Best Decline Of The Western Civilizations Podcasts (2024)

1
The Decline of Western Civilization with Ian Grant 1:25:22

11d ago1:25:22

1:25:22

Today's episode is about "The Decline of Western Civilization", from 1981, directed by Penelope Spheeris. Our guest today is Ian Grant of the Jokermen podcast and media empire. This is Ian's second Rock Docs appearance, having previously joined us to discuss "Bob Dylan: 1978-1989 - Both Ends of the Rainbow" with his fellow Jokerman Evan Laffer. The…

1
Trump, trade & tariffs: What the US election means for Europe 29:22

5d ago29:22

29:22

The potential of a second Trump Presidency has far-reaching implications, particularly in Europe. Cecilia Malmstrom is a Swedish-born politician elected to the European Parliament in 1999, later serving as European commissioner for trade and as European commissioner for home affairs. When Trump was elected, Cecilia promoted free trade worldwide, in…

1
How can America find common ground? 26:12

2d ago26:12

26:12

How can we build a society where different opinions are met with curiosity and understanding? Dame Louise Richardson is a counter-terrorism expert, author and the President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and she has some thoughts. In this episode, Dame Louise and Malcolm argue how our environments can bring people back to the centre, redu…

1
The conservative case against Trump 28:40

9d ago28:40

28:40

Donald Trump's MAGA movement has inspired a following of non-college-educated, working-class Republican voters; but it's also had a profound impact on Republican policy. Ben Ginsberg is a Republican lawyer who wrote Lost, Not Stolen: The Conservative Case that Trump Lost and Biden Won the 2020 Presidential Election. He says the Republican party wou…

1
Is the political moderate dead? 31:24

9d ago31:24

31:24

Could a Trump 2.0 bring more blatant and dangerous violations of the norms and rules of democracy than we've seen before? Larry Diamond, a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University, has dedicated his life to the cause of liberal democracy. Malcolm and Larry discuss the success of centrist candidates in Australia, which is improba…

1
Does America need a democracy sausage? 30:04

9d ago30:04

30:04

As the US election looms, Malcolm talks to Eric H. Holder, Jr., about the United States electoral system, how it compares to Australia, and the significant challenges to democracy the US faces today. Eric H. Holder Jr, served as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States of America from 2009 to 2015 in the Obama Administration. Holder argues th…

1
Why truth is on the ballot this November 31:47

9d ago31:47

31:47

In a world of social media echo chambers, misinformation and partisan media, the lines between truth and lies are blurrier than ever. Jonathan Rauch knows this well - he's the author of The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth, which describes the crisis in our society, in which we are no longer divided based on different opinions but on o…

1
Pastoral Theology: Integrating Theory and Practice 1:04:51

10d ago1:04:51

1:04:51

Dr. Bulzacchelli and Dr. Smith discuss "pastoral theology".Can pastoral theology be intellectually rigorous?What distinguishes "pastoral theology" from speculative theology and other subdisciplines in theology?Is there a danger of too sharply dichotomizing between these two theological projects?How does pastoral theology overlap with non-theologica…

1
Steven Hyden Returns! 56:15

26d ago56:15

56:15

Today's episode is a rare one where the subject is not a specific documentary (although there is some rock doc talk). We're joined by returning guest Steven Hyden to discuss his new book "There Was Nothing You Could Do: Bruce Springsteen's “Born in the U.S.A.” and the End of the Heartland" and all things Bruce. Steven previously joined us to review…

1
Let It Be with Jeremy Kaplan of Dogs in a Pile 56:42

1M ago56:42

56:42

Today's episode is about "Let It Be", from 1970 and 2024, directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Our guest today is Jeremy Kaplan of the band Dogs in a Pile. A restored version of the original Let It Be movie has shown up on Disney+. We talk about it. It's the Beatles, you know the story. How does this movie fit into the great context of the Get Back ex…

1
Joan Baez I Am A Noise with Allison Rapp 1:21:19

2M ago1:21:19

1:21:19

Today's episode is about "Joan Baez I Am A Noise", from 2023, directed by Miri Navasky, Karen O'Connor, and Maeve O'Boyle. Our guest today is Allison Rapp, a music writer and the host of the brand-new podcast all about Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Podcast. Check it out! Joan Baez I Am A Noise covers the life of the folk music legend from her early day…

1
The Spirit of Medieval Philosophy: Creative Retrieval 1:11:28

2M ago1:11:28

1:11:28

In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith and Dr. Bulzacchelli explore the unique character and ethos of medieval philosophy. The discussion focuses on distinguishing characteristics, the decline of the Roman empire, the intersection of faith and reason, and especially the enduring value of medieval philosophical thought. Join in, su…

1
In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon with Dan Jasper 1:16:06

2M ago1:16:06

1:16:06

Today's episode is about "In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon", from 2024, directed by Alex Gibley. It's on MGM+, a streaming service the everybody definitely subscribes to. Our guest today is Dan Jasper, who previously joined us to discuss the Rolling Stones documentary "Crossfire Hurricane". In Restless Dreams is a two-part, three+ hour c…

1
Monks: The Translatlantic Feedback with Evan Laffer 1:22:22

3M ago1:22:22

1:22:22

Today's episode is about "Monks: The Transatlantic Feedback", from 2006, directed by Dietmar Post and Lucia Palacios. Our guest today is Evan Laffer of the Jokermen podcast and media empire. This is Evan's second Rock Docs appearance, having previously joined us to discuss "Bob Dylan: 1978-1989 - Both Ends of the Rainbow" with his fellow Jokerman I…

1
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten with Elizabeth Nelson of The Paranoid Style 1:21:18

3M ago1:21:18

1:21:18

Today's episode is about "Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten", from 2007, directed by Julien Temple. Our guest today is Elizabeth Nelson of the band The Paranoid Style. Check out their outstanding new album The Interrogator: https://theparanoidstyle.bandcamp.com/album/the-interrogator Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten is more of a wake for t…

1
Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)? with Galen Howard 1:11:52

4M ago1:11:52

1:11:52

Today's episode is about "Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?", from 2010, directed by John Scheinfeld. Our guest today is Galen Howard, star of stage and screen. Check out his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galenhoward/?hl=en Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)? takes us through the life o…

1
All I Can Say - Blind Melon's Shannon Hoon with Ryan Bradford 1:15:33

4M ago1:15:33

1:15:33

Today's episode is about "All I Can Say", from 2019, directed by Danny Clinch, Taryn Gould, Colleen Hennessy, and, posthumously, Shannon Hoon. Our guest today is Ryan Bradford. Check out his Substack at https://awkwardsd.substack.com/ as well as our previous episode with Ryan about GWAR. "All I Can Say" is compiled from VHS footage taken by Blind M…

1
The Greatest Night in Pop - We Are The World 1:10:09

5M ago1:10:09

1:10:09

Today's episode is about "The Greatest Night in Pop", a 2024 Netflix doc about the making of "We Are the World", directed by Bao Nguyen. The move has two acts - Act 1 is a heist film-style tick-tock about how the concept came together at the behest of Harry Belafonte, the song got written despite Stevie Wonder ghosting Lionel Richie, and the Avenge…

1
Ain't In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm with Eamon O'Flynn 1:18:38

5M ago1:18:38

1:18:38

Today's episode is about "Ain't in It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm", from 2010, directed by Jacob Hatley. Our guest today is a returning champion, Eamon O'Flynn, host of Record Roulette Podcast, which can be found on Twitter @rrmusicpod - check out our previous episode with Eamon about "Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band". …

1
The Liberal Arts and the Renewal of Western Civilization 1:15:58

5M ago1:15:58

1:15:58

The Liberal Arts and the Renewal of Western CivilizationDescription:#liberalarts, #Western_civilization, #Classical_EducationHave you ever heard of the liberal arts? Maybe when you were applying for college? But you probably don't know that the liberal arts are at the heart of western civilization? In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr.…

1
The Song Remains the Same with Cam Herdt 1:09:08

6M ago1:09:08

1:09:08

Today on Rock Docs we discuss "The Song Remains the Same", a 1976 film about Led Zeppelin directed by Peter Clifton and Joe Massot. For those who haven't seen the film, or whose memory of seeing it is lost in a drug-addled haze (as it was meant to be seen), the movie starts with LZ manager Peter Grant dressed as a 1930s gangster shooting a Nazi wer…

1
Ratzinger's Introduction to Christianity 1:13:12

6M ago1:13:12

1:13:12

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was a leading churchman and one of the greatest Catholic theologians of the 20th century. In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Bulzacchelli leads us on a guided tour of Ratzinger's classic text, Introduction to Christianity. In this discussion, we explore the problems of presenting Christian faith in the cont…

1
Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone with Dallas McLaughlin 1:20:42

6M ago1:20:42

1:20:42

Today on Rock Docs we discuss "Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone", a 2010 film about the alternative rock band Fishbone, co-produced and co-directed by Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler, and narrated by actor Laurence Fishburne. Our guest for this episode is Dallas McLaughlin, Fishbone superfan and the world's foremost satirist. Check out his s…

1
2023: A Year in Review 1:26:45

6M ago1:26:45

1:26:45

We live in interesting times --- for better or worse. Confusion and anxiety are the hallmarks of the age. In this episode, our contributors discuss and critique the key cultural, political, and philosophical developments of 2023. The discussion covers divergent views on natalism, the sexula revolution, political power, the decline of liberalism, an…

1
Sound City: Nick's Picks Vol. 3 1:19:56

7M ago1:19:56

1:19:56

Welcome to Nick's Pick's Vol. 3, in which we invite our friend and returning champion Nick McCann on to discuss any documentary he chooses. Today's episode is about "Sound City", a 2013 doc about the LA recording studio Sound City. The movie was directed by Dave Grohl. The movie features a bunch of Dave Grohl's buds such as Stevie Nicks, Paul McCar…

1
Don't Look Back with Ray Padgett 1:21:45

7M ago1:21:45

1:21:45

Today's episode is about "Don't Look Back", a 1967 doc about Bob Dylan directed by D. A. Pennebaker. Our guest for this episode is Ray Padgett, author of "Pledging My Time: Conversations With Bob Dylan Band Members", the Dylan Substack "Flagging Down the Double E's", and the "Every Tom Waits Song" Substack. Don't Look Back is one of the most well-k…

1
X: The Unheard Music with Juliana Hatfield 1:05:06

7M ago1:05:06

1:05:06

Today's episode is about "X: The Unheard Music", a 1986 doc about the LA-based punk legends X. The movie was directed by W.T. Morgan. Our guest for this episode is another legend: Juliana Hatfield! Juliana is known for her many solo albums along with her work with the bands Blake Babies and the Lemonheads. Her new album, Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO,…

1
The Last Waltz with Julia Swanson 1:00:11

8M ago1:00:11

1:00:11

It's our 2nd annual Thanksgiving look at The Last Waltz. This time we're joined by Julia Swanson, noted superfan of the late Robbie Robertson. Plus: imagine all of the guests at the Last Waltz got sick and had to cancel at the last minute. Who among the constellation of rock stars circa 1976 would you draft for your very own Last Waltz team? Rock D…

1
Anvil! The Story of Anvil with Left-Handed 2nd Baseman 1:14:37

8M ago1:14:37

1:14:37

Today's episode is about "Anvil! The Story of Anvil", a 2008 doc about the then-obscure Canadian heavy metal band Anvil. The film was directed by Sacha Gervasi. Our guest for this episode is Fran Broderick, who records as Left-Handed 2nd Baseman. Check out his new album "The Dogs Race to the Door" and more at lh2b.com. The movie follows the band's …

1
Rock Docs Live - In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50 26:51

9M ago26:51

26:51

This episode is a recording of the first-ever live Rock Docs podcast, recorded at the home of Michael and Kristy Rennie along with friends and fans of the podcast. Along with King Crimson superfan Roger Morrison, we watched the 2022 documentary "In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50", directed by Toby Amies. What you'll hear in this …

1
35: Phantoms and Bad Comedians (Tales From the Crypt Original Movie Double Review) 1:02:44

