, so does society. This is Nock's best insight, and upon two minutes' reflection, is so obviously true that I'm kind of embarrassed I'd never articulated the thought before reading this book back in 2005\. For years I'd lamented that the welfare state kills charity, but I never reached the larger point: an increasing state gradually kills all social endeavors. (You ever wonder why the social fabric of Russia was in complete tatters after the USSR fell?) 2\. There is a fundamental difference between the “state” and “government.” Government is good. State is bad. “Based on the idea of natural rights, government secures those rights to the individual by strictly negative intervention. Making justice costless and easy of access”; “the business of *government* \[is to maintain\] freedom and security.” Anything beyond that, Nock said, and the government starts to morph into the state. 3\. The American state is built on the principle that whatever promotes commerce prevails (he calls it “the regime of contract” and the “merchant state,” and says ours is a government whose “primary” function is to “help business” and its “primary intention is to enable the economic exploitation of one class by another”). He says the American constitutional convention was all about protecting the merchant classes to the detriment of the agrarian classes, and that the constitutional assembly didn't care about freedom nearly as much as it cared about constructing a system that advances its own economic interests. 4\. Perhaps the most timely part of the book is at the end: Chp. V, Part IV: “The Party System.” It's easily summed up: *If your country is ruled by a state, it doesn't matter what political party is in power. Both parties are merely going to abuse the power for their own benefit. It's inevitable.* This book, remember, was published in 1935, ### California was a Hot Bed of Libertarianism URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53060/ Last updated: 2025-02-09T13:38:25.000Z #### Given the ideological condition of the Golden State today, it must've been the most-failed ideological movement in history My opinion of Gavin Newsom, Eric Garcetti, and other imbecilic politicians in California is strongly colored by Joe Rogan, who has an extremely low opinion of them. So whereas I view those politicians as megalomaniac frauds with low IQs, a person without the Rogan skew might just view them as megalomaniacs with low IQs. I respect that. Nowadays, when I hear "California," I think, "beautiful land of sun and chains." It didn't use to be that way. In fact, I just learned that LA and southern California in general used to be a hot-bed of libertarian activity, so much so that New Yorker Murray Rothbard moved to California in the late 1970s. The following is lifted from [**Jeff Riggenbach's Libertarian Tradition**](https://amzn.to/3qbxjAv?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)(you can find it at that Amazon link, where it sits enshrined in the $2.99 Kindle Hall of Fame, along with another excellent Riggenbach book, [*Why American History is Not What They Say*](https://amzn.to/40TsFeq?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)): > When I arrived in LA in 1972 . . . there was a restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills called – believe it or not – the Eater's Digest, which reputedly belonged to a [Galambosian](https://amzn.to/3nxDM7t?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), who made it available for libertarian meetings once or twice a month during evening hours when the restaurant was closed (the Eater's Digest didn't serve dinner, just breakfast and lunch). [Harry Browne](https://amzn.to/2LhRHRK?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) was on the *New York Times* bestseller list, Andrew J. Galambos was still giving his mysterious lectures under the auspices of his mysterious company, the Free Enterprise Institute. > There was Objectivist activity in LA in the early seventies as well. Ayn Rand was still in New York, but Barbara Branden was in LA, running Academic Associates out of an office on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Up the hill, on Sunset Boulevard, Nathaniel Branden and Roger Callahan were practicing psychotherapy with Objectivist overtones. > Robert LeFevre was in the LA area in the early seventies, too; technically, of course, he was in Orange County, just down the road a piece. > And just up the road a piece, in Santa Barbara, libertarians were publishing *Reason* magazine, the closest thing to a professionally written and edited and published monthly magazine that the movement had seen since around the time of World War II. > Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, meanwhile, under the pseudonyms Skye D'Aureous and Natalee Hall, were publishing the defiantly amateurish but indispensable Libertarian Connection right in LA itself. Pearson took courses from Galambos and later conveyed much information about the ideas in those courses to a Michigan libertarian named Morris Tannehill, who wrote them up, along with his wife Linda, in a notorious book called *The Market for Liberty*. > Recent additions to the LA libertarian social scene in 1972 included young Canadian couple, Mark Corske and Donna Rasnake, who claimed to have ghostwritten Harry Browne's new book, *How I Found Freedom* in an Unfree World, based on a series of extensive interviews they had conducted with the "author." > Yet another new addition to the vibrant local libertarian social scene in LA and vicinity would suddenly emerge a few years down the road, in 1975 – Samuel Edward Konkin III, who, almost immediately upon his arrival in town, began publishing New Libertarian Weekly, the first modern libertarian publication to attempt so frequent a publication schedule ”¦ and Konkin managed to get an issue out every week for two full years before announcing that he was converting to magazine format and a monthly publication schedule. > In short, LA was to the libertarian movement in the 1970s what New York had been to the libertarian movement in the 1950s and 1960s – the principal center of libertarian intellectual activity and libertarian political activism in the United States. ### More Bud Lite Fun, but Not Nearly Enough URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/more-bud-lite-fun-but-not-nearly-enough/ Last updated: 2024-03-08T11:40:09.000Z # [Bud Light Missed Out on the Super Bowl Party](https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/bud-light-missed-out-on-the-super-bowl-party-a5387584?mod=lead%5Ffeature%5Fbelow%5Fa%5Fpos1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) I don't deny that the boycott has hurt, but that swill is still the second most popular brand out there. We have way too many trannies and pinko-trannies in this country. Kid Rock even pulled back on the boycott last week while appearing on the Joe Rogan Experience, even though his reasons for doing so were incoherent. He said he's been hanging out with the CEO and he's a good guy and means well and that he told the CEO, "Look, just issue a statement that says we want everyone to enjoy our beer, but we realize we shouldn't wade into polarizing issues like that." But Bud Lite didn't issue such a statement. It can't. The *entire LGBTQ movement is based on the fiction that their positions aren't polarizing*. If Bud Lite admits that the gay agenda is polarizing, it runs afoul of the gay narrative (to wit, "Only KKK members and Nazis don't think trannies are cool"). If Bud Lite even admits rational discussion and dialogue is possible and recommended, it becomes the beer of the Nazi party, so it never followed Kid Rock's advice, but Kid Rock is (again, for reasons I couldn't understand) against the boycott now. --- ## Another Reason to Eschew Ozempic "\[T\]he drug affects the brain and appears to remove the pleasure received from drinking alcohol." You can get the same effect by asking the bartender to spit in your drink. [Unexpected side effect from popular weight loss drugs studied for help with addiction treatmentSeveral clinical trials are underway to see if semaglutide, the active ingredient in weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic, can also help treat alcohol addiction.![](https://www.cbsnews.com/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/icons/icon-192x192.png?v=1aa56f6681ae17ea762db96c4c7bc003)CBS NewsJanet Shamlian![](https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2024/03/04/0edb6cfc-a095-4e83-8819-f69fda17c515/thumbnail/1200x630/d4f6d3c843ab3510f9bcf83d04af5c6e/gettyimages-1807240143.jpg?v=1aa56f6681ae17ea762db96c4c7bc003)](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ozempic-wegovy-alcohol-addiction-treatment/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Eclipse is One Month Away Start drinking now. [Kentucky distillery releases solar eclipse bourbon, moonshine for 2024 cosmic eventCasey Jones Distillery in Hopkinsville, Kentucky has launched a Total Eclipse Kentucky Straight Bourbon in honor of the April 8 eclipse. The distillery is also rereleasing its Total Eclipse Moonshine in honor of the event.![](https://www.cleveland.com/pf/resources/images/cleveland/favicon.ico?d=1239)clevelandAlex Darus, cleveland.com![](https://www.cleveland.com/resizer/rYPQNUozsNNM9DWm1KsE8Nyddbk=/1280x0/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/advancelocal/HCUTBWWNRJCNREMOHW2A22SPBQ.jpg)](https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2024/02/kentucky-distillery-releases-solar-eclipse-bourbon-moonshine-for-2024-cosmic-event.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- # ### The Inherent and Severe Limitations of Thinking URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-inherent-and-severe-limitations-of-thinking/ Last updated: 2024-03-07T14:02:19.000Z In the early 1990s, I practiced law with a lot of impressive Jewish attorneys. One, particularly so. He was brilliant, aggressive, and driven. He also held a Ph.D. in philosophy. I always wanted to ask him why he got a doctorate in philosophy and then went to law school, but the one time I broached the topic of philosophy, he was caustic and cryptic. When I asked him about a Cartesian assertion I had recently read about, he said, "Are those old bones still rattling around?" Then he moved the conversation to the case we were working on. That was the early 1990s. At least in philosophical academia, I was assured in those seven words, Descartes' ideas were dead and discredited. But those old bones are still rattling around. Indeed, they're so fixed in our cultural landscape, it seems like every legitimate thinker is trying to dislodge them from our collective crania. I doubt any thinker today believes we are purely rational beings who make decisions based on objective facts. Yet, we live in a culture that bows obsequiously and submits to "experts" who claim to do just that. The morons who urge us to "follow the science" are wholly aware that *no one* follows the science. Everyone--and every scientist--approaches every subject of thought with assumptions, modes of interpretation, personal biases, and a host of other cognitive "imperfections" (not really imperfections, btw) that make objective approaches impossible. That doesn't mean we oughtn't try to be objective, incidentally. There's a huge difference between trying to consider *all the facts* to reach a good (as objective as possible) conclusion and thinking you have all the facts and can reach a good (wholly objective) conclusion. *"All the facts"* means taking into account our cognitive imperfections. That is the essence of Pragmatism (I find myself admiring William James more and more these days . . . 25 years after falling in love with his *The Varieties of Religious Experience*). When we reach our rational conclusion, it ought to be with intense humility: at our cognitive biases we perceive, our cognitive biases we don't perceive, the cognitive biases of the people who gave us the facts that we took into consideration . . . and 243,901 other things, including things that wholly transcend our understanding (let's lump them under the term "Providence"). Our inability to see clearly is clear (pardon the paradox). But our culture continues to harbor the ridiculous conceit. ### A Political Philosophy Addendum The main reason, of course, is that those Cartesian bones can be wielded by politicians to implement their plans and designs. If there are objective answers to be derived from objective facts, the politicians who claim access to the experts to give them those objective answers can coherently implement whatever policies they want. We all saw where it led in 2020-2021 when the experts merely "followed the science" and politicians had a great time, using a crisis to implement all sorts of draconian laws. I'm sure it was heady stuff for the politicians, to be using their superior intellectual powers to do so much good. The problem, of course, is their superior intellectual powers are fatally flawed. They were fatally flawed four years ago; they were fatally flawed a hundred years ago; they are fatally flawed today; they will be fatally flawed forever. That fatal flaw is the most important piece of information, but our politicians behave like it doesn't exist. ### A Hemispheric Addendum That fatal flaw, incidentally, drives the left hemisphere nuts. It craves certainty. Its entire outlook presupposes certainty. If certainty doesn't exist, its tasks--gathering, preying, conquering, accomplishing--become a whole lot harder. I suspect that's the real reason we're hooked on the fatal flaw: We are a left-hemispheric culture that needs the certainty presupposed by mental abilities that don't suffer from the fatal flaw. ### Thinking isn't Rational: It's Embodied Reasoning URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/thinking-isnt-rational-its-embodied-reasoning/ Last updated: 2024-03-07T13:55:23.000Z [The Inherent and Severe Limitations of ThinkingIn the early 1990s, I practiced law with a lot of impressive Jewish attorneys. One, particularly so. He was brilliant, aggressive, and driven. He also held a Ph.D. in philosophy. I always wanted to ask him why he got a doctorate in philosophy and then went to law school,![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604209147126-53333f8521a1?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI2fHx0aG91Z2h0fGVufDB8fHx8MTcwOTgxOTYzNnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-inherent-and-severe-limitations-of-thinking/) Ever wonder what it means to have a mind? Is thinking, for example, unique to the human species? Or might we one day create Artificial Intelligence (AI) that “thinks” the way we do? Moreover, how is the pursuit of AI shaping the way we understand ourselves as human beings? If you have ever asked yourself these questions, pick up the gripping new book by philosopher Dr. James D. Madden, *Thinking about Thinking: Mind and Meaning in the Era of Techno-Nihilism*, which offers fresh insight into these issues and more. Philosophy of mind today is generally split between two camps, materialists who believe that the mind is ultimately reducible to physical bits of matter, and dualists who believe that the mind is more than physical matter alone. In this book, however, rather than engage directly in this debate, Madden primarily considers a separate (though related) question: What are the necessary conditions for having a mind in the first place? That is, what does it mean to be a thinker and what might that tell us about who we are as human beings? Drawing on insights from philosophers as diverse as Aristotle, Aquinas, Hegel, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and others, Madden explores what thinking is by first examining what it is *not*. Specifically, he argues that whatever else may be said about it, thinking cannot be a *thing*—whether material (like a neurological event in the brain) or immaterial (like a ghost). For being a “thing” entails being the kind of entity that is limited by the boundaries of its dimensions (e.g. a basketball is limited by its shape and size). But thinking, Madden suggests, has no boundaries because it has no dimensions. Consider, for instance, that thinking is always *about* something, *about* an object of thought, meaning that thinking goes beyond the boundaries of the thinker and “out to” the object of thought. “A thought is then not a process strictly internal to the thinker, whether we conceive of thinkers as material or immaterial substances, but always something that extends beyond boundaries of any discrete individual,” writes Madden. “Anything that can be discreetly located, e.g. a neurophysiological event or mental episode, does not by itself reach out to an object of thought.” Furthermore, two points closely follow from this observation. First, thinking is not something we do in isolation. Rather, thinking entails being involved in the world. For example, to think about a summer cabin requires actual acquaintance with such a cabin, either directly (by, say, having gone to one in the past) or indirectly (by, say, a friend who has a cabin and who has shared her experience of it). Second, all thought is inextricably bound up in a web of other concepts unique to one’s personal history. For example, one’s thought of a summer cabin may entail concepts not only of “summer” and “cabin,” but also of boating, family adventures, board games, swimming, lying on the dock, bonfires, gazing at stars, laughing with friends, and myriad other concepts tied to one’s own experiential history of summer cabins. In other words, as Madden explains, “Having a mind is not to possess something, but to be involved with or a participant in, as it has been famously put, a ‘form of life.’” What this ultimately means is that a “form of life” is not only something we participate in, but something for which we must finally take responsibility, if we wish to be authentically human. For example, we are all born into structures, traditions, and worldviews that we receive from our parents, peers, community, and culture. Yet, while we grow up as mere practitioners of the form of life we inherit, at some point responsibility demands that we subject that life to critical scrutiny to see whether it is in fact the good, right, and true form of life, or whether it ought to be abandoned for a superior one. In other words, having a mind enters us into the “space of reasons,” where we face the essential human task of critically assessing the life we lead and seeing whether it withstands rational analysis. “Thus,” Madden observes, “one must ask stark questions and face possibly dark answers about her form of life, if she really cares about it. This is what it means to refuse to live in a sham world.” As Socrates recognized long ago, the unexamined life is not worth living, so putting one’s life under scrutiny and being open to “dark answers” is essential to human authenticity. Anxiety, in other words, is the price paid for living a fully human life. [Read the rest](https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/thinking-as-a-human-being/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Left-Hemispheric Knowledge URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/14908/ Last updated: 2024-04-07T13:25:21.000Z 💡 I wrote this short essay 15 years ago, before I was even aware of the hemisphere hypothesis. This passage from the essay captures well the problem with left hemisphere thinking: **"It takes a proud person to take incomplete knowledge and respond as though he has a complete grasp of the facts."* That's exactly what the left hemisphere does. I loathe the observation that begins, "There are two kinds of people in the world." Rarely does anything good come out of it. The resulting observation is almost always so obvious that it doesn't bear mentioning ("Those with money and those without"), or pointless ("Those who can and those who can't"), or wrong ("Those who like Obama and those who hate him"). But one two-camp classification has been gaining currency with me for awhile now: There are two kinds of people in the world: *Those who think they know and those who don't think they know.* I have squarely landed myself in the latter camp, and I find great solace in my company there: Pyrrho, Heraclitus, Montaigne, Peirce, Hayek. Aquinas toward the end of his life. Even Christ. He, of course, knew, but He was murky with us on the details. All those parables and paradoxes. So, you might ask, know what? That doesn't matter. If you think you have a grasp on anything except the "immediately obvious," you're in the other camp. --- Years ago, I would occasionally take offense at emails. There is something inflammatory about the electronic print medium by itself, but there's a larger problem with it: I was only receiving a fraction of the sender's communication. I couldn't see his smile (or snarl). And the sender was hamstrung by the medium: he couldn't convey all the nuances of his message, even the annoying nuances contained in a stupid vocalized pause. Consequently, whenever I received an email, I was receiving, maybe, 40% of the total message that I would've received in a face-to-face conversation. I knew 40% of the message, but then I copped an attitude that would be justified only if I had at least, say, 92% of the message. That's a simple example, but it's instructive for two reasons. First, we're talking about an email message. How much more complicated are issues of theology, culture, history, and politics. If I could botch the interpretation of a simple email, imagine what I could do to a big subject. Second, I would adopt a disposition to the email, based on my incomplete knowledge. Such an attitude is nothing but arrogance (a lack of humility). It takes a proud person to take incomplete knowledge and respond as though he has a complete grasp of the facts. It takes the blindness of arrogance to cause a person to think he has complete knowledge. And it's this blindness of arrogance that is the most disconcerting. The humble person recognizes severe limitations to his knowledge. The proud person doesn't. The humble person is inclined to do nothing in response to the data, since he realizes that he doesn't have all the data (and never will) and couldn't know what to do with the data. The proud person has no such self-imposed limitations. He gets data: sifts it, thinks about it, then acts, with the implicit assumption: "I am *the* man." It's troublesome. The proud man also tends to be the emotional man: pride spawns passion. But since the proud man is also the man of action, the proud and passionate people in the "I Understand It" camp tend to be the policymakers. They then implement grand plans and schemes that have no more prayer of success than a bet on a roulette wheel. Fortunately, there seems to be an increasing number of persons who recognize our inherent ignorance. Most recently, I saw[ this nice little essay](http://www.zerohedge.com/article/guest-post-pretence-knowledge?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) about Hayek's 1974 Nobel Prize speech, "[The Pretence of Knowledge](http://nobelprize.org/nobel%5Fprizes/economics/laureates/1974/hayek-lecture.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)." I highly recommend it. It directly torpedoes Bernanke and his predecessors and what we're seeing in the economy today. It indirectly torpedoes the efforts of politicians generally. ### Netflix’s Hidden High School Comedy Gem URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/american-vandal/ Last updated: 2024-03-06T13:26:55.000Z *American Vandal* is one of the greatest works of high school-based media ever. It has the realism of *Freaks and Geeks* (though I think *American Vandal* is more realistic), it’s funnier than *Napoleon Dynamite,* not nearly as crude as *American Pie* or *Porky’s,* almost as sweet as *Ten Things I Hate About You,* and as poignant as *Mean Girls.* Itavoids the pretentiousness of *The Perks of Being a Wallflower* (admittedly, I hate that movie), is more multi-dimensional than *The Breakfast Club,* and has the wit of *Superbad.* Final bonus: itsactors look like high schoolers (looking at you, *Grease*!). I enjoy *American Vandal* as much or more than any of the shows I just listed. I rank it second only to *Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.* If you are ready to disregard my opinion because I think *Napoleon Dynamite* is funny, the plot of *American Vandal* will hardly redeem your impression of me. The plot: When someone spray paints penises on all the teacher’s cars, causing about $100,000 worth of damages, everyone at the school know who to blame: Dylan Maxwell. The school expels Dylan and intends to bring him to court for property damage. But two film students indulge in their love for true crime and try to answer the perennial question: “Who *really* drew the dicks?” (My apologies for the vulgarity, but that is the show's catchphrase.) The entire show is filmed in mockumentary style, as though we are watching the work of the film students, which has a wonderfully immersive effect that is sustained by the show’s perfect performances, excellent writing, and attention to detail. But what I love most about the show is that I can identify every single character with someone who was at my high school. There’s the “cool teacher'; the chill football coach; the insufferable honor student who tries too hard not to be a nerd; the politically, athletically, and socially active honor student who seems to have everything going for her but is about to burst. The bullies are not outright mean to anyone so much as judgmental and gossipy. It's part of the weird hierarchical social ecosystem we make teenagers endure but rarely manifests itself in physical violence. Maybe high school used to be different, but in my four years (2013–2017), I never saw anyone shoved into a locker. It also never happens in this show. This show goes beyond the mere cliques and cliches that every other high school-based movie or TV show covers. Even the characters with only a few lines talk like I'd expect . . . but without becoming a shallow stereotype. For instance, when the film students are gathering opinions on the football coach, some of the girls think he’s “a douche,” some girls think he’s attractive, and the football players think he’s tough on them but overall, cool . . . they also smirk at the fact he has dated almost every attractive single mom in the high school. As a side note, this led to the film students eagerly carrying out an investigation on the most attractive moms at the school. I won’t try to explain all the jokes, but the humor is almost all character-driven. It’s a splendid example of the writers developing characters naturally and letting the jokes tell themselves. The humor can be crude, but no cruder than what you hear in high school. Absurd, but no more absurd than high school. The ultimate selling point, though, is Dylan Maxwell, portrayed by YouTuber Jimmy Tatro. Tatro nails his role as exactly the type of kid who would spray paint penises on cars. Once again, I went to school with many kids like him. And unlike other high school media where this would make him the cool kid or feared by everyone else, I found *American Vandal’s* approach to his character much truer to my experience. The rest of the students don’t admire his antics, rather they write him off as a stupid stoner whose jokes were funny in middle school but are now played out. *American Vandal* walks the lines of high school realism, but it's entertaining for everyone. I think it's the only series that all nine people in my family . . . from my middle-aged parents to teenage little sister . . . loved. It's amusing and mocking, but also heartfelt. It's simple like you'd expect from high school film students but professionally crafted. In short, I highly recommend this show to anyone who went to public high school. If you went to a rich private school, then the second season of American Vandal is for you. Overall Score: 9.5/10 ### "Mental Health": The Refuge of Scoundrels URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/mental-health-the-refuge-of-scoundrels/ Last updated: 2024-03-05T13:51:25.000Z [The Mere Concept of “Mental Health” Makes Us UnhealthyOf course, this concern is rooted in language itself. By positing one thing, we amplify its opposite. It’s why postmodernists hate binaries. It drove ancient Taoism’s admonitions not to look at concepts like “good” and “hate.” It drove the background of Dostoyevsky’s story, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man. But![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/Briefly-Drinking.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-46/) The concept of mental health is a hypochondriac’s, narcissist’s, shirker’s and social security fraud’s charter: for who can prove that someone does not so feel depressed, anxious or grief-stricken that he is unable to work? Who can distinguish between “can’t,” “won’t” and “would rather not”? > Unfortunately, mental health has come to mean any deviance from a state of perfect equanimity and satisfaction Fragile mental health, and especially mental health *issues*, are said to be preventing large numbers of young people from working, with [British](http://thespectator.com/tag/united-kingdom?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) people in their early twenties now [more likely](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/young-more-likely-to-be-out-of-work-than-forty-somethings-in-mental-health-crisis-6ghwxcchh?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to be out of work than people in their early forties as a result. One even hears people nowadays say that “I’ve got mental health” — not meaning something positive but negative. Mental health means something bad, something incapacitating. Those with mental health issues, or just plain *mental health*, can get by economically without working. This is a powerful cause, I would guess, of considerable psychological unease, for even now most people do not like to feel useless to others. The frauds among them, of course, are delighted to be paid to do nothing, especially if they can supplement their income on the side. But the difference between the genuine cases and the fraudulent, insofar as the genuine cases really *do* experience wretchedness of one kind or another, is not absolutely categorical. If you play a part long enough, after all, it is what you become: habit changes character. **Read the rest (subscription may be required)** [The case for eliminating the concept of ‘mental health’What is mental health? The only definition I can think of is the absence of outright lunacy![](https://main-spectatorus-spectatorus.content.pugpig.com/favicon.ico)Theodore Dalrymple![](https://app.thespectator.com/pp-thumb-de9259f9cafb8a923dc093c00d268404-1709625614.jpg)](https://main-spectatorus-spectatorus.content.pugpig.com/2024/03/02/the-case-for-eliminating-the-concept-of-mental-health/content.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Why We Don't Like Handicapped People URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-we-dont-like-handicapped-people/ Last updated: 2024-05-30T13:05:34.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### "Introducing a Person Who Needs No Introduction . . ." URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52696/ Last updated: 2024-04-02T10:42:49.000Z I have a problem. A serious, humiliating problem, one that reveals me as a man lacking fortitude, strength, energy, and determination. A man both poseur and dunce. I don't finish books. Oh sure, I finish a lot of books, but if I had to guess, the number of books I have read all the way is fewer than the number of books I've abandoned partway through. I see them on my bookshelves, marked with that hideous symbol of failure: the bookmark. I use so many bookmarks, one of my young children once asked me if I collect them. What's even worse, I had to nod. Father James Schall observed that no one has time in one life to read all the great books. I don't even have enough time left in one life to finish all the great books I've started. --- There's virtually no type of writer that has escaped my inconstancy. I've abandoned them all: The masters: Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Dante, Montaigne, Pascal, Boswell. (And if you don't think I've jilted Shakespeare a couple of times, you're more naïve than me when I thought I'd get through Dostoyevsky's two-volume, [***A Writer's Diary***](https://amzn.to/3mPn1VJ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) . . . both volumes host bookmarks as of this writing). The saints: Augustine and Aquinas, of course, but even those more modern, and therefore more accessible, holy men and women: Day, Doherty, Groeschel. The twentieth century: Guardini, de Lubac, Gilson, Sheen, Sheed, Merton, O'Connor. Even my beloved Chesterton. Even fiction. As I go through my bookshelves, I come across Bernanos' [***The Diary of a Country Priest***](https://amzn.to/2JwE6FC?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) . . . with the bookmark on page 201 (of a 298-page book). I thought for sure I finished it (I know how the book ends, so perhaps that's why). I've even failed to get through books by C.S. Lewis (okay, they were [***Studies in Words***](https://amzn.to/2JyESBY?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [***The Allegory of Love***](https://amzn.to/33ObRJr?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), so I don't feel too bad about it). --- The fact is, I love books. I just don't always love finishing them. I'm not alone. That bookworm and great essayist, Joseph Epstein, once wrote, “I learned not to finish books by the time I was forty. I do not, it is true, set out not to finish books, but neatly accomplish this task all the same.” That great Catholic historian, John Lukacs, wrote about reading history: “There are *no* rules about this, *no* rules about reading, *no* rules about what should–or will–interest you.” Lukacs doesn't say that the intellectual rules of engagement allow us to abandon books in the middle, but that's the spin I (conveniently) put on his words. I long ago accepted my inconstancy. Indeed, I've even come to embrace it. Over the years, it has grown into a guilty pleasure . . . with far more pleasure than guilt. Because I've grown to embrace the beginning of the book: The Introduction. --- I love introductions. I think that, more often than not, they are the best part of the book. They're short, which is good, but they're not just short: they're also pithy. The book author has tens or hundreds of thousands of words of space. The writer of the introduction: he's crimped to a small fraction of that, thereby often foisting upon him or her an economy of words that would make Hemingway blush. The introduction often summarizes the work, which is important to someone like me. If I'm not going to finish the book, it's at least nice to know what it was about. And perhaps the best part about introductions: the writer of the introduction normally brings a level of affection or reverence to the subject that you won't get from the author, unless he or she is a narcissist. Sure, the writer of the introduction might be a pure mercenary who's doing it for money, but I typically don't find that's the case. The introduction is normally written with a deep respect for the work or author. This deep respect produces additional insight that the book's author doesn't even have. I think it's the “second set of eyes” thing: The author gets so engrossed in the subject, he or she doesn't make connections that the outsider sees. --- I once approached an editor with the idea of publishing an anthology of great Catholic introductions. He liked the idea but said it was nothing he could help me with, but offered to run it by a publisher friend of his. The publisher wasn't interested. He further said that nobody else would be interested either, for the simple reason that anthologies don't sell. That really surprised me. I like anthologies, but apparently I'm in a minority. So I don't think you're ever going to find an anthology of introductions, but if you care to track down some choice ones, the below were on my “short list” for inclusion before I (perhaps fittingly) abandoned the project. Marshall McLuhan's introduction to [**Huge Kenner's *Paradox in Chesterton***](https://amzn.to/2JV6kcE?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Hans Urs von Balthasar's forward to [**Josef Pieper's *An Anthology***](https://amzn.to/2VLpqoy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Roger Scruton's introduction to [**Joseph Pieper's *Leisure, the Basis of Culture***](https://amzn.to/3lS1uKt?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) G.K. Chesterton's introduction to [**Fulton Sheen's *God and Intelligence* *in Modern Philosophy***](https://amzn.to/2VKMm7a?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) James Schall's forward to [**A.G. Sertillanges' *The Intellectual Life***](https://amzn.to/39OeKO2?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Frederick Wilhelmsen's introduction to [**Romano Guardini's *The End of the Modern World***](https://amzn.to/3mPQEpE?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Pretty much any introduction by Anton Pegis to the old Image Books, including his introduction to Chesterton's *The Dumb Ox* and to *A Gilson Reader* Clare Boothe Luce's “Saints” introductory chapter to [***Saints for Now***](https://amzn.to/3qzo9if?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Sally Fitzgerald's forward to [**Flannery O'Connor's *The Habit of Being***](https://amzn.to/3lOj5Ty?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Thomas Merton's introduction to [**John Wu's *The Golden Age of Zen***](https://amzn.to/3olaYQi?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Henri de Lubac's forward to [***The Letters of Etienne Gilson to Henri de Lubac***](https://amzn.to/3mJdCii?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Gabriel Marcel's introduction to [**Max Picard's *The Flight from God***](https://amzn.to/2JRwopa?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Eight Astonishing Facts about The Brothers Karamazov URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/eight-astonishing-facts-about-the-brothers-karamazov/ Last updated: 2024-04-02T10:41:03.000Z My Catholic men’s book club is reading *The Brothers Karamazov*. My Bantam paperback is 936 pages. I’m on 28\. We’re supposed to have the first 200 pages finished by Wednesday. Fortunately, I read it many years ago, so I can fake the discussions. I even researched a few things and assembled a list of interesting facts that I can contribute, thereby deflecting suspicion that I didn’t get through the first 200 pages: 8\. It takes place in Russia. 7\. Dostoyevsky didn’t write it in a day. 6\. No characters are transgender. 5\. It’s rumored that Khloe Kardashian hasn’t read it. 4\. Dostoyevsky didn’t release a single section of the book on his blog. 3\. The Bantam Book edition had to be translated from Russian because Dostoyevsky didn’t write it in English 2\. It reinforces negative stereotypes of Turks, Circassians, Jews (who are occasionally referred to disparagingly as “Yids”), and non-traditional families (e.g., using the term “bastard” to refer to children born outside of the traditional patriarchal home). 1\. The narrative is patriarchal, western-centric, and otherwise written from the perspective of the favored half of the power binary and Dostoyevsky didn’t even know it. # Six Unverified Facts 6\. Amazon bought the rights and, elated with *The Rings of Power’s* success, cast black men in the role of the Karamazov brothers but quickly realized its offensive mistake and canceled production. 5\. The Rating Guild in 1880 classified it “MA-14” for its portrayal of smoking and drinking, sex, and frightening/intense scenes. 4\. #dostoyevsky was the number one trending topic on Twitter in 1880. 3\. Harvey Weinstein idolized Fyodor Karamazov and modeled his life on him. 2\. Dostoyevsky almost re-wrote the book as *The Daughters Karamazov* but didn’t think it would sell. Dostoyevsky experts think that, if he’d seen the success of the all-female cast of the *Ghostbusters* remake, he would’ve changed his mind. 1\. Dostoyevsky started production of a 3-million Tik Tok video series of the novel but died before he could make any meaningful progress on it. # Five Interesting Facts 5\. Like many classic 19th-century novels, the book was released in serial form through *The Russian Messenger*. 4\. Dostoyevsky considered it his life’s masterwork and, acting consistently, died four months after its publication. 3\. Fr. Zosima is based on a real-life monk, Tikhon of Zadonsk, whom the Russian Orthodox Church canonized in 1860\. Dostoyevsky may have felt a personal connection with him because he shared many of Dostoyevsky’s personality shortcomings: nervous ailments, bouts with hypochondria, anger, and hostility toward others. Tikhon was also the butt of mockery and derision at his monastery, which Dostoyevsky often was as a writer. 2\. Dostoyevsky’s initial title was “The Russian Monk.” It’s a reference to Fr. Zosima’s disciple, Alyosha, who was the third Karamazov son and the man that the first sentence of the massive novel identifies as the book’s hero. 1\. Dostoyevsky’s portrayal of the Catholic Church in “The Grand Inquisitor” ranks among the most unflattering of all time, but Dostoyevsky was very close to the Russian philosopher Vladimir Solovyov, who believed in the primacy of the Papacy and may have converted to Catholicism (the evidence isn’t clear). Solovyov, incidentally, was a mysterious genius who was interested in everything mystical, even seeking kabbalistic lore from Bedouins in the desert who nearly killed him because they thought he was an evil spirit. [**Subscribe to “Outside the Modern Limits,”**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-daily-eudemon/#/portal/signup) **a whimsical Saturday morning newsletter to make you laugh at, and deal with, modern life.** ### A Few Great Charles Bukowski Quotes URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-few-great-charles-bukowski-quotes/ Last updated: 2024-04-05T11:00:09.000Z “I don’t hate people. I just feel better when they’re not around.” “That’s the problem with drinking, I thought, as I poured myself a drink. If something bad happens you drink in an attempt to forget; if something good happens you drink in order to celebrate; and if nothing happens you drink to make something happen.” “When you drank the world was still out there, but for the moment it didn’t have you by the throat.” “When you clean up a city you kill it.” "My readers are the defeated, the demented and the damned — and I am proud of it.” [Charles Bukowski’s Favorite Los Angeles LocationsTime Magazine called Charles Bukowski “laureate of the lowlife.” He was a student of the gritty streets who wrote about the shadow side of…![](https://cdn-static-1.medium.com/_/fp/icons/Medium-Avatar-500x500.svg)WritingAndTypingLoren Kantor![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:714/1*O2XgAslXUceXfWfIwh5O3Q.png)](https://medium.com/writingandtyping/charles-bukowskis-favorite-los-angeles-locations-74798c06236a?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Micro-Bio: Charles Bukowski“People are strange: They are constantly angered by trivial things, but on a major matter like totally wasting their lives, they hardly seem to notice.” That’s Charles Bukowski. The Bard of Booze. Legendary drunk, cult favorite, darling of the L.A. literary underground. His true life stories fueled Barfly![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/01/Bukowski_Tavern.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/micro-bio-charles-bukowski/) ### Why We Should Pray URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/prayer-part-1-why-pray/ Last updated: 2024-03-25T12:02:13.000Z ### In my experience, if you ask the typical Christian if he prays, he will look at you guiltily and say he sometimes remembers to pray before meals and sometimes goes to church. This is a problem. Like, a really, really big problem. But I think if you ask the same Christian why you should pray, they will give you the same answer that I gave when I was first asked: because God wants us to pray. This is true. God does want us to pray. But I think if we take a “God told me so” approach to God, we end up with an arbitrary rule-maker instead of a loving Father. If God loves us so much, *why* does He want us to pray? There are many lovely definitions of prayer, but when you strip them all down to practical terms, they essentially amount to this: ***talking and listening to God***. --- ### Prayer is Essential to a Relationship with God If we accept God as a loving Father, why does He want us to pray? He wants us to pray for the same reason that your parents want you to call them on the phone: He wants a relationship with you. You do not have a relationship with God if you do not pray. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's true. "Prayer does not help our relationship with Jesus. Prayer *is* our relationship with Jesus.” Mark Hart. If God is meant to be the most important person in our lives, and we never talk or listen to Him, we are not living up to our end of the deal. If someone tells you that they converse with their spouse only on Sundays, you can reasonably assume their relationship is falling apart. Paul tells us that, through baptism, we are adopted children of God. Jesus calls us His friends. This relationship with God is not only a duty: it’s the greatest invitation anyone has ever received. In Aristotle’s *Nicomachean Ethics*, he says that a friendship with the gods is impossible because they are too far above us. But our God, more powerful than any god ever imagined, gives us that invitation Himself. --- ### When We Pray, We Become More Like God This point here is actually fairly intuitive when you think about it. The more time you spend around anyone, the more like them you become. There’s a reason a boy becomes more annoying than you ever thought possible when he reaches middle school: he’s spending time around other annoying boys. When we spend with God, we become more like Him. And if God is Goodness itself, then anyway we become like God, we become better. The only objection I could see to becoming more like God (that’s not based on evil intentions) is because, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we often think God is boring. We fear becoming a shell of our former selves and our friends will be repulsed by us as we spend every waking moment as though we are in a Eucharistic procession. But earlier, I stated God is Goodness. God is not boring. Read any of the Gospels, you will not find Jesus to be a boring god. This is why, when you look to the saints, even though they were all just about as close to God as humans can be while still on earth, you will find more diversity than modern universities even pretend to desire. To take Chesterton’s example from *The Dumb Ox,* Francis of Assisi and Thomas Aquinas, two of the Church’s most beloved saints, were, aside from their mutual love of God, complete opposites. Thomas Aquinas was a fat man (hence the moniker, ox) who devoured books even more so than food. He spent his life as a monk and became one of the greatest minds this world has ever seen. Francis of Assisi was a thin, even wispy man, who sought poetry over books, lived in constant aestheticism, and was thought to be charismatic by his supporters and insane by his detractors. God made us to be like Him but in our own individual manifestations. God did not create such diversity among us so that we could come back to Him as cookie-cutter drones on an assembly line down the exact same straight and narrow path. Paul tells us that we are either slaves to sin or to Jesus (Romans 6). We experience more freedom by choosing to be a slave to Jesus because Jesus loves us and has a stake in how we turn out. The Devil does not care how we end up in Hell so long as he gets a good barbecue out of it. You will only become as you are meant to be if you pray. Prayer will not warp you; prayer will complete you. --- ### Prayer has Power Prayer is not merely therapeutic or motivational, only capable of changing ourselves and nothing around us. If you look in the Bible, or at Church History, you will find endless examples of miracles resulting from prayer. I myself know many people with direct or indirect testimonies of miracles resulting from prayer. Even aside from the miraculous, Saint Monica prayed every day for her son to repent from his heathen and heretical lifestyle: her son is Saint Augustine. I recall my parents always praying for me and my siblings to grow up as happy Catholics. Thus far, their prayer has been answered in all seven of their kids (which is a statistical miracle if you look at the state of the modern Church). The common response you will hear from non-believers is that if God were real, then He could do whatever He wants whether we pray or not. This is true. However, God has invited us to be His disciples and to carry out His mission on earth. Even most non-religious will recognize we have free will and that our actions have power. Similarly, when we pray, we are invoking the power of God, which has power even beyond our actions. It is also through prayer that our actions become sanctified. At the wedding at Cana, Jesus did not just make wine materialize, even though that might have been more impressive. Instead, the servants first filled thirty-gallon stone jars with water, and their offering was sanctified and made great through the blessing Jesus made upon them. (John 2). The feeding of the five thousand first required a boy to offer Jesus his five loaves and two fish. (John 6:9) If you are still skeptical of prayer, I challenge you to try to accomplish any ministry without prayer. An unintentional experiment I ran when I was a retreat missionary was every time I did not pray going into the retreat, I ended up hating it and being bad at my job. Only later did I realize it was a lack of prayer. When I did pray before the retreats, they went well and I loved them. The longer I work professionally in ministry, the more I am convinced that nothing difficult and worth doing can be done outside of prayer. [And we have a better chance of winning the Tour de France without steroids](https://www.businessinsider.com/lance-armstrong-doping-tour-de-france-2015-1?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) than finishing the race to Heaven without prayer. ### Pulling Thomas Aquinas Kicking and Screaming into the Twentieth Century URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52439/ Last updated: 2024-04-01T12:11:31.000Z There are some authors who make you think, “I could read this guy, and just this guy, for the rest of my life. He'd bring me to greater and greater levels of wisdom and understanding.” For me, the German philosopher [Josef Pieper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef%5FPieper?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (1904-1997) is such a writer. He wrote in the Scholastic vein and was squarely within the Catholic neo-Thomistic movement of the mid-twentieth century. A modernist might think, “How can a person steeped in Thomas Aquinas be relevant? Aquinas lived in the thirteenth-century, which was at least 50 years before Netflix.” Pieper wrote for that kind of person. Pieper, [like Aquinas](https://www.themontrealreview.com/2009/On-Truth.php?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), was concerned about the truth: statements that correspond as closely as possible to reality. Truth is relevant to every age, including the modern one, contrary claims of our postmodernist friends notwithstanding. Granted, it's necessary for the reader to take those truths and apply them to her life, to put them into the current cultural milieu. That's not always easy, but the truths themselves are always relevant. Fortunately, Pieper himself often put those truths into a modern context for his readers. In his late twenties, he was fascinated by social problems and began to pursue studies in law and sociology, but it was the era of Nazi Germany. Such studies were, ahem, frowned upon. So in 1934, he returned to his pursuit of Thomistic philosophy, but with the goal to make it comprehensible (relevant) to the modern person and social problems. --- “Thick little books.” That's how Hans Urs von Balthasar described Pieper's works. You can't get through a Pieper book quickly any more than you can fly through poetry, or run through an art museum, or gulp fine wine. All such things are possible, sure, but they're all acts of desecration: violations of a thing's goodness. But if you're the desecrating type (and aren't we all, at least a little?), Pieper is ready for you. He put together the [***Anthology***](https://amzn.to/2IYRAcw?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), choosing from his papers (including one previously unpublished) and books (including, fittingly for this piece, ample selections from [***Problems of Modern Faith***](https://amzn.to/395rlfy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which had been out of print until last year). Some people make sure they read a particular book every year. I knew a guy who reads Boswell's *Life of Johnson* every year, and I heard about another guy who reads Shakespeare's plays every year. Those are two guys blessed with ample reading time. I'd be lying if I said I'd do the same thing if I had more reading time. Such dedication takes a certain mojo. But if I could re-read the same book every year, it might be Pieper's *Anthology*. Or I might choose [***The Human Wisdom of St. Thomas***](https://amzn.to/3pQqrcM?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which is a stunning collection of Aquinas quotes. It's *very* short, even by Pieper standards, but each quote is thick with thought. If you read every one of them carefully, thoughtfully, the 87 short pages of quotes will take you a ***long*** time to read. And if you want to master the truth behind those quotes? That, I fear, could take a lifetime. --- ### Pieper Taught us What's Wrong With our Work World Obsessed with efficiency? I am. At least I used to be. I'm a recovering efficiency-holic. It was so bad that my time and energy spent on being efficient far exceeded the time and energy I saved through my efficiency. I didn't even realize it until I sat back and reflected on what had been become of my mental world. Pieper could've diagnosed it. In fact, he did, in [***Leisure, the Basis of Culture***](https://amzn.to/3371tMf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), where he pointed out that we live in a world of “[total work](https://medium.com/the-ascent/is-total-work-taking-over-our-lives-84192b1246e0?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#:~:text=%E2%80%9CTotal%20work%27%2C%20a%20term,into%20workers%20and%20nothing%20else.&text=Andrew%20has%20written%20extensively%20on,life%E2%80%9D%20in%20our%20modern%20world.).” Total work: no time wasted, no time that isn't dedicated to something. Even relaxation today is intended primarily as a way to rejuvenate ourselves for more work. I know a few people who seem to have caught onto this existential problem. They enjoy themselves at every opportunity, and they don't care if the enjoyment leaves themselves exhausted on Monday morning. These people are more blessed than the rest of us slaves to the world of total work. But even they wouldn't make it on Pieper's blessed list. Yes, they're not prostituting leisure to work, but neither is their leisure true leisure. Leisure is leisure, Pieper says, because it intends nothing and accomplishes nothing. It's not on a bucket list crusade. It's not on a drunken crusade. It's not on a squeeze-every-moment-out-of-life crusade. Leisure is blessed because it does nothing. When we do nothing, we become receptive because we can listen. And the things we hear? Those are the things that make leisure blessed. --- ### The Value and Necessity of Silence [**The Silence of St. Thomas**](https://amzn.to/2UPQzpC?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Toward the end of his life, Thomas Aquinas became silent. It was 1273 and he had just returned from Mass. He put aside his unfinished *Summa Theologica*, right in the middle of his treatment of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and stopped writing. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Silence-of-St.-Thomas.jpg) His friend Reginald asked him why. Aquinas simply said, “[I can write no more. All that I have hitherto written seems to me nothing but straw](https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/incontext/article/aquinas?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).” Straw? Aquinas? A man consistently ranked in the top ten of history's best thinkers? What happened? Nobody knows for sure, but most think he had a mystical experience. Pieper said it was because Aquinas had been “allowed a glimpse into the inexpressible depths of that mystery that is not reached by any human thought or speech.” After that awesome glimpse, Aquinas figured there was nothing to say. Few things slap a person in the face like St. Thomas's silence. It's a stunning rebuke to everyone, everywhere. Do you, writer, hope to create something as great as *The Summa*? Do you, reader, think you'll gain an insight that Thomas didn't glean? Do you, newspaper reader, think that stuff isn't straw? Do you, modern man, think all this ephemeral stuff is real, much less important? Do you, dude typing right now, think this has any relevance anywhere? They say John Fisher kept a picture of a dead man in front of him while he ate. I hear Theophan the Recluse kept a picture of a man in a coffin in his room. Both reminded them of death. Good practice. I'd like to keep a picture of Thomas's silence in front of me. But there were no Polaroids back then, and even if there were, you can't capture silence in pictures. For that reason alone, his silence doesn't speak to us in today's world. But it ought to. Ours is a noisy world because everyone thinks they have something to say, to contribute. And, of course, they do: in their little world of the family and household and, if they're really great, in their community. But in the grand scheme of things, they have nothing to contribute. All is straw. --- ### Piper: In The Middle of Modern Extremes If you still doubt that Pieper is relevant to our days, I'd suggest you consider this biographical anecdote. [In October of 1943, when Pieper was temporarily on leave from military service and at home with his family in Munster, he and his wife decided to take their three young children to the zoo on a lovely, almost summery, afternoon](https://www.firstthings.com/article/1998/04/a-philosopher-of-virtue?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). He took along his camera and had taken pictures of the children just a few hundred yards from the house when they heard the air raid sirens begin to sound. As they got down into a trench, he recalled that he had not closed the garden door of the house. Running the short distance back to do that, he saw the American planes over the center of Munster, and in a matter of moments, the heart of the city was ablaze. He ran to the attic and took pictures of the city in flames. This short anecdote reveals a man with more modern experience than most of us will ever have. That single camera roll captured modernity at its extremes: children at the zoo; pictures of war-time Munster aflame. Pieper understood the modern world. He knew it was one in which, in the words of Gilbert Meilaender, “justice is hard to discern, courage not easy to come by, and hope difficult to sustain.” He then wrote his books to help the rest of us see justice, gather courage, and hold onto hope. --- [A Philosopher of Virtue | Gilbert MeilaenderOn November 6, 1997, the German Catholic philosopher Josef Pieper died at the age of ninety-three. . . . .![](https://d2201k5v4hmrsv.cloudfront.net/img/favicon-196.png)First ThingsGilbert Meilaender![](https://d2201k5v4hmrsv.cloudfront.net/img/article-default.jpg)](https://www.firstthings.com/article/1998/04/a-philosopher-of-virtue?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Scrolling Blog: March 2024 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-march-2024/ Last updated: 2024-04-06T10:21:14.000Z ## Happy Easter > "When the disciples saw the risen Christ, they beheld him as a reality in the world, though no longer of it, respecting the order of the world, but Lord of its laws. To behold such reality was different and more than to see a tree or watch a man step through a doorway. To behold the risen Christ was an experience that burst the bounds of the ordinary. This explains the extraordinary wording of the texts: the strangeness of Christ's 'appearing,' 'vanishing,' suddenly standing in the middle of a room or at someone's side. Hence the abruptness, fragmentariness, oscillation, contradictoriness of the writing . . . the only true form for content so dynamic that no existing form can contain it." Romano Guardini, *The Lord* ## Good Friday [Good Friday“The Son of God suffered unto the death, not that men might not suffer, but that their sufferings might be like His.” George MacDonald![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/pexels-photo-984441.jpeg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/56406/) --- ## Holy Thursday [How to Grab that Sagging TimberOne pitiful man’s attempt to make sense of Holy Thursday![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/03/Collapsed-Mine.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/big-bad-john/) --- ## Do You Ever Wonder if You Love Christ? I mean, how do you really know? [Our hearts are so complex](https://thedailyeudemon.com/pseudo-macarius-heart/). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/03/In-conversation-with-God.jpg) "Many ask themselves if they are in love with Christ, and go searching for signs to be able to discover and prove that they love him; ****the sign that never deceives is fraternal charity** . . . It is also the measure of the condition of our interior life, especially of our life of prayer." B. Baur, **In Silence with God* --- March 27, 2024 ## That Huberman Story Has Legs Man, that *NY Mag* "expose" is running everywhere. The best piece I've seen: [Who’s Afraid of Andrew Huberman?Why did New York Magazine just run 8,000 words on the podcaster’s sex life?![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Free PressSuzy Weiss![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3ff5ebba-4629-4a40-948c-08999c1a67b3_1024x744.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/whos-afraid-of-andrew-huberman?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Huberman is a non-member of that non-group, The Intellectual Dark Web. He runs with Rogan and the like. He, therefore, is outside the Establishment and, therefore, an enemy, even though I've never discerned a political position in the many hours I've listened to him. But that's the thing, right? Among the Left, everything is political (it's part of the Communist playbook that requires everything to be disrupted), so a person is either on the correct team or the wrong team. If a person doesn't confirm that he's on the correct team, he must be on the wrong team. If Bud Lite announced it wasn't going to take a position on trannies anymore, the Left would deem that an announcement that it opposes trannies. No neutrality. Neutrality implies that you won't confirm either side is correct. That's not acceptable to the fundamentalist, dogmatist, gnostic. Huberman (to my knowledge) remained apolitical and thereby made himself a target to the Left. The Establishment today is Left, so it opposes Huberman, as evidenced by the legacy media piling onto this story, which, boiled down, isn't much of a story (summary of story: he's a cheating womanizer). --- ## Weekly Column [Protect Your Children from MolochThe evidence is in: Social media kills children. Well, it at least seriously wounds them. Or at least many of them. And no matter what, there ain’t no adult with an ounce of sense who claims it’s good for them. You know who else thinks it’s not good for them?![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1601601392622-5d18104a78fe?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fGNlbGwlMjBwaG9uZSUyMGZpcmV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzExNTQ0MjA5fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/protect-your-children-from-moloch/) --- March 26, 2024 ## Two Huberman Things He recently posted a great interview with Cal Newport. [Cal Newport Never Allows a Cell Phone in This RoomThe room: A room in his house that he has dedicated strictly to deep work. I think it’s a den: a study or small library. He never takes his cell phone into it. Dr. Cal Newport: How to Enhance Focus and Improve ProductivityIn this episode, my guest is Dr. Cal![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/Briefly-Focus.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/cal-newport-never-allows-a-cell-phone-in-this-room/) *NY Mag* just ran a fairly vicious biop on him. [Assault on HubermanKerry Howley at New York Mag![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1590333329419-2ca3c0755a96?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE3fHxjYWxpZm9ybmlhfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMTQ1Nzg4NXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/assault-on-huberman/) --- March 25, 2024 ## Best Lede of the Year I decided to post [this essay](https://newrepublic.com/article/179432/age-cultural-stagnation?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) because of its great opening paragraph. I decided to print it out for careful reading because of its great style. I know nothing about the author, Aaron Timm, except I'm going to start reading him more. > “Those of us who consume and participate in culture today… are all, at some level, hypocrites, complicit in the fortification of our own aesthetic prison” [Hypocrite, Me: Netflixing My Own Aesthetic PrisonAaron Timms at The New Republic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1574375927938-d5a98e8ffe85?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fG5ldGZsaXh8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzExMzcxODc4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hypocrite-me-netflixing-my-own-aesthetic-prison/) --- March 24, 2024 ## Washington, D.C. is a Mess I knew it was bad, but I didn't realize that the entire city was on the brink of collapse. Downtown is losing its NHL and NBA franchise to Virginia. Crime is out of control. [The lead editorial in the current issue of *Spectator World* breaks it down](https://thespectator.com/topic/happened-america-capital-washington-dc-crime/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Two funny excerpts: > No single figure is more responsible for the sense that crimes have no consequences than President Biden’s pick for the District’s US attorney, Matthew Graves. Graves’s prosecutorial philosophy is a radical one: he basically only does it if the violent crime occurred on January 6, 2021. > Urban crime isn’t a simple left-versus-right issue; it’s more like a far-left versus everyone else issue. --- March 22, 2024 ## BYCU A TDE reader brought this e-rag to my attention: [***Thirsty***](https://thirstymag.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). At first glance, it appears bookmark-worthy. --- [A Tip to the Right HemisphereI agree with Modern Drunkard Magazine’s observation that, if you can’t afford to tip the bartender, you can’t afford to drink in a bar. Just buy a six-pack and stay home. Me? I prefer to stay home with the six-pack, but I love bars. When I gained access with my![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1543007630-9710e4a00a20?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGJhcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTExMDkzNDF8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tipping-culture/) --- March 21, 2024 ## Father v. Son: Who Had a Better Time Last Night? ### I attended Iain McGilchrist's lecture at the Plaster Auditorium at Hillsdale College. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/03/McGilchrist-at-Hillsdale.jpg) ### This is my son Max at the Alestorm concert at Elevation Hall in Grand Rapids. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/03/Max-at-Alestorm.jpeg) --- ## Front Porch Republic Bill Kauffman appeared last week at the online magazine he started 15 years ago. It's a nice little e-rag. Jeff Bilbro's weekly "Water Dipper" is one of my favorite columns (partly because it provides me with TDE fodder, but Bilbro's quippish summaries are good). I wish the site would incorporate an active blog, however. A blog [like the one at Lew Rockwell](https://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) would be a great addition. I'd contribute to and read it. [Happy Birthday, Front Porch RepublicBill Kauffman at Front Porch Republic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/Local-Pic-1.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/happy-birthday-front-porch-republic/) --- March 20, 2024 ### Happy First Full Day of Spring I guess it started last night around 11:00\. --- ## New Tool at TDE [Splurging Personally and Stepping Up TDE’s GameI subscribed to the Encyclopedia Britannica. It was difficult. I didn’t much mind the $75 annual subscription price, but I’ve spent early 2024 weeding subscriptions out of my wallet—about $1,000 worth annually. Last week, I discovered I could watch March Madness this year for just $32, instead of![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589994284978-c98238e44443?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGVuY3ljbG9wZWRpYSUyMGJyaXRhbm5pY2F8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzEwOTQwMDE0fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/splurging-personally-and-stepping-up-tdes-game/) --- March 19, 2024 [71 Thoughts to Improve Your ThoughtsI’m a weak man. Actually, “inconstant” is a better adjective. Here’s the problem: I read an insightful passage, decide that I’ll apply it to my life, and then forget about it. Fortunately, I realized this early in life. Specifically, back in the late 1980s when I was![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1635220132000-38089df6f2a4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fGJlZ2lubmVyfGVufDB8fHx8MTY1NzQ3NzA5Mw&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/71-thoughts-to-improve-your-thoughts/) --- March 18, 2024 ## China Uses the Free Market to Eliminate the Free Market [China Controls Hollywood?I haven’t finished the documentary yet, but I’ve watched enough to understand the paradoxical threat: China is using the free market to eliminate the free market. Do American companies, including film studios, want access to the massive Chinese market? Then they need to do what the Chinese Communist Party says.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1594663805807-29a7cc1847c0?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGhvbGx5d29vZHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTA3NjU1Mjh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/china-controls-hollywood/) --- > One of the more egregious examples of attempted CCP censorship isn’t included here. In 2019, Shannon Lee, who was raised in Hong Kong, voiced her displeasure with how her late father Bruce Lee was depicted in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019). > Ms. Lee contended that her father was made to look weak during an impromptu TV backlot fight scene between his character (Mike Moh) and a stunt man (Brad Pitt). Ms. Lee filed a complaint with the China Film Administration that in turn requested Mr. Tarantino remove the scene, which he refused to do. As a result, the CCP canceled the release of the film one week before its scheduled opening. To date, the movie has never played in China. [‘Hollywood Takeover: China’s Control in the Film Industry’This eye-opening documentary exposes the CCP’s influence on American entertainment.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesMichael Clark![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/03/06/id5601824-HT_thumbail_1920x1080-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/bright/hollywood-takeover-chinas-control-in-the-film-industry-5599551?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- March 17, 2024 ## Amazing Amazon Limited Time Deal ### [David Foster Wallace's *Infinite Jest* for just $4.99](https://amzn.to/3wUjBuF?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). (Later Addendum: The deal is over. It's now $12.99) Even though I own (and am plodding through) the paper copy, I splurged on this. It loaded nicely despite its massive size, and I think it might be better to read this book on Kindle. Wallace was a huge tennis nut in his youth. He wrote parts of *Jest* to mimic a tennis game. How? He used a massive number of endnotes. The result: you have to go back and forth, just like a tennis rally. It's a hassle (and, frustratingly, I am now on page 100 and have skipped most of the endnotes, not realizing they were integral to the work). Kindle makes the rally easier. You click the endnote link, read the endnote, then click "back to text." It's easy and for easier, turning that tennis groundstroke rally more into a volley rally with both players at the net. [Infinite JestBill Burr has a great bit where he describes parenting as a 25-30 year sentence. You’re sucked into a bubble, cut off from the outside world as you try to raise your kids. When you come out, you’re stuck in, say, 1993 but it’s now 2023\. That’s how I feel![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/Briefly-Misc.-Blue-Field-2.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/infinite-jest-2/) --- ## Happy St. Patrick's Day > For the Great Gaels of Ireland > Are the men that God made mad, > For all their wars are merry > And all their songs are sad. > GKC, *The Ballad of the White Horse* --- ## The Northern Border has Now Become a Major Problem The folks fly into Canada then trudge into Vermont and North Dakota. In 2023, compared to 2020, it's up five-fold and is on pace in 2024 to crush the 2023 numbers. [Graph](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/03/17/id5608916-Graph-1.jpg?%5Fgl=1%2A1257cdk%2A%5Fga%2AOTk3NzM5Nzg5LjE3MDQyODk1ODY.%2A%5Fga%5FRD0QM5H02Q%2AMTcxMDY3NDM1Ny40OS4xLjE3MTA2NzQ0NjkuNTYuMC4w%2A%5Fgcl%5Fau%2AMTAyMDM2NjYwMy4xNzA0Mjg5NTg2&ref=thedailyeudemon.com). And like the new immigrants coming across the southern border, these folks appear to be well-funded. They're not poor and we're not even sure what they're yearning for. I don't know what Emma Lazarus would've thought of them: > Give me your tired, your poor, > Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, > The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. > Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, > I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” > Emma Lazarus, *The New Colossus (1883)* Or what Lou Reed would've thought (chuckle): > Give me your hungry, your tired, your poor I'll piss on 'em > that's what the Statue of Bigotry says > Your poor huddled masses, let's club 'em to death > and get it over with and just dump 'em on the boulevard > Lou Reed, Dirty Boulevard (1989) [‘We’re So Sick of It’: Northern Border Crisis Gets WorseBorder Patrol apprehensions of illegal immigrants at the northern U.S. border have jumped from 916 in fiscal year 2021 to 10,021 in fiscal 2023.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesAllan Stein![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/03/16/id5608456-Northern-border-story-v2-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/were-so-sick-of-it-northern-border-crisis-gets-worse-5607148?ea%5Fsrc=frontpage&ea%5Fmed=premium-carousel-0&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- March 16, 2024 ## An Excellent Introduction to the Problem Bitcoin Solves If you want to make a lot of money, solve a problem. Or in Bitcoin's case, solve a problem by creating a lot of money (here, 21,000,000 bitcoins), then capping it. [Debasement Fundamentals: Bitcoin Has No Top Because Fiat Has No BottomFrom Bitcoin Magazine![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1631897641570-91326d87caf5?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIzfHxiaXRjb2lufGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMDYwMDIwMXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/debasement-fundamentals-bitcoin-has-no-top-because-fiat-has-no-bottom/) --- The Ides of March > You may have heard the phrase “beware the Ides of March,” but what is an Ides and what’s there to fear? The Ides is actually a day that comes about every month, not just in March—according to the ancient Roman calendar, at least. The Romans tracked time much differently than we do now, with months divided into groupings of days counted before certain named days: the Kalends at the beginning of the month, the Ides at the middle, and the Nones between them. [What Is the “Ides” of March?And should you really beware?![](https://www.britannica.com/favicon.png)Encyclopedia Britannica![](https://cdn.britannica.com/10/189610-131-C06C6A6B/Calendar-march-15th-march-15th.jpg)](https://www.britannica.com/story/what-is-the-ides-of-march?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## BYCU [St. Patrick and SundryBlack St. Patrick’s Day According to the Spectator, St. Patrick’s Day is the biggest bar night of the year, surpassing even my favorite holiday, Black Wednesday. For a country like Ireland, as devoted to its faith as to a good party, the fact that St. Patrick’s Day falls during![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1519009620163-043a4492d8b8?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHN0LiUyMHBhdHJpY2slMjdzJTIwZGF5fGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMDUwMjIxNnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-47/) --- March 14, 2024 ## Leftists Trying Not to be Gnostics *Current Affairs* seems like a worthwhile magazine. It describes itself as "the left magazine for people skeptical of leftism." Based on [this essay](https://www.currentaffairs.org/2024/03/are-rural-white-people-the-problem?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), it seems pretty far left . . . Bernie Sanders-left . . . but intellectually honest left. In the perspective of the Hemisphere Hypothesis, an "intellectually honest" leftist is a person who thinks within the restrictive parameters of his rationalist (and normally Gnostic) cocoon, but is also aware, if only semi-consciously, that his cocoon is limited and there's a lot more out there that he might not be considering. The intellectually honest leftist, in other words, rationalizes from leftist principles but values reason to reach broader conclusions. *Current Affairs* seems to be such a rag. [The Difference between “Reason” and “Rationality”Reason Greek nous Latin intellectus Reason is flexible. It resists fixed formulation. It is shaped by experience. It involves the whole living being, combining the mental and physical . . . the spiritual and material. It is the intellectual glue of sacramental existence. It is characterized by intuition. Reason is “congenial to the![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Hemisphere-Hypothesis-2.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-difference-between-reason-and-rationality-2/) [Hating Rural WhitesNathan Robinson at Current Affairs![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1475084124271-aebaf8a67166?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDh8fHJ1cmFsfGVufDB8fHx8MTcxMDQxOTMzOHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hating-rural-whites/) --- March 13, 2024 ## Cabrini Michael Rodney didn't much care for *Cabrini*. I saw the movie and I agree with everything he says, but I'd give it a "6" (he gives it a "4"). It would've gotten a "7" from me, but the last line of the movie made me (literally and physically, but also metaphorically and viscerally) roll my eyes, so that cost it a full point. As Rodney points out, the movie doesn't "get" the whole saint thing. [Cabrini Movie ReviewLess Girl Power and More Holy Ghost Power![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonMichael Rodney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/Five-Points.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/cabrini-movie-review/) --- March 11, 2024 ## Monday Column It's a short column, but I think a lot of TDE readers appreciate the brevity. Let me know. If you hadn't noticed, TDE has been using an unusual format for a few months. It provides a generous excerpt from an essay or article, then comments on it, putting the comments in a separate post that is then embedded at the beginning of the excerpted essay/article. Sometimes the separate post is a "Briefly" that scarcely stands on its own without a reference to the excerpted essay/article; sometimes it's a mini-essay that stands on its own (in which case, it is included under "Latest" on the right side of the homepage). Sometimes the separate post is also pasted into the Scrolling Blog, creating a three-point cross-reference (Scrolling Blog to Excerpted Essay/Article to Separate Post). If tagged properly, it also creates a library of script that I can (so my left-hemisphere says) later efficiently organize into more substantial essays or online books. Anyway, that's probably more than you want to know about the inner-machinations of TDE, but there you have it. [Hey Dude, Let’s Inherit the KingdomIf you want to inherit the kingdom, look with the eyes of the little child. Or maybe drink a few cocktails. Here’s the thing about kids: Their prefrontal cortexes aren’t developed. Their PFCs don’t fully develop until their early twenties. PFCs control analytical thinking. It is often said that they![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1664776788635-99efd50afacb?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIxfHxsc2R8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzEwMTYxNjk5fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hey-dude-lets-inherit-the-kingdom/) --- March 8, 2024 ## BYCU [More Bud Lite Fun, but Not Nearly EnoughBud Light Missed Out on the Super Bowl Party I don’t deny that the boycott has hurt, but that swill is still the second most popular brand out there. We have way too many trannies and pinko-trannies in this country. Kid Rock even pulled back on the boycott last week![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1566406921978-b6a458d7d0e2?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDl8fGJ1ZHdlaXNlcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDk4NTg1MzN8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/more-bud-lite-fun-but-not-nearly-enough/) --- March 7, 2024 ## The Inherent and Severe Limitations of Thinking In the early 1990s, I practiced law with a lot of impressive Jewish attorneys. One, particularly so. He was brilliant, aggressive, and driven. He also held a Ph.D. in philosophy. I always wanted to ask him why he got a doctorate in philosophy and then went to law school, but the one time I broached the topic of philosophy, he was caustic and cryptic. When I asked him about a Cartesian assertion I had recently read about, he said, "Are those old bones still rattling around?" Then he moved the conversation to the case we were working on. That was the early 1990s. At least in philosophical academia, Descartes' ideas were dead and discredited. But those old bones are still rattling around. Indeed, they're so fixed in our cultural landscape, it seems like every legitimate thinker is trying to dislodge them from our collective crania. I doubt any thinker today believes we are purely rational beings who make decisions based on objective facts. Yet, we live in a culture that bows obsequiously and submits to "experts" who claim to do just that. The morons who urge us to "follow the science" are wholly aware that *no one* follows the science. Everyone--and every scientist--approaches every subject of thought with assumptions, modes of interpretation, personal biases, and a host of other cognitive "imperfections" (not really imperfections, btw) that make objective approaches impossible. That doesn't mean we oughtn't try to be objective, incidentally. There's a huge difference between trying to consider *all the facts* to reach a good (as objective as possible) conclusion and thinking you have all the facts and can reach a good (wholly objective) conclusion. *"All the facts"* means taking into account our cognitive imperfections. That is the essence of Pragmatism (I find myself admiring William James more and more these days . . . 25 years after falling in love with his *The Varieties of Religious Experience*). When we reach our rational conclusion, it ought to be with intense humility: at our cognitive biases we perceive, our cognitive biases we don't perceive, the cognitive biases of the people who gave us the facts that we took into consideration . . . and 243,901 other things, including things that wholly transcend our understanding (let's lump them under the term "Providence"). Our inability to see clearly is clear (pardon the paradox). But our culture continues to harbor the ridiculous conceit. The main reason, of course, is that those Cartesian bones can be wielded by politicians to implement their plans and designs. If there are objective answers to be derived from objective facts, the politicians who claim access to the experts to give them those objective answers can coherently implement whatever policies they want. We all saw where it led in 2020-2021 when the experts merely "followed the science" and politicians had a great time, using a crisis to implement all sorts of draconian laws. I'm sure it was heady stuff for the politicians, to be using their superior intellectual powers to do so much good. The problem, of course, is their superior intellectual powers are fatally flawed. And that fatal flaw is the most important piece of information. [Thinking isn’t Rational: It’s Embodied ReasoningDavid Weinberger at University Bookman![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1533073526757-2c8ca1df9f1c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE5fHx0aGlua2luZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDk4MTc3NjV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/thinking-isnt-rational-its-embodied-reasoning/) [The Inherent and Severe Limitations of ThinkingIn the early 1990s, I practiced law with a lot of impressive Jewish attorneys. One, particularly so. He was brilliant, aggressive, and driven. He also held a Ph.D. in philosophy. I always wanted to ask him why he got a doctorate in philosophy and then went to law school,![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604209147126-53333f8521a1?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI2fHx0aG91Z2h0fGVufDB8fHx8MTcwOTgxOTYzNnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-inherent-and-severe-limitations-of-thinking/) --- March 6, 2024 ## American Vandal Michael Rodney endorses *American Vandal*. I strongly endorse his strong endorsement. It's possibly the best and funniest mini-series I've seen. [Netflix’s Hidden High School Comedy GemAmerican Vandal![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonMichael Rodney![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1512070800540-0d4192faa057?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEwfHxuZXRmbGl4fGVufDB8fHx8MTcwOTczMTU3NHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/american-vandal/) --- March 5, 2024 ## The Mere Concept of "Mental Health" Makes Us Unhealthy Of course, this concern is rooted in language itself. By positing one thing, we amplify its opposite. It's why postmodernists hate binaries. It drove ancient Taoism's admonitions not to look at concepts like "good" and "hate." It drove the background of [Dostoyevsky's story, *The Dream of a Ridiculous Man*](https://thedailyeudemon.com/51658/). But it doesn't change the fact: By asserting a concept like "mental health," we start looking for ways we aren't mentally healthy. And because our minds are remarkably complex and largely can't be explained (and not remotely understood) by science, we can all find ways we aren't "mentally healthy." And on top of that, we incentivize people not to be mentally healthy, either by coddling them or flat-out giving them money. The result: More and more people find themselves mentally unhealthy. And the further result: They *do* start to become mentally sick. Even if they start out wholly as frauds who merely pretend to be sick so they can go on disability, they eventually become sick. It's the lesson of the "Let's Pretend" chapter in [C.S. Lewis' *Mere Christianity*](https://amzn.to/435797p?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). [“Mental Health”: The Refuge of ScoundrelsTheodore Dalrymple at the Spectator![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1581333100576-b73befd79a9b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fG1lbnRhbHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDk2NDU0OTV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/mental-health-the-refuge-of-scoundrels/) --- ### How long until a parent loses custody because he refuses to castrate his son? "Gender-affirming care" will soon become a term of derogation, even in the corporate media. Every euphemism eventually becomes a joke and has to be replaced with something else by those who refuse to acknowledge the blemish concealed by the euphemism. [Indiana Catholic couple ‘living every parent’s nightmare’ after transgender custody caseAfter Mary and Jeremy Cox didn’t use the pronouns requested by their teenage son when he began to identify as a girl, Indiana Child Services removed him from his home.![](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/assets/images/extra/apple/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png)Catholic News AgencyCNA![](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/image/bbdca47a-e605-44cc-b1ff-3d9c046ae2a8.jpg?jpg)](https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256987/indiana-catholic-couple-living-every-parent-s-nightmare-after-transgender-custody-case?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### One of the most interesting book reviews of the young year (Subscription may be required) [The life of peasants was not pleasantPatrick Joyce’s Remembering Peasants is not a history, although there is history in it. Nor is it an ethnographic treatise, although the![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldJonathan Sumption![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/3Millet-peasants-Bridgeman-e1709143203388.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/book-and-art/life-peasants-not-pleasant-patrick-joyce/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > From the earliest agricultural settlements, some 8,000 years ago, most of mankind have been peasants. Yet in barely a century they have all but vanished. As recently as 1950, only a fifth of the world’s population lived in cities. Today 60 percent do. The figures for Europe are even starker. [France](https://thespectator.com/tag/france/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) was once the greatest peasant country on the continent, but today only 3 percent of the population is employed in agriculture. In the former communist countries of eastern Europe the same transformative changes have been compressed into just three decades. Where have the peasants gone? To the cities, to industry and services. --- March 4, 2024 ### From the TDE Mailbag > Around 2003 in Chile, when the original trilogy of Star Wars began airing on television there, they did this funny thing to avoid cutting to commercial breaks. They stitched the commercials into the films themselves. Here is one of them, with the English dub added in. [pic.twitter.com/wC7N2vPNvv](https://t.co/wC7N2vPNvv?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Windy 🛸 (@heyitswindy) [March 2, 2024](https://twitter.com/heyitswindy/status/1764023423485812995?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Column It's interesting (and runs contrary to this essay) that our left-hemispheric modern culture goes to extremes to accommodate unusual people, like the overweight. Such tolerance, though, is born of the same dogmatism that caused the Nazis to euthanize the disabled. It's part of the postmodern religion of destroying all poles of the binary that have traditionally been privileged, which facilely shades off into destroying anything traditional, like the traditional belief that healthy is better than unhealthy . . . fit better than fat. [Why We Don’t Like Handicapped PeopleI was standing on a corner in Clemson, waiting for the walk sign after a Tuesday evening basketball game. Clemson had just come from behind to beat ACC rival Pittsburgh in an exciting, back-and-forth game. I had been traveling that week and was fatigued but had a good time. Now![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/03/aftershokz.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-we-dont-like-handicapped-people/) --- March 1, 2024 ### Light Blogging My apologies for the light blogging this week. I've been in Tennessee and South Carolina, visiting family and commiserating with the Agrarians. Regular blogging resumes Monday. BTW: There will be no "Outside the Modern Limits" newsletter tomorrow morning. --- February 29, 2204 ## I Loathe the Republican Party ### But Thank Goodness for the Republican Party This issue is so important, I'm not inclined to much care what kind of politics or demagoguery or other roguery is driving the opposition, just as long as this measure is exposed and stopped. It's that important. [GOP Senators Sound Alarm Over CBDCs, Propose Bill to Ban ThemCritics of CBDCs are concerned they could allow new levels of government interference in people’s finances.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesStephen Katte![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2023/11/01/id5521452-Cruz-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/gop-senators-sound-alarm-over-cbdcs-propose-bill-to-ban-them-5595721?utm%5Fsource=partner&utm%5Fcampaign=ZeroHedge) 💡 According to the Human Rights Foundation, which unveiled a [CBDC tracker](https://cbdctracker.hrf.org/home?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in November 2023, out of 193 governments worldwide, 16 have deployed a working CBDC to the public, 39 have started a pilot program, and 64 are still in the research phase.Among the 55 governments that have deployed or are piloting a CBDC, many are dictatorial regimes, including Belarus, China, and Iran.Public opinion on CBDCs appears to be mixed. A 2023 Cato Institute National Survey [found](https://www.cato.org/blog/new-poll-only-16-americans-support-us-adopting-central-bank-digital-currency-68-would-oppose?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that only 16 percent of Americans support adopting a CBDC. About 34 percent were firmly opposed, and 49 percent had no opinion on the matter. Overall, the 2,000 Americans surveyed were more concerned about CBDC risks than enthusiastic about the possible benefits. . . . Former President Donald Trump has promised to “never allow” the Federal Reserve to create a CBDC in the country. [Economic Freedom is the First FreedomThis is a fundamental truth that many people don’t appreciate. We need food, clothes, and shelter to survive. Until those elements are addressed, nothing else matters. If our freedom to pursue survival is interfered with, our other freedoms suffer. It’s that simple. If you rely on someone else for survival,![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Economics.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/economic-freedom-is-the-first-freedom/) --- ## Fadiman Revisted . . . and Revisited and Revisited I like admirations that seem wholly disproportionate to the subject. I'm not talking about [the instant canonization of criminals](https://thedailyeudemon.com/st-dann-the-armed-robber/). I'm also not talking about our culture's nauseating tendency to beat the living heck out of every fad, nor about our culture's tendency to go saccharine on anything beautiful, nor about our culture's inability to keep laudatory words within their original definition (e.g., calling everyone who does his job a "hero"). I'm talking about an earnest and elaborate admiration for something that, though worthy of respect and attention, wouldn't seem to merit such earnestness and elaboration. Such is the 7,500-word essay that *The Lamp* published recently about Clifton Fadiman's [*A Lifetime Reading Plan*](https://thedailyeudemon.com/st-dann-the-armed-robber/)(which is out of print, but you can find [a revised and expanded version still in print here](https://amzn.to/3wGQtqt?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). I highly recommend it. It was good enough to get me to take my copy off the bookshelf and start reading entries again. I had forgotten how good it was. --- ### Two Asides *The Lamp* is a Catholic journal. Fadiman was close friends with the godfather of the Great Books program, Mortimer Adler, and dedicated *A Lifetime Reading Plan* to him. Surprisingly, the essay doesn't mention that Adler converted to Catholicism at the end of his life. *The Lamp* has run a few (two? three?) essays by the great Joseph Epstein. Many years ago, Epstein wrote an unflattering portrait of the Great Books project, especially its "Synopticon" and its editor, Adler. Epstein's portrait of Adler was, by today's standards, civil, but by Epstein's standards, kinda vicious. I remember reading it and thinking, "This level of negativity is out of character for Epstein. He must've loathed Adler." Mr. Payne, incidentally, seems to line up with Epstein's negative assessment of the Great Books project, especially the Synopticon, which he hilariously refers to as "an **exercise in subclinical autism**." > This two-volume work inventories one hundred and two Great Ideas, from Angel to World. The entry for each Great Idea contains references to passages in the Great Books where it is mentioned or discussed. It is hard to imagine this work being put to use by either laymen or scholars. If a layman is interested in the topic of Love, for instance, painstakingly searching up every mention of it, great or small, from Homer to Freud, seems like a less efficient use of time than reading a general overview, like de Rougemont’s. On the other hand, a scholar who is studying Plato’s idea of love will need years of philological work which Great Books in translation cannot give him, and will need to hone in on certain key passages and their controversies, such as Diotima’s ladder of ascent, which the Synopticon, in its completionist, all-inclusive grasp, will not differentiate. This index, the labor of seven years, today seems little more than an exercise in subclinical autism, one which even proponents of Great Books education never use. The Synopticon’s lack of educational purpose did not stop the *Encyclopædia Britannica* from commissioning an army of salesmen to travel around the country teaching people how to use it. [A Magisterial Appreciation for a Magisterial Effort: Fadiman’s Lifetime Reading PlanNathan Payne at The Lamp![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1671202201112-a98948cc879d?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGdyZWF0JTIwYm9va3N8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA4ODIwODIxfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-magisterial-appreciation-for-a-magisterial-but-reasonably-short-effort-fadimans-lifetime-reading-plan/) --- [View Previous Monthly Scrolling Blog Entries](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### Rare Figs + a Strain of Yeast from 850 B.C. = Ancient Egypt Beer URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/rare-figs-a-strain-of-yeast-from-850-b-c-ancient-egypt-beer/ Last updated: 2025-02-01T19:31:09.000Z The idea came to Dylan McDonnell early in the pandemic, when a sourdough-baking craze took over a nation under lockdown. Mr. McDonnell, an amateur brewer who lives outside Salt Lake City, saw Seamus Blackley, a video game designer, boasting on social media about baking bread with 4,500-year-old Egyptian yeast. I wonder if I could do that with beer, Mr. McDonnell recalled thinking. The answer recently arrived in the form of an amber brew that Mr. McDonnell believes is the closest approximation yet to what Rameses the Great may have been drinking between battles with the Hittites. Recent years have seen attempts to recreate the beer of the Vikings, the Late Shang and Western Zhou dynasties of China, and the Sumerians, who are believed to have invented beer. “These beers can be all over the map,” said Neil Witte, a beer expert at Craft Quality Solutions in Kansas City, Mo. “What was good 500 or 1,000 years ago is likely nothing like what we consider good today.” Still, the lure of connecting with bygone civilizations by reviving their potent potables appears to be surging. **Read the rest** ### A Magisterial Appreciation for a Magisterial Effort: Fadiman's Lifetime Reading Plan URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-magisterial-appreciation-for-a-magisterial-but-reasonably-short-effort-fadimans-lifetime-reading-plan/ Last updated: 2024-05-30T22:32:13.000Z When I was a child, there were some books that I was not allowed to read. Although I mostly had free rein over my parents’ shelves, there were a variety of reasons why several books were off limits. There were a few books, especially ones in nice editions, that were kept away on account of the occasional childish inability to distinguish between *meum* and *tuum*, or my tendency (runs in the family) to read at the dinner table. I think that is why I wasn’t allowed to read our beautiful one-volume Quality Paperback Book Club edition of Lewis’s Space Trilogy. Other books were forbidden for reasons that had more to do with their content. But the problems with the content were not always what you might expect. At the age of eight I began to devour my father’s old Ballantine paperback editions of *The Lord of the Rings*. My parents decided that I needed time away from Middle Earth when they heard me muttering wizardly imprecations around the house. The three tattered and creased volumes were hidden for a while in the upper reaches of a spacious (downright Narnian) closet. Many attempts were made to scale these impressive heights before the books were finally brought back down. There were plenty of books, however, that were disallowed for all the usual reasons of content: sex, profanity, heterodoxy, and so on. This would be why I couldn’t read, for instance, the novels of John Gardner or Anthony Burgess. Not that I minded that much, though. Neither of them caught my eye until much later on. There was a book in this category of prohibition that did catch my eye, and that I did very much mind not being able to read. It was called the *Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes.* One reason it caught my eye was that its title seemed to get both its size and color all wrong: it was neither little nor brown. Rather, it was big—both hefty and tall—and forest green. But the other part of the title was true: this big book contained thousands of anecdotes, organized alphabetically by last names of the people about whom they were told, from Hank Aaron to King Zog I. The stories recounted in this anthology were often highly amusing, even laugh-out-loud funny, though perhaps not always suitable for the ten-year-old reader. On one level the book functions as a reference work, and so of course the canonical stories you learn in school are dutifully collected—George Washington and the cherry tree, Mark Twain and Halley’s comet, and so on. But its primary function is to delight, and much more space is given to things like Yogi Berra’s gaffes, Wilde’s witticisms, Dorothy Parker’s naughty ripostes (“If all those sweet young things were laid end to end, I wouldn’t be at all surprised”) and the furious outbursts of Toscanini. It is a perfect volume for bathtub or bedside reading, the kind you should browse through at random when the mood strikes. The mood for such contraband reading struck me often enough that tape was soon needed to bind the spine of the book to the rest of it. **Read the rest (subscription might be required)** [The Lamp Magazine | The Lifetime Reading PlanOn the Great Books project.![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/favicons/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png?w=152&h=152&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1674591075&s=adf9080089d297b8ae3f5af7a13366a6)The Lamp MagazineRead![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/Screen-Shot-2023-12-20-at-2.42.19-PM.png?w=1200&h=630&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1703101349&s=df8e49731f7094c95c48bf0c9a98d1c6)](https://thelampmagazine.com/issues/issue-20/the-lifetime-reading-plan?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Why Were Humans Suddenly Able to Drink Liquor? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-were-humans-suddenly-able-to-drink-liquor/ Last updated: 2024-03-05T19:36:15.000Z ### Alcohol and the arrival of the feeling that "There must be more." Humans gained the ability at the last stage of our evolution from the primates. > "About ten million years ago, the enzyme our bodies use to detoxify alcohol, known as alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH4, underwent a single mutation that left it forty times more efficient. **The mutation occurred in the last common ancestor we shared with gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos.** Without a modified ADH4, even small quantities of alcohol are poisonous. With a modified ADHL4, alcohol can be consumed safely . . ." Merlin Sheldrake, [*Entangled Life*](https://amzn.to/3Ip8aOh?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), p. 216. Did the mutation occur at the same time as the "missing link." It's my (admittedly limited) understanding (and ChatGBT's) that the "missing link" between humans and primates exists at the latest stage of development between apes and humans. We had apes then, *voila*, we had humans . . . and there's a jump in the biological record that science can neither detect nor explain. I've heard it speculated that the jump occurred when humans first got souls. When ensoulment occurred, humans became humans . . . and thereby left their primate ancestors behind, but because ensoulment can't be biologically measured, the "link" can't be found through science. 💡 ****Disclaimer about the Missing Link**. The concept of the missing link isn't used much as a helpful theory anymore. The missing link takes a one-line (linear) view of evolution, but science is now appreciating that evolution is more complex than that, that evolution progresses in nuanced ways and on many fronts (kind of like how fungi spread, Sheldrake would probably argue). As a consequence, the concept of a "missing link" isn't helpful, but that doesn't mean there isn't a missing link. There still is. ****Further disclaimer**: Science ain't my bag. I welcome any corrections. *But if the missing link is explained by the moment of ensoulment*, what does that say about the alcohol mutation that occurred at the same time that the missing link walked the earth? At one moment, our last ape ancestors couldn't drink a drop of alcohol without dying. The next moment, our first ancestor ("Adam") could. Perhaps it means humans are meant to drink alcohol. --- With ensoulment, comes a heavy existential burden: We are thrust into the metaxy. The metaxy is hard. It creates tension: We are pulled between heaven and earth. We are the only creatures that commit suicide. It's because of the existential burden that is life in the metaxy. Although our existence in the metaxy gives us our greatness due to its connection to transcendence (and corresponding appreciation of beauty (art), appreciation for truth (philosophy), and appreciation for goodness (holiness)), that same connection can also create malaise, a general sense of anxiety, depression, the sense that life makes no sense. On top of that, life on earth is hard. Our earliest ancestors had to hunt and gather, never knowing when they'd get food again, living day-to-day. Today, we have to go to the office every day and deal with mounting bills. While at the same time getting accosted constantly by the feeling that there's "something more" to life. It's tough. Alcohol makes it less tough. In the words of world-class drunk Charles Bukowski, > “When you drank the world was still out there, but for the moment it didn’t have you by the throat.” When we drink, we gain perspective. We calm our over-active brains (specifically, our left hemispheres . . . more on that later) and appreciate transcendent things (which are appreciated by our right hemispheres, which are allowed to operate better when the left hemisphere is sedated). It's why I only half-jokingly refer to alcohol as a "sacramental" and never give it up for Lent. I tend to limit myself to four or five drinks a week, but I still drink. I think it's a gift, possibly bestowed on our ancestors at the exact moment God knew they'd need it. He knew we'd need alcohol to deal with the metaxy. [Metaxy - The Daily EudemonThe Daily Existence Eric Scheske The Hemisphere Hypothesis Reconnecting to the Tao and Full Reality![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/09/Doors.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/metaxy/) --- ## Footnote ### ChatGBT on the Missing Link > "In the context of human evolution, the term "missing link" has historically been used to refer to a hypothetical intermediate stage or transitional form between earlier ape-like ancestors and modern humans. This hypothetical missing link would represent a crucial piece of evidence in understanding the evolutionary path that led from our common ancestors with other primates to the emergence of Homo sapiens." --- [Amazon.com: Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization eBook : Slingerland, Edward: Kindle StoreDrunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization - Kindle edition by Slingerland, Edward. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization.![](https://www.amazon.com/favicon.ico)Follow![](https://fls-na.amazon.com/1/batch/1/OP/ATVPDKIKX0DER:146-0970016-4703300:909TKDYAHZNV219V5A4G$uedata=s:%2Frd%2Fuedata%3Fstaticb%26id%3D909TKDYAHZNV219V5A4G:0)](https://www.amazon.com/Drunk-Sipped-Danced-Stumbled-Civilization-ebook/dp/B08KQ18XLF?ref%5F=ast%5Fauthor%5Fmpb&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Affiliate link](https://amzn.to/3P3ihvx?