Greek Mythology: Hera

A "Baptism of Blood"

In this episode, I use a classic Bulgarian novel by Ivan Vazzoff, called "Under the Yoke," to talk about what it means to kill another individual or animal. I talk about how technology, drones, and artificial intelligence has been designed to prevent humans from feeling the usual emotion and trepidation towards killing that has prevailed for centuries. That feeling of fear and trembling is a "Baptism of Blood," which is a term taken directly from the novel. Why is it a baptism to kill another man, because once you do so, you supposedly are cleansed from the moral codes that have so sanctimoniously defined our human civilization and life. To use a Lockean and Hobbesian term, you are now out of the social contract and into the state of nature. A baptism with Holy Water is a convenient with God, a cleansing of one’s sins and the providing of a clean state for those participating in the act. To murder someone, especially in the way that the three men have done, face to face, only a few paces away, looking them dead in the eye, reverses that covenant, it is thought, and establishes a new one with blood – whereby the sanctity of life carries slightly less weight and taking the blood of another is possible. Now to do so, to actually follow through on the act of these Bulgarian men is difficult, painful and scary – that is why they were petrified, “terrified” when they were given these orders. Man does not naturally, when he considers the totally of the action, want to take the life of another, but only does so, when he’s pushed into extraordinary circumstances or those circumstances fall upon him. But once he do so, it opens up a new world, a new baptism that is hard to come back from. Now to pivot slightly, what I have observed is that in modern times, we have set up our world in such a way as to make the baptism less painful, less difficult, less human. The mass killers of our world are not bandits, not criminals, not individuals or the mafia, but rather governments whose deployment of warfare with drones, artificial intelligence weapons, bombs, long range missiles, and all the rest etc etc… make it easy not to feel the real impact of killing hundreds if not thousands of people – and this is dangerous because as soon as you start reducing the price of the baptism in blood and make it more accessible to many – the more and more people that will take that oath whether they realize it or not – and not find a way back through repentance – the only means back from the blood baptism because they have and would not have understood the severity of the oath that they took. And we do it with animals, which perhaps we consider the killing of less severe – for food I mean – we allow ourselves to participate in the slaughter en mass by designing machines and systems to do all the work. Very few people grasp the full meaning of buying a chicken breast or a steak from a store and perhaps they would if they were forces to kill and produce it themselves. Get full access to athanasios at athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe [https://athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Scottish and UK elections Live Reactions

As results roll in from the UK’s May 2026 local, Scottish, and Welsh Parliament elections, Matthew Brown [https://substack.com/profile/85217574-matthew-brown] and I break down what the numbers really mean for British politics. Reform UK is surging, Labour and the Conservatives are hemorrhaging seats, and the Greens are making inroads with younger voters — so is the traditional two-party system finally dead? Drawing on their years living in Edinburgh, we discuss the rise of Reform UK and what’s driving working-class voters away from the Tories, the SNP’s grip on Scottish politics despite growing incumbent fatigue, the possibility of a Scottish independence referendum, the NHS crisis and why no party seems to have a real answer, and why voter disillusionment is at an all-time high across England, Scotland, and Wales. Whether you’re a politics junkie or just trying to make sense of a rapidly shifting British political landscape, this is a candid, unscripted conversation that cuts through the noise. Get full access to athanasios at athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe [https://athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Greek Mythology: Hera

In this episode of The Ikarus Inspired Podcast, I explore the mythology of Hera — Greek goddess of marriage, women, and family — and unpacks the deeply human psychology beneath her legendary jealousy. From her persecution of Zeus’s lovers like Io and Echo, to her role in the Trojan War, Hera’s stories reveal a universal fear: the collapse of the kingdoms we build around our identity, status, and relationships. Drawing on pop culture references like Two and a Half Men and the philosophy of Voltaire and Nietzsche, this episode asks: what do we do when the structures that give our lives meaning start to fall apart? Whether you’re a mythology enthusiast, a psychology nerd, or simply someone navigating change, this episode offers timeless insight wrapped in an ancient story. Topics covered: Greek mythology, Hera, Zeus, Trojan War, psychology of jealousy, fear of replacement, Nietzsche, finding meaning, identity and status. Get full access to athanasios at athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe [https://athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Inside Bulgaria's Election: Corruption, Coalition Crises & the EU-Russia Fault Line

