The Vital Masculinity Podcast

In this episode, the gents begin an analysis of C.S. Lewis' third love, eros, and explore why this is more than pure romance or only about sexuality. Show Highlights: Is eros just about sex? The relationship between eros, lust, and sexual desire. Pleasure vs. Person focused loves. The human aspects of eros. Friendship vs. eros. Does eros aim at happiness? Why this love should not become a god. Resources: The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis About our Sponsor: Covenant Eyes is a screen monitoring and accountability platform for all your devices which will help you kick your porn addiction once and for all. Stephen personally used this to help him break free of the vicious cycle of addition. The resources provided by Covenant Eyes also help you identify triggers, form healthy new habits, boost your confidence, and restore hope so that you can live the life you want to live. Our followers can get 30 days FREE by using the promo code "VIRTUE" at checkout. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you will receive an invite to by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email (hosts@vitalmasculinity.org), Twitter (@theVMPod), or Gab (@vitalmasculinity).

In this episode, the gents wrap up their discussion on friendship by investigating limits and ends of these relationships. Show Highlights: Defects in relationships. Self-imposed limits. Physical, Mental, and Spiritual limits to friendship. What happens when virtuous friendships turn bad? Friendship and the innermost self. Man's helplessness and friendships. How friendship ultimately respects the personality of the individuals. Why these limitations are "God's occasion." Resources: The Art of Being a Good Friend by Hugh Black The Four Friendships by Kevin Vost About our Sponsor: Covenant Eyes is a screen monitoring and accountability platform for all your devices which will help you kick your porn addiction once and for all. Stephen personally used this to help him break free of the vicious cycle of addition. The resources provided by Covenant Eyes also help you identify triggers, form healthy new habits, boost your confidence, and restore hope so that you can live the life you want to live. Our followers can get 30 days FREE by using the promo code "VIRTUE" at checkout.  --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe.  Check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you will receive an invite to by signing up for our newsletter.  You can also contact us via email (hosts@vitalmasculinity.org), Twitter (@theVMPod), or Gab (@vitalmasculinity). 

In this episode, the gents continue discussing The Art of Being a Good Friend, focusing on the art of protecting and restoring your friendships. Show Highlights: The deepest tragedy of life. How some friendships wither or die. Money's dangerous role in friendship. The harm of gossip, envy, and poor breaches of trust. How healthy conflict can actually strengthen your friendship. Protecting against purposeful dissension. How should you recover from breaches of trust? The why's and how's of reconciliation. Resources: The Art of Being a Good Friend --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

Brian returns in this episode, for a further discussion on 'equal' and 'unequal' friendships via the lens of Aristotle and Cicero. Show Highlights: Friendship of Equals vs. Friendship of Unequals. Why you need to recognize friendship disparities in order to have a virtuous friendship. Aristotle's comparison of friendship to political systems. Father - Son dynamics. Husband - Wife dynamics. Brother - Brother dynamics. Friendship within families. Why blood is thicker than water. Relative strength of bonds. Priorities of friendship compared to other relationships. Resources: Interlude: Nice Guys --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

In this episode, Stephen muses about the Christmas in the Trenches during WW1 and what it can tell us about kindness, affection, and true brotherhood. Show Highlights: The Christmas in the Trenches The nature of enemies and rivals. Is it possible for us to be everyone's friend? Should we try to be everyone's friend? A redux of the kindness vs. niceness debate. Self-respect and justice towards self. The damaging push towards inclusion at the expense of exclusivity. The dilution of friendship through false affection. What do you think? Do you agree with Stephen's assessment? Send us your thoughts via Twitter or on our website. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

In this special episode, the gents revisit the COVID-19 Pandemic and various responses to it. Show Highlights: Where are we 9 months in? 15 days to slow the spread/flatten the curve? The role of prudence and personal responsibility vs. government mandate. The vice of double standards. Personal responsibility and the rise of "mask Karens." Our duty to authority. Courage, justice, and resistance. Resources: https://thefederalist.com/2020/11/18/major-study-finds-masks-dont-reduce-covid-19-infection-rates/ https://thefederalist.com/2020/10/29/these-12-graphs-show-mask-mandates-do-nothing-to-stop-covid/ (includes NEJM study) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/planning-scenarios.html#table-1 (see Scenario 5 in Table 1) https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4695 https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/16/fauci-why-still-need-masks-social-distancing-after-covid-19-vaccine.html https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/which-covid-19-vaccines-are-connected-to-abortion https://thehill.com/news-by-subject/healthcare/528619-pfizer-chairman-were-not-sure-if-someone-can-transmit-virus-after https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/michelle-malkin/michelle-malkin-covidgate-corruption-clinical-trials-part-one https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/michelle-malkin/michelle-malkin-covidgate-part-two-clinical-trials-and-crusader-bias https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/michelle-malkin/michelle-malkin-covidgate-part-3-attack-informed-consent --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

In this episode, the gents continue to discuss the book The Art of Being a Good Friend by Hugh Black, elaborating on ways to cultivate and maintain good friendships. Show Highlights: Why does friendship require intentionality? Affability and being friendly. The responsibility of being a friend. How is friendship like a habit? The necessity of cultivating 'sympathy '. The Golden Rule. Reciprocity, mutual confidence, and faithfulness in friendship. Aspects of loyalty. How human friendship leads to love for God. Resources: The Art of Being a Good Friend by Hugh Black --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

In this episode, the gents kick back and discuss a whole range of topics: Show Highlights: Recap of Thanksgiving. What are we grateful for? Big project teaser. Commentary on current events. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents discuss the book The Art of Being a Good Friend by Hugh Black, weaving in themes on friendship and the Four Loves from the previous episodes. Show Highlights: Expanding on the appreciation of friendship. Friendship in the heroes of history. How does friendship enlighten you? What does that mean? Friendship is a gift of God. Why do you need humility and selflessness when you are trying to be a good friend? Resources: The Art of Being a Good Friend by Hugh Black --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

