In this podcast we discuss the story of “Akulka’s Husband,” which is found in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel The House of the Dead. What does the story mean, and what conclusions can be drawn from it?
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When you give control of your work to third parties, you must take care that they do not alter, corrupt, or destroy what you have created. We use the story of the development and issuance of the M16 rifle in the U.S. military in the early 1960s as a tragic example.
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In this podcast, we discuss the real meaning of a few verses from the poet Horace (Epistles I.18.84-85). The quote is: “When a neighbor’s house burns, neglected fires are in the habit of gaining in strength.” These lines are important, and merit comment. We are all connected, and the evil that happens to one man in one place, can easily be experienced by another man somewhere else.
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Sometimes even a decisive victory is not enough. The victory may create entirely new landscapes, obstacles, and challenges that test you to the ultimate limit. There is no such thing as reaching a safe “end zone.” We discuss the Battle of Cunaxa in 401 B.C., where the Greek mercenaries of Cyrus won the battle, but immediately realized that their fight for survival had just begun. One man, a natural leader named Xenophon the Athenian, then stepped forward to assume the responsibility of command.
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This podcast is a book review of General Eoin O’Duffy: The Political Life Of An Irish Firebrand, by Jack Traynor. This book is a scholarly but brief political biography of a key figure of Irish politics from the War of Independence through the end of the 1930s. We discuss the book and its subject matter, and venture some thoughts. What does O’Duffy’s life teach us about the influence of character on a man’s fate?
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In December 2024, I had a great conversation with Dr. Massimo Pigliucci, a professor of philosophy at City College in New York City, an evolutionary biologist, a scholar of Greco-Roman practical philosophy, and an authority on Stoicism. He is also the author of How to Be a Stoic and The Quest for Character. We covered a wide range of topics, and the full dialogue can be found in the link below:
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If you encounter someone who claims to have a perfect record, and says he has never lost in some field of endeavor, take the claim with a grain of salt. Statements like this can be misleading, and often do not tell the whole story. If you want to learn and grow, you need to know that you’re going to lose. And you will lose a lot! Someone with a perfect record may not have taken sufficient risks. If you cherry-pick all your battles, and never challenge yourself, you’re not going to learn and grow.
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In this podcast we describe the three branches of the United States government, their responsibilities, and some related details. I had been asked some questions about this subject, and thought it might be useful to discuss it. A related topic is this: what happens if one branch of government exceeds its authority?
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For a great personality to flourish and find expression, the historical times must be favorable. History is filled with examples of great men who withered in obscurity simply because the periods in which they lived were unable to hear their voices. Greatness can only accomplish so much; it must be nurtured by propitious circumstances.
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As a leader or someone responsible for another person, you will often need to provide hope when your people are in dire situations. You must master techniques and strategies for alleviating people’s stress and anxiety, and for taking them across the finish line. Sincerity cannot be faked. You have to care, and to show you care. We discuss some of these techniques that I’ve learned from practicing law for twenty-five years.
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Quintus Curtius 
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