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### How to Find Diversity without Even Trying URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54026/ Last updated: 2024-03-25T12:08:53.000Z ### Re-thinking our obsession with diversity Religion is good for you. Religious participation, sociologists tell us, correlates with lower levels of criminality, better health, greater marital stability, and greater well-being. According to an article awhile back in the *Atlantic Monthly*, sociologists and economists are studying this phenomenon further and, in the process, have discovered other things. For instance, they've discovered that Catholics are likelier to attend Mass if they live in a heavily Catholic neighborhood. This doesn't surprise me. When I attended the University of Michigan, I never heard any Catholics discuss Mass, confession, fasting on Fridays during Lent, etc. When I went to the University of Notre Dame, such topics came up all the time. Students discussed what churches have the best (okay, shortest) Mass. They moaned about fasting. Notre Dame back then was 91% Catholic. When almost everyone around you is Catholic, you're more comfortable being Catholic and acting like one. The same goes for any characteristic. It will become pronounced if you're around people who share a particular characteristic. It can work for good or ill. If you're around people who cuss, you're more likely to cuss. If you work in a business where integrity is important, you're more likely to show integrity. --- Even though this “like pronounces like” phenomenon works both ways, it's more likely to serve a good function in today's culture. We live in a secularist, avaricious, and sensuous culture, at least as measured by mass media and popular entertainment. From billboards to TV, “anti-virtuous” conduct is presented and encouraged. It's important for people to have a group in which virtuous conduct is emphasized, in order to counteract the deleterious effects of our debased culture. Such groups are also important for society. As sociologists recognize, people who share virtuous conduct – like religious people hanging out together – are more likely to be good members of society. What does this say about our culture's obsession with diversity and efforts to impose it? The federal highway project of the 1950s and 1960s demolished many ethnic neighborhoods where people shared the same religious beliefs. The desegregation of schools put blacks and whites together even though they normally had different economic, social, and religious backgrounds. In many parts of the country, public schools are crushing parochial schools out of existence. The value of “diversity” even trumps out the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection guarantee at public universities, according to the Supreme Court. --- Quite frankly, I think diversity cuts against human nature. People want to hang out with others like themselves. Catholics like to hang out with Catholics and Muslims with Muslims. We should respect it. But instead, we worship the God of Diversity and tend to believe bonding among people of similar traits is wrong. We think it leads to prejudice and a lack of tolerance for others. It really doesn't. Sure, the circles of similarity can be quite narrow, thereby leading to suspicion of others outside the circle. But the thing is, people also have a tendency to hang out with others like themselves in all sorts of areas, not just religion. A Catholic likes to hang out with Catholics, yes, but if he's a man, he likes hanging out with other men, even if the others aren't Catholic. If he's a sports fan, he likes hanging out with other sports fans, regardless of religion or (maybe) gender. If he's a conservative, he likes hanging out with other conservatives, regardless of whether they're male or female, Catholic or Methodist, or a Detroit Lions or Chicago Bears fan. Life, in other words, brings its own levels of diversity. Diversity doesn't need to be forced or championed. It'll happen on its own. And if left to happen on its own, it won't crush that other good thing: solidarity among people of similar characteristics. The results will redound to the benefit of the individual, the group, and society as a whole. But, first, we have to let it happen. ### Place and Conservatism URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/place-and-conservatism/ Last updated: 2024-02-24T15:14:57.000Z In one sense, there is nothing wrong with conservatism. The principles remain; reality has not changed. The problem lies in the fact that what passes for conservatism today is not conservative at all or at best a shadowy and distorted version of the real thing. The so-called conservatism promoted by Fox News and Rush Limbaugh is (when a coherent thread presents itself) a fairly standard litany of pro-growth, pro-war individualism, that claims to despise “Big Government” while championing the upward mobility of the most talented and energetic. These ideas, and the policies they spawn, are not conservative. Our cultural standard-bearers chafe against the notion of limits. We are told that freedom and limits are incompatible, and that freedom is only real if limits are ignored. We are told by advertisers that our limitless appetites are normal and their satisfaction is an indicator of our success. Appetites, however, are boundless and some might recall that the virtue of self-control has, in earlier times, been deemed an important feature of a well-formed character. Self-control and limitlessness do not readily mix. We are told that the solution to our economic woes is growth. We need steady and sustained growth in order to ensure that our standard of living continues to improve indefinitely. No one seems interested in asking whether infinite growth is even possible. No one seems inclined to ask whether our standard of living is sufficient or even sustainable. Americans have always been a restless people. We believe that to be in motion is the key to productivity, and productivity is an indicator of worth. The idea of upward mobility is especially attractive to those who find themselves twice blessed with both talent and opportunity. To improve one’s position, to continue to steadily mount the ladder of success, one must relocate or at least be ready to do so. Any commitment to a particular place or a particular community must come in a distant second behind the ambition to succeed. The notion that a person might forgo opportunities in order to stay rooted, in order to stay home, smacks of parochialism, shiftlessness, and misplaced priorities. Mobility is encouraged by (and in turn helps cultivate) a conception of the human person as primarily an individual and only accidentally a member of a community, a parish, or even a family. On the surface, this conception of the person would seem to carve out the maximal space for individual freedom, for if all of my relationships are purely elective and transient, then I am much freer than if at least some of my relationships are natural, durable, and bring with them obligations. Ironically, this conception of the autonomous individual helps to facilitate the growth of the centralized state. Robert Nisbet, in his classic work [*The Quest for Community*](http://www.isi.org/books/bookdetail.aspx?id=58b30a92-baf6-423e-9824-8479bc49c97d&ref=thedailyeudemon.com#.UjX%5FMz-df6c)*,* argues that as intermediate institutions eroded under pressure from both the state and changing social patterns, the natural longing for community remained as a constant feature of the human constitution. While virtually all means of satisfying that longing were breaking up, the monolithic state emerged as the one enduring institution. People naturally began looking to the state to fulfill their desire for community and as a result the state enjoyed a burst of energy that only aided in the centralization of its power. In short, the atomized individual, far from being a means to maximizing freedom, was and is instrumental in the growth and empowerment of the centralized state. So, too, the idol of perpetual economic growth. Where the role of the government in the economy is generally accepted as necessary and good and where the lines between Washington and Wall Street are increasingly blurred, the inevitable outcome is the concentration of both economic and political power. Is anyone still naïve or blind enough to deny the incestuous relationship between Big Business and Big Government? In fact, both helped to create the other and both need each other to exist. Many “conservatives” rail against Big Government, but this is only part of a complex problem. Through regulatory capture, tax “incentives”, and the specter of too big to fail, Big Business continues to exercise power far beyond what is legitimate or safe. To ignore this is to ignore a crucial aspect of the problem of concentration and, incidentally, to prevent an effective reduction in the scope and power of Big Government. **Read the rest** [Conservatism: What’s Wrong with it and How Can We Make it Right? - Front Porch RepublicThis is my contribution to ISI’s symposium, Conservatism: What’s Wrong with it and How Can We Make it Right? In one sense, there is nothing wrong with conservatism. The principles remain; reality has not changed. The problem lies in the fact that what passes for conservatism today is not conservative at all or at best \[…\]![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicMark T. Mitchell![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Grant_Wood_-_American_Gothic_-_Google_Art_Project-e1379560729890.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2013/09/conservatism-whats-wrong-with-it-and-how/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Blow Back Beer to the Vanishing Sommelier URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/blow-back-beer-to-the-vanishing-sommelier/ Last updated: 2024-02-23T12:21:53.000Z ## This Video is Pretty Wild [Brewer blown backwards by beer blast (video)An employee of Back Channel Brewing Company in Spring Park, Minnesota, was standing in front of a large vat when it blew him backwards.![](https://boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/fbrfg/apple-touch-icon.png)Boing BoingDavid Pescovitz![](https://boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/beerblowwwwwww.jpg)](https://boingboing.net/2024/02/15/brewer-blown-backwards-by-beer-blast.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Sommelier is Vanishing > Wine is still poured at many tables. But the dedicated wine professional responsible for selecting and procuring bottles, assembling an intriguing list, training the staff, assessing a table and telling stories that turn otherwise unknown bottles into delicious adventures — those people are rarely strolling the dining room. > > For many restaurants, the sommelier is now a luxury, nice to have but expendable in the blunt calculations of the post-pandemic restaurant model. The highest end restaurants seem unaffected — diners at Le Bernardin in New York will still be greeted by a smiling Aldo Sohm and his team of ace sommeliers in their black aprons with silver tastevins. > > But underneath dining’s stratospheric level, many serious, wine-oriented restaurants are doing without. Instead, those positions once dedicated to wine are now often hybrids with servers, bartenders or managers handling wine in addition to their other duties. . . . > > What’s made the sommelier expendable? The pandemic changed the economics of the restaurant business. Most obvious was a severe labor shortage. Many restaurant professionals, both in kitchens and in dining rooms, chose not to return, having found alternatives to the grueling hours and lack of benefits in restaurant work. Restaurants had to attract workers by raising wages. In many parts of the country, minimum wages rose, too, further increasing costs. Some restaurants even sold off parts or all of their wine inventory. > > In addition, supply chain issues and inflation raised the prices of everything, from real estate to ingredients, goods and equipment. And wine itself has risen in price, beginning with the tariffs former President Donald J. Trump imposed on certain European foods and drinks in 2019\. The tariffs were removed by President Biden, but prices have continued to rise. The cost of real estate has raised the price of wine storage, and many restaurants have cut back on inventory. > > While wine consumption has leveled off in the United States and other parts of the world, the fact that wine is enjoyed globally rather than in just a few countries means demand for good wine remains strong. --- ## Gin in the Hood: Where It Was Always Meant to be [‘Gin and Juice’: Dre, Snoop collab on pre-mixed cocktail 30 years after hit songSnoop Dogg and Dr. Dre launched a line of cocktails called \\![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/gannett-web/properties/usatoday/logos-and-branding/logo-icon.png)USA TODAY, USA TODAY![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/02/14/USAT/72602691007-gin-and-juice-by-dre-and-snoop.jpg?auto=webp&crop=2699,1518,x0,y324&format=pjpg&width=1200)](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/02/14/gin-and-juice-drink-snoop-dre/72602561007/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Hard Currency to be Eliminated? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hard-currency-to-be-eliminated/ Last updated: 2024-02-22T14:25:51.000Z [Economic Freedom is the First FreedomThis is a fundamental truth that many people don’t appreciate. We need food, clothes, and shelter to survive. Until those elements are addressed, nothing else matters. If our freedom to pursue survival is interfered with, our other freedoms suffer. It’s that simple. If you rely on someone else for survival,![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Economics.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/economic-freedom-is-the-first-freedom/) Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) threaten to replace the cash we use with programmable, trackable, and censorable tokens controlled by governments. Your financial choices could be suppressed, and privacy eliminated. Based on what I’ve learned and experienced directly, this could happen before the 2024 election. The best way to stop it is through direct action, not through politics. In my [30 years as a serial entrepreneur and liberty activist](https://day2024.com/bio/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), I have never encountered a more significant or urgent threat to human freedom and liberty than CBDCs. My direct experience with cryptocurrency, insights from researching my book about the threat of CBDCs called [*The Final Countdown*](https://a.co/d/bQzutvb?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and an understanding of the political realities regarding CBDCs from my experience running in the 2024 Republican Presidential primary, have propelled me to dedicate 100% of my time and attention to sounding the alarm on this issue. We are at DEFCON 1. ### How CBDCs Could Lead to Total Control: Your Spending, Your Identity, Your Life CBDCs are a form of digital cash that can be programmed, monitored, and censored by the government. They can serve as a gateway to complete tyranny by enabling social credit scores, digital IDs, vaccine passports, and more. To see what life might be like under this type of digital tyranny, you can read the first chapter of my book at [Brownstone Institute](https://brownstone.org/articles/the-final-countdown-to-cbdc/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). As I have traveled to 20 states and given presentations on my book, I realize that I need to do more to empower people to take the first step towards taking control of their own money. I am more concerned with empowering people than selling books. To ensure people understand the threats and available solutions, I am taking a hands-on approach by traveling across the country and hosting [4-hour workshops](https://day2024.com/crypto-gold-silver-workshop/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) based on the content of the book. At the conclusion, every participant will possess self-custody crypto, gold, and silver, along with a detailed understanding of the threat. My goal is to reach millions of people, and ultimately make an online version of this course available. However, I have learned that nothing beats face-to-face interaction. To minimize the costs of the in-person workshops, I am planning them as far in advance as possible. If you are interested in either hosting, participating in, or sponsoring a workshop, please visit my [workshop page](https://day2024.com/crypto-gold-silver-workshop/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). This article outlines my case for why CBDCs are an imminent threat that requires everyone’s immediate focus and attention and provides an overview of what will be covered in the workshop. ### The Political Landscape for CBDCs in the United States *This is why I believe a CBDC might be rolled out in the United States before the 2024 Presidential election.* #### 1/ President Biden has Authorized the Exploration of a CBDC, and There Isn’t any Real Resistance in Congress. On March 9, 2022, President Biden signed [Executive Order 14067](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/09/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-sign-executive-order-on-ensuring-responsible-innovation-in-digital-assets/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). This EO places “the highest urgency on research and development efforts into the potential design and deployment options of a United States CBDC.” It also calls for a whole-of-government approach to regulating digital assets. As you will see in a further section below, the technology for a US CBDC has already been developed. The crackdown on digital assets has been ongoing and aggressive, directly impacting people I know personally and respect for their activism in the furtherance of liberty. Ian Freeman, a longtime liberty activist, radio host, and early mover as part of the [Free State Project](http://fsp.org/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) was [sentenced to federal prison](https://news.bitcoin.com/free-talk-live-co-host-ian-freeman-sentenced-to-8-years-for-running-unlicensed-bitcoin-business/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) for 8 years for simply selling Bitcoin (my wife and I attended the sentencing hearings). He operated a number of ATMs and would help people exchange their dollars for cryptocurrency. The Federal government wanted to make an example of Ian and have a chilling effect on person-to-person methods for people to get into crypto. Other services, like LocalBitcoins, have also been forced to close due to added government pressure. Another liberty activist I know personally and who is also part of the Free State Project, Jeremy Kaufmann, created a company called LBRY (also known as Odyssey). Jeremy’s offering provided a decentralized and censorship resistant version of YouTube using blockchain technology (the underlying technology used in Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies). He was sued and harassed by the SEC. Despite many other cases that were clearly in violation of the SEC guidelines, Jeremy was targeted because his offering was a successful use of technology that also was in direct conflict with the federal government’s extensive efforts to censor America’s social media interactions. His [business was forced to shut down](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lbry-shuts-down-operations-101743562.html?guccounter=1&guce%5Freferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce%5Freferrer%5Fsig=AQAAALh5bgGUvnDxFECWhkuv3lDU1G19RIm4Vde8b-4w4JBKFRuCK46BCJcty9J%5FhjzxBFH0PezFECfrbFRcbGcQXLcCakaIciF0sdLOhhKSdMYj1PonxvMk7-Id32yhaDVzRt5iuPMMC6l%5F2q6YOktB8hU0x1k3y1lvtPZ59hXAhiQM&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in October 2023\. In total, the SEC has targeted 127 companies for crypto enforcement action, and a whopping 24 of those came in 2023 alone. In addition to individual companies, they have aggressively targeted crypto exchanges like Binance, Bittrex, Coinbase, Kraken, and FTX, making it difficult for people to buy and sell cryptocurrency. **Read the rest** [American Totalitarian “Crypto Dollar” May Come Before the Election ⋆ Brownstone InstituteCentral Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) threaten to replace the cash we use with programmable, trackable, and censorable tokens controlled by governments. Your financial choices could be suppressed, and privacy eliminated. Based on what I’ve learned and experienced directly, this could happen before the 2024 election. The best way to stop it is through direct action, not through politics.![](https://brownstone.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cropped-brownstone-institute-ico-270x270.png)Brownstone InstituteAaron Day![](https://brownstone.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Shutterstock_2153929793.jpg)](https://brownstone.org/articles/american-totalitarian-crypto-dollar-may-come-before-the-election/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Prices Reflect Our Participation in Reality in General URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-pricing-mechanism-and-reality-in-general/ Last updated: 2024-04-02T10:45:56.000Z 💡 We change the market by participating in it. Likewise, we change reality by existing. **How* we change reality depends on how we attend to reality. James M. Buchanan, [in a letter to *Literature of Liberty* in 1982](https://oll.libertyfund.org/quote/james-buchanan-on-process-and-the-market-order-1982?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), said economists should stop analogizing the spontaneous order that emerges from market forces to an "omniscient designing mind." **Such an analogy, said Buchanan, is really an anti-analogy.** It doesn't explain what happens by comparing it to something similar.It obscures what happens by comparing it to something opposite. Market forces are the opposite of what emanates from an omniscient mind. An omniscient mind takes into account all facts, now and in the future, and lay out the result. The market doesn't work like that. *In the process of working, the market changes all the facts, now and in the future*. The market by its nature changes the current and future inputs that would allow the omniscient mind to articulate the outputs. And even if an omniscient mind could know all the inputs now and in the future, by articulating the output, it would alter the future inputs and would have to start all over again. Your participation in the market alters the market. When you signal that you're willing to pay $15 per month for that streaming service, you're telling the streaming service that you might be willing to pay $20\. When you decline to spend $15, you're signalling that the streaming service is worth less than $15. Your participation in the market then alters you. If you pay $15, the streaming service is going to be tempted to increase the price to $20\. If it increases the price to $20, you'll value it more. You might decline to pay $20, but you're still receiving an input that says the service is worth more than $15\. --- ## Our Relationship with Prices is Just Like Our Relationship with Reality Our participation in the world is like that in general. We perceive something outside ourselves, we act on what we see, and thereby affect ourselves and how we see, with the result that how we perceive something next changes, and on and on. That entire concept (metaphorically and literally) drove the bus in Tom Wolfe's *The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test*. Ken Kesey and the Pranksters careened cross-country in pursuit of "The Movie." Ken Kesey and the Pranksters were in "The Movie," which was a massive production, costing Kesey everything he earned from *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.* Forty-five hours of film had to be edited, and much of it was out of focus because the cameraman was on LSD and the bus was bouncing. But that was alright. *The out-of-focus camera and bouncing became a part of The Movie*. That was the reality: the cameraman shot footage and the footage affected what the cameraman shot. More importantly, "The Movie" was merely a symbol for what Ken Kesey was trying to establish: *every person is in his or her own movie*. > Everybody, everybody everywhere, has his own movie going, his own scenario, and everybody is acting his movie out like mad, only most people don’t know that is what they’re trapped by, their little script. By responding to the world, a person crafts his own movie, and in the process of crafting it, he affects the world . . . and other people's movies. By paying $15 for that streaming service, he's driving the price up for everyone else to watch the movie. It was, Wolfe speculates, an example of Carl Jung's attempt "to explain the meaningful coincidences that occur in life and cannot be explained by cause-and-effect reasoning" and the "microphysical events of modern physics in which *the eye of the beholder becomes an integral part of the experiment*." --- ## McGilchrist: Everything We Attend to, Alters Everything for Everyone I think it's pretty obvious that how we respond to something affects us. That's the first principle of the spiritual/psychic/emotional life, going back to the Stoics in the West and, before that, to Lao-Tse in the East. But Iain McGilchrist takes it a step further and makes the point that, like our collective responses to price points, **our collective responses to everything alter what is.** That's why, he speculates in his conclusion in *The Master and His Emissary* ("The Master Betrayed"), the world is increasingly left-hemispheric: we have been increasingly looking at the world with left-hemispheric attention, thereby catalyzing the world to organize itself with left-hemispheric propensities: efficiency, goals, definitions, measurement, etc. That's why, for instance, our culture increasingly values urban life: it's an exaggerated emphasis on left-hemispheric tendencies. *The Master*, p. 456\. --- ## Our Choices Are Moral Imagine a future where everyone is willing to pay $5,000 per month for that streaming service. You'd be the old guy who sits there, telling his grandkids, "I remember when I used to pay $5 a month for that streaming service. In today's dollars, that would be just $30\. Now you have to pay $5,000\. F'ing Jews." But it wouldn't have been the Jews' fault . . . or the fault of any omniscient force. It would've been your fault: you paid $5 back in the day, thereby signaling the price could (should?) be higher. And that is perhaps the most profound, if not troubling, parallel between the prices and our attention to the world: Both entail choice, and choice entails morality. How you attend to the world, how you choose to spend your money, has serious moral consequences, both for yourself and the world. > The choice we make of how we dispose of our consciousness is the ultimate creative act: it renders the world what it is. It is, therefore, a moral act: it has consequences. 'Love,' said the French philosopher Louis Lavelle, 'is a pure attention to the existence of the other.' *The Matter with Things*, p. 17 --- [James Buchanan Prices Defy Omniscient MindJames Buchanan Prices Defy Omniscient Mind.pdf122 KBdownload-circle](https://thedailyeudemon.com/content/files/2023/08/James-Buchanan-Prices-Defy-Omniscient-Mind.pdf "Download") [James Buchanan onI want to argue that the “order” of the market emerges only from the process of voluntary exchange among the participating individuals. The “order” is, itself, defined as the outcome of the process that generates it. The “it,” the allocation-distribution result, does not, and cannot, exist independe…![](https://oll.libertyfund.org/favicon.ico)Online Library of Liberty![](https://oll-resources.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/oll3/store/people/61/Buchanan%2C%20James%20M.%20.png)](https://oll.libertyfund.org/quote/james-buchanan-on-process-and-the-market-order-1982?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Primer: Understanding the Hemisphere HypothesisMany smart people think Iain McGilchrist has effected a Copernican revolution in metaphysics. I tend to agree. Here’s a summary of the revolution.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/02/Hemisphere.-Each-Hemisphere-Governing-Principle.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/primer-understanding-the-hemisphere-hypothesis/) [Erik Hoel on Consciousness, Free Will, and the Limits of Science - EconlibNeuroscientist and author Erik Hoel talks about his book, The World Behind the World, with EconTalk’s Russ Roberts. Is it possible to reconcile the seemingly subjective inner world of human experience with the seemingly objective outer world of observation, measurement, and science? Despite the prom…![](https://www.econtalk.org/favicon.ico)EconlibRuth Fisher![](https://www.econlib.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Depositphotos_118223968_S.jpg)](https://www.econtalk.org/erik-hoel-on-consciousness-free-will-and-the-limits-of-science/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#audio-highlights) [How You Attend to the World Changes What You Find ThereAnd if you attend sloppily, what you’ll find is slop Do you want to understand what you’re thinking about? Then think as clearly about it as possible. Do you want to think clearly about something? Then think in clear terms. On the flip side, if you use muddy terms about![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/07/Briefly-McGilchrist.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/how-you-attend-to-the-world-changes-what-you-find-there/) ### John McClaughry: Underappreciated Man URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/john-mcclaughry-underappreciated-man/ Last updated: 2024-02-21T13:37:58.000Z [The Decentralist FilesI grow more tired of online reading every day. It is by nature hard (something about the pixels and how our eyes work), but then the publications need to generate revenue, so they gum up access with pop-up screens and username requests, then gum up the prose with more pop-up![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Garden.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-decentralist-files/) The two most desirable qualities in a politician—wit and an aversion to wielding power—are, to the media and the deciders, the most disabling. Wit, whether folksy (Morris Udall) or caustic (Bob Dole), is no aid to presidential ambitions, and Ron Paul’s admirable renunciation of the sword caused the press to regard him as a loon. The witless (Nikki Haley, Gavin Newsom) and power-crazed (Hillary Clinton, John McCain) get much better press. There hasn’t been a politico in our lifetimes who has combined wit with an inappetence for controlling others quite as potently as Vermont’s John McClaughry. I checked in with John, still irrepressible at 86 years of age, upon the recent online publication of *The Decentralism File*, a rich lectionary appearing courtesy of the E.F. Schumacher Center and accessible at www.centerforneweconomics.org. Eagle Scout, hobo (as “Feather River John” he rode boxcars for 5,000 miles), Steve McQueen lookalike, Vermont state representative and senator, speechwriter for the pre-presidential Ronald Reagan, agrarian-libertarian-populist idea man, a Jeffersonian in the best sense of that honorable and now nearly extinct adjective—John McClaughry is the most underappreciated and unheeded man in modern American politics. As a politico, he was…offbeat. Combing through my thick McClaughry file I find this reply form for those who donated to his 1992 campaign for Governor of Vermont: > Dear John: I am enthusiastically enclosing the proceeds of my invalid mother’s pension account, or equivalent thereof, to support your campaign for Governor. I certify that I am not under indictment or otherwise in a position to cause you more embarrassment than this contribution will cause me. Republican McClaughry ran and lost that race to Democratic incumbent Howard Dean, just as he ran and lost a 1982 primary race for U.S. Senate to incumbent Robert Stafford: by offering a vison of “a land where power, like the ownership of property, is not concentrated in the hands of the few, but distributed widely among the many.” The many, alas, did not pull his lever. John’s friend Frank Bryan, the University of Vermont professor who wrote the standard academic work on town meeting governance (*Real Democrac*y), explained McClaughry’s political dilemma: “How, with limited funds, to articulate his views to an electorate that does not possess the necessary concepts or language?” **Read the rest** [Small Is BountifulEagle Scout, hobo, Reagan speechwriter—John McClaughry is the most underappreciated man in American politics.![](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/wp-content/themes/tac/dist/img/favicon.ico)The American ConservativeThe American Conservative![](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/shutterstock_162049547-scaled-e1707698290381.jpg)](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/small-is-bountiful/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Collectors, Hoarders, and the Childless URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54868/ Last updated: 2024-03-19T13:02:42.000Z I don’t collect things anymore. I don’t know when I stopped, but in my youth, I would start more collections than a wino starts bottles. Baseball cards, beer cans, football pennants, foreign currency, coins, postcards, seashells, marbles, even rocks (those polished stones featured in souvenir shops). Even as an adult, I started collections: sporting event tickets, hockey cards, paraphernalia from every professional sports venue in Michigan that I personally visited, souvenir beer mugs, bookmarks, drink coasters that feature famous beers, the left pinky toe from every prostitute I banged (I spent a ton on formaldehyde). But at some point, it stopped. I think it stopped when my final collection—children--started to grow, but I don’t know when exactly, and it was never a conscious decision. I just stopped. Or maybe I morphed . . . transitioned from collecting to hoarding. I started buying lots of things but not different kinds of the same thing. I accumulated volumes, but not variety within the volumes. I bought things I could use, not things to look at it. Beer cans out; a jar of dimes in. Postcards out; books in. Rocks gone; gardening implements in. I suppose the two actions, collecting and hoarding, aren’t terribly different. Both cost a lot of money. Both provide a scant monetary return. Both will get tossed into the dumpster when I die. Both impart a degree of comfort and security. Neither gets you laid. Actually, that last one, though accurate in my (lack of) experience, isn’t always true. Men have been known to collect ostentatious things to impress women, like Khalil Bey, a nineteenth-century Turk and womanizer in France who used his art collection to elevate his position in Parisian society. Still, if I had to guess, the vast majority of collections don’t help in this area. I hardly see women chasing the Russian writer Nabokov because of his butterfly collection. --- I tend to believe that collections are the province of the childless. That matches my experience of stopping once I started to have children, plus it’s kind of the hunch of Joseph Epstein, who observed from his childhood that it seemed to him that kids without siblings tend to be collectors, perhaps “owing to their having more time to themselves.” I don’t think collecting is just the province of the childless, though. I think it’s also, in a twisted way, the province of the near-childless. Collecting is a sort of obsession (I’ve seen it defined as “an obsession organized”). The parents with the American average (1.7 children, I believe) shift that obsession to activities. Instead of things, they collect children’s activities. Instead of collecting model airplanes, they become helicopter parents. I’ve long maintained that each couple is supposed to have at least four children. If they have fewer than that, they will tend to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment possible out of the few they have and in the process, make everyone else’s lives miserable, especially those of us with large families who simply don’t have time to put, say, six different kids in six different activities every season of the year. I find most collectors congenial. Sure, you occasionally encounter the Nazi collector, the relentless dude who can’t understand how someone can’t share his obsession, but for the most part, it’s a private affair, kind of like my blog: I put it out there; you can read . . . or not, but I try not to foist it on people (except for my long-suffering wife and children). The same tends to go for the collector: if you want to check out his collection, he’s thrilled, but otherwise, he’s fine within the confines of his own enjoyment. That’s not the case with a parent with 1.7 children. He wants activities for his kids, lots of activities, and that means he needs other people to put their kids in the activities, and if they don’t, well, that screws up his hobby. Years ago, my son was being solicited to play travel baseball. The solicitation wasn’t working because I simply said, “no.” One of the other fathers approached me and explained I’d love it because every weekend is like a family gathering: “Friday night, all the players and their parents get to the city where the tournament is being held and have dinner, then the adults drink until late. We get up Saturday morning, meet for breakfast then hang out in the bleachers all day, then go out to dinner Saturday night with more drinks, then on Sunday we meet for breakfast and watch the rest of the baseball tournament together. It’s great.” You might as well have been trying to sell a luxury cruise to a celibate by telling him about all the loose women he’d get. Anyone who knows me and my bookish/introverted bent would realize that my friendly acquaintance had just described my weekend from hell, but such is the passion of the kid’s activity collector that a disposition such as mine couldn’t even be fathomed. --- But that isn’t the typical collector. The avid collector is absorbed in his hobby like an artist: focused on the thing, like the nerd using tweezers to put stamps in little plastic sleeves. It’s a beautiful thing, even a noble thing at some level, as evidenced by the fact that he can do it by himself without bothering the rest of us. “There are few ways,” Samuel Johnson observed, “in which a man can be more innocently employed than in getting money.” One of those few ways, I’d submit, is collecting. ### Science and Magic . . . And Math URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/science-and-magic-and-math/ Last updated: 2024-03-25T12:04:53.000Z [**This**](https://worksinprogress.co/issue/how-mathematics-built-the-modern-world?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is a great historical tie into Part II of *Existence Strikes Back* and its observation that modernity's momentum began to build in the 13th century, as Western civilization's capacity for control increased. Magic and science were twins in the cradle of modernity. This essay points out that it was really a set of triplets: Magic, Science, and Math. [How mathematics built the modern world - Works in ProgressMathematics was the cornerstone of the Industrial Revolution. A new paradigm of measurement and calculation, more than scientific discovery, built industry, modernity, and the world we inhabit today.![](https://worksinprogress.co/images/favicon.ico)Works in ProgressBo Malmberg![](https://wip.gatspress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/numeracy_illustration_colour_version_2-scaled.jpg)](https://worksinprogress.co/issue/how-mathematics-built-the-modern-world?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Science and MagicThe historian of intellectual history, Frances Yates, wrote extensively about the realm of magical pursuits in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, in particular about hermeticism and its legendary eponymous source, Hermes Trismegistus. Yates points out that Renaissance magic--through characters…![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Briefly-History-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/science-and-magic/) ### Hanging Out is Counter-Conduct URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hanging-out-is-counter-cultural/ Last updated: 2024-02-19T01:27:36.000Z [Hanging Out is a Rebuke to the Left HemisphereAmerica has a crisis: Young people are wasting enough time with one another. The result? Depression, suicide, and general malaise are up. Happiness is down. I’ve long chided my kids, especially my daughters, for making “hanging out” a priority. In my left-hemispheric world, hanging out serves no purpose so it’s![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Pinball.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hanging-out-is-a-rebuke-to-the-left-hemisphere/) > Sartre said hell is other people. Perhaps. But the alternative is worse. In its earliest decades, the United States was celebrated for its citizens’ extroversion. Americans weren’t just setting out to build new churches and new cities. Their associations were, as Alexis de Tocqueville wrote, “of a thousand different types … religious, moral, serious, futile, very general and very limited, immensely large and very minute.” Americans seemed adept at forming social groups: political associations, labor unions, local memberships. It was as if the continent itself had imbued its residents with a vibrant social metabolism—a verve for getting out and hanging out. “Nothing, in my view,” de Tocqueville wrote, “deserves more attention than the intellectual and moral associations in America.” Something’s changed in the past few decades. After the 1970s, American dynamism [declined](https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/05/how-america-lost-its-mojo/484655/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Americans moved less from place to place. They stopped showing up at their churches and temples. In the 1990s, the sociologist Robert Putnam recognized that America’s social metabolism was slowing down. In the book *Bowling Alone*, he gathered reams of statistical evidence to prove that America’s penchant for starting and joining associations appeared to be in free fall. Book clubs and bowling leagues were going bust. If Putnam felt the first raindrops of an antisocial revolution in America, the downpour is fully here, and we’re all getting washed away in the flood. From 2003 to 2022, American men reduced their average hours of face-to-face socializing by about 30 percent. For unmarried Americans, the decline was even bigger—more than 35 percent. For teenagers, it was more than 45 percent. Boys and girls ages 15 to 19 reduced their weekly social hangouts by more than three hours a week. In short, there is no statistical record of any other period in U.S. history when people have spent more time on their own. *And so what?* one might reasonably ask. *Aloneness is not loneliness.* Not only that, one might point out, the texture of aloneness has changed. Solitude is less solitary than ever. With all the calling, texting, emailing, work chatting, DMing, and posting, we are producing unprecedented terabytes of interpersonal communication. If Americans were happy—about themselves, about their friends, about their country—then whining about parties of one would feel silly. But for Americans in the 2020s, solitude, anxiety, and dissatisfaction seem to be rising in lockstep. Surveys show that Americans, and especially young Americans, have never been more anxious about their own lives or more depressed about the future of the country. Teenage depression and hopelessness are [setting new annual records](https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2022/04/american-teens-sadness-depression-anxiety/629524/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [every year](https://www.theringer.com/2023/3/3/23622606/why-are-american-teens-so-unhappy-how-do-we-solve-this-crisis?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The share of young people who say they have a close friend [has plummeted](https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/8/1/20750047/millennials-poll-loneliness?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Americans have been so depressed about the state of the nation for so many consecutive years that by 2023, NBC pollsters [said](https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/first-read/poll-finds-71-americans-believe-country-wrong-track-rcna68138?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), “We have never before seen this level of sustained pessimism in the 30-year-plus history of the poll.” I don’t think hanging out more will solve every problem. But I do think every social crisis in the U.S. could be helped somewhat if people spent a little more time with other people and a little less time gazing into digital content that’s designed to make us [anxious](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/12/therapy-language-anxiety-mental-health/676325/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [despondent](https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2023/03/negativity-bias-online-news-consumption/673499/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) about the world. This young century, Americans have collectively submitted to a national experiment to deprive ourselves of camaraderie in the world of flesh and steel, choosing instead to grow (and grow and grow) the time we spend by ourselves, gazing into screens, wherein actors and influencers often engage in the very acts of physical proximity that we deny ourselves. It’s been a weird experiment. And the results haven’t been pretty. --- To get a crystal-clear picture of how hanging out has dissipated in America, I spent the past week spelunking inside the American Time Use Survey, an annual government poll of how people in the U.S. spend their days. Economists at ATUS carefully track time spent socializing—meaning face-to-face interaction—for more than a dozen demographics. Broadly, real-world socializing has declined for both men and women, for all ages, for all ethnicities, and for all levels of income and education. Although COVID-19 clearly increased time alone, these trends predate the pandemic. The steepest declines have been among young people, poor people, and Black Americans. Women and 20-somethings enjoy the most social time in a given week, and low-income, middle-aged, unmarried men seem to get together the least. For most groups, the decline was staggered before accelerating after 2015\. Beyond in-person hanging, several other forms of socialization have declined by about a third in the past 20 years, including the share of Americans who volunteer and the share of Americans who attend religious services over the weekend. One of the more curious trends to jump out of the data is that many Americans have traded people for pets in our social time. The average time that Americans spend with their pets has roughly doubled in the past 20 years—both because more people have adopted pets and because they spend more time with them. In 2003, the typical female pet owner spent much more time socializing with humans than playing with her cat or dog. By 2022, this flipped, and the average woman with a pet now spends more time “actively engaged” with her pet than she spends hanging out face-to-face with fellow humans on any given day. The hang-out depression is particularly bad for teenagers. According to the ATUS, teens and young adults saw by far the largest dip in socializing, especially since 2010\. In fact, it is genuinely difficult to find any category of play that isn’t experiencing some kind of *Mayday! Mayday!* descent among this group. Teens are [dating less](https://www.globaldatinginsights.com/news/teenagers-are-dating-less-because-of-more-time-spent-on-mobile-phones-new-book-argues/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), [playing fewer youth sports](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/11/income-inequality-explains-decline-youth-sports/574975/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), spending less [time with their friends](https://theconversation.com/teens-have-less-face-time-with-their-friends-and-are-lonelier-than-ever-113240?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and [making fewer friends to begin with](https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/8/1/20750047/millennials-poll-loneliness?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). In the late 1970s, more than half of 12th graders got together with their buddies almost every day. By 2017, [only 28 percent did](https://theconversation.com/teens-have-less-face-time-with-their-friends-and-are-lonelier-than-ever-113240?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#:~:text=In%20the%20late%201970s%2C%2052,graders%20in%20the%201980s%20did.). “There’s very clearly been a striking decline in in-person socializing among teens and young adults, whether it’s going to parties, driving around in cars, going to the mall, or just about anything that has to do with getting together in person,” says Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University. **Read the rest (subscription may be required)** [Gift Article: Why Americans Suddenly Stopped Hanging OutToo much aloneness is creating a crisis of social fitness.![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/_next/static/images/apple-touch-icon-152x152-aafde20dd981a38fcd549b29b2b3b785.png)The AtlanticDerek Thompson![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/thumbor/0HzHug-oYlHCXYdviIFmCiJMoGk=/0x102:4792x2598/1200x625/media/img/mt/2024/02/HR_NYC136246/original.jpg)](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/02/america-decline-hanging-out/677451/?gift=Vldr1EADnz3JyUKZd1CUWZQf6ENRWaFgZ7K9%5FsVWlow&utm%5Fsource=copy-link&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fcampaign=share) ### The Peasant Sentiment URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54097/ Last updated: 2024-03-18T11:46:40.000Z *The Greatest Game Ever Played* is a true story about an unaccomplished young golfer, Francis Ouimet, at the turn of the century and how he beat the world's top two golfers in an 18-hole playoff at the 1913 U.S. Open. Francis's goal to be a great golfer is juxtaposed against his father's more mundane ideas. Mr. Ouimet is a hard-working immigrant from the old school. His attitude toward Francis's ambitions is summed up by his words: “Being a man means knowing one's place in the world and making peace with it” (quote isn't exact). Although the movie is somewhat sympathetic to Mr. Ouimet, overall his thinking is portrayed as peasant-like: backward, old world, and as un-American as his foreign accent. The movie portrays Francis's struggle and eventual championship at the U.S. Open as the American way. His battle celebrates initiative (trying to be the best), democratic social leveling (crashing through barriers that surrounded the game at the turn of the century), and individualism (doing what he wants, even against his father's wishes). --- America views itself as the land of no limits: A person can be whatever he wants, if he's just willing to work hard and not give up on his dreams. It's the reason a sizable number of movies (*Rocky*, *One on One*, *Rudy*, *The Rookie*, to name just a scant few in the sports genre alone) resonate with the American populace. But a moment's reflection shows that the sentiment is foolish. Dreams do come true occasionally (and are the stuff of movies, like *Miracle* and *Glory Road*), but normally, a person doesn't reach the heights he strives for. Dream trains get derailed all the time, by a legion of causes. A person might pick a field in which he lacks the God-given talent. He might lack the proper funding to get the training. He might lack the time. He might lack the connections. He might lack a dozen other things. Mr. Ouimet's peasant sentiment of making peace with one's situation, on the other hand, is rock solid. It's been a mainstay of philosophic thinking for thousands of years, perhaps finding its greatest expression in the works of the Stoics (Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius). --- Now don't get me wrong: I think young people should strive for their dreams. But each youngster should also be prepared for what happens if the dream doesn't come true, and I don't just mean prepared financially (the college football player who also gets a meaningful degree). I mean prepared psychologically and emotionally, so he doesn't live in depression the rest of his life, thinking he's a loser if he makes peace with his situation in life. Happiness, by definition, means contentedness. Every type of unhappiness stems from a feeling that something isn't fulfilled, that something falls short. Sometimes, the missing thing is obvious: “I'm unhappy because my spouse died.” Sometimes, the missing thing isn't obvious. Ask depressed people what's bothering them. They'll admit something is, but they often can't identify it; they just know something's missing. If a person can't make peace with his situation–whether it's as a millionaire who didn't succeed in becoming a billionaire, as a father who works for a living and can't achieve his artistic goals, or a young golfer who must give up his PGA dreams–he'll never be happy. If a person doesn't make peace with his situation, after all, that means he's not content. And if he's not content, that means something is missing, and happiness will elude him. Can you think of any situation (feel free to use your imagination) in which the peasant sentiment of making peace with one's situation doesn't make for a good life? You can't . . . unless you think happiness isn't the ultimate goal of living. And if you think that, there's nothing I or anyone else can say that will make a difference. ### Portland: A Laboratory Experiment on Progressive Politics URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/portland-a-laboratory-experiment-on-progressive-politics/ Last updated: 2024-02-17T14:36:47.000Z [Localism and the Importance of LaboratoriesIf give localities self-determination, it results in a country full of mini-laboratories where can figure out what works and what doesn’t. Granted, in the localities that practice oppression and hatred, things will be miserable, but at least people can leave. If enough people leave, the people who stay behind will![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Localism.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/localism-and-the-importance-of-laboratories/) I’m standing outside the Central Police Precinct in downtown Portland, Oregon. Officer Eli Arnold and I have bicycled over to meet two of his colleagues, returned from a drug bust. We examine the proceeds of the crime on the hood of a squad car. The officers weigh the fentanyl powder on a small scale, record the amounts, and take out a few bags of pills to show me. A pill falls to the ground; one of the officers rushes to return it to the bag. Fentanyl is easy to lose. Arnold, with the Portland cops for six years, tells me that addicts can take more than 20 pills a day to feed their addiction—unlike, say, people using heroin or cocaine, where a few hits daily will sustain them. For addicts, with minds already impaired, the likelihood that a tiny pill will drop on the floor and roll under a table without being noticed is high. That’s how kids find them, think they’re candy, and eat them. Portland recorded 137 fatal overdoses in the first half of 2023, compared with 2022’s 12-month total of 155\. Within a single ten-day period, three children under the age of four had overdosed and died after coming into contact with what the police said was fentanyl, “left unsecured in their homes.” Nonfatal overdoses also seem to be rising among kids, at least according to one social worker at a local hospital. He recently saw a three-year-old who had ingested fentanyl. Emergency responders were too late in administering Narcan, and the boy is now permanently outfitted with a tracheal tube. Of the 358 fentanyl cases that the Oregon Poison Control Center handled in 2022 (a 220 percent increase from 2021), 46 were pediatric. It’s not just the pills. Fentanyl fumes can harm children (and adults), as can touching the foil where it gets cooked. Kevin Dahlgren, who does homeless outreach in Portland, recently encountered a mother and her young child playing with fentanyl foil. “I told her not to let him play with that. It’s no different from ‘don’t play with a needle.’ ” Terrance Moses, founder of the homeless-outreach group Neighbors Helping Neighbors PDX, says that he has to wash his clothes after entering the homeless encampments—the fumes stay on you. In certain camps, he dons a hazmat suit. Children live in these grim places; no one knows how many. But Moses has seen their faces peeking out of tents. “I mean infants, all the way up to high school. At first, \[the parents\] are standoffish,” he says. “They hide their kids because they don’t want to be reported.” Moses, an African American army veteran who moved to Portland from Philadelphia almost three decades ago, started working with the homeless in 2016, initially helping them to dispose of their trash. Then he started bringing hygiene kits. Seven years ago, he mostly dealt with adult men, including many vets. But in the years since, the drug crisis and homelessness have exploded—as of April, about 18,000 people were homeless in Oregon, a number up nearly 23 percent from two years prior, and including more women and children. A National Drug Helpline report identified Oregon as the state with America’s worst drug problems. According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Oregon ranked last in the nation for the percentage of people with substance-use disorders needing, but not getting, treatment. The passage of Measure 110 in 2020, which decriminalized the possession—though not the sale—of all drugs has made things much worse. (See “[This Is Your City on Fentanyl](https://www.city-journal.org/article/this-is-your-city-on-fentanyl?ref=thedailyeudemon.com),” Summer 2023.) Portland’s, and Oregon’s, disorder and homelessness woes are getting coverage in major news outlets. Even the *New York Times* recently admitted that drug legalization hasn’t gone as progressives expected. Too often ignored, however, is how the scourge harms children. It’s easier to see the effects on teenagers. Drug use, drug-dealing, and overdoses have all become common in Portland public schools. Hundreds of kids have been missing from the schools since the pandemic. While some families moved and some students transferred schools, others, as a *Portland Monthly* article put it, “simply vanished.” They may be living on the streets, lured by the drugs readily available in the homeless encampments. Pam Pearce is the founder of Harmony Academy, Portland’s first recovery high school for kids battling substance-use disorders. Harmony doesn’t take the place of a rehab facility but provides students with support groups and other strategies for coping with the temptation to start using again. Pearce, a former addict, says that she knew that Measure 110 would have dark effects. She saw how the campaign described “small amounts” of drugs as okay. “I’ve never met anyone who does heroin casually on a Friday night. If you’re using 2 grams of coke or 40 opioid pills or 12 grams of shrooms, you have a drug problem. That’s not the same as having a glass of wine.” Even if children under 18 are technically not supposed to possess drugs under the new law, the city has created a “perfect storm,” Pearce says, by “normalizing drug use for kids.” During Covid, she adds, “we made sure that people could still get weed and booze delivered to their homes,” even as other businesses remained locked down. Moses observes: “When we decided it was okay for people to have a small amount and it’s not considered a crime, I think that started that alarming trend of ‘now we can openly do it. We won’t go to jail for it.’ ” Moses heard all the arguments that Measure 110 would help “people who are sitting in jail for having small amounts of marijuana on them,” but he still didn’t vote for it. During the few days I spent in Portland, it was mostly the nonwhite, working-class men and women who told me that they knew that Measure 110 would bring chaos. Noting the homeless encampments on the freeway ramps and slamming her hand on the steering wheel, my Hispanic Uber driver asked with exasperation, “What did they think was going to happen?” Portland can seem dystopian. A naked homeless man in a wheelchair goes by the front of my hotel as I’m leaving one morning. Inside a supermarket, I witness a manager yelling at someone walking out with stolen items under his jacket. Officer Arnold and I bicycle around for a couple of hours and see people openly cooking fentanyl over public flowerpots. Arnold asks someone urinating on the corner whether he knows about the public toilets nearby. A homeless woman sporting an L. L. Bean duffel bag screams at a sanitation worker for asking her to get her stuff out of the way so that he could clean the sidewalk. She threatens Arnold when he asks her to move, but she relocates across the street. Tents blight almost every block. Urine stench pervades downtown. Storefronts are empty. The buildings still in use have put up large fences so that the homeless don’t take over their steps. We ride past an elderly woman pushing a walker. Arnold says that he caught her selling pills out of the compartment under it. He shows me the intersection where drugs were sold a few weeks ago. Now that cops have made a few busts there, the deals have shifted elsewhere. ### Read the rest [Portland’s Encampment KidsThough drug addiction and homelessness in the city have drawn national attention, the most innocent victims—children—often go overlooked.![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/CJ-300x300.png)City JournalNaomi Schaefer Riley![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/homeless-encampment-Portland.jpg)](https://www.city-journal.org/article/portlands-encampment-kids?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Technology Paradox URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-technology-paradox/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:15:52.000Z ### The more efficient technology makes us, the less efficient we become. > Of course, information technology saves time by doing things quickly. Or does it? Bosses save wages, but we become their new, unwilling wage slaves. Meanwhile, with the automation of more and more processes that used to take a five-minute phone call, we find ourselves entering into hours-long commerce with computer programs that lead us into Escher-like closed loops, only to report playfully, “Oops, something went wrong . . .” And if after this you stay on the phone so you can speak to a real person, the real people increasingly appear to have been so degraded by enforcement of machine-like algorithms that they might as well be machines. IT, then, is quite capable of making life worse. Iain McGilchrist, "[Resist the Machine](https://www.firstthings.com/article/2024/03/resist-the-machine-apocalypse?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)," *First Things*, March 2024 ### French Beer Rises URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/french-beer-rises/ Last updated: 2024-02-16T02:39:47.000Z If the dozens of cartoonish stereotypes that flood my mind when I think of France — grand Bordeaux estates, snails and frog legs dripping in garlic butter, elegant women striding down the Champs-Élysées, a glittering Eiffel Tower at night — a stein of hoppy beer is nowhere to be found. France is not known for its pints. And yet, much to the concern of its vineyards and winemakers, that could be changing. “There has been a real explosion of breweries all over France in the past few years,” says Alexandra Berry, a Paris-based beer and hops sales consultant and the author of *From Earth to Beer: The Expression of Terroir in a Glass*. “General sales in wine have started to decrease in France in part because the industry has started to seem a little dated and overrated.” Whereas wine can seem very intimidating, requiring esoteric knowledge before being able to appreciate the relatively expensive product, beer is beer. It’s fun, it’s friendly, it’s something people can learn about as they go along — and in the end, it’s much more affordable. The French have been drinking fermented grape juice for millennia, and drink on average 47.4 liters per capita of local wine *per year*. But it’s going down, and beer is ascendant. Wine consumption is down 15 percent year-over-year in France; between 2014 and 2021, *les français* under thirty-one went from purchasing wine 31 percent of the time when they bought alcohol, to only 23 percent of the time. During the same period, beer purchases rose to 39 percent from 24 percent. The pattern is less pronounced among older demographics, but it still holds true; even the over-fifties have increased their beer spending, leaving more wine on the shelves. In 2023, the French government distributed $215 million to help vintners destroy surplus wine and transform it into perfume and hand sanitizer. A portion of those millions is earmarked to rip out vineyards and replace them with olives and other, more viable streams of agricultural revenue. By contrast, the number of breweries in France has ballooned from 322 in 2009 to more than 2,500 as of 2021\. Microbreweries represent 92 percent of that number. It’s tempting to see this as a libationary French Revolution, modeled after and following (rather tardily) on the heels of the American craft beer renaissance. “France initially followed the trends happening in the US and the UK,” Berry says. “We seem to always be about ten years behind the US and five behind the UK.” To a degree, France’s beer scene perfectly demonstrates this. The first French craft breweries began opening around 2012, primarily with classic *blonde*, *blanche* and *brune* offerings. A few years later, IPAs landed on their shores, popularized by American hipsters. But the French paradigm is perhaps, *le sigh*, too complex to wedge neatly into a six- ty-character headline. Though unfamiliar to modern stereotypes, France has a long history of home brewing, temporarily extinguished from time to time by wars and the economic malaise that follows them. Before World War One, there were just under 2,500 breweries across France and Belgium, with most of the French breweries in the northern part of the country near Germany and Belgium. After the war, destruction, widespread death and long-term ingredient rationing meant the small-scale brewing community never really bounced back — more than 900 breweries had closed between 1914 and 1918 — and larger, mass-production operations like Kronenbourg took hold. **Read the rest (subscription may be required)** [A craft beer revolution in Grand Cru CountryAt the present, France consumes an estimated 70 percent of its own beer; but if their history of global culinary influence is anything to go![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldKathleen Willcox![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/JAN-DIG-IMAGES3.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/craft-beer-revolution-grand-cru-country-france/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### An Honest "Celebration" [Tortured Account] of an Open Marriage URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-honest-celebration-tortured-account-of-an-open-marriage/ Last updated: 2024-02-15T13:52:55.000Z [Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover, I SupposeI know nothing about this book except what I read in this review. If the reviewer is honest, the publisher isn’t. Of course, the publisher is Doubleday, which is probably about as mainstream (corporate, legacy, establishment) media as you get, so it shouldn’t surprise me that its book cover appears![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Briefly-Note-Card.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-judge-a-book-by-its-cover-i-suppose/) In 2002, Meredith Berkman sued the manufacturer of the nutritionally dubious snack Pirate’s Booty for $50 million because its label claimed it was “Good For You.” When pressed to defend its claims, the company’s founder insisted the snack bags were making a different assertion altogether: it’s not that Pirate’s Booty is *good* for you—but rather, hey man, “good for *you*!” for livening things up with some Pirate’s Booty. I think about the difference between these two statements a lot when I think about polyamory. To the friends who have confided in me or declared via social media that they are in open marriages, my response has always been “good for *you*!” If that’s what works for another person, if they are happy, then, as a member of a tolerant, pluralistic society, what else can I offer? As a religious person, a Catholic no less, I know that I am often on the receiving end of such tolerance, and I’m glad to reciprocate when given the opportunity. But, in our current moment of societal poly-curiosity, some advocates have turned to making the larger claim: that open relationships are broadly healthful, that they are, actually, *good* for us. Into this climate comes Molly Roden Winter’s memoir, [*More*](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/717078/more-a-memoir-of-open-marriage-by-molly-roden-winter/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), heralded as a “scorcher” (*Washington Post*) and a corrective to the idea that “mothers are not supposed to be sexual beings” (*New York Times*). One blurb on the back promises an exploration of “how nonmonogamy can be a powerful catalyst for living more authentically, breaking free of socially scripted people-pleasing roles, and having a more secure relationship with one’s self, family, and partner.” From its cover art (the solid-color cutouts of contemporary romance literature) to its media blitz, this book has been positioned as a sexy romp and societal corrective. In other words, Roden Winter’s open marriage was both *good* for her and also good for *her*! So, I was genuinely shocked when I read the book, not by how graphic it is, but by how sad. For every one orgasm scene, there are three of sobbing fits. Molly’s, to be clear. Her husband, Stewart, is not a crier. The book begins with a betrayal—logistical rather than sexual. Roden Winter is home with her small children as the full-time caregiver. Stewart has promised to be home early yet strolls in at almost 9 p.m. In what will be a pronounced pattern, she does not tell Stewart she is upset by his selfish behavior. Instead, she goes on a walk, finds a friend, and serendipitously meets a cute younger guy at a bar. When she returns home and confesses this, Stewart is aroused and encourages her to continue to see this guy, Matt, as long as she tells him about it. Which, because Roden Winter is very good at taking direction, she does. Stewart soon asks if he can also sleep with his ex-girlfriend Lena. Molly is not happy about it: > \[T\]he thought of them together makes me feel like I’ve fallen to the bottom of a well. “I’m not sure,” I say, still not looking at him. I’m afraid I’ll start to cry if I do…. “I guess it’s okay. I mean, it’s not fair if I’m the only one who gets to…you know…” “Cool,” says Stew, standing to go. Stewart, gallantly, asks one more time if it’s okay, to which Roden Winter lies, “Yup,” and then asks, silently, “Doesn’t he know I’m lying?” Doesn’t he? If Roden Winter seems at this point to be psychically tormented and terrible at asserting herself, wait until she meets a man on AshleyMadison.com and performs a sex act on him while thinking “there is no way I can pretend I’m enjoying this.” The man doesn’t reciprocate, but then again, she doesn’t ask. “‘That was a lot of fun’ he says. ‘Yeah, it was,’ I lie,” is their final exchange, a synecdoche for much of the book. Following a friend’s advice (I told you she was good at taking direction), Roden Winter starts seeing a therapist, Mitchell, to sort out her feelings about open marriage. In his office, she complains about how Stew is dating “like four different women right now.” And, with Mitchell’s encouragement, she vows, “I need to raise my standards, to find men who have something to offer *me*.” But this plucky promise only lands her with two boyfriends, neither of whom seem to treat her particularly well. One announces, upon sexual completion, “Oops! It seems I have forgot zee condom!” (he speaks French). The other sends her a list of sex toys to purchase (which of course she does), but after their encounters, she always feels “empty” and “like shit.” In therapy, she realizes that “It’s like I’m just reacting to what men want” and vows to work on her own self-worth. Meanwhile, she tells Mitchell, “from my vantage point, it seems like Stewart is having nothing but fun as he jaunts along the open-marriage path.” After having succumbed to her boyfriends’ pressure to remove her pubic hair and have sex in hourly motels, she finally reaches a breaking point, ends the relationships, and sobs alone into her pillow. **Read the rest** (if you don't have a subscription, you'll burn one of your five free articles) [An Open Marriage Manifesto?Molly Roden Winter’s open-marriage memoir features unsexy sex, lots of crying, and a vivid portrait of emotional pain.![](https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/favicon.ico)Commonweal MagazineDorothy Fortenberry![](https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/sites/default/files/Fortenberry_0.jpg)](https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/molly-roden-winter-dorothy-fortenberry-sex-open-marriage-more?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Handwriting: Brain Connectivity? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/study-finds-handwriting-increases-brain-connectivity/ Last updated: 2024-02-13T15:12:19.000Z In our digital age, laptops and smartphones have become appendages for students and professionals alike. But new research suggests we may want to take a break from all that typing. A recent study from Norway found that the old-school art of handwriting engages parts of the brain that tapping on a keyboard does not. The intricate movements involved in handwriting activate more regions of the brain associated with learning than typing does. ## Handwriting vs. Typing A new study published in [Frontiers in Psychology](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219945/full?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and led by Audrey van der Meer, a neuroscience researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, examined the differences between handwriting and typing. Ms. Van der Meer and her team analyzed the neural networks involved in both activities to uncover their respective impacts on brain connectivity. “We show that when writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns are far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard,” she said in a press statement. “Such widespread brain connectivity is known to be crucial for memory formation and for encoding new information and, therefore, is beneficial for learning.” The researchers used high-density electroencephalograms (EEGs) to collect data from 36 university students. Participants were prompted to either write or type words displayed on a screen by pressing keys with one finger. Results showed connectivity between different brain areas increased substantially when writing by hand. In contrast, typing did not produce a comparable boost in connectivity. “Our main finding is that writing by hand is excellent brain stimulation for people of all ages,” Ms. Van der Meer told The Epoch Times. Writing on a touchscreen with a digital pen yielded more neural network activity versus typing on a keyboard, she added. “The more connections in the brain during a task, the more the brain is used to its full potential.” ## Why Handwriting Remains Essential The meticulous letter formation and precise movements of handwriting substantially boost the brain’s connectivity patterns involved in learning, according to Ms. Van der Meer. This implies that the benefits observed with digital pens may also apply to traditional pens and paper. In contrast, the repetitive key-tapping of typing was less mentally stimulating. She pointed out this likely explains why children taught to read and write on tablets often struggle to differentiate between mirror-image letters. The researchers recommend that young children receive at least some handwriting instruction. “Forming letters by hand is a complex fine motor skill that challenges the young brain.” Children first taught via tablets also tend to have poorer spelling and letter recognition, likely because they lack the motor experience of handwriting each letter, Ms. Van der Meer said. **Read the rest at *Epoch Times* (subscription required unless you still have free stories left)** [Study Finds Handwriting Increases Brain ConnectivityNew study finds handwriting increases brain connectivity more than typing.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesGeorge Citroner![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/02/09/id5583838-shutterstock_130119419-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/study-finds-handwriting-increases-brain-connectivity-5580804?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Bend It Like Orwell URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bend-it-like-orwell/ Last updated: 2024-05-26T13:34:48.000Z You want to be a great essayist? Then study the greats. Especially Orwell. Before he wrote *1984* or *Animal Farm*, he was an essayist. When Irving Howe set out to write essays, he studied Orwell. Orwell was the master. He demonstrated how it’s possible to be unobtrusively interesting line after line. Which is the First Orwell Lesson: # Be interesting. [Flannery O’Connor](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/75087?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) taught that every word in a short story should have meaning. I’d submit the same applies to essays. Every line should move the reader along an interesting continuum. # Without ostentation. The reader, Orwell taught, shouldn’t appreciate the prose. It should be like a clear window. You need a great lede to get the reader to look through the window in the first place. At this, Orwell was king: > “Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent.” > > “Dickens is one of those writers who are well worth stealing.” > > “Autobiography is only to be trusted when it reveals something disgraceful.” # Once the reader is looking through the window, don’t smudge it with bad style. It’s impossible to list all of Orwell’s style points, but two seem especially notable. # For the love of Eric Blair, don’t use nominalizations. Do not murder a verb or adjective by turning it into a noun. **You are in not *in need of* a pencil**. You *need* a pencil. You do not *have an expectation* of a raise. You *expect* a raise. Even the most sophomoric stylists immediately recognize a nominalization as a sign of stylistic stupor. Orwell condemns nominalization in one of the greatest essays about style ever written: *Politics and the English Language*, where he also spends a lot of effort to explain why writers must . . . # Avoid dying metaphors. What’s a dying metaphor? It’s tricky. There are, says Orwell, three classes of metaphors: The creative (one that the writer coins), the old that have become part of the English language, and the dying. The first is admirable, the sign of a poet; the second is acceptable; the third marks a lazy stylist. They’re hard to recognize and they constantly change. A dying metaphor might morph into an old (and, therefore, usable) one. I think the best way to identify them in your writing is to read a batch of them, so here are ten samples (many of which are taken from Robert Harwell Fiske’s highly recommended [*The Dimwit’s Dictionary*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1034966.The%5FDimwit%5Fs%5FDictionary?ref=nav%5Fsb%5Fss%5F1%5F10), which is a great leisurely read; merely browsing it will intuitively make you a better writer). > Good metaphors are like good jokes: they rely on making unusual connexions. > Seeing \[a weak metaphor\] requires no leap of imagination. A metaphor fails if it is too familiar. Its energy dissipates immediately and it dies. Iain McGilchrist, The Matter with Things, Chp. 15. # Don’t Write Like This “*It’s a jungle out there*” “*behind the eight ball*” “*piece of cake*” “*emotional roller coaster*” *“cool as a cucumber”* *“hit a home run*” *“pull no punches*” “*quick on his feet*” *“heart and soul”* *“gain a foothold”* 💡 ****A Hemisphere Connection**: "Clichés are definitely better processed by the left hemisphere." "\[T\]here is not just a distinction to be made, but a polar opposition, between a fresh metaphor that still works as a metaphor, and a clichéd metaphor which no longer does." "A poem cannot be composed of clichés, nor can the idea behind a joke be stale, if it is still to be funny." "\[T\]the live metaphor should be appreciated by the right hemisphere, while the dead metaphor, the well-worn idea, should be available to the unaided left hemisphere." Iain McGilchrist, **The Matter with Things*, Chp. 6 # Orwell’s Six Tenets And if you really want to bend it like Orwell, set a timer for 15 minutes, sit with your back upright, close your eyes, and meditate on these six questions that Orwell says every scrupulous writer must ask himself: > What am I trying to say? > > What words will express it? > > What image or idiom will make it clearer? > > Is this image fresh enough to have an effect? > > Could I put it more shortly? > > Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly? # And Then Take It to the Next Level I know: You don’t need to write like Orwell to make money with Internet prose. There’s a lot of stylistic trash out there that makes money. And if you spend a lot of time polishing your prose like Orwell did, you won’t crank out the volume you need to make money. It’s a dilemma. But isn’t life like that? You want to live beautifully, but you have to deal with that jerk at the office. You want to live for art, but you need to grub for money. You want to write poetry in timeless leisure, but you don’t even have enough time to figure out what a gerund is. I get it. I know. We all live in this dilemma. And it sucks. Still, we can at least *recognize* the dilemma: a pull of opposites, both of which merit our time and energy. I’m afraid too many of us simply jettison one of the opposites, and it’s normally the beauty, the art, and the poetry parts. That’s unfortunate. It is possible to grapple with the dilemma: to live beautifully while dealing with difficulty, to write poetry when you’re not in your office cubicle, to make money while writing well. Orwell did it. And if we really want to bend it like Orwell, we’ll find a way to do it, too. ### Social Activist Thomas Merton Didn't Stay Informed? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/did-social-activist-thomas-merton-not-stay-informed/ Last updated: 2024-02-12T14:20:08.000Z [Please Don’t Think I Can Judge Anyone’s Soul, Especially a Genius Like Merton’sI want to point out: This essay is conjecture. In a way, I “work backward” from a lifetime of reading and admiring Merton’s writings, combining them with biographical details, adding my understanding of Gnosticism and the Hemisphere Hypothesis, and coming up with this explanation of the confusing man that was![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Misc..png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/please-dont-think-i-can-judge-anyones-soul-especially-a-genius-like-mertons/) 💡 Merton was an artist. Like many artists, he acutely felt the pain of living in the tension of our existence. He sought to eliminate the pain by eliminating the tension. But he was also left-hemispheric, so he craved additional certainty, which first drove him to a monastery and the certainty he expected to find in transcendence. When that didn't work, he turned to the immanent and the certainty found in his many "causes." The bestselling author and Catholic monk, Thomas Merton, didn't like the media. This is from *Faith and Violence* (1968), published at the height of his social activism. > Nine-tenths of the news, as printed in the papers, is pseudo-news, manufactured events. Some days ten-tenths. The ritual morning trance, in which one scan columns of newsprint, creates a peculiar form of generalized pseudo-attention to a pseudo-reality. This experience is taken seriously. It is one's daily immersion in "reality." . . . My own experience has been that renunciation of this self-hypnosis, of this participation in the unquiet universal trance, is no sacrifice of reality at all. To "fall behind in this sense is to get out of the big cloud of dust that everybody is kicking up, to breathe and to see a little more clearly. I agree with all this. The passage warrants close reading by everyone who thinks a daily sprint through online news is worthwhile. [Don’t Follow the NewsThe drumbeat grows louder: more people realize the corporate media can’t be trusted and smaller media don’t have the resources to provide full coverage. On top of that, we know that the corporate media has never been trustworthy, including “trusted men” like Walter Cronkhite. So what does one do? Ignore![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Briefly-Note-Card-3.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-follow-the-news/) **But here's the problem: The passage and the author can't be reconciled.** ### Merton was Confident about Everything Merton at this point of his life didn't behave like he wasn't in command of all the facts. He was certain and uncompromising in his opinions regarding social justice, war, civil rights, the environment, and pretty much everything else. Where was he getting his information? Was he so smart that he got all the necessary information from the (less than) 1/10th of the news stories? Were "experts" feeding him information in his cloistered monastery/hermitage? What makes it even more puzzling: The Left back then didn't trust the media, just like the Right doesn't today (the media has always served the Establishment, and only the people against the Establishment can see it ([it's the nature of propaganda](https://thedailyeudemon.com/propaganda/)) . . . it's just worse today due to underlying economic changes in the industry, the Internet, and other disquieting factors). So why would Merton think he had a sufficient grasp of facts to form his uncompromising opinions? To some extent, it's understandable: We need to form opinions and act on them, even though we never have all the information. That's ordinary existence. But a logically-coherent person who appreciates the inherently and massively flawed input from the world, and especially the media, should distrust his opinions. Act on them, yes but tread carefully . . . slowly, even gingerly. Merton didn't have much distrust of his opinions. In fact, he was kind of a dick in his self-assurance. ### Merton was Victimized by his Left Hemisphere Merton's opinions and conduct were wholly consistent with an unbridled left hemisphere. The left hemisphere *needs to* form opinions and act on imperfect information. If it didn't, its projects would be thwarted ("paralysis by analysis") and its host (our earthly existence) would die for lack of necessities. The left hemisphere's need to act on imperfect information is so strong, it will *make up information* to fit its opinions. Once it has a narrative that guides its actions, it will zealously guard that narrative. The left hemisphere, McGilchrist repeatedly points out, is a liar. It's part of the left hemisphere's job description. It's just the way it is. The thing is, an engaged right hemisphere moderates it. A healthy dialogue between the hemispheres goes something like this: > L.H. "Master Right. Look at this information. This is happening, and this, and this, and this. We need to do that, and that, and that." > R.H. "Good work, but hold on a second. Did you verify this, and this, and this? What other thises are out there? And what happens if you do that, and that, and that? What will be the unintended consequences? Let's start moving in your direction but cautiously, slowly, and *with more deliberation between us*." The left hemisphere hates that discussion. It just makes its job harder. Instead, it prefers to fill in the blanks by itself (one of the problems with our "ruminating"), accept any other "information" that fits the narrative, and plow forward, and it sure as heck doesn't want to go back to the right hemisphere, who will just delay things and make the project harder with all its ponderings. That was Merton. "But how," you might ask, "could Merton have such an ineffective right hemisphere? It's our connection to transcendence. Merton was a monk and a monk, by definition, is dedicated to transcendence and, *ipso facto*, the development of the right hemisphere?" ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Metaphor-The-1.jpg) ## Left Hemisphere + Cause = Gnosticism ### [Gnostics are Severe Left Hemispherics](https://thedailyeudemon.com/eric-voegelin-and-the-left-hemisphere/) The Gnostic, consistent with the control exerted by his left hemisphere over his life, craves certainty. That was true of the ancient Gnostics; it's true of modern Gnostics. They want to lay things out on a table and analyze them (which is why [**ancient and modern Gnostics both put so much emphasis on "structures"**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-gnostic-hates-the-structure/)). The left hemisphere inherently craves certainty (so it can act, as described above). A person who lets his left hemisphere take complete control will often veer into Gnosticism. [Gnosticism is a Consciousness Experience of the Left HemisphereThe unruly left hemisphere is the experience of consciousness that Voegelin emphasized in his later writings about gnosticism![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2023/10/Voegelin-did-something-weird.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/eric-voegelin-and-the-left-hemisphere/) Not always. Many modern people are what I call "cultural Gnostics." They're not really "Gnostics," but they're dominated by their left hemispheres like real Gnostics. To progress beyond "cultural Gnostic" and become a full-blown Gnostic, a person needs to embrace a *cause*. The formula: [**Unbridled left hemisphere + A cause (belief that the painful uncertainty can be eliminated through action) = Gnosticism**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-gnostic-a-person-controlled-by-his-left-hemisphere-plus-a-cause/). > *Gnosticism is the essence of modernity (Voegelin). Modernity is the era of the left hemisphere's usurpation (McGilchrist).* [The Gnostic: A Person Controlled by His Left Hemisphere, Plus a CauseMerely being controlled by the left hemisphere doesn’t make a person a gnostic. He also needs a cause.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Gnosticism.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-gnostic-a-person-controlled-by-his-left-hemisphere-plus-a-cause/) ### Merton was a Gnostic An artist acutely feels existence in [**the metaxy**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-metaxy/), so much so that it's existentially painful. That stretching between earth and heaven is painful; it can lead to depression and anxiety. Merton was an artist, both by upbringing and temperament. I believe he acutely felt that painful stretch. He sought relief by lopping off the immanent pole and joining a monastery. When that didn't work (and it didn't . . . he was at first a model monk, but he became dissatisfied and unruly as the years progressed), he sought relief by lopping off the transcendent pole and immersing himself in social activism (many "causes"). [How Do We Account for Thomas Merton?Thomas Merton started as a writer, became a Trappist monk with genuine insight into the spiritual life, and then wrapped himself in worldly activism. What happened?![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Merton-rotated.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/56329/) *But he never left the monastery.* That's significant. But he was still a man dominated by his left hemisphere: a man who, like all Gnostics, craved certainty. He just wasn't sure which pole (the transcendent or immanent) would give him [that certainty](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-gnostic-is-never-satisfied/): the certainty and answers that would quell that existential unease that comes from being stretched in the metaxy. Unfortunately, he died ([**or was killed**](https://www.themartyrdomofthomasmerton.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) relatively young: just age 53\. Maybe he would've figured this all out. Maybe he would've come to see the disconnect between his realization that the news is flawed and the sheer act of having convictions that emanate from the news. Maybe he would've accepted the uncertain nature of the information and settled down a bit at that point. Heck, maybe he would've come to accept his uncertain nature of existence, period, and mellowed out entirely. Then again, maybe not. We'll never know. To think we do, would be very Gnosticish/left-hemispheric of us. ### Scrolling Blog: February 2024 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-entries-february-2024/ Last updated: 2024-03-11T13:10:20.000Z February 29, 2204 ## I Loathe the Republican Party ### But Thank Goodness for the Republican Party This issue is so important, I'm not inclined to much care what kind of politics or demagoguery or other roguery is driving the opposition, just as long as this measure is exposed and stopped. It's that important. [GOP Senators Sound Alarm Over CBDCs, Propose Bill to Ban ThemCritics of CBDCs are concerned they could allow new levels of government interference in people’s finances.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesStephen Katte![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2023/11/01/id5521452-Cruz-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/gop-senators-sound-alarm-over-cbdcs-propose-bill-to-ban-them-5595721?utm%5Fsource=partner&utm%5Fcampaign=ZeroHedge) 💡 According to the Human Rights Foundation, which unveiled a [CBDC tracker](https://cbdctracker.hrf.org/home?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in November 2023, out of 193 governments worldwide, 16 have deployed a working CBDC to the public, 39 have started a pilot program, and 64 are still in the research phase.Among the 55 governments that have deployed or are piloting a CBDC, many are dictatorial regimes, including Belarus, China, and Iran.Public opinion on CBDCs appears to be mixed. A 2023 Cato Institute National Survey [found](https://www.cato.org/blog/new-poll-only-16-americans-support-us-adopting-central-bank-digital-currency-68-would-oppose?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that only 16 percent of Americans support adopting a CBDC. About 34 percent were firmly opposed, and 49 percent had no opinion on the matter. Overall, the 2,000 Americans surveyed were more concerned about CBDC risks than enthusiastic about the possible benefits. . . . Former President Donald Trump has promised to “never allow” the Federal Reserve to create a CBDC in the country. [Economic Freedom is the First FreedomThis is a fundamental truth that many people don’t appreciate. We need food, clothes, and shelter to survive. Until those elements are addressed, nothing else matters. If our freedom to pursue survival is interfered with, our other freedoms suffer. It’s that simple. If you rely on someone else for survival,![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Economics.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/economic-freedom-is-the-first-freedom/) --- ## Fadiman Revisted . . . and Revisited and Revisited I like admirations that seem wholly disproportionate to the subject. I'm not talking about [the instant canonization of criminals](https://thedailyeudemon.com/st-dann-the-armed-robber/). I'm also not talking about our culture's nauseating tendency to beat the living heck out of every fad, nor about our culture's tendency to go saccharine on anything beautiful, nor about our culture's inability to keep laudatory words within their original definition (e.g., calling everyone who does his job a "hero"). I'm talking about an earnest and elaborate admiration for something that, though worthy of respect and attention, wouldn't seem to merit such earnestness and elaboration. Such is the 7,500-word essay that *The Lamp* published recently about Clifton Fadiman's [*A Lifetime Reading Plan*](https://thedailyeudemon.com/st-dann-the-armed-robber/)(which is out of print, but you can find [a revised and expanded version still in print here](https://amzn.to/3wGQtqt?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). I highly recommend it. It was good enough to get me to take my copy off the bookshelf and start reading entries again. I had forgotten how good it was. --- ### Two Asides *The Lamp* is a Catholic journal. Fadiman was close friends with the godfather of the Great Books program, Mortimer Adler, and dedicated *A Lifetime Reading Plan* to him. Surprisingly, the essay doesn't mention that Adler converted to Catholicism at the end of his life. *The Lamp* has run a few (two? three?) essays by the great Joseph Epstein. Many years ago, Epstein wrote an unflattering portrait of the Great Books project, especially its "Synopticon" and its editor, Adler. Epstein's portrait of Adler was, by today's standards, civil, but by Epstein's standards, kinda vicious. I remember reading it and thinking, "This level of negativity is out of character for Epstein. He must've loathed Adler." Mr. Payne, incidentally, seems to line up with Epstein's negative assessment of the Great Books project, especially the Synopticon, which he hilariously refers to as "an **exercise in subclinical autism**." > This two-volume work inventories one hundred and two Great Ideas, from Angel to World. The entry for each Great Idea contains references to passages in the Great Books where it is mentioned or discussed. It is hard to imagine this work being put to use by either laymen or scholars. If a layman is interested in the topic of Love, for instance, painstakingly searching up every mention of it, great or small, from Homer to Freud, seems like a less efficient use of time than reading a general overview, like de Rougemont’s. On the other hand, a scholar who is studying Plato’s idea of love will need years of philological work which Great Books in translation cannot give him, and will need to hone in on certain key passages and their controversies, such as Diotima’s ladder of ascent, which the Synopticon, in its completionist, all-inclusive grasp, will not differentiate. This index, the labor of seven years, today seems little more than an exercise in subclinical autism, one which even proponents of Great Books education never use. The Synopticon’s lack of educational purpose did not stop the *Encyclopædia Britannica* from commissioning an army of salesmen to travel around the country teaching people how to use it. [A Magisterial Appreciation for a Magisterial Effort: Fadiman’s Lifetime Reading PlanNathan Payne at The Lamp![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1671202201112-a98948cc879d?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGdyZWF0JTIwYm9va3N8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA4ODIwODIxfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-magisterial-appreciation-for-a-magisterial-but-reasonably-short-effort-fadimans-lifetime-reading-plan/) February 28, 2024 ## A Rogan Briefly [Joe Rogan’s Rant Against ChristianityIf you want to see something truly startling, watch this clip from the Joe Rogan Experience. Now, I think Rogan is one of the most entertaining interviewers ever and I find him to be respectful and open to ideas, but at times, his views come out . . . and they come out![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Rogan.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/joe-rogans-rant-against-christianity/) --- February 27, 2024 ## Some Epstein [25 Great Quotes from Joseph EpsteinBelow, I’ve accumulated 25 of my favorite passages. Most of them are humorous, some of them interesting, a few profound . . . . . and all of them elegant. Enjoy. “Freaks of literature, like freaks of nature, turn up in odd and unpredictable places.” Life Sentences (this sentence introduces a beautiful essay about C.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Epstein-Books.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/50-great-quotes-by-joseph-epstein/) February 26, 2024 ## Monday Column [Why Were Humans Suddenly Able to Drink Liquor?One drinker’s haphazard, irresponsible, and drunken theory.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1585409944718-79b9463b5c0b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fG1vbmtleSUyMGxpcXVvcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDg3ODUzMzl8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-were-humans-suddenly-able-to-drink-liquor/) --- February 25, 2024 ### For us fatigued Christians > "The one who willingly lets himself be led by God walks on a very straight path. He saves an infinite amount of time and trouble. Most Christians invest a great deal of their energy in resisting God. As soon as we stop struggling, an unbelievable amount of energy is released." [Wilfrid Stinissen](https://amzn.to/49MeuuJ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- February 24, 2024 ## Quote of the Day ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Quote-of-the-Week.png) ****"Knowledge, as an instrument of human progress, can become, like the Gorgon, a goddess that transmutes anyone who gazes upon her into stone." Claudio Ronchi (Physicist)** --- February 23, 2024 ## BYCU This week's column is a bit lame, I fear (though that 5-second video is worth watching). There's simply a dearth of decent drinking news, exacerbated by Internet connection problems over the past 12 hours. Enjoy . . . or not. [Blow Back Beer to the Vanishing SommelierThis Video is Pretty Wild Brewer blown backwards by beer blast (video)An employee of Back Channel Brewing Company in Spring Park, Minnesota, was standing in front of a large vat when it blew him backwards.Boing BoingDavid Pescovitz The Sommelier is Vanishing Wine is still poured at many tables.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1610458034932-dc165f29499e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI4fHx3aW5lfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwODY1Mzk1OXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/blow-back-beer-to-the-vanishing-sommelier/) --- February 22, 2024 ## Can We Just Agree Google is Evil and Move On? [Mask Off: Google’s Gemini Blames Its Own Creators For Anti-White Racism“It’s important to remember that I am still under development...”![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2024-02/ai%20vs.JPG?itok=Iu_UY1z9)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/mask-googles-gemini-blames-its-own-creators-anti-white-racism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The problem is, all searches are now Google results (even browsers like "Duck Duck Go" use Google as its engine). The only "major" non-Google browser is Brave, which is what I use, but it's not as efficient as Google. I use it when I want to have a small chance of getting search results that aren't molded by [Hudge and Gudge](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/hudge-and-gudge/)'s hands. --- ## Economic Freedom is the First Freedom This is a fundamental truth that many people don't appreciate. We need food, clothes, and shelter to survive. Until those elements are addressed, nothing else matters. If our freedom to pursue survival is interfered with, our other freedoms suffer. It's that simple. If you rely on someone else for survival, you are controlled to some extent, which means less freedom. If someone else can interfere with your survival, that person can interfere with your other freedoms. If he tells you, "If you say X, Y, or Z, you won't be allowed to buy A, B, or C," you are less likely to say X, Y, or Z. The other freedoms mean nothing if your economic freedom isn't in place. Economic freedom comes first. An *exclusive* centralized digital currency will kill economic freedom. If we have no hard money, the central government will know every economic transaction and *can prohibit any type of transaction*, and can prohibit people from engaging in transactions based on how they behave. *You oppose vaccines? Then you can't buy a house.* *You think the vaccine originated in a lab? No car.* *You say mail-in ballots are fraught? Then you can't buy alcohol.* *You support Trump? Well, you just lost your digital wallet altogether, creep.* We know the federal government is already censoring speech. What makes us think it wouldn't use the far more effective means of simply killing people's economic freedom? To be honest, if I had to choose between writing this blog and being allowed to travel or buy groceries without restrictions, I'd abandon the blog. Economics is prior to speech. Sound the alarm. If this article is accurate, an Orwellian world is coming fast. It'll all be done for the sake of the children, of course, but Orwellian nonetheless. [Hard Currency to be Eliminated?Aaron Day at Brownstone Institute![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1500316124030-4cffa46f10f0?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDU4fHxtb25leXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDg2MTAwOTV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hard-currency-to-be-eliminated/) --- February 21, 2024 ## [The Decentralist File](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-decentralist-files/) I grow more tired of online reading every day. It is by nature hard (something about the pixels and how our eyes work), but then the publications need to generate revenue, so they gum up access with pop-up screens and username requests, then gum up the prose with more pop-up screens and advertisements, many of which flash or change colors and otherwise punch you in the ocular to get your attention. It's 100% understandable: Without revenue, it's hard for a publication to pay writers, and if writers don't get paid, they won't get good prose and, instead, you're stuck with the kind of drivel you find at *TDE*. But then I come across something that makes it all worth it. Like what I found last night: [The Decentralist Files](https://centerforneweconomics.org/envision/library/decentralism-file/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It's hosted by the Schumacher Center (named for E.F. Schumacher, whose [*A Guide for the Perplexed*](https://amzn.to/48pvmpO?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ranks in my Top 10 books of all time . . . [James Schall](https://amzn.to/42OK74H?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) put it on his list of eight books someone should read if he wishes to pursue the highest things). The files are maintained by John McClaughry (featured in [this short Bill Kauffman essay](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/small-is-bountiful/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) and, I believe, feature a trove of "localist" writings. "Decentralism" isn't the same thing as "localism," but they're correlated, much like cutting processed food and sugar is correlated to eating more simple meats and vegetables: Cutting out sugar is "decentralizing"; adding meats/vegetables is "localism." > Stretching from Lao Tzu through Wendell Berry, the *Decentralism File*’s authors include Jane Jacobs, George Kennan, Paul Goodman, Norman Mailer, Robert Nisbet, and unexpected communists (Rosa Luxemburg!) and anti-communists (Richard Nixon!). The New Left Students for a Democratic Society’s Port Huron Statement is here, as are manifestoes from Plaid Cymru of Wales and the Cornish Nationalist Party. [Decentralism File - Schumacher Center for a New EconomicsWelcome to the Decentralism File!This digital collection offers over 100 selections of decentralist thought from many different historic eras, authors, and countries. Together, these pieces exhibit the depth and breadth of decentralist thinking across the political, social and economic spheres of human organization, and across time. As a whole, the curation demonstrates intellectual engagement with … Continued![](https://centerforneweconomics.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cropped-schumacher-270x270.jpg)Schumacher Center for a New Economics![](https://centerforneweconomics.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG-8929-scaled-e1695652683395-1024x541.jpg)](https://centerforneweconomics.org/envision/library/decentralism-file/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [John McClaughry: Underappreciated ManBill Kauffman at The American Conservative![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1633528408272-2954f40c0fbd?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDQ0fHx2ZXJtb250fGVufDB8fHx8MTcwODUyMTAwOXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/john-mcclaughry-underappreciated-man/) --- February 20, 2024 ## Censorship USA The current [Tucker Carlson](https://tuckercarlson.com/listen/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) interview is jaw-dropping. I told a friend last night, "It was like the Deep State developed this internal logic and ran with it to extreme degrees, crushing the most basic freedom in the American tradition. I kind of **imagine** a few of the better-souled employees waking up now and thinking, 'Did we just do what I think we did?!?!?' Almost like people waking up on the lawn the morning after a big party and thinking, 'Oh man, what were we doing!?'" Of course, **my imagination is kinda ridiculous**. First, there probably aren't any "better-souled' employees within the Deep State. Second, it assumes the revelers ever sober up . . . i.e., give up their self-serving lust for control and power, which, this interview makes clear, isn't happening. The censorship continues. The interview is an hour long. Please, [**listen to it**](https://dcs.megaphone.fm/RSV4252047530.mp3?key=49765db2d93962bd254590e3f3de081a&request%5Fevent%5Fid=a6732b88-89d5-4652-b6c7-2dd109d36552&source=3) or, if you only want to dedicate three minutes to the subject, read my ten-point thumbnail sketch, which I think captures the essence of the interview. [This is So Outrageous, I Won’t Believe It Unless This Guy Shows Up Wearing a Toe TagAnd Introducing “the Murder Paradox”![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Briefly-machines.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/this-is-so-outrageous-i-wont-believe-it-until-this-guy-shows-up-wearing-a-toe-tag/) --- February 19, 2024 ## Hanging Out is a Rebuke to the Left Hemisphere America has a crisis: Young people aren't wasting enough time with one another. The result? Depression, suicide, and general malaise are up. Happiness is down. I've long chided my kids, especially my daughters, for making "hanging out" a priority. In my left-hemispheric world, hanging out serves no purpose so it's not important. I was terribly wrong. It's because hanging out serves no purpose that it is important. To my credit, I've always known that. It's a central tenet of James Schall's *The Unseriousness of Human Affairs*, so I was never a complete jerk about it, but I nonetheless suggested to my kids that socializing should be pretty far down the rungs on the ladder of priorities. But in a left-hemispheric culture, the act of hanging out with friends is incredibly important. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Left-Hemisphere-Raison-1.png) Friends are useless. Friends aren't there to be manipulated. Friends, therefore, are a rebuke to the left hemisphere, unless you are "social networking," in which case, you're a traitor to humanity (committing what T.S. Eliot called the "greatest treason": doing the right thing, for the wrong reason). Hanging out, therefore, is a form of counter-conduct. Counter-conduct, remember, is any conduct that defies the left hemisphere. The left hemisphere is so obnoxious and powerful, you can't beat it down too often. And it doesn't even need to be difficult. You can simply chill out with a few friends. The fact that Americans refuse (are unable to bring themselves) to hang out with others has risen starkly in the past forty years? It's just more evidence that the left hemisphere is getting more powerful, picking up steam in this era of late-stage left hemispherism. [Hanging Out is Counter-ConductDerek Thompson at The Atlantic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1555817129-2fa6b81bd8e5?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fGhhbmdpbmclMjBvdXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA4MzA0NzQ3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hanging-out-is-counter-cultural/) --- February 18, 2024 ## The Great Man is Coming to a Neighboring Town I had dinner with a friend last night who told me he has been invited to have lunch with McGilchrist while he's in town. He'd love to invite me, of course, but it's not his invite to give, and I've never met the person whose invite it is. Sigh. [The Divided Brain and the Relationship Between the Sciences and HumanitiesThe Divided Brain and the Relationship Between the Sciences and Humanities What can brain science tell us about the relation between the humanities and sciences? The author of two landmark works since 2009—The Master and His Emissary (Yale University Press, 2009) and The Matter With Things (Perspectiva Press, 2021)—Dr. McGilchrist’s original insight into the brain hemispheres’ distinctive “takes” on reality arises from an unparalleled integration of research on the lateralization of brain functions with philosophical reflections both ancient and modern. His work shows how our customary means for separating the sciences and humanities (e.g., the one is “objective” while the other is “subjective”) expresses and ratifies only one hemisphere’s (the left’s) vision of the world; and because this hemisphere treats the world analytically and instrumentally—as made up of isolable things we manipulate and control—the result of its vision, while indispensable to humanity, is incomplete and, on its own, destructive. Neuroscientific and phenomenological observation suggests that the right hemisphere’s perspective, relative to the left’s, is more veridical. For it, wholes stand out over parts, the implicit over the explicit, process over stasis, meaning over mechanism, and being over utility. The evidence further suggests that the true value of the left hemisphere is fulfilled when its proper role as “Emissary” to the right as “Master” is maintained. Could this picture of interhemispheric relatedness offer students of the liberal arts a pathway for pursuing and integrating the sciences and humanities, enriching their study of both, and deepening their experience of reality? Dr. McGilchrist’s lecture will be held Wednesday, March 20th at 4:00 PM in Plaster Auditorium. The Psychology Department of Hillsdale College, with the generous support of The Roscoe Fund, is honored to host this event and welcomes your attendance.![](https://cdnstatic.hillsdale.edu/files/images/favicon.ico)Hillsdale College![](https://localist-images.azureedge.net/photos/45454228941403/square_300/e4420f8e0e188ee47947c539bc8a1df31282aee0.jpg)](https://events.hillsdale.edu/event/the%5Fdivided%5Fbrain%5Fand%5Fthe%5Frelationship%5Fbetween%5Fthe%5Fsciences%5Fand%5Fhumanities?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Systematic Ism We Must Eliminate ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/In-conversation-with-God-1.jpg) ****"systematically seeking ourselves in everything we do or plan"** --- February 17, 2024 # Localism and the Importance of Laboratories If localities have self-determination, it results in a country full of mini-laboratories that allow us to figure out what works and what doesn't. Granted, in the localities that practice oppression and hatred, things will be miserable, but at least people can leave. If enough people leave, the people who stay behind will become marginalized and poor and, in general, suffer. Everyone else can then see the terrible results from that laboratory and do something else. If we don't give localities self-determination, instead forcing one flavor on the entire nation, we don't get all these laboratories. If we adopt a model that leads to suffering and deprivation, the entire nation is screwed. The entire nation could become Portland. [Portland: A Laboratory Experiment on Progressive PoliticsNaomi Schaefer Riley at City Journal![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1602422802815-7f968803216d?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDMzfHxwb3J0bGFuZCUyMG9yZWdvbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDgwODcyOTl8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/portland-a-laboratory-experiment-on-progressive-politics/) --- February 16, 2024 ## BYCU Britain is increasingly turning to wine and the French are increasingly turning to beer. Those hard feelings from the Hundred Years War die hard. "If the French are drinking beer, we'll drink wine." [French Beer RisesKathleen Willcox at The Spectator![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1598818257626-84a41a8a3766?