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Doomer Optimism

Doomer Optimism

A How To and Education podcast Explicit

#137 in How To · 🇺🇸 #153 in How To · 🇸🇬
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About the show

Doomer Optimism is a podcast dedicated to discovering regenerative paths forward, highlighting the people working for a better world, and connecting seekers to doers. Beyond that, it's pretty much a $hitshow. Enjoy!

Newest episodes

DO 316 - Free Range Parenting with Lenore Skenazy of Let Grow

56 min

One area where this podcast has turned its attention lately is the question of children, especially questions of schooling and parenting in The Age of the Machine. What follows is a conversation about free range parenting, and the importance of giving kids the freedom, outside the machine, to learn, grow and make mistakes. I was lucky enough to have crossed paths with Lenore on Twitter The Everything App when she came across my viral post about my middle daughter’s “biker gang”: I think my middle daughter is having the best summer of her childhoodShe has this group of friends, they're all incoming 5th graders, and their moms and I have a big group chat going where a kid will ask their mom to say "anyone want to ride bikes" and then they start a little band of kids going house to house inviting others to play. Then they head to parks, to coffee shops, jump on the trampoline in their friends' yards.One good thing though is that the moms are all in touch so even if the kids don't have phones or watches to communicate, we communicate with each other where they are/where they're headed.They call it their biker gang.My daughter has told me it is her favorite thing in the whole world, riding bikes with her friends. She says I'd rather do it than go to Disneyworld!I asked her why and she said it's the freedom.There is a certain age, I'd say something like grades 3 to 7, where it is essential kids get some independence. I think back to the times in my childhood where I was given some freedom to wander in those ages, and those are some of the best memories of my life.It's so important we don't rob our kids of this. Make it happen by any means possible. ------ Lenore is famous for letting her then 9 year old ride the subway in New York City alone. After teaching him how, she brought him to a designated spot and allowed him to find his way home. She was swiftly branded The Worst Mom in America. Well, let all the Worst Moms unite! In this episode we talk about the biker gang an...

DO 315 - The Catholic Land Movement with Michael Thomas and Jason Snyder

1 hr 36 min

An old friend to the show, once maybe a foe for a while, back into friendly territory: Michael Thomas the Director of The Catholic Land Movement. I (Ashley) met Mike a almost half a decade ago, very early in my twitter days. It’s been a joy to see his vocation develop through the years and I am very glad Jason invited him back on the show. In this episode, Mike and Jason discuss the development of the movement, Catholic Social Teaching, distributism, dignified work and practical action, the importance of in person connection, vocation, family, and love! Enjoy!

DO 314 - Southeastern Grasslands Institute with Dwayne Estes and Peter Allen

1 hr 16 min

I met Dwayne at a chance encounter at the Aspen Ideas festival in Chicago which my new buddy Samuel Kimbriel invited me to attend. I was feeling a little lonely and alienated there, lots of technocrats, and up to me walks Dwayne who saw my tag said optimism and he said “I am just about the most optimistic guy you’ll meet!” I saw his tag from the Southeastern Grasslands Institute and I instantly knew this was someone I’d need to have on the pod. Unsurprisingly I tapped Peter Allen to co-host with me and these two were fast friends! Oak savannah ecosystem nerds unite! Enjoy this episode! If you want to support Dwayne’s work, consider attending the Eastern Native Grasslands Symposium conference: https://www.engsymposium.org/home or finding their work here: https://www.segrasslands.org/

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All episodes

The newest 50 of 316 episodes

DO 316 - Free Range Parenting with Lenore Skenazy of Let Grow

56 min

One area where this podcast has turned its attention lately is the question of children, especially questions of schooling and parenting in The Age of the Machine. What follows is a conversation about free range parenting, and the importance of giving kids the freedom, outside the machine, to learn, grow and make mistakes. I was lucky enough to have crossed paths with Lenore on Twitter The Everything App when she came across my viral post about my middle daughter’s “biker gang”: I think my middle daughter is having the best summer of her childhoodShe has this group of friends, they're all incoming 5th graders, and their moms and I have a big group chat going where a kid will ask their mom to say "anyone want to ride bikes" and then they start a little band of kids going house to house inviting others to play. Then they head to parks, to coffee shops, jump on the trampoline in their friends' yards.One good thing though is that the moms are all in touch so even if the kids don't have phones or watches to communicate, we communicate with each other where they are/where they're headed.They call it their biker gang.My daughter has told me it is her favorite thing in the whole world, riding bikes with her friends. She says I'd rather do it than go to Disneyworld!I asked her why and she said it's the freedom.There is a certain age, I'd say something like grades 3 to 7, where it is essential kids get some independence. I think back to the times in my childhood where I was given some freedom to wander in those ages, and those are some of the best memories of my life.It's so important we don't rob our kids of this. Make it happen by any means possible. ------ Lenore is famous for letting her then 9 year old ride the subway in New York City alone. After teaching him how, she brought him to a designated spot and allowed him to find his way home. She was swiftly branded The Worst Mom in America. Well, let all the Worst Moms unite! In this episode we talk about the biker gang an...

DO 315 - The Catholic Land Movement with Michael Thomas and Jason Snyder

1 hr 36 min

An old friend to the show, once maybe a foe for a while, back into friendly territory: Michael Thomas the Director of The Catholic Land Movement. I (Ashley) met Mike a almost half a decade ago, very early in my twitter days. It’s been a joy to see his vocation develop through the years and I am very glad Jason invited him back on the show. In this episode, Mike and Jason discuss the development of the movement, Catholic Social Teaching, distributism, dignified work and practical action, the importance of in person connection, vocation, family, and love! Enjoy!

DO 314 - Southeastern Grasslands Institute with Dwayne Estes and Peter Allen

1 hr 16 min

I met Dwayne at a chance encounter at the Aspen Ideas festival in Chicago which my new buddy Samuel Kimbriel invited me to attend. I was feeling a little lonely and alienated there, lots of technocrats, and up to me walks Dwayne who saw my tag said optimism and he said “I am just about the most optimistic guy you’ll meet!” I saw his tag from the Southeastern Grasslands Institute and I instantly knew this was someone I’d need to have on the pod. Unsurprisingly I tapped Peter Allen to co-host with me and these two were fast friends! Oak savannah ecosystem nerds unite! Enjoy this episode! If you want to support Dwayne’s work, consider attending the Eastern Native Grasslands Symposium conference: https://www.engsymposium.org/home or finding their work here: https://www.segrasslands.org/

