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PODCAST

Doomer Optimism

Doomer Optimism

Doomer Optimism is a podcast dedicated to discovering regenerative paths forward, highlighting the people working for a better world, and connecting seekers to doers. Beyond that, it"s pretty much a $hitshow. Enjoy!

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All Episodes

01:09:53

DO 287 - Graze Against the Machine: Breaking Up Big...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/11/04

Fresh from dinner with Wendell Berry in Kentucky, the crew discusses Paul Kingsnorth’s new book and the deep tensions in American agriculture. From Trump’s controversial beef deal with Argentina to the packing monopolies squeezing ranchers, we explore why our food system prioritizes industrial products over actually feeding people.Topics include: the soybean-ethanol scam, why 80% of corn never becomes human food, land prices and the return-to-the-land movement, the death of email jobs and rise of

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01:10:59

DO 286 - Building a Regenerative Landscaping Business...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/10/28

Creating member networks, local food systems, and recession-proof community infrastructureJason talks with Tres, co-founder of GreenBox Homes, about creating a regenerative landscaping company that competes with traditional lawn care services. They discuss the business model of providing weekly yard care focused on building soil and ecosystems rather than just aesthetic maintenance, creating member networks for sharing plants and resources, and the massive supply-demand gap in the native plant

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01:33:16

DO 285 - AI and The 95% Extinction Threshold

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/10/21

AI safety researcher Nate Soares explains why he believes there's at least a 95% chance that current AI development will lead to human extinction, and why we're accelerating toward that outcome. Soares, who has been working on AI alignment since 2012, breaks down the fundamental problem: we're building increasingly intelligent systems without any ability to control what they actually want or pursue.The conversation covers current AI behavior that wasn't programmed: threatening users,

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01:29:27

DO 284 - Group Chat Live

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/10/14

Join the Doomer Optimism crew for their first-ever live group chat as they tackle the big questions facing our technologically saturated world. Ashley, Nate, Jason, Peter, and Patrick gather to discuss Paul Kingsnorth’s new book Against the Machine, the creeping influence of AI in our daily lives, and whether we’re heading toward accelerated collapse or just another step down.The conversation meanders from the ethics of AI chatbots (including Amish farmers launching their own) to the practical

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00:57:15

DO 283 - Kevin Ryan's Grassroots Run for Illinois

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/10/07

Ashley talks with Kevin Ryan, a Marine Corps veteran and public school teacher running for U.S. Senate in Illinois without corporate donors, consultants, or ad buys. Kevin describes his campaign from a converted school bus as he travels to all 102 counties, gathering signatures by hand and talking directly with voters about what they want from their government. The two discuss money in politics, disillusionment with both parties, and how cynicism erodes civic life. It’s a grounded look at whether a

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01:16:28

DO 282 - John Heers and Ashley on Learning Humility...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/09/30

Against efficiency and isolation: learning humility from forgotten communities and the ancient art of the Georgian feastJohn Heers, founder of First Things Foundation, joins Ashley to discuss his unconventional approach to international development—sending people to live humbly in forgotten communities from Mozambique to Guatemala, learning local languages, and facilitating indigenous entrepreneurship rather than imposing Western solutions.The conversation weaves through the tyranny of

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01:15:05

DO 281 - Tucker Max's Journey to Radical...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/09/23

Dr. Chris Ellis interviews Tucker Max, who shares his transformative journey from bestselling author to homesteader, focusing on resiliency and self-sufficiency. Tucker discusses the impact of COVID-19 on his beliefs and actions, emphasizing the importance of family involvement in homesteading and the skills developed through this lifestyle. He emphasizes the importance of community and legacy, advocating for a nurturing relationship with the land and a focus on personal development. Tucker offers

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00:30:14

DO 280 - Building Resilience in Modern Society with...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/09/16

Generational Perspectives on Preparedness with Dr. Chris Ellis and Jonathan RawlesDr. Chris Ellis sits down with Jonathan Rawles, mechanical engineer, author, and co-founder of Survival Realty, to explore how different generations approach preparedness and community resilience in an era of cultural collapse. Unlike his father, James Wesley Rawles, known for his expertise on nuclear war bunkers and self-sufficiency, Jonathan focuses on what he calls the "slow collapse" already underway in

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00:56:23

DO 279: Community, Bunkers, and the Future of...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/09/09

What does it mean to be truly prepared in an uncertain world? Dr. Chris Ellis is joined by Bradley Garrett to explore the evolving landscape of resilient citizens and prepping communities, from the "Noah archetype" of community-focused preparedness to bunker communities like Vivos xPoint.The discussion unpacks the psychology, demographics, and practicalities of modern preparedness culture. Younger generations are reshaping the prepping movement, while bunker building represents both