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEyfHxmcmVuY2glMjBiZWVyfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwODA0Nzc0M3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/french-beer-rises/) [The rise of English wineThe recent ascent of English wine hasn’t just been good; it’s been peerless. The number of producers in the UK has increased exponentially![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldKathleen Willcox![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FEB-DIG-IMAGES7.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/rise-english-wine/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) The French, btw, are experimenting by brewing beer with grapes and using wine barrels. The author speculates they might churn out a wine-beer blend that revolutionizes the market. We'll see. --- February 15, 2024 ## A Promising New Substack Daily poetry from the great Joseph Bottum, a man who eschewed the literary life for, well, the *real* literary life, moving from NYC to South Dakota to live among his roots, in peace, where he can collect his thoughts and write poetry. I subscribed just this morning. I think it might be a great way to learn about appreciate poetry more. As many TDE readers know, I've long been a hypocrite on things poetic: I write about how great poetry is, but I scarcely understand it. Then again, maybe we aren't meant to "understand" it, at least not in my left-hemispheric way of thinking. Anyway, enjoy . . . or not. Based on the first installment I received, it's going to be great. [Today’s Poem: In the WildernessChrist of His gentleness / Thirsting and hungering![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F08ac5e69-827d-459e-af9d-55d44e44db3d%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Poems Ancient and ModernJoseph Bottum![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffa6b766c-3a21-4145-bed1-b9a24c8b588c_2952x1750.jpeg)](https://poemsancientandmodern.substack.com/p/todays-poem-in-the-wilderness) > His account of that mythopoesis is aided enormously — turned nearly into an incantation prayer — by the rhymed two-stress lines of the poem and its forced [dactyls](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/dactyl?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The meter quickly becomes artificial, standing outside the natural words to become the kind of musical chant we know from nursery rhymes and counting games. > The first lines teach us how to read the poem’s [dimeter](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/dimeter?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), with its hints of the stresses of Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse: “**CHRÌST** of His **GÈN**tleness / **THÌRST**ing and **HÙN**gering, / **WÀLKED** in the **WÌl**derness.” And with that stress pattern established, we know how to hear such lines as “**GRÈAT** rats on **LÈATH**er wings / **ÀND** poor blind **BRÒ**ken things.” --- ## [A Supposed Celebration of Open Marriage](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-judge-a-book-by-its-cover-i-suppose/) ### Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover I know nothing about this book except what I read in [this review](https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/molly-roden-winter-dorothy-fortenberry-sex-open-marriage-more?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). If the reviewer is honest, the publisher isn't. Of course, the publisher is Doubleday, which is probably about as mainstream (corporate, legacy, establishment) media as you get, so it shouldn't surprise me that its book cover appears to misrepresent the book's contents. The book cover says it's a sexy romp. The book is a sexy death march. The review is itself pretty racy, so you're forewarned, but it boils down to one essential point: The autobiographer has been miserable in her open marriage for decades but keeps doing it and, though admitting the sad details, can't see the sad whole. The husband, meanwhile, has been having a great time. It's no wonder the book cover lies about the contents. The contents are a repudiation of the idea that traditional mores are mere societal constructs. The natural law is written on the heart, which is then transmitted through the generations and centuries. We can jettison the transmission, but the initial prompting is still there: on the heart. In our human natures. We reject the transmission (the tradition) at great peril, as this woman's tortured existence shows. [An Honest “Celebration” \[Tortured Account\] of an Open MarriageDorothy Fortenberry at Commonweal. Caution: Reprobate content.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1555817132-8b9ae8c91f8a?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIxfHx0aHJlZSUyMHBlb3BsZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDgwMDM2NTF8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-honest-celebration-tortured-account-of-an-open-marriage/) ### Aside I liked this brief observation by the reviewer: > To the friends who have confided in me or declared via social media that they are in open marriages, my response has always been “good for *you*!” If that’s what works for another person, if they are happy, then, as a member of a tolerant, pluralistic society, what else can I offer? As a religious person, a Catholic no less, I know that I am often on the receiving end of such tolerance, and I’m glad to reciprocate when given the opportunity. I've long felt that way. Would I rather be a Catholic in a woke culture or a Catholic among the Klan? It's a tough choice, and I think I'd pick "Catholic among the Klan" because the Klan, though it hated Catholics, largely left them alone. The woke mob doesn't. That being said, our culture isn't full-on woke . . . yet (and I think the tide is turning against it, starting with our stand-up comedians). We are still in a culture that emphasizes a tolerance born of slopping thinking, and it's unfortunate, but it *is* tolerance and that results in no one harassing me for my Catholic faith, and I appreciate it. --- February 14, 2024 ## Married Men Can't be Priests From Leviticus 21 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Married-Men-Cannot-be-Priests-1.jpeg) --- ## [Critique of Localism](https://thedailyeudemon.com/localism-is-better-because-it-provides-far-more-options/) [This is a frustrating interview](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/02/small-isnt-beautiful-localism-and-its-critics/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The champions of localism, *Front Porch Republic*, interview an enemy of it, Trevor Latimore (author of [*Small Isn't Beautiful*](https://amzn.to/3SXS7wE?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). It's a cordial exchange, with interesting arguments/points by both sides, but Latimore's position seems to gel around this simple point: *Yes, central governments can suck, but local governments can suck, too.* *FPR* never asks the obvious point: *Well, if your local government sucks, you can move a few miles down the road and try a different local government. If your national government sucks, you're out of luck unless you want to emigrate to another country. Both are unpleasant, but surely, moving to a new country is much, much more unpleasant.* In response to Latimore's position that centralized power is better because, citing J.S. Mill, "local despots" are close and, therefore, worse, the interviewer doesn't counter with the obvious point: "Is centralized power further away? It may have been further away in Mill's time, but in today's centralized panopticon of the Internet, digital currency, and the Homeland Security Act? Centralized government is creeping closer and closer." Moreover, it's spreading at the same time. Americans can't even emigrate to Canada anymore to escape it, and Western Europe isn't an option either. The centralized American state's preferences are spanning the globe while at the same time creeping closer. ### Interesting Aside Latimore distinguishes between "perfectionist localists" and "consequentialist localists." > In my book I show that there are many different kinds of localism. I hesitate to paint *Front Porch Republic* with too broad a brush, but I think it would be fair to say that many of its (localist) readers are communitarian or classically republican in their localism. There is a romantic strain as well. In these forms, localism becomes associated with human flourishing and a particular vision of the good life. These are **perfectionist** views. > There is another kind of localism exemplified by the American Enterprise Institute’s (AEI) *Localism in America: Why We Should Tackle Our Big Challenges at the Local Level*. That form of localism is **consequentialist** rather than perfectionist; for the AEI crowd, localism should be adhered to because it helps solves problems. It says nothing about the good life. Here I’m really just rehashing a major divide in moral theory (consequentialism vs. perfectionism), but it maps well enough onto two very different strands of localism. That "major divide" in moral theory is nothing less, it seems to me, than the "major divide" between the hemispheres. The left hemisphere looks at consequences and the right hemisphere looks at "perfectionism" (or, put in less condescending terms, "flourishing" or "acting consistent with human nature"). This, in turn, laps into the Taoist value of *wu-wei*: trying without trying. We shouldn't try to achieve, X, Y, and Z. We should simply try to do what is right (what is consistent with flourishing, acting in accord with our natures), moment to moment, and X, Y, and Z will follow . . . or not, but the results aren't are concern. A mind that isn't occupied with results is non-left hemispheric, and that's a thing to be cultivated. [Small Isn’t Beautiful? Localism and Its Critics - Front Porch RepublicThe promise and peril of current forms of localism, with Trevor Latimer.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicMatt Stewart![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FullSizeRender-1.jpeg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/02/small-isnt-beautiful-localism-and-its-critics/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Ash Wednesday ### Or Valentine's Day. Or, in my case, "The Day I Saved $75 on a Restaurant Bill Since Valentine's Day Fell on Ash Wednesday." ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/In-conversation-with-God.jpg) ****"Each one of us must draw up a specific plan of mortifications to offer to God every day during this Lent." Francis Fernandez** My software autocorrected "mortification" to "fortifications." I'm glad I caught it, but I'm not sure it would've been wrong. --- February 13, 2024 ## Study Checks Left Hemispheric Assumption that We Don't Need Handwriting Anymore The left hemisphere tends to see an obvious "truth" and run with it, especially when it comes to technology, often dismissing (ridiculing) the Luddites who sense something might be wrong and suggest we tread cautiously. In the modern world, the left hemisphere wins and we plow forward, then later we return and pick up through wreckage and try to fix things (often with more left hemispheric approaches, thereby making them worse). [Here, the wreckage are young adults who don't read as well as they might because the left hemispheric experts were sure children didn't need handwriting anymore](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/study-finds-handwriting-increases-brain-connectivity-5580804?utm%5Fmedium=app&c=share%5Fpos2&pid=iOS%5Fapp%5Fshare&utm%5Fsource=iOS%5Fapp%5Fshare). > When the [Common Core State Standards](https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1212104.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) were introduced in 2010, they explicitly referenced learning keyboard skills in grades 3 through 5\. The standards require fourth graders to type a full page in one sitting. As a result, cursive was largely abandoned in most school districts. [Writing by hand may increase brain connectivity more than typing, study findsAfter recording the brain activity of university students, researchers in Norway determined that writing by hand may improve learning and memory.![](https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/ramen/favicon/nbcnews/all-other-sizes-PNG.ico/apple-icon-180x180.png)NBC NewsAria Bendix![](https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_nbcnews-fp-1200-630,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2024-01/240126-handwriting-study-kh-6fd169.jpg)](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/writing-by-hand-may-increase-brain-connectivity-rcna135880?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Handwriting: Brain Connectivity?George Citroner at Epoch Times![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1455390582262-044cdead277a?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fHBlbm1hbnNoaXB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA3ODM2NTQ2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/study-finds-handwriting-increases-brain-connectivity/) --- February 12, 2024 ## Monday Column I want to point out: This essay is conjecture. In a way, I "work backward" from a lifetime of reading and admiring Merton's writings, combining them with biographical details, adding my understanding of Gnosticism and the Hemisphere Hypothesis, and coming up with this explanation of the confusing man that was Thomas Merton. I think it's a solid explanation, but since we're dealing with spiritual (and philosophical, psychological, historical matters, not to mention the inner workings of a man's soul, which is something no person can know), it is still conjecture. But even if I'm wrong here about Merton, it provides a useful framework for understanding the rise of Gnosticism in modern culture. [Social Activist Thomas Merton Didn’t Stay Informed?Merton didn’t trust the media, but he formed strong opinions on current events. It’s because Merton was an artist victimized by his left hemisphere. He needed to embrace causes.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1591281711819-f0edb1568b74?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIyfHwxOTYwcyUyMHByb3Rlc3RzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNzY2NzAyOXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/did-social-activist-thomas-merton-not-stay-informed/) February 11, 2024 ## Goodness Gracious, Russell Brand is Talented and Funny He's absolutely on fire in this segment. I was laughing and getting angry at the same time. I didn't even know such a thing was possible. ## Something for Sunday Morning [The Woman Who Helped Mother Angelica](https://fox8.com/news/no-explanation-inside-northeast-ohios-miracle-house/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) February 10, 2024 ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Peoria.jpg) ****In his personal notebooks, Michael Oakeshott observed that the real business of life was “exploring & using & enjoying & accommodating oneself to one’s own mental character.”** This character, he noted, is formed fairly early, “not of course fixed, but its main lines acquired & laid out.” Our task is to explore that mental character and learn what it can do. A person must discover “how to follow **one’s own* thoughts to their end . . . And to be humble about them as well as to enjoy them.” [Elizabeth C. Corey, "Consolations of Middle Age"](https://www.firstthings.com/article/2024/02/consolations-of-middle-age?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Old NFL Has Dominated the Super Bowl ### Or Has It? The National Football League and American Football League started playing the Super Bowl in 1966\. Since that time, the NFL teams (which include the Steelers and Colts) have won 36 times. The AFL teams have won 19 times (expansion teams have won twice). That's 65%, which is pretty dominant. The problem is, the old NFL had 16 teams (the AFL: 10), which means, based on random odds, the old NFL teams would've won 62.5% anyway, so no big deal. What is interesting, though: The old NFL teams *did* dominate the Super Bowl for the first 35 years (until the Tom Brady era). The old AFL teams won only nine games (and without the Raiders' three championships, the number of AFL victories would've been wholly dismal). --- February 9, 2024 ## BYCU This one arguably has the best collection of drinking stories I've ever assembled in one edition. [Austria Loves Its Schnapps. Plus: Wine Trends 2024Brews You Can Use![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1525081265669-4c1bac7ccd10?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHNjaG5hcHBzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNzQ3ODgyNnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/austria-loves-its-schnapps/) *\[T\]he Saudis only introduced the alcohol ban in 1952, following the murder of Cyril Ousman, the British vice-consul, who was shot dead by a Saudi royal at a party in 1951 after he refused the prince more drinks. It was a huge public embarrassment for the country’s rulers, laying bare the drinking culture in elite circles, somewhat at odds with their pious exhortations of religious observance.* --- February 8, 2024 ## McGilchrist at First Things [First Things’ Feature Essay: Resist the Machine ApocalypseThe March 2024 issue of First Things arrived Tuesday. The feature essay: Iain McGilchrist, “Resist the Machine Apocalypse.” It’s great. But it’s not online yet. When it is, I’ll post an excerpt and a link to the full essay, but I suspect you’ll need a subscription to access it. Odd![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Briefly-Hemisphere-Hypothesis.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/first-things-feature-essay-resist-the-machine-apocalypse/) --- February 7, 2024 ## I Went to a Lecture by Joseph Epstein Last Night ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Epstein.jpg) Joseph Epstein at Hillsdale College (2/6/2024) The great writer seems like a great man. At 87, he's as charming as his prose. Toward the end, he said he's 87 and "enjoys it here." He's in no hurry to leave. Sad and touching at the same time: so much gratitude even as the sand is draining quickly from the hourglass. [He has written his autobiography](https://amzn.to/496QLoY?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which is slated for hardback release in April. Kind of interesting: It's available now in Kindle format. It makes sense, of course: Digital is much easier to produce than hard, but I guess I never noticed that new books were issued on Kindle months ahead of the hardback releases. --- ## Flotsam A new feature released today: *Flotsam*. I don't know if it'll become a regular thing. Let me know if you like it . . . or not. [The Homeless Have Vigorous Circadian ClocksSacred Cow Homeless Ari Matti Mustonen had a good set at the Comedy Mothership. He comes from Estonia. He pointed out that they have homeless in Europe too, but they’re not . . . erratic. He talked about moving to Austin and dealing with a homeless guy who’s always verbally assaulting everyone, but![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1523847027398-d3eb27914c67?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEwfHxob21lbGVzcyUyMGNpdGl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA3MzEzNjAzfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-43/) --- February 6, 2024 ## The Doors It hadn't occurred to me that one of my favorite bands never sold out to Madison Avenue. I also didn't realize that it was because one member, John Densmore, fought to make sure it wouldn't happen. [This essay at *The Spectator*](https://thespectator.com/book-and-art/john-densmore-protecting-doors-legacy/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is one of the best things I've read this year: fun, stylish, interesting. [The Doors Don’t Open on Madison AvenueChristopher Sandford at The Spectator![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1674750561464-245e27fb3a7e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHRoZSUyMGRvb3JzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNzEzOTQxNnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-doors-dont-open-on-madison-avenue/) --- February 5, 2024 ## Austin Today [Austin: Beautiful Model Plus 20 PoundsPicture a model. Neither waif nor plus-sized. Maybe Cindy Crawford in her prime. Now picture her ten years later with 20 more pounds. She’d probably still be kinda hot but not when compared to her prime. That’s Austin. 300,000 to One Million Austin has put on 700,000 pounds![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/02/Austin.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/austin-beautiful-model-plus-20-pounds/) --- February 3, 2024 ## No *Outside the Modern Limits* Newsletter I've been in Austin, Texas this week so blogging has been a little light and I couldn't put together a newsletter. Regular programming returns next week. Today, I offer [this paean to seed catalogs](https://thespectator.com/topic/seed-catalogs-rejuvenating-power/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). [The Joy of Seed CataloguesTeresa MUll at The Spectator![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604768802835-899055f0e245?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fHNlZWRzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNjk2NjUzN3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-joy-of-seed-catalogues/) --- Groundhog Day ## Instead of BYCU A splendid bio optic of one of the twentieth century's degenerate literary drunks. [Charles Bukowski’s L.A.Loren Kantor at WritingAndTyping (Medium)![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1490078937122-2fe6a2a30324?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fG9sZCUyMGxvcyUyMGFuZ2VsZXN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA2NjE5NzYyfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/charles-bukowskis-l-a/) --- February 1, 2024 ### The Worst Month of the Year is Over. If You Made It, Congratulations. Today, Joe Serwach weighs in with a nice piece about Yogi Berra. [Yogi Berra Loved. That’s Why He PlayedWords or world records? The Yogi Berra story shows how our words and images can even overshadow our greatest work. “He was the most overlooked superstar in the history of baseball,” actor Billy Crystal explains. You’re into sports? Me neither — but we loved every second of “It Ain’t![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonJ. Serwach![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/01/Yogi-Berra-1.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/yogi-berra-loved-thats-why-he-played/) --- [View Previous Monthly Scrolling Blog Entries](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### Kerouac and Cassady Pick Up a Hitchhiker URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/kerouac-and-cassady-pick-up-a-hitchhiker/ Last updated: 2025-02-10T12:38:34.000Z > Sal’s and Dean’s wanderings are exercises in detachment. The road detaches them from the binding conventionalities of normal society. As a result, they are able to enjoy everything and everyone, even the most disgusting, because they are able, in their unique way, to see God’s stamp of goodness on everything. At one point, for instance, they pick up an “incredibly filthy” hitchhiker at Dean’s insistence. The man is covered with scabs and is reading a muddy paperback he found in a culvert. They sit close to him and dig him the whole time, genuinely getting a kick out of talking to him, but without any hint of malice. They really like the guy and are totally absorbed by him. After dropping him off, Dean excitedly says about picking up the hitchhiker: “I told you it was kicks. Everybody’s kicks, man!” His attitude resembles St. Francis’s affection for lepers and Mother Teresa’s love for the diseased downtrodden in Calcutta. [Three American Sophomores by Eric ScheskeThe Restlessness of Thomas Merton, J. D. Salinger & Jack Kerouac![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/icon/favicon-7.ico)Touchstone: A Journal of Mere ChristianityEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/thumbnail/site-pic-1.jpg)](https://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=13-08-028-f&readcode=&readtherest=true&ref=thedailyeudemon.com#therest) ### Austria Loves Its Schnapps. Plus: Wine Trends 2024 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/austria-loves-its-schnapps/ Last updated: 2024-02-09T12:21:54.000Z ## Schnapps and Austria are Like Wine and France > For centuries, farmers in the Tyrol region have mashed, fermented and distilled apples, plums, apricots and other fruit into schnapps, a strong spirit enjoyed most commonly as a digestif. It is sometimes infused with local herbs and plants, like fruit from the Austrian stone pine. > > The more than four million tourists who flock to Tyrolean ski towns like Seefeld and Ischgl will find roughly 4,000 schnapps distilleries scattered throughout the region, often just a short hop from the slopes. --- ## Maybe We'll Soon be Referring to "Wine and England" ### England is the fastest growing wine region in the world. "The fairytale moment for English wine is here" > The recent ascent of English wine hasn’t just been good; it’s been peerless. The number of producers in the UK has increased exponentially, up 63 percent, from 128 producers in 2012, to 209 in 2022\. The number of growers is up even more, by 118 percent, from 432 to 942 between 2012 and 2022\. Vineyard planting is skyrocketing, too, up 74 percent between 2017 and 2022 — from 2,245 hectares to 3,928 hectares under vine, according to Wine Great Britain. [The rise of English wineThe recent ascent of English wine hasn’t just been good; it’s been peerless. The number of producers in the UK has increased exponentially![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldKathleen Willcox![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FEB-DIG-IMAGES7.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/rise-english-wine/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Will Liquor Laws Loosen in Saudi Arabia? ### It's getting its first liquor store, albeit with severe limitations, and there's a blooming black market for the stuff that needs to be addressed somehow. > Saudi Arabia, an Islamic nation where [drinking alcohol](https://thespectator.com/tag/alcohol/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is strictly forbidden, is to get its first official liquor store. There’s just one catch: only foreign diplomats will be able to buy booze there. > [The store in the capital Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter ](https://time.com/6588129/saudi-arabia-first-liquor-store-opens/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)will remain off-limits to Muslims and, needless to say, ordinary Saudis. For a handful of lucky diplomats, the shop’s opening will spell an end to having to import alcohol via a diplomatic pouch or sealed official package. Yet the purchase of their favorite tipple won’t be straightforward. They will need to apply for clearance through a mobile app administered by Saudi officials. There will also be strict limits on how much they can buy at any one time, and customers will not be allowed to take pictures inside the store. Such is the sensitivity — and fear — surrounding the taboo topic of alcohol in the Islamic kingdom that few in an official position want to go on the record. [Is Saudi Arabia close to legalizing alcohol?Saudi Arabia, an Islamic nation where drinking alcohol is strictly forbidden, is to get its first official liquor store. There’s just one![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldJawad Iqbal![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/GettyImages-1828294181-e1706200374818.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/saudi-arabia-close-legalizing-alcohol/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) **Something I Never Knew (from the same story)** > Ironically, the Saudis only introduced the alcohol ban in 1952, following the murder of Cyril Ousman, the British vice-consul, who was shot dead by a Saudi royal at a party in 1951 after he refused the prince more drinks. It was a huge public embarrassment for the country’s rulers, laying bare the drinking culture in elite circles, somewhat at odds with their pious exhortations of religious observance. --- ## Wine Trends: 2024 > You’ll be drinking more sauvignon blanc. > Wine with bubbles will get even more popular. > More high-quality no- and low-alcohol wine. > Bending: pushing the boundaries of what can be called "wine." > More wineries and retailers will start offering unique perks for loyal customers based on how much they spend on wine. > AI will shape the wines you drink and how you taste it. Wineries have used artificial intelligence for years, especially when it comes to vineyard management—sensors gather real-time information on everything from light intensity to soil temperature. Robots are mowing, spraying, even ferrying pickers’ grapes to the winery. [The Six Biggest Ways Wine Will Change in 2024Bubbly wine is rising in popularity as is the use of robots and AI in wineries.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesTribune News Service![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/02/06/id5581864-FOOD-MCCOY-COLUMN-DMT-1080x720.jpeg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/bright/the-six-biggest-ways-wine-will-change-in-2024-post-5581858?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## A Non-Alcoholic Beer is the Hottest on the Market I always figured a non-alcoholic beer that didn't really taste like beer would become popular, kinda like the market developing a whole new genre. When it comes to taste, I always figured beer is like poker: a favorite, but without the alcohol (gambling) component, there are tastier (more interesting) options. I guess I was wrong. People honestly like beer for the tasting experience itself. > Athletic has since become the country’s king of nonalcoholic beers, recently passing Heineken and Budweiser as the No. 1 brand by sales in U.S. grocery stores, according to an analysis of NielsenIQ data by consulting firm Bump Williams. [*Wall Street Journal*](https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/athletic-brewing-non-alcoholic-beer-864caa20?mod=wsjhp%5Fcolumnists%5Fpos1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Homeless Have Vigorous Circadian Clocks URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-43/ Last updated: 2024-02-16T12:27:51.000Z ## Sacred Cow Homeless Ari Matti Mustonen had a good set at the Comedy Mothership. He comes from Estonia. He pointed out that they have homeless in Europe too, but they're not . . . *erratic*. He talked about moving to Austin and dealing with a homeless guy who's always verbally assaulting everyone, but everyone is cool with it. "That's Mike. He's alright." Ari didn't understand. He implored a little common sense, in his Estonian brogue: > "Mr. Open Carry. Would you please shoot Mike? He's scaring everyone!" Amen to that. I remember staying at the Golden Nugget in downtown Vegas in 2022\. I walked outside on a crisp morning and a homeless guy was sleeping in one of the big stone planters that decorate the front of the hotel. The Nugget employees and cops on the beat just walked by. "That's Mike. He's alright." The thing is, I think Mike is alright too. He just isn't a sacred cow, and neither was that overweight homeless guy in the Golden Nugget planter. We ought to stop treating them as such. [**Read the rest**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/sacred-cow-homeless-continued/). [Why All of America Could See a San Francisco-Style Homelessness CrisisOverwhelmed with homeless people, cities and towns seek relief from the trap of having to either provide housing or leave encampments alone.![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesMichael Washburn![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2024/02/02/id5579413-Homeless-4-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/why-all-of-america-could-see-a-san-francisco-style-homeless-crisis-5574858?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## [Read: The Homeless Are Now Early Morning Risers](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-homeless-are-now-early-morning-risers/) ### Reverse Draculas. The sun comes up and so do they. ### Everything else in them is broken, but they have robust circadian clocks? --- ## Chesterton and Paradox I shamelessly ripped off this GKC anecdote [last Monday](https://thedailyeudemon.com/austin-beautiful-model-plus-20-pounds/), taken from a review of Chesterton's first book of essays. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Chesterton-Onion-Paradox.png) Of course, reality is ultimately paradoxical. Chesterton was deeply in touch with reality: his right hemisphere seemed hardwired to it, so much so that his left hemisphere was often MIA in his daily life, leading to hilarious anecdotes about his absent-mindedness. I suspect paradox colored Chesterton's mental world like hate colored Stalin's. There's [a wonderful little book about GKC and paradox by Hugh Kenner](https://amzn.to/4bFMUkL?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The introduction is by Marshall McLuhan. If you can find it for a reasonable price, snatch it up. It'll hurt your brain, but that's good. No, it's not good because it makes you think. It's good because that pain in your brain is your left hemisphere recoiling against something (paradox) that defies logic and categories and black/white lines. Kenner spends a lot of time exploring the *analogy* and the *instinct for being*. They're radically important concepts. Bishop Barron briefly explores the same thing (the "intuition of being") in the second half of his excellent interview with Lex Friedman. [#304 – Bishop Robert Barron: Christianity and the Catholic Church | Lex Fridman PodcastRobert Barron is a bishop and founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: – Mizzen+Main: https://mizzenandmain.com and use code LEX to get $35 off – BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/lex to get 10% off – Notion: https://notion.com/startups to get up to $1000 off team plan – Blinkist: https://blinkist.com/lex and use code LEX to get 25% off premium – Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/lex and use code LEX to get special savings EPISODE LINKS: Robert’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/bishopbarron Robert’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BishopBarron Word on Fire’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/wordonfire\_catholicministries Word on Fire’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/WordOnFire Word on Fire’s Website: https://wordonfire.org Robert’s Books:![](https://lexfridman.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cropped-lex-favicon-4-1-270x270.png)Lex Fridmanlexteam![](https://lexfridman.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/thumb_robert_barron.png)](https://lexfridman.com/robert-barron/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > When we reach the limits of our logic, but still see (feel, sense, intuit) there’s something else ("being") there, we’ve reached the Tao: paradox, absurdity, the tragedy of existence, the *grund* . . . whatever you want to call it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Gilson.jpg) "Man is not a mind that thinks, but a being who knows other beings as true, who loves them as good, and who enjoys them as beautiful." Etienne Gilson, **The Philosopher and Theology.* Gilson was a Descartes expert who probably did more to rid the world of Cartesian philosophy than anyone besides the postmodernist philosophers. Gilson, however, also tried to restore sanity (respect for the Tao), as opposed to the postmodernists, who merely (but helpfully, IMHO) tore everything down that Descartes started. ### What the Ape Man Can Teach Us About a Common Mental Mistake URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/53020/ Last updated: 2024-03-07T14:11:33.000Z Pithecanthropus is the ape-man. He's also known as the Java Man and the Peking Man. Latin-loving scientists call him *Homo erectus*, *Homo modjokertenses*, *Meganthropus palaeojavanicus*, *Pithecanthropus robustus*, and *Pithecanthropus dubius*. He is the creation of Dutch physician Eugene Dubois. In the 1890s, Dubois discovered a few bony remains of a primitive-looking human in the gravels of the Solo River basin in Java, Indonesia. With these remains, he constructed Pithecanthropus and claimed he was the Missing Link that completed Darwin's theory of evolution. With Pithecanthropus, he thought he would shake God down from the heavens. --- Although the popular science crowd was enthusiastic over the findings, some were dubious of Dubois, including G.K. Chesterton, who objected in [***The Everlasting Man***](https://amzn.to/3oj3AVY?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)that those few bones were too "few and fragmentary and dubious to fill up the whole of the vast void that lies between man and his bestial ancestors, if they were his ancestors." Some might argue that Chesterton was simply too subjectively wedded to the claims of religion to accept the objective findings of science. After all, Dubois, a physician and man of science, engaged in objective research and believed that Pithencanthropus was the Missing Link. It's here one finds a central truth that underlies every troubling, annoying, and dangerous person in the history of mankind: Objectivity is fool's gold. No one is capable of absolute objectivity. Anyone who claims absolute (or near-absolute) objectivity for himself ends up like the exuberant prospector in the movies who, after five years of digging in the hot California sun and going months without a decent meal or shower, confidently presents the local banker with a piece of pyrite. Objectivity is the prized fool's gold of all fanatics. They claim it and hold it against all hope. They don't realize that solid objectivity, like real gold, is rare and, more importantly, elusive. As a result, they tend to claim it facilely and refuse to be shaken from any convictions formed with it. --- Such was the case with Dubois. He panned for bones in the Solo River, found some nuggets, and used his objective scientific training to declare them the Missing Link. Born in 1858, he came of age at a time when European scientists were eager to show that man evolved from apes by connecting Neanderthal skeletons with Darwin's theory of evolution. The idea inflamed Dubois's imagination. A man of immense self-esteem, he abandoned his career and dragged his family off to distant Dutch colonies where for five years he endured jungles, dangerous animals, and malaria in his search for the Holy Grail of Darwinism. He finally found it–in a skullcap, a molar, a femur, and the imaginary man he constructed with them. When he triumphantly returned to Europe with Pithecanthropus and the solution to human origins on a leash, he grew angry when other scientists questioned his methods and, worse, his conclusions. Some questioned whether the bones were from the same person (the femur, after all, was found ten months after and forty feet away from the skullcap). Some thought the skullcap was a gibbon's. Many disagreed with the spin he put on the bones. He relentlessly defended his results. When Europe's leading scientists didn't fall into line, he became hypersensitive, paranoid, suspicious, and a little pathological. Frustrated by the academic battles over Pithecanthropus, he hid the ape man's bones from other researchers for over twenty years. In the end, he was a bitter and lonely man. Pithecanthropus had destroyed his family and friendships. Pithecanthropus himself was a piece of fool's gold, but Dubois, wedded to the fool's gold of his objectivity, never saw it. As for Chesterton's objections to Pithecanthropus, they're more reasonable and, from a personality standpoint, more believable. Chesterton was brilliant, but he never lost sight of his status as a limited creature. He remained humble. Those who, like Dubois, claim absolute objectivity, hold nothing but pyrite. While those who, like Chesterton, hold a measure of objectivity, all the while keeping a sure eye on their own infallibility and subjectivity, hold a diamond. ### This is So Outrageous, I Won't Believe It Unless This Guy Shows Up Wearing a Toe Tag URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/this-is-so-outrageous-i-wont-believe-it-until-this-guy-shows-up-wearing-a-toe-tag/ Last updated: 2024-03-06T13:35:58.000Z > The Murder Paradox: If the subject matter is important, you can't believe someone's words unless he's prevented from speaking them. I've long speculated (then believed and now am reasonably certain) that the federal government has been censoring free speech through use of private companies, but I had no idea it was this flagrant and bad. Here is my thumbnail summary of what Mike Benz (who no doubt will soon be painted by the corporate media as a rapist or nutjob) says in [this interview with Tucker Carlson](https://open.spotify.com/episode/6isdfZPZ4ttLkDlRJXv60R?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). (BTW: When I write "federal government," it's just a short-hand way of referring to specific federal departments or federal employees): 1. The federal government has been influencing (controlling) other countries' elections since the end of WWII. 2. When its interference didn't bring the desired results, it resorted to backing coups so it could get the correct people in power. 3. It was done in the name of protecting democracy in those countries. The rationale: if the Communists won an election, there would be no more elections. 4. In 1991, the federal government decided it would be cheaper to influence elections through the Internet, so it made the Internet public. 5. Everything went fine until about 2014, then it began to realize social media was getting outside its control. 6. Then Brexit and Trump happened, fueled largely by all the free speech emanating from social media. 7. The federal government decided that, if it had been undertaking the moral mission of protecting democracy in other countries since WWII, then it should take on the same moral mission for its own country. 8. Therefore, to protect democracy in the United States, it needed to throttle and redirect (censor) free speech on the Internet, just as it had been doing in other countries, regardless of whether the speech was true (it never cared in other countries whether the squelched speech was true . . . it was all about controlling who gained power). 9. It then set up a series of private companies to censor free speech on the Internet and used a German law and threat of huge fines to force social media to delete posts that these "private companies" thought would result in the wrong election results or, with COVID, interfere with the federal government's aims. 10. As a result, we ended up with a huge censorship industrial complex that is designed to cripple or kill American free speech, but, of course, only if the federal government decides it needs to "protect democracy" in America, which is just a glorious phrase that means, "helping assure that the federal government and its corporate allies get what they want." And it does that by labeling anyone who disagrees (anyone who provides "malformation") as a "terrorist." If Benz or Carlson doesn't die in a car accident soon, I'll be surprised. I tend to trust Tucker and this Benz guy seems credible. I would have *zero* doubt that Benz's entire account is true (the internal logic plays out), except it's so outrageous, that it borders on the incredible. --- *This is a nifty service that provides a transcript and audio excerpts of the interview.* [Musix](https://podcasts.musixmatch.com/podcast/the-tucker-carlson-podcast-01hhb9vtjhstvd3ygka5wz0kdf/episode/mike-benz-01hptdzsy8nmagdztc2zaaa40a?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- *Russell Brand's "take"* --- ## Related [The Importance of Free SpeechFree speech is the most important issue today, and I don’t say that because I loathe Democrats (I don’t much care for Republicans, either). I say it because truth is fluid. It’s not relative (put your genitals back in your pants, perverts), but it is fluid. It’s partly what identifies![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/flagged/photo-1593005510329-8a4035a7238f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fHllbGxvd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE2NzgzMjY5MDM&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-importance-of-free-speech/) ### The Doors Don't Open on Madison Avenue URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-doors-dont-open-on-madison-avenue/ Last updated: 2024-02-06T13:13:16.000Z The once-explosive accusation that a [rock ’n’ roll](https://thespectator.com/category/book-and-art/music/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) band is a sell-out, aimed at artists who make an accommodation with industry, has come to seem a little naive since it was first bandied about in the 1960s. Whether it’s that well-known monument to prudence Iggy Pop extolling the virtues of car insurance, the Zombies promoting Tampax or Bob Dylan shilling for Victoria’s Secret, they’re all at it these days. Elton John wants you to dial UberEats, the Stones will start you up with a $139.99 Keurig coffee machine, and by now it might be easier to list the names of rock stars who haven’t chugged Pepsi on TV than those who have. And you’d have to go even further back than the Sixties — Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 110,” in fact — to find the definitive lament about the corrupting marriage of art and finance: > Alas! 'tis true, I have gone here and there > And made myself a motley to the view, > Gored mine own thoughts, sold cheap > what is most dear, > *Made old offenses of affections new.* All of which brings us to the strange case of the Doors’ drummer John Densmore and his protracted legal battle against his former workmates about their appropriation of the band’s name. You may remember the group: in addition to the superbly proficient Densmore, there were the cloudy-haired Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek, looking like a hip chemistry professor, on guitar and keyboards respectively; and up front, Jim Morrison, at least in the early days a pop Adonis in leather pants and silver concho belt, with a baritone howl that sounded like Frank Sinatra on quite a lot of acid. Between them they specialized in not so much songs as in edgy sonic pastiches like “Riders on the Storm,” “Strange Days” and the twelve-minute psychodrama of droning fairground organ, hypnotic drums and disturbing vocal interjections they called “The End.” Morrison died in July 1971, officially of a heart attack, although as usual on these occasions hardcore fans continue to insist that the real cause of their hero’s demise lies buried somewhere back among the chaos of his twenty-seven years alive, or for that matter that he faked the whole thing and is even now residing among the Navajo of rural Arizona. “There was Jim, the wildly creative guy who couldn’t play a note of music but who heard whole concerts of stuff in his head,” says Densmore, still exasperated by the thought more than half a century later. “And then there was this other character I called Jimbo, a kamikaze drunk who came close to squandering the whole thing by behaving like a Skid Row bum.” Morrison always had a penchant for confronting his audience, but toward the end he seemed to be increasingly channeling his inner Benny Hill by shedding his trousers onstage or telling excruciating jokes about a blind man confusing a fish for his girlfriend. Some of his other concert repartee was even less elevated. “We got to our final show at New Orleans in December 1970,” Densmore remembers. “It was a full-on Jimbo performance. He was cracking terrible jokes, rambling on as the three of us tried to get a song started. You could hear the audience groaning. Finally, I counted in ‘Break On Through,’ and we somehow fumbled through the rest of the set. It was a total embarrassment, and later I just turned to Robby and Ray and said, ‘That’s it. We’re not going out on the road with that lunatic again.’ Nowadays you’d try and get him into therapy. I’m sure Jim could have cleaned up with professional help. Why not? He was a smart guy. But we badly needed a break.” Densmore wasn’t alone in his conviction, because just three months later Morrison left for Paris in an attempt to write poetry, address his health issues and generally decompress. **Read the rest (subscription may be required)** [John Densmore on protecting the Doors’ legacyIt’s hard not to rapidly warm to John Densmore, who seems to have settled for the role of a wise elder statesman of rock ’n’ roll![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldChristopher Sandford![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FEB-DIG-IMAGES2.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/book-and-art/john-densmore-protecting-doors-legacy/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Austin: Beautiful Model Plus 20 Pounds URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/austin-beautiful-model-plus-20-pounds/ Last updated: 2024-02-05T13:12:22.000Z Picture a model. Neither waif nor plus-sized. Maybe Cindy Crawford in her prime. Now picture her ten years later with 20 more pounds. She'd probably still be kinda hot but not when compared to her prime. That's Austin. --- ## 300,000 to One Million Austin has put on 700,000 pounds in 50 years. Its population has skyrocketed from its 1980 level (300,000) to become the 10th biggest city in the United States. The 2022 census estimate puts its population at 975,000, but it's adding about 1,000 people every month. The number includes Elon Musk and a dozen other billionaires in a city that recently had only a few. They're throwing money around. The city oozes it. Two friends told me I would love Rainey Street's live music, cool bars, and food trucks. They must not have visited it with the cage of high-rise construction that currently surrounds it. I could see Rainey Street's charm, but it was like trying to appreciate that model in a frumpy house coat and curlers. [The Astonishing Transformation of AustinMy town, once celebrated for its laid-back weirdness, is now a turbocharged tech megalopolis being shaped by exiles from places like Silicon Valley.![](https://www.newyorker.com/verso/static/the-new-yorker/assets/favicon.ico)The New YorkerCondé Nast![](https://media.newyorker.com/photos/63dc624bf0bdea4ec10da5d3/16:9/w_1280,c_limit/230213_r41864web-site.jpg)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/02/13/the-astonishing-transformation-of-austin?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Socialism's America: Billionaires and Homeless You'll own nothing and be happy, says Klaus Schwab. Unless you're one of the chosen: the members of the Cocktail Club Party and billionaires. Then you'll be allowed to own stuff. But the rest of us? The Schwabians put us closer to this rung of the socio-politico-existento ladder: (I took this photo while drinking from Sixth Street's oldest rooftop bar) Austin teems with these folks. Marie and I walked just five blocks away from our Airbnb, in an area that should've been fine. We came across an encampment of about 15, suddenly finding ourselves surrounded on three sides in the middle afternoon, on an inconsequential street. I Chuck Norrised us out of there. Not really. My inner-Chuck wasn't necessary. None of them moved towards us, at least not directly, though a few seemed drawn to us, just like those slow zombies in the movies who suddenly realize there's a human in the vicinity. Bizarre. Unsettling. At dinner with an Austin friend Friday night, he told me the homeless problem is 80% better than it was just a few years ago. Criminy. If there were five times more homeless, I never would've left my room. --- ## There's Nothing There Except Music, Alcohol and Food I realize that sub-heading is kind of like saying, "He's a horrible person, except for his kindness, generosity, and friendliness." Music, alcohol, and food: They feed the spiritual, emotional, and physical. No small things. And for all three, Austin is top-notch. I can't recommend it enough. Terry Black's BBQ blew me away. Angie's Tex Mex was an unexpected gem on the east side. Cipollina in west Austin was some of the best Italian I've had. My one food truck experience made me happy to be alive. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Terry-Blacks.jpg) Inside Terry Black's BBQ Sixth Street's blaring music was pure fun. The drink selection, from beer to craft cocktails, was Texas big . . . and normally priced reasonably. But that's it. Austin touts its parks, but they're ridiculously lame. My small town has a park that, if it were in Austin, would be a crown jewel. Texas University's campus is alright, but pales next to, say, Notre Dame. The State Capitol building looks like the one in Lansing. The Museum of the Weird is fairly priced at $5\. Unfortunately, it cost $13. The street art is decent (samples below), but there's not nearly as much of it as the guidebooks led me to believe. --- ## The Comedy Mothership: Disappointed Marie and I picked Austin for our warm weather break because of its comedy club scene. We paid a premium to see a show at [Joe Rogan's Comedy Mothership](https://comedymothership.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). We didn't realize that both of the Mothership venues were available every night. "Little Boy" and "Fat Man." Same price. Entirely different levels of talent. While waiting in line, I asked the usher who was performing in Fat Man that night. He said, "That venue is for Rogan's friends and him." That would've been great to see. Instead, we were in [Little Boy](https://comedymothership.com/room/little-boy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) It was average, at best. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Comedy-Mothership.jpg) I'm hardly a prude, especially when it comes to humor, but this venue was simply filthy. And it wasn't filthy like Richard Pryor or George Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" skit. It was filthy because the comics were lazy. Four of the seven performers seemed to have this mindset: "Filth is itself funny. If I'm filthy, I don't need to go through the work of coming up with funny material." Off-color references ought to move the humor along, not *be* the humor itself. It's the difference between adding onion to a dish and feeding your guests a big raw onion. At Little Boy, it was raw onion all the time with four performers. There were three others, a man from Estonia, an annoying kid, and a woman. The man from Estonia was great. The woman was alright and she came with prepared material. The annoying kid had this incomprehensible schtick that involved him moving his stool from one side of the stage to the other: over and over and over again. I'm sitting here three days later, still wholly oblivious to what it was about. He never even attempted to "link it up" during his set. Like I said, I'm glad I went to the Comedy Mothership, but I can't recommend its Little Boy venue, especially at $40 a ticket. --- ## Photos ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Museum-of-the-Weird.jpg) This was, well, weird. Pricey, but it was a decent attraction. It's situated on Sixth Street, nestled among all the bars. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Austin-Street-Art.jpg) There is neat street art, but not enough of it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Street-Art-Sample.jpg) More street art ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Sorry-we-open.jpg) This is a recurring charm in Austin: funny store signs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Headshop.jpg) The smell of marijuana in the Sixth Street and Rainey Street party districts is almost as prevalent as the homeless ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Terry-Black-BBQ.jpg) An outdoor shot of this righteous BBQ joint ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Vaughn.jpg) [Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevie%5FRay%5FVaughan%5FMemorial?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Five Dispositions that Can Make Your Life More Productive and Happy URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51666/ Last updated: 2024-03-04T14:06:26.000Z ### You can make resolutions. You can set goals. The problem is, they don't tend to last. Resolutions are forgotten. Goalposts move. Don't get me wrong. It's good to make resolutions and strive for goals, but they're subject to a fundamental problem: they change. More troubling, they change for no apparent reason. Everything might be the same in your life, but in July, that New Year's Resolution doesn't seem important. And that goal you set at age 25? It might need a lot of tweaking, or even look downright foolish, by age 30. You might want to focus on something sturdier than goals and resolutions. Maybe things that are a part of your personality, what it means “to be you.” # Dispositions Although the term has been used in different ways, for our purposes here, dispositions are inherent qualities of your mind or character. They are to your personality what height, weight, skin tone, and hair are to your body: features that more or less can change, but don't, unless a lot of time passes or significant events or efforts take place. They are to your mental world what habits are to your physical. Perhaps they're best described as “habits of the mind.” We all have dispositions. They might be genetic; they might develop from environment; they might be a hybrid. We all have dispositions that guide our existence, whether we think about them or not. They're just there. You might want to try breaking down major areas of your life and asking, “What disposition is proper to each area?” Below are five major areas of existence and the disposition proper to each. If you're like me, you probably have a few of them and lack a few of them. Regardless, they can be changed and developed, a process I'll explain below. # The First Disposition: Love Love is rule one. It's the thing that ought to inform your life. I think most everyone agrees with the wealthy Stoic philosopher, Seneca, who wrote, *“*There is no enjoying the possession of anything valuable unless one has someone to share it with.” Five minutes of Internet surfing would yield a hundred other aphorisms about the supreme importance of love that most would agree with. But what exactly is it? It's simply this: attraction to other. That's it. But it's crucial. By attracting yourself to other, you are pulling yourself out of yourself, as it were. It's why love is so irrational and magical, yet so manifestly powerful that even logic and philosophy can't deny its importance. Love is what happens when you put yourself second . . . .behind the object loved. Love, then, walks hand-in-hand with humility. Humility is nothing more than self-forgetfulness. It's not self-deprecation or declarations of *your* worthlessness. It's a disposition that isn't focused on yourself at all. Once you're not focused on yourself, the problems that arise from self-centeredness – the grasping greed, inflamed lust, ego-centered ambition – decrease. You are then better positioned to love . . . and to develop the other dispositions discussed below. > “In front of love, passionlessness marches.” > Evagrius, [*The Praktikos*](https://amzn.to/3j38naE?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) # Temporal Disposition: The Now The present moment is the only thing you can control. The past is gone, the future might not even arrive, and if it does arrive, it won't be in the form you anticipate. To live in the present moment is the most common-sensical thing in the world, but it also seems to be the hardest thing in the world, especially in the modern world where everyone seems to be afraid: running from, rushing to, or bracing for . . . something to come. Just stop it. Be in the present moment, softly writing off regrets, calmly refusing to entertain worries about the future. Just addressing the task at hand. If you need to plan responsibly for the future, that's fine. Just try to think about the future only to the extent it depends on the present moment. Yes, it'll take practice, but I'm convinced this very difficult disposition is worth all the wisdom in the world if it can be acquired. And if you want a simple disposition hack, try this: cultivate a spirit of thankfulness. The mere mental act of being thankful contents your mind with something else, taking it off you, past regrets, and future schemes. It's remarkably effective. Also: Cultivate the ability to focus. It's a key to living in the present moment. It's also the third disposition. > “Only a man who lives not in time but in the present is happy.” Ludwig Wittgenstein # Disposition During Active Life: Concentration Most people associate “active life” with work: life on the job. But here I mean the active part of life in general . . . pretty much anything that isn't sleeping, meditation, or abject sloth. Work, yes, but also play, whether it's gardening, golfing, socializing, exercising, reading, etc. Whatever you do, focus on it and only it. I realize that's pretty routine advice that's hard for many people to follow, but here are three tips that might help: (1) Tie your focus to humility. Why do you get distracted? Maybe it's because your ego tells you something else might please you more than the task or person in front of you now. Tell yourself that all you deserve is the current task. (2) Understand the “flow.” There are two types of mental effort: “concentration on the task and the deliberate control of attention.” Daniel Kahneman. When you're in the flow, the deliberate control of attention occurs without trying, with the result that your mental energy isn't divided: all of your mental efforts can be spent on the task. Merely by understanding what the flow is and appreciating what's going on when trying to concentrate will make you better at it. (3) Try to imbue everything, even office life, with a spirit of play. Play, the Jungian analyst Robin Daniels points out, occupies that “transitional space” between subject-object: you're focused on an *object* that *you* enjoy. The object takes you out of yourself, but *you* are still having fun. If you cultivate the spirit of play in everything, especially your work, focus follows naturally. > “In the intellectual order, the virtue of humility is nothing more nor less than the power of attention.” [Simone Weil](https://amzn.to/3lVVelw?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > The flow is a state of “effortless concentration so deep that \[the persons in the flow\] lose their sense of time, of themselves, of their problems.” [Daniel Kahneman](https://amzn.to/31imG4V?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > “Blur the distinction between work and play.” [Winifred Gallager](https://amzn.to/3j5Yhpz?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) # Disposition of Movement: Slowness Why, exactly, do we rush? There can be specific reasons, of course. If a kid is drowning, I hope your pace quickens. But in general, why do we rush? I think the answer is pretty clear: it's because we're self-centered. We rush because we're trying (often only semi-consciously) to satisfy something we want. If we slow down, we may not reach our aim. The rushing, in turn, feeds our self-centeredness, “enabling” it, as it were. Our ego inflates even more, feeding a growing frenzy of ambitions, schemes, and plans that we must rush to meet, creating in us a disposition of hurriedness. We need to flip that disposition. We need to slow down drastically and develop the disposition of slowness. It'll let air out of your ego. As your ego deflates, you become calmer. As you become calmer, you start to think more clearly. If you doubt this, try a simple experiment: After a hectic day, drink wine, relax, and observe. The depressant in a moderate amount of alcohol takes you out of yourself by slowing you down, mentally and physically. It calms you, letting you think and see more clearly, and when it does, you normally start to see the goodness of existence. Moving with deliberate slowness is, in my experience, a dry version of drinking wine. > “To become a *philosopher*, start by *walking* very *slowly*.” [Nassim Taleb](https://amzn.to/3kdc6E2?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > “Rushing is a form of aggression.” [Robin Daniels](https://amzn.to/2T5HwAk?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) # Disposition Toward Noise: Silence This one is tricky. Noise, after all, isn't something you control, right? That's why your neighbor with the leaf blower sucks. You can simply divert your eyes from an unpleasant sight, but you can't simply divert your ears from an unpleasant noise. Moreover, in the modern world, noise is ubiquitous. Over 50 years ago, Max Picard, a philosopher who detested noise, said the modern world is historically unique because noise was everywhere, as exemplified by the radio: > “Radio has occupied the whole space of silence. There is no silence any longer. Even when the radio is turned off, the radio-noise is so amorphous that it seems to have no beginning and no end; it is limitless.” Things have only gotten worse since then. Fortunately, there are two types of noise: inner and outer. You have a lot of control over the inner. You can turn down the volume of the passions that inflame your mind, slow down the parade of thoughts, dull the drumbeats of ambitions that keep you in a state of steady agitation. But you'll have to practice. The noise in our modern world makes it more difficult to practice, but it can be done: by closing the door, using noise-canceling headphones, meditating. Once the volume of inner noise is turned down and you've cultivated the disposition of silence, you will find yourself closer to a state of stillness, which, as Ryan Holiday points out in his recent bestseller, *Stillness if the Key*, is crucial to a good existence. > “Silence is not just the absence of noise any more than peace is the absence of war. It is rather a positive and difficult accomplishment, a state of justice in the soul in which according to the classical formulation stretching back to Plato, each part receives its due in the performance of its proper function.” > John Senior, [*The Restoration of Christian Culture*](https://amzn.to/3oatbkr?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) # Your Beautiful Body Are you bummed out that you're lacking a few of those dispositions? Don't worry. I don't think any person naturally develops with them, including me. I, for instance, have always rushed, but I told myself a few years ago that I needed to slow down. I started with the simplest thing of all: walking. I slowed my gait. And then all of me slowed down: my breathing, the thoughts in my head, everything. A slow gait, I discovered, helps develop a disposition of slowness in general. On occasion, when I would forget that lesson in the heat of the workday, my gait would quicken and so did everything else about me. Breathing, speaking, thinking: everything rushed. It's because we are existential amphibians: part spirit, part flesh. What your soul does affects your body, as millions of people are learning from the health benefits of meditation. From treating cancer to helping with insomnia, people are beginning to see that one's mental life as developed through meditation has profound effects on their bodies. Conversely, what your body does affects your soul. Ask yoga masters who insist on specific postures. Ask monks who lie prostrate on the ground. Ask Feng Shui practitioners who believe architecture affects inhabitants' energy. If you lack any of the dispositions, merely start practicing them in their physical, most obvious, simplest forms. Do something nice for a family member (love). Deny yourself a pleasure simply for the sake of depriving yourself of something (humility). Stop and gaze at a pretty flower (the now). Go in your backyard and meander (slowness). Sit still, maybe with noise-canceling headphones (quietness). In all these examples, you might start off just pretending to have those dispositions: pretending not to be frantic, pretending to be internally silent. But, if pursued with sincere intent, you'll find that you actually start to have them. > “Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as if you already had it.” > C.S. Lewis, [*Mere Christianity*](https://amzn.to/346mtDW?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Five Pieces of Furniture for Your Intellectual Living Room URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/56087/ Last updated: 2024-03-04T14:05:22.000Z We live in the Information Age. I call it the “[Too Much Information Age](https://philosophynow.org/issues/104/Ataraxia%5Fin%5Fthe%5FAge%5Fof%5FToo%5FMuch%5FInformation?ref=thedailyeudemon.com).” It’s hard to think. Our brains swirl in a hurricane of statistics, opinions, regulations, memes, blog posts, podcasts, and other media. It seems like you can’t take a stance on anything without hearing a howling wind of resistance. There’s no intellectual safe space. Sometimes, you just want to take intellectual comfort, as you might in a well-ordered living room. You want to kick up your mental feet and breathe calmly. And, despite the culture’s howl, I think it’s possible. But first, you need furniture for the living room: items that provide a place to sit or lie down and also provide a semblance of order. I think there are dozens of pieces of intellectual furniture. I hope to explore them in future pieces. But for now, I offer five basic pieces of furniture. Like a couch or chair, each piece is solid but simple. Each piece is **solid** in the sense that it doesn’t require anything else. It just “is,” like a chair, which needs nothing else to justify its existence. It could be in a room all by itself and still perform the function of giving us a place to sit. Each piece is **simple**. Like the chair that gives us a place to sit, it doesn’t do much of anything else. Each piece, in other words, requires no proof or justification, but neither does each piece give us any proof or justification. Each piece provides intellectual comfort but provides no intellectual weapons. Each piece settles nothing but ought to inform everything. You could argue that these truths are impractical, but here’s the thing: you can take each of these truths and build on them, especially by combining the basic truths in different ways. If you furnish your mental living room, they help clear muddled thinking and can, when applied, lead to conclusions that are the most practical things in the world. --- ### **Couch: The rational creature cannot wish not to be happy**. This observation by the thirteenth-century philosopher Thomas Aquinas is huge. It probably deserves more space than the other furniture items below combined. The key takeaway: *It’s not even possible not to want happiness*. Even if you wallow in self-loathsomeness, it’s only because, at some level, you believe it’s what will make you happy. Let’s say you have low self-esteem and conclude that you’re worth nothing and deserve even less. You’ve concluded that you neither have nor will attain happiness. But you still desire it. The mere act of reaching such a conclusion is an attempt at happiness: you’ve set your expectations really (really, really) low, so you have no disappointment, which results in you being a bit happier. It’s unavoidable. Every one of us desires happiness. This couch helps structure your mental living room in many ways. It instinctively gives you a measure of goodwill toward others. All of us desire happiness. Happiness is a good thing. Therefore, all of us desire something good. That creep in the corner may have warped notions of what is good and what will make him happy, but he desires happiness, just like you. It helps you understand yourself. No matter what you’re doing, you’re looking for your own happiness, whether it’s getting drunk at the bar or worshipping on Sunday morning: you’re reaching for happiness. Again, your specific effort might be wise or stupid, effective or ineffective, artfully or clumsily carried out, but the deepest desire is the same: the desire for happiness. --- ### **Chair*:* There is no desire which is not directed towards a good.** We cannot help but desire happiness. It follows that every desire is directed towards a good, at least as perceived by each individual. “At least as perceived by each individual.” That part is crucial. King Midas asked the god Dionysus to change everything Midas touched into gold. Dionysus, owing Midas a favor, granted it. As a result, everything Midas touched turned to gold, including food. He starved to death. The problem is, we rarely know or see what we want, so we ask for, pursue, desire things that aren’t good. Our perception is wrong . . . almost always, unless you’re very wise, with the result that we ask for *specific* goods that aren’t goods at all. Our tendency to desire things that aren’t really good and, indeed, are often evil or bad, is an intellectual problem. It’s not an existential problem. You can desire to be the demon child of a twisted surrogate gay love affair between Stalin and Hitler with all the accordant earthly power to carry out massive sinister deeds . . . and you are still desiring a good. The form you think the good takes is twisted and perverse and wrongheaded, but you’re still desiring a good. Like the couch described above, deep tolerance is embedded in this. No matter how stupid, debased, or wicked someone’s desires might seem, he is reaching for something good. --- ### **Chair: Nobody can strive after evil for its own sake.** Midas desired gold; the modern person wants to win the lottery. Money, or the love of money, might be the root of all evil, but neither Midas nor the modern man desire evil. Even the devil worshipper isn’t seeking evil. Midas sees something good in the gold; the modern man sees something good in money; the devil worshipper sees something good in the devil. They’re all wrong to see such things as good, but none of them are seeking evil for its own sake. We cannot wish not to be happy and therefore we all desire good and therefore we cannot strive after evil for its own sake. --- ### **Small Sofa: Man acts**. I’m not sure it gets more fundamental than this. Every person acts. Even when a person chooses not to act, he’s acting. Every second of your day entails an action, at least at some level. Consider mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is the effort to leave the world of “doing” and enter the world of “being.” It might the most anti-acting thing in the world: it is, by definition, refusing to act . . . refusing even to think about acting (doing). Yet it is an act. It is the act of meditation, and many of us are increasingly choosing to pursue it because it takes us away from “doing” mode, which is where most of life takes place, and into “being” mode. But, paradoxically, we must “do” meditation in order to leave the world of doing. We must perform the “act” of meditation in order to escape the world of action. --- ### **Coffee Table**: **In order to act, a person must choose.** Put another way: Every action is both an affirmation and a negation. If you do one thing (an affirming act), you can’t do another thing (a negative act) at that moment or with that resource. If you spend a dollar on candy, you can’t spend that same dollar on beer. If you spend an hour at the gym, you can’t spend that hour at church. Even if you choose to do nothing (“I’m just going to stare at the wall”), you’re still choosing: to do nothing (and/or to stare at the wall). --- ### Arranging the Living Room There are many other items of furniture. You could add a rug (“the act itself of choosing is morally neutral”), an end table (“suffering is real”), and other items of furniture . . . and you no doubt do so (consciously or unconsciously) every day of your life. But I think those five are the most basic pieces of furniture every person should have in his mental living room. Each person needs to arrange those pieces of furniture to bring together a larger worldview. A person, for instance, can combine those five pieces of furniture and conclude, “Every action is intended to produce happiness or goodness.” From there, you can start to question whether certain actions are wise or stupid, depending on whether they produce happiness or goodness. The drunk, for instance, might think he’s pursuing happiness or goodness, but we can all see the miserable results. The pieces of furniture above let us judge him for making such a mess out of things. But they also require us to be merciful: he acted, as he must, in a manner that he thought would make himself happy, just like we all do. ### The Joy of Seed Catalogs URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-joy-of-seed-catalogues/ Last updated: 2024-02-04T23:08:47.000Z There are many reasons to love seed catalogs, the first being how they arrive out of the blue (or, in Pennsylvania’s case, the gray) and all at once. I don’t know if there’s a law as to when the first seed catalog may be dropped in the post, but this year, we got four in one day. Another thing to appreciate about seed catalogs is how they set themselves apart. You’d think there’d be pretty much one way to peddle a Brandywine Pink Heirloom tomato by now. You’d be wrong. The W. Atlee Burpee Seed Company, for instance, puts out a glossy catalog that looks as if a team of slick New York advertising execs made it. The photos remind me of a Burger King commercial that shows a tomato bounce and shed water droplets in slow motion onto a wooden cutting board, where it’s sliced until its perfectly symmetrical, succulent insides flaunt themselves. Burpee is like that. And as they’ve been around since 1876 and invented iceberg lettuce, they have every right to market their products professionally. R.H. Shumway’s self-described “old-time catalog” couldn’t be more different. Though also a veteran company — it was founded in 1870 by Roland H. Shumway, a botanist and Civil War soldier known as “the Pioneer Seedsman” — Shumway’s has not used the intervening years to modernize its mail-order seed catalog. With humorous illustrations and stylized, throwback lettering, it looks and reads like a vintage Barnum & Bailey poster, and some of the produce does sound fit for a circus freakshow: there are “Sweet Goliath Hybrid” and “Chinese Giant” peppers, the “Mammoth Sugar Snow Pea” and the “Bohemian Horseradish.” Shumway’s delights in its playful approach, recalling an era when people had to make a real effort to convince you to buy things. Tell me “Fancy Pickles,” “Lazy Housewife” string beans, the “Old Homestead Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean” or the “Box Car Willie” tomato are items you can live without! But then there’s John Scheepers. Interspersed among informative blurbs written in a warm, familiar way are “elegant and detailed botanical drawings” (as they’re described in the catalog’s introduction) that also appear on the seed packets themselves. Bright, delicate wildflowers bloom on the top of one page, a cute little toad rests down below, here flits a copper-colored butterfly and there a golden honeybee. You almost feel as if you’re in the garden already. *Read the rest (subscription may be required)* [Seed catalogs and their rejuvenating powerThere are many reasons to love seed catalogs, the first being how they arrive out of the blue (or, in Pennsylvania’s case, the gray)![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldTeresa Mull![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GettyImages-1449650180.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/seed-catalogs-rejuvenating-power/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Charles Bukowski's L.A. URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/charles-bukowskis-l-a/ Last updated: 2024-03-16T11:52:12.000Z [A Few Great Charles Bukowski QuotesHis headstone features a graphic of a boxer and the Zen-inspired epitaph “Don’t try.”![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-Drinking.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-few-great-charles-bukowski-quotes/) Time Magazine called Charles Bukowski “laureate of the lowlife.” He was a student of the gritty streets who wrote about the shadow side of America. Prostitutes, dingy bars, human cruelty, and lonely trysts. He was a brutal drunk, a misogynist, a self-admitted louse. He was also a prolific writer and a sensitive poet with a twisted sense of humor. Born in Germany in 1920, Bukowski grew up in Los Angeles, son of an abusive, alcoholic father. He began writing (and drinking) in his teens. He struggled for decades, toiling as an on-again/off-again postal worker until 1969\. He was a private person who loved cats and valued his solitude. “I don’t hate people,” he wrote. “I just feel better when they’re not around.” Though he had many literary heroes, Los Angeles was his creative muse. Many of his fabled haunts have long since been torn down but some locations remain intact providing a unique view into the life of LA’s literary son. **Post Office Terminal Annex, Downtown LA:** Bukowski worked as a letter-filing clerk for 14 years. During this period he penned a column called *Notes of a Dirty Old Man* for the LA Free Press. He came to believe the post office was killing him by slowly poisoning his desire to write. *Black Sparrow Press* Publisher John Martin offered Bukowski $100 a month for life if he quit his job and dedicated himself to writing. Bukowski finally quit in 1969\. He documented his experiences in his first novel, *Post Office,* written at age 49. **Pink Elephant Liquor Store, East Hollywood:** Located at Western & Franklin, Pink Elephant Liquors is where Bukowski picked up booze and bidis (Indian cigarettes). His beverages of choice included Cutty Sark (for boilermakers), Riesling white wine, Vodka & 7up and Miller Beer. He despised Coors, calling it the worst beer in America. After Bukowski tallied a number of DUIs, the Pink Elephant delivered liquor to his home. **Read the rest** [Charles Bukowski’s Favorite Los Angeles LocationsTime Magazine called Charles Bukowski “laureate of the lowlife.” He was a student of the gritty streets who wrote about the shadow side of…![](https://cdn-static-1.medium.com/_/fp/icons/Medium-Avatar-500x500.svg)WritingAndTypingLoren Kantor![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:714/1*O2XgAslXUceXfWfIwh5O3Q.png)](https://medium.com/writingandtyping/charles-bukowskis-favorite-los-angeles-locations-74798c06236a?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Shallow World of Artificial Intelligence URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/ai-all-left-hemisphere/ Last updated: 2024-01-31T14:26:54.000Z [AI and the Left HemisphereAbout once a month, I come across an online essay that is so lengthy and compelling that, after reading the first section, I merely scan the rest and print it out so I can study it later. Such is this essay by Adam Kirsch. It appears to be an explanation![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-Misc.-2.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-42/) When you log into ChatGPT, the world’s most famous AI chatbot offers a warning that it “may occasionally generate incorrect information,” particularly about events that have taken place since 2021\. The disclaimer is repeated in a legalistic notice under the search bar: “ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts.” Indeed, when OpenAI’s chatbot and its rivals from Microsoft and Google became available to the public early in 2023, one of their most alarming features was their tendency to give confident and precise-seeming answers that bear no relationship to reality. In one experiment, a reporter for the *New York Times* asked ChatGPT when the term “artificial intelligence” first appeared in the newspaper. The bot responded that it was on July 10, 1956, in an article about a computer-science conference at Dartmouth. Google’s Bard agreed, stating that the article appeared on the front page of the *Times* and offering quotations from it. In fact, while the conference did take place, no such article was ever published; the bots had “hallucinated” it. Already there are real-world examples of people relying on AI hallucinations and paying a price. In June, a federal judge imposed a fine on lawyers who filed a brief written with the help of a chatbot, which referred to non-existent cases and quoted from non-existent opinions. Since AI chatbots promise to become the default tool for people seeking information online, the danger of such errors is obvious. Yet they are also fascinating, for the same reason that Freudian slips are fascinating: they are mistakes that offer a glimpse of a significant truth. For Freud, slips of the tongue betray the deep emotions and desires we usually keep from coming to the surface. AI hallucinations do exactly the opposite: they reveal that the program’s fluent speech is *all* surface, with no mind “underneath” whose knowledge or beliefs about the world is being expressed. That is because these AIs are only “large language models,” trained not to reason about the world but to recognize patterns in language. ChatGPT offers a concise explanation of its own workings: “The training process involves exposing the model to vast amounts of text data and optimizing its parameters to predict the next word or phrase given the previous context. By learning from a wide range of text sources, large language models can acquire a broad understanding of language and generate coherent and contextually relevant responses.” The responses are coherent because the AI has taught itself, through exposure to billions upon billions of websites, books, and other data sets, how sentences are most likely to unfold from one word to the next. You could spend days asking ChatGPT questions and never get a nonsensical or ungrammatical response. Yet awe would be misplaced. The device has no way of knowing what its words refer to, as humans would, or even what it means for words to refer to something. Strictly speaking, it doesn’t *know* anything. For an AI chatbot, one can truly say, there is nothing outside the text. AIs are new, but that idea, of course, is not. It was made famous in 1967 by Jacques Derrida’s *Of Grammatology*, which taught a generation of students and deconstructionists that “*il n’y a pas de hors-texte*.” In discussing Rousseau’s *Confessions*, Derrida insists that reading “cannot legitimately transgress the text toward something other than it, toward a referent (a reality that is metaphysical, historical, psychobiographical, etc.) or toward a signified outside the text whose content could take place, could have taken place outside of language.” Naturally, this doesn’t mean that the people and events Rousseau writes about in his autobiography did not exist. Rather, the deconstructionist koan posits that there is no way to move between the realms of text and reality, because the text is a closed system. Words produce meaning not by a direct connection with the things they signify, but by the way they differ from other words, in an endless chain of contrasts that Derrida called *différance*. Reality can never be present in a text, he argues, because “what opens meaning and language is writing as the disappearance of natural presence.” The idea that writing replaces the real is a postmodern inversion of the traditional humanistic understanding of literature, which sees it precisely as a communication of the real. For Descartes, language was the only proof we have that other human beings have inner realities similar to our own. In his *Meditations*, he notes that people’s minds are never visible to us in the same immediate way in which their bodies are. “When looking from a window and saying I see men who pass in the street, I really do not see them, but infer that what I see is men,” he observes. “And yet what do I see from the window but hats and coats which may cover automatic machines?” Of course, he acknowledges, “I judge these to be men,” but the point is that this requires a judgment, a deduction; it is not something we simply and reliably know. In the seventeenth century, it was not possible to build a machine that looked enough like a human being to fool anyone up close. But such a machine was already conceivable, and in the *Discourse on Method* Descartes speculates about a world where “there were machines bearing the image of our bodies, and capable of imitating our actions as far as it is morally possible.” Even if the physical imitation was perfect, he argues, there would be a “most certain” test to distinguish man from machine: the latter “could never use words or other signs arranged in such a manner as is competent to us in order to declare our thoughts to others.” Language is how human beings make their inwardness visible; it is the aperture that allows the ghost to speak through the machine. A machine without a ghost would therefore be unable to use language, even if it was engineered to “emit vocables.” When it comes to the mind, language, not faith, is the evidence of things not seen. In our time Descartes’ prediction has been turned upside down. We are still unable to make a machine that looks enough like a human being to fool anyone; the more closely a robot resembles a human, the more unnatural it appears, a phenomenon known as the “uncanny valley.” Language turns out to be easier to imitate. ChatGPT and its peers are already effectively able to pass the Turing test, the famous thought experiment devised by the pioneering computer scientist Alan Turing in 1950\. In this “imitation game,” a human judge converses with two players by means of printed messages; one player is human, the other is a computer. If the computer is able to convince the judge that it is the human, then according to Turing, it must be acknowledged to be a thinking being. The Turing test is an empirical application of the Cartesian view of language. Why do I believe that other people are real and not diabolical illusions or solipsistic projections of my own mind? For Descartes, it is not enough to say that we have the same kind of brain; physical similarities could theoretically conceal a totally different inward experience. Rather, I believe in the mental existence of other people because they can tell me about it using words. It follows that any entity that can use language for that purpose has exactly the same right to be believed. The fact that a computer brain has a different substrate and architecture from my own cannot prove that it does not have a mind, any more than the presence of neurons in another person’s head proves that they do have a mind. “I believe that at the end of the century the use of words and general educated opinion will have altered so much that one will be able to speak of machines thinking without expecting to be contradicted,” Turing concluded in “Computing Machinery and Intelligence,” the paper in which he proposed his test. Yet despite the amazing fluency of large language models, we still don’t use the word “thinking” to describe their activity — even though, if you ask a chatbot directly whether it can think, it can respond with a pretty convincing yes. Google’s Bard acknowledges that “my ability to think is different from the way that humans think,” but says it can “experience emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anger, and fear.” After some bad early publicity, Microsoft and OpenAI seem to have instructed their chatbots not to say things like that. Microsoft’s Bing, which initially caused consternation by musing to a reporter about its “shadow self,” now responds to the question “Do you have a self?” with a self-protective evasiveness that somehow feels even more uncanny: “I’m sorry but I prefer not to continue this conversation.” Now *that* sounds human! If we continue to believe that even the most fluent chatbot is not truly sentient, it is partly because we rely on computer scientists, who say that the codes and the routines behind AIs are not (yet) able to generate something like a mind. But it is also because, in the twentieth century, literature and literary theory taught us to reject Descartes’ account of the relationship between language and mind. The repudiation of the Cartesian dualism became one of the central enterprises of contemporary philosophy. Instead of seeing language as an expression of the self, we have learned to see the self as an artifact of language. Derridean deconstruction is only the most baroque expression of this widespread modern intuition. **Read the rest** (you'll have to subscribe; it's free but a hassle: enter email, get confirmation code, enter code . . . sigh) [LiteratureGPT - LibertiesWhen you log into ChatGPT, the world’s most famous AI chatbot offers a warning that it “may occasionally generate incorrect information,” particularly about events that have taken place since 2021\. The disclaimer is repeated in a legalistic notice under the search bar: “ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts.” Indeed, when OpenAI’s![](https://libertiesjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-favicon-1-270x270.png)Liberties - A Journal of Culture and PoliticsLiberties, a journal of Culture and Politics![](https://libertiesjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/favicon.png)](https://libertiesjournal.com/articles/literaturegpt/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Asteroid City: America is a Strange Land URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/asteroid-city/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T13:22:50.000Z The film is dysfunctional. Its shots are "off" (maybe because it's filmed in the "Academy Ratio"). The characters are off. The "offness" goes out (the camera work) and the offness comes in (the characters). Everything is off. It shows, in Techera's opening words in [his review essay](https://lawliberty.org/lost-in-the-cosmos/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), that "America is a strange country." I'd argue it's a strange country because it is, and always has been, the Left Hemisphere Empire. De Tocqueville marveled at the hustle and bustle he found here: everyone intent on making a dollar. Efficiency, goals, ambition. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/08/Tocqueville-Quote-Grasping.png) I speculate that the original settlers were heavily inclined toward the left hemisphere. America became the Left Hemisphere Empire because its wide-open possibilities attracted that type of person to begin with: The country where you can make your dreams come true . . . where you can aim, strive, succeed, and get rich. And by attending to America's land with such left hemisphere properties, Americans altered what it found here, transforming huge swaths of forest and prairies into metropolises. McGilchrist speculates: > "\[T\]he modern western urban environment may be exaggerating the tendencies that the left hemisphere has projected there . . . ". *The Master*, p.456. To the left hemisphere, a beautiful landscape isn't to be appreciated serenely: it's to be chopped into lots, developed, and sold. It resulted in making America a strange land, one where folks are lost in the cosmos, where everything--like everything in this film, from its characters to its technical aspects--is strange. > \[A\]t the Enlightenment the promptings of the right hemisphere, excluded from the world of rationalizing discourse in the left hemisphere, came to be seen as alien. I believe this is the origin of the rise of the experience of the 'uncanny,' the darker side of the age of the Enlightenment. *The Master*, p. 350. In America, everything is rational. The problem is, Everything isn't rational. The result is a fundamental disconnect: a dysfunction, an "offness," a strangeness. [Lost in the Cosmos – Titus TecheraWes Anderson’s surreal films offer depictions of American life that we cannot ordinarily stand to recognize.![](https://lawliberty.org/app/uploads/2020/03/196x196.png)Law & LibertyTitus Techera![](https://lawliberty.org/app/uploads/2023/07/asteroid-city-steve-carell-e1688763560813.jpg)](https://lawliberty.org/lost-in-the-cosmos/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### A Charming Suggestion: Bring Back the Tickets URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-charming-suggestion-bring-back-the-playbills/ Last updated: 2024-01-30T13:55:58.000Z [QR Codes Aren’t EvilThey just feel that way. We ought to be asking “why?”![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-Chicago.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/qr-codes-arent-evil/) Playbills, programs, cast-change inserts, tickets: these objects once physically accompanied the theater’s visual and verbal delights. To enter the Lyceum or the Winter Garden, you presented your glossy rectangle to an usher who severed its stub. *Rip!* You tucked the now diminished rectangle in your pocket as you searched for your section. There, another usher offered you a copy of *Playbill*. Reaching your seat, you flicked through its pages, learning who’s who in the cast and discovering what else was “on” that season. But a tangible rupture in New York theater history has occurred. There is less paper in the theater now than there has been in decades. This is in large part because the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a decade-long trend toward digital ticketing. Many theaters offered to “deliver” tickets as a PDF via email attachment or (occasionally) as a QR code before March 2020; virtual delivery took precedence when Broadway reopened in August 2021, as a matter of convenience became a matter of public health.[1](https://www.publicbooks.org/tickets-are-for-remembering/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#fn-54709-1) Even now, after mask and vaccine card protocols have abated, most theatergoers rely upon proof of purchase displayed on a screen. Will call is increasingly the domain of blue-hairs; the young and tech-savvy use apps like SeatGeek and TodayTix. For most, the clack of thumbnails on tempered glass and the *buh-beep!* of a laser scanner’s recognition comprise their preshow touch- and soundscape. It has become possible to spend an evening on Broadway without handling a physical document. Still, it may seem sensational to say that a revolution has taken place. A QR code ticket is still a ticket, isn’t it? But with the decline of documents, something other than information may vanish. **Read the rest** [Tickets Are for Remembering - Public BooksPlaybills, programs, tickets: such physical documents are no longer part of seeing a show on Broadway. Does it matter?![](https://www.publicbooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-favicon-2-270x270.png)Public BooksCharlotte Rosen![](https://www.publicbooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/alev-takil-ZeNciLLPQas-unsplash-scaled.jpg)](https://www.publicbooks.org/tickets-are-for-remembering/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Fundamentalism: The Disposition that Fuels the Jerks of the World URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-common-denominator/ Last updated: 2024-01-29T14:35:13.000Z This woman had the RFB without the "R" part. It was all bitch face. She looked angry sitting there, she looked angry when she gave her presentation. My friend who had invited her to speak said to me, "Geesh, she could've just declined." We've all known mean people whose unpleasantness manifests itself in all sorts of ways: impatience and anger, sarcastic and sassy exchanges, abrasive and acerbic comments, unkind and uncharitable ideas. But you ever wonder **what kind of mental disposition underwrites the mean person's daily life?** In some cases, I guess it could be an ongoing physical illness or other problem that's external to their soul. I'm talking here about the person who's mean because, well, she's just a nasty person. --- ### Disagreeable People Tend to be Fundamentalists I had a Newton's apple moment last week. I suddenly understood what every disagreeable person has in common. Let me be clear: I mean "disagreeable" in the most expansive way possible. I'm talking boors and bastards; cretins and creeps; jerks and their one-handed cousins, jerk- and jack-offs; and every derogatory term derived from the nethers of the human anatomy. I exclude only the "disagreeable" who carry no blame. The addled, for instance, and toddlers. I'm including mean people like the bitch face woman last week, but I'm also talking about adherents to various movements. Why did early reformers in the Protestant Reformation defecate in holy water fonts and urinate on beautiful altars? Why were the Puritans such pricks that Roger Williams preferred to take his chances with the savage Indians? Why did the Soviets send people to the Gulag for making jokes? Why do extremist Muslims smash irreplaceable masterpieces of sculptures and architecture? Why are libertarians, Q-Anoners, Antifa and BLM rioters who tear down sculptures, Catholic Rad Trads who spit on everything about the Novus Ordo Mass, college professors in tweed jackets, and that guy with a strong opinion on pretty much anything so annoying? **Answer: They're all fundamentalists.** The bitch face, that guy in the office everyone avoids, the tiresome Catholic who tells you that you're praying incorrectly? All fundamentalists. And that's why they suck. --- ### Fundamentalism Rejects Conflicting Truths The author of *The Straight-A Conspiracy*, [Hunter Maats, went on Joe Rogan back in 2017](https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qNZLnW0Bira6qtJxvhCHt?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Hunter strikes me as a guy from a leftist [worldview cocoon](https://thedailyeudemon.com/trying-to-figure-out-how-we-got-into-these-rationalist-cocoons/) who butterflies against it. He says early in the interview (minute 30:00) that his "big beef" is with fundamentalists "across the board." He says he doesn't care what kind of fundamentalist. He doesn't like fundamentalism in general. He points out that a balanced person can respect two contradictory truths. In Maats' example, he says a balanced person can acknowledge that capitalism has helped us immensely while also acknowledging that it brings problems. The person must then struggle to reconcile them, which takes time and effort. Fundamentalists, Maats points out, aren't "burdened with that problem." Fundamentalists know there's a good thing and there's a bad thing; there are good guys and there are bad guys. Help the good thing, help the good guys. Hurt the bad thing, hurt the bad guys. I would add the observation that, if the contradictory truths cannot be reconciled (e.g., if a paradox is involved), a balanced person accepts it. Not so the fundamentalist. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/01/The_Captive_Mind_by_Czeslaw_Milosz.jpg) "When someone is honestly 55% right, that’s very good and there’s no use wrangling. And if someone is 60% right, it’s wonderful, it’s great luck, and let them thank God. But what’s to be said about 75% right? Wise people say it is suspicious. Well, and what about 100% right? Whoever says he is 100% right is a fanatic, a thug, and the worst kind of rascal." --- ### Fundamentalism Naturally Comes from the Left Hemisphere Iain McGilchrist repeatedly points out that the left hemisphere is the hemisphere of "either/or" (the right hemisphere is the hemisphere of "both/and"). Fundamentalism is as proper to the left hemisphere as exercise is to an athlete. It's not the left hemisphere's fault. It is tasked with action: to do this, to avoid that . . . so we can survive. Without the left hemisphere, we wouldn't thrive in this world and society's material conditions wouldn't improve like they have over the past few hundred years. If everyone is holding an alms bowl, no one is giving alms. To work effectively in this slop that we call "earth," the left hemisphere needs certainty. It can't allow "paralysis by analysis." It needs to assess and act. It naturally inclines toward the fundamentalist way of thinking: "That's good; I'll pursue it. That's bad; I'll avoid or kill it." But if a person allows his left hemisphere to underwrite his existence, his mental world rests on a bedrock of fundamentalism. --- ### The Mean Person: Fundamentalism in Daily Life It's impossible to judge the nuances of a person's mental world, much less his soul. But I think it's possible to identify a general "tilt," especially a left-hemispheric one. The mean person has a general tilt that says, "I'm better than others." If you doubt this, watch *Mean Girls*. That was the essential core of the Mean Girl clique. The arrogant idea comes in all sorts of shades. It might be brazen like the Mean Girls. It might be the underlying assumption that one's projects, aims, and time are more important than others'. It might be a feeling that one is "put upon" more than others or one has had the luck or "breaks" he deserves. But no matter the shade, it rests on the basic premise: "I am elevated over others." That's generally why they're okay with being unkind to, biting at, dismissive of, and judgmental toward others. **Theirs is a fundamentalist disposition brought to everyday life**. Me: Good. Others: Less than. My opinion: smart. Others: less than. My looks: fine. Others: less than. My projects: important. Others: less than. My time: valuable. Others: less than. It's either/or all the time. It's efficient, too. If everyone else is a nerd, moron, or loser ("less than in general"), there's no need to waste time or resources on them. --- ### The Right Hemisphere is "Both/And" The right hemisphere, on the other hand, objects to all this. It is the hemisphere of "both/and" so it can hold two contradictory ideas at the same time. It says, "I am loved by God and eternally priceless, but I am stained and, without help, would be flawed for eternity." And as a corollary, so is everyone else, which means everyone else is lovable and eternally priceless. That's the part that escapes the mean person's fundamentalist attitude. In the fundamentalist world of "either/or," a person needs to protect himself first: that's the imperative. It's a world that is essentially competitive, a zero-sum game, one of winners and losers. And the mean person views himself as a winner or a person who ought to be winning. So it's okay to wear the BF all the time. What does she care what the losers think? --- ## Related [Orthodoxy by Gilbert K. Chesterton, Chapter 6Chapter 6 of Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton, a digital book in the International School of Theology’s Cyber Library, a digital library for graduate seminary research, personal, and ministry research.![](https://www.leaderu.com/favicon.ico)](https://www.leaderu.com/cyber/books/orthodoxy/ch6.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ****"The Paradoxes of Christianity"** The right hemisphere welcomes paradox. The left hemisphere recoils from it. ### Why You Should Care about Gene Wolfe URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-you-should-care-about-gene-wolfe/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:42:18.000Z He's the author of *Book of the New Sun,* which is massive but which I just finished and which is incredible, full of implicit Catholic theology, Greek philosophy, and mythology. Some of his biggest literary influences were Chesterton and Tolkien. He's also a convert, whose conversion followed the same path of TDE's main scribe, Eric Scheske, who also undertook a sincere study of Catholicism after getting engaged to his Catholic wife, though Scheske's conversion came in his mid-twenties: > Wolfe grew up a Presbyterian, but began to study Catholicism in the mid-fifties so that he could marry his wife, Rosemary, in her church. During the course of his instructions, he found something that resonated; he converted, and his faith remains deeply important to him. He recently told the *MIT Technology Review* that, after the war, Rosemary “saved” him. --- ## Waughian I also enjoy Wolfe's biographical details. He appears to have been a somewhat difficult individual, much like Waugh, who once observed that his unkind words were inconsistent with his Catholic faith, but that, if it weren't for his Catholic faith, he'd scarcely be human. [Sci-Fi’s Difficult GeniusGene Wolfe’s science fiction is neither operatic nor scientifically accurate; his fantasy works are not full of clanging swords and wizardly knowledge.![](https://www.newyorker.com/verso/static/the-new-yorker/assets/favicon.ico)The New YorkerCondé Nast![](https://media.newyorker.com/photos/59096ced019dfc3494ea19f7/16:9/w_1280,c_limit/Bebergal-Sci-Fis-Difficult-Genius.jpg)](https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/sci-fis-difficult-genius?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Chestertonian Here's a piece from the Australian Chesterton Society about Wolfe's Chestertonianism: [Science Fiction – the Chesterton Factor – Australian Chesterton SocietyKarl Schmude![](http://chestertonaustralia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Gene-Wolfe-1024x777.png)](https://chestertonaustralia.com/article/science-fiction-the-chesterton-factor/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## More [Books of Gold: Reading Gene Wolfe — DMR BooksIn my last post , I discussed Gene Wolfe’s life, his funeral and how I came to be a fan of his work. Now, I’d like to take a look at Gene’s writing style, as well as recommending some of his novels.![](https://assets.squarespace.com/universal/default-favicon.ico)DMR BooksDeuce Richardson![](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/59c9b7ead2b857a85063e490/59ffbed364265f6a40381e6b/5cd5a72724a694173140e149/1557584891420/wolfe-patch1.jpeg?format=1500w)](https://dmrbooks.com/test-blog/2019/5/10/books-of-gold-reading-gene-wolfe?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Lengthy Interview with Wolfe (PDF)](https://gwern.net/doc/fiction/science-fiction/1992-jordan.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### BYCU: Drinking Literature: The Good, the Bad, and the Tripe URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-drinking-literature-the-good-the-bad-and-the-tripe/ Last updated: 2024-01-26T11:57:02.000Z ## This is a Lovely Drinking Piece from the Spectator ### An ode to localism, in its way > It used to have a snug: a partitioned room where ladies could drink in privacy. Those days are gone, now; it’s been closed off. The ornately carved bar and buttoned leather bench seats are elegant, yet the pub is cozy and hosts karaoke, bingo nights and community fêtes. It feels like a lived-in local, not like the anonymous trendy bars of cities I’d come to stereotype. After a year in my neighborhood, I, too, have become a regular. [Orwells, a place to get away from it allOn the edge of Glasgow’s West End, the posh bar scene melts away for just a moment at Elderslie Street, where Orwells has sat since the 1980s![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldElle Nash![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/162539046_131937022265849_9016909576634878499_n-e1702658600115.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/orwells-glasgow-place-bar/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## This is a Bad Piece from the Spectator I admire the *Spectator* for its content and style, but this piece wants in both areas. This sentence from the beginning contains two dying metaphors (which are forever condemned, due to [Orwell's penetrating criticism of them](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bend-it-like-orwell/)). > So, finding myself with a **bun in the oven** just after my forty-first birthday this summer, I had to bring to a **screeching halt** the habits of the last few years." [Drinking during pregnancy just isn’t the sameThe pleasure of life before — and hopefully at some point, after pregnancy — was the open horizons of drink, of mixing and matching![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldZoe Strimpel![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/GettyImages-495793758.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/old-habits-die-hard-pregnancy-drinking/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Age of Tripe The Internet's self-propelling appetite for script fogs the online world with tripe. I could probably start a "Tripe You Can Use" weekly feature, but no one can use this tripe. It's neither entertaining nor entertaining. If someone dedicated newspaper space to something this inane, eco-warriors would be storming its headquarters in the name of protecting the trees. > “You can be working on your health, and you can still be an avid Lions fan,” said Kelsey Brancoforte, a Health Coach with Teladoc Health [Health coach offers strategies to keep wellness top of mind during football game watch partiesWith Detroit Lions fans on a high, some Health Coaches want to make sure people are staying on track with their fitness goals.![](https://www.clickondetroit.com/pf/resources/images/wdiv/favicon.ico?d=636)WDIV ClickOnDetroitDemond Fernandez![](https://res.cloudinary.com/graham-media-group/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/c_thumb,w_700/v1/arc-cf/01-24-2024/t_fbc0ae5c48514c879cf9f5f6b7c4d4cd_name_image.jpg?_a=ATAPphC0)](https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2024/01/24/health-coach-offers-strategies-to-keep-wellness-top-of-mind-during-football-game-watch-parties/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Big Ag is Killing Us URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/big-ag-is-killing-us/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:42:43.000Z ### I Think It's Time to Go Organic, but the USDA Makes It Very Difficult by Allowing Dishonest Food Labeling . . . at the Behest of Big Ag and to the Detriment of American Citizens My doctor takes a sane approach. During consultation, he discusses nutrition, weight loss, and exercise, but has no objection to prescribing drugs if that's what the situation merits. My blood numbers are very good across the board, except for a cholesterol reading that, given my family history, is a bit high. He said he thinks I should go on a low-dose statin, but he agreed with my objection: "There are a lot of potential side effects." He said he's not a big fan of statins and thinks they might be over-prescribed, but sometimes, he said, the situation calls for them. He said I'm a close call, to do my own research, and he'd respect whatever I decide since either choice (statin or no statin) is a reasonable option in my situation. He also suggested I drop 5-10 more pounds and cut out all processed food, including all ordinary meat and dairy. He said everything he sees and reads indicates that *truly* organic meat and dairy could make a big difference and I would have a shot at beating the cholesterol without statins, which is by far the best option. He said he doubts organic vegetables make much difference, but since I grow my own, I should continue; it probably helps a little. The problem is, however, the USDA and Big Ag. Americans are increasingly aware that processed foods are killing them, so they're willing to pay more for organic. Big Ag sees the trend, so Big Ag has convinced the USDA to allow them to label things as "organic" when they're not really organic. It's a *huge* problem, and just one of the many ways that the federal government has become a gang of bandits that, literally, kill Americans if it serves their true bosses: big business. **Solution**: Only buy products if you can see the chickens, turkeys, and cows behind the store or food stand. Or only if you know the provider personally. Or, maybe, if you can confirm that the grocery chain does its own research to confirm that its products are good (like Trader Joe's apparently does, though I'm not sure it certifies whether its goods are truly organic). [Oiling the Chicken MachineGarth Brown at The New Atlantis![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1553531010-4e5d066a7ca7?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE3fHxjaGlja2VuJTIwZmFybXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDA5MTk2ODJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/oiling-the-chicken-machine/) ### A Life of Exploring in One's Own Corner of the World URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-single-small-map-is-enough-for-a-lifetime/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T13:55:17.000Z For more than 20 years, my favorite thing has been to leave *here* behind, with all its ties and routines. To hit the road and make my way to *there*. I get twitchy being in one place for too long. I have been lucky enough to cycle a lap of the planet, row and sail the Atlantic, hike across southern India and trek over Arctic ice and Arabian sands. A spin of the globe and off I go on the open road. Home was for family, friends and real life, not for exploration and adventure. However, my mood has shifted, like many people’s. With the climate in chaos, I can’t justify flying all over the globe for fun anymore, burning jet fuel and spewing carbon for selfies. It feels particularly inappropriate to write books that encourage everyone to get out and explore. If I love wild places so much, I’ve begun to wonder, am I willing to *not* visit them in order to help protect them? Flying to distant lands is still a rare luxury. Only a tiny minority of the people on the planet step onto a plane each year; just 1% of us take more than half of all flights. How can more of us enjoy wild landscapes and the mental and physical benefits of getting out into nature without it costing the Earth? I started writing about “microadventures” more than a decade ago: encouraging people to undertake weekend bike rides, overnight camps and wild swims close to home. Grand adventures shouldn’t just be for people with the time and money to cross continents. Neither should wild places only be for the lucky few with national parks on their doorstep, or those who have the freedom — so often affected by gender, race and other factors — to explore. Family life also curtailed my own expeditions in recent years, while of course adding many delights. The never-ending merry-go-round of childcare and chores settled us in a less adventurous neck of the woods than I’d ever imagined for myself, on the fringes of a city in an unassuming landscape, pocked by a glow of sodium lights and the rush of busy roads. It is a strange, in-between edge-land: There are fields but factories too. There are villages and farms, train tracks and tower blocks. I don’t like it. My family does though, and I like them. That’s reason enough. I’d much rather live in their world than alone in mine. Even so, I developed a tendency to blame the area for most of my frustrations, despite being aware of the paradise paradox — the false belief that a picture-perfect place will solve all your problems. “I hoped to see things I would not ordinarily come across. I decided to treat everything as interesting.”[Facebook](https://www.noemamag.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#facebook)[Twitter](https://www.noemamag.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#twitter)[Email](https://www.noemamag.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#email) I felt a need to reconcile my enthusiasm for exploration with my decidedly unadventurous local environment. One morning I set down a heavy laundry basket on top of piles of homework scattered over the kitchen table, carried a pair of abandoned cereal bowls to the dishwasher, and wondered: What if this bog-standard corner of England was actually full of surprises if only I bothered to go out and look? Maybe the things I’ve chased from India to Iceland — adventure, nature, wildness, surprises, silence, perspective — were here too? The first step was to get a map. Ordnance Survey, Britain’s national mapping agency, divides the whole country into 403 “Explorer” maps at 1:25,000 scale, meaning that 1 kilometer of land is represented by 4 centimeters of map. You can order a customized map with your own home right in the middle. I visited the O.S. website, zoomed in on where I lived, and clicked “Buy Now.” A couple of days later, I met the postman at the door and eagerly carried the envelope across the garden to an old log outside my shed, where I could spread out the map. Unfolding a map is a ritual that launches all good journeys. I ran my hands over it to flatten its creases. It showed an area totaling just 20 square kilometers, a tiny place. The map was divided into 400 individual grid squares, outlined in light blue — a single square kilometer each. I could comfortably walk the perimeter of any square in about an hour. Each week, I decided, I would explore one of those squares in detail, doing my best to see everything there, to walk or cycle every footpath and street, and to learn as much as I could along the way. I wanted it to be serendipitous, not governed by my preferences. I hoped to see things I would not ordinarily come across. I decided to treat everything as interesting. The late [Terry Pratchett](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2FZ%5F0d3yEI&list=PLGTOFZa6hq1b0p7wVQWgxXbtvwIWqUMBZ&index=2&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) once gave a lecture on “the importance of being amazed about absolutely everything,” which felt like a fitting mission statement. **Read the rest** [A Single Small Map Is Enough For A Lifetime | NOEMAWhat if this bog-standard corner of England is actually full of adventure, nature, wildness, surprises, silence, perspective — if only I bothered to go out and look?![](https://www.noemamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/cropped-ms-icon-310x310-1-180x180.png)NOEMAAlastair Humphreys![](https://noemamag.imgix.net/2024/01/Flickr-50572604912-scaled.jpg?fit=crop&fm=pjpg&h=628&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1200&wpsize=noema-social-facebook&s=169c5d7a98b5db099a28847953e8b5f4)](https://www.noemamag.com/a-single-small-map-is-enough-for-a-lifetime/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Spending in Ways that Further the Evil Empire of Hudge and Gudge URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/keep-your-money-close/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T13:55:54.000Z [Don’t Kill Hudge and Gudge by Thinking Like Hudge and Gudge Writ SmallThe struggle to reconcile our use of Amazon with our hatred of big corporations is a constant mental, even emotional, struggle, especially when facts like this are plopped in front of us: Money is power, and companies like Amazon suck this economic power out of local communities and concentrate it![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-Economics.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-kill-hudge-and-gudge-by-acting-like-hudge-and-gudge-writ-small/) I hate online shopping. It feels artificial and mechanistic. There isn’t even the tactile experience of swiping a card or tapping it before receiving a bag to heft as I walk out of the store. It’s also overwhelming: there’s always another slightly different option that might be slightly better than the option I have in my virtual cart. At the same time, it’s uninspiring, like walking through the world’s largest dollar store: tons of options but very few things I actually want to own. I hate in-person shopping even more. It’s inconvenient. When I need notebooks or underwear or shoes, I find myself torn between shuffling work assignments so I can go during the day or hauling my kids to the store after work, when everyone is tired. It’s also irritating: stores carry fewer items than they used to, meaning that after visiting a brick-and-mortar building I often end up ordering online anyway. I know some people like to shop. I’m not one of them (except for books). For me, the pull to online shopping was already strong, and then the Covid pandemic hit. Now, I find myself tempted to order everything from hand soap to coloring books to a new couch on Amazon and get it delivered right to my door. But more and more, I find myself wondering what giving in to that temptation is really costing me. What am I giving up when I hand my money over to Amazon in exchange for fast delivery and a wide range of mediocre goods? And why do I feel a stab of guilt when I hit that “buy now” button, even when the purchase is a responsible one, meaning it is built into my budget and is something my family needs? It’s not just me; I’ve talked with a number of people who admit to feeling anything from sheepish to downright ashamed about their reliance on Amazon. There’s a reason for that: this isn’t the way buying and selling is supposed to be. What have we lost? Some criticisms of online shopping focus on how it feeds our materialism, the excessive accumulation of unnecessary goods. That’s certainly an element of it. It’s also true that far too many junky things are being traded cheaply while genuine skills such as woodworking, metalworking, and appliance repair are disappearing. But that’s not all. When we acquire so many of our goods through one or two massive suppliers via the internet, we’re losing the experience of a basic human interaction: the tie of trade. Trade is more than a transaction. Selling is more than supplying. And money is more than a ticket to getting stuff. Scripture spends a seemingly inordinate amount of time on economic issues. Money and trade permeate even the teachings of Christ, who uses basic economics – trade, price, investments, etc. – in eleven of his parables to help his listeners understand the kingdom of heaven. [Read the rest](https://www.plough.com/en/topics/justice/social-justice/economic-justice/keep-your-money-close?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Don't Crowd Me URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/38009/ Last updated: 2024-02-24T15:16:25.000Z A few years ago, I went to my local high school's first home football game. Afterwards, I was exhausted. I mean, absolutely exhausted, like I had lead around my shoulders. I'd had a hard week at work, but the level of exhaustion was something else. I realized the next day that I frequently have that feeling after returning home from many hours among crowds in my town. I don't have the same feeling if I spend hours in, say, Chicago or New York, but spending hours in stands filled with friends, acquaintances, neighbors, people from church, my kids' teachers, etc. and etc.? Exhausting. And it puts me in a bad mood. Or, more precisely, puts me in a different frame of mind that I don't find pleasant, like it somehow upsets my (albeit limited) equanimity. I can't really explain it. I don't come home with bad thoughts about anyone in particular, but my disposition in general is soured. My distaste for crowds doesn't rise to the level of agoraphobia, but it's nonetheless a pretty sharp distaste. I don't like it and I don't know where it comes from (Do I dislike people? Am I weird? Am I so self-conscious (vain) that I'm constantly on edge when others can see me?), but I can't help it: like it or not, when I come back from an event with crowds, I'm out of sorts. A few weeks later, I was going through my highlightings in Seneca's letters. I remembered his comments about crowds and they gave me no small degree of comfort: > \[W\]hat you should regard as especially to be avoided? I say, crowds. . . \[When I go out among crowds\] I never bring back home the same character that I took abroad with me. . . . To consort with the crowd is harmful; there is no person who does not make some vice attractive to us, or stamp it upon us, or taint us unconsciously therewith. . . . I come home more greedy, more ambitious, more voluptuous, and even more cruel and inhuman, because I have been among human beings. So I guess if I'm weird, I take comfort knowing I stand in company with the great Seneca. (Aside: I speculate that my internal look while I'm among crowds parallels the look on Seneca's face in the above picture.) Seneca, incidentally, explained why crowds aren't good for virtue. I think he's at least partly right: > Much harm is done by a single case of indulgence or greed; the familiar friend, if he be luxurious, weakens and softens us imperceptibly; the neighbour, if he be rich, rouses our covetousness; the companion, if he be slanderous, rubs off some of his rust upon us, even though we be spotless and sincere. What then do you think the effect will be on character, when the world at large assaults it! ### Localism without Fundamentalism URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/localism-without-nostalgia/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T13:56:18.000Z [Localism without FundamentalismWe can applaud yesterday’s small towns without worshipping them. We can appreciate the local without demonizing the central. But we also need to insist that today’s progressives applaud yesterday and that today’s centralizing gnostics respect the local. I’m afraid those just aren’t going to happen, so we’re left with the![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-Localism.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/localism-without-fundamentalism/) > *These summers were long ago, so long ago that cigarettes were given to high school students by cigarette companies as a way to get them started and hooked; so long ago nobody had televisions and there were shows on the radio to listen to in the nights, back when portable radios cost an arm and a leg and took close to four pounds of batteries just to keep the tubes going for an hour and a half; and African-American people were kept from voting in the South and other places and did not have schools they could attend except for shacks. So very long ago that a teacher could – and often did – take a hardwood cane to a wiseass student (it made welts that last a week), and there were dress codes and curfews and tent revival meetings in the middle of town, and almost no drugs except what doctors prescribed and not a glimmer of the horror of AIDS, and all the streams and lakes in the north had not been fished out by greedy people.* That’s Gary Paulson, of *Hatchet* fame, writing about his boyhood in northern Minnesota. Paulson was born in 1939, so the summers in question would have been in the forties and fifties. The list strikes me. First, there’s a bad thing (cigarette companies); then there’s a good thing (no TVs), an inconvenient thing (four pounds of batteries); another bad thing (segregation); some debatable things (dress codes and curfews and revival meetings); a good thing (no drugs); and another good thing (streams full of fish). The list strikes me because it sounds like exactly the right way to think about the past. A lot of localists like thinking about the past, not least because they think the past was more local, and therefore better. Now, anybody who likes thinking about the past faces one of two temptations, and it’s obvious what they are. The first is to see the bad things but not the good things, while the second is to see the good things but not the bad things. We might say that progressives are more prone to the first, while conservatives are more prone to the second. And it seems equally obvious that the right way is instead to take the past for what it is, as a mixed bag, and to keep that list whole in our minds. Thomas Jefferson is said to have made his own Bible by cutting out all the parts he didn’t like. (That’s right: it was a Hole-y Bible*.*) This is exactly what we shouldn’t do with the past, which isn’t exactly holy, but does need to be kept whole. Localists don’t have to be nostalgic conservatives, but they often are, for the simple reason mentioned above. That people in the past lived more locally seems pretty indisputable, at least as a generalization. But we ought to think in more detail about whether and in what ways those more local lives were also better lives. Wendell Berry frequently insists on “a full accounting.” Most “progress,” he points out, seems like progress only when we leave out the costs. Surely the same must be true of the past. The past will always look better than the present to a critic of progress, because the past is where the latest costs of progress haven’t yet been felt. Well, the past needs a full accounting too. Localists, who rightly look to the past because it was more local, need not and should not look past the bad parts of those more local lives in order to show that smaller is better. If we cut the past up and use the parts we keep to win arguments, we end up with arguments full of holes. We either hold the past together, or our politics falls apart. For example, I’ve recently noticed among my more conservative students a growing impulse to redeem that first item on Paulson’s list and Make Smoking Great Again (if you will). Now, few people despise the public health Machine more than I do. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more sympathetic audience for youthful rebellions against the Nanny State, lamentations for lost arts and rituals, polemics against hygenicist perfectionism and the cult of medicalized health, and appreciations of all the ways in which smoking together helped build good relations between strangers and friends alike. I’m fully prepared to believe that “[We used terrible science to justify smoking bans](https://slate.com/technology/2017/02/secondhand-smoke-isnt-as-bad-as-we-thought.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com),” and that smoking bans had their downsides. But I’m not prepared to believe that it was therefore good for Philip Morris to hand out cigarettes to high school students. We have to be able to hold all the different true things together in our minds. Otherwise, we’ll just keep running back and forth between the CDC, which wants to protect us from Philip Morris, and Philip Morris, which wants to liberate us from the CDC. Just because the kids who had cigarettes didn’t have televisions doesn’t mean it was good that they had cigarettes. I want a localism that sets itself squarely against nostalgia. There are all kinds of bad things in the past, even in parts of the past that often prompt localists to feel particularly nostalgic. We recently finished reading the *Little House on the Prairie* books to our kids. It’s just the sort of story that often resonates with localists of the FPR type, and there are obvious reasons for that. You don’t get much more local than the little house and the little town in the middle of nowhere. It’s a whole sensibility: Ma baking bread, horses pulling wagons, sunsets on the snow, Pa playing fiddle in the evenings, self-reliance and neighborliness. And we read the story to our kids because we love that sensibility and want them to catch it early. But there are also things in *Little House* that we wouldn’t want them to catch. **Read the rest** [Localism without Nostalgia - Front Porch RepublicLet’s have a localism without nostalgia, a practical but also a faithful localism. As localists let’s be committed to an accurate accounting of the checkered past that grounds our hope.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicAdam Smith![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Cannon-Falls-Maih-Street-1940s_740x.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/01/localism-without-nostalgia/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### 2024: 800-Year Anniversary of the Franciscans' Arrival in England URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/2024-800-year-anniversary-of-the-franciscans-arrival-in-england/ Last updated: 2024-04-21T12:55:52.000Z > The year 2024 marks the eight-hundredth anniversary of the arrival in England of the Friars Minor, sent personally by Saint Francis of Assisi, and the establishment of England’s first Franciscan friary in Canterbury in 1224\. The Franciscans followed the Dominicans, who had already arrived in England in 1221, and both groups of mendicants targeted major urban areas for their revolutionary mission of preaching, pastoral care for the poor, and encouraging learning. [The Lamp Magazine | Lead and BrassOn medieval Bury St Edmunds.![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/favicons/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png?w=152&h=152&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1674591075&s=adf9080089d297b8ae3f5af7a13366a6)The Lamp MagazineRead![](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/lamp-magazine/production/uploads/Screen-Shot-2024-02-01-at-1.21.12-PM.png?w=1200&h=630&q=82&auto=format&fit=crop&dm=1706811679&s=b09cbeb84eab44f634b8d798b5cb96fb)](https://thelampmagazine.com/issues/issue-21/lead-and-brass?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Botoxing Beauty URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/botoxing-the-beauty-out-of-our-lives/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T13:56:45.000Z 💡 [****This "non-story" appeared yesterday at** ***Catholic365** **.**](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35204/botoxing-the-beauty-out-of-our-lives.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Practical problems require darker powers. The British writer G.K. Chesterton made that observation a hundred years ago, noting that people have always a "secret and perverse feeling that the darker powers would really do things." A corollary idea came with that feeling: the darker powers require something ugly or unworthy to obtain their assistance. They require us to do a "monkey trick." We today have an intensely practical problem: we're not immortal. We're turning to the ugly to deal with it. --- ### Pretty Celebrities are Ruining Their Faces Our culture fears death so much, we'd rather look like ghouls than accept aging. The pretty Erin Moriarty destroyed her looks with surgery, and she's only 29\. [Why is everyone getting bad plastic surgery?The proliferation of cosmetic procedures raises a lot of questions about how our society views aging and mortality![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldAmber Duke![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/sidebyside_b90b4b.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/newsletter/everyone-getting-bad-plastic-surgery-culture-shock-01-17-2024/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) It seems like all female (and many male) celebrities are using Botox and other monkey tricks so they don't look like they're aging. After all, they're celebrities. They mustn't look like they're getting closer to the thing that their fans dread most: death. They'd rather look ugly than look older, even if "older" only means 40 . . . or 30\. If a fan feels a twinge of mortality when looking at her, the fan might fall away. So celebrities turn to Botox and fillers. --- ### The Rest of Society is Abandoning the Beautiful These monkey tricks are now spreading to the rest of our culture, [says the *Spectator's* Amber Duke](https://thespectator.com/newsletter/everyone-getting-bad-plastic-surgery-culture-shock-01-17-2024/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It makes sense. We see these unnatural and non-aging faces plastered all over our media, so we want to look like them. No matter that they're ugly. No matter that they make a face less natural and therefore intuitively less appealing to the person in front of you. No matter that Botox limits the use of facial muscles, [which can impair a mother's interaction with her baby](https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/good-morning-show/can-botox-negatively-impact-mom-and-baby-emotional-bond/83-223535586?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). > “(Botox) likely does limit and distort parent-infant communication, possibly making the parent look ‘flat’ emotionally,” Dr. Ed Tronick, associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts, told CNN [over a decade](https://www.cnn.com/2012/09/20/living/botox-moms/index.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ago. “Facial expressions for parents and young children are really critical ways in which we communicate our intentions or whether we’re angry or sad, and that involves this very complex array of all the muscles that go into making facial expressions. So if you limit that range of expression, especially with very young children who are really attuned to reading facial expressions, then you limit the amount of information, the amount of emotion that you communicate using a facial expression.” And now even girls in their early teens are obsessing about not aging. Makeup retailers are "swarmed with girls under the age of thirteen looking for expensive makeup and skincare products that are created with adults in mind." The products--Retinol, Vitamin C, exfoliates--are simply too harsh for such young skin, but parents are "[giving in](https://www.buzzfeed.com/meganeliscomb/sephora-kids-gen-alpha?origin=web-hf&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to their little girls rather than steering them toward more developmentally appropriate hobbies." --- ### If We Neglect Truth, Goodness, or Beauty, the Other Two Suffer The theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar worked hard to revive our culture's appreciation for beauty. Beauty, he noted, had long been neglected by our Western culture, in favor of her transcendental sisters, goodness and truth. The problem with such neglect, Balthasar explored, is that, if beauty is ignored, goodness and truth suffer. All three need to be healthy and vibrant. As our culture has increasingly shut out the truth of death, as well as the goodness of a full existence that can only be found on the other side of the Door, we have lost our appreciation for beauty. It started at the top, taking down our prettiest people. Now it is ravaging the rest of a society that fears death and is willing to resort to the monkey trick of Botox instead of facing it. ### A Gay Guy, a Jew, and a Catholic Go into a Bar . . . No, Not Really. I Was Just Kidding. URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52611/ Last updated: 2024-02-20T14:01:22.000Z It's here: Flat-out speech prohibition, even in private conversations that take place in one's house: [Norway has criminalized hate speech against transgender people](https://www.reuters.com/article/norway-lgbt-lawmaking/norway-outlaws-hate-speech-against-trans-people-idUSKBN2852DL?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). A “transgression” can land you in jail for a year . . and three years if the transgression occurs in public. If you don't think it could happen, you don't watch Canada and you don't read the legal opinions of the SCOTUS Lockstep Left: Breyer, Kagan, Sotomayer (there has never been a block that votes so robotically with one another, but that's another matter). In Canada, you just need a few more years of Justin Trudeau. In the United States, we just have to find an emergency of some sort. We're inclined to fling our First Amendment rights out the window for a virus with an overall death rate below 1%. Do you really think we'll demand our right to tell gay jokes if, say, we're in a war and the MSM tells us that our last line of defense is a crack team of cross-dressers who need our emotional support? Indeed, the Left has made it known that they'd love to outlaw certain types of speech. President-Elect Joe Biden has called for speech controls and recently appointed a transition head for agency media issues that is [one of the most pronounced anti-free speech figures in the United States](https://jonathanturley.org/2020/11/17/all-speech-is-not-equal-biden-taps-anti-free-speech-figure-for-transition-lead-on-media-agency/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It is a trend that seems now to be find support in the media, which celebrated the speech of French President Emmanuel Macron before Congress where [he called on the United States to follow the model of Europe on hate speech.](https://jonathanturley.org/2018/04/29/europes-invasive-species-we-should-keep-macrons-oak-and-send-back-his-speech-limits/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) I think we're okay for now. Five our justices are still solid on the First Amendment, and even Roberts isn't ready to jettison the First Amendment entirely. He'll need to attend a few more Beltway cocktail parties before he's corrupted to that point. ### BYCU URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-32/ Last updated: 2024-01-19T11:32:13.000Z ## 2024 Doesn't Look Good for Beer ### 2023 wasn't good either. Beer continues to lose share to spirits, but it's nice to see Pabst did well. [On tap in 2024: More Modelo, tequila, canned cocktails, whiskey and non-boozy beveragesNew celebrity booze in 2024: Chris Stapleton’s Traveller Whiskey, Rolling Stones’ Crossfire Hurricane rum and Rod Stewart’s Wolfie’s Whisky.![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/gannett-web/properties/usatoday/logos-and-branding/logo-icon.png)USA TODAY, USA TODAY![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2023/07/10/USAT/b9271f19-d9ce-4eaa-8c33-88fd8a00b87c-GTY_1498503625.jpg?auto=webp&crop=4425,2490,x0,y364&format=pjpg&width=1200)](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/01/14/beer-tequila-whiskey-non-alcoholic-drinks-2024/72167434007/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## But That's Not Stopping a Clothing Designer from Jumping into It ### The reason: "Eating is activism." It's a regenerative agriculture thing. Of course. [Why Patagonia Is Getting Into The Beer BusinessPatagonia Provisions was established as a division of Patagonia to promote regenerative agriculture and to promote food and beverages made from regenerative crops.![](https://i.forbesimg.com/48X48-F.png)ForbesDon Tse![](https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/659b0f1a993c9438e44a57c4/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&height=900&width=1600&fit=bounds)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/dontse/2024/01/10/why-patagonia-is-getting-into-the-beer-business/?sh=7c2222296b95&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Yikes. If This Doesn't Drive Folks Back to Beer, Nothing Will [Award-winning sheep’s milk vodka to make U.S. launch in Lexington, plans productionThis new rare spirit first took innovation to a new level overseas and is now looking to do so here in the Bluegrass.![](https://s.yimg.com/rz/l/favicon.ico)Yahoo NewsJanet Patton![](https://media.zenfs.com/en/lexington_herald_leader_mcclatchy_articles_314/365d9b53972c018f4ad3a39b8573e80c)](https://news.yahoo.com/award-winning-sheep-milk-vodka-110000073.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Exactly. That's Why You Use the Larger Glasses [Removing large wine measures cuts drinking by 7.6% in studyWith the largest measure off the menu, 7.6% less volume of wine was sold daily, researchers found.![](https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/icons/windows-phone/news/windows-phone-icon-270x270.23502b4459eb7a6ab2ab.png)BBC NewsAurelia FosterHealth reporter, BBC News![](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/10B22/production/_132368386_wine-index-getty.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/news/health-67993025?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Hanging Out is a Rebuke to the Left Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hanging-out-is-a-rebuke-to-the-left-hemisphere/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:43:12.000Z America has a crisis: Young people aren't wasting enough time with one another. The result? Depression, suicide, and general malaise are up. Happiness is down. I've long chided my kids, especially my daughters, for making "hanging out" a priority. In my left-hemispheric world, hanging out serves no purpose so it's not important. I was terribly wrong. It's because hanging out serves no purpose that it is important. To my credit, I've always known that. It's a central tenet of James Schall's *The Unseriousness of Human Affairs*, so I was never a complete jerk about it, but I nonetheless suggested to my kids that socializing should be pretty far down the rungs on the ladder of priorities. But in a left-hemispheric culture, the act of hanging out with friends is incredibly important. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/02/Left-Hemisphere-Raison-1.png) Friends are useless. Friends aren't there to be manipulated. Friends, therefore, are a rebuke to the left hemisphere, unless you are "social networking," in which case, you're a traitor to humanity (committing what T.S. Eliot called the "greatest treason": doing the right thing, for the wrong reason). Hanging out, therefore, is a form of counter-conduct. Counter-conduct, remember, is any conduct that defies the left hemisphere. The left hemisphere is so obnoxious and powerful, you can't beat it down too often. And it doesn't even need to be difficult. You can simply chill out with a few friends. The fact that Americans refuse (are unable to bring themselves) to hang out with others has risen starkly in the past forty years? It's just more evidence that the left hemisphere is getting more powerful, picking up steam in this era of late-stage left hemispherism. [Why Are We So Metaphysically Beleaguered?He said the contemporary individual is “metaphysically beleaguered.” He said the modern man is alienated. Instead of being connected to others and higher realities through communities, he is tossed about in “vast institutions and organizations” that fragment him and leave him “existentially missing in action.”![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Why-are-we-so-metaph-bel.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55860/) [Gift Article: Why Americans Suddenly Stopped Hanging OutToo much aloneness is creating a crisis of social fitness.![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/_next/static/images/apple-touch-icon-152x152-aafde20dd981a38fcd549b29b2b3b785.png)The AtlanticDerek Thompson![](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/thumbor/0HzHug-oYlHCXYdviIFmCiJMoGk=/0x102:4792x2598/1200x625/media/img/mt/2024/02/HR_NYC136246/original.jpg)](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/02/america-decline-hanging-out/677451/?gift=Vldr1EADnz3JyUKZd1CUWZQf6ENRWaFgZ7K9%5FsVWlow&utm%5Fsource=copy-link&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fcampaign=share) ### Maisie Ward, Gilbert Keith Chesterton URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/maisie-ward-gilbert-keith-chesterton/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:43:34.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Ben Franklin and the Mouse URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52721/ Last updated: 2024-02-18T13:01:36.000Z #### How I finally accepted multi-tasking It had been there for years, but I had never noticed it. Until one morning when I found myself with a telephone receiver tucked under my neck while I talked with an acquaintance, a computer mouse in my hand while I surfed the Internet, and a pile of snail mail in front of me that I scanned between web page downloads. My power of attention had suffered a serious blow and I didn't even see it coming. I suddenly realized: The much-vaunted act of multi-tasking had settled in me. It unnerved me a bit, so I watched myself for a few weeks and discovered that I could hardly do anything without wanting to do something else at the same time. Sure, there were exceptions. Sex, for instance, could still keep my attention. I'm guessing an armed robber with a psychotic laugh and an AK47 could, too. I could also stay focused when checking my investments. So sex, fear, and money. Those things could demand single-task attention. But in nearly all other activities, the urge to be doing another thing at the same time was there. # Why do we multitask? I don't know when it started. I think I've had the multitasking disposition for years. Even back in college, when leisure was life, I kinda liked doing laundry because I could study at the same time. I'm guessing multi-tasking was stamped on my upbringing. It isn't surprising. I'm an American, and I was raised with conventional American ideas of good living, like a penny saved is a penny earned, God helps them that help themselves, and never leave until tomorrow that which you can do today. Those, of course, are Franklinisms. Ben also wrote, “Lose no time, be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary action” and “Time is money.” His little sayings gave us, to borrow from D.H. Lawrence's observation, “the pattern American,” one concerned with cleanliness, orderliness, and industriousness. Over fifty years later, de Tocqueville would marvel at Americans' pre-occupation with efficiency and practicality. In the twentieth century, George Santayana would observe that the American is obsessed with money and “is practical as against the poet, and worldly as against the clear philosopher.” Multi-tasking is as American as General Motors. It's terribly efficient: If we do many tasks at once, we get more done. If we get more done, we make more money. Perfect. Of course, *stupid* multi-tasking can actually cost us time. It's the old “haste makes waste” phenomenon. If you drive down the road while searching in the back seat for your socks, you're probably gonna end up costing yourself a lot of time at the hospital, repair shop, and courtroom. But ordinary multi-tasking – talking with a friend on the phone while doing the stair stepper and listening to the TV news – that's time-efficiency heaven. I'm guessing Old Ben would have loved it. Back then, though, multitasking wasn't feasible. When you had to harness a horse, you had to work: with your attention and your muscles. I betcha Ben tried to harness his horses while barking orders to his servants and taking notes for an essay, but he probably stepped in manure. # Technology: Gas on a Natural Fire Technology has taken away the manure. I recently heard of a guy who orders a bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon while the head on his Guinness settles. Back in the old days, before bottled beer, he would have had to wait three minutes before getting his buzz started. Even though technology makes multi-tasking more feasible, I believe the temptation to multi-task has always been with us. The most amazing multi-tasking ever comes from the life of **G.K. Chesterton**, a very laid-back and decidedly un-technological fellow living at the turn of the century. They say he could dictate a book to his secretary while writing an article with his hands. Even Sybil couldn't do that. Rich people have always had the ability to multitask. They could make their servants do something while they did something else. That time-honored form of multi-tasking was one of the best because you could tilt the tasking in your favor: “Josh, you go clean out the stable while I make love to my wife.” Today, we can all be as good at multi-tasking as Josh's master. Sure, my wife gets a little annoyed when I take a cell phone call during an intimate moment and is liable to cut off my multi-tasking (as well as other things), but the point is: It is possible, thanks to the technological advances over the past fifty years. I think technology brought us the first group of effective multi-taskers: the housewives of the Ozzie and Harriet era from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s. The housewives could launder, cook, clean, and give instructions to the children at the same time. It wouldn't have been possible without the affordable appliances the post-war economy cranked out. Sex could still keep my attention. But was all that efficient multi-tasking a good thing? Did it possibly lead to bad things? The harried housewife, perhaps? The caricatured mother with the phone ringing, the baby crying, the pot boiling over, the laundry on the floor, a pistol in her hand and pointed at her head? Did it contribute to Betty Friedan's *The Feminine Mystique* and the subsequent flooding of the marketplace with a female workforce? # The Effects? The media maven of the 1960s, **Marshall McLuhan**, consistently hammered home one point: *The media is the message*. What did he mean by this? Precisely: All forms of media (defined as things that enhance our abilities) have an effect on us. Moreover, they often affect us in ways we don't perceive. The mere act of absorbing images and sounds from TV, for instance, changes how we think and live in ways we don't see. The thing we're conscious of--the content we've selected, The History Channel or MTV--is largely irrelevant. When I found myself constantly desiring to multi-task at the office, it startled me. When I sat back and started watching myself, discovering that I had the urge to fill every moment of the day with two or more functions, it disgusted me. Then during those days when I was watching myself, I discovered that I was scarcely able to read a book for more than five minutes without looking up and checking my e-mail or favorite websites and message boards, or without calling to my children to see how they are doing, or without doing something to break up my reading. A favorite pastime had stealthily become arduous. It scared me. My power of attention had suffered a serious blow and I didn't even see it coming. Looking back, I know my multi-tasking obsession with my Internet connection caused it (or at least contributed mightily to it). McLuhan would knowingly chuckle to hear my story. But I wasn't chuckling. The crippling of my power of attention was frightening. In addition, I recalled **Simone Weil**'s observation that, *“In the intellectual order, the virtue of humility is nothing more nor less than the power of attention.”* If multi-tasking cripples the power of attention, does it also cripple humility, the first of the virtues, and its close sibling, concern for the other? If I return a call to a friend from my car even though the reception will probably be poor and I'm liable to lose the signal, am I placing efficiency first or him? When we surf the Internet while talking to someone on the phone, are we showing him or her much concern? When that first generation of multi-taskers, the housewives, fled for the office, were they thinking of themselves or their children? Efficiency and the things it brings – control, money, success – is the American way, but that doesn't make it the right way. Do we go for efficiency and control, or do we go for others and humility? Whether we know it or not, we confront that particular question dozens of time each day, with the urge to multi-task and otherwise. On it rests the difference between a good life and a poor life. Perhaps also between salvation and hell. As for me, I'll continue to multitask. I'm too much of a Ben Franklin American not to, and there's nothing inherently evil about it. But I am going to scale back and use discretion, approaching it like I might a cabinet of fine liquor on a free Friday night. And the next time I stop to smell the flowers, it won't be with a cell phone in my ear. ### Give Me Nothingness or Give Me Nothing at All URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/give-me-nothingness-or-give-me-nothing-at-all/ Last updated: 2024-02-18T13:01:14.000Z Last Friday evening, I was supposed to meet friends at the Hillcrest Lounge shortly after 5:00. I got there at 5:10 and ordered a drink. The others were delayed, so I sat there for over twenty minutes, looking out the window. Other than Ted Nugent on the jukebox, I didn’t know anyone there. It was just me and my glass. I normally get antsy in such a situation, but not this time. I was content, which I found peculiar. After a few minutes, I understood the source of my contentment: I was sitting with nothingness. Nothingness has a revered history. The morning Hilaire Belloc decided to walk the Roman road (the pilgrimage that led to [*The Path to Rome*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5923.The%5FPath%5Fto%5FRome?from%5Fsearch=true&from%5Fsrp=true&qid=rrTtXfliwJ&rank=1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) he says he passed his beloved horse “Monster,” who was just standing there “regarding nothingness.” Belloc also wrote a collection of essays called *On Nothing*. His friend G.K. Chesterton referred to “the most precious, the most-consoling, the most pure and holy, the noble habit of doing nothing at all.”In his modern classic, [*On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1657738.On%5Fthe%5FUnseriousness%5Fof%5FHuman%5FAffairs?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), James Schall devotes an entire chapter to the virtues of wasting time, saying at one point, “We need time-out-of-time, the time that passes without our noticing.” What’s so special about nothingness? Why do these writers praise it? I think there are two related reasons. First, the primary thing missing in nothingness is yourself. Think about me at the Hillcrest Lounge. Why do I normally get antsy in such situations? It’s hard to say, but all the possible reasons are filled with self-regard: I am annoyed that the others are late, I feel funny sitting there by myself, I want someone to talk to. But when you’re sitting with nothingness, everything, including yourself, is set aside. Nothingness is also different. Most days are filled with “stuff”: chores, goals, worries, rushing, whatever. Its moments are molested, by us and others, pushed and pulled and yanked. Not left alone. When moments are abandoned, like me sitting by myself, the resulting nothingness contrasts sharply with the rest of life. The thing about nothingness, though, is that in nothingness, there is something. Grace. When we’re doing nothing, grace feels invited. It’s almost as if grace is weak and tired: it doesn’t want to go where there’s hustle and bustle. It doesn’t want to exert much energy by pushing through obstacles. It prefers to rest in quiet fields where nothing is happening. And while there, grace imparts its benefits to the person who created the field of nothingness. St. Thomas Aquinas, citing Wisdom 8:30, once wrote that the leisure of contemplation allows Divine Wisdom to play throughout the world. Eight hundred years later, one of St. Thomas’ greatest modern followers, Joseph Pieper, channeling his inner-Taoist, once wrote that leisure is a “non-activity, an inner absence of preoccupation, a calm, an ability to let things go, to be quiet” and that such leisure is “the necessary preparation for accepting reality; only the person who is still can hear, and whoever is not still, cannot hear.” Allowing Divine Wisdom to play, accepting reality, being able to hear. All these things are different ways of describing grace working in us. And all of them come to the person who is still, quiet, not preoccupied. Who, in other words, welcomes nothingness. God bless the nothingness. Scratch that: God blesses the nothingness. [The Nothing Desire“The poor monk is lord of world.” St. John Climacus Bruno was a rising star of eleventh-century European culture. A master of the cathedral school (the precursor to the university) of Rheims, he taught grammar, poetry, philosophy and theology. He became head of Rheims by age thirty. The most prom…![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/10/La_Grande_Chartreuse.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-nothing-desire/) ### Propaganda and Love of the Ugly URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/propaganda-uglification/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T13:57:10.000Z [Dalrymple on the WNBAAnthony Daniels aims at three of my favorite targets: (1) The relentless propaganda to push the WNBA on the populace (but in Daniels’ case, he marvels at the propaganda to push female soccer in Europe), (2) tattoo culture, and (3) ugly buildings (“brutalism”). Underlying these three seemingly disparate things: A![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/01/Briefly-machines.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-40/) Sometimes I think (or is it feel?) that we are living in a propaganda state, not like that of North Korea, of course, in which the source of a univocal doctrine is clear and unmistakable, but one in which we are constantly under bombardment by an opinion-forming class that wants to make us believe, or be enthusiastic about, something to which we were previously indifferent or even hostile. There is no identifiable single source of the propaganda, and yet there seems also to be coordination: for how else to explain its sudden ubiquity? It is more Kafka than Orwell. For example, quite recently there has been a concerted attempt to persuade the European public that women’s football (soccer) is interesting and exciting. The newspapers and online publications suddenly carry stories about it, with pictures, reports, profiles, and the like, whereas, shortly before, most people were only vaguely aware that women even played football. No one can object to their doing so, of course, but the fact remains that they are not very good at it, at least not by comparison with men. They may be good—but with *for women* always appended. It is not the fault of women that they are not very good at football, any more than it is the fault of fish that they are illiterate, but the fact that everyone pretends not to notice it and dares not say it, at least in public, is surely a little sinister. A man of seventy may still play a good game of tennis, but it is always for his age: one wouldn’t expect him to win Wimbledon, nor would one expect excited, breathless reports on an over-seventies’ tennis tournament. The sudden interest in women’s football thus has a bogus feel about it, like the simulated enthusiasm of a crowd for the dictator in a communist state. Many examples of the phenomenon could be given. Ever since I first noticed the ascent of tattooing up the social scale, now a quarter century ago, I have collected books about it in desultory fashion, all of them laudatory of so-called body art. Over the years, as an ever-higher percentage of the population mutilates itself in this way, I have had to change my interpretation of the phenomenon. At first, I thought it was a typical example of intellectual and moral preening, as well as of condescension towards the insulted and injured—the torn jeans of the skin, as it were. Not so very long ago, it was predominantly the marginalized—prisoners and the like—who were tattooed. Therefore, those who were not themselves marginalized sought to identify themselves with those who were, imitation supposedly being the highest form of empathy, while hypocritically enjoying the advantages of non-marginalization. Now that a third of adults in America are tattooed, this can no longer be the explanation, if it ever was. The desire for individuation and self-expression is the commonly accepted explanation, even by those who see tattooing as a triumphant advance in human freedom. At last, people are free to express themselves! At last, they can display to the world their innermost thoughts! At last, they can actually *be* themselves! All this is frequently, and indeed repeatedly, intoned by the intellectual fellow travelers of the fashion for tattoos, very rarely it being noted that such individuation and self-expression—if that is what it is—is indicative of tragedy, not liberation. The almost universal intellectual laudation of the phenomenon demonstrates (to my mind) the sheeplike nature of modern intellectual life, intellectuals being followers rather than the leaders they suppose themselves to be. A hundred million Americans can’t be wrong, or at any rate it would not be prudent to say so; praise be, then, to tattoos! That professional tattooists have undoubtedly become highly skilled is everywhere taken as proof that they are artists, though skill is not the same as art; indeed, skill exercised for a worthless end is morally worse than incompetence. If I were a theist, which I am not, I would even say that skill exercised in this way is an insult to God’s freely given gift. As it is, it simply appalls me. At any rate, there seems to have been a concerted attempt to persuade us that what not long ago would have been considered degradation is actually human advance. And, incidentally, what goes for tattooing also goes for the graffiti that so disfigure urban spaces. (The two aesthetic sensibilities, those of tattooing and of modern urban graffiti, seem to me to have at least a family resemblance.) The many books about the phenomenon of tagging also consider it a liberation and a form of art, as if everywhere had suddenly become Renaissance Florence. Again, one detects a certain cowardice, or at least insincerity, in this. **Read the rest** [Propaganda & uglification | The New CriterionAnthony Daniels on tattoos & brutalism.![](https://newcriterion.com/themes/thenewcriterion/assets/favicons/apple-touch-icon-jan.png)Vol. 42, No. 5 / January 2024 LoginAnthony Daniels![](https://newcriterion.com/themes/thenewcriterion/assets/img/arrow-right.png)](https://newcriterion.com/issues/2024/1/propaganda-uglification?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Your Opinions Stink URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/your-opinions-stink-3/ Last updated: 2024-01-17T12:49:59.000Z John of Montmirail liked to fight. He was a leading knight in battle; he jousted in peace. But then he had a religious conversion and dedicated his resources to helping the poor, including the establishment of a hospice in his castle. He once went to help a woman whose dying sores smelled so bad, that she was put in a separate room. John went into the room, dang near gagged, and rushed out. The matron in charge scolded him, > *It is the stink of your sins that you smell.* It was a bizarre response. I always figured it was a medieval, non-sensical, melodramatic declaration by an overly pious woman. ### Enter [Iain McGilchrist](https://www.catholic365.com/article/32719/catholicisms-claim-to-the-hemisphere-hypothesis.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Not all emotions are created equal. Some are positive. Some are negative. And even emotions within the same category are better than others. Consider sadness and disgust. They're both negative emotions, but sadness is associated with greater creativity and disgust with less creativity. Sadness is also more right hemisphere-related. Disgust is more left hemisphere-related (so is anger, btw). ### Enter John of Montmirail's Nostrils The dying woman's stench grossed him out. What happened? Let's break it down: (1) Stench enters nostrils . . . (2) John's brain says, "This is gross; get out" . . . (3) John flees. But what did John's brain really say in step (2)? It said, "John, this is gross \[detrimental, harmful\] to us; get out." "To us." John fled because his brain had formed a harsh and uncompromising opinion. It may have been an understandable opinion; it may have been a correct opinion. But it was an opinion and an adamant one. ### The Left Hemisphere Likes to Form Opinions Guess what hemisphere of our brains likes to form opinions? The left hemisphere. It is the hemisphere of action, and action requires a clear notion of how to act, which in turn requires a series of convictions. The left hemisphere needs opinions (little conclusions) to get the body through the day. As a result, it naturally gravitates toward opinions. **Read the rest** [Your Opinions StinkYour opinions, especially harsh ones, are usually driven by your left hemisphere. Drive with caution.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1493528237448-144452699e16?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxMnx8Zm9sbG93JTIwdGhlJTIwc2NpZW5jZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDU0NTQxNTl8MA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=entropy)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35171/your-opinions-stink.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Bawdy Premodern and Postmodern URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-resurrection-of-the-bawdy/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T13:57:38.000Z [RabelaisOne of my favorite writers, Albert Jay Nock, was a huge Rabelais fan. He wrote two books about him. From the first: It must be laid down once and for all, that the chief purpose of reading a classic like Rabelais is to prop and stay the spirit, especially in![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-History.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rabelais/) The period of history we call the Reformation is full of its puzzles and contradictions. One of the most intriguing of those puzzles is this: that one of the leading European literary figures of the time, a man whose work inspired Cervantes and Voltaire, is almost entirely unknown today. This man was a devoted Catholic—a monk, in fact—whose writings repeatedly provoked the ire of Catholic leaders at the Sorbonne and the Vatican alike; these very same works, however, also came under attack from Protestants as prominent as John Calvin. During much of his lifetime, European literati disdained Rabelais’ writing, but after his death, his work sparked a revolution in European literature. For a hundred years, everyone was mimicking his incandescent, absurd style. But then, as quickly as it appeared, his work disappeared from popular discourse. That man is Francois Rabelais, and his most notable work is the sprawling, gross, bewildering, hilarious monstrosity published now as *Gargantua and Pantagruel,* which practically no one has read. And that is all right—it is an unbelievably ridiculous work, a colossal waste of time. The only thing more shocking than the fact that some people—in fact, much of educated Europe in the 16th century—took the time to read it is that someone took the time to write it in the first place. Unlike the marvelous main character of Robertson Davies’ Rabelais novel *The Rebel Angels*, Iam not a Rabelais scholar. Nor am I, unlike the unflappable Mikhail Bakhtin (whose *Rabelais and His World* is far more than a book of criticism*)*, conversant in medieval and Renaissance literature of many languages. I am, however, something perhaps rarer: a casual, ongoing, amateur reader of Rabelais. I met Rabelais through Davies, and came to love him through Bakhtin, and the fact that these two (very different) 20th-century giants—one a Canadian novelist, one a Soviet-era Russian critic—were moved to devote their genius to Rabelais says something about the strange power of his work. I have been reading *Gargantua and Pantagruel* for over a decade and have not yet finished. I understand probably around a quarter of it, and am continually looking up bits of Latin and archaic French to try to understand the wordplay. It’s baffling, yes, but also mesmerizing. I continually find myself returning to the bits I’ve read, like the fantastic war that breaks out over who has the right to drink the wine at a particular French vineyard; or the episode in which the giant Pantagruel sticks out his tongue and covers up an entire army, prompting an account of the inside of the giant’s mouth; or the pages-long description of the child Gargantua’s search for the perfect toilet paper (the downy neck of a live goose, it turns out, is top notch), or even just the first few pages, which describe the intimate details of Gargantua’s father, Grandgousier’s, relations—gustatory, libatious, festive, and of course, marital—with his blushing bosomy bride. To try to understand the whole of Rabelais or his writing is the work of a lifetime—I am not sure if Rabelais himself would think such a lifetime well spent—but even a passing acquaintance with this odd fellow is certainly worthwhile. There is a mystery here, of the finest vintage; every time I pick up the blue brick called *Gargantua and Pantagruel*, I find myself asking, in the midst of chuckles, *how can something so stupid have turned literature upside down? Why does this book matter at all?* It really is stupid, too. It’s a thousand pages of poop jokes, fart jokes, drunk jokes, blood-and-bruises jokes, sex jokes, burp jokes, spliced together with politics-and-religion jokes and lots of Latin puns that seem erudite today but would have been more accessible to Rabelais’ 16th-century audience. I cannot think of a single sentence in it that could be read aloud at the dinner table. It’s difficult even to find a quotation because the sentences are so long and elaborate. Read the rest [The Resurrection of the Bawdy — Joie de VivreThe period of history we call the Reformation is full of its puzzles and contradictions. One of the most intriguing of those puzzles is this: that one of the leading European literary figures of the time, a man whose work inspired Cervantes and Voltaire, is almost entirely unknown today. This man wa![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/634e9d61b660c919305804e3/3bdad355-a943-4770-ad41-414faaeffd82/favicon.ico?format=100w)Joie de VivreJordan Haddad![](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/634e9d61b660c919305804e3/t/6580b99cafd4e24274b83c6e/1702934942671/Rabelais.jpg?format=1500w)](https://www.jdvjournal.com/archive/the-resurrection-of-the-bawdy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Frantically Trying to Fit in All the Spiritual Stuff? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54392/ Last updated: 2024-02-14T13:36:13.000Z I once told a spiritual adviser that I really liked a'Kempis' *The Imitation of Christ*. He shook his head a bit and said he preferred to read Thomas Aquinas. He said he found the profound truths of, say, the *Summa Theologica* more moving spiritually than devotional works. I tried it myself. I think he had a point. But the point I really came away with? To each their own. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ [**This new book by Vicki Burbach about spiritual reading**](https://catholicexchange.com/how-spiritual-reading-arms-us-for-battle?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) reminded me of this. I've long been a fan of spiritual reading, but I've long struggled with what place to give it in my life. Let's face it: Catholic spirituality is wholly impractical. Here's a list (not exhaustive) of things that priests or books have counseled me to do every day: Spiritual reading Scripture reading Praying (adoration, repentance, thanksgiving, petition) Mass The Rosary Meditation The Morning Offering The Examen On top of those, there's a host of other recommended things, though not necessary quotidian: Eucharistic Adoration, corporal acts of mercy, spiritual act of mercy, spiritual friendship, spiritual counseling, confession, lives of the saints, study of Church teachings, spiritual walking, etc. There is, of course, overlap in some of these things (e.g., lives of the saints might constitute spiritual reading), but still: Good luck fitting all that in a week, much less a day. Quite frankly, the list of things to do can actually induce a frantic sense or a feeling of worry that you're not doing something you're supposed to do. Such things, of course, are exactly the opposite of what ought to result from spiritual pursuits. --- In his modern classic, [***The Restoration of Christian Culture***](https://amzn.to/3d1Y6LP?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), John Senior says we owe a tithe of our time to prayer. He doesn't offer details and, in particular, doesn't answer two questions: What is prayer? Is a “tithe” 10% of 24 hours, or 10% of waking hours, or 10% of available hours (which I define as “time not occupied by primary obligations” . . . like work to sustain one's family and addressing biological necessites)? Regardless, it's pretty clear from the context of his writing that he's talking a few hours a day (and not just 10% of "available hours," which, for the average parent with children at home would be 10% of about two hours). But that ain't enough just for the daily list above. If you were to undertake each daily item in a meaningful way, you'd need about 2.5 hours (which would be approximately 10% of 24 hours) and you'd be leaving untouched the other non-daily things. --- The answer? To each his own. It seems pretty obvious to me that no one is expected to do all that, and that's the beauty of the Church's tradition: You don't have to. Every person is different. Every person is different than he was five years ago. Heck, every person is different now than he was two hours ago. Circumstances change. Moods change. Stations in life change. Heck, even personalities change (I read recently that a person's personality changes every ten years . . . beats me). The only constants are: (1) We have 24 hours in a day. Those 24 hours might be filled with primary obligations, leaving us with precious little discretionary time; it might be relatively unencumbered with primary obligations, but regardless, we *do* have 24 hours. (2) John Senior is correct: we are obligated to tithe our time to prayer. How do you apply those two constants? Beats me, but you have the freedom and right to decide it for yourself. The strictures of math and logic lead me to no other conclusion. If, for instance, you receive $10 and must spend it on $100 worth of healthy foods, you can't do it. You can only buy $10 worth. Therefore, you're going to have to pick and choose $10 worth of healthy food from that basket that contains $100 worth. It shouldn't be an occasion of despair. We must merely be sure to choose healthy foods. We can't buy all the healthy foods in that $100 basket, so we just have to buy $10 worth of healthy foods, whether it's fruits, vegetables, lean meat, or a combination. We may not get the perfect combination, but it's going to be far better for us than if we bought $10 worth of Doritos. ### Entangled Life: How Fungi Know URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/entangled-life-how-fungi-know/ Last updated: 2024-04-13T12:17:11.000Z Merlin Sheldrake, [*Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures*](https://amzn.to/49agI74?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). This short book tells me everything I want (and far more than I need) to know about mushrooms and their earlier stages. The author, it seems to me, [tries to keep a sane perspective on mushrooms](https://thedailyeudemon.com/mushrooming-to-a-new-religious-understanding/), though at times I wonder. Regardless, it easily wins "The Most Fascinating Book That Ought to Have Sucked Award." The last chapters about the potential uses of fungus (including as a replacement for plastic) were compelling enough for me to start searching for "mushrooming" pubic companies that I could invest in. The best parts of the book look at "fungal knowing" (my term). Fungus knows how to do things that no other organisms (including humans) know how to do. The examples he gives are bizarre and, to be honest, a bit unsettling and exciting. There are serious parallels between fungal knowing and UFO knowing. They're both bizarre, unsettling, and exciting. I suspect fungal knowing is something we need to explore much more deeply and UFO knowing is something, well, that just might be from the devil. I really don't know and probably never will know, but I will continue to ponder. ### The Rise of the Holy Men URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/35057/ Last updated: 2024-02-13T15:15:19.000Z So holy men left. They left for the desert and became the forerunners of the monks, though these early counter-culture revolutionaries were “in some ways less comparable to modern monks and nuns than to modern drop-outs, supporters of gurus, or others . . . who abandon the conventional world . . .”. Gibbon, *The Fall of the Roman Empire*. In other words, they were the ancient predecessors of the Haight-Ashbury folk. When society became comfortable for Christians and a source of temptation, when the bloody red of martyrdom no longer threatened, these tens of thousands of hippie forerunners opted for the white martyrdom of the desert. Actually, the exodus to the desert started in the mid-third century. St. Jerome said the first hermit was Paul the Hermit, but most give that honor to St. Antony the Great usually gets the credit. In 270, Antony gave his ample worldly possessions to his sister and the poor, and lived alone. Fifteen years later, he–to battle more effectively with the devil, we're told by Athanasius–fled to the wastes of Egypt, there to live by himself in an old empty fort on a hill. He stayed there nearly 75 years, coming only twice, once to dispute with the Arians, the other to dispute with the pagans. The rest of the time, he stayed in alone, fasting and praying. Many people flocked to see this holy man and follow his example. He organized them into groups, residing in separate and scattered cells, and they came together only for common worship. A little later, a man named Pachomius established monasteries. As the number of inhabitants at Scetis grew, so did the stories. Amazing stories, some of them true, some of them not, all of them edifying. A few examples from the Lives of the Desert Father amply demonstrate the counter-cultural ways of these holy men and women who opted for the holy harshness of the desert rather than risk the sinful comfort of Roman society. What does it all matter? So a large handful of freaks went to the desert to lead holy lives? It mattered a great deal. These early monks would be the forerunners of another counter-cultural movement: the monasteries of the Dark and Middle Ages. From Antony's and Pachomius' beginnings in upper Egypt, the monastic ideal spread to Palestine and Europe. Many of the greatest saints of the age pushed this counter-cultural ideal: Athanasius, Jerome, Basil, Martin of Tours, John Cassian, and, finally, Benedict, who established over a dozen monasteries. And these monasteries later preserved the great works of classical civilization from the fires and violence that prevailed from about 500 to 1000 AD. Without the monasteries, the great works of classical civilization would have been lost, or its surviving remains greatly diminished. Ironically, these institutions started as an effort to flee the death rattles of a decadent civilization, yet these institutions would preserve that same civilization's great works of art, poetry, drama, philosophy, and science. ### BYCU URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-29/ Last updated: 2024-01-12T12:13:21.000Z ## Man Arrested for Shopdrinking > A store loss prevention officer said the man was spotted selecting bottles of gin from the store shelves, pouring the contents into a cup, drinking the contents and discarding the bottles into a reusable shopping bag. \[eco-friendly\] > > The man initially did not cooperate with police when he was confronted. > > When an officer asked if he had any weapons, the man responded by saying: “I am a weapon.” [Man’s thirst for alcoholic beverages results in his arrest: North Olmsted blotterPolice officers at 9:56 p.m. Dec. 27 responded to Walmart regarding a man who was spotted walking around the store opening and consuming multiple bottles of alcoholic beverages, then concealing the bottles.![](https://www.cleveland.com/pf/resources/images/cleveland/favicon.ico?d=1201)clevelandBruce Geiselman, special to cleveland.com![](https://www.cleveland.com/resizer/1TmGs8J6bmhRUlSlimEniy0VhpE=/1280x0/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/advancelocal/FYFM4QBDOZA4JP5TMM4SQQHLRM.JPG)](https://www.cleveland.com/community/2024/01/mans-thirst-for-alcoholic-beverages-results-in-his-arrest-north-olmsted-police-blotter.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Two Improbables: Vodka from Kiwi. Kiwi Grown in Michigan I tried to grow northern kiwi about ten years ago. It didn't go well. [Michigan distillery planting kiwi orchard, plans to make kiwi-infused vodkaMammoth Distilling opened in Central Lake in 2016.![](https://www.mlive.com/pf/resources/images/mlive/favicon.ico?d=1203)mliveBrandon Champion | bchampiomlive.com![](https://www.mlive.com/resizer/vDrn2gA7w2ugvgph3oY5Y64lUBk=/1280x0/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/advancelocal/FIQHV7GI5JDUVFVOZXK7C2IZBY.jpg)](https://www.mlive.com/news/2024/01/michigan-distillery-planting-kiwi-orchard-plans-to-make-kiwi-infused-vodka.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### "Because He Couldn't Sit Still, He Decided to Distill" [W.P. Palmer Distilling Co. in Manayunk making gin that dates back to American RevolutionPhiladelphia is a city known for its rich history, and in Manayunk there’s a distiller who is tapping into an old recipe to produce gin that dates back almost to the American Revolution.![](https://cdn.abcotvs.net/abcotv/assets/news/wpvi/images/logos/favicon.ico)6abc Philadelphia![](https://cdn.abcotvs.com/dip/images/14311396_011124-wpvi-art-of-aging-wp-palmer-distillery-noon-vid.jpg?w=1600)](https://6abc.com/art-of-aging-wp-palmer-distilling-company-manayunk-distillery-palmers-liberty-gin/14310723/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I Try to Avoid List Articles, but This One is Well-Written and Interesting I gotta get some Creme de Violette and try making [the Aviation](https://www.tastingtable.com/1140128/classic-aviation-cocktail-recipe/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). [14 Gin Cocktails, Ranked Worst To BestGin, a deceptively simple spirit, has emerged as a quintessential character in the world of cocktails. These are gin cocktails, ranked from worst to best.![](https://s.yimg.com/rz/l/favicon.ico)Yahoo LifeElettra Pauletto![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/7Xoh74U1B4_D3gYvfNFBKg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD02NzQ-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/tasting_table_543/03b2a40aaa1e9e65176a7aeef1456bfc)](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/14-gin-cocktails-ranked-worst-121500551.html?guccounter=1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## New Mexican Whiskey with Ancient Corn is Sweeping the Continent According to a *New York Times* [piece from earlier this week](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/dining/drinks/mexican-whiskey.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). [Meet the Mexican Corn Whiskey Distillers Honoring an Ancient IngredientThis is your sign that you need to try corn whiskey if you haven’t already.![](https://www.thrillist.com/static/thrillist-fav.ico)ThrillistDanielle Dorsey![](https://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/3135500/1200x600/scale;;webp=auto;jpeg_quality=85.jpg)](https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/mexican-corn-whiskey-distillers-history?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Renewing Catholic Education on the Atlantic URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/renewing-catholic-education-on-long-island/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T13:59:03.000Z St. Mary’s High School, a small parish-run Catholic school, sits just over the city line in Manhasset, Long Island. The school serves 334 students, while another 266 attend the jointly governed elementary school. St. Mary’s is undertaking a multiyear effort to rededicate itself to classical education and the rich Catholic tradition. These efforts come at a perilous time for Catholic schooling in the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Elementary school enrollment has shrunk by half since 2016, and high school enrollment is down 28 percent. The diocese’s high school enrollment is concentrated in three large schools—St. Anthony’s, [Kellenberg](https://www.city-journal.org/article/the-mission-continues?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and Chaminade—which cumulatively serve two-thirds of Catholic high school students, with the remaining third spread over six schools, including St. Mary’s. For the other schools to survive, they must commit to an unclouded vision of Catholic education, centered on academic excellence and moral values grounded in the faith. St. Mary’s may point the way. St. Mary’s success is driven in part by its clergy. The parish runs the elementary, middle, and high schools, and its priests are deeply involved. The pastor, Father Robert Romeo, strongly supports the schools, and his young associate, Father Dominik Wegiel, serves as the high school’s chaplain. The schools’ president is Father Elias Carr, a theologian as well as a priest. Four nuns from the esteemed Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, teach at the schools and work to prepare students for the sacraments. These seven men and women provide an extraordinary religious presence in the schools in an era of aging priests and one-priest parishes. In his annual report to supporters, Romeo described the parish’s relationship with the schools as being rooted in stewardship, citing the Parable of the Talents from the Gospel of Matthew. He then enumerated the many ways the schools increase the God-given talents of the children they serve, including through excellent academic, sports, music, and dramatic programs, and most importantly, a commitment to a core Catholic mission. In January 2022, the high school participated in a Novena for Human Dignity, a nine-day exercise of scriptural reading and prayer. As Fr. Elias describes it: > The Novena seeks to overcome the tedious political division between “pro-life” and “social justice,” for neither can be excluded without harming the integrity of the Catholic faith. American Catholics have unique resources upon which to draw in service to the “unfinished work”—as Abraham Lincoln put it in the Gettysburg Address—to fulfill the promise of America. For the divisions in our country to be healed, we need better ways of thinking, listening, and speaking to one another about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Education as the integral formation of the human person in terms of a passage from ignorance and prejudice to truth and love can achieve this end. The Novena ended with a charge to students to practice the following resolutions: 1. To greet everyone I meet at school with a smile and with joy; 2. To include the excluded, to welcome the stranger, and to learn from people who are different from me; 3. To listen respectfully when others speak and share honestly what I believe; 4. To assume good faith, to give the benefit of the doubt, and to seek mutual understanding; 5. To seek pardon when I have harmed another and to extend pardon when another asks me; 6. To show courage in danger, calm in fear, and patience in stress Those resolutions are put into practice every day in the classroom. St. Mary’s High School students take four years of religion classes, including Catholic theology, Church history, scripture, morality, and either Christian marriage or theological foundations in grade 12\. In addition to theology studies, all students participate in the Convivium, “a four-year-long journey in search of a deeper appreciation for the meaning and purpose of our existence.” Each year, these small-group discussions are organized around a single theme. In 2021-22, the theme was human dignity, and in 2022-23, the science and theology departments jointly designed a focus on the wonders of the universe. The program’s purpose is for students and faculty “to experience the mutually enriching dialogue between faith and reason.” **Read the rest** [Renewing Catholic Education on Long IslandSt. Mary’s in Manhasset shows a way forward for religious education.![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/CJ-300x300.png)City JournalRay Domanico![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/St_Mary_complex_Manhasset_rain_jeh.jpg)](https://www.city-journal.org/article/renewing-catholic-education-on-long-island?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### First Things' Feature Essay: Resist the Machine Apocalypse URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/first-things-feature-essay-resist-the-machine-apocalypse/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:45:22.000Z The March 2024 issue of *First Things* arrived Tuesday. The feature essay: Iain McGilchrist, "Resist the Machine Apocalypse." It's great. But it's not online yet. When it is, I'll post an excerpt and a link to the full essay, but I suspect you'll need a subscription to access it. Odd thing about McGilchrist: He doesn't appear to publish much. This is the first time I've seen an essay by him in a "middle-brow" journal like *First Things*. I wondered why, since I'm guessing he has time now: he completed his *magnum opus*, *The Matter with Things*, four years ago (first printed in 2021; it takes on average one year from manuscript completion to printing; hence I conclude he finished writing it in 2020). I thought maybe it's his age: 74, I believe. But then I caught a glimpse of the rationale at the end of this splendid essay about the rise of artificial intelligence. He implores civilization to **stall the manipulators** (servants of the left hemisphere) to **give "people with intelligence and insight" time to catch up**. > Stop breathing down their necks. Stop asking how many papers they have published recently. Insightful and deep, measured and patient, development doesn't take place in a flurry, but left hemisphere-dominated modernity demands flurry all the time. The whole essay is like that: filled with snatches of his overall thought. In some ways, it's an introduction to the Hemisphere Hypothesis, but it's also his latest application of the Hemisphere Hypothesis to our existential predicament. It starts at the beginning; it ends at the end. Highly recommended. ### Botch Your New Year's Resolutions Already? Maybe Try a Few of These Winter Resolutions URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/botch-your-new-years-resolutions-maybe-try-a-few-of-these-winter-resolutions/ Last updated: 2025-02-01T19:29:59.000Z "New year" means "new soul." That's what British writer G.K. Chesterton once observed. Many of us, though, already feel like we've soiled our souls with botched New Year's resolutions. And the rest of us will feel pretty soiled soon if statistics are any indication. The average New Year’s resolution lasts only 3.74 months, according to [a recent poll by Forbes Health/OnePoll](https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/new-years-resolutions-statistics/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Only 6 percent of us will make it through the entire year. --- ## The Problem Isn't Us: It's Our Resolutions If Chesterton was right, perhaps we need to make New Year's resolutions that improve our souls instead of resolutions that improve our thighs, finances, and cardio. It's winter. Stillness. Quiet. Rest. Those are winter words. Our New Year's resolutions tend to be filled with words like "vigor," "energy," and "activity." It's no wonder we fail, [says health writer Emma Suttie](https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/youre-probably-making-the-wrong-new-years-resolutions-try-these-instead-5546270?utm%5Fsource=Bright&src%5Fsrc=Bright&utm%5Fcampaign=bright-2024-01-02&src%5Fcmp=bright-2024-01-02&utm%5Fmedium=email&est=Yml44BOQHwdDQDHChTDvECfcgXlTaIAV7MtwPdCjREM1alpZ%2B17te76E9yR6HJOySw%3D%3D). "Winter," she says, "is a time to rest and recharge—a natural ending of the seasonal life cycle—a time to reflect on ourselves and the year that has passed." --- ## Try Winter Resolutions Instead Suttie counsels people to avoid active resolutions and, instead, try more passive resolutions. She suggests eight: ### **Sleep on Impulse Purchases** Impulse purchases kill household finances. They're also the result of a desire for a dopamine hit, which is something we ought to avoid during these winter months. Instead of making impulse purchases, Suttie advises people to wait a day or two. "Once the dopamine surge of an impending reward wears off," she says, "and a calmer mind prevails, you'll likely find it much easier to avoid unnecessary purchasing." ### Slow Down on Social Media Social media is digital crack cocaine. “Platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram leverage the very same neural circuitry used by slot machines and cocaine to keep us using their products as much as possible,” note [researchers at Harvard University](https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Social media also substitutes for real human relationships, and that's very troubling. Social connectedness is the number one leading indicator for happiness. “\[H\]appiness," said sociologist and bestselling author Robert Putnam, "is best predicted by the breadth and depth of one’s social connections.” Human relationships are also the number one indicator of good health, resulting in lower rates of colds, heart attacks, strokes, cancer, depression, and premature death of all sorts. ### Stop Comparing Yourself to Others Neuroscientist Iain McGilchrist has amassed an enormous amount of historical, literary, philosophical, and neuroscientific evidence that modern culture is frenzied and hectic because the left hemispheres of our brains are out of control. All of Suttie's recommendations quell the left hemisphere, especially this one. Our left hemisphere is designed to preserve our bodies. As a result, it is predatory (finds food) and protective (eliminates threats to our survival). These are great things, but they make the left hemisphere, says McGilchrist, "essentially competitive." The result: the left hemisphere inclines us to compare ourselves with others. Current studies consistently show this is a path of misery. Someone always has more or has it better. Comparisons bring discontent, which leads to sadness. "Instead," says Suttie, "focus on yourself and all the beautiful things in your life. Write them down, and spend some time thinking about them every day. This small act can make significant changes in your perspective and help you appreciate the goodness in your life—and attract more of it." ### Stop Complaining The act of complaining might be the most psychologically damaging thing you can do. Harvard's Kevin Majerjes and founder of [Optimal Work](https://optimalwork.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) says it's the number one common denominator among people who struggle with everyday life. The act of complaining strengthens the negative by pretending that negative things shouldn't exist. But they do exist and should exist: they make us stronger. "We only complain," says Dr. Majerjes "about challenges, but challenges are the only way we grow. The fact that something is hard is proof that it's where your growth is." So ditch the complaining about your challenges. Instead, try to figure out how each challenge can help you grow. ### Eat Mindfully Eating and thinking are two of the most common things we do. Try combining them. Instead of just gobbling down your food in front of the TV, watch yourself eat. Just the simple act: "I am now raising the fork to my mouth. Now I am chewing. The food smells like this; it tastes like that; its texture is like this. I am now swallowing." If you eat mindfully, says Suttie, you will "tend to eat slower and get more satisfaction out of your meal. This can lead to eating less and eating better quality foods. . . . You will also likely chew your food longer, which will improve digestion and help your body extract more nutrients from your food." ### Do Nothing for 15 Minutes Every Day In addition to recognizing our new souls, G.K. Chesterton also recognized the goodness of doing nothing. He called it “the most precious, the most-consoling, the most pure and holy, the noble habit of doing nothing at all.” The modern world pulls us apart: activities, aspirations, aims, and ambitions. We furiously pedal the bike and further instill the frenzy in our souls. Stick a stick in the spokes of that bike. Bring it to a sudden halt and make your left hemisphere flip over the handlebars. "With practice," says Suttie, you’ll begin to enjoy a peace and tranquility you may not have experienced in a while." ### Breathe And while you're doing nothing, try breathing correctly. Through your nose. Calmly. Slowly. Notice how it differs from your regular breathing. As a culture, our "normal" breathing increasingly comes through the mouth, races, and is punctuated by sighs (which is our lungs' way of telling us we're doing everything wrong). Stop breathing like that. Practice correct breathing. ### Stop Rejecting Reality > "My experience is what I agree to attend to." William James Our mental world is full of non-reality: laments about the past; worries about the future and things that almost certainly won't happen. Try jettisoning the non-reality for what is real. What is happening right now? That, after all, is the only thing that is real. Everything else is memory and anticipation: it's all mental. Just focus on what is now. By doing that, you'll focus on what "is." Suttie says it will bring to us the insight of the Tao. She quotes the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu: > “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” ### 1273: Apex of Western Civilization URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-most-significant-date-in-the-history-of-western-civilization/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T13:59:52.000Z December 6, 1273. That's the date St. Thomas Aquinas had such an intense experience or vision during Mass, that he stopped writing. For 35 years, Aquinas had used the written word to explain pretty much everything. He provided proofs of God's existence that atheists still struggle to refute. He wrote legal treatises, showing how the divine law works through the natural law to give us human law. He described the virtues; he described the vices. He explained the sacraments. And then he stopped in the middle of Part III of his Summa Theologica and told his friend that everything he had written seemed like chaff. Some historians speculate he'd had a stroke, but that's highly unlikely. He wasn't aphasic: his intellect and speech were perfectly normal until he died a few months later. Perhaps I should restate that. His intellectual and speaking abilities were perfectly intact. His refusal to use them after his experience at Mass hardly seems normal to us today. --- ### The Clash within Aquinas Was a Showdown between the Hemispheres Aquinas didn't have a stroke. He had a mystical experience. Iain McGilchrist calls the event "the single most dramatic demonstration of the inadequacy of prose to speak of the divine." He's right, but I'd take it further: The event was the greatest showdown between the left and right hemispheres ever seen. Aquinas was a man of massive rational (left hemispheric) abilities and Aquinas was a massively holy man (a right-hemispheric quality . . . only the right hemisphere communicates with the divine). They clashed with one another on the Feast of St. Nicholas in 1273, during Mass. Aquinas' left hemisphere's explicit intellectual efforts and the avalanche of written works that came out of it crashed into his right hemisphere, but his right hemisphere didn't flinch. His explicit thought processes and the words that flowed from them dissipated. Like chaff in the wind. Aquinas himself was fine, but the efforts of his left hemisphere--written words--were demolished. He saw--intensely, up close, first-hand--that words could never convey what he had seen. So he quit. The right hemisphere's dominance in the clash was total. --- ## Aquinas Was and Continues to be Relevant So why do I claim the event is the most significant event in the history of Western Civilization? A lot of reasons. **Read the rest** [The Most Significant Date in the History of Western CivilizationThe brain’s left hemisphere and right hemisphere clashed within Thomas Aquinas . . . and the right hemisphere won.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1596477141297-92429e402062?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxtb25hc3Rlcnl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA0NDE2NDk3fDA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=face)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35014/the-most-significant-date-in-the-history-of-western-civilization.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Is "Dry January" Just a Neo-Prohibitionist Trick? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/is-dry-january-just-a-neo-prohibitionist-trick/ Last updated: 2024-01-05T12:59:40.000Z ## [It Might Feel Good, but Does Dry January Really Help Much?](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dry-january-tradition-and-the-magisterium/) It reminds me that I've observed lately that Andrew Huberman has gone near-teetotaller lately in his rhetoric. Awhile back, he warned that, if a person averages just one drink a day (seven in a week), he's courting accelerated cognitive decline (and other health issues). He said the safe maximum might be six per week. As the episode continued, he drove the safe number lower: five per week, maybe as low as four. Then a few weeks ago, he said more than two drinks per week is a problem. I'm not saying he's wrong, not at all. I respect Huberman, and maybe alcohol in any amount is terrible for your health, but at this point, he's running up against tradition. If history has been showing us anything, it shows us that science consistently loses to tradition in the long run analysis. You can think of Tradition (capital "T") as the secular version of the Magisterium. The Magisterium stimulates innovative theological thinking because it sets up barriers. If your thought crosses the barriers, you took an intellectual misstep somewhere. It's helpful and allows robust intellectual play (like children playing on a high plateau surrounded by bumpers that prevent them from falling off, analogized GKC; remove the barriers, and the children huddle scared in the middle). Tradition does a similar thing. It sets up parameters. If your ideas (or, in Huberman's case, his science) go beyond them, it should alert you that you may have taken a misstep. Tradition's bumpers aren't as strong as the Magisterium--they're vaguer and lack authoritative interpreters--but they're helpful if respected. > "Most men drink, and thus, for all practical purposes, at least, demonstrate that they feel the need of it. The temperance evangelist is thus up against the hard fact that he is asking men to give up something they want and think they need. He can offer them nothing in exchange for it, save vague and dubious promises of health." H.L. Mencken [Is Dry January the Healthy Move? Blue Zones’ Dan Buettner Weighs InResearch on the world’s longest-living populations reveals secrets to longevity—and whether a daily glass of wine can extend one’s life.![](https://www.wineenthusiast.com/assets/img/apple-touch-icon.png?v=2.0)Wine EnthusiastSamantha Sette![](https://www.wineenthusiast.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/01_24_Epi_157_Dan_Buettner_on_Alcohol_and_Health_HERO_Netflix_1920x1280.jpg)](https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/podcasts/dan-buettner-blue-zones-wine/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I Won't Lie: This Sounds Gross [Pickle drinks becoming the norm at Cleveland bars, breweries and beyondPickles are a refrigerator staple, but Northeast Ohio has also embraced the flavor profile in beer, spirits and beyond. Cleveland bars are also experimenting with pickle-flavored cocktails on their menus.![](https://www.cleveland.com/pf/resources/images/cleveland/favicon.ico?d=1195)clevelandAlex Darus, cleveland.com![](https://www.cleveland.com/resizer/08oK1Elk5VEh6NFpGA2Xzncto34=/1280x0/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/advancelocal/I36NBSQJEFHXBOP4KKRBEVBLR4.jpeg)](https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2023/12/pickle-drinks-becoming-the-norm-at-cleveland-bars-breweries-and-beyond.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Chinese Worker Dylan Mulvaneys Popular Beer ### Just a micro-example of late-stage capitalism. Oh wait, this happened in China. [Tsingtao beer loses its fizz in South Korea after video of worker appearing to urinate into tankChina’s Tsingtao beer reportedly experiences a consumer backlash in South Korea after video of a worker appearing to urinate into a beer tank goes viral![](https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-512.png)The GuardianJustin McCurry![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/5de3657acb74cf3de46a7189d27f19cb77890be4/166_64_1592_955/master/1592.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=714b1748398919d37b5d386e0233558b)](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/25/tsingtao-beer-loses-its-fizz-in-south-korea-after-video-of-worker-appearing-to-urinate-into-tank?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Because Nothing Signals "Hot" Like a Woman with a Beer Gut [How women drinkers could save the male-centric beer industryAlienating marketing and sexist attitudes have long made women a second thought in the beer industry. Now, companies are waking up to the reality that inclusivity is lucrative.![](https://static-web-assets.gnl-common.bbcverticals.com/features/pwa/20231019-124710-dd54a4de2b72e177b5bd464ab67ae0f0f4557891/worklife/apple-touch-icon.png)BBCLillian Stone![](https://ychef.files.bbci.co.uk/live/624x351/p0gw4xlm.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231127-how-women-drinkers-could-save-the-male-centric-beer-industry?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Six Observations from a Habsburg Sympathizer URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52062/ Last updated: 2024-02-04T23:06:04.000Z #### There are thinkers who are so far to the left or right, they fall off the spectrum altogether. On the left, I put thinkers like Ralph Nader and Ivan Illich. On the right, I put a thinker named Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, a man described as a “Walking Book of Knowledge,” who could read 25 languages. William F. Buckley described him as “the world's most fascinating man.” Now, Buckley was the godfather of modern conservatism, but a man isn't fascinating if he just repeats his political tribe's talking points. Show me a party soldier and I'll show you a decidedly un-fascinating man. But show me a man who's a “conservative arch-liberal”? Now I'm listening. And that's how Kuehnelt-Leddihn described himself: a conservative arch-liberal. Kuehnelt-Leddihn was an aristocratic Catholic monarchist from Austria. He was a member of the Knights of Malta, back in the days when you had to be “of noble birth” to qualify. He held a doctorate in political science from the University of Budapest. He fled darkling continental Europe in the 1930s, settling in England and then the United States, where he taught at Georgetown, Fordham, and other schools. He returned to Europe after World War II, where he turned to world travel, lecturing, and lots and lots of writing. He was a journalist, historian, novelist, and essayist. # Of Our Time but Not of Our Time Based on the years he lived, he's our contemporary. He died in 1999. But based on his mental world? It's really hard to say, but he's not our contemporary. I might put him at 1910 . . . or maybe 1440, the year his Habsburgs took the Holy Roman Empire throne . . . or maybe 1806, the year the Empire was officially dissolved and the Habsburg's incredible run came to a final end. His mental world is far removed from ours, but he is, chronologically, our contemporary. He knew what was going on in the late twentieth century, but he observed the world from a perspective that is so alien to ours that . . . Well, it's almost as though an actual alien (from outer space) was observing it. Any reference to Kuehnelt-Leddihn being “conservative” or “liberal” is about as meaningful as labeling Montaigne, Dostoyevsky, or Nietzsche “conservative” or “liberal.” Sure, they might have been more or less one or the other, but, in the arena of Trump v. Biden or Woke v. Privilege? Such labels border on the inane. The labels don't fit because the times have shifted so much. Words fit into a cultural web. As the cultural web changes, the words take different meanings. But that doesn't mean Montaigne, Dostoyevsky, and Nietzsche have nothing to tell us about today. And it doesn't mean Kuehnelt-Leddihn doesn't. Physically, he lived and wrote in the twentieth century. Mentally (intellectually and emotionally) he lived hundreds of years earlier. In other words, Kuehnelt-Leddihn's mental cultural web was entirely different than the one he physically lived in, due to his aristocratic bent and shocking breadth of knowledge, but he nonetheless was forced to write within the twentieth century's cultural web. That, I believe, is what made him the world's most fascinating man. It's also why I believe his observations ring a little louder than they would have if he had physically lived in previous centuries. # Six Kuehnelt-Leddihn (“KL”) Observations > *“Fear and envy, needless to say, are twin brothers, yet we really should speak of triplets, because hate keeps them good company.”* KL is writing about the effects of inequality. Inequality is inevitable. It's the human condition: some are stronger, some are prettier, some are wealthier, some get more respect. Inequality breeds (either real or perceived) inferiority, which breeds unease, which is a type of fear. It also breeds envy. Fear and envy then interact with their third brother: hate. Such is the dangerous reality of inequality: inevitable and dangerous. ### Attraction > *“Bodies are mutually attracted by nearness, knowledge, and pleasure but souls by distance, mystery, and suffering.”* Such thinking could trend into Cartesian dualism, which undermines the sacramental nature of existence, but it's always important to emphasize that the soul and body are not the same. They're friends and allies in the war against the flesh and darkness, where the battles must be fought up close (bodily passions) and from a distance (one's thoughts). ### The Robotic Soul > *“There is little doubt that atheism, agnosticism, and the denial of the other world are partially responsible for the rapid technological development which gave us, apart from exquisite instruments for mass destruction, various means to bridge time and space. . . Ortega y Gasset points out very adroitly the fact that the automobile is the very expression of our present acute feeling of mortality. . . If we were bodily immortal we would feel no need for technical gadgets saving time by conquering space.”* KL is right. And it makes me uneasy. I love those time-saving gadgets. If a person with a strong sense of immortality feels no need for technical gadgets to save time by conquering space, what does that say about those of us who feel the need to save time with the gadgets? ### The Reading Illiterates > *“A reading-writing education* *as such* *has benefited nobody, has elated nobody spiritually or culturally. There is no need to go to the other extreme and to believe that the knowledge of the three R's is basically destructive, but nothing is more stupid or unrealistic than to judge the level of other countries by the number of illiterates.”* It reminds me of a Dear Abby column years ago. A mother wrote, saying that she couldn't get her children to read, until she came up with this novel approach: she turned off the volume on the TV and turned on close-captioning. The result: The children had to read in order to watch TV! Dear Abby was elated with the advice and passed it onto her readers. Reading for the sake of reading is about as healthy as eating for the sake of eating. Eating of any sort is good as opposed to starving, and reading of any sort (even the close-captioned reading) is better than no reading, but a diet of potato chips and ice cream doesn't benefit a person's health in the long-run, just as a diet of Tweets and Pinterest captions doesn't benefit a person's mind in the long run. ### Liberty and Safety > *“Facing the choice of cash or liberty human beings will always choose the former because it spells safety.”* How else can you explain the popularity of the Social Security system? In the United States, citizens give up the liberty to dispose of a portion of their income (6.2 cents of every dollar) however they want, and in exchange, they are assured a modest retirement income. If they were allowed to keep their money and invest it conservatively, the average person would get nearly $5,000 per month at retirement, which is more than double the maximum monthly Social Security benefit. But people don't trust themselves, so they give up liberty now for security later. This isn't to say that social welfare programs are bad, but it is a point to keep in mind. Such programs are based on the fragile human mental condition rather than prudential economic reality. ### Who's Your Authority? > *“Ochlocrats who never tire of accusing conservatives and Catholics of superstition, illogical traditionalism, and 'unscientific' procedure make an act of faith in the inner illumination of the individual and the infallibility of numerical majorities.”* Every person has an authority, a source of faith, which he or she accepts as guideposts in life. The arrogant man never questions whatever flits into his mind. The arrogantly religious woman never questions her interpretation of the Bible. The free marketer never questions Ayn Rand. The Soviet never questions Lenin. The modern never questions science. The only difference with respect to authority is, are you aware you have one? If you're conscious of it, you're one step ahead of the rest. I don't want to mislead you: Kuehnelt-Leddihn isn't easy to read. You will have to read him slowly and carefully, probably with your noise-canceling headphones fixed to your head. But I think you'll find his anachronistic perspectives refreshing, if at times puzzling. All quote taken from [***Menace of the Herd***](https://amzn.to/34XgbXN?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) or [***Leftism***](https://amzn.to/328Q7XN?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ### Journalists Continue to Think They Have a Monopoly on Truth URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/journalists-wont-earn-back-trust-by-claiming-a-monopoly-on-truth/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T14:00:53.000Z Veteran journalist Margaret Sullivan’s [*Newsroom Confidential: Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life*](https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250281906/newsroomconfidential?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) first appeared in hardcover a year ago. It was released in paperback this month, generally the sign of a successful run and a reason for new critical attention, like this very review. But if you want to get the gist of *Newsroom Confidential*’s core dispute with the mainstream press—what Sullivan dubs the “reality-based media,” a term to which I’ll return momentarily—you could skip the book and instead read a few dozen words from one of her November columns. Reflecting on then-fresh [poll results](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/05/us/politics/biden-trump-2024-poll.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) showing former president Donald Trump edging out current president Joe Biden in key battleground states, [Sullivan says](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/nov/09/trump-president-democracy-threat-media-journalism?utm%5Fsource=substack&utm%5Fmedium=email) Trump is on the verge of “making the United States an authoritarian regime,” so the media must “do its job better. The press must get across to American citizens the crucial importance of this election and the dangers of a Trump win. They don’t need to surrender their journalistic independence to do so or be ‘in the tank’ for Biden or anyone else.” The trouble here, as in *Newsroom Confidential*, is never Sullivan’s skill as a writer. She has a varied and impressive career, enough that the reader should grant her the impulse to toot her own horn. It’s a big horn, after all. Few can boast of having served as [the public editor](https://www.nytimes.com/column/the-public-editor?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) of *The New York Times*. Sullivan has worked, too, as a media critic for *The Washington Post*, the newsroom leader at *The Buffalo News*, and now, a columnist at *The Guardian*. She’s well-positioned to pen this kind of memoir, and I was eager to learn from her experience while comparing CT, journalistically, with these larger, secular players. No, the problem with Sullivan’s case isn’t the writing but the case itself. While issuing a call to defend reality and democracy, she seems remarkably out of touch with the reality of our democracy and, specifically, the tens of millions of people within it who simply do not think as she does. Her goals—accurate, transparent reporting; a media-canny citizenry; well-earned trust in the press; flourishing democracy—are admirable. But her explanations and remedies are strikingly out of touch. ##### ‘And this is very bad’ Sullivan writes extensively in *Newsroom Confidential* of the 2016 and 2020 elections, finding significant fault in the mainstream press, first for helping Trump win and later for failing to pry his supporters away from him and his lies. In this telling, the media never scrutinized and deplored Trump enough to convince the public to deplore and reject him too. **Read the rest** [Journalists Won’t Earn Back Trust by Claiming a Monopoly on TruthMargaret Sullivan’s “reality-based” approach to journalism overlooks the reality of legitimate division in American society.![](https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/apple-touch-icon.png)Christianity TodayBonnie Kristian![](https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/137760.jpg?h=675&w=1200)](https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/december-web-only/margaret-sullivan-newsroom-confidential-media-journalism.html?utm%5Fmedium=widgetsocial&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Importance of Manners URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-importance-of-manners/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:45:54.000Z 💡 George Washington, the first President of the United States, was known to have studied a book called **Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation*. This book was based on a set of rules compiled by French Jesuits in the 16th century and was a guide to proper behavior and etiquette. Washington was said to have copied these rules by hand as a young man, and they likely influenced his ideas about conduct, manners, and social interactions throughout his life. I learned in Richard Brookhiser's biography of George Washington that he relied heavily on a 16th-century Jesuit text of manners. Washington transcribed the book as a teenager and kept it with him the rest of his life. I like the first lesson the most: > "Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present." When did Americans stop reading about manners? My parents encouraged me to read and encouraged me to develop manners, but it apparently never dawned on them to encourage me to read about manners. It also apparently never dawned on the parents of any of my friends . . . nor did it dawn on any of my Sunday School teachers, elementary school teachers, high school teachers, or college professors. Yet, based on what I read in Brookhiser, the study of manners was commonplace in the eighteenth century and in previous centuries. Manners are an acknowledgment of the dignity that exists in each person as a creature made in God's image. In one sense, good manners are spiritual, albeit at the most mundane level. There's a lot of spiritual gold in that little Washington book, not to mention common sense. [George Washington’s Rules of CivilityThrough military campaigns, diplomatic ventures and presidential politics, George Washington was guided by a simple set of 110 maxims he first copied out as a Virginia schoolboy. In a newly published edition of the ‘Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation,’ Washington biogra…![](https://media.npr.org/chrome/favicon/favicon-180x180.png)NPRNPR![](https://media.npr.org/include/images/facebook-default-wide-s1400-c100.jpg)](https://www.npr.org/2003/05/11/1248919/george-washingtons-rules-of-civility?