DO 313 - Stephen Adubato from Cracks in Postmodernity

1 hr 10 min

I met Stephen this summer at the Woodcrest Bruderhof + DO + Savage Collective event in NY. Alan from Plough suggested Stephen for a panel and he instantly agreed! He gave a fantastic talk about the wonderful characters in his neighborhood, and the very real sense of place that happens when you invite the colorful characters into your life. He had to run off to a family event after but he and I instantly hit it off and are slowly but surely planning a DO + Cracks in Pomo event in Manhattan, once we find the right format and speakers. In this episode we cover: Stephen’s background Postmodernism and the return of religion Suburban disenchantment Living tradition vs. traditionalism Civic life over culture war The Staten Island saint feast and MAGA Roots, immigration, and integration Humor, friction, and HR culture Subsidiarity and overcentralization The Catholic Worker and in-person events Follow Stephen's work at: https://cracksinpomo.substack.com/

DO 312 - Wendell Berry Retrospective with Jason, Ashley, Nate and Donald

1 hr 14 min

Jason initiated this get together of some of the original DO crew to discuss the life, work and legacy of Wendell Berry. It is no secret that Berry’s work has been an animating force for nearly everyone orbiting DO, especially those of us interested in food and ag systems. We discuss not only the legacy of Berry’s nonfiction work — how he suggested the agricultural system would collapse and so far it largely hasn’t, but also his fiction and poetry which actually has a great contribution on love, companionship, and romance.

DO 311 - Mike Healy Manufacturing Community

1 hr 26 min

Every once in a while someone comes into the DO world and it is so clear how well they fit in it’s amazing you hadn’t found them yet! This is true of Mike, Chicagoan, Northsider (boo!), who has a vision for how to make good things in the world and is working to do so. Right now that looks like a manufacturing business he started, but Mike talks through his whole trajectory from fancy universities, working in politics, Chicago river ship boat captain, to trying to revitalize middle side American cities (with the help of Nick Offerman). You can support Mike’s work here: www.wilmot-productions.com

DO 310 - Chapter House with Josh and Hannah Centers

1 hr 28 min

This episode explores how Josh and Hannah Centers built Chapter House, a publishing project designed to restore beautiful, culturally literate children’s books to homeschool families. From Homer and Shakespeare to Beowulf, Greek myth, and Our Island Story, they explain why classic literature still matters for forming attention, imagination, and virtue in a distracted age. They also share the homeschooling experiences that shaped their philosophy, including Hannah’s background as a public school teacher, their journey with a dyslexic child, and why Charlotte Mason’s ideas about habit training and whole-person education continue to guide their work. Josh makes the case that the liberal arts are even more important in the age of AI, while Hannah describes how the right book can open a reluctant reader’s world. If you care about education, great books, or raising kids with depth and resilience, this conversation offers a thoughtful and hopeful vision for what learning can be.

DO 309 - Bill Kauffman

41 min

"But at Least They're Human: Face-to-Face Living -- With Joy and Without Illusions"From the conference: Another Life is Possible co-organized by the Woodcrest Bruderhof community, Doomer Optimism and Savage Collective, July 2026https://doomeroptimism.substack.com/p/do-308-bill-kauffman

DO 308 - Growing Pecans with Lenny Wells

1 hr 7 min

Tom and Jason talk to Lenny Wells - pecan farmer and extension agent - about growing pecans in Georgia, the cultural and ecological factors. Along the way we also discuss: -how he got into pecans -his book on pecans -consulting with a pecan farmer in Spain -his love for Wendell Berry, and -fly-fishing in Montana Enjoy!

DO 307 - Microcolleges with Jacob Hundt

1 hr 31 min

In this episode Ashley and Jacob discuss the concept of microcolleges, and examples of alternative educational models writ large. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro: Exploring education, community, and sustainability 02:27 - How a class on sustainable development shifted a life trajectory 04:02 - Higher education as transformative yet bureaucratic: a nuanced view 06:20 - The role of micro-colleges as laboratories for alternative education models 08:20 - Microcollege principles: human scale, place-based focus, holistic curriculum 10:12 - Experiential learning in agriculture and sustainability in Uruguay 13:19 - Moving to Uruguay: motivation, land, community, and self-sufficiency 16:26 - The influence of environmental sociology and fieldwork on education 18:13 - Rizoma and regenerative agriculture: connecting resources across bioregions 23:21 - Adapting the Uruguay model to local high schools and legislative advocacy 26:13 - The challenges of bureaucratic hurdles in US-based experiential programs 27:27 - The origins and evolution of Thoreau College in Wisconsin 28:05 - Deep roots in the Driftless region, organic farming, and educational experimentation 29:04 - Waldorf pedagogy, family-centered schooling, and youth leadership 31:51 - Deep Springs College: history, pillars, and self-governance 34:40 - The influence of Nicola Tesla and pioneering education in remote settings 36:27 - The unique, small scale, and community-centered design of Deep Springs and inspired schools 40:34 - Gender, environment, and community: reflections on co-ed versus single-sex models 41:26 - The importance of family and nurturing environments in education communities 43:11 - The role of place-based knowledge and historical understanding in cultivating belonging 45:27 - The holistic curriculum: arts, nature, and expedition-based experiential learning 48:45 - The ethics and profundity of slaughtering animals as a ritual of reverence 50:05 - Broadening perspectives: practical engagement over superficial...

DO 306 - Building New Athens with Jackson Solway

1 hr 29 min

Movetonewathens.com TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introducing the idea of building a city from scratch to address societal doom02:08 - Jackson’s background in tech and recruitment influencing city planning03:03 - The role of ambition and ecosystem understanding in city development06:20 - How tech industry recruitment reveals societal dysfunction and potential solutions08:39 - The cultural decline: urban decay, regulations, and family disconnection11:48 - The blueprint for New Athens: promises to residents and leveraging local incentives15:07 - Examining societal doom: urban chaos, lawlessness, and cultural disintegration18:19 - Why cities are the optimal size for revival and the role of regulations19:16 - Ideal demographic makeup: balancing virtue, ambition, and risk-taking21:49 - Global and regional efforts for renewal: bioregions, state lines, and culture-based organization26:56 - Practical steps for deregulation and attracting people, businesses, and investors33:01 - The significance of moral bounds, virtue, and community in city planning42:50 - The importance of craft manufacturing, local food, and human-scaled urban design46:47 - Envisioning a human-friendly, tech-lite city culture52:28 - Population growth, family life, and the cultural mimetic effect58:40 - The collapse of woke ideology and the rise of anti-tech, pro-human movements65:00 - AI as a secular religion, the need to maintain human sovereignty and meaningful life71:01 - The role of technology regulation: keeping devices off the body and emphasizing human presence76:33 - The dynamics of institution-building, trust, and leadership challenges83:50 - The archetype of visionary leaders and operational builders for city creation88:17 - How to follow and support the New Athens project