In this episode, the gents continue to discuss philia, or friendship, the second love in the C.S. Lewis/Ancient Greek hierarchy of love. This discussion focuses on Cicero's take on friendship in his classic work De Amicitia.  Show Highlights: Greek vs. Roman Virtue. Why are good friends virtuous? The relationship between amicitia and amor. Honor and friendship. The "first law of friendship." Three erroneous principles of friendship. Limits and guides to friendship. The importance of loyalty. How does affability help define good friends? The foundation of friendship. New vs. Old Friends. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

In this episode, the gents continue to discuss philia, or friendship, the second love in the C.S. Lewis/Ancient Greek hierarchy of love. This discussion focuses on C.S. Lewis' opinion of friendship and how he wrote about it in his seminal work The Four Loves. Show Highlights: Why did the ancients revere friendship? What does it mean that friendship is the least "natural" love? The relationship between Romanticism, Naturalism, and our modern beliefs on friendship. C.S. Lewis' (likely) take on Aristotle's three types of friendship. Friendship and Companionship. How does friendship arise? Signs of a good friendship. Misconceptions of friendship. Friendship and homosexuality. Distortions of philia. In-group vs. out-group mindsets. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

This week, the gents have a conversation with Nick Jamell of Conversation of Our Generation about how a man can discuss politics virtuously. Show Highlights: Why are political discussions so difficult to navigate nowadays? How the personal became the political. Are there times when it is prudent to not discuss politics? False courage and standing up for one's beliefs. Are our differences that pronounced? What happens next? --- About Nick: Nick is the founder of Conversation of Our Generation, a website and podcast dedicated to having dialogues about important issues through the lens of philosophy, politics, and the reading of our intellectual forefathers. Keep in Touch with Nick: Blog Podcast Twitter: @ConOfOurGen; @NickJamell Facebook: The Conversation of Our Generation --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

In this episode, the gents discuss philia, or friendship, the second love in the C.S. Lewis/Ancient Greek hierarchy of love. The focus of this is on the Aristotelian conception of friendship and the three types of philia. Show Highlights: Who needs friends? Why do we need friends? The three causes of love. Friendships of utility. Friendships of pleasure. Friendships of virtue. Similarities and differences between the types of Aristotelian friendship. The roles duration and absence play in strengthening friendship. The act of friendship vs. the "state" of friendship. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

In this episode, Brian muses about virtue in politics: Show Highlights: What level of importance should politics have in our lives? How can we act virtuously in regards to politics? Why don't we have more virtuous candidates? How can we get them? What do you think? Do you agree with Brian's assessment? Send us your thoughts. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Discord chat group which you can do by signing up for our newsletter. You can also contact us via email or Twitter (links are on our website). We look forward to continuing the conversation with you.

In this episode, the gents kick back and discuss a whole range of topics: Show Highlights: What's next with the podcast? Dealing with news and social media overload. The need for silence and reflection. Will there ever be a return to normalcy? --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents discuss storge, or affection, the first love in the C.S. Lewis/Ancient Greek hierarchy of love.  Show Highlights: What is storge? Examples of affection. How does affection "color" the other loves? Storge does not discriminate and is the humblest love. Need-Love and Gift-Love in affection. Distortions of Storge. Why you need a reason to rightly order your affections. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org, read our Journal, and subscribe to our newsletter to continue the conversation!

In this episode, the gents dive into different ways we approach "love" of different things, including nature, environmentalism, and patriotism. Show Highlights:  Clarification on a few points in prior episode.  The Four Loves vs. the theological virtue Charity.  Gift-love vs. Need-love.  The differences and similarities between Love of Persons and Love of Things  Pleasures vs. Loves.  Different aspects of love of nature.  What is patriotism?  Healthy vs. unhealthy patriotism.  Distortions of these loves.  ---  Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org, read our Journal, and subscribe to our newsletter to continue the conversation!

In this episodes, the gents simultaneously kick off two new series: one larger one on the Theological Virtues and one subset one on Love, by utilizing C.S. Lewis' book The Four Loves.  Show Highlights: Why should men talk about love? Modern misconceptions of love. How is love understood today? Is love a feeling? Do you choose to fall in love? An introduction to need-love and gift-love --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents continue their analysis of the advice given by King St. Louis to his son and proscribe more ways we can learn to be men from this noble monarch. Show Highlights: Why gratitude is important. How should you handle those who gossip or incite others to sin? Living a noble life - what does this mean? True justice, in all its forms. Facilitating peace among those in your family and community. Your relationship with the Church. The notion of a "just war" and its relationship with men nowadays. Consuming in moderation - the advent of anti-consumerism? The core of St. Louis' message: Jesus Christ. Resources: Letter from St. Louis IX to his Son. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org to learn more about being a strong, virtuous man.

In this episode, the gents invite Josh Hatcher, Founder of Manlihood.com, on to the show to discuss his project, journey, what it means to be a man, and so much more. Show Highlights: An introduction to the Josh Hatcher. Why did Josh create Manlihood.com? The importance of father figures. Why is humor so important in communicating with men? Being a good brother and mentor to other men. Dealing with struggles in relationships. Dealing with personal struggles. How Josh overcame his own personal struggles Love and marriage - how we grow more and more in love with our wives. Pornography addiction and how it has affected us. About Manlihood.com Becoming a man is a journey. We’re all at different places. Manlihood is about personal development for men.  No matter your place in that journey, we all want to be better husbands, fathers, leaders — better men. Josh Hatcher helps you cut through the mess in a funny, insightful and heartfelt way. Using wisdom and personal experience, he helps you become a better man - wherever you currently are on your journey. Keep in Touch with Josh: Website Podcast Twitter: @Manlihooddotcom Facebook: Manlihood.com Facebook Group --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and find more content designed to help you become a better man.

