America's Forgotten Statesman- Substack Video Essay

Announcement: "Cast Your Nets"

This is a short announcement from the Crux. One of our hosts is launching a new article-writing & podcast-recording project called "Cast Your Nets," which can be found at the following link: castyournets.substack.com [castyournets.substack.com] A fuller introduction to the subject matter of this new podcast can be found here: https://castyournets.substack.com/p/coming-soon-cast-your-nets-with-bigtuna [https://castyournets.substack.com/p/coming-soon-cast-your-nets-with-bigtuna] Thanks for following the Crux of the Matter! New episodes are on the way, so don't worry...

16. The American Character Expressed Through Literature feat. Brian Wilson of Montana Classical College

Landen and Riley return after the election, switching gears to talk about the Renaissance of American Literature. This week, the boys were joined by Brian Wilson, the Founder of Montana Classical College, a new institution that is focused on promoting excellence for the human body & soul; especially by educating people on the thought & sayings of history’s greatest thinkers & writers. The three of them talk about how & why Brian started MCC, what the great thinkers can teach us about virtue and our own moral imaginations, the values expressed by the writers of the American Renaissance, the emergence of the American identity during the nineteenth century, the importance of knowing one’s own tradition, whether there are any Great Works in America’s future, and much more. Landen, Riley, and Brian draw on a huge array of talented thinkers and writers like Homer, Plato, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Russell Kirk, and CS Lewis. Tune in to catch it all! Brian’s Links: Twitter/X: https://x.com/MTClassical [https://x.com/MTClassical] Substack: https://montanaclassicalcollege.substack.com [https://montanaclassicalcollege.substack.com/] Directly Referenced Works: * Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” * Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” ----- Subscribe to the Crux of the Matter on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZV12DEH7FLtirpmNXS7pQ  ----- For serious inquiries, questions, comments, and hate mail, contact: cruxofthematterpodcast@gmail.com  -----

15. Elections, Voting, and 2024 (Audio Only)

Landen and Riley return for their first episode in 282 days, breaking the ice by discussing the stakes of the 2024 election & the importance of voting in local elections. They discuss how voting is a nonviolent contest for sovereignty, and address concerns about the security and meaningfulness of elections. They also examine how the American Founders designed the electorate, and how their views are still relevant to today's vastly changed voting landscape. Tune in for all of this and more! ----- Subscribe to the Crux of the Matter on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZV12DEH7FLtirpmNXS7pQ  ----- For serious inquiries, questions, comments, and hate mail, contact: cruxofthematterpodcast@gmail.com  -----

America's Forgotten Statesman- Substack Video Essay

The President who carried America into the 20th century has a lot to teach us about qualities particular to American leadership- and offers a blueprint for Donald Trump to follow. Riley offers a look into the biography, personal character, and policies of President William McKinley- showing us how McKinley is the leadership blueprint that Donald Trump must follow, if we are to return America to its former glory. ----- Substack Link: https://thecruxofthematter.substack.com/p/americas-forgotten-statesman ----- Subscribe to the Crux of the Matter on... https://thecruxofthematter.substack.com ----- For serious inquiries, questions, comments, and hate mail, contact: cruxofthematterpodcast@gmail.com -----

14. What is the Value of Work?

Landen and Riley return for the first full episode of the Crux of the Matter since September 10th, 2023, to ask 'what is the value of work?' They discuss recent trends around "hustle culture" & "quiet quitting," how the modern world views work, how work has evolved throughout history, and whether present attitudes surrounding work are beneficial- using wisdom from Marcus Aurelius, Abraham Kuyper, and the Biblical worldview. Tune in for all of this and more! ----- Subscribe to the Crux of the Matter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZV12DEH7FLtirpmNXS7pQ ----- For serious inquiries, questions, comments, and hate mail, contact: cruxofthematterpodcast@gmail.com ----- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-crux-of-the-matter