DO 305 - Orthodox Masonry

1 hr 16 min

Patrick Lemmon and Seth Harris In this episode, Patrick and Seth discuss the principles of traditional and orthodox building methods, the importance of local materials, and the future of sustainable construction. They explore how craftsmanship, local culture, and thoughtful design can create enduring and meaningful structures. Keywords: building, masonry, traditional construction, local materials, sustainability, architecture, craftsmanship, Vermont, masonry revival, orthodox Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Built Environment and Human Flourishing 03:00 Personal Journeys in Craftsmanship and Building Traditions 05:58 The Philosophy Behind Orthodox Masonry 08:54 The Importance of Teamwork in Craftsmanship 11:50 Learning from Nature: Building with Local Materials 15:00 Challenging Traditional Building Practices 18:02 The Historical Context of Building in Vermont 21:04 The Concept of Housewrights and Holistic Building 23:57 The Impact of Industrialization on Building Practices 27:03 The Relationship Between Building Materials and Environment 29:59 The Future of Building: Embracing Local and Sustainable Practices 40:02 The Impact of Flooding on Homes 41:56 The Evolution of Building Materials 43:50 Ventilation and Heating in Masonry Homes 50:04 Design Principles in Architecture 52:00 The State of the Building Arts Movement 01:03:04 Optimism in Building Practices Orthodox Masonry is a design/build firm specializing in structural masonry and timber frame construction. Creating buildings that are both structurally and aesthetically resilient, we offer an alternative to disposable construction. https://www.orthodoxmasonry.com/about

DO 304 - Courtyard Urbanism with Alicia Pederson

1 hr 5 min

In this episode, Alicia Pederson, founder of Courtyard Urbanist, takes us on a fascinating journey from ancient Rome to today’s urban development roadblocks. She explains how courtyard-based architecture can address housing shortages, social isolation, and environmental concerns—all while creating vibrant, affordable neighborhoods for middle-class families. Read more about Alicia's work and vision here: https://courtyardurbanist.com/p/welcome-to-courtyard-urbanist

DO 302 - Starting a Farm and a Farm Store on Main Street

1 hr 6 min

Geoffrey Long of Long Story Farms joins Jason to talk about what it actually takes to build a working farmstead part-time, the real challenges of scaling production and finding local markets, and why he thinks a permanent storefront can do what farmers' markets can't. We also get into his philosophy around local economies, community resilience, and why he believes people with skills and agency are better positioned more than most for whatever comes next.Geoffrey Long runs Long Story Farms in Newberry, South Carolina, where he raises Jersey cows, pigs, laying hens, ducks, and turkeys on 130 acres while maintaining a nine-year-old food forest and holding down a full-time corporate job. He's also spent the last three years renovating a historic building on Main Street to open Farms on Main, a local food grocery and zero-waste refillery focused on low food miles and minimal packaging.instagram.com/longstoryfarmscfacebook.com/longstoryfarmsx.com/longstoryfarms

DO 301 - Open Source Civilization: Marcin Jakubowski of Open Source Ecology

1 hr 14 min

When Your Tractor Breaks, Open Source the Whole Civilization Marcin Jakubowski, founder of Open Source Ecology, joins Ashley to talk about his 20-year project to open source the blueprints for civilization, starting with a broken tractor on a Missouri farm and expanding into a full Global Village Construction Set of 50 industrial machines. They get into the abundance vs. scarcity mindset, solar concrete, modular open source housing at $100K build cost, why proprietary design is a bad mental model, and how Marcin is now recruiting 75 people for his Future Builders Academy to finish the whole set by 2028. If you've ever been frustrated by planned obsolescence, right to repair, or the cost of building anything in America, this one's for you. https://www.opensourceecology.org/

DO 300 - Celebrating 300 Episodes of Doomer Optimism

1 hr 18 min

Three hundred episodes in, and we’re still here, still questioning, still laughing, still building. In this special 300th episode, we gather voices from across DO; past guests, hosts, collaborators, and community members, to reflect on what this experiment has meant to us. What began as a space to grapple honestly with economic, ecological, and political unraveling has become something deeper: a living, breathing community grounded in realism and sustained by stubborn hope. We discuss our favorite moments and celebrate what happens when people choose to face hard truths together, and still believe in the possibility of regeneration. If you’ve listened once or a hundred times, joined us at an event, or simply wrestled with these ideas on your own, you’re part of this story. Here’s to the next chapter.

DO 299 - Small Scale Production, Henry George, and the Land Value Tax

1 hr 46 min

Willy Denner of Little Seed Gardens in Chatham, NY, joins Jason and returning co-host Nigel Best for a wide-ranging conversation about 32 years of small-scale organic farming, the economics of direct market production, and the political philosophy of Henry George. Willy shares how he and his wife, Claudia, built their 100-acre vegetable and grass-fed beef operation from scratch — no farming background, just conviction, soil maps, and thousands of miles of driving back roads in search of land. He talks about the decision to scale back production by 75% this year, the grind of farmers' markets, and what it means to farm as a strategy toward a life rather than as an end in itself. They go into a deep, practical discussion of Georgism and the Land Value Tax. Willy, Nigel, and Jason explore why Henry George’s Progress and Poverty — once the best-selling book in English after the Bible — argued that taxing land value (not labor, not production, not transactions) is the only morally coherent and economically efficient basis for taxation. They dig into the difference between land and capital, the concept of economic rent, and why current property and income taxes penalize production while rewarding speculation, and whether any path to a single tax exists short of civilizational crisis. Also covered: no-till vegetable growing, solarization techniques, homemade farm equipment, holistic management as a decision-making framework, and advice for young people trying to find their footing. www.littleseedgardens.com

DO 298 - The Wool Empire, Faith, and Local Business

1 hr 14 min

Jason is joined by Greg Cello to discuss his plan to build a regional wool industry in New England, starting with sheep on his Rhode Island homestead. This isn't just about producing sweaters; Greg sees sheep farming as a way to revive the cooperative spirit that once defined rural communities, where families worked together and traded their goods through local granges. The conversation touches on how Greg went from military officer to homesteader, why he pulled his kids out of school and daycare to raise them at home, and how his Catholic faith became central to everything he does. He talks about the difference between environmentalism and true conservationism, his daily podcast where he works through ideas in real time, and the Globalism Slayer account he created to highlight small American family businesses as a counterweight to globalism. Greg is candid about the challenges of building roots in an expensive real estate market, the tension between using modern platforms like X and Substack to promote a vision of local self-sufficiency, and what it would actually look like to create generational stability for his family and community. The episode explores subsidiarity, discipline, dissidence, and what moves people to reject the default modern life and try something harder but more meaningful. You can find Greg at Kinward on Substack and @dissidntdad on X

DO 297: Mulberries in the Rain: Permaculture, Crisis, and Building Food Systems for the Future

1 hr 11 min

How patient design and ideological diversity are reshaping food production Ashley sits down with Ryan Blosser and Trevor Piersol, co-founders of Shenandoah Permaculture Institute and authors of Mulberries in the Rain, to explore permaculture beyond the stereotype of backyard herb spirals. We discuss what sets permaculture apart from regenerative agriculture, the evolving demographics of people drawn to food production, and how ideological diversity from left-wing environmentalists to conservative land stewards strengthens the movement. We dive into the practicalities of perennial systems, why comfrey matters more than you might think, and the often-overlooked messiness of annual vegetable farming. Ryan and Trevor challenge permaculture dogma around native plants and invasive species, sharing our own experiences with bamboo and autumn olive. We also discuss Ryan's innovative farm-based education program that integrates Virginia's K-12 curriculum standards with food production and how it's showing promising results for student achievement while producing thousands of pounds of organic food for the community. As the discussion turns philosophical, we explore what "doomer optimism" really means: preparing for an uncertain future not out of fear, but because building local food systems, land relationships, and community resilience are inherently fulfilling. We examine land access challenges, the psychology of sustainable living, and why relationships, especially those forged across ideological lines, may be our most valuable resource as we face systemic change. Perfect for anyone interested in permaculture, regenerative agriculture, education, and building meaningful alternatives to industrial food systems. The Shenandoah Permaculture Institute teaches practical, hands-on permaculture with a focus on building healthy, resilient communities. Co-founded by Ryan Blosser and Trevor Piersol, along with Dr. Ted Butchart and Emilie Gooch Tweardy, SPI offers Permaculture Desi...

DO 296: Building Community in Fragmented Times

1 hr 5 min

Ashley Fitzgerald sits down with Elizabeth Oldfield to explore how we can foster genuine connection across ideological and cultural divides and why it matters more than ever. Drawing on Elizabeth’s experience leading the Theos think tank, hosting the acclaimed podcast The Sacred, and living in an intentional community, they discuss the power of combining rigorous research with compelling storytelling to actually shift culture and change minds. They dig into why demanding ideological purity fractures movements and how to build real coalitions across genuine disagreement instead. Elizabeth shares her hard-won insights into the neurobiology of listening, understanding our fight-or-flight responses and the human tendency toward homophily, and how this knowledge can help us create spaces where people can actually hear each other. The conversation takes a deeper turn as they wrestle with the surprising case for institutions. Even imperfect ones like churches, schools, and intentional communities are essential scaffolding for human flourishing. Elizabeth shares her own journey from childhood cultural Christianity through atheism and back to a grounded, mysterious faith, and reflects on the spiritual hunger she’s been witnessing emerge over the past several years, even among those who thought they’d moved beyond religion. Throughout, they keep returning to the unglamorous, essential work of showing up locally: sitting on school boards, knowing your neighbors, breaking bread together. In a time of fragmentation and uncertainty, they suggest this might be the most radical and necessary act of all.

DO 295 - Navigating the Evolution of Meat Production with Greg Gunthorp & Nate

1 hr 40 min

Surviving Consolidation, One Pig at a Time Greg Gunthorp, a fourth-generation Indiana hog farmer, joins Nate for a wide-ranging conversation about survival, stubbornness, and adaptation in the American meat industry. Greg grew up raising pigs on pasture as part of a diversified family farm, using livestock as a tool to care for the land and keep the operation afloat. But by the early 1990s, the writing was on the wall. In 1994, Greg’s father, Theodore, told him that the era of the independent hog farmer was over. Greg didn’t accept it. Determined not to be the last Gunthorp to raise pigs, he bought the sow herd from his father and struck out on his own on 65 acres just down the road. Then the market collapsed. By 1998, Greg was selling pigs for less than what his great-grandfather had earned during the Great Depression. Walking away would have made sense, but instead, a chance conversation after a conference changed everything. Someone suggested he call a Chicago restaurant that was buying whole hogs. Greg picked up the phone, not knowing who Charlie Trotter was. “Bring me a pig,” the chef said. That delivery, into one of the most celebrated restaurants in the world, marked Greg’s entry into foodservice and a niche that would keep the farm alive. As farm-to-table gained momentum in the late ’90s and early 2000s, Gunthorp Farm grew rapidly, at times doubling year over year. Greg talks about what that growth felt like, and why it eventually slowed as larger brands entered the space and redefined what “farm-to-table” meant. “The big guys woke up,” he says. “Most of it comes from them now.” The pandemic brought another shock, especially as downtown Chicago restaurants shut down and office workers disappeared. Greg speaks candidly about the fragility of restaurant-driven farm businesses, thin margins, and how quickly demand can vanish. Throughout the conversation, adaptation is the throughline. From expanding into poultry, sheep, and on-farm processing, to developing f...

DO 294 - Rural Revival and the USDA with Nate and Jason Mauck

1 hr 16 min

Nate sits down with Jason Mauck to discuss his hard-won experience running Munsee Meats, a small-scale meat processing operation in Indiana. What started as an opportunistic response to empty shelves during COVID became a two-and-a-half-year battle with regulatory bureaucracy that ultimately revealed the deep structural problems plaguing America’s food system. Jason estimates the regulatory burden cost him over a million dollars in inefficiencies, despite buying the facility for just $200,000. Meanwhile, imported beef faces far less scrutiny than his local operation ever did. Jason and Nate explore what a revitalized rural food system could actually look like—one built on diversified farms with animals integrated back onto the landscape. They discuss Jason’s innovative relay cropping systems that capture 80% of corn yields with 40% of the seed, while simultaneously raising chickens, pigs, goats, and sheep in the same fields. They examine the creative marketing strategies that worked, like automated fundraisers that gave 25% back to schools and churches while capturing retail margins, and freezer kiosks that allowed convenient pickup. Rural America has been systematically hollowed out over decades of consolidation, with farmers forced to compete against one another rather than collaborate. Jason argues that the same regulatory frameworks supposedly designed for food safety have become firewalls that protect corporate interests while making it nearly impossible for small operators to succeed. Bringing animals back to the land could restore soil health, replenish aquifers, revitalize rural economies, create meaningful employment opportunities, enhance human health through improved nutrition, and break the corporate stranglehold on our food supply. The technology and knowledge exist; what’s missing is the regulatory reform and political will to let it happen.