9M ago1:02:44

1:02:44

Join Millicent Oriana, her co-host Jacob Urban, and SFTM producer Sofía Baca as they discuss two very bad (or should we say *scary* bad) films from none other than the folks from the show with way too much nudity and gore for what otherwise was written like Goosebumps; that's right: Tales From the Crypt. Find out why Dennis Miller is the worst ongo…

1
Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing with Dylan Tupper Rupert 1:39:22

9M ago1:39:22

1:39:22

Today's episode is about "Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing", a 2006 doc about the (formerly Dixie) Chicks and the fallout from Natalie Maines' famous 2003 comment, "We do not want this war, this violence. We're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas". The film was directed by Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck. Our guest for this episo…

1
Marriage, Annulments, and Tribunals 1:16:44

10M ago1:16:44

1:16:44

Dr. Bulzacchelli speaks with canonist Tyler Ross about the matrimony in the Catholic Church today from the perspective of canon law. Topics include:AnnulmentMixed marriagesImpediments and Defects in attempted marriagesBy Jason Gale

1
The Devil and Daniel Johnston with Noah Bond 1:14:10

10M ago1:14:10

1:14:10

Today's episode is about "The Devil and Daniel Johnston", a 2005 doc about the musician, outsider artist, and revered cult figure Daniel Johnston, directed by Jeff Feuerzeig. The movie was selected by our guest Noah Bond, who plays drums with many excellent bands including Cut Worms, Bonnie Doon, Sylvie, and Anna St. Louis. Daniel Johnston was an i…

1
Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche with Sweeping Promises 1:07:36

10M ago1:07:36

1:07:36

Today's episode is about "Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche", a 2021 doc about the British punk legend and X-Ray Spex leader, directed by Celeste Bell and Paul Sng. The movie was selected by our guests, Sweeping Promises. Check out their outstanding new album Good Living Is Coming for You. Poly Styrene, born Marianne Joan Elliott-Said, was the child of a…

1
The Decline Continues: After Post-Modernism 1:14:20

10M ago1:14:20

1:14:20

Are you confused and frustrated by current cultural trends? You are in good company. America and Europe are experiencing an unprecedented period of self-destruction. What is going on!? This episode is wide-ranging romp through the philosophical flotsam of our current cultural crisis. And we are featuring a new guest: Mr. Whit Smith --- entrepreneur…

1
America's coming civil war 21:24

11M ago21:24

21:24

Barbara Walter has been part of a CIA task force looking at predictive models for where civil wars might break out around the world. As the task force looked closely at the data, they discovered that the two most predictive factors were well-established in America. Barbara says the 2024 U.S. Presidential election is a genuine trigger for violence, …

1
Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio talks Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami 57:04

11M ago57:04

57:04

Today's episode is about "Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami", a doc about legendary Jamaican singer and style icon Grace Jones, directed by Sophie Fiennes. The movie was selected by our guest, Kyp Malone, who you probably know from the seminal 2000's Brooklyn indie-rock band TV on the Radio. Bloodlight and Bami and is a verite portrait of Grace Jone…

1
34: Holding Out for a Hiroo (Japanese Holdouts) 1:04:05

11M ago1:04:05

1:04:05

Join Millicent Oriana, co-host Jacob Urban, and producer Sofía Baca as they discuss the phenomenon of Japanese holdouts from World War 2. References: "Tokyo Rose", Tokyo, Japan, 09/20/1945, US National Archives on YouTube The Speciality of Infantry/Hohei no honryo(歩兵の本領)[Japanese marching song][+English translation] on YouTube "Bart Gets an Elephan…

1
Afghanistan: Keeping the lights on when Democracy flames out 17:56

11M ago17:56

17:56

What do you do when a country suddenly falls into darkness? Afghan Australian businessman Saad Mohseni is Chairman, Chief Executive, and CEO of Moby Group, which runs Afghanistan's 24/7 Tolo News channel. Saad is widely applauded for advancing press freedom and defending women's rights; Time Magazine recognized him in 2011 as one of the 100 most in…