In this episode, the gents turn back the clock to the 13th century to discuss and reflect on the advice from King St. Louis IX in his letters to his son. This is part I of what will likely be a two-part series. Show Highlights: Why St. Louis' advice matters today. The importance of fatherly advice. How can advice from a king benefit a modern man? Why do good men need God? Shunning sin and evil with all your effort. Surrounding yourself with good men who will call you out on your faults. Being grateful for the good AND the bad. Why do good men need upright associates and families? How do we get to that? Resources: Letter from St. Louis IX to his Son. View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents kick back and discuss a whole host of topics: Show Highlights: What's next with the podcast? Our Exodus 90 journey. A shallow dive into current events and why we need men. Why our faith is central to us and it's future role in this project. View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

Do the Coronavirus lockdowns have you feeling down? Do you feel a bit lazier, despondent or discouraged right now? You'll find a lot of common ground with the guys in this episode.  In this episode, the gents give you a step-by-step breakdown with wisdom from saints and philosophers (and themselves!) to help you overcome acedia and all its ill fruits. Show Highlights: The relationship between acedia and Escapism. Why we need prudent reflection and a daily examen in order to overcome acedia. The powers of "reverse scheduling." Why humility and gratitude are the chief responses of a saintly man to acedia. The importance of prayer and work - "ora et labora." What is contradiction and why is it useful in overcoming acedia? Memento Mori - how the remembrance of death can help you beat this demon. How to cultivate manly perseverance and why it's important in your battle to be free of acedia. How and why should you learn to be uncomfortable? Resources: The Noonday Devil by Dom Jean-Charles Nault The Eight Evil Thoughts by Evagrius of Pontus Interview with Kathleen Norris Death by Stephen M. Sloyer, The Vital Masculinity Journal View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

Do the Coronavirus lockdowns have you feeling down? Do you feel a bit lazier, despondent or discouraged right now? You'll find a lot of common ground with the guys in this episode. We break down symptoms of what could once be considered the "8th Deadly Sin." In this episode, you will learn just what Acedia is and (while we aren't priests or doctors!) be able to diagnose if you have it yourself. Show Highlights: What is Acedia? How is Acedia different from Sloth (or laziness)? Why is Acedia dangerous? Normalization of the noonday devil in modern culture. Why binging is bad. Five Principal Manifestations of Acedia. "Daughters" of Acedia. Resources: The Noonday Devil by Dom Jean-Charles Nault The Eight Evil Thoughts by Evagrius of Pontus View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episodes, the gents provide a step-by-step guide to quitting porn once and for all. If you're a man who struggles with this vice (or any addiction, for that matter), you won't want to miss this conversation. Show Highlights: How to make a plan of attack to beat your porn addiction. The importance of prudent and honest reflection. An analysis of possible causes and triggers. Ways to eliminate common triggers. The importance of forming healthy habits to replace harmful ones. Acedia, the noonday devil, and why it is destructive. The importance of accountability partners. Options to take to stay accountable by yourself. Should you track your streaks? What happens if you relapse? View the full show notes here. Resources: Integrity Restored The Porn Myth by Matt Fradd Your Brain on Porn by Gary Wilson NoFap YBAP Reforged Man Course Fight the New Drug Episodes Referenced: Interlude - Nice Guys Interlude - Dating Well --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents discuss the harmful effects of pornography and lay a foundation men can use to begin to quit. Show Highlights: Side effects of pornography use. Secondary reasons to quit porn. How do you know you're addicted to porn? Phases of breaking free. Why growth in virtue needs to be paired with quitting an addiction. Getting radical and taking immediate action to stop your addiction. Why you need to take ultimate responsibility for your actions and issues. View the full show notes here. Resources: Integrity Restored The Porn Myth by Matt Fradd Your Brain on Porn by Gary Wilson NoFap YBAP Reforged Man Course Fight the New Drug --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents dive a bit deeper into the harmful nature of pornography to line up their last episode on breaking free from this addictive drug. Show Highlights: Pornography and Natural Law. The harm of objectifying people. How porn harms both consumers and producers. Pornography is against the Cardinal Virtues. Porn in the context of our rights and responsibilities. Why sex is a responsibility. Resources: Integrity Restored The Porn Myth by Matt Fradd Your Brain on Porn by Gary Wilson NoFap YBAP Reforged Man Course Fight the New Drug View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents begin a brief discussion about the dangers of pornography use among men. This episode tackles common objections raised to the "anti-porn" crowd by mainstream sources. Show Highlights: What is pornography? Does porn harm people? Is porn safe? Is porn consensual? Pornography and sex-trafficking The addictiveness of pornography Is porn acceptable since it's not typically illegal? Is porn acceptable since "everyone" views it? The myth that we are "sexual creatures." The myth of a need for "release." Does porn empower women or spice up your love life? Is the anti-porn crowd prudish or wholly religious? Is porn only a men's issue? Is it still wrong if you don't pay for it? Resources: Integrity Restored The Porn Myth by Matt Fradd Your Brain on Porn by Gary Wilson NoFap YBAP Reforged Man Course Fight the New Drug View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents wrap up their discussion of feminism and offer up ways that we can counter their destructive narratives, forging a better society for men and women going ahead. Show Highlights: Why we are all influenced by feminism in modern society. How we can fight for the dignity of men and women. Why life is more nuanced than a traditional black-and-white view put forth by many on both sides. Standing up for women without white knighting. Why we should not associate closely with unrepentant men. The importance of purity and treating people with pure intentions. How pornography distorts our view of women. How having a good wife and family can counteract societal narratives about feminism and "women's liberation." Why we need to find good men to support us on this battle. Resources: Fulton Sheen, Communism and Women View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents discuss the last, most current wave of feminism - the 4th Wave - which has infiltrated the core of our society. Show Highlights: The rise of high-profile sexual harassment cases and #metoo. How feminism has influenced the workplace. Workplace harassment, sensitivity training, and men. The rise of body shaming (and body positivity) and why this is harmful. The falsity of rape culture and thoughts as to why it arose. Why male privilege is the wrong approach to the differences between the genders. Why toxic masculinity is nonsensical and caricatures real masculinity to a fault. Intersectionality and the Oppression Olympics. View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents invite Beth and Theresa from Freed from Feminism on to the show to discuss their escape from this dangerous ideology and why they believe feminism hurts men, women and families. Show Highlights: An introduction to the hosts of Freed from Feminism. Why Beth and Theresa left the feminist worldview behind. The largest areas in which feminism hurts women. Why many men consider themselves feminists. How men should respond to feminism in their families and communities. How feminism affects relationships between men and women. The link between feminism and Marxism. Why female "liberation" hurts society. About Freed from Feminism: Freed from Feminism Catholic Podcast hosted by former feminists exploring the ideology behind feminism, its destructive nature & how women can find freedom in true femininity. Keep in Touch with the Ladies: Podcast Twitter: @FreedFeminism --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode commemorating the one year anniversary of the Vital Masculinity Project, the gents remember the past year, discuss current events, and look ahead towards the future of the podcast and journal. Check it out to get the first insights as to what’s next for the project!