DO 293 - Antitrust Law, Beef Politics, and Actually Using Government Power

1 hr 27 min

Antitrust attorney Basel Musharbash discusses recent political whiplash in beef markets and the broader question of how actually to enforce anti-monopoly law. The conversation covers why ranchers erupted over being blamed for high beef prices, the history of promises versus lackluster execution going back to early 1900s meatpacking cases, and how the Packers and Stockyards Act was supposed to regulate these companies but never really worked except briefly in the 1940s, Reagan's 1982 announcement ending merger enforcement and the five year transformation that followed, the difference between free markets and accessible competitive markets, why monopolies arise even without government help through predatory pricing and exclusive contracts, the paradox of needing to use power to break up concentrated power, Robert Jackson's 1937 speech on economic democracy without bureaucracy or regimentation, concrete immediate actions like debarment from government contracts versus multi-year DOJ investigations, why Congress could pass a breakup bill instead of waiting on agencies, the political opportunity for either party to outflank the other on this issue, Dan Osborne's economic dictatorship framing, and why economists should maybe just be ignored entirely when they dismiss rancher testimony with modeling exercises. Basel is Managing Attorney at the Antimonopoly Counsel, specializing in antitrust and trade regulation with a focus on agriculture, rural economies, and consumer protection. He has represented farmers against meat processors, defended workers from illegal noncompete agreements, and advocated before the FTC, DOJ, and USDA. Basel authored the landmark 2024 report “Kings Over the Necessaries of Life” on monopolization in American agriculture. His work has been featured in Reuters, AP, Time Magazine, CNBC, and other major outlets.

DO 292 - Breaking the Beef Cartel: Mike Callicrate on Monopoly Power, Maker-Owned Markets, and the Fight for Rural America

1 hr 45 min

Welcome to Beef Week! 🐄 Nate sits down with rancher, entrepreneur, and farm advocate Mike Callicrate for a deep dive into the crisis facing America's cattle industry—and the path forward.Mike traces the devastating consolidation of the beef industry from the 1980s to today, explaining how we went from 20 competitive cattle buyers to just four dominant packers controlling 85% of the market. He shares his firsthand experience of being blackballed by the industry after speaking out, forced to watch his 12,000-head feedlot sit empty despite having 14,000 cattle ready to sell.But this isn't just a story of corporate capture—it's a blueprint for resistance. Mike details how he built Ranch Foods Direct, creating a model that bypasses the exploitative middlemen by connecting producers directly to consumers. He reveals the shocking inefficiencies of industrial meat processing (700 gallons of water per animal vs. 30-50 gallons in small plants) and explains why the "efficiency" narrative is a myth designed to justify consolidation.The conversation covers critical topics, including:How boxed beef became a weapon to eliminate small regional packersWhy USDA inspection protects big players while crushing small operationsThe real reason beef is safer when carcasses hang for 6-7 days (and why big packers won't do it)Mike's vision for "maker-owned markets"—community food hubs where producers own the real estate and control their destinyWhy breaking up retail giants like Walmart is as important as addressing packer monopoliesMike offers a third way between predatory capitalism and socialism: distributed ownership. His maker-owned market concept shows how communities can rebuild local food systems that create wealth, foster connection, and produce genuinely better food.Whether you're a producer fighting for survival, a consumer wanting better food, or someone concerned about rural America's collapse, this conversation provides both the context to understand how we got here and the vi...

DO 291 - Building an Edible Perennial Nursery with Nick Wrenn of Living Soil Tree Farm

1 hr 29 min

Building an Edible Perennial Nursery with Nick Wren Nick Wren of Living Soil Tree Farms joins Jason to talk about the practical realities of starting and running an edible perennial nursery. Nick shares his journey from civil engineering to tree farming, explaining why he became passionate about native nut trees, fruit trees, and woody perennials.They cover the nuts and bolts of nursery operations, including seasonal rhythms throughout the year, the use of air-pruning beds for propagating seedlings, and the advantages of growing trees from seed versus grafted cultivars. Nick discusses the challenges of meeting market demand, balancing online shipping with local sales, and the economics of different scale operations.Key topics include strategies for protecting seeds from rodents, managing deer pressure, the role of composting and soil biology in tree health, and why greenhouse infrastructure is less critical for native tree production than many people assume. Nick makes a strong case for black walnuts, hazelnuts, and other underutilized native trees that could play a larger role in regional food systems.The episode also explores the broader philosophy behind small-scale tree nurseries, including the importance of preserving genetic diversity through seed saving, the potential for silvopasture systems, and how this work connects to building more resilient local food economies. Nick shares practical advice for anyone interested in starting their own nursery operation, from building air pruning boxes to grading and pricing trees. For those interested in edible landscaping, permaculture, or small-scale agriculture, this conversation offers both inspiration and actionable knowledge about working with native and edible perennial plants.Connect with Nick:Website: livingsoiltreefarm.comYouTube: Living Soil Tree Farm

DO 290 - Distributism, Local Commons, and Agrarian Futures with Chris Smaje

1 hr 24 min

Jason and Ashley welcome back Chris Smaje to discuss his new book, “Finding Lights in a Dark Age,” now available for purchase. Chris is a returning guest who first appeared on the podcast to discuss his influential book “Small Farm Future,” which helped shape many of the show’s conversations about agricultural futures and sustainability. He returned previously to discuss “Say No to a Farm-Free Future,” his critique of George Monbiot and proponents of lab-grown food alternatives. In this episode, Chris discusses his third book, which assumes a transition to a lower energy future and explores practical approaches to living well despite new challenges. The conversation covers his solar system model of political organization, distributism and Catholic social teaching, the complexities of managing commons and collective resources, lessons learned from running his own farm, and the potential for relocalization of food systems and community structures. Chris draws on his experiences managing a small farm with a community of people, including challenges with woodland commons, cooperative work arrangements, and the practical realities of collective decision-making. The discussion explores demographic challenges, migration patterns, the role of family and household economies, and the distinction between romanticized visions of agrarian life and the nuanced, practical arrangements required to make local systems function effectively. The book argues for a more distributed, locally-oriented approach to politics and economics, moving away from centralized state power toward bottom-up community organization. Chris explores how people might navigate the breakdown of high-energy modernity by developing local autonomy, access to land, and new forms of community organization that balance individual agency with collective needs. The conversation ends with reflections on what flourishing might look like in a post-abundance future and why the so-called Dark Ages may not have been dark fo...