1
How secure clean energy will save democracy 20:28

11M ago20:28

20:28

Climate change and the decline of democracy are two global crises that have come to a head in recent years. Transitioning to green energy is key to tackling both. Can we make enough progress fast enough to save the planet and democracy? Energy security expert Anna Mikulska discusses how Vladimir Putin weaponised gas for decades before the ground in…

1
Lance Bangs & The Elephant 6 Recording Co. 50:43

11M ago50:43

50:43

Today's episode is about "The Elephant 6 Recording Co." (C.B. Stockfleth, 2023), about the titular record label's roster of wild outsider indie artists such as Neutral Milk Hotel, the Olivia Tremor Control, the Apples In Stereo, Elf Power, the Music Tapes, the Minders, the Gerbils, of Montreal, Beulah, Dressy Bessy, Great Lakes & more. Our Very Spe…

1
Meet the new autocrats and their playbook 20:34

11M ago20:34

20:34

Who are the new autocrats and what’s their playbook? We are now living in the era of the strongman - and every dictator has built on the accomplishments of his predecessors. Hitler watched Mussolini, and Gaddafi learned from Lt Col Gamal Abdul Nasser. So why, despite the evidence of history, do strongmen still hold such appeal for us? What does the…

1
Against Reductionism 1:03:54

11M ago1:03:54

1:03:54

Famously Aristotle claims that being ("reality") is primarily said of substance and claims that substance is the basic, foundational, unity of reality. In this episode of Take Every Thought Captive, Dr. Smith and Mr. Grossheim (Ph.D. student in Philosophy) explain how substance is discovered through a methodical analysis of change, which culminates…

1
WHAM! with Candice Renee 1:16:53

11M ago1:16:53

1:16:53

Today's episode is about "WHAM!" (Chris Smith, 2023), a hot new Netflix doc about the massively successful George Michael/Andrew Ridgeley collab. Our Very Special Guest is Candice Renee from Treble Media! Our podcast is brought to you by Treble Media. And Candice was our guest way back in 2021 for our episode about the documentary "Hype!"! She only…

1
Get ready for Trump 2.0: The US Presidential race 2024 19:54

11M ago19:54

19:54

Congressman Adam Kinzinger reflects on the toxicity that has overtaken the United States and why it’s almost certain Donald Trump will be the Republican Presidential nominee. What would a Trump 2.0 Presidency look like and what does this mean for the allies and democracy around the world? Available on LiSTNR See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy …

1
Grateful Dawg with Brian Weinstein of Attendance Bias 1:12:38

12M ago1:12:38

1:12:38

Today's episode is about "Grateful Dawg" (Gillian Grisman, 2000), which chronicles the friendship and artistic collaboration between Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. Our Very Special Guest is Brian Weinsten of the podcast Attendance Bias. Brian was nice enough to have us on his show and we're returning the favor. Grateful Dawg is very much a family …

1
Will killer robots save or destroy us? 25:16

12M ago25:16

25:16

How is artificial intelligence reshaping the battlefield? As a teenager, Palmer Luckey designed the Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset he then founded Oculus VR and sold it to Facebook for $2.3b. Now he is bringing the ingenuity of Silicon Valley to defence technology. Founder of Anduril Industries Palmer is on a mission to reshape our defence …

1
Can we tame AI? 22:34

12M ago22:34

22:34

Even the founders of generative AI ChatGPT say they are “super nervous” about how autocrats will use the platform. This new release of artificial intelligence has the potential to unleash disinformation at a pace and scale that is unprecedented. We won’t be able to fact-check ourselves of this problem. Malcolm Turnbull talks to one of the world's l…

1
33: This Episode Is Not About Sports Anime (Strange Sports Stories) 40:03

12M ago40:03

40:03

Join Millicent Oriana, her co-host Jacob Urban, and producer Sofía Baca as they discuss three very strange sports stories. Works Cited: Aqua Teen Hunger Force - "South Bronx Paradise" The Simpsons - "Burns, Baby, Burns", "Monty Can't Buy Me Love", "Homie the Clown", "Lisa's Rival", "Fear of Flying" Speed Racer (1967) Treasure of the Sierra …

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Decline Of The Western Civilizations Podcasts

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