In this episodes, the gents move on to third wave feminism and expose the dangers that it has had on our families, society and culture. Show Highlights: Some sources of agreement with third wave feminism. Male effeminacy and domestic violence. "Reproductive rights." More discussion on the ills of contraception and abortion. The reclamation of derogatory terms and why that's a harmful thing. The problem with "sexual liberation" and "sex positivity." The goods and evils of the Red Pill movement. Why it's every man's duty to uphold the dignity of every woman (and every human in general). Preliminary discussions on the Glass Ceiling idea. Workplace benefits that favor women over men. A fitting quote to end from the Ven. Fulton Sheen. Resources: Fulton Sheen, Communism and Women View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episodes, the gents get a bit heated as they dissect second wave feminism and expose the dangers that it has had on our families, society and culture. Show Highlights: Recap of the world post-first wave feminism. Why the rejection of domesticity is based on false assumptions. The role of abortion and contraception in helping enable this second wave. The rising costs of child care and its effects on families. Why the myth of unequal pay is (mostly) bunk. Title IX. Against the objectification of women and domestic violence - things we agree with the second wave on. The dangerous results of no-fault divorce. The cheapening of marriage and its disastrous results on the family. The good and bad about "Men's Rights Activists." Why the rejection of gender roles has led to men and women being more prone to mental illness. The false assumptions behind the existence of "the patriarchy." What this means for you - why we need good men who act like men. Resources: The James Younger Case G.K. Chesteron, The Emancipation of Domesticity Leila Miller, Primal Loss Restored Podcast "Why Hierarchies are Necessary" from Jordan Peterson View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

Feminism is a loaded term nowadays, but throughout history has manifested itself in different forms. In this interlude, the gents dive into the first wave of feminism and begin a conversation on why it's important that men learn the good and the bad from these various eras. Show Highlights: What is feminism? Questions to ponder during the discussion. How feminism relates to masculinity and why it's important to discuss. A brief snapshot of history leading up to the first wave of feminism. What were some of the factors contributing to the rise of feminism? An analysis of first wave feminism. What men can learn from this first wave and the history behind it. View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

This week, the gents interview a fellow traveler in the pursuit of virtue: Nick Jamell! Enjoy an insightful episode about seeking truth, goodness, and beauty, sure to provide you with valuable information on living the good life. Show Highlights: What motivated him to start Conversation of Our Generation The importance of dialogue and open discussion The COVID-19 Pandemic Exodus 90 Why bother doing philosophy or reading old books? Why Nick reads things he may disagree with. The degeneration of public discourse on important issues How we can, as men, begin to have good and necessary discussions about issues. View the full show notes here. --- About Nick: Nick is the founder of Conversation of Our Generation, a website and podcast dedicated to having dialogues about important issues through the lens of philosophy, politics, and the reading of our intellectual forefathers. Keep in Touch with Nick: Blog Podcast Twitter: @ConOfOurGen; @NickJamell Facebook: The Conversation of Our Generation --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the last(!) of the series on what it means to be a man, the gents discuss masculine roles outside the family. Show Highlights: How these secondary roles compare to the previously discussed primary roles. The importance of serving your family and community. How the "economic man" relates to these masculine roles. How feminism has enabled the economic man. Some preliminary issues with feminism. The warrior role. The business leader role. The priestly role. Why sacrifice is critical to becoming a good man. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents continue the discussion on traditional masculine roles, their maturation, and their importance for men today. Show Highlights: How healthy, mature roles are nourished Husband and Wife Father and Mother Subroles (or subparts) of masculinity, including protector and provider How the genders complement one another Why these roles developed throughout history The priestly and sacrificial role of the man --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents begin to discuss traditional masculine roles and their importance for men today. Show Highlights: A discussion on gender identity How healthy, mature roles are nourished Son and Daughter Brother and Sister How the genders complement one another --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents have a conversation about the psychological differences between men and women, stressing the influence they have on interactions between and among the two genders. Show Highlights: Why are males more aggressive and dominant than women?  How does virtue play a role in mediating aggression? Why are men more prone to anti-social behavior? Self-esteem differences Why are men more prone to addictions? Why are women more prone to psychiatric disorders? How women experience emotions differently than men. Male and female memory Differences in problem-solving strategies between the genders Differences in conflict management strategies between the genders Why men and women typically hold different types of moralities. View the full show notes here. Resources: https://www.prevention.com/life/g20474490/mental-health-issues-in-women/ https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/effects-on-body#8 https://www.scienceofpeople.com/gender-differences/ https://www.successpodcast.com/show-notes/2019/5/1/the-scientific-difference-between-female-amp-male-brains-with-dr-louann-brizendine https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1521&context=cmc_theses --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents discuss key findings that document the neurological differences between men and women and dissect how that impacts our interactions with each other. Show Highlights: Differences in Brain Size How differences in gray matter impact behavior in men and women Maturity differences How male and female brains activate or "fire" differently Psychiatric disorders that men and women are prone to Differences in hormonal effects How men and women remember things differently View the full show notes here. Resources: https://www.prevention.com/life/g20474490/mental-health-issues-in-women/ https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/effects-on-body#8 https://www.scienceofpeople.com/gender-differences/ https://www.successpodcast.com/show-notes/2019/5/1/the-scientific-difference-between-female-amp-male-brains-with-dr-louann-brizendine https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1521&context=cmc_theses --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