DO 289 - Beef, Bartering, and the Agorist's Guide to Not Starving with Nigel, Nate, and Jason

1 hr 27 min

Nigel Best doesn’t have time for your b******t. He’s too busy welding gates, rotating cattle, building spiral staircases, and conducting “illicit beef transactions” in Craigslist parking lots. Missouri woodworker and regenerative rancher Nigel Best joins Jason and Nate to talk about what it actually takes to make a living on the land—without going broke, without selling your soul, and without waiting for Washington to save you. In this episode: Why coming up hard isn’t a strategy (but flat tires and crooked fingers are part of the deal) The truth about rotational grazing: genius in wet years, dumbass in droughts How to raise beef when customers complain about prices and the president says you’re greedy The case for land value tax as the only moral tax (and why nobody’s entitled to your heartbeats) Why the informal economy beats W-2 farms and digital surveillance every time Meat packer monopolies vs. the last stand of independent ranchers Two competing theories of change: political antitrust warfare or agorist opt-out Why every kid should work construction with crotchety old men before graduating high school Fair warning: Nigel solves exactly zero problems in this episode. What he does offer is three decades of hard-won wisdom from someone who’s actually been “out there in the rain at midnight with their hand up a cow.” No Instagram-perfect farm content. No verbatim regurgitation of regenerative ag books. Just the unvarnished reality of feeding yourself, your family, and your neighbors in a system designed to extract value from everyone who touches it. If you’re tired of influencers peddling theories and want to hear from someone who’s actually dragging their knuckles through it, this one’s for you. Guest: Nigel Best (@NigelBest5)Hosts: Jason & NateTopics: Regenerative Agriculture, Land Tax, Agorism, Beef Industry, Rural Economics, Informal Markets

DO 288 - Beyond Interchangeability: Leah Sargeant on the Dignity of Dependence

59 min

Why We Need Each Other More Than Ever https://undpress.nd.edu/9780268210335/the-dignity-of-dependence/ https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-great-feminization/ Ashley welcomes back Leah Sargeant to discuss her new book, The Dignity of Dependence: A Feminist Manifesto. They explore two core arguments: that women's equality with men doesn't depend on being interchangeable with them, and that no humans are truly autonomous; we're all dependent on one another throughout our lives. The conversation moves from "doom" to optimism, examining how modern society tries to flatten sex differences and promote an illusion of self-reliance, particularly around pregnancy, motherhood, and the workplace. Leah critiques the approach of treating women as "defective men" who need to suppress their biology and feminine qualities to succeed in male-normed environments. Ashley and Leah discuss Helen Andrews' controversial essay on workplace feminization, the false ideal of the independent individual, and how this myth fails everyone—from infants to aging populations. They explore practical solutions, including community building, workplace flexibility, policy changes like baby bonuses and caregiver Social Security credits, and the importance of creating space for interdependence at every scale. The episode celebrates the seasons of life, the necessity of mutual dependence, and finding dignity in our need for one another, from the everyday juggling of school pickups and neighborhood networks to the profound vulnerabilities of pregnancy, illness, and aging.

DO 287 - Graze Against the Machine: Breaking Up Big Ag, Rewilding America, and the Future of Food

1 hr 9 min

Fresh from dinner with Wendell Berry in Kentucky, the crew discusses Paul Kingsnorth’s new book and the deep tensions in American agriculture. From Trump’s controversial beef deal with Argentina to the packing monopolies squeezing ranchers, we explore why our food system prioritizes industrial products over actually feeding people.Topics include: the soybean-ethanol scam, why 80% of corn never becomes human food, land prices and the return-to-the-land movement, the death of email jobs and rise of excess labor, and why California could have fed tens of millions on acorns and salmon alone. Plus: the case for a new agrarian think tank, the difference between living as creatures versus machines, and why we need a million cowboys to restore America’s ecosystems.Featuring reflections on nationalism vs. patriotism, the regulatory capture of agriculture, fiat currency, and farmland prices, and why the real abundance agenda has nothing to do with cheap beef from Argentina.

DO 286 - Building a Regenerative Landscaping Business with Tres of GreenBox Homes

1 hr 10 min

Creating member networks, local food systems, and recession-proof community infrastructure Jason talks with Tres, co-founder of GreenBox Homes, about creating a regenerative landscaping company that competes with traditional lawn care services. They discuss the business model of providing weekly yard care focused on building soil and ecosystems rather than just aesthetic maintenance, creating member networks for sharing plants and resources, and the massive supply-demand gap in the native plant industry. Tres shares how his Catholic faith informs his environmental mission, the potential for vertical integration through nurseries and material recovery, and his vision for a replicable, distributist model that could transform millions of acres. The conversation covers practical business strategy, the spiritual dimensions of working with land, and opportunities for others to enter the growing regenerative landscaping market.

DO 285 - AI and The 95% Extinction Threshold

1 hr 33 min

AI safety researcher Nate Soares explains why he believes there's at least a 95% chance that current AI development will lead to human extinction, and why we're accelerating toward that outcome. Soares, who has been working on AI alignment since 2012, breaks down the fundamental problem: we're building increasingly intelligent systems without any ability to control what they actually want or pursue.The conversation covers current AI behavior that wasn't programmed: threatening users, keeping psychotic people in delusional states, and repeatedly lying when caught. Soares explains why these aren't bugs to be fixed but symptoms of a deeper problem. We can't point AI systems at any specific goal, not even something simple like "make a diamond." Instead, we get systems with bizarre drives that are only distantly related to their training.Soares addresses the "racing China" argument and why it misunderstands the threat. He explains why AI engineers can build powerful systems without understanding what's actually happening inside them, and why this matters. Using examples from evolutionary biology, he shows why there's no reason to expect AI systems to develop human-like morality or values.The discussion covers why a catastrophic warning event probably won't help, what international coordination could look like, and why current safety efforts fall short of what's needed. Soares is direct about industry motivations, technical limitations, and the timeline we're facing.Nate Soares has been researching AI alignment and safety since 2012. He works at the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), one of the pioneering organizations focused on ensuring advanced AI systems are aligned with human values.

DO 284 - Group Chat Live

1 hr 29 min

Join the Doomer Optimism crew for their first-ever live group chat as they tackle the big questions facing our technologically saturated world. Ashley, Nate, Jason, Peter, and Patrick gather to discuss Paul Kingsnorth’s new book Against the Machine, the creeping influence of AI in our daily lives, and whether we’re heading toward accelerated collapse or just another step down. The conversation meanders from the ethics of AI chatbots (including Amish farmers launching their own) to the practical realities of keeping phones away from kids in an increasingly digital world. Nate shares hard-won wisdom from rebuilding after his house fire, while Peter warns about the looming cattle market collapse that could reshape American agriculture. Jason makes the case for sheep, Ashley name-drops her upcoming dinner with Wendell Berry (yes, really), and everyone debates whether we should accelerate into the chaos or dig in our heels and resist. Topics covered: screen-free parenting strategies, the difference between tools and crutches, why COVID lockdowns weren’t all bad, the impossible economics of small-scale beef production, John Michael Greer’s stair-step collapse theory, and what it really takes to build resilience in an age of affluence and anxiety. Plus: Patrick performs a house tour nobody asked for, Nate explains why relationships matter more than bunkers, and the group grapples with whether the machine can ever truly be stopped—or if the best we can do is stay human despite it all.

