Heavy Things Lightly

Find this episode on YouTube: Father Hans has spent years reaching young men on the edge — men who are economically stuck, spiritually fragmented, and slow to trust. In this conversation, he names what’s really going on: a generation that woke up inside a world already infected with “narcissistic spiritual cancer,” and a culture that gave them consumer identity instead of a soul.They go deep on:* What “boomerism” actually means — and whether the criticism is fair* Why resentment and resignation will hold young men back no matter how justified they feel* The difference between ethnos and race, and why it matters for how we form community* Why politics can’t answer the questions that only the purification of the heart can* The “black-pilled” trap — and how to actually fight evil (hint: it’s not screaming at the machine)* What it looks like to pull someone back from the cliff — Fr. Hans has done it, literally“I’m a recovering materialist. That’s what I am.” — Fr. Hans JacobseThis is Heavy Things Lightly — conversations about faith, culture, and the lives of real men trying to live with integrity. If this hit, share it with someone who needs it.0:00 Cold Open — Fr. Hans on Orthodoxy Flourishing0:47 Intro & Sponsor (Conrad’s Jerky)2:31 Meet Father Hans Jacobse3:38 What Is “Boomerism”? Defining the Young Men’s Critique5:46 The Anger Parallel: Young Men Today vs. Black Men in the ‘80s9:20 The Orthodox Response to Resentment and Anxiety12:00 Healing Through Adversity — Men Must Lift the Weight15:47 Why Fr. Hans Left the Culture Wars17:14 “Open Your Eyes” — The Call That Launched St. Paisios Brotherhood20:00 Fear of Becoming a Compliant Consumer: The Identity Trap21:30 What “Black-Pilled” Really Means — and Why It Fails23:50 How Orthodoxy Actually Heals: Purification, Not Critique26:40 What Breaks Through the Granite Wall: The Love of a Brother31:45 No Politics Rule — Why Politics Is a Lagging Indicator36:50 Nationalism, Ethnos, and Living Where You Are43:45 What Held America Together — and When It Collapsed45:35 Young Men Born Into the “Narcissistic Spiritual Cancer”48:00 Why Fr. Hans Was Drawn to This Work (His Own Story)53:00 When Government Can’t Answer What Only the Heart Can54:55 Fr. Hans’s Closing Vision: Orthodoxy Flourishing57:45 Outro — First Things Foundation & the Tamada Network__🏷️ Sponsored by Conrad’s Beef Jerky — loyalty not guaranteed.Conrad’s Deli - The best jerky you’ll ever have ➜ https://conradsdeli.com/ ⭐ Use promo code “FIRST THINGS” for 10% off.🔥 Support First Things Foundation field workers: https://first-things.org✈ Become a Field Worker with FTF: https://first-things.org/opportunities📢 First Things Telegram: https://t.me/firstthingsfoundation🍷The best dinner party you’ve ever experienced - Supra Dinner Society: https://supradinner.com/🥂 Keipi Restaurant: https://keipirestaurant.org✒ Substack: ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🏖️ Tailormade tours that give back: https://www.gratitude-travels.com/hom__Credits Music: Intro / Outro Provided by Greg Gilbertson & Band This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnheersftf.substack.com/subscribe

Andrew McLuhan is the son of Eric McLuhan, a grandson of Marshall McLuhan, founder and director of The McLuhan Institute (founded 2017). TMI was founded to conserve and continue media studies in the McLuhan tradition, which arguably began with "Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man" published in 1964.Conrad's Deli - The best jerky you'll ever have: https://conradsdeli.com/ use promo code "FIRST THINGS" for 10% off.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------✒ Substack: https://johnheersftf.substack.com/ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🍷The best dinner party you've ever experienced - Supra Dinner Society: https://supradinner.com/🏖️ Tailormade tours that give back: https://www.gratitude-travels.com/home🔎 Discover the non-profit behind Heavy Things Lightly: https://first-things.org/ ✈ Become a Field Worker with FTF: https://first-things.org/opportunities📢 First Things Telegram: https://t.me/firstthingsfoundation🥂 Keipi Restaurant: https://keipirestaurant.orgPlease leave a review with your comments! Your support keeps this podcast alive and allows us to broaden our discussion. ---This “Enlightened” New World utopia isn’t turning out to be all it was cracked up to be. Society is disenchanting, but are the only alternatives hiding out in the hills or burying yourself in books? With an air of levity and a touch of humor, John Heers teaches how to examine the confusing New World by calling upon the mind and wisdom of oft-forgotten Old. Heavy Things, Lightly.--- Credits Music: Intro / Outro Provided by Greg Gilbertson & Band This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnheersftf.substack.com/subscribe