This week, the gents interview a fellow traveler in the pursuit of virtue: Todd Duncan! Enjoy a fun episode which is chock-full of great conversation on parenting, its joys, sorrows, and the differences in parenting boys vs. girls. Show Highlights: The importance of deliberate parenting Differences between raising boys and girls The complementary nature of the genders Differences in interest between boys and girls Gender roles and norms Differences in disciplining boys and girls How men and their families benefit from recognizing these differences. View the full show notes here. About Todd: Todd is a husband and father of three (one girl and two boys) who is a board member of St. Irenaeus Ministries in Rochester, NY. There, he is heavily involved in his community serving young adults, families, and men in various groups. Keep in touch with Todd by joining our exclusive Facebook Group. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

The gents take a detour from the series on differences between masculinity and femininity to discuss life under quarantine. Surviving and continuing on the virtuous path during COVID-19 Pandemic takes up the bulk of the conversation, but there's still much to draw on for living a manly life in this one.  View the full show notes here. ---  Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents continue their discussion on the similarities and differences between men and women. Show Highlights: Nature vs. Nurture Why men and women foster close bonds with those of the same sex Different communication styles Differences in how men and women hold conversations Differences in influence tactics The relationship between communication and anxiety The importance of balance Why virtue actually does make the man The impact of communication differences on relationships View the full show notes here. Resources: The Claremont Study Wheel of Emotions Building  Your Band of Brothers by Stephen Mansfield The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents dive into some external physical and biological differences between the two sexes.  Show Highlights: The importance of recognizing general differences between men and women A brief foray into masculine and feminine roles Statistics behind traditional gender roles View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this first episode of a new series on the differences between men and women, the guys discuss why the differences are important to recognize. Show Highlights: The problem with ignoring differences Why equality of outcome isn't realistic A preliminary look into the male psyche The negative impact gender-neutrality has on the development of boys How men and women are complementary and not substitutes The evil of viewing people in economic terms The irreducibility of a person View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this special episode, the gents tackle how we should behave as men during the COVID-19 Pandemic currently affecting our homes.  Show Highlights: How self-quarantining/social distancing is a just action The necessity of being intentional about relationships How to be a calm, strong presence for your family and community Avoiding anxiety in these times The importance of making sacrifices Prudently choosing what to do Staying sane while locked up Memento Mori Personal successes (and failures) View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our Facebook group to continue the conversation.

This week, the gents interview a fellow traveler in the pursuit of virtue: Scott Smith! Enjoy a fun episode which is chock-full of valuable information on living a noble, manly life. Show Highlights:  How faith shapes our lives The importance of the Soul/Body division Father wounds How being a husband and a father shapes our lives Raising Godly children Life on a homestead The virtue of living in a community and having roots Scott's role in a large Catholic men conference and how it fosters brotherhood The hero's journey How fiction can inspire us to virtue The Lord of the Rings and Masculinity Tolkien and faith View the full set of show notes here. --- About Scott: Scott Smith is a Catholic father, husband, author, podcaster, former seminarian and lawyer extraordinaire. In addition to all this, he helps plan and lead a Catholic men's retreat in Louisiana which attracts more than one thousand men each Lenten season. Buy Scott's books over at Holy Water Books, including a wonderful exposition on the Lord of the Rings and the Eucharist. Keep in Touch with Scott: Blog Podcast Twitter: @scottsmith8100 Facebook: The Scott Smith Blog Men of the Immaculata --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

This week, the gents discuss how good fiction can be a "laboratory" for virtue and manliness. In this iteration of the occasional series, they discuss displays of the virtue Fortitude in one particular scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and how all men can use this to spur them to courage in their own lives. See the full show notes here. ---  Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org to continue the conversation.

This week, the guys give you their final thoughts (for now) on the Four Cardinal Virtues. Show Highlights: A brief discussion on how to handle the Coronavirus fears as a man How to be prudent in your pursuit of virtue The importance of remembering death (Memento Mori) How Lent ties into the pursuit of virtue Resources: How to Be Unlucky by Joshua Gibbs The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius Full show notes can be found here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

This week, the gents finish their conversation by offering practical tips to be a more courageous man with part II of this grand finale episode.   Show Highlights:  The benefits of Cold Showers  Doing things that are uncomfortable  Meditation, Prayer, Solitude, and Journaling  Moving past fear  Fighting for what you believe in  Fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves  Defending and preserving what is Good, True, and Beautiful  Working diligently  Resources:  Band of Brothers  Antifragile by Nicholas Nassim Taleb  Bullet Journaling  The Vital Masculinity Podcast episodes - What's the Deal with Dating, Dating Well, and Dating Tips, Mindsets, and Approaches  ---  Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

This week, the guys finish off their (long) series on the Cardinal Virtues with part I of this grand finale episode discussing how you can become a more temperate man today. Show Highlights:  Denying yourself pleasures   Ending mindless consumption  Avoiding excess  Fasting from food, sex, and media A controlled environment for practicing the passions  Implementation Intentions  Learning to say 'no'  Resources:  Your Brain on Porn by Gary Wilson Forest  VM's episode on Nice Guys  Check out the full show notes here. ---  Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

This episode is part II in the series on the fourth cardinal virtue, Temperance.  Show Highlights: How does Temperance relate to Prudence and Justice? What is Mastery? How are Mastery and Temperance related? Why do we need goals? What is the "beauty of Temperance" which St. Thomas Aquinas talks about? How does an undertaking like NoFap help a man become more temperate? What role does shame play in Temperance and virtue as a whole? Full show notes can be found here. Daily Deed: This week, write out 3-5 things which you would like to master in the coming year. Keeping these in mind is a great first step to becoming a better, more virtuous man! --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the guys discuss what modern men get wrong about an oft-misunderstood virtue: temperance. Show Highlights: Is temperance only about self-restraint and curbing "bad" impulses? Why is temperance not about prudishness or Victorian morality? How does temperance lead to personal freedom? Is temperance only about abstinence of bodily pleasures? Are "cheat meals" allowed?  Isn't temperance a selfish virtue in our day and age? How does temperance relate to fortitude and the other virtues? How are temperate men more selfless? View the full show notes here. --- Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review, subscribe wherever you listen to this podcast, and check out our Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/vitalmasculinity to continue the conversation!

The guys are back from their holiday vacations to let you know what they've been up to and what the first chunk of 2020 will look like for The Vital Masculinity podcast. Next week they'll be back with the regularly scheduled programming. Full show notes can be found here.

In this episode, the guys discuss prerequisite habits and virtues for becoming a courageous man. You'll learn what you need to focus on NOW to become a braver man tomorrow. Show Highlights: What’s the relationship between prudence, justice, and fortitude? Why do we need to be vulnerable to be courageous? What does vulnerability mean? Why is fake vulnerability encouraged by social media? How does patience play a role in fortitude? How is fortitude a habit? How do vigilance and watchfulness play a part in courage? What does watchfulness mean? Why do we need to hope to have courage? Why aren’t hopeless causes sources of courage? Why is self-control crucial for courage? View the full show notes here. --- We wanted to thank you all again for listening. Please leave us a rating and a review (be honest!) and share this episode if you find it helpful. Check out more info for becoming a more complete man over at vitalmasculinity.org.

The guys take a break from the regularly scheduled programming to relax and review what they were up to in November. Check out the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents wrap up the misconceptions of Courage with part two of the intro to this virtue.   Show Highlights:   Why should we focus on the objective versus trying to overcome fear?   Why does fortitude depend on the situation rather than the action?   Why is fortitude more than a momentary action?   Why is fortitude not fighting for a hopeless cause?   Courage in the Alamo.   Foolish attempts at bravery (or why you need prudence and justice to be courageous).   How does courage relate to martyrdom? View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

Fortitude (or Courage) is often portrayed incorrectly by the media and Hollywood, leading a lot of men down dangerously foolish paths. What are some of these misconceptions? How can we set our minds right to thinking about the virtue of Courage?  Show Highlights:  Are Fortitude, Courage, and Bravery the same?  Why is Fortitude "noble" according to Aristotle?  Dying and Fortitude Does Fortitude stand alone?  Why don't action movies (typically) display Courage properly?  Is Fortitude destructive?  Is it just about brave actions?  Bravery and wooing a woman  Are courageous men ever afraid?  References:  Angels & Demons  Hacksaw Ridge  The Dark Knight Rises  ---  To get in touch with our growing band of brothers, and for more support along the path of making yourself a better man, check out our Facebook group and visit www.vitalmasculinity.org.

So you've figured out what the purpose of dating is. You have an idea of how to find a woman worth dating and what it looks like to date well. But where do you start? How do you actually build some skills that will help you get a date? That is what the guys discuss in this episode.  Show Highlights: - Setting some reasonable standards and sticking to them  - Practicing talking to women - and people in general  - Setting achievable goals Making dating a priority - but not your top priority  - The importance of taking care of yourself first Making sacrifices in a relationship and looking out for her good  - Being prudent with the various types of intimacy  - How using porn will make it harder to date  View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

So you've figured out what the purpose of dating is, but how do you find a woman worth dating? And what does it look like to date well? Show Highlights: Finding the right balance between high standards and loose standards for the women you date. Why personality really does matter. What it looks like to love a woman. The importance of good communication and having difficult conversations. How do you know when you've found "the one"? How do you know when you should break up and how can you do it well? See here for our full show notes. To get in touch with our growing band of brothers, and for more support along the path of making yourself a better man, check out our Facebook group and visit www.vitalmasculinity.org.

In this episode, the guys get real and talk about their experiences with dating. Show Highlights: What does it mean to date? What is the purpose of dating? Can we be too casual or too serious when it comes to dating? For the full show notes, visit here. --- To get in touch with our growing band of brothers, and for more support along the path of making yourself a better man, check out our Facebook group and visit www.vitalmasculinity.org.

This episode completes our series on the virtue of justice by wrapping up the tangible ways to practice it.  Show Highlights:  A just man does not shirk his duties or complain; he is a man of his word.  Why you should not bite off more than you can chew. Recognizing the dignity of those around you leads to justice.  How honor and appreciation tie into the virtue of justice.  Why a just man shows gratitude.  See the full set of show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents give you practical ways to begin becoming a just man today. Show Highlights:  Practicing justice requires practicing prudence  The importance of practicing justice in everyday situations to form a solid foundation  Why it is important to understand laws and customs  How reading good books can help us form our "moral imagination"  Why we need to watch the kind and quantity of the media we consume  Why clear and sincere communication is indispensable to being a just man  Check out the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

