Geeky Stoics

In this week’s live stream and podcast, Geeky Stoics is exploring the concept of toxic empathy, its implications, and how it influences society, politics, and relationships. Riley and Stephen delve into the nature of empathy, moral virtue, and the importance of balancing compassion with discernment.Chapters:* 01:08 What Is Toxic Empathy?* 04:33 Empathy in Literature and Media: Star Wars and Narnia* 08:04 Moral and Cultural Relativism in Empathy* 15:13 Empathy in Justice and Punishment* 20:23 Evil and Moral Clarity* 27:27 The Limits and Risks of Empathy* 30:15 Advice for Self-Discovery* 37:17 Balancing Career, Family, and Personal Purpose* 43:30 Watchtower Intel* 48:02 Community and Future Retreats* 54:18 The Power of Storytelling and Shared ValuesResources: * Gad Saad’s book ‘Suicidal Empathy’* Paul Bloom’s book ‘Against Empathy’ * C.S. Lewis’s ‘The Four Loves’* Orthodoxy by GK Chesterton* Watchtower Intel on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe

It’s time for another long-form podcast! In this episode, we welcome Parker Settecase of ParkNotes Parker's Ponderings for a deep dive into the limits of Stoicism, the role of the God/Logos in this philosophy, and how these same ideas filter through Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and more.TOPICS WE’LL GET INTO* The overlap between Stoicism and Christianity: How Stoic principles align and diverge from Christian theology, and the importance of the Logos as a personal being.* Wrestling, discipline, and practical philosophy: How Parker’s wrestling background shaped his appreciation for Stoic ideas about self-control and focusing on what you can control.* Pop culture and philosophy: Using characters like Gandalf, Batman, and Star Wars’ Jedi and Sith to make philosophical concepts accessible and relatable.* Lust, self-control, and pop culture analogies: How Marcus Aurelius’ writings on physical desire relate to modern struggles, and parallels with the Star Wars narrative of Anakin Skywalker and the dark side.* The Sith vs. Jedi worldview: Technology, transhumanism, and the dangers of trying to “challenge forth” and reshape nature, with references to Heidegger, Nietzsche, and Foucault.* AI, humanity, and the risks of technological mimicry: Reflections on the use of AI to recreate lost loved ones, the philosophical implications of large language models, and the importance of preserving human uniqueness.* CS Lewis and the Inklings: The relevance of “That Hideous Strength,” “Till We Have Faces,” and the distinction between “major” and “goetia” magic as analogs for Jedi and Sith philosophies. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe

Somehow…Monday returned. Welcome back! This morning I am headed into Washington, DC to speak to a group of young professionals about communication and breaking through both the noise and polarization. These are tough times for getting your message across. Ears are closed. Eyes are covered. Impressions are set. How do we break through? I’ll share a few brief thoughts. It’ll be brief mainly because I want you to check out the video today, my interview about the new Superman movie on Fox Radio with Ben Domenech of The Transom. Part of it can be watched here for Free Subscribers to Geeky Stoics, and if you want more, it’s posted here. I know Ben appreciates the views. To watch the whole thing here, like with other videos, you can upgrade to a Paid subscription to support the work we’re doing here. The community is growing! On YouTube, we hit 15,000 subscribers yesterday and notched our one millionth view, thanks in part to this video about Friendship vs Eros (Erotic, Romantic love). Getting Your Message AcrossSo, as I was saying….how do we break through? It’s all about moral foundations. Once you understand the moral framework your audience is operating under, you can make an effort to appeal to their code and move the needle. In his book, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion, Jonathan Haidt breaks down the moral universes of conservatives and liberals (a simple left-to-right framing) into six pillars. * Care/harm – concern for the suffering of others* Fairness/cheating – emphasis on justice, rights, and equality* Loyalty/betrayal – allegiance to one’s group, family, or nation* Authority/subversion – respect for tradition and legitimate authority* Sanctity/degradation – valuing purity & avoiding the disgusting or profane* Liberty/oppression – a desire to resist domination and tyranny (added later in his framework)Geeky Stoics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Haidt’s widely acclaimed social science research showed that liberals place an outsized value on 1 and 2, Care and Fairness. Their first principles involve displaying concern for others’ suffering and caring about matters of fairness. Of course, these streams meet on matters of social justice and civil rights. Conservatives are more balanced in how they see the world. Each pillar gets pretty equal attention, with slightly more attention paid to Loyalty and Authority. They care about Fairness and the factor of equality, but in terms of proportionality to one’s contributions. It’s funny because conservatives think about this with the collective in mind, which is a framework usually used by liberals. Some outside thoughts on these values from familiar namesC.S. Lewis on his skepticism of Equality: “Do not misunderstand me. I am not in the least belittling the value of this egalitarian fiction, which is our only defence against one another’s cruelty—the function of equality is purely protective. It is medicine, not food. By treating the human person as if they were all the same kind of thing, we avoid innumerable evils. But it is not on this that we were made to live. It is idle to say that men are of equal value. If value is taken in a worldly sense—if we mean that all men are equally useful or beautiful or good or entertaining—then it is nonsense. If it means that all are of equal value as immortal souls, then I think it conceals a dangerous error.”* In summary, Lewis believed that Equality was a social necessity, but nothing more than that. He held that hierarchies are in keeping with nature (Authority) and that people become vessels for ideas and values, and ideas and values are ranked. “Equality is medicine, not food”. It treats a kind of ailment, but it’s not our reason for being. J.R.R. Tolkien on Freedom: “-the word has been so abused by propaganda that it has ceased to have any value for reason, and become a mere emotional dose for generating heat.”* A short quote and simple. Freedom is nice, but there are higher goods than freedom, such as Sanctity. You’ll find liberals and conservatives switch places quickly on Freedom when it suits their competing moral pillars. Once you have this understanding of moral foundations, you can decide whether or not you want to attempt appealing to them for the purpose of making a connection. Last thing, and for this we’ll return to Narnia’s founder, C.S. Lewis, once more. You have to keep your heart open to the possibility that you’re only being served the worst possible impression of your opponents. We know this. TV news and social media algorithms are designed not to spread truth, but to maintain the audience. If Fox News or MSNBC starts going too easy on the other side, people change the channel. They tuned in for a worldview, so subverting that is not in the business model. Know this. You can watch and enjoy the “news” but know it’s a form of entertainment, first and foremost. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity that with news, we become disappointed when our opponents are anything less than devils. Once we go down that road, we will start to see ourselves, the world, and God...as devils also. Turns out, believing the best in people is something that extends to how you treat yourself in the mirror. So be gracious. “Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one's first feeling, 'Thank God, even they aren't quite so bad as that,' or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second, then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally, we shall insist on seeing everything -- God and our friends and ourselves included -- as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred.”-C.S. Lewis in ‘Mere Christianity’Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for reading Geeky Stoics. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe

On a flight layover in the UK, Geeky Stoics visits the home, grave and world of famed author, philosopher and academic: C.S. Lewis This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe

If you want to understand the intellectual fault lines of the 20th century, you don’t need to go to a fancy college. You can just sit down with some old movies. We don’t touch on horror movies often on Geeky Stoics, in fact, this is a first. I just finished KINGDOM OF CAIN, a fascinating book about how horror and murder point toward evidence of God. It’s a fresh approach to Christian apologetics and on brand for Klavan, a prolific crime and mystery novelist. The book traces the line between real world murders that inspired art (film and stage plays) which inspire more real world violence, which inspire more art. Man destroys, man creates, round and round we go. At issue for most of the book is how the Ed Gein murders spurred on Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO (1960), which later warranted a response in the form of HALLOWEEN (1978). What Klavan leaves out is a movie near and dear to me, which builds on both of these films, SCREAM (1996). A question is posed by these works of art based on real world violence: Is evil a psychiatric malfunction or a metaphysical reality? Are murderers patients, or vessels……In the video above, you’ll get some answers to that question and see how philosophy and psychology clash when it comes to the question of evil and violence. “Darwin told us where we came from. Marx told us where we’re going. Freud told us who we are.” - Andrew Klavan This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe

It’s a good day to be a Geeky Stoics subscriber here on Substack! You all get first access to this week’s video conversations with Ryan Holiday of the Daily Stoic. I told you about the trip to Palm Springs, and it was to moderate this panel tackling the differences and overlaps of Stoicism and Objectivism. To recap: Stoicism is ancient Greek and Roman philosophy rooted in self-mastery, emotional regulation, and letting go of things beyond your control. Objectivism took form post-World War II through the philosopher and writer Ayn Rand. It is about self-focus, individual fulfillment, and “rational egoism” or putting yourself first as a matter of rational thought.Ryan Holiday is famed for his books, "The Obstacle Is the Way," "Ego Is the Enemy," "The Daily Stoic," "Stillness Is the Key", “Courage Is Calling” and his new book “Wisdom Takes Work” comes out this fall. Millions of people receive his daily emails and podcasts, and most of what Geeky Stoics does would not exist without his work. It was cool to meet him and ask him some questions about the life well-lived. Thanks for reading Geeky Stoics! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Some takeawaysHoliday framed freedom as the opportunity for self-discipline. Drawing on figures like Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and even Eisenhower, he emphasized that inner liberty (freedom from passion, chaos, and internal compulsion) is central to Stoic ethics. Stoicism holds that true freedom is achieved through mastery of the self, rather than simple absence of constraint. In Ryan’s books, he has called this “the empire between your ears”. Even a person living in chains cannot be truly forced to vacate their freedom of thought and action. For Stoics, unchecked liberty is a quick road to being enslaved by desire, and so self-restraint is not seen as a limitation but as a form of empowerment.This is an area I tend to strongly agree on. Richards, representing Ayn Rand’s Objectivism, defined freedom as freedom from coercion (force or fraud) that threatens one’s ability to think, act, and pursue personal happiness. Objectivism prioritizes the individual’s rational mind as the highest tool for flourishing, arguing that the pursuit of joy and personal achievement is the purpose of freedom. It’s not dismissive of self-discipline, and so Richards emphasized how a person can harm oneself with the pursuit of constant vice. Enjoying the panel discussion? Now check out our 1-on-1 interview with Ryan Holiday about parenting, Hamilton, and philosophyOverlap and Contrast on the panel Both philosophies value rationality, personal responsibility, and civic virtue. However, Stoicism is inward-facing, concerned with moral resilience and inner peace, while Objectivism is outward-facing, focused on creative achievement and individual flourishing.Holiday illustrated Stoic freedom with the example of Epictetus—a slave who, despite literal bondage, enjoyed greater internal freedom than Rome’s elite who had to suck up to tyrants to make a living. Richards acknowledged this but argued that Objectivism’s strength lies in its systematic approach, beginning with metaphysics and epistemology, and ending in ethics and politics centered on the primacy of the individual. It’s very anti-collectivist. That point on collectivism is important because it’s perhaps the most pointed area of disagreement. Most Stoics would say that all “goods” must be considered for the whole of a community. Objectivists, or Ayn Rand, did not believe “the public” even exists. Her philosophical focus was on living, breathing things, and she rejected the notion that the disjointed “we” was a thing worthy of acknowledgement. I am alive. The “public” is not. I have interests. The public does not. Stoics don’t buy this, especially not Ryan Holiday. Now, go enjoy the discussion and tell us what you thought in the comments below. New on YouTube from Geeky Stoics This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe

This week, I put together an essay I’ve been dying to make for well over a year. This is about Star Wars: Andor and whether or not the show supports a Marxist lens on freedom in a galaxy far, far away.Star Wars fans online had a field day with the words and deeds of one character, Nemik, who not only writes a “manifesto” for the Rebellion but also wears in Ushanka-style hat. Naturally, this got the Tankies (online communists) a little excited.In this video essay, being previewed FIRST for email subscribers to Geeky Stoics, I lay out why Nemik isn’t very Marxist. I begin with an assessment of his views on Self-Reliance, then turn to Andor’s nod to Natural Rights doctrine. And I conclude with my view on why Stoicism fills in the gaps left by political ideologies that claim to free mankind.I would like your feedback in the comments section before launching this on YouTube. Any fat that could be trimmed or argument that can tightened up, I’d like to hear about it!A beautiful excerpt from Nemik’s ManifestoThere will be times when the struggle seems impossible. I know this already. Alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the enemy.Remember this, Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneously and without instruction. Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy. There are whole armies, battalions that have no idea that they’ve already enlisted in the cause.Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.And remember this: the Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear.Remember that. And know this, the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empires’s authority and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege.Remember this: Try.Thanks for reading Geeky Stoics! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe

Did you see the news about The Chronicles of Narnia? After years of negotiation, director Greta Gerwig has closed a deal to have her Narnia movie hit theaters on November 26, 2026 before streaming on Netflix that Christmas. It’s pretty exciting! We love C.S. Lewis’ Narnia here on Geeky Stoics. The best available information out there points to Gerwig starting her Narnia series with the chronological first book, The Magician’s Nephew. In this video, I explain the significance of Narnia’s return AND summarize all of The Magician’s Nephew in less than 5 minutes. Enjoy and have a restful Sunday. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe