Walter Russell Mead

William McRaven

Ben can’t do pull-ups anymore, so it’s a great time to talk to Admiral William McRaven. The guys talk about the fine line between swagger and arrogance, the importance of clear communication, and the way McRaven built his teams of Navy Seals. Lots of conversation about failure as a teacher and McRaven’s top-5 must-read book recommendations. Show Notes: Admiral McRaven's book recommendations: — Marcus Aurelius: Meditations [https://www.amazon.com/Meditations-New-Translation-Marcus-Aurelius/dp/0812968255] — Anton Myrer: Once an Eagle [https://www.amazon.com/Once-Eagle-Anton-Myrer/dp/0062221620] — Erich Maria Remarque: All Quiet on the Western Front [https://www.amazon.com/All-Quiet-Western-Front-Novel/dp/0449213943] — Will Durant — Ella Wheeler Wilcox — Rudyard Kipling — Stephen M. R. Covey: The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything [https://www.amazon.com/SPEED-TRUST-Thing-Changes-Everything/dp/1416549005] — Ian MacHorton: The Hundred Days of Lt. MacHorton [https://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Days-Lt-MacHorton/dp/0553126709]

Listener Mail

This Q&A episode has everything. Habits, dispositional conservatism, family bookshelves, Bo Jackson, Viking longboats, Apollo space ships, theology, and more. In an effort to avoid premature elaboration, the gang does a lightning round of false binaries.

Ben Thompson

Ben and Chris talk with tech analyst Ben Thompson about the future. Is AI heaven, or hell, or both? Does the future belong to China or the United States? What’s the deal with Silicon Valley and does American ingenuity require a little insanity?

Clint Black

Singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer Clint Black joins underachievers Ben and Chris. The gang talks about country music, writing, parenting, career choices, and gratitude. How much does art depend on lived-experience and pain, or can performers serve their audiences without working through their own trials?

Clayton Anderson

Astronaut and Nebraskan Clayton Anderson joins the guys to talk about all things space. The human desire to explore, the vocation of spacewalking hundreds of miles above the earth, the rigors of NASA’s selection process, and the challenges of getting to Mars. Ben and Clayton agree Nebraska is better than West Virginia — it’s science.