This episode is an interview with VM co-host (and newlywed) Stephen Sloyer about the relationship between marriage and masculinity.  Show Highlights:  How does marriage tie into being a better man?  What exactly is marriage?  Why should we engage in courtship instead of dating?  Why get married at all?  How will marriage make you grow as a man? Check out our full listing of podcasts here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents wrap up our discussion on the concept of rights and how it relates to the virtue of justice. Show Highlights: Individual vs group rights Are rights something we invent?  Stealing a friend's beer and Nazis The need for universal standards for a basis of rights and justice. Natural Law Daily Deed:  Take 5 minutes a day to think about and write down which rights are true rights and how you can use this understanding to be a just man. View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents look at the concept of human rights and how they relate to the virtue of justice. Show Highlights: How we can think of rights as principles that help us understand how to be just. Why can the concept of rights seem confusing and inconsistent? Different types of rights: Natural vs. Legal Claim vs. Liberty Positive vs. Negative View the full show notes here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this week’s episode, the gents delve into the impediments of justice and discuss things that can prevent us from being just men. Show Highlights: The proud man has difficulty learning from others, which prevents him from determining what is their due. Being partial to new things, the latest and greatest, can blind us to the justice found in the tried and true. Avoiding conflict and adversity often causes injustice rather than solving it. A man has to recognize and identify standards in order to be just. Each man has to struggle with these different impediments to justice at various times throughout his life. View the full show notes here. Daily Deed:  Take 5 minutes every day and think about the impediments that may be preventing you from being a just man. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this week’s episode, the gents delve into the prerequisites of justice. You will learn concrete actions and mindsets you can take to prepare yourselves to be just. Show Highlights: In order to be just, we must be humble enough to own up to our mistakes and make amends. Justice requires us to be impartial, and base our decisions on the facts and not social pressure. The just man has a sense of responsibility to others, rather than only looking out for himself. Recognizing the just thing to do requires knowledge of right and wrong and the ability to make convictions; nonjudgmental relativism is contrary to justice. True justice comes to fruition with respect and mercy, recognizing the humanity of the person deemed unjust. View the full show notes here. Daily Deed:  Take two minutes every day and think about how you can be proactively just, in ways that are not commonly seen as an opportunity to exercising justice. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

This episode continues the theme of misconceptions of justice. Show Highlights Does mistreatment justify retaliation? Why two wrongs do not make a right. Why "live and let live” is not the ultimate philosophy for just behavior. How if everyone merely does what is right in his own eyes, anarchy results. How justice is not only righting a wrong after the fact, but also making just decisions to prevent wrongs in the first place. Why is the just man not motivated by virtue signaling? View the full show notes here. Daily Deed: Think about how you understand justice, determine whether you had any of these misconceptions, and discuss these misconceptions of justice with another man or a group of men. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gentlemen begin their exploration of common misconceptions about the virtue of justice. Show Highlights: The understanding of justice espoused by modern society emphasizes law and order, punishment, Justice is about rendering everyone his or her due. Today’s society erroneously associates justice with revenge, which is unjust because it is motivated by anger rather than reason. The just man responds to injustice with mercy and compassion. He aims to restore what is due to those who were wronged, and to protect them from future wrongs, but not to inflict a more violent punishment on the wrongdoer. In reality, justice is guided by prudence, fairness, and kindness, and certain actions may become unjust if performed with the wrong intentions. While justice sometimes demands action, justice often requires a man to refrain from action instead of responding to injustice by throwing a temper tantrum or whining. Justice requires one to fulfill the specific duties to his assigned role; it is not restricted to relationships with others. View the full show notes here. Daily Deed:  Think about how you understand justice, determine whether you had any of these misconceptions, and discuss these misconceptions of justice with another man or a group of men. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

Today we have an in-depth discussion about the hazards of perfectionism and how to overcome it.  Show Highlights:  What perfectionism is, why it is contrary with virtue, and how it harms different areas of your life The different types of perfectionism and ways to identify which types might be influencing you  How our culture reinforces self-destructive, perfectionistic behaviors  Specific exercises that you can do to break free from the tyranny of perfectionism in your life Daily Deed: Pick one of the following seven exercises which you think will be most beneficial for you and work on it.  Look at a situation where you expect a certain outcome and think of and write down all the ways you cannot control that outcome. Consider a task you want to accomplish and write down potential mistakes you might make. Go through the list and imagine the worst possible consequence of each mistake; then look at the good possibilities that can come from that. When someone challenges you or implies that you are wrong, ask for clarification and try to understand where they are coming from. Once you understand their position evaluate it and if you were wrong, admit it and apologize. If the challenge is based on opinion, then recognize the validity of their opinion and either modify your own or agree to disagree and move on. Think about a task you plan to accomplish and write down the specific criteria you would use for gauging success. Evaluate whether your criteria are practical/reasonable; if an item isn't, write down a more feasible one to replace it. Consider a mistake you've made. Examine it rationally, asking yourself how it influenced the manner in which others see you. (With time, it'll become clear that the majority of your mistakes are going unnoticed or are being disregarded as minor.) Think about an activity that you take pride in doing perfectly. Then, write down the many ways in which you can try to achieve the best results with the least amount of work. (This isn't about cutting corners, but about being efficient) Think about an activity that you take pride in doing perfectly. Consider the amount of time it usually takes and imposes a time limit for next time that is a significant reduction. (This is about challenging yourself to work more efficiently by limiting your time.) For more tools for becoming a more complete and noble man, check out our Facebook group and website at vitalmasculinity.org. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win (2015). Jocko Willink "GOOD" (From Jocko Podcast) The Joy Of Imperfection: A Stress-Free Guide To Silencing Your Inner Critic, Conquering Perfectionism, and Becoming The Best Version Of Yourself! (2017). Damon Zahariades Apollo 11: What We Saw

This episode, an interlude between our cardinal virtues episodes, is a casual and genuine conversation on the “nice guy” phenomenon.  Show Highlights: “Nice guys” make a show of being nice in order to get something in return and are angry if they are subsequently denied what they “deserve.” A real man doesn’t use people as means to an end, and definitely doesn’t whine because his attempts to manipulate someone fail.  Frustrated with lack of success, “nice guys” resort to being passive-aggressive and acting like a jerk, which is a vision of manhood formed by nothing more than TV and one’s juvenile peers.  Here at Vital Masculinity, we encourage men to first work on themselves and become better men, whose can focus on something besides get-a-girlfriend-quick schemes. If you are not the man that you want to be, you are not going to meet the type of woman you want to meet.  References: The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It (2018). Farrell Warren and John Gray No More Mr. Nice Guy (2003). Robert Glover.  --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, tangible examples of how to practice prudence crown the series on that subject.   Show Highlights: How the cultivation of prudence requires quiet time for reflection, unhindered by the distractions of technology, activity, and multimedia which assail our daily lives How committing one’s reflections to writing vastly increase the likelihood of success The critical importance of giving time to form your thoughts into a reasonable plan The dual errors of acting on impulse and overthinking until the opportunity to act passes The need to seek out mentors and garner the support of a band of brothers Read the complete set of show notes here. Daily Deed: At the end of every day, take 5 minutes to think about—and write down—times when you acted prudently and times when you acted imprudently. Then pick a few situations in which you did not act prudently and resolve to work on them the next day.  To get in touch with our growing band of brothers, and for more support along the path of making yourself a better man, check out our Facebook group and visit www.vitalmasculinity.org.