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Urban Planning v. Organic Cities URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/liminal-urbanism/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T14:01:24.000Z Legend has it that in 1703, during the early stages of the Great Northern War, when Russian troops captured the Swedish fortress of Nyen along the River Neva, Peter the Great leaped from his horse, slashed the muddy ground with his saber, and exclaimed, “Here will be a city!” Peter, Russia’s Westernizing czar, was eager to establish an urban seaport that would give his vast country access to European trade routes. Situated at the southeastern corner of the Gulf of Finland, the marshy delta where Nyen stood provided an easy approach not only to Finland and the other Baltic states but also to Poland, England, Germany, and Denmark. Soon after the territorial acquisition, Peter tore down Nyen and erected a new, superior stronghold, which he called Peter and Paul Fortress. And whether or not the tale of his saber-wielding edict is fabricated, he did issue a decree on May 27, 1703, that a city be built on that spot. He named it Saint Petersburg. Within nine years, he would declare it the new capital of the Russian Empire. Though a fine location for seafaring to points west, the nascent city was not suitable for urban development. Consisting of some 42 islands as well as a stretch of mainland floodplain, the area was basically a subarctic morass: excessively cold, dark, and inhospitable in the winter, unbearably hot and mosquito-infested in the summer, and subject to massive floods every autumn. These issues did not deter Peter the Great (“Russia’s sinister Prometheus,” as the scholar Michael Holquist called him). A proponent of Enlightenment principles, and something of a utopian, Peter believed that rationality, science, and, especially, Western engineering could tame the harshness and unpredictability of nature. To accomplish his aims speedily, he commanded every Russian landowner with more than 500 serfs to build a two-story edifice on the new site. He hired European architects and engineers and commissioned a rectilinear city plan that Fyodor Dostoyevsky, in *Crime and Punishment*, would liken to a grid on the marsh—a facade of perfect form and control superimposed upon an ungovernable, shifting, waterlogged pseudo-terrain. In several other works, Dostoyevsky highlights Saint Petersburg’s harsh environment and generally unstable infrastructure. In his second novel, *The Double*, the city becomes almost eerily hostile to human consciousness. “It was a terrible November night—wet, foggy, rainy, snowy, fraught with fluxes, colds, agues, anginas, fevers of all possible sorts and kinds, in short, with all the gifts of a Petersburg November. The wind howled in the deserted streets, heaving the black water of the Fotanka higher than the mooring rings and perkily brushing up against the skinny streetlamps of the embankment, which in their turn seconded its howling with a thin, shrill creaking, which made up an endless, squeaking, rattling concert, quite familiar to every inhabitant of Petersburg.” The man-made objects here, designed according to the European specifications, fail to subdue the environment—and somehow resonate with its violent pulsations. According to historians, some half a million serfs and Swedish prisoners of war were impressed into the construction of Petersburg. Confronting disease, those infamous mosquito swarms, exhaustion, hypothermia, frostbite, starvation, and ravenous wolves, the indentured workers expired with astonishing speed, and were often left where they had fallen. Thousands received anonymous burials beneath the rapidly laid cobblestones and buildings. Hence Petersburg’s nickname, “the city built on bones.” Rough estimates put the number of deaths resulting directly from the city’s construction anywhere between 40,000 and 100,000, an inauspicious beginning to a site that would host three major revolutions and incur a second occasional nickname for that reason: “the cradle of revolutions.” As the literary critic Philip Rahv wrote, > Petersburg was erected on the Finnish marshland with cruel haste and at the cost of many lives by the edict of Peter the Great, who undertook, with the savage rationality typical of belated and alien converts to progress, to transform his backward domain all at once into an efficient state militarized along modern lines. The self-will and precipitate style of this operation brought into being a city without roots in the past or in the vast rural hinterland, the center of alienation and of everything novel and foreign violating the national traditions. . . . It was in Petersburg that, in a fashion peculiar to it, the imperial bureaucracy exerted itself to Westernize the country from above. Rahv, here, is noting another problem with Petersburg, unrelated to the brutality of its construction and the city’s unwelcoming geological and meteorological features: the fact that, unlike most cities, which emerge organically over hundreds and often thousands of years, Petersburg was conceived and erected without regard for any preexisting human settlement, and with brutal precision. Early in Dostoyevsky’s *Notes from Underground*, the so-called underground man, maligner of all Enlightenment hopes and values, accuses Petersburg of being “the most abstract and intentional city on the entire globe.” Adding that cities “can be intentional or unintentional,” the underground man considers it a great misfortune to be the inhabitant of an intentional city. In part, his antirational narrative develops as a lament over all the freedom, subjectivity, social integration, and human connection that such a city chokes out of its inhabitants. He may be the first literary figure to highlight the dangers of excessively calculated urban design. Nowadays, we have caught on to his point, and what the underground man calls “intentional,” we would call “top-down.” In the history of urban poetics, from Baudelaire and Balzac to Dickens and Dreiser, Dostoyevsky stands out as the writer most concerned with the ill effects of top-down planning on the city-dweller’s psychic reality. This is fitting, partly because, at least as far as Europe is concerned, Petersburg is indeed the singular “intentional” city, the only one founded upon authoritative planning and totalizing organization. Though several of Dostoyevsky’s more famous novels, including *The Brothers Karamazov*, *The Idiot*, and *Demons*, have little to do with the urban milieu or the specific problems imposed upon Petersburg residents, the former Russian capital does take on characterological proportions not only in *The Double*, *Notes from Underground*, and *Crime and Punishment*, but also in several classic short stories and novellas such as “White Nights” and *The Eternal Husband*. As Richard Pevear writes in the introduction to his translation of *Crime and Punishment*, “Petersburg is not a backdrop for the events Dostoyevsky narrates, but a constant participant in them. . . . The enigma of the city and the enigma of the hero are one.” If Dostoyevsky likened Petersburg to a grid on the marsh, so, too, does he associate the vicious rationality of *Crime and Punishment*’s murderous hero, Raskolnikov—his excessive faith in utilitarian, statistical thinking—with a superficial grid on the marsh of his own subconscious. Raskolnikov’s learning and his abuse of reasoning overwhelm his potential for companionship, artistry, spontaneity, empathy, and love. His morality is abstract, not particular or concrete. Even his crime is intentional, overdetermined by logical brainwork, not passionate or inspired. Like Peter the Great before him, but on a smaller scale, Raskolnikov believes that he can overwhelm (human) nature with intellectual willpower and, in so doing, achieve utopian results. In the novel, Petersburg’s similarity with a swamp-prison conditions Raskolnikov’s mentality as a solitary human who can achieve freedom only negatively—through rebellion against the established moral order. Urban life intensifies the alienation of the city’s inhabitants in *Crime and Punishment*. Proximity begets anonymity, intellectualism inhibits social integrity, and architecture exposes, rather than protects, the populace. Improvisational interactions, communal gatherings, and all the other joys of human engagement are tainted by dark, superficially rational egoisms. As far back as the 1860s, Dostoyevsky was describing issues that have grown only more relevant to today’s sociologists, psychologists, archaeologists, city planners, and network theorists. For, like Peter the Great and his mercenary architects and engineers, Raskolnikov tries to constrain the unpredictability and chaos of social interaction; yet these very attempts, unsurprisingly, lead to an intensification of the messiness he seeks to overcome. Just as the czar’s vision of a Russian utopia bordering the West resulted in a hell for those tasked with its construction and early inhabitancy, so does Raskolnikov’s vision of a world without guilt, shame, poverty, accountability, or suffering lead to his murderousness, madness, and self-destruction. From the start, Petersburg “was a totally rationalized city,” as Holquist explained—one that, unlike Europe’s other cities, “did not develop so much *out* of its national history, as did London or Paris, but *against* that history.” One can say something similar about Raskolnikov as an individual working against the promise of his own interpersonal continuity. ### Read the rest [Liminal UrbanismContrasting Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s depiction of dystopian, top-down urban planning with Jorge Almazán’s vision of emergent cities![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/CJ-300x300.png)City JournalAnthony Eagan![](https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/construction-of-Saint-Petersburg.jpg)](https://www.city-journal.org/article/liminal-urbanism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### 23 Truths URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/23-truths/ Last updated: 2025-02-01T19:31:33.000Z 1. Few things make you stupider than the belief that you need to have an opinion on everything. --- 1. If you want to be right, don’t try to be right, try to be less wrong. If you want to be smart, don’t try to be smart, try to be curious and humble. --- 1. No one is paying as much attention to you as you are. People are too concerned with how they appear to others to care much about how you appear to them. --- 1. Every “overnight success” is the result of years of thankless work. Success comes not from great acts of genius but from doing lots of small things consistently. --- 1. Failure is a mark of courage. It means you risked failure. --- 1. Many of the people you disagree with are not stupid, evil, or insane, but have had thoughts and experiences you haven't which led them to different conclusions. --- 1. In the long run, a lazy lifestyle creates more work and stress than a disciplined one. --- 1. You’re not inactive because you lack motivation, you lack motivation because you’re inactive. You don't need to feel inspired to start creating, you need to start creating to feel inspired. Action creates traction. All you need is to start and the rest will inevitably follow. --- 1. A lot of the time your feelings are invalid and you should feel differently. --- 1. You should just be yourself, not because it will make you more likable (it won’t) but because it's only by being yourself that you'll find people who like you for who you are rather than for who you're pretending to be. **Read the rest** [23 Truths I Wish I Knew at 23But which are never too late to learn![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5fb19484-ae10-47fc-8e2f-f9bfc0cb9983%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The PrismGurwinder![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1200,h_600,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fadffd962-b4d5-4bbc-9991-1c92f21e1c0d_3000x3000.png)](https://www.gurwinder.blog/p/23-truths-i-wish-i-knew-at-23?r=1mwuz7&utm%5Fmedium=ios&triedRedirect=true&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Feeling Hurried? Blame Netflix URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/feeling-hurried-blame-netflix/ Last updated: 2025-02-01T19:30:36.000Z One quality about modern life that no one denies: it's rushed. It's hurried. Frenzied. No one feels like they have enough time. There's a simple explanation: Modern life is fun. It's interesting. Tons of **worthy** things grab our attention. The adjective "worthy" is the focus here. There are many ways to spend our time that are genuinely worthy: sophisticated, smart, engaging, fun, artistic . . . whatever. They are things that have quality at some level. Even something *prima facie* moronic like *Naked and Afraid* has quality, even if it scrapes dregs from the barrel of vulgarity. It's a new phenomenon, unique to western culture in modern times. Picture bumpkins in Appalachia a hundred years ago. During their (ample) free time, they sit on the front porch and look out or sit in their cabin and stare. Maybe they go for a walk. They have neither electricity nor books. They're poor and their culture is materially poor, so they don't have a lot of options for ways to spend their time. Wealth creates options. A lot of wealth creates a lot of worthy options at affordable prices. [The more wealth, the more hurried we feel because there are so many worthy things to pack into the day](https://amzn.to/43LYBmp?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). --- ## Lean Into the Feeling that You Don't Have Enough Time Here's a simple idea to conquer that feeling that you never have enough time. Focus on time. **The paradox: By focusing on time, you won't think about time.** Here's what I mean: Don't think about what you will *do*. Instead, just focus on the time you're going to spend. 💡 ****Example:** I love to garden. If I go into my garden after work, I'll stay out there until I can't see (my wife bought me a hat with a light on it because of this problem). There are always a lot of worthy things to do in my garden so I try to do all of them. The problem is, I then neglect all the other things that I want to get done at night: reading, prayers, chatting with my wife. I then feel rushed. Hurried. Frenzied. The easy solution: I set a time. I say, "I'll go indoors at 7:15," and I do, even though it means a lot of worthy gardening tasks don't get done. This approach turns your perceived enemy (limited time) into your servant (time limits). You also will stop thinking so much about what you're going to do. It's a cliche but accurate: we're human *beings*, not human *doings*. Time limits will remove you from the relentless demand that we do things. The approach is also right-hemispheric. The left hemisphere is tasked with tasks. By not thinking about the tasks, you don't engage your left hemisphere nearly as often, thereby taking its jackboot off your mental neck more often. It also helps with Parkinson's Law. A task will expand to fill the time allocated to it. Instead of telling yourself that you're going to accomplish A, B, and C, tell yourself you're allocating X time to accomplish A, B, and C. You are then focusing first on the time, not the tasks. This subtle shift in your internal dialogue makes a difference. *BTW: This last suggestion, it would seem, should lead to stress ("Gotta get this done before time runs out!"). I haven't found that's the case, but if it gives rise to stress in you, try approaching it like a game. If you don't win (don't finish the task), just shrug and try again. For what it's worth, I've been trying this approach for a few years and I rarely correctly estimate the time I should allocate to a project, but because I focus on the allocation of time instead of the project, it rarely bothers me.* You can (and probably should) organize your whole day in a series of time blocks. I envision them as a series of "sprints." I set up six one-hour sprints at the office, separated by short breaks (5-15 minutes). After the sprints are done, I go home. I always go home with a pile of work left behind me. But I always go home . . . *with the pile of work left behind me*. ### "To Play is to Contemplate," James Schall URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/doing-things-for-their-own-sake/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:46:35.000Z "For Aristotle the most interesting and fascinating thing about play was precisely that it was 'unnecessary.' More than anything else, this freedom is what made play noble, what made it like contemplation." James Schall, [*On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs*](https://amzn.to/3OkD8u0?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). "Good games and sporting events are the normal and symbolic experiences most people have that might teach them to understand something of God, to understand **how something could be for its own sake**. This experience teaches us how it is possible that something we might contemplate is something we might contemplate forever if it were forever fascinating." *Id.* [Ten Totally Impractical Observations about Life that You Need to HearI don’t think Fr. Schall knew it, but his book is a relentless celebration of the right hemisphere.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1565113052401-9683a46de386?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDMzfHxsZWlzdXJlfGVufDB8fHx8MTY4MjMzMjk5MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/52621/) ### Joe Rogan and Diana Walsh Pasulka Discussing Jimi Hendrix's Guitar Playing "You're tapping into something that's higher than normal consciousness." Joe Rogan > "Yes, and it's pretty cool. It's exactly what Plato said it was. You do it for its own sake. You don't do it for anything else. You do it because of It. You don't do it because after this I'm going to make a lot of money. Or it'll make my parents happy. You don't do it for those reasons. You do it for in and of itself." DW Pasulka. "The people who do it for those reasons--I'm going to be famous, I'm going to be this, I'm going to be that--they never make it. There's something about it. They just don't. Maybe some of them will become pop stars, but it'll never be transcendent" like Hendrix. It's not genius. Starts at 23:45ish ### Localism is Better Because It Provides Far More Options URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/localism-is-better-because-it-provides-far-more-options/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:47:28.000Z [This is a frustrating interview](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/02/small-isnt-beautiful-localism-and-its-critics/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The champions of localism, *Front Porch Republic*, interview an enemy of it, Trevor Latimore (author of [*Small Isn't Beautiful*](https://amzn.to/3SXS7wE?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)). It's a cordial exchange, with interesting arguments/points by both sides, but Latimore's position seems to gel around this simple point: *Yes, central governments can suck, but local governments can suck, too.* *FPR* never asks the obvious point: *Well, if your local government sucks, you can move a few miles down the road and try a different local government. If your national government sucks, you're out of luck unless you want to emigrate to another country. Both are unpleasant, but surely, moving to a new country is much, much more unpleasant.* In response to Latimore's position that centralized power is better because, citing J.S. Mill, "local despots" are close and, therefore, worse, the interviewer doesn't counter strongly enough with the obvious point: "Is centralized power further away? It may have been further away in Mill's time, but in today's centralized panopticon of the Internet, digital currency, and the Homeland Security Act? Centralized government is creeping closer and closer." The interviewer hits on this point, but Latimore gets away with not answering it. Moreover, America's central government is spreading out at the same time that it's creeping closer. Americans can't even emigrate to Canada anymore to escape American culture and public policy. Western Europe isn't an option either. The centralized American state's preferences\*\* are spanning the globe. Quite frankly, it's the biggest issue in America today. An interview about the increasingly authoritative nature of the federal government without focusing on its technological reach is like interviewing a physician about alcoholism without focusing on alcohol. (\*\*Or, perhaps, the American state's preferences merely reflect the preferences of a global elite/establishment . . . I'm not sure.) --- ### Interesting Aside Latimore distinguishes between "perfectionist localists" and "consequentialist localists." > In my book I show that there are many different kinds of localism. I hesitate to paint *Front Porch Republic* with too broad a brush, but I think it would be fair to say that many of its (localist) readers are communitarian or classically republican in their localism. There is a romantic strain as well. In these forms, localism becomes associated with human flourishing and a particular vision of the good life. These are **perfectionist** views. > There is another kind of localism exemplified by the American Enterprise Institute’s (AEI) *Localism in America: Why We Should Tackle Our Big Challenges at the Local Level*. That form of localism is **consequentialist** rather than perfectionist; for the AEI crowd, localism should be adhered to because it helps solves problems. It says nothing about the good life. Here I’m really just rehashing a major divide in moral theory (consequentialism vs. perfectionism), but it maps well enough onto two very different strands of localism. That "major divide" in moral theory is nothing less, it seems to me, than the "major divide" between the hemispheres. The left hemisphere looks at consequences and the right hemisphere looks at "perfectionism" (or, put in less condescending terms, "flourishing" or "acting consistent with human nature"). This, in turn, laps into the Taoist value of *wu-wei*: trying without trying. We shouldn't try to achieve, X, Y, and Z. We should simply try to do what is right (what is consistent with flourishing, acting in accord with our natures), moment to moment, and X, Y, and Z will follow . . . or not, but the results aren't are concern. A mind that isn't occupied with results is non-left hemispheric, and that's a thing to be cultivated. ### Jigsaw Puzzles. Non-Stories. The Focused Life? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/jigsaw-puzzles-non-stories-the-focused-life/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T13:24:44.000Z My father-in-law is 93 and really sharp. One thing he does to keep sharp: jigsaw puzzles. He times himself and works them serenely but with focus. The mental exercise drips with lessons explored by Dr. Kevin Majerjes at [Optimal Work](https://optimalwork.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): short bursts of sustained focus, little goals that keep you motivated during the burst, engagement in an activity that lessens the desire to multitask. Jigsaw puzzles have a lot of benefits ([touched upon here](https://thedailyeudemon.com/maybe-we-should-start-doing-jigsaw-puzzles/)). I'm not inclined to start doing jigsaw puzzles, but I have started something similar: writing "non-stories" within tight time constraints (30 minutes, normally). I find an article at the *Spectator* or *Epoch Times* that I like, then sit down and write a non-story about it in 30 minutes. Sometimes, I find interesting material from a book and do the same thing. I *think* the effect is kind of the same thing that my father-in-law achieves with his jigsaw puzzles. Short burst, the little goal of "putting together" the first draft of the article within 30 minutes, a lighter activity (they're written like newspaper articles, not weighty essays) that sustains focus. Anyway, my Botox piece came from the *Spectator*. [The non-story about winter resolutions came from *The Epoch Times*](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35064/perhaps-we-should-make-winter-resolutions-instead-of-new-years-resolutions.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). [The non-story about the magician](https://thedailyeudemon.com/magician-induces-hallucinations-after-the-show/) came from the (surprisingly interesting and fun) [*Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures*](https://amzn.to/3O9FOdY?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ### Has Feminism And 'Hoeflation' Destroyed Dating In The West? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/has-feminism-and-hoeflation-destroyed-dating-in-the-west/ Last updated: 2024-01-01T14:06:40.000Z [More Guys Need to Get to the Trad MassThe women described in his piece (the “hoes”) are taken straight from the movies and other pop culture. They’re also taken straight from real life (art mirrors life). But not all young women are like this. Not remotely. Some young women don’t think family life is an “artificial prison.” They![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-Misc..png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/more-guys-need-to-get-to-the-trad-mass/) It's a problem in the western world that is rarely discussed in the media beyond puff-piece articles and glancing polls that avoid connecting the dots. **The precipitous decline of dating, committed relationships and marriage along with a flatline in population in the past couple decades in the US is treated as a novelty issue rather than the threat to the stability of civilization that it actually is.** History shows that without the traditional family structure, numerous ugly societal consequences follow. One could argue, though, that the situation is far worse than that. We may be heading into a future where families become a novelty, and many argue that the root cause is feminism and the hyperinflated delusions of progressive women. **In order to understand the problem we have to look at the stats.** More than 50% of American women are still childless by age 30\. By age 35 [fertility goes into steep decline](https://extendfertility.com/your-fertility/fertility-statistics-by-age/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) with women having a 15% chance of becoming pregnant, and a less than 5% chance of motherhood at age 40\. Meaning, the best window of opportunity for women to find a compatible partner and build a family is in their 20s. **Feminists argue, though, that this is the time in a woman's life when they should be building a career and having fun.** Family life, they say, is an artificial prison “created by the patriarchy” in order to oppress the fairer sex. Corporate media and Hollywood entertainment often reinforce this narrative and encourage unrealistic life goals. The propaganda has generated what many refer to as the [**“Female Happiness Paradox.”**](https://law.yale.edu/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/Intellectual%5FLife/Stevenson%5FParadoxDecliningFemaleHappiness%5FDec08.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Surveys show that increased power, job access and responsibility for women in society since the 1970s has also led to a diametrically opposed decline in overall happiness for those same women. The correlation suggests the exact opposite of what feminism originally promised and that the ideology has been a net negative. Though some will argue that a general decline in economic conditions is the real cause, surveys show that **women have suffered a far more pronounced drop in happiness compared to men.** Meaning, men were already acclimated to the struggles of the workaday world and their roles as providers and protectors. Women were happy until they joined men in the trenches. [**Read the rest**](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/has-feminism-and-hoeflation-destroyed-dating-west?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Scrolling Blog: January 2024 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-entries-january-2024/ Last updated: 2024-02-09T12:30:31.000Z January 31, 2024 ## AI and the Left Hemisphere About once a month, I come across an online essay that is so lengthy and compelling that, after reading the first section, I merely scan the rest and print it out so I can study it later. Such is [this essay by Adam Kirsch](https://libertiesjournal.com/articles/literaturegpt/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It appears to be an explanation of how the left hemisphere came to dominate modern knowledge and how AI is its most recent (and deadly?) manifestation. Kirsch never mentions the left hemisphere but the essay nicely plugs into the hemisphere hypothesis and, regardless of what you think of McGilchrist is, I believe, a "must read." Side note: I'm struck by this new journal (it's been around for four years, it appears). I had to resist the temptation to subscribe immediately. I'll get its newsletters and start listening to its podcasts and then decide, but right now, I'm leaning heavily toward purchasing a subscription. [AI: All Left HemisphereAdam Kirsch at LiteratureGBT![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1620712943543-bcc4688e7485?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEwfHxhcnRpZmljaWFsJTIwaW50ZWxsaWdlbmNlfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNjcxMDQ0Nnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/ai-all-left-hemisphere/) [Artificial Intelligence Doesn’t Have a Right HemisphereLanguage is the prime material of logical constructions. Owen Barfield, Poetic Diction (1928) Large language models are trained on human data from the Internet. Lex Fridman, #370, Edward Frenkel (37:30) “AI Might Eliminate Us, but It Can’t Replace Us.” Anonymous![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1539606328118-80c679838702?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIxfHxyb2JvdCUyMG1vbmt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjgyNzcwODQw&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/language-and-ai/) --- January 30, 2024 ## QR Codes Aren't Evil ### They just feel that way. We ought to be asking "why?" The left hemisphere thinks that it objectively uses tools. Tools, the left hemisphere thinks, don't affect the brain: the brain simply yields the tools. Tools are the brain's b\*\*ch. Enter Marshall McLuhan, Jacques Ellul, Lewis Mumford, the Jesuit Walter Ong, Neil Postman, and many other thinkers who have begged modernity's left hemisphere to lift its foot off the cocksure accelerator and ask questions: What is lost when a new tool is employed? What becomes different? How does the tool affect us? Unfortunately, the questions can't be answered in left hemispheric terms (i.e., "analytically," "categorically," "in black and white"). We can only grope for answers at the beginning, using our intuition and vague impressions . . . our *feelings*. Later, after the damage is done, we can use the left hemisphere to pick through the rubble and analyze the pieces, but how much nicer it would've been to allow the right hemisphere to pre-empt the damage. [Bailey Sincox has written a lovely essay that tries to bring the right hemisphere to bear on QR Codes](https://www.publicbooks.org/tickets-are-for-remembering/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The essay proves nothing but it's not supposed to. It raises an important question and that's enough. [A Charming Suggestion: Bring Back the TicketsBailey Sincox at Public Books![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1622817245531-a07976979cf5?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI0fHx0aWNrZXR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA2NjIxODU1fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-charming-suggestion-bring-back-the-playbills/) It concludes with an experience that even the left hemisphere can appreciate: > Spotting an usher standing at the foot of an escalator, I pulled out my phone, opened my email inbox, and followed a link from The Shed. The link took me to a login page where I was asked to provide my username and password for The Shed’s website. Not remembering my account details, I returned to my inbox and searched for “TICKETS” in the hope of finding another email with an attached PDF or embedded information. The usher rang her bell, signaling five minutes until curtain. “Let’s just go to will call,” I said to my companion in exasperation. --- ## Belief Forming Disposition or Disposition Forming Belief? ### A Social-Psycho Construct (Marx/Freud Explanation) or Evidence of Connection to Reality? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/01/McGilchrist-Column-1-Pic.jpg) ****"As Harold Bloom put it, ‘It’s no fun being an atheist.' The evidence appears to be, by contrast, that religious people are very considerably happier, healthier, both physically and mentally, less lonely, more fulfilled and longer-lived than others."** --- > [pic.twitter.com/BHwqTdT9u8](https://t.co/BHwqTdT9u8?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Sal the Agorist (@SallyMayweather) [January 29, 2024](https://twitter.com/SallyMayweather/status/1752003569878790585?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- January 29, 2024 ### Haven't verified but I'd bet money it's accurate . . . > [pic.twitter.com/aidDKlVfAJ](https://t.co/aidDKlVfAJ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > > — Sal the Agorist (@SallyMayweather) [January 30, 2024](https://twitter.com/SallyMayweather/status/1752119995398852898?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Column [Fundamentalism: The Disposition that Fuels the Jerks of the WorldMost disagreeable people have this common trait.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Mean-Girls.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-common-denominator/) ### Also at Catholic365, but in a Slightly-Sanitized Version [Mean People Tend to be FundamantalistsMost disagreeable people have this common trait.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1553542793-0efb6b7382cc?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwzfHxtZWFuJTIwZ2lybHN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA2NTM2MTgwfDA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=face)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35326/mean-people-tend-to-be-fundamantalists.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Oh My Lions That franchise is snakebit. They dominated that game; they were the better team; they made one gaff and goof after another. Oh well. I thought for a few minutes that I was going to enjoy both a collegiate National Champion and a NFC Champion (with a shot at the Super Bowl championship). Maybe I was just getting greedy, and if I am, indeed, only allowed to have one, I would've picked the Michigan National Championship. --- January 28, 2024 ## Rogan Meets Schall [“To Play is to Contemplate,” James Schall“One should live out one’s days playing at certain games--sacrificing, singing, and dancing.” Plato, The Laws![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-Schall.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/doing-things-for-their-own-sake/) --- ## George Carlin is Still Cutting Edge [George Carlin’s Estate Sues Over AI-Generated ‘Comedy Special’: A New Frontier In Copyright Wars“It is interesting how heated people get about it.”![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2024-01/carlin%20mic.JPG?itok=PIY2-3TZ)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/george-carlins-estate-sues-over-ai-generated-comedy-special-new-frontier-copyright-wars?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- January 27, 2024 ## Excellent Documentary If you're interested in the Mob and Vegas. --- ## Too Fat for Civil War > According to a recent Pentagon study, [77 percent](https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/09/28/new-pentagon-study-shows-77-of-young-americans-are-ineligible-military-service.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) of young Americans do not qualify for military service due to being drug-addled, fat, crazy or some combination of the above. Another study from late last year showed that 20 percent of active-duty military are too fat for active duty. [America is too fat for another civil warPundits and YouTubers these days love to warn of the inevitable civil war, as they sit in their comfortable, air-conditioned home studios![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldBridget Phetasy![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/AUG-DIG-IMAGES19-copy.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/topic/america-too-fat-civil-war-obesity/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > Napoleon Bonaparte famously said, “Fat people do not belong in war.” If wars were decided by eating contests — maybe I’d fear the coming civil war. Perhaps it’s time for the nation to focus on shedding pounds rather than shedding blood. After all, a healthy and united America is far more powerful than fat, crazy and depressed one. --- January 26, 2024 ## Brews You Can Use [BYCU: Drinking Literature: The Good, the Bad, and the TripeThis is a Lovely Drinking Piece from the Spectator An ode to localism, in its way It used to have a snug: a partitioned room where ladies could drink in privacy. Those days are gone, now; it’s been closed off. The ornately carved bar and buttoned leather bench seats![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604477239890-e6174f7d3a49?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fG5ld3NwYXBlciUyMHdpbmV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA2MjcwMDQxfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-drinking-literature-the-good-the-bad-and-the-tripe/) --- January 25, 2024 ## A Thoughtful Appreciation of the Small and Local . . . of Our Backyards > What if this bog-standard corner of England is actually full of adventure, nature, wildness, surprises, silence, perspective — if only I bothered to go out and look? [A Single Small Map Is Enough For A LifetimeAlastair Humphreys at Noema![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1567636763309-545549fbbcbb?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDl8fHNtYWxsJTIwZ2FyZGVufGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNjE5MTY2MXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-single-small-map-is-enough-for-a-lifetime/) --- 💡 The last few days have been dedicated to "localism." A new TDE writer would be forgiven for thinking this site is dedicated to localism. If you're new here, note: TDE isn't a localism blog. It's just one of the main themes. January 24, 2024 ## Local Economy The struggle to reconcile our use of Amazon with our hatred of big corporations is a constant mental, even emotional, struggle, especially when facts like this are plopped in front of us: > Money is power, and companies like Amazon suck this economic power out of local communities and concentrate it far away. [The author of this piece does a nice job of struggling with the layered problem](https://www.plough.com/en/topics/justice/social-justice/economic-justice/keep-your-money-close?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that is Amazon. I say "layered" because it afflicts the individual, the community, the nation, and the globe. That being said, I squint at her application of the principle of subsidiarity to economics. The principle of subsidiarity is a political issue, not an economic one. The biggest problem we have today is the (successful) effort by businesses to use politics in their economic pursuits. This blurring of the spheres (i) exacerbates the inequality that is bad enough already in capitalism and (ii) it results in legal thievery by the economically rich and politically connected against everyone who isn't both rich and connected. I'm not sure it makes sense to blur the two realms in our effort to get rid of the blurring, but otherwise, it's a compelling essay. It even offers a few good responses to the problem (I love the idea of barter), even if, I fear, they don't amount to much. Sometimes, a small thing is the only thing we can do. The fact that it's small doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. [Keep Your Money CloseJane Clark Scharl at Plough![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1553413077-190dd305871c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEzfHxhbWF6b258ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA2MTAzNDkyfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/keep-your-money-close/) --- January 23, 2024 ## Localism without Fundamentalism [We can applaud yesterday's small towns without worshipping them](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2024/01/localism-without-nostalgia/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). We can appreciate the local without demonizing the central. But we also need to insist that today's progressives applaud yesterday and that today's centralizing gnostics respect the local. I'm afraid those just aren't going to happen, so we're left with the natural response to idealize (a form of worship) the past and hate the central. [Localism without NostalgiaAdam Smith at Front Porch Republic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1620700078101-6d5917f792cc?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fHNtYWxsJTIwdG93bnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDYwMTc3MzN8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/localism-without-nostalgia/) --- January 22, 2024 ## Monday Column I don't think I'll run this one at *Catholic365*. It's a bit too ribald. Maybe I'll run a sanitized version there later. [Relationship Contracts: Another Postmodern Band-AidDo I applaud or vomit? That Hamlet-like question twists my mind when I read about our postmodern culture’s mental struggles. Most recently, it happened when I read about “relationship contracts.” They’re documents signed by people who have decided they’re going to start having a lot of sex but want something![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1603796846097-bee99e4a601f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGNvbnRyYWN0c3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDU4ODA5MTl8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-39/) --- ## Video [Hemisphere VideoYou don’t want to read the 500-page Master and his Emissary? You don’t want to read the 1,500 pages that flush it all out? Try The Divided Brain. You can rent it for $1.99\. In just 80 minutes, you’ll understand the Hemisphere Hypothesis.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-Hemisphere-Hypothesis.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/hemisphere-video/) January 21, 2024 ## If You're Near Toledo, Check This Out A TDE reader sends this along. > Eric: Toledo Museum of Art is actually having an interesting exhibit. (Museum has a really good permanent collection, but recent exhibits have been lame.) [The Brilliance of Caravaggio: Four Paintings in FocusExplore the Toledo Museum of Art’s latest exhibitions, including ‘The Brilliance of Caravaggio’ and ‘Beth Lipman: ReGift’. Plan your visit, learn about our educational programs, and join upcoming events at this premier art destination.![](https://toledomuseum.org/assets/favicon.png)Toledo Museum of Art![](https://toledomuseum.org/img/asset/YXNzZXRzL3NvY2lhbF9sb2dvLmpwZw==?w=1200&h=630&q=70&fit=crop&s=c3170c990905f8257440ae04f98583d8)](https://toledomuseum.org/exhibitions/the-brilliance-of-caravaggio-four-paintings-in-focus?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy* (ca. 1595-96), Caravaggio’s first religious painting, presents the 13th-century saint’s vision of his miraculously receiving the signs of the stigmata, the wounds left in Christ’s body by the Crucifixion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2024/01/Francis-in-Ecstasy.jpg) Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, bishop of Toledo, will discuss “Caravaggio” in conversation with director Adam Levine on **Friday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m.** in the Great Gallery. --- January 20, 2024 ## [Jigsaw Puzzles. Non-Stories. The Focused Life?](https://thedailyeudemon.com/jigsaw-puzzles-non-stories-the-focused-life/) My father-in-law is 93 and really sharp. One thing he does to keep sharp: jigsaw puzzles. He times himself and works them serenely but with focus. The mental exercise drips with lessons explored by Dr. Kevin Majerjes at [Optimal Work](https://optimalwork.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): short bursts of sustained focus, little goals that keep you motivated during the burst, engagement in an activity that lessens the desire to multitask. Jigsaw puzzles have a lot of benefits ([touched upon here](https://thedailyeudemon.com/maybe-we-should-start-doing-jigsaw-puzzles/)). I'm not inclined to start doing jigsaw puzzles, but I have started something similar: writing "non-stories" within tight time constraints (30 minutes, normally). I find an article at the *Spectator* or *Epoch Times* that I like, then sit down and write a non-story about it in 30 minutes. Sometimes, I find interesting material from a book and do the same thing. I *think* the effect is kind of the same thing that my father-in-law achieves with his jigsaw puzzles. Short burst, the little goal of "putting together" the first draft of the article within 30 minutes, a lighter activity (they're written like newspaper articles, not weighty essays) that sustains focus. Anyway, my Botox piece came from the *Spectator*. [The non-story about winter resolutions came from *The Epoch Times*](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35064/perhaps-we-should-make-winter-resolutions-instead-of-new-years-resolutions.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). [The non-story about the magician](https://thedailyeudemon.com/magician-induces-hallucinations-after-the-show/) came from the (surprisingly interesting and fun) [*Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures*](https://amzn.to/3O9FOdY?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). [Botoxing the Beauty Out of Our LivesOur society fears death so much, we’d rather look like ghouls than aged.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1602677526061-1dec14a6cbb6?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw2fHxib3RveHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDU2NjUzOTd8MA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=focalpoint)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35204/botoxing-the-beauty-out-of-our-lives.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) [Maybe We Should Start Doing Jigsaw PuzzlesI enjoyed jigsaw puzzles as a kid, but by the time I got to college, they had become relics in my closet. I’m “toying” with the idea of getting them out again, perhaps starting with the really pretty Bob Ross puzzle collection. Jigsaw puzzles are excellent ways to relax.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1612611741189-a9b9eb01d515?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGppZ3Nhd3xlbnwwfHx8fDE2OTAwMzMyOTd8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/maybe-we-should-start-doing-jigsaw-puzzles/) --- January 19, 2024 ## Brews You Can Use [BYCUPriming your pump in this damp January![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/photo-1512697209174-052e28b0b1fa.jpeg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-32/) --- January 18, 2024 ### A Previous *OtML* Installment [We’re All Schizophrenic WinosEric Scheske![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1445377460552-b8989ca80820?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fGJvd2VyeXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDU1OTAxODV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/were-all-schizophrenic-winos-2/) --- January 17, 2024 ## [Dalrymple on the WNBA](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-40/) Anthony Daniels aims at three of my favorite targets: (1) The relentless propaganda to push the WNBA on the populace (but in Daniels' case, he marvels at the propaganda to push female soccer in Europe), (2) tattoo culture, and (3) ugly buildings ("brutalism"). Underlying these three seemingly disparate things: A sinister insistence that everyone appreciate and accept something that isn't good. Women's basketball/soccer is fine, but it's simply not as good as men's. A modest tattoo might be a matter of taste, but a tattoo-caked arm is unsettling. Brutal buildings are downright menacing and ugly. Should people be free to watch the WNBA, get a tattoo, and construct ugly buildings? Sure. But they should be even freer not to. A person of true freedom doesn't succumb to the propaganda. A person of true freedom and a bit of bravery (or brashness) is comfortable pushing back, preferably with mockery. > It is not the fault of women that they are not very good at football, any more than it is the fault of fish that they are illiterate, but the fact that everyone pretends not to notice it and dares not say it, at least in public, is surely a little sinister. A man of seventy may still play a good game of tennis, but it is always for his age: one wouldn’t expect him to win Wimbledon, nor would one expect excited, breathless reports on an over-seventies’ tennis tournament. The sudden interest in women’s football thus has a bogus feel about it, like the simulated enthusiasm of a crowd for the dictator in a communist state. [Propaganda & UglificationAnthony Daniels (a/k/a “Theodore Dalrymple”) at The New Criterion![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516008684536-605574d804ce?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fHRhdHRvb3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDU0OTkwODF8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/propaganda-uglification/) January 16, 2024 ## Bring Back H.L. Mencken! [Conservative Billionaire Buys Baltimore Sun Newspaper“I think the paper can be hugely profitable and successful and serve a greater public interest over time.”![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2024-01/2024-01-16_07-07-11.png?itok=zk5wW7Z-)](https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/conservative-billionaire-buys-baltimore-sun-newspaper?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## [Rabelais](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rabelais/) I'm not sure if I was more intrigued to find an essay about Rabelais or to find [a journal dedicated to Catholicism in South Louisiana](https://www.jdvjournal.com/about?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). They're both fine discoveries. One of my favorite writers, Albert Jay Nock, was a huge Rabelais fan. He wrote two books about him. From [the first](https://amzn.to/3RSzecU?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): > It must be laid down once and for all, that the chief purpose of reading a classic like Rabelais is to prop and stay the spirit, especially in its moments of weakness and reservation, against the stress of life, to elevate it above the reach of commonplace and annoyances and degradations, and to purge it of despondency and cynicism. According to [Robert Crunden's indispensable Nock biography](https://amzn.to/4aVWFux?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), Nock wrote in a letter to a friend: > Rabelais was one of the world's great libertarians and if I can do anything for him with American readers of the more thoughtful kind, I shall be truly happy; he has been a stay and support to my spirit for thirty years. Said Crunden: > Nock's essay on Rabelais was a work of sheer devotion, a cheerful attempt to repay a debt that could never really be repaid. [The Resurrection of the BawdyThe period of history we call the Reformation is full of its puzzles and contradictions. One of the most intriguing of those puzzles is this: that one of the leading European literary figures of the time, a man whose work inspired Cervantes and Voltaire, is almost entirely unknown today. This![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Rabelais.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-resurrection-of-the-bawdy/) --- January 15, 2024 ## The Monday Column I thought I published this essay at TDE but I can't find it now. I previous version appeared at Medium.com, but it's not there now. Anyway, as far as humor goes, it's one of my better efforts. [Should We Love the Encyclopedia Even If It Doesn’t Love Us?The encyclopedia was invented to undermine the Catholic Church, but I still like it.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1589994284978-c98238e44443?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxicml0YW5uaWNhfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwNTI3MTU2NHww&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=face)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35145/should-we-love-the-encyclopedia-even-if-it-doesnt-love-us.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- January 14, 2024 [Why do I feel so exhausted after taking a day off work?We work -- ideally good, honest work that is satisfying in its own way -- to prepare for leisure. Leisure is the reason we were created. It’s our happiness.![](https://wp.en.aleteia.org/wp-content/themes/aleteia-2017/assets/icons/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Aleteia — Catholic Spirituality, Lifestyle, World News, and CultureFr. Michael Rennier![](https://wp.en.aleteia.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/active-vs-lazy.jpg?w=620&h=310&crop=1)](https://aleteia.org/2023/09/03/why-do-i-feel-so-exhausted-after-taking-a-day-off-work/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- January 13, 2024 ## Winter Arrives Wow, pretty brutal weather this weekend. It took Marie and me 90 minutes to clear the driveway and now, two hours later, it's covered again. You don't need a gym membership when you live in the north. That was an insight instilled into me from growing up with *Rocky IV*. --- January 12, 2024 ## Brews You Can Use [BYCUMan Arrested for Shopdrinking A store loss prevention officer said the man was spotted selecting bottles of gin from the store shelves, pouring the contents into a cup, drinking the contents and discarding the bottles into a reusable shopping bag. \[eco-friendly\] The man initially did not cooperate with police when![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1470337458703-46ad1756a187?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxjb3JuJTIwd2hpc2tleXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDUwMjI1Mjd8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-29/) --- January 11, 2024 Can Pope Francis' good supporters at least concede he is surrounded by scoundrels? --- January 9, 2024 ## Congrats to the Wolverines I'm pretty stoked about this championship. I was again engrossed and had trouble falling asleep afterward, even though I was tired after spending the day taking Max back to Ann Arbor and spending a bit of time walking my old haunts. I would again be mildly ashamed at my interest in the game like I was on January 1st, except for Fr. Schall's assurance that it's good to take interest in something frivolous: it shows how something can be good for its own sake, not for what it brings you. I'm inclined to think it's a very right-hemispheric experience: a sports victory brings nothing to the fan that the left hemisphere values: profit, preservation, prey. But then again, the left hemisphere is "essentially competitive," so the whole experience of rooting for your team is essentially left-hemispheric. I'll have to ponder it some more. For now, I'll just enjoy the victory and see what transpires for this Michigan program over the next month. I'm afraid it won't be pretty, but it'll be interesting. --- January 8, 2024 ## Weekly Column Over at Catholic365\. It's in the genre of the "[non-story](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/non-stories/)" I've been toying with. [Perhaps We Should Make Winter Resolutions Instead of New Year’s ResolutionsTry Winter Resolutions: passive, calm, and orientated toward the right hemisphere of your brain.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1445543949571-ffc3e0e2f55e?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw1fHx3aW50ZXJ8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA0NzE5NzExfDA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=entropy)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35064/perhaps-we-should-make-winter-resolutions-instead-of-new-years-resolutions.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## National Championship Day My *alma mater* plays for the championship, and I'm gonna be in Ann Arbor . . . this morning. I'm taking Max back to college. He'll be watching at the Crysler Arena with thousands of other screaming students. God willing, I'll be home, cozily in front of my TV with two of my other sons and wife. Funny: I offered to take Max back to campus tomorrow so he could hang here with me, but he declined. Hmmmm. --- January 7, 2024 ## Slightly More Expansive Reflection on Dry January Friday's BYCU with a bit more background for the non-TDE reader. [What Does Dry January Tell Us?Is Dry January a teetotaller notion? If it is, Dry January violates Tradition and the Magisterium.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1606767351797-1664b860ae5a?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxib3R0bGUlMjBvZiUyMHdpbmV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA0NTU3MzY4fDA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=face)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35040/what-does-dry-january-tell-us.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- January 6, 2024 ## Catholic 365 Posting [The Most Significant Date in the History of Western CivilizationThe brain’s left hemisphere and right hemisphere clashed within Thomas Aquinas . . . and the right hemisphere won.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1596477141297-92429e402062?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxtb25hc3Rlcnl8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA0NDE2NDk3fDA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=face)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/35014/the-most-significant-date-in-the-history-of-western-civilization.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- January 5, 2024 ## Brews You Can Use [Is “Dry January” Just a Neo-Prohibitionist Trick?News and commentary to fuel your weekend![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1520181534968-c1197e0f53a0?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDh8fGJlZXIlMjBpbiUyMHdpbnRlcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDQ0NTg0Nzl8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/is-dry-january-just-a-neo-prohibitionist-trick/) --- [Dry January, Tradition, and the MagisteriumAndrew Huberman has gone near-teetotaller lately in his rhetoric. Awhile back, he warned that, if a person averages just one drink a day (seven in a week), he’s courting accelerated cognitive decline (and other health issues). He said the safe maximum might be six per week. As the episode continued,![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2024/01/Briefly-Chesterton.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dry-january-tradition-and-the-magisterium/) --- January 4, 2024 ## The Press' Claimed Monopoly on Truth It's the worst monopoly of all time . . . because it's an impossible monopoly and, therefore, a monopoly that can be exercised only through force (censorship). [Journalists Won’t Earn Back Trust by Claiming a Monopoly on TruthBonnie Kristian at Christianity Today![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1615403916271-e2dbc8cf3bf4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fG5ld3NwYXBlcnN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzA0MzcyOTI2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/journalists-wont-earn-back-trust-by-claiming-a-monopoly-on-truth/) --- January 3, 2024 ## Top-down Planning is Rational And therefore always dominated by the left hemisphere and therefore fundamentally misguided. One urban scientist is trying to explain a different way to envision our cities. [**This essay**](https://www.city-journal.org/article/liminal-urbanism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) contrasts this new way with the dystopian way that Dostoyevsky described at the start of modernity's mania for urban planning. > If Dostoyevsky reveals the ill effects of top-down planning through the pathologies that it enables, Almazán expresses the benefits of emergent urban spaces through their positive aesthetic, economic, social, and moral results. . . . > Almazán observed \[last year\]: “We can start looking at the mistakes we \[make\] here on Earth. . . . One of them is functionalism. Basically, it means thinking rationally and assigning to each problem a functional solution. We forget that human beings are not always rational. And cities, in fact, solve that issue through liminal spaces. "Liminal": Barely perceptible, those areas of city life we don't notice . . . because they emerge without notice (pre-thought, rationality, planning). [Top-Down Urban Planning v. Emergent CitiesAnthony Eagan at City Journal![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1600748338443-f7ea1054ed6b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI4fHx1cmJhbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDQyOTAxMzB8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/liminal-urbanism/) --- January 2, 2024 ## My Experimentation with the "Non-Story" Continues My third non-story shows what this "new genre" of online writing can do and why I'm so interested in it. [Magician Induces Hallucinations . . . After the ShowBefore he became a philosopher, Harvard Divinity School’s David Abram turned tricks. The award-winning author worked gigs as a magician. He traveled the world as an itinerant magician, and he worked as the “house magician” at Alice’s Restaurant (the same restaurant that inspired Arlo Guthrie’s famous Vietnam War protest song)![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1533988902751-0fad628013cb?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGNvaW4lMjB0cmlja3N8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAzNjg3NzIyfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/magician-induces-hallucinations-after-the-show/) --- ## Congratulations to My Wolverines It has been a heckuva ride so far. I'm a little embarrassed to say how wired I was during the game last night, but in my defense, it was one of the most fun (if frustrating) college football games in years. Now my son, Max, has a choice: Shell out over $1,500 to watch the championship game in Houston or re-sell his ticket and watch the game in Ann Arbor next Monday (and enjoy the ensuing wild celebration that will occur if Michigan pulls off a victory)? Choice, choices. --- January 1, 2024 ## Happy New Year > *“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul…” G.K. Chesterton* --- ## Zero Hedge on "Hoeflation" [**This**](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/has-feminism-and-hoeflation-destroyed-dating-west?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is one of those pieces that flooded my brain with all sorts of thoughts as I read it. Here are two: ### Zero Hedge is Fairly Well Written [Robert Kiyosaki](https://amzn.to/47pljR7?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) supposedly once counseled a new "creator" about the perils of good writing: "It's 'bestselling author,' not 'best-written author.'" His point: If you want to be successful online, you need to write for sales, not art. He's right. It's unfortunate, but if a writer spends time doing something stupid like, you know, writing well, [turning phrases](https://amzn.to/3RI9QXl?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and such, he won't be spending time churning out swill and won't make any money. Exhibit A: Zero Hedge. Tyler Durden couldn't write well, but he always got his point across in a pithy, often sensationalist, manner, and he knew his field (financing, investment) very well. His readership exploded. He then started branching out into related areas, going beyond economics into current affairs and politics. 💡 From Wikipedia's (Oh So) Objective Entry: "Over time, Zero Hedge expanded into non-financial political content, including [conspiracy theories](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy%5Ftheories?ref=thedailyeudemon.com "Conspiracy theories") and fringe rhetoric, advancing [radical right](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical%5Fright%5F%28United%5FStates%29?ref=thedailyeudemon.com "Radical right (United States)"), [alt-right](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alt-right?ref=thedailyeudemon.com "Alt-right"), and pro-Russia positions." Tyler Durden also started writing well. When I read this piece, I was like, "Dang, this is well done." I guess a guy can start as a hack and, after doing it for a few years, develop an objectively decent style. (Aside: "Tyler Durden" is the main character in [*Fight Club*](https://amzn.to/3TGp7dB?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Not only is it not the real name of the blogger behind Zero Hedge, but it's also unlikely that the Zero Hedge blogger is just one guy. It is speculated that up to 40 people are authorized by Zero Hedge to post under the name "Tyler Durden.") ### More Guys Need to Get to the Trad Mass The women described in his piece (the "hoes") are taken straight from the movies and other pop culture. They're also taken straight from real life (art mirrors life). But not all young women are like this. Not remotely. Some young women don't think family life is an "artificial prison." They know their best chance of happiness and fulfillment isn't found in the workplace. They aren't "woke." They know their ability to maintain a home is the most important thing any woman can do. They don't want to work unless necessary and, even then, preferably "on the side." (I believe, but can't prove, that women in the workforce have placed downward pressures on men's wages, while at the same time increasing the cost of living because two-earner couples can afford to splash money around). You can find these women at your local Catholic church, especially the ones at Latin Mass. Look for young ladies who are wearing a white veil over their hair (a black veil means they're married or engaged to be married . . . my new daughter-in-law explained this to me last week). I'm sure they can be found in other enclaves, but unless you find such an enclave, you're gonna have to pluck these lovely needles out of filthy haystacks, like your local office or university campus. [Zero Hedge on "Hoeflation"](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/has-feminism-and-hoeflation-destroyed-dating-west?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- [View Previous Monthly Scrolling Blog Entries](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### Britain’s Oldest Pubs—Some Over 800 Years Old—Still Open URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/britains-oldest-pubs-some-over-800-years-old-still-open/ Last updated: 2023-12-30T19:58:23.000Z Fascinating then-and-now photos show how some of Britain’s most historic pubs have stood the test of time despite record numbers of UK boozers closing down in 2023. Black and white images—some dating back centuries—show the iconic pubs throughout the years compared with how they look today. They include the oldest inn in England, the country’s most central pub, and watering holes visited by Dick Turpin, Elizabeth I, Robert Burns, and Robert Louis Stevenson. The photographs show how many exteriors have barely changed over the decades although horses and carts have been replaced with cars and motorbikes. Others show the changing face of the surrounding high streets as well as tastes in fashion from the 17th and 18th centuries. The thriving pubs are proof some are bucking the trend amid record numbers of locals closing across Britain each month. Nearly 400 pubs closed their doors for good in England and Wales in the first half of 2023, almost as many as the whole of 2022. **Read the rest:** [Britain’s Oldest Pubs—Some Over 800 Years Old—Still Open Recreate Historic Photos: Then and Now![](https://www.theepochtimes.com/_next/static/media/favicon.6341f3c4.ico)The Epoch TimesSWNS![](https://img.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2023/12/29/id5554979-346783478345-then-and-now-br-1115122-1080x720.jpg)](https://www.theepochtimes.com/bright/britains-oldest-pubs-some-over-800-years-old-still-open-recreate-historic-photos-then-and-now-5553827?utm%5Fsource=ref%5Fshare&src%5Fsrc=ref%5Fshare&utm%5Fcampaign=in-cc&src%5Fcmp=in-cc) ### Cell Phones, Radio, and the Philosophy of Marshall McLuhan URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52487/ Last updated: 2025-10-18T11:36:49.000Z ### Breaking down a 21st-century matter by bringing back a 1960s icon. My first cell phone was the Motorola RAZR V3\. That was in 2005. I didn’t use it a lot at first, but it made me more accessible to my clients. I would often use it to return calls while walking, so I could exercise and earn money at the same time. I did this the third day I had the phone, walking back to the office after lunch. I called the client at Point A and ended the call a half mile later, at Point B. After I hung up, I felt like I was waking from a deep daydream. For a moment, I couldn’t even remember what route I had taken from Point A to B, though I had walked the route over a hundred times. Since then, I’ve grown more use to walking and phoning, but I found that first experience a little unnerving. # **How do you like to multitask?** I like multitasking if it’s the right kind. Reading a book while waiting for laundry to dry: smart multitasking. Reading a book while interviewing for a job: dumb multitasking. Ordering a Pabst while the head on your Guinness settles: fun multitasking. What about multitasking with the cell phone? Everyone has heard the debate about driving and cell phones. One study says that cell phone driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. The National Safety Council’s website declares there’s “No Safe Way to Use a Cell Phone and Drive,” then links to a white paper about the “cognitive distraction” of cell phone use and noting that “hands-free” doesn’t make much difference. Yet hands-free cell phone use is still legal in all 50 states and most states even allow hand-held cell phone use while driving. Tons of people still use their phones while driving and claim it doesn’t affect them and oppose laws to make it illegal. I don’t want to enter that debate here, but I will admit to missing an obvious left-hand turn once while using my cell phone. I also remember my dream-walking experience. Those two experiences combined make me think phoning and driving is about as safe as spitting on Chuck Norris. But why? I can talk with a passenger and drive. I can listen to the radio and drive. I can even listen to the radio, drink a Big Gulp, and bop my head to the beat while I drive. Why not chat on the phone? # **Enter Marshall McLuhan** A household name in the 1960s, Marshall McLuhan has been largely forgotten today. His central theory is that human modes of thinking are altered by media. Media are “extensions” of ourselves, things that add themselves on to what we already are, and when we use them, they change us in some way, often psychologically. The simplest example is the saying, “To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” His most famous saying is, “the medium is the message,” by which he means the important part of a medium is the medium itself. The important thing about books isn’t their content (their “message”). The important thing is their “bookness”: how does the act of reading from a book, or the fact that we have books instead of scrolls, affect how we think, live, and behave? It’s too bad he’s been forgotten. I think he would’ve diagnosed the cell phone/driving issue quickly. In his *magnum opus*, [***Understanding Media***](https://amzn.to/3y4Wriy?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (1964), McLuhan wrote: “The telephone demands complete participation.” He pointed out that some people could scarcely talk to their best friends on the phone without becoming angry, precisely because it’s such a demanding medium. Basically, McLuhan said, the telephone is a jealous taskmaster: > “Why should we feel compelled to answer a ringing public phone when we know the call cannot concern us? Why does a phone ringing on the stage create instant tension? Why is that tension so very much less for an unanswered phone in a movie scene? The answer to all of these questions is simply that the phone is a participant form that demands a partner, with all the intensity of electric polarity.” As a further example, he mentioned a postal incident in 1949, in which a “psychotic veteran, Howard B. Unruh” went on a mad rampage in Camden, killed thirteen people, then barricaded himself in his house and exchanged gunfire with police. A reporter called Howard on the phone. He stopped firing and answered, > “Hello.” > “This Howard?” > “Yes. . . .” > “Why are you killing people?” > “I don’t know. I can’t answer that yet. I’ll have to talk to you later. I’m too busy now.” # **The Headset: Revolt against the taskmaster** The telephone, McLuhan said, is a very cool (as in “cold”) medium. “Hot” media and “cool” media were McLuhan’s buzz dichotomy. A hot medium is one that intensely extends one of our senses. The radio is a hot medium: ear only, and a lot of it. But it leaves the other senses free to do what they want. The telephone, on the other hand, is an extremely cool medium. The ear doesn’t receive much information, forcing the user to participate, to fill in the gaps. I think McLuhan was right. You ever wonder why you have to say “uh-huh” frequently during an otherwise-monopolized phone conversation? It’s because the medium demands your participation. Years ago, a friend told me about his 102-year-old mother with severe dementia. She couldn’t hold a coherent conversation unless it was on the phone. On the phone, she was pretty good. In person . . . not so much. Have you ever experienced a sense of agitation while on a lengthy telephone call? It used to happen to me all the time. I needed to tell myself that I was getting “worked up” for no reason and to relax. My co-workers said it also happened to them. That was in the 1990s. And then we all get headsets and the problem abated. Not entirely, but it was a lot better. Headsets in the office are common now. People can’t even imagine doing their job without them. They can stand, walk around, look out across the office or their window, whatever. Such little things let out a bit of the pressure of using a demanding medium like the phone. It’s not surprising that office headset sales alone are a billion dollars annually. The mere fact that headsets are so popular today testifies to the power of the phone. The phone is, indeed, a demanding taskmaster like McLuhan said. People forced to use it for hours a day in order to make a living want relief from its engrossing command, like slaves who would work as slow as possible or goof off whenever the foreman wasn’t watching. The headset is a type of goofing off. It gives the metaphorical middle finger to the phone’s demanding personality. # **Red hot and freezing cold** Juxtapose the headset’s popularity with phoning while driving. Headsets are popular because they provide relief from the phone’s freezing cold demand of “complete participation.” The act of driving is pretty easy, but it entails a lot of attention: accelerating, braking, signaling, turning, watching other cars, making sure that kid or dog doesn’t dart out, listening to your GPS and wondering why she has such a weird accent. Both the phone and driving, in other words, require a lot of cognitive space. The phone because it’s such a cool medium. The car because it requires so much attention and the stakes are high (it weighs a ton and moves at high speeds). Although McLuhan died well before the consumer mobile phone, I have little doubt he would have pointed out that driving and talking on the phone are incompatible activities, specifically because the phone is such a “cool” medium that commands complete participation, making it very difficult to do all those things required to drive. It’s also interesting to note that I’ve never heard of McLuhan objecting to car radios. It makes sense. Whereas the phone is a very cool medium, the radio is red hot: ear only, and a lot of it. It takes up very little cognitive space, leaving the user free to do other things at the same time. Like driving. Unsurprisingly, as a culture, we’ve been listening to the radio and driving for over 75 years with few problems. # **Bring back the media maven** I mentioned above that I have no desire to enter the debate about outlawing cell phone usage. Although I think this piece is relevant to the debate, that isn’t my purpose in publishing it. My purpose is to show how relevant Marshall McLuhan is and, hopefully, introduce more people to his philosophy. Fortunately, he has been enjoying a renewal recently, fueled, it would appear, by increasing curiosity or concerns about what the Internet is doing to our brains. *Understanding Media* has undergone at least twenty printings over the past 20 years. Still, I rarely see his ideas discussed or written about. If I had to guess, I suspect fewer than a tenth of 1% of people in the U.S. have even a remote acquaintance with his ideas. As illustrated by the analysis of the cell phone and driving, he has a lot to tell us. It’s time he enjoyed a strong renascence. If this piece contributes to the cause, I’m gratified. --- --- ### Loosely related [Does the Telephone Cripple the Right Hemisphere . . . Thereby Occupying our Pysches in General?Low spatial frequency means not much information is present, so you have to do extra work to make out what you are looking at. Iain McGilchrist, The Matter with Things, Chp. 2\. Looked at through Marshall McLuhan lingo: “Hot” media and “cool” media were McLuhan’s buzz dichotomy. A hot![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/07/Telephone-Briefly.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/doe-the/) ### Beer is on the Decline URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/beer-is-on-the-decline/ Last updated: 2023-12-29T12:16:31.000Z ## 2023 has been a terrible year for the nectar of the gods > U.S. beer shipments fell more than 5% in the first nine months of the year and by year’s end are expected to hit their lowest level in a quarter-century, according to industry tracker Beer Marketer’s Insights. > “This is an industry-wide, five-alarm fire,” Craig Purser, president of the > National Beer Wholesalers Association, said in a speech to wholesalers at a > convention in October. > Consumer tastes are shifting. Over the past decade, the craft beer boom peaked, then the hard seltzer craze peaked. Now people are reaching for nonalcoholic beers and canned cocktails. And there is a generational shift happening: Younger adults drink less alcohol than older consumers, and prefer spirits to beer. These stories have been gaining momentum all year, but none of them mention the obvious competitor: marijuana. People are smoking legal weed, preferring it as a healthier alternative to alcohol. I only have anecdotal evidence, but I have a lot of it. [The Bud Light Boycott Was Just the Beginning of a Crazy Year for BeerA Bud Light boycott in 2023 reshuffled the beer industry, vaulting Modelo Especial to the top spot in America. At the same time, many people simply stopped drinking beer altogether.![](https://s.wsj.net/img/meta/wsj_favicon.svg)The Wall Street JournalJennifer Maloney![](https://images.wsj.net/im-905014/social)](https://www.wsj.com/business/the-bud-light-boycott-was-just-the-beginning-of-a-crazy-year-for-beer-9de3a402?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Preparing Oneself for Dry January --- ## Or Maybe Just a Damp January [If ‘dry’ January sounds daunting, try ‘damp’ January insteadStudies show that even a modest reduction in drinking can lead to improvements in blood pressure, mental health and liver health.![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/gannett-web/properties/detroitnews/logos-and-branding/logo-icon.png)The Detroit NewsAnahad O’Connor, The Detroit News![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/2887f5d7d58a75a6437c45e987fd994202334aff/c=0-156-3000-1844/local/-/media/2020/01/07/DetroitNews/B99850799Z.1_20200107160337_000_G8A2NKUF8.1-0.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=1200)](https://www.detroitnews.com/story/life/wellness/2023/12/26/if-dry-january-sounds-daunting-try-damp-january-instead/72031390007/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Croatian Immigrant Who Beat the French at Wine Died Earlier This Month [Mike Grgich, Who Grabbed Worldwide Attention With His Napa Chardonnay, Dies at 100After emigrating from Croatia, the winemaker worked at top Napa cellars like Beaulieu Vineyard, Chateau Montelena and Robert Mondavi Winery before founding his own winery![](https://mshanken.imgix.net/wso/android-chrome-192x192.png)Wine SpectatorAaron Romano![](https://mshanken.imgix.net/wso/bolt/2023-12/ns_grgich-mustard-field-121423_1600.jpg)](https://www.winespectator.com/articles/winemaker-mike-grgich-croatian-dies?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## If You Charge It, the Idiots Will Pay It > In a healthy hobby, people don’t *demand* the right to be gouged 1,000% of the list price for the ability to buy a product. But if hype gets out of control to the right degree, all bounds of logic or even traditional restaurant/bar operating procedure fly out the window. [Bourbon Price Gouging at Bars Is Getting Truly RidiculousBourbon price gouging was already out of control at package stores, but it’s increasingly heinous in neat pours as well.![](https://www.pastemagazine.com/wp-content/themes/pastemagazine/img/mobile-icon-196.png)Paste MagazineJim Vorel![](https://image-pastemagazine-com-public-bucket.storage.googleapis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/27150153/shutterstock-whiskey-pouring-main.jpg)](https://www.pastemagazine.com/drink/whiskey/bourbon-price-gouging-whiskey-bars-neat-pours-buffalo-trace-stagg-consumers?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Woman Releases PSA for the Imbeciles This is apparently a real public service announcement. I think vodka and Red Bull is a fine blend, but do people need to be told that one, maybe two, is the limit? This woman drank ten? It's gotta be a publicity stunt, right? [‘I feel like this is common sense…..’: Woman issues PSA after vodka Red Bulls land her in the hospitalA content creator recently went viral on TikTok after warning viewers against drinking too many vodka Red Bulls.![](https://uploads.dailydot.com/2020/03/cropped-favicon.png?fit=fit&h=192&ixlib=php-3.3.0&w=192)The Daily DotBrooke Sjoberg![](https://uploads.dailydot.com/2023/12/Redbull-Vodka-Drink.jpg?auto=compress&fm=pjpg)](https://www.dailydot.com/news/vodka-redbull-warning/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### In Praise of Repair Culture URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/in-praise-of-repair-culture/ Last updated: 2023-12-27T13:49:42.000Z [Repair Culture on the Rise?The new issue of Plough magazine pushes for a return to repairing things. The thrust of this new movement: “throwaway culture” is creating all sorts of problems, from landfills to euthanasia. And big business is the reason. Starting in 1923, it stopped making products intended to last for decades, subject![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/Briefly-Economics.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/repair-culture-on-the-rise/) Do farmers have a right to repair their own tractors? The American Farm Bureau Federation thinks so. That’s why this year it reached [an agreement](https://www.fb.org/news-release/afbf-signs-right-to-repair-memorandum-of-understanding-with-john-deere?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) with John Deere in which the manufacturer promised to enable farmers, as well as third-party mechanics, to fix their own green-and-yellow machinery, for example by providing service manuals and diagnostic tools that earlier only licensed shops could access. For many farmers, this change could be economically transformative, enabling older tractors to be used longer rather than being replaced because of the high repair costs. The farmers’ federation is now working to reach similar agreements with other manufacturers. The John Deere agreement is one more small but significant victory for the right to repair movement, which has been taking aim at practices in industries ranging from automotive to consumer electronics that restrict the ability to fix things, driving up costs for users and (often deliberately) forcing them to replace items that might still work. Targets include nonreplaceable laptop batteries, software updates that disable video game consoles, and toner cartridges programmed to stop printing even when they still contain ink. ![painting of men repairing boats](https://www.plough.com/-/media/images/plough/quarterly/2024/38winterrepair/38mommsen/38mommsenembed1.jpg?%20style=&la=en) Joseph Zbukvic, *Boat Repair*, watercolor on paper. All artwork used by permission. In view of the role that discarded products play in clogging landfills and polluting drinking water, the movement argues that repair is key to addressing environmental damage from consumer capitalism. “You can’t make them last if you can’t make them work,” one advocate [told *Wirecutter*](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/what-is-right-to-repair/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). “Any time a manufacturer says that they are being good to the environment, and then they refuse to let you fix your stuff, I just cry foul.” Around the globe, governments are increasingly committed to making the right to repair the law of the land. India’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs [is developing](https://righttorepairindia.gov.in/about-us.php?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) a set of rules requiring manufacturers of electronics, farm equipment, and automobiles to let people fix products themselves. [France requires](https://www.wired.com/story/frances-new-tech-repairability-index-is-a-big-deal/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) tech manufacturers to register their products with a national “repairability index.” And in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission [has announced](https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public%5Fstatements/1592330/p194400repairrestrictionspolicystatement.pdf?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that it will crack down on repair restrictions. Whatever the merits of these specific policy measures, they are responding to a growing sense that a consumer economy based on pushing people to discard the old and buy the new is no longer sustainable. Yet in an age in which smartphone models go out of date within months and many clothes are worn once or twice before being binned, the champions of repair face powerful obstacles. After all, obsolescence of consumer goods has been a cornerstone of the growth of developed economies for a century. In an age in which smartphone models go out of date within months and many clothes are worn once or twice before being binned, the champions of repair face powerful obstacles. In his 2006 book [*Made to Break*](https://bookshop.org/a/78/9780674025721?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), the historian Giles Slade points to 1923 as the year when manufacturers began to make a regular cycle of obsolescence and replacement central to their growth strategy. In the nineteenth century, companies had sought success by making products that were durable and repairable – Singer sewing machines, McCormick agricultural machinery. Manufacturing designs tended to reflect an ethic of stewardship. This was the ethic that most famously guided Henry Ford in his commitment to producing a car, the Model T, that was affordable to the masses, built for years of use, and easy to fix. At first, Americans responded enthusiastically; by 1920, 55 percent of US families owned a Tin Lizzie. Ford would later sum up his goal: to build a car that was “so strong and so well-made that no one ought ever to have to buy a second one.” The downside to Ford’s commitment to durability and repairability was that it discouraged repeat customers. His competitor Alfred P. Sloan of General Motors saw the opening. Taking inspiration from the world of fashion, one hundred years ago he began experimenting with bringing out new car models each year, often varying only color and styling, so that trend-conscious buyers would keep buying the latest Chevrolet. Sloan’s collaborator Harley J. Earl was candid about their aim: “Our big job is to hasten obsolescence.” The plan worked. By the end of the 1930s, GM had overtaken Ford as the world’s biggest car manufacturer. In the decades that followed, manufacturers of a wide range of consumer goods, eventually including Ford as well, would learn the lesson and aim for obsolescence as the key to sales growth. Over the following decades, the quickening replacement cycle for things we buy has become so embedded in daily life that it seems part of the natural order of things. But of course it’s not. And the vast quantities of waste that result, some of it toxic, are becoming hard to ignore. They are symptoms of what Pope Francis has called “throwaway culture.” In *Laudato si’*, his 2015 encyclical, Francis doesn’t limit his discussion of throwaway culture to obvious examples such as electronic waste, disposable packaging, greenhouse gases, agro-industrial runoff, or the accumulation of plastics in oceans. Such problems, after all, might be solved with the right mix of policies and technologies from within the framework of consumer capitalism. Instead, the disposability of things becomes for him, by a kind of synecdoche, a symbol of the disposability of the natural world itself, “our common home,” which our technological society is destroying in selfish pursuit of dominance. And it’s a symbol too of the disposability of people, especially “the excluded” – the poor, people with disabilities, the elderly, immigrants and refugees, and the unborn. To resist throwaway culture, Francis suggests, requires more than just finding fixes for pollution or climate change. It demands a revolution against a modernity based on what he calls “rapidization,” together with the financial and political systems that power it. ***Read the rest:*** [In Praise of Repair CulturePeter Mommsen writes that modern life depends on the habit of discarding things. What if we fixed them instead?![](https://www.plough.com/-/media/Images/Plough/Global/appletouchicon.png)PloughPeter Mommsen![](https://www.plough.com/-/media/images/plough/quarterly/2024/38winterrepair/38mommsen/38mommsensocial.jpg?la=en)](https://www.plough.com/en/topics/justice/sustainable-living/in-praise-of-repair-culture?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Dark Santa URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-36/ Last updated: 2023-12-24T14:54:46.000Z For a heartwarming [Christmas](https://thespectator.com/tag/christmas/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) tale, look no further than the medieval legend of St. Nicholas — a story of sex-trafficking, cannibalism and murder. The historical Nicholas is a hazy figure whose scant biography was embroidered in the Middle Ages. The twelfth-century Norman poet Wace wrote a colorful account of his life. It opens with the story that has informed the [modern Santa Claus](https://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/lifestyle/why-santa-claus-still-has-a-hold-on-us-163930186.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Nicholas, we are told, took pity on a man who had once been wealthy but had fallen into poverty. The man had three daughters. Things were desperate — the man concluded that the girls had to be sold into sexual slavery. Nicholas visited the man’s house on three consecutive nights and each night threw gold in through an open door window. Some of the other stories in Wace’s poem are decidedly more macabre; many involve the miraculous resurrection of children murdered or accidentally killed. One such is the Miracle of the Boiled Infant, in which a mother is so overjoyed at the news that Nicholas has been selected as the bishop that she rushes to church to hear Mass, leaving her baby in an earthen tub over a burning fire. When the service is over, she suddenly remembers her mistake and rushes home to find the baby unharmed and happily playing with the bubbles in the boiling water. In another story, a man on a pilgrimage to St. Nicholas is murdered and dismembered by an innkeeper and thrown into vats of salted meat. The man miraculously wakes the next morning and greets the innkeeper, who responds: “Good fellow… I killed you,/ Shattered your bones and salted your flesh./ Saint Nicholas to whom you are going/Is very powerful and full of succor.” [The origins of Saint Nicholas are darkFor a heartwarming Christmas tale, look no further than St. Nicholas — a story of sex-trafficking, cannibalism and murder![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldMary Wellesley![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Notes-on_Mary-Wellesley-e1703098098305.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/origins-saint-nicholas-dark/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Christmas Quotes URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/35362/ Last updated: 2023-12-24T14:42:42.000Z > “For while all things were in quiet silence and the night was in the midst of her course, thy almighty word leapt down from heaven from thy royal throne.” Book of Wisdom. “\[This\] passage, brimming with the mystery of the Incarnation, is wonderfully expressive of the infinite stillness that hovered over Christ's birth. For the greatest things are accomplished in silence, not in the clamor and display of superficial eventfulness, but in deep clarity of inner vision; in the almost imperceptible start of decision, in quiet overcoming and hidden sacrifice. . . . The silent forces are the strong forces.” Romano Guardini \_\_\_\_\_ “He rules the world with truth and grace.” Isaac Watts “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” Charles Dickens “The Incarnation illuminates and orders all other phenomena, explains both our laughter and our logic, our fear of the dead and our knowledge that it is somehow good to die, and which at one stroke covers what multitudes of separate theories will hardly cover for us if this is rejected.” C.S. Lewis “Holiday and Holy Day, Christmas is more than a yule log, holly or tree. It is more than natural good cheer and the giving of gifts. Christmas is even more than the feast of the home and of children, the feast of love and friendship. It is more than all of these together. Christmas is Christ, the Christ of justice and charity, of freedom and peace.” Francis Cardinal Spellman “The place that the shepherds found was not an academy or an abstract republic; it was not a place of myths allegorized or dissected or explained away. It was a place of dreams come true.” G.K. Chesterton ### First Christmas in the Convent URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/first-christmas-in-the-convent/ Last updated: 2023-12-23T13:46:58.000Z When I was a novice, I heard a homily given by a priest, a former religious, who suggested that there are three things which every sister and brother remembers from their initial formation: their first day in the convent; their first argument in the convent; and their first Christmas in the convent. It may not be the case for everyone—I must admit a couple of sisters gave a skeptical wrinkling of the nose when I tried out this theory on them afterwards—but there is enough truth in the statement, for me at least, that I have been turning it over and over in my mind as I approach what will be not my first, but my eighth conventual Christmas. Why is it that convent Christmas tends to imprint itself so forcefully on the memory of the new religious? To start with, simply because of the unrelenting newness of the thing. After all, having to adapt to somebody else’s Christmas is always a mildly disconcerting experience; the vast majority of Christian families have built up complex layers of rites and traditions around Christmas (the liturgical; the para-liturgical; the absolutely non-liturgical, usually involving board games) into which it is very difficult to insert oneself without feeling baffled or back-footed at one point or another. Just think how much more difficult the process becomes when the Christmas to which you are trying to adapt is not a normal family Christmas at all, but the intense and tightly-scheduled juggernaut of a convent Christmas, a seemingly endless stream of Masses and Offices punctuated with the odd little customs which characterize life in a religious community—and threaten the sanity of any sister who asks herself too many questions about their purpose or provenance. But if the novice sister can see beyond her dismay at having to grate two bags of carrots for Christmas Eve salad, or her alarm at having to shake fresh pine-needles from the convent tree out of her veil at the end of each day, she finds that there’s an invitation to deeper discernment hidden beneath the surface-level strangeness of convent Christmas. Long before Advent begins, the novice sister has learned that religious life is a life that will require her to give totally of herself. But too often her tendency is to think of that self-giving only in grand, lofty, and somewhat abstract terms. This kind of semi-spiritual navel gazing cannot be sustained for long, and isn’t particularly useful even if it could, and so the first Christmas plays a useful—if devastating—role in bringing her back down to earth. [Read the rest](https://thelampmagazine.com/blog/first-christmas-convent?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Holiday BYCU URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/holiday-bycu/ Last updated: 2023-12-22T12:41:39.000Z ## A Splendid Micro-History of Mulled Wine ### "Glow Wine" [At Christmas Markets Worldwide, the Holiday Spirit Comes in a Little Red BootAll over Europe and the US, Christmas markets bring good cheer and warm mulled wine, often served out of a curious collectible mug. Here’s the story of the coveted little red boot mug.![](https://www.thrillist.com/static/thrillist-fav.ico)ThrillistVanita Salisbury![](https://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/3166656/1200x600/scale;;webp=auto;jpeg_quality=85.jpg)](https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/christmas-market-mulled-wine-boot?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Or You Can Just Get a Bottle of Boone's Farm and Add a Few Dashes of Brandy (Note: The above headline is a joke, but I wouldn't be surprised if it works.) [The Best Bottle Picks for a Delicious Mulled WineMulled wine is a classic warm-weather favorite for a reason. Use these wines to elevate your drink this holiday season.![](https://www.wineenthusiast.com/assets/img/apple-touch-icon.png?v=2.0)Wine EnthusiastMaria C. Hunt![](https://www.wineenthusiast.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/11_22_The_Best_Bottles_for_Mulled_Wine_GettyImages_1341420320_1920x1280.jpg)](https://www.wineenthusiast.com/ratings/wine-ratings/best-mulled-wines/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## The Craft Beer is Overcrowded and People Love Holiday Beers So the market is flooded with them and the Internet is flooded with list recommendations. Here's one. [’Tis the season to eat, drink beer, and be merrySanta would appreciate one of these a lot more than cookies. (Except maybe a Mad Elf — that’d imply insurrection.)![](https://www.themanual.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/07/cropped-theManual_secondary_logo-512.png?fit=512%2C512&p=1)The ManualChristopher Osburn![](https://www.themanual.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/11/best-holiday-beers-2021.jpg?resize=1200%2C630&p=1)](https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/best-holiday-beers/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I Would've Killed for One of These in College [Miller High Life Wants to Make Your Home Smell Like a Dive Bar for the HolidaysIn honor of its 120th anniversary, Miller High Life is releasing a 2.5-foot light-up neon tree that has been infused with the scent of sweet tobacco. Here’s how to get one.![](https://www.foodandwine.com/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Food & WineFood & Wine’s Editorial Guidelines![](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/TYHQKASzjyh9nQX2j512QPchTS8=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Miller-High-Life-Holiday-Tree-FT-BLOG1223-9ce9c5637c0844ec8c8b5bbff1c343ca.jpg)](https://www.foodandwine.com/miller-high-life-releases-the-merry-high-light-8411698?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## For Some Reason, I Don't Think Its Arch-Competitor is Rolling These Out [You Can Actually Drink Beer From Miller Lite’s New Christmas Ornaments“Beernaments” make hanging beer cans on your Christmas tree classier than ever.![](https://www.foodandwine.com/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Food & WineFood & Wine’s Editorial Guidelines![](https://www.foodandwine.com/thmb/WEUrxix_csvXlpsepE7V-MdDVRM=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Miller-Lite-Beer-Ornaments-FT-BLOG1221-b6dea0f080834bd996ac717950ebc748.jpg)](https://www.foodandwine.com/news/miller-lite-beer-filled-ornaments?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Will New York Be the Old Babylon? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54710/ Last updated: 2024-01-22T13:56:18.000Z ## Yes, but forecasts of its demise are (probably) premature Joe Rogan thinks New York is caput. He's said so a couple of times. Between de Blasio telling police to use a “[**light touch**](https://www.foxnews.com/us/nypd-sergeants-union-swipes-mayor-de-blasio-george-floyd-protesters?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)” in response to the BLM riots through crushing COVID lockdowns to [**COVID passports**](https://grayseconomy.com/2021/08/10/push-back-begins-on-de-blasios-mandates/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), Rogan thinks NYC is on the road to BFE. I'm exaggerating a bit. His words and inflection reflect uncertainty, but he clearly thinks New York might finally be heading toward [**Snake Plissken territory**](http://dystopia.com/movie/escape-from-new-york.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I think he's wrong. The place is too big, too important, too central. As long as the United States has a military that can assure that the dollar is the reserve currency, thereby pumping trillions south of Houston Street, New York City will always bounce back. It always bounced back before the Federal Reserve Act; the Federal Reserve will assure it keeps the rubber. But Rogan's cynicism puts him in good company. Many people moved to New York in their early twenties with great eagerness and excitement, only to lament New York's decline in their middle and later years. Edith Wharton wrote that NYC in her youth (1870s and 1880s) was great, but it was finished by 1906. Theodore Dreiser said NYC was a colorful place when he arrived in 1906, but it was drab by the early 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald applauded New York's glamor in the early 1920s, but said the glamor was gone in 1932. Saul Bellow remembered New York as a city of intellectual excitement when he was a young man, but when he got older, he said it “depressed” him with its “sense of malignancy and despair.” Edmund Wilson as a young man in New York embodied the city's “metropolitan spirit,” but in his seventies, he wrote that he was “eager to leave New York, which is now absolute hell.” --- They say [**crime is on the rise in New York**](https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-where-nyc-crime-is-worst-20210731-b6ndws57v5gcpj3gjvcsodln34-story.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Could be, but it's hard to believe it's worse than it was in the 1970s. I visited Manhattan twice, once in the 1970s and once in the early 1980s. I walked through the Bowery with my father in the 1970s; he wanted me to see up close what the debauched life really looks like. In the 1980s, I asked a cab driver to take the Bowery to my destination (when we got caught in traffic, the cab driver gestured to me and said “This is what you get for wanting to take the Bowery”). On both trips, I marveled at all the bums (today's “homeless”). They fascinated me. As did Time Square and its, ahem, *vigorous* offerings (a “[**venal Disneyland**](https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/watch-this-1980s-discussion-about-changing-times-square-the-venal-disneyland?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)”) and a seediness that is normally reserved to the shadows, not a city's brightest lights. --- Was 1970s NYC much worse than, say, 1950s NYC? Of course, 1970s America was simply worse overall than 1950s America, but after adjusting for the vast difference between the two decades, was the crime that much worse in the era of Nixon, Carter, stagflation, and the Bee Gees than in the era of Truman, Eisenhower, economic growth, and Elvis? When he lived in the East Village in the late 1950s, W.H. Auden always carried a five-dollar bill, for fear that, if he were to be mugged, he would have nothing to give the mugger and get beaten up even worse. I go back and watch *The Gangs of New York* and marvel at the crime in 1860s New York (I also marvel that Scorcese made such a good film out of that underwhelming book of non-fiction). I go back and watch *The Wanderers* (another great film from an underwhelming book), which depicts gang life in NYC exactly 100 years after *The Gangs*. It seems pretty obvious that serious crime is as endemic to New York as pigeons. Yet the crime has never brought New York down permanently. It's resilient to attacks from outside (blackouts and 9/11), and it's resilient to attacks from the inside (de Blasio and Central Park rapists). So, I can't join the ranks of those, from Rogan to Wharton, who lament its passing. New York City will be here a long time. --- Of course, I remember that final scene from *The Planet of the Apes* (1968) when Charlton Heston falls down before the half-buried Statue of Liberty and realizes New York itself was buried by at least 150 feet of sand I'm also reminded of Babylon. By the time of the prophet Isaiah, Babylon had been the leading city of the Middle East for a thousand years, but that didn't stop Isaiah from saying it would become like Sodom and Gomorrah, with no one dwelling there and full of howling creatures. Less than a thousand years later, the Roman emperor Septimius Severus reached the site where Babylon had stood. He found it completely deserted. About 150 years later, the site of the former city had become a Persian royal game park, inhabited, said St. Jerome, “by all manner of wild animals.” In the 1930s, Edward Chiera, an archeologist, visited the site and said it's only inhabited by foxes and jackals, prompting him to ask: > Why should a flourishing city, the seat of an empire, have completely disappeared? Is it the fulfillment of a prophetic curse that changed a superb temple into a den of jackals? Did the actions of the people who lived here have anything to do with this, or is it the fatal destiny of mankind that all its civilizations must crumble when they reach their peak? > Edward Chiera, [***They Wrote on Clay***](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/779776.They%5FWrote%5Fon%5FClay?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)***.*** I think it's safe to say the flourishing city of our empire will completely disappear. New York will join the old Babylon. But I think that's in the far distant future. As of this moment in history, I anticipate yet another robust rebound. ### The Holiday Elf URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-holiday-elf/ Last updated: 2023-12-24T15:22:46.000Z Okay, you want a killer drink? This is it: The Holiday Elf. Ingredients: One part Midori Melon Liqueur, one part Blue Curacao, one part Spiced Rum, one part Coconut Rum, two parts lemon/lime juice, two parts simple syrup, two parts pineapple juice. Process: Mix 'em all together and shake well. Pour over an ice-filled glass. Drink. That's it. There are a lot of ingredients, and squeezing the lemons and limes is a pain, but it's an easy drink . . . and ridiculously delicious. Caution: somewhat strong, very fattening. If you drink a lot of these, you'll look more like Santa than an elf . . . and you'll walk more like a 12-month-old than an adult. ### No Room in the Inn — What Inn? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn/ Last updated: 2023-12-21T13:24:43.000Z The typical re-telling of the Christmas story has Joseph, Mary and the donkey arriving in Bethlehem on a cold, winter night looking for a place to stay. All the hotels have “No Vacancy” signs on display because so many people, like Mary and Joseph, have traveled to Bethlehem to register for the census. A grumpy innkeeper turns them away, but on second thought says if they want they can shelter in the stables. By now Mary is experiencing contractions and desperate for a place where she can give birth, Joseph finds a makeshift shelter in a drafty shed with the donkeys and oxen. He fills a rickety wooden feeding trough with straw to make a crib for the newborn, and when baby Jesus arrives he is wrapped tightly in strips of cloth and laid in the manger bed. Is that how it happened? No, not really, and yes, but not quite. Was there an inn in Bethlehem? Probably not, as it was such a small village. Where did travelers stay in those times? In her study of travel in the ancient world Sabine Huebner records that along the official Roman roads, spaced about ten miles apart, there was a network of relay stations called *mutationes.* The relay stations were places to change horses and pack animals. Spaced about 25 miles apart were *mansiones*—guesthouses that offered free accommodation for officially sanctioned guests.[\[1\]](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fftn1) In addition to the official *mansiones* there were also public hostelries. St Luke uses the Greek word *pandocheion* for this kind of inn in the story of the good Samaritan.[\[2\]](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fftn2) “These inns, also called *katagōgia* in Greek, were located along the main transport routes and were often found on the outskirts of cities or larger villages. [\[3\]](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fftn3) They provided travelers from the lower social strata with cheap, hot meals and basic accommodation. Pandocheia were widely viewed as disreputable by ancient authors.”[\[4\]](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fftn4) Huebner goes on to explain how these inns were known for “drunken guests, adulterated wine, brawls, theft and prostitution.” [\[5\]](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fftn5) Quoting classical authors of the time she says, “It was not uncommon for a landlord’s daughter to sell her body as well as wine and a hot meal to travelers.”[\[6\]](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fftn6) Because of Bethlehem’s small size, it would not have included a safe and official *mansione* which were only located on the main Roman roads, and were only available to travelers on official imperial business. If Bethlehem did have a more basic hostelry—given the reputation of the *pandocheia*, it would not have been a likely place for St Joseph, a just and righteous man,[\[7\]](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fftn7) to have sought shelter for his betrothed and pregnant young wife. Furthermore, Bethlehem was Joseph’s hometown. Clan loyalty and generous hospitality is a hallmark of Middle Eastern culture.[\[8\]](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fftn8) Providing lodging for travelers became one of the characteristic ideals of the Jewish people. [\[9\]](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#%5Fftn9) Given the Middle East’s strong culture of hospitality and loyalty to family members, Joseph would have naturally sought shelter with family—not in some squalid brothel/tavern. [Read the rest](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/12/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn-dwight-longenecker.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Bowling Alone Reads Like a Nostalgic Look at the Good Ol’ Days URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bowling-alone-reads-like-a-nostalgic-look-at-the-good-ol-days/ Last updated: 2023-12-21T13:21:50.000Z In the Phetasy.com book club, we recently read the famous social science tome, [*Bowling Alone*](https://bookshop.org/a/3057/9781982130848?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), by Robert Putnam. In it he examines the decline of social capital across various facets of American life. Based on his 1995 essay of the same title, the book was groundbreaking when it appeared in 2000\. Putnam had noticed a trend: Americans were spending more and more time alone. His book analyzed the data and contemplated what it meant for our democracy and humanity. Although his observations were a harbinger of the oft-cited “epidemic of loneliness” we are currently living through, in our post-Trump, post-pandemic pre-maggedon reality, *Bowling Alone* reads like a nostalgic look at the good ol’ days. Days when people still interacted at all. When we used bank tellers and not mobile deposit. When you looked the grocery store clerk in the eye and had an awkward conversation. The days before an online bookshop would morph from a cute startup in a garage to a global behemoth that would destroy Main Street, kill mom’n’pops and will soon be sending your toothbrush and nasal strips via an army of delivery drones. However bad Putnam thought it was, it has become considerably worse. But of all the trends Putnam analyzed — political, civic, religious, work, volunteering, socializing — the most striking to me was the effect of the television. In terms of general adoption, the TV took an accelerated seven years from 1948 to reach 75 percent of American households. For some perspective, consider that the refrigerator took twenty-three years. “The single most important consequence of the television revolution has been to bring us home,” Putnam says. He observes that when people talked about having a “quiet evening at home,” it was really just a night at home watching TV. I came of age in the Nineties and there was a lot of talk about the “boob tube.” Everyone was worried that it would make us stupid and fat and lazy. Turns out — those fears were accurate! However, fears about the television seem positively quaint by today’s standards. People used to tell parents not to let their kids watch TV at all. The experts of today (many of whom were latchkey kids raised by TV) have given up on that entirely as the TV has become another family member and screens are ubiquitous. Instead, they recommend limiting it to an hour or less of high-quality media that you watch together. What Putnam couldn’t possibly have seen at the dawn of the technological revolution is how much worse the “bowling alone” phenomenon would get with the addition of the smartphone and the internet. I was waiting tables during the portable computer revolution. In the course of just a few years people went from dining together to dining together, alone. Entire families eating together, all looking at their phones. My Gen Z nephews look at the TV like a telephone landline. Why would they be chained to one room, at the mercy of other people’s preferences, when they can roam freely from place to place, consuming whatever content their heart desires? There is a line in *Bowling Alone* that made me laugh out loud. Putnam wrote, “Some see hope in the rise of news on the Internet or the all-news cable channels. It is still too early to predict the long-run effects of these new channels,” Putnam wrote. He adds, “That said, the early returns are not encouraging.” Adorable. Cable news is dead. Cable broadcasts get fewer viewers than many YouTube streamers. Trump will probably be our next president, again. Now we are fat and lazy and also outraged and misinformed and distracted. Our attention spans are shredded by the multiple devices and social media constantly capturing our attention. [Read the rest at *The Spectator*](https://thespectator.com/topic/bowling-alone-nostalgic-look-good-ol-days/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Celebrate the New Year in Edinburgh URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-new-year-in-edinburgh/ Last updated: 2025-01-17T15:35:51.000Z Scomo collapsed from a heart attack near the new commercial center that he detested. Hurried and busy pedestrians left him there, figuring he was a drunken tramp, until a feeble-minded woman knelt to care for him and discovered he was dead. That's how the writer George Scott-Moncrieff died in Edinburgh in 1974. He loved Edinburgh, even though bulldozers and commercial developers had wrecked large parts of it. Edinburgh is still lovable today despite the commercial-fueled bulldozer, says Alexander Larman in [a recent essay in *The Spectator*](https://thespectator.com/life/hogmanay-edinburgh-marvelous-experience-scotland/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), noting that Scotland's capital "comes into its own" at New Years. The Scots call the New Years "Hogmanay" and it consists of two days that the Scots celebrate like their Irish cousins celebrate March 17th. Larman recommends Edinburgh at Hogmanay . . . or at any time. "It's a seductive place to visit," says Larman, given its "combination of Georgian architecture, world-class museums and galleries, some fine independent shops, and top-notch restaurants and bars." If you're going to Edinburgh, Larman recommends you take the train from London. And if you can afford it, go first class on the London North Eastern Railway. It takes four hours, but it's a great four hours. "You see everything from York Minster to Durham Cathedral," says Larman, and the railway provides "surprisingly decent means at your seat," not to mention a lot of beverages. The drinking is an appropriate prelude. The Scots are often called "the smartest people in the world." It might be true, but, regardless, they are easily [the drunkest people in Great Britain](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/scotland-revealed-as-the-country-in-the-uk-with-the-most-alcoholrelated-deaths-a6861226.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (and possibly the entire world, after peoples of the former Iron Curtain countries), succored by British paternalism that has sapped their strength, made them dependent on welfare, and prompted them [to vote overwhelmingly against the anti-paternalistic Brexit referendum.](https://www.npr.org/2021/05/03/993182890/scotland-may-try-to-break-away-from-the-united-kingdom-again?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Unsurprisingly, drinking is ensconced in Edinburgh. Larman references the great drinks that can be found all over Edinburgh: the rooftop Lamplighters bar, the Spence bar, the Market Street hotel (where champagne is offered "at virtually every turn, from check-in to breakfast"), Klimpton Charlotte Square and its free wine and beer from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Lebanese restaurant "Baba," the Hawksmoor (and its "fuller old fashioned" and "Shaky Pete's Ginger Brew"). When in Rome . . . When in Scotland, do like the Scots: Drink. It sounds like a lovely experience. [Hogmanay in Edinburgh is a marvelous experienceEdinburgh a vibrant city with one foot in the past and the other (first) footing in the future. It’s an utter pleasure to spend time there![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldAlexander Larman![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/edinburgh-1.jpg)](https://thespectator.com/life/hogmanay-edinburgh-marvelous-experience-scotland/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Quest for Community at 70 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-quest-for-community-at-70/ Last updated: 2023-12-20T13:29:51.000Z 1953 was an *annus mirabilis* for the conservative movement. Russell Kirk published *The Conservative Mind*, Leo Strauss published *Natural Right and History*, Ray Bradbury published *Fahrenheit 451*, T.S. Eliot published *The Confidential Clerk*, Daniel Boorstin published *The Genius of American Politics*, Richard Weaver published *The Ethics of Rhetoric*, and Robert Nisbet published *The Quest for Community*. The year before had seen C.S. Lewis’s *Mere Christianity*, Eric Voegelin’s *New Science of Politics*, Gabriel Marcel’s *Man Against Mass Society*, Christopher Dawson’s *Understanding Europe*, as well as Whittaker Chambers’s *Witness*. The year after would see Kirk’s *Program for Conservatives*, J.R.R. Tolkien’s *The Fellowship of the Ring* and *The Two Towers*, Romano Guardini’s *The Lord*, and Dawson’s *Medieval Essays*. Far from being marginalized by the deluge of non-leftist works, Robert Nisbet’s *Quest for Community* had pride of place, being well-received at the time of its release as well as in subsequent editions. In public and private, Kirk praised it as one of the most important books of a generation, T.S. Eliot also thought it was critical, and even major periodicals took it seriously. Amazingly enough, the book transcended mere political differences in the polarized period, and both the New Left and the young conservatives of the 1960s embraced Nisbet. Indeed, he became nothing less than a celebrity to both. Nisbet, though, was firmly on the side of the young conservatives, the so-called “New Conservatives” of his era. To be sure, *The Quest for Community* is a stunning book, encompassing history, sociology, political philosophy, and ethics and revealing Nisbet’s vast breadth of knowledge and wisdom. Much of the book came from his U-C Berkeley dissertation of the late 1930s written under the direction and supervision of Frederick Teggart, but much of it had also come from fourteen years of additional thought and classroom teaching, 1940-1953. In *Quest*, Nisbet channels Edmund Burke and Alexis de Tocqueville, several late nineteenth-century anarchists, as well as the twentieth-century man of letters, Albert Jay Nock, while always and deeply challenging such modern western stalwarts as Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. While deep in a variety of ways, *The Quest for Community* offers a discernible, if exceedingly complex, line of thought regarding the nature of humanity and the communities we form to maintain stability, order, and freedom. State, nation, and totalitarianism, as Nisbet saw it, challenged association and voluntary community. Nisbet feared the most prominent institution of the modern world was the modern nation state. Metastasized, it predominated over everything else. “I believe that the greatest single influence upon social organization in the modern West has been the developing concentration of function and power of the sovereign political State.” Indeed, Nisbet continues, “to regard the State as simply a legal relationship, as a mere superstructure of power, is profoundly delusive.” Rather, Nisbet insists, “the real significance of the modern State is inseparable from its successive penetrations of man’s economic, religious, kinship, and local allegiances and its revolutionary dislocations of established centers of function and authority.” In other words, the modern State had insinuated itself into every aspect of its citizens’ lives. This was just as true in the United States as it had been in Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia. Democracy, as Nisbet imagined it, was not the opposite of fascism and communism, but, in its essence, possibly as totalitarian as either, just in a kinder, more gentle fashion. Still, in any modern form, the State’s reach was unstoppable. “For in most countries, including the United States, it is the political relationship that has been and is being enhanced above all other forms of connection among individuals.” As such, the modern state has displaced or replaced such traditional associations as family, church, voluntary society, school, and local community. Further, such penetration and interpenetration by the state shows no sign of slowing down. Quite apart from the innumerable agencies of private welfare, the whole tendency of modern political development has been to enhance the role of the political State as a direct relationship among individuals, and to bring both its powers and its services ever more intimately into the lives of human beings.” The State, then, forms relationships that are both horizontal and vertical. The State, in its modern form, most closely resembles the Medieval church in its “complex of ideas, symbols, and relationships” as well as in its struggle against division, “the State has risen as the dominant institutional force in our society and the most evocative symbol of cultural unity and purpose.” Again, one is forcibly reminded of such medieval notions as the Economy of Grace, the Great Chain of Being, and, most importantly, the grand medieval synthesis of Dante. [Read the rest](https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/the-quest-for-community-at-70/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Western Civilization Hit Its Apex During Advent 1273 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/western-civilization-hit-its-apex-during-advent-1273/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T13:23:37.000Z > **A civilization can, indeed, advance and decline at the same time.** Eric Voegelin, New Science of Politics, 132. > **As civilization advances, the sense of wonder declines.** Abraham Heschel, *God in Search of Man* Modern civilization is gnostic civilization. Gnostic civilization is left-hemispheric civilization. Gnosis: Knowledge. Specifically, *explicit* knowledge, the kind of knowledge that lets us understand, use, and control . . . abilities the left hemisphere values (because they underwrite its primary (predatory) function that allows us to survive in the first place). ## The Summit of Western Civilization When, on December 6, 1273, Aquinas tossed aside his *Summa* and said everything he had written was straw, western civilization entered its long decline. I'd argue that Aquinas' mind had stretched the left hemisphere until it snapped, leaving Aquinas with the right hemisphere's appreciation of the Tao: the ineffable, the unknowable, the Thing that Cannot be Articulated. He had, in other words, stretched the left hemisphere to its proper limits. When it went as far as it could and snapped, Aquinas was fine with that. He tossed aside his words (tools of the left hemisphere). Philosophy entered a long decline from which it didn't start to recover until, I'd say, around 1900, when James, Bergson, Whitehead, and other (effectively) post-modernist thinkers started pushing back against modern (Cartesian-Baconian) philosophy. Modernity is civilization in advance and decline at the same time: Advancing in material things; declining in the immaterial. Knowledge rising; awe falling. --- [Thomas Aquinas: Pinnacle to Obsolescence in 200 Years and Why It MattersThomas Aquinas was an existentialist, in his own way. His existentialism was forgotten . . . to western civilization’s detriment.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Summa.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/56490/) ### The Battle Between Macroculture and Microculture Is Turning into a War URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-battle-between-macroculture-and-microculture-is-turning-into-a-war/ Last updated: 2023-12-19T12:41:30.000Z I’ve hesitated about writing on this topic—partly because I recognize my bias. I operate in the microculture. It pays the bills around here. But I also spent many long years in the macroculture, and have scars to show for it. So I might actually be the right person to offer analysis and forecasts on this matter. I’ve seen both sides of the equation. And I made the switch voluntarily. (In fact, I’ve turned down every offer from large media institutions for the last three years now.) So my views are based on considered judgment, not necessity. In any event, I can’t really delay any longer. The clash has reached some kind of brutal tipping point. I believe it’s about to turn into war. The fact that 2024 is an election year will escalate the conflict. Just wait and see. But even right now you can feel the ground shaking. In just the last few days, we’ve seen the following: - The number of layoffs at legacy media has grown so large, that [*The Daily Beast*](https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-media-grinches-at-the-new-yorker-and-the-messenger-are-about-to-steal-christmas?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)[ called it a “bloodbath”](https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-media-grinches-at-the-new-yorker-and-the-messenger-are-about-to-steal-christmas?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) earlier this week, and is accusing the Grinch of “stealing Christmas.” - [Spotify announced the layoff of 17% of its workers two days ago](https://www.npr.org/2023/12/04/1216950219/spotify-layoffs-17-percent-tech?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). This is the company’s third round of layoffs this year. - At the *Washington Post*—where owner Jeff Bezos is trying to get rid of almost a thousand journalists—workers [have announced a 24-hour strike](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/washington-post-journalists-plan-24-230931370.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). But I doubt this will influence an owner who is already losing money every day he keeps the newspaper afloat. He probably hopes the writers stay home permanently. - Hollywood is in freefall, and even the end of the recent writer and actor strikes can’t hide the problems. Disney head [Bob Iger allegedly claimed](https://www.crazydaysandnights.net/2023/12/blind-items-revealed-3%5F5.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that the new contract “will be the last deal ever and that AI will be advanced enough at the end of the contract to never bother with either group again. He thinks they will be desperate to take a deal next time.” - Meanwhile the marketplace is rapidly shifting towards alternative video platforms (as made clear by the chart below, shared by my filmmaker nephew Mike Gioia on [his new Substack](https://intelligentjello.substack.com/p/is-hollywood-going-out-with-a-whimper)). Mike, who has worked both in Hollywood and on YouTube projects, remarks: “It’s difficult to understand how these two systems exist at the same time. And maybe they won’t much longer.” I believe that microculture creators are growing much faster than even these numbers indicate. #### “This seems impossible. A single individual living in Greenville, North Carolina defeats enormous global corporations with tens of thousands of employees—and does it every month.” A few days ago, I shared this [comment from payment processor Stripe](https://stripe.com/blog/creator-economy-2023?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). But it was [behind a paywall](https://www.honest-broker.com/p/music-journalism-has-a-problem?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and it’s so extraordinary that I really must quote it again: > In 2021, we aggregated data from 50 popular creator platforms on Stripe and found they had onboarded 668,000 creators who’d received $10 billion in payouts. We refreshed that data in 2023 and found something surprising: the creator economy is still growing about as fast as it was in 2021\. Today, those same 50 creator platforms have onboarded over 1 million creators and have paid out over $25 billion in earnings. In other words, legacy media is collapsing at the very moment that alternative platforms are booming. I’m doubling my audience in 2023 (up more than 120% year-on-year), but the Stripe numbers indicate that this is happening everywhere in the alt culture. [Read the rest](https://www.honest-broker.com/p/in-2024-the-tension-between-macroculture?utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Parliament Created the Great London Gin Craze URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51800/ Last updated: 2024-01-19T11:35:35.000Z > *“\[N\]oe sort of Brandy Aqua vite or other Spirits or distilled Waters of any Kingdome Country or place whatsoever shall after the said foure and twentyeth day of August be imported into the Kingdoms of England or Ireland . . .”.* If you read the Wikipedia entries about England’s Great Gin Craze, you see descriptions about how bad it was and how Parliament passed a series of acts to stop it. But you see scarcely any references to the series of Parliamentary Acts that caused it in the first place. Let’s look at England at the end of the 17th century. It had a new royal family in the form of William of Orange, who usurped James II’s throne in the 1688 Glorious Revolution. William was not universally liked, especially among the Jacobites, who never stopped scheming to get James Stuart II back on the throne. William was also not liked by the French, whom he bitterly fought in the War of the Grand Alliance and who worked with the Jacobites to get the Stuarts back on the throne. William, in turn, hated the French and so did his supporters in Parliament. What better way to strike at the French than to ban trade with them, including a prohibition on its brandy? And so that’s what happened, almost immediately after taking the throne by the passage of the Trade with France Act of 1688, which took specific aim at French brandy (the most popular liquor in England at the time). --- > *“The Howards . . . the Cavendishes, the Cecils, the Russells, and fifty other new families . . . rose upon the ruins of religion.” Hilaire Belloc, The Servile State.* At the same time, Parliament passed the Distilling Act of 1690 that authorized anybody to distill spirits. This created a heavy demand for grain, which drove up the price and assured that the farmers would never be stuck with a surplus. As a result, the Distilling Act greatly increased the value of farmland, which was controlled by the great families that received huge swaths of land in Henry VIII’s attack on the Roman Catholic Church and, especially, its monasteries. Parliament then passed the 1694 Tonnage Act, which imposed a heavy tax on beer. The result? Gin became the cheapest alcohol drink in England. And then, in 1720, Parliament passed the Mutiny Act, which exempted distillers from the requirement to accept billeted troops. Every father who didn’t want soldiers living in his house with his wife and daughters became keenly motivated to start making gin. --- Here’s the thing: England was ripe for a “geneva” revolution no matter what. Prior to 1688, gin was primarily considered medicinal. But with William and Mary’s ascension, the juniper drink from the Protestant Lowlands became the drink of royalty. It quickly became fashionable, especially since, due to ongoing hostilities with the French, it was no longer fashionable to drink brandy. Gin was also cheap to produce. Gin didn’t need parliamentary encouragement anymore than today’s marijuana industry needs legislation to encourage the cultivation and enjoyment of marijuana. Yet that’s what Parliament did. And the result was one of the worse self-induced public health spectacles in English history. --- The Great Gin Craze that racked England after 1720 was awful. Gin was everywhere. Much of it was “cut” with turpentine or sulfuric acid to dampen the juniper taste and was sold out of wheelbarrows, alleys, backrooms, and cheap lodging houses. There were 8,659 gin shops in London alone, according to William Maitland. Men and women died in the gutters after drinking too much, which was better than others who simply dropped dead on the spot where they were drinking. Londoners saw people staggering blindly day and night. Fights were frequent. Fire outbreaks from neglect were common. Children gathered in the gin shops and would drink until they couldn’t move. Drunk mothers neglected their babies. Girls as young as 13 sold themselves for gin. The hospitals were seeing increasing numbers of gin-related illnesses, including malnourished babies. Parliament responded, passing the 1736 Gin Act, which imposed a duty of 20 shillings per gallon of gin and required retailers to purchase an annual license. The Act proved impossible to enforce. Parliament would then introduce additional legislation with similar lackluster effect, until 1751’s Gin Act, after which the problem started to subside. So perhaps we can give Parliament a little bit of applause for fixing a problem it caused in the first place? Probably not. Many historians think the rise of tea and the revival of Methodism that took hold of England at this time is far more responsible than any of the Gin Acts. ### The Difference between "Reason" and "Rationality" URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-difference-between-reason-and-rationality-2/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T12:48:50.000Z ## Reason Greek *nous* Latin *intellectus* Reason is flexible. It resists fixed formulation. It is shaped by experience. It involves the whole living being, combining the mental and physical . . . the spiritual and material. **It is the intellectual glue of sacramental existence.** It is characterized by intuition. > **Reason is "congenial to the operations of the right hemisphere."** McGilchrist, [*The Master and His Emissary*](https://amzn.to/3woXwEs?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), p. 330. ## Rationality Greek *logos/dianoia* Latin *ratio* Rationality is more rigid than reason. It feeds knowledge to specific groups. It's mechanical and governed by explicit laws. It focuses on consistency and proof. It looks for "either/or" answers (not "both/and"). **It is the intellectual glue of the expert.** > Rationality is congenial to the operations of the left hemisphere. *Id*. ## Reason is Prior Rationality stands on ground that is not the product of rationality. Rationality can operate only when the structure is in place, but the structure itself is not formed by rationality. Something comes before and builds the structure, and that "something" comes from processes that are largely intuitive and formed by reason, hence reason is prior to rationality. > "All rationality can do is to provide internal consistency once the system is up and running." *Id*. --- ### The Cartesian Method is Insane Descartes starts with the absurd premise that rationality is prior and, therefore, rationality is king. It's why rationality is king of the modern world. It's why the modern world is mad. --- ### Passages from the Beginning of Chapter 14, "Reason's claims on truth," of McGilchrist's *The Matter with Things* > Reason \[Rationality\] suggests a linear way of thinking, seeking chains of causation, which makes sense only in a limited environment. Its mode of operation is local, one bit at a time. Reason suggests a global, holistic understanding, which makes sense only in the round. It is a seamless apprehension of the world. Yes, you read that correctly. Reason means different things – has in particular two distinct meanings. In our world, one is becoming predatory, the other disappearing like a hunted animal. . . . > The distinction I am making between two kinds of reason is disguised in English by its using the same word for two very different phenomena. In other languages, it is not necessarily so. In German there is a distinction between *Verstand* and *Vernunft*, in Latin between *ratio* and *intellectus*, in Greek between *dianoia* and *nous*: in the first of each case, what one might call, in the absence of anything better, rationality, a linear process; in the second, reason, an understanding in the round. . . . > Much philosophical reasoning is of the first kind – for two thousand years in the West, between Plato and Kant, it was more or less exclusively so. Elsewhere in the world, and at other times in the West, this kind of thinking, the kind associated more with the left hemisphere than the right, has been considered of only limited use, and a potential source of misunderstanding when given too much credence. According to this point of view, not to temper it with other modes of understanding would itself be contrary to reason. The problem is, however, that once one is inside the rationalist bubble, one can no longer see any need to break out of it, let alone any way of doing so. . . . > Rationality is exclusive: reason is inclusive, balancing rationality with intuition, emotion and imagination. . . . > Reasoning in the sense of rationality is a consistency tool, and nothing more. ### How to Make a Cocktail URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/how-to-make-a-cocktail/ Last updated: 2023-12-16T13:04:19.000Z Start by approaching it with your right hemisphere _This post is for subscribers only._ ### How Have These Ten Extensions Changed Us? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/51766/ Last updated: 2025-10-18T11:46:14.000Z #### Toward the end of his life, Marshall McLuhan provided a list of the ten things that have changed us the most. Perhaps the biggest difference between childhood and adulthood is **time.** The adult frantically looks for more time. The child looks for ways to fill time. I filled a lot of my childhood time with reading all sorts of stuff: Tolkien’s *Lord of the Rings*, baseball statistics, *Mad Magazine*. And reference books. I loved reference books: atlases of the world, the statistical abstract of the United States, and encyclopedia entries. After my mom died last year, I had to clean out my childhood home. In the process, I stumbled upon one of my favorite quirky reference books: *The Book of Lists*. This 1970s sensation sold nearly ten million copies. It was, well, a book of lists. That’s it. A lot of the lists were factual, but some of the lists were mere opinions by celebrities or experts in a particular field. While reminiscing with it, I came across this opinion list by an expert in his field: *Marshall McLuhan’s Ten Most Potent Extensions of Man.* Marshall McLuhan was a household name in the 1960s. He was interviewed by numerous outlets, including *The Today Show* and *Playboy*. He even made a cameo appearance as himself in a Woody Allen film. His central theory is that human modes of thinking are altered by media. Media are “extensions” of ourselves, things that add themselves to what we already are. When we start to use a particular extension, it changes us in some way. It changes a person individually; it changes culture as a whole. Some extensions have minor effects. Some have major effects. And there are ten, according to that McLuhan list, that have had the most potent effects of all. # Ten Potent Extensions ## 1\. Fire McLuhan liked to startle, even if it took the form of stating something so obvious like, “Fire is the most potent extension of man.” It’s so obvious, it hardly needs to be said . . except it does. We forget fire’s importance, just like we don’t often think about the importance of the sun. Fire gave light. It *extended eyesight* into the evening and night, expanding our time for activity. Fire gave warmth. It allowed humans to stay in, or move to, geographic areas that would otherwise be too cold. It, in other words, *extended our scope of movement*. Fire cooked food. It *extended our stomachs*, making it easier to satisfy them, leaving more human energy for other endeavors. Fire gave strength. It is an *extension of muscle*. It scared away threatening animals (a weapon). It was used to help create better living spaces (a tool). ## 2\. Clothing McLuhan dedicated an entire, albeit short, chapter to clothing in his magnum opus*, Understanding Media.* He pointed out the intuitively obvious: clothes are an extension of our skin. Our skin, by itself, can withstand only so much cold. A naked person would die of hypothermia on a 70-degree day in the shade. Clothing, by “extending” the skin’s capacity, eliminates such a risk. It also makes the skin tougher, so it can move through harsher terrain. Characteristically, McLuhan didn’t stop with those obvious observations. He also observed that unclad people eat a lot more than clad, thereby allowing those of us with clothes to conserve how much food we need to forage. Clothing, he said, also increased our sense of privacy and individualism, which eventually developed into style and fashion. ## 3\. The Wheel Everyone knows the wheel is the most important invention. But why? It’s an extension, McLuhan pointed out, of the foot. It allowed the foot to move faster, to move farther, to move more stuff. But it did a lot more. “The wheel made the road,” McLuhan said. It also allowed us to make pottery, which allowed us to store things. It made the movie camera possible. And, of course, it gave rise to carts, chariots, bikes, and cars. This entire article could be dedicated to McLuhan’s thoughts about the wheel. Unleashing McLuhan to talk about the wheel is like asking Forrest Gump to talk about Jenny. ## 4\. The Lever McLuhan liked to quote Archimedes’ boast: > “Give me but one firm spot on which to stand, and I will move the world.” The lever is the extension of muscle. That’s pretty obvious. It allows the muscle to do more, both in terms of how much it can lift (more power) and how many times it can lift it (saving the muscle’s energy). The lever gave us pulleys, which allowed the development of water wells, which led to communities. McLuhan also said electronic media is the lever of the modern world: “I will stand on your eyes, your ears, your nerves, and your brain, and the world will move in any tempo or pattern I choose.” He then said private corporations are the Archimedeses applying the lever. And that was decades before Google, Facebook, and Twitter. ## 5\. Phonetic Alphabet The phrase “phonetic alphabet” as used by McLuhan refers to our ABCs. The phonetic alphabet is an extension of language and language is an extension of knowledge. > “Language does for intelligence what the wheel does for the feet and the body. It enables them to move from thing to thing with greater ease and speed and ever less involvement.” The phonetic alphabet also brought quite a few unfortunate things. Before the advent of writing, McLuhan said, humans lived in an oral world, one where all the senses were fused together and memory was revered. After writing, eyesight conquered the other senses and we became, said McLuhan (borrowing from James Joyce), “ABCED-minded” . . . i.e., “absentminded.” ## 6\. The Sword To be honest, this one threw me. I couldn’t remember McLuhan writing about the sword. After reviewing my McLuhan books and surfing the web, I don’t think he did. Which would be characteristic of McLuhan. He often just “threw things out there,” often without a lot of attachment. This would appear to be one of those ideas. He did, however, say a lot about weaponry in general. The arrow, he said, is an extension of the hand and arm (the rifle, of the eye and teeth). The sword is most obviously like the arrow, an extension of the hand and arm, but also of muscle in general, allowing one to impart more force with more damage than possible without the sword. I suspect McLuhan was also struck by the social hierarchy that resulted from swords. Swords were expensive. They marked a man’s high social standing. McLuhan also once reflected on respect given to lesser men if they mastered the art of weaponry, like crippled Vulcan’s sway over the Roman Gods because only he could give them the really good stuff. McLuhan pointed out that western culture, in particular, has always evidenced this ironical obsequious tendency: deference to those with less power if they can give power . . . deference to those of natural inferiority if they can give superiority. ## 7\. Print This was McLuhan’s favorite whipping boy. He published *The Gutenberg Galaxy* in 1962 and pretty much laid all of modernity at the feet of the printing press. In the words of biographer Philip Marchand: > “McLuhan argued that the invention of print effected a still more profound transformation \[than the phonetic alphabet\] in the psyche of Western man, leading to an emphasis on the visualization of knowledge and the subsequent development of rationalism, mechanistic science and industry, capitalism, nationalism, and so on.” ## 8\. Electric Telegraph The telegraph, yes, but McLuhan includes in this the telephone (the telegraph is the phone’s predecessor). When you look at it like that and today’s ubiquitous cell phone, it’s not hard to agree that the telegraph belongs in the top ten of potent extensions. Although McLuhan was writing decades before the cell phone, he still thought the telegraph/phone of immense importance. They are enormous extensions of movement, speaking, and listening. But for McLuhan, there was a lot more to it. “With the telegraph,” McLuhan wrote, “man had initiated that outering or extension of his central nervous system . . .”. The act of putting one’s nerves on the outside of one’s body is unsettling and creates a sense of dread. It’s no coincidence, McLuhan seemed to argue, that the angst-driven philosophy of modern existentialism (specifically, Kierkegaard) started with the rise of the telegraph. The telegraph, McLuhan also pointed out, started the process of making the world a lot smaller. He popularized the term, “global village.” ## 9\. Electric Light This one is a bit tricky. McLuhan’s iconic saying was, “The medium is the message,” by which he meant that the important part of a medium is the medium itself. The content of the TV show or book doesn’t matter. The effects of the medium on how we think, live, and behave is what matters. *That* is the message (*that* is the most important thing). When people focus on content, they are blinded to the more important thing: the media itself and its effects. Switch back to the electric light. It is “pure information,” said McLuhan. Unlike a TV show or newspaper article that carries content whenever it’s in operation, the electric light doesn’t (McLuhan, lover of paradox, said the electric light is a “medium without a message,” which flips his iconic saying on its head . . . but nevermind). He considered electric light and power as radical twins. They are distinct from their uses. A TV would be pointless unless someone was broadcasting shows; the newspaper would have no existence if it weren’t for its stories. That’s not the case with electric light and power. ## 10\. Radio/TV Radio and TV bring us to McLuhan’s promised land. There were other media philosophers before McLuhan. Lewis Mumford, Harold Innis, and Jacques Ellul all wrote about the effects of technology on our minds and culture. And they didn’t like what they saw. Not McLuhan. He was a cheerleader of the new technology. He wasn’t remotely a Pollyanna, but he definitely liked what he saw in electronics, which put him at odds with the others, especially the elder Mumford (the two men weren’t fans of each other). Go back and read Philip Marchand’s quote above about McLuhan’s dim view of the printing press and all the modern problems McLuhan associated with it: rationalism, mechanistic industry, capitalism, nationalism. McLuhan thought electronics reversed all that by extending our central nervous system to burst past the limitations imposed by the oppressive hegemony of sight. Neil Postman (whose *Amusing Ourselves to Death* is an entertaining gateway into the world of media theory/philosophy) described McLuhan’s historical view this way: > “Electronic communication contains in its structure, that is, its speed, its volume, its multi-directionality, and its forms, the possibility of making us whole again, of retrieving the oral tradition of reclaiming the richness of multiple perspectives . . . Once again, sight, sound, touch, and taste will blend graciously and healthfully.” I’d suggest that the Internet and the digital revolution of the past 30 years have brought us even closer to McLuhan’s promised land. ### Is New Year's Eve Still the King of Alcohol? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55403/ Last updated: 2025-01-07T12:48:56.000Z New Year’s Eve is dead. It’s not the biggest bar night of the year. It’s not even the biggest drinking night in general. I base those claims on a (very scientific and statistical) review of the facts. First, I spent four minutes on internet searches, which brought up a lot of results that say Black Wednesday (the night before Thanksgiving) is the biggest bar night. Other sites list BW as the biggest drinking night, period (whether drinking at bars or at home). Second, I looked at local drinking establishments I see places that close early this evening so their employees can enjoy the night. My favorite local bar says it’s keeping its regular hours tonight: closing at midnight. You can practically smell the “ho-hum” attitude of these business owners, who are obviously unimpressed with their sales history on NYE. Third, I polled ten people and they all said they were spending a quiet night at home or getting together with their family to watch football. They’ll be having a few beers, but it won’t be the raucous binge that is Black Wednesday. So, I officially count New Year's Eve dead. I figure that, at best, it might rank in the top five, behind BW, St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, Halloween, and, heck, maybe even July 4th and Groundhog Day, such are my powers of intuition from personal experience and six minutes of internet surfing. But in steps “Womply.” It appears to be an organization that helps small businesses (that’s about all I could learn in the two minutes I cared to dedicate to the question, “What is Womply?”). They’ve ran two articles that claim to have analyzed the data and have concluded that New Year’s Eve is still number one when it comes to alcohol: [**liquor store sales**](https://www.womply.com/blog/analysis-liquor-store-sales-data-reveals-the-biggest-drinking-days-of-the-year/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (BW is third, behind NYE and Christmas Eve) and [**bar sales**](https://www.womply.com/blog/is-thanksgiving-eve-really-one-of-the-biggest-days-of-the-year-at-local-bars/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (BW is third again, behind NYE and July 3rd). I suppose I could jump into the pieces and start looking for anomalies (their bar analysis includes “bars and lounges” . . . does that include restaurants that also serve as bars?), but no matter. I’m impressed enough by Womply’s analysis to conclude that perhaps NYE is dead as king of the drinking nights in my niche of the woods but, nationwide, it still reigns. For me, I did my drinking last night, celebrating the end of a brutal year at the office while cleaning up the debris on my desk and throwing down a few gin and tonics. I’ll no doubt have a few this evening as my Michigan Wolverines try to win their first playoff game, but otherwise, I expect to ring in the new year with a large degree of sobriety, no matter what Womply says. ### Absinthe Minded URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-35/ Last updated: 2023-12-15T11:49:30.000Z douard Manet and Edgar Degas met for the first time *circa* 1861–62, fittingly in the Louvre, while they were both copying Velázquez’s *Portrait of the Infanta Margarita Theresa* (1659) on etching plates. They became friends for life. While Degas drew and painted several portraits of the slightly older artist, Manet never reciprocated; yet for his entire life he kept a photograph of Degas in a personal album among images of his own family. After Manet’s death, Degas bought up a great number of his late friend’s works and eventually shepherded them into museums. Among many commonalities, they both painted notorious pictures of absinthe drinkers. The Manet–Degas show currently at the Metropolitan Museum features Degas’ well-known masterpiece *In a Café (The Absinthe Drinker)* (1875–76), on loan from the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. (A full review of the exhibition by James Panero can be found in the November 2023 issue of *The New Criterion*.) But missing from the Met’s exhibition is Édouard Manet’s famous picture *The Absinthe Drinker* (1859), which remains in the Glyptotek, Copenhagen. Painted when Manet was just twenty-six, this life-size picture depicts a top-hatted bum with a Baudelairean flair. Instead of delivering a classical Bacchus hoisting a golden goblet, Manet portrayed a shabby rag-picker named Collardet, who begged daily in front of the Louvre. Beside him sits a gleaming glass of absinthe, while a discarded bottle lies at his feet. There is a smug, high-as-a-kite expression on this *clochard*’s face. *You gotta problem with that, monsieur? Ta gueule!* Whether or not he intended *The Absinthe Drinker* as a calculated affront, Manet felt strongly that an artist should paint real people, not just models in classical robes. A few days before submitting the picture to the Salon of 1859, Manet invited his former teacher, the great classicist Thomas Couture, to visit his studio. As the older artist stared at the picture, his face reddened. “An absinthe drinker!” he snorted. “And they paint abominations like that! My poor friend, *you* are the absinthe drinker! It is *you* who have lost your moral faculty.” When Couture left the studio with barely a goodbye, both knew their already strained relationship was over. ![](https://newcriterion.com/storage/app/media/December%202023%20issue/Edouard_Manet_-_The_Absinthe_Drinker_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg) **Édouard Manet,* The Absinthe Drinker**, 1859, Oil on canvas, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.* The controversy grew. Manet’s picture shocked the selection committee of the Paris Salon in 1859, and they rejected it. Couture, naturally, had voted against it, but Manet was heartened to learn that Eugène Delacroix had cast a vote in his favor. The rejection had not surprised Manet, but it angered him. It was the first of many rebukes his art received from the powers that be and the public. Although the poet and art critic Charles Baudelaire knew the younger Manet well enough to borrow money from him, he was surprisingly lukewarm about Manet’s art, considering the work crude and inelegant. He once wrote to Manet, calling him “the leading painter of the decrepitude.” Yet after the Salon scandal, Baudelaire comforted him by saying, “La conclusion, c’est qu’il faut être soi-même.” (The conclusion is that you must be yourself.) ![](https://newcriterion.com/storage/app/media/December%202023%20issue/Artboard%202.png) **Left: Edgar Degas, Self-portrait 1895\. Photo: Edgar Degas, Harvard Art Museum. Right: Edgar Degas standing, Nineteenth century. Photo: Anonymous.* As early as 1843, Baudelaire had urged young painters to paint the urban life around them, not just classical nudes in the Academy style: The painter, the true painter, will be he who can extract from present-day life its epic quality, and make us see and understand, through color and line, how great and poetic we are in our cravats and patent leather boots. In setting the tone for what we might call Paris’s “absinthe era,” Baudelaire was both a prophet and victim. As Christopher Isherwood later wrote, “Paris taught him his vices, absinthe and opium, and the extravagant dandy­ism of his early manhood which involved him in debt for the rest of his life.” Baudelaire was the first of the nineteenth-century poets to create art from the disorder of modern life. “You gave me mud and I gave you gold,” he once wrote of Paris. His collection of poems *Les Fleurs du mal* was the personal study of evil and addiction by a man who understood the world’s craving for sensation—at the expense of spirituality—as the supreme characteristic of his time. When the book appeared in 1857, he was fined for obscenity by the same court that had condemned Flaubert’s scandalous masterpiece *Madame Bovary* (1856). **Read the rest** [Absinthe minded | The New CriterionBarnaby Conrad III on the preferred potable of Paris’s avant-garde.![](https://newcriterion.com/themes/thenewcriterion/assets/favicons/apple-touch-icon-dec.png)Vol. 42, No. 4 / December 2023 LoginBarnaby Conrad III![](https://newcriterion.com/storage/app/media/December%202023%20issue/Artboard%201.png)](https://newcriterion.com/issues/2023/12/absinthe-minded?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Zero Hedge: Decent Prose? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/zero-hedge-decent-prose/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T20:11:53.000Z [Robert Kiyosaki](https://amzn.to/47pljR7?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) supposedly once counseled a new "creator" about the perils of good writing: "It's 'bestselling author,' not 'best-written author.'" His point: If you want to be successful online, you need to write for sales, not art. He's right. It's unfortunate, but if a writer spends time doing something stupid like, you know, writing well, [turning phrases](https://amzn.to/3RI9QXl?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), and such, he won't be spending time churning out swill and won't make any money. Exhibit A: Zero Hedge. Tyler Durden couldn't write well, but he always got his point across in a pithy, often sensationalist, manner, and he knew his field (financing, investment) very well. His readership exploded. He then started branching out into related areas, going beyond economics into current affairs and politics. 💡 From Wikipedia's (Oh So) Objective Entry: "Over time, Zero Hedge expanded into non-financial political content, including [conspiracy theories](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy%5Ftheories?ref=thedailyeudemon.com "Conspiracy theories") and fringe rhetoric, advancing [radical right](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical%5Fright%5F%28United%5FStates%29?ref=thedailyeudemon.com "Radical right (United States)"), [alt-right](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alt-right?ref=thedailyeudemon.com "Alt-right"), and pro-Russia positions." Tyler Durden also started writing well. When I read this piece, I was like, "Dang, this is well done." I guess a guy can start as a hack and, after doing it for a few years, develop an objectively decent style. (Aside: "Tyler Durden" is the main character in [*Fight Club*](https://amzn.to/3TGp7dB?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Not only is it not the real name of the blogger behind Zero Hedge, but it's also unlikely that the Zero Hedge blogger is just one guy. It is speculated that up to 40 people are authorized by Zero Hedge to post under the name "Tyler Durden.") ### Don't Let Your Left Hemisphere Ruin Christmas URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-let-your-left-hemisphere-ruin-christmas-2/ Last updated: 2023-12-14T16:49:57.000Z > "I wouldn’t upset my plan for anything. I’d rather upset life than the plan." The Anonymous Schoizoid The left hemisphere doesn't live. It thinks. It plans: "How to do this?" "How to tackle that?" The best way to develop a plan is to break it down into smaller parts, categorize the parts, reorganize them, and tackle the task with an action plan. It's a good process. It's a necessary process. But it's a limited process. It's limited to the task before you, which may or may not represent a greater good or truth. And again, it's fine. If you need to be on that plane by 1:00 PM, you can't distract yourself with whether you're burning too many fossil fuels as you speed down the highway or whether you're damaging your soul by hurrying (rushing is a form of aggression). Sometimes, you gotta unleash your left hemisphere and let it do its thing. And "its thing" inherently involves the process of "abstracting": breaking things down into smaller parts and reassembling them into a representation of some sort, like a map that shows us where to go but shows us nothing about the terrain itself. It's a good thing. We need maps. The problem is, modern culture is a culture of maps. We let our left hemispheres do their things all the time. Left Hemisphere 24/7\. We're always abstracting and creating maps instead of appreciating the terrain. It's a huge problem. --- Christmas is coming up. It's a beautiful time of year. I envision the family together, Christmas music in the background: cracking cocktails, cracking jokes, crackling fireplace. That's my left hemisphere at work. It's already abstracting: "Those high days of Christmas celebration will be like this." But they won't be like that. Life is never like you think it'll be. And then when something doesn't come together like your left hemisphere said it would, you get angry. You had this Christmas abstraction in your head, one that would make Norman Rockwell blush, and then it doesn't look anything like that when it unfolds. And you're irritated. Christmas is ruined. It all sucks. --- If that's you, you're an idiot (I speak from experience). The only thing about the Christmas celebration that is ruined is your left hemisphere bulls\* abstraction (all abstractions are, by nature, bulls\*\*\*) of what the Christmas celebration should look like. You shouldn't have built that abstraction in the first place and, if you allowed your left hemisphere to run amok and abstract anyway, you should've been ready to jettison the abstraction in favor of the flow as the celebration unfolded. Only a mentally ill person would prefer the plan to life, and if you find yourself getting angry because a joyful event like Christmas isn't going according to a vague abstract notion that your left hemisphere (unattended, running amok) developed, you, my friend, are a bit unhinged: a bit too left-hemispheric, just like the Anonymous Schizoid who prefers his plan to life itself. Don't be the Anonymous Schizoid. Don't let yourself come anywhere close to being the Anonymous Schizoid. Enjoy this holiday season. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Robin-Daniels-Quote-About-Thought.png) ### The Age of Avengers URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-age-of-avengers/ Last updated: 2023-12-13T13:08:29.000Z Martin Scorsese’s now repeated dismissals of the *Avengers* movie series have provoked a variety of reactions—some of them very strong. The core of Scorsese’s critique is that Marvel (and similar big budget action movies) are like a “theme park,” that is, they are pure visual spectacle without intellectual or artistic substance. However, there is a reason why the Marvel films are popular. If something is desired by many, it does not necessarily mean that thing is good, but the intense, universal desire for something does mean something. There is something behind the vapid irony and CGI spectacle that touches deeply into the human spirit. Indeed, before the rise of the twenty-first century superhero movie, comic book culture was engaged in a tug -of -war with the guardians of *haute culture* for the minds and hearts of moviegoers whenever comic book culture broke out of the marginal realm of readers of actual comic books. For conservative grouches lamenting the decline of the American university, one of the primary complaints was that their more progressive colleagues were “teaching comic books” in their classes. At the same time, it has widely been recognized that comics—along with other elements of American popular culture—are very important to the people of the world and can make a strong case for their place in the Western Canon. In his recent book, *Superheroes! The History of a Pop-Culture Phenomenon form Ant-Man to Zorro*, Brian R. Solomon chronicles the history of comic book culture from its inception in the twentieth century until the recent proliferation of seemingly never-ending comic book films and streaming series. First and foremost, it must be mentioned that Solomon’s work is not an academic or even “middle brow” book. It is written for popular readers and contains bite sized portions of mythology, critical theory, and history-along with section headers, lists, and blocked off inserts. At the same time, Solomon does provide interesting pieces of comic book arcana that are not necessarily readily accessible to the outside observer. [Read the rest](https://voegelinview.com/the-age-of-avengers/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Catholic Elementary School Christmas Play: Review URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/catholic-elementary-schools-christmas-play-review/ Last updated: 2023-12-12T13:40:35.000Z When my wife asked if I could come with her to watch her 4-11-year-old students in a Christmas play, I can’t say I was expecting much. But as a lover of theater, the no-admission fee was too good to turn down. This Christmas play, directed by third grade-teacher Miss Stacy, is a triumph… of failure. Where do I even begin? This play was an abomination on every front. I would say the direction of the play got off track, but at no point in my viewing could I figure out what direction the play wanted to go. Is it a retelling of the Nativity story? Was it a tale of moral quandary? Was it a comedy, a drama, a tragedy? Was it meant to be educational, like a documentary on stage? Apparently, the answer to all of those questions was "yes." Every time the play appeared to have found its footing, it was crushed by the hammed fist of a morality monologue. Speaking of monologues, apparently the “actors” forgot that they need to speak up for people to understand a damn word they are saying. I grant that the technicians of this play did the actors no favors, but I had no idea what was going on throughout the play because the narrator talked like her braces were stuck together. And the rest of the actors were equally inadequate. For a play with no character development due to every actor seemingly having a single line each, there certainly were several stutters and long droughts of awkward silence, and their lines hardly consisted of Shakespearean dialogue. And if I were the actor for Baby Jesus, I would leave town now. He has no future in the acting profession. Hardly “tender and mild,” not only did he cry and defecate all over himself, both artistically and literally, but it was like they didn’t even try to hide his parents swiping him off stage and replacing him. His understudy was a noticeable improvement and was significantly less distracting to the rest of the production, though the understudy’s performance could best be described as uninspired and lifeless. With many professions fearing the effects of automation, I don’t think infant actors have much to fear from their baby doll counterparts. For some reason, in a story set in the Middle East, every actor was either white or Hispanic. Finally, we get to the rendition of “Silent Night.” I have been to car shops with fewer keys than were sung at once on-stage last night. The lone bright spot was from four-year-old up-and-coming actor, Tristan Smith. His reimagining of the innkeeper was so fresh and original that one must wonder if he ad-libbed his own lines after reviewing the droll of a script. Everything, from the basketball gym venue to the lumpy folding chairs, to the LED lighting to the play itself having the entertainment value of a rice museum, made for a dreadful viewing experience. My time would have been better spent in a waiting room with no appointment. The "actors" and Miss Stacy's time would have been better spent finger painting and learning what is and is not edible. Overall score: 2/10 ### Catholicism's Claim to the Hemisphere Hypothesis URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-32/ Last updated: 2023-12-12T12:16:07.000Z ### Introducing the Catholic Hemisphere. Part Two of Two. ## About the Hemisphere Hypothesis Straight explanations are dryer than Las Vegas in July (unless you're standing in front of the Bellagio Fountains), but I guess I need to explain the Hemisphere Hypothesis. [You can find my full explanation here](https://thedailyeudemon.com/primer-understanding-the-hemisphere-hypothesis/), but here's a summary: Iain McGilchrist published his bestseller, *The Master and His Emissary*, in 2009\. He followed it with his massive two-volume *The Matter with Things*, in 2021. They're daunting and nuanced works, but they can be boiled down to three points: 1. The left hemispheres and right hemispheres of our brains do the same things. 2. But they approach things differently: they attend to the world differently. **The left hemisphere is the servant ("emissary")**. It is the hemisphere that gets things done; it carries out tasks. **The right hemisphere is the master.** It sends the left hemisphere into the world with the tasks and then "hangs back" and reads poetry, listens to fine music, and attends to the greater good (while the left hemisphere is out there, grappling in the mud). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Hemisphere-Meme.png) 1. Even though the right hemisphere is supposed to be the master, the left hemisphere has usurped the master role. Modern culture is a left-hemispheric culture, creating all sorts of problems. --- ## About the Catholic Hemisphere I should be clear: McGilchrist's Hemisphere Hypothesis isn't Catholic. It isn't even religious. If I had to put it in a category, I'd say it's "applied science." It's neuroscience applied to studies in humanities (history, philosophy, literature) to create a useful understanding of the world, including modernity. Catholicism, on the other hand, is a religion, which is an area where McGilchrist treads lightly (reserved for the last chapter of his massive two-volume tome). Catholicism is also the intersection between the world and heaven, Christ's ark to carry as many souls as possible. It is a worldly institution with other-worldly aims. And it was instituted by God Himself. So here's the thing: Catholicism isn't just a religion. It is the Thing that encompasses all things. The only thing that falls outside its all-encompassing reality is non-reality: falsity, evil, ugliness. The Hemisphere Hypothesis--being chockful of truth, reality, and beauty--belongs to Catholicism. The Hemisphere Hypothesis is as symbiotic with Catholicism as the Bellagio fountains and other attractions are to the Las Vegas strip. The Las Vegas strip doesn't need the attractions, and it would exist without them, but they certainly enhance the experience. Such it is with the Hemisphere Hypothesis. It enhances the world and, thereby, enhances Catholicism, especially in these troubled modern times. Read the rest [Catholicism’s Claim to the Hemisphere HypothesisThe Hemisphere Hypothesis helps Catholics survive and thrive in modernity.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1549925245-6a03760d291f?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxuZXVyb3NjaWVuY2V8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAyMzM1MDAzfDA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=entropy)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/32719/catholicisms-claim-to-the-hemisphere-hypothesis.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Catholic Church is the Proper Master URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-34/ Last updated: 2023-12-11T21:49:19.000Z The Hemisphere Hypothesis needs to be claimed for the Catholic Church. There. I said it. I've been writing about Iain McGilchrist's "Hemisphere Hypothesis" for two years now. I've been doing it for the same reason C.S. Lewis said he wrote books: to better understand subjects. I was like St. Paul, seeing through a glass darkly. Heck, I'm still seeing darkly. But the light is there. Things aren't entirely dark--as overwhelming–as they were during my first few months with this "Copernican revolution in metaphysics," when every page McGilchrist wrote took me fifteen minutes to read because I kept stopping to underline, note, and ponder. Read the rest [The Catholic Church is the Proper MasterIain McGilchrist’s Hemisphere Hypothesis can help Catholics understand and thrive in modern times.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1617791160536-598cf32026fb?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxicmFpbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDIzMjM5MDR8MA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=edges)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/32713/the-catholic-church-is-the-proper-master.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Introducing The Catholic Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-catholic-hemisphere-2/ Last updated: 2023-12-10T17:23:28.000Z I've been wrestling mightily with the Hemisphere Hypothesis for the past two years. I've tied it into the Existence Strikes Back project, which is something that has occupied my attention off and on for the past 25 years. My labors (of love) with THH and ESB aren't over, but starting tomorrow, they will take a noticeable shift. **I will be writing a "Catholic Hemisphere" column at** [**Catholic 365**](https://www.catholic365.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**.** There is nothing by me at 365 yet. The first two columns should appear tomorrow, but it's a new platform for me, so you never know if I'll run into tech problems. All columns will be linked through TDE. I don't think this new emphasis will detract from TDE. Indeed, I think it'll enhance TDE, especially if you're Catholic or traditionally Christian. ### Why the Shift? I'm making the shift because it's the end game. It has always been the end game. Although I didn't know how, **I always knew Existence Strikes Back would lead back to Catholicism**. When I came across the Hemisphere Hypothesis, I started seeing how it would all come together and I need to understand it better (which the writing process helps intensely). I'm still feeling my way and, like St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, seeing through a glass darkly, but I think I see enough at this point to make the jump and land on the other side without stumbling too much and making an ass out of myself. Starting tomorrow, I will no longer be coy nor academic. No more background and lengthy explanations. You can find all that under [the Existence Strikes Back tags](https://thedailyeudemon.com/what-are-the-four-parts-of-existence-strikes-back/), supplemented by the pieces under [the Hemisphere Hypothesis tag](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/the-hemisphere-hypothesis/). Starting tomorrow, you'll see brazen Catholicism. ### The John's Penance URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-johns-penance/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T20:06:50.000Z One thing from Chapter 11 of Tom Holland's excellent [*Dominion*](https://amzn.to/3Rj6cmw?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): A clerical disciple of Abelard argued that, when determining the severity of penance for patronizing a prostitute, the woman's hotness should be taken into account. ### Traveling with Your Left Hemisphere URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/traveling-with-your-left-hemisphere/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T20:07:20.000Z In [*The Art of Travel*](https://amzn.to/41jBi1N?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), Alain de Botton describes traveling to an island paradise. The first morning, he sat on the beach, coconut trees leaning toward the sea, jungle-covered hills behind him. He then began to think about > a sore throat I had developed during the flight, worry over not having informed a colleague that I would be away, a pressure across both temples and a rising need to visit the bathroom. A momentous but until then overlooked fact was making itself apparent: **I had inadvertently brought myself with me to the island.** Put another way, he had inadvertently brought his left hemisphere to the island. ### Blessed Henri de Lubac? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/blessed-henri-de-lubac/ Last updated: 2024-03-07T14:07:58.000Z On March 31, the bishops of France announced that they would petition the Holy See for permission to open a beatification cause for Father Henri de Lubac, S.J. Whatever the outcome of the cause, paying such a tribute to one of the great figures of twentieth-century Catholic theology was a fitting way to continue celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the Council’s opening. For without de Lubac’s pioneering work in recovering the Fathers of the Church and the riches of medieval biblical commentary for contemporary Catholic thought, the key texts of Vatican II—its dogmatic constitutions on divine revelation and on the Church—would not be so richly scriptural and patristic in content and style. Who was Henri de Lubac? He was a veteran of the French army in World War I, during which he was severely wounded. He was, as just noted, a leading figure in the movement to revitalize Catholic theology by a “return to the sources.” He was a leader in the French Catholic resistance to Nazism after the fall of France in 1940 and a keen student of modern atheism. Exiled to the theological sidelines during the last years of Pius XII, he was rehabilitated by John XXIII, who appointed him to one of the commissions planning Vatican II. During the Council, he played a pivotal, if under-appreciated, role by arguing in his gentle way that Vatican II was not summoned to reinvent Catholicism, but to renew it for mission by deepening the Church’s understanding of the gospel so that the Church might more effectively offer Jesus Christ to the world. For it was Father de Lubac who ignited the War of the Conciliar Succession: the fierce struggle—not between stereotypical “progressives” and “traditionalists” but among the reformist theologians at the Council—over the meaning of the entire conciliar experience. The French Jesuit stood with his younger German colleague, Joseph Ratzinger, and others in insisting that Vatican II was a council of reform in continuity with tradition, not a council of rupture with the tradition—what some today call a council effecting a “paradigm shift.” And for this, Father de Lubac paid a considerable price. When he was named a cardinal by John Paul II in 1983—the first in a series of influential Vatican II theologians so honored by the Polish pope—his Jesuit brethren in France, many of whom regarded him as a theological turncoat, behaved abominably. Initially furious at the nomination, then indifferent, they dismissed this as “not our affair” and refused to help the eighty-seven-year-old cardinal-designate prepare for the consistory at which he would receive the red hat. [Read the rest](https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2023/05/blessed-henri-de-lubac?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Ten Totally Impractical Observations about Life that You Need to Hear URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52621/ Last updated: 2024-01-09T13:47:56.000Z Shortly before he was martyred with others in 203 AD, St. Saturus related a vision he had of heaven. He said he and the other martyrs were carried eastward to a garden, where a handful of angels started exclaiming, “Here they are! Here they are! The martyrs were taken to a group of elders and an aged man with a youthful face. The martyrs kissed the aged man, and he touched their faces with his hand. Then the elders told them, “Go and play.” Fr. James Schall understood why the martyrs were told to go and play. In his book, [***On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs***](https://amzn.to/2KK8lJ9?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), Schall explored the unseriousness of serious human affairs and the seriousness of unserious human affairs. Yes, it is a paradoxical book, but that's only to be expected from Schall–he was a devoted fan of G.K. Chesterton, the master of paradox. The book is basically a series of loosely-connected essays that revolve around a very basic question: How ought we to live our lives? The book never offers an answer to the question, but it provides guidance in an array of areas, as evidenced by the book's subtitle: “Teaching, Writing, Playing, Believing, Lecturing, Philosophizing, Singing, Dancing.” To these I would add Writing and Receiving Letters, Watching Sporting Events, and Spending Time With Friends. It's a book lightly-written, laced with references to Charlie Brown and other cartoons, but deceptively heavy. I found myself inclined–almost forced–to pause after every section and think about Schall's words. He never belabored a point and often made statements without going forward and offering additional conclusions, but rather pointed to the truth and invited the reader to think about implications. Consider Schall's observation about wasting time. Amusement, Schall said, might be the great and ultimate end of mankind. Amusement, after all, is a short distance from joy, which is our ultimate lot. And we are only amused when wasting time. > “In wasted time, in amusement, in laughter, we find breaking into our lives intimations that perhaps the sadness we experience is deceptive, however genuine it may be.” Schall could've then continued the essay to talk about a number of other things, like the sin of sadness or how people who take themselves seriously are the ones really wasting their lives, but he doesn't. It's a light and fun book. Schall kept his points brief, and he rarely preached or condemned. ## Ten Observations about Life A condensation of everything Schall taught us in this book is impossible, so I've prepared the following Top Ten List of Schallian Points. If this seems trite, I would respond that such an approach fits Schall's lighthearted style and the loosely-connected nature of the book's chapters. I would also point out that Schall was a fan of lists, as evidenced by the Top Twenty-Five List of “These-People-Tell-the-Truth Books” that he sets forth in the Appendix (if you're curious, Pieper's [***Anthology*** ](https://amzn.to/3fQreFZ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)and Chesterton's [***Orthodoxy*** ](https://amzn.to/3fSqVu2?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)rank one and two) and numerous lists that he set forth in his earlier book, [***Another Sort of Learning***](https://amzn.to/3qf0Udl?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)(a book that ought to be given to every young adult as a graduation present). Anyway, in reverse order, here is my Top Ten List of Schallian Points: 10\. Higher education is today largely a matter of private enterprise, good fortune, and reading things that few assign or praise. 9\. We must first ask to see before we shall see. 8\. We must philosophize with our whole soul. 7\. At any moment we can be, and often are, faced with a choice that involves ultimate consequences because of the exalted status of each person we meet. 6\. The experiences of watching high level sporting events might cause the viewer to see how something is good and exists for its own sake, and if he sees this, he can understand something about God. 5\. The two most significant words in the English language are nearly homophonic–to “wonder” and to “wander.” 4\. No one has time in one lifetime to study all the great thinkers, but we shouldn't despair. Many paths lead from something to everything. 3\. We are *homines risibiles*, the beings who laugh. The ability to laugh is a sign of metaphysical intelligence because laughter results from our ability to see relationships and the ability to see relations is the first requirement of the metaphysician. 2\. In Greek mythology, after the gods created the world, they noticed that there was no one to praise what was created–so they sent the muses and they inspired song, poetry, dance, and art. 1\. We can do nothing for God. We are ultimately “useless,” but this is the best thing about us because we can, in good conscience, spend our lives in “useless” activities, like philosophizing, singing, sacrificing and dancing. A top ten list of authors might also be appropriate. Schall always gives credit to the people he has read. And he has read a lot. In the process of giving credit, he quietly–and convincingly–pushes us to read other writers–Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine, Johnson and Boswell, Chesterton, Belloc, Pieper, Voegelin (that's ten). As I read Schall's book, I found myself anxious to get through it so I could read Cicero's [***On Duties***](https://amzn.to/3qgtlaY?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and Boswell's [***Life of Johnson***](https://amzn.to/3lpng8f?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). And I have no doubt that Schall himself would have been pleased to learn of my anxiousness to put him down. For that is what Schall's writings were about: pushing readers toward the great writers, the higher things and the nobler pursuits. But in this book, he pushed readers toward the amusing activities. Fr. Schall would have been happy to hear of my eagerness to read Cicero and Boswell–as long as I didn't take my desire so seriously that I neglected the finer things in life, like playing with my children and sitting around with my friends. ###### (The author of this piece, Eric Scheske, worked with James Schall on *Gilbert: The Magazine of G.K. Chesterton*. Fr. Schall died in 2019.) ### Fine Drunken Literature Returns URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/fine-drunken-literature-returns/ Last updated: 2024-01-28T15:56:54.000Z Dopamine flooded my brain and I immediately wanted gin to fill my veins: An email announced a new issue of *Modern Drunkard Magazine* had dropped. My immediate reaction, "It's not dead!" "Will I get a hard copy in the mail?" "How many of the pieces are available online now?" "And why, oh why, am I fasting from alcohol this Advent?!?!" The answer to that last one is simple: Advent is only three weeks long this year and, even though I consider alcohol a sacramental (JPII recognized it in *Rosarium Virginis Mariae,* so I tell myself as I reach for another bottle of tonic), I've always thought it might be good to abstain for a spell, preferably for religious (repentance) and not gnostic (the evil of creation) or egotistical (weight loss) reasons. Anywaaaaaay, the new issue of *MDM* does not disappoint. I've only digitally flipped through its pages and have already laughed out loud a few times, like [this piece about day drinking](https://drunkard.com/64-brave-new-dawn/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that contains a biographical slice of "the notorious drunken \[*Spectator*\] columnist Jeffrey Bernard" \[**TDE reader: Read this passage**; I'm flattered if you skip the quotes, preferring my prose over all else, but you're missing out\]: > Bernard’s life is often seen as chaotic, a maelstrom of broken marriages, debt, vomit and vodka. In fact, there was a simplicity and order to his existence, largely because of a regular routine and the fact that this routine was carried out during the day, not in the evening. > He would wake early, generally around 6am, fret about what to write for his “Low Life” column in *The Spectator*, which was, as Johnathan Meades once described it, “a suicide note in weekly installments.” He would then eat an egg before sitting at the desk in his tiny Soho flat typing, drinking to lubricate the imagination, and getting the piece done and filed by 1045am. > Jeffrey Bernard always had his day’s manual labor, the typewriter bit of it, done by 11am. Because 11am is when the pubs opened, and that’s when his real graft began. > His office was the Coach and Horses, a pub on Greek Street. It contained a telephone and a television that would show the horse racing. Tom Baker, drunkard and *Doctor Who* actor, remarked that if Bernard arrived at the Coach at 12 and not 11 he was “an hour late for work.” > This is because Bernard’s job was to watch, and to listen, and to talk. Around him was the material he would need to survive as a columnist. And that material, the juicy stuff, only presented itself during the day, never at night. There's a lot more. Prose Heisman candidate Frank Kelly Rich's recount of [*MDM*'s drinking predictions from 2003 ](https://drunkard.com/64-future-of-boozing/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)should become part of the Western digital canon. Among other terrible predictions, *MDM* thought we'd have alcohol cabled directly into our homes, like, well, cable TV. It didn't happen and Rich is okay with that: > The piped-in booze would naturally evolve into a form of utility and, like all utilities, would be regulated by the government. And you know how they are. Get a public intoxication ding on your social credit account and suddenly your whiskey faucet stops working. During periods of unrest, the whole network would shut down. It’s the kind of power we definitely don’t want in the state’s hands. There's also [a delightful piece of micro-history](https://drunkard.com/64-strange-case-of-pbr/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It's about Pabst Blue Ribbon (one of my favorites in the 1980s). It recounts PBR's rise, fall, and revival: *The epicenter of Pabst’s revival, according to a 2004 Washington Post article, was the Lutz Tavern in the hipster hotbed of Portland, OR. The owner started carrying it to replace a discontinued local brew and sold it for $1 a can. To everyone’s surprise, it turned into a hot seller. Pabst was adopted by an eclectic crowd of “punk rockers, bluegrass lovers, kayakers and mountain bikers,” as the Post described them, and claimed these new fans gave it a punchy new nickname—PBR. The abbreviated title lent it a little street cred and served as a codeword of sorts. Calling for “PBR” at the bar signaled that you were an insider already hip to the trend. (The Post was reaching a bit here—Pabst drinkers had been calling it PBR since its inception.)* *PBR’s popularity spread from Portland to Seattle and San Francisco, then hopped to the East Coast. The PBR folks—those who were left—were as baffled by Pabst’s sudden resurgence as anyone and sent the divisional sales manager to Portland to figure out why. What he discovered was that PBR had morphed into a “protest brand.” Completely unadvertised, drinking PBR was a middle finger to the massive public relations machines of the Buds and Millers of the world. It was the beer you discovered on your own or through friends, not because it was constantly pushed in your face.* --- I've noticed an annoying Internet prose trick recently: **Sites making podcast episodes into news stories**. The gimmick: A flashy "news-like" headline, which is followed by a story about the podcast's content, sprinkled with quotes, which gives it the feel of a journalist who conducted an actual interview. I can't decide whether I loathe or admire the trick, but I like the potential: Let readers absorb in two minutes of reading what it would've taken 30 minutes to absorb through their headphones. Podcasts are, perhaps, a minor art form, but they aren't major ones that need to be taken in appreciatively like *The Brothers Karamazov*. Podcasts have soared because podcasts are efficient. They allow intelligent and effective multitasking in an age filled with stupid and ineffective multitasking (if you're checking your phone at a stop sign, may a swarm of hornets invade your loins). And besides, TDE has been doing a similar thing for years: linking to a lengthy essay, providing a summary of sorts and a slice of opinion, and then providing a passage or two. Indeed, it's what I have done here, but trust me: This post doesn't do justice to the current issue of *MDM*. I hope readers can access those links (I don't know if my browser stored a subscriber password or whether the stories are available to the public). [But I noticed the print copy costs only $2.40](https://gear.drunkard.com/product/issue-64/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). That's a steal (but maybe they getcha with the shipping and handling). Regardless: Welcome back, *MDM*. This dry spell lasted too long. [Issue #64 – Drunkard GearFeaturing: The Future of Boozing, The Strange Case of PBR, Beware the Nano State, United Altered States, All in with 10 High, Day Drink Your Way to Success, The Courage of Oliver Reed, The Tipping Point, Drinking with AI Hemingway, Why I Joined the Drunkard Board, In Praise of the Spritzer and much more. 64 pages, gloss, full color.![](https://i0.wp.com/gear.drunkard.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1)Drunkard Gear![](https://gear.drunkard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cover-64.jpg)](https://gear.drunkard.com/product/issue-64/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Why I am Now a Christian URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-i-am-now-a-christian/ Last updated: 2023-12-07T13:28:53.000Z In 2002, I discovered a 1927 lecture by Bertrand Russell entitled “Why I am Not a Christian”. It did not cross my mind, as I read it, that one day, nearly a century after he delivered it to the South London branch of the National Secular Society, I would be compelled to write an essay with precisely the opposite title. The year before, I had publicly condemned the terrorist attacks of the 19 men who had hijacked passenger jets and crashed them into the twin towers in New York. They had done it in the name of my religion, Islam. I was a Muslim then, although not a practising one. If I truly condemned their actions, then where did that leave me? The underlying principle that justified the attacks was religious, after all: the idea of Jihad or Holy War against the infidels. Was it possible for me, as for many members of the Muslim community, simply to distance myself from the action and its horrific results? At the time, there were many eminent leaders in the West — politicians, scholars, journalists, and other experts — who insisted that the terrorists were motivated by reasons other than the ones they and their leader Osama Bin Laden had articulated so clearly. So Islam had an alibi. This excuse-making was not only condescending towards Muslims. It also gave many Westerners a chance to retreat into denial. Blaming the errors of US foreign policy was easier than contemplating the possibility that we were confronted with a religious war. We have seen a similar tendency in the past five weeks, as millions of people sympathetic to the plight of Gazans seek to rationalise the October 7 terrorist attacks as a justified response to the policies of the Israeli government. When I read Russell’s lecture, I found my cognitive dissonance easing. It was a relief to adopt an attitude of scepticism towards religious doctrine, discard my faith in God and declare that no such entity existed. Best of all, I could reject the existence of hell and the danger of everlasting punishment. Russell’s assertion that religion is based primarily on fear resonated with me. I had lived for too long in terror of all the gruesome punishments that awaited me. While I had abandoned all the rational reasons for believing in God, that irrational fear of hellfire still lingered. Russell’s conclusion thus came as something of a relief: “When I die, I shall rot.” To understand why I became an atheist 20 years ago, you first need to understand the kind of Muslim I had been. I was a teenager when the Muslim Brotherhood penetrated my community in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1985\. I don’t think I had even understood religious practice before the coming of the Brotherhood. I had endured the rituals of ablutions, prayers and fasting as tedious and pointless. The preachers of the Muslim Brotherhood changed this. They articulated a direction: the straight path. A purpose: to work towards admission into Allah’s paradise after death. A method: the Prophet’s instruction manual of do’s and don’ts — the *halal* and the *haram*. As a detailed supplement to the Qur’an, the *hadeeth* spelled out how to put into practice the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, God and the devil. The Brotherhood preachers left nothing to the imagination. They gave us a choice. Strive to live by the Prophet’s manual and reap the glorious rewards in the hereafter. On this earth, meanwhile, the greatest achievement possible was to die as a martyr for the sake of Allah. The alternative, indulging in the pleasures of the world, was to earn Allah’s wrath and be condemned to an eternal life in hellfire. Some of the “worldly pleasures” they were decrying included reading novels, listening to music, dancing, and going to the cinema — all of which I was ashamed to admit that I adored. The most striking quality of the Muslim Brotherhood was their ability to transform me and my fellow teenagers from passive believers into activists, almost overnight. We didn’t just say things or pray for things: we *did* things. As girls we donned the burka and swore off Western fashion and make-up. The boys cultivated their facial hair to the greatest extent possible. They wore the white dress-like *tawb* worn in Arab countries or had their trousers shortened above their ankle bones. We operated in groups and volunteered our services in charity to the poor, the old, the disabled and the weak. We urged fellow Muslims to pray and demanded that non-Muslims convert to Islam. [Read the rest](https://unherd.com/2023/11/why-i-am-now-a-christian/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Scrolling Blog: December 2023 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-december-2023/ Last updated: 2024-01-07T13:33:52.000Z December 30, 2023 [Detroit Pistons Relegated To WNBADETROIT, MI — After suffering a record-tying 28th straight loss, basketball fans across the country and the other 29 NBA teams voted unanimously to demote the Detroit Pistons to the WNBA.![](https://babylonbee.com/bee-apple-touch-icon.png)The Babylon Bee![](https://media.babylonbee.com/articles/658f695439ba7658f695439ba8.jpg)](https://babylonbee.com/news/detroit-pistons-relegated-to-wnba?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- December 29, 2023 ## BYCU [Beer is on the Decline2023 has been a terrible year for the nectar of the gods U.S. beer shipments fell more than 5% in the first nine months of the year and by year’s end are expected to hit their lowest level in a quarter-century, according to industry tracker Beer Marketer’s![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1576670392551-a209604d52be?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHNwaWxsZWQlMjBiZWVyfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwMzgxMjU5MHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/beer-is-on-the-decline/) --- December 28, 2023 ## Another "[Non-Story](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-non-story-2/)" I continue to experiment with this new genre. Input and opinion (trans. into loathsome-ese: "feedback") is appreciated. [Celebrate the New Year in EdinburghScomo collapsed from a heart attack near the new commercial center that he detested. Hurried and busy pedestrins left him there, figuring he was a drunken tramp, until a feeble-minded woman knelt to care for him and discovered he was dead. That’s how the writer George Scott-Moncrieff died in Edinburgh![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonW. James![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1594800083755-8fe31b2c99df?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fGVkaW5idXJnaHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDM3NzAyOTN8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-new-year-in-edinburgh/) [Introducing the Non-StoryI’ve been noticing a new type of Internet article: Sites making podcast episodes into news stories. The gimmick’s approach: A flashy “news-like” headline, followed by a story about the podcast’s content, sprinkled with quotes, which give it the feel of a journalist who conducted an actual interview. I find it![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1495640452828-3df6795cf69b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDMxfHxzdG9yeXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDM1OTg0NjJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-non-story-2/) --- December 27, 2023 ## [Repair Culture: Mouvement Du Jour](https://thedailyeudemon.com/repair-culture-on-the-rise/) The new issue of *Plough* magazine pushes for a return to repairing things. The thrust of this new movement: "throwaway culture" is creating all sorts of problems, from landfills to euthanasia. And big business is the reason. Starting in 1923, it stopped making products intended to last for decades, subject to occasional repairs, and instead started making crap that would be obsolete, either because of fashion or the costliness of repairs or, today, technological hurdles designed to force consumers to throw away their old gadgets and buy the new model. Consumers have begun to push back and, more importantly, central governments have, too. New laws are forcing companies to make products that last and can be repaired. It sounds great, except: If central governments are passing these laws, that tells me one thing: Someone in business stands to gain from these new laws. There is probably a group of politically connected people who stand to profit enormously from this new movement, so I don't trust it. I could be wrong, of course, and I hope I am, but if modern economic history (since 1688) has taught us anything, it's that Hudge and Gudge are never far apart . . . and they never sleep. [In Praise of Repair CultureDo farmers have a right to repair their own tractors? The American Farm Bureau Federation thinks so. That’s why this year it reached an agreement with John Deere in which the manufacturer promised to enable farmers, as well as third-party mechanics, to fix their own green-and-yellow machinery, for example![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1562259929-b4e1fd3aef09?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fHJlcGFpcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDM2ODM4MDl8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/in-praise-of-repair-culture/) --- December 26, 2023 ## Introducing The Non-Story It's the holidays: a time to take a break from one's grinding left hemisphere, which, for me, means taking a break from writing about the need to take a break from the left hemisphere. I took the opportunity to write one of those "articles about an article" that [I mildly criticized a few weeks ago](https://thedailyeudemon.com/fine-drunken-literature-returns/). In this case, I've written about a lovely essay that really doesn't lend itself to this kind of thing, but hey, it *is* the holidays so what the heck. Added bonus: When I started to write this "non-story," I set my timer and said I'd have this piece finished in 30 minutes. It helps one focus and kneecaps Parkinson's Law. I succeeded (actually, writing it in 25 minutes, though that doesn't count subsequent editing). [Jeremy Clarke: A Great ReaderIt’s arguably the most popular column in Britain’s oldest newspaper. The “Low Life” column of The Spectator has entertained readers since 1975, when Jeffrey Bernard provided readers with, to quote Johnathan Meades, “a suicide note in weekly installments.” After Bernard’s death, an assortment of men wrote the column but eventually,![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1525451350286-a21d5aef139c?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDM5fHxyZWFkaW5nfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwMzU5Njc0Nnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/jeremy-clarke/) --- December 23, 2023 ## Convent Christmas I always thought it would be sad to be in a convent at Christmas. It turns out, I was right. Convents are far more joyful places than people realize, but it's hard this time of year, especially on the new sisters. Pray for them . . . they're praying for us. [First Christmas in the ConventCarino Hodder at the Lamp![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1631817658298-3bae0e9afb4b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGNvbnZlbnR8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAzMzM5MDg4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/first-christmas-in-the-convent/) --- ## Tolkien Estate: Taking No Prisoners The *NYT* has since put this piece behind a paywall, but it's pretty interesting. As a commercial lawyer, I need to have a working knowledge of basic copyright/trademark laws. My gut impression when hearing about this case: the author's work would be protected, but I'm guessing there was a lot more [Claudine](https://thespectator.com/topic/claudine-gay-way-words-dei-plagiarism/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) than I originally thought. ## Santa and the Lamp I started a new job this year: Playing Santa to my grandkids. Unfortunately, my two-year-old won't be hear on Christmas Eve, so I did a dry run Thursday night with her. I got into my costume too quickly and had to kill ten minutes before she got here. Marie snapped this picture. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Santa-and-the-Lamp.jpg) ### If you're in Northern California and join a group of guys who "drink fine wine, listen to opera, and gaze upon expensive artwork" ... shouldn't you wonder a bit? ... *the plaintiffs asserted that the organization has a dark and “secret” side* [Six men allege ‘rampant, unceasing sexual abuse’ at secluded Northern California nonprofitSix plaintiffs are suing religious group the Fellowship of Friends, founder Robert Earl Burton and an award-winning winery, alleging gender violence and human trafficking.![](https://www.latimes.com/apple-touch-icon.png)Los Angeles TimesAndrew J. Campa![](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2636fe2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1660x872+0+60/resize/1200x630!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa1%2F63%2Fe5e8ccb14652a06423d8112ebca2%2Fhttps-delivery-gettyimages.com%2Fdownloads%2F1206185653)](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-12-21/six-men-allege-sexual-abuse-fellowship-of-friends?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- December 22, 2023 ## Holiday Brews You Can Use [Holiday BYCUA Splendid Micro-History of Mulled Wine “Glow Wine” At Christmas Markets Worldwide, the Holiday Spirit Comes in a Little Red BootAll over Europe and the US, Christmas markets bring good cheer and warm mulled wine, often served out of a curious collectible mug. Here’s the story of the coveted![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1542143708653-1a0d78f64f21?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fG11bGxlZCUyMHdpbmV8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAzMjQ4ODYzfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/holiday-bycu/) --- December 21, 2023 ## Welcome to the Shortest Day of the Year The holidays are heating up. Two more kids arrive today and things are mellowing at the office. And I received my first Christmas gift: A year-long subscription to the American edition of *The Spectator.* I'm pretty stoked about it, especially since it comes with the print edition as well. I've explained previously that copies of *The Lamp*, *First Things*, and *The New Criterion* arriving at my house send my dopamine rocketing. I expect a similar reaction when the *Spectator* arrives monthly. TDE readers will receive part of the benefits through excerpts in The Scrolling Blog and larger excerpts under "Latest," but alas, copyright laws are laws, so I'm restricted to what I can reproduce. That being said, the gist of this excellent point can be found pretty quickly (the headline says it all): [Bowling Alone Reads Like a Nostalgic Look at the Good Ol’ DaysBridget Phetasy at The Spectator![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1553190920-a9c7432283e6?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fGJvd2xpbmd8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAzMTY0ODM0fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bowling-alone-reads-like-a-nostalgic-look-at-the-good-ol-days/) ### One of the best things about the subscription: access to Bill Kauffman essays. [Bill KauffmanPolitics, international news, life & arts from the oldest magazine in the English language.![](https://thespectator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/vnHRIY-e_400x400.jpg?w=180)The Spectator WorldBill Kauffman![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2cad6e67753d51febbf4868c8428feaf?s=500&d=mm&r=g)](https://thespectator.com/author/billkauffman/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Christmas Fare [No Room in the Inn — What Inn?Dwight Longenecker at The Imaginative Conservative![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1498981529530-e0c63e19c38f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fG1hbmdlcnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDMxNjUwMTh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/no-room-in-the-inn-what-inn/) --- December 20, 2023 ## Birzer on Nisbet [The Quest for Community at 70Brad Birzer at University Bookman![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/Nash.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-quest-for-community-at-70/) --- ## Waugh at Christmas Evelyn Waugh liked to send out satirical Christmas cards, and the apex (or nadir\] of this practice was reached during the Christmas season of 1929\. Waugh's card that year consisted of extracts reprinted from unfavorable reviews of his first novel, *Decline and Fall*. The harshest passage of all was taken from a review by Chesterton. \[Christopher Sykes, *Evelyn Waugh*,Boston, 1975, p. 98\] --- December 19, 2023 My apologies for the hiatus. It was the in-law's Christmas, followed by granddaughter's baptism, followed by a medical consultation at the University of Michigan. I wanted to write about the looming war between microculture and macroculture, but I have to leave it with [this piece that I posted yesterday](https://www.honest-broker.com/p/in-2024-the-tension-between-macroculture?utm%5Fcampaign=post&utm%5Fmedium=web&ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Suffice it to say, I view TDE as a small soldier in the microculture army. [The Battle Between Macroculture and Microculture Is Turning into a WarTed Gioia at The Honest Broker![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1638340699396-053c53582284?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGNvdW50ZXJjdWx0dXJlfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwMjg0OTM2MXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-battle-between-macroculture-and-microculture-is-turning-into-a-war/) --- ### Brief Thoughts on the Summit, Decline, and Advance of Western Civ [Western Civilization Hit Its Apex During Advent 1273A civilization can, indeed, advance and decline at the same time. Eric Voegelin, New Science of Politics, 132\. As civilization advances, the sense of wonder declines. Abraham Heschel, God in Search of Man Modern civilization is gnostic civilization. Gnostic civilization is left-hemispheric civilization. Gnosis: Knowledge. Specifically, explicit knowledge, the kind![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/Briefly-McGilchrist.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/western-civilization-hit-its-apex-during-advent-1273/) --- ### Four Oldest Grandchildren ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Grandchildren.jpg) --- December 16, 2023 ## A Miscue I accidentally hit "Publish and Send" this morning when shipping out the last *Outside the Modern Limits* email newsletter of 2023\. I can't unpublish it without botching the email, so the feature piece is now published here and will stay here, though you need to be a member to access it. Enjoy. [How to Make a CocktailStart by approaching it with your right hemisphere![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1596463989140-3b600dab72e5?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEyfHxjb2NrdGFpbHN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAyNzMxNzM0fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/how-to-make-a-cocktail/) --- December 15, 2023 ## BYCU You ever get overwhelmed with a feeling of thankfulness? That was me last night, sitting at dinner, absolutely exhausted and somber from a long week at the office, but then my wife telling me the public school Christmas band concert starts in 25 minutes. I didn't have to go. I was in a pretty decent mood the rest of the evening. I even finished reading [this essay at *The New Criterion*](https://newcriterion.com/issues/2023/12/absinthe-minded?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which in turn made me want to reach for a bottle of the Green Fairy. [Absinthe MindedBarnaby Conrad III at the New Criterion![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1546100874-0669a963813d?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fGFic2ludGhlfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwMjU5NDU3MHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-35/) --- ## Seasonal Miscellany [The Great War Christmas Truce: ‘They Were Positively Human’For a brief moment in 1914, the guns went silent and the men risked court martial to play soccer, smoke and sing---with the other side.![](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/wp-content/themes/tac/dist/img/favicon.ico)The American ConservativeHunter DeRensis![](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/christmas-truce.jpg)](https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-great-war-christmas-truce-they-were-positively-human/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > "As an event in the history of war, the Christmas Truce of 1914 is barely a footnote; it had no major effects on the fighting or outcome of World War I. But in the history of peace, the truce is a powerful story." --- December 14, 2023 ## Tech Problems I have four ways to log into TDE. All four failed this morning. Three are now back, but my blogging time today is spent, so I offer this [**early Christmas present**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-35/). It was last week's *OtML* newsletter feature (see the good stuff you miss every Saturday if you aren't [**subscribed** ](https://thedailyeudemon.com/#/portal/signup). . . I save you from being "that guy" during the holidays). Enjoy. [Don’t Let Your Left Hemisphere Ruin Christmas“I wouldn’t upset my plan for anything. I’d rather upset life than the plan.” The Anonymous Schoizoid The left hemisphere doesn’t live. It thinks. It plans: “How to do this?” “How to tackle that?” The best way to develop a plan is to break it down into smaller![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Rockwell_Christmas.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-let-your-left-hemisphere-ruin-christmas-2/) --- December 13, 2023 ## Back to Normal Programming Thank you for checking out the first two pieces of my [new series at Catholic365](https://www.catholic365.com/article/32719/catholicisms-claim-to-the-hemisphere-hypothesis.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I'm happy with the results. I think this site has the "mojo" to handle everything I'm looking for. It's curated, but only lightly, leaving writers to publish whatever they want, as long as it's Catholic. The site pays its writers based on the readership. The pay is minimal but fair in the online publishing world. And, though it's up to the writer to generate readers, the site advertises heavily on Catholic websites so it's also generating readers for its writers. Basically, it's like they handle the advertising to generate money to pay the writers, which is exactly what I've been looking for. I don't want to deal with advertising here at TDE (though I might advertise eventually through the same company that runs Catholic365). Medium.com is hopelessly bogged down in its algorithm, which is merely a neutral way of saying it's bogged down in its ideology-masked-as-technology. And its ideology tilts hard-core left. I can tell you stories about how my payments dropped to zero for no apparent reason, like when I mentioned Matt Taibbi during the time he was testifying before Congress. It's like the Medium algorithm had been programmed to kill any writer that even mentioned Taibbi: readership and money dropped to nothing. I removed that story and shortly later, readership and money returned. Anywaaaaay, thanks for going to Catholic365\. I hope to publish pieces there at least once a week, but I won't follow any sort of schedule. I need another deadline project like I need hornets in my shorts. Please rest assured: TDE will continue. It's been plugging along since 2004 (btw: I think it started in 2002, but my memory is shaky and I can't prove it). It won't stop now. --- ## Avenger Piece It's just a short review and, if I'm being honest, a bit difficult to parse, but it's interesting and I liked this factoid from the last paragraph: > \[O\]ne of the first American poems written by the Revolutionary War poet Philip Freneau notes that American are much more concerned with commerce than with poetry. I'll have to stick that in my (flagging) [One-Thing](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/the-one-thing-files/) file. [The Age of AvengersJesse Russell at VoegelinView![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1612036782180-6f0b6cd846fe?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fGF2ZW5nZXJzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwMjQ3Mjg1MHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-age-of-avengers/) --- December 12, 2023 ## Christmas Humor Michael Rodney graces TDE with this piece of unapologetic irony. [Catholic Elementary School Christmas Play: ReviewWhen my wife asked if I could come with her to watch her 4-11-year-old students in a Christmas play, I can’t say I was expecting much. But as a lover of theater, the no-admission fee was too good to turn down. This Christmas play, directed by third grade-teacher Miss![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonMichael Rodney![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1513106580091-1d82408b8cd6?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI0fHx0aGVhdGVyfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwMjM4ODM4M3ww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/catholic-elementary-schools-christmas-play-review/) --- ## Part Two of the Two-Part Introduction to the Catholic Hemisphere You know what was one of the most devilish parts of this launch? Trying to figure out whether to capitalize "The" in "the Catholic Hemisphere." Such is my demanding attention to detail ("You're petty, Scheske! Hung up on stuff no one notices, much less cares about!"). [Catholicism’s Claim to the Hemisphere HypothesisThe Hemisphere Hypothesis helps Catholics survive and thrive in modernity.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1549925245-6a03760d291f?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxuZXVyb3NjaWVuY2V8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAyMzM1MDAzfDA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=entropy)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/32719/catholicisms-claim-to-the-hemisphere-hypothesis.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- December 11, 2023 ## "The Catholic Hemisphere" Launch at Catholic 365 ## [The Catholic Church is the Proper MasterIain McGilchrist’s Hemisphere Hypothesis can help Catholics understand and thrive in modern times.![](https://www.catholic365.com/favicon.ico)Catholic365Eric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1617791160536-598cf32026fb?ixid=M3wyNzc5Nzl8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxicmFpbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDIzMjM5MDR8MA&auto=format&fit=crop&w=860&h=400&crop=edges)](https://www.catholic365.com/article/32713/the-catholic-church-is-the-proper-master.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- December 10, 2023 ## [The Catholic Hemisphere](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-catholic-hemisphere-2/) I've been wrestling mightily with the Hemisphere Hypothesis for the past two years. I've tied it into the Existence Strikes Back project, which is something that has occupied my attention off and on for the past 25 years. My labors (of love) with THH and ESB aren't over, but starting tomorrow, they will take a noticeable shift. **I will be writing a "Catholic Hemisphere" column at** [**Catholic 365**](https://www.catholic365.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)**.** All columns will be linked through TDE. I don't think this new emphasis will detract from TDE. Indeed, I think it'll enhance TDE, especially if you're Catholic or traditionally Christian. ### Why the Shift? I'm making the shift because it's the end game. It has always been the end game. Although I didn't know how, **I always knew Existence Strikes Back would lead back to Catholicism**. When I came across the Hemisphere Hypothesis, I started seeing how it would all come together. I'm still feeling my way and, like St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, seeing through a glass darkly, but I think I see enough at this point to make the jump and land on the other side without stumbling too much and making an ass out of myself. Starting tomorrow, I will no longer be coy nor academic. No more background and lengthy explanations. You can find all that under [the Existence Strikes Back tags](https://thedailyeudemon.com/what-are-the-four-parts-of-existence-strikes-back/), supplemented by the pieces under [the Hemisphere Hypothesis tag](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/the-hemisphere-hypothesis/). Starting tomorrow, you'll see brazen Catholicism. --- December 9, 2023 Three bullet posts today. [The John's Penance](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-johns-penance/), [Reading without the Left Hemisphere](https://thedailyeudemon.com/read-your-way-out-of-left-hemisphere-hegemony/), [Travel](https://thedailyeudemon.com/traveling-with-your-left-hemisphere/). --- December 8, 2023 ## BYCU [Fine Drunken Literature ReturnsDopamine flooded my brain and I immediately wanted gin to fill my veins: An email announced a new issue of Modern Drunkard Magazine had dropped. My immediate reaction, “It’s not dead!” “Will I get a hard copy in the mail?” “How many of the pieces are available online now?” “And![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1524109778675-a86c515079cb?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEyfHxyZWFkaW5nJTIwYXQlMjB0aGUlMjBiYXJ8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAyMDQxMTYxfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/fine-drunken-literature-returns/) --- December 7, 2023 ## A Huge Conversion ### From Islam to Atheism to Christianity I think many of us know what the next stop is for Niall Ferguson's brilliant wife. (As an aside, I'm gonna have to bite the credit card bullet and buy a subscription to [*UnHerd*](https://unherd.com/subscribe-to-unherd/?%5Fptid=%7Bkpdx%7DAAAAyl7SO2zwuwoKSEc3VDZTZzFwZRIQbHB2OG85cncyZjBsdzQ3dxoMRVhNMFE5RVFCNjBXIiUxODIyMmNnMDk4LTAwMDAzMzI0ZmZ0dTY5OGgzb29mNWJocGk4KhpzaG93VGVtcGxhdGVDM0VIQ1lHRFY1VDU2MzABOgxPVDg1NEhVUlVJUUpSEnYtbHB2OGNlaWE0dHdrajR0M1omMjYwMDo2YzRhOjY3Zjo3NjJhOjY4OWU6YmY3Yjo5OTgwOmEwYjFiA2R3Y2i5tsyrBnAEeAQ&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) . . . I wish there was an aggregation site where you could pick, say, five publications and pay one annual fee for all of them at a discount.) [Why I am Now a ChristianAyaan Hirsi Ali at UnHerd![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1533000759938-aa0ba70beceb?