The Art of Manliness

Feelings of burnout and boredom have become prevalent in modern life. To understand the roots of and solutions to these issues, we can turn to both ancient philosophers and contemporary thinkers. Among the latter is Korean-German philosopher Byung-Chul Han, whose thought-provoking analyses are gaining increasing recognition. If you’re not yet familiar with Han’s philosophy, Steven Knepper, a professor at the Virginia Military Institute and the co-author of a new critical introduction to this modern philosopher’s work [https://amzn.to/44LyI8t], will take us on a tour of some of Han’s key ideas. In the first part of our conversation, Steven unpacks Han’s concept of the “burnout society” and why so many of us feel tired from participating in what he calls “auto-exploitation” and “positive violence.” We then discuss how our burnout society is also a “palliative society” that tries to avoid suffering at all costs and how our obsession with health has turned us into a modern version of Nietzsche’s “last man.” We end our discussion with some of Han’s ideas for resisting the pitfalls of modernity, including embracing ritual, contemplation, and an openness to the mystery of others. RESOURCES RELATED TO THE PODCAST * Byung-Chul Han’s books [https://amzn.to/43CbxNu], including The Burnout Society [https://amzn.to/3E6cfbu] and The Palliative Society [https://amzn.to/4i5iVVd] * Shop Class as Soulcraft [https://amzn.to/4ldyFrT] and The World Beyond Your Head [https://amzn.to/3FVn1lr] by Matthew B. Crawford * New Verse Review [https://newversereview.substack.com/] * Steven’s work at The Lamp [https://thelampmagazine.com/authors/steve-knepper] * Dying Breed Article: Resonance as an Antidote to Social Acceleration [https://www.dyingbreed.net/p/resonance-as-an-antidote-to-social] * Dying Breed Article: What Nietzsche’s Typewriter Brain Can Tell Us About Twitter Brain [https://www.dyingbreed.net/p/what-nietzsches-typewriter-brain] * Sunday Firesides: Protect the Sanctum Sanctorum of Selfhood [https://www.dyingbreed.net/p/sunday-firesides-protect-the-sanctum?utm_source=publication-search] * Sunday Firesides: We Need as Much Meaning Extension as Life Extension [https://www.dyingbreed.net/p/sunday-firesides-we-need-as-much?utm_source=publication-search] CONNECT WITH STEVEN KNEPPER * Steven at VMI [https://www.vmi.edu/academics/departments/erhs/faculty-and-staff/] Book cover for [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/04/81Chp6cIQhL._SL1500_.jpg]

Do you have a goal to lose weight? If so, you're probably thinking about how you need to exercise more. And that can certainly help. But what about the 23 hours a day you're not at the gym? How much you move during those hours — from walking to the mailbox to fidgeting at your desk — can be just as important in winning the battle of the bulge. Here to explain the importance of what's called non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, is Dr. James Levine, a professor, the co-director of the Mayo Clinic's Obesity Solutions Initiative, the inventor of the treadmill desk, and the author of Get Up!: Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It [https://amzn.to/3vpBLnu]. James explains how much more sedentary we are than we used to be and what happens to your body when, as the average American does, you spend two-thirds of your day sitting. He shares how doing the lightest kinds of physical activity, even standing more, can help you lose a significant amount of weight and improve other aspects of health, from your sleep to your mood. And we talk about how to easily incorporate more NEAT into your day. RESOURCES RELATED TO THE PODCAST * Role of Nonexercise Activity Thermogenesis in Resistance to Fat Gain in Humans — James' overfeeding study [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9880251/] * AoM Article: The Digestive Power of an After-Dinner Walk [https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/health/the-digestive-power-of-an-after-dinner-walk/] * AoM Podcast #552: How to Optimize Your Metabolism [https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/health/how-to-optimize-your-metabolism/] * AoM Article: The Importance of Building Your Daily Sleep Pressure [https://www.artofmanliness.com/health-fitness/health/the-importance-of-building-your-daily-sleep-pressure/] [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2024/01/71cT93LzPNL._SL1500_.jpg]

The era of artificially intelligent large language models is upon us and isn't going away. Rather, AI tools like ChatGPT are only going to get better and better and affect more and more areas of human life. If you haven't yet felt both amazed and unsettled by these technologies, you probably haven't explored their true capabilities. My guest today will explain why everyone should spend at least 10 hours experimenting with these chatbots, what it means to live in an age where AI can pass the bar exam, beat humans at complex tests, and even make us question our own creative abilities, what AI might mean for the future of work and education, and how to use these new tools to enhance rather than detract from your humanity. Ethan Mollick is a professor at the Wharton business school and the author of Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI [https://amzn.to/4jyLnQB]. Today on the show, Ethan explains the impact of the rise of AI and why we should learn to utilize tools like ChatGPT as a collaborator — a co-worker, co-teacher, co-researcher, and coach. He offers practical insights into harnessing AI to complement your own thinking, remove tedious tasks from your workday, and amplify your productivity. We'll also explore how to craft effective prompts for large language models, maximize their potential, and thoughtfully navigate what may be the most profound technological shift of our lifetimes. CONNECT WITH ETHAN MOLLICK * Ethan's faculty page [https://mgmt.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/emollick/] * One Useful Thing Substack [https://www.oneusefulthing.org/] * Ethan on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emollick] * Ethan on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/emollick.bsky.social] * Ethan on X [https://x.com/emollick/] A hand reaching for an apple on a tree branch is depicted on the cover of [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/04/913YN4MmhfL._SL1500_.jpg]

When you scroll through social media feeds today, you’ll find countless posts about “living your truth” and “being authentic.” These ideas feel so natural to us now that we rarely stop to ask where they came from or what they really mean. The concept of identity — how we understand ourselves — has undergone a radical transformation over the centuries. What once was defined primarily by external markers like family, profession, and community has shifted dramatically toward inner feelings, desires, and psychological experiences. Today on the show, Carl Trueman unpacks this profound change and how we got to the lens through which we view ourselves today. Carl is a professor, theologian, and the author of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self [https://amzn.to/4j0bwrA]. Throughout our conversation, he explores the insights of three key thinkers — Charles Taylor, Philip Rieff, and Alasdair MacIntyre — who have mapped the historical and cultural shifts that have transformed our ideas of identity. We discuss how this transformation has reshaped politics, education, and religion, while considering whether we’ve lost something essential in moving from a shared understanding of human nature to an increasingly individualized conception of self. RESOURCES RELATED TO THE PODCAST * The Triumph of the Therapeutic: Uses of Faith After Freud by Philip Rieff [https://amzn.to/41oyVfM] * Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity by Charles Taylor [https://amzn.to/4is54Jl] * After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory by Alasdair MacIntyre [https://amzn.to/41valJh] * The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis [https://amzn.to/41dsFWS] * AoM Podcast #723: Men Without Chests [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/knowledge-of-men/podcast-723-men-without-chests/] * AoM Article: 3 Essential Books for Understanding Our Disorienting Modern World [https://www.artofmanliness.com/living/reading/3-essential-books-for-understanding-our-disorienting-modern-world/] * AoM Article: Why Are Modern Debates on Morality So Shrill? [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/advice/modern-morality-shrill/] * Carl’s writing at First Things [https://firstthings.com/archive/?_author=carl-trueman] CONNECT WITH CARL TRUEMAN * Carl’s faculty page [https://www.gcc.edu/Home/Staff-Directory/Staff-Detail/carl-r-trueman] Book cover of [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/04/81lSJhWoAjL._SL1500_.jpg]

Resilience is often touted as the end all, be all of coping with life's challenges and setbacks. But my guest knows from her studies, executive coaching, and her own life that sometimes resilience just isn't enough. You need an even more durable source of strength. Dr. Tasha Eurich is an organizational psychologist and researcher and the author of Shatterproof: How to Thrive in a World of Constant Chaos [https://amzn.to/4i06YjF]. Today on the show, Tasha explains why the concept of resilience rose to prominence in the 2010s, how resilience can be improved a little as a skill, but is largely an exhaustible capacity, and how you know when you're hitting your "resilience ceiling." We then talk about the more sustainable skillset and strength of becoming shatterproof. We discuss the potential to grow forward instead of simply bouncing back, the psychological needs that have to be met to become shatterproof, and research-backed tools for thriving in life instead of just surviving. RESOURCES RELATED TO THE PODCAST * Tasha's previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #644 — How to Develop Greater Self-Awareness [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/advice/podcast-644-how-to-develop-greater-self-awareness/] * AoM Article: On Becoming Antifragile [https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/advice/beyond-sissy-resilience-on-becoming-antifragile/] * Self-determination theory [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-determination_theory] * Sunday Firesides: You Don't Have the Time, Not to Take the Time [https://www.dyingbreed.net/p/sunday-firesides-you-dont-have-the?utm_source=publication-search] CONNECT WITH TASHA EURICH * Tasha's website [https://www.tashaeurich.com/] * Shatterproof website [https://www.shatterproof-book.com/] Book cover of [https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/03/71jEmOMaxNL._SL1500_.jpg]