Find this episode on YouTube: The Heers Girls join HTL to educate us on what cuffing is, what women look for in men (kinda) and if body odor is a deal breaker. Also, there is singing.Conrad's Deli - The best jerky you'll ever have: https://conradsdeli.com/ - use promo code "FIRST THINGS" for 10% off.✒ Substack: ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🍷The best dinner party you've ever experienced - Supra Dinner Society: https://supradinner.com/🏖️ Tailormade tours that give back: https://www.gratitude-travels.com/home🔎 Discover the non-profit behind Heavy Things Lightly: https://first-things.org/✈ Become a Field Worker with FTF: https://first-things.org/opportunities📢 First Things Telegram: https://t.me/firstthingsfoundation🥂 Keipi Restaurant: https://keipirestaurant.orgPlease leave a review with your comments! Your support keeps this podcast alive and allows us to broaden our discussion. ---This “Enlightened” New World utopia isn’t turning out to be all it was cracked up to be. Society is disenchanting, but are the only alternatives hiding out in the hills or burying yourself in books? With an air of levity and a touch of humor, John Heers teaches how to examine the confusing New World by calling upon the mind and wisdom of oft-forgotten Old. Heavy Things, Lightly.--- Credits Music: Intro / Outro Provided by Greg Gilbertson & Band This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnheersftf.substack.com/subscribe

Find this episode on YouTube: Pt. 2 following up on last episodes exploration of materialism and Gnosticism as we se them playing out in modern culture. Conrad’s Deli - The best jerky you’ll ever have: https://conradsdeli.com/ - use promo code “FIRST THINGS” for 10% off.-----------------------------------✒ Substack: ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🍷The best dinner party you’ve ever experienced - Supra Dinner Society: https://supradinner.com/🏖️ Tailormade tours that give back: https://www.gratitude-travels.com/home🔎 Discover the non-profit behind Heavy Things Lightly: https://first-things.org/ ✈ Become a Field Worker with FTF: https://first-things.org/opportunities📢 First Things Telegram: https://t.me/firstthingsfoundation🥂 Keipi Restaurant: https://keipirestaurant.orgPlease leave a review with your comments! Your support keeps this podcast alive and allows us to broaden our discussion. ---This “Enlightened” New World utopia isn’t turning out to be all it was cracked up to be. Society is disenchanting, but are the only alternatives hiding out in the hills or burying yourself in books? With an air of levity and a touch of humor, John Heers teaches how to examine the confusing New World by calling upon the mind and wisdom of oft-forgotten Old. Heavy Things, Lightly.--- Credits Music: Intro / Outro Provided by Greg Gilbertson & Band This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnheersftf.substack.com/subscribe

Find this episode on YouTube: Ceremonial magician Justine Alter talks and what a talk it is. Extremely fascinating (terrifying?) look into what is happening just out of site. After a life of being a psychic, extreme artist, and cult leader Justine converted to Orthodoxy. Her story is wild.Discover “Outside of the World” at New Martyr Press: https://www.newmartyrpress.com/books/blog-post-title-two-3ykj9✒ Substack: johnheersftf.substack.comⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🍷The best dinner party you’ve ever experienced - Supra Dinner Society: https://supradinner.com/🏖️ Tailormade tours that give back: https://www.gratitude-travels.com/home🔎 Discover the non-profit behind Heavy Things Lightly: https://first-things.org/✈ Become a Field Worker with FTF: https://first-things.org/opportunities📢 First Things Telegram: https://t.me/firstthingsfoundation🥂 Keipi Restaurant: https://keipirestaurant.orgPlease leave a review with your comments! Your support keeps this podcast alive and allows us to broaden our discussion.--- This “Enlightened” New World utopia isn’t turning out to be all it was cracked up to be. Society is disenchanting, but are the only alternatives hiding out in the hills or burying yourself in books? With an air of levity and a touch of humor, John Heers teaches how to examine the confusing New World by calling upon the mind and wisdom of oft-forgotten Old. Heavy Things, Lightly. ---Credits Music: Intro / Outro Provided by Greg Gilbertson & Band This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnheersftf.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Ian McGilchrist, best known for his books “The Matter with Things” (2021) and “The Master and His Emissary” (2009), is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and neuroscientist well known around the world. He comes on today, not only to take the (in)famous Light-O-Meter test, but also to talk about reality, about how we relate to reality, and the old vs new schools of thought. ✒ Substack: https://johnheersftf.substack.com/ ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf 🍷The best dinner party you’ve ever experienced - Supra Dinner Society: https://supradinner.com/ 🏖️ Tailormade tours that give back: https://www.gratitude-travels.com/home 🔎 Discover the non-profit behind Heavy Things Lightly: https://first-things.org/ ✈ Become a Field Worker with FTF: https://first-things.org/opportunities 📢 First Things Telegram: https://t.me/firstthingsfoundation 🥂 Keipi Restaurant: https://keipirestaurant.org Please leave a review with your comments! Your support keeps this podcast alive and allows us to broaden our discussion. --- This “Enlightened” New World utopia isn’t turning out to be all it was cracked up to be. Society is disenchanting, but are the only alternatives hiding out in the hills or burying yourself in books? With an air of levity and a touch of humor, John Heers teaches how to examine the confusing New World by calling upon the mind and wisdom of oft-forgotten Old. Heavy Things, Lightly. --- Credits Music: Intro / Outro Provided by Greg Gilbertson & Band This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnheersftf.substack.com/subscribe