The Weekly Eudemon

Latest Episodes:

Las Vegas and Marijuana Nov 18, 2018

Show notes

I spent the week in Las Vegas, attending the annual Marijuana Business Conference (“MJ Biz Con”). Consequently, I didn’t have any time to put together a normal podcast, but I accumulated a lot of interesting discussion subject matter. This episode breaks down, from a Catholic perspective, Vegas and the blooming marijuana industry.

Inheritance of Rome.jpg — **The Year 650, Thanksgiving, and the Playful Tao** Nov 10, 2018
Show notes

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**650**: So, if the Roman Empire didn’t fall in 476, when did it? Nobody really knows, but it’s probably safe to say that, by 650, Rome was gone and the Dark Ages had begun.
**Thanksgiving**: November has a lot to recommend it, but perhaps nothing as much as this: it’s the month for giving thanks. With the attitude of giving thanks, comes many blessings.
**Lightning Segments**: Hot Scandinavian women, a king’s life, who can you trust, and Oscar Levant.
**The Tao**: What is the Tao? I don’t know. But you can start to find it if you start to play.

Taoism, Europe in 486, Mo-Fo, Russell Kirk Nov 04, 2018

Show notes

Taoism: The laid back outlook of Lao-Tse and Chuang-Tzu. Lisieux-like. A very short introduction.

Bogus Historical Atlas: A run-down of a bogus map of Europe circa 486. I wish I could find my copy of that book. It might have been a Rand McNally historical atlas. No matter. None of those “kingdoms” considered themselves kingdoms in 486. Burgundy, Franks, Visigoths: They were all controlled by barbarian generals who considered themselves part of the Roman Empire.

Lightning Segments: Henri Pirenne (introductory lecture), a lost weekend, funny old man stories. (Note: I reference Charles Jackson’s Lost Weekend. but I referred to Charles “Bukowski” by accident. Bukowski was a great drinker, so my mistake is understandable, but a mistake nonetheless.)

The F-Word: Okay to use? No. Part of our culture? Yes. So it will sneak into otherwise polite, even urbane, conversation.

Russell Kirk: I talked with the great man once. I spent a weekend at his house once. I recount the incidents in this segment.

Halloween, Short History of Early Zen, the Fall of the Empire and BLM, Riggenbach Oct 27, 2018

Show notes

Halloween: Okay to celebrate? Of course. Without appreciating evil, you can’t appreciate good.

Short History of Zen: Shakyamuni through the Bodhidharma to Hui-Neng: We sketch its earliest history to the seventh century, where it first noticeably took on its mature form. Mahayana Buddhism + Taoism = Zen.

Lightning Segments: Two Russian jokes, Jeff Riggenbach, Albert Jay Nock

Does the Fall Matter? The Fall of the Roman Empire isn’t just interesting for nerds. It tells us something about today’s political issues. If it weren’t for the way the Empire collapsed, we wouldn’t have the Black Lives Matter movement today.

Zen, the "Fall" of Rome, Small Talk, Drinking with Commies, More Oct 21, 2018

Show notes

Zen: Ego: the biggest, baddest gorilla in the zoo of subject-object. Is spirituality selfish?

The Fall of Rome: It didn’t occur in 476 . . . just ask Hilaire Belloc. Archeology vindicates “Old Thunder” (Belloc’s nickname). Are you a continuist or catastrophist?

Drinking in Communist Countries: There’s a lot of it. Why? Maybe because State action destroy society?

Small Talk: A small art or a rude imposition? You decide.

Leisure, The Basis of Culture. A look at the mid-20th century Thomistic philosopher, Joseph Pieper, and his most famous book.

Zen, The Middle Ages in Eight Minutes, Toddler Torture Oct 14, 2018

Show notes

This episode looks again at my concept of “primary obligations,” pointing out that it’s a reference point, not a stick to beat others with. We also look briefly at Tolstoy’s “family narcissism” and that hard question: is it harder to deal with toddlers or teenagers, on a day-to-day basis.

I then introduce Zen. Due to a lot of interest among listeners, this will become a recurring topic of the podcast. I look at the fundamental approach of Zen, which is to smash through the “subject-object” way of viewing things, to approach life with the eyes of a little child. I also touch briefly on the thought of Australian philosopher, Samuel Alexander, who influenced C.S. Lewis (reference Surprised by Joy).

For a great introduction to Zen, I highly recommend the lead essay in Thomas Merton’s Mystics and Zen Masters. (Skip the first five pages or so.)

I then introduce a second topic that I hope will be recurring: The Middle Ages. I look briefly at the “fall” of Rome, then break down every century from 800 to 1500 . . . in a 10,000-foot look in eight minutes.

Finally, I talk about this week’s saints, with focus on St. Theresa Avila and St. Ignatius of Antioch, with focus on Theresa’s influence on Edith Stein and Ignatius’ legendary role in Matthew Chapter 18.

Music this week is by The Crevulators. They’re a real good retro rock bands. Good stuff. Used pursuant to the Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported LIcense.

Catholic Libertarian, Early Rise of the Nation State, Drunks on Screen Oct 07, 2018

Show notes

Primary Obligations: The emptiness of the 24/7 argument.
Does modern libertarianism conflict with the Catechism?
Early Rise of the Centralized State.
A’Kempis and a Mild Critique of Libertarianism.
St. Symeon the New Theologian.
Drunks on Screen.