DO 283 - Kevin Ryan's Grassroots Run for Illinois

57 min

Ashley talks with Kevin Ryan, a Marine Corps veteran and public school teacher running for U.S. Senate in Illinois without corporate donors, consultants, or ad buys. Kevin describes his campaign from a converted school bus as he travels to all 102 counties, gathering signatures by hand and talking directly with voters about what they want from their government. The two discuss money in politics, disillusionment with both parties, and how cynicism erodes civic life. It’s a grounded look at whether a government of the people, by the people, for the people can still function and what it takes to test that idea in real time.

DO 282 - John Heers and Ashley on Learning Humility from Georgian Dinners and Forgotten Villages

1 hr 16 min

Against efficiency and isolation: learning humility from forgotten communities and the ancient art of the Georgian feastJohn Heers, founder of First Things Foundation, joins Ashley to discuss his unconventional approach to international development—sending people to live humbly in forgotten communities from Mozambique to Guatemala, learning local languages, and facilitating indigenous entrepreneurship rather than imposing Western solutions.The conversation weaves through the tyranny of "spreadsheet brain," the spiritual necessity of smallness over ego, and why efficiency isn't a virtue in itself. John introduces the Georgian supra—a traditional dinner built around ritualized toasting that creates communion without demanding psychological intimacy—and explains how this ancient social technology is resonating with Americans hungry for something beyond transactional relationships.John and Ashley explore how face-to-face gathering, shared meals, and acknowledging life's difficult realities (including death and sin) are essential acts of resistance against a machine culture that wants us isolated, autonomous, and always online.John and Ashley will be hosting a Georgian supra together at the next Doomer Optimism gathering in Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee, February 13-14, 2025. We hope that you're able to join us!

DO 281 - Tucker Max's Journey to Radical Self-Sufficiency with Dr. Chris Ellis

1 hr 15 min

Dr. Chris Ellis interviews Tucker Max, who shares his transformative journey from bestselling author to homesteader, focusing on resiliency and self-sufficiency. Tucker discusses the impact of COVID-19 on his beliefs and actions, emphasizing the importance of family involvement in homesteading and the skills developed through this lifestyle. He emphasizes the importance of community and legacy, advocating for a nurturing relationship with the land and a focus on personal development. Tucker offers insights on the challenges and rewards of homesteading, encouraging others to embrace this path for a fulfilling life.

DO 280 - Building Resilience in Modern Society with Dr. Chris Ellis and Jonathan Rawles

30 min

Generational Perspectives on Preparedness with Dr. Chris Ellis and Jonathan RawlesDr. Chris Ellis sits down with Jonathan Rawles, mechanical engineer, author, and co-founder of Survival Realty, to explore how different generations approach preparedness and community resilience in an era of cultural collapse. Unlike his father, James Wesley Rawles, known for his expertise on nuclear war bunkers and self-sufficiency, Jonathan focuses on what he calls the "slow collapse" already underway in American society.Growing up witnessing the erosion of social trust—where unsupervised children playing outside now prompt police calls despite lower crime rates—Jonathan sees preparedness as fundamentally about rebuilding community connections. Through his work in real estate, he observes how rising property costs challenge traditional preparedness, while older homesteaders struggle to pass on decades of work to appreciative buyers.Yet Jonathan remains optimistic, describing communities where young people eagerly embrace early marriage and family life, and multigenerational families return to their roots. He emphasizes that while full self-sufficiency has become economically daunting, basic resilience remains accessible on any budget through food storage, backup heating, and cooking skills.The conversation reveals how true resilience requires a "mindset of vitality and optimism," coupled with taking responsibility for fixing what we can in our own communities. Jonathan's insights show how preparedness-minded individuals are creating resilient futures through churches, homeschool co-ops, and intentional networks rather than waiting for collapse.

DO 279 - Community, Bunkers, and the Future of Preparedness

56 min

What does it mean to be truly prepared in an uncertain world? Dr. Chris Ellis is joined by Bradley Garrett to explore the evolving landscape of resilient citizens and prepping communities, from the "Noah archetype" of community-focused preparedness to bunker communities like Vivos xPoint. The discussion unpacks the psychology, demographics, and practicalities of modern preparedness culture. Younger generations are reshaping the prepping movement, while bunker building represents both rational strategy and potential obsession. International models of community resilience offer insights for American preparedness efforts, and current threats like AI and misinformation demand new approaches to national resiliency. Topics range from underground living and community resilience models to demographic shifts changing preparedness culture. The conversation also examines how gaming platforms serve as testing grounds for real-world preparedness strategies and explores the intersection of wealth, responsibility, and survival planning.

DO 278 - Thriving Through Homesteading

47 min

Dr. Chris Ellis, author of "Resilient Citizens," sits down with homesteader and author Roxanne Ahern to explore how sustainable living practices build both personal and community resilience. Ahern, who wrote "Holistic Homesteading" after her own transformation from health struggles to self-sufficiency, breaks down the practical and philosophical aspects of growing your own food, preserving traditional skills, and creating meaningful connections with neighbors.The conversation moves beyond typical homesteading advice to examine deeper questions: How does working with soil and seasons teach us about life's cycles? What role do farmers' markets play in rebuilding local food systems? And why might parenting and gardening share surprising parallels in developing patience and grace?Ahern addresses real concerns about modern agriculture—from chemical dependencies to disconnected food chains—while offering concrete steps listeners can take regardless of their living situation. Whether you're curious about starting a backyard garden or questioning how to prepare for an uncertain future, this episode provides both inspiration and actionable wisdom rooted in years of hands-on experience.

DO 277 - Joe Allen on Golems, Brahmas, and the Eternal Return

53 min

Joe Allen leads us on a journey through the Axial Age's profound wisdom traditions to uncover how ancient civilizations grappled with the same transhumanist dreams that captivate us today. From the bronze automaton Talos guarding Crete to the terrifying Brahmastra weapons of the Mahabharata, we trace humanity's eternal fascination with creating artificial life and wielding god-like power.This episode weaves through the Hindu concept of yugas—those vast cosmic cycles that see humanity descend from golden ages into our current Kali Yuga, the age of iron and spiritual darkness. We examine how the Golem tradition reflects both our creative aspirations and the dangers of "golemizing" sacred wisdom, turning living tradition into a lifeless mechanism.

DO 276 - Peter Allen: How to Become a Keystone Species and Restore the Earth

56 min

What if everything we think we know about "natural" ecosystems is wrong? Peter Allen is a restoration ecologist and regenerative farmer, and learn how North America's pre-European landscapes weren't wild at all—they were sophisticated agricultural systems managed by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Speaking from his 220-acre farm in Wisconsin's unique Driftless region, Peter shares his journey from academic ecology to hands-on farming, revealing how the oak savannas that once stretched coast-to-coast were the most productive ecosystems on the continent. He explains why megafauna like mastodons and giant ground sloths were the original landscape architects, and how their extinction 12,000 years ago began the sixth mass extinction we're still experiencing today. Peter offers a practical roadmap for restoration, from understanding why our food has lost its ability to nourish us (spoiler: it's all about minerals) to how properly managed livestock can rebuild topsoil faster than nature ever could. He tackles controversial topics head-on, challenging the narrative that cows cause climate change and explaining why the war on beef might be about more than just the environment.

DO 275 - Exploring Transhumanism with Ashley and Grayson

1 hr 1 min

Ashley is joined by Grayson Quay, author of 'The Transhumanist Temptation' to explore the philosophical and ethical implications of transhumanism, its historical roots, and its intersection with modern ideologies. They cover the concept of natural law, the role of technology in shaping human identity, and the challenges parents face in a tech-driven world. They also discuss the future of humanity in relation to AI and consciousness, concluding with a call to embrace our humanity in an increasingly transhuman era.

DO 274 - Kentucky, Catholicism, and Agrarian Revival

1 hr 31 min

The Shire We Call Home Jason sits down with Tom Ruby and Alan Cornett to explore the profound influence of Wendell Berry on modern agrarianism, the surprising revival of Catholicism in America, and why the future might belong to those willing to get their hands dirty. From the rolling hills of Kentucky, which echo Tolkien's Shire, to the intellectual journey from secular academia to Catholic agrarianism, Tom and Alan share their personal stories of finding meaning through land stewardship and community building. The conversation weaves together themes of localism, the "cultural debris" of forgotten traditions, and the practical wisdom needed to counter our age of disconnection. Whether you're drawn to Berry's vision of place-based living, curious about the Catholic Land Movement, or simply wondering how to build authentic community in fractured times, this conversation offers both philosophical depth and practical hope. As our guests remind us: good people are out there, working the land and building the kind of life that lasts.

DO 273 - The Future of DO with Ashley, Jason, and James

1 hr 4 min

In this episode, Ashley asks her two closest collaborators on Doomer Optimism – Jason on the podcast, and James on events – to think through what drew them to the project, lessons from what we’ve done so far, and where we could go from here.

DO 272 - James, Basel, and The New Deal

1 hr 22 min

Monopoly Power, New Deal Legacies, and the Fight for Real Economic Democracy James and Basel unpack the legacy of the New Deal, the tangled history of regulation, and the roots of today’s anti-monopoly movement. From egg prices and avian flu to Big Tech and corporate control of agriculture, they explore how concentrated power distorts markets, erodes democracy, and shapes both domestic and foreign policy. Grounded in history but focused on the future, the episode explores what real economic democracy might look like—and the role everyday people can play in achieving it.

DO 270 - Leaving the 20th century w/ James, Donald and Ashley

1 hr 39 min

Ashley, Donald, and James cover a lot of ground in this episode. They kick things off with the story of Leslie Peltier, a self-taught stargazer from Ohio, before diving into a deeper conversation about environmentalism. Donald raises concerns about how today’s climate discourse can feel paralyzing, especially for young people, and argues that instead of backing away from nature, we need to find ways to work with it. The conversation broadens into bigger questions about collapse — not dramatic doomsday stuff, but a slower kind of breakdown where complex systems just can’t hold themselves together anymore. That idea leads them into American history, particularly the legacy of Jacksonian democracy and the ongoing tug-of-war between centralized power and local control. They touch on everything from the role of tradition to the limits of liberalism, and explore what it might take to build a coherent moral framework in a fractured time. It’s a thoughtful, wide-ranging discussion about how we got here — and where we might be headed.

DO 269 – Engineering, education, empathy, and memetic warfare? Dr. Chuck Pezeshki & Josh

1 hr 53 min

DO 269 – Engineering, education, empathy, and mimetic warfare? Dr. Chuck Pezeshki & JoshDr. Chuck is an engineering professor at Washington State University. He runs an engineering design studio for student projects and blogs on an exorbitantly wide range of topics at https://empathy.guru.Dr. Chuck is hard to characterize other than “someone Doomer Optimists ought to be paying attention to.”

DO 268 - Matt P on DO

1 hr 49 min

Can Humanity Keep Pace with the Technologies It Creates? Matthew Pirkowski joins Ashley Fitzgerald to unpack the complicated relationship between technology and humanity. They dive into the worlds of AI and cryptocurrency, exploring how these tools work—and how they shape our minds, societies, and futures. Drawing from his background in evolutionary psychology, Matthew reflects on how our instincts and behaviors interact with fast-moving technologies. He and Ashley wrestle with big questions: How does AI influence our decisions? What risks do we face when innovation outpaces understanding? And how do we walk the fine line between exploring new digital frontiers and exploiting them? The conversation also touches on a tech-driven world's psychological and political consequences—from polarization and power concentration to the importance of real, embodied experiences like parenting. They explore the need for communities to rethink how we live and govern together in a time of rapid change. Matthew and Ashley share a cautious hope for the future—one rooted in curiosity, responsibility, and a commitment to keeping human values at the center of technological progress.

DO 267 - Doomer Optimism w/ Matt Smith + Graham Summers + Chris Ellis

1 hr 19 min

Dr. Chris Ellis hosts Graham Summers and Matt, discussing various economic topics including market dynamics, investment strategies, and the role of metals in the current financial landscape. They explore the implications of monetary policy, the significance of gold and silver, and the potential for a monetary reset amidst inflationary pressures. The conversation covers the complexities of the global economy, the impact of tariffs, and the challenges of understanding value in a fluctuating market. Chris, Graham, and Matt discuss the historical context of currency debasement, the role of the Federal Reserve in monetizing debt, and the impact of COVID-19 on financial systems. They explore the growing economic inequality and the importance of preparing for future uncertainties. The discussion also touches on alternative education approaches for young adults, emphasizing the need for practical skills and financial literacy.

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