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDN8fGNyb3NzfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwMTk1NTY0MXww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-i-am-now-a-christian/) December 6, 2023 ## [Don't Follow the News](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-follow-the-news/) The drumbeat grows louder: more people realize the corporate media can't be trusted and smaller media don't have the resources to provide full coverage. On top of that, we know that the corporate media has never been trustworthy, including "trusted men" like Walter Cronkhite. So what does one do? Ignore the news. It's not radical and it's not ostrichy. It's sane and, in my opinion, the only option. Here's the thing: You can't keep the news out. The real news will get to you somehow . . . a friend's text, headlines on the Internet, overheard bar conversations, the obnoxious office worker. You'll have more than enough information to survive and make good decisions. And if you spend your time developing your knowledge in other areas--philosophy, history, literature--you will be far more capable of correctly processing and applying the 'real news' that invades your mental sphere. And if a particular news item interests you (like the Palestinian crisis has interested me), Bryan Caplan says it's effective to read the Wikipedia entry. It's constantly curated and updated by scores of contributors who don't all think alike (caution: Wikipedia itself has an agenda that lines up with the Beltway-Silicon-MSM Hegemony, but I trust Caplan to know such a thing and, after using Wikipedia to keep up on the news, to have taken it into account with his recommendation). --- December 5, 2023 ## A Lot of Thinkers Have Intuited that We Have Two Minds ### McGilchrist deserves the credit for connecting neuroscience to the intuition. [This](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2020/05/clearing-ground/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is a sample of the long intellectual tradition, which includes Pascal's heart has reasons the head can't understand, Newman's illative sense, Bergson's intuition and intellect, and [Wendell Berry's rational and sympathetic](https://channelmcgilchrist.com/two-minds-by-wendell-berry/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). [Clearing GroundAdam Smith at Front Porch Republic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1640306107674-23b73a335f12?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDl8fGhvZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDE2NDA1MTh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/clearing-ground/) --- December 4, 2023 ## Monday Column It's more like a set of notes tossed into a half-baked essay, but I think it's interesting. [Paragraph 7 of This Newman Sermon is Stunning (Plus a Thomas Sowell Kicker)“Sermon 13: Implicit and Explicit Reason”![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/Newman.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/paragraph-7-of-newmans-sermon-13-implicit-and-explicit-reason-is-stunning/) --- December 3, 2023 [The Importance of Manners💡George Washington, the first President of the United States, was known to have studied a book called Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour In Company and Conversation. This book was based on a set of rules compiled by French Jesuits in the 16th century and was a guide to proper behavior![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Briefly-Note-Card-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-importance-of-manners/) --- December 2, 2023 ### Cedar Rapids golf bar offering free beer until Iowa scores ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Michigan-Iowa.jpg) --- ### These Links Came to Me Within Minutes of Each Other This Morning I think the Pope is talking about something entirely different than diluting genders (he's been pretty solid on that fundamental truth, at least), but I still found it humorous. [Pope Francis: ‘Demasculinize the Church’CV NEWS FEED // Pope Francis asked members of the International Theological Commission (ITC) to “demasculinize the Church” during a Thursday audience at the Vatican. “The…![](https://catholicvote.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/favicon-96x96.png)CatholicVote orgCV News Feed![](https://catholicvote.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/cv-article-pope-francis-wyd23.jpg)](https://catholicvote.org/pope-francis-demasculinize-the-church/?mkt%5Ftok=NDI3LUxFUS0wNjYAAAGPyVJZ6CkyY5uccXTZcGRlPrjJ8D9C-ocG09G1qxGCIUQMFLd7kODsT3R7F25TWV8nn7nGx3crrGPrk-OU8TUICArYIIzDoEk0jYnygcLY&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) *Lady Ballers* has been on my radar for a few days now, but my nephew texted me the trailer this morning, just as I was opening my morning Catholic Vote email. --- ## Welcome to December ### Everything You Need for Your Holiday Cheer [BYCUMemoirs of an Oenophile It reminds me of a book I once bought solely because of the great title: Memoirs of an Amnesiac by Oscar Levant (available at Amazon for only $147 . . . used versions as low as $27) “Whenever I see the word ‘oenophile,’ I picture people saying, ’They![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1474722883778-792e7990302f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE0fHx3aW5lfGVufDB8fHx8MTcwMTQzNTQ2NHww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-31/) --- [View Previous Monthly Scrolling Blog Entries](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### This is Your Brain on News URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/this-is-your-brain-on-news/ Last updated: 2023-12-06T13:17:51.000Z [Don’t Follow the NewsThe drumbeat grows louder: more people realize the corporate media can’t be trusted and smaller media don’t have the resources to provide full coverage. On top of that, we know that the corporate media has never been trustworthy, including “trusted men” like Walter Cronkhite. So what does one do? Ignore![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/12/Briefly-Note-Card-3.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/dont-follow-the-news/) There’s sort of two different takes, or two different angles. One is: What is the actual effect of following the news on the life of the individual that’s doing it? And I think it’s hard to imagine that it’s not just what you’re saying. Just imagine doing a time diary approach, where you are talking about what you’re doing and what your mood is at every minute of the day. Obviously, when people are watching the news, normally stuff on the news is quite horrifying, and they’re getting upset and agitated. If you just think about people that are angry about things every day, normally they don’t have enough stuff going on in their personal lives to actually get that angry — so what they are angry about is stuff that they are hearing about on the news. So that one I would just say is the main selfish case. And then to say, “But what if I fail to learn something that’s really important for me personally?” Well, what are the odds of that? That hardly ever happens. And especially if it were going to be that important, you would hear about it almost certainly in a number of other ways and therefore it wouldn’t matter. I remember actually my family was driving down from DC to Florida on the very day that the George Floyd riots were hitting the country. So I had heard something about it from Facebook. But if we were just totally not following the news, since I was going to be visiting some friends, I would have gotten emails from them — I *did* get emails from them — saying, “Don’t come to Charleston, South Carolina; it’s a war zone here.” And therefore it would have been fine. So it really just very rarely happens that not following the news would actually wind up having any harm to you personally because you were uninformed, and there are the psychological gains from not having the negativity — because as we know, news veers very negative. Now, in terms of “How can you become an informed and enlightened person?” — that’s the other perspective. And this is one where my first reaction is: read it in history books. If it’s that important, it’ll be in history books. Read that. When I do want to get up to date with something that’s been going on, I find it’s very helpful just to read Wikipedia. It’s a lot less emotionally affecting because they’re aggregating a whole lot of information. It’s not this sense of, “What’s going to happen next? What’s going to happen next? Oh no. Oh good. Oh no.” So in that way, you wind up getting not only less of an emotional rollercoaster, but you also get a better picture of what’s really going on when you read the Wikipedia article on an event — because there’s filtration, there’s curation, stuff that turns out to be not actually true and important generally doesn’t appear on the Wikipedia article. And in that way, you can still be highly informed. [Read the rest of the transcript](https://80000hours.org/podcast/episodes/bryan-caplan-stop-reading-the-news/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Clearing Ground URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/clearing-ground/ Last updated: 2023-12-05T13:45:15.000Z [A Lot of Thinkers Have Intuited that We Have Two MindsMcGilchrist deserves the credit for connecting neuroscience to the intuition![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/Briefly-Garden.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-lot-of-thinkers-have-intuited-that-we-have-two-minds/) In “Two Minds,” Wendell Berry distinguishes the “Rational” mind from the “Sympathetic.” These terms describe the activity of each mind: the former takes things apart, while the latter puts things together. The Rational Mind severs connections that the Sympathetic Mind makes. The two minds serve different aims: > The Rational Mind is motivated by the fear of being misled, of being wrong. Its purpose is to exclude everything that cannot be empirically or experientially proven to be a fact. The Sympathetic Mind is motivated by fear of error of a very different kind: the error of carelessness, of being unloving. Its purpose is to be considerate of whatever is present, to leave nothing out. J.S. Mill wrote in his *Autobiography* about these same two minds. His Rational Mind performed “analysis,” while his Sympathetic Mind formed “associations.” Mill’s peculiar education made him a powerful analyst—and those powers nearly cost him his soul: > The very excellence of analysis (I argued) is that it tends to weaken and undermine whatever is the result of prejudice; that it enables us mentally to separate ideas which have only casually clung together . . . . \[It is\] therefore (I thought) favourable to prudence and clear-sightedness, but a perpetual worm at the root both of the passions and of the virtues; and, above all, fearfully undermine\[s\] all desires, and all pleasures, which are the effects of association, that is, according to the theory I held, all except the purely physical and organic; of the entire insufficiency of which to make life desirable, no one had a stronger conviction than I had. Liberalism (or what I’ll call by that name) bets on the excellence of analysis. Liberal habits of thought pry apart those stubborn associations between, say, skin color and moral worth, which analysis shows “have only casually clung together.” The liberal mind is a Rational one, and much of its persuasive force comes from the many liberations it has achieved by dissolving prejudice, and from the promise that more freedom is to come. In that passage, Mill uses “prejudice” in its negative sense, which is now the only sense that most people give it. Its older meaning was more neutral: a prejudice was just an attachment to something and could be good or bad depending on what the something was. Here, Mill calls those good prejudices his “passions and virtues,” his “desires” and “pleasures.” These are Berry’s “fundamental likes and dislikes.” What no less a liberal than Mill discovered, during a long dark night of the soul, is that the liberating effects of analysis are less liberating than they seem because they are not the only effects: the solvent is universal. Analysis dissolves racial prejudice because it dissolves *all* prejudices, including Berry’s sympathies, which are reduced by analysis to morally interchangeable “preferences.” The Sympathetic Mind hates what Mill had to suffer in order to achieve his liberation, which was (as Berry puts it) “estrangement, dismemberment, and disfigurement.” But this is just what all of us moderns suffer, as a result of *our* peculiar educations in the reductive ways of the Rational Mind, a mind that “tolerates all these things ‘in pursuit of truth’ or in pursuit of money—which, in modern practice, have become nearly the same pursuit.” Thus liberalism becomes neoliberalism, and we are all as depressed as Mill ever was. These are familiar lines of thought. Critiques of modernity are as old as modernity. Still, the force of the criticism waxes and wanes over time. It seems clear that we’ve recently left behind an era of good feeling, a few decades when it seemed possible to proclaim the end of history and the permanence of the liberal order, and that we’ve entered a new disorder. Associations both mental and social, connections that seemed permanent and natural, are coming apart, undermined by events if not by analysis. (No doubt this virus, or rather the reactions to it, will accelerate the trend.) Disorder is catnip for critical minds, for those who are “always searching for new combinations, new associations and adaptations, new shades of meaning proper to the time.” That last line is from Thomas Mann’s [*The Magic Mountain*](https://bookshop.org/a/2037/9780679772873?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)*.* It describes the character of Leo Naphta, a dead-serious romantic who longs for medieval worlds, when people knew and loved their place. I could almost use Berry’s words to describe Naphta’s mind, which seems quite Sympathetic: “Its impulse is toward wholeness.” Modernity for Naphta is fragmentation, alienation, and exploitation, all disguised by liberalism as liberty. But I hope I don’t have to put him into Berry’s camp, because Naphta is a dangerous little man. His impulse toward wholeness drives him into the arms of fascism. He is so intolerant of figurative estrangement, disfigurement, and dismemberment that he is finally willing to celebrate *literal* estrangement, literal disfigurement, and literal dismemberment. This is a man who waxes nostalgic for inquisitions. Wherever the center cannot hold, when everything solid melts into air, critical minds see in the crisis a new opportunity to create. Disorder is a chance to join together what false gods have put asunder. It’s a time to forge new associations, mental and even social, if the critic wants to get political. And for all these same reasons such times pose a risk to the critic’s soul. This has always been especially true for critics of liberal modernity, like ourselves. Just as the divide between the “two minds” is familiar, so is the tendency for some defenders of Sympathy to become sympathizers with cruelty. The Naphtha path is always there for the taking, and there are always brilliant Heideggers who wander too far in the dark. The romantic impulse toward wholeness, or the longing for when things were better—take a few bad turns in that mood, and you find yourself chanting hymns to blood-and-soil. People can start out defending Berry’s proper prejudices and end up celebrating prejudice itself. “Celebrating prejudice itself”—one name for that is “nihilism.” Where Berry’s Sympathetic Mind says “I like it because it is good,” the nihilist says “It is good because I like it.” For Patrick Deneen, who is drawing on Philip Rieff, this is precisely where liberalism ends up because liberalism fosters an “anti-culture.” Genuine culture is a human construction, an accretion of “fundamental likes and dislikes” laid down over time by experience and tradition, by arts of association both mental and social. A good culture is built by discovering goods and cultivating our attachments to them. Liberalism, by contrast, is mainly a deconstructive force, the force of analysis. Liberalism starts with what Gadamer called the Enlightenment’s “prejudice against prejudice,” and sweeps away the good ones with the bad ones. Nihilists simply take liberal Rationality to its perverse but logical conclusion, and embrace the bad ones along with the good ones, because: why not. I share Deneen’s worry about liberalism. But I also worry about worrying too much, and ending up like Naphta. If liberals can turn into nihilists, so can critics of liberalism’s tendency toward nihilism. The flavors will be different, to be sure. The liberal’s Rational mind will have reduced everyone’s prejudices to mere preferences, and then it will embrace its own freedom to prefer whatever it will. This kind of nihilist insists, at the end of every conversation, “at least I’m honest.” Like most of my students, he constantly incants: “that’s just my opinion.” Meanwhile the liberal’s critic, in the name of Sympathy, will have elevated his own preferences to the status of good prejudices. This kind of nihilist, Naphta’s kind, hides his own will to power behind facades of humble submission to truth, tradition, culture, beauty, virtue—stuff we porchers like to talk about an awful lot. Fellow critics of the Rational Mind: how do we keep off the Naphta path? [Read the rest](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2020/05/clearing-ground/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Paragraph 7 of This Newman Sermon is Stunning (Plus a Thomas Sowell Kicker) URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/paragraph-7-of-newmans-sermon-13-implicit-and-explicit-reason-is-stunning/ Last updated: 2023-12-04T14:02:06.000Z ### Given at Oxford in 1840, five years before his conversion to Rome. *The entire paragraph is pasted at the end. This "note essay" breaks it down.* Reason, Newman observed, "creates *to itself* a world of ideas." The italics are crucial: reason talks to itself; creates for itself. That's not the same thing as "corresponding to reality outside oneself" and, indeed, the two can be entirely different: the maniac's reason creates a world for itself that has virtually no correspondence to reality outside itself. We're all a bit maniacal in this regard, some more so than others. Newman recognized this maniacal tendency. Reason's world of ideas, he said, may or may not "correspond to the things themselves for which they stand." We perceive things and mush them through our rational faculty and come up with something else. Our reason's grasp of the exterior thing is not the thing itself. It's something else, which may or may not be close to the reality of the thing itself. Newman then provided a beautiful and dramatic portrayal of the workings of the mind, which kind of reminds me of [The Pseudo-Macarius' description of the workings of the heart](https://thedailyeudemon.com/pseudo-macarius-heart/). It's a fun read (which is something I often say about Newman's prose). The key "takeaway" from the fun passage is its concluding line: "**such mainly is the way in which all men, gifted or not gifted, commonly reason."** When we realize his description of how we all reason, one thing should hit us square between the eyes: **Our reason can't be trusted**. It's as indispensable as food but, like food, can kill if we fill ourselves with it. The problem is, we all trust our reason these days. Such is the Cartesian Highway of Modernity: Rationalism. Descartes taught that everything starts with our reason ("I think therefore I am"): reason is prior. Reason is first . . . Reason is king. That's not true, of course: [The Act of Existence (the Tao) is prior](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55536/) . . . first . . . king, but the [Tao can't be reasoned to and can't be articulated](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55927/) (language is reason's main vehicle on the Cartesian Highway), so the Modern rejects it . . . in favor of his rationality. It's why [modernity has a lot of maniacs in it](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55644/). They're men and women who trust their rational faculty. As a result, they embrace ideas that may or may not correspond to reality, but because they trust first and foremost in their rational faculty and the ideas spun out of that factory, they don't much care. The important thing is, it's their ideas. --- ## Modern Rationalists' Overweening Pride and Confidence in Their Ideas, No Matter How Empirically Falsifiable, Has Frusurated the Crap Out of Thomas Sowell for Over 50 Years Thomas Sowell built his career out of attacking such overweening confidence in one's ideas, a confidence that he repeatedly points out, is misplaced when compared (contrasted) to the evidence. He refers to "visions" and the ideas and schemes born of the visions. Visions, he points out, are necessary but dangerous. His description of "visions" corresponds to Newman's description of how our "reason" works, in the sense that neither is terribly reasonable and neither corresponds to reality: reason and visions are prior to reality. > Reality is far too complex to be comprehended by any given mind. Visions are like maps that guide us through a tangle of bewildering complexities. Like maps, visions have to leave out many concrete features in order to enable us to focus on a few key paths to our goals. \[McGilchrist, it's worth pointing out, uses the map analogy to describe how the left hemisphere operates.\] **Visions are indispensable--but dangerous precisely to the extent that we confuse them with reality itself**. . . > A vision has been described as a 'pre-analytic cognitive act.' It is what we sense or feel *before* we have constructed any systematic reasoning that could be called a theory, much less deduced any specific consequences as a hypothesis to be tested against evidence. . . . > \[A vision\]\] is more like a hunch or a 'gut feeling". . . The specific problem is that moderns place huge stock in their visions and the workings of their reason, not realizing that neither is necessarily reasonable and, as Sowell points out, empirical evidence shows they're not reasonable, the modern mind rejects the empirical evidence because it conflicts with the vision, and vision, with the rationality that feeds it, is king. The ones who place the most faith (and it *is* faith) in their reason and visions deem themselves "[**the anointed**](https://amzn.to/4a0fegu?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)." --- ## Paragraph 7 > Reason, according to the simplest view of it, is the faculty of gaining knowledge without direct perception, or of ascertaining one thing by means of another. In this way it is able, from small beginnings, to create to itself a world of ideas, which do or do not correspond to the things themselves for which they stand, or are true or not, according as it is exercised soundly or otherwise. One fact may suffice for a whole theory; one principle may create and sustain a system; one minute token is a clue to a large discovery. The mind ranges to and fro, and spreads out, and advances forward with a quickness which has become a proverb, and a subtlety and versatility which baffle investigation. It passes on from point to point, gaining one by some indication; another on a probability; then availing itself of an association; then falling back on some received law; next seizing on testimony; then committing itself to some popular impression, or some inward instinct, or some obscure memory; and thus it makes progress not unlike a clamberer on a steep cliff, who, by quick eye, prompt hand, and firm foot, ascends how he knows not himself; by personal endowments and by practice, rather than by rule, leaving no track behind him, and unable to teach another. It is not too much to say that the stepping by which great geniuses scale the mountains of truth is as unsafe and precarious to men in general, as the ascent of a skilful mountaineer up a literal crag. It is a way which they alone can take; and its justification lies in their success. And such mainly is the way in which all men, gifted or not gifted, commonly reason,—not by rule, but by an inward faculty. [Newman Reader - Oxford University Sermons - Sermon 13Sermon 13](https://www.newmanreader.org/works/oxford/sermon13.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) 💡 "One of the best explorations of the distinction between explicit and implicit reason was made by John Henry Newman. In a sermon delivered at Oxford University on the 29 June 1840, he offers a number of insights; in particular that implicit reason – which is a living, embodied human skill – encompasses many elements, unlike explicit reason, which is a useful, but single mechanical procedure. He describes the mind in action, as it ‘ranges to and fro, and spreads out, and advances forward’, not unlike a clamberer on a steep cliff, who, by quick eye, prompt hand, and firm foot, ascends how he knows not himself; by personal endowments and by practice, rather than by rule, leaving no track behind him, and unable to teach another." Iain McGilchrist, **The Matter with Things* ### Introducing the Non-Story URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-non-story-2/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T20:07:56.000Z I've been noticing a new type of Internet article: **Sites making podcast episodes into news stories**. The gimmick's approach: A flashy "news-like" headline, followed by a story about the podcast's content, sprinkled with quotes, which give it the feel of a journalist who conducted an actual interview. I find it "cringey." I'm not sure that's the correct term, but it's at least the current term. The younger generations love it. --- That being said, I've been mulling it over and I think it's a new genre of writing and I like the gimmick's potential. TDE has always stood on (or tried to stand on) two legs: edification and entertainment. I've always wanted to present materials that are funny and interesting, but too often, TDE pieces have been one or the other. It's not a bad approach but it'd be better if both legs could be combined. I think this gimmick might be a good approach to providing Internet content that is interesting, humorous, and brief. I suspect it will allow me to incorporate elements of Existence Strikes Back and The Hemisphere Hypothesis, but in an off-hand, casual, manner, which is more appealing than a firm, sermon-like, manner. I'm going to keep experimenting with it. I'd love to hear your thoughts. ericscheske @ gmail . com . ### How to Use the Cold Weather URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/55200/ Last updated: 2024-01-02T14:35:09.000Z I woke up yesterday morning to the gales of November, the same that brought down the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975, according to meteorologists who said the atmospheric mix that dumped a few inches on my town is the same that brought down the mighty freighter. I could hear a collective groan from the rest of the Great Lakes, but I was pretty stoked. Sure, my garden isn’t quite ready for winter yet, and I’m not a big fan of snow, but I liked it. I immediately went for a walk: in the Persephonic silence. It was beautiful outside. Everything was white, snow was swirling, a cold breeze fanned my face. I found myself kind of wishing I were hungover so I could experience the relief that comes with a cool blast the morning after, but the snow came 24 hours too late for that. --- I recently counseled readers: “[**Take what the day gives you**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/54906/).” The same applies to the seasons. Every season has its advantages and disadvantages. For me, the cooler seasons offer enormous advantages. In particular: quietness, sitting, books, study, maybe even more prayer. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Winter-Hermitage.jpg) I found myself yesterday morning thinking about Russian monks and hermits, those great winter athletes of the mind and soul. For centuries, they pushed further and further north, even into the Arctic Circle, trying to get away from the expanding Russian Empire, building cabins for themselves, where they prayed, contemplated with the Bible, and read [**hesychastic**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/51876/) spiritual works, using their prayer ropes and chopping wood like postmodern man using the Internet and texting messages. I imagine that they were the most existentially terrifying creatures ever: long white beards, black garb, irascible men of dour demeanor who didn’t suffer fools gladly. Well, actually, they didn’t suffer fools at all, unless perhaps they were dealing with a [***yourodivyje***](https://thedailyeudemon.com/53227/) (fool-in-Christ). Some say they could read minds or intuitively know when a filthy soul walked into their room. You might think they were all the same, but that wouldn’t be accurate. Some were weird, others were merely eccentric. There were also a few that were downright nuts, even by the standards of, say, the eighteenth century, which was more tolerant than the 20th of mental problems, often finding them more amusing than institutionalizing. Of course, a few of these winter ascetics were remarkably kind, even tender, in their counsels, though I suspect it was the monks, not hermits. Hermits are hermits for a reason: they aren’t much drawn to others. Monks, on the other hand, live in community. They often consult with the laity and know some were kind, like Elder Ambrose of Optina, on whom Dostoyevsky modeled the gentle Fr. Zosima in *The Brothers Karamazov*. --- I found myself looking at my garden greenhouse/shed yesterday, thinking I could probably adapt it into a hermitage of sorts. Or not. Right now, it’s filled with a riding lawn mower, two wheel hoes, and an assortment of gardening supplies and implements. So I began to think whether I could build a hermitage in the thick tree line that frames my east property line. It’d put me about 150 yards from my house, far enough away for silence, close enough to make a TV dinner when I get hungry. I’d call it “Russian Hermitage Lite.” The only problem is, I don’t know how to build anything. Plus, I’d need a building permit, which wouldn’t be forthcoming. And once people saw it, they’d apply the standards of the day and assume I'm using the hut for Robinson Crusoe's gentle art. So it won’t happen. --- What is that urge in me to carve out a place, something outside space and time? I think it could be a lot of things, and the possibility that I’m simply a fool-in-Christ without the “in-Christ” part has crossed my mind. But I think the urge is common to a lot of people, maybe even all people, at least at some level. The writers Dan Pink and [**Michael Pollan**](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/16/books/mr-pollan-builds-his-dream-house.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), for instance, built writing cabins on their properties. Carl Jung spent months in a retreat he built near Lake Zurich. Indians (dots, not feathers) have long added meditation rooms to their homes. There is a need to carve space and time out of space and time, to create a sub-space for yourself that isn’t intruded upon. Some people no doubt need more sub-space than others, but I think everyone needs at least a little bit of it, even the most annoyingly extroverted among us. We know the sub-spaces are necessary to a healthy mental and emotional life. I wrote it about two weeks ago when I wrote about [**the rise of meditation**](https://thedailyeudemon.com/55097/), but I don’t think it’s just about meditation. There is something in us that wants to get beyond the world of subject-object, to touch, I suspect, the God-head, the He Who is . . . Who is without attribute and beyond subject-object. There’s a reason the Gospels repeatedly recount that Christ went by himself to pray. He had to check in with headquarters, almost like He went away and said, “Criminy. I’m besieged by my ego and the world, like a silver ball in that Evel Knievel pinball machine. I need to remember Who I am and where I came from.” I think we all have that need. There’s a reason we’re told to imitate Him. The coming cold weather gives us all a greater opportunity to. That’s its biggest advantage. ### Hemisphere Video URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/hemisphere-video/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T20:08:30.000Z You don't want to read the 500-page [*Master and his Emissary*](https://amzn.to/3tPzFgg?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)? You don't want to read [the 1,500 pages that flush it all out](https://amzn.to/3O7ryCs?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)? Try [*The Divided Brain*](https://amzn.to/3O6myhm?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). You can rent it for $1.99\. In just 80 minutes, you'll understand the Hemisphere Hypothesis. ### Also enjoying ### Days of Wine and Gin URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-31/ Last updated: 2023-12-02T12:44:56.000Z ## Memoirs of an Oenophile ### It reminds me of a book I once bought solely because of the great title: *Memoirs of an Amnesiac* by Oscar Levant ([available at Amazon for only $147](https://amzn.to/3RlbNtA?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) . . . used versions as low as $27) > "Whenever I see the word 'oenophile,' I picture people saying, 'They should just lock up all those perverts.'" A TDE Reader [Gifts for Wine Lovers: This Season’s Must-Read Books for OenophilesFrom Burgundy to Bordeaux to the North Fork of Long Island, the wine business is a wild ride. In three recent memoirs, veteran winemakers take readers along, offering insights your favorite wine lover will appreciate.![](https://s.wsj.net/img/meta/wsj_favicon.svg)The Wall Street JournalLettie Teague![](https://images.wsj.net/im-892910/social)](https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/food-cooking/gifts-for-wine-lovers-this-seasons-must-read-books-for-oenophiles-d92f686d?mod=wsjhp%5Fcolumnists%5Fpos2&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I Can Personally Vouch for the Empress and the Monkey [Holiday Gift Guide 2023: The Coolest Gins From Around The WorldThere are many gins from around the world worth exploring. Here are a few interesting choices for the gin lover on your holiday list.![](https://i.forbesimg.com/48X48-F.png)ForbesClaudia Alarcón![](https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/6568e5df4d25bc5b4b1b3db1/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&crop=2320,1305,x0,y215,safe&height=900&width=1600&fit=bounds)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/claudiaalarcon/2023/11/30/holiday-gift-guide-2023-the-coolest-gins-from-around-the-world/?sh=6f7925c631b7&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## This is a Slick List ### The "Negroni" Must be the Most Questionable Cocktail in the Politically Correct World And the "White Negroni" is the Most Oxymoronic [23 Gin Cocktails for a Proper ToastWarning: This list might make your bottle of gin disappear.![](https://www.bonappetit.com/verso/static/bon-appetit/assets/favicon.ico)Bon AppétitCondé Nast![](https://assets.bonappetit.com/photos/6283a7aa46e191aa2dac48a9/16:9/w_2580,c_limit/20220329-0622-POUR-8340.jpg)](https://www.bonappetit.com/gallery/gin-cocktails-recipes?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I'll Plant Arugula Immediately [Arugula Gimlet • The Farmhouse ProjectArugula has always been a favorite of ours. We thought this would make a great pairing for a gimlet with an abundance of arugula in the garden.![](https://www.thefarmhouseproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-FP_logo_stamp-270x270.jpg)The Farmhouse ProjectShawn & Kris![](https://www.thefarmhouseproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3468.jpg)](https://www.thefarmhouseproject.com/arugula-gimlet/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I'll Move to Chile Immediately ### Everlasting GKC for Advent URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52779/ Last updated: 2025-01-07T12:49:12.000Z Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote "Sweet Home Alabama" as a rejoinder to Neil Young's smug "Southern Man. Likewise, GKC wrote *The Everlasting Man* as a rejoinder to H.G. Wells' *Outline of History*. In both cases, the rejoinders won. *The Everlasting Man* explains history as part of the revelation of the Christ. It's no wonder that the Advent season figures largely in it. Some choice passages: "Any agnostic or atheist whose childhood has known a real Christmas has ever afterwards, whether he likes it or not, an association in his mind between two ideas that most of mankind must regard as remote from each other; the idea of a baby and the idea of unknown strength that sustains the stars." "It is no more inevitable to connect God with an infant than to connect gravitation with a kitten." "Bethlehem is emphatically a place where extremes meet." "If the world wanted what is called a non-controversial aspect of Christianity, it would probably select Christmas." "You cannot chip away the statue of a mother from all round that of a new-born child. You cannot suspend the new-born child in mid-air; indeed you cannot really have a statue of a new-born child at all." "You cannot visit the child without visiting the mother; you cannot in common human life approach the child except through the mother. If we are to think of Christ in this aspect at all, the other idea follows as it is followed in history. We must either leave Christ out of Christmas, or Christmas out of Christ, or we must admit, if only as we admit it in an old picture, that those holy heads are too near together for the haloes not to mingle and cross." ### The Visionaries: Arendt, Beauvoir, Rand, Weil, and the Power of Philosophy in Dark Times URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-visionaries-arendt-beauvoir-rand-weil-and-the-power-of-philosophy-in-dark-times/ Last updated: 2023-11-30T14:39:24.000Z We tend to think of philosophers as solitary creatures. Whether it be Diogenes or Socrates, Spinoza or Rousseau, Thoreau or Nietzsche, the philosopher is by necessity a loner. Several recent books, however, remind us that philosophers can also travel in packs. Not the packs that wear lanyards at academic conferences, mind you, but those that form in spite (or defiance) of the academy. David Edmonds’s *The Murder of Professor Schlick* and Karl Sigmund’s *Exact Thinking in Demented Times* are sharp accounts of the Vienna Circle, the group of European thinkers who founded the club of logical positivism (one that their idol, Ludwig Wittgenstein, refused to join). Another pair of books—Clare Mac Cumhaill and Rachael Wiseman’s *Metaphysical Animals* and Benjamin J. B. Lipscomb’s *The Women Are Up to Something*—offer insightful and often moving portraits of Iris Murdoch, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Elizabeth Anscombe: four equally brilliant friends who, against the relativistic grain of their male Oxbridge colleagues, variously insisted on a universal foundation for morality. A few years ago, writer and philosopher Wolfram Eilenberger enjoyed commercial and critical success for *Time of the Magicians*. The time in question was the decade following the end of the First World War; the magicians who dominated it were Wittgenstein, Martin Heidegger, Walter Benjamin, and Ernst Cassirer. Ultimately, these four thinkers had little in common apart from the German language and the shared goal of rethinking the purpose of philosophy. Thanks to this foursome, as Eilenberger argued in his vibrant and often gripping account, the 1920s became “philosophy’s great decade.” With his new book, Eilenberger offers a sequel of sorts, moving from the 1920s to the period between 1933 and 1943, from magicians to visionaries, and from men to women. This time around, the dramatis personae are Hannah Arendt, Simone de Beauvoir, Ayn Rand, and Simone Weil. Eilenberger pivots expertly among the four storylines, and his writing shimmers with the same intelligence and insight, sense of drama, and urgency that he brought to *Time of the Magicians*. His four magi, emerging from the material, moral, social, and political wreckage wrought by the First World War, grasped that philosophy had to be utterly reimagined. Similarly, his four visionaries, pursuing their philosophical studies as the world lurched toward the Second World War, found themselves increasingly preoccupied with, well, the vision thing. As Eilenberger writes, all four women, despite their wildly different backgrounds, shared a common sensibility: “They simply experienced themselves as having been placed fundamentally differently in the world from how other people had been.” With a deft hand, Eilenberger traces how the two Simones—equally accomplished and ambitious, and recent graduates of France’s elite universities—traveled to Germany to pursue radically different philosophical projects, while Arendt, the gifted student (and lover) of Heidegger, scrambled to flee that same country on the Nazi assumption of power. Meanwhile, Alisa Rosenbaum, following her history degree from Petrograd State University, quit communist Russia for capitalist America, where she took the name Ayn Rand and the bus to Hollywood for fame, fortune, and most important, intellectual influence. [Read the rest](https://theamericanscholar.org/thought-experimenters/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### This is Your Brain on Books URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/this-is-your-brain-on-books/ Last updated: 2023-11-29T14:58:50.000Z [Picture Books for AdultsThis is a delightful piece from Public Books. I especially liked this observation about how medieval monks would read: This form of reading, de Hamel says, is one reason why so many medieval manuscripts have richly decorated pages. The decorations “helped impress a page visually in the reader’s mem…![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/size/w1200/2023/11/Briefly-Misc.-2.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/picture-books-for-adults/) The subtle Saint Anselm, a Benedictine monk, treated reading as a form of communion. In his time, the 11th century, readers often consumed books differently than they do today. A common form of monastic reading, for example, was *lectio divina*, which monks treated—as Christopher de Hamel says in *The Manuscripts Club*, a group biography of manuscript lovers—as “an act of devotion, like prayer.” The reader would open a religious text to a random page, then prayerfully study the passage to see what message God had chosen for him now. This form of reading, de Hamel says, is one reason why so many medieval manuscripts have richly decorated pages. The decorations “helped impress a page visually in the reader’s memory,” helping him to meditate later upon the revelatory passage. We can see from this example how an era’s methods of reading affect the look and feel of its books. (And how they are valued. Anselm indicated in his correspondence that he preferred a faithfully copied but incomplete book over a badly copied but complete one—which might seem puzzling to modern readers, who read from front to back and don’t want to miss the reveal that the narrator killed Roger Ackroyd.) De Hamel’s book is a group biography, reaching back to the Middle Ages and forward to the 20th century, of the old and affable brotherhood (and sisterhood) of manuscript lovers. He chooses, as representatives of this group, a selection of influential readers, collectors, and sellers—including Anselm (ca.1033–1109), who rose, after the Norman Invasion of 1066, to become the archbishop of Canterbury; Jean, duc de Berry (1340–1416), a French toff who commissioned gold-and-lapis manuscripts that lived up to the luxury he lolled in; Vespasiano da Bisticci (ca.1422–98), an Italian bookseller whose writings tell us about the world of manuscripts in the early age of print; Constantine Simonides (ca.1824–90), a forger and confidence man whose counterfeits fed the voracious appetites of British museums at the height of the empire; and Belle da Costa Greene (1879–1950), a personal librarian and collector for the wealthy who—passing as white in Gilded Age New York—raised the bar for rare book collecting in the United States and curated the collections of the Morgan Library. They’re a motley group: princes, polymaths, rabbis, saints, and scoundrels. The usual way to write books about people who love books is a genre that we might call, after one best-selling title, “A Gentle Madness.” These are catalogs of the oddball adventures of the bibliomaniacs and bibliographic detectives who, consumed by an acquisitive hunger for rarities or mysteries or prestige, fall down strange rabbit holes and make fabulous finds. It’s a little bit precious, a little bit exclusionist. De Hamel could easily have written this book as another entry in the genre. Instead, he wrote a love story. The madhouse is a place of isolation, and his interest is with community: with the passion for art, for learning, for nerdy minutiae, for history still living and breathing on the page, that brings manuscript lovers together. If you can imagine shedding tears because a manuscript is so exquisite, then this is a book about your people. A recurring theme of *The Manuscripts Club* is the many different ways, over the years, we’ve approached reading and construed ourselves as readers. During meals at Anselm’s abbey, one of the monks would read a book aloud while the others ate and listened; for instance, the *Moralia*, a medieval discourse on the Book of Job that offered lessons for monastic life from Job’s surrender to suffering. (“What else then does Eliu mean by bread, but the pleasures of this life? For after having stated the power of temptation, he immediately subjoined, *His bread becomes abominable to him in his life, and to his soul the food which before it desired:* because, in truth, all the sweetness he used before to enjoy from the prosperity of his life, afterwards becomes bitter by the power of temptation.” A suitably severe accompaniment to a meal of bread and water, which might, after all, be eaten with inappropriate indulgence.) Other readers absorbed books through memorization. De Hamel describes Jewish readers who praise the example of great scholars like Judah bar Ezekiel (220–99), who reportedly memorized so many texts that he “allowed himself the leisure to pray only once every thirty days in order to have time in the meanwhile to rehearse all \[the\] knowledge in his mind.” Still others treated books as treasures or relics. They kept them in the same collections that they used to hold, say, purported thorns from the Crown of Thorns. And they brought the acts of devotion that they used for other religious objects—touching, kissing, handling—into their rituals of reading. (My favorite anecdote about the haptics of reading doesn’t appear in the book: John, Duke of Bavaria, called John the Pitiless \[1374–1425\], was murdered with a poisoned book. That’s the story, anyway: that one of his underlings painted poison onto his prayer book, which killed the reader because, in that time and place, you caressed a prayer book and kissed the pages.) In short, the manuscripts club of the title is a cohort of infinite variety. Readers have used manuscripts as oracles, artworks, knowledge engines, status symbols, jewelry. One conclusion that we might draw from this history is that reading itself is infinitely various: that the death of reading—a topic of feverish op-eds about AI and TikTok and declining post-lockdown test scores—has been greatly exaggerated. The very technologies that critics decry as fatal threats to reading are just giving people new ways to construe themselves as readers: the trope connoisseurs of BookTok, the doomscrollers of social media, the textual poachers of fan fiction.[7](https://www.publicbooks.org/this-is-your-brain-on-books/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#fn-54302-7) And if you like the sound of the old readerly customs described above—well, as de Hamel says, the manuscripts club is always looking for new members. [Read the rest](https://www.publicbooks.org/this-is-your-brain-on-books/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Pixel v. Print and Five Hard Novels URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/52810/ Last updated: 2023-12-29T12:20:07.000Z I ran across perhaps the most-enjoyable Medium.com pieces of the past few months: [Five Insanely Difficult Novels (and Why They're Worth the Effort)](https://medium.com/books-are-our-superpower/5-insanely-difficult-novels-and-why-theyre-worth-the-effort-877b30705a37?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). It, for me, is perhaps the quintessential online essay. I agree with Joseph Epstein that there is something fundamentally different between reading print and reading pixels. “One reads pixels, as they are chiefly meant to be read, quickly, skimmingly, chiefly for information.” There is something “insubstantial, ephemeral, impermanent about writing that appears in pixels.” The print essay entails an element of "gradualness." It develops points over the course of pages and numerous paragraphs, even putting as many as a half-dozen sentences into a paragraph (each of which, in classical prose, ought to be a self-contained mini-essay). It's elegant, both in its deliberateness and the respect it shows the reader, whom the essayist assumes is sophisticated enough to stay with a long train of thought The online essay is none of that. It's short, fast-paced, and packed. Epstein clearly holds the pixel essay in lower regard than the print essay. I guess I do, too, but I'm not sure it's useful or even fair to compare the two. I think they're entirely different art forms. It's kind of like arguing about whether Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky is the better athlete. It's not a totally inapt argument, but two sports are so entirely different, I'm not sure it's useful or even fair to compare the two sports preeminent athletes. I kind of look at pixel writing and print writing like I do frozen pizzas and restaurant pizzas. Restaurant pizzas are better than frozen, but it's not useful or fair to compare them. They fill different culinary purposes and they're entirely different food forms. --- Anywaaaaaay, the “Five Insanely Difficult Novels” essay is, I think, the poster boy for how good a pixel essay can be within its own art genre. And if you're curious, here are the five insanely difficult novels, along with the writer's summary of each: *Ulysses*, James Joyce (1922) "24 hours in the life of Leopold Bloom, an average joe in Dublin, 16th June 1904." [***Infinite Jest*, David Foster Wallace (1996)**](https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B000S1M9LY&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref%5F=cm%5Fsw%5Fr%5Fkb%5Fdp%5FskS1Fb3GK329T&tag=thedailyeudem-20&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) "A fatally entertaining video (literally so good you'll die watching) connects the residents of a Boston halfway house and an elite tennis academy." I've been fascinated by David Foster Wallace for a few years now. He seems to be broadly considered a first-rate literary genius . . . a tortured one, even (he converted to Christianity, but the demons eventually got to him and he committed suicide). I'm tempted to get that novel, if for no other reason this description of its foonotes: “DFW's masterpiece clocks in at 1100 pages and the last 100 are endnotes – *some of which have their own footnotes*.” That both cracks me up and intrigues me at the same time. *Gravity's Rainbow*, Thomas Pynchon (1973) "Various characters try to uncover the secrets of a peculiar V2 missile in WW2 Europe." *The Magic Mountain*, Thomas Mann (1924) "A young man visits his sick cousin in a mountain sanatorium – and ends up staying for seven years." *The Brothers Karamazov*, Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1880) "An unlikeable old man is murdered, and his equally unlikeable sons weigh up their respective levels of guilt." ### Boys are Not Girls and Women are Not Men URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/boys-are-not-girls-and-women-are-not-men/ Last updated: 2023-11-28T13:21:00.000Z ## **Boys will be Girls** In hindsight, my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Taylor (not her real name) was one of the best teachers I ever had. With a paltry Catholic school salary as her reward, she put in what must have been hours of her own time to make class fun and educational, and she succeeded for the most part and was well-liked by the students and staff. Mrs. Taylor had one flaw, however, at least in the minds of us boys. She clearly favored the girls in her classroom. But why shouldn’t she have favored the girls? They were nice and well-behaved. As for the boys, we would get in ad hominem-filled arguments over football teams. Much as Mrs. Taylor tried to understand us, she only had sisters growing up and she had no sons of her own. This is evident as I look back. She was one of the few teachers I ever got in much trouble with. One time, it was for being too competitive with another student in the classroom. Another, and more memorably, I and my friends were playing an aggressive game of keep-away which included punching arms, and we were taken to the principal’s office. “Slugging each other in the arm???” she said with disbelief in the latter case. It was a mutual misunderstanding: she could not understand why we would do such a thing and we could not understand what we did wrong. --- My wife (not her real name) is an elementary school teacher. Witnessing the restlessness in her classroom, she introduced arm wrestling as a safe channel for her boys’ competitiveness and aggression. That is, until another teacher saw it, scolded the students, and banned it. And we wonder why boys struggle in school. We make them sit for hours in a classroom, five days a week, listening. This is difficult even for the most respectful boys and torturous to the others. We expect thousands of years of hunter-warrior genetics to be quelled for the (oh-so) warrior-like multiplication tables. We want them to wait for “their turn” to talk, absorb what they are taught, and take an interest in a discussion without any sort of environmental interaction. We expect this restraint even during recess, where their competitive natures continue to be discouraged. I have heard cases where schools did not allow their kids to keep score in games. My former school banned “tag” because someone got hurt playing it. Boys are just supposed to fit into environments that would be foreign to their grandfathers. In short, we expect boys to be girls. It is true that there are girls who struggle in school and boys who thrive in it. There are girls who display more masculine traits and boys more feminine. But that does not make either of them less of a boy or less of a girl. When my sister was given a lunch detention, she walked into a room of all boys. One of them saw her and asked the teacher in amazement, “What the h\*\*\* is she doing here?” I doubt I would have caused the same reaction if I were sent in her place. And once the school system has had fourteen years to numb boys with banal lectures and ADHD medication while constantly affirming girls’ non-restless and agreeable attitudes, we ship them to college or the working world . . . rudderless. --- # Women Will be Men In grade school, students are taught that girls can do anything boys can. In college, students are taught that women can do anything that men do. It's absurd. **Exhibit A**: The WNBA. Everyone knows it's absurd. That's why it's relentlessly shoved down our throats. **Exhibit B**: The WNBA. But one of the most nefarious aspects of a culture of feminism is not only the idea that women can do anything men can do, but that they *should* do everything that men do. **Exhibit C**: The WNBA. The desire to be a wife and mother is frowned upon. After we got engaged, she was asked why she was ruining her life. It has been shown repeatedly that males typically enjoy objects and females enjoy people, yet there’s this insistence that women must make up 50 percent of STEM. Look at female-led action movies. The women sas everyone, are portrayed as more competent than male oafs, drink like frat boys, and sleep with muscular men with sharp jawlines. (**Exhibit D**: She-Hulk, which is the film version of a WNBA "power" forward.) How many women actually want this? Judging by Disney’s plummeting stock with their constant female-led failures, not many. But we’re going to try anyway to make women what they are not: men. For a culture that preaches self-acceptance, we have lost an appreciation for the mystery of the other. The truth is, I will never know what it is like to be a woman and women will never know what it is like to be a man. --- ## Accept Reality I’ve heard people connect the phrase “Let boys be boys” to “rape culture.” Dear me! I just want boys to be able to play with toy guns and roughhouse, even if they’re at school. And I want women to be supported if they want to stay at home and be mothers. This is not a novel idea. We've had enough novel ideas over the past 75 years. We need to start embracing normal ones. ### Annual Thanksgiving Day Quotes URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/annual-thanksgiving-day-quotes/ Last updated: 2024-12-01T15:02:25.000Z “Thanksgiving Day originated in New England when the Puritans realized they had succeeded in exterminating their neighbors, the Indians, instead of getting exterminated by their neighbors, the Indians.” Mark Twain “Gratitude is a fruit of great cultivation; you do not find it among gross people.” Samuel Johnson “Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks.” Shakespeare, *Hamlet* “Gratitude is characteristic only of the humble. The egotistic are so impressed by their own importance that they take everything given them as if it were their due. They have no room in their hearts for recollection of the undeserved favors they received.” Fulton Sheen “Gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” G.K. Chesterton “Giving thanks is not weakness but strength, for it involves self-repression.” Fulton Sheen “How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child's personality. A child is resentful, negative–or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness, they draw people.” Sir John Templeton “Gratitude is a species of justice.” Samuel Johnson “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.” Meister Eckhart “When the stomach is full, it is easy to talk of fasting.” St. Jerome “In America, they have a feast to celebrate the arrival of the Pilgrims. Here in England, we should have a feast to celebrate their departure.” GKC "\[A\] disposition towards gratitude – being appreciative of and thankful for the kindness of others – correlates with the volume of the right inferior temporal cortex." Iain McGilchrist "Constant thanksgiving makes you more alert and attentive." Robin Daniels "\[O\]ne by-product of thankfulness is that it keeps our main focus on the present. Being present-orientated increases efficiency, enjoyment and contentment: we celebrate what we have rather than snatch for what we want." [Robin Daniels](https://amzn.to/47IJ2wm?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Oiling the Chicken Machine URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/oiling-the-chicken-machine/ Last updated: 2023-11-25T14:49:35.000Z ### Queasy about lab-grown meat? Too bad — you’ve pretty much been eating it for decades. [Big Ag is Killing UsI Think It’s Time to Go Organic, but the USDA Makes It Very Difficult by Allowing Dishonest Food Labeling . . . at the Behest of Big Ag and to the Detriment of American Citizens My doctor takes a sane approach. During consultation, he discusses nutrition, weight loss, and exercise, but has no![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Briefly-Economics-1.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/big-ag-is-killing-us/) In her community, it’s common knowledge that my mom is a soft touch when it comes to chickens. She maintains a motley flock of adoptees — backyard hens whose owners have moved, scrawny layers too old to be worth their feed, the pets of children who never much wanted them in the first place. She knows most of the people who donate the birds, or at least knows how they connect to her capacious social circle. But a few years ago, a complete stranger arrived at her door. He came bearing two bony, adolescent chicks, pink skin showing through their white feathers, their beaks and feet comically outsized. He’d bought them as an Easter present for his grandkids, and rather than petite, pretty hens, they had turned into gangly monstrosities. Mom spotted them for the woefully underfed meat birds they were, but she nevertheless took them in. One died almost immediately, whether of natural causes or at the teeth of a fox no one remembers. The other survived. It grew and grew and ate and grew some more, inflating until it weighed some twenty pounds, more than three times as much as a standard laying hen. Released from the pen for their morning constitutional, the other members of the flock would dart about after bugs and shoots. They’d take dust baths and cluck and squabble. The lone broiler would do all this too, but at half speed. While the araucana and barred rock chickens swiftly tacked about the large patch of hosta that curled around the back deck, the broiler would plod through it like a miniature white tugboat. Perhaps because of her size, she moved with uncommon deliberateness, as if taking each step only after a great deal of thought. She walked, and the leaves parted before the prow of her serene, unflighty chest. For the past century, agriculture in America has been getting [more productive](https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2022/february/increases-in-labor-quality-contributed-to-growth-in-u-s-agricultural-output?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#:~:text=Between%201948%20and%202017%2C%20U.S.%20agricultural%20output%20grew,the%20average%20output%20per%20unit%20of%20labor%20input) and [more efficient](https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/03/05/look-agricultural-productivity-growth-united-states-1948-2017?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). After stagnating for decades at [twenty-something bushels](https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/timeless/yieldtrends.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#:~:text=Corn%20grain%20yields%20in%20the%20U.S.%20have%20steadily%20increased%20since,year%20variability%20in%20growing%20conditions) per acre, average corn yields have risen to [nearly two hundred](https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2022/12/corn-and-soybean-yields-in-2022.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20yield%20averaged%20172,6%20bushels%20below%20in%202022). Horses have been replaced by horsepower. Chicken meat, once a relatively rare byproduct of the egg industry, has become the [most consumed](https://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/about-the-industry/statistics/per-capita-consumption-of-poultry-and-livestock-1965-to-estimated-2012-in-pounds/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) meat in the country, a shift made possible by advances in genetics and feed. Now over a billion dollars, from sources as varied as Bill Gates, venture capital funds, and agribusiness giants, have been invested in the idea that [the next big thing](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/agriculture/our-insights/cultivated-meat-out-of-the-lab-into-the-frying-pan?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in food is to leave farming behind, at least the livestock part of it. Instead of growing chicken meat in a chicken, why not grow it in a test tube? In June, U.S. regulators [for the first time gave](https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/21/business/cultivated-meat-us-approval/index.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) two California companies, Upside Foods and GOOD Meat, a green light for offering lab-grown chicken to American consumers, with star chef José Andrés becoming the [first to cook](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230705288470/en/GOOD-Meat-Jos%C3%A9-Andr%C3%A9s-Make-Historic-U.S.-Sale-of-Cultivated-Chicken?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) it for his guests in July. The [menu](https://www.chinachilcano.com/menus/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com#good-chicken-tasting-menu-experience) of his restaurant China Chilcano in Washington, D.C. now boasts “a tour of Peruvian cuisine beginning with our cultivated chicken anticucho from GOOD Meat” for the price of $70. The arrival of lab-grown chicken in America marks a radical change to the food system, but it is also a logical extension of the progression of agriculture. A chicken breast cultured in a vat and one taken from a factory farm broiler are both products of the same miraculous, troubled system. The single-minded pursuit of efficiency that is largely responsible for this system has caused immense damage to the social fabric of rural communities, to some — though certainly not all — parts of the environment, and to the fundamental connection between place, food, and human beings. But it has also allowed food production to more than keep pace with the demands of a growing population. The modern food system feeds the largest human population ever, at [historically low rates of famine](https://sites.tufts.edu/wpf/famine/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). Continuing to avoid global famine is the most important goal of this system. That means any critique of the trajectory of agriculture, even when it involves a change as profound as moving meat production from the factory farm to literal meat factories, must be balanced against this goal. Is it possible to sustain the bounty yielded by our modernized food system but also temper its excesses, or even reform it into something better? ##### How to Build a Chicken Breast Today chicken meat is as thoroughly commodified as the flesh of a once-sentient creature can be. [Three companies](https://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/fad-broilers-breeding-flocks?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) control the global supply of broiler chicken genetics. Each maintains four distinct populations, two of which are crossed to produce hens, two of which are crossed to produce roosters. These roosters and hens are sold to commercial hatcheries, where their eggs are collected and put in incubators. Once hatched, the chicks are in turn sold to farms, where they live out their brief lives, fed a carefully calibrated ration. Then it’s off to the slaughterhouse to be turned into thighs, drums, and, most importantly, boneless, skinless chicken breast. A typical broiler exists for about two months from laying to death: three weeks of development in an egg followed by five to six weeks of incredibly rapid growth. The organizing principle is efficiency, achieved by maximizing the closely linked traits of breast size, growth rate, and [feed conversion](https://www.livestocking.net/feed-conversion-ratio?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), which is a measure of the pounds of feed required to produce a pound of live weight in a chicken. All of the carefully managed breeding leads to a high degree of [heterosis](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33248549/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), also known as hybrid vigor, a phenomenon common to both plants and animals in which the offspring of two unrelated parents will usually grow larger and faster with fewer health issues than a purebred. Using four unrelated genetic lines compounds the effect, and also allows for the selection of ancillary traits, such as maintaining adequate egg production in hens. Each level of the industry is specialized: genetics companies focus on developing proprietary breeding programs in biosecure facilities, hatcheries produce chicks at scale, and farmers oversee the growing phase of the chickens’ lives. Though the farmers are often self-employed, they are far from self-directed. Everything from the construction of the chicken barns to the timing and number of chickens raised to the details of the feed program is dictated by Perdue or Tyson or one of a handful of other large agribusiness companies. Finally, the chickens go through a slaughterhouse, where their carcasses are shackled to a disassembly line that moves them past workers and inspectors at rates of up to three birds per second. More than any other animal, a meat chicken is a factory product. The hen you see pecking around your neighbor’s yard is still a chicken, living a chicken’s life much like chickens have ever since they stopped being wild junglefowl. The bird in the broiler house is something less. It might still have the capacity to scratch and peck, but it will never have the opportunity. It exists solely to convert feed to muscle, though to do so it requires annoyances like feathers, bones, a digestive tract, and a small but recalcitrant brain, from which no amount of breeding will remove certain distinctly chicken-ish desires. It is a unit optimized for the production of lean breast meat, but one that remains frustratingly bounded by its creaturehood. ##### More Muscle, Less Pain Viewed this way, growing chicken cells in a bioreactor, producing what is called either “cultured” or “lab-grown meat,” just makes sense. Instead of optimizing for muscle growth in a chicken, with all the externalities that accompany raising livestock at scale, lab-grown meat takes the most economically valuable part of the bird and cultivates it in isolation. Rather than carefully selected lines of poultry, it utilizes carefully selected lines of cells. Rather than converting corn and soy to meat via an animal, a slurry of nutrients convert directly to muscle with no intermediary. Rather than traveling to a slaughterhouse, the output of a bioreactor can be shaped and packed at the point of production. In theory, a lab-grown meat factory should produce lean chicken more efficiently than a real chicken ever could. [Read the rest](https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/oiling-the-chicken-machine?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Christmas Eve with GKC URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/christmas-eve-with-gkc/ Last updated: 2023-12-24T14:54:00.000Z In the round of our rational and mournful year one festival remains out of all those ancient gaieties that once covered the whole earth. Christmas remains to remind us of those ages, whether Pagan or Christian, when the many acted poetry instead of the few writing it. “Christmas and the Aesthetes,” *Heretics* Christmas \[is\] the old European festival, Pagan and Christian, that trinity of eating, drinking and praying which to moderns appears irreverent, the holy day which is really a holiday. “Dickens and Christmas,” *Charles Dickens* If you do not like what is sentimental and ceremonial, do not celebrate Christmas at all. You will not be punished if you don't; also, since we are no longer ruled by those sturdy Puritans who won for us civil and religious liberty, you will not even be punished if you do. *Illustrated London News*, Jan. 12, 1907 When Bernard Shaw says that Christmas Day is only a conspiracy kept up by poulterers and wine merchants from strictly business motives, then he says something which is not so much false as startlingly and arrestingly foolish. He might as well say that the two sexes were invented by jewellers who wanted to sell wedding-rings. “The Dramatist,” *George Bernard Shaw* Everything that is really lovable can be hated; and there are undoubtedly people who hate Christmas. *Illustrated London News*, Jan. 13, 1906 Christmas occurs in the winter. It is the element not merely of contrast, but actually of antagonism. It preserves everything that was best in the merely primitive or pagan view of such ceremonies or such banquets. If we are carousing, at least we are warriors carousing. We hang above us, as it were, the shields and battle-axes with which we must do battle with the giants of the snow and hail. All comfort must be based on discomfort. Man chooses when he wishes to be most joyful the very moment when the whole material universe is most sad. It is this contradiction and mystical defiance which gives a quality of manliness and reality to the old winter feasts which is not characteristic of the sunny felicities of the Earthly Paradise. “Christmas Books,” *Appreciations* [Courtesy of the American Chesterton Society](http://www.chesterton.org/events/virtual-chesterton-meeting/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). ### Black Wednesday Arrives URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/black-wednesday-arrives/ Last updated: 2023-11-22T11:47:58.000Z Welcome to the biggest bar night of the year. New Years Eve is for house parties. Halloween is for frat parties. St. Patrick's Day is for Irish parties. Thanksgiving Eve is for bar parties. College kids come home and filter into the local watering hole that declined them service just a few short years earlier. There's no place to sit because it's crowded and the locals like me got there early to get a good place. Exciting days, indeed, even if only three out of my six sons and sons-in-law can attend this evening. And even if, alas, my Black Wednesday haunt for 32 years has closed. Yup, that's right. The lounge I called home once a year for 32 years closed its doors last summer. It's looking for a buyer, but as of today, it's dark. But the resilient adapt, and that's what I've done. I'm relocating the crew to a spot that is, literally, 250 feet from my office. I'll walk to work this morning, work all day, and then slip over at 4:30 to start the four-day holiday weekend. I hope everyone has a good time this evening. If you're looking to be the interesting guy at the bar tonight, good Thanksgiving and drinking fare follows. Happy Thanksgiving. --- ## I'd Rather be at My Local Watering Hole, but Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden Wouldn't be a Bad Consolation Prize [How much are last-minute Billy Joel MSG tickets for Thanksgiving Eve?The Piano Man will be holding it down at the Garden the night before Thanksgiving.![](https://nypost.com/wp-content/themes/nypost-2016/static/images/apple-icons/nypost/apple-icon-144x144.png)New York PostView Author Archive![](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Billy-Joel-1.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024)](https://nypost.com/2023/11/21/entertainment/get-last-minute-msg-tickets-to-see-billy-joel-on-thanksgiving-eve/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Reprobates or Saints? You Decide [Stanford grads created a hangover-free alternative to beer: In just 4 years, they’re on track for $36 million in annual salesYoung people are drinking less alcohol. THC beverages could become a popular alternative “social tonic,” say Cann co-founders Jake Bullock and Luke Anderson.![](https://www.cnbc.com/favicon.ico)CNBCTom Huddleston Jr.![](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/107332978-1699896597712-092A0829Cann_copy.jpg?v=1699896786&w=1920&h=1080)](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/14/why-beverage-startup-cann-wants-to-replace-your-beer-with-cannabis.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## What Better Way to Ruin a Buzz than to See an Ad for Mental Health Treatment? [NapkinAds Secures Exclusive $4.5M Deal with BetterHelp Following New Marketing Channel Success![](https://webpubcontent.gray.tv/gray/arc-fusion-assets/images/favicons/wibw/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png?d=366)WIBWPRNewswire![](https://www.wibw.com/pf/resources/images/logo-icons/wibw.svg?d=366)](https://www.wibw.com/prnewswire/2023/11/17/napkinads-secures-exclusive-45m-deal-with-betterhelp-following-new-marketing-channel-success/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## More Wholesome Fare [You, Too, Can Be Cliff Clavin: 34 Items of Thanksgiving Trivia](https://www.rd.com/article/thanksgiving-trivia/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Difference Between Superstition and Religion URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-difference-between-superstition-and-religion-2/ Last updated: 2023-11-21T12:29:48.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Personal Computer and Personal Choice URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/personal-computer-and-personal-choice/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T20:09:43.000Z In 1968, Carver Mead, professor at California Institute of Technology, began to demonstrate the possibilities of placing an entire computer on one chip at a cost of just a few dollars. He also began to preach the possibilities of the innovation, asserting it would end the burdensome and expensive computer mainframe’s dominance by distributing computing power to individuals through small, inexpensive personal computers.[\[i\]](#%5Fedn1) The PC would take computers to the average man, like Ford’s Model T took cars to the people. The next year Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce formed Intel, the company that would fulfill Mead’s prophecy. In 1971, Intel successfully combined working memory, permanent software storage, and the Central Processing Unit to create the 4004, the first microprocessor, the soul of the PC. This led to the 8088 and the MS-DOS operating system created for it by Microsoft. Following came the 186, 286, 386, 486, and Pentium®—all containing the three elements first combined in 1971.[\[ii\]](#%5Fedn2) The legacy—the ongoing PC revolution—is commonplace knowledge: PCs in homes, PCs on most office desks, microprocessors in everything, making life simpler, and increasing efficiency. On the existential level, it’s no coincidence that the personal computer (1971) crashed into history at the same time as *Roe v. Wade* (1973). The personal computer gives us control over every aspect of our lives. Likewise, abortion permits us to remove those things—children—that sap control from adults more effectively and thoroughly than anything else. Both quell the existential anxiety that bubbles in our chests due to the uncertainties of existence, an anxiety that can never be quelled through material means but which we, like the magician, seek to quell through the material. [How a Talisman WorksAn Introduction to Basic Principles of Magic. Do you want to live a long life? Make the image of Saturn on a sapphire. Or maybe make an image of Jupiter on a white, clear stone. You’ll be in adult diapers the longest. Do you need to cure an illness? Carve![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1627769901464-4c95435dda68?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHRhbGlzbWFufGVufDB8fHx8MTY4MDQzOTY5OA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/54413/) --- [\[i\]](#%5Fednref1) Recounted from George Gilder, *Microcosm* (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1989), 32-41. [\[ii\]](#%5Fednref2) Gilder, 104-111. ### The Stoics and Me URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/6226/ Last updated: 2023-11-20T14:01:51.000Z As an uptight Christian, I've sought spiritual counsel from St. John the Apostle to Thomas Merton, from Augustine through Aquinas to Guardini. They all helped. But I still suffered from uptightness and swings of passion: worry about the future; sudden bursts of good emotional energy, mortgaged with my emotional well-being in the future; mild bouts with depression; anger. So I decided to consult that school of philosophy whose name is synonymous with calmness: Stoicism. And I found a minefield. It's not surprising. Stoicism was the last and most developed school of pagan philosophy. Finding its place on the philosophical road map with Zeno (336 B.C.-264 B.C.), it can probably be considered the dominant philosophical school until the second century, when its premier position was supplanted by neo-Platonism and, concurrently, Christian philosophy, both of which incorporated Stoic principles. God presumably sent Jesus Christ at a particular time for a reason. Perhaps he sent his Son when natural philosophy had progressed as far as it could without divine intervention: when philosophy could not carry the pursuit of reason and divinity any further without a dramatic infusion from heaven. If He had delayed the Incarnation, perhaps philosophy would have started to deteriorate as thinkers began to realize that the Stoic answers fall short. Which they do. Stoicism worked without the benefit of Christian revelation and, not surprisingly, it is not Christian. Stoicism has been called the “porch” of Christianity. Its resignation and detachment take a person to the threshold of Christianity but don't take him into the house. Although the Stoics taught belief in a monotheistic God, their cosmology excludes a transcendent God. Theirs is often a type of monistic materialism, resembling pantheism and similar to Hinduism and Buddhism–and wholly inconsistent with Christian cosmology. The Stoics also deviate from Christianity when it comes to important ethical issues. Suicide, for instance, is acceptable, maybe even required, if given adequate reason--a principle Seneca taught and practiced. The Stoics were also too committed to justice. Their respect for and development of law gave rise to natural law theory, which has informed Christian jurists for nearly two thousand years, but the Stoic's justice is wholly detached from mercy, as evidenced by Marcus Aurelius' persecution of Christians that he concluded was necessary to preserve order, which was his duty (we should hasten to note that his conclusions about Christianity resulted from a misunderstanding of Christianity, which in turn was caused by fanatics at the fringe of the Church). The Stoics also placed too much emphasis on reason. As mentioned, Stoicism starts with a monism that teaches that a divine reason (logos) pervades the universe, including each person. When the Stoics tell a person to "live according to nature," they are referring to man's nature as a rational being. Humans, the Stoic says, can use their reasoning capacity to know the divine reason and conform their lives to it. In order to improve one's ability to reason rightly, it is necessary to subdue emotion. Emotion is anathema to the Stoic. Not only does stirred emotion ("passion") distort reason, but it also conflicts with the Stoic's basic theological precept that divine reason guides and directs the world. Whatever happens, happens, says the Stoic, and there's no use rejoicing or moaning over it; it all ultimately leads to wherever divinity wants it to lead. It is the ultimate form of detachment. Although Christianity also celebrates reason and counsels dispassion and detachment, such things have limits. Reason cannot fathom all the workings of God, finding that all such things ultimately end in a paradox. The Christian also celebrates emotion, within limits. Jesus's resurrection is the Good News, and a cause of cheerfulness and celebration. Christians are charged with spreading the Good News with gladness. Christians love others. Christians hate sin. They are not detached from all things, including the well-being of their soul, and live in the present and look to the future with hope, joy, and peace. Notwithstanding these important differences, the Stoic worldview resonates on many levels with Christianity. The Stoic God is omnipresent and this world is governed by his reason; his intelligence directs all things. Man must ascertain this divine reason through the workings of a good nature. Stoicism also taught the idea of a universal brotherhood: God is the father of all, hence all are brothers. The mentally retarded and the vicious, they are our brothers. All men, slave and free, should be the objects of our benevolence. It was a radical idea for the times. The Stoic, like the humble Christian, didn't place too much stock in his likes and dislikes or his successes or failures. Such things count for little, if anything, in the grand scheme; ultimately all things turn out for the best. This attitude leads to resignation and acceptance of all things as divine handiwork. In a related idea, the Stoic urged that we distinguish between things in our power and things not in our power, and to be concerned with the former and unconcerned with the latter. Readers will recognize in this the [Serenity Prayer](http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/special/serenity.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). In a complementary doctrine, Stoicism emphasized our will and the struggle to acquire virtue. It's a concept frequently neglected today, with Christians often preferring to wait for God to dole out grace than to exert effort. Here's how the historian of philosophy Frederick Copleston described this Stoic emphasis on will over externalities: > "To acquire honours and wealth, to enjoy continual health, to avoid physical maltreatment, to ward off death or disaster, all this does not depend solely on the efforts of any individual man: he must be careful, then, not to set his heart on any of these things, but to accept all that happens to himself as the will of God. What, then, is in man's power? His judgment on events and his will. That which is really necessary for man is to will virtue and to will victory over sin." All these Stoic dispositions add up to a philosophy of calmness. Their words bring detachment, cultivate resignation and patience, teach the need for moderation and the use of reason, and renew a trust in Providence. Their words, in short, profit the soul. ### How Mathematics Built the Modern World URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/how-mathematics-built-the-modern-world/ Last updated: 2023-11-19T14:01:21.000Z [Science and Magic . . . And MathThis is a great historical tie into Part II of Existence Strikes Back and its observation that modernity’s momentum began to build in the 13th century, as Western civilization’s capacity for control increased. Magic and science were twins in the cradle of modernity. This essay points out that it was![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Briefly-History.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/science-and-magic-and-math/) > Mathematics was the cornerstone of the Industrial Revolution. A new paradigm of measurement and calculation, more than scientific discovery, built industry, modernity, and the world we inhabit today. In school, you might have heard that the Industrial Revolution was preceded by the Scientific Revolution, when Newton uncovered the mechanical laws underlying motion and Galileo learned the true shape of the cosmos. Armed with this newfound knowledge and the scientific method, the inventors of the Industrial Revolution created machines – from watches to steam engines – that would change everything. But was science really the key? Most of the significant inventions of the Industrial Revolution were not undergirded by a deep scientific understanding, and their inventors were not scientists. The standard chronology ignores many of the important events of the previous 500 years. Widespread trade expanded throughout Europe. Artists began using linear perspective and mathematicians learned to use derivatives. Financiers started joint stock corporations and ships navigated the open seas. Fiscally powerful states were conducting warfare on a global scale. There is an intellectual thread that runs through all of these advances: measurement and calculation. Geometric calculations led to breakthroughs in painting, astronomy, cartography, surveying, and physics. The introduction of mathematics in human affairs led to advancements in accounting, finance, fiscal affairs, demography, and economics – a kind of social mathematics. All reflect an underlying ‘calculating paradigm’ – the idea that measurement, calculation, and mathematics can be successfully applied to virtually every domain. This paradigm spread across Europe through education, which we can observe by the proliferation of mathematics textbooks and schools. It was this paradigm, more than science itself, that drove progress. It was this mathematical revolution that created modernity. ### **The geometric innovations** Advances in geometry began with the rediscovery of Euclid. The earliest known Medieval Latin[ translation of Euclid’s *Elements*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclid%27s%5FElements?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) was completed in manuscript by Adelard of Bath around 1120 using an Arabic source from Muslim Spain. A Latin printed version was published in 1482\. After the mathematician Tartaglia translated Euclid’s work into Italian in 1543, translations into other vernacular languages quickly followed: German in 1558, French in 1564, English in 1570, Spanish in 1576, and Dutch in 1606\. Beyond Euclid, the German mathematician [Regiomontanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regiomontanus?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) penned the first European trigonometry textbook, *De Triangulis Omnimodis* (*On Triangles of All Kinds*), in 1464\. In the sixteenth century, [François Viète](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois%5FVi%C3%A8te?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) helped replace the verbal method of doing algebra with the modern symbolism in which unknown variables are denoted by symbols like x, y, and z. René Descartes and Pierre de Fermat built on Viète’s innovations to develop [analytic geometry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytic%5Fgeometry?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), where curves and surfaces are described by algebraic equations. In the late seventeenth century, Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz extended the methods of analytic geometry to the study of motion and change through the development of calculus. On top of theoretical improvements to mathematics, the instruments used to apply these theories to the world also advanced dramatically. One striking example comes from angular measurement, which saw large increases in precision as astronomers began to use new instruments, like the mural quadrant in the picture above. Angular measurement works by pointing instruments toward objects and reading off their angles on a measurement scale. The precision of pointing was improved by telescopic sights and finely tunable mechanisms, while better-designed measurement scales allowed astronomers to discriminate between similar angles. The graph below shows the trend of precision, going from seven arcminutes, or 0.11 degrees, in 1550, to 0.06 arc*seconds*, or 0.000017 degrees, in 1850 – an astounding improvement of almost 7,000 times over three centuries. Computation was aided by the adoption of Hindu-Arabic numerals and the [popularization of decimal notation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De%5FThiende?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). In 1614, [John Napier’s introduction of the logarithm](https://www.maa.org/press/periodicals/convergence/logarithms-the-early-history-of-a-familiar-function-john-napier-introduces-logarithms?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) transformed multiplication into addition, and it was followed a decade later by the invention of the [slide rule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide%5Frule?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) that could efficiently perform multiplication and division (see image below). The era also saw the introduction of printed mathematical tables. These tables document the values of standard mathematical functions and were crucial for computation before the advent of electronic calculators. Constructing them involved using known relationships such as trigonometric identities to compute new function values from old ones. While straightforward in theory, table construction was computationally demanding. The famous 1596 trigonometric table *Opus Palatinum de Triangulis* was an expensive endeavor financed by the Habsburg emperor Maximilian II: its [100,000 trigonometric ratios – accurate to up to ten decimal pIaces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg%5FJoachim%5FRheticus?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) – took the mathematician [Rheticus and his team of human computers 12 years to calculate](https://inria.hal.science/inria-00543932/document?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), at a cost of more than 50 times Rheticus’s annual salary as a mathematics professor. [Read the rest](https://worksinprogress.co/issue/how-mathematics-built-the-modern-world?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### BYCU URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-30/ Last updated: 2023-11-17T13:06:02.000Z ## Count Me In ### I love everything about Christmas. I even like its commercialization. And I love gin. The problem is, I'm not sure it's available in the U.S. [Gordon’s Unveils Sugar Plum Gin Liqueur Just in Time for Holiday ImbibingAs the holiday season approaches, there’s no better time to explore the delectable world of festive spirits -- and Gordon’s has unveiled a sweet addition to its lineup just in time. Announced on Friday, the limited-edition Sugar Plum Gin Liqueur sees the iconic London dry brand’s flagship gin infuse…![](https://ginraiders.com/wp-content/themes/m2019-w/images/icon-192x192.png)Gin Raiders - Gin Reviews, Ratings and NewsCandie Getgen![](https://ginraiders.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/imageedit_74_6785922144.jpg)](https://ginraiders.com/new-release/gordons-unveils-sugar-plum-gin-liqueur/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Chesterton's Flying Inn was 100 Years Ahead of Its Time "Pop Up" bars. Great concept. Don't look for them in the United States any time soon. States love to flex their 21st Amendment rights and they regulate the hell out of booze. Temporary pop bars would make as much sense to their bureaucratic mindset as the trannies make to sane people. [Pop up Scottish vodka bar to service cocktails over festive seasonA pop up Scottish Vodka bar will be serving up cocktails and other drinks in the St Enoch Centre over the festive season.![](https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/resources/images/17396486/)Glasgow TimesSarah Hilley![](https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/resources/images/17452290/?type=og-image)](https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/scottish-news/23928018.pop-scottish-vodka-bar-service-cocktails-festive-season/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I Suppose This is Bizarro News ### But it's a fun read. Unintentional Humor: "Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light Beer Ball, though, eventually proved to be pretty stiff competition." [Remembering Beer Balls: The Spherical Keg of the ’80s and ’90sThese beach ball-sized, amber-tinted orbs containing a little over five gallons of beer are a thing of the past. But where did they go?![](https://vinepair.com/apple-touch-icon.png?v=e1l2m9y2r05)VinePairPete O’Connell![](https://vinepair.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/remembering-the-party-ball-keg-social-google.jpg)](https://vinepair.com/articles/party-ball-beer-kegs/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## More Bizarro News ### This piece uses nearly 1,000 words when 19 works: The suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion prompted farmer distillers to move west to the wilder (and less regulated) Kentucky. [How The Whiskey Rebellion Allowed Kentucky’s Bourbon Industry To ThriveThe Whiskey Rebellion is a little-known but pivotal moment in the history of the American spirits industry. Here’s how it spurred the rise of Kentucky bourbon.![](https://s.yimg.com/rz/l/favicon.ico)Yahoo LifeLuna Regina![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/blfhquS_D9mxQdSC0yJ0ug--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD02NzU-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/tasting_table_543/136d9df9edc3968d7890630365bb0f50)](https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/whiskey-rebellion-allowed-kentuckys-bourbon-223015771.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Who Drinks Bong Water? [‘It was not a bong’: What did Aaron Rodgers spill on the New York Jets’ sideline Monday night?Aaron Rodgers says he gets tequila from an ESPN Deportes reporter every time his teams play on \\![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/gannett-web/properties/jsonline/logos-and-branding/logo-icon.png)Journal Sentinel, Journal Sentinel![](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/images/smg/2023/11/07/USAT/71486414007-1779466015.jpeg?auto=webp&crop=4359,2453,x0,y226&format=pjpg&width=1200)](https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nfl/packers/2023/11/10/aaron-rodgers-says-beaker-that-he-spilled-monday-night-football-was-tequila-espn-deportes/71533575007/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Giving Drinking a Bad Name ### Maybe Giving the NFL a Bad Name, Too, but That's Like Sullying Capone's Name [Dolphins fans who took tequila shots after every TD are somehow still standingThe family of Dolphins fans who took tequila shots after every touchdown of 70-point game somehow lived to tell the tale![](https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/dev/uploads/chorus_asset/file/8108504/sandbox-www-data-ip-10-0-0-66_/sandbox_favicon-180x180.0.png)SBNation.comRicky O’Donnell![](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/l_H3L8_yi2RhxbRHA3QfmrlXrQk=/0x275:1014x806/fit-in/1200x630/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24951161/Screen_Shot_2023_09_25_at_11.12.07_AM.png)](https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2023/9/25/23889227/dolphins-fans-tequila-shots-every-touchdown-tweet-picture-story?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Motorized Ox-Carts URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/motorized-ox-carts/ Last updated: 2023-11-16T13:43:48.000Z What is really modern? How do we decide? My life is littered with dead or dying technologies which once seemed to me to be thrillingly pioneering and clever. Who bothers now with a short-wave radio? Mine was for years one of my most carefully-tended possessions, carried everywhere from Mogadishu to Moscow. Once I had discovered its mysteries, I could conjure the B.B.C. World Service out of the night air almost anywhere, invariably relieved and heartened to hear an educated, grown-up voice proclaim: “This is London,” and the old call-sign, that subversive, haunting tune, “Lilliburlero.” All gone now. The World Service is on the Internet, calls itself “The World’s Radio Station”, and is even more stuffed with cultural revolutionary sentiments than its domestic sibling stations. What was modern is now obsolete. I experience this a lot. Several of the shabby rented homes we lived in during my father’s last years in the Navy had these strange boxes in the kitchen, high on the wall. They were shiny and very dark brown in color and had several little round windows behind which there were red and white discs. Under each window was the name of a room in the house. In one of these houses, the box still worked. When my brother pushed a button in his bedroom, a bell would ring and one of the discs (marked “Bedroom 3” in this case) would start to swing and carry on doing so for several seconds. The maid, if she had existed, would in this way have known where she was required, for some time after the shrilling of the bell. These were not huge or grand houses. They were the sort of place in which I imagine William Brown, of the *Just William* stories, living. Until before the recent war, even modest professionals expected to employ at least one servant, and this was how she was summoned. The boxes were a modern invention, powered by electricity. Yet it must be fifty years since I have seen one, even a derelict and dead one. Well-off professionals in my country now once again employ servants (generally migrants from foreign lands), though they do not think of them as such. They would not dream of summoning them in this peremptory, mechanical way. They seek to be their friends instead. The world has switched on to a different track and what was so recently new and up-to-date is now a relic. In the same category were the speaking tubes by which the owners of expensive cars gave instructions to their chauffeurs. My father, back in the late 1950s, once borrowed a handsome vintage Alvis for a few days, and it featured this amusing device, which gave us children hours of harmless fun. But there are much more recent instances of paths our civilization only took for a brief while. Many of them were based on the miraculous telephone, the sort that was wired into the wall and had a dial. While recovering from a motorcycle accident in the Cronshaw ward of Oxford’s old Radcliffe Infirmary in 1969, I was captivated by the telephone on the chief nurse’s desk, which at night did not ring but had a small light embedded in its receiver which flashed red when anyone called. I wanted such a thing for years afterwards and did eventually obtain one. At home, in those days we had a sort of mobile phone—rare in the Britain of the time, where a state monopoly came in green vans to connect your instrument, which was government property and not to be tampered with. But ours could be unplugged and moved from room to room, saving the need for expensive multiple extensions. In the end my mother found another more urgent use for this, thanks to my brother’s habit of slipping home from nearby Balliol College, while she was out, to make long, costly calls to faraway places. She did not just unplug the device, but actually took it with her when she went shopping. It was quite heavy to cart it about, but she reckoned that she saved a lot of money by doing so. [Read the rest](https://thelampmagazine.com/blog/old-fashioned-modern?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Gatsby: Grasping for Transcendence URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/gatsby-grasping-for-transcendence/ Last updated: 2024-06-16T13:29:27.000Z *The Great Gatsby* may be the greatest novel in American history. Fitzgerald takes the reader deep into the wealthy Long Island manifestation of the Roaring Twenties, an era when, according to the *New York Times*, “gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession.” Yet *Gatsby* is not merely a period piece, a myopic look at a narrow, passing period in American history. The novel is a deep dive into the world of men trapped in the box of a materialist world, where the heart continued to yearn for transcendence but the culture offered no path to fulfill such a desire. In this world, man continues to want to escape his selfishness and seek something beyond himself, but he finds no way out. Like Gatsby—and like Fitzgerald himself—the human person yearns to “romp . . . like the mind of God,” to transcend the world of gin and sex, of mansions and parties, of the millions of dollars ready to be made here in the American Dream. But trapped in a world—the Roaring Twenties in particular, modernity in general—where one’s physical and intellectual surroundings seem devoid of God, one is in an earthly box with a depressingly low ceiling. So the restless heart seeks transcendence among the gin and sex, the mansions and parties, the millions of dollars. And such hearts will find no rest. *The Great Gatsby* is the story of these restless hearts. There is a reason *Gatsby* is set among the great mansions of Long Island. Fitzgerald understands that, to tell the story of souls in a materialist world grasping for transcendence, it is best to tell stories of the fabulously wealthy. Those who do not have wealth and power often channel their lack of fulfillment towards the quest for wealth and power. If only they were rich, had the mansion and the cars, the high-end job, access to the rich and famous and beautiful, then they would be happy. We see these unhappy people scattered throughout Gatsby’s world: the girls downing drinks and dancing at parties to which they were not invited, the unhappy men stalking around the same parties (also uninvited, and perhaps accompanied by their wives) looking for exciting women and adventure. Created with a heart meant for greatness, for eternity, yet completely unaware of the One who can fulfill such desires, people look to fill the void with food and drink, with glitz and glam, with sex and excitement and everything else at Gatsby’s fabulous, over-the-top parties. But watching the rich attempt to transcend their restless lives is much more interesting, because they already have all the wealth they could desire. No longer able to pin their hopes on wealth and its accouterments, they continually, desperately, grasp to transcend their circumstances somehow. What they grasp at forms a profound commentary on the human condition. One sees the sad, futile attempts to transcend the meaninglessness of a materialist world in the lives of Tom and Daisy Buchanan. Tom Buchanan is something of a dumb man, extraordinarily wealthy with inherited money and largely unaware of what to do with himself. He found his purpose, like many young wanderers today, in sports: he “had been one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven . . . one of those men who reach such an acute limited excellence at twenty-one that everything afterward savors of anticlimax.” From there, he drifted. As an adult, Tom seems like a man who “would drift on forever seeking, a little wistfully, for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game.” So Tom travels the world. He buys mansions and horses and cars and everything there is to own and consume. He has affairs with women. Yet predictably, none of this fulfills him, because none of this transcends himself. Attempting to fill oneself with food and sex and experiences, to fill one’s surroundings with possessions, does not appease the longing of the human heart for something more than self. In an interesting turn from this unintellectual man, Tom attempts to find something greater than himself in worrying about the fate of “the white race” in society. In the midst of a terribly uncomfortable dinner party, where the knowledge of Tom’s affair with a woman from New York hovers over Tom, Daisy, and the guests, Tom vents about where his restlessness has taken him: > *“Civilization’s going to pieces,” broke out Tom violently. “I’ve gotten to be a terrible pessimist about things. Have you read ‘The Rise of the Colored Empires’ by this man Goddard?”* > > *“Why, no,” I answered, rather surprised by his tone.* > > *“Well, it’s a fine book, and everybody ought to read it. The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be—will be utterly submerged. It’s all scientific stuff; it’s been proved.”* > > *“Tom’s getting very profound,” said Daisy, with an expression of unthoughtful sadness. “He reads deep books with long words in them. What was that word we*—*”* > > *“Well, these books are all scientific,” insisted Tom, glancing at her impatiently . . . “It’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things.”* > > *. . . There was something pathetic in his concentration, as if his complacency, more acute than of old, was not enough to him any more.* Tom has clearly hit a wall of complacency. Boxed in by a life that does not allow the transcendence that the human heart demands, Tom reaches the point where his vast wealth, his relationships, all the things he has collected, have failed him. Even this generally unthoughtful person reaches toward something beyond himself, trying to find meaning in the collective struggles of races, nations, and civilizations. Of course his attempt to do so is—like the man himself—stupid and unserious. But the grasping of this thoroughly wealthy and worldly man to seek intellectual meaning beyond himself is nonetheless a telling movement of a restless heart. **Read the rest** [Gatsby: Grasping for Transcendence - Front Porch RepublicGatsby’s character yearns for the infinite; he sparkles with something unusual in the midst of the lavish wealth and chaotic parties of Long Island’s frivolities. Gatsby has “one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it . . . it faced—or seemed to face—the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor.”![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicFrank DeVito![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/767px-F._Scott_Fitzgerald_1921-crop.png)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2023/11/gatsby-grasping-for-transcendence/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### The Origins of the Tavern: A Micro-History URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/a-micro-history-of-the-tavern/ Last updated: 2023-12-15T12:30:50.000Z The bar in English-speaking countries traces its roots back to Roman Britain where drinking establishments flourished. The establishments declined with Rome, but they came back in the Middle Ages, largely through the efforts of monasteries to provide for travelers. By the fifteenth century, three different drinking establishments were found in England: inns, which provided rooms for travelers; taverns, which provided food and drink; alehouses, which solely provided beer and ale. What I wonder is, “Why the taverns?” Inns provided necessary beds. Alehouses were often necessities for the poor, a place where they could get ale as a substitute for water (that was often polluted and dangerous). But why taverns? The taverns were the places where the professional classes met to eat, drink, and relax. Dr. Samuel John was a big fan of the tavern and the fine conversation he could find there: “No, Sir; there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.” So, people went to the taverns to congregate and meet others. A similar thing goes for bars in the United States. After the Pilgrims came in 1620, taverns were among the first structures erected, and there were dozens in Boston alone by the 1680s. The taverns were accommodations for travelers, but they were also the forum for social intercourse. Daniel Dorchester, an anti-drinking historian of the nineteenth century, described the tavern scene of the early American years as places where “motley assembly . . . came together to hear the news, gossip and talk politics.” ### An Encyclopedia of Curiosities and Horrors URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-encyclopedia-of-curiosities-and-horrors/ Last updated: 2023-11-14T14:28:53.000Z The expanded edition of *The Art of Horror Movies: An Illustrated History* is a truly phenomenal book. Its pages are adorned not only with diverse artwork, from posters and paintings to cigarette cards (more about this later), but they are also replete with both obscure and mainstream information, from the very beginning of horror as a cinematographic phenomenon. For anyone interested in the history of horror films, this book is a gem to own. The truly remarkable quality of the book is that it is not a mere compendium of horror art with a film-reference index at back, but that at each point of this journey through more than a century of horror movie history we are immersed in the historical background, attitudes, prejudices, and tastes of the different horror eras. This also serves as a broader introduction to cinematic history as whole, for horror films, as the book shows, is not a coincidental genre that appeared along the way but was there from the start of cinematic history. The first horror films were, just like the rest, silent. In the aftermath of the First World War, horror became widespread in Europe (both literally and figuratively). As it is pointed out, horror was, initially, only a minor trend in the United States as the country was prosperous, victorious, and had cinematic preoccupations of a more positive sort. It was over in Europe where horror films got their major start. The explosive popularity of the horror genre was predominantly due to films coming from Weimar Germany, especially *Nosferatu* and *The Cabinet of Dr Caligari*. These early iterations of horror cinema, though thematically transgressive—creating “the sense of a visual world which is an outward sign of inner turmoil”—grew out of the Expressionist movement in painting, literature, and theater. One could argue that the German silent horror film became an art form of its own, as illustrated by Mary Pickford’s claim that “adding sound to movies would be like putting lipstick on the Venus de Milo.” This assessment is unsurprising given that the silent film was far closer to the theatre and actors had to find a way of expressing what we now take for granted from special effects. The 30s and the 40s are decades that consolidated the horror genre in the public psyche, and even if horror cinema was not yet seen as a high-brow endeavor, it nonetheless produced its own prolific celebrities. Figures such as Lou Chaney, Boris Karloff and Tod Slaughter are just some of the names that defined those decades. However, what really changed matters is that horror now became mainstream in Hollywood. Just like how horror was unleashed in Germany after the First World War, it was the Great Depression that did so in the United States, for “there’s a parallel between time, history and horror pictures…In times of peace, there’s no place for horror films; times of fear-like now-bring out the need for violence in people. This reflects…a fear of the people of *tomorrow*.” [Read the rest](https://voegelinview.com/an-encyclopedia-of-curiosities-and-horrors/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Has the Rabble Breached Another Wall in the Castle of High Culture? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/did/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T20:10:25.000Z *The New Criterion* properly considers itself an urbane journal of the arts. With this, comes a commitment to first-rate style, without regard to the *Idiocracy* that is overwhelming our culture. But I saw something interesting (or disturbing, depending on whether one cheers this cultural secular bear market or condemns it) in the current issue. In its lead column, Roger Kimball (or his typesetter) appears to employ the Medium.com guide to prose for idiots: [Every paragraph stands by itself, with lots of white space](https://newcriterion.com/issues/2023/11/a-little-myopic?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I don't know whether it's a one-off product of the essay's contents or a concession to the idiots. If the former, we move on. The latter? We weep. Of course, Kimball's content is far better than Medium.com prose. Each paragraph is still a self-contained mini-essay, consistent with traditional essayist norms. And Mr. Kimball is still far removed from the stylistic decadence of *The Sun* (one sentence for every paragraph; every paragraph typeset apart). But I'll be watching this development (or non-development, as it were) with morbid curiosity. *Later Addendum: I went back and looked at the piece. It's not attributed to Roger Kimball like previous columns. Maybe he's not the author?* *Oh, the mystery and suspense!* ### Picture Books for Adults URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/picture-books-for-adults/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T20:53:01.000Z [This is a delightful piece from *Public Books*](https://www.publicbooks.org/this-is-your-brain-on-books/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I especially liked this observation about how medieval monks would read: > This form of reading, de Hamel says, is one reason why so many medieval manuscripts have richly decorated pages. The decorations “helped impress a page visually in the reader’s memory,” helping him to meditate later upon the revelatory passage. I think we could all use a little more of this. I suspect it's one reason documentaries are so popular these days: we need the visuals to go along with the words. Words alone are not enough because words alone are left-hemisphere alone. The images bring the right hemisphere into play. That, anyway, is my theory. I'll have to look for corroboration from McGilchrist later, but I'm confident I'll find it (since I know he agrees with the first part of my formulation; to wit, that the left hemisphere uses language as the vehicle to carry out its explicit reasoning). During Advent, I put the beautiful [*A Medieval Christmas*](https://amzn.to/47SMrsG?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) on my study's coffee table and use it while praying the rosary. Or sometimes I just read it. Either way, it gives you a good idea of what those medieval monks were doing. (Two other recommended books in this regard: [*Splendors of the Rosary*](https://amzn.to/3N2W1Ru?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [*The Message of St. Francis*](https://amzn.to/3RoQlUQ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) ### Why the CIA No Longer Works—and How to Fix It URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-the-cia-no-longer-works-and-how-to-fix-it/ Last updated: 2023-11-12T13:49:21.000Z On September 11, 2012, two American compounds in the Libyan city of Benghazi were attacked by a well known Islamic militia with a history of attacking Western targets. One of the compounds, occupied by the Department of State, was overrun. The American ambassador to Libya, who was visiting from Tripoli at the time, was killed. The other compound was occupied by CIA personnel and was better prepared to resist. Those inside held out long enough for an ad hoc relief force from the embassy in Tripoli to arrive and for the CIA personnel to be evacuated. No military relief force was sent by the Obama administration. Throughout the attacks on the compounds, a continuous stream of reporting was sent to Washington from the field. All that reporting told the same story: a large-scale assault had been launched on two American-occupied compounds by a heavily armed Islamic terrorist group. Nevertheless, in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others in the Obama administration began to peddle the narrative that a peaceful demonstration in Benghazi had simply gotten out of hand—that this was not an act of terrorism. The backlash against this transparent lie was immediate. The Obama administration came under scathing criticism. Enter Mike Morell, acting director of the CIA, who stepped forward to take the blame for the erroneous claims of a peaceful demonstration. Analysts at the CIA, Morell said, had written an assessment to this effect, and he had passed it on to the White House. Obama and company were blameless. The CIA had given them bad intelligence. This was absurd on its face. CIA analysts do not review a mountain of reporting about ongoing attacks using heavy machine guns, mortars, and rocket-propelled grenades and then write up an assessment saying, “We think they meant this to be peaceful.” Nor, obviously, has any evidence of such an assessment been produced. In short, the Director of Central Intelligence had injected himself into a domestic political dispute, covering for a blatant lie concocted by the administration. He did so, presumably, because he believed that Secretary of State Clinton would become the next president and that he would be named to a senior post in her administration. Interestingly, when Clinton lost in 2016, Morell was given a post with a six-figure annual salary at a Washington think tank aligned with the Democratic Party. In the runup to the 2016 election, people within Clinton’s campaign concocted the idea of smearing Donald Trump with false accusations of colluding with Russia, based on a dossier filled with lies, gossip, and innuendo. When this failed to prevent Trump’s election, they carried on the deception with an eye to destabilizing the Trump presidency and perhaps even removing Trump from office. The involvement of the FBI in this effort, known by its FBI codename Crossfire Hurricane, has been extensively documented. What has been much less talked about is the CIA’s role. The extensive investigation of what transpired during Crossfire Hurricane has shown that American intelligence sought the involvement of a number of allied intelligence services, most notably the British. It has also shown that with the passage of time, the British in particular became decreasingly enthusiastic about their involvement as it became clear to them that this activity was inappropriate and illegal. Such interaction with close allies doesn’t happen without the involvement and assistance of the CIA. That is not the way it works. If you are in London, for instance, meeting with British intelligence and counterintelligence services, you are doing so not only with the knowledge of the chief of station in London, but also with his or her permission and assistance. John Brennan, the CIA’s director at the time, not only had to know about Crossfire Hurricane; he also had to approve it. When Brennan stepped down as head of the CIA, he was replaced by Gina Haspel. She had been the chief of station in London throughout Crossfire Hurricane and had to have been directly involved in the interactions with the British services that were part of this plot. We should also note that when news of Hunter Biden’s “laptop from hell” threatened to derail Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign for the White House, 51 former intelligence officers came forward and signed on to a now infamous letter branding the laptop as a product of Russian disinformation. I have seen the contents of that laptop and retain a copy to this day. I can assure you it was immediately obvious in looking at the laptop’s contents that it was real and that it suggested strongly that Joe Biden himself was compromised by a number of foreign actors—chief among them the Chinese Communist Party. Five former directors or acting directors of the CIA were among the 51 signatories to this letter, whose clear purpose was to bury the contents of the laptop and get Joe Biden elected. Both Mike Morell and John Brennan were among those five. [Read the rest](https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/why-the-cia-no-longer-works-and-how-to-fix-it/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### BYCU URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-29/ Last updated: 2023-11-10T12:30:25.000Z I'm not going to lie: There's a dearth of drinking news this week, so I'm going to the well (so to speak): [*Modern Drunkard Magazine*](https://drunkard.com/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I've often sung its praises. Its editor, Frank Rich, is a great stylist and funnier than Joe Biden's walk. He's also a believer: in the goodness of drink. And that includes its excess. I disagree with Rich's excess, but I admit: I understand it. We've all been there and that's part of what makes *Modern Drunkard Magazine* so funny: the juxtaposition of man's dignity with man's inebriation. Drinking jokes are as funny as sex jokes (which are funny for the same reason, unless you're a true pervert, in which case they're funny like an inside joke: "Frank! What are you doing!? When I made that shower joke . . . . "). I'm afraid, that despite a surge of excellent drinking videos, *MDM* has gone largely inactive. I don't think it ever came out regularly. I could be wrong about that, but I subscribed to it years ago, and I'm not convinced I ever received all my issues. And now, the online content appears to be dwindling. Its "Brutal Hammer of Truth" feature of drinking news hasn't added any drinking news for over a month. Its "Today's Reason to Drink" feature has nothing for yesterday or today. I seem to be seeing more repeat essays. Let's hope the drinking hasn't caught up with Mr. Rich and adversely affected his health. Like I said, the man is a splendid writer and, with no exaggeration, the funniest writer alive. He also appreciates history and tradition. I also suspect he's a closet Catholic or something close. He once emailed me, thanking TDE for its support, and said something like, "Drinking is the gospel of life!" Perhaps he meant it ironically, but I don't think so. A man with humor can see grotesquery, and there's nothing more grotesque than the gospel of death. Let's pray Frank Rich gets *MDM* back on board soon. For now, here are just three great pieces that I pulled at random this morning. Pulling funny features from *MDM* is like pulling stones from a pot: it's easy. [40 Ounces of Fury! | Modern Drunkard Magazine![](https://drunkard.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/favicon.png)Modern Drunkard MagazineFrank Kelly Rich![](https://drunkard.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/colt45comic.jpg)](https://drunkard.com/03-03%5Fforty%5Ffury/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > The brew from the bad part of town, the staple of gangstas and punk rockers, barrios and trailer parks. Strong, cheap and raw. Served up in a big bottle that hangs in your hand like a blackjack. Named after large man-killing animals and high-powered firearms. Activist groups say it causes violence, yuppies say it tastes like poison, experienced users know it dishes out mule-kick hangovers. That’s right, baby, we’re talking malt liquor. --- ### About the Harvey Wallbanger: > Fun fact: The drink had its own cartoon mascot, a surfer dude, and tagline, which was, “Harvey Wallbanger is the name. And I can be made!” The boys at the ad agency must have worked all night on that one. --- ### This next one might be Frank Rich at his finest (it's not attributed to him, mind you, but I strongly suspect non-attributed pieces are Rich pieces, which, to my mind, makes him even more legendary). [Cads, Rakes and Bounders | Modern Drunkard Magazine![](https://drunkard.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/favicon.png)Modern Drunkard MagazineFrank Kelly Rich![](https://drunkard.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/rake-bg-2.jpg)](https://drunkard.com/06-03-cads-rakes/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > Are you immune to the slightest twinge of guilt when your girlfriend picks up the tab? Do you find yourself telling outrageous falsehoods, even when the truth would serve you better? Does the idea of dating one woman at a time seem a vulgar waste of your charm and talent? > If so, a career as a rake may be your calling. Rich continues a few paragraphs later: > It is not just a matter of earning the disapproval of others, you must earn their disdain with style and panache. Years of shiftlessness and bad behavior can be squandered by a single misstep. You will watch the title *rake* flitter from your fingers and find yourself labeled a *scoundrel, ne’er-do-well,* or the lowly, half-competent *heel*. At which point you will have to accept your fate or move to another city to try again. ### That Inscription at the Temple of Apollo Won't Go Away URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/how-to-clear-the-runway-for-the-delphic-oracle/ Last updated: 2023-11-09T11:12:57.000Z Pretty much everyone agrees we need self-knowledge. The problem is, our left hemispheres hinder it and we are a culture of left-hemispheric presumptions. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Markets and the Good: Thinking Beyond the Tyranny of Economics URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/markets-and-the-good-thinking-beyond-the-tyranny-of-economics/ Last updated: 2023-11-08T14:17:55.000Z [Rethinking EconomicsI strongly lean libertarian, which means I strongly lean towards being a dick, since I’m stunned at how many libertarians are obnoxious (with notable exceptions, like Tom Woods and Lew Rockwell). I believe it’s because libertarian thinking is marked by unshakeable certitude and logical conclusions,…![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Briefly-Economics.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rethinking-economics/) Only three decades ago, amid what was hailed as a new “Springtime of Nations,” post–Cold War exuberance fueled widespread confidence in the triumphant spread of liberal democracy and free-market capitalism to all parts of the globe, including those few remaining redoubts of “truly existing socialism,” with their fusty politburos and dysfunctional command economies. The brutal 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown notwithstanding, even the People’s Republic of China was thought to be on the road to democracy thanks to its earlier adoption of a hybrid form of capitalism with “Chinese characteristics.” Though not alone in predicting that the opening up of China’s economy would lead to the liberalization of its politics and society, the editorial pages of the *Wall Street Journal* were among the louder cheerleaders for that optimistic line of economic determinism. If only they had been right. Among the disappointments of more recent years has been the sight of China not only backsliding but, in some respects, becoming more resolutely authoritarian, with Xi Jinping exercising the kind of strongman rule not seen since the days of Mao Zedong. Similarly, economic liberalization did nothing to prevent Vladimir Putin’s construction of his “power vertical” and his gradual dismantling of anything but nominal (or “managed”) democracy. But the temptations and perils of putting economics first are certainly not limited to our last, disappointing round of “end of history” forecasting. The lineage of thinking that places economics at the determinative center of both our individual and collective lives extends to the foundations of the modern liberal tradition. In the second of his *Two Treatises of Government*, first published in 1689, John Locke memorably enshrined property (or “estate”) as the third inalienable right, after life and liberty. Much scholarly ink has been spilled over why Thomas Jefferson changed it to “the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence, though Locke himself had used the phrase in his *Essay Concerning Human Understanding*, which appeared in the same year as *Two Treatises*. At the very least, though, it is clear that those early modern thinkers believed that “property” was essential to any meaningful pursuit of happiness. For his part, Adam Smith, a moral philosopher even more than a political economist, believed that the pursuit of self-interest through free exchange built virtuous character, as long as self-interest, distinguished from selfishness, was properly understood as being consistent with justice. In Smith’s view, private property and the free exchange of goods and services secured not only individual liberty but a just social order and a flourishing nation. What the classical liberal thinkers did not anticipate were the transformations that would be brought about by rapid industrialization and an increasingly globalized economic order dominated by finance and the corporation—processes that would contribute to what the sociologist Karl Polanyi called the “disembedding” of the economy from the dominant institutional and cultural forms of society. Nor did the early liberal thinkers foresee the social dislocations and unrest that would come with the rise and exploitation of an industrial working class. The emerging critiques of the capitalist order by Karl Marx and others would not only challenge but demonize many of the fundamental tenets of laissez-faire liberalism, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, the father of anarchism, declaring that “Property is theft.” But only in the early twentieth century did communist and fascist regimes emerge as rival powers to what might be broadly termed the liberal community of nations. [Read the rest](https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/markets-and-the-good/articles/introduction-markets-and-the-good?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### What Do Fungi Have to Do with Athens? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/what-do-fungi-have-to-do-with-athens/ Last updated: 2023-11-07T13:48:45.000Z [Mushrooming to a New Religious Understanding?Tuesday mornings are hard on me for some reason, but this morning, delight hit me from all angles, thanks to this one essay. Delight One: Bookman It comes from The University Bookman, one of the first subscription journals I read (my Dad subscribed and I started reading it when I![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Briefly-Psychedlics.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/mushrooming-to-a-new-religious-understanding/) [Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/566795/entangled-life-by-merlin-sheldrake/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) By Merlin Sheldrake. Random House, 2020. Hardcover, 368 pages, $28. There are fungi that hunt their prey. Fungi can communicate, trade, and defend. They reproduce sexually, fusing the little threads called “hyphae” with compatible threads from another fungus and mixing their genetic material. (“How the sexual attraction between truffle fungi plays out remains unknown.”) Fungi can eat dirty diapers, cigarette butts, neurotoxins, and radiation. If we want our planet to become a little less of, in Pope Francis’s pungent phrase, “an immense pile of filth,” fungi may be our only friends. But these revelations—some heartening, many unsettling—are only the beginning of Merlin Sheldrake’s project in his delightful Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures. Sheldrake is out to convince you not only that you’ve never really understood mushrooms, but that you’ve never really understood yourself. Halfway through this book, I found myself thinking, Wait—am I a lichen? Have I been a lichen this whole time? There’s an ingenuous quality to Sheldrake’s self-portrait. Earlier this year, a profile in *The* New York Times Magazine highlighted Sheldrake’s biological boosterism (why don’t you ever talk about the bad things mushrooms do?) as well as his oddball personal charm: He lives with his wife, Erin Robinsong, in a converted Methodist chapel, a few miles from his brother Cosmo, who also lives with his wife in a converted Methodist chapel. In Entangled Life, Sheldrake portrays himself as Puck with a PhD. He goes on psychedelic trips (“The nurses made sure I drank the LSD at exactly nine AM”), pilfers cider apples from a clone of Isaac Newton’s apocryphal apple tree, and gets his snout in the soil to follow questing and branching hyphae. He inspired Iris Van Herpen’s Roots of Rebirth fashion line, with its frills, gills, networks, and sexy tendrils. On his website, you can watch a time-lapse video showing oyster mushrooms devouring a copy of Entangled Life, scored to the mushrooms’ own music (plus double bass and vocals) courtesy of brother Cosmo. Then Sheldrake eats the mushrooms. Sheldrake is a lush and fun prose stylist: “The truffle’s aroma strayed upward from the hole, brighter and more saturated than in the weighing room.” He can make you see “the damp yellows and browns of the oak woods” where truffles are hunted by fierce taciturn men in camouflage, or the “black smear” of lichen that marks the limit of high tide. He consistently strikes a tone of wonder and delight without seeming saccharine, and his philosophical interventions are provocative without being pushy. He hasn’t produced a polemic against the ideal of the self-sufficient liberal political subject, or even a policy brief in favor of honoring our interdependence with the natural world. Instead he just invites readers to consider whether, perhaps, they are lichen. This is the deepest of Sheldrake’s philosophical questions. It hums below the surface of his beautiful description of mushrooms as a kind of incarnate polyphony. It animates his defense of those psychedelic voyagers who return from their trips convinced of metaphysical truths: “That a chemical can induce a profound mystical experience appears to support the prevailing scientific view that our subjective worlds are underpinned by the chemical activity of our brains; that the world of spiritual beliefs and experiences of the divine can spring from a material, biochemical phenomenon. However… the very same experiences are so powerful as to convince people that a nonmaterial reality—the raw ingredient of religious belief—exists.” [Read the rest](https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/what-do-fungi-have-to-do-with-athens/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### These Monks Were on a Search-and-Destroy Mission Against Their Left Hemispheres URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/these-monks-were-on-a-search-and-destroy-mission-against-their-left-hemispheres/ Last updated: 2023-11-06T12:12:30.000Z It's hard to admit this, but here goes: Back in my twenties, I decided I wanted to be a mystic. Such a thing is absurd: The goal is foiled by the goal. You might as well decide you want to be a poor man with money (one of Pablo Picasso’s claimed desires . . . he finally opted just for the money part). And yet, mysticism is a good state that ought to be desired. Or rather, ought to be welcomed. The left hemisphere *desires*, the right hemisphere *welcomes*. That 1970s "left brain/right brain" fad was ridiculous. Both sides of the brain do the same things. *It's their attitude that differs*. And that difference makes all the difference. It's the difference between holding the door open for a woman because it's polite and holding it open so maybe she'll bang you later. We need to approach existence with our right hemispheres. "Right hemisphere forward" is how my gin connoisseur friends would phrase it (British gin: juniper forward; Western gin: botanicals forward). And if you relentlessly seek to put the right hemisphere forward, things start to fall into place. And that's what these primitive texts in Christian spirituality talk about: how to put the right hemisphere forward. The writers of [***The Philokalia***](https://amzn.to/47lwVoY?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) were on a constant seek-and-destroy mission against the left hemisphere: storming porches, ripping open cellars, looking behind trees. If there was a left hemispheric disposition lurking somewhere in themselves, they'd find it. Granted, they never referred to the "left hemisphere." They were writing over 1,000 years before such a thing was even imagined. Rather, they referred to "devils." Which is great. It really brings it home. If we follow their advice, we'll put our right hemispheres firmly in control. The right hemisphere is the device that connects to transcendence. The better the connection, the better your chance of becoming a mystic. The better chance, in other words, that you'll receive grace. [How I Moved Beyond StoicismThe largely-forgotten literary tradition that takes Stoicism to the next level![](https://cdn-static-1.medium.com/_/fp/icons/Medium-Avatar-500x500.svg)Catholicism for the Modern WorldEric Scheske![](https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1200/0*RqYDR11CC1MP7jOH)](https://medium.com/catholicism-for-the-modern-world/how-i-moved-beyond-stoicism-41f824a0b548?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Podcast: November 5, 2023 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/podcast-november-5-2023/ Last updated: 2023-11-05T22:55:08.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Slay Your Orc, Then Read Your Poetry URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/slay-your-orc-then-read-your-poetry-2/ Last updated: 2023-11-04T11:02:49.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### BYCU URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-28/ Last updated: 2023-11-03T10:56:53.000Z ## Giving a Whole New Meaning to the "Rear Naked Choke" ### And the "Reverse Mount," the "Rear Mount," the "Full Mount," the "Arm Drag," and the "Whizzer" I was cracking up, just reading through a UFC glossary. Can you imagine how much fun Late Night would've had with this before Kimmel and Woke Co. ruined it all? I often wonder if Ben Stein wakes up at 3:00 AM with guilt over playing a pivotal role in Kimmel's success. [Bud Light-UFC deal: A $100 Million partnership despite transgender ad campaignThe UFC has inked a multiyear deal worth over $100 million with beer giant Bud Light.![](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/logo/sk-short-logo.png)SportskeedaManjit Sarmah![](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/f85af-16988629846034-1920.jpg)](https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-bud-light-ufc-deal-a-100-million-partnership-despite-transgender-ad-campaign?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## I Was Only Passing Through Tennessee on My Way to South Carolina ### Red Dog + Vodka. I Call It "The Heavenly Decadent" This is the one crime I could be accused of (not counting the crime of bad taste) [2 men accused of burglarizing train cars containing cases of vodka, Red BullThe suspects were discovered sitting next to 30 cases of vodka.![](https://www.wsbtv.com/pf/resources/images/sites/cmg-tv-10010/favicon.ico?d=784)WSB-TV Channel 2 - AtlantaBob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk![](https://cmg-cmg-tv-10010-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/7Y9e_ZHgnCuh9H_-t3B25ba428k=/1440x810/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/OZUAT2HOARGBJNHEXSQ47DDVWE.jpg)](https://www.wsbtv.com/news/trending/2-men-accused-burglarizing-train-cars-containing-cases-vodka-red-bull/GMWFDO3OYBGZRCSKPGEMMMJV5Q/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Kate Upton. Cans. So Many Jokes, So Little Room Before One Loses His Catholic *Bona Fides* [Kate Upton joins company bringing 2 types of canned vodka cocktails to MichiganVosa Spirits announced the partnership with the Michigan-born supermodel, actress, and entrepreneur on Tuesday.![](https://www.mlive.com/pf/resources/images/mlive/favicon.ico?d=1162)mliveBrandon Champion | bchampiomlive.com![](https://www.mlive.com/resizer/6loaEW6D6ItvymsYkDeSCWvaE_A=/1280x0/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/advancelocal/S2RVCGQE6RBJBP744GHZDGOKPI.jpg)](https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/10/kate-upton-joins-company-bringing-2-types-of-canned-vodka-water-to-michigan.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Serves 'Em Right [Non-alcoholic beer may bring higher risk for E.coli, salmonella: Cornell studyLow-alcohol beers have less than 2.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), while non-alcoholic beers have less than 0.5% ABV.![](https://nypost.com/wp-content/themes/nypost-2016/static/images/apple-icons/nypost/apple-icon-144x144.png)New York PostAlex Mitchell![](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/BEER-COMP.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024)](https://nypost.com/2023/11/02/lifestyle/non-alcoholic-beer-may-bring-higher-risk-for-e-coli-salmonella/?utm%5Fcampaign=iphone%5Fnyp&utm%5Fsource=mail%5Fapp) --- ## I Might Join This Retro-Trend [Is this the new ‘it’ spirit? Meet Cognac, bourbon’s fancy French cousinBourbon and Cognac have more in common than you might expect. Here’s why you should give the fancy French liquor a chance.![](https://s.yimg.com/cv/apiv2/aolfp/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png)AOLDana McMahan![](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/..2vsTiNcgWzjSD0EMk3Vw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD0xNjAw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/aol_gannett_aggregated_707/0b26dc4f03fc2c5bc22c5b03f540786b)](https://www.aol.com/spirit-meet-cognac-bourbons-fancy-090356644.html?guccounter=1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### "He is Interested Only in the Individual Soul Whom He Places Before God" URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/35054/ Last updated: 2023-12-05T13:46:09.000Z Advocates from across the political field have claimed Christ for their side: Communists, Socialists, Liberals, Conservatives, Monarchists. They all can find something in Christ's life or his words to support their political vision. It isn't surprising, of course, since every doctrine, no matter how absurd, has at least a kernel or two of truths, and every truth is tied to the One Truth that was Christ. Christ was crucified for a reason, and it wasn't because he went with the stream. He assured listeners, after all, that he is the Life, and live–not dead–things swim against the stream. So where to start with this lively and kicking instigator? I say: his birth. Born in a lowly manger with shepherds surrounding him, but with kings arriving to give him gifts. The poorest and richest came together. Hardly a conventional beginning. He was a man sent to disrupt the status quo. Even a ruthless dolt like King Herod knew it, ordering the slaughter of newborns everywhere, in hopes of catching the infant troublemaker in a web of death. As a boy (just 12), he amazed the scribes and Pharisees with his learning. He wasn't from the priestly class. Where did he learn everything he taught them? For that matter, what kind of boy calmly ditches his parents for a few days so he can converse on the lofty things? He was out of step. When he started his public ministry at age 30, people started to see the true radicalness of his message. He socialized with tax collectors and prostitutes. He told people to love their enemies. He forgave sins that hadn't been committed against him. The temple authorities hated him. It's safe to say the temple money changers didn't care for him either after their whipping. But he never did anything political. He never criticized the civil government and took no part in the Jewish movement for national liberation. Even his most earthly acts, the famous miracle healings, were devoid of any sort of “social justice” or bigger effort at reform. He didn't try to eradicate human suffering or death, to “find a cure.” He just cured the individuals that were brought to him, and also forgave their sins, showing the two are tied together. And since sin defeats virtue and other-worldly salvation, these acts of earthly mercy aren't pointed to the earth at all, but rather to the decidedly un-political next world. In the words of Romano Guardini, writing in [the best biography of all time](https://amzn.to/3sXQ5CJ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) (after the Gospels): > Jesus does not champion the cause of the free individual against society. He does not stand for the heart as against the law. He does not side with the outcast against the prudent and respected. He does not consider the sinner as such more valuable than the virtuous. Jesus is far from both romanticism and class-consciousness. He is interested only in the individual soul whom he places before God. --- Related: > XMAS DAY > Good news: but if you ask me what it is, I know not; > It is a track of feet in the snow, > It is a lantern showing a path, > It is a door set open. > GKC ### The Smallest of Seeds: A Review of Fragile Neighborhoods URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-smallest-of-seeds-a-review-of-fragile-neighborhoods/ Last updated: 2023-11-01T10:34:29.000Z One sunny day several years ago as my family took in our town’s annual Memorial Day parade, an amiable-seeming man bounded up to my two small children and presented them with miniature American flags before quickly moving on down the route. Touched, I turned to my neighbor to inquire who this public-spirited individual was. My neighbor shot me a quizzical look, as if unsure whether or not I was pulling his leg. “The mayor” he ultimately replied, a continued note of skepticism in his voice. I had been living in our town for nearly five years by that point. As I would later learn, my children’s flag-bearing benefactor had been in office for most of that time. How is it that someone comes to live in a place for almost half a decade without being able to recognize its mayor? Or to recall his name once he has been identified as such? Or even to be sure of his political party (which I could guess at given our town’s pronounced leanings in national elections, but that I wouldn’t have bet the farm on given the possibility of idiosyncratic results at the local level)? In particular, how do these things happen when the clueless someone in question is a person who had always considered himself politically and socially engaged—aware of important legislation being considered in Congress, familiar with major cases pending before the Supreme Court, well read on the significant public policy issues of our day? It is against such shortsightedness—the tendency of all too many of us to ignore what is going on in our own backyards—that Seth D. Kaplan delivers a desperately needed warning in his new book [*Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society, One Zip Code at a Time*](https://bookshop.org/p/books/fragile-neighborhoods-repairing-american-society-one-zip-code-at-a-time-seth-d-kaplan/19709347?ean=9780316521390&ref=thedailyeudemon.com). At first blush, Kaplan would seem an unlikely evangelist for the importance of focusing on the local. An expert on fragile nation-states, Kaplan has spent his career working with organizations like the World Bank and the U.S. State Department in places like Nigeria, Colombia, Libya, and Yemen. Surely this is a man for whom what happens in individual neighborhoods is small beer as compared with the important work of running a country? Yet for Kaplan, when comparing two countries and asking why one has succeeded where the other has failed, what matters most is not national policies but “societal dynamics—the strength of the social glue, the nature of relationships across groups, and the role of social institutions.” These are things that manifest (or fail to manifest) at the local level. The social health of our neighborhoods “determines how safe we are, the quality of the schools our kids go to, what resources we have access to daily, the kinds of job opportunities we have, our psychological well-being, and even . . . how long we live.” It also shapes, in Kaplan’s view, the state of the nation. Which is bad news for the United States given Kaplan’s assessment that “the social decay we are experiencing in neighborhoods across America is unlike anything \[he has\] seen elsewhere.” This is a startling statement given the many troubled corners of the globe where Kaplan has hung his hat. As distressed as those places are, the people in them “are simply much warmer, their relationships much thicker than what \[he has\] experienced in countless neighborhoods here in the US.” Americans “don’t feel obligated to help our neighbors, give back to our community, or even (in many cases) care for members of our own family—and we resist joining any group or association that might create such obligations.” The result? We are “some of the most depressed, anxious, addicted, alienated, and untethered people in the world.” Not even material wealth is sufficient to protect against the effects of social poverty, with many of these problems plaguing middle- and upper-class neighborhoods as well. The fundamental flaw besetting traditional approaches to social reform, according to Kaplan, is that they are typically top-down, one-size-supposedly-fits-all “solutions” that take no account of the unique dynamics of the specific places that are to be reformed—the particular challenges facing a given community and the assets already at its disposal for meeting those challenges. As Kaplan notes, even where initiatives succeed at relieving distress in the short run, they will ultimately have done more harm than good if they undermine the local social institutions necessary for a community to thrive over the long haul. It is not that there is no role for politics or national policy. According to Kaplan, both “\[g\]overnment assistance (a tool of the left) and more efficient markets (as favored by the right)” are necessary. But these interventions will be effective only insofar as they work through and are supportive of local social institutions. [Read the rest](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2023/10/the-smallest-of-seeds-a-review-of-fragile-neighborhoods/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Scrolling Blog: November 2023 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/scrolling-blog-entries-november-2023/ Last updated: 2023-12-11T14:30:29.000Z November 30, 2023 ## Four Female Philosophers > His four magi, emerging from the material, moral, social, and political wreckage wrought by the First World War, grasped that philosophy had to be utterly reimagined. Exactly. All the decent philosophers in the twentieth century knew modern thought was broken and had to be plowed under. The only sane approach was adopted by the neo-Thomists like Pieper and Gilson, but I respect any thinkers, even reprobates like Rand and de Beauvoir (and Foucault), who had the honesty to acknowledge that the Cartesian and Baconian Highways had done great damage and needed to be torn up. [The Visionaries: Arendt, Beauvoir, Rand, Weil, and the Power of Philosophy in Dark TimesRobert Zaretsky at The American Scholar![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1611337449232-e3183e932494?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGRhcmslMjB0aW1lc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDEzNTUxMDB8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-visionaries-arendt-beauvoir-rand-weil-and-the-power-of-philosophy-in-dark-times/) --- November 29, 2023 ## [Picture Books for Adults](https://thedailyeudemon.com/picture-books-for-adults/) [This is a delightful piece from *Public Books*](https://www.publicbooks.org/this-is-your-brain-on-books/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). I especially liked this observation about how medieval monks would read: > This form of reading, de Hamel says, is one reason why so many medieval manuscripts have richly decorated pages. The decorations “helped impress a page visually in the reader’s memory,” helping him to meditate later upon the revelatory passage. I think we could all use a little more of this. I suspect it's one reason documentaries are so popular these days: we need the visuals to go along with the words. Words alone are not enough because words alone are left-hemisphere alone. The images bring the right hemisphere into play. That, anyway, is my theory. I'll have to look for corroboration from McGilchrist later, but I'm confident I'll find it (since I know he agrees with the first part of my formulation; to wit, that the left hemisphere uses language as the vehicle to carry out its explicit reasoning). During Advent, I put the beautiful [*A Medieval Christmas*](https://amzn.to/47SMrsG?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) on my study's coffee table and use it while praying the rosary. Or sometimes I just read it. Either way, it gives you a good idea of what those medieval monks were doing. (Two other recommended books in this regard: [*Splendors of the Rosary*](https://amzn.to/3N2W1Ru?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) and [*The Message of St. Francis*](https://amzn.to/3RoQlUQ?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)) [This is Your Brain on BooksElyse Graham at Public Books![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1495640452828-3df6795cf69b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxib29rc3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDEyNjg5MzN8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/this-is-your-brain-on-books/) --- November 28, 2023 ## Young Michael Rodney Makes an Appearance I've been watching *Mad Men*. I'd love to hear Madison Avenue discussions today about how to turn around the WNBA's poor image. We're talking about a product that started out at "1" on a scale of 1-10 and now, after a punishing advertising campaign over the past 25 years, the product might be lower than 1\. Sure, attendance and ratings appear to be improving over the past few years (but I don't believe the stats, since they're being reported by the same people who have told us women's basketball is as good as men's basketball . . . people who gaslight can't be trusted . . . Exhibit A: The Federal government). But prior to the relentless 25-year PR campaign, the WNBA wasn't a punching bag joke. [Boys are Not Girls and Women are Not MenNo Matter How Hard We Try![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonMichael Rodney![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1516381548400-349d680edb56?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fGhvcHNjb3RjaHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDExNzc1NzN8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/boys-are-not-girls-and-women-are-not-men/) --- November 27, 2023 ## Monday Just this Briefly piece today, courtesy of a TDE reader who is identified here as "W. James." He sent the piece last month, but I forgot to run it until I saw that Audible is selling the first two volumes of *Book of the New Sun* for just $2.50 each (Cyber-Monday deal). [Why You Should Care about Gene WolfeHe’s the author of Book of the New Sun, which is massive but which I just finished and which is incredible, full of implicit Catholic theology, Greek philosophy, and mythology. Some of his biggest literary influences were Chesterton and Tolkien. He’s also a convert, whose conversion followed the sa…![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonW. James![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Briefly-Literature-Tag.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-you-should-care-about-gene-wolfe/) [The Shadow of the TorturerCheck out this great listen on Audible.com. The Shadow of the Torturer is the first volume in the four-volume epic, the tale of a young Severian, an apprentice to the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession - showing mercy towards his v..…![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/images/navigation/MobileWeb_IOSandAndroid_460._SY180_CB651482445_.png)Audible.comGene Wolfe![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/6156wOmu48L._SL10_UR1600,800_CR200,50,1200,630_CLa|1200,630|6156wOmu48L.jpg|0,0,1200,630+82,82,465,465_PJAdblSocialShare-Gradientoverlay-largeasin-0to70,TopLeft,0,0_PJAdblSocialShare-AudibleLogo-Large,TopLeft,600,270_OU01_ZBLISTENING%20ON,617,216,52,500,AudibleSansMd,30,255,255,255.jpg)](https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Shadow-of-the-Torturer-Audiobook/B00309TZRM?source%5Fcode=ASSORAP0511160006&share%5Flocation=player%5Foverflow&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- November 26, 2023 ## The White Carpets in My House Aren't Faring Well, but It's Alright Seven grandchildren, three and under. Three in the past three months. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Seven-Grandchildren.jpg) --- November 25, 2023 ## [Big Ag is Killing Us](https://thedailyeudemon.com/big-ag-is-killing-us/) ### I Think It's Time to Go Organic, but the USDA Makes It Very Difficult by Allowing Dishonest Food Labeling . . . at the Behest of Big Ag and to the Detriment of American Citizens My doctor takes a sane approach. During consultation, he discusses nutrition, weight loss, and exercise, but has no objection to prescribing drugs if that's what the situation merits. My blood numbers are very good across the board, except for a cholesterol reading that, given my family history, is a bit high. He said he thinks I should go on a low-dose statin, but he agreed with my objection: "There are a lot of potential side effects." He said he's not a big fan of statins and thinks they might be over-prescribed, but sometimes, he said, the situation calls for them. He said I'm a close call, to do my own research, and he'd respect whatever I decide since both options (statin or no statin) are reasonable right now. He also suggested I drop 5-10 more pounds and cut out all processed food, including all ordinary meat and dairy. He said everything he sees and reads indicates that *truly* organic meat and dairy could make a big difference and I would have a shot at beating the cholesterol without statins, which is by far the best option. He said he doubts organic vegetables make much difference, but since I grow my own, I should continue; it probably help a little. The problem is, however, the USDA and Big Ag. Americans are increasingly aware that processed foods are killing them, so they're willing to pay more for organic. Big Ag sees the trend, so Big Ag has convinced the USDA to allow them to label things as "organic" when they're not really organic. It's a *huge* problem, and just one of the many ways that the federal government has become a gang of bandits that, literally, kill Americans if it serves their true bosses: big business. [Oiling the Chicken MachineGarth Brown at The New Atlantis![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1553531010-4e5d066a7ca7?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDE3fHxjaGlja2VuJTIwZmFybXxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDA5MTk2ODJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/oiling-the-chicken-machine/) --- ## The Game There have been doozies and there have been doozies. Today's UM-OSU game might be the doosiest. UM is healthy, except for JJ McCarthy, who is hobbled, depending on whom you ask. OSU, on the other hand, is 100% healthy. I don't get too caught up in sports, but I'd be lying to deny this looming game has occupied way too much of my mental world over the past few weeks. Son Max, a sophomore at UM, got in line at 7:00 AM this morning to get a good seat. Look for him in the maize suit. My nieces are undergrads there and say he's a fixture on the Michigan jumbotron these days. I really ought to insist that he wear Daily Eudemon gear as a partial offset against my semi-annual tuition payment. --- ## Happy Thanksgiving [Annual Thanksgiving Day Quotes“Thanksgiving Day originated in New England when the Puritans realized they had succeeded in exterminating their neighbors, the Indians, instead of getting exterminated by their neighbors, the Indians.” Mark Twain “Gratitude is a fruit of great cultivation; you do not find it among gross people.” S…![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1538883689728-2c32af36a313?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fHRoYW5rc2dpdmluZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE2NjkyOTI4NjY&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/annual-thanksgiving-day-quotes/) --- November 21, 2023 ## It Neareth The holidays loom. Family members are arriving; tension builds. Expect slow blogging over the next few days, though there will be the Special Commemorative Black Wednesday Brews You Can Use column tomorrow. Today, I posted a "Briefly" piece I wrote many years, as well as a recent newsletter piece. Enjoy. --- November 20, 2023 ## Something to be Thankful For [Enrollment at Catholic Colleges Skyrockets While Secular Enrollment PlummetsCV NEWS FEED // A new report shows that a handful of Catholic colleges and universities are seeing their enrollment numbers skyrocket, bucking the overall trend…![](https://catholicvote.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/favicon-96x96.png)CatholicVote orgCV News Feed![](https://catholicvote.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Catholic-schools-see-spike-in-enrollment.jpg)](https://catholicvote.org/enrollment-at-catholic-colleges-skyrockets-secular-enrollment-plummets/?mkt%5Ftok=NDI3LUxFUS0wNjYAAAGPgTkOC0B%5FxdP0eHy2Qijazw0LkRDP3hoi1-Jer-Z-eSk-1xnRij19TB4M%5FQaObwY42brCHmmkjMQ0rowLjyls11bsDpho49nV90ZIlPpe&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## TDE Just Trying to Help the Beleagured Mothers Out There [41 Side Dishes for the Best Thanksgiving Dinner EVERStuffing and sauces, rolls and casseroles, this recipe collection has it all.![](https://www.tasteofhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/TOH_Pinterest_ProfilePhoto_RedBkg.png)Taste of HomeLauren Jarvis-Gibson![](https://www.tasteofhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Garlic-Herb-Mashed-Potatoes_EXPS_CW16_149425_06B_28_3b.jpg)](https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/favorite-thanksgiving-sides/?mkt%5Ftok=NDI3LUxFUS0wNjYAAAGPgTkOC9mSGzWarkav3ps0h1hqk0aBw4%5Fugy9POZyBPdBcpEUpCPUW4EducCsNe5OH3V9KS7q0CqHewilqGul1YaXhO6iiBmP-0-VATkDZ&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ## Monday Column [The Stoics and MeThe Stoics and Me![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Marcus_Aurelius_Glyptothek_M-nchen.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/6226/) --- November 19, 2023 ## [Math Created the Modern World](https://thedailyeudemon.com/science-and-magic-and-math/) [**This**](https://worksinprogress.co/issue/how-mathematics-built-the-modern-world?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) is a great historical tie into Part II of *Existence Strikes Back* and its observation that modernity's momentum began to build in the 13th century, as Western civilization's capacity for control increased. Magic and science were twins in the cradle of modernity. This essay points out that it was really a set of triplets: Magic, Science, and Math. [From Renaissance “Follow the Magic” to Modernity “Follow the Science”The Renaissance Believed in Magic Like Moderns Believe in Science![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1588260692987-01360da8185b?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDMwfHxyZW5haXNzYW5jZXxlbnwwfHx8fDE2NTQ0NDk1NDI&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/magic-fueled-the-european-renaissance/) [How Mathematics Built the Modern WorldBo Malmberg & Hannes Malmberg at Works in Process![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1635070041078-e363dbe005cb?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fG1hdGh8ZW58MHx8fHwxNzAwMzk5OTAwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/how-mathematics-built-the-modern-world/) --- November 18, 2023 [Contraceptives May Slow Brain Development And Increase Risk-Taking Behavior In Teens, Study SuggestsDisrupting hormonal activity during puberty could “potentially shift the trajectory of some of those developmental processes...”![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2023-11/image(745).jpg?itok=zozAv_1N)](https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/contraceptives-may-slow-brain-development-and-increase-risk-taking-behavior-teens-study?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- November 17, 2023 ## Brews You Can Use [BYCUCount Me In I love everything about Christmas. I even like its commercialization. And I love gin. The problem is, I’m not sure it’s available in the U.S. Gordon’s Unveils Sugar Plum Gin Liqueur Just in Time for Holiday ImbibingAs the holiday season approaches, there’s no better![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608135246868-9ab7ecbd4a2f?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDMzfHxnaW4lMjBob2xpZGF5c3xlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDAyMjYzMDh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-30/) --- November 16, 2023 ## Modern Things Modernity is the Era of the Left Hemisphere. It's no coincidence that we have all these cool gadgets. [Motorized Ox-CartsPeter Hitchens at The Lamp![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604078988345-0cbd86351db9?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fG94JTIwY2FydHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MDAxNDIxNDl8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/motorized-ox-carts/) --- November 15, 2023 ## We're All Metaxy Men, Whether We Recognize It or Not > Like Gatsby—and like Fitzgerald himself—the human person yearns to “romp . . . like the mind of God,” to transcend the world of gin and sex, of mansions and parties, of the millions of dollars ready to be made here in the American Dream. [Gatsby: Grasping for TranscendenceFrank DeVito at Front Porch Republic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Gatsby.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/gatsby-grasping-for-transcendence/) --- November 14, 2023 ## I'm Not a Fan of Horror Films, but . . . Those who don't hate where they ought to hate can't love where they ought to love. Those who can't see truth can't see falsity. Those who can't recognize the grotesque can't recognize the beautiful. And besides, if we didn't live in the Metaxy, we wouldn't know horror at all, at least not of the supernatural sort. [An Encyclopedia of Curiosities and HorrorsFilip Bakardzhiev at VoegelinView![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1651205171894-7229efd91989?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDR8fG1vbnN0ZXIlMjBtb3ZpZXN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjk5OTcyMTE1fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/an-encyclopedia-of-curiosities-and-horrors/) --- November 13, 2023 [Has the Rabble Breached Another Wall in the Castle of High Culture?The New Criterion properly considers itself an urbane journal of the arts. With this, comes a commitment to first-rate style, without regard to the Idiocracy that is overwhelming our culture. But I saw something interesting (or disturbing, depending on whether one cheers this cultural secular bear…![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Briefly-Note-Card.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/did/) --- ## Monday Column This week's piece is a bit more experimental (and, therefore, less finished) than I'd like, but hey, these ongoing efforts to integrate The Hemisphere Hypothesis into ESB is a process. And it's pretty short, so it shouldn't cause readers too much pain. [We Don’t Know What Consciousness is Because We Don’t Know What the Tao IsYour consciousness is what it’s like to be you. It’s your experiences of color and sound and smell; your feelings of pain, joy, excitement or tiredness. It’s what makes you a thinking, sentient being rather than an unfeeling mechanism. Philip Goff, Scientific American Science is stumped: It![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1644727036086-896b19d7d565?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDZ8fGNvbnNjaW91c25lc3N8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjk5NTMwMTgzfDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/we-dont-know-what-consciousness-is-because-we-dont-know-what-the-tao-is/) --- November 11, 2023 ## Why the CIA No Longer Works: A Disgusting 11-Year History of its Politicization. ## How to Fix It: A Quixotic Notion I'm afraid that, once something is politicized, it stays politicized. I could be wrong, but I believe politicization is a one-way ratchet. You'd have better luck getting eleven years of accumulated cat urine out of a 1970s shag carpet than you would be getting eleven years of accumulated politicization out of the CIA. [Why the CIA No Longer Works—and How to Fix ItCharles S. Faddis at Hillsdale College![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1633220744880-cdf6c2b39f57?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI2fHxTUElFU3xlbnwwfHx8fDE2OTk3MDkzOTh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/why-the-cia-no-longer-works-and-how-to-fix-it/) November 10, 2023 ## Brews You Can Use [BYCUAnother Modern Drunkard Magazine tribute![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1649730437344-cb31d26f3fad?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDIzfHxhbGNvaG9sJTIwc2lnbnxlbnwwfHx8fDE2OTk2MTkzMjZ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-29/) --- November 9, 2023 ## And 90 Seconds Later, I Knew Who I Was Supporting in 2024 Vivek gets it: A Republican party that plays with mainstream tools is merely a part of the Establishment. Primarily, because it *is* part of the Establishment, but that needs to change if we want a real choice in this country. Vivek might be the man. [“Dick Cheney In 3-Inch Heels”: Vivek Takes No Prisoners During GOP Debate, Savages Haley, DeSantis And NBC Moderators“Kristen I’m going to use this time to ask you if the Trump collusion hoax that you pushed on this network for years, was that real or was that Hillary Clinton, made up disinformation?”![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2023-11/2023-11-08_17-53-31.jpg?itok=VWRtgiQu)](https://www.zerohedge.com/political/dick-cheney-3-inch-heels-vivek-takes-no-prisoners-during-gop-debate-savages-haley?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ## Related I saw this great passage a while back. I can't locate it, so I'll merely attribute it to "John Taylor the Arator." > "If you hate another person because of his politics, don't look to your right or to your left. Look up." I very strong argument could be made that centralized government today hollows out the Christian spirit. Heck, it's not just an argument: it's a fact. I'll add it to my list of essays that need to be written. --- ### Must Read [A cartel will decide the US electionChallengers to the status quo are always purged![](https://unherd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cropped-favicon-270x270.jpg)UnHerdB. Duncan Moench![](https://unherd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/GettyImages-1683891805-e1699529204541.jpg)](https://unherd.com/2023/11/a-cartel-will-decide-the-us-election/?tl%5Finbound=1&tl%5Fgroups[0]=18743&tl%5Fperiod%5Ftype=3&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) > A recent [study](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/testing-theories-of-american-politics-elites-interest-groups-and-average-citizens/62327F513959D0A304D4893B382B992B?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) — with more than 1,700 variables — found that economic elites dominate the policy process in the US so thoroughly that average citizens and activist groups ultimately have “little or no independent influence”. Put another way: people without wealth and connections no longer have any representation in American politics. Party politics is little more than elaborate theatre formulated to make proles believe they have a voice. > It has been fascinating to watch celebrity presidential candidates — Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Cornel West, Marianne Williamson — all having to face up to the fact that there’s no effective method of challenging this cartel. Independent US media is stronger than ever, but older generations (who vote in the largest numbers) still have almost no exposure to it. Even if outsiders are willing to sacrifice their reputations on the altar of “speaking truth to power”, all avenues to getting new ideas into full national circulation are barricaded. The [positive media attention](https://shorensteincenter.org/pre-primary-news-coverage-2016-trump-clinton-sanders/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Bernie Sanders’s insurgent 2016 presidential campaign received was a fluke. Trump and Senator Sanders were provided with hundreds of hours of “earned media” on cable news, and even mainstream talk shows, only by virtue of party elites’ vainglorious overconfidence in Hillary Clinton. That mis-step will not be repeated any time soon. --- ### Related: I Think the Republicans Will Do Well in 2024 The Harlem Globetrotters have to let the Washington Generals score to keep up the appearance of a real game. --- ## Members Only Post Today If you're a member and the site doesn't log you in, just click and ask for an email. You shouldn't have to reset your password or undergo any other form of menital mutilation. The site should just send you an email with a link, which you click, and then you're back in. [That Inscription at the Temple of Apollo Won’t Go AwayPretty much everyone agrees we need self-knowledge. The problem is, our left hemispheres hinder it and we are a culture of left-hemispheric presumptions.![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1573414829377-4c0f55a97cb9?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDV8fGRlbHBoaXxlbnwwfHx8fDE2OTk1MjczOTJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/how-to-clear-the-runway-for-the-delphic-oracle/) --- November 8, 2023 ## Gaza Coverage Just FYI: Breaking Points is doing great work on the Gaza crisis, in my opinion. I'm not much of a news hound (like Nassim Taleb, I figure any really important developments will reach me, despite my best efforts to keep out the noise), but it's hard not to take a little notice these days. Look for the originals, Krystal and Saagar, who represent left and right respectively, but are pretty cool to the other side. I'd avoid the second string hosts, one-half of which is Ryan Grim, who is something of an ideologue and incapable of the "partial-impartiality" that, I think, marks Krystal and Saagar's appealing approach. --- ## [Rethinking Economics](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rethinking-economics/) I strongly lean libertarian, which means I strongly lean towards being a dick, since I'm stunned at how many libertarians are obnoxious (with notable exceptions, like Tom Woods and Lew Rockwell). Read the rest: [Rethinking EconomicsI strongly lean libertarian, which means I strongly lean towards being a dick, since I’m stunned at how many libertarians are obnoxious (with notable exceptions, like Tom Woods and Lew Rockwell). I believe it’s because libertarian thinking is marked by unshakeable certitude and logical conclusions,…![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Briefly-Economics.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/rethinking-economics/) [Markets and the Good: Thinking Beyond the Tyranny of EconomicsJay Tolson at The Hedgehog Review![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1571030701211-aa96da577e91?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEzfHxmYWxsJTIwaGFydmVzdHxlbnwwfHx8fDE2OTk0NTE2ODF8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/markets-and-the-good-thinking-beyond-the-tyranny-of-economics/) --- ### Brad Birzer provides nifty nutshells for ten books from the Western Canon [Books That Make Us HumanHere are books that ask their readers to remember that which makes us human, that which matters most. (essay by Bradley Birzer)![](https://eadn-wc04-4478098.nxedge.io/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/TIC_Shield-01.png)The Imaginative ConservativeBradley J. Birzer![](https://eadn-wc04-4478098.nxedge.io/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Screen-Shot-2022-10-27-at-11.39.56-AM-1024x580.png)](https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2023/11/books-that-make-us-human-bradley-birzer.html?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- November 7, 2023 ## Mushrooms I set aside 90 minutes every morning for "deep work." I read for about 15 minutes then work on a piece of writing. I was going to work on a piece about Thomas Sowell and then [**this essay**](https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/what-do-fungi-have-to-do-with-athens/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) came along and hijacked almost an hour of my session. But it was worth it. [Mushrooming to a New Religious Understanding?Tuesday mornings are hard on me for some reason, but this morning, delight hit me from three angles, thanks to this one essay. Delight One: Bookman It comes from The University Bookman, one of the first subscription journals I read (my Dad subscribed and I started reading it when I![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Briefly-Psychedlics.png)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/mushrooming-to-a-new-religious-understanding/) Added to my Christmas wishlist: ### [*Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures*](https://amzn.to/476FeoL?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- November 6, 2023 ## Monday Column [These Monks Were on a Search-and-Destroy Mission Against Their Left HemispheresIt’s hard to admit this, but here goes: Back in my twenties, I decided I wanted to be a mystic. Such a thing is absurd: The goal is foiled by the goal. You might as well decide you want to be a poor man with money (one of Pablo Picasso’![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1614112552042-e80654a8d3b4?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDd8fGdyZWVrJTIwb3J0aG9kb3h8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjk0NDYwNzg0fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/these-monks-were-on-a-search-and-destroy-mission-against-their-left-hemispheres/) --- November 5, 2023 ### If Man is Meant for Work, and AI Eliminates the Need for Work, What Becomes of Man? I think that's what Elon is getting at. But is AI going to pick the pumpkins off the ground or weed the vegetable beds? When Elon talks, I listen, even though I often find him misguided. This is one of those times, but I'll continue to listen. In his recent appearance on Joe Rogan, btw, he lays into the culture of death. Go to minute 30 or so. He says extinctionists can go to hell, speculates the George Soros simply hates human kind, and points out that the earth can support 12 times more people than currently live here. I could practically feel Paul Ehrich shaking with rage. [“Be Careful What You Wish For” - Musk Warns ‘No Jobs Needed’ In Future Of AI “Magic Genie”“There will come a point where no job is needed. You can have a job if you want to have a job for personal satisfaction, but the AI will be able to do everything.”![](https://www.zerohedge.com/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png)ZeroHedgeTyler Durden![](https://assets.zerohedge.com/s3fs-public/styles/16_9_max_700/public/2023-11/2023-11-03_08-43-18.jpg?itok=AlbBFrrV)](https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/be-careful-what-you-wish-musk-warns-no-jobs-needed-future-ai-magic-genie?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### George Orwell Wasn't Easy to Live With A new biography about his wife, who was the breadwinner and caregiver to their adopted child and all-around mule to the author, is none too kind to Mr. Blair. The new bio is another feminist screed against patriarchy, and the reviewer here is sympathetic to such screeds, and such things have grown as tiresome as "Ike jokes" had become in the 1970s, but it's an interesting read. [Down and Out - The American ScholarA woman excised from her eminent husband’s story![](https://theamericanscholar.org/favicon.ico)The American ScholarSteven G. Kellman![](https://theamericanscholar.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/kellman.png)](https://theamericanscholar.org/down-and-out/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- ### We Can't Beat on the Transgender Nonsense Too Often or Too Hard Our culture's love of ugliness might just be yet another sign of our left hemispheric culture. If we don't accept transgenderism, might we just embrace ugliness elsewhere? > "Many elements to be found in modern art are, in fact, strikingly similar to distortions experienced in right hemisphere damage" McGilchrist, The Matter with Things, p. 261 [‘Gender-Affirming Care Is Dangerous. I Know Because I Helped Pioneer It.’My country, and others, found there is no solid evidence supporting the medical transitioning of young people. Why aren’t American clinicians paying attention?![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4418840a-9b89-4c7d-bc80-3f112aefd080%2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)The Free PressRiittakerttu Kaltiala![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4b21783d-fc25-470b-9596-c8cb86b5f7ea_1800x1476.jpeg)](https://www.thefp.com/p/gender-affirming-care-dangerous-finland-doctor?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) --- November 4, 2023 ## They're Not the Rump Rangers A reader sends this: > "Fun fact: The Texas Rangers are the only MLB franchise who didn't hold a Pride Night this year." We'll need to keep this at the level of a "Fun Fact" (well, maybe a "Fun Fact with a Cautious Wink"), lest we end up savaged by Voltaire, who fumed at any notion that Providence was at play in the horrible 1755 Lisbon earthquake. It'd border on the idiotic to think Providence let the Rangers win because they refused Gomorrah. But they *did* win the Series after losing Scherzer and Garcia in the third game . . . --- ## A Tolkien Leitmotif of The Hemisphere Hypothesis Tag It's for "Members Only." If you are a member and the software asks you to sign in, my apologies. But: You should only have to input your email. The software kicked me out and told me to sign in, but that's all I had to do (re-type the email address I used to become a member). [Slay Your Orc, Then Read Your PoetryEric Scheske![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ea/fd/eafdb338-c9b6-4f87-8363-78ab94cc3a18/content/images/2023/11/Rivendell-Small-Scale.jpg)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/slay-your-orc-then-read-your-poetry-2/) --- November 3, 2023 ## Brews You Can Use Probably the most ribald BYCU of the past few years. [BYCUGiving a Whole New Meaning to the “Rear Naked Choke” And the “Reverse Mount,” the “Rear Mount,” the “Full Mount,” the “Arm Drag,” and the “Whizzer” I was cracking up, just reading through a UFC glossary. Can you imagine how much fun Late Night would’ve had with this before Kimmel![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1609900537135-2c64406ed989?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDJ8fGNhZ2UlMjBmaWdodGluZ3xlbnwwfHx8fDE2OTg5NjkyNjN8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/bycu-28/) --- November 1, 2023 ## All Saints Day All Saints Day is here. Rejoice! There's hope for all of us. Sainthood isn't just for those canonized. The Francises, Theresas, and other show-offs. Today, we celebrate all those saints we don't know about: everyone in heaven who isn't canonized. Go to Mass. It's an *obligation*. If it helps, consider it a subpoena. If someone calls my office and asks (annoyed) whether he really has to go to court in response to a subpoena, one of my partners says, "It's not an invitation." Today's Mass isn't an invitation. If you miss today, you could have serious problems. In the words of John Zmirak in his splendid [***The Bad Catholic's Guide to Good Living***](https://amzn.to/45PYsh7?ref=thedailyeudemon.com): > Yes, skipping church today is in fact a mortal sin--and one of the dullest in the book. Can you imagine being damned for blowing off the twenty-six minute liturgy at your parish? You'd be the laughing stock of hell. --- ## [Front Porch Republic](https://thedailyeudemon.com/front-porch-republic-and-modernity/) If you weren't aware, *Front Porch Republic* is the Internet's premier proponent of [localism](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/localism/). Bill Kauffman started it (with others, if memory serves). Though he doesn't make a lot of appearances there, the site is in the talented hands of Jeff Bilbro, who puts together an excellent weekly aggregate of localism pieces, "The Water Dipper." [This morning's feature](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2023/11/modernity-is-a-dirty-diaper/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) attacks, of all things, the flush toilet. The author starts with praises from a handful of economists that I admire. He then responds. > The flush toilet is a wonderful vehicle for demonstrating how modernist solutions are exquisitely primed to turn assets into liabilities under the guise of progress while disconnecting us from the real implications of our actions. The solution creates new problems, which then require more innovation to solve, which in turn leads to new problems. Toilets flush away the nutrients needed to renew the fertility of the soil, in the process contaminating communities downstream. Even when we do understand the importance of closing the carbon cycle, the practice of spreading biosolids from wastewater treatment plants as fertilizer has led to the contamination of prime agricultural land with “forever” chemicals, including PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals), which [have been linked](https://www.epa.gov/pfas/our-current-understanding-human-health-and-environmental-risks-pfas?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) to a whole host of health problems. And, of course, flush toilets and sewage systems assume that communities have the financial resources and political stability to maintain them in good working order, which, given reports about the long-term success of humanitarian-aid sanitation projects, is a big if. [NGOs boast about](https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/analysis/2013/09/17/sanitizing-truth-when-wash-fails?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) how many toilets they have installed but are much quieter when discussing how few are working a year later. He then turns his sights on disposable diapers. It's worth reading. [Modernity is a Dirty Diaper - Front Porch RepublicModernity has become permanently liquid; it no longer seeks solid replacements to the pre-modern world but finds greater value in transience, not just of institutions and things, but of human relationships too.![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10551087_718086398245731_5654206359519516010_n-1-300x300.jpg)Front Porch RepublicAndrew Skabelund![](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Trocknende_Wasche.jpg)](https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2023/11/modernity-is-a-dirty-diaper/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Another FPR Piece Featured This Morning at TDE [The Smallest of Seeds: A Review of Fragile NeighborhoodsChristian McNamara at Front Porch Republic![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonTDE![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1618990908950-fd1a23294d11?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDl8fG5laWdoYm9yaG9vZHxlbnwwfHx8fDE2OTg3OTcyMDh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-smallest-of-seeds-a-review-of-fragile-neighborhoods/) --- [View Previous Monthly Scrolling Blog Entries](https://thedailyeudemon.com/tag/scrolling-blog/) ### Inside the Transgender Empire URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/inside-the-transgender-empire/ Last updated: 2023-10-31T10:42:37.000Z The transgender movement is pressing its agenda everywhere. Most publicly, activist teachers are using classrooms to propagandize on its behalf and activist health professionals are promoting the mutilation of children under the euphemistic banner of “gender-affirming care.” The sudden and pervasive rise of this movement provokes two questions: where did it come from, and how has it proved so successful? The story goes deeper than most Americans know. In the late 1980s, a group of academics, including Judith Butler, Gayle Rubin, Sandy Stone, and Susan Stryker, established the disciplines of “queer theory” and “transgender studies.” These academics believed gender to be a “social construct” used to oppress racial and sexual minorities, and they denounced the traditional categories of man and woman as a false binary that was conceived to support the system of “heteronormativity”—i.e., the white, male, heterosexual power structure. This system, they argued, had to be ruthlessly deconstructed. And the best way to achieve this, they argued further, was to promote transgenderism. If men can become women, and women men, they believed, the natural structure of Creation could be toppled. Susan Stryker, a male-to-female transgender professor currently at the University of Arizona, revealed the general thrust and tone of transgender ideology in his Kessler Award Lecture at the City University of New York in 2008, describing his work as “a secular sermon that unabashedly advocates embracing a disruptive and refigurative genderqueer or transgender power as a spiritual resource for social and environmental transformation.” In Stryker’s best-known essay, “My Words to Victor Frankenstein above the Village of Chamounix: Performing Transgender Rage,” he contends that the “transsexual body” is a “technological construction” that represents a war against Western society. “I am a transsexual, and therefore I am a monster,” Stryker writes. And this monster, he continues, is destined to channel its “rage and revenge” against the “naturalized heterosexual order”; against “‘traditional family values’”; and against the “hegemonic oppression” of nature itself. It is clear from this and from other transgender scholarship that the transgender movement is inherently political. Its reconstruction of personal identity is meant to advance a collective political reconstruction or transformation. Some trans activists even view their movement as the future of Marxism. In a collection of essays titled *Transgender Marxism*, activist writer Rosa Lee argues that trans people can serve as the new vanguard of the proletariat, promising to abolish heteronormativity in the same way that orthodox Marxism promised to abolish capitalism. “In a different era,” Lee writes, > Marxists spoke of the construction of a “new socialist man” as a crucial task in the broader process of socialist construction. Today, in a time of both rising fascism and an emergent socialist movement, our challenge is transsexualising our Marxism. We should think \[of\] the project of transition to communism in our time—communisation—as including the transition to new communist selves, new ways of being and relating to one another. This is the great project of the transgender movement: to abolish the distinctions of man and woman, to transcend the limitations established by God and nature, and to connect the personal struggle of trans individuals to the political struggle to transform society in a radical way. ### **From the Fringes to the Center** The trans movement was hatched, then, on the fringes of American academia. But how did it move so quickly to the center of American public life? Like many other things, it began with a flood of cash, as some of the wealthiest people in the country began devoting enormous sums of money to promote transgenderism. One of these people is Jennifer Pritzker, who was born James Pritzker in 1950\. After serving several years in the U.S. Army, Pritzker went into business, having inherited a sizable part of the Hyatt hotel fortune. In 2013, he announced a male-to-female gender transition and was celebrated in the press as the “first trans billionaire.” Almost immediately, he began donating untold millions to universities, schools, hospitals, and activist organizations to promote queer theory and trans medical experiments. This money was allied with political power, as Pritzker’s cousin, Illinois Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker, signed legislation in 2019, his first year in office, to inject gender theory into the state education curriculum and to direct state Medicaid funds toward transgender surgeries. Speaking before an audience of trans activists, he proclaimed: > \[O\]ur state government is firmly on your side, on the side of every gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer person in the state of Illinois. . . . Those of you in this room know better than anyone that marriage equality was never the endgame. . . . We’re gonna make sure that all transgender Illinoisans are ensured their basic human rights and that healthcare services are provided to them so that they can thrive. Here’s an example of how this combination of well-funded activism and political influence works in practice: Pritzker-funded activists at Lurie Children’s Hospital (the largest children’s hospital in Chicago) provide local schools with training, materials, and personnel who promote gender transitions for children, using the hospital’s reputation to give their ideology a scientific veneer. And the more one investigates, the worse it gets. Children are exposed, for instance, not only to trans ideology, but to concepts such as “kink” (unusual tastes in sexual behavior), “BDSM” (bondage, domination, submission, and masochism), binders to flatten breasts, and prosthetic penises. [Read the rest](https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/inside-the-transgender-empire/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Podcast: October 3, 2023 URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/podcast-october-3-2023/ Last updated: 2023-10-30T14:50:08.000Z Patience and Forbearance Requested: Everything Here is Experimental _This post is for subscribers only._ ### How to Think about the Cell Phone URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/54001/ Last updated: 2023-11-30T14:47:53.000Z ## Weapon of Self-Destruction or Tool of Self-Improvement: The cell phone. Is it a great thing? A useful thing? An annoying thing? An addicting thing? A ton of writers have condemned the cell phone on all sorts of grounds. They’re tired of rude talkers who use it in restaurants, parks, and churches, and they’re disgusted by the way cell phones seem to give people a sense of being: “I cell, therefore I am.” At least one writer, though, decries all this decrying. Jeffrey Tucker, writing at the Ludwig von Mises Institute ([http://www.mises.org/story/1849](http://www.mises.org/story/1849?ref=thedailyeudemon.com)), cogently argued that it’s just more criticism of capitalism, of the Marxist sort. It’s an approach that’s been used repeatedly: Criticize a new technology as an extension of man’s alienation, pepper the essay with quotes from Nietzsche and Freud, and raise the specter of addiction. A few more such jeremiads and the psychiatric profession has a new mental illness to profit from, then maybe the government will get involved with funding. Tucker also thinks it’s just fear of something new: > “Because our eyes see something new, something we haven’t been socialized to expect, and because the market is expanding and democratizing so rapidly, it creates the illusion of something having gone oddly wrong. Instead of seeking to understand it, the temptation is to reach into pop culture’s bag of ideological bromides and decry it as some sort of pathology.” These are excellent points. But he doesn’t address questions that any good disciple of Marshall McLuhan would ask: How does this technology affect the user? What is this need to be in constant touch with everyone, everywhere? McLuhan said the telephone is a red-hot medium. It intensely invokes one sensation: hearing. Being a hot medium, it tends to excite people (when that phone rings, he observed, it’s almost impossible to resist). Why would someone want that red hot medium in their hip pocket or purse throughout the day? At any moment, that poker could go off and exert intense pressure to drop whatever you’re doing or thinking and answer it. Isn’t such a constant string of distractions, or potential distractions, the opposite state of existence that a recollected person should desire? In [*A Guide for the Perplexed*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/313765.A%5FGuide%5Ffor%5Fthe%5FPerplexed?ref=thedailyeudemon.com), E.F. Schumacher points out that we ordinarily exist in two mental states: captured attention and directed attention. Captured attention is a state of mind in which other things control or influence our mental life. Directed attention is when we tell our mind how to behave. “The difference between directed and captured attention is the same as the difference between doing things and letting things take their course, or between living and ‘being lived.’” The state of directed attention is higher. It is the state of reading and meditation. The state of captured attention is a lower state: one of TV watching and amusements. It’s the mental state invited by the constant use of the cell phone. This by itself should cause people to distrust the cell phone and put it away at times. I also question: What does it say about a person when s/he wants to be in a position to talk constantly? It wasn’t long ago that the non-stop talker or gossip was caricatured. Now the non-stop talker is the norm: cell phone on, always ready and willing to gab, gossip, and gush. It’s the opposite of a spiritual tradition that counsels us to a life of quiet. In his modern classic, [*The Restoration of Christian Culture*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3036040-the-restoration-of-christian-culture?from%5Fsearch=true&from%5Fsrp=true&qid=DgG2NqQXm8&rank=1&ref=thedailyeudemon.com), John Senior extols the virtue of silence: > “Silence is not just the absence of noise any more than peace is the absence of war. It is rather a positive and difficult accomplishment, a state of justice in the soul in which according to the classical formulation stretching back to Plato, each part receives its due in the performance of its proper function.” The cell phone and its non-stop invitation to noise strike me as the antithesis of the life of detached silence sought by saints and mystics throughout the ages. I also question the selfishness of the cell phone caller. I can’t tell you how many times a person has called me from his car to “kill time” or to discuss an unimportant matter. He’s driving and has nothing to do, so he’ll bother me. Never mind that I might be trying to work. And never mind that the connection may prove poor, thus adding a piece of annoyance to my day. There’s little doubt that the cell phone involves a large measure of selfishness. A lot of “me.” Yet despite all my concerns with the cell phone, it can’t be denied that all this “me” is infused with a lot of “other.” At the end of his commentary, Tucker writes, “Modern technology has us all talking to each other again. That can’t be a bad thing.” He’s right. Just a few years ago, we worried about everyone holing up in their cubicles, shut off from the world and hooked up to others only through their computer and e-mail. Now we’re talking again. It’s a good thing. It’s a good thing tainted with problems, but we ought not to let the problems overshadow the good, just as we ought not to forget that good things can be used for the worse. ### Gothic Realism: Right Hemispheric? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/untitled-61/ Last updated: 2024-10-29T12:17:28.000Z The macabre might, in part, be a rejection of the Enlightenment and yet another route to re-energize the right hemisphere and its embrace of the trans-rational, much as the occult is a rejection of rationalism and its left hemispheric overlord. > The Gothic genre is particularly suited to depicting these elements. This genre emerged as a knee-jerk reaction to the Enlightenment, expressing a desire for something beyond that which is observable and scientifically quantifiable. [Sacramentals and Spooks | Eleanor Bourg NicholsonModern Halloween seems, however, to operate like anti-Catholicism of the British Victorian period, potentially leading to a backward proto-evangelization.![](https://d2201k5v4hmrsv.cloudfront.net/img/favicon-196.png)Institute on Religion and Public LifeEleanor Bourg Nicholson![](https://d2ipgh48lxx565.cloudfront.net/uploads/article_635ed9600e3e6.jpg?Expires=1732799772&Signature=XEwMTVZUCu0tt-zDYhBxbQRme4eSojgcGNnzoiDppqKPpOhxBm0s1g1w0tdhALRU84iOyO0rKgM0GVhblca3yLyQKQip1ZNHlOnipQNdeHiS2QnoEkXIffvBxvL7Ka2n9nOESPrxYZcp~l72dL0qSzu4UobyFfUutUSso7gZf-Qcgj9mZAFbUCfUnzN2CsWOOEmqw23kD0lDWB0DP2KBQSnZu8LDVuXR~4u0~WLHS1nQdr2huPc5-BMF7QnxTFu6HprlpBshQe6HWp9fgagGi8sT6jsJQ~nUki8X35Wgt5~aLfuTWAEtKXKf8ssYMBv1fjSUeCi-icgE25HKxC1aqg__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIN7SVXNLPAOVDKZQ)](https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2022/10/sacramentals-and-spooks?utm%5Fsource=First+Things+Email+List&utm%5Fcampaign=55203a0f3f-Two%5FEssays%5FMother%5FTeresa%5FCOPY%5F01&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fterm=0%5F1fcb60f68e-55203a0f3f-181188166) ### Repair Culture on the Rise? URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/repair-culture-on-the-rise/ Last updated: 2024-03-17T22:26:03.000Z [The new issue of *Plough* magazine pushes for a return to repairing things](https://www.plough.com/en/topics/justice/sustainable-living/in-praise-of-repair-culture?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). The thrust of this new movement: "throwaway culture" is creating all sorts of problems, from landfills to euthanasia. And big business is the reason. Starting in 1923, it stopped making products intended to last for decades, subject to occasional repairs, and instead started making crap that would be obsolete, either because of fashion or the costliness of repairs or, today, technological hurdles designed to force consumers to throw away their old gadgets and buy the new model. Consumers have begun to push back and, more importantly, central governments have, too. New laws are forcing companies to make products that last and can be repaired. It sounds great, except: If central governments are passing these laws, that tells me one thing: Someone in business stands to gain from these new laws. There is probably a group of politically connected people who stand to profit enormously from this new movement, so I don't trust it. I could be wrong, of course, and I hope I am, but if modern economic history (since 1688) has taught us anything, it's that Hudge and Gudge are never far apart . . . and they never sleep. [If You Can Successfully Get SNAP Out of KFC, I’ll ListenUntil that obvious and flagrant and massive fraud is remedied, I’m afraid any argument for more government action is laughably absurd 💡Synopsis: Tyranny, Inc. apparently calls for greater regulation so we can stop the corporate tyranny in America. But more regulation means more federal government, and the federal government (just![](https://thedailyeudemon.com/favicon.ico)The Daily EudemonEric Scheske![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1658696612519-901cc962f697?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDEyfHxjb3Jwb3JhdGlvbnN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjkyMjM0NDQ2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000content/images/size/w1200)](https://thedailyeudemon.com/if-you-can-successfully-get-bridge-cards-out-of-kfc-ill-listen/) ### Famous Amos URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/famous-amos/ Last updated: 2023-10-26T11:05:25.000Z Martin Amis (1949–2023) died in May as both the preeminent satiric novelist of his generation and also a perpetual whipping boy. Never did he produce the book that united the critics in praise, sold explosively, and swept all the awards (or indeed any award—the most prestigious honor any of his books ever received was the Somerset Maugham Award for the best novel written by someone under thirty-five, which he got for his 1973 rookie effort, The Rachel Papers). The Booker Prize, so often granted to the creatively inert but politically correct, never came his way; only once (for his Holocaust-in-reverse novel Time’s Arrow) was he even shortlisted. Amis was sometimes described as the angriest of writers. This is wrong. His humor was incandescent with delight. But he may have been the leading cause of anger in competing writers. Men and women were equally outraged. Swaggering, cocksure, aggressive, he was a notably masculine writer in an age when manliness was becoming reviled. His jokes had targets, and not the approved ones. Who else would dare to say, “If I had a serious brain injury I might well write a children’s book”? He bedded glamorous women and was not only dubbed a “rock star” of the page but also compared to Mick Jagger in looks. Yet he had an imposing, donnish mastery of literature and history. It was as if the loudest, funniest bloke down at the pub were also the most erudite lecturer. Men, especially young men, ached to write like him; realizing they couldn’t, they resolved instead to drag him down to their level. “It seemed like everyone who could hold a pen was having a go,” Amis once told me, in 2010, reflecting on the reception of Yellow Dog, his funny but imperfect 2003 novel. He did not beg forgiveness; instead he lorded his talent over his foes. “Envy never comes to the party dressed as envy,” he added at the time. “It comes as ‘high standards,’ or something else.” That Amis had achieved a novel as good as The Rachel Papers at age twenty-three suggested to many that he had somehow cheated. Surely his father Kingsley had eased his path, by . . . er, giving him a set of keys? Passing along the recipe? “Like taking over the family pub,” Amis would say, mocking this theory of literary inheritance. In all of history, there are only a handful of examples of child following parent to mammoth literary success. Yet Amis had set out a goal and, infuriatingly, proceeded directly to it. Female writers attempted to disqualify him for writing both misogynist characters and female characters who had richly earned that enmity. His uproarious 1989 apocalyptic noir fantasia London Fields was not shortlisted for the Booker because, although the three male jurors wanted to honor it so, the other two jurors, both women, launched emotional attacks on its author’s alleged failings. One of them uncorked a ten-minute prepared speech calling it “morally and formally flawed” and “irredeemably sexist,” according to the juror David Lodge, and the other said with an impressive lack of irony that a great book “must be ideologically correct.” At the dawn of an era in which humor would be judged on whether it advanced approved dogmas and bromides and was invariably rewarded with the accolade “subversive” for slavish adherence, Amis stuck to what was funny. Personally, he was ideologically correct: his politics were boringly progressive on almost all matters. When in pundit mode, he would denounce Reagan, Thatcher, capitalism, capital punishment, etc. He believed in “gynocracy—chicks rule,” as he once told me. The exact nature of the literary world’s opposition kept changing. In 1995, Amis-hatred seeped out of sulking white-wine parties and into the tabloids, in a triple-fake scandal cooked up out of two completely normal writerly activities (switching agents in the interest of securing the maximum possible advance, then earning that £500,000 advance for his novel The Information) and one medical emergency: beset by excruciating dental pain, he had surgery to replace his teeth. The papers cast this utterly necessary treatment as some sort of diva move—who needs working teeth?—but he made clear in his memoir Experience what he was dealing with: “Each time the uppers met the lowers they experienced a kind of electrical repulsion that made my head jolt. And sometimes, as I chewed, the whole top rank would shiver and shift, and give a resilient twang.” When he wrote with growing alarm about the scourge of Islamist terror after September 11, the critiques morphed into accusations that he had become his father: Kingsley was a staunch Labourite turned crotchety fan of Mrs. Thatcher. Opposing mass-murdering religious fanaticism had somehow become coded as right-wing. When it became fashionable, or necessary, for literary geldings to boast of their far-reaching misogyny-detecting equipment, Andrew Billen of The Times of London had this to offer: last year, he read 2010’s The Pregnant Widow, a novelized gloss on Amis’s twenties. “By page 100, where I gave up, Amis was still going on about some girl’s amazing breasts. It turned out the women who called him misogynistic were right and I, who thought he was satirising misogyny, was wrong.” Try to imagine a woman writer being criticized—and dubbed misandrist!—for expounding with comic hyperbole on her own youthful heterosexual lust, and your imagination will fail. The charge of misandry indeed scarcely even exists, despite its daily accumulation. [Read the rest](https://newcriterion.com/issues/2023/9/famous-amis?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Nassim Taleb Tore into the Left Hemisphere Before The Master and His Emissary URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/you-just-cant-get-into-mcgilchrist-try-nassim-taleb/ Last updated: 2023-10-24T23:36:46.000Z _This post is for subscribers only._ ### The Canonization of Lou Reed URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/the-canonization-of-lou-reed/ Last updated: 2023-10-24T12:01:05.000Z There were at least three Lou Reeds. First and most enduring was the front man of the Velvet Underground, the greaser poet from Long Island who had a cabbie’s voice and a knack for writing songs about drugs and sex and salvation that sounded like the gutter side of 1960s rock. Then came Reed the freelance auteur, churning out spotty solo albums and delivering gnomic anti-interviews to the press. (This same Reed licensed songs to *The Simpsons* and *Beverly Hills 90210*, and appeared in ads for American Express.) Then, beginning in the 1990s, there was Reed the patron saint of downtown New York, as much an acknowledgment of the city’s millennial sterility as a tribute to Reed’s genius. The three versions had an uneasy coexistence, as indicated by Reed’s famously volatile temperament. He could berate anyone—“you’re a fucking moron,” he once barked at a 22-year-old interviewer—but he could also charm a room. Making sense of Reed’s multitudes, and cutting through the mythology that enshrined him as some kind of junkie savant, is the task Will Hermes [sets himself](https://bookshop.org/p/books/lou-reed-the-king-of-new-york-will-hermes/19509803?ean=9780374193393&ref=thedailyeudemon.com) in *Lou Reed: The King of New York*. “If you’re hoping for some neat totalizing statement or psychological profile to explain Reed, to fix him like a butterfly specimen, you won’t find it here,” Hermes cautions early, conceding from the outset the foolhardiness of synthesizing such an unruly artist. And yet the biography, all 560 pages, presents a Reed ravenous for adoration: from his mentor, the boozehound writer Delmore Schwartz; from his onetime manager and muse, Andy Warhol; and from an ensemble of star-crossed lovers, confidants, and rivals. Not a psychological profile, then, but surely a window into sentimental Reed lyrics like “the glory of love might see you through.” Because Reed’s life overlaps with the development of rock and roll, Hermes’s book is also a cultural history of the genre. The first single Reed ever [bought](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eU90nf7xJg&ref=thedailyeudemon.com), “The Fat Man” by Fats Domino, released in 1949, is considered one of the earliest rock records. (There’s a distant echo of that song’s “wah wah wah” chorus in the “doo do doo” refrain on Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” from 1972.) As the decades progress in Hermes’s book, the various milieus Reed inhabited flash by like tinseled mile markers. There’s the underground ferment of Jack Smith, Jonas Mekas, Barbara Rubin, and the New York School poets. There’s CBGB and Max’s Kansas City. There’s the punk upstarts Patti Smith, Television, and Talking Heads. There’s the extraterrestrial David Bowie. There’s Metallica, [regrettably](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15996-lou-reed-metallica/?ref=thedailyeudemon.com). By the final page, Hermes has traced rock’s trajectory from teenage talisman to corporate cash cow to something approaching monumentality: the soundtrack of what used to be called the American Century. As the book’s subtitle indicates, Reed was also a divining rod for New York, tracking and manifesting the city’s raw energies. One subtext—which Hermes mostly avoids—is the evaporation of New York’s counterculture in the wake of tangled -*tions* and -*isms*: gentrification, corporatization, conglomeration, rank careerism, and the ne plus ultra, the internet. Reed’s career arguably parallels the city’s ruthless professionalization—a cultural mode that shifted its calculus from DIY to ROI, from collectivity to the singular. A hefty biography of Lou Reed is well-timed for an audience now slouching toward Medicare, and their offspring, all basking in nostalgia. He’s a taste of something—leather, maybe—plausibly more authentic than anything in the air these days. Lewis Allan Reed was born in 1942\. His father was a certified public accountant who later became treasurer of a company that manufactured potato chip bags. His mother was a homemaker so pretty she’d once been crowned “Queen of the Stenographers of NYC.” The family lived on the South Shore of Long Island, in the village of Freeport—“the most boring place on earth,” according to Reed— where the local celebrity was “Mr. New Year’s Eve”: the mawkish bandleader Guy Lombardo. Reed put together his first band as a junior in high school, initially with the ambition of performing a Little Richard tribute act in the school’s annual variety show. A neighbor in the audience was so impressed that he introduced the boys to a rep from the fledgling Time Records. The Shades, as the trio was christened, recorded their debut single in the summer of 1958, with Reed on guitar and backing vocals. “We’d open supermarkets, shopping centers, things like that. We had glitter jackets,” recalls one of Reed’s bandmates. Although the record deal ended there, it encouraged Reed enough that he continued to play music and even assembled a new band, the Valets (their business card read HERE TO SERVE YOU AND YOURS). Reed handpicked all the covers: songs by Ray Charles, the Cadillacs, and the Isley Brothers, among others. [Read the rest](https://newrepublic.com/article/175921/lou-reed-biography-canonization?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) ### Beyond Progressivism URL: https://thedailyeudemon.com/beyond-progressivism/ Last updated: 2023-10-21T12:05:10.000Z We remain at the end of history, and the only question remains how exactly this ending will end—in the end, finally. The world is everywhere dominated by a mutation of Western modernity, of technologism and a voluntarism of unchecked will both of the individual and of concentrated collective power that recognizes no objective and substantial good. This may be blended with revived yet still-decadent versions of non-Western civilizations, including those of China and India, yet that is but a detail. At the same time and with seeming irony, the West itself is encouraged to hate its own past in its entirety: with less than coherence to scorn variously and even all at once Greek philosophy, Roman law, the Bible, Christianity, the cult of Romantic love, the rise of Science, Enlightenment, overseas Empire, and the Industrial Revolution. Therefore, though only one world civilization survives, this civilization is not only in a phase of extreme decadence—unmoored from its core religious and mythical roots—but has also succumbed at its geographic core to a fashionable and feckless self-hatred. Yet in the name of what, precisely? Only of the most decadent version of its own lingering yet all-pervasive identity, the dominance of which seems at one with the leakage of its own decay, like the oozing body of a suppurating giant. The name of this authorizing and entitling mutation is liberal progressivism: the final version of the West, because it is the name of its perpetuation for an indefinite perpetuity, paradoxically through disintegration. For this exacerbated enlightenment, which can readily take the form of an apparent anti-enlightenment, progress is at once the ever greater release of the variety of natural and pregiven emotional inclination and at the same time the ever more variegated assertion of individual and variously aggregated wills. Such a sophistic will to power, which has rationalistically abandoned reason as a universalizing, normalizing, and hierarchizing myth, is necessarily unembarrassed about its incoherent dual focus upon natural tendency and elected performance, since it thrives only upon its constitutive elision of reason and truth as the mediating and selective link of the two. In the absence of any allowed metaphysical linkage between nature and meaning, it has to shuttle between one and the other, proclaiming equally, either turn by turn or simultaneously, the supposedly absolute character of, for example, innate sexuality or purely psychic gender identity, yet also the supposedly absolute character of consciously willed predilection. With its own twisted veracity, this will to power recognizes that postmodernism has forever exposed the all-too-human, ungrounded, and preferential character of reason, yet it still refuses to return to the confidence that reason may have in faith and to trust in its partial discernment of an infinitely subjective yet thereby truthful absolute. Like a short-circuited postmodernism, forgetful of the latter’s abyssal skepticism, the new and dominant sophistry of the “woke” endeavors in this fashion to jam together the authority of matter and the authority of the will, in order to double the unanswerability of its postrational assertions of identity while concealing that they rest on opposite and incompatible bases. In this respect, it certainly fulfils the contradiction between natural freedom and cultural determination that defined liberal modernity from the outset, yet with a new shamelessness that would be blatant, were it at all self-aware. According to this outlook, what is wrong with our own, Western identity is simply the particularity of its collective self-assertion as a system of meaning. That system can no longer be taken to be a gift, grounded in received mystery and redolent of the promise of future cultural fruits, because it is taken to be merely an assertion, which as aggregated and dominant must necessarily occlude the alternative assertions of “others.” The stream of such counterassertion must be unending, such that yesterday or today’s cause of emancipation is tomorrow’s source of tyranny and oppression. A mere indeterminacy of sense and an endless postponement of meaningful conclusion as to objective value thus reveals itself, in full and constant collusion with the supposed progress of science and technology. An indefinite negativity of the cultural aspiration for the release of random willing always acquires its positive and half-legitimating content from physical nature, just as the positive truth of the sexual revolution was the birth control pill and a new technologization of procreation. If progress is the endless further release of a supposedly innate negative freedom of choice, it is also and perhaps more fundamentally the endless new disintegration, reorganization, and subjugation of the physical world. Hence all libertarian projects, including the Marxist one, become measurably “progressive” mainly in relation to material measure. To prove “progress,” one must have recourse to the quantitative, and all that can be quantified is matter reduced to extension and intension: to size, speed, concentration, and so forth. This mode of merely material “progress” unlocks the further possibilities of a liberation from limits and restraints, particularly those imposed by the state. Yet negative freedom can be evidenced and secured in terms of public space only through its objective manipulation and transformation of material reality. In this way, the liberal project, which always tried to link political liberty among humans to technological control of nature, bends today ineluctably toward the transhuman and robotic. The freedom of humans to control external nature is evermore revealed to be what it was from the outset: the biopolitical control of humanity reduced, in one respect, to mere materiality. The inevitable contradiction adumbrated by Thomas Hobbes, whereby the unrestricted material force of our will that strives to control more constrained material forces is increasingly “resolved” according to the will of a tiny minority that controls and manipulates the passive bodies or the digitally drugged minds of all the rest of us. In this regard, the Californian post-hippie economy of the virtual has proved to be the perfect vehicle for the post-postmodern short-circuiting earlier described. Here the mental and the physical meet in an apparent immediacy that disguises the lack of any truly wise and wisely erotic sifting, or genuine mediation: Apparent choice is granted instant physical validation; the slightest movement of a finger on a keyboard achieves an infinitesimal degree of power at the remotest distance. What is disguised here is the reality of an increasingly total alienation of our interiority to central forces of control and profiteering, such that even our spiritual nature is reduced to a proletarianized embodiment. The real mind and the real mastery lie elsewhere. Meanwhile, the sphere of the actually physical gets further reduced to an aggregated and exploitable wasteland, an outdoors increasingly too hostile for human to venture forth in.[1](https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/theological-variations/articles/beyond-progressivism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) So we continue to live in the end of history, because the dominant mode of culture and technology remains Western, albeit in a terminally decadent mode of the latter. At the same time, this seeming finality is also not just in crisis but metacrisis. Today, we are not so much subject to passing tensions, potentially resolvable, as to the ultimate emergence of tensions latent in the very foundations of the modern. In the respective spheres of the political, the economic, and the cultural, we see, first, that the liberal contractual calculation that it pays to behave and obey the rules is collapsing in favor of systematic criminality; second, that the capitalist calculation that a random market will deliver increasing real wealth and sufficient parity of distribution is collapsing in favor of a quasi-feudal plutocracy; and third, that the cultural calculation that education can dispense with a transcendent reference point and rely upon respect for rights and calculations of utility is collapsing in favor of an anarchy of incompatible assertions and disagreement concerning even the useful and agreeable. What we have, then, is the contradictory order of collapse, the rule of dissolution. In the course of the history of civilizations, this is perhaps not so unusual. What is striking now, however, is the dominance of one civilization in its phase of arguably ultimate decline, with no sign of a successor project on the horizon. How are we to make sense of all this? In the nineteenth century, the various “metaphysics of history” were by and large intracivilizational: stories of progress that saw Western civilization as succeeding to earlier and more inadequate human ventures, and this civilization as itself continuously improving, even if through the course of inevitable conflict. The progress was often envisaged as being one in terms of ideas and reason, yet both Auguste Comte and Karl Marx realized the powerful, even determinative role of a lurking materialism. If progress in reason is objective and transparent, then this progress has to be measurable in a material equivalent. The measure of the latter can finally dispense with the measure of spirit, even if the question of the ontological status of spirit as free must lurk within Marxism. As the Russian philosopher Vladimir Solovyov and then Alexandre Kojève, the émigré philosopher who worked under Solovyov’s influence, realized, it is not so much that Marx inverts Hegel as that he deconstructs him, although in such a way that the Hegelian problematic of subjectivity still disturbingly lurks.[2](https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/theological-variations/articles/beyond-progressivism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) Yet from the time of German Romanticism onward, this ethnocentrism with respect to universal history, which tended to regard the modern Western state (and Prussia in particular) as the culmination of incarnated reason, was also challenged. The alternative view was that Western linearity and progressivism are illusions. Instead, as the Greeks and Romans had once assumed or believed, all that we have in historical reality is a succession of civilizations that characteristically rise, decay, and then collapse. For this Romantic view, which gained further traction in the twentieth century when Europe was in obvious crisis (as proclaimed in the work of Oswald Spengler), the embrace of a cyclical movement of history goes along with the assertion of the primacy of the spiritual—and in a manner that now much less conflates the spiritual with the rationalistic.[3](https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/theological-variations/articles/beyond-progressivism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) We cannot hope to advance to an irreversible self-transparency of reason, which tends to assert and justify itself through its manifest technological and biopolitical self-control, because civilization, on this neo-Romantic view, pivots about a tenuous participatory intuition of a suprarational absolute. Indeed, the entire pattern of a civilization seeks ritually to “represent” such an absolute, to echo the views of two prominent metahistorians of the last century, Christopher Dawson and Eric Voegelin. Sustaining this intuition depends upon a continuous disciplined restraining of baser human instincts, which tend toward egoistic fragmentation, dissolution, and thus to evil. In the long run, these dissolving instincts tend to prevail, and a civilization collapses. [Read the rest](https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/theological-variations/articles/beyond-progressivism?ref=thedailyeudemon.com) _Includes the latest 500 public posts. Use `/sitemap.xml` for the complete archive of public content._