On the eve of Bulgaria’s April 19th parliamentary election, I sat down with Filip Karaivanov — born in Sofia, now based in Edinburgh — for a deep-dive conversation on why this vote matters far beyond Bulgaria’s borders. We unpack the country’s long struggle with post-Soviet corruption, explain how its parliamentary system actually works (and why the president’s power to appoint caretaker governments has become a major political flashpoint), and explore whether the rising Progressive Bulgaria party can finally break a years-long coalition stalemate. The global stakes are real: like Georgia in 2024, this election is being framed as a referendum on whether Bulgaria leans West or tilts toward Moscow. Filip pushes back on that framing — and offers a more nuanced read of what change in Bulgaria could actually look like. Key themes: Eastern European geopolitics · EU vs. Russia · anti-corruption politics · parliamentary coalitions · Balkan history Get full access to athanasios at athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe [https://athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 67: The Assyrian Genocide with Professor Hannibal Travis

In this episode of the The Ikarus Inspired Podcast delves into the often overlooked Assyrian genocide with esteemed Professor of Law, Hannibal Travis from Florida International University. The conversation explores the historical context of the Assyrian genocide during World War I, its connections to the Armenian genocide, and the continuing impact on Assyrian populations today. Professor Travis provides a detailed account of the persecution the Assyrians faced, the geopolitical factors involved, and the ongoing struggle for recognition and reparations. The episode also discusses broader themes of genocide recognition and the challenges in prosecuting and preventing such atrocities. Using in-depth historical and legal analysis, this episode sheds light on one of history's less acknowledged yet significant genocides.I hope you appreciate this insightful conversation about this important part of history. Links: Join this channel to get access to perks:About Dr. Hannibal TravisHannibal Travis is a professor of Law at Florida International University. He has taught and conducted research in the fields of cyberlaw, intellectual property, international and comparative law, human rights, genocide studies, antitrust, and telecommunications. He is also the author of numerous scholarly articles and books on the Assyrian Genocide including: “Native Christians Massacred”: The Ottoman Genocide of the Assyrians during World War I; Genocide in the Middle East: The Ottoman Empire, Iraq and Sudan; Missions, Minorities, and the Motherland: Xenophobic Narratives of an Ottoman Christian “Stab in the Back”; The Greek Minority’s Fate in the Former Ottoman Empire as a Human-Rights Crisis in The Genocide of the Christian Populations in the Ottoman Empire and its Aftermath (1908-1923); and the editor and author of two chapters in The Assyrian Genocide: Cultural and Political Legacies;Books and Articles by Professor Travis on The Assyrian Genocide: : Assyrian Genocide: https://www.amazon.com/Assyrian-Genocide-Hannibal-Travis/dp/0367348640Genocide in the Middle East: The Ottoman Empire, Iraq, and Sudan: nhttps://www.amazon.com/Genocide-Middle-East-Ottoman-Empire/dp/1594604363“Native Christians Massacred”: The Ottoman Genocide of the Assyrians during World War I: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol1/iss3/8/Missions, Minorities, and the Motherland: Xenophobic Narratives of an Ottoman Christian “Stab in the Back: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-journal-of-middle-east-studies/article/missions-minorities-and-the-motherland-xenophobic-narratives-of-an-ottoman-christian-stab-in-the-back/09ADB28D8DECE21F5212B6D85D76AE0A Articles by Professor Travis: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=49605900:00 Intro03:21 Who Are the Assyrians?10:43: Basic Facts About the Assyrian Genocide14:21 How Were the Assyrians Treated Under The Ottoman Empire?23:59 What Were the Catalysts for the Assyrian Genocide? 35:13 Attempts to Re-Establish an Assyrian State38:36 Who Were the Young Turks?43:01 Allies and Adversaries During World War 1 52:30 What Makes a Genocide a Genocide?56:33 The Difficulties of Establish Genocidal Intent? 01:03:24 The Ottoman's Admission of Genocide01:09:20 Counter Arguments to Genocide Label01:17:27 How Many Assyrians Are Left?01:19:59 The Benefits of Labeling it as Genocide01:25:54 Reparations for the Assyrians Today?01:28:45 The Reverse CNN Effect and Assyrian Persecution Today?#assyrians #christianpersecution Get full access to athanasios at athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe [https://athanasiosjcy.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]