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00:47:25

DO 278 - Thriving Through Homesteading

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/09/02

Dr. Chris Ellis, author of "Resilient Citizens," sits down with homesteader and author Roxanne Ahern to explore how sustainable living practices build both personal and community resilience. Ahern, who wrote "Holistic Homesteading" after her own transformation from health struggles to self-sufficiency, breaks down the practical and philosophical aspects of growing your own food, preserving traditional skills, and creating meaningful connections with neighbors.The conversation

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00:53:19

DO 277 - Joe Allen on Golems, Brahmas, and the...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/08/26

Joe Allen leads us on a journey through the Axial Age's profound wisdom traditions to uncover how ancient civilizations grappled with the same transhumanist dreams that captivate us today. From the bronze automaton Talos guarding Crete to the terrifying Brahmastra weapons of the Mahabharata, we trace humanity's eternal fascination with creating artificial life and wielding god-like power.This episode weaves through the Hindu concept of yugas—those vast cosmic cycles that see humanity descend from

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00:56:34

DO 276 - Peter Allen: How to Become a Keystone...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/08/20

What if everything we think we know about "natural" ecosystems is wrong?Peter Allen is a restoration ecologist and regenerative farmer, and learn how North America's pre-European landscapes weren't wild at all—they were sophisticated agricultural systems managed by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years.Speaking from his 220-acre farm in Wisconsin's unique Driftless region, Peter shares his journey from academic ecology to hands-on farming, revealing how the oak savannas

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01:01:18

DO 275 - Exploring Transhumanism with Ashley and Grayson

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/08/12

Ashley is joined by Grayson Quay, author of 'The Transhumanist Temptation' to explore the philosophical and ethical implications of transhumanism, its historical roots, and its intersection with modern ideologies. They cover the concept of natural law, the role of technology in shaping human identity, and the challenges parents face in a tech-driven world. They also discuss the future of humanity in relation to AI and consciousness, concluding with a call to embrace our humanity in an

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01:31:46

DO 274 - Kentucky, Catholicism, and Agrarian Revival

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/08/05

The Shire We Call HomeJason sits down with Tom Ruby and Alan Cornett to explore the profound influence of Wendell Berry on modern agrarianism, the surprising revival of Catholicism in America, and why the future might belong to those willing to get their hands dirty.From the rolling hills of Kentucky, which echo Tolkien's Shire, to the intellectual journey from secular academia to Catholic agrarianism, Tom and Alan share their personal stories of finding meaning through land stewardship and

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01:04:17

DO 273 - The Future of DO with Ashley, Jason, and James

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/07/29

In this episode, Ashley asks her two closest collaborators on Doomer Optimism – Jason on the podcast, and James on events – to think through what drew them to the project, lessons from what we’ve done so far, and where we could go from here.

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01:22:34

DO 272 - James, Basel, and The New Deal

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/07/16

Monopoly Power, New Deal Legacies, and the Fight for Real Economic DemocracyJames and Basel unpack the legacy of the New Deal, the tangled history of regulation, and the roots of today’s anti-monopoly movement. From egg prices and avian flu to Big Tech and corporate control of agriculture, they explore how concentrated power distorts markets, erodes democracy, and shapes both domestic and foreign policy. Grounded in history but focused on the future, the episode explores what real economic democracy

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01:06:16

DO 271 - The Machine with Paul Kingsnorth and...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/07/02

Paul Kingsnorth and Leighton Woodhouse in conversation for the Third Annual Doomer Optimism Campout at The Wagon Box.

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01:39:31

DO 270 - Leaving the 20th century w/ James, Donald...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/06/25

Ashley, Donald, and James cover a lot of ground in this episode. They kick things off with the story of Leslie Peltier, a self-taught stargazer from Ohio, before diving into a deeper conversation about environmentalism. Donald raises concerns about how today’s climate discourse can feel paralyzing, especially for young people, and argues that instead of backing away from nature, we need to find ways to work with it.The conversation broadens into bigger questions about collapse — not dramatic

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01:53:29

DO 269 – Engineering, education, empathy, and memetic...

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/06/10

DO 269 – Engineering, education, empathy, and mimetic warfare? Dr. Chuck Pezeshki & JoshDr. Chuck is an engineering professor at Washington State University. He runs an engineering design studio for student projects and blogs on an exorbitantly wide range of topics at https://empathy.guru.Dr. Chuck is hard to characterize other than “someone Doomer Optimists ought to be paying attention to.”

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01:49:30

DO 268 - Matt P on DO

Doomer Optimism ·

2025/05/28

Can Humanity Keep Pace with the Technologies It Creates?Matthew Pirkowski joins Ashley Fitzgerald to unpack the complicated relationship between technology and humanity. They dive into the worlds of AI and cryptocurrency, exploring how these tools work—and how they shape our minds, societies, and futures.Drawing from his background in evolutionary psychology, Matthew reflects on how our instincts and behaviors interact with fast-moving technologies. He and Ashley wrestle with big questions: How does

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