Today’s episode lays important groundwork by going over prerequisites for being a prudent man.   Show Highlights: How our society does not bring out the best in men How you can reverse these patterns that enable an imprudent lifestyle by developing the ability to be still, to endure patiently through concrete experiences, and to silently contemplate reality  The importance of making time for self-reflection in a world full of distractions The importance of persevering towards your goals despite struggles and setbacks  The importance of being honest with yourself and owning your mistakes instead of trying to forget that they happened: men don’t make excuses View this episode's full show notes here. Daily Deed: Think about something that is constantly distracting you—whether it be Facebook or Snapchat or your phone—and set that down for 10 minutes a day, allowing yourself to just relax and think about life and what is objectively true about what’s going on around you!  Show References: Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World (2019) by Cal Newport  Check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org to join the conversation and grow into a more virtuous and complete man.  

This episode is the second part of a two-episode series on misconceptions of prudence. We chose to devote a second episode to this topic because these certain misconceptions not only hinder your growth but will actively prevent you from achieving any degree of prudence.  Show Highlights: A man cannot be prudent by merely following the decrees of some preformed list of how to be prudent (this misconception is known as casuistry). In contrast, a real man doesn’t wait to be told what to do.  By developing his reason, he is transformed and knows how to decide for himself what to do in any given situation. A second misconception called voluntarism describes the idea that virtues can be practiced in isolation. Rather, the very nature of virtues necessitates that a man who decides to act unjustly is also being imprudent, for instance. While you might need examples to help you get started and make some mistakes along the way, it is critical to understand that the goal is to become a mature man who is self-reliant and virtuous across the board. View this episode's full show notes here. Daily Deed:  Take two minutes every day and think about the misconceptions of prudence, specifically casuistry and voluntarism. Think about the way that you have approached ethical judgments in the past, what’s right and wrong, good and bad, how other people in our society think about these things and whether that is in line with our understanding of prudence. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the first of a series of episodes on the principal virtue of prudence, the guys clear up some common misconceptions about what Prudence means.  Show Highlights:  Prudence is right reason applied via action. Prudence does make a man passive or indecisive.  How scheming and deceiving others for purposes of self-gain is a common misconception of Prudence.  A man doesn’t need to be super intelligent to be prudent; a genius may easily be imprudent.  The prudent man’s judgments and decisions are grounded in reality.  Why learning to exercise Prudence frees a man from both second-guessing himself and from the need to defer to others.  View this episode's full show notes here.  Daily Deed: Spend two minutes a day this week reflecting on your conception of prudence. Do you agree with the misconceptions we listed in this episode? Why or why not? Write these reflections down in a journal or share them with a brother to spur discussion about the subject. ---  Check out our website for more details on Prudence and becoming a more complete man: vitalmasculinity.org  Join the growing conversation about virtue, brotherhood, and being a man at our Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/vitalmasculinity

This episode asks the important question of why a man should want to be virtuous.  Show Highlights: Deep down, every man desires to go on an adventure and have a mission to accomplish. We can try to distract ourselves from this desire through media and self-gratification, but that only sets us up for a life of quiet desperation. The pursuit of virtue gives your life meaning and purpose around which to orient every aspect of yourself.  Our forefathers have understood for millennia that manliness consists of virtue and good character, which allows one to respond to hardship ‘like a man.’   To fully realize how you’re missing out on a life worth living, you have to try it for yourself. View this episode's full show notes, resources, and the daily deed here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our Facebook group to continue the conversation.

In this episode, the gents lay out of a foundation of virtue and its importance to masculinity. Show Highlights: What virtue is and how it factors into our modern lives How modern education has failed to teach us how to be a man Why the path to virtue is worth pursuing despite being difficult Virtue provides meaning in our lives and a fulfillment and happiness that hobbies and worldly success can’t offer Why virtue is the one thing that can’t be taken away View this episode's full show notes here. Daily Deed: Spend 15 minutes this week and meditate on the following: What is my concept of virtue? How do virtue and the pursuit of it affect or guide my life? Is the pursuit of virtue something that I truly desire? Do I need to learn more in order to begin this undertaking? Write these reflections down in a journal or share them with a brother to spur discussion about the subject. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our Facebook group to continue the conversation.

Welcome to inaugural episode of the Vital Masculinity Podcast! In this episode, the gents give you an introduction to the entire Vital Masculinity project. Show Highlights: The goals of Vital Masculinity Why is there a need to talk about what it means to be a man? Why is there a need for a foundation in masculinity? “Toxic Masculinity” as a distortion of true masculinity Virtue as the foundation of manliness Modern archetypes of masculinity Why isn’t there a conversation on virtue today? The importance of community and brotherhood Vital Masculinity is about journeying alongside brother View the full show notes and get more information here. --- Please like, subscribe, and leave a rating and review. Be honest - this feedback is crucial to helping us improve the quality of our show and reach like-minded men across the globe. Also, check out our website at vitalmasculinity.org and apply to join our active Facebook group to continue the conversation.

It's time to get back to the basics. What does it mean to be a man? More importantly, how do you become a good man? This project will teach you the foundation for true, noble masculinity, a manliness rooted in virtue, brotherhood and the pursuit of the